Game chat: Kendrick, Olsen mix it up this afternoon

Kyle Kendrick (8-3, 4.47) opposes Scott Olsen (5-4, 3.77) in the second of three at Dolphins Stadium. First pitch is 3:55. For the Phils, Ryan Howard hopes to keep up his hot hitting. Lifetime against Olsen, the Major League home run leader is 10-for-21 (.476) with two homers and nine RBIs.

Comments

[EDGE57]

In that picture, it looks like someone punched Olsen in the eye.

[EastFallowfield]

Another Saturday game ruined for out of towners by Fox.

You'd think in the NY area there'd be some interest in the Phils' result, but we get the Red Sox/Angels. Granted, a better matchup, but one not likely to be cancelled by rain, so the need for a 'backup' game not major.

And starting at 4 PM means if you're going to, say, eat with your family on the east coast, well, forget listening to the broadcast.

[clout]

Re: Holliday rumor.

BA vs. RHP
Werth .242
Feliz .247
Ruiz .208

As several posters have pointed out, if you do the Holliday deal as proposed you wind up with a lineup vs. RHP that, when the Phils use a righty pitcher, includes 4 righthanded very easy outs at the bottom. You're essentially giving up 10-12 outs before the game begins although the other 15 outs would be much harder to get. If I were an opposing manager I'd go after Rollins, throw only bad stuff to the middle of the lineup, not care about walks and get to the black hole at the bottom to fatten the Phils LOB totals.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Would Bay and Marte be the poor man's Holliday and Fuentes?

[J. Weitzel]

To me, Olsen looks like he timewarped from the set of "Stand By Me."

"Four tails! That's a goocher."

[bay_area_phan]

BB: To be honest, I look upon Matt Holliday as a poor man's Jason Bay, not the other way around.

[AFish]

Out of towners -- the game is on Fox en Espanol, which is carried on Time Warner in NYC.

[Billy Mac]

Lineups

Phils
1. J Rollins, SS
2. S Victorino, CF
3. C Utley, 2B
4. R Howard, 1B
5. P Burrell, LF
6. J Werth, RF
7. P Feliz, 3B
8. C Coste, C
9. K Kendrick, P

Fish
1. H Ramirez, SS
2. J Hermida, RF
3. J Cantu, 3B
4. J Willingham, LF
5. D Uggla, 2B
6. M Jacobs, 1B
7. C Ross, CF
8. J Baker, C
9. S Olsen, P

[dlhunter]

BTW, is anything or more dated/lame than "This Week in Baseball"? It seems so dumb that it would be aimed at kids, but its so boring that no kid could watch it.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

dlhunter: Well put. I'm often driven to find words to express my frustration whenever I end up watching even a few minutes of "This Week in Baseball." That pretty much sums up my frustration.

clout: I totally agree with you about the RH lineup thing. The only thing that I would point out is that Ruiz's batting average is actually worse against LH pitching. That is inexcusable in my book. I could live with him hitting RH pitching below the Mendoza line, but he should be bringing something to the table v.s. LH. Unfortunately, his career numbers suggest that he can't hit LH pitching at all, and RH pitching only slightly better.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

BTW: If not for 2 extremely lucky nub hits, Ruiz would be pushing a month without a hit.

[MG]

Parker - I am been willing to give Ruiz a pass but his offense is almost becoming so bad that the Phils may feel that they have to make a move for a C. Even the Phils' offense can't afford for a starter to go nearly a month without a hit.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Also Interesting: Futility Factoid

If you take away the 4 hit game against St. Louis, Ruiz has 7 hits since June 1. Even the 11 that he has are not impressive.

Ruiz has only 4 multi-hit games on the season.

Also, by my count, he has at least 50 games where he has failed to get a hit. When he has hit, he is slugging an Abraham Nunez-esque .269, with an OPS of .571.

[birds]

AFish: Thanks

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Ruiz has 5 extra base hits since may 1. Only 9 on the season.

For all the Ruiz protectionism based upon his catching abilities, I challenge anyone to find a catcher "currently" in the majors that has hit that bad.

[The Theory]

I seriously want to know what the hell happened to Ruiz this year. He was a decent hitter last year, right?

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Ok, the only catchers with 130 or more at bats with a lower slugging percentage than Ruiz are Josh Bard (recently off PED's) and J.R. Towles (Recently of the Minor Leagues).

[Tray]

It's too bad the Padres have no interest in dealing Brian Giles. He's still a great on-base guy and a very good hitter outside of Petco.

[wally]

Did the third base umpire author Ulysses as well?

[THe Dude]

is it me or does Hanley Ramirez scare the crap out of you? THis guy will be a monster

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

THe Dude: Will be? I think he "is" a monster.

[curt]

I used to joke about Ruiz never getting another hit this year. For all intents and purposes, he hasn't. It's worse than having 2 pitchers in the lineup, and has quite a bit to do with our offense inconsistency.

[RSB]

If he was the literary sort, Charlie Manuel could have made a great 'eye patch' allusion when he was arguing with Joyce last night. Would have made for a nice anecdote in the New Yorker.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

If the Phils trade for a bat, it needs to be a catcher. Even if you go with 3 catchers, someone has to be able to hit for Ruiz. I also don't get the idea that Ruiz is somehow tired. Why is he any more tired than last season at this time? He had played in as many games. He is actually on pace to play in less games this season than in last season. Coste may be a different story, but Ruiz has little excuse in being tired.

[BB]

anyone have video? did howard just run on a GB to 3rd? if he did can we just put a flashing yellow light at 3rd instead of paying smith?

[curt]

Love that Fish defense.

[joe l]

Ughh, Wheels on the radio.

[RSB]

The Marlins have quite possibly the two worst defensive third basemen in baseball on their roster.

[Steve Jeltz]

Did anyone else see this article on Myers on espn.com?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3496618

He says he has his swagger back. Great. I'd prefer for him to get his fastball back.

Sounds like it might be Blanton Tuesday and Myers Wednesday.

[Tray]

Yeah, that's one guy I wouldn't take over Feliz.

[curt]

Work him Jimmy.

[curt]

Our MVP has been a perpetual disappointment.

[PhillR]

Looks like the Fish won't be sticking around in the race for long in the 2nd half.

How does Kyle look? I can't catch the game at this hotel.

[redbeard]

coulda used a run there, jimbo

[BB]

way to go jimmy, kendrick just had a better AB with RSP than you did.

[AFish]

If it weren't for Cantu, the Phillies wouldn't have even scored that inning. Pathetic.

[BB]

for jimmy this year 3 pitches is 'working the count'

[RSB]

That's what it's all about to Myers: swagger. Not know-how, not savvy, not preparedness, but swagger. The guy is a complete joke.

[The Theory]

Can we send Jimmy to the minors for a couple of weeks? Bruntlet can play more than outfield, after all!

[curt]

Looks like that pathetic performance with RISP is going to bite us quickly.

[curt]

OOps, it did.

[BB]

bright side , it was his 2nd ML home run.

[curt]

Let it be noted that their #8 hitter, a lifer minor league catcher, hit that 3 run HR.

[BB]

I look and feel damn good today, can I pitch this week?

[Ribbies]

Time to get up Eaton.

[BB]

ribbies just almost made beer come out my nose!

[AFish]

I had flashbacks of a Barajas special there.

[redbeard]

didnt gonzalez make a joke about hermida in the intros, calling him "one speed"

nice throw burrell.

[fuquamanuel]

My God Kendrick is friggin awful with 2 strikes! Pat bailed him out there, but this has to stop.

[curt]

"Table setters" who haven't been setting it is another large part of the offensive inconsistency this year.

[Tray]

I always suspected that there was something off about the Burger King Hotzone, and this just proves it. How could Howard possibly be hitting .345 on pitches down and away?

[curt]

That was a .045.

[Tray]

Is that a joke, or was it really a zero?

[mb]

Afish - thanks for the heads up... have you figured out any way to get english subtitles on this FoxEsp broadcast? can only seem to get spanish ones

[curt]

The zero waas a joke, but so was the 3. Howard spent 3 months unable to touch anything low and away.

[Ribbies]

Nice Coste!

[anon]

Do any of the Philly hitters realize that Olsen is going almost exclusively to the change up when runners are on? Are they that dumb?

[fuquamanuel]

there we go rollins.

[curt]

Jimmy comes alive.

[AFish]

Re Fox en Espanol -- No English. I am listening to the mlb.tv radio broadcast.

[redbeard]

come on werth. thats weak.

[bay_area_phan]

This is not exactly a banner performance from KK. Usually he's good for about 5 or 6 innings, but then falls apart because Cholly leaves him in too long. Today he just isn't sharp.

[curt]

So we're going to move Vic and keep Werth?

[AFish]

KK is getting killed by left-handed hitters today.

[Ribbies]

Thank you Mr. Bat!

[Sophist]

Pat!

Gameday on ESPN made that a crush? How far did Burrell hit it?

[joe l]

MANCHINE!

[AFish]

HIS NAME IS DAN UGGLA.

[curt]

Sarge is rolling today.

[AFish]

Super crush.

[Ribbies]

"Its just like trying to get a porkchop past a hungry lion." - Sarge describing trying to get a fastball past Pat Burrell.

[anon]

it was crushed very deep..no doubter

[curt]

"Burrell was into his Cadillac right away" - Sarge

[AFish]

It is hard to believe, but the only Phils w/o hits are Vic and KK.

[mb]

bear down, KK. play your cards right and you'll get an undeserved W today

[AFish]

Like I said, KK is getting killed by the lefties.

[curt]

Get him out of there. Lot of bodies on the pen.

[mb]

OK cholly, get off your arse

[joe l]

Someone nudge Cholly?

[redbeard]

whats there to talk about, dubee? get him out.

[flipper]

Does this count as a "quality start" from Kendrick?

[Sophist]

Well, Uggla is a rightie.

[curt]

2 batters too many. You kidding me, he's staying in?

[Knight]

This is sad. Home Run Derby.

[curt]

3 batters too many...

[Bedrosian's Beard]

What's Burnett's number?

[Ribbies]

If the pen can come in and shut them down there's still plenty of time to get back in this one.

[Lake Fred]

I hate Dan Uggla!

[AFish]

And if the pen can't shut them down . . . it's Eaton time.

[RSB]

Why would you take out Werth? It's the fifth inning.

[curt]

KK without a sinker is a BP pitcher.

[mb]

I really dont get the double swithc in the 5th inning... cholly must really want condrey to go a couple innings here

[curt]

The Fish have only 1 ineffective lefty in their pen.

[mb]

that one's on cholly. no question werth gets that one

[RSB]

This one's in serious danger of getting away.

Condrey, meanwhile, has to be feeling good about finally moving up a notch in the bullpen. Eaton has assumed his white flag.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Kyle Kendrick is a number 5 starter.

[curt]

I'll take a shot at playing RF.

[Knight]

mb, I don't think you can say that. He wasn't playing close to it at all.

Also I think we'll be seeing some Eaton tonight with the way Condrey is pitching.

[flipper]

In all fairness, Parker. He is a solid #5.

This is getting Uggla, I mean Uggly.

[Knight]

Whew. Now the offense just has to get going.