Cole Hamels and the Phillies can sweep the Red Sox this afternoon (first pitch is at 1:05) as the teams conclude their interleague series.
Hamels (9-4, 2.49) has good career numbers against Boston. He's won all three of his starts vs. the Red Sox, allowing a total of four runs in 21 innings. However, the Phillies haven't been scoring many runs for him of late, with two runs or fewer in four of Hamels' last five outings. Hamels has dropped his last two starts despite pitching well in both outings. Jon Lester (9-4, 3.66) takes the mound for Boston. He's given up one run in 14 lifetime innings against the Phillies. He also has dropped two consecutive starts overall.
Lineups: The Phillies are going with Rollins, Polanco, Utley, Howard, Victorino, Francisco, Ibanez, Ruiz, Hamels. Of note for the Red Sox is Dustin Pedroia hitting fourth. Adrian Gonzalez is back at first base, batting third, while David Ortiz is sitting against the lefty.
Last sweep?: The last time the Phillies swept the Red Sox was in June 2000, when the Phils took three games from Boston at the Vet. The average attendance in that series? 27,902. How things have changed.
- Written for Beerleaguer by D. Silverman
I love the old-school baseball card look.
Posted by: Jbird | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:01 PM
Sox release Cameron. Any takers?
Posted by: Comatose | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:02 PM
By release I meant DFA
Posted by: Comatose | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:03 PM
I'll admit I would have been happy to get Cameron in the offseason as a platoon player, but he has been awful this year.
Posted by: Jbird | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:06 PM
Even Cameron's defense has declined from his elite peak.
At the prorated league minimum, he might be worth a look but I dont see him as an upgrade on our internal options.
Posted by: NEPP | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:09 PM
Of course, Wheeler, the real reason the Phils inserted Hamels in between Worley and KK in the rotation is because neither KK or Worley are starters that go deep into games, and to put them back to back in teh rotation is to purposefully put your bullpen in a bad spot in back to back games.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:09 PM
Unfortunate that Ellsbury got on. 3 great pitches from Hamels.
And once again, Hamels ability to induce ground balls this year comes in handy once more. Nice DP.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:11 PM
Hamels is just a different pitcher. What he just did to Gonzalez was scary.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:13 PM
Hamels 2011 Daygame: 4 Starts, 2-1, 2.55 ERA, 27.1 IP, .951 WHIP 29/4 K/BB
Posted by: lorecore | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:15 PM
These Phillies starters, they don't miss the strike zone very often. Hamels' first inning: 11 strikes, 3 balls.
I'm getting spoiled.
Posted by: philwynk | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:16 PM
Speeaking of things that have changed...Jason Stark's article today..THIS IS WHY I AM GIDDY LIKE A SCHOOL GIRL.
"It has now been 11 years since Rollins first arrived in September of 2000, when he joined the death march to another 97-loss season. The next spring, he reminisced (not so fondly), he remembers sitting back and listening to a first-day-of-spring-training pep talk that made him wonder what kind of franchise he'd gotten himself into."
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=6719039
Posted by: keith | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:17 PM
Lidge scheduled to go to Produce Junction to get more celery rubber bands to hold rotator cuff pieces in place before rehab.
Posted by: Rauls grandpa | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:17 PM
typo: 2.30 ERA in Day games. 2.55 ERA was at nite.
hah so sick.
Posted by: lorecore | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:18 PM
DH'ing Chase in Toronto sounds like a great idea.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:20 PM
Uh, oh.. http://www.fangraphs.com/fantasy/index.php/moscoso-and-worley-pitchers-to-avoid/
"Vance Worley (5% owned)
This one might be more controversial. He’s probably going to end up fairly valuable to his real-life team, filling in as a fifth-sixth starter. The Vanimal has a 2.57 ERA of course, and his 3.44 FIP isn’t terrible. In his case, though, it seems that his 4.14 xFIP has a little more to say about his true talent level. Worley features the same sort of underwhelming stuff as Moscoso. 50 innings into his major league career, he has a 5.5% swinging strike rate. It’s built on a 91 MPH fastball, a decent 85 MPH slider, a rarely-used curveball and (by linear weights values at least) a poor changeup. If the changeup is indeed poor, he will be susceptible to bouts of ineffectiveness versus left-handed hitters. He gets some groundballs (46% career), but that’s only a tick above average (44% most years). Once his home runs per fly ball normalize (4.2% right now), more balls will leave his comfy little home park, and his ERA will balloon. He could be a spot-starter in some deep leagues, but don’t rely on the Vanimal, cause he might bite you. "
Posted by: Dan in Philly | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:20 PM
Yeah DIP, I'm leary of Vance's ability to maintain long term success. He's probably not a 149 ERA+ pitcher...
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:28 PM
lorecore - for you:
"day man, ahhhhahhha, fighter of the night man, ahhhhahhha, champion of the sun..."
(it's always sunny reference)
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:28 PM
DIP - i agree w/ fangraphs on that article. that said, he's still much more promising, imo, than say ja happ.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:29 PM
Hamels is averaging just under 16 pitches an inning. That is entirely unacceptable.
Posted by: tfols | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:31 PM
Interesting article by Stark. Thanks for posting, Keith.
I'm sure there will be plenty of discussions on this site about expectations for the second half.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:33 PM
Tmac has put on weight this year. and he has man boobs.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:34 PM
Was reading Todd Zolecki's blog, and he was looking at other great calendar months in baseball history by great pitchers. How about Valenzuela's April in 1981?
All 5 starts were 9 inning complete games, 4 of which were shutouts, and the 5th only yielded 1 run. A 0.20 ERA. 43 strikeouts against 11 walks, and a .436 OPS against.
He basically turned every team he faced into 9 Michael Martinez's.
Just for good measure, his first three starts in May were also complete game, 9 inning affairs, with all of 3 ER allowed in those games.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:34 PM
Who here would be upset if we traded Vance for a RH outfielder tomorrow?
Posted by: Dan in Philly | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:34 PM
love to see howard working the walk. he's improved steadily in the second quarter of the year.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:35 PM
Howard walks more than he gets credit for, I believe he has the highest BB% of the team by a few percentage points.
Posted by: Dan in Philly | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:36 PM
I imagine Worley will hit some speed bumps. The key is reasonable expectations over the long haul. Enjoy the ride while it lasts but don't get too high with the successes, or too low with the inevitable downers.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:39 PM
Is there a way to listen to todays game online?
Posted by: whitey | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:39 PM
fat - fernando was probably just lucky, and batters didn't have the book on him, and his babip, and his lob%, and his...
actually, someone should look that stuff up.
DIP - that would work for me, depending on who the OF was, of course.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:41 PM
Dan in Philly: Depends on the RH outfielder. Cheap back-end of the rotation starters aren't exactly a dime a dozen... I'm not giving him up for Josh Willingham or Michael Cuddyer.
Posted by: CJ | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:42 PM
Tmac has put on weight this year. and he has man boobs - Conshy Matt
Hahahaha thats great...Thanks for that
Posted by: Get Rube A Beer | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:43 PM
Cole just pulled a Cliff Lee there. That was awesome.
Posted by: CJ | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:43 PM
Conshy, his BAbip in April was .246, not egregiously low by any stretch.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:43 PM
Conshy you just made me throw up in my mouth.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:43 PM
How dare Fangraphs suggest that the Vanimal is not a 1st ballot hall of famer...
Posted by: Jbird | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:44 PM
His LOB% of 97.4% is probably unsustainable...in the past...although he did sustain it for a few more starts.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Dan in Philly: in a heart beat.
Posted by: Jbird | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Yeah, Chase Utley's a damn good defender.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:47 PM
I like to see Gelb poking fun at himself for the perfect game gaffe
Posted by: Get Rube A Beer | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:48 PM
Dan: Howard's walk rate being his highest since 2007 is a very good thing. There were two trends he needed to reverse--the declining walk rate and the declining ISO (measure of power).
The walk rate has increased. Still waiting on the power, though that may be a factor of the general league-wide decline in power.
Posted by: Jack | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:49 PM
fat - i had a feeling you'd look that up. thanks, good stuff. mlb network did a piece on fernando that i saw earlier this year. it was fun to re-live that as i was a kid when he came up.
and i agree w/ CJ that Worley for Willgham et al is not a deal i'd make. they shouldn't want MLB ready talent anyway.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:49 PM
Thanks for the Hamels day data, lorecore.
Posted by: phargo | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:50 PM
Talent-wise, Worley for Willingham would absolutely be a deal I would make.
Of course, they can't make that deal if they can't rely on Blanton/Oswalt to return healthy. If you knew they'd come back healthy, you'd have to make that deal.
Posted by: Jack | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:51 PM
anyone listen to WIP's phillies MVP conversation/list?
they had howard at 1. i had to call in. they made fun of me b/c i brought up wOBA, OPS and WAR. good times.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:51 PM
On what planet would anyone except Halladay be the Phillies MVP? Hamels #2, Lee #3. Then you could consider a position player (and it would be Victorino, not Howard at #4).
Posted by: Jack | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:52 PM
and here comes the Jroll pop-up in 3,2...
Posted by: mm | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:53 PM
Conshy: You called in to WIP? I hope you immediately took a shower. I take one even if I just listen to those cretins.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:53 PM
'Day Hamels' has been notably better but man this Sox's lineup today is pretty bad. Lots of marginal MLB players and a few 'over-the-hill' vets.
Posted by: MG | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:53 PM
Jack I would never make that deal...If Happ can get Oswalt I think Worley can get a better player than Willingham
Posted by: Get Rube A Beer | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:54 PM
" this Sox's lineup today is pretty bad. Lots of marginal MLB players and a few 'over-the-hill' vets."
Yes, very much like the lineup the Phillies trot out there every day.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:56 PM
4SO in 3IP by Lester ... going to be a long game
Posted by: 3r0ck | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Yeah MG, outside of Ellsbury, Pedroia and Gonzalez, this BOS lineup is really weak.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Jack - that's what i said. the pitching has been special this year while the hitting has not. it's got to be the 3 pitchers then maybe a position player. that position player should likely be victorino.
i said that howard has been a little better than an average 1B for the past 2 years. macnow, i believe, arduetnly disagreed.
donc - i listen but it's kinda like reading clout posts. or like rubbernecking.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Glad to see the Phils brought the bats today!
Posted by: Brian | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:57 PM
JRoll got a smattering of boos last night when he didn't find it necessary to run after a dropped third strike last night. That really pisses me off. He's going to want one last sweet payoff this off-season. You'd think he wouldn't be leaving anything left out on the field. I guess I'm starting to sound my age.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 01:58 PM
ugh, madson redux?
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM
That smarts. Wouldn't be surprised if it stung his hand.
Posted by: MG | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM
By the way, what's Francona thinking batting Darnell McDonald in the 2 hole?
Yeah, Pedroia is a better cleanup hitter than anyone else in the lineup other than A-Gon, but guaranteeing that McDonald gets more ABs than Pedroia is not a good idea.
I hope Hamels is ok, but at least it's the non-pitching hand.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM
Anyone think Lester is mad that people are claiming that Hamels is the best LHP vs Lester himself?
Posted by: Shawn | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM
GRAB: But Happ didn't get Oswalt. It was Happ, plus one of our top 10 prospects, plus our best shortstop prospect. Not to mention that, despite what has happened to him this year, Happ had a better minor league track record, and longer major league track record, than Worley.
People are badly overrating Worley if they think he could be traded straight-up for someone better than Willingham. In reality, Billy Beane would run away laughing if we ever offered him Worley straight-up for Willingham.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:01 PM
well, not his pitching hand, so not the same as madson, but still.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:01 PM
Let's not run away with crazy fantasies of what a Vance Worley deal would net us. He seeems to show he might pan out, but no GM is gonna overpay for him, yet.
Posted by: mm | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:02 PM
Let's wait until the Phillies 6 starter isn't...well, I have no friggin idea who they're 6th starter is right now....before we start talking about trading Worley.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:03 PM
"You called in to WIP? I hope you immediately took a shower. I take one even if I just listen to those cretins."
I don't live close enough to Philly to get WIP. So a couple of weeks ago when I drove in to Philadelphia I turned it on just to get some sports talk.
That lasted all of 5 minutes before I realized that music was a much better option.
Posted by: The Theory | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:04 PM
Fat: Yeah, we're not trading Worley for a half year rental. It wouldn't make sense for the Phillies, given their current pitching situation. And it wouldn't really make sense for the other team, which could undoubtedly get more than Worley for any right-handed outfielder who is any good.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:05 PM
Are they taking Hamels out of the game?
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:05 PM
mm - i agree. still, i'd rather deal a prospect since so few of them actually reach the level that Worley already has. and other GM's are typically seduced by the potential that the prospect has. so it's a win-win.
Posted by: conshy matt | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:05 PM
Ugh, Cole coming out of the game. I cannot believe the injuries.
Posted by: Bob | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:06 PM
is it me or does Pllonco ground out every at bat?
Is he secretly nursing another injury?
Posted by: phanatic's brother | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:08 PM
BAP - Yup. As maybe the best power bat available at the trading deadline, Willingham is going to command more than 4/5 starter with mixed minor league record and limited MLB track record.
Posted by: MG | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:08 PM
ruh-roh! hopefully it's just precautionary since they're already down two pitchers
Posted by: mm | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Ugh
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Hamels out and taking precautionary x-rays. Yeah.
Posted by: MG | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:10 PM
Cole coming out? Watch the offensive explosion. How did he hurt his glove hand? I'm following on gamecast.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:11 PM
I don't care how good Doc and Lee are. Losing Hamels, Oswalt and Blanton simultaneously will be crippling.
Posted by: Fatalotti | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:11 PM
What happened to Hamels?
Posted by: 3r0ck | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:11 PM
Watching Andrew Carpenter and Danys Baez pitch to the RedSox should make for solid entertainment.
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:11 PM
Tim Redding time
Posted by: Scotch Man | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:12 PM
MG & BAP: What game are you guys watching?
Posted by: quincy.mcneal | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Hamels fielded a hot liner up the middle that knocked the glove right off his glove hand.
Posted by: Andy | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Someone please detail what happened to Cole.
Posted by: Dan in Philly | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:14 PM
It was Cole's non-throwing hand, correct? Didn't Jim Abbott manage to pitch despite not even having one of those?
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:14 PM
Glove hand. He then bent calmly over, picked up the ball and threw the guy out.
Posted by: Andy | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:15 PM
Quick, amputate it!
Posted by: Comatose | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:15 PM
Twitter saying it's Hamels RIGHT hand that needs attending to ..... can anyone confirm?
Posted by: 3r0ck | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:15 PM
GTown: Are you questioning Cole's toughness?
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
It has to be broken if they're pulling him for a ball to the glove hand
Posted by: Steve | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
GLOVE HAND = RIGHT HAND
Relaje compadres!
Posted by: Andy | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
That was prescient, Andy.
Posted by: phargo | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
Ronnie Lott it!
Posted by: PhillyJoe | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
Hopefully, Hamels is willing to go the Ronnie Lott route, if necessary.
Posted by: cjp | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:16 PM
donc: I'm questioning Herndon, Baez, etc. vs. the Red Sox.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:17 PM
Is that the same hand he used to punch that guy in the bar a few years ago?
Posted by: bay_area_phan | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:17 PM
Contusion
Posted by: fumphis | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:17 PM
Well, hope he's ok.
Can't imagine many people feeling bad for the 51-30 team having so many injuries.
Posted by: Jack | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:17 PM
It looks like he's gonna pull tru tank god.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:17 PM
Twitter saying it's Hamels RIGHT hand that needs attending to ..... can anyone confirm?
Posted by: 3r0ck
Supposedly it was a Gonzales line drive to Hamels glove.
I suppose those suggestions of trading Worley will stop now.
Posted by: 3r0ck | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:18 PM
Yeah I think Dubee uses the Jim Abbott line on his pitchers to get maximum usage out of them. "you have a fractured glove hand? You should be happy you have a glove hand!! "
Posted by: phanatic's brother | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:18 PM
Gtown: Im not. Total mismatch. Sawx won't know what hit them.
Posted by: donc | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:18 PM
well there goes the sweep
Posted by: Get Rube A Beer | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:18 PM
wtf happened?
Posted by: Get Rube A Beer | Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 02:19 PM