Game chat: Phillies, Hamels host Padres, Maddux

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[joe l]

Hard to top the classy Phils-Pirates graphic, JW? j/k :)

[J. Weitzel]

Two factors: Under the weather and there was breaking Oscar Robles news to report.

[clout]

Just to set the record straight on Oscar Gamble, who, when he was wearing a batting helmet, looked like Mickey Mouse because of the huge puffs of Afro on either side:

1. He was signed and developed by the Cubs. The Phillies got him, and Dick Selma, for Johnny Callison in 1970.

2. He was never an everyday player for the Phillies. Did some platooning, didn't make much impact.

3. He was traded to Cleveland for Del Unser in 1972, a player who (traded then reacquired) got key pinch hits to help win games down the stretch in 1980.

4. Oscar went on to play for 5 other teams in a 17-year career, his best season being 1977 when he hit .297 with 31 HRs for the White Sox.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

These padres announcers are ridiculous. They are tallking about how bad Cole's last two starts have been. They obviously didn't do their homework. Cole's last start was brilliant except for one inning when Manual left him in too long.

[RSB]

Has there been any mention of why Victorino isn't starting?

Smoltz, Glavine, and Chipper Jones all on the DL for Atlanta in April. That team's starting to look a tad vulnerable.

The game's underway, but I'm still racking my brain coming up with Oscars who played baseball. The only other one I can think of is Oscar Azocar, who used to be a Padre in the early '90s.

[Sophist]

Quick: does Dobbs make that play?

I foresee a Hamels shut-out at least through the 6th or 7th tonight.

[raiojr]

Oscar Judd from wiki.
His best season with Philadelphia was 1946, when he won 11 games, lost 12, and hit .316 for a mediocre Phillies team that finished in fifth place with a 69-85 record. He finished in a tie for 36th place in the National League MVP voting.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Bard is one of the worst throwing catchers in the league.

[RSB]

Judd was robbed, he deserved at least 34th place.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

I don't know what all this is for but: Oscar Villareal.

[CJ]

Woo hoo.. Ryno with a cheap ribbie.

[joe l]

::clap:: Howard

[CJ]

Sophist: Maybe.

Quick... does that one play, that Dobbs maybe makes... make up for 78 points in OPS+?

[CJ]

At least PtB made him work. Nice first inning... 20+ pitches for Maddux.

[joe l]

1 run and a 24 pitch first inning from Maddux, I'll take that.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

McLouth going yard again. This time off Santana.

[Sophist]

CJ - not that one no, I wouldn't think. Maddux is leaving the ball over the plate. Utley's out was a near-double and Burrell had many hittable pitches.Howard grounds one opposite field for what feels like the first time.

[CJ]

Parker: I'm soooo glad I snagged McLouth off the waiver wire the first week of the season in my fantasy league.

Sophist: Howard benefitted by a ball from Maddux which moved back over the plate, like you said. I think if that continues, the Phils should do just fine. It's why Burrell fouled so many off.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

THis just in: Nate McLouth IS the Pirates offense. Nobody sent Brett Myers the memo. Either that or he thought it was a short story about Irish seamen, which he would, of course, never read.

[CJ]

Pedro Feliz is awesome.

[joe l]

Son of a....

[johnnysanz3]

Ok, it's time for a full out platoon at third..

[J. Weitzel]

That's it, Bruntlett. Good hit. I'd take Bruntlett over Feliz right now.

[The Theory]

So the real question becomes, can Bruntlett play 3rd when Rollins comes back??

[NCPhilly]

Sensational play Hairston.

[KidCarnivore]

Brett Favre!

[joe l]

Burrell's wearin' him down.

[Sophist]

I'm telling you, Bruntlett's been pretty good since his first two or three games.

[redbeard]

that ball is caught anywhere else

[redbeard]

he left it up in the zone though, his fault

[J. Weitzel]

Light crowd tonight. Can mean only one thing: Neil Diamond night on American Idol.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

JW: I really hope that is not the reason.

[joe l]

LOL. Also, looks like Burrell might have used his pitch quota (swinging at the first pitch this time)?

[vicki]

Seriously, where is everyone?

[redbeard]

i cant take wheels anymore. id pay good money to hear harry tell him to shut up.

[p. Red]

So Hamels strikes out the side in the top of the 7th. This looks familiar...

So what do you think arm chair managers? Do you send Hamels back out there for the 8th?

[J. Weitzel]

Cole and the dreaded eighth coming up, preceded by a brilliant seventh. Bottom of the order. But pitch count is over 20 less than in Milwaukee.

[J. Weitzel]

I say yes.

[p. Red]

FWIW I send him back out there. This is a totally different situation. Like Jason says, he is at 20 less pitches and you aren't facing Braun and Fielder, but Hairston, Bard and a pinch hitter.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

p Red: what is his pitch count?

It is worth noting that this is the Padres and not the Brewers. Brew Crew are a lot more intimidating than Padres.

[p. Red]

And it looks like he is staying in...

[p. Red]

He's at 87 pitches right now.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

You don't take out a bat like Cole. Are you kidding me? Lol.

[redbeard]

haha nice move charlie, keep the kid in and let em hi and pitch!!!!

[Sophist]

Yes

[king myno]

Let the man pitch.

[bay_area_phan]

Agreed that it was the right move to leave him in -- especially since he's a better hitter than anyone on our bench. But I'd have someone limbering up in the pen to start the 8th inning.

[J. Weitzel]

Agreed, BAP. That was kind of a long bottom half. Better get someone up in case there's early trouble.

[RSB]

Great job by Werth there. Even 2 weeks ago, that's a situation where Manuel almost certainly pinch-hits for him there. He fouled off all those pitches and hung in there until Meredith finally got a pitch up. Phillies playing a very solid, crisp game tonight behind Hamels. They haven't had many scoring opportunities but have done well to convert the ones they've had.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

To me, if I'm the Padres, I want a manager that has history as a hitters manager (similar to Manual), rather then a pitchers background. Their ballpark is probably the easiest place in baseball to pitch. It has to be either Petco or Comerica, maybe Safeco. Either way, I'd want somebody that might entice hitters to come there. At least he could help with some of their young hitters that pretty much exclusively come up through their system or via trade.

And here it comes. Short leash?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

What a play by Uts.

[J. Weitzel]

This is getting ugly in a hurry. Nice save by Utley. Wow!

[johnnysanz3]

I am starting to hate the 8th inning.

[J. Weitzel]

Cole can't get over that eighth inning hump.

[Sophist]

Screw the pitch count and the order; Cole can't pitch the 8th.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Well it was the right decision at least from a logic perspective. We'll see if it works out to be a winning decision.

[J. Weitzel]

Romero has struggled with inherited runners. Let's see how this goes.

[J. Weitzel]

Can't waste these gems by Hamels like this. Enough of this. Let's go.

[The Other Kevin]

He's. Bringing. In. Tom. Gordon.

OMFG.

[Sophist]

Agreed Parker

You can't walk the damn Padres. They can't hit!

[king myno]

Iguchi's 0 for the century against righties, but he has several foul tips.

[king myno]

Or lefties. Get your facts straight, Wheels.

[Dave X]

Perfect example of why people say closers are wasted pitching in the 9th...

[The Other Kevin]

I'm absolutely flabbergasted that he only gave up one. Wow.

[J. Weitzel]

Nice job, Flash. Very nice.

[Sophist]

I'll take it. Survival

[vicki]

Whew! That was scary.

[Dave X]

Nevermind, it worked out.

Still would've rather seen Lidge in with the bases loaded than Gordon...

[RSB]

That didn't work out so badly.

[AWH the RBP]

NICE job by Flash!!!

He got them to hit his pitch. 2 dinky ground balls. Excellent.

[keats]

Nice work Flash. Some insureance please, a home Run by Burrell sure would be sweet.

[KidCarnivore]

Let's go, Rhino...pad this lead...

[keats]

Wow spelling... my only excuse is the timezone. It's gone 2am here.

[AWH the RBP]

Utley is just scalding the ball. I fully expect that if it rains later in the week that he stands a chance to duplicate Roy Hobbs' feat.

[vicki]

It'd be great to see Vic come to bat and get us a run this inning.

[Steve Jeltz]

Sign they need Rollins and Vic back ASAP:

Hamels has the 3rd highest BA in tonight's Phils lineup.

[bay_area_phan]

Again, Cholly pinch runs even though Burrell's not even the lead runner. Not that I would advocate doing it if he WERE the lead runner, but it would at least be marginally more justifiable.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

He needs to get a hit to get some attention. He may have lost his spot in the lineup. I see that he is doing the same thing that he was doing before: being ineffective.

[Dave X]

Splitting up the lefties should become the more obvious move to Charlie by the day

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Feliz Navidad!!

[vicki]

Yeah Utz and Feliz!

[redbeard]

lol harry just called utley, taguchi

nice poke, feliz.

[JCD]

very nice piece of hitting there from the double-play machine there. well done feliz.

[RSB]

Another very nice conversion.

[AWH the RBP]

Just when Pete Happy gets you to the point where you're ready to throw him under the bus, he get's a big hit forcing you to cancel the tossing.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

So, now the real question is, why does Feliz not permanently take that approach.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Did Pete just get an RBI?

OT: Why do we always get the mediocre brother?

[joe l]

Wow, watching the Sox up here in New England and Dustin Pedroia made a heck of a play at second base to preserve tie.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Goochimus!!!!

[KidCarnivore]

CHOOOOOOOOOOOOCH

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Oops Choochimus!!!

[AWH the RBP]

Here's the question now:

Is it Mad Dog, Seanez or Lidge time?

[vicki]

That's some nice insurance.

[king myno]

Way to go, Carlos. No way the Fathers score 4 in the 9th. Even if Clay Condrey comes in.

[RSB]

Nice job, Kevin Cameron.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Full disclosure: I can't getthe Phils on TV, but I do get the Pittsburgh Penguins. 5 goals on 15 shots - penalty kill is amazing. Hope the Flyers get a chance to play them.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

I must have gotten into Harry's drink confusing Guch with Chooch. At least it wasn't Utley.

Dobb's!!

[JCD]

it has to be said: dobbs and werth were outstanding, under-the-radar acquisitions by our departing GM.

[AWH the RBP]

Your Majesty, bite your tongue until it's over.

[king myno]

I don't know why anyone throws Dobbs a fastball anymore. Isn't the book out on him already?