Game chat: Veteran Phillies roll into season's final set

Tonight's game thread is dedicated to the veterans who've helped the Phillies finish strong, including Jonathan Papelbon, who is riding a season-best 12-game scoreless streak, Jimmy Rollins, whose eight September homers tied for third most in the National League, Carlos Ruiz, who is hitting .410 with runners in scoring position, and Chase Utley, who is hitting .347 over his last 21 games. Cheers to the veterans as we head into the final three games. [Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[Willard Preacher]

"Jump to the newest comments"

That's pretty funny, there, JW.

[SLO Phan]

Werth only has 31 RBIs and 5 homers this year?

[SLO Phan]

OK, if KK gets Bryce out here, then we have good KK tonight.

[SLO Phan]

Yes! Good KK is here!

[Willard Preacher]

Good KK is great, but have you seen the lineup?

0-0 tie into extras, perhaps?

[SLO Phan]

I dislike Lannan. I think he's got a high Punchable Face Factor.

[SLO Phan]

Ruf!!!

[Willard Preacher]

Damn that kid hits the ball hard. You can't teach that.

[Fido]

RUF RUF RUF!!!

[GTown_Dave]

Harper's enthusiastic enough, but every time I've seen him play he has done something awkward in the field. Just not very good defensively.

[Unikruk]

Ruf has some tremendous natural power.

[GTown_Dave]

And so far as the "veterans" go, I'd rather they had deigned to show up when the Phillies really needed it, namely during the first 3 mos. of the season. A strong finish does not negate a piss-poor start.

[GBrettFan]

I wasn't able to post earlier, but do you think maybe RAJ is as tired of Mayberry as I am? Do I expect too much of him? He underwhelms me.

[AlexRosie]

I don't know what makes me happier, Ruf stroking a triple or Bryce Harper's face after a 2 run triple is hit his way.

[MG]

Ruf's now has a 7-game hitting streak and 4 XBH over those 7 starts.

[GTown_Dave]

Ruf is a pretty good ballplayer, or at least he has been thus far. Fun to watch.

[Chesty Morgan]

Ruf sure organizationally filled that ball.

[curt]

There's no way Ruf should have been able to hit that pitch that far to left center field. It was off the plate and probably low.

[donc]

Tuned in late. How did Ruf end up with a triple? Love the guy's bat but man is he slow. Misplay?

[Meyer]

What are Ruf's prospects. (Don't ask the experts).

[Willard Preacher]

donc, he mashed a ball by Harper into left center.

[donc]

You were saying GBF?

[Unikruk]

I don't believe in Zimmermann!

[Willard Preacher]

So, we sign Pagan, Hamilton and go with a Brown/Ruf platoon next year?

Whatever it takes to not see Mayberry BenFrann'ing up this offense anymore.

[GBrettFan]

Exactly, donc.

[Meyer]

Seems as if Ruf would kill a pitch he was expecting right now. He makes good contact when he has 2 strikes.

[donc]

Thanks WP. Just trying to picture him making it all the way to third. I think he should start switch hitting. He would remind me of Lance Berkman. He sure looks like him anyway.

[GBrettFan]

Nice play by MM. Filled in well for Jimmy there.

[Willard Preacher]

The thing I love about Ruf is his batter's eye. He rarely looks like he's "guessing" or that he made his mind up that he'd swing before the pitch (not naming any names...). For a guy with power, he has a great eye, too.

[GBrettFan]

Chris Branch ‏@ChrisBranchTNJ
John Mayberry Jr.: 2 for 2 thus far in GIDPs.

[UBIK]

What's the single game record for GIDPs?

[curt]

Not sure who I want to see gone more in 2013 - MM or Mayberry. MM is somewhat less skilled, but at least Cholly never pretends that he's a top of the order hitter. Unfortunately, they'll both be haunting the team next year.

[Willard Preacher]

GBF, that play alone signifies seven more years of bad luck (RAJ will likely sign Mini to an extension before the 5th inning).

[Meyer]

WTF, Ruf may as reveal the fact that he's secretly a switch-hitter.

[NEPP]

Maybe Ruf is actually good enough to have a role next year.

[Willard Preacher]

Kendrick is having one of his "get you to believe that he'll be an effective starter next year" starts. And since it's his last start this year, he'll save the poo-poo platter encore for his first few starts of 2013.

[Willard Preacher]

NEPP, I'm half joking, but they could do a lot worse than a Brown/Ruf platoon.

The downside is that you really do want the kid to get regular AB's (Brown, too, I suppose, even though he's not so young anymore...).

[Unikruk]

Curt, you're kidding, right? Coming into tonight,

Mayberry 88 OPS+
Martinez 26 OPS+

And that's the rawest of looks.

[GBrettFan]

I do still have some hope for Dom Brown.

[Meyer]

S8ht, Lans will walk him.

[Willard Preacher]

Mayberry had that stretch where it looked like he was finally putting it together, too, then it all fell back apart.

That's what's maddening about JMJ. He's uber-streaky, but when he's hitting, he can really rake. It's just so damn sporadic. He's like a poor man's Pat Burrell.

[Kutztown Fan]

First intentional walk for Ruf? Does he get to keep that ball?

[Willard Preacher]

Wiggy looks like the dude who plays Al Capone on Boardwalk Empire. Though, I'd rather have Al C out there on the basepaths, because there's no way he's slower.

[GBrettFan]

IBB to Ruf so they can pitch to MM. Could it be that the Nats have figured out that MM does not carry a big stick?

[Meyer]

8pelling.

[Willard Preacher]

It doesn't count when Mini Mart is batting behind you, unfortunately.

[Cyclic]

at 229, a "much better" RH hitter

so say the nats announcers

[Andrew]

I wonder if that walk had more to do with Ruf or Mini Mart.

[GTown_Dave]

Great. Martinez. Just who you want at the plate bases loaded, 1 out.

[can_of_corn]

This is what bugs me about MiniMart. Even if he can't hit, he could at least try better to have some good at bats.

[Meyer]

Nats, Mini,
Bet, Double Play.

[Cyclic]

HAHAHA

[SLO Phan]

MM sucks so badly.

[GBrettFan]

I don't know how Charlie can seriously believe he's playing to win with Wiggy & MM in the lineup. At the same time.

[GTown_Dave]

If that sack of sh*t is so much as invited to Spring Training next year I swear I will take hostages.

[Willard Preacher]

Dear Lord how is this guy still collecting an MLB paycheck?

And what in the hell did Orr do to get buried behind this joke?

[GBrettFan]

Which one, GTown? Wiggy or MM?

[NEPP]

So, Mini Mart wont be back next year, right?

[GBrettFan]

Wigginton could at least have run into the out. He stopped and started walking into the out. Bench him, Charlie!

[MG]

Mayberry can help this team if he is primarily used off the bench and starts vs LHP.

Mini Mart can't.

[GTown_Dave]

GBrettFan: Martinez. Even Wigginton is a HoFer by comparison.

[MG]

KK hasn't pitched particuarly well so far but he's gotten through unscathed so far.

[GBrettFan]

I feel like we are going to lose. It will be some kind of baseball karma for all the men stranded on base with GIDPs.

[can_of_corn]

Nope. MM will be back next year doing the same thing he's doing in tonight's lineup...protecting Ruf.

[donc]

I know why LaRoche plays baseball instead of football. He has nothing to fill a chin strap.

[Billy Bean]

Ruf is gonna look might good in an A's uniform next year.

[EastFallowfield]

Unikruk...Plastic Ono Band fan?

[Kber]

Seriously, how is MM on this team?

[bay_area_phan]

I knew GTown was talking about Mini-Mart, since his post came right after Mini-Mart killed that rally. But, as a general rule, one should be specific when using the phrase "sack of sh*t" to describe a player on the Phillies. It is an unclear pronoun reference which might describe about half the players on the team.

[Will Schweitzer]

To all of you who have the audacity to enjoy watching Darin Ruf play baseball or (gasp) dare to speculate that he may have a role on next year's club, need I remind you that he's not a REAL prospect.

I know, because an anonymous jackass on the internet told me so.

It amazes me how long clout has gotten a free pass on this board by copying and pasting things that he or she Googles and pretending that he or she has the slightest idea of what they're speaking about.

[Unikruk]

EFF, you always were one of my favorites here.

[GTown_Dave]

b_a_p: Point well taken. I shall observe proper protocol in the future.

[Cyclic]

You can tell they have a chance to clinch the NL East tonight. That stadium looks PACKED.

[donc]

BAP: An entire sack can only mean one guy. A piece can be any number of people. A big piece, well...

[GBrettFan]

Hey, Mayberry didn't GIDP! It wasn't possible to do so, but nevertheless. He didn't even ground out at all.

Come on, Chase!

[GTown_Dave]

I think donc's on to something here. The Phillies have The Big Piece (Howard), & The Big Piece Of Sh*t (Martinez).

[GBrettFan]

Darn. I wanted more runs. I also want Chase to hit HR #200. And for the Nats to lose.

[Cyclic]

Wow, he hasn't hit Utley yet. Something is wrong with Lannan.

[donc]

That's all I'm saying GTown.

[bay_area_phan]

"The Phillies have The Big Piece (Howard), & The Big Piece Of Sh*t (Martinez)."

Since we're talking about gradations of sh*t, with a sack being larger than a piece, I would argue that Wigginton should be the Big Piece of Sh*t, whereas Mini-Mart is the Big Sack.

[can_of_corn]

Just give Tbag any mundane topic and he's off and running. Had I not been watching and just listening to audio, I would have sworn the last inning was not a baseball game, but a few guys making conversation about jersey sales.

[Hiccup]

Come on Phillies

[GTown_Dave]

The presence of Wigginton is seriously harshing my attempt at codification.

[GBrettFan]

Our stupid errors are pissing me off big-time. KK's screwing himself there.

[GTown_Dave]

These damn pitchers need extra practice throwing to 1B ... or even better yet, holding on to the damn ball.

[Hiccup]

Howard's status;
Broken toe incurred in batting circle to compliment last years ruptured Achilles heel in batters box; next year infected ass cheek caused by splinter from bench in dugout.

[Scott]

Our players will not be satisfied until they piss this away.

[donc]

Sit down Teen Wolf!

[Scott]

SIT DOWN, MEAT!!

[GBrettFan]

Nice K, KK!

[donc]

Wonder if Suzuki ever hit for the cycle?

[bullit]

i love kk's stoicism on the mound. but that so of werth brought the subtlest of smiles to his face for just a second.

[Meyer]

Let's get Ruf to the plate boys.

[Hiccup]

Memo to Manual:
Check with Ruben before Spring training to see if team is playing with a full deck and if not make so moves ASAP instead of waiting till they are 16 back..

[Conway Twitty]

Good move by KK to put RISP for Werth.

[can_of_corn]

It's actually hard to believe we're winning this 2-0. It's even more remarkable that the reason we're winning is a AA guy.

[GTown_Dave]

Remember when Wigginton did that awesome thing & everyone was like, "Wow, what a great player! I'm so glad r00b signed him!"?

Neither does anyone else.

[NEPP]

You cant say we didnt know what we would be getting with Wigginton:

2009: 86 OPS+
2010: 98 OPS+
2011: 86 OPS+
2012: 84 OPS+

He's been pretty consistently sh!tty the last 4 years now.

[Cyclic]

Nats announcers are certainly worse than ours.

[Meyer]

Kendrick needs a 15 pitch inning.