Game chat: Dodgers on deck for Halladay, Phillies

Roy Halladay (16-9, 2.22) tries to continue his Cy Young push, while his club tries to solidify its playoff status, when the Phillies and Dodgers open a three-game set beginning at 10:10 ET from Chavez Ravine.

Preview: My schedule doesn't allow me to stay up for a Monday game on the West Coast, so you're on your own, kids, unless I can hit up a Clearasil-coated CSN intern for a postgame summary. Missing this isn't a big deal. With Halladay pitching, and with the offense sputtering like it has, the game will probably boil down one or two key moments, easily revisited on SportsRise. (Shameless plug after catching heat for too many non-CSN links populating the left rail, which I blame on the law of inertia more than anything). Former Carp Hiroki Kuroda goes for the Dodgers, and I read this note from the AP: Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino are a combined 0-for-19 against him. Still, I don't see any way the Dodgers get through Halladay. They haven't seen him since 2007.. Doc enters the game leading the league in ERA and strikeouts as he begins to separate himself from the Cy Young pack.

Lineups are good: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Polanco 3B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Victorino CF, Ruiz C

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Comments

[Brett]

A hit!

[Jack]

Come on, let's win this game here. Ruiz base hit, Dom Brown PH homer.

[Steve]

good swing by victo there...

[HammRadio]

VIC!

[MG]

Nice job Vic.

[Matt]

The beach ball from ten minutes earlier must have distracted him.

[seattlephan]

thank god for vic ...

now, jump on kuroda in the post-"i lost a nohitter" disappointment

[John]

You know what is not cute? Writing "haha" after your own "joke".

[MG]

Bring in Broxton Torre!

[DH Phils]

Jack: OBP isn't a very important quality for a major league hitter. The most important things are: BA in single-season sample sizes, baserunning blunders (he has two!), and whether or not he yelled at a fan for interfering with him.

[HammRadio]

no one is more disappointed than TMAC and Steve it seems that we broke up that nohitter...

now lets get some runs...

[Steve]

fresh eyes on kuroda could be a good thing from DOMO dont GIDP ruiz

[DH Phils]

That should read "BA in single-season sample sizes with RISP".

[seattlephan]

MG -- that Rauold nickname is the 2nd thing that made me smile tonight (after vic's hit)

come on Dom!

[MG]

Nasty splitter.

[bay_area_phan]

I can't wait to see what this offense looks like next year, when Utley, Howard, Vic, Rollins & Ibanez are all a year older. We might actually achieve something historic.

[Fatalotti]

Heather, for your factual pleasure, this is a small sampling of ace pitchers spread across a wide chronology and the following information.

Pithcer/Ist Inning ERA (Rank, where 1 means worst of the 9 innings)/Highest Inning ERA/Career ERA

Roger Clemens: 3.16 (4), 7th-3.41, 3.12
Sandy Koufax: 3.35 (1), 1st-3.35, 2.76
Roy Halladay: 3.75 (3), 3rd-3.92, 3.32
Randy Johnson: 3.22 (4), 4th-3.73, 3.29
Pedro Martinez: 3.63 (1), 1st-3.63, 2.93
Greg Maddux: 4.09 (1), 1st-4.09, 3.16
Bob Gibson: 4.00 (1), 1st-4.00, 2.91
Dwight Gooden: 4.23 (1), 1st-4.23, 3.51
CC Sabathia: 3.10 (6), 3rd-4.44, 3.58
Roy Oswalt: 3.27 (3), 8th-4.50, 3.22
Curt Schilling: 3.86 (4), 8th-4.49, 3.46
Tom Seaver: 3.75 (1), 1st-3.75, 2.86
Steve Carlton: 3.37 (4), 4th-3.49, 3.22
Kevin Brown: 3.94 (2), 8th-4.19, 3.28
Johan Santana: 4.09 (2), 9th-4.28, 3.11
Robin Roberts: 4.08 (1), 1st-4.08, 3.40
Warren Spahn: 3.19 (4), 6th-3.61, 3.09
Nolan Ryan: 4.13 (1), 1st-4.13, 3.19
Fernando Valenzuela: 4.25 (1), 1st-4.25, 3.54

Only two pitchers on this list pitched as well or better than their career ERAs in the first inning (Sabathia and Randy Johnson). Other than that, most of these pitchers pitched considerably worse than their career numbers in the first inning. This is just a random sampling I did, so, their may be another sampling that gives a different story. I still feel confident in what I said.

If you'd like a more comprehensive analysis, baseball-reference.com is free to the general public.

[Steve]

Dom gets into a game without doing anything again....lets hope it doesnt come back to bite the phils in the 16th

[Fatalotti]

MG, I doubt that Broxton is even in the stadium when they play the Phillies from here on out.

[MG]

Sweeney has been a nice story but this is a spot where I would much rather have a guy like Stairs.

Kuo is going to chew up and spit otu Sweeney here.

[Fatalotti]

I hope Sweeney really embraces this pinch hitting opportunity.

[seattlephan]

well, that was anti-climactic

[bay_area_phan]

A quality AB by Sweeney.

[curt]

Sweeney just trying to fit in.

[Bob]

Was feeling good after Mitch Williams talked on the pre-game radio show about how the Braves are in a tight spot with the excellence of the Phils' pitching. It all made sense until I started thinking about how the Phils do have to score some runs to win.

Frustrating game after a great series when they seemed to be getting untracked a bit.

BTW, what was that weak grounder to short on the first pitch against Kuo just when there seemed to be a tiny bit of a chink in the armor? I mean...

[Fatalotti]

By the way, if Halladay being gassed and worn out means that he goes 7 IP, 3 ER in back to back starts, pitching to the tune of a 3.86 ERA, then I still want him in my rotation.

[Jim]

Not a good recipe for success, this team can't hit and they faced a guy that they haven't hit in the past......almost predictable.......roy wasn't very good, but he kept the team in the game despite not having it, lets hope after two straight average starts from him, he isn't starting to wear down from the way they have used him this year, and they way he has been used in the past.

[Matt]

If they end up losing, the Phillies will fall all the way back to first place in the wild card lead.

There is no hope.

[MG]

Don't mind Romero getting work at all tonight but it is hilarious that all of a sudden that he needs to get work tonight vs. a perfect opportunity yesterday.

[seattlephan]

is kuo their closer now?

[Jim]

@MG there losing.......don't think they wanted to get him work in a situation where they were winning and he could get into the typical JC jam, and force them to use someone else anyway.

[PhilliesDude]

Hoping my Phils have some 9th inning magic tonight!
Just got in and reading through this thread. Amazed that JA Happ continues to be put down by so many in their comments before this game started. A lot of us like him in Phillies land and are sorry he had to be traded. btw - his ERA for the year is nor 2.89. If you take out the only truly bad start of his major league career which happened a few weeks ago against the Cards, the same team he 2 hit tonight (he obviously is smart enough to adjust his game) his ERA is 1.80. I'd love him still to be on my team.

[Jim]

@seattle he has been ever since Broxton handed that game to the phillies

[Jim]

@philliesdude

Great point.....it was a good trade to get Oswalt, unfortunatley they had to give him up to get a top of the rotation guy, but sure I wish they could have kept him and sent someone else

[seattlephan]

thanks jim - was wondering why i had not heard scully calling out broxton's name that inning

[phlipper]

Man - I thought that the game was brutal, but then I came over and looked at the BL game chat. It's a veritable hate-fest in here tonight.

Raul is terrible.

Howard is terrible.

J-Roll is terrible.

The entire team is lethargic.

It is one really rough night here at Beearleag... Hey, wait.

This is just like every night here at beerleaguer (especially when Heather is on board).

RAJ is a moron.

Charlie is an idiot.

Polly is worn out.

Halladay is worn out.

Ruiz is worn out.

Sweeney is over-matched.

[Jack]

Kuo has been a really good reliever for a while now, and he's only 28. Other than the Phils, Broxton was generally pretty good, but it seems to me like Kuo could've easily been their closer the whole time, and should be for the next few years.

[Jack]

phlipper: You expected a lot of positivity on here during a game when we got no-hit into the 8th inning and are likely going to lose with our best pitcher on the mound, while the Braves won?

[Jim]

Kuo has electric stuff, but Broxton was dominant last year until game four of the NLCS......with the two of the them they had one of the best 1-2 punches in the game

[MG]

Jim - I guess but this game is still 3-0. Yeah unlikely but not completely out of reach.

[Jim]

@MG......I'm not saying what's right or wrong, I am just thinking outloud to what there thinking is, I don't think Dubee trusts JC with a lead at all, and I personally believe he makes all the descions, when it comes to who comes in games

[MG]

I was waiting for philipper to chime in with that kind of post. At least 30 minutes overdue.

[Jack]

Needing baserunners, I might have had Jimmy taking 3-1. How he gets on is irrelevant--a walk is basically as good as a double in that situation.

[Jim]

@jack......true, but that is J-Roll.....a leadoff hitter that wants to hit a hr everytime uop, I guess that's what happens when you grow up emulating Rickey Henderson.

[seattlephan]

@jim -- broxton's stats honeslty do not look that bad this season either ... 66ks in 53 innings, 3.5 era

oh well, let's try to take 2 of 3 from these guys at least. see you all tomorrow

[awh]

Well, there's always tomorrow.

3 back.

[Matt]

Well, they lost. Too bad they don't get to play anymore games this year.

[bay_area_phan]

phlipper: You're right. Rollins is fabulous. There's nothing that sparks the team more than a .240-hitting leadoff hitter. And Ibanez is great. What playoff contender wouldn't pay $12.5M for a .260-hitting singles hitter with a .760 OPS? And the team is playing absolutely inspired ball right now. Polanco, especially, is on fire.

[Old Phan]

I'm glad I didn't go to this game tonight.

[Jack]

Losing games that Halladay starts is not the ideal way to get back to the division lead.

We would now have to outplay the Braves by 7 games over our next 28 games for that last series not to matter, as CJ has predicted it won't. Good luck with that.

[Philistine]

I attribute this 1 hit loss to the Rod Barajas effect.

[MG]

Kuroda has a really good fastball tonight along with a nasty slider and splitter. He would have been tough to touch even if the Phils were hitting.

Still, the only Phils who were able to put together some good ABs tonight were Werth and Ruiz. Otherwise lots of weak contact, chasing way too many fastballs that were above the belt, and not many opportunities to see a good pitch in a hitter's count.

[Jim]

Rollins should have never been a leadoff hitter from the time he was brought into the league.

It's as simple as this, they aren't going to hit like they have in past seasons, your 80% through the season there is not magic switch.

Does that mean the season is over? No.......it just means there going to have to win the way SD/SF and even SL win, and hope that Howard (which I think he will) gets hot and carries this team for a few weeks and wins a couple games by himself.....which will happen at somepoint.

[curt]

Phils have 9 hits...in 3 games. Oh well, ever team hits a little bump in the road at some point in the season.

[kells]

Enjoying Vin Scully-god I miss Kalas & Whitey. Switched back to McCarthy/Wheels & Sarge unfortuantely. It's the music equivalent of attending a Led Zeplin concert in their prime-then being forced to attend a JonasBrothers/Hanson/New Kids on the Block triple bill.
Charlie it's time to start giving Francisco/Brown occasional starts for Ibanez. Chase/Howard look horrid. I can't believe I miss Ross Gload/Wilson Valdez starts.

[Old Phan]

MG, Vic had the best AB tonight. That's not saying much, I know.

[Jim]

Curt......I'm not being negative, but when you haven't hit all year with the exception of one or two stretches it's not a bump in the road.

Like Denny Green would say "They are who we thought they were"

Like I said in my last post, they can still win this year, but they are going to have to do it with pitching and defense, and manufacturing runs, and a guy like J-Roll.....has to start finding ways to get on base to use his speed instead of thinking he is Rickey Henderson up there.

[Jim]

I'm sorry, but Vin Scully puts me to sleep......he doesn't compare to the Harwells and Kalasas of the world to me

[BloodStripes]

Well that was a crappy loss but Cody Ross makes an even crappier 9th inning play. Good trade that. Rockies could save the Phils ground.

[MG]

Howard continues to look utterly lost at the plate. He didn't K tonight and did make solid contact his first time. His last 2 ABs though he chased fastballs that were up and in tough places to do anything with. Resulted in two weak popups.

It is not only that Howard isn't driving the ball. He just looks as lost right now at the plate as I can remember him ever being. Making lots of weak contact and when he does see a rare fastball he is being overly aggressive trying to make something happen even if it is really up in the zone.

I would start him again tomorrow vs. Monasterios but I hope Cholly seriously considers benching him for Sweeney again vs. Kershaw if he doesn't look a bit better at the plate tomorrow night.

[Malcolm]

Go with this lineup tomorrow:

Werth RF
Polanco 3B
Francisco RF
Brown LF
Sweeney 1B
Rollins SS
Ruiz C
Valdez 2B
Kendrick SP

I don't care if they lose 17-1, it'll send some sort of message. I think. Probably not.

[Lake Fred]

What a disappointment. Freaking one hitter for the enemy. I hate the Dodgers, too.

[Malcolm]

And the message is you can never have too many right fielders.

[MG]

Old Phan - No way. Kuroda made a rare mistake with a fastball right down the plate that Vic just turned on.

Best AB of the night was Ruiz working the count and an eventual BB in the 6th?

[Jim]

@Malcolm......I've been calling for Werth to leadoff, but J-Roll is just brutal as a leadoff hit.

[Old Phan]

MG, getting a good pitch to hit and actually hitting it doesn't constitute a good AB? No one else did that all night.

[BloodStripes]

J-Roll leadsoff because he's a leadoff kinda guy.

[MG]

I would start all of the regulars tomorrow night too vs. Monasterios. If they don't hit tomorrow night, then you consider making a few subs for the day start vs. Kershaw including putting Francisco in RF and possibly even Sweeney at 1B.

[bay_area_phan]

Every single one of these WC teams is completely stinking it up right now. It's starting to feel like the Rockies, who have one of the most talented rosters in the league & a history of September runs, could very eaily sneak up and win the thing. For that matter, the Dodgers could too.

[Jim]

What is a leadoff kinda guy? a guy with a low OBP?

[Jim]

The Rockies scare me

[MG]

Old Phan - Kuroda simply didn't make many mistakes tonight. His stuff was really good.

[Fatalotti]

Well, the Rox took the lead on the Giants. If they can hold on, we lose no ground in the WC. I'm ok with the Phils making it in via the Wild Card. They have the pitching to make a run, even with a lackluster offense.

[denny b.]

11th game in their last 12, where the "potent" Phils offense scored 3 runs or less.

As LA so perfectly put it tonight, is bunting not allowed for this team? Are there egos too big to actually try and not swing for the fences for once?

Halladay has 1 sac bunt all year? Sorry, but part of the job as a NL pitcher is to be able to handle the bat. That is pathetic.

Look at those batting stats on this road trip for our big money starting 8. Inspiring stuff.

As for the loss today, I will blame Kendrick for it. He is so bad, that its obvious they were pressing knowing they had no chance of winning tomorrow. Damn you Kyle.

Ohh, well. At least in the NL, there is nobody worth a damn. So the Phils fit right in.

[PhilliesDude]

Real interesting POV that the Phillies need to realize that at this point in their season they have to seriously think in terms of playing smart small ball to accompany their fine pitching in order to string together wins and secure a playoff spot. If the power returns, they can abandon the scrap-it-out style but they def need to have a few players adjust their games to deal with reality of how to best win at this time.
Like reading a lot more on suggestions and strategies for the Phillies than all the talk here and on sports radio on whether Halladay should win the Cy Young award. I'll save that discussion until the regular season ends and we're hopefully playing post-season ball when you have the entire season records of the pitching contenders to make a judgment.

[phlipper]

Sometimes teams play poorly.

I'll remind our beerleaguer faithful that a large percentage of them absolutely panicked mid-season. Many recommended blowing the team up. Many said the season was over if RAJ didn't do something to get a second-string middle infielder. The season was over unless Ibanez was replaced by Brown. The season was over unless Charlie SENT LIDGE DOWN TO THE MINORS and replaced him with Mathieson.

In fact, we were informed, the entire franchise was ruined because of the C___ Lee____ trade: the absolute worst in the history of baseball.

Of course griping about the game is in order after the team plays a real stinker - but the level of vitriol and panic about a game that's not far off the division lead and that is leading in the WC race with the best top of the rotation in baseball is just hilarious.

I mean, seriously, BLers are already panicking about next year!!!

[Old Phan]

MG, I give Kuroda a lot of credit. He pitched very well, Phillies offensive woes notwithstanding.

[MG]

BAP - Yeah. Especially if their rotation can get Cook and Francis back in a week. Even if the Phils win one of their next 3 games, I hope it is vs. the Rockies on Thurs.

[BloodStripes]

New thread

[Jim]

@Fatalotti.....

Exactly, there just going to have to do it with pitching and defense....there just not going to hit like they have in the past.....they only have 30 games left, this offense is what it is, and nothing much is going to change, sure they can hit better, but they won't hit like they had in the past.....they have to adapt and play small ball, but I don't see guys like Jimmy and Shane buying into it, they would rather pop up swinging for the fences instead of having a quality AB!

[curt]

phlipper - if ppl weren't panicking, you wouldn't have the opportunity to come by every night and impress everyone with your calm level-headed mature self. Just be grateful for the opportunity to be so awesome.