Game chat: Phillies band almost back together

Jimmy Rollins checks in, but Carlos Ruiz checks out, when Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.76) and the Phillies open a three-game series with Mitch Talbot (7-5, 4.21) and the Indians starting at 7:05 from Citizens Bank Park.

Preview: Just as the Braves and Mets have padded the win column against the dregs of the American League, the Phillies must do the same here against the 26-42 Indians, who rate in the league's bottom quarter in runs and ERA. There's no better time to regroup than now, with Rollins back in the fray after a pair of month-long stints on the disabled list. As you recall, Rollins was off to a great start, posting a .462 on-base percentage with 10 walks in 12 games. The Phils remain cautious about his health, however, as evidenced by the presence of both Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez. Rollins reclaims the leadoff spot tonight, followed by Polanco, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Victorino and Schneider, which is close to the original blueprint.

Prospect updates: Since the Tribe is in town, here is your obligatory update on the prospects traded last summer for Cliff Lee. The only one who’s done anything noteworthy has been infielder Jason Donald, who made his Major League debut May 18 and has started in 29 games, all but four at short. Young flame-thrower Jason Knapp had shoulder surgery and hasn’t pitched. Isn’t it funny what happens to 18-year-old arms that throw high-90s heat? Lou Marson was demoted after hitting .191 and will never become the Indians starting catcher as long as Carlos Santana is around. And Carlos Carrasco, at this point, is probably a non-prospect. After getting his feet wet in the Show with five starts late in ’09, the Venezuelan right-hander is having a middling season for Triple-A Columbus. He continues to be very inconsistent. So overall, it appears to be a small price to pay for a 4-0 record in the postseason and a 1.53 ERA. We’ll stop there.

Notes: Outfielder Domonic Brown and right-hander Jarred Cosart, arguably the two best prospects in the Phillies' chain, will represent the Phillies in All-Star Futures Game.

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Comments

[MG]

Cholly is gone so it is Mackanin making the calls.

[NEPP]

Come on JC...

Lidge in, I predict a double steal on the first pitch.

[The Truth Injection]

philwynk: You would've saved yourself a lot of time by just typing, "No TTI. I have no idea why my stupid statement makes no sense. I'll keep saying dumb things."

MG: I wonder what the splits looked like for the two switch hitters this inning. Maybe that tied into the decision some. That at bat to Choo is the story of the season right now. Even when something goes right it still finds a way to work against us. That was a great pitch by Romero. Then he walks a rookie.

[GBrettfan]

Well, I guess that answers that. Charlie has SO much confidence in Lidge, he's waiting until it's even higher pressure than the 9th inning of a close game normally is! Doesn't he remember Lidge needs room to put his own runners on? does better in a clean inning? etc?

[GBrettfan]

I know Mackanin is the "manager" now, but I was under the impression that the ejected mgr. continues to run the show, just not from the dugout.

[MG]

TTI - It made sense to use Romero against Choo. Against Crowe or Santana - not so much.

It is just ridiculous that Mackanin doesn't have the confidence to start Lidge at the top of the 9th. I can't blame him either. Lidge was a complete failure last year in 1-run save situations.

[NEPP]

Bringing Lidge in with 2 men on, 1 out in the 9th is like pouring grease on a gas stove.

[clout]

Maybe Lidge will make Fernandez eat that column.

[GBrettfan]

I also prefer Chooch catching Lidge with that slider of his. But that can't be helped for a while; still it makes a bigger case for bringing Lidge in at the start of an inning, doesn't it?

[Jack]

He's playing matchups, and it's not the worst strategy in the world.

He had two switch-hitters (who hit worse righty) and a lefty due up. So you go after those guys with Romero, then switch to Lidge for the righty hitters.

What's wrong with that?

[MG]

Wheels is right here. Not having Chooch here is a big deal.

[Scott]

Lidge most likely doesn't have the same comfort level with Schneider that he does with Chooch, especially when it comes to burying the slider.

[NEPP]

Huge K there...way to locate that slider there.

Nothing wrong with playing the matchups.

[phlipper]

I don't get how not using Lidge to start the inning is a vote of no confidence - when he has the confidence in Lidge to bring hi min with two on and one out. There must be some rationale that isn't obvious.

[Iceman]

I remember last year the Phils were winning some barn-burners at the beginning of the season to stay at .500. The same argument was had only it was in reverse- "They can't keep relying on the offense to score 10+ runs, it isn't a recipe for success." Six months later, another World Series trip.

No surprise here but I agree with TTI- wins are wins are wins. If you score 2 runs it doesn't count as a half-win. It is one full win. If it isn't good enough for you, maybe you can tally up the "undeserved wins" in a third column and add them up, then at the end of the year invite the teams with the most "deserving" wins to a whiffle-ball playoff in your backyard. Maybe the Mets would show up, because I've heard from their fans they've actually had a lot of undeserved losses over the past 2+ seasons (a fourth column!).

[MG]

Jack - Nothing wrong at all. Just not say much for the Phils' coaching staff and what they think of Lidge right now.

[The Truth Injection]

MG: I checked. Crowe hits .250 versus lefties and .240 versus righties.

Santana- and in what is clearly a small sample size- hits. .444 versus righties and .300 versus lefties

[GBrettfan]

Hopefully, nothing, Jack. But we've seen Lidge's tendency to put one or two runners on of his own, which would not be acceptable tonight.

I love Lidge, but relief pitching just makes me nervous, and we haven't seen enough of him yet this year to give me full confidence.

[phlipper]

Most likely Jack is right about the Romero/Lidge selections.

[TK]

Did anyone else have their picture go out just in time for that last at bat?

[NEPP]

Never a doubt with Jamie and Brad on the mound.

Solid win tonight...nice confidence boost for the pitching staff to pick up the offense.

[The Truth Injection]

There is your vote of confidence right there. Two excellent sliders to punch out Kearns and Peralta

[clout]

Another cheap win by Moyer, right Jack?

[Rob]

Wow.

[NEPP]

That's Lidgetastic!!!

Very solid game by Jamie though...can't say enough about what he's done this year.

[phlipper]

Nice to see that from Lidge. Very nice.

[MG]

This was a night that was all about the Phils' pitching even if it was a bit shaky in the 9th.

Give Lidge credit there with some credit on a couple of nice sliders. That was a big-time spot in a game where the Phils really needed it.

[NEPP]

Tonight was Jamie's 55th victory in red pinstripes.

266-201 for his career now.

[Old Phan]

Considering they did bring Lidge in (and in a high pressure situation) it is no knock on their confidence of Lidge that that started the inning with Romero.

[Sophist]

Jimmy in postgame: my job is to make the guys believe again.

[GBrettfan]

Ok, all my nerves were for nothing. Just as I like it! 3 cheers for Lidge! And a 21-gun salute to Jamie Moyer! Finally, welcome back, Jimmy Rollins!

[MG]

Come'on JRoll. The offense was pathetic tonight (2 hits after the 1st inning) against a guy who was struggling to throw strikes all night and didn't have a single really effective pitch tonight.

[Meyer]

Dog days must be earlier this year. I tried to take my dog for a walk when Lidge came in and he said piss off. What happened?

[Old Phan]

Pale Hose up 9-3 over the Braves in the 4th.

[NEPP]

The Phillies are undefeated since Jimmy came off the DL.

[MG]

Old Phan - Yeah it is. There is no way Romero starts the bottom of the 9th if they had clear confidence in Lidge as their closer. Instead they mixed & match which isn't a bad idea given how bad Lidge looked on Sat., how terrible he was last year in 1-run games, and his complete inability to keep runners on 1st.

[The Truth Injection]

And MG (unsurprisingly) starts the negativity off after a win.

Lighten up guys.

[Iceman]

The best part about any Moyer/Kendrick standout performance: the obligatory post from clout with something-something-Moyer/Kendrick-something-something followed by "Right, Jack?" Hilarious every time.

[BloodStripes]

Romero was pitched to a lefty then 2 switch hitters. Phillies wanted them to hit RH.

Phils win. Happy days

[MG]

TTI - Just don't need to hear JRoll saying stuff about the offense tonight getting the job done. This was all Moyer again.

[EastFallowfield]

Hanson gave up 13 hits and 9 runs for the Braves tonight.

[Old Phan]

MG, then why did they bring Lidge in at all?

[Old Phan]

MG, you may not have confidence in Lidge, but I'll bet Cholly does.

[DH Phils]

Hopefully the Braves score 2 more runs and lose their "undefeated-when-scoring-5-runs" streak.

[clout]

Wait, let me get this straight. The team has no confidence in Lidge so they brought Romero in for the save and when Romero allowed 2 base runners with 1 out, making the situation even more difficult they brought in -- Lidge.

Yeah, that makes sense. On Beerleaguer.

[DH Phils]

The good thing (or maybe not) is that Charlie is showing confidence in Romero again.

[MG]

Old Phan - Cholly wasn't even in the game. It was Mackanin. Even Bottalico just said that if they had clear confidence in Lidge, he would have been in there to start the 9th.

They played the matchups tonight even though oddly enough Kearns/Peralta actually have slightly better splits vs. righties this year.

[The Truth Injection]

MG: Moyer gave up 1 run and the Phillies offense scored 2. How is that not getting the job done?

You only need to outscore the other team by one.

[Sophist]

They were playing the percentages but it's also the second or third time recently that they brought Lidge in after someone else put men on base in the ninth. Maybe they're trying to limit his appearances early in the year or maybe it's a confidence thing. Or maybe the Phils has realized that this Closer MLB love affair can be bad baseball.

[The Truth Injection]

Just want to remind everyone that baseball is no the World Cup. If the Phillies are tied with another team at the end of the season they don't go to run differential

[MG]

What? If you have a closer that you have confidence, you bring him in to start the top of the 9th. No questions asked. That is exactly what Cholly has done his whole career here as a manager. Did that with Lidge in '08 and almost all of '09.

My bet is that if Cholly was in the dugout that we might have seen Lidge to start the 9th. Mackanin though decided to play the matchups instead.

[MG]

TTI - Talbot's mediocre stuff aside (57 strikes, 46 balls) and only 9/26 batters started with strikes, when the Phils score 2 runs they are only 4-3. Majority of the nights that won't get it done.

[Old Phan]

According to Cholly, he chose JC based on the percentages, believe it or not.

[Sophist]

Charlie in postgame said both SH are worse from right side that was it. Nit much patience for Howard Eskin there.

[MG]

Wow. Cholly is super testy about the "Lidge is our closer" questions.

[cjp]

On the one hand, I love a tight, well-pitched, low-scoring game with solid fielding. On the other hand, I'd feel a helluva lot better about the rest of the season if the Phils would stomp the bejeezus out of their opponents for, say, a week straight. When games like this get mixed in with those sorts of beatdowns, I somehow feel a whole lot better about things. On yet another hand (I'm obviously a genetic freak), they all count the same in the W column. Plus, those filthy goons in ATL might take an L tonight.

[Bruce Ruffin]

Anyone cringe when Jimmy went deep to the hole, planted, and missed Ryan's glove (top 6th) or caught the ball, spun and missed in the 9th? Gddmit, he plays the game like a kid, and talks like a politician giving a stump speech. Hard to believe his post-game with Sarge wasn't scripted!

Can he stay pain free and goose this bunch of gliders to 3 months of .600 ball?

[Old Phan]

Perhaps Cholly is testy because people insist on over analyzing why he brought JC in.

[MG]

BTY - I have no problem with starting Romero in the top of the 9th. In fact, it probably was the best strategy to succeed.

In reality though, teams bring in their closer to start the 9th there every time if they have clear confidence in them. Phils did that with Lidge in '08 and almost all of last year.

Frankly, I hope they continue to mix-and-match because I don't have much confidence in Lidge in a 1-run game.

[Jack]

Amazingly, whether it was Mackanin or Manuel, they played the matchups perfectly right in the 9th inning, and lo and behold, it worked out.

Crazy how that works. It obviously helps when your starter goes 9 innings, so you have a full pen to work with, but there's no reason that if your closer isn't Mariano Rivera, you shouldn't play the matchups in the 9th when possible.

[BloodStripes]

So the Phils did something different in the 9th. It worked. The win is in the books. Lets not complain like we lost. Can't imagine it happening very often and you gotta be sure its been done before.

[MG]

Old Phan - If somebody does something like clockwork for 2 years and then starts to deviate from that with any real explanation, don't you think that is worth a question? I certainly do.

[Jack]

I mean when your starter goes 8 innings.

And obviously that's the story here. Moyer with another fantastic performance. He's at the point of being one of the most unique stories in baseball history. It's a pleasure to watch.

[Jack]

MG: He did it in the Rockies playoff series and down the stretch last year as well.

All it took was Lidge being awful for 5 months last year for Charlie to figure out how to play matchups in the 9th.

[Sophist]

MG, 2008 was an awful individual
season and many injuries ago. Remember when Lidge went to see Dr Andrews and many around here were throwing in the towel from Lidge's corner?

[Old Phan]

MG, I could see it more if they lost, and even then once we get an explanation, it doesn't need to go any further. Anyway, besides the game against the Twins, Lidge has looked pretty good.
And yet another excellent performance by Young Jamie. It would be hilarious if he ended up with 20 wins.

[gobaystars!]

J-roll didn't say ANYTHING about the offense getting the job done tonight. He said his job is to make these guys (his teamates?) believe again. Please connect those dots for me. I'm not that sharp.

[phlipper]

MG - saying that the Phils don't have the same level of confidence in Lidge as they did in a season where he didn't blow even one save is different than what you're contending.

Lidge is coming off a difficult injury situation and is being used somewhat judiciously. But if you have "no confidence" in a pitcher, you simply don't bring him into the game with two runners on and one out in the ninth inning.

[Bruce Ruffin]

Old Phan -- Poor Roy Halladay's head might explode... baseball just ain't bleepin' fair!

[BloodStripes]

Short memories or what crew. Going with the matchups might have happened because against the Twins the Lidge and Jose blew a massive lead. Maybe now they got it done tonight the confidence can be restored somewhat.

[DH Phils]

Bruce Ruffin: I think I disagree with every single post you make.

[MG]

Moyer abandoning his changeup?

Only throw 10 changeups tonight (9.3%). Last start vs. NY, he only threw 4 changeups (3.7%). I wonder if Moyer is going to keep using the changup less and using the cutter/curveball more until opposing hitters begin to adjust again a bit. Stay tuned to "As Grandpa Pitches"

[MG]

Lidge has generally looked pretty good this year. It is just kind of surprising that they are using him in more of a matchup role lately than letting him close outright. That is a big change of pace and worthy of asking Cholly a question about.

[The Truth Injection]

People debating Lidge with MG need to understand that MG looks for any chance to jump at Lidge. It's been that way since last May.

[MG]

TTI - Please. Lidge has generally looked decent and I have said several times in recent weeks that this bullpen is a strength with a healthy and semi-effective Romero/Lidge.

My only gripe was that he makes no attempt to hold runners on 1st and has a real mental block with that right now.

[The Truth Injection]

Lots of closers have poor pickoff moves. Wagner is a left-hander and is notorious for being able to run against.

[Old Phan]

You can't blame anyone for getting testy with Eskin. He would piss me off if he was asking me what I wanted for breakfast.

[MG]

Old Phan - On that account, I don't blame Cholly one bit. He has a bad history with Eskin and Eskin just goes out of his way to egg him on.

Still, Cholly didn't give an honest answer to the question. Only gave the lip service line of "Lidge is our closer" which is necessarily how he has been used the past couple of weeks.

[Old Phan]

Detroit is catching up to the Muts. It's only 11-6 in the 5th.

[Yo]

Yo, new thing.

[coach purses]

If your life feels like it is lacking the power that you want and the motivation that you need, sometimes all you have to do is shift your point of view.