Game chat: Toronto in town for interleague action

Left-handers Jamie Moyer and David Purcey clash when the Phillies and Jays resume their non-conference rivalry tonight at Citizens Bank Park.

This on-going series with Toronto is intended to remind us of the 1993 World Series, but instead, reminds me of June of 2006, a time when the Phils were spiraling out of control and reliever Aaron Fultz made that spot start for the Phils up in Toronto. A month later, the Phils would throw in the towel and raffle off select parts. Ah ... memories.

Nearly two years and a playoff appearance later, they’re in better shape. At 23-19, they trail the Marlins by a game in a soft NL East, facing no significant injuries or insurmountable adversity. The biggest question may be their starting pitching. One concern is whether Jamie Moyer can give them the kind of season they need through September. The ancient left-hander tries to rebound from his worst start of the season against southpaw David Purcey. Purcey, a 2004 first-round pick, is making just his second start of the season for Toronto.

Lefty mania: This will be the fifth-consecutive left-handed starter the Phils have drawn, and they’ve faced a number of them this season already. Geoff Jenkins, who’s out of the lineup again, must be having second thoughts about signing here. [Live Boxscore]

Comments

[CJ]

Great play by Rolen... even more reason to hate him.

[Andy]

Thanks, CJ.

[MG]

Going to be interesting to see if some stability with the lineup helps the offensive a bit.

One thing I don't understand at all is Cholly's insistence that Werth keep starting in CF with Victorino in RF. Makes no sense and you don't need fancy defensive stats to see the difference.

[Andy]

For the info, not for the play by Rolen.

[Sophist]

Great play by Mench as well. Wish Rollins hadn't swung at the first pitch. This guy is throwing balls.

[CJ]

The only reason to play Werth in CF this much is for a long-term reason. There can't really be short-term gains.

So... are the Phils shopping Vic for pitching?

Are the Phils planning to platoon Vic and Jenkins and leave Werth in CF full-time?

[Andy]

MG: here was my response to the Werth in CF thing on the last thread.

The only thing I can think of, regarding Werth in CF, is that Chollie wants him to get used to the position in CBP where he has less room to cover. That, plus Burrell is in good physical shape and maybe covers a little more ground now?

Gosh. That's reaching.

How about this?
Chollie's just being stupid. And now that he's been asked about it, he's being stupid and stubborn.

[MG]

Maybe I am dismissing them, but this Jays' lineup strikes me as being pretty mediocre. Not alot of power or speed and maybe only 2 guys (Rolen and Rios) that you really have to worry about. Stairs is still a pretty decent hitter but really a guys who cleans up on fastballs/offspeed mistakes at this point.

[JD]

I was wondering the very same thing. Why is Vic playing RF? Before you know it, Cholly will send him to the bullpen, then he'll be 1st in the starting rotation.

[MG]

Andy - Agreed. I chalk this up to a Cholly "stubborness" thing as I highly doubt the Phils are trying to move Victorino (especially by showcasing him in RF).

[The Theory]

I'm only on Gameday, but an outfield assist already for Burrell? Man, I remember when he had one of the more feared arms in the NL...

[Andy]

MG - agreed.

And Purcey has strange MiLB stats. Until last year at AAA he was quite hittable. I'm kinda hoping that the second time through the line-up they begin nailing him.

But we all know how they handle LHPs they've never seen before.

[Andy]

Giving Howard a light on 3-0 is not a good idea...but he walked anyway.

[Andy]

Sophist - looks like they were listening to you.

[Andy]

Yeah man. That's what I'm talkin 'bout.

We are not Werthy.

[JD]

JW!

[The Theory]

danged Worthless that kid. He needs an extension...

[p. Red]

And Feliz comes up first pitch swinging, what a moron.

[Sophist]

Love how Feliz was out before they even got the replay through. The comcast people should know better - don't show the replay or dugout celebration until after the first pitch to Pete Happy.

[Andy]

p. Red

Yeah...but he's our moron...

for the next two years.

[p. Red]

Yeah, I think the only one excited about that fact is flipper.

[The Theory]

sophist- quite honestly, do we want to even SEE his first pitch swings anyway? I'm quite fine with seeing as many happy replays they can send my direction...

[Sophist]

Yeah, he's ours, but he's learning the virtues of the short porch in left. Have you ever seen him put a ball in or out of play on the right side this year?

[curt]

Jenkins might as well get comfortable on that bench. Methinks the platoon is history.

[drake]

i was reading SI's power rankings, here's Coste's quote about Brett Myers:

"It's almost a little bit of the Adam Eaton syndrome, where any time the ball was anywhere near the hitting zone, they killed it,"

Coste knows Eaton sucks!

[p. Red]

I know the Phils seem to do poorly against LHP they haven't seen before but I think that can be countered by the fact that Moyer usually does well when he is facing a lineup that hasn't faced him much either.

[redbeard]

i dont think we'd get much for victorino. on the other hand, i wonder what kind of pitching we could get for werth. he can play ball, and part of me thinks they are showcasing/shopping him, not vic.

[Andy]

p. Red - true.

[Andy]

rebeard - my fear exactly. He would make a fine CF for a team that likes patient hitters. I wonder if Beane has an offer out.

[Andy]

This could get ugly (in a pretty way) fast.

[The Theory]

as someone who is only on gameday, WTF was Victorino doing getting a Caught Stealing???

[bay_area_phan]

That play was fodder for CJ's theory. Maybe Cholly and Gillick are getting sick of Vic and his bone-headed plays & they're trying to break Werth into CF so they can trade Vic for pitching help.

[Sophist]

I'd prefer a Vic trade

[bay_area_phan]

theory: Rollins started as if he was going to steal third and, when Vic saw it, he broke for second -- only he forgot to notice that Rollins had stopped.

[JD]

Is Vic the latest punching bag?

[The Theory]

HOLY WERTH!

[NCPhilly]

A Phillie grand slam!!!

[redbeard]

omg

[bay_area_phan]

WOW

[Knight]

Werth is out of his mind. That's incredible.

7 RBIs and it's only the 3rd inning. Crazy.

[NCPhilly]

Pete Happy gave them time to celebrate this time 'round. Barely.

[strange]

Dude can keep playing CF all he wants if it makes him hit like that...

Seriously though, it seems like Purcey doesn't have a damn thing. Two big innings in a row, lots of walks.

[p. Red]

Man, I am sooo glad I picked up Werth in my fantasy league! He is on fire!

I think it is safe to say that Rowand's offense has been replaced.

[MJ]

"Soggy stuff putting interleague opener in jeopardy"

"Chance of rain near 100 percent."

Okay, I guess I should bench Werth in my fantasy lineup today...

[strange]

And Coste making him move that pitch count up even higher - 10 pitch at bat to get Purcey up to 65 pitches. Nice work, even if it ended the inning.

[NCPhilly]

Nice grab by the Philly boy Mench.

[bay_area_phan]

Watch this game get rained out

[Sophist]

JD, nothing agaisnt Vic. I just think Werth is a batter offensive threat and probably one if the quicker Phils (which helps in the fields and on the basepaths.) Vic is faster, but I don't think fast enough to make up for Werth's abilities at the plate.

I really like Vic, but if I had to choose, I'd choose Werth.

[THe Dude]

Remember this time last year I believe Werth's nickname on here was "Worthess"

I'm not quite sure how our OF would be faring without the production we've gotten from Werth and Burrell's April.

[J. Weitzel]

MJ: Hahahaha! I don't mean to laugh, but that's hilarious. Glad to be of service!

[Sophist]

I have a feeling this one gets rained out before the 5th ends.

[JD]

I like having Vic in center and Werth in right. Platoon where you see fit (no offense to Jenkins. He really hasnt had the time to prove himself in Philly yet)

[The Theory]

if it rains out, what happens?

[stjoehawk]

"I have a feeling this one gets rained out before the 5th ends."

As long as that happens after the middle of the 5th, I'm fine with it.

[MJ]

JW: I also get my political news from the late night monologues.

It's cool. Months of entertainment here versus losing my league by seven RBIs is a fair trade.

[Andy]

Three more outs and we can book it.

[Andy]

BLEW HIM AWAY! (Zaun)

{kinda softly on a mid-70s cutter}

[curt]

Moyer the K man.

[JD]

Excellent! The game is official

[The Theory]

*breathes a sigh of relief*

[Andy]

OFFICIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hope springs eternal]

It's in the books!

[Andy]

It'd be really cool if we had a four hour downpour now. They call the game and Moyer gets a CG - and the Phils get two CGs in a row.

Of course, I'd prefer to see Werth get three more ABs tonight.

Helen, 6, watching the replay of the Slam said: "He hit is hard."

[Andy]

It'd be really cool if we had a four hour downpour now. They call the game and Moyer gets a CG - and the Phils get two CGs in a row.

Of course, I'd prefer to see Werth get three more ABs tonight.

Helen, 6, watching the replay of the Slam said: "He hit it hard."

[Andy]

(ignore the first post)
(and the Howard K)

[JD]

Ho-hum...another homer for Werth

[redbeard]

HOLY SH!T JAYSON WERTH!

[bay_area_phan]

Werth's value will never be higher than it is tonight. Maybe they should trade him after this game.

[NCPhilly]

Three?!?! Wow! I'm glad this game is official.

[bay_area_phan]

BTW: That was a joke.

[JD]

Andy..now you tell me. I ignored the 2nd post!

[NCPhilly]

Can there be more of a contrast: Werth followed by Feliz today?

[The Theory]

Is it too early to call for the home run cycle for Werth? All he needs is a 2-run dinger...

[THe Dude]

i wonder if anyone has ever hit for a HR cycle? Lol thats just a crazy thought but i'm sure someone's got that in a stat book somewhere

[p. Red]

Once again the Phillies show that they can only score with the long ball. If it wasn't for the home runs they would be losing right now. And they were all by the same player! The rest of the team really needs to step up if they want to have a chance this year.

/sarcasm

[mike Cunningham]

Can't believe I'm missing this game

[stjoehawk]

THe Dude - b-r.com only searches back through 1956, and Mark Whiten was the only guy to have at least 4 HR with at least 10 RBI, and he did that with a grand slam, 2 3-run shots, and a 2-run shot.

So if it was done, it was before 1956.

[The Theory]

Dude- one player hitting four home runs in one game is pretty rare... I would not be surprised if no one has done it before. But I wouldn't know how to even begin checking, so I'm just speculating.

[Hibachi]

Wikipedia is all over the HR cycle,

"Though multiple home run cycles have been recorded in collegiate baseball,[6][7] the only home run cycle in a professional baseball game belongs to Tyrone Horne, who stroked four long balls for the minor league, Double-A Arkansas Travelers in a game against the San Antonio Missions on July 27, 1998.[8] "

Someone even updated to include Werth's performance tonight, but wrote it as if he were done. Come on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_run#Home_run_cycle

[The Theory]

Geez. Other people are speculating about a home run cycle? Here I thought I was innovating a concept on the fly...

[curt]

Werth is still looking up to the big man. Schmidt hit 4 in a row at least once.

[64 survivor]

watching this game of the decade by Werth made me think whether there has ever been a player in MLB history to hit "El quatro grande" i.e slam, 3R Hr, 2R Hr and singleton ??? Anybody ever recall this happenng ??

[JD]

MLB.com "Phillies Werth looking for home run cycle"

[The Theory]

oi, 64 survivor... how about reading a thread before posting?

[JD]

"Going" for home run cycle. Can't be sure if he's really looking for it.

[bay_area_phan]

Andy: As we sit on the precipice of history, do you still want a 4-hour downpour?

[curt]

Jamie the K man running out of gas.

[Andy]

B-A-P:
decisions, decisions...
better to watch him not get the cycle by, like walking, or by rain...

Of course, I wouldn't put it past Chollie to PH for him next inning. Doesn't Jenkins need some work in CF?

PS. Too bad we didn't sign this Wilkerson guy. He could've started tonight.

[Andy]

B-A-P:
The first phrase was supposed to be a question Better to this? Or that?

It would be better to see the first ever 5 HR game.

[Slocs]

Just tuned in, looked like I missed all the fire werths.

Victorino could be traded for pitching because remember they are working out Bruntlett in the outfield too, even though they have 5 guys. My thinking is Charlie doesn't like him. Maybe move him for young pitching to a small market team since he is still cheap.

[Andy]

Slocs - Knowing Gillick he's gonna send him to Seattle for Silva.

[Slocs]

15 people have hit 4 homers:

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats4.shtml

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
feats/feats4.shtml

[bay_area_phan]

The 5-homerun game occurred to me too but, unfortunately, it doesn't look like he'll get a 5th PA.

[curt]

Speaking of Bruntlett, he came out of Ariz. as possibly our hottest hitter, but has been buried since. Dumb.

[p. Red]

Ok, Howard or Burrell get on base and let's see history being made!

[NEPhilliesPhan]

Jayson Werth...ME LOVE YOU LONG TIME!!!

~in a platonic fan kind of a way~

[Andy]

C'mon Pat...just get on base. We NEED a 2-run HR.

[bay_area_phan]

Well, so much for the homerun cycle

[sifl]

I'm an hour late to dinner because I'm waiting to see Werth bat again. Looks like he won't do the cycle.

[Andy]

Feature event.
Tallet walks him, Durbin hits their first batter.