Game chat: Phillies could use a long winning streak

The first-place Marlins make their first visit to Philadelphia this evening, as the Phillies continue their homestand with eyes on five in a row.

It seems like yesterday when the Phils were wrapping up April and we wondered how much of it would change in May. We wondered if Ryan Howard would warm up, and he has. We wondered if Pat Burrell would cool down, and he has. To coincide with the start of Charlie Manuel’s "Hittin’ Season," Shane Victorino, Geoff Jenkins and others have started producing, while others, like Pedro Feliz, have had their moments. Chase Utley endured his first mini slump of 2008 only to bounce back as he usually does. If April belonged to Burrell and Utley, May belonged to the role players: Jayson Werth and his eight RBI night; Greg Dobbs and Chris Coste hitting for high average.

On the mound, Brett Myers got worse. Opponents are hitting .348 off Myers in May. Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick and Adam Eaton have been fine recently. Cole Hamels was roughed up his last start, but held opponents scoreless for 16 innings before that.

The supreme constant has been bullpen. This from a team that used 28 different pitchers last season. Except for the addition of Rudy Seanez on April 3, the pitching staff has remained the same, with no real call for change.

The only thing missing is a long winning streak, which the Phils can build on tonight. They’ve won a season-high four straight to climb 7 games above .500. (31-24). This is the time when clubs start to separate, and the Phils would love nothing more than to catch Florida by the fin and distance themselves from New York and Atlanta.

They looked good against short-staffed Colorado. Can they keep it up against fully-loaded Florida? They have a good chance as long as Myers can revert to the pitcher of old. He’s lost six in a row, but in his defense, he could use a little help. The Phillies are averaging just 2.5 runs a game during his last six starts and have been outscored 32-15.

The Fish have pestered Myers and the Phils before. Bad things happen when the Phillies play Florida. It’s a nasty little rivalry with bad blood and brutal finishes, as Myers knows too well. It was against Florida when Myers pulled his shoulder and made his first career trip to the DL. Overall, Myers went 0-2 with two saves and a 10.13 ERA in seven games - one start - versus the Marlins last season and is 5-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 career starts against them.

Mark Hendrickson (7-2, 4.14) makes the start for Florida. The 6-9 left-hander has been nice surprise for the cash-strapped club, who signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million deal after being non-tendered by the Dodgers this winter.

Comments

[James L (forever a Phillies fan!)]

Looking forward to a good series. Hope the Phils do well. Just an off-topic note: As of tomorrow (May31st) it will be 25 years since a major Philadelphia sports team has one a championship. Make s you proud to be a Philly fan doesn't it? I love the Phils but I doubt this team will change the trend. Hope I'm wrong.....

[James L (forever a Phillies fan!)]

"Won" (sheesh....)

[MG]

Besides being a lefty, Hendrickson is the a "stiff." Never been impressed with anything he brought to the plate and good hitters should own this guy. No excuse the Phils don't hit at least one HR against this guy tonight and score 4-5 runs against him.

[Tra]

Can they keep it up against fully-loaded Florida? They have a good chance as long as Myers can revert to the pitcher of old.

Sure. We'd also have a good chance of winning this game if he went 4-4 at the plate with 10 RBI's. I doubt it happens though.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Former 76er 2nd round pick Hendrickson. The great Sixer "Brain Trust" also selected future baseball player Ryan Minor in that draft. Maybe those guys should be Phillies scouts.

[Hope SE]

Any thoughts, Beerleaguers, on what/who is the key to the Marlins low/no-budget success? It's pretty interesting when you think about it that they have had 2 Series winners, and just seem to reload so successfully after repetitive salary dumps.

Somebody is doing something right, it would seem.

[J. Weitzel]

HOP: They scout well, they get quality in trades and they have no pressure. I'm not surprised they're doing this well actually. Even at their worset, they're never KC, Pittsburgh ...

[AWH]

Jason, you're dead on. They scout well.

This leads to drafting well AND, as you so aptly put it, getting "quality in trades".

I suspect their minor league development staff is also pretty good - coaches, managers, etc.

This series, while not the end of the season, worries me. It could go either way.

[Hope SE]

Jason/AWH,

I think their GM (trade value) and scouting director ought to be top of the post-PG shortlist, of course that's assuming that there is a list and its not already a done deal with RA.

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Tonight's Lineup

Rollins
Vic
Utley
Howard
Burrell
Feliz
Coste
Taguchi
Myers

Well Taguchi's getting another start and Coste is in the lineup...should be intersting.

[bay_area_phan]

This series worries me too. Phillies are hot; Marlins are cold. It all seems like a setup for something bad to happen. The fact that we open the series with Myers is especially worrisome.

[KidCarnivore]

Now what?

[bay_area_phan]

I've just about reached my breaking point with this stiff

[king myno]

An interesting dilemma - what do you do when your "number one" pitcher doesn't deserve his MLB uniform?

[Chris D]

never thought id say, "hey eaton is pitching tonight...oh well at least its not myers"

[KidCarnivore]

...love the sarcastic applause...

[NCPhilly]

Stay hot, Brett Myers.

[The Theory]

Sad how two of his four strikes are hits...

[Steve Jeltz]

Time for a 15 day vacation.

Is anyone here still more concerned about Eaton than Myers?

No help from Burrell there.

[king myno]

The entire team just takes a day off when Brett is on the mound.

[Spitz]

Dont worry. He'll be fine in the 2nd and 3rd, and then implode in the 4th again.

Thats the Brett Myers experience

[mikeB]

definitely time to pull the plug on this loser

[Ruby Tuesdays]

I am sick and tired of Brett Myers

[RSB]

If it's any consolation, this is exactly how the Colorado series began - with 3 runs in the top of the first. And that didn't turn out so badly.

[J. Weitzel]

It's becoming more and more evident that Myers isn't turning it around. They need to start considering alternatives. This move back to the rotation hasn't worked. And I don't know that sticking him in the pen would work the way he's missing ...

[KidCarnivore]

Good thing we signed Lohse for a reasonable price! And no, I'm not afraid to beat a dead horse when our "ace" is such an embarassment.

[king myno]

Anyone in need of a closer? The Indians have Borowski and a surplus of young-ish arms, I hear. I can't imagine anyone would take a flier on this guy as a starter.

At least Brett, by his own words, "won't give up," even his arm is falling off, as it appears to be.

[Ruby Tuesdays]

Alright now, lets get some runs

[J. Weitzel]

The most overblown observation on Myers lately is that his velocity is improving. It absolutely has not.

[ben]

they should just make up an arm injury for brett and give him 15 days off. give happ a chance at a couple starts. brett is not gonna be effective when he's rearin back with all he's got and bringing it at 88, regardless of whether he can locate or not

[Dave X]

As someone said in an earlier thread, I'm sure if we traded away Utley, Howard, Hamels, Burrell, Rollins, Victorino, etc. I'm sure we would have a very strong team 3 years down the road. We would just have to go through 3-4 years of having a team not worth watching.

[RSB]

There's no quit in Brett Myers! He's going to fight through this!!!

[Steve Jeltz]

Coste!

[king myno]

The idea of Seanez warming up has inspired Brett Myers to not suck for an inning or two.

[Ruby Tuesdays]

YES!

[NCPhilly]

Wind blowing out, Coste to bat = back in it.

[MG]

What a meatball to Coste. That is the Hendrickson I know and remember from his days in Tampa getting pounded by the Sox.

[RSB]

I'm serious folks, get behind this...Chris Coste, 2008 Write-in All-Star.

[Andy]

Chollie's gut seems locked and loaded.

[MG]

NCPhilly - That ball would have gone out without the wind blowing out. You could tell the instant it was off his bat.

[Spitz]

At least Myers did something right but drawing that walk!

[Steve Jeltz]

This is the antithesis of a pitcher's duel.

[MG]

Hendrickson's still has that garbage changeup from his days in Tampa.

As I said earlier, Hendrickson = Stiff!

[RSB]

Show 'em who's boss!

[Ruby Tuesdays]

YES!

[Steve Jeltz]

The question now is: can Myers protect this lead?

I'd have more faith in Condrey.

[bay_area_phan]

This is one game where they need all the runs they can get

[TarheelPhan]

I'm sort of glad I haven't been hand scoring these games of late. All this batting around gets messy.

[RSB]

This team is a party right now. And Utley's totals are just sick.

[Munz]

Great inning. This team is so much fun to watch!!