Game chat: Phillies' lumber looking to give Cole a lift

Preview: Ryan Howard and Chase Utley powered the Phillies past the Twins in Friday's series opener. They'll hope to provide Cole Hamels (6-5, 3.74) with some overdue run support when they face right-hander Kevin Slowey (7-4, 3.84) in the second of three from Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is 4:10 in a game televised regionally on Fox. Hamels, who pounded Boston with a 95-96 fastball in his previous start, has received an average of 3.86 runs from his offense. A win would make it four in a row. Unfortunately, the Braves and Mets continue to prevail. The Phillies trail Atlanta by 3.5 games in the suddenly competitive National League East.

Happ update: Making his third rehab start, J.A. Happ allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over five innings (69 pitches), three of the runs coming on a bomb homer in the second.

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Comments

[Bruce Ruffin]

What the....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/wires/06/19/2010.ap.bbn.phillies.moves.0193/

How do you give up on that kind of heat (Mathieson's arm) and heart (2 Tommy John's)? I expect big things from whoever RAJ picks up.

[Jack]

So because Paul Hoover is injured, we're going to lose Scott Mathieson? Wow.

At least Brian Bocock and Yohan Flande are on the 40-man. It was very important to keep them available.

[Old Phan]

Any news on Chooch? I feel bad for Mathieson, That wasn't even a cup of coffee, it was barely a sip.

[Jack]

Old Phan: I don't really feel bad for Mathieson. It looks like he'll get a chance on a team that actually wants to use him.

What I'm wondering is why the hell the Phillies are letting him go just to get a few days of service out of Dane Sardinha.

[AFish]

Matt Gelb posted on Twitter that there is some sort of loophole that will prevent Mathieson from being claimed.

[Alby]

I recall another team (unfortunately don't remember which one) doing the same thing earlier this year without losing the player. DFA allows them to stash him for 10 days. He will probably be waived, but this isn't irrevocable waivers; if he is claimed, they can pull him back and either reactivate him or try to work out a trade. My guess: They are buying time until JRoll is restored to the active roster, at which point they will DFA Valdez.

[The Great And Powerful Ruben Amaro, Jr.]

DFA Valdez would be even dumber than DFA Mathieson. I'm gonna do it.

[Ryan]

DFA Castro keep Valdez

[denny b.]

I would be crushed if we somehow lost Mathieson in all of this.

Hell if I was a another club, I'd claim him. Lots of folks are looking for cheap 98 MPH late inning righthanders, that could be groomed down the line to be a big league closer. You think a team like Arizona won't jump on this? Or Ed Wade and Houston?

I hope Rube knows what he is doing with this one.

[EastFallowfield]

Rube knows what he's doing, we're not losing him.

Surprising how sometimes the MLB people know their rules better than we do.

[CJ]

I'm shocked... SHOCKED... to come hear and read how clueless so many people are about how the rules of baseball roster moves really work.

But just keep cursing the Amaro... I'm sure it will make you feel better.

[holy mackerel]

EF " Rube knows what he's doing, we're not losing him. "

really? Is this the same Rube who traded away a Cy Young for a bag of beans?

[Sophist]

Yeah, mackeral, cos Amaro traded Lee accidentally through some confusion he had with the roster rules.

Problem is, Mathieson cannot be optioned without going on waivers. Here is my understanding of Mathieson's situation:

There are four types of waivers, the rarest being optional waivers. They are required when a team wishes to option a player who has options remaining but is more than three calendar years removed from his major-league debut. Mathieson falls under that category; he made his debut on June 17, 2006. And he has options left.

"We still have the ability to option him, we just haven't done it yet," Proefrock said.

So the Phillies had to place Mathieson on waivers regardless. Will they lose him? Almost certainly no. Optional waivers are revocable, which means if a team puts a claim in for Mathieson, the Phillies can pull him back.

"We're very hopeful he stays in the organization," Proefrock said. "That's what our plan for him is."

There. So relax about Mathieson, he won't be going anywhere. And this concludes your baseball roster rules lesson. Pop quiz on Tuesday.

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies_zone/Mathieson_designated_Its_complicated.html#axzz0rKSORK6d

[Sophist]

They're probably buying time. If someone actually claims him, they'll have a better sense who should get DFA'd in a few days (or if Ruiz needs to actually be DL'd). Remember that Rollins return is any day now as well.

[holy mackerel]

I just hope rube can pull this off w-o losing Mathieson

also for the good of the team , why dfa Valdez? i know why we paid 750k for Castro's services...even though Valdez is a better fielder and is a quicker on the base paths than Castro. ( yes i know Valdez does ground into lots of DP's)

[holy mackerel]

I know there are loop holes in the waiver rules and every GM s/ know them. But i could not resist another unrelated zinger re: C Lee

:)

[holy mackerel]

Sophist - i would never doubt you :)

[holy mackerel]

esp since your rebuttal came before my post (ESP)

[Old Phan]

At least the Muts today.

[Scott]

This is starting well.

[goody]

"we're very hopeful he stays in the organization."

Dosn't sound iron clad to me.

[Scott]

It seems as if the move should "work out," but if, by chance, it doesn't, I'm sure Rube will make some snippy comments like the short man he is.

Having been at the game last night with really good seats, Mathieson didn't look very impressive. I don't say that to mean anything more than that's how he looked last night, especially since he came off as being overly amped. Still, without a second quality pitch, I don't see him contributing much at this point.

[Alby]

From MLB Trade RUmors:

Mathieson has been placed on optional waivers, according to Gelb. Assistant GM Scott Proefrock is hopeful that the club will be able to retain the righthander. Because optional waivers are revocable, they should be able to keep him in the organization.

The Nationals made a similar move in May when they placed pitcher Matt Chico on waivers while still holding options on his contract. The transaction was made to clear a roster spot for Doug Slaten.

[Scott]

Via Matt Gelb:

FYI, Dane Sardinha is wearing No. 4. Eric Bruntlett quietly weeps.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Great spot to get those 3 back.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Ball 2 would have been a good pitch to run on.

[The Truth Injection]

Jack: Don't flatter yourself. I post about other guys on here. Yesterday alone I directed posts towards NEPP and MG.

Perhaps it's weird you think that highly of yourself.

Nice job by Utley there.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I'll bet Utley's knee is sore having to run all the way from home to third . . .

[Old Phan]

If he wasn't hurt, that would have been an inside the park home run.

[Scott]

Utley being Utley. So refreshing to see...

[philwynk]

Phillies tying the game in the 1st after a bad start is a great sign that they're really back.

Phillies scoring a runner from 3rd with a sac fly on out #2 is a great sign that they're back better than before.

I'm encouraged. Great inning.

[Old Phan]

Huge inning.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

more encouragd that Hamels sat them down in order after they tied it up.

[Mick 0]

Everybody homers!

[tutpsu]

A-what just happened?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Anybody having trouble wiht gameday? Mine says Valdez hit a home run.

[CJ]

Now that was the most unlikely thing I could imagine.

Wilson Valdez. Home Run.

[Scott]

That was pleasantly unexpected.

[Old Phan]

Valdez is the ultimate lead off hitter. When no one's on base, he can't GIDP

[EastFallowfield]

Valdez has gotta stop swinging for the fences and start hitting the ball on the ground.

[CJ]

It's a shame Ryan Howard lost his power stroke.

[tutpsu]

"I ask Jobu to come, take fear from bats. I offer him cigar, rum. He will come."

[Old Phan]

Contract! Bandbox!

[EastFallowfield]

Binoculars!

[goody]

Why is Hoover on the DL. Anything serious, or is everyone afraid to ask Rube? Has Lopes leaked anything?

[J.R. King]

I hate when they have guests in the booth. If mlb.tv syncs up the radio announcers, I'll pay triple.

[CJ]

It sucks that once the Phils stopped stealing signs that they stopped scoring runs.

Oh... wait a sec... maybe it was just a slump.

Nah... couldn't be.

[Scott]

Raul spanked that ball.

[Old Phan]

Cole is dealing as expected.

[brother]

9 pitch inning for Cole. All strikes.

[GBrettfan]

I wasn't home earlier in the game, but I heard the Valdez HR on the radio. You know the tide has turned when Valdez hits a HR!

Love the power from Ryan, of course! Love the production from Chase, the sac flies from Jayson - What a difference production from the heart of the order makes....Even a HR from Raul. Hitting is wonderfully contagious!

Did you "tag, you're it" the slump to the Yankees? Or did they already play and win today? Haven't heard.

[Old Phan]

Are people's heads going to explode if Ryno continues to hit for average while finding his power stroke and goes on one of his patented home run streak?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Yanks won 5-3

[GBrettfan]

"you" should be "the Phillies" Don't know why I typed "you."

Raul's hitting well...

[Scott]

Yanks did win, GBrettfan.

[GBrettfan]

Thanks, Hugh. Don't like the Yankees, but it's good for us that they beat the Mets.

[Jonesman]

Cole is awesome. He is mixing his pitches really well.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

acc. to gameday, Hamels is throwing a ton of fastballs.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Nice recovery by Hamels after the first inning. He inspires confidence this year.

[Scott]

Seven innings from Cole after the way he was in the first? Yeah, I'll take that.

The difference between today and a week or two ago is that this team would have started playing defeated after the first back then, but didn't even seem phased by it today.

[Hope SE]

Great job by Cole. This is Phillies baseball.

[Scott]

Not sure why Romero is up. Is there really a compelling need to use him three nights in a row?

[Old Phan]

The team that slumps together break out of their slumps together.

[DMarley]

Everybody hits!

[Old Phan]

What happened to the Mets trolls? I miss those visits.

[Scott]

J.C. doesn't seem to get the close pitches.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Romero's in because he's hte only lefty in the pen to face the two boppers for the Twins. Is it necessary? Not troubled if he uses him strictly for those two.

[Scott]

Yeah, I know Charlie likes his matchups, I'm just looking at it from the angle of a guy coming off a season lost to injury.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Understood. At some point, you let go of hte reins. Charlie Manuel does it as fast as anyone. FWiw, I always thought Romero got more effective in that 2d and 3d consecutive appearance.

[Scott]

If it helps him move from "wildly effective" to "controlled and effective," that would assuredly be a good thing.

Big Truck certainly made it look easy there.

[Jonesman]

Halladay tomorrow, off day Monday, and wins have been hard to come by. Normally I would not like it, but I can understand using Romero for those two.

[Spitz]

As usual, nice work by BenFran

[Old Phan]

Twins sure make it interesting, don't they?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Double play would be huge here.

[GBrettfan]

Contreras and Lidge making it "exciting." Not a big fan of this kind of excitement.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

I forgot. Single = double wiht Lidge pitching.

[NEPP]

Huge K there.

[GBrettfan]

Lidge can't be perfect again this year. Wonder if this will be the day he blows one. Always wonder, even when he had the perfect save season.

Awesome SO! One more Brad!

[NEPP]

Ouch.

[NEPP]

Just when we said the bullpen was a strength...oh well, crap happens sometimes.

[Old Phan]

Wow. That hurts.
Mauer is tough.

[philwynk]

I'm disgusted, but my hat is off to the Twins. They don't quit.

Time to score a run, boys.

[Charlie F. Manuel]

I can't manage a pitching staff. I never learn. I'm a jackass. Someone help me.

[Old Phan]

At least they didn't go ahead. OK, boys, one run.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Yeah, pretty horrible that Mauer and Morneau got to bat in the 8th and 9th innings. Lucky to be tied at this point.

ON the bright side, we have the top of the order up and only need one.

[ted]

you have to be kidding me. just brutal. way to go 09 lidge

[Scott]

* sigh *

[Iceman]

This is obviously on Lidge...as the closer if you give up a bomb to tie the game, that's ultimately your fault. But if you're Contreras, how are you going to walk Nick MFing Punto after that Thome bomb? He's an f'ing slap hitter. Throw a fb down the middle, YOU ARE UP BY THREE RUNS. It was obvious after that something bad was brewing. That was pathetic.

[Old Phan]

Seriously blaming Cholly for this? Please..

[Iceman]

So someone without the courage to post under his/her normal name is going to blame this on Manuel? Because the two 'big guns' in the BP couldn't hold a 5 run lead in the 9th? Give me a break.

[NEPP]

Okay...here we go folks. We're still gonna win this one.

[GBrettfan]

Walk-offs are fun. Come on, Howard!

[Old Phan]

Ok, calm down. The game isn't over yet.

[NEPP]

Howard vs. a RHP? I like this.

[Old Phan]

Bring me to the plate, boys!

[NEPP]

Pretty weak Ryan.

Time for Jayson to pick them up.

[Old Phan]

OK, Jayson. Let's end this thing.

[NEPP]

Single to the OF wins this pretty much...come on Jayson.

[NEPP]

Now that's fvcking pathetic.

2 on with Howard and Werth up and we get 2 straight Ks. Pretty weak gentlemen.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

strikes out looking at a hook? arrgh