Juan Pierre was at it again last night, going 1-for-2 with a double and a stolen base to lead the Phils to a 4-3 win over the Pirates. Pierre led off the bottom of the first with a bloop double off the glove of the left fielder and came around to score the first run of the game with the help of a pair of fly ball outs. In the third he was hit by a pitch, stolen second and came in to score on a double by Rollins.
Pierre is now hitting 373/431/424 in official Spring Training action and appears to have solidified a spot in the lineup for himself, at least against right-handed pitching.
Joe Blanton started the game for the Phils and allowed a pair of runs over 4 2/3 innings on two singles and a double. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out three. After five starts, Blanton has a 4.58 ERA and 1.07 ratio. In 19 2/3 innings he has walked just one batter while striking out 16.
Bastardo followed Blanton, facing one batter in the bottom of the fifth with the bases empty and striking him out to end the frame. Pat Misch went three innings after that, allowing a run on a solo homer to Andrew McCutchen in the sixth. Kyle Kendrick set McCutchen, Neil Walker and Garrett Jones down in order in the ninth with a one-run lead to get the save.
Kendrick dropped his ERA to a 1.54 with the outing. He and Valdes are the pitchers on the team who have pitched the most innings this spring without allowing a home run. They have combined to throw 24 1/3 innings without giving up a long ball (12 2/3 for Valdes and 11 2/3 for Kendrick). By a wide margin, Halladay is the pitcher on the team who has had the most trouble with allowing home runs in Spring Training. He has allowed seven in 22 innings — that rate of allowing home runs would have him giving about 64 over 200 innings. That might not even happen.
Victorino was 1-for-3 with a triple in the game and Galvis 2-for-3 with a seventh-inning triple that put the Phils on top to stay. Galvis is at 272/287/457 for the spring over 81 at-bats. Rollins was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI out of the three-hole. He’s hitting 250/338/367.
The teams play again tonight with Hamels expected to pitch for the Phils.
In this article, Manuel suggests that Mayberry will still get a lot of chances despite the emergence of Pierre.
This article says Manuel won’t use Thome in the field a whole lot and suggests 20 games might be a realistic guess.
April 3rd, 2012 on 11:49 am
One thing I am confident saying about this season going in is that Halladay will not give up 64 home runs. I’m going to go out on a limb and say he won’t even give up half of that.
April 3rd, 2012 on 1:14 pm
Fingers crossed he keeps it under 50.
After allowing 22 and 24 home runs in 2009 and 2010, Halladay allowed just ten in 2011. Kendrick allowed more homers in 2011, 14, than Halladay despite throwing 119 fewer innings.
April 3rd, 2012 on 2:01 pm
Kind of interesting that Doc seems still to give up runs early. Or is it my imagination.
April 3rd, 2012 on 3:14 pm
If Pierre keeps playing like that I am his biggest fan…its funny…he is more of a true lead off guy than Jimmy is so what the heck, go for it.
As long as Jimmy does not swing for the fences…
And if Vic gets hot they should think about him as the #3 guy. Otherwise keep Jimmy in the top 3 in the batting order.
April 3rd, 2012 on 3:47 pm
If Pierre keeps playing like that he’s going to be MVP of the league. Hard to argue with the way he’s playing. I feel pretty confident it’s not going to last.
Not really a fan of Rollins hitting third, but I don’t think it matters that much compared to the rest of what’s going on. I think I’d probably go Victorino or Pence, but I think who’s in the lineup is a much bigger deal at this point than where they hit.
I think the thing about Halladay having more trouble in the first is real. Or at least it was last year. Still pretty good, though.
April 3rd, 2012 on 5:54 pm
Well, all the questions will begin to be answered soon.
I can’t help it. Seeing Utley and Howard both listed on the DL today made me just a little scared. I knew it was coming. But, man, the reality of it is sobering.