Game chat: Phillies hopin' hittin' season has arrived

Twenty-four hours after the Phillies and Cardinals ratcheted up 23 hits in the Phillies' 10-9 victory Thursday, Cliff Lee (0-2, 2.66) goes in search of his first victory opposite former Phillie Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.91). First pitch is 8:15 as the Memorial Day Weekend arrives in earnest. The Phillies go Rollins SS, Pierre LF, Pence RF, Ruiz C, Victorino CF, Wigginton 1B, Polanco 3B, Galvis 2B. Charlie Manuel has seen the Chooch-as-clean-up-hitter move pay off. Tonight's bottom-half hitters - Wigginton, Polanco, Galvis - enjoyed a nice night Thursday. Enjoy the start of your holiday weekend everyone. [Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Thank God, a new thread.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

What's the O/U tonight? should be about 4.5. I'd be torn on that line but, would take the under.

[Triple AAA]

Why Rollins .. Because we signed him up for a 3yr contract debacle? Is hat why?

The way the current Phillies' contracts we are obligated -no way they can keep Hamel's to stay in the fold?n

[awh]

Hugh, word!

[awh]

Triple AAA, are you really AAA AAA AAA?

That's what "triple" "AAA" means no?

Or do you mean "AAA" which would be written "Triple A"?

[awh]

Tonight's lineup vs. Lohse:

Rollins .200/.273/.300, 33 PA
Pierre .500/.500/.750, 12 PA
Pence .318/.348/.409, 46 PA
Ruiz .227/.227/.273. 22 PA
Victorino .259/.286/.333, 28 PA
Wigginton .533/.533/.600, 15 PA
Polanco .333/.375/.333, 32 PA
Galvis .000/.000/.000, 0 PA

[awh]

Oops, forgot:

Lee .000/.000/.000, 3 PA

[Raul's grandpa]

St.Louis and Phila will be memorializing Rolen's productive years by dedicating a statue of a bottle of Alleve. Rolen, of course, is too sore (physically and emotionally) to attend.

Lee hits a 2-run double tonight.

[Scotch Man]

When you study it, we really lucked out that Rolen didn't take that extension. He had a couple really good seasons in St. Louis but for the most part, seriously declined after his Phillies days were up.

[Triple AAA]

Good point

How bout 6A

[Triple AAA]

9A

[The Hook]

How about no more A

[Scotch Man]

Feeling a loss for my Draft Sheet team

[Scotch Man]

Draft Street that is

[GBrettfan]

Interesting piece about Pence:
http://blogs.delawareonline.com/philledin/2012/05/25/pence-i-dont-feel-like-myself/

[The counsel]

My client asked me to verbally deliver this cease and desist order. Please refrain from using his copyrighted phrases. Thank you

[The counsel for Arthur Fonzarelli.]

Sorry I ruined this joke.

[Triple A]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Thanks Mrs. C

[GTown_Dave]

Love Jimmy in that leadoff spot. What an asset.

[Iceman]

Juan Pierre, finding new and embarrassing ways to get on base.

[Mick O]

Sadly, Jimmy Rollins feels exactly like Jimmy Rollins...

[Let''s go eat]

That j roll -- is that why he is Poppa Pop-up..

[gobaystars!]

Yo JW, the jump to newest comment button isn't working.

Yo, everyone else Jroll pops up much less than you think.

[fumphis]

L. O. L. You can almost see the BABIP fairy hovering around Ruiz's head, waving her magic wand at any ball he puts in play.

[Mick O]

nice easy jog into 3rd there, Pierre....

[Let''s go eat]

John Pete was smart to stop..

2 safe and secures in 1 play

Better listen to Wheels -- he knows baseball..

[GTown_Dave]

... Jroll pops up much less than you think.

He doesn't get on base exactly as much as I think, over 70% of the time.

[bay_area_phan]

"... Jroll pops up much less than you think."

Fangraphs says he's popping out at a career high 17.6% this year. Last year, it was 10.1%. He's also striking out at his highest rate since 2003 and 2nd highest rate of his career. And his line drive percentage and BABIP are exactly the same as last year, so it' not just a matter of bad luck. It's just bad hitting.

[fumphis]

Cards announcers congenitally incapable of not pissing their pants over the strike zone.

[bay_area_phan]

Cardinals' announcers: "You could see that [Rollins single] coming."

They apparently don't watch many Phillies games.

[bay_area_phan]

Juan Pierre reaching on an error is the best of all worlds. It helps the Phillies & his numbers go down.

[GTown_Dave]

Rollins actually provides a tangible service here: preventing Pierre from getting thrown out trying to steal 2B.

[Al Batross]

Has anyone seen Jack? I'd like to falk fo him about RBI

[Raul's grandpa]

I believe in the sack Wheels tells Mrs. Wheels that he is going to "drop the bat head" on her and "cut one in" on her hands. He tells her it is going to be "soooo good" and "kinda goofy".

[bay_area_phan]

Damnit, Wigginton. Even a 25th percentile 1st baseman would have had that.

[GTown_Dave]

Raul's grandpa: But what if he's confronted w/ the "no doubles defense"?

[Santo Galvis]

Ho hum.

[Let''s go eat]

ST. GALVIS !!

[Lance Phillips]

Freaking home plate Umpire extends the inning by given the batter five strikes!

[Raul's grandpa]

He offers the "real good off speed stuff"

[bay_area_phan]

I think that was like a 2-pitch inning for Lohse.

[bay_area_phan]

Great. Another sh*tty outing from Lee.

[Lance Phillips]

Hey! Lets paly a new game.
How many times a year do you think Wheels says:
1)any usage of "Middle in"

2)Any variation of "Lefties are just different"

3)"No doubles defense"

4) Any variation of "It's a goofy game"

[GTown_Dave]

Ugh. It's a Home Run.

[Elephant In The Room]

why does our starting pitching constantly cough up the leads our offense provides?

[Al Batross]

Wow. Lee is really getting squeezed.

[bay_area_phan]

Lee's gonna allow 5 or 6 runs before this is over. He's not the slightest bit sharp tonight.

[Let''s go eat]

Does wheels ever say anything bad about the opponents?

All of a sudden Lee goes into suck mode - all 120+ million dollars worth

[Pblunts]

I'm sure it isn't true statistically and it is just frustration, but Cliff Lee seemingly pisses away more leads than anyone in baseball.

[Five-4-One]

Another super Rollins ab.

[MR]

If that guy's new nickname isn't Pop Rollins....

[GTown_Dave]

Did Vic have an clue where that ball was going? It's a friggin' circus w/ him in this ball park for some reason.

[Five-4-One]

Dont worry vicky, you'll get 15 mil for 4 yrs.

[Five-4-One]

Another ball smoked off Lee.

[MR]

Lee not pitching in bad luck

[bay_area_phan]

I don't think that ball was catchable anyhow, although he could have held him to a double. There's no middle ground with Cliff Lee. He's either unhittable for weeks at a time or he gets pasted for a month straight. Alas, we've entered one of the "pasted" periods.

[GTown_Dave]

Like I said, a f*cking circus.

[Five-4-One]

Wtf?

[bay_area_phan]

I have never seen anything like this. At least not since I was in little league.

[Wheels]

This game is goofy.

[MR]

Cue Benny Hill music

[Let''s go eat]

Keystone Kops. Outfield

[Five-4-One]

Bap, nice description on Lee. Makes you wonder if that contract is truly worth it.

[Lance Phillips]

Nyuck.Nyuck.....look a baseball,throw it to third base Knucklehead! Why,soytainly!

[Five-4-One]

I feel like we are destined for these nightmare games against st louis.

[Jimmy Rollins]

Why can't that happen on any of my fly outs?

[GTown_Dave]

Seasons like this one make you want to dump the whole damn team & start over entirely. I hate guaranteed contracts.

[Dickie Thong]

I hate guaranteed contracts.

Baseball needs football style contracts.

[Let''s go eat]

Wonder how many of these contracts amaro has negotiated have been worth the $$$

[awh]

Cliff Lee is not an elite pitcher tonight.

Thank God for Cole Hamels.

[MR]

Not used to seeing Lee AND Halladay going through non-ace periods

[Scotch Man]

That was some abortion going on in the outfield.

[Five-4-One]

Awh, unfortunately the way amaro has built this team 2 things must happen.

1. Elite pitchers be elite
2. The defense cant be losing popups in the lights

[GTown_Dave]

"Abortions In The Outfield" would make an excellent title for this season's official Phillies DVD.

[bay_area_phan]

"Bap, nice description on Lee. Makes you wonder if that contract is truly worth it."

Disagree. He may be more streaky than other dominant starters, but I don't think his number of dud games is appreciably higher. On an overall basis, he has still been one of the top 5 pitchers in baseball for the last 4 years.

[Five-4-One]

Apparently sarge and vince have the same stylist.

[Five-4-One]

Bap, my jury wasnt out yet. Just saying that i wonder about where he truly ranks.

[eye in the sky]

cardinals broadcast catch "heated exchange" btw lee and victorino.

[GTown_Dave]

I'm about sick of seeing Chooch get hit, too.

[Dom Brown]

I can drop routine fly balls with the best of them. Call me up!

[Scotch Man]

Anyone else see Lee and Victorino exchanging pleasantries in the dugout?

[Fatalotti]

Cliff Lee was telling Victorino to breathe when he speaks. No one can f#cking understand a word he's saying.

[Five-4-One]

Yeah scotch, but tbag wants everyone to know there's nothing to it. Cause you know tbag knows everything thats happening in the dugout.

[lets go eat]

i cant blame Lee - for getting pissed off.

the phils are in their no hit offense mode.

[GTown_Dave]

Hamels is a paragon of calm, while Halladay & Lee increasingly lose their sh*t. This season is about to veer irrevocably into the Twilight Zone.

[Five-4-One]

Credit too cliff for settling in.

[Scotch Man]

Found footage on YouTube already!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RfMVu-bfng

[GTown_Dave]

Lee at 96 Pitches (68 Strikes, 28 Balls). I say let him bat -- none of the PH options are any better -- & have him start the 7th w/ a pitcher already up in the 'pen.

[Clifton Phifer Lee]

I shoulda stayed in Texas.

[GBrettFan]

I'd be pissed if I were Lee, too - - not even at Vic for losing balls in the lights as much as for pitching my arse off to the tune of a, what is it now? 2.75 ERA maybe? and having no wins to show for it. Vic would be an easy target to vent anger on after those bumbled plays in the field, whether or not it's difficult to pick up the ball.

[bay_area_phan]

"I say let him bat -- none of the PH options are any better."

I know it seems true but it isn't. I would pinch hit.

[GBrettFan]

Even were Cliff Lee coming out of the game, it's smart to let him hit first.

[bay_area_phan]

Well, never mind. What do I know?

[GBrettFan]

His BA was .306-.308 last I checked.

[The Hook]

And poppa pop out will don just that. If I was lee I would shut my mouth Vic will mma his ass.

[GTown_Dave]

Should've PH for Rollins. Hardly any of the options could be worse. And Lee just proved he's a smarter runner than Juan Pierre ... not that it should be considered much of a feat.

[Scotch Man]

I swear La Russa still runs the Cards via text messages to Matheny's phone

[GTown_Dave]

Attaboy, Cliff!

[Fatalotti]

Juan Pierre can hit for extra bases?

[lets go eat]

john peter - you are the man!