Jason Marquis (0-5, 14.33) and Roy Halladay (15-8, 2.27) have the ball when the Phillies try for revenge over July’s series loss to the Nationals beginning tonight at 7:05.
As of this writing, the Braves were positioned for another final at-bat win, this time against the Cubs. Down 3-2 with two outs in the ninth, Rick Ankiel cleared the bases with a three-run triple off Cubs closer Carlos Marmol to take the lead 5-3. The Phillies lead the Wild Card by a game over San Francisco and two games over St. Louis, but can't catch the opportunistic Braves. Tonight’s lineups are posted: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Victorino CF, Sweeney 1B, Ruiz C. Have a great weekend everyone and enjoy the game.
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b_a_p: The way Lidge is pitching right now, there's no amount of shutout innings he could pitch to inspire confidence. Tonight he surrendered three hard hit balls, even though the first two went right at outfielders.
Posted by: J.R. King | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 01:39 AM
So softly hit singles would be better than hard hit outs? Who cares that the balls were hard hit. They were caught and that's what matters.
Lidge did exactly what he was supposed to do. Not give up runs and get the save.
Posted by: Old Phan | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 01:42 AM
Dig the way you keep things in perspective Old Phan. Keeping it real.
Posted by: BloodStripes | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 02:30 AM
Lidge inspires more confidence going forward when most outs are like Dunn's K or weak pops ups rather than line drives right at Werth and Ibanez with a double off the wall in between.
But, yeah, Lidge did his job last night and is 6/6 in August (2 H, 0 BB). BAP's point was just that, while the Lidge confidence meter is the highest it's been in at least a year, it's probably around a 5/10 at best anyway.
But it's hard to have confidence in BP arms. Just look around the league. A lot of fans have had no confidence in Madson, even though he's given the Phils 240 innings of elite relief pitching since 2008 (and had a good 2007 as well). He's been getting better every year too. His K9 is 12.03 and I think his BB rate is under 2 right now. 1.207 WHIP, 8.8 K9 / 2.4 BB9 since 08. It took his complete dominance of late for people to have anything even close to Halladay-confidence in Madson (and most will lose that with one bad inning).
Posted by: Sophist | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 07:25 AM
sorry that's about 190 innings for Madson since 08; 240 since 07.
Posted by: Sophist | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 07:26 AM
BP Postseason Odds up only a bit to 54%. Pecota 60%, ELO 65%.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 07:34 AM
I think if people watched Lidge's 2nd out without watching the batters before and after it, that routine fly ball to left center that Victorino caught wouldn't turn into a 'line drive right at Ibanez'.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 07:37 AM
Giants and Braves won so they probably only go up a bit due to the Cards loss (their 5th straight) and one more game/win in the books. Reds have won 7 straight.
6 teams 4 spots -- losses (games remaining against top 6)
Padres: 48 (17)
Braves: 50 (10)
Reds: 51 (9)
Phils: 52 (9)
Giants: 54 (12)
Cards 54 (13)
Posted by: Sophist | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 08:09 AM
On July 21, the loss standings were
Padres: 38
Braves: 39
Cards: 41
Reds: 43
Giants: 43
Rockies: 43
Dodgers: 45
Mets: 46
Phils: 46
Posted by: Sophist | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 08:17 AM
Just to toss some kerosene on the fires of those of pessimistic bent. I just realized that, with 6 games against ATL coming at the end, we'll be tossing Lidge, maybe six games in a row, against a team that's made a living off coming back from deficits to win in the last inning.
Yup. Sounds like a match made in heaven. Oughta make for exciting times for 15,472 screaming fans.
Posted by: Andy | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 08:48 AM
Yo, new thread
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 10:15 AM