Sunday chat: Lee looks to lead Phils in series finale

Preview: Hoping to take another step closer to sealing their third-straight division title, Cliff Lee (7-2, 2.67) tries to build on a masterful complete-game shutout in his last start when he toes the slab against rookie of the year hopeful Tommy Hanson (10-3, 2.65) and the Braves in the season's final meeting between these two sides.

Beerleaguer: Big opportunity for the Phils to break Atlanta's spirits and start putting the finishing touches on their playoff run. Overall, the Phils have had a serviceable month overall, led entirely by their starting staff, so today I'd like to see the total package, for the Phils to get something going early against Hanson, for Lee to pound the Braves' lineup with strikes and for the bullpen to deliver as needed. The Phils will have the services of Shane Victorino, who returns to center field, while Paul Bako is back behind the plate for Carlos Ruiz, still ailing from a sprained wrist.

First pitch is 1:35 from Turner Field. Time for the Phils to tighten the screws.

Comments

[Old Phan]

3 really bad calls in one inning

[G-Town Dave]

Well, Vic's return was brief.

[RSB]

Victorino's small brain rears its hot head once again.

[Nick]

I was watching the Eagles game, what happened to Vic?

[J.R. King]

After Victorino got tossed, Charlie went out to yell at the umpire and ended up yelling at Shane. Not good.

[rupemaan]

i wasn't watching, How did Vic get thrown out in the first inning???????

[Old Phan]

I'm getting tired of Dye-Az

[J.R. King]

Victorino was thrown out stealing second. He threw his helmet and then argued the call which got him tossed.

[Old Phan]

Vic was clearly safe at 2nd, but during the argument he threw his helmet then threw what looked like a few choice words. I don't blame him for being pissed off.

[philsphan]

Vic is actively hurting this team.

[rupemaan]

JR...i would call him a pinhead but that name is reserved for another phillie. THat was pretty dumb. He must have used too many Action words.

[G-Town Dave]

I don't mind Vic getting fired up there. Sometimes the Phils can be a bit lackadaisical for my taste. Maybe it'll kick-start something.

[Old Phan]

Vic may have over reacted a bit, but he was right.
Ben is doing a nice job of filling in.

[EastFallowfield]

RBI 2b for Rauuul, and an RBI hit for Feliz. And even Bako got a hit. Hanson's a ROY candidate?

[J. Weitzel]

What is Feliz doing? Come on.

[TNA]

What was that Feliz?

[Old Phan]

Nice throw by Ross. Bad baserunning, but good inning.

[G-Town Dave]

This team has gotten a severe case of the base running stupids lately.

[J. Weitzel]

One of the more entertaining showing by the offense in recent months. Is anyone watching?

[EastFallowfield]

Hanson's 1st 4 run allowed start since July vs the Dodgers...

[G-Town Dave]

It only took 3 HR & 5 RBI in 2 games for Bobby to figure out he might ought to give Howard the IW. Love that savvy, veteran management ...

[Old Phan]

Nice F-bomb by Werth in the dugout.
I assume there will be a delay at this point.

[mal]

hmmm is the game official yet?

[fljerry]

no Braves did not bad in their 5th

[bathtubhippo]

so, what the hell is going on with werth's facial hair?

[Clay Darymple]

i'd be thrilled with postponement today. made up after season over if necessary. won't be necessary. much prefer that to our short pen having to go five innings with three run lead.

[doubleh]

Doubt Atlanta wants to do that and they try to get it in at all costs. Atlanta probably feels pretty good about facing our short pen right now.

Although, to be honest, their BP doesn't scare me much, either.

[G-Town Dave]

doubleh: Atlanta's BP doesn't scare me, either. I wanna see the Phils come back out & win this thing, crap relief corps & all.

[Tray]

So I'm sure clout's mentioned it a million times already, but it just occurred to me that he, and others who predicted that Ibanez wouldn't get 100 RBI's, are probably going to turn out to have been right. Injuries played a large role in that, of course, but another huge factor is that Ibanez has had his worst season with RISP since at least 2004 and arguably before that. This year with RISP, he's hit .234/.349/.460. Over most of his career, and especially in the Seattle years, he's been a much better hitter with men on base and in scoring position.

[DH Phils]

It's not up to Atlanta whether they finish the game. Once the game starts, it's up to the umpires.

[G-Town Dave]

A Bit Of Good News: The Reds beat the Marlins, 8-1.

[Old Phan]

Fish losing gives the Braves even more of a reason to want to finish this game, even though they will probably lose.

[CJ]

Tray: One of the reason people felt Ibanez wouldn't get 100 RBI is that at 37 years old, he had a heightened injury risk.

[chstk of suffrg]

For those of us relying on the internets, any sense from TV or radio what the state of the delay is and prospects for the game being continued or not?

[Old Phan]

Still showing the dull rain delay programming on the Braves channel

[fljerry]

Radio says they took off tarp, but started raining again and they just put back on

[EastFallowfield]

There's no way the hungry, red-hot Marlins lost 2 of 4 to the Reds, with one of those wins set up by a ball lost in the lights.

[goody]

Normaly,the home team is in charge until game time,then the umps are in charge. I just learned a few weeks ago that late in the season on a team's last visit,the umps are in charge all the way.

[rhyno182]

per Zolecki's twitter the game will resume at 4:55

[clout]

Tray: I can't speak for others who went against the overwhelming consensus that Ibanez would get 100 RBI, but injuries were not a factor in my calculation.

At the time of this pre-season debate we all assumed Ibanez would bat 6th. My argument was solely this: There is no way he can get to 100 RBI hitting behind Utley, Howard and Werth.

As it turned out he spent most of the season batting 5th. But for reasons you & CJ cite, he's not going to get it anyway.

[rhyno182]

Myphl is back at the stadium

[rhyno182]

Tyler Walker will come in for the phils.

[J. Weitzel]

If Jamie Moyer is used again after this long delay, he's 1/3 of an inning away from reaching 150 IP, meaning a $25K bonus kicks in.

[EastFallowfield]

Don't see them using Moyer since he's supposed to start on Tuesday vs the Fish.

[TNA]

If neither Happ nor Pedro can start, wouldn't that make Moyer our 4th playoff starter? Oh the plans of mice and men...

[MG]

Every season there is a veteran pitcher who Cholly is obviously reluctant to use out of the bullpen but that guy has a couple of good outings and all of a sudden Cholly starting going to him too much and he gets overexposed.

I am waiting for that to happen with Walker.

[brother]

Nice K by Walker to get out of some trouble.

[sdphillie]

ESPN GameCast said our chances of winning were 89%, Walker comes in, it drops to 83%... do they know something we don't?

Oh well, at least the Eag... :(

[Doohickey]

You think you're nervous with Walker, just wait till Lidge comes stumbling out of the bullpen to start the ninth.

[sdphillie]

Pfft, like Cholly would put Lidge in with the season he's been having.

[Old Phan]

Today, I'm not nervous about Walker or Lidge. Maybe I should be, but I'm not.

[MG]

Francisco/Lee trade is looking better and better as the season progresses. Not only did the Phils get that frontline starter they desperately needed for this year (and next year) but they also got that younger OF right-handed bat who plays decent corner defense and has some pop that had been lacking for most of the season too.

[G-Town Dave]

I have a feeling the Phils are gonna need more runs today. That was not the way to get 'em.

[G-Town Dave]

Everybody Pitches, Woo-hoo!

[king myno]

Mayberry will never fail to hit lefties.

[brother]

With any luck, that's the last we'll see of Chipper and Diaz in 2009.

[Old Phan]

I'm not convinced that the Braves are going to get another hit, let alone score any runs.

[brother]

Domination.

[G-Town Dave]

These Braves jerseys are sinfully ugly. Much like the ones the Astros & Red Sox sometimes wear.

Great job by Madson. Let's take some time to savor it before Lidge comes in ...

[bullit]

this ump has a really low strike zone.

[CJ]

That's 72 Ks in 72 IP for Madson this year. I think he's pretty good.

[Scott]

We need to score a few so we can bean about three guys in the 9th. With Lidge pitching, it won't seem intentional.

[bake]

I'm almost tempted to go for the BLRJ, here, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if it failed.

[bullit]

did you hear cholly talking about his 2 beanings in his career? first time lost a few teeth but only missed one game. second time, in japan, he needed 3 plates and screws for a broken jaw and wore a helmet with a face bar for one at bat before abandoning it.

[MG]

Its fine to use Lidge here in a 3-run save and already having used Madson but I really don't hope these "saves" encourage Cholly to reinsert Lidge as the full-time closer come the playoffs.

[Doohickey]

You know that's exactly what's going to happen, MG.

[brother]

Braves playoff chances on life support, and the Phils are about to pull the plug before leaving town.

[MG]

That jump was ridiculous. Basically teams are just winning at will against Lidge and that is something he is going to have to work on this offseason.

[awh]

Brad Lidge's proprnsiry to walk batters makes him his own worst enemy.

Ugh!

[Iceman]

The positive development that would come out of a Lidge implosion here is that it is late enough in the season for Cholly to pull the plug on this charade.

[MSH]

Great series!!!

[MG]

Give it a rest TMac. It was a good series win and an "ok" 9th inning by Lidge but let's not act like it was some exhilarating series.

[CJ]

I think that's 10 series wins out of our last 12 series. Coasting to the playoffs...

[G-Town Dave]

Well, that was (mercifully) (relatively) easy. Now to head down to Miami & do the same ...

[Old Phan]

Phils won. Oh, well.

[bullit]

bp averaged nearly 2 so/inning.

[Old Phan]

MG, nothing wrong with winning a series against the Braves.

[SmokyJoe]

I need the update: E#s and what Braves/Fish/Phillies would need to do for one of them to catch us. Who's got it?

[MG]

Phan - It was a nice series win and a good way to really put the nail in the Braves' season. TMac was just with some shrilling at at the end of a kind of sedate and flat game due to the rain delay. That's all.

[joe]

and all without a starting pitcher going more than 4 innings

[limoguy]

Tyler Walker gets the win and is now 2 - 0 with a 2.35 ERA.

Good series because the Bravos were on a win streak.

Good chance of clinching one day this week.

[bullit]

was that dan akroyd singing "take me out to the ball game" with an irish accent?

[doubleh]

I think it was a great series in that the Braves needed to sweep to stay in the race and the Phils not only didn't allow that but won the series, effectively ending the Braves season.

Phils didn't have great luck with Braves this year, but in the last 3 series when they needed to win, the stepped up and took 6 out of 9 games.

I was fearful that the Braves would be energized from the rain delay to come out and beat our already beatup BP. That was not the case at all. They looked dead to me (until the 9th, when everyone seems to come alive because of Lidge).

[MG]

Only thing the Phils had to do was avoid the sweep. They did that with the first win and today's win was just a nice way to put the dirt on the Braves' 2009 season. Phils mathematically eliminated the Mets today and buried the Braves. It would be nice to see them finish the Braves this week too.

[awh]

Well, for those of you who care and think it's an important stat, despite the fact that he gave up another run today, Brad Lidge had 5 swings and misses in the 10 strikes he threw.

Of course, he gave up another run today, just like before when he threw 10 strikes in 16 pitches - where he had no seings and misses.

Hmmmm, 5 more swings and misses than before and the result was the same - 1 earned run.

[SmokyJoe]

For those watching on TV or following on gameday: Lidge was squeezed on ball 3 (inside corner) and ball four (outside corner) on the walk. My eyes told me they were strikes. Gameday says they were both strikes by several inches. Lidge never seems to get any close calls this year. What was especially weird in this game, is that all pitchers for both teams were getting strikes off both corners since the rain delay. Umpire chnaged his zone for that one batter.

[Doohickey]

Phils win, Bravos and Fish lose. Magic number = 6. Taking 2/3 from the Braves is what they call "helping your own cause".

I'm somewhat glad Lidge gave up a run. This will keep Cholly from being tempted to use him for a one-run save opportunity.

[CJ]

MG: The Mets? Pedro eliminated them a couple weeks ago.

[MG]

Walker deserves alot of credit today. Lopez was probably my nominee for the most "under the radar" contribution to the season but that has shifted to Walker this month who really has had a nice year & given the Phils a big lift.

[Old Phan]

As usual, the strike zone was a mystery that no one could solve.

[Spitz]

Yeah, but Charlies still sucks, right MG?

[MG]

Meant the Braves. Just it is just a matter of playing a few more meaningful games in Florida so they can give some guys some rest, set the rotaion, and roll the dice with the bullpen to see what they have the last 10 days of the season.

[CJ]

MG: Ah, okay. Of course, the Phils wrapped up the division last month!

[Old Phan]

Bobby Cox is blaming the rain for his pitchers problems. Glad it was totally dry when the Phils were pitching.

[Doohickey]

A split would be great but if the Phils take 3/4 from the Fish, they're done.

[Spitz]

since the magic number is now 6, you are mathmatically correct Doohickey.

Phils just need one against the fish...thats all. everything else is gravy.

[EastFallowfield]

Magic number is 6.

If the Phils go 6-6, the division is clinched.

If the Phils go 3-9, Marlins must go 10-2 or Braves go 11-1 to tie.

Is that what you were looking for, SmokyJoe?

[Old Phan]

Didnt the Phils wrap the division in June?

[Lake Fred]

Watched the Eagles game. Living in New Orleans, I was pulling for the Saints.

On the Phillies, Cholly evoked the three run rule when using Lidge, just as I predicted days ago.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread