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Raul Ibanez hammered a walk off home run on Sunday afternoon scoring Ryan Howard in front of him to give the Phillies a come from behind 5 to 4 win.  The Padres had built up a 4 to 0 lead but home runs by Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, ( a pinch hit for J-Roll, his first pinch hit bomb in his career), brought the Fightins back to within one.

Chan Ho Park pitched better in this game, his second start of the season, but still gave up four runs on eight hits in five innings of work.  J.A. Happ threw three scoreless innings in relief and Clay Condrey picked up the mound win with a scoreless ninth inning of work.

Ryan Howard had three hits in the game and Ibanez had two.  Howard is hitting .386 in the early going.

Chatter

Monday’s game was postponed due to rain, it will be made up later in the season.. San Diego thus will have to make another trip to Philadelphia as they were only scheduled to be here this one time this season.  Carlos Ruiz is eligible to come off the disabled list next week and will probably begin his rehab assignment this coming  weekend in the minor leagues.  Jamie Moyer will take the hill tommorrow night at Citizen’s Bank Park against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Cole Hamels took the ball as the starting pitcher in the Fightin’s fourth game of the season and continued the trend of poor outings by the starting staff.  Hamels was touched for seven runs on eleven hits and lasted only 3 and 2/3 innings before being lifted.  Hamels gave up multiple extra base hits including a two run tater to Garrett Atkins.   He was far from sharp, poor pitch location and had no velocity whatsoever as his fastball was consistently in the 85-86 range and only a few times reached 90.  That led to little distinction between the heater and his meal ticket pitch, the changeup, and  therefore allowed the Rockies to tee off.

Meanwhile the Phillies bats were relatively silent other than Jayson Werth who had four  hits  including a dinger and Chase Utley who posted two hits, Werth scored all three Phillie runs.   Ryan Howard had a really bad day as he grounded into three double plays !    Give the Rockies starter Jason Marquis credit though as he tossed seven innings only allowing five hits.  J.A. Happ and Clay Condrey threw scoreless innings in relief for the Phillies but Chad Durbin got hit around a bit in the eighth giving up three runs.

  Back at ‘em tommorrow with Brett Myers making his second start this year for the Phillies.

The Rockies home field has an enourmous outfield playing area by design due to the high altitude, outfielders sure have to be on their horse to play on that field !  What seem like routine fly balls drift forever and end up on the warning track, this on a field where the foul poles are some 350 feet away down each line !

Chatter

Carlos Ruiz left the game early with what was reported as a strained right oblique.  The thing the team avoided last season was injuries for signficant periods,  I have my doubts that Mr. Hamels is entirely healthy right now and if Ruiz missses any signficant time we may see young Lou Marson in the show sooner than one would have thought.  Not a good sign albeit early yet.

The Phillies signed ex San Francisco Giant pitcher Tyler Walker to a minor league contract, he reported to Lehigh Valley in Triple A.  Walker had been released by the Seattle Mariners at the end of spring training, he may be called upon later in the season for bullpen assistance…….. if our starting pitching keeps up the pace they are at we will need alot of relievers !

Last season the Phillies started the season 0 and 2 against a division rival.   This season has started the same as the Fightins went down for the second time this young season against the Atlanta Braves.

Jamie Moyer started on the hill for the Phillies but was tagged for four runs in five innings as he yielded eight hits including a first inning solo home run to Kelly Johnson on the game’s first pitch and a fifth inning solo blast to Chipper Jones.  Moyer was far from sharp but you can’t win if you can’t score and the Fightin’s offense is scuffling right now.  

The Phillies left 11 runners on base and were limited to six hits, two each for Ryan Howard and Chase Utley.  Raul Ibanez had the only extra base hit for the Phillies, a double.   The only bright spots on the night for the Phillies was the work of the bullpen.  Chan Ho Park, Jack Taschner and Clay Condrey combined to pitch four scoreless innings.

Jair Jurrjens threw five and two thirds innings for Atlanta and was supported by four Brave relievers to earn the combined shutout.

Chatter

Joe Blanton will take the pill tommorrow afternoon in attempting to avoid the sweep and lead the team to the first 2009 win.  Championship rings will be distributed prior to the game, Pat Burrell will be on hand as the Rays are playing in Boston and the Phillies have paid the tab to bring him here for the ceremony and then get him back in time to Fenway to play the game there.  Classy move.

On one of the saddest days in Eagle fan’s history, the day our heart and soul, Mr. Brian Dawkins…..alias Weapon X decided to take the money and signed with the Denver Broncos another now former Philly hero made his first appearance against us.  Pat Burrell and the Tampa Bay Rays played against the Fightin’s in Clearwater for the first time this spring.   Burrell had two at bats as the DH and got one hit.  The Phillies hammered the Rays, however, as the posted five runs in the first inning led by dingers from Ryan Howard, John Mayberry Jr. and Miguel Cairo.  The final count in the game was 12 to 5.

Mayberry, Cairo and Howard had two hits apiece to lead a 13 hit Phillies attack and help earn the team’s first win of the spring.  On the hill Kyle Kendrick tossed two and two thirds innings in the start followed by five relievers.  Of the relievers philly native Mike Koplove, a non roster invitee and Clay Condrey were most impressive as they each threw a scoreless inning.

The defending champions, damn I like writing that!, are now 1 and 3 on the spring as they dropped a game on Friday against Cincinatti in which starter Drew Carpenter did not make it out of the first inning.   That game’s final count was a 10 to 3 loss but most of the Phillies lineup did not contain the regulars as it was a “road game” and in the spring many of the “starters” on each club do not go to the away games, only two are required per team to be in the lineup and Shane Victorino and Raul Ibanez represented on the two hour trip south of Clearwater to Sarasota.  J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson had good outings on the hill for the Fightins in that one.

Chatter

Jayson Werth has yet to make his spring debut, he was taking a bit longer to get his legs in condition and was scheduled to play against the Rays but suffered a shoulder sprain pre-game.  He is day to day at this point.  John Mayberry Jr. has gotten the early notice as a standout early in the spring, he is swinging the bat well and has demonstrated he can play the outfield…….perhaps a darkhorse to make the club as a right handed bat option off the bench ?

I am down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the week and no not for golf!  My son’s college team, Eastern University is here to play their spring schedule at Cal Ripken’s baseball facility.  Ripken built a state of the art baseball complex in Myrtle Beach that has seven fields within.   My son is a senior at Eastern, the previous three years the spring trip has been to Florida, this year is a bit different.  Only problem thus far with South Carolina is that when I arrived yesterday it was pouring rain and they are calling for snow tonite……….. not good baseball weather !   It is supposed to warm up as the week progresses though.

For those who are interested and in the area I will be doing book signings of my book “2008 Philadelphia Phillies – A Poetic Season” at the Neumann College Bookstore on March 31st from 10 to 2 and also at the Kennett Bookstore in Kennett Square, PA on 4/4/09 from 11 to 3.   I will have more book signings coming at the BC Sports stores in King of Prussia, Exton and Havertown but dates have yet to be determined.   Lastly the Lehigh Valley Iron PIgs are kicking off opening the stadium for the 2009 ticket drive this week and my book is also available for sale within their store!  Give it a read, a great recap of the championship glory game by game !   You can order online at www.authorpotter.com also.

One  more footnote :   My new buddy Jim Nelson, ex pro linebacker in the NFL is also carrying my book in his Big League Haircuts stores at Exton, Westtown and Chestnut Hill.   It is also available at Chester County Bookstore in West Goshen, Caln Pizza and Pasta in Thorndale , Giordano’s Sports Bar in Kennett Square and Brother’s Pizza in West Chester.  Please frequent these fine establishments and pick up a copy!

The Milwaukee Brewers came out with the perfect approach against Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer as they were very patient and made Moyer throw strikes.  The Brewers plated two runs in the first inning as Prince Fielder hit a sacrifice fly to score Mike Cameron and J.J. Hardy singled to plate Bill Hall.  Both Cameron and Hall had reached on walks.   Those were the only runs scored thru four innings as Brewer starter Dave Bush was getting the Phillies out on “at ‘em” balls.  The Phillies hit the ball hard on many occassions but right at Brewer fielders whom to thier credit made every play.

Moyer was pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth.  He threw only four innings but amassed 90 pitches as the Brewer hitters worked many 3-2 counts.   Milwaukee scored one more in the bottom of the fifth off reliever Clay Condrey.    The Phillies scored in the sixth as Jayson Werth tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a groundout by Ryan Howard.  The Brewers scored again in the seventh off of Scott Eyre as Jason Kendall plated J.J. Hardy who had led off the inning with his third hit of the game. 

The Brewer bullpen was once again dominant as they did not give up a run in four and 2/3 innings of work.  Solomon Torres closed the game out for Milwaukee to earn the save.

Chatter

The Milwaukee fans mostly stood thru the entire game, they showed alot of heart and were very loud in their support of the home team.  The Brewers threw big time leather in this game, specifically Craig Counsel at second and Bill Hall at third.     I think that game four is as much of a must win for the Phillies as it is for the Brewers, if Milwaukee can win they gotta like thier chances with C.C. Sabbathia coming back a second time, the Phillies would counter with Cole Hamels which would be a great matchup but not one I want to sit on the edge of my seat for !  Big game tommorrow with Joe Blanton scheduled to take the ball for the Fightins and Jeff Suppan for Milwaukee.

Unlike in the first two games of this series Jimmy Rollins started this one by getting a hit. Rollins singled to lead off the game but was stranded in the first, however he led off the top of the third with a double and scored ahead of Chase Utley’s home run to put the Fightins up 2 -0. The Phillies added another run in the fourth as Jimmy Rollins got his third hit of the game to score Carlos Ruiz. Florida’s defense again hurt them as right fielder Cody Ross dropped an easy fly ball hit by pitcher Jamie Moyer that would have been the third out of the inning before Rollins would have come to bat !

The Marlins scored a run in the home sixth as Josh Willingham crossed the plate on a flare single by Alfredo Amezaga. Staff Ace Jamie Moyer gave the Phillies another quality start as he went six innings holding the Marlins to only one run. Moyer baffles the young Marlin hitters with location, change of speed and savvy, I am sure they are happy to not see him again this year!

The relief pitching roulette began once again in the seventh as Chad Durbin started the seventh and got the first out before giving up a double to catcher John Baker and a flare single to Jorge Cantu. Charlie Manuel then tapped the pen again as he brought in lefty J.C. Romero who got the second out but then proceeded to walk the bases loaded and give up a run on an infield hit which could have been much more if not for a very good stop by third baseman Greg Dobbs on the ground ball hit hard down the line. Charlie went to the pen again as he tapped right hander Clay Condrey , Condrey got out of the inning by coaxing Cody Ross to ground out to third base.

Shane Victorino led off the eighth with a single and Pedro Feliz then ripped a two run home run into the left field bleachers to give the Fightins a three run lead again! Ryan Madson pitched a perfect eighth to set up the final inning. Good job Ryan!

Brad Lidge finished the game and earned his 40th save in 40 tries. He struck out two in the inning. With the win the Phillies now go up 1 and 1/2 games on the Mets in the division race and maintain their three game lead on the wildcard. They now have a magic number of 4 to clinch a playoff spot. The boys came up big in Miami and now just have to finish it at home against the Braves and Nationals ! Jamie Moyer gets the win, his 15th of the season.

Chatter

The Mets bullpen blew another lead at Atlanta as they turned a 4-2 lead into a 7-6 loss. It looks as if J.A. Happ will get another start against the Braves tommorrow else Cole Hamels would have to pitch on three days rest, Hamels will probably be held back till tuesday’s game.

I sure am glad to be done with the Marlins bunch, they do not quit, have really good hitters, and some young arms with nasty stuff, the Mets have them to end the season and our buddies from New York will have a handful to deal with!

Rookie J.A. Happ took the starting assignment on the hilll for the Fightins and his teammates staked him to a four run lead before he even threw a pitch!  Ryan Howard continued his torrid hitting as he singled to knock in a run, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz also singled to collect RBI’s, Ruiz had a key two out two run stroke.

Happ pitched six solid shutout innings for the Fightins allowing only three hits.  Geoff Jenkins pinch hit for him in the seventh.  Happ’s performance was much more than expected as the young lefty came up big to fill the fifth starter’s hole, it most likely will earn him another shot next week!

The Phillies added a run in the eighth as Braves second basemen Kelly Johnson had a brain cramp on a dead double play ball with runners on first and third as he forgot the outs, looked home and was then forced to go to first.  He was obviously very embarrassed afterwards! 

Chad Durbin pitched a scoreless seventh with little trouble but after getting two outs in the eighth ran into some trouble as two runners reached base.  Skipper Manuel went to the pen once more bringing lefty J.C. Romero in and he got Brian McCann on a pop out to end the inning with no damage done.    Matt Stairs hit a pinch hit home run in the ninth inning, his first as a Phillie, to lead off the inning.   Clay Condrey pitched the ninth to close out the game and gave up a run.  Final count: Phillies 6, Braves 1

 Chatter

Right, wrong or indifferent it is undeniable that skipper Charlie Manuel has been the calm throughout all occassions this season.  When the Fightins were down by four earlier in August Charlie remained confident that his team would prevail, in fact was almost “chatty” during his after game press conference which is a task he does not seem to enjoy.  He displays the kind of confidence that makes guys want to play for him,  talk shows and fans can question all they want in game moves but this guy is a proven winner and in my mind is a keeper.  He is very much like Coach Andy Reid of the Eagles in his calm and somewhat “in your face” media nature of display that it is his way or the highway!   If the Phillies make the playoffs he deserves alot of credit and it is not despite of him as some might say!   Bobby Cox has managed forever in Atlanta with that positive attitude approach and as we know has been very successful.

The Mets lost my favorite hot dog Fernando Tatis for the season when he dislocated his shoulder diving for a ball in the outfield.  I do not wish injury or hurt to anyone so hope that he recovers quickly and is back to “skipping” on the plate when he scores next season!

Shane Victorino must truly love playing in Atlanta.  He had three hits last night and followed that up with another three hits tonight.  In the previous six games at Atlanta Victorino has had multi hit games in four of them!  He gave us a scare in his third at bat when the ball hit his thumb while attempting to bunt, he did not come out of the game but did seem to favor it in his swing in the fourth at bat.

Sometimes when you lose a game it is due to just being beat and you have to acknowledge the other teams efforts. That being said if you wish to become a playoff club you cannott afford to have games like that happen late in the season. Brett Myers took the hill for the Fightins with his usual gunslinger demeanor and battled the Fish thru 7 and 1/3 innings. He did not have his best stuff but left the game with the score tied at three and two runners on base.

The inability of the Front Office to add a set up man once again burnt the team and very possibly ended their playoff hopes. The trio of Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero and Clay Condrey could not hold the Marlins as they plated four runs in the eighth and ninth innings. Set, Game and Match!

Final Score Marlins 7 Phillies 3

The loss put the Phillies four down in the loss column to the Division leading Mets and four down in the wild card. Phat Lady is close to singing boys! This party is breaking up and is very very close to being over!

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Chatter

Ryan Howard hit his 42nd home run in the game but the Phillie offense could only produce seven hits total. J.C. Romero seemed to be giving catcher Chris Coste grief after getting ripped for a double that let in two runs in the ninth………… here is a clue J.C. , the catcher may call the pitch but he sure as hell does not throw it! If there was a problem with the pitch call then very simply shake him off and oh by the way any pitch down the middle will get ripped most of the time !

Sorry, not much of a narrative in this recap but as a lifelong Philly fan I am just very disgusted once again! Took the afternoon off to watch this and not obviously up to expectations of what transpired !

Going into this game one would think Johan Santana vs Cole Hamels would result in a very low scoring pitchers battle.  Santana has faced the Fightins four times already this season and they have done little against him.  Hamels was making only his second appearance this season against the Metropolitans.   In the first Phillie at bat Chase Utley singled to rigtht field batting out of the two hole in the lineup, Jayson Werth drew a four pitch walk and then Ryan Howard belted a single to left field to draw first blood as Utley scored.  In all three games of the series the Phillies scored first!  Santana toughened though and pitched out of the inning which was key as the Fightins had a real chance to score more.

Ryan Church singled as well batting out of the two spot for the Mets in the first, David Wright was then awarded first base on catchers interfence as his bat hit Chris Coste’s glove during his swing.  Charlie Manuel asked for an appeal on the call and argued enough that he was throw out of the game!  Sort of a silly spot to get tossed as the Phillies had all of the momentum at that point still.  Carlos Beltran singled to left to plate Church and David Wright was thrown out at third by Pat Burrell………. only thing missing was the umpires call as Wright was ruled safe!  Carlos Delgado then drilled a single to center to score both Wright and Beltran who had advanced to second on the throw, so much for “ace like” pitching by young Cole!

The Phillies got one back in the third as Ryan Howard belted a solo home run to left field but Hamels gave it right back in the home third as Carlos Delgado hit a moon shot off the score board in right field to make the count 4 to 2.   Learning little from that experience Hamels threw the same hanging pitch, one a curve, the second a changeup,  to Delgado in the fifth which he blasted into the upper right field deck to make the score 5 to 2 !  Hamels was done after five as his pitch count reached 109, as big as Myers and Moyer were earlier in the series Hamels came up equally as small.  He was up in the zone with his pitches and threw alot of deep counts.  He is young but if he is truly going to be considered an ace he needs to learn how to control the nerves in games like this and deliver like his veteran teammates did the two games before him.  Not good enough was the result in this one !  Clay Condrey pitched a pefect sixth inning in relief and Rudy Seanez did the same in the seventh. 

 The Mets stuck with Santana to begin the eighth despite seeing him get hit hard on recorded outs in the seventh and after he got the first out he saw Jayson Werth belt a double over Carlos Beltran’s head in center, looked like Beltran dogged the effort a bit to me!  Jerry Manuel then came and got Santana rather than have him face Howard again.  The Mets bullpen is shaky which is why Manuel was hesitant to go to it but lefty Pedro Feliciano got Howard to ground weakly to first base for the second out, Manuel then called in right hander Brian Stokes to face Pat Burrell.  Burrell fisted an even weaker ground ball to shortstop on the very first pitch to end the inning. 

Seanez gave up an eighth inning run to make the count 6 to 2.  Luis Ayala pitched the ninth for New York and albeit shaky, he gave up a run on two hits, did close out the game for New York.

Chatter

It is weird how Ryan Howard does so well against Santana as he has struggled against much lesser lefthanders many times this year.  He came into the game hitting over .400 against him and had really good swings in this one.  Baseball is like that sometimes, certain guys just see the ball really well against certain pitchers albeit against others struggle mightily.   Pat Burrell did not have good at bats in this one as he struck out twice and limped out on his other at bats.  Jimmy Rollins also had a very quiet game at the plate as Santana shut him out and he struck out to end the game against Ayala.  The Phillies usually lose when he is not productive offensively and scoring runs.

 The Phillies accomplished an objective by winning the New York series but must not fall backwards now, they have the next seven at home against Florida and Milwaukee.  Florida historically plays the FIghtins tough and Milwaukee is the team to catch for the wild card.  Cannott have a hiccup in the home stand as they follow it with six on the road against Atlanta and Florida before finishing up with six at home against the Braves and Nationals, the very team that put them in the three game hole coming into the New York series.   New York has a pretty easy schedule to close out the year as they have the next five at home against Washington and Atlanta including two off days on Monday and Thursday.  They then hit the road for seven, four at Washington and three at Atlanta before finishing the season at home with seven, four with the Cubs and final three with the Braves.  The Cubs should have clinched by then and will have little to play for.  May the best team win……. Mike Schmidt says it is us!  Watching should be nerve racking but fun !  Lets go Nats in the next two eh !

Milwaukee has the next three at home against the Reds and then embark on a ten game road trip with four against the Phillies, three against the Cubs and three at Cincinatti.  They finish at home with six, three against Pittsburgh and three with the Reds.  Not so easy for them either I suppose.

Sometimes you just gotta let the ball fly as a pitcher and not worry so much about “spotting” the pitch.  When Kyle Kendrick struggles he does so trying to “aim” instead of throw and looks as if he is “pitching scared”.  He is really a one trick pony relying almost exclusively on his sinker and getting hitters to put the ball in play on the ground, he gives up plenty of hits but has been able to get key outs when needed as his ball moves really well. If he doesn’t let it fly though mentally he gets behind batters and either walks them or puts himself in spots where the pitch is predictable and targeted to get smoked!   In this one Kyle did not pitch so well and indeed looked as if he was “pitching scared”.

The Nationals took advantage and  jumped on Kendrick early as they plated two first inning runs. He gave up a leadoff single to Willie Harris and walked Ryan ZImmerman and then advanced both runners to scoring position by tossing a wild pitch.  Lastings Milledge singled to center to plate both runners.  In the Nationals fourth Willie Harris smoked a triple to right field to plate another run and Cristian Guzman then doubled him home, Ryan Zimmerman followed by blasting a home run to deep center field to make the National total count six………all runs scored with two outs!   It could have been more if not for some poor base running by Washington where they helped Kendrick out.  Kendrick was gone after four innings being lit for nine hits, three walks and two hit batters.  Certainly not a start to remember and may call for a change in the rotation as the team cannott afford meltdowns like this to occur at this point of the season.

 Meanwhile  Phillie killer Tim Redding, ( he has shutout the Phillies twice already this year),  started on the hill for the Nationals and held them scoreless and hitless thru five frames!  Shane Victorino got the first hit in the sixth as he singled to left, stole second and went to third on an errant throw by the catcher.  Ryan Howard then ripped a double down the right field line to score Victorino and Jayson Werth drew a walk that ended Redding’s day as Washington went to the pen.  Washington relievers walked the next two Phillie hitters and then hit a batter, first to load the bases and then to plate two runs to make the score 6-3 before they were able to work out of the jam.

The Nationals tacked on another run in the seventh off of Clay Condrey.  Their bullpen closed out the contest albeit Jimmy Rollins belted a solo home run in the ninth as Washington won it seventh consecutive game.  The Phillies were totally outplayed in this one and with the loss fell to two games behind the Mets who beat the Brewers in the first game of that series.

Chatter

Pat Burrell was given the start off as he struggled in the month of August and looked apprehensive in the last game against Chicago.  Burrell when struggling seems to take alot of called third strikes as if he is guessing on the pitch, he pinch hit in the sixth and walked but struck out later in the game.  Matt Stairs started in right field and Jayson Werth took Burrell’s starting spot in left field.   With the expansion of the rosters in September the Phillies recalled catcher Lou Marson and outfielder Greg Golson from Double A Reading.  Adam Eaton and J.A. Happ were added to the pitching staff from Triple A Lehigh Valley. 

Office Talk

Often times in my office we get into discussions on the Fightins and baseball in general, thought I would throw out on the blog here questions in hopes of creating some correspondence with those of you that are reading.   Question :  Do you think the new Instant Replay Rule will have an impact on any games going down the stretch and do you agree that the Rule is a good thing or do you think baseball should totally rely on the “human element” and only use the umpires original call ?   Let me know your thoughts.