Saturday chat: Irene knocking on Philly's doorstep

Preview: After a ninth-inning rally fell short in Friday night's loss to the Marlins, Roy Halladay and the Phillies look to get back on track this afternoon beginning at 1:05. However, the threat of rain looms heavily as Irene has already begun to dump heavy moisture across the region. If the game starts on schedule, the Phils will line up like this: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Pence RF, Mayberry, Jr LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS. Wilson Valdez, who smacked his first homer of the season Friday, is having a good month, hitting .279/.333/.512 while filling in at both third and short. Valdez will continue to see time at short as Jimmy Rollins is unlikely to return Sept. 6, according to reports. Meanwhile, Halladay is having his worst statistical month, in large part because of a .410 August BABIP.

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Comments

[rauls grandpa]

"You got served" -Halladay, crossing his arms and pointing at Hanley.

[MG]

'Gnome' likely in the near future. It is raining steady here in West Chester now with endless bands of rain on the Doppler Radar on AccuWeather.

[bay_area_phan]

Both games will likely be rained out and tomorrow's game is already off. Feels like we're going to spend this entire weekend discussing whether Oswalt should have stayed in the game.

[MG]

Almost a certainty now that the Sept 15th game is going to be a doubleheader now too.

Starting Monday, the Phils don't have another off-day this year and will play 33 games in 31 days.

[EastFallowfield]

Well, we can also discuss how scary the Braves, Brewers, D'backs, Yankees and Red Sox are.

[MG]

Per Philly Daily News

"Jimmy Rollins (groin) is moving around better but is unlikely to return when first eligible on September 6."

I would imagine he is back the weekend they return home the weekend of Sept 17-18.

[bay_area_phan]

All these makeup games tell me one thing: MLB has to do away with the rule which allows the teams themselves to decide whether or not to immediately make up a cancelled game.

The Phillies & Nats game was rained out on Sunday, August 14. Monday, August 15 was an off day for both teams & Washington is only a short bus trip away from Philly. There was absolutely no reason in the world not to make up that game immediately, except that Washington didn't want to do so. So they punted the makeup into September, further crowding up an already-booked September schedule which will now somehow have to find room for as many as 3 more games.

[GBrettfan]

Can they play that many games? I thought there was a union rule about having at least 1 day off a month? Might they not forego the game unless it becomes necessary?

[A-Train]

There are at least 2 million reasons why the don't want to skip this game.

[A-Train]

I was at the rain game in '77. I have tickets for today too. It feels like the same thing. They shouldn't play the game but will b/c of money.

[Bake McBride was Here]

So, do I spend the afternoon getting stuff out of the basement in case it floods or sitting on the sofa watching this game?

[Phlipper]

Do I still have time to climb one of the towers on the Ben Franklin before they shut down the bridges into Jersey?

[Old Phan]

Phlipper, yes, but wear your raincoat!

[Phlipper]

Good point, OP. I wouldn't want to get wet before I land in the Delaware.

[whitey]

cut_fastball, you didn't say the decision was stupid, you called Charlie a dope. There is a difference.

[Bake McBride was Here]

"Well, we can also discuss how scary the Brave"s, Brewers, D'backs, Yankees and Red Sox are."

Weirdly, I might actually be bothered most if the Phillies were to lose (not that it's going to happen, fingers crossed, fingers crossed . . .) to the Brewers out of all those teams, now that they have Morgan and Ass-Rod. And I actually liked the Brewers until this year.

[NEPP]

Gnome graphic upcoming?

Already pouring and its not gonna get better. Have they officially cancelled it yet?

[A-Train]

I just talked to a friend who is at the ball park. He said the tarp is on the field and nobody is warming up.

[Mike G]

From the previous thread:

If you can't bring yourself to say that the decision to leave Oswalt in the game was the game's deciding factor, then you are just determined to never find fault with anything Cholly does. But that's fine. Posted by: bay_area_phan | Saturday, August 27, 2011

What I'm saying is that Charlie's decision was one of the deciding factors, not the deciding factor. The only way it is the deciding factor is if it was impossible for him to make the other decision, bringing in Herndon, and get the same result.

[NEPP]

Did Rube roll out of bed or something?

[Bake McBride was Here]

They're going to call this thing.

[Old Phan]

Does not look promising.

[Rube]

No, I am still in bed.

[EastFallowfield]

Well, at least Doc didn't warm up. Looks like the Reds will get to see some version of the big 3.

[whitey]

game = over?

[Scratch]

It's amazing that they haven't postponed this game yet. Just look at the radar.

[HammRadio]

there will be zero 3 hour window for this game today. You gotta postpone. Leave it unscheduled... and deal with it...

[HammRadio]

bring on the gnome. game banged.

[Old Phan]

Game=Cancelled

[Bake McBride was Here]

Ends with a whimper.

[NEPP]

2 days of Gnome...should be interesting.

[Old Phan]

Weekend=No Baseball.
Not good.

[Rich D]

Rained out. Now we hunker down for the hurricane. No Phils until Monday, then we have 32 games in 31 days.

[HammRadio]

this is like the all star break without bi8ching about Bochy

[GTown_Dave]

Complete assh*le move on the part of the Phillies to wait so long until cancelling. Greed is one thing, but this was greedy & reckless.

[EastFallowfield]

Yo, new thread

[Meyer]

Lot's of time for the boys some decisions regarding the September roster. I'd go with the full 40 man call-up bench for September. Fill the benches with some AAAA'ers, some Scrappers, a couple Gamers, several Brawlers and sign Godzilla and now.

[Meyer]

that is, to make some decisions