Game chat: Right-handers clash in Philadelphia

The Phillies go for their third consecutive series win when Matt Cain (1-2, 4.41) squares off with Brett Myers (2-2, 5.11) tonight at Citizens Bank Park. Game time is 7:05 ET.

Preview: Myers doesn’t want to long toss, which is fine, as long as he can handle the 60 feet, 6 inches to home plate. Too bad it’s been a bit of a problem. Myers hasn’t been clocked far above 90 this season and was knocked around hard last Sunday in Pittsburgh, fueling rumors that the right-hander was secretly hurt. On the opposite side, Cain, a hard-throwing right-hander, has burned himself with poor control, walking 23 in 32 2-3 innings, the second most walks in the league.

The 17-13 Phils enter the night a half-game up on the Mets in the NL East. Lineups are up: Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins and Chris Coste earn starts, meaning Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz ride the bench. [Live Boxscore]

Comments

[Tim in DC]

Regarding Myers:

Can it really just be a mechanical problem, or is another Phil on the DL the most likely scenario?

To those with more knowledge than I, is mechanics a common cause for this kind of a loss of velocity with a pitcher this young?

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Tim: From what (admittedly, not enough) I've read on the subject, the answer definitely appears to be yes. Mechanics and velocity (along with location of pitches) are all interconnected from the articles I've seen.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

OUT

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Angel Hernandez seems to be squeezing Myers, especially on balls 3 and 4 to Lewis.

[Steve Jeltz]

Mets lose.

[Andy]

Something makes me think we're gonna be seeing Chad Durbin tonight...might be the 28 pitch first inning.

[TG082]

Is everyone's broadcast screwed up, or just the Kutztown affiliate's?

[mikeB]

howard has become an automatic out. gotta bat him lower in the order til he straightens things out

[Andy]

Tell you what. If Howard is right, all of those last three pitches finds a home in the left field seats.

Someone has to figure out what's going wrong in his head.

[lekh tizdayen]

How is Myers velocity, obviously he aint pitching to well?

[Jeltz for the Hall]

1-0 Montreal, BTW.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

lekh: He's sitting in the high 80's, very low 90's. Not much of a change from his last start. Oh, and he's giving up hits to the opposing pitcher, which is always a good sign.

[Andy]

JftH: Who are the Expos up against tonight?

[Andy]

lekh - 90, 91.

[Andy]

87

[Andy]

But he does have 4 Ks already.

And about 50 pitches through 2 IP.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Bret has, however, struck out 4 through the first 1 2/3 innings...the last one finished of with the dreaded "cutter".

Andy: The Xpos faced the Pirates earlier today and beat the Pirates 9-8. But as you are well aware, I'm sure, I was referring to the Flyers-Canadiens game which is currently 2-1, Les Habitants.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Brandon Webb is 7-0 on the season, as the Mutts lose 10-4.

[johnnysanz3]

6 pitch inning for Cain..way to make him work =)

[Andy]

johnny - and that's without Pete Happy in the line-up. If he were playing we might have had a two pitch inning.

[curt]

Looks like the game plan is to swing at the 1st strike.

[Andy]

5 Ks for Myers.

[Andy's daughter Helen]

C'mon Gnome, let's go!!!

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Looks like Bilbo Baggins has a fan in Andy's daughter. Do it for the Shire, Bilbo.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

So Matt Cain is leading the league in walks...way to show good plate discipline tonight, guys.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Anybody else ever get the urge to refer to Bret Myers as Bert? Just me? Oh well, I understand. He does look more like Ernie anyway.

[Andy]

Jeltz - Last night the Phils helped the Giants hitters revert to career norms; tonight their helping Cain revert to his career norm for BBs.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Andy: Let's hope that Ryno reverts then, too.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Jeltz: I might be tempted to call him Bart. He makes me think of Bart Simpson with that stance at the plate. IMO Brett Myers batting is a pretty entertaining experience, even though he has no chance to get a hit.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Sarge basically saying that Pete Happy is now in a platoon with Dobbs.

[Andy]

Myers through 4. 1 ER and 7 Ks. And yet it feels like he's having a pretty bad game; why is that?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Wait, who is the Manchine? I think it is Uts.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Parker: Vicente Padilla and his belief that he was a switch-hitter (his switch was always turned to off, obviously) was fairly entertaining, too.

PS Is it safe to say that Chase is locked-in at the plate right now?

[J. Weitzel]

God is he good.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

Andy: Simple. The general sense that he could start getting pounded at any time. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way right now, especially with his still decreased velocity.

[joe l]

C-Utley playing as if he's got a chip on his shoulder to win the MVP this year.

[Andy]

Awful time to get a phone call; I missed being able to do this:

CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSE!!!!!!!!

[Jeltz for the Hall]

I sense a DL stint in the future for Chase Utley. Carrying everyone else (with the exception of the Manchine) can't be good for his back.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

But for two questionable balls to the leadoff hitter and a missed call on the tag out on the steal in the 1st, Myers would have a 1 run lead here.

The strikeouts by Howard are entering ridiculous territory. Except for the homers, he hits like a pitcher.

[Andy]

I'm wondering if Howard has decided that he's discovered the easiest way to set a new record. (And he's been chipping away at it again tonight.)

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

I don't necessarily mind Myers dropping his velocity, it if is something that he is planning on doing. If it is just for some indeterminate reason, I'm concerned. For my dollar, if he K's 7 through 3, I'm not displeased. I will say, I missed the first inning, but I know the bases were loaded. That may have something to do with my assessment.

[J. Weitzel]

Cain was second in the league to Gorzalanny in walks coming into tonight.

Amazing how young he is - just 23. Big, imposing guy. Reminds me a little of the Rocket.

[Andy]

Myers keeps throwing breaking pitches low and away to Cain. It's like he believes he's a power hitter or something.

[Andy]

Parker - 7 through 4 really, but the more salient factoid is his pitch count. He's been pushing twenty in just about every inning.

[J. Weitzel]

Myers has just a little more zip tonight. Not much, but a little.

[J. Weitzel]

Oops.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Lewis is getting hit this game. Those shenanigans will not be tolerated, without some retribution. I'm not advocating it, but I think that is a situation where a message will be sent.

[Jeltz for the Hall]

JW: Lewis's home run sure zipped out of the park.

[Andy]

JftH - that particular baseball just wanted to go faster than 89 mph.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Terrible pitch to a lefty.