Game chat: Phils begin weekend set in Big Apple

Cole Hamels and R.A. Dickey are scheduled when the Phillies open a weekend set with the Mets in Queens. First pitch is 7:10. Shane Victorino returns to center field. Last night's hero Carlos Ruiz has been scratched with a strained right quad, which is not considered severe. Brian Schneider will start behind the plate. [Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[Bob]

Ugh. Well, as Sophist says, it's one game. But at some point this has got to have a negative impact on Cole.

Maybe, the other side of that coin is that he is so far overduefor some real run support, the team will regress to the mean and get some runs for the guy from here on out. /searching for silver linings.

[MG]

Dickey was on tonight and his ERA is now under 1.00 in 6 GS at CitiBank Field this season.

[Fatalotti]

In those atrocious outings by Kendrick and Blanton, the Phillies scroed 19 runs over 2 games. In the last 2 starts by Hamels and the last start by Oswalt, the Phillies have 2 runs over 3 games. Baseball is a weird sport.

[Dukes]

BobbyD: I'm curious why you say that. I didn't see the game tonight, did Rollins look that bad? And here's the real question... Did Wilson Valdez look better?

[Mr. Mack]

I hated the line up tonight. Why take Chooch out? His bat was too hot? Vic I understand, but he was his usual undisciplined self at the plate. Why not play the same line up that scored 10 last night? Total head scratcher.

[Sophist]

Mr Mack, maybe try reading JW's thread header

[denny b.]

Matt Rizzotti at Lehigh Valley:

23 AB's, 7 hits, 3 RBI's, 2 K's

Greg Dobbs at Lehigh Valley:

17 AB's, 2 hits, 1 RBI, 7 K's.

Granted, very small sample sizes. But when you factor in the entire season lines for each, this just fits right in for both guys. One has hit and the other one has not.

If Rube had some balls

[Mr. Mack]

I honestly think the lack of run support has helped Cole bear down even harder, knowing that the smallest mistake can cost him, the game. It has, in a weird way, probably made him a better pitcher, especially under pressure. It may bode well for the stretch run and the playoffs...if they get there.

[Mr. Mack]

My bad Sophist. Watched the game at a friends house. I skipped the foreplay and went straight for the blogs. That'll teach me!

[Sophist]

Denny - for starters Rizzotti isn't in the 40 man. Also, if you bring him up and Polanco or Valdez goes down, who plays 2B or 3B?

[Sophist]

By "goes down" I mean injured of
course.

[denny b.]

Meant to delete the "If Rube had some balls" line. It was going to be about a different subject.

Not saying that Rizzotti is any answer either to a pretty glaring hole on this team (next LH pinch-hitter behind Gload). But I think we all know that Dobber isn't the answer. He has to stay now, because of a screwed up 25 man roster (partly because of injury and partly because of a few guys who shouldn't be here now). But as soon as Utley comes back, a move needs to be made. Hopefully it will. With SOMEBODY.

[Dukes]

Our best shot...Billy Wagner is in.

[bay_area_phan]

Billy Wagner hasn't exactly been a beacon of reliability lately. Maybe he'll blow this game.

[The Truth Injection]

leadoff hit for Scotty Pods in the 9th

[Sophist]

Podsednik as a .600 OBP lately, it seems. Steal second.

denny - agreed. Wonder if Dobbs will make it to expanded rosters.

[The Truth Injection]

hit and run there failed for the Dodgers- Pods had that base swiped too.

[Dukes]

Come on Scotty, pull a Werth and steal two!

[denny b.]

Sophist,

I explained above why Dobbs has to stay for the time being. We are literally so thin on infield depth, that he could strike out every time up and he would stay for now.

But as soon as Chase comes back, Dobbs's days have to be numbered. The one thing this team could use to do, he can't do anymore. He literally has no use, if he can't hit off the bench.

If Rube has one more move left in him, it should be for some sort of LH/switch-hitting utility guy, who can actually get on base every-once-in-a-while. Short of that, Dobbs CANNOT be getting AB's anymore in September. You are almost better off letting the pitcher hit. In fact, I'd rather see Hamels or Kendrick hit at this point.

[Sophist]

Don't swing, Theriot. He had 2B easily.

[Sophist]

denny - Then you figure Dobbs is gone when Utley comes back, not Brown.

[Sophist]

denny - then you figure Dobbs is gone if Utley returns prior to Sept. 1.

[Fatalotti]

Scary thought: The Phillies have an inexplicable inability to score at City field. Braves are playing the now punchless Braves. The Phillies may find themselves 4-5 back after this weekend set.

[Fatalotti]

Citi* punchless Dodgers*

[phlipper]

Maybe these guys just don't like Cole?

Yeah - I think that's probably it. More than likely, they go out onto the field saying "Let's screw up and not score."

[Sophist]

Remember when Ethier was the clutchiest clutch bat?

[Dukes]

Well that all just sucked.

[Fatalotti]

Podsednik caught stealing. Well, it was nice to hope that he would blow another.

[Alex]

The Braves do not lose at home. The Dodgers will win no more than 1 game there.

[Sophist]

Still don't think the Braves have the offense to play much better than .500 the rest of the way.

[Mr. Mack]

Well, now that that's over, I can now go to bed thoroughly depressed.

[denny b.]

Sophist,

I think when Chase comes back, they probably will send Brown out for a couple of weeks. Let him get his 4 AB's a night at LV until rosters expand.

I think Dobbs doesn't go until Howard returns. And if its close enough to Sept 1, they'll probably finagle the roster someway to not have to DFA Dobbs and keep him for the roster expansion. Hell, they've kept him around this long. Might as well hold onto him until Game 162 now.

I think the Phils will call up 5 position players (if you count Brown and Dobbs). I think a 3rd catcher (either Sardinha or Hoover), Mayberry and possibly Rizzotti get called up (especially if Gload is still hobbling and Dobbs is still 4 for 1000 as a pinch-hitter).

Probably just a couple of pitchers will get the call. Bastardo will be back. Mathieson will be back. And somebody who can pitch multiple mop up innings/long man stuff (I'd say Worley gets the nod; his line tonight does not show how well he actually pitched).

Until then, we are stuck with a real mismatched roster.

[David]

One positive from tonight's game is at least the muts are still looking for their first no-hitter. I hope the boys put up some runs early tomorrow to get the monkey off their backs at U.S. taxpayer (citi) field

[Mr. Mack]

The problem with that thinking is we've all been saying that about the Braves since June and it hasn't happened. I was thinking, maybe hoping, now that Chipper is done, maybe they will miss his veteran leadership.

[Rich D]

Looking at this roster mess leads me to one conclusion-Ruben Amaro Jr., you are no Paul Owens.

[Alex]

The way Atlanta is playing at home they don't have to do much on the road to finish above .500.

[Bruce Ruffin]

To bap’s comments of last night: Season does fell like it’s on “life support” at this point. Injuries, a bizarre, near season-long slump, and pathetic bullpen conspire to keep us out of the playoffs for the 1st time since 2006.

Season = 1979™. Rats.

[Rich D]

Even if the Phils stay within a game or two of the Braves down the stretch, I don't feel too confident about that final weekend in Atlanta.

[johnnysanz3]

I don't remember exactly but I swore I saw Dickey had 82 pitches in 6 innings pitched. I figured, ya one more inning and they can get him out of there. Finishes game with 109 pitches...take pitches s*heads

[Terri]

This Phillies season has been a roller-coaster. After last night game you get this. I was hoping this would be the weekend the Phillie regain first place.

[Sophist]

Mack - Since Jul 11 4.1 R/G and are 15-13. If not for a 6 run 10th inning two nights ago, they're under 4 runs per game in that span. They're 8-4 in August but have scored a grand total of 46 runs. Don't know how long they can keep that up.

[Sophist]

denny - Utley's back before Howard?

[Alex]

Dickey had 49 pitches through 3 innings too.

[Rich D]

The Phillies had a horrible approach to Dickey tonight. No small ball, poor swings, trying to hit the ball to Long Island. I never saw so many poor at-bats in a game.

[Sophist]

Rich - So did they forget what they did last time? Or maybe he just pitched well?

Wow. just read that Utley's playing for Clearwater tomorrow. Crazy.

[Fatalotti]

Well, this is a resilient bunch. I expect them to put this game behind them and come out tomorrow ready to go. Let's get the next two and just take the series.

[Sophist]

Apparently he told teammates he'll be back Tuesday. Guess that would be ahead of Howard.

[Sophist]

Fatalotti - It's a good thing this team isn't the pissy moany crew that comes around here sometimes.

[Rich D]

I hope Chase isn't trying to come back too soon. If he's not 100%, it won't do us any good.

[Mr. Mack]

Sophist - I hope the collapse of the Braves occurs, but their home record is the best in MLB. They have 5 more away games than they do home games remaining, but even if they play .500 on the road, or slightly below, they will be tough to catch.

I hope the regulars come back strong enough, but to expect them to not miss a beat may be unrealistic. Obviously with this team anything is possible, and their heart is unquestionable. Hope they can finally score their first runs in Citi tomorrow.

[redt]

This team is a fucking joke

[Old Phan]

"This team is a fucking joke
Posted by: redt | Friday, August 13, 2010 at 10:53 PM

The Mets are bad, but they aren't that bad.

[Pizzda]

Tonight's loss does not in any way negate the good feeling from last night. That was an historic come from behind victory, this was another shutout. Big deal. The worst part about tonight was that yet another great performance by Cole was wasted, but that isn't the first time it's happened and unfortunately it won't be the last. Still, I'd like to see Cole kick some chairs in the clubhouse, preferably ones that the offense is sitting in.

[The Truth Injection]

3-2 Padres in the 6th.

[Marley]

Well said, Old Phan.

[J.R. King]

If the Dodgers had signed one or two knuckleballers in 2008, they'd be back-to-back NL champions.

[gobaystars!]

Braves tough to catch? What? 何！！　How exactly is it hard to catch the braves?

"but my math says... erm blah, um diveded by, expected win ratio.."

"F@#% you and you expected win ratio..THIS IS THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES!!"

[J.R. King]

They're three games back with 47 to play. Go get 'em tomorrow.

[Cole 2049]

Well, you know, I was getting poor run support in 2010, you know. Hey, you know, it's part of, you know, the game, you know.

[EastFallowfield]

Amazin avenue calls the game last night the Mets best game of the year.

Somehow if the Phils had won 1-0 I don't think anyone would say it was the best game of the year, so we can giggle about that.

[Jack]

3 games back with 47 to play. Phillies go 27-20 (.575 ball), and the Braves only have to play 25-22 to win it--not much above .500.

It's just bad to lose a matchup with Cole Hamels facing R.A. Dickey. Hopefully we get them tonight with Doc and then find a way to win tomorrow and still take series.

Cole has pitched lights out for us this year--I imagine those people who questioned him all last year are pretty quiet now.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Thirty-five year old
Knuckleballing journeyman
Can't become an ace

I blame Andy for this.

[The Truth Injection]

Did you guys see Jayson Stark's column yesterday? They polled 17 team executives around the league and asked them what rotation they felt had the most dominating starting pitching going into the playoffs. They used all 14 teams that are within 5 games of the playoffs. The Phillies were named on 16 of the 17 ballots and finished "first."

Found it interesting how highly the people around baseball thought of our top 3 mostly.

[Jack]

TTI: For sure. If we make the playoffs, we should have a great chance at winning series with those 3 guys pitching almost every game.

The issue right now is getting there.

[limoguy]

Place you bets. Nice win for the 'beyond resilient' Phils tonight.

[clout]

denny b., who clamored long and hard for Cody "The Answer" Ransom, is now clamoring for Matt "The Savior" Rizzotti.

Ransom flopped, of course, as anyone with an ounce of sense knew would happen, and denny b. is silent on the issue ready to pump up his next Double A fave as he's been doing for the last 3 years.

[clout]

The knuckleball is the hardest pitch to hit and also the hardest pitch to command. That's why, unless you're a Hall of Famer like Niekro or Wilhelm, few pitchers throw it and those that do are prone to wild performance swings Such as in giving up 6 runs in 3 IP in one start and then 0 runs in 9 IP in another start against the same team 5 days later.

[clout]

TTI: I'm just glad that Ruben paused to think "WWPGD?" before he made those trades for Halladay and Oswalt. Who knows what would've happenede if he didn't.

[The Truth Injection]

clout: So you're saying Pat Gillick is not Geppetto to Ruben Amaro's Pinocchio?

Interesting.

Agree with you on the knuckleball but I've learned that a healthy amoun tof people on here don't operate in actualities or fact. It's just easier to yell, "Horrible performance," and not give the pitcher any credit. Dickey's knuckleball was really good last night.

[clout]

TTI: Pat does not pull Rube's strings. He lives within his heart and guides Rube in all his good decisions. It is only when Rube strays from the path of Gillick righteousness that he makes mistakes.

[clout]

Dobbs has been awful, but the posters calling for him to be replaced by Mayberry or Rizzotti are clueless.

There is no team in baseball that carries only one guy to backup at 3B, SS and 2B. It would tie your hands in both pinch-hitting and on an in-game injury. Whatever happens with Dobbs they WILL carry a second backup infielder who can play at least one of those 3 positions.

[Billy Mac]

We have 6 games remaining with the Braves. We just need to stay within 2 games up to the last two weeks of the season. It is going down to the wire folks.

[Conshy Matt]

amazing that chase is talking about coming back tuesday. that's at least 2 weeks ahead of schedule.

[AFish]

I assume that when Howard comes back, Brown will be sent down.

If Utley comes back before 9/1, I think Dobbs has to be DFA'd. I don't see any other possible move.

[Will Schweitzer]

"Cody "The Answer" Ransom, is now clamoring for Matt "The Savior" Rizzotti"

I think that the issue is less about touting Ransom or Rizzotti as the answer or a savior, but more about Dobbs needing to be replaced.

In all seriousness, how much worse could either man be than Dobbs? When plan A no longer works, it's foolish to not test plan B and rely on hyperbole that because neither replacement is the second coming of Babe Ruth that they should not be considered.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, newer thread