Saturday: Myers, Burrell star in sound win over Cubs

Brett Myers allowed three runs on three solo homers, but limited the Cubs to just two additional base runners, lasting eight innings for his first win of the season in a 5-3 defeat of the Cubs.

Pat Burrell drove in three runs, including a two-run blast in the fourth off Carlos Zambrano, adding insult to injury with an RBI double in the sixth off the Cubs' ace, who seemed to let his emotions get the best of him after Greg Dobbs’ fifth-inning fly ball to left-center was ruled a double instead of a catch, scoring Shane Victorino. Carlos Ruiz picked up an RBI hit to round out the scoring. Brad Lidge pitched the ninth inning for his second save. Readers called it the most complete win of the season.

Beerleaguer: Pat Burrell is absolutely brilliant right now: aggressive, ready to unload, a great-looking swing. He appears to be seeing the ball extremely well. The pitch from Zambrano had life to it, and he crushed it. He’s been a very opportunistic hitter, too. These RBIs are coming right when they need them. The Phillies looked dead in the water before he put them on the board.

The key for Myers was that he didn’t walk anybody. He went back to doing what he does best: attack; throw strikes. It was a very efficient, promising effort from the right-hander. The home runs are going to happen, a byproduct of the park and the type of pitcher he is. The key is for Myers to shake it off and move on, something his Cubs counterpart couldn’t do last night.

Comments

[timr]

Definitely a very nice win after that tough loss to the Mets.

[Ribbies]

My first game of the year was a good one. Burrell looks totally different at the plate, his stance seems wider and he is definitely attacking the ball. He hit another ball well that was hit right at the second baseman.

It was also good to see Vic do something from leadoff. He really seemed to give Zambrano troubles once he got on the base paths.

[Andy]

The BAT!!

[Andy]

On a rational note, I understand that Burrell often begins the season hot and then has an atrocious May. And I know that I have a tendency to sip a little Flavor-Aid© when someone gets going good in the early part of the season...but doesn't it feel different?

Maybe it (really) was lasik, or maybe it's the walk year, but PtB seems ready to claim his potential. If he's doing this in mid-May, it will be time to extend the Manchine a few more years, if he's having it. (He should, too - where else is he gonna find a PtB-friendly site like the Zen?)

[Morty]

Agreed that this was the most textbook win of the year. Good pitching, timely hitting - simple, right?

Lidge looks fantastic, by the way.

[The Theory]

I have noticed a trend where the Phillies lose two games... then win two games... lose two, win two (repeat). So I predict a win today.

[GM-Carson]

I'd love to predict victory today, but the lineup we'll trot out hasn't done well against him in the past, only guy that has is Feliz, bunch of sub .200 averages.

[GM-Carson]

him = Lilly

[timr]

Andy, I've been a big proponent of the Lasik theory since last season, given the brief notice during spring training 07 that Burrell had tried contact lenses and found them uncomfortable. But I don't know anything about Lasik surgery--would it have been possible for him to have had it and recover from it over the All-Star break last year?

What ever the reason, Pat the Bat's resurgence is fine by me!

[Sophist]

Carson, true, but according to the baseball-reference.com stats only Taguchi has faced him more than 10 times (12 PA.) Howard and Utley have only faced him 3 times. Granted Rollins' 1-7 career against Lilly is far from impressive.

[Sophist]

Funny, here's the previous game I found:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/
boxes/PHI/PHI200705130.shtml

No-Hit was 2-3!

[Sophist]

But he had 2 errors. . .

[dkit]

If you remember back to when Pat first came up and when he was destroying Armando Benitez it's because Pat was attacking the ball and swinging often, which he seems to be doing now. The last couple of years he has been trying to walk, he's stated over the last couple of years that his goal was to walk 100 times in a season. Maybe he's realized he should just go up there hacking and let his natural talent take over.

[Tony]

i think extending pat is a good idea, especially if he keeps up his hot pace. With a CF who can cover a lot ground like Vic we can tolerate his def in LF for 2 or 3 more years until we're forced to trade Howard due to his unGodly high contract demands and expectations (or should i say his father's). At that point we could move the Bat back to 1B.

[Sophist]

Interesting thing is, dkit, that in this short season his BB/PA is right around his '06-'07 average. He keeps that up, and gets his usual number of PA, then he will walk ~100 times.

His #P/PA is down about 6% though (from 4.22 last year to 3.95 so far this season.)

Small sample, of course.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Did Reyes touch home plate yet?

Anyway, Phils looked good in the middle and late innings of last nights ballgame. The Manchine is playing some real nice baseball right now and if the FO can extend him for a reasonable price for a reasonable number of years, they should do so (although, I've got a feeling he'll want to test the free-agent waters).

Ted Lilly is tough against lefties, so the Phils might have a rough go of it tonight. Here's hoping Pete Happy can carry the offense...although, he might need some help from Werth and PtB. I just hope the Phils' offense doesn't let down another solid pitching performance from Cole tonight.

I won't be watching the game, as I'll be sitting behind home plate at the second regular season game at Coca-Cola Park watching the Iron Pigs this evening. Hopefully, they won't be 0-8, when it's all said and done.

[The Theory]

Maybe I'm crazy (or just putting too much weight in , but I honestly think that PtB would take any extension offer the Phillies would offer, as long as it wasn't a total slap in the face low ball. To me, I'm more concerned that the F.O. has totally written off the idea of him returning-- and they won't be creative enough to reconsider.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Theory: That's part of the reason that I think the Manchine will want to test the free-agent market...I've got a feeling the Phils offer, should they even make him one, won't be reasonable (i.e., they'll low-ball him). And some of the quotes from the FO have given me quite a bit of doubt that they want him back next year. I've got almost zero faith in this current FO regime. And they haven't really given us much reason to have faith in them, have they?

[michael]

exactly, i think the only way PtB isn't here next year is because the front office doesn't want him here. he's never given any indication whats so ever that he wants to be any where else and the guy has had the opportunity to go somewhere else.

[Bloodbath McGrath]

Our old friend, Gavin Floyd, has a no-no through 5. Hopefully this jinxes it.

[lekh tizdayen]

Bastardo is really racking up the k's in a ball.

[THe DUde]

Bastardo is a crafy lefty and doesn't project to be anything more than just another typical lefty who might have a nice career but he's no Randy Johnson. THere is a reason that he's not very high on many scouts radars despite his incredible record. Don't let those A ball k stats fool you!

Oh by the way, Lieber who i was touting for 3 years to be reliever, has yet to give up a run this year and has a strangle hold on the Cub's long man role for this season. I wouldn't be surprised to see him excel in this role and by season's end be in a major back of the pen role.

[THe DUde]

Umm...nope he's not jinxed yet. He's through the 6th with a no-no. He's up to 85 pitches through 6. Chances are he's not going to go all 9 though

[johnnysanz3]

This is his 2nd straight good start right?

[brother]

Floyd's no-no is now through 7. He's walked 4, struck out 3.

[Hibachi]

No-hitter through 7, but over 100 pitches now, so I don't think he'll go the whole way, especially in a 1-0 game. But, you never know with Ozzie.

[THe DUde]

through 7 and he's still got it going. I really think floyd and gio gonzalez trade for Garcia could go down as one of the worst in this franchise's history if Gonzalez turns out to be the stud that everyone thinks he will be and if Gavin turns out to be a serviceable pitcher.

[johnnysanz3]

His arm can handle it, let him keep pitching till he gives up a hit.

[Sophist]

Just as I turn it on, Renteria gets a hit.

[THe Dude]

bull$hit he was pulled before giving up a hit. God damn pitch counts have officially ruined pitchers and baseball in general IMO

[Malcolm]

Same here, and he left instantly. He looked so shot/sad when he lost it. :(

[Sophist]

Um, The Dude, no. He gave up a hit to Renteria and was pulled.

[Sophist]

Meanwhile, Santana is losing his first home game to the Brewers 5-2 in the 7th.

[THe DUde]

sorry yeah i was wrong i just figured they didnt' bring him out for the 8th inning. I was going through Gameday and it looks like his fastball was clocked between 80-84 all day. Could that be possible? I know he wasn't a flame thrower but I thought he through in the upper 80's and low 90's.

[KidCarnivoreKidCarnivore]

A little luck has Santana down 5-2 in the 7th...not that we need to scoreboard-obsess at this point...

[Sophist]

Kid, it is a little early, but Santana's first home start could be significant - the pressure of NY, etc..

[KidCarnivore]

I agree, the hysterical honeymoon may be over...according to Metsblog, they booed him as he left.

[Malcolm]

Haha. What, 29 wins to go or something?

[The Theory]

Wow, Mets fan booing after one home start?? It's not like 5-2 is that lopsided of a score. And people say Phillies fans are critical. Sheesh!

[Dull]

Fabio has a no hitter through 4 for the R-Phils.

[KidCarnivore]

I think Mets fans are what Phillies fans would be if the Athletics had never left.

[Andy]

KidCarnivore - that is a funny analogy.

Carson, in re: Lilly
The one bright side is that Werth will be playing and he's been tearing the cover off the ball. If Jimmy's still out we'll see

Vic
Werth
Utley
Howard
Burrell
trash
Ruiz
trash
pitcher

Against the LHP at this point, I'd switch Howard and Burrell in that order.

[Andy]

I have no problems cheering for Floyd.

I'll cheer for Gio even more.

(Unless we're playing either of them in the WS - but even then I won't cheer against Gio.)

[Dull]

Fabio wound up with a 7 inning, 100 pitch, no run, one hitter, walking 3 and striking out 9.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Why would you cheer for Gio even more? Is he related to you?

[Wayne]

I see Lahey is now on the Twins AAA roster.

[clout]

Wayne: Lahey passed thru waivers and was offered back to the Twins for $75,000, half the Rule 5 claim price, which is how the rule works. The Twins accepted.

[CJ]

Frankly, I'm not all that concerned about Gavin Floyd becoming anything. He had plenty of chances here and failed rather consistently. You can't wait forever on a guy. He may well have a couple of good starts in him, but I don't see any great success in his future. If he proves me wrong, so be it... but I'm not losing any sleep over losing Gavin Floyd.

[clout]

CJ: I agree and disagree with you. I agree that you can't wait forever on a guy. I also agree that Floyd had a real fair shot here and didn't impress. Some guys just need a change of scenery to kick it into gear.

Here's where we disagree: I think he's going to be quite good. And the return on what the Phillies got for Gio and Floyd speaks for itself, as all Phillies trades speak for themselves. And for the competence of the GM.