Game chat: Happ hoping to finish strong tonight

Following a closed-door meeting, and with only six games remaining to determine their playoff fate, J.A. Happ and the Phillies try to get back on track tonight against unproven right-hander Wilton Lopez and the Astros. First pitch is 7:05 from Citizens Bank Park. Carlos Ruiz is a late scratch. Paul Bako does the receiving.

Comments

[bay_area_phan]

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Night? That might well be the most thematically appropriate promotion that any team ever dreamed up. I just hope Cholly doesn't take the theme too far & try to psychiatrically rehabilitate Brad Lidge in save situations.

[holymackrel]

has ruiz suffered a setback in his recovery?

here's to sandy ko-hap!

[NEPP]

I'll go out on a limb and predict a 14-2 Phillies victory tonight.

[denny b.]

How many more "closed door meetings" does this team need? Seems like they have had one every 2 weeks, since the Break.

Some of these guys have needed REST. Not more meetings.

LA was even more cranky then usual last night. He stated that what needs to be done, is for most of the starters to hit the pine. I don't think playing the 8 reserves, would have done any worse then 2 runs and 4 hits last night.

While not going that far, I would have thought tonight was the perfect opportunity to get Werth and Vic out of there, and get Francisco and either Stairs or Mayberry in the OF to replace them. You are facing some overmatched stiff, who hasn't gotten ANYBODY out all year. If the Phils can't tattoo this joker to the tone of 6 runs in 2 1/3 innings, then does it really matter if they sneak in the playoffs or not?

Of course, Cholly's "Iron 7" lineup has worked out so well since the All Star Break, I guess there is no use switching things up.

Happ pitched a solid game, under the gun, last year during the last week of the regular season. While nowhere near as crucial tonight, I would expect a similar result tonight.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I'm with NEPP. I think the lumber gets limber tonight. At least I hope it does.
I'm going to do my part. In the irrational belief that the team plays worse when I watch, I'm not going to watch.

[clout]

Wilton Lopez is to starting pitchers in the NL what Andy Tracy is to starting firstbasemen in the NL.

[Old Phan]

Fasten your seatbelts. It's gonna be a bumpy night.

[Old Phan]

Lopez may have an 8.44 ERA, but he's only pitched 10.2 innings.

[clout]

Old Phan: I agree. Toss out the MLB ERA. It's his poor minor league stats that I'm looking at. 10.8 H/9 and a 4.40 ERA in a rather unimpressive career. He doesn't walk many and he keeps the ball in the yard, but he is very hittable and this is one guy that won't be helped by the Phillies go-up-and-hack approach.

[NEPP]

Happtastic.

Happ has been our best starter from April-Pres. Without him, who knows where'd we be...

[bay_area_phan]

Old Phan: He also had a 4.73 ERA in 110 innings at AAA this year. He is sort of the equivalent of Andrew Carpenter, except Carpenter's AAA numbers were considerably better this year.

Naturally, I expect him to pitch a 7-inning, 2-hit shutout tonight.

[NEPP]

This team needs a really big swift kick in the ass.

[Greg V.]

Cy Young Lopez gets three easy. This is going to be a long game. Better dive into the liquor cabinet.

[G-Town Dave]

b_a_p: Now, now ... he'll give up 1 run. Probably a solo shot toward the end of his night when the Phillies are comfortably behind.

[bay_area_phan]

So we've got one pitcher who's a Top 5 ROTY of the Year candidate and another who had a 4.73 ERA at AAA. So guess which guy looks like he couldn't hit the plate if he were pitching from 3 feet away, and which guy just completed the easiest 1-2-3 inning in the history of baseball?

[Jack]

This sucks.

[NEPP]

Funny how they can hit our legitimately good pitcher but we can't touch their journeyman minorleaguer.

[Greg S.]

We need Atlanta to loose. We can't win 3 games playing like this. We can't win ONE game playing like this!

[Burt Lavallo, friend to all]

let's not go to the dogs tonight.

[Old Phan]

Oops. J.A. should have thrown to 3rd.

[curt]

The sight of virtually every guy who reaches 1B stealing 2B against us is a constant reminder of how far we've fallen from championship caliber.

[Old Phan]

The Phils may control their own destiny, but yes, I'd like to see the Bravos get shutout tonight.

[bay_area_phan]

Intentionally walking a .108 hitter? With a pitcher who can't throw strikes on the mound? Madness.

[doubleh]

Well, the Astros don't really have anything to play for except be the spoiler. Phils are obviously playing tight.

[Jack]

That was huge. Now let's get some runs, please.

[EastFallowfield]

By the way, who was the BLer who insisted to me that Pablo Sandoval was going to win the batting title?

[Old Phan]

What is up with Utley's throws to 1st. He had about an hour to throw, and barely got it to Howard.

[G-Town Dave]

44 Pitches: 22 Strikes & 22 Balls. Happ is on pace to go about 5 innings. Luckily, the Phils have a rock-solid bullpen ...

[Jack]

bap: Intentionally walking the 8 batter, with two runners in scoring position, to get to a pitcher in his first career start makes some sense.

[Scott]

There goes the No-No.

[limoguy]

Maybe this guy is Cy Young reincarnated?

Sheesh!

[skeeter]

The threat of a perfect game is over....

[MG]

Dave - Yeah. This game has the makings of whoever's bullpen is better because I can't imagine either starter goes more than 6 IP and more likely into the 6th inning.

[Old Phan]

Holy crap.

[BENTZ]

1-0 Marlins...but should've been more. Of all things a run scored on a Josh Johnson double. But Baker was thrown out at the plate.

[Old Phan]

Fish 1-0 in the 2nd

[bay_area_phan]

Florida up 1-0. Maybe we can back into the playoffs, since we show absolutely no sign that we're ever gonna win another game this year.

[EastFallowfield]

Lopez' ERA has already dropped from the 8's into a below Lidge number.

[MG]

Pedro trying to pull a pitch . . . shocking. In other news, the sun has set and it the temp. are dropping at night with the coming of fall.

[NEPP]

Happ will be done after 5 at this rate...too many pitches.

[bay_area_phan]

Happ has gone to 3 ball counts on 7 of the first 10 hitters he's faced (now 7 of the first 11). That needs to change or this shutout won't last much longer.

[NEPP]

At what point are we in trouble?

Are we there yet?

[Old Phan]

Not a bad pitch.

[holymackrel]

BAP - how prophetic -

[G-Town Dave]

Houston gets 1 more run & this one is gonna be hopelessly out of reach.

[Scott]

Shutout?

[MG]

WTF. Why is McCarthy talking through yet the action on the field and completely misses the Berkman call after the fact? Enough of this clown.

Mute and listen to Grouchy and Franske instead.

[John]

will the phillies be able to score against the cy young?

[holymackrel]

bap

how prophetic

[holymackrel]

sorry for the double post

[NEPP]

Wilton F@*@ing Lopez.

[doubleh]

If the Phillies lose tonight and the Braves beat Josh Johnson, I will be in fullscale panic mode myself. There is no reason why they should not be able to hit this guy.

My gut tells me the team might also start panicking because the media will start to get all over them.

[Old Phan]

And pathetic.

[holymackrel]

23 pitches for wilton

59 for happ

[NEPP]

Lopez will have a 4.58 ERA after his CG shutout tonight.

[cjp]

I can't believe I'm going to type this, but the rest of the hitters could learn a thing or two from Bako. It ain't a sin to take pitches or to let the guy walk you.

[Scott]

NEPP - If we outscore them 14-1, you're golden.

[MG]

Michaels in CF . . Ole!!!

[NEPP]

About damn time.

[G-Town Dave]

Is ... is that ... a run? :-o

[holymackrel]

jjjjjjjjjjjj

ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

[NEPP]

He's cut! HE'S CUT, THE RUSSIAN IS CUT!!!

[bay_area_phan]

That's more like it.

[Old Phan]

Walk, sac bunt, double. Looks a lot like baseball.

[cjp]

Hopefully that loosens up the ol' sphincter and the runs starting pouring out.

[NEPP]

All because of that terrible Paul Bako.

[bay_area_phan]

Unfortunately, Vic & Utley have been the Phillies' 2 most hapless hitters for the last month.

[Scott]

cjp - I think that's what happened to Vic the other week.

[J. Weitzel]

Is it me or does every Victorino groundout look like that lately?

[holymackrel]

C'MON ST U

[bay_area_phan]

Utley = automatic out.

[MG]

Phils' kryponite since Aug 1 - RISP

[NEPP]

Time to come through Chase.

I'll adopt a cat if he hits a HR here.

[Old Phan]

Oh When the Saint comes grounding out....

[holymackrel]

J. Weitzel - he pops up every now and then as well.

[doubleh]

I would like to see the re-emergence of Super Chase.

[NEPP]

...guess I won't be getting that cat.

[MG]

Lopez is throwing sinker after sinker that aren't even coming across the plate and the Phils are swinging with weak hacks and a ton of ground balls. Ugh.

[GBrettfan]

Maybe our hitters just needed to see the pitcher once through the lineup.

...Or maybe it'll take 2 times.

Or maybe they are pressing.

Watching these games is starting to become somewhat tortuous.

[John]

What has happen to Chase? he does not look good out there. it has to be more than just "tired"

[bullit]

save ryno, our "big boys" have been small boys for quite some time, wheels.

[MG]

7 ground outs and a ton of hacks against a guy who basically on the mound is as creative as the antagonist in a bad horror movie and yet the Phils' hitters are playing the role of the dumb blonde through 3 innings.

[G-Town Dave]

Would it be inappropriate for Charlie to tell the team "Hey, fellas, this kid hardly throws anything in the zone. Takes a few pitches; make him work."?

[doubleh]

MG: Well, no one ever said baseball players were particularly smart.

[Old Phan]

Do coaches give the take sign anymore or is that antiquated?

[NEPP]

Did you realize that not one of our hitters is really having a ridiculous career year?

Werth and Vic have improved. Howard rebounded a bit but not to his previous peak, Utley is about the same, Rollins is way off his career numbers, Feliz has faded since June, Ruiz kinda is but he won't even get 400 PA..and Ibanez is reverting to his career norms other than a jump in his power numbers due to that hot start.

No one is having one of those "OMG?!?" years.

[MG]

The offense has been an issue since Aug. 1 generaly. They are just slightly below the NL average of runs scored then and has floundered badly with RISP.

[John]

For the last month Howard has been carrying this team and now it shows.

[holymackrel]

71 pitches for happ

38 for cy

[bay_area_phan]

I wonder what the Phillies' record is in games following a closed-door meeting. Literally every time I can ever remember Cholly calling a closed-door meeting, the team went out and laid an egg the very next game.

[NEPP]

Good thing Jason Michaels sucks.

[Pops]

That was the best pitch that he's thrown all night. And then he gives in to JR Towles?

[NEPP]

And that's why they walked JR "The Babe" Towles in his last AB.

[denny b.]

Hopefully Chuckles extends Happ to around 140 pitches tonight.

[Pops]

Now we hit....

[NEPP]

Yeah, we should burn out Happ who is essentially our most reliable starter this year.

[Dave X]

There is an obvious reason we will win tonight. Can't get into it now, but it's right there in front of everyone.

[Old Phan]

They will score this inning, or I'll eat my (nacho) hat.

[holymackrel]

burn out Pedro, our BP, Blanton looked a little tired...

[denny b.]

Just try and get 6 out of Happ tonight, and then turn it over to Taschner, Durbin and Lights Out Moyer.