Right-handers Tommy Hanson and Kyle Kendrick have the honors when the Phillies open a crucial home set with the Wild Card leading Braves. First pitch is 7:05.
Beerleaguer: Time out to recognize Jimmy Rollins, who's been a September star and arguably the key reason why the Phils have stayed in the hunt. The press notes supply the details. He's hit safely in 16 of 18 September games. Check out these numbers: .338/.412/.662 with seven homers and 18 runs scored this month, some of the best production in the league this month. Simply one hell of a player with an incredible high motor. Lineup: Rollins SS, Pierre LF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Ruiz C, Brown RF, Mayberry CF, Frandsen 3B. Kendrick tries to rebound from a rough outing in Houston. [Jump to the newest comments]
It's easy for me to hate the Brewers. Not sure why.
Posted by: Meyer | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:47 PM
If you take the time to look at it, there are a lot of similarities between our 2007 Phillies and the 2011 World Series Champion Cardinals.
Both made the playoffs with help on the last day. Both had only 29 losses, Post-ASG. Both had great offenses, timely hitting, and just enough pitching to get by.
Posted by: sdphillie | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:47 PM
Phils on a 16-5 run. Sure, they should have beaten Houston more, but hard to get too mad at them for not going 19-2, considering how awful they are.
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:49 PM
3 back with 11 to play. After the Appollo 11 debacle in Houston last week, I can live with that. And this is one of those nights when all of the stars seem to be aligning in the WC chase. Nice job, boys.
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:49 PM
F*cking Nationals. Useless franchise.
Posted by: GTown_Dave | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:49 PM
The Nats won the East?
Posted by: Meyer | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:52 PM
Braun should man up like Melky and remove himself from the team for the next 50 games. Who saw that turnaround coming......
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:52 PM
Harold Reynolds on MLB Tonight 5 days ago..."If the Phillies somehow make it to the post-season they win it all." Harold Reynolds. MLB Tonight.
Posted by: Lance Phillips | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:52 PM
Guess the Brewers aren't ready to roll over just yet...
Meyer, yeah, I was thinking I'd root for the Brewers if the Phillies don't make it, but watching this game now, I remembered I can't stand 'em. Something about being so good and not the Phillies.
Posted by: Brooklyn Phillies | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:54 PM
Meyer, no the Nats haven't won the East yet. They have qualified for the post season though.
Posted by: Mike G | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:54 PM
The Dodgers are though. Come on Reds.
Posted by: Brooklyn Phillies | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:55 PM
At some point in time with Chooch back,Utley short-stroking the ball out of the park,Howard getting his stroke back. Halliday,Lee,Hamels and Kendricks blowing batters away.
Maybe it's time for Beerleaguers to revise that assessment of just how bad this team is.
Posted by: Lance Phillips | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:56 PM
Okay, scratch that' "stars aligning" nonsense......
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:56 PM
Ok, I hope the Nats win the East soon. LIke this weekend.
Posted by: Meyer | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 09:58 PM
Come on LaRoche!
Posted by: Mike G | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:01 PM
Stinking Nats coughed it up. I always found them annoying, but now I think I hate them. Yuck.
Posted by: aksmith | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:09 PM
Brewers ------------- ROYAL P.I.T.A
Posted by: buy sell | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:11 PM
Ricky Bottalico suggest the Phils should ride Halladay tomorrow?
I be happy if he can give them 7 IP and 3 ER or better. Done that only twice in his last 5 starts.
Posted by: MG | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:14 PM
Ride Halladay? If he pitches half as well as Cloyd and Kendrick just did, I'd be thrilled. It is unlikely that he is healthy enough to do so.
Hope for the best. And don't get seats too near the field because there may be some laser beams smashing into the stands.
Posted by: aksmith | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:18 PM
I'll give Halladay the benefit of the doubt as this will be his last serious start. Go Roy.
Posted by: Meyer | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:21 PM
F'n Dodgers just went up 3-1 in top of 10th. Crap
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:23 PM
At least the Cardinals lost.
Posted by: Brooklyn Phillies | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:28 PM
Just when it looked like we would be the only ones gaining’ ground
The brew and the dudes come back and the nats/reds bp comes up small
Posted by: buy sell | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:30 PM
Amen, Brooklyn. And that was a minor miracle for the Cubbies.
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:31 PM
Also, we are talking about the teams in the NL this year, not 2007. There were some tough teams in the NL in 2007, '08 and '09. This year, not so much.
The Nats are all starting pitching. That would be a really gritty, tough series against two teams that know each other very well. They have played them well in the second half. Just swept them. Knocked Zimmerman around. They'd have a chance here.
The Reds are a very good team with a good bullpen. Over two series the Phils essentially fought them to a draw. Reds probably get a slight edge in this series since they'll have Votto, but ther starting pitching is simply not as good. The Phils could win this series.
Play in games against the Braves...whatever. I won't take the Braves seriously until I see them win some games late in the year. Year after year this team is garbage in September. We've seen the Phils get to their bullpen. They have as good a chance as anyone against Kimbrel- they've seen him enough and had as much success as you could hope for. I'd like them to win this game, even on the road.
Only team that I would think they'd have a real problem against is SF, for all the same nightmarish reasons as 2010. But they're the only team I wouldn't want to see. The other ones I'd take my chances against with this team.
Posted by: Iceman | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:32 PM
Hey, imagine what it must feel like to be a Pirates fan! Bad enough they have dropped like a rock in the playoff hunt, they appear to be heading to another sub-.500 finish. Talk about ugly...
Posted by: BMS | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:36 PM
And I also wouldn't write off Halladay to be borderline-vintage in October. Would be pitching on some cool nights, against lineups he's had success against. He likes the spotlight. He might not be no-hitter Halladay, but he'd be a pretty damn good Game 3 starter.
Posted by: Iceman | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:36 PM
I would never count out pitchers with the talent of a Lee, Hamels, and Halladay. They can stumble in games, but they can certainly rise to the top as well. I know we can't afford any losses at this point so we'll probably be mad if any one of them doesn't pitch up to their elite status, but it's a shame we're in such tight quarters. Of course it's better to still have a chance - even if it is a slim one - than no chance at all.
Posted by: Phillies Dude | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:43 PM
Game 3? I think that off Halladay's shoulder problems and Kendrick's second half, I'd go with Kendrick. Next season, all bets are off. But other than a slip in Houston, Kendrick is the hot pitcher and Halladay has been much more inconsistent.
Most teams haven't seen a lot of Kendrick's improved changeup, and until they have, that gives him a big advantage. Every team has seen a bunch of Halladay's stuff back when it was better stuff.
Like I said, next season, Halladay is an ace until proven otherwise. But for now, Kendrick is the better, healthier and more reliable pitcher.
Posted by: aksmith | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:43 PM
Some of my aunts and uncles are Pirates fans. I'm sure they aren't surprised.
Posted by: Brooklyn Phillies | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:44 PM
Don't know if this was previously mentioned - but was reading a Dodgers Blog and discovered that Shane Victorino was benched tonight and didn't start in a big game against the Reds. Dodger fans were happy about that. Not sure Shane will be in Dodgers blue after this season.
Posted by: Phillies Dude | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 10:59 PM
Kendrick has a wealth of playoff experience.
Posted by: Meyer | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 11:00 PM
ThePhillies starting pitching has been great since the All-Star Break when they started their push back to contention.
Lee: 5-2 ... 2.53 era
Kendrick: 7-3 ... 2.73 era
Hamels: 5-2 ... 2.85 era
Halladay: 6-2 ... 4.07 era
Posted by: Phillies Dude | Friday, September 21, 2012 at 11:23 PM
Yo, new thread
Posted by: EastFallowfield | Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 06:41 AM