Game chat: Howard returns to lineup vs. Morris, Bucs

Kyle Kendrick gets the ball when the Phillies resume their series with Matt Morris and the Pirates tonight at 7:05 p.m. from PNC Park. Slumping slugger Ryan Howard returns to the cleanup spot. Chris Coste and Gregg Dobbs also earn starts against struggling right-hander Matt Morris. Discuss it here.

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Comments

[Jeltz for the Hall]

If Ryno is going to start hitting again, tonight is the night to do it. Matt Morris is an extremely hittable guy. Maybe tonight's the night we get MVP Ryno back.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

JW: Not calling it "Game Chatter" anymore? I liked it. The 77 Topps card graphic/logo was pretty sweet, too. (The 1986 and 1987 designs were my two favorites...but purely for nostalgic significance.)

[J. Weitzel]

Jeltzy. Perhaps. Trial run at this point.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Ryno!!!

[Jeltz for the Hall]

RYNO!!! Nothing like a terrible right-hander to make him look a lot better.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

It'd be nice to see Jenkins stop sucking, too.

[EastFallowfield]

Plenty of lousy pitchers have made him look bad so far, so it's still a positive step.

[emerson]

Is Burrell coming back next year? I dont see how we cant offer him a three year deal at this point. He may not take it, but I just cant see us letting him walk without making an effort to keep him here.

[michael smith]

let's just hope morris makes it far enough into the game to give ryno a couple more at-bats.

[Zach Morris]

Burrell is a madman on the bases lately!

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Well...he hit the ball hard and knocked in the run (even if the scorer called it an error and didn't award the RBI).

[Joe K]

Great way to start the game. Maybe this one won't be a nail biter.

[keats]

I'm enjoying these early leads. Got to love the Pirate announcers. 'If the throw is better they have Burrell there because he's... he's... just.... so slow'

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Time for TG (Travelocity Gnome) to make an out. Hope I'm wrong, though.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

It's good to be wrong at times like this.

[johnnysanz3]

This pitcher truly is horrible. I almost feel bad.

[johnnysanz3]

Well actually I guess it's not just the pitcher, the Pirates are just bad..just bad.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Pirates bullpen is active already. Guess Russell isn't going to let his starter struggle again tonight. Of course, everything except for the first two runs are unearned.

[bathtubhippo]

is it okay to feel sorry for your opponent at this point?

[keats]

This is getting painful - I love it!

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

The everybody hits statement is truly applicable here. Truly.

[BloodStripes]

Is this an Eastern League game?

10 tonight Phils. Drill 'em. Make 'em pay!

[Tray]

What's with the 250 on their jersies? The age of the city? The average they aspire to hit as a team?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

This may be the end of the line for Morris, permanently.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Eagles fans...with the first pick of the draft the Philadelphia Eagles select nobody, because they've traded AGAIN. Flyers are currently up 1 - 0, too.

Good first inning.

[MG]

Morris is throwing batting practice. Worst starter I have seen this year. Morris trade has to be the highlights of the Littlefield ERA in Pittsburgh. Utterly futile.

[stjoehawk]

"What's with the 250 on their jersies?"

It's to honor the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh (from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).

[Jeltz for the Hall]

2 - 0 Flyers. Hopefully they don't give it away again.

[brother]

Now Kendrick needs to post a big ZERO in the bottom of this inning.

[EastFallowfield]

To help commemorate the 250th anniversary of the naming of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Pirates announced today that the club will wear a Pittsburgh 250 patch on their home jerseys throughout the 2008 season.

[MG]

Hopefully this big lead allows Kendrick to go out and deal. He could use a solid outing to get mentally on track.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

MG: Agreed. Terrible decision for a struggling team to take on an aging pitcher with an awful contract.

[keats]

Nice time for Kendrick to settle down a bit without too much pressure

[Jeltz for the Hall]

With a 5-0 lead, KK shouldn't be throwing any balls...except on 0-2 counts. Nice play by Dobbs and a good inning by KK.

[stjoehawk]

Not sure if this was mentioned yet, but that was Ryan Howard's first career home run against the Pirates. They were the only team that he had faced & didn't have a home run against.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Man...Morris just doesn't seem to have anything left. His fastball is topping out in the mid-80's. Only lefties can get away with that.

[MG]

This Pirates' team is terrible and even the few decent players they have will probably have to be dealt before this team can contend again. Basically at least 3 years away.

[Tray]

How did Morris get so bad? Everything he throws is in the 70s.

[That Dude]

BREAKING NEWS: The Eagles have traded their all of their picks for the entire 7th rd 2010.

[GM-Carson]

1st ever homerun against Shittsburgh for RyHo...yeah buddy.

Please excuse me tonight, I'm well into a case of High Life so I might be more assholic that per usual.

[MG]

Hitting LaRoche cleanup? Guess the Pirates really want to try and kill any rallies they might but together and break up the only part of their lineup that did anything last night.

[GM-Carson]

I've just discovered beer makes me love the Phillies every bit more. Of course 6 runs helps too.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

With their first pick in the 2008 NFL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles FINALLY select DT Trevor Laws from Notre Dame. And the Flyers are now only up 2-1. Crap. Carson...is being more assholic even possible. Heh heh. Just kidding.

[RSB]

Okay, we have the 6-0 lead against the Pirates down pat. Now let's see if we can perpetuate that wide a margin for a few innings, at least.

God, is there any hope for that team?

[joe l]

Enjoying a Paper City Brewery Ireland Parish Golden Ale up here outside Boston. (Just ran out of Yards Philly Pale Ale, this is a close approximation.) Good job so far by the Phils, finally hitting a struggling pitcher. Go Flyers too!

[MG]

You can tell that Kendrick is 100% relaxed out there. Reminds me exactly of last year when the Phils scored big in a few or his starts and Kendrick just cruised.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Back on the board, the Eagles select WR DeSean Jackson from California.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Now if my Stillers can select either Limas Sweed or Malcolm Kelly, I'll be happy.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Eagles fans should be happy...An extra 1st round pick next year (from a potentially bad team) and a potentially game breaking WR. They can probably get decent O-line prospects with their 4,000 3rd thru 7th round picks, too.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Maybe the Gnome is starting to get comfortable out there. He really smoked that ball and Bixler had to make a good play to snare it.

[joe l]

Jeltz - by definition, Eagles fans are never happy.

[johnnysanz3]

Ya hopefully Carolina sucks really bad and the Eagles get to draft early.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

joe l: Good point.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

KK needs to settle down here. And Jenkins needs to hit the cut-off man. That's bad baseball.

[redbeard]

umm, cut-off man?

[MG]

If Kendrick can give the Phils 6 innings tonight and only give up another run, he did his job.

Would be nice for the Phils to keep their foot on the Pirates' throat by scoring a few more runs tonight and making them go through their pen.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Yeah, Chase Utley. He hits him with the throw, there's a chance that McClouth doesn't score the Pirate's second run.

[joe l]

Cut-off men are for little leaguers. Or at least that's what it seems like after watching paid professionals miss them game after game.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Um...Chase Utley is the cut-off man and Genkins is the guy throwing, if I wasn't clear.

Stillers pick up tall wide-reciever Limas Sweed. Good player.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Ryno looks really terrible against lefties...even marginal ones...this year.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it today, but the rumor going around is that the Mets are thinking about releasing Carlos Delgado.

[redbeard]

always hit the cut off

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Nice pick by the Gnome there to keep the score 6-2.

[MG]

Ideally Kendrick goes 7 tonight, Phils score another 2 or 3 runs, and we get to see Condrey throw 2 meaningless innings.

Bullpen will be nice and rested tomorrow as the Phils go for the sweep.

[curt]

Looks like these guys have plans later.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Local product (to Reading) Chad Henne reunites with his teammate at Michigan Jake Long in Miami.

[curt]

Or maybe the Pirates are hiding a stud as their long man.

[joe l]

Wow Briere... 3-1 Flyers.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

3-1 Flyers. It looks like KK might get through 6 innings (maybe even 7, which would be amazing). My Stillers got the WR they coveted. Life is good.

[MG]

Can't hit, can't field, and have marginal pitching. Catch Pirates baseball!

[MG]

In-game drama: Can a Phils' player successfully lay down a sac bunt?

[MG]

Guess not. At some point I wonder if Cholly is just going to let pitchers swing away instead of striking out by bunting foul.

[Tray]

Hear the Pirates announcers claim that Feliz is a career .270 hitter?

[MG]

Nice. Little more breathing room for Condrey.

[keats]

Tray: Maybe they meant his OBP, it's easy to get confused!

[MG]

Ugh. Howard's continue to look completely lost against lefties.

[Zach Morris]

Please don't strike out...

[erich]

happy birthday, Pedro!

[Andy]

Tray:
When his blood alcohol is .27 he's a hitter.

[Andy]

And he packed in a few before the game, evidently.

[joe l]

Kendrick @ 80 pitches after 6.. looks to be in good shape to pull down 7 strong innings.

[Andy]

Maybe 8.

[brother]

KK has a shot to go 8. 11 ground ball outs, 2 strikeouts... That's the Kyle we know and love!

[Tray]

I feel like I've seen Kendrick do that before a few times.

[Phils Phan]

While I still like Rhino, I detest his habit to give only as much effort as he appears to feel like giving. Kendrick's throw was off, but Howard could simply pull his butt off the bag, catch it, and allow 1st and 2nd. Instead, he does a half cower from contact, half half-hearted swipe, and to the 1st base fence it rolls.

[keats]

Montreal score, 3-2 Flyers

[johnnysanz3]

Are there any first basement out there that are as bad as Howard defensively?

[johnnysanz3]

basemen* damn it.

[keats]

Sure nice to watch a game where I'm not gnawing my nails to the nub every half-inning

[johnnysanz3]

Blowouts are good, the more boring the better when the Phillies are winning.

[johnnysanz3]

Does this guy throw strikes?

[johnnysanz3]

I think Utley wants to get home early.

[clout]

johmmysanz: Just off the top of my head, Conor Jackson and Dmitri Young are actually worse. I could come up with a few more if I research it.

[Andy]

So,Evan Meek is a headcase with filthy stuff and absolutely no command who always appears to be on the brink of imploding and who looks good in a cap with a "P" on the front...

How did Gillick make it through an entire off season without picking this kid up?

[clout]

Jason Giambi, is way worse, although he mostly DHs these days.

[clout]

Oh, and a guy named Thome. Almost forgot.

[MG]

Its Clay Condrey time.

[clout]

Andy: Meek has great stuff, no command. He was a Rule 5 pick from Tampa Bay. Pirates picked ahead of the Phils, which is only way PG didn't grab him.

[RSB]

Funny - Manuel couldn't wait to pull Kendrick out of the games last year. Now he has a tendency to leave him in too long.

[Tray]

RSB, he waited too long?