The Phillies battled Mets’s All-Star RA Dickey all night last night and by the time the ninth inning rolled around it looked like they had won. They gave Papelbon the ball and a 5-4 lead and he didn’t get it done. The closer allowed a pair of runs and the Phils fell 6-5.
Again the intensity was there for the Phillies and again the results were not. They’ve lost seven of their last eight games, three by a single run. Chase Utley has been very good since joining the team, but with last night’s loss the Phils are now 1-6 in the games in which he has played.
It was an extremely frustrating ninth inning for the Phils after a long, tight game that saw them score as many earned runs off of Dickey as the pitcher had allowed over his past seven starts coming into the contest. After a leadoff double, Papelbon got two quick outs and couldn’t put the Mets away. He didn’t get several close calls in two huge two-out at-bats ahead of back-to-back singles that plated the game-winning runs. The first one ended when he hit Jordany Valdespin with a 3-2 pitch and the other when he walked Ruben Tejada on the eighth pitch of Tejada’s plate appearance.
On June 4, Papelbon made news after a game with the Dodgers for saying the home plate umpire sucked and belonged in the minors. No idea whether it’s had any impact on the strike zone he’s seen since then, but I remember thinking at the time he shouldn’t be counting on getting a lot of close pitches for a while. He sure didn’t last night. Either way, Papelbon came into the game on June 4 with a 2.01 ERA and an 0.90 ratio for the season. Including the June 4 outing, over his last nine appearances he has thrown to a 7.00 ERA with a 2.11 ratio.
The Phillies are 37-47 on the year after losing to the New York Mets 6-5 last night. The Mets take the series two games to one. The Phillies are in last place in the NL East, 13 games out of first place.
Hamels got the start for the Phillies and went seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk. Two of the hits went for extra-bases, both home runs. He struck out seven.
Up 1-0, he set the Mets down in order in the top of the first.
He started the second up 2-0. Scott Hairston led off and hit a 1-1 pitch out to left-center, cutting the lead to 2-1. Hamels got the next three.
The pitcher RA Dickey singled to left with one out in the third. Ruben Tejada popped up to Fontenot in foul territory for the second out before Daniel Murphy moved Dickey to second with a single. David Wright was next and he singled into center, scoring Dickey to tie the game at 2-2 and moving Murphy to third. Hamels walked Hairston and the bases were loaded for Lucas Duda. Hamels got the lefty Duda on a ground ball to first for the third out.
Up 3-2, Hamels set the Mets down in order in the fourth.
Tejada singled to center with one out in the fifth. Murphy was next and Hamels struck him out swinging 0-2 for the second out. Wright was next. Hamels got ahead of him 0-2, but Wright hammered a 1-2 pitch out to left for a two-run homer that put New York ahead 4-3. Hairston lined to third for the third out.
The Phillies led 5-4 when Hamels started the sixth. He got the first two before Thole singled to right. Hamels struck Kirk Neuwenhuis out swinging 3-2 to leave Thole at first.
Hamels threw a 1-2-3 seventh. Righty Justin Turner hit for Dickey and grounded to third for the first out. Victorino made a nice sliding catch on a ball hit by Tejada for the second out and Murphy popped to Fontenot for the third.
Bastardo threw a 1-2-3 eighth with the Phils still up a run.
Nice inning for Bastardo in a tight game. That’s the first time since June 9 he hasn’t allowed a hit or a walk in an appearance. Opponents have hit .303 against him over his last eight outings and he’s walked five in 7 2/3 innings.
Papelbon started the ninth. Ike Davis led off and lined a ball right over the glove of Rollins and into left center for a double. Ronny Cedeno ran for Davis at second. Josh Thole bunted Davis up to third with the first out. Papelbon blew Kirk Nieuwenhuis away on four fastballs, striking him out swinging 1-2 for the second out. Lefty Jordany Valdespin, who hit a three-run game-winner off of Papelbon on May 7, hit for the pitcher Bobby Parnell. Papelbon worked Valdespin inside and hit him with a 3-2 pitch, putting runners on the corners. Ruben Tejada was next and Valdespin stole second before Papelbon walked him on a 3-2 pitch, the eighth of his at-bat. Murphy was next. Papelbon got ahead of him 0-2 before Murphy hit a 1-2 pitch back up the middle. The ball went off of Papelbon’s leg and toward the first base line. Papelbon tracked it down near the line and had a chance to get Murphy with a tricky throw to first to end the game, but slipped fielding the ball and everyone was safe. Cedeno scored and the game was tied at 5-5 with the bases still loaded for Wright. Wright blooped the first pitch of his at-bat into right, just in front of a charging Pence for a single that scored Valdespin and ended the game.
Papelbon was throwing for the second day in a row. He has been charged with runs in four of his last five appearances. Opponents have hit .409 against him in those outings. He has a 4.87 ERA over his last 21 appearances, raising his ERA on the season from 0.82 after 11 appearances to 3.45.
The Phillies lineup against righty RA Dickey went (1) Rollins (2) Pierre (3) Pence (4) Ruiz (5) Victorino (6) Wigginton (7) Polanco (8) Fontenot. Utley on the bench after playing two straight days with Fontenot at second. Pierre in left against the righty. Wigginton plays first after homering in game two of the set.
Rollins led off the game with a walk and was forced at second on a ground ball by Pierre for the first out. Pence flew to center before Ruiz was hit by a pitch, putting men on first and second for Victorino. Victorino, hitting right-handed against the righty, singled into center, scoring Pierre to put the Phils up 1-0 with runners on first and third. Wigginton struck out swinging at an 0-2 pitch way out of the strike zone to leave the runners stranded.
Polanco singled on a ball in and out of the glove of Niewenhuis in center to start the second. Fontenot struck out for the first. Hamels tried to give himself up, but wound up bunting for a single that put runners on first and second for Rollins. Rollins doubled to right, scoring Polanco to make it 2-0 with men on second and third. Pierre lined softly to short for the second out and Pence fouled out to first to end the frame.
No out on the Hamels bunt helps the Phils, but they can’t get more after putting runners on second and third with one down. Pierre lines to short for the second out with the runners holding.
The lead was cut to 2-1 when Ruiz doubled to right to start the third. Victorino struck out, Wigginton struck out and Polanco struck out, leaving Ruiz at second.
It was 2-2 when the Phillies hit in the fourth. Fontenot led off with a single to center and Hamels struck out trying to bunt him to second for the first out. Rollins moved Fontenot to second with a single, putting two men on for Pierre. Pierre struck out swinging for the second out, but Pence followed with a single into center that scored Fontenot, putting the Phils up 3-2, and moved Rollins to second. Ruiz grounded to short for the third out.
Another tough at-bat for Pierre as he strikes out for the second out after being unable to bring the runner in from third with one out in the second.
Wigginton singled with one out in the fifth, but Polanco hit into a double-play behind him.
They trailed 4-3 when they started the sixth. Hamels singled with one out and scored when Rollins followed with a triple. 4-4. Pierre was next and put a pretty bunt down the first base line. Dickey fielded and threw to first as Rollins scored, putting the Phillies up 5-4. Pence grounded to short for the third out.
The Phils went in order in the seventh.
Fontenot doubled with one out in the eighth off of righty Jon Rauch. Utley hit for Hamels and lefty Tim Byrdak came in to pitch to him. Utley stayed in to face the lefty and singled to shallow left. Fontenot tried to score from second, but Hairston’s throw from left was on line and beat him to the plate by a lot. He blasted Thole, but Thole held the ball for the second out. Utley moved up to second on the play at the plate and Byrdak walked Rollins intentionally, putting two men on for Pierre. Mayberry hit for Pierre with the lefty still on the mound. Righty Pedro Beato came in and got Mayberry on a ground ball to third to end the frame with both men stranded.
Righty Bobby Parnell set the Phillies down in order in the ninth.
Rollins was 3-for-3 with two walks, a double and a triple in the game. 4-for-12 with two walks, two doubles and a triple in the set. 262/318/414 for the year.
Pierre 0-for-3 with an RBI and five men left on base in the game. 2-for-7 with two singles in the series. 317/355/387 for the year.
Pence was 1-for-5 with an RBI. 4-for-12 with four singles and two RBI in the set. 287/351/489 for the year.
Ruiz was 1-for-4 in the game and 4-for-12 with a double and two home runs in the series. 355/419/596 on the year.
Victorino 1-for-5 with an RBI. 1-for-13 in the series. 247/313/373 on the season.
Wigginton 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. 3-for-7 with two walks and a home run in the series. 203/259/351 over his last 81 plate appearances. 249/320/402 for the year.
Polanco 1-for-4 in the game and 2-for-11 with a walk in the series. 205/293/260 over his last 83 plate appearances. 269/314/346 on the year.
Fontenot 2-for-4 with a double in his only action of the series, raising his line on the season to 338/378/403.
Kendrick (2-8, 5.35) faces righty Tim Hudson (6-4, 3.87) tonight. The Phillies have lost four of the last five games that Kendrick has started and he’s thrown to a 7.67 ERA in those outings. Lefties are on-basing .404 against him for the season. Hudson threw to a 1.93 ERA in June, but allowed six runs to the Nats in his only start in July. He’s allowed just four home runs on the season and righties are hitting 245/288/325 against him for the year.
July 6th, 2012 on 12:27 pm
Starting to think it’s too late to save 2012, regardless of who comes off the DL when. Would be one heck of a comeback if they pulled it off.
Given that, I want them to move Vic. I don’t see him being re-signed. Cole I still think they’ll sign.
Waiting with bated breath to see what roster move they make to open a slot for Howard. Hoping they DFA Wiggy. They’ll probably send Luna down.
Posting this from my iPad so it’s probably pending moderation
July 6th, 2012 on 12:55 pm
Was in moderation. I saved it.
Not quite there it’s too late to save 2012, yet. Just wrote on a comment for the previous thread, though, that I think for a lot people there’s a big transition from the idea the Phils aren’t playing hard enough to the realization they simply aren’t good enough. They definitely played hard last night and it wasn’t enough.
I don’t know, but I would guess there’s little chance they DFA Wigginton. Especially since Utley and Howard will need a lot of time off and will get almost every day off against lefties, the Phillies will need somebody (theoretically) who can hit lefties.
I think the loss of Nix to injury is under appreciated when people think about what went wrong this year. He would have helped, especially with Wigginton and Mayberry both not doing enough against righties. They don’t belong in the lineup against righties anyway, but the Nix injury meant one of them at least pretty much had to play every day.
I agree they re-sign Hamels.
I think it’s gotta be Luna, Mayberry or Pridie going down for Howard. Luna seems like a good guess given that Howard at first means and extra righty on the bench with Wigginton or Mayberry out of the lineup. I’d keep watching to see if Pridie ever gets to start in center against a righty with Victorino so awful against RHP.
July 6th, 2012 on 2:13 pm
Since I just can’t bring myself to talk about this team anymore and to answer a question directed at me from yesterday regarding the Lee trade:
The three pieces we got back are actually quite interesting to me, but all have flaws. Certainly didn’t get a sure-fire winner in the trade, but all three could be useful major league players. None of them will ever be as good as Lee, but not many players have that much value to begin with. The thing that still ticks me off most about the trade is that it caused the team to have to go out and trade some pretty good prospects for Oswalt the next year. But, it is what it is.
As for the players, I think the most upside still exists in Philippe Aumont. He has huge upside as a shut-down reliever type. He’s 6’8″ and has a 98+ mph fastball and an absolutely sick curve ball. The only problem is (and it’s a big one for pitchers) he doesn’t always know where the ball is going. I think the fact that the Phillies have used about 700 guys in the bull pen this year and that he isn’t one of them coupled with the fact that he’s been on the 40-man roster all year says a lot about where the Phillies see him right now. Granted, he’s still only 23 and was dominant as recently as last year, but he still needs to show a lot more consistency.
J.C. Ramirez, also 23, is Clay Condrey part II. He’s going to pitch in the majors for 6-8 years (barring injury of course) and have a career that nobody but his family will ever remember.
Tyson Gillies, another 23 year old, has an absolute ton of talent. Biggest problem is he can’t stay healthy. He started off strong this year after missing the better part of two years with some leg/hamstring issues. He then went into a prolonged slump and was starting to come out of it and play so much better when…he got hurt. He’s been out for about a month now with a concussion and has just recently resumed baseball activities. If the guy could just stay healthy, he’s a legitimate above-average major league center fielder. Problem is, he can’t stay healthy.
You’ll probably see both Aumont and Ramirez in Philadelphia come September, if not sooner depending on how soon the front office throws in the towel. Gillies just needs to get at bats in the minors, so likely wouldn’t be a call-up this year.
Ok…to the game. What was up with Samuel sending Fontenot in the 8th? He wasn’t even to third base yet when Hairston had the ball! That extra run sure would’ve looked nice.
July 6th, 2012 on 2:22 pm
I actually was okay with sending him at the time. Hairston can’t throw at all. His throw wasn’t strong, but it was on target. Think you want to run on him when you get the chance.
He was out by quite a lot, though. Did give Thole his best shot. Thole didn’t look like he noticed much.
I would be thrilled if you were right about Tyson Gillies, but I’m not as confident as you are. Given the way things are going, we seem likely to get a look at those guys with the Phils before too long.
July 6th, 2012 on 3:20 pm
Howard up, Luna down.
http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Phillies_Ryan_Howard_officially_activated_from_disabled_list.html?cmpid=137039688
July 6th, 2012 on 3:30 pm
Not much of a surprise on the Howard move.
I suppose on Gillies I should’ve said ‘he’s a legitimate above-average major league center field prospect.’
July 6th, 2012 on 3:35 pm
I guess I’m ok with Wiggy still being on the roster if he stays on the bench and we use him in PH decoy spots to get the other team to bring a righty in.
I was fine with sending Fontenot, and I wish they had sent Hamels earlier. No point in leaving him on third so Wiggy can strike out.
July 6th, 2012 on 3:48 pm
Will be interesting to see how often Howard can play. If Wigginton just gets to start against lefties and not too many righties, his numbers should improve quickly.
Luna 1-for-14 since June 17. Phils sure are being patient with Mayberry and his .260 on-base percentage. In 125 plate appearances against righties for the year, Mayberry has put up a 207/264/276 line. That’s really not so good.
July 6th, 2012 on 4:39 pm
The big man is back holding down his normal 4 spot. Utley above him, jimmy leading off, wow, this kinda reminds me of the old winning ways!! not to late to start tonight and sweep the brav-o’s heading into the break! Lets go Phils!
July 6th, 2012 on 5:19 pm
Sounds good to me. But you know what doesn’t sound like the old winning ways? Starting pitcher: Kyle Kendrick. And out of the pen: Schwimer. Diekman. Horst. Valdes. Sanches. Like that. But let’s hope for the best anyway.
I agree the lineup does look pretty.
July 6th, 2012 on 9:31 pm
I think you forgot Bastardo on your list… Ugh.
July 6th, 2012 on 9:59 pm
Golly. Ugly again. Some bullpen help would be nice. A lot, actually. Really soon.
July 6th, 2012 on 11:30 pm
Was at the Friday game.
I am wondering just how bad this team will be by the end of the season.
Wondering why Hamels would tie his career any longer to this sinking ship.
Still cannot imagine what Amaro was thinking this past winter.
July 7th, 2012 on 9:07 am
There’s still time. Time’s not going to matter without a bullpen, though. Halladay, Utley and Howard can’t save the Phillies if they’re going to have the worst pen in the NL. Right now they’re 15th of 16 NL teams in bullpen ERA. Need to add two legit arms in the bullpen. Hard to see something good happening without at least that or at least one and a stunning second half from someone we weren’t counting on.
The Phillies went 47-27 in games after July 6 in 2011.
July 7th, 2012 on 11:07 am
I think that maybe comparisons of the 2012 team to previous teams are not gonna be good predictors for the present.
The closer has wrecked his last two games; foul him off enough times and he will cough up the game. Bastardo should be sent down to work on his game; Charlie’s plaintive cry that Bastardo is our eighth inning guy is beginning to sound detached from reality.
They need at least two arms for the pen. From whence do they come? Aumont? Ramirez? I can’t see outside help without trading one of the core guys. It’s pretty much desperation right now.
You’re right. They need arms. The pen is stunningly bad. And the closer can be had.
July 7th, 2012 on 1:01 pm
I think there’s no run that matters without help for the bullpen from outside the organization.
Clearly they should stop letting Bastardo pitch the eighth. I think they will. If they don’t I think it might be a sign they’re done.
I do think if Utley, Howard and Halladay are for real, they’re close. Halladay to the rotation helps the pen a little, but not enough. Fix the bullpen or put a fork in ‘em and fixing the pen might not be enough.
July 7th, 2012 on 2:55 pm
Yup. You’re right. Arms. From outside I guess. I just don’t know how they do it. But then that’s above my pay grade.
Joe tonight. If he’s on, ya think he’ll be yanked after being sent out to stand on the mound in the 8th? The way they pulled Kendrick last night was weird. And you could see K was taken aback by it.
July 7th, 2012 on 2:58 pm
BTW, Greg, thx for the long post on the three guys. Interesting.
So Gillies and Aumont. Just don’t hold our breaths.
July 7th, 2012 on 3:54 pm
Let’s hope they have to decided whether or not to pull Blanton for the 8th.
Kendrick had a 5.35 ERA going into last night’s game, so he shouldn’t be too surprised about being pulled in the eighth inning of a scoreless game. No question it didn’t work out for the Phillies, but I didn’t think it was terrible at the time. What is terrible is the Phillies bullpen and, as I mentioned earlier, I think that’s going to require new players.
Qualls has a 2.70 ERA with the Yankees in his first three appearances.
July 8th, 2012 on 6:41 am
1-9. Getting pretty hard not to see this year as over.
July 8th, 2012 on 9:25 am
well, the sweep thing being a mirage, how ’bout one win going into the break?
July 8th, 2012 on 11:24 am
Kinda glad most of the team has 3 days off this year… Maybe they can clear their heads.
We do need at least 2 more legitimate bullpen arms. I don’t know how we get them (though a Halladay return helps some), but there should be no more than 2 spots for Diekman, Savery, Sanches, Valdes, and Horst.
I’m actually fine with leaving Bastardo as the 8th inning guy, but there’s gotta be someone you’re comfortable going to if it’s just not going to work out that day.
July 8th, 2012 on 4:30 pm
Naw. The sweep thing was no mirage. It was and is reality.
Is this what Amaro was waiting for when he talked about things getting better when we “get healthy”?
July 8th, 2012 on 6:57 pm
Guess not.
Thank goodness for the break? I gotta be honest here, I’m trying to be optimistic.
July 8th, 2012 on 7:06 pm
Rumors about Vic and the Dodgers. Who knows.