Game chat: Phils' lethargic lumber looking for a lift

The Phillies are hitting just .221/.284/.329 since April 17. They try to snap out of it tonight against right-hander Todd Wellemeyer (0-3, 8.13), a pitcher they've busted up in the past.

Preview: All the talk has revolved around what Ryan Howard will do between now and the end of time, but here in the present, the $125 million slugger has been swinging a $1.25 bat. Howard hasn't homered since the fifth game of the season and has reversed the delightful little early season trend where multi-hit games outnumbered strikeouts. The good news is that Howard has destroyed Wellemeyer, going 4-for-7 with two homers, while Chase Utley is 7-for-11 with three homers and six RBIs. Howard isn't the only hitter who's struggled. After a sizzling start, Placido Polanco has scuffled ever since he was plunked on the elbow by Tim Hudson. Since then, he's 2-for-16. Jamie Moyer (2-1, 5.00), who has pitched better than his numbers suggest, takes the mound hoping to pick up the middle game. Meanwhile in Reading, Brad Lidge pitched another scoreless rehab inning and reportedly said he feels ready. It's possible the closer could be activated for their series against the Mets.

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Comments

[GTown_Dave]

[RP From Previous Thread]

Zolecki (via Twitter): "Phils rotation this weekend against Mets: Kendrick on Friday, Halladay on Saturday and Moyer on Sunday."

Lucky for me, as I will not be attending the games on Friday or Sunday. :-)

[Scott]

Thought Polly had gotten drilled on the elbow, but no matter where he got hit, he definitely hasn't been the same. I thought Utley hit a few deep balls in Arizona that probably would have left the park in Philly, so I'm less concerned with him than I am about Howard and Polanco.

[GTown_Dave]

If there's a winnable game in this series, tonight's is it. I'm looking for Moyer to keep his club in the game, & for the Phillies offense to SLG & OBP w/ a purpose!

[NEPP]

Great luck that, GTown.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

No-brainer w/ Lincecum going tomorrow - the bats need to do some damage tonight. It's not like they need a dozen hits. 2 or 3 more hits last night and they could have won that game. Hell, Randy Wolf has two hits tonight.

Is this Howard's longest HR drought? I thought he was due last night. Now, he's really due.

[J. Weitzel]

It was the elbow, sorry about that. Still thinking about Utley and Lannan I guess.

[GTown_Dave]

NEPP: Well it sure as hell ain't gonna happen w/ Twinklebritches going up against Lincecum tomorrow. Might as well expend whatever optimism I have on tonight's game.

[bay_area_phan]

Well, there was a winnable game yesterday but that didn't work out too well. But tomorrow's game is absolutely unwinnable, so they're playing to avoid the sweep tonight. Fortunately, if Todd Wellemeyer isn't the worst starting pitcher in the National League, he surely belongs in the conversation.

[holy mackrel]

I am still thinking about the potential 1-2 pitching punch we would have had w/o worrying about the PMS mood swings of Hamel

[GTown_Dave]

Major League Baseball has mostly succeeded thus far in not being a bunch of killjoy pricks, like their counterparts at, say, the NFL & ESPN. This is not a positive move:

MLB Bans MLB.com Beat Writers From Using Twitter For Non-Baseball Topics

[Sophist]

Hugh, longest AB streak, I think, but not longest game streak. He went 16 games in 2004 (42 AB) and 15 in 2006 (54 AB). Current: 14 G, 59 AB.

[holy mackrel]

Scott Mathieson 1 0 1.04

Any reason he is not w/ the 'big' club' ?

he would be a 'shot' in the arm for the BP

[NEPP]

Anyone else concerned that the Mets are destroying their competition right now? They're looking at 6 straight wins now if they hang onto their 7 run lead

[Hugh Mulcahy]

thanks sophist. I'll distill that answer to 'yes'. he's double due

any chance it warmed up any in SF?

[bay_area_phan]

In this park, and with this pathetic Giants lineup, this is about as favorable a matchup as Jamie Moyer will face all year. If he's even halfway on his game, the Phillies really ought to win this game pretty handily.

Glad to see Juan Castro back in the lineup. Did I really just write that?

[Old Phan]

The great thing about baseball is that the KK or Moyer games could be the best games.

[NEPP]

Mathieson needs a lot of work on his slider and his fastball is hard but fairly straight.

And he needs regular work after 3 years of injuries now.

[bay_area_phan]

holy: Someone like clout or NEPP can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Mathieson is basically just a fastball pitcher at this point. Granted, it's a very fast fastball. But you still need a secondary pitch to succeed in the majors.

[NEPP]

BAP, that would be correct. And his fastball quite hittable by MLB hitters...not a lot of movement even if he can touch 97-98.

His "slider" is a work in progress to be polite.

[Sophist]

NEPP - About as worried about the Mets, maybe slightly more so, as I was about the Padres and their "hot" 8-win streak.

[NEPP]

I dont know...Wright is starting to look like the guy that was the best 3B in the NL, Davis is off to a hot start and they're hitting in bunches...

[GTown_Dave]

NEPP: Didn't they also look pretty good for awhile at the beginning of '09? This, too, shall pass.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

SEeing that they get 3 games with the Mets this weekend, I'm not going to worry about them until Friday. Hoping for some home cooking after playing 5/7 games on teh road to start the season.

[Scott]

While I'm not about to compare Hamels with a HOF'er like Pedro, I seem to recall the latter outdueling The Freak last season. The point? Like Halladay proved last night, even the best are human.

[Old Phan]

I wonder if the Phils can forfeit tomorrow's game since there is no way they can win. Might as well leave town early and get some extra rest.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Utley 7 for 11, 3 HR v. this pitcher?

[GBrettfan]

Competition in the NL East is good for the Phils. They should play better for it, you know, rise to the challenge. Right?

Heard Mitch Williams on "Wild Pitch" radio show tonight. He's reserving judgment for now but is concerned about Ibanez. Said he needs to make adjustments to compensate for decreased bat speed.

[NEPP]

What a ridiculous rotation for the Giants.

[NEPP]

****Said he needs to make adjustments to compensate for decreased bat speed. ****

Like retire and take deferred salary to free up some cash?

[gobaystars]

Since the last thread got bumped down and I know everyone is hanging on my every word, I'll repost for you guys. No don't thank me. It's nothing.

Here's a thought, the Phillies ownership told Ruben to get the Howard deal done. He was told to go over budget to make it happen. He was told that 90 wins with Jimmy, Chase and Ryan is worth more than 95 wins with some other guys. Possible? Who knows? My point is that we don't really know how MLB organizations are run.

Posted by: gobaystars | Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 10:01 PM

Also, is the Gagne thing symbolic? Is there hidden meaning in there?

Posted by: gobaystars | Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 10:04 PM

[Hugh Mulcahy]

game of inches - bad omen

[NEPP]

So, its gonna be one of these games where they make some ridiculous catches.

[NEPP]

Goes for the corner and misses.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

juuust a bit outside

[Sophist]

OF defense, close called strikes not going the Phillies way - looks like last night!

[NEPP]

So Moyer will get those calls on the black too, right?

[Sophist]

Rauuuul's last 6 games: .353/.500/.647 (17 AB)

[NEPP]

I dont know how guys are laying off pitches this close.

[Sophist]

Moyer's first and second pitches were closer than that pitch to Utley.

[GBrettfan]

****Said he needs to make adjustments to compensate for decreased bat speed. ****

Like retire and take deferred salary to free up some cash?

Funny, NEPP :)

[Hugh Mulcahy]

right field is death for right handers. no way they hit an 82 mph fastball out that direction.

count me as joining in b-a-p's happiness at seeing CAstro at short. whodathunkit

[NEPP]

Just a pure athletic specimen here in Sandoval.

[curt]

Sign of a demented individual: sacrificing sleep for an April Geezer/Wellemeyer matchup.

[NEPP]

The Giants announcers seem to think Moyer works slow with men on...nah!

Moyer ERA Watch: 4.74

[Hugh Mulcahy]

that looked like a yellow sky out over the bay. are they expecting a storm there tonight?

[NEPP]

curt, I'm going on maybe 8-9 hrs of sleep since Sunday morning now. I am the first to admit I have some serious problems.

[GTown_Dave]

Sandoval is built like a bowl full of mashed potatoes.

[NEPP]

"maybe the best 3 guys in baseball in a row in Utley, Howard and Werth".

Nice praise.

Ryan...WTF?

[GTown_Dave]

I don't care who you are, if you dog it like that on a sure double your ass should get benched IMMEDIATELY.

[NEPP]

Seriously, I'd bench him for that. If Jimmy was benched for that crap, they should toss Gload out there for the rest of the game.

[TTI]

It must be the new contract.

[NEPP]

At least Werth is still playing for a contract...unlike that bum at 1B for us.

Seriously, if you bench Jimmy for it, bench your new superrich slugger.

[NEPP]

Should be at least 2-0 right now. No excuse for that...none.

[curt]

The Jimmy precedent arguably means that the Big Piece takes a seat. But he's being paid roughly $13,000 per inning to play....

[NEPP]

Jimmy is the de facto Captain and he was benched for it...Ryan should be too. That was total crap...especially in the midst of a losing streak and right off the largest contract in team history.

[bay_area_phan]

Amaro might be able to void that $125M contract already due to breach of contract. Surely there was a clause in there somewhere about hustling into 2nd base.

[GTown_Dave]

curt: Charlie ain't paying his salary. Howard's butt should be firmly planted on the bench right now. Quite frankly, I'm rather disgusted it isn't.

[TK]

Oh please. That wasn't dogging it. That was a great throw by Scherholtz and fake out by Renteria. It's not like Howard was strutting to 2nd.

[NEPP]

Luckily, we still have a 1 run lead thanks to Ryan's hustle to 2B...oh wait.

[NEPP]

TK, he basically walked into the bag...pure dogging it.

[GTown_Dave]

Luckily, the Phillies still have a 1-run lead thanks to Howard's hustle ...

Aw, crap.

[NEPP]

~reads GTown's comment~

Too funny.

[GBrettfan]

Now Ryan has to hit a HR to redeem himself for that awful bit of base-jogging. That was not playing like a champion.

There goes a bomb off Jamie's pitch. I am growing weary of seeing other teams with lesser offenses hit HRs. Where are ours? (whines)

[NEPP]

Polly flashing the leather there.

[Jack]

Anyone ever see Utley loaf it on a play like that? No?

Then quite clearly Utley is better than Howard. Hustling is WAY better than not hustling. That's what I've learned today.

[GTown_Dave]

Ugh. Moyer could make Central Park look like a band box.

[NEPP]

Perhaps we should just acknowledge defeat when faced with a team with such historically great sluggers as Matt Downs and Aubrey Huff.

[TK]

It was not 'pure dogging it' it was a great defensive play. Gimme a break with everyone jumping on Howard for that.

[NEPP]

Not to be that guy as I've constantly defended the trade but our rotation would look a hell of a lot better with Cliff Lee in the #2 spot.

[joe l]

Ugh. Like a friggin' pinball machine out there.

[NEPP]

TK, if he slides, its an easy double...if he runs full speed, its an easy double. He got caught with his pants down being lazy.

[curt]

Oh, forgot to thank Jason for this hilarious observation: "Jamie Moyer (2-1, 5.00), who has pitched better than his numbers suggest"

[GBrettfan]

Ok, now that baserunning or lack therof has already come back to bite us. And yet another HR for the wrong team. (Stamping feet impatiently and defiantly now.) I repeat: Where are our HRs?

I guess this is Jamie's bad inning for the night.

[bay_area_phan]

Well, if that was his proverbial "one bad inning," it won't be so bad. If that was a sign of things to come, it will be very, very bad.

[GTown_Dave]

These Hamels/Comcast commercials make me flat-out angry now.

[bay_area_phan]

TK: We all like Howard, but you're defending the indefensible.

[NEPP]

I wonder if he wasn't bench purely out of it being guaranteed to be national news coming on the heels of the contract extension.

[NEPP]

Amy Gutierrez needs to cut down on the tanning beds...she looks like a carrot.

[GBrettfan]

Jamie ran pretty hard on a SAC BUNT. Just pointing out you should never take a base or an out for granted.

[GTown_Dave]

Trevor Hoffman is doing his best c. 2009 Brad Lidge impersonation for the Brewers. Came in to save a 1-run game tonight & gave up a solo shot, followed shortly thereafter by a grand slam ... Ouch.

[TK]

It was poor awareness by Howard more than a lack of hustle...and a great defensive play. I honestly didn't think he was jogging or strutting, he just should have been aware enough to slide.

[NEPP]

Vic really crushed that one.

[TTI]

Approximately how many times a year do you see a guy on the Phillies jog into second like that? 100? More?

You can be upset about it but don't act like it's not a common occurrence. Renteria faked him out and it bit Howard in the ass.

[NEPP]

Ryan Howard
Trevor May
Tyson Gillies

For

Albert Pujols

Thoughts?

[NEPP]

Sh!t...hope he's okay.

[G-Town Dave]

NEPP: In the interest of fairness, it must be noted that just the other night Pujols thought he had a sure homer & got thrown out at 2nd in much the same manner that Howard did earlier.

Damn! Chooch caught that ball right in the throat. Good to see he looks like he'll be OK.

[NEPP]

I think Chooch is my 2nd favorite Phillie after Chase.

Tough SOB.

[Old Phan]

It was a great throw and a great fake out by Renteria.
Guess Ryno cant be human anymore.

[NEPP]

****NEPP: In the interest of fairness, it must be noted that just the other night Pujols thought he had a sure homer & got thrown out at 2nd in much the same manner that Howard did earlier. ****

Good point...he'll fit in great after that trade goes through.

[Old Phan]

Wow. Great DP!

[TBex]

Castro is washed up as a defender....

[Murgatroid]

God, the Giants' announcers are huge homers. It's starting to piss me off.

[Sophist]

Juuuan Castro. Hell of a throw by Utley.

[GTown_Dave]

That was one of the best snares, flips, turns, throws & picks for a double play I have EVER seen! Simply superb! :-D

[GBrettfan]

Wow! What a DP!

And as an aside, I like the energy of the fans in SF, and I like that they applauded Ruiz getting up.

It would be a bad day, indeed, for a pitcher to take out his own catcher. Which he did, but hopefully only momentarily.

[NEPP]

How is Chase laying off pitches this close?

[Old Phan]

Brilliant play

[GTown_Dave]

Rick Vaughn > Todd Wellemeyer

[GBrettfan]

I can go along with poor awareness on Howard's part on that play, and a bit of a fake by Renteria. I also know I see that lack of full run all the time on a double. Still, it was frustrating.

[GTown_Dave]

Howard now halfway to the cycle ...

Aw, crap.