Game chat: Utley tries to stay red hot against Rox

A home run tonight means Chase Utley enters the Phillies’ record books by homering in six-straight games. Colorado’s Jeff Francis (0-2, 5.89 ERA) stands in his way tonight at 8:35 ET at Coors Field. For the Phils, Brett Myers (2-1, 3.96 ERA) brings along a string of two-consecutive quality starts. Lifetime, Myers is 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts at Coors. Francis last faced the Phils in Game 1 of the NLDS. ... In other news, Shane Victorino begins a rehab assignment with Class-A Clearwater tonight.

Comments

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Well, if the Mets/Cubs series is any barometer of the Phils team early in the season, then so far so good. The Cubs have been steamrolling everyone with the only bump in the road being the Phillies. The Phillies got the Cubs in the midst of their hot streak and took 2 of 3. The Mets have already lost 2 of 3 and the Cubs will look to sweep tomorrow. Where are all those annoying Mets fans these days?

[Sophist]

CJ - I was half-joking in response to what I thought was someone rubbing the early 1-0 Caps' lead in my face.

[bay_area_phan]

This is a bad matchup for the Phillies. Francis is a 75th percentile pitcher, left-handed, & totally stymied them in the NLDS last year. This will be the Phillies 7th chance this year to push their record above .500. They're 0-6, so far.

With Howard slumping and a tough left-hander on the mound, it had occurred to me that this might be a good game to give Howard a day off. But then I realized that, with the way the Phillies' roster is set up, the only way they could do that would be to start Dobbs, who himself is left-handed. They don't really have any right-hander who can play first base.

[ae]

well, Coste...

[joe l]

Has Coste played first base at all?

[ae]

I know he did in the minors. also in ST, I'm pretty sure.

[joe l]

Baseball cube says he has for the Phillies for a handful of games.

[Steve Jeltz]

Coste has playd a significant amount of time at 1B in sring training the past couple years.

[bay_area_phan]

Ok . . . Coste. I guess Feliz can also play first, but what would be the point, since that would mean we'd have to use Dobbs at third?

[joe l]

Alternatively, could someone else play second and move Utz to first? (Just throwing out ideas here.)

[Sophist]

Utley has played first as well, yeah? Bruntlett could play second, Feliz SS, and Dobbs 3rd. Completely hypothetical of course.

[PKS]

You could put Utley at first, Feliz at short and Dobbs at 3B with Bruntlet at 2B. Ridiculous though.

[PKS]

Haha-good call Sophist

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Howard is 2-5 with a BB, K, and RBI against Francis. Francis has a 5.89 ERA and 1.47 WHIP this season. This may be the guy that Howard can start to get a little confidence against LH. Although he did homer off Kent Merker (yes, he's been around for a while) earlier in the year.

[joe l]

Cholly calls this configuration, "Chinese Firedrill".

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Detroit is getting hot courtesy of Vincente "Launcing" Padilla. 7 ER through 3 innings.

[Dave X]

Well, to make all hell break loose

OF of Bohn, Taguchi, Werth
3b Burrell, SS Feliz, 2b Bruntlett, 1b Coste
Catcher Ruiz

If you REALLY wanna play the platoon...

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Oops: "Launching"

[EastFallowfield]

Mets fans are all over on Metsblog calling for the release of Delgado and various members of their 'bullpen', the firing of Randolph, and hoping Moises Alou will somehow return them to the promised land.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Maybe Alou can urinate on Delgado's hands and he will be able to swing the bat better.

[p. Red]

Is the lineup up yet?

[Sophist]

lineup tonight up on ESPN
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/b
oxscore?gameId=280422127

[PKS]

Is this a CN8 game again?

[Sophist]

Same as last night I believe

[stjoehawk]

I think it's on CW-57 tonight.

[doubleh]

It is on CW57 per the banner I saw scrolling during Everybody Loves Raymond...I needed a break from the Flyers' game...it's madness.

[MG]

If you look at the Mets' schedule early, they haven't exactly played well against decent teams (Phils withstanding). Got swept by the Braves and Cubs in 2-game series and lost 2 of 3 against the Brewers.

Funny is was listening to all the Mets' yahoos on here who insisted there offense was great and that it would only get better with Alou coming back. Yeah he gives will give a lift but that lineup isn't as good as advertised or as idiot Mets' fans will tell you.

[MG]

While Howard is struggling, I would still rather have him out there everyday than the fossilizing Delgado.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Delgado looks horrible, Beltran is streaky, castillo is horrible. I would say that Church is overrated, but I don't think anyone has him rated highly except Mets fans. Reyes continues to show his true, slap hitting colors. Brian Schneider is not an offensive threat.

If a 50 something Moises Alou is boosting your lineup, then you will be trading for a bat by the All-star break.

[doubleh]

They sure looked good against us, though. Is it Rollins that scares them?

[PKS]

I don't know, Church has killed us already and never saw any pitches as a National. I cringe when he comes up.

[Sophist]

doubleh - Walks by our pitches and solid hitting from David Wright. A lack of timely hitting from the Phils. To me, that was the story of the series.

[MG]

Trying explained to a Mets' fan that the Phils offense is struggling for really only two reasons: might not be a bigger downgrade offensively from what Bruntlett has given the Phils so far vs. JRoll and Howard's struggles.

Once JRoll is back and Howard starts to hit a bit more (dopey coworker said Howard was vastly overrated and would a Rob Deer type year), the Phils' offense will be fine.

[doubleh]

Why is Tulowitzki (sp) out of the line up for the Rox?

[Sophist]

Tulowitzki in his last 7 games (35 AB):
.171 .237 .286

[Sophist]

I think he's "in a funk."

Myers has faced the Rockies 6 times and received a win in every one (5 starts, 1 relief appearance.) That's courtesy of a Rockies blog.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

I think the Mets will miss Lastings Milledge a lot quicker than they ever could have expected. If he learns a little patience, he could have been an ideal leadoff hitter on that team. He has power (Much more than Jose Reyes) and speed and is a good defensive outfielder. I also think that Milledge can be a great draw with the fans in a Rollins way as he matures. Minaya dropped the ball on that trade and Mets fans will be talking about it like the Kazmir trade before too long.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

He carries a glove too.

[PKS]

IOP-Reyes has pretty good power anyway and Milledge can't control his swings. I know he's young but still. Great play by Utley by the way. Good to see some defense back in the lineup.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Utley that is.

[MG]

Good play by Utley. I would take more consistent play vs. the sloppy play with the occasional great play we have seen so far from the INF though.

[Sophist]

Funny, Parker. I was thinking one reason not to leave TT out of the lineup, despite his struggles, is his glove. In that sense, I thought you were referring to him.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Clout might tell you that is a reason to leave Tulo out of the lineup, but you wont hear it from me.

[raiojr]

That sixers photoshop on the add to the right for tickets is awful.

that is all.

[bay_area_phan]

Why do the Phillies always look completely hapless until about the 5th or 6th inning?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Bad signals from Myers so far. Every ball is getting hit hard. Has he even missed a bat so far?

[bay_area_phan]

No, he doesn't look good at all. In mitigation, Coors is not an easy place to pitch -- unless you're facing the Phillies, that is.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Roaming Gnome: He goes all the way from box to second. Watch out for those U.S. appliances in Europe.

[PKS]

Did Chollie skip bunting drills in Spring Training? What's the deal?

[MG]

This team can hit HRs but they sure can't advance runners when they need in the early going.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Wait, I think he just walked on water.

[PKS]

Another quality AB by Werth. Huge walk and Utley drives him in.

[NCPhilly81]

Utley is money in the bank.

[MG]

The Man continues to swing a hat bat . . .

[AWH the RBP]

Chase Utley is 'sick' hot.

[MG]

. . . and Howard does not.

[Dave X]

Howard swinging at things way off the plate...

[AWH the RBP]

Ryan Howard looks like needs to sit for a day. I love the guy, but he really seems to be struggling and needs to sit to clear his head.

[PKS]

Is Howard just too far off the plate? I'm trying to figure out what is fundametally wrong with this swing...

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

He did smoke that first ball (Howard) but it went right to Helton. To Howards credit, that was a good swing.

[NCPhilly81]

Off topic, but Biron has been stellar these playoffs, all things considered.

[MG]

Neither one of these pitchers have been particularly sharp so far.

[doubleh]

NCPhilly--he has--I just wish the Flyers had come to play 60 full mins last night or game 5, so we wouldn't have to be in a game 7. But I guess a game 7 is better than being swept...

[NCPhilly81]

Don't walk the pitcher. Bad things happen.

[PKS]

Wait...did anybody else see Taguchi's numbers with the bases loaded...batting .500???

[bsg]

T-mac and sarge just always seem to talk too much! , just shut and call the game!

[brother]

Good eye, So!

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

"Everybody calls me Psycho. You call me Francis, I'll kill ya." Psycho from "Stripes"

[MG]

Big wasted opportunity there. That was a gift-wrapped inning that should have seen the Phils put 2 or 3 up on the board.

[bay_area_phan]

Agreed, MG. That inning will loom large when Matt Holliday hits his walk-off homer in the 9th.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

All of the questions about the wisdom in a Pat Burrell defensive swap were just answered right there.

[bay_area_phan]

Parker: No they weren't. How often does that happen?

[The Theory]

I just got home from work. Is this @#(*$ing game not on TV anywhere?? Or is comcast being a @#(*#?

I think someone mentioned 57 earlier... which usually means the CW network... but I'm not seeing it there here

[Sophist]

Lots of doubles. Coors field and its huge outfield.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

BAP: I think even the bungling Bohn gets to that ball. I'm certain that Taguchi gets it, assuming that he would be available off the bench.

[NCPhilly81]

I was going to chide MG and BAP for their comments on the previous half inning for the Phillies offense, saying they should stay positive, but it appears they were right.

[bay_area_phan]

Parker: I'm not debating that an outfielder with average speed would have caught that ball. My point is that the number of times that the defensive sub catches a ball that Burrell would have missed is far less than the number of times that, after a defensive replacement is made, the light hitting defensive sub comes up and makes an out in a situation where Burrell would not have done so.

[NCPhilly81]

Power play Flyers in OT.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

time to pull Myers, he is getting hammered.

[NCPhilly81]

Holliday homers 4 innings too early.

[Steve Jeltz]

Nats beat Smoltz and the Braves; Bucs beat the Fish.

[NCPhilly81]

FLYERS WIN!!!!!

[Sophist]

Flyers win!!! Yes! I don't believe it!

Let's see the Phils come back again

[RSB]

Thank you, Charlie - Myers needed a little bitching out there. They'll have to wait until after the inning to change his diaper, though.

[Malcolm]

Myers is just tossing them over the heart of the plate. What else does he think is going to happen?

By the way, I love when righties come to the plate. Nice bird there in the first row.

[doubleh]

Nice...a Caps' fan just threw something at Carter, but we're the dirty ones in Philly.

[Jack]

YEAH FLYERS!

[RSB]

Surprised they're letting Myers hit here. Very surprising.

[Malcolm]

Meh. Who do you bring in from the right side? You need to save Coste. Then it's Bohn and Harman. Maybe Bohn.

Still, I'm more PO'd at Ruiz. He looks so bad up there.

[mw_217]

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but my favorite-named player in our farm system, Antonio Bastardo, threw a pretty game in Clearwater, giving up 2 runs on 4 hits with 12 K's over 7 innings.

[pblunts]

er, somebody help me out. Any reason for Myers to hit there in the 6th? Oh, wait. We have TJ Bohn to hit later. Hasn't Myers dodge enough bullets tonight?

[RSB]

Okay, I know no one's watching now, but that was very curious. Myers has struggled all night, and they let him bat with 2 outs and a runnier in scoring position in the 6th. I know the bullpen has worked a lot lately, but I don't think that was the right move.

[Bob]

FLYERS - I have to say I'm shocked. I gave the Flyers little chance tonight. Anyone notice all the trash on the ice after the game? And Carter being hit in the face with debris during his interview? You won't see or hear anything about this. But if it was Flyers fans who did it....

[NCPhilly81]

Horrible inning by Myers. Should have wasted bullpen innings early.

[ZT]

RJ Swindle is still my favorite name in the farm system

[Sophist]

Bob - true. but that's the way it is.

Myers had a strong 6th. I suppose, RSB, it was the bottom of the Rock's lineup Charlie left him in for.

[RSB]

Just saying, I would rather have taken the shot to tie the game there. The strong inning by Myers doesn't necessarily justify letting him hit.

[Dizzle]

That's a bomb even at Coors.

[doubleh]

Nice job, Werth!!!

[RSB]

Never mind, they tied it. That was a bomb. Go Wetrh!