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[Matt B.]

Let's go Phils! I feel that Howard will finally break out of his slump. I've been calling it for a few games now. Have to be right sometime.

Also, I finally got my NL East Champs shirt from MLB.com. I received what was labeled 'medium' but fits like a XXL. anyone have similar issues?

[NEPP]

~pukes from nervousness~

Ready Skip.

[MG]

No amazing graphic? One of the things I look forward to on Beerleaguer at game time.

[EDGE]

Matt B.: Yea man, I had the same issue. I bought a large, the sleeves were fine, but it was way too long. I even washed first hoping it would shrink a little but not luck. I still wear it with pride though.

[J. Weitzel]

Graphic upcoming.

[bob]

Shields' home-away splits are deceiving in terms of performance. His OPS+ is 72 at home and 106 on the road. The big difference is in BABIP; .276 at home, .306 on the road.

In terms of performance outcomes, Shields is very very mediocre/average in a good and bad way. He's hittable, prone to the HR, and has the tendency of being annoyingly picky about the mound conditions (a la that Nationals pitcher J. Patterson). Lefty hitters need to look at going the other way with sinking outside fastballs that tail away from them in early counts and lay off the outside change on two-strike counts. Righty hitters need to be aggressive and approach Shields as if he were Derek Lowe with a changeup. But no need to be intimidated at all; "Big Game James" is a bit overhyped because this is the world series. Not saying that he is a bad pitcher, because he can, like Blanton and Moyer, shut down teams every once in a while.

Go get 'em! And let's see how good Balfour is during a second viewing...

[bob]

and for those of you like me who like the smooth taste of Yeungling (apparently, the only place outside Philly they make the beer is...drum roll...in Tampa.)

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/oct/23/phillies-brew-has-tampa-connection-too/sports-rays/

[MG]

Ike Reese calling hitting Utley in the 2 hole "dramatic" and he doesn't like it. Stick to football Ike.

[Matt B.]

what are the lineups?

[NEPP]

Shields has never lost a WS game...something to consider. Neither has Brett. This will be a great matchup of two men who have never lost in the World Series.

[phil wood]

"The Yuengling Series" has a nice historical flourish.

[vegas]

I think if Myers can get through 2 innings with one run or less it will be a great night for him.

I wish I had some Yeungling here.

Let's get some hits tonight!

[MG]

Ike is a dope as usual. Lineup is the same as last night except Dobbs hitting as the DH in the 7 hole and with Feliz 8th and Ruiz 9th.

[MG]

Let's see if "Big Game" Shields can live up to his suspect moniker.

[bob]

The team with players with short names
1. Jimmy RollinsSS
2. Jayson Werth RF
3. Chase Utley 2B
4. Ryan Howard 1B
5. Pat Burrell LF
6. Shane Victorino CF
7. Gregg Dobbs DH
8. Pedro Feliz 3B
9. Carlos Ruiz C

Team with players with longass names
1. Akinori Iwamura 2B
2. B.J. Upton CF
3. Carlos Pena 1B
4. Evan Longoria 3B
5. Carl Crawford LF
6. Cliff Floyd DH
7. Dioner Navarro C
8. Rocco Baldelli RF
9. Jason Bartlett SS

[Tray]

Bob, I see other differences besides the babip. Like, 9 home runs allowed over just 444 home at-bats, as opposed to 15/375 on the road. A higher K rate. Just 2 bases stolen off him at home.

[Pops]

The World Series intro music gives me the chills. Let's steal another one and bring it back home.

"You Gotta Believe"

[Ben Rivera]

Oh no, not the no graphic jinx!

[Pops]

"Big Game" James

Rollins that is....
Rollins we hope....

[redbeard]

lets go phillies!

[Verdeforce]

Let's get some more 1st inning runs!

[p. Red]

Los Lonely Boys... better or worse than Backstreet Boys?

[Jim]

is that benny from the sopranos on the left?

[joe l]

At least the loners still have most of the hair on their heads.

[joe l]

Another reason to hate the dome... no military flyovers.

[Verdeforce]

Much better anthem - hopefully that does not hurt us!

[bob]

Los Lonely Boys. If they weren't tone deaf they'd be ok.

Philly better break out more inspired singing.

[Pops]

I heard through the grapevine that Tim McGraw will be singing the National Anthem prior to Game 4.

[GoPhilsGo]

Los Lonely Boys...much better than Backstreet

[MG]

This game is all about Myers. Does he keep his emotions in check or does he get all out of whack with screwed up mechanics that causes his fastball to lose a few MPH and general control?

[Ben Rivera]

I hope Hall and Oates sing the anthem before Game 3. Philly soul baby.

[Pops]

Check that....

Patty LaBelle Gm. 4
Tim McGraw Gm. 5

[bay_area_phan]

Yesterday at this time, I was stressed. Today, it just feels surreal. Here we are, about to start Game 2 of the World Series, and the Phillies are already 1 game up and firmly in the driver's seat. What will be REALLY surreal, though, is if we can go back to Philly for 3 games at home, already up 2-0.

[redbeard]

joe buck is a prettyboy

[NEPP]

Myers First Pitch Prediction: Fastball high (like eyeball high) at 94 mph for a ball.

[bob]

i remember the signing of the Washington Declaration as if it were yesterday; time flies...

[NEPP]

How the Howard have 3 RBI in the postseason after the September he had? I mean seriously how can you go from that hot to that cold in an instant? Come on Ryno, snap out of it and hit 3 HRs tonight.

[Matt B.]

i tried playing video games to calm the nerves. didn't work. let's go phillies!

[MG]

Buck isn't anti-Philly bias. The guys on the SF sports radio called it dead right this monring - Buck just appeared to be completely uninterested for long stretches of the game about actually calling the World Series. That observation was pretty spot on.

[bay_area_phan]

Surreal or not, I can't really say that I have a great feeling about this game. Shields is a finesse pitcher, and finesse pitchers tend to befuddle the Phillies. It's all about Myers and, unfortunately, most of the historical evidence suggests that he's likely to come up small in a game of this magnitude. I hope to be wrong, but I'm envisioning an easy Tampa win, with 2 homeruns from Carlos Pena.

[Matt B.]

I'm calling for Kevin Stocker to do lineups tonite. Haha j/k. Prolly Harry.

[bob]

NEPP: Just watch Howard's front shoulder in his first couple swings. If it stays in, it's going to be a long(ball) night for Shields.

[Matt B.]

I feel like they shock these guys when they do the lineups.

[Jim]

the only thing named "dallas" that i respect

[Pops]

Does Dallas Green has a position with the Phillies? Special asst. to the Gm?

[Matt B.]

Jim: I respected Debbie does Dallas when I was a kid.

[Jim]

very good point matt

[NEPP]

to bob: yup. Or if he does that check swing at a horrible ball in the dirt on the first swing...then it will be a long night for the Phillies. At this point I wouldnt even throw anything close to the zone with Ryno. I'd give him the same treatment they gave Francouer when they suddenly realized he would swing at everything and anything no matter what.

[GoPhilsGo]

MG, I thought that, too. Buck seemed bored. It was interesting when they cut to him and Tim at one point, he was sitting back with his legs up looking all relaxed yet disinterested.

[ae]

Myers managed to come up pretty big against Sabathia. I'm kind of cautiously optimistic about tonight...not that an implosion would come as much of a surprise.

[Ben Rivera]

That was an awkward intro from Dallas. But it's ok, he's from Newport, DE just like me.

[joe l]

@MG - contrast Buck and McCarver with the TBS guys from the ALCS. The latter may have routed for the home team depending upon the game, but at least there was intelligent thought and emotion there.

[MG]

After last night's dreadful performance and weak postseason, I don't have much confidence that Howard is going to do much of anything. The only time I saw him even start to make some adjustments and show better plate disclipine was the last 2 games in the LA series.

[Cory]

Where is Ryan Hoawrd?

[LA Jeff]

So why isn't Myers DHing?

[bob]

Newport, DE? Didn't some LL team from Newport win the LLWS?

[Matt B.]

jimmy usually follows up bad games with a good one. I feel a good one coming tonite.

[NEPP]

Good question...since this is clearly Apr 08 Ryno who traveled forward in time to disrupt our playoff hopes.

[MG]

Watching East Coast games on the West Coast is great except I can almost never get out of work quite on time.

[NEPP]

So what's with Jimmy and popups lately? It seems like every time he makes any contact its a popup...weird.

[Jim]

my god this team is a bunch of homosexuals.

[Ben Rivera]

The Senior Softball team won the World Series in 1999 or 2000

[ae]

I don't really mean this as an insult, because Shields is a good pitcher. but is there any actual reason to call him "Big Game" James? I mean, other than the fact that it rhymes?

[joe l]

What happened to Rollins' infuriating ground balls? He's hitting a lot of pop-ups this post season.

[redbeard]

jimmy needs the smelling salts

[joe l]

game thread pic ftw!

[NEPP]

Good effort by Werth...at least he made it close.

Werth's a gamer.

[Matt B.]

nice play by longoria.

[redbeard]

awesome graphic, new fave

[Tray]

No reason at all, ae. Neyer's done some posts on this. He's a lot better than Myers though.

[MG]

Better than the actual gut. Nice logo as usual JW. You clearly have gotten much better with Photoshop since Beerleaguer started.

[NEPP]

That was a really good pitch to Utley for strike 2.

[NEPP]

Take pitches, make him throw and wear him down...I like the strategy so far.

[GoPhilsGo]

At least they went deep into counts.

[joe l]

1-2-3, but at least they made him throw 19 pitches.

[NEPP]

19 pitches? Really? wow...I didnt realize he threw that many.

[ae]

unfortunately Shields' splits show a guy who is most vulnerable early in games.

pitches 1-25: .861 OPS
26-50: .660
51-75: .675
76-100: .603

[bob]

Key will be Myers keeping his fastball down. I have some concerns though. If he can't keep it down, he could get hammered.

[NCPhilly]

Is it just me or does Myers look like he put on extra weight for this game during the week off?

[Tray]

For some reason I'm immensely encouraged by the fact that Myers threw a first-itch strike. Followed by three balls though.

[NEPP]

Damn...I had high hopes with strike 1 on the first pitch.

[Mr. Mack]

Oh boy. This might be the start of a long night I'm afraid. Hope not.

[Verdeforce]

That guy has been a scumbag since he cut Randall Cunningham for thinking he was the pool boy - he'll never be better than a pool boy in Philly so I'm glad he's on the wrong side again tonight!

[Verdeforce]

Wow - no one else commented on Gruden?

[joe l]

Gahh

[Knight]

Well, this is a horrible start.

[redbeard]

not cool.

[Pops]

Buckle your seats belts - this first inning might get a little bumpy.

[NEPP]

The key to remember is that our goal was to split in TB anyway. Come on Brett need a SO here.

[Verdeforce]

How was Upton safe? Werth has to have a better throw to make up for his first error.

[NEPP]

A mound visit might be a good idea...Myers looks like he's about to explode here.

[redbeard]

throw strikes please

[Verdeforce]

Surprised he got that call.

[NEPP]

And Brett now appears terrified to throw a fastball...hmmm. It was his curve that Upton nailed.

[ae]

damn, I did not realize Myers was on 12 days rest. that's certainly going to make his first inning jitters worse. see if you can keep it to two runs, Brett.

[NEPP]

I'm not too bright but I have to assume they'd be smart enough to have Brett throw a long bullpen session or even a simulated game to stay loose in that long of a layoff.

[Verdeforce]

Myers always calms down after the first, so just limit the damage here.

[Knight]

Wish Werth cut down Upton at 2nd now. Can't let a guy that trots to 1st make it safely to 2nd.

[Matt B.]

I know they have 2 runs but Brett is getting groundballs which is promising.

[Cory]

someone has got to break the opposite spell