Notes: Joe Blanton will start tomorrow against the Brewers, according to reports from Philadelphia. That means Roy Oswalt will have the extra day and pitch Thursday. More will be known about his condition after he pitches his side session. ... Beerleaguer is at Nationals Park today on business and will also do a little advanced scouting on the Brewers, who are in Philadelphia beginning tomorrow for the first of three. The Brew Crew play the first of two here in Washington beginning at 1:35. ... In nearby Hagerstown today, fans are in for a marquee match-up between Bryce Harper of the Suns and first-round pick Jesse Biddle, who starts for the BlueClaws.
Lineups: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, J Roll SS, Howard 1B, Francisco RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B, Hamels P.
Baez jersey day?
Posted by: Meyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 09:14 AM
Hee!
Posted by: phargo | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 09:24 AM
25 years ago today . . . For your reading pleasure:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN197604170.shtml
Carlton at Wrigley, goes 1 2/3, gives up 7, in what looked like a pitchers duel on paper against Rick Reuschel. Phils come back from 12-1 down to win 18-16 in 10. Schmidt, batting 6th, hits 4 consecutive homers, 8 RBI.
Posted by: Hugh Mulcahy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 10:01 AM
Er, um, 35 years ago. Damn, I'm old.
Posted by: Hugh Mulcahy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 10:04 AM
Cole Hamels, day game, hopefully a great showing by the Gtown Dave's Zooperstars (perhaps the last time Alien Iverson makes an appearance before they recycle the costume into prophylactics), free t-shirt for the kid. It's gonna be great.
Posted by: rauls grandpa | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 10:05 AM
No rotation shift. Turns out the Phillies are still the Phillies.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 11:10 AM
13 games into the season and the same old lineup and rotation?
Posted by: Meyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 11:11 AM
The irony of calling Hamels "Hollywood" is that his reputation was not least of all undone by the horribly amateurish commercials he used to appear in, produced presumably by local sub-Hollywood grade film talent.
Posted by: Klaus | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 11:58 AM
When I was a kid, I lived in California, but kept a subscription to the Philly Daily News (even though it arrived a week late) just for the Phillies coverage. I kept all the news clippings from Schmidt's 4-homerun game & eventually made a scrap book dedicated exclusively to that game. It might still exist, if I were ever motivated to look hard enough.
Technically, though, the history books don't count Schmidt's performance among all the other 4-homerun games, since it wasn't a 9-inning game.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Over/under on the boos for Cole Hamels-2 I'll take the over and say he gets 3. Will they boo him the first time when he takes the mound?
Posted by: robbie e | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Speaking of Phillies alumni . . . it somehow got missed during the whole Lenny Dykstra discussion that he was apparently arrested not once, but twice. The first time was for federal bankruptcy fraud. Then, the very next day, he was arrested in a totally separate matter for trying to buy a stolen car.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 12:24 PM
I don't know how many history books don't count the schmidt feat. In fact every book/website etc I've seen include it. Maybe just older books. They just include an asterisk indicating that it was a 10 inning game. In fact Schmidt's feat is even more rare in that it was in 4 consecutive at bats. Of the 15 men to do it, only 6 were in consecutive at bats.
3 Phillies have hit 4 home runs in a game. Ed Delahanty (pre-modern era) and Chuck Klein who also did it in extra innings. And one who later became a Phillie of course the mediocre Mark Whiten. *The Braves franchise also have 3 players one in Boston one in Milwaukee one in Atlanta. The last of course Mr. Bob Horner of Game Thread Logo fame.
Posted by: HammRadio | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 12:28 PM
Some tidbits from David Hale today:
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/philledin/
Highlights include:
– Roy Oswalt played catch today and said he felt much improved after leaving Friday’s start early with mid-back spasms. “Yesterday I was a little sore, but today it feels better than it did,” Oswalt said.
– Pitching coach Rich Dubee said his confidence that Oswalt will make his next start is “very high.”
Good sign.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:01 PM
A day game after his regularly scheduled start was PPD by rain ... skeptics might think this is a ready-made "Bad Cole" situation.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:30 PM
Cole starts things off well. I love that he's not afraid to throw his changeup to either lefties or righties.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:41 PM
Strike three to Coughlin was malicious.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:41 PM
First pitch was a strike in that at bat. Umpires like to get themselves in the game early.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:42 PM
Ball 1 and ball 4 to Ramierz were both strikes. What is up with umps this year? Did the commish tell them to generate more offense by squeezing everyone?
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:43 PM
Man, what looked like it could've been a quick easy first inning for Cole is turning into a bit of a struggle.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:44 PM
Pitch 4 to Hanley was called a Strike. Pitch 5 was borderline, but called a Ball.
Nice Curve to sit Stanton down.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Nice curve.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:45 PM
That was a curveball for strike three. I love to see that from Cole. That was a nasty curve, too.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Opposite field power for Polly? Must be windy.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:49 PM
So I guess the ball is carrying today ...
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:49 PM
Polanco showing his patented opposite field power. Everyone saw that coming.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:49 PM
Polly!
Posted by: Shane | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:49 PM
Pretty typical for Polanco...
Posted by: Shane | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Magician with the bat.
Posted by: Meyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:50 PM
That looked like a routine pop-up when it came off the bat. If the wind is blowing like that, then Hamels' fly ball tendencies are likely to get him in big trouble later in this game.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Did anybody else see Oswalt calling pitches from the bench during that Stanton AB?
Posted by: RM | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Seeing a Polly homer is akin to seeing a lunar eclipse.
Posted by: Old Phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Polanco HR, excellent. Rollings 8-pitch walk, excellent again.
Posted by: philwynk | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:51 PM
Rollings? bleah. Rollins.
Posted by: philwynk | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:52 PM
Howard needs to come out of his mini funk today.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:52 PM
I love you Jimmy Rollins.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:54 PM
Once again, spending too much time freaking out about the runner on 1B backfires.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:55 PM
Nice patient AB there by Howard. When he's slumping (2 for last 26), he needs to be drawing walks like that. That's a good thing.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Hopefully these walks are a sign that Phillies are going to start being patient at the plate with more frequency.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:56 PM
And then you get a terrible AB by Francisco.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Terrible job by Francisco. Just terrible. Sanchez has been throwing ball after ball, and he swings at ball 2.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Not the best AB I've ever seen by Ben Fran.
Posted by: Old Phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Cue the Ibanez benching comments.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:57 PM
If Raul were younger, that ball would have been a line drive out to center field.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:58 PM
Looked like Jayson Werth out there.
Posted by: philwynk | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:58 PM
Nice job by Raul waiting back on the changeup. Good piece of hitting.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:58 PM
A younger man would have turned that into a triple.
Posted by: Old Phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:59 PM
24 pitches in teh inning for Sanchez so far. 12 strikes, 12 balls. Be patient today, Phillies.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 01:59 PM
Under the Common Sense Ibañez Platoon Plan advocated by many highly intelligent Beerleaguer posters, Raul would have been playing today anyway vs. the RH Pitcher.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:01 PM
MLB.com called that strikeout pitch a cutter. He can get his cutter down to 86 mph?
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:04 PM
Cole's Curve is ON today. Man when he gets that thing working it's a thing of beauty.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:07 PM
A couple of beautiful curves for Cole today.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:07 PM
1 through 6 Marlins lineup isn't exactly easy to navigate.
This is the best I've seen Cole's curveball.
Posted by: Iceman | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Ruiz is an awesome defensive catcher. I had no doubt, if Cole got out of his way, that Ruiz would take care of that and put the ball right in Howard's gut.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:09 PM
GTown: Many posters devoted about an entire day on Beerleaguer to attacking the strawman argument that Ibanez should be benched. Please don't let petty details like the truth derail all their efforts.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:10 PM
Wow Helms is slow.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:10 PM
Is the wind blowing out? Just watched Polanco's homer and it looked like he reached out and just got the bat head on it.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:11 PM
I don't know if it was the wind or if Polly was using a corked bat.
Posted by: Old Phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Exxon has been very impressive in the early going this season. He's really saved our offense's arse once again.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Wind is blowing out like a jet stream to RF apparently...per the announcers.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:14 PM
23 mph from left to right supposedly.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:14 PM
Yeah can't say I agree with the decision to let Hamels hit away there.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:15 PM
Bad luck there on the bounce off the mound...oh well.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:16 PM
Senor Hamels is en fuego!
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:20 PM
I'm sorry, but batters should not be allowed to call time once the pitcher is in his windup.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:20 PM
Fat, per the rule book, I dont think they are...its just not enforced.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:21 PM
SIT DOWN MEAT!!!
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:21 PM
Cole Hamels is good at pitching. Let's score some more runs.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:22 PM
Damn. Cole is on point today. I'd like the Phils to score 4-5 quick Runs & put this game on cruise control.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:22 PM
Infante does his darnest to shatter his ankle there with that slide into the 1B bag.
idiot.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:23 PM
I guess Cole can pitch when the sun's out.
Posted by: Old Phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:23 PM
BAP- you are getting an early start on the lying today. From yesterday's threads:
"Ibanez: .235 BA; 72 OPS+; several posters have noted his rag-armed throws from the outfield...Wow. Any way that ongoing playing time can be justified for these seemingly fading pieces of past championship teams is a real stretch." - cut_fastball
"CJ - I have been a big Raul booster. But yes, he needs to be benched." - aksmith
Just because you didn't try to make the argument doesn't mean that nobody tried to make the argument.
Posted by: Iceman | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Howard should be able to hit one 510 feet with this wind.
Posted by: Meyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:28 PM
51 feet with this wind.
Posted by: Meyer | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Howard could play another 10 years and he may never get a cheaper hit than that one. Not that I care.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Howard with a ... base hit, I suppose you'd have to call it.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Crushed that one.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:29 PM
I'm surprised a pro athlete like Helms couldn't catch up to that one.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:30 PM
Or that one.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:30 PM
Hit it just past the stake.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:30 PM
The BAbip fairy smiles upon us once again.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:31 PM
Phils getting some luck on balls in play here. A reasonably competent 3rd baseman makes that play pretty easily.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:31 PM
ANother crushed liner to LF.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:31 PM
Wes Helms IS the babip fairy.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:31 PM
Andy: Well played.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:32 PM
Now if Darling would only call that a strike for Hamels.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:32 PM
Iceman: So I'm a habitual liar? That's a new accusation.
How's this? I stand corrected. I didn't recall anyone advocating that he be benched. I only recall that the bulk of us were arguing for a platoon.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:32 PM
Shocked that Ibanez didn't catch up to that one.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:33 PM
... or that one.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:34 PM
To BAP's defense, cut_fastball is a knee jerk reaction poster, and certainly didn't represent the majority, and I'm not even sure if he reprented much of the minority either.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:34 PM
And a reasonably competent LF makes that play.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:35 PM
That was right in his glove. Should be an Error.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:35 PM
Burrell would have had that.
How is that not an error?
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:35 PM
Sarge: "That's either a hit or a great play."
Or, Option 3: a relatively routine catch, as it would have been for quite a few leftfielders.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:35 PM
I don't care that Ibanez is older. He got his glove on that one, and needs to catch it. Otherwise, lay back on it, and try to hold him to a single.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:35 PM
I'll take that back. He has been calling the outside corner against lefties. It's the outside corner over the black against righties that's a ball today. It's on the small side, but maybe not as bad as a couple of others we've seen.
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:36 PM
Ibanez has worse range than The Bat...just sad.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:36 PM
Hamels doing everything he needs to do to make up for a poor fielding left fielder.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:36 PM
E - 7
Posted by: Andy | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:36 PM
You get your glove on it, it should be an error.
Posted by: NEPP | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:36 PM
Hamels quite obviously pitching around Morrison, as he should be here.
Posted by: Jack | Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 02:38 PM