Game chat: Matchup with Pujols not in the cards

Two days after Albert Pujols injured his forearm, Roy Halladay and the Phils will take aim at the new-look Cardinals lineup in the opener of a three-game set in St. Louis. First pitch is 8:15 p.m.

Halladay (9-3, 2.56) has 28 strikeouts and one walk over his last four starts. The Phillies have won the last six games started by Doc, who leads the league in wins, innings and complete games. He will be opposed tonight by Kyle McClellan (6-3, 3.96), who has given up 12 runs in nine innings over his last two starts.

Ryan Howard, of course, has great career numbers in his hometown. He is a .360 career hitter with 15 homers and 46 RBIs against the Cards. In St. Louis, his numbers are .365/.509/.694 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 23 games.

Lineups: The Phillies will go with Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Polanco 3B, Ibanez LF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Halladay RHP. The new-look Cards order goes a little something like this: Theriot SS, Jay RF, Holliday LF, Berkman 1B, Rasmus CF, Molina C, Descalso 3B, McLellan RHP, Schumaker 2B.

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Comments

[BloodStripes]

Halladay is at his best on five days rest.

[Brett]

Halladay is at his best when pitching against batters.

[GTown_Dave]

The Phillies are highly vulnerable to Opposing Pitching.

[BloodStripes]

Spot on Brett. His numbers are sick which ever way you look at them but get even sicker on 5 days rest.

[SLO Phan]

Tony going with the pitcher in the 8 spot again? I guess it worked for them the last time the Phils were in town.

[Willard Preacher]

Hard not to giggle a little bit when I read "Berkman 1B."

Of course, now Berkman will go 4 for 5 with 6 RBI's.

[The Truth Injection]

Jack: It was a thread a few weeks ago where someone made a comment about guys with the Phillies front office who were with the Mariners front office at the time. The Bedard trade come up and you said exactly what I said you did.

I don't remember the exact header because it was considerably different from how the thread turned out.

From comments in the rest of your statement you still conflate the two issues which is different from what I'm saying. So whatever- you need to win that bad that you can't separate the two things to understand what I'm saying, I'll save you the time. I'm done with your nonsense on this issue. I don't have time for you to play dumb.

[aksmith]

Willard - You think Berkman 1st base is a downgrade from Pujols?

I suggest you consider what the Phils lineup would look like if Howard broke a bone. Mini Mart 1st Base? Now THAT'S giggle worthy.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Halladay is at his best when[ever].

I also don't get the hair splitting about only being disappointed in players you expected to do well. My parents never expected me to amount to anything, and being right about that sure hasn't tempered their disappointment.

[NEPP]

Berkman would be the best hitter in our lineup by a significant margin.

He's got a 1.022 OPS this year so far. That's about 140 points higher than our closest hitter (Victorino)

[Willard Preacher]

Certainly not knocking Berkman for his offensive prowess!! That guy can hit and I'd love to have him, though only at 1B if my alternative is Mini-Mart...

[MG]

From Jayson Stark:

"Finally, when we talk about the lack of fairness in the interleague schedules, there's a subtle subplot among National League teams that people don't focus on much: Not every team plays the same number of interleague games.

Four NL clubs -- the Mets, Marlins, Reds and Diamondbacks -- will play 18 interleague games apiece this year. Everyone else plays 15 each, which means they all play one extra series against an NL team outside their division. And there's no clear rhyme or reason to those assignments, either. So, here are the toughest "substitute" interleague matchups for clubs with winning records, ranked by the opponent's current record:

Cardinals: Philadelphia (home)
Phillies: at St. Louis
Rockies: at Milwaukee

Brewers: Colorado (home)
Giants: Cubs (home)
Braves: at San Diego"

Thanks Bud. Although I do wonder if the Phils honestly aren't better off playing the Cards three games at home instead of say the Angels three games on the road facing Weaver, Santana, and Pineiro. Honestly think the Phils have a better chance of winning this series than they would 3 out in Anaheim.

[MG]

Still rather see JRoll out of the leadoff spot and Vic there instead with Polly in the 2-hole. From the looks of it though, this old standby lineup with JRoll & Vic in the 1/2 spots looks like it is beginning to take hold.

Not surprised that Chooch is in the lineup but I do wonder if Chooch is going to start every game this series. Sardinha hasn't started since last Wed during the doubleheade and only 2 games since June 4th.

[denny b.]

I'd rather have 50 year old Juan Samuel playing 1B then Mini Mart.

Back to the half-season disappointments.... I've been disappointed in the entire catcher position. Ruiz's average has been low all year and his defense has been a step below where its been in prior years, Schneider did nothing offensively or defensively before he got hurt and Sardinha wouldn't even be starting at Lehigh Valley. Its been a tough year behind the plate.

Biggest surprise to me has been Stutes. He didn't even come north with the team out of ST. He was a middle reliever for LV in 2010 (behind Bastardo, Schwimer, Zagurski and Mathieson). He's Cholly's 3rd reliever now.

Biggest disappointment is the fact that Martinez is still here. He had no business on this team in March. In April. In May. Or in June. He'd be a backup player at Lehigh Valley. On a team that only has 5 bench players to begin with and when Gload (who is basically about 1/2 a player now) its a crime that he is still taking up a roster spot.

Phils need to do business in this series. They have Halladay and Lee going in the first 2 games. They miss Garcia, who they can't hit. And no Pujols.

This should be a week the Phils do no worse then go 4-2.

[NEPP]

I'd rather see Polly batting 8th right now based on his recent track record.

[denny b.]

MG- I have to think Schnieder could be back by the weekend.

[MG]

denny b - My bet is he is back on Friday when the Phils return home vs. A's. He has already had 3 rehab starts.

So yeah I guess Chooch starts every game this series. Cholly is asking too much of him though to catch so many games.

[Willard Preacher]

Yeah, but the Phils had an off day yesterday, and get another one next Monday.

If Schneider is back by this weekend, I don't expect him to get more than 1 start in the next week or so.

[SLO Phan]

Is Toronto that bad of a team? ATL is all over them right now and they can't seem to score on Minor.

[awh]

Crappy AB by Vic. Guys grooves a first pitch FB and then he hacks at a high curve.

[SLO Phan]

Ahhh....love the patience at the plate. Always a recipe for success!

[awh]

Boy, if they keep having ABs like this it will be a short, short night.

[rauls grandpa]

I will not get the chance to see the game tonight. Did Wheels mention Trader Jack in the first 20 minutes?

[bullit]

the cards started wearing stirrups to try to break their team slump. seems to have worked. i suggested this for the phils last year. to some derision.

[SLO Phan]

Roy having trouble finding the strike zone...

[backinphl]

polly sucks in the 5 spot..

[Cyclic]

Is anyone tracking Polanco's enormous collapse?

[No1]

Raold with the W. Valdez-esque at-bat.

[backinphl]

wow= a day off - and the phillies are on the same track as in seattle

[GTown_Dave]

If Polanco keeps (not) hitting, I'm gonna be forced to start spelling his name Polañco.

[backinphl]

try are not patient at the plate - except for howard... utley, polly, rollins,raul shane... all antsey to swing...

halliday with 30 pitches and not out of 2nd inning... means the cards are more patient at the plate than the phils

[NEPP]

Polly has a .564 OPS in his last 44 games.

[backinphl]

try= they

[Willard Preacher]

Not to go all "impatient apologist" on you, but this Cards pitcher has been torched lately. I wouldn't be at all surprised if swinging early in the count was part of the initial game plan.

Now, to see if that game plan is adaptable mid game....

[Bobby Cocks]

This team is following the script of the Braves that won 14 straight division titles - great pitching and some hitting gets them to the playoffs, but the lack of good hitting kills them in the playoffs (see last year).

[curt]

At this point, I just like to see Polly hit one out of the infield. A walk would be awesome too, but he hasn't done that since last year, so forget that.

Shockingly, Doc's bunting skills are regressing.

[NEPP]

The WS winning 95 Braves had a 91 OPS+ as a team.

[conshy matt]

those braves teams had more than "some" hitting.

[curt]

Imagine how great Vic could be if he only had a brain.

[The Truth Injection]

Rollins last season had 40 walks in 88 games. He has 31 now in this his 70th game. Seems to be trying to show more patience at the plate at times. Need him to do that more often.

[conshy matt]

nepp, i stand corrected.

[3r0ck]

Phillies win this game. Bank it.

[MS69]

Has a hit ball by the Phils left the infield yet?

[conshy matt]

chooch's single.

[No1]

"Swing early" theory be damned; I still wish Vic had not swung at the first pitch near the strike zone after McClellan mised on 5 straigt pitches.

[NEPP]

We currently have a 92 OPS+ as a team.

Which is an improvement on where we were a month ago (around 84 IIRC)

[MS69]

Thanks, I got distracted by a phone call.

[backinphl]

he might have been lit up, but right now the phils didnot even bring amatchbook to the ball park..

[conshy matt]

imagine if those braves teams had been on steroids. they missed out.

[Ron Jones]

Cards broadcasters just showed Cy Young Race graphic and didn't include Hamels.

[conshy matt]

who did it have?

[The Truth Injection]

Utley just missed that one.

[denny b.]

Wily Mo Pena is back in the big leagues.

Another Rule 5 success story.

[conshy matt]

gone at CBP?

[Old Phan]

It isn't an accurate Cy Young graphic if it doesn't include Hamels.

[curt]

They actually showed how the top finishers last year were doing this year.

[conshy matt]

a cy young list w/out hamels is a travislee, er travesty.

[Ron Jones]

Everytime I see Pujols I remember him saying only players on winning teams should win the mvp when Howard won it and then the following year Pujols won mvp when Howard/Phils were WFC's. Pujols was asked about it and basically brushed it off.

[Bobby Cocks]

Wow, Larussa knows what others should figure out - walk Howard and Polly, Raul, etc. won't hurt you.

[Rauls grandpa]

Willing to trade Ben frank or Ibanez to the Cards to "sure up" their offense in exchange for John Jay and either Steppenwolf or the Law School.

[David]

Rube, please upgrade 3B or LF with someone that can hit for power. Please.

[Fatalotti]

To be fair Ron Jones, the Cardinals were a winning team in 2008.

[GTown_Dave]

Ron Jones: Pujols really lost me w/ that statement, esp. since the Phillies had a better record than the Cardinals that season, but failed to make the playoffs because they were in a much tougher Division.

Bobby Cocks: At least one batter in 5-9 has to be doing something, or this team simply cannot score. The bottom half of the lineup has been killing the Offense most of the season.

[The Truth Injection]

Rollins sees your concerns about his slipping defense and raises you that play

[Fatalotti]

Sarge: "That's what on base percentage means: driving in runs and hitting .300."

Oh, Sarge.....

[Ron Jones]

To put it in context ... Pujols said it referring to "winning" in terms of post season as he won in 2006 when the Cards won the WS and Howard in 2007 when the Phils were winners but not ultimate winners as in 2008 when Pujols won it and Howard was WFC.

[Fatalotti]

Gotcha Ron Jones. My mistake.

[backinphl]

domo has caught phils-slump-fever

[Matt]

Is bunting really that difficult a thing? I don't get why some guys struggle so much with it.

[GTown_Dave]

"So what's [McClellan] featuring that the Phillies can't hit? Change-up? Curveball? I guess all of it." -L.A.

You guessed right, Larry.

[Marc H]

The Phillies aren't going to score tonught, are they?

[curt]

The Cards TV crew is another one working with an old script about the Phils "powerful lineup."

[backinphl]

what position does overbeck play?

[David]

Halladay does himself no favors with the bat. Guess nobody is perfect.

[Bobby Cocks]

McClellan has pitched past the 6th inning twice this year, betting tonight is number 3.

[NEPP]

Overbeck is a 1B/DH who has gotten a couple spot starts in LF.

[whitey]

How is this for impatient...earlier today, the Red Sox starter walked 5 in a row and Ryan Ludwick swung at the first pitch, a high fastball. That would be an immediate benching if I was managing.

[conshy matt]

it's hard to score runs. apparantly.

has anyone seen the fans voting for the AL all star game? it's bad. real bad.

[bay_area_phan]

I'm late arriving because my keyboard blew up & I had to go buy another one. On the way home, I thought to myself, "With Halladay pitching, I'm undoubtedly going to come home to a half-finished game that is still 0-0." One of my rare predictions that proved right, though I must admit, I didn't exactly have to go out on a limb for this one.

[Fatalotti]

Ryan Zimmerman should be the starting 3rd baseman at the All Star Game. I don't care that he missed time with injury. He's the best 3rd baseman in the NL, and should be starting.

[Rauls grandpa]

I hope there is more room in the PPP for some new members.

[curt]

The Cards are doing a very nice job of making Doc work.

[Ron Jones]

So, Halladay gives up a couple hits to begin the inning after running the bases the previous inning - it seems like that happens a lot or maybe I am wrong.

[Fatalotti]

So this is LaRussa wants: his pitcher in the 8 hole to bunt here?

He wouldn't rather have an actual hitter up here with 0 outs?

Moronic.

[MG]

Howard ever going to see another fastball again in St. Louis?

[Fatalotti]

Yeah, that's better than having an actual hitter up at the plate with 2 runners on and no out. LaRussa=genius.

[MG]

Halladay has struggled with finding his offspeed stuff early just like he did last week vs. Cubs. It wasn't until about the 5th inning that he finally did a bit.

[gobaystars!]

Sarge is dropping some knowledge.
And the Cards are dropping some hits. D'oh!

[Fatalotti]

Love the bloop hits. Need a double play ball here.

[The Truth Injection]

My guess is Polanco saw the second one popped straight up and stopped charging. Rollins doesn't have a good angle on that from how he is moving.

That sucks to jam a guy and have it bloop in.

[Charlie Hayes]

It was a force play Polly not a tag, bad play.

[gobaystars!]

Hey T-mac, if it's in the sky it isn't a landscape.

[Fatalotti]

Was that throw by Victorino so poor because he was off balance or has he lost something with the arm?

[MG]

Has the strike zone been this small since the start of the game?

[awh]

Fatti, IMO Simmerman is the best 3rd baseman in MLB, not just the NL.

[gobaystars!]

Polly might be cooked.

[whitey]

The ball hit the runner.

[Charlie Hayes]

GD Polly costs a run there ... unbelievable.

[Matt]

Dammit, Polanco, if you're not gonna hit, at least field.

[Fatalotti]

Dammit Polly. If you're not going to hit, play solid defense.