Game chat: Phillies host Mets, eye playoff berth

Joe Blanton (7-6, 5.04) and the Phillies open up a three-game series with R.A. Dickey (11-7, 2.92) and the Mets beginning tonight at 7:05 p.m. from Citizens Bank Park.

Notes: The last time Dickey took the mound against the Phillies, he threw a one-hit shutout on Aug. 13. The last time Dickey took the mound at Citizens Bank Park, five days earlier on Aug. 8, the Phils shelled him for eight hits and six runs in three innings en route to a 6-5 win. For the Phils, Raul Ibanez will attempt to stay hot. Over his last seven, Ibanez is hitting .464 with four doubles, a homerun and nine RBIs. The Mets are coming off five straight losses, while the Phils carry a 10-game win streak into the series. The Phillies’ magic number sits at four with nine to play. Tonight, the Phils line up with Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS.

Rollins: Charlie Manuel told reporters that he intends to start Jimmy Rollins Sunday.

Probables:
Saturday:  Dillon Gee (1-1, 1.80) vs. Kyle Kendrick (10-9, 4.78)
Sunday:  Mike Pelfrey (15-9, 3.75) vs. Cole Hamels (12-10, 2.93)
Monday: Roy Halladay (20-10, 2.53) vs John Lannan (8-7, 4.58)
Tuesday:  Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.80) vs Jason Marquis (2-9, 7.18)
Wednesday: TBA vs Ross Detwiler (1-2, 2.52)

[Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[MG]

Petitte really struggled tonight. He is going to be the difference maker for the Yanks in the playoffs this year. He pitches well and the Yanks will be back in Series.

[curt]

Atlanta came up a few weeks short of a season. Still, a herculean effort to patch together a one off playoff team.

[CJ]

I think it's safe to say I predicted playoffs for this team at all points during the season. That's how I roll.

[BloodStripes]

Mets need to do more than reevaluate a slide into 2B. They oughtta reevaluate all aspects of the game and learn how to play baseball.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

The Mets can re-evaluate how they go into 2nd base next month while their playing golf.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

they're not their

[Tray]

I hope the Braves make the playoffs. First off, the weaker the field (and if they take the Giants' or Padres' spot, they're weakening the field), the better off we are. Second, I think it'd be unfortunate if this were how Cox's last season ended.

[Marley]

Thanks guys, that's the way I remembered it, with "bean" being old-timey slang for "head." It seems like its meaning has shifted towards any ball intentionally thrown at a batter (and maybe towards any ball that hits a batter). In Hayhurst's book "The Bullpen Gospels" (highly recommended), he uses it several times in this newer sense, and he's an actual MLB pitcher, so I figured something must have changed over time. Regardless of what it means, I hope Utley doesn't get beaned tomorrow!

[CJ]

I hope the Braves miss the playoffs. Couldn't happen to a nicer manager. Oh... and the Rat, too. I'd love to see him on the outside looking in.

Give me the Padres in the first round and the Giants in the NLCS. I think we'll do just fine.

[Iceman]

G-Town: I'm sure Johan is looking forward to hitting the links again.

[BloodStripes]

Magic number = 2.

Woooooooooooop!

[bake]

"He sends a Teix message over the fence." Really, John Sterling?

[aksmith]

The only team i don't want to see in the playoffs is San Fran. But that is beginning to look pretty inevitable now.

Braves lose. One or two more days is all it'll take. Yeah.

[aksmith]

Papelbon has turned to pooh. Mushy, warm, gelatinous pooh.

[Marley]

Regarding Sterling: Glad A-Rod didn't hit an A-Bomb there. Didn't want to hear about him and Teix going back to back and a-belly to belly.

[GTown_Dave]

Iceman: Maybe K-Fraud mistook his not-Father-in-Law for the links?

[bake]

Amen, Marley.

[BloodStripes]

The last 60 games the Phils have won 45, good for .750 ball. F'kn awesome!

[aksmith]

Yankees lose. Yankees lose. YAAAAAAAANNNNNKKKKEEESSSS LOSE.

[bake]

BRIB!!!

[Lincoln Hawkes]

The Red Sox announcer, upon winning, just claimed "the Sox not the Yankees anre now in first place". I assume he meant the Rays.

Bush league faux pas.

[CJ]

Padres losing 1-0 early. If they come back to win, the Braves fans will no longer be able to say, "But at least we still lead the wild card!"

[awh]

Bye bye Rockies. No postseason for you.

[GTown_Dave]

F*ck the Mets: Utley's Slide Irks Mets

[Old Phan]

The Braves look like poo. I'm not convinced they make the playoffs.

[CJ]

I love the whiny b*thces over on the Mets are fired up over a takeout slide. That's awesome. They'll have a long time to think about it on the golf course.

[GBrettfan]

Aksmith, I love your twist on that annoying Yankees announcer.

[aksmith]

GBrettfan - That guy is the worst, isn't he? Right after Hawk Harrelson, that is. But at least I remember Harrelson being a player. Sterling is just professionally annoying.

[GBrettfan]

Oh! Matt Stairs, playing OF, robbed Rolen of a HR!

[CJ]

Just watched the Utley replay. If the Mets were men, they would have thrown at him already. It was a rough take out slide. Well within the rules, but also enough to earn retaliation. Instead, the girly Mets whine about it. Will they do something tomorrow? Perhaps... but I'm not sure there are any men on that team anymore.

[BloodStripes]

Wright poppin' off about having his team mates back. If I was a mets player I'd have my back to the wall. ;]

Tejeda seems cool with Utley's slide. Wright needs to shut his neck.

[BloodStripes]

Anywhere on the internets we can check a replay of the slide?

[Old Phan]

What is the point of retaliation at this point for the Mets? Besides, the last thing the Phils need is some stupid bench clearing brawl and risk an injury.

[CJ]

BloodStripes: It's not on mlb.com as a replay, but I have mlb.tv, so I can rewatch any game.

Old Phan: If the Mets throw at Chase tomorrow, he'll take it and walk to first, and that will be the end of it. The Phils aren't a bunch of childish punks.

[BloodStripes]

I have MLB.TV as well. Just remembered I can do that too. Doh!

[BloodStripes]

BL seems to like Chooooooch but the Philadelphia chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America announced that Ryan Howard won the Mike Schmidt Award for most valuable player. Halladay got the Steve Carlton Award for most valuable pitcher and the Dallas Green Award for special achievement and Victorino earned the Tug McGraw Good Guy Award.

[Marley]

Retaliating today would have been one thing (assuming no Phillie got hurt). If they retaliate tomorrow, after whining about it to whomever would listen, it's totally premeditated and suspension-worthy. I would hope that the Mets care enough about their paychecks to let this one slide.

[BobbyD]

Imagine if the Mets retaliate and hurt someone important for the playoffs.

[Old Phan]

Marley, agreed.

[GBrettfan]

I was nervous about Utley going in for a hard slide, hoping he wouldn't hurt himself.

[Old Phan]

Many people here were sure Vic was going to get suspended for the ump bump. Whatever happened with that?

[RK]

I saw the Mets after game broadcast and it was clear that David Wright was threatening. First he said "it was a legal slide then he said it has to be evaluated in the context of the injury and we would have to think about that and how would our 2nd base man feel about that if it happened to him."
The announcers on SNY (the Mets owned station) were saying things such as: "We are not saying someone should be taken care of but on the other hand it was disapointing the Mets didn't make him pay. We'll see if they do soemthign about it this year or in teh coming season".

I hate that $h!t. If the ump called it legal that is it. I think Utley was twice taken out by the ssame Nats pitcher and the Phils didn't take it out on him except as batters.

That said I would keep Utley out because there is no point in taking chances with these intellectual muts.

[CJ]

Old Phan: Incidental contact. No suspension forthcoming. It's not like Vic was arguing with the one he bumped.

[RK]

This from teh NY Times: "“I think it’s a little dirty because he slid right on top of the base,” said Jose Reyes, who said he was concerned the play could have caused a serious injury to Tejada. “You don’t need to do that there in that situation. But he plays the game hard, so what can I say?”
After the play, the Mets’ bench, particularly Mike Pelfrey, shouted at Utley, but there was no retaliation. The Mets said that could come later.
“They’ll take care of it,” Manager Jerry Manuel said of his players. “If they felt that way, or we felt that way, they’ll take care of it. I mean, they’ll go in and slide hard against him, that type of stuff.”

[GBrettfan]

Did their 2Bman get injured on the slide? Who is their 2Bman, anyway?

[RK]

various tonight Tajeda

[Old Phan]

CJ, that's what I said originally, but some others thought he would get a suspension.

[GBrettfan]

So...Utley needs to be careful turning a DP the rest of the weekend, I guess. Last thing we want is an injury.

[CJ]

I seem to remember someone saying this team's final couple of months would come down to Joe Blanton and Brad Lidge.

Blanton since Aug. 1st:
9 starts, Phils 8-1, Blanton 3-0, 3.46 ERA

Lidge since Aug. 1st:
23 games, Phils 21-2, Lidge 16 S, 1 BS, 0.83 ERA

[CJ]

Ruben Tejada was the 2nd baseman. He said he's fine. He said he had no problem with it. He said Utley asked him if he was OK. He stayed in the game until he was pinch hit for (and not because he was injured).

Mets are whiny little kids.

[philwynk]

"I think Utley was twice taken out by the same Nats pitcher and the Phils didn't take it out on him except as batters."

Both Utley and Valdez had to jump out of the way of the sliding Heyward in Monday's and Tuesday's games against the Braves to make double plays. There were no complaints. This is normal baseball. The Mets need to man up and grow a pair.

[awh]

RK, the fact that the Mets are "talking" about it shows that they like to "talk" and posture.

The Phillies, OTOH, especially Chase Utley, are men of little talk and lots of action.

The Phillies would have either let it slide as a hard nosed play or already done something about it.

The Mets are a bunch of spineless, whiny, yappy girly-men.

Talk is cheap.

[GBrettfan]

It's only because the slide was late that they see an issue, I think. That and the fact that they have nothing better to focus on, like the postseason.

I doubt the Phillies would have said anything about it if the tables were turned, but then, not only are our guys generally stoic and tough, they also have a happier mindset, knowing the postseason is looming.

[GBrettfan]

I think awh is right - the Phils would have already done something if they felt it needed to happen, but quietly, without comment. And they are more about action than talk - esp. Chase.

[Chase's Hair]

Just got home. Missed the entire game. Can someone tell me about what happened at second?

[Tray]

You know who's having a really solid year by his standards? Miguel Cairo. Just knocked in the go-ahead run against the Padres. He's now batting .291 with a .763 OPS.

[BloodStripes]

Chase slide into 2B hard to break up a DP. Tajeda said Uts instantly asked him if he was OK and he responded yes. Umpire did nothing. It was fair play. Good hard ball. David Wright and Pelfrey didn't like it because they don't know how to play hard ball because they are soft. Just how the Mets like them. Soft.

[bernie]

Hell hath no fury like an irked Met in September

[GBrettfan]

Video of the slide is up on the Mets website:

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100924&content_id=15027872&notebook_id=15050686&vkey=notebook_nym&c_id=nym

[awh]

Bloodstripes, you said it: Soft.

Hard nosed players shutup and do something about it.

What a bunch of weenies.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Mets are clearly upset at how inconsiderate and thoughtless it was of Chase to slide like that. If he had any idea what it was like to be a 2nd baseman trying to make that throw with a running bearing down on you he would have never...

oh, wait.

That's exactly why he did it.

[BloodStripes]

Utley has slid into 2B many times like that. He put himself in danger as much as anything. Almost copped a knee to the face. He just gives what he sometimes gets.

[GBrettfan]

We were posting earlier about whether & who believed the Phillies would clinch the division this year...I just watched some video of Charlie on csnphilly.com, and even he said "Sometimes I would have wondered if we'd be in the position we're at." I think that's Charlie-speak for he wasn't always sure the team would pull it off this year, either. I think.

It's in the middle of Charlie talking about whether he deserves MoY award:

http://www.csnphilly.com/pages/video?PID=wTCn5UqsOcl9MwhPT4p9ig8ZVpt79s9P

[Bay Slugga]

Sorry, I'm slightly intoxicated, but I just glanced at a tv at the bar and they were showing the WAR of the NL cy young candidates. I almost had a stroke!

[Call me Ishmael]

I think Wright has more to worry about than Chase Utely's sliding techniques; David Wright is 2 K's away from setting the Mess' season record. Maybe he should concentrate on that instead of the other team's batting/running the bases.

[Call me Ishmael]

Sorry for the double post, but this is from Mike Barron via Metsblog.com

"As much as the Phillies make me absolutely sick to my stomach, I actually admired their style of play tonight, because their guts, hustle, and all out effort is EVERYTHING I wish the Mets were at this point in time. Between Joe Blanton belly flopping, Raul Ibanez diving in the outfield, and Chase Utley going 100 percent into Ruben Tejada sliding into second base, lets just say, I hope the Mets were watching."

That whole rant gives me a warm feeling in my stomach. It's ironic, some of us BL'ers were questioning the feistiness (a word?) of the Mets-Phils series with the standings as they are. Seems they brought the fire back into the rivalry.

PS - If Michael Barron weren't so pro-Mets, he would do an excellent job at CSN. Nice prose.

[DH Phils]

You would think if the not-at-all-intuitive QB rating is accepted in the mainstream in a sport that places less emphasis on statistics than baseball, that WAR could become a mainstream baseball statistic.

As fun as the rivalry was when the Mets were good, I could get used to these irrelevant September series. I don't know which I prefer: seeing a Mets late-season collapse or seeing the Mets playing out the string for the last 40 games, forced to get excited about takeout slides.

[PhilliesDude]

I dislike the Mets and their fans intensely so I'm totally fine with September games being meaningless for them. Seems like they are looking for something to fire them up by speaking out on Utley's slide. It looked like it might have been a late slide - an error in judgment in the split second a player with the intensity and will to win like Utley has to decide how to slide. Did he mean to hurt the guy? I don't think so at all. He's just always trying to find a way to help his team if he can. Now though there's a great chance that he will be thrown at tomorrow and also facing a really hard even late slide if the opportunity presents itself. Sure hope he doesn't get injured. We cannot face the post season without Chase the man!

[Nike Air Max 95]

The happiest of many people really don't essentially have the most desirable of all the things; they just make one of the most of all the pieces that comes along their way.

[Call me Ishmael]

PhilliesDude - I tend to agree with the sentiment that the Mets are looking for trouble in this situation, and making more out of the situation than necessary. Utley has never shown to be a dirty player, what could make him be one now, in a pennant race, against a team already out of said race?

[PhilliesDude]

Utley isn't a dirty player - just 100% intensity on the baseball field. And I'm sure he doesn't want to hurt a young second baseman and was prob relieved that he didn't. (Now if Reyes was the one making the pivot....)

[Marley]

Just watched it (I listened to the game live on radio as usual), and it was definitely a late slide. That said, there's no way Chase wanted to hurt Tejada, he just wanted to break up the play. The ump could have called it, but he didn't. Baseball. Move on.

Wright: "We'll reevaluate the way that we go into second base."

Sounds like the Mets got some free coaching tonight courtesy of Chase Utley.

[Jordan Spizike]

Jordan is the brand we all know it,from young to old,pepole all like it,and today ,we have the good new seires about Jordan Spizike,so now link my name and get the ones you want.and last i want to say that your articles are good,too.

[EastFallowfield]

Phils might have woken up a sleeping midget with that slide.

[EastFallowfield]

Rockies cheating update:

Tim Lincecum made it clear he thought the Colorado Rockies were trying to pull a fast one Friday night.

With Miguel Olivo batting in the sixth inning of a scoreless tie, the San Francisco Giants ace looked down at a baseball he was trying to rub up, lightly frowned and got the umpire's attention.

"New ball," Lincecum can be seen saying. As umpire Laz Diaz reached for a replacement, Timmy said something else to himself (which I believe was):

"[Bleep] this juiced balls bull[loney]."

BL Stew

[EastFallowfield]

The Phillies play to win, and they won. The Mets play until they don’t have to anymore. They have nine games remaining. If someone told them they could stay out on a field and plow through 81 consecutive innings to fulfill their contractual commitment, I honestly think they’d take a deep breath and bear down as much as they are capable of bearing down until they grounded into 243 outs if that’s what it would take to get their season over any quicker.

Believe it or not, there is an intelligent Mets blog out there.

Faith and Fear

If the Mets are pissed off about it, as their postgame quotes indicate, great. Go out and find the other team’s second baseman. And when you’re done more than brushing by Mr. Utley, keep it up elsewhere. You don’t have to start throwing elbows or knockdowns every other inning, but don’t treat getting riled up like it’s that suit you only put on for special occasions. Every game is supposed to be a special occasion. Every game is an occasion to get riled up. Every game is a game to play to win.

[GreysFan]

Nothing like waking up in the morning feeling awake and refreshed by still another Phillies win and knowing that this is the day they might clinch. I have to echo some of the other late night posts: I might wish for more timely hits the last several games, but ya gotta love that this is a team that does everything they need to, all of the time, to win. Many moments to savor last night, but perhaps the most telling was Lidge's performance. Maybe he didn't have his best stuff, but there wasn't a trace of a meltdown. Met's call a bizarre time out negating the third out? No problem. Just make one more pitch and make it a four out inning.

Just read over the the wrap-up comments on Metsblog. I find it very satisfying that even the Mets fans (unlike their players), have no complaints: only praise for the Phils and a wish that their guys played like that.

[EastFallowfield]

BP Postseason odds up to 99.99979.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread