Comments on: JA carries the da as Phils look like they don’t want to pla

By: DaMannse

DaMannse — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 19:49:50 +0000

Whoooo. The mind boggles at the prospect of having to go to the mound to yank the doctor after three innings. Charlie would need to be fire proofed; this may be one of those moments when an asbestos suit might actually SAVE a life.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:28:18 +0000

I say they break every playoff game into 3-inning shifts, with Halladay getting 1-3, Cliff 4-6, and Cole 7-9. Worley or Oswalt can take a shift if anyone gets tired.

By: egrissom

egrissom — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 01:48:40 +0000

I’m with you. If they even say there’s any discussion about who starts game one if everyone is available I will be surprised. Halladay is a monster. Would have rather they scored twelve runs, but winning is still better than the alternative.

By: DaMannse

DaMannse — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:02:45 +0000

No “O”, but the Doctor does operate. It is interesting to me that there is this discussion going on 610 about who ought to start game one in the playoffs. Really? Seriously?

By: DaMannse

DaMannse — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:50:39 +0000

I’d feel ok with a bit of a slide, but only 1) after home field has been secured, and 2) as long as the guys on the field played like they cared that the games had some meaning to them. They have been awful in every phase of the game in Houston.

And yes, Oswalt and Hamels need to do better than they did in Houston. Here is hoping that Hamels does not lapse into his habit of past years of giving up nonsense dingers.

Uh huh. We need Chase.

By: egrissom

egrissom — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:31:30 +0000

The thing about the last two games is that it’s easy to focus on the miserable defense on a couple (okay, a lot) of plays. Those were awful, but the thing that’s more worrisome than that is Oswalt and Hamels not pitching well.

Coming into the series with the Astros, the Phillies had gone 11-3 in their last 14 games with 13 quality starts. In those games their starters had pitched to a 2.18 ERA and a 1.01 ratio. That makes it really hard to lose. In the first two games of the series with the Astros, they didn’t get a quality start and Hamels and Oswalt combined to allowed ten runs in 12 innings. They allowed 20 hits in 12 innings. That’s too many and Hamels can’t keep giving up home runs at this rate. The awful defense didn’t help, but the two bad starts are the thing to worry about more.

As a side note, the Phils are 7-8 in the last 15 games that Hamels has started. That’s hopefully just a coincidence — he’s pitched really well in those games, throwing to a 2.93 ERA and holding opponents to a .220 average (although they are slugging .367 against, which is too much if they’re going to hit .220). Still, it would be nice if they were winning more often when he was on the mound.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:20:26 +0000

Agree…I expected more losses toward the end of the season, but only because the regulars weren’t playing. Since Howard, Victorino, Pence, Ruiz, and Polanco are in the lineup pretty much every day over the last few, I expect a bit more. It just seems that the team has no heart when Utley isn’t in the vicinity.

By: egrissom

egrissom — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:06:08 +0000

I wonder if Manuel might let them slid a little bit. I saw there was a meeting, but I don’t think this was time for fire-breathing Charlie. I think it’s too soon for that and too little urgency. On the other hand, if you’re going to start Oswalt, Hamels and Halladay against the Astros you’re usually looking for more than (hopefully) one win in the set.

I’d love to see the Phils get a whole lot of rest during the next couple of weeks. Just not the guys who are on the field.

By: DaMannse

DaMannse — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:53:53 +0000

Yeah. Rather now in Houston than October in Phlly. Besides, I have a hunch that Charlie ate their lunch. If they are not breathing fire today I will be pretty surprised.

By: egrissom

egrissom — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 15:52:13 +0000

Yeah. Has anyone given some serious consideration to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he’s a double agent and this is all part of a plot to get the Astros into the post-season? Mathematically impossible, you say? Just wait and see how it all goes down. Who’s watching the watchers?

On a more serious note, golly the Phils looked bad in the first two games of the set. On the plus side, it’s a great time to be looking awful. As long as they don’t look that way in two and a half weeks or so, it’s okay with me.