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[Iceman]

Any chance for a delay? Can't get out of work til 8 and I hope to see most of Roy's outing. It's raining pretty steadily in central PA.

[Old Phan]

After seeing that picture I'd like to turn the other cheek

[HammRadio]

Weitzel... you kill me... "pinchable cheeks"...

as someone from the earliest age had his cheeks pinched (although I was quite svelte as a child and there is quite more to pinch in my late 30s) i have to giggle at this header.

Classic.

Just

Classic.

[LarryinLA]

My last defense: I saw an argument that Rollins' numbers againt RISP should be used to determine his lineup position. It was a bad argument, because even with a career of PAs, the numbers weren't really all that different in a statistical sense. I added that there are other reasons why RISP numbers are not directly comparable to Bases Empty numbers. The bottom of the order was a red herring, but it's what made me think of the pitching quality issue. It, as has been pointed out, makes no difference. The point, as bap states well, is that there is a difference in the pitching quality with RISP. It is in general easier to get a hit with RISP for any hitter for that and a number of other reasons. So Rollins' RISP numbers are a poor reason to decide where to place him in the order.

That said, 3rd is probably an ok place for Rollins to hit. He's probably the 4th or 5th best hitter on the team, and those should go in the 3 and 5 spots, according to the "The Book."

[Willard Preacher]

And I thought that Polanco's head was enormous in last night's header...

[the_berger]

Needs more PhillieBot.

[NEPP]

Hopefully Zagurski's family does a Print Screen on that graphic as it will likely be the only Game Chat graphic he ever gets.

[NEPP]

Larry, my RISP argument wasn't that it made him a great #3 hitter so much that it shows that he's not finished as a hitter as was Jack's premise. He can clearly still hit and hit well on occasion. He's always been a guy that rises to the occasion so to speak.

[LarryinLA]

NEPP:

I guess if you want to make that argument I'd say look at his overall numbers. They're not so good. His RISP numbers just don't say much. Also, it isn't clear he rises to the occassion. His clutch numbers don't really show much of an occasion riser over his career or the last three years.

I just don't like these partial performance arguments, so I jumped in to refute it. Didn't realize I'd get clouted for my trouble.

[Fatalotti]

lIt's Roy Halladay time, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!

[Old Phan]

This Halladay kid can sure pitch.

[Fatalotti]

Why do I feel like Jimmy could have fielded that a couple years back?

[Fatalotti]

Great throw Chooch!

[Wes Chamberlain]

Feels like a win...

[bay_area_phan]

Good thing Halladay got out of that mini-jam because my tea leaves tell me that Randy Wolf will be dealing tonight.

[NEPP]

Chooch on his game so far.

[Fan From Fifty]

JW: what software do you use to create those pseudo engravings of faces?

[NEPP]

I used to really like Wolf...until he used us two years in a row to run up his price on the free agent market.

[NEPP]

Remember when Vic used to actually bunt for hits on occasion?

[Fatalotti]

NEPP, prescient much?

[Old Phan]

Excellent, J-Roll.

[NEPP]

That's what Vic should have done.

Nice job Jimmy!

[GTown_Dave]

I'm proud of Jimmy. After going 0 for his last 11 or so, bunting is a good way to break out of it.

[GTown_Dave]

Oh good. Now Raul can bat.

[Fatalotti]

Bunt single and then a great AB to draw a walk...things are on the up and up.

[bay_area_phan]

Don't understand why you'd even start Ibanez, let alone bat him right after Howard.

[NEPP]

If you were any pitcher on earth, would you pitch to Ryan knowing Raul is behind him?

Especially with 2 outs.

[Fatalotti]

Can't catch up that 90 mph cheese, Raul?

[NEPP]

Best thing Raul can do is just keep the bat on his shoulder.

[NEPP]

What a weak swing on the fastball there.

[NEPP]

Raul blows.

[GTown_Dave]

I don't care what Raul's past numbers vs. Wolf are, replacing a RHB w/ a RHB was dumb. Not splitting up Howard & Ibañez in the batting order was even dumber.

[Dave S]

I see Raul was listening to Charlie.

[NEPP]

I'm sure Raul's past numbers are from when he wasn't a washed up shell of a player. I'm also sure that that doesn't even occur to UC.

[Fatalotti]

Roy Halladay is an absolute joy to watch pitch. I can't get enough of him. Nice play by Polly.

[GTown_Dave]

Routine, boring scoop.

*yawn*

[bay_area_phan]

Does Howard even have an error this year?

[Fatalotti]

Is the worst player in baseball getting a double off the best pitcher in baseball a sign of the apocalypse?

[NEPP]

Good job by Mayberry to get over there...and he didn't even kill Vic.

[GTown_Dave]

b_a_p: No, but I'm sure he'll commit his first any minute now. Thanks, jinxie.

[GTown_Dave]

1-0, Milwaukee. Game = Over.

[NEPP]

BenFran would have made that throw.

[NEPP]

Mayberry did flash his good arm strength though...I'll give him that.

[bay_area_phan]

This doesn't really look like Roy Halladay in his most vintage form.

[Oliver]

I'd like to repeat my comment from last night about how Pitch/fx is making the umps look dumb

[NEPP]

BOOOOOOO!!!!!

We want BenFran!!!

[Old Phan]

Nice catch.

[Kilbillrain]

Im here, roy looks to be getting squeeze d

[NEPP]

Gomez has incredible range.

[bay_area_phan]

Every time our pitcher performs less than perfectly, the Beerleaguer consensus is that it's the ump's fault.

[Fatalotti]

First really hard hit ball in days, and it hangs up just a bit too long. Ahh, the tortures of a baseball season.

[GTown_Dave]

For those of you keeping track that's 21 straight innings w/out an XBH for the Phillies.

[bay_area_phan]

At the risk of incurring clout's ridicule . . . could Matt "The Answer" Rizzotti really be appreciably worse on defense than the two stiffs we regularly send out there to play the corner OF positions?

[curt]

The ump's have been blatantly conspiring against us for 4 years now.

[NEPP]

Considering Rizzotti is a below average 1B defensively, I'd guess that yes, he would be a downgrade from our corner OFs.

[bay_area_phan]

The reason I ask is that these 2 stiffs who are playing the corner OF for us also happen to be pretty poor on offense, whereas Rizzotti just continues to hit at every level he plays.

[Jack]

Those extra-base hits are coming any day now. Annnny day now.

I hope all the people who wished for small ball for the last few years are happy. Do you get it now?

[NEPP]

Doc has thrown 9 changeups...5 have been swinging strikes.

[Fatalotti]

This team is in desperate need of an injection of a healthy Chase Utley into the lineup.

[Jack]

Braun is good.

I wonder what it would be like to see a home run for our team. Man, that would be nice.

[Old Phan]

Crap.

[NEPP]

Doc seems to be struggling...for him anyway.

[Dave S]

Darn, looks like we might lose this series.

THE END IS NIGH!

P.S. I miss Chase Utley.

[GTown_Dave]

Jack: You're confusing "small ball" w/ "utter ineptitude". The Phillies have been engaging in the latter, not the former.

[bay_area_phan]

Since they're totally incapable of scoring more than 3 runs in a game, the Phillies needed Halladay to be at his dominant best. So far he's nowhere close to that.

[Kilbillrain]

Hell be luck y to get thru 6

[NEPP]

2 runs, 6 hits so far through 3 innings.

[Fatalotti]

XBH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....

[Fatalotti]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GTown_Dave]

Holy Sh*t. An Extra Base Hit. :-o

[NEPP]

We're allowed to keep running past 1B when we get a hit?

[Phantom Limb]

Shane didn't want to get his pants dirty?

[Fatalotti]

A .500 average with runners in scoring position is definitely sustainable.

[Bob]

I can't tell yet if Halladay is in the process of tossing a dud, or if he'll settle in and keep it to a couple of runs. In any case, he won't be at his dominant best every time out. Offense needs to do its share and pick him up. Early yet, we'll see how it shapes up.

[krukker]

Wolf just doesn't look the same since he shaved his beard. Just looks like Ron Howard now.

[Phantom Limb]

JRoll = double play

[GTown_Dave]

Pop Out, Walk, K.

[krukker]

Time for the heart of the order to actually be the heart of the order.

[MG]

Braun is a disaster in the field but man can he rake. He had a 'down' year last year and still had a line of .304/.365/.501 with 25 HRs and 103 RBIs. Best hitter in this lineup by a wide margin.

[Fatalotti]

Just ridiculous.

[GTown_Dave]

Ugh. Snakebit.

[Phantom Limb]

Unreal. Looked just like Ibanez out there.

[Old Phan]

J-Roll, pretty nice swing.

[NEPP]

Of course he gets to that.

Raul would have been 40 ft from that one and we'd be tied.

[The Truth Injection]

Not much you can do about the plays by Braun and Gomez so far in this game.

[Bob]

Tough break for J-Roll and the Phils. Two great plays on bombs hit by the Phils; the Brewers are finding the holes thus far. Hang tough, guys.

[MG]

McCelland isn't giving any calls to either guy but that's not unusual. He's a stickler for calling strikes.

[krukker]

Now that Howard moved closer to the plate, the new book on him is to bust him up and in. He swings and misses every time. If he can adjust to that he'll be a real force, but until he does, he'll just be neutralized time and time again.

[Fatalotti]

Well, it looked like it could be a promising inning. This is getting frustrating.

[MG]

Tonight people were right that Halladay was getting squeezed early. McCelland pisses me off with his amazing minuscule strike zone. Probably the toughest ump in MLB to get a strike called.

[Kutztown Fan]

This game is really aggravating.

[GTown_Dave]

Nice catch by Exxon.

[GTown_Dave]

4 IP, 64 Pitches. Ugh.

[bay_area_phan]

GTown: Halladay's pitch count is the least of my concerns right now. We have Zagurski waiting in the wings.

[NEPP]

The upside is that Doc is the kind of guy that could very well still throw a CG with that number. I remember a game last year where he did that and then pitched the final 5 innings in like 40 pitches.

[Fatalotti]

Man, Doc gives up 2 runs through 4 innings, and isn't on pace to complete the game, and people get upset.

[NEPP]

Raul late on an 87 mph "heater"

[Willard Preacher]

I haven't seen too many posts from CJ lamenting me (or others) for overly aggressive pessimism regarding this offense.

I really could stand an injection of "they'll be among the NL leaders in runs scored" again. Anything will help me feel better about this.

On the other hand, we've officially reached the point where I feed the dog, grab something from the fridge, etc. during the offense half of the innings. I can't remember it ever being that way with the Phils for as long as I've been alive...

[NEPP]

Raul sitting fastball and still late on a 90 mph fastball.

[Slocs]

how bad is raul? BAD, BAD, BAD