Game chat: Red-hot Hamels has honors in opener

Cole Hamels (8-2, 2.58) brings a five-game unbeaten streak into tonight's game against Chris Volstad (2-6, 5.51) and the ice-cold Marlins. First pitch is 7:05. The Phillies go with their new, new lineup with Domonic Brown, hitting seventh, and Placido Polanco, batting fifth, back in the lineup after getting Sunday off. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez has been activated from the disabled list for the Fish, who suffered a 1-10 homestead before heading to Philadelphia. [Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[MG]

Volstad's record/ERA stink but supposedly he has had better stuff this year (higher K/9, lower BB/9, uptick in swing & miss).

Curious to see what he has tonight and if Howard (6 HRs in 23 ABs) or Ibanez (3 HRs in 19 ABs) take him deep.

Definitely 'feels like a win.'

[Hugh Mulcahy]

A 1 and 10 homestand . . . that's unfathomably awful. At least do it on the West Coast, when your 5 or 6 fans are sleeping.

[f4f]

well, to be fair, those half dozen fans average age is about 87.

[Spitz]

Given the Phils lineup tonight, the guy on the hill, and the suck-a-tude of the opposing pitcher, this feels more like a win than any game has this year.

Of course, that probably means a 3-2 loss.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

I wonder how many of those 87 year old "fans" actually tuned in thinking Florida Marlins was a fishing show.

I'm with Spitz. This game scares me, if for no other reason than because it seems like a big win.

[joe l]

I've wondered ever since figuring out the "jump to last comments" link... what kind of thread would go down to ever get 99 or more pages?

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Is it raining?

[EastFallowfield]

It was before they put the Charlie Manuel show on.

[rauls grandpa]

UC gets his haircut at the same barbershop as me? Should I just print out Beerleaguer and leave it with Mike for him to read the next time he is in the chair?

[bay_area_phan]

awh: I think it's fairly implicit that things can change between now & season's end and that, when people talk about off-season moves, they mean, "This is what I'd do if the season ended today."

Personally, I can't fathom why anyone who lives in the real world would believe that, after 2 1/2 seasons with an OPS right around .690 to .700, Rollins is suddenly going to improve his offense over the 2nd half of 2011. But if it does happen, then obviously it will have a substantial effect on the Phillies' decision.

[Spitz]

Go Mets go. Maybe Jurrjens is reverting to mean?

[mvptommyd]

Oh no, a Gregg Gross hitting lesson during the rain delay. Is this a cruel joke?

[Little Ollie]

Dan Uggla having such a fine season he was moved up to second in the lineup for tonight's game. Think paying him $9M+ this year has something to do with it? And Phils' fans think they have a lot to complain about.

[Buddy Ryan in 2008]

Drabek sent down to AAA.

[rauls grandpa]

I believe the DOD pays for the production of the Charlie Manuel show. The broadcast it directly to the torture room at Gitmo.

[Scott]

Swell. We let Brian Gordon go to the Yanks without even seeing what he could do in The Show.

[rauls grandpa]

Wardrobe provided by Krass Brothers and Pimp Warehouse Store of Bangkok.

[Scotch Man]

LHV staff ace, Brian Gordon opts out and signs with the Yankees.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!

[f4f]

not saying it's big deal, but it does show how phillies' scout team, and RAJ, operate. brian gordon, dominating in AAA, let go. mini-mart, who would likely not start on many AAA teams, protected like he was the holy grail.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

(that was directed at Hugh Hefner's fiance opting out of marriage with Hugh. Too bad Gordon signed with the Yanks)

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Gordon does have "versatility" going for him.

[f4f]

well, it hasn't been raining in manhattan for about 45 minutes. i hope that bodes well for this game starting.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Glad we don't play the Yankees this year. Watching Brian Gordon pitch a perfect game against us would be rough.

[Little Ollie]

Mutts have three in the third. Jurrjens may be losing that ASG start.

[Little Ollie]

A rare night to root for the Mutts.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Might not f4f, rain seems patchy. Been raining in Brooklyn non-stop for the last 45 minutes.

[f4f]

ah, thanks, LH. moved from brooklyn to wash heights two months ago. two different worlds.

[MG]

Speaking of former Phils' stinkin it up:

JA Happ: 13 GS, 3-8, 5.04 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 7.1 K/9, 4.2 BB/9, 4.52 xFIP

Guess those BBs and HRs have caught up to Happ a bit this year.

[Wet feet]

Lower Manhattan too, I just walked from Washington Square Park to Canal Street, and it was pouring the whole way.

[Klaus]

f4f, Wash Heights word up!

[f4f]

re: happ. i guess another plus 1 for the hated and fun-killing sabermetic crowd.

[Little Ollie]

Jayson Werth batting leadoff tonight. Has that been a regular occurrence?

[f4f]

klaus: word up indeed. just took down some margot's leftovers, now settling into the underrated view of the hudson.

[Klaus]

Ah, lucky. I long for a Hudson sight line. From my one and only window I have a partly obstructed view of the Harkness insane asylum. I tend not to face in that direction.

[philwynk]

Will somebody explain to me how they could have let Brian Gordon go? Is there some sort of requirement that the player get sent to the Majors within a certain number of years or he can be taken by another team? Is that the Rule 5 draft on which we got Victorino and Martinez?

Sounds like a huge mistake to me...

[f4f]

hamels warming up, my sources tell me.

yay, baseball!

[f4f]

a huge mistake? gordon is filler, come on. maybe he has a few "jim morris" moments in him, but let's take it easy on the hyperbole.

trading for garcia was a huge mistake. dropping gordan, not so much.

[awh]

bap, ok no argument. But your post still mentions nothing of thhe fact that the Phils will not be operating in a vacuum.

[mvptommyd]

Cole not looking too sharp. Will the airwaves be full of fans angry that Cole was out at schools all day?

[awh]

tommy, maybe, but the ish just scored without one hard hit ball.

[philwynk]

Ok, then, a small mistake.

Actually, the tweet I read said Gordon had dropped his contract with the Phillies and signed with the Yankees, making it sound like it was his choice. I'm not sure how that works, either. Does anybody here know the legal limitations on minor league players? Is it normal for a player to be able to simply hop to another team at a whim?

[Matt]

Coupla dinky hits does not equal "not sharp."

[BloodStripes]

philwynk - I think it was a clause in Gordon's contract.

[bay_area_phan]

philwynk: His contract had some sort of opt-out clause similar to what we gave to Kris Benson and Mike Koplove a few years ago. I think the way it works is that, if he's not on the major league roster by a particular date, he's a free agent. He probably figured that, with the Phillies' starting pitching depth, he'd have a better chance of making it to the majors if he signed elsewhere.

[bay_area_phan]

Opposite field. Haven't seen that in a long time.

I think the long-awaited hot streak may finally be here.

[The Truth Injection]

The Albatross comes through again.

[MG]

Howard just loves faces Volstad.

[BloodStripes]

Nice shot Big Piece. Left field. Good form

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Howard OWNS him.

[bullit]

that was a line drive, too.

[mvptommyd]

Cole looks much better. Hopefully, he can give us at least 5 more innings like that.

[bullit]

brownie might have to start swinging at the first pitch.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Cole gave up one run in a wonky inning after a one hour rain delay. I'm not worried.

[bay_area_phan]

If Dom keeps on his recent pace for very much longer, we're going to see the return of Will Schweitzer pretty soon

[The Truth Injection]

It was Mota, Beckett, and Lowell going to the Red Sox in that deal.

[Fatalotti]

Great hook there by King Cole.

[Fatalotti]

Hamels in assassin mode right now.

[BloodStripes]

Hamels is on! Again.

[MG]

I have tickets for tomorrow's night game but I would have rather seen Hamels pitch tonight. He's been that good lately.

[BloodStripes]

Who pitches the first game tomorrow? Does Utley only play one?

[mvptommyd]

It is crazy that they will be playing 4 games in 44 hours.

[MG]

Bloodstripes - KK is starting the day game. Halladay's night cap. I would imagine that Utley plays one and not another but they didn't say.

[Anon-II]

Simon Templar!

[The Truth Injection]

Verlander just lost his no hitter on a one out single by Orlando Cabrera in the top of the 8th.

[Fatalotti]

This team is unstoppable when Howard and Utley are doing their thing.

[mvptommyd]

This half inning has featured prime examples why I hate Wheels and T-Mac. First they talk about the beer guy and now about Buck's mask.

[BloodStripes]

Awesome stuff Saint. Thats the swing.

[The Truth Injection]

Wasn't it just the other day people were lamenting the lack of home runs and how this team needed them to score runs?

Amazing what happens when it starts to heat up, and tonight it is breezy down at the park.

Also- I think we can determine Chase is back.

[MG]

Vintage Utley. Vintage Phils driving Volstad's fastball out of the park.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Another miracle. He qualify for canonization yet?

[bay_area_phan]

Utley might just be an upgrade over Wilson Valdez.

[mvptommyd]

St. Utley is back. All is right in the world (for now).

[awh]

Ok, Utley is officially earning an LG!

[mw]

I feel your awe, Wheels, I feel it brotha.

[Fatalotti]

OPS!!!!

[The Truth Injection]

MG: That was a sinker I believe from Volstad.

[MG]

TTI - This is a guy though they have pounded particularly at CBP. It is nice to see Utley and Howard doing some damage.

[Fatalotti]

Four 2 out runs tonight. I like that.

[MG]

TTI - Your right. I was just listening to it in the background and caught the replay.

Would love to see them roll Volstad after only 5 IP tonight and make the Fish go early to their bullpen tonight.

[GBrettfan]

Life is always happier with a few home runs in a game...

[Fatalotti]

TMac, I'm pretty sure the stroke is there.

[BloodStripes]

Thanks MG. So it ought to be Sánchez v Halladay and Kendrick v rookie/chump?. Chase has good numbers against Sanchez so probably rests the day game. Its all in your favor with night game tickets.

[Dickie Thon]

This team needs to play more small-ball and not rely so much on the long-ball.

[awh]

Fatti, you can't coach 2 things in particular: power and speed.

[awh]

Damn, Cole is dropping that hook tonight!

[Fatalotti]

awh, that's where you're wrong. I coach, exclusively, power and speed. It's how I earn my keep. Don't ask me how I do it: I'm not telling you.

[f4f]

"This team is unstoppable when Howard and Utley are doing their thing."

this thing that was said.

[MG]

Another ho-hum 1-2-3 inning from Hamels.

[mvptommyd]

Hamels has sat down 11 in a row. Boring.

[awh]

Fatii, I'll check with my source and find out how. (You know, my source who's the cousin of the brother-in-law of the sister's baby sitter who's dating the uncle of the nephew of the wife of the Phillies clubhouse attendant?

[awh]

Raul is hacking trying to get in on the longball action.

[Fatalotti]

awh, you know Wilhelm?

[f4f]

take a starting pitcher with one of the most devastating fastball/change combos in the majors. add nasty cutter. then slowly mix in curve. let marinate. enjoy dominance.

[mvptommyd]

Wow! DOOMMMMM!!!!

[Fatalotti]

I knew Dom was going to get in on this action.

[MG]

Every LH batter hammers Volstad!

[Matt]

Well then.

[awh]

I hate this longball stuff.

[NEPP]

DOMONATED!!!