Election Day in Baseball
November 3, 2009 by Jeff Summers
Filed under Fan News
According to my Arizona Diamondbacks wall calendar today is Election Day. Initially I thought they were talking about voting on the Hall of Fame candidates for 2010, but I realized that we were still a month away from that occurring.
The Cy Young, Most Valuable Player, and Rookie of the Year voting has already occurred and we will wait until after the conclusion of the World Series before the winners of those awards will be announced.
It’s not the Roberto Clemente Award or the Hank Aaron Award, both of those have likewise been voted upon and the winners announced. New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter was given the Roberto Clemente Award. He also received the Hank Aaron Award along with first baseman Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.
So I was curious what election was attributed to this particular day. A quick perusal of the Major League Baseball web site provided me with the answer. From now until Dec. 11, MLB will allow fans to vote for the 2009 This Year in Baseball awards.
There are a series of awards being given: Hitter, Starting Pitcher, Rookie, Manager, Closer, Set-up Man, Defense, Performance, Play, Moment, Oddity, Executive, Unsung Star, and Postseason. With the exception of Postseason each of the categories are now available for voting. Each category has ten choices and you are allowed to select your choice among the nominees.
Considering the poor year the Arizona Diamondbacks had in 2009 it should come as no surprise that the team is sparsely represented among the nominees. In all categories there are only two where the Diamondbacks have an entry.
It is somewhat fitting that Arizona’s first nominee is in the oddity category. There was not a lot that went right for the team in 2009 on the field. In this case the nominee is not even a player but rather a fan at Chase Field.
During a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, a father holding a small child stood up and made a barehanded grab of a foul ball in the Diamond level of Chase Field. Both ball and baby were cradled in the father’s arms.
The second Diamondbacks entry is in the Unsung Star category. Diamondbacks third baseman Mark Reynolds goes up against Jason Bartlett (Tampa Bay), Shin-Soo Choo (Cleveland), Aaron Hill (Toronto), Adam Lind (Toronto), Jayson Werth (Philadelphia), Billy Butler (Kansas City), Nelson Cruz (Texas), Ubaldo Jimenez (Colorado), and Ben Zobrist (Tampa Bay).
Reynolds offensive numbers look very favorable to the other nominees so it will most likely end up being a popularity contest. Given the amount of coverage the Philadelphia Phillies are receiving by being in the World Series, it is my guess that Jayson Werth will be the guy to beat.
So Arizona Diamondbacks fans have their work cut out for them. In times like this I think we should invoke the time-honored tradition of Chicago politics. Vote early and vote often and don’t let being dead deter you from casting at least 10 ballots.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Phillies’ Shane Victorino Raises Eyebrows With Response to Larry Bowa
We all know the story of the 1951 New York Giants.
They mounted a historical comeback on the Brooklyn Dodgers and finally won the pennant on the final day of the season behind Bobby Thompson’s “Shot Heard ‘Round the World.”
But, as it would be discovered later on, they did it with the help of a camera mounted in centerfield.
Now let’s flash forward to 2007.
The New York Mets were in the depths of an epic collapse within the NL East, and they accused the pursuing Philadelphia Phillies of using a centerfield camera to steal signs during games at Citizen’s Bank Park.
The Mets asked the league to look into the issue in 2007, but the investigation was inconclusive.
Not unfounded, but inconclusive.
The story has gained new life during the 2009 World Series after former Phillies manager Larry Bowa, who currently serves as third base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers, remarked that the defending champs were “good at stealing signs.”
Bowa made the comments on a Philadelphia radio station, and Charlie Manuel didn’t have the opportunity to respond at the pregame press conference on Monday because Manuel had not gotten wind of the situation yet.
That’s when Shane Victorino stepped into play.
Victornio responded in an irate and fuming manner, and he had this to say about the comments from Bowa:
“I guess I’m not smart enough to steal signs, so obviously it’s not working for me,” he said. “I guess if it’s an art, it’s an art, but for a guy to pop off like that and say that’s why we’re not successful right now, that’s what I’m trying to get at.”
Now, Victorino never played for Bowa, as the flyin’ Hawaiian came to Philly in 2005, which was one year after Bowa’s tenure as manager expired.
But logically, how difficult would it be to mount a camera in centerfield under the nose of everyone, including the league?
Not very.
And don’t you think the league would want to keep this under wraps even if they had found a camera in centerfield?
Victorino insists that they wouldn’t have lost the first two games at home against the Yankees in this World Series if they had been stealing signs, and this is why I have a problem with the way Victorino disputed the issue.
He never said straight up that the Phillies don’t steal signs, and his response was unusually aggressive towards Bowa.
This is where I made my decision that maybe something is going on, because Victorino didn’t have to say anything about this.
He could have swept it under the mat and dismissed it as an off base comment from Bowa, or Victorino could have moved on with his pursuit of capturing another championship.
Instead, he was the only player on the team to respond, and he attacked Bowa for not knowing what he was talking about because things were different when he managed the team.
“Don’t talk about what has happened or what you know. If you know for a fact that we’re stealing signs, then that’s a different story,” said Victorino.
What does he mean by “that’s a different story?”
Is Victorino unknowingly implying that the Phillies’ indeed do steal signs, but since Bowa doesn’t know the process that he should keep his mouth shut?
The thing is that the accusations began in 2007, two years after Bowa had left the team, so he wouldn’t be commenting as an insider about the situation.
Look, we all know that stealing signs is a part of the game, but you have to use your eyes and not the lens of a camera to do so.
The big thing is that stealing signs doesn’t make for guaranteed production, and that’s where I see a giant hole in Victorino’s story. He makes it out that if you know the other team’s signs, you will automatically win.
Sure, you might know that a breaking ball is on the way, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to do something productive with the pitch.
Maybe you pop it up, maybe you ground out, or heck, maybe you hit a home run.
I just don’t buy Victorino’s defense.
Thanks to Victorino’s interesting comments, I think that something is awry in Philly, and somewhere Bobby Thompson is quietly chuckling.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Yankees-Phillies: Phillies Hold Off Yankees, Force Game Six
November 3, 2009 by Adam Bernacchio
Filed under Fan News
Like George Costanza, the Philadelphia Phillies did the opposite last night.
Instead of having tuna on toast, with coleslaw, and a cup of coffee and trying to wait out AJ Burnett, the Phillies had chicken salad, on rye, untoasted, and a cup of tea and jumped all over Burnett.
The Phillies were aggressive and ambushed Burnett in the first inning thanks to a Chase Utley three-run homerun and eventually held on for an 8-6 victory to force a Game Six back in the Bronx.
The Yankees now lead the best-of-seven World Series 3-2.
What ever respect Burnett earned in his gutsy performance in Game Five of the ALCS and his brilliant performance in Game Two of the World Series, he lost last night.
To go out in a World Series game and give your team absolutely nothing, is pathetic. At least battle like you did against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Here is all you need to know about where Burnett’s head was last night.
In the bottom of the third, Burnett was facing Jayson Werth with two on and nobody out. Burnett gets to 0-2 on Werth on two fastballs. The second fastball he blew by Werth.
Now one of the first things you learn when you become a pitcher is if a guy can’t catch up to your fastball, don’t throw anything offspead.
So what does Burnett do? He throws a tumbling curveball right over the middle of the plate. Werth was all over it and ripped the ball right back up the middle.
You can’t throw that pitch, if a guy just couldn’t catch up to your fastball on the pitch before. Let him prove that he can hit your fastball.
Burnett was then taken out of the game.
Just a terrible performance.
Here are some other observations from last night.
When Shane Victorino got hit on the finger squaring to bunt in the first inning, it reminded me of David Cone breaking his finger in 1987 on a bunt attempt.
In a potential clinching game in the World Series, the Yankees had Nick Swisher batting fifth.
Lee was good last night, but wasn’t great. He walked three guys last night and had only walked three guys in his previous four starts.
Lee only threw first-pitch strikes to 18 out of the 31 batters he faced. Very uncharacteristic for him.
I was very surprised to see Lee come out for the eighth inning. I thought Charlie Manuel should have gone to Chan Ho Park to start the inning and preserve Lee for a relief appearance in a potential Game Seven.
Great job by David Roberston and Alfredo Aceves to keep the Yankees in the game. Four innings, two hits, and three strike outs.
The Yankees have to be encouraged by Phil Hughes’ performance last night. 1.1 innings and looked sharp.
I guess we now know why Damaso Marte is ahead of Phil Coke on the depth chart.
With five homeruns, Chase Utley has tied Reggie Jackson for most homeruns in a World Series.
Why does Swisher look up at the scoreboard before every pitch? If this was the 1960’s, he would be accused of stealing signs.
Can someone please teach Brett Gardner how to bunt? This guy is one of the fastest players in baseball and he is hitting the ball in the air every AB.
I had no problem with Manuel going with Ryan Madson in the ninth. Lidge threw 30 pitches the night before and Madson was solid in Game Four.
Whatever praying the Phillies’ dugout did before the Derek Jeter AB–it worked. Jeter hitting into a 6-4-3 double play is more than anyone could have expected.
Say what you want about Johnny Damon–when the game and season is on the line, he shows up to play.
You can make all the great defensive plays you want, but Mark Teixeira’s postseason honeymoon is over. He has been awful in this World Series and for the most part the entire postseason.
Hideki Matsui leads the Yankees in total bases this World Series (11) and has only started two games.
Citizens Bank Park has an X-Ray machine in the stadium. How far have we come in terms of technology? It really is amazing and we all, including myself take it for granted.
Hypothetical here: Let’s say Teixeira tied the game with a two-run HR in the ninth and Brett Gardner wins the game for the Yankees in the 15th inning. Does Utley still win the MVP award?
Ryan Howard has struck out 12 times this postseason tying Willie Wilson’s World Series record. I am confident that he will break that record in Game Six.
Another hypothetical here: Game Six, the Phillies are up 4-3, and heading into the ninth inning–who close’s for the Phillies?
If there ever was a “good loss” last night was it for the Yankees. They took the Phillies best punch last night and managed to get back up and make a fight out of it.
The Yankee teams from 2001-2008 would have taken that punch and not gotten back up.
Hero for Game Five – Chase Utley
Goat for Game Five – AJ Burnett
Series MVP – Chase Utley
Game Six is Wednesday at 7:57 ET.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Utley Provides Power as Phillies Hold Off Yankees to Force Game 6
November 3, 2009 by Nick Poust
Filed under Fan News
New York Yankees starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, their $82 million man, shut down the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Two of the World Series.
His fastball was lively, and his off-speed pitches had their bite, sharpness, and were perfectly located. He tossed seven stellar innings, allowing just one run on four hits, walking one while striking out nine.
Manager Joe Girardi hoped for a repeat performance in Game 6, choosing him in the potential World Series-winning game on only three-days rest.
The 32-year-old right-hander could not baffle the Phillies once more. Instead, he was erratic, clearly off his game on short rest. His fastball was grooved and though his curveball and changeup had some movement, they were poorly placed. From the onset, Philadelphia, needing a win to live another day, wasn’t fooled.
By the beginning of the bottom of the first, the Phillies were already behind by one, but the deficit didn’t last long. Leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins singled to end a six-pitch battle, and then Shane “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Victorino painfully reached after getting hit squarely on the hand by a first-pitch fastball by Burnett. The trainer came out to check on their energetic center fielder, who shook off the sure-fire bone bruise, if not a break, and took his base.
Burnett missed his location by three feet against Victorino, and two feet with his first pitch to Chase Utley.
Utley hit two home-runs off CC Sabathia in Game One, and another off the hefty left-hander in Game Four. The second-baseman who hit 31 home runs during the regular season kept on hitting the long ball, crushing an inside fastball that was meant to be outside that didn’t get inside enough deep into the left-field seats.
The fan who caught the souvenir thrust his arms in the air, and the other 46,177 spectators waving their rally towels followed suit in celebration of Utley’s three-run blast.
Phillies ace Cliff Lee, who tossed a complete game in the series opener, had a two-run lead with which to work. He wasn’t at his best, as his first inning indicated, but was certainly much better than his counterpart. He settled down after allowing a single, double, and a walk in the opening frame, shutting down the Yankees in both the second and third, then in the latter innings after his offense knocked around Burnett some more.
Burnett walked Utley to start the third inning, missing with five fastballs, but given a generous call on an outside offering. He was all over the place, unable to hit his spots. This happened periodically during the year, and he picked a bad time for his wildness to resurface.
Utley stole second and Ryan Howard watched three curveballs miss badly, the pitch that worked wonders for Burnett in Game Two, to work the fourth walk issued by Yankee.
Burnett actually managed to get ahead in the count to the next hitter, Jayson Werth, but a hanging curveball added to his misery, as the Phillie with seven homers this postseason socked a RBI-single to center.
Raul Ibanez then tried the left side of the field, ringing a single to Johnny Damon, scoring a hustling Howard from second. That lifeless fastball was Burnett’s final pitch. Of the 15 batters he faced over the two-plus innings, nine reached.
While Burnett, whose two-plus innings worth featured six runs on four hits, and four walks, settled into his seat in the eerily silent Yankees dugout.
Lee mowed down the Yankees through the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh before running into Burnett-like trouble in the eighth. He allowed a lone run in the fifth, which was countered by Utley’s fifth homer of the series that ended a seven-pitch battle and Ibanez’s first, both coming off New York’s third reliever, Phil Coke, in the seventh. So, he took a 8-2 advantage heading to the eighth.
The way he was pitching, the game could presumably be considered well in hand, but the Yankees didn’t back down. The second, third, and fourth-hitters in New York’s lineup–Damon, Mark Teixeira, and Alex Rodriguez–reached with a single and two doubles.
The second double pushed across Damon and sent Lee to the dugout amidst cheers from the fans appreciating his outstanding effort. His relief, Chan Ho Park, had a pretty outstanding effort of his own as Lee waited nervously behind the dugout railing.
Park, who has been brilliant throughout this postseason, was once more, limiting the damage, allowing just a sacrifice fly in his inning of work. Philadelphia held a four-run lead entering the ninth.
Closer Brad Lidge, who allowed three runs in Game Five, would presumably be summoned to pitch the ninth in an attempt to close the door and send the series back to New York.
He wasn’t warming up, though. Ryan Madson, their stellar middle reliever, was instead. He took the hill, and instead of making manager Charlie Manuel’s decision pay immediate dividends, he harnessed his inner Lidge.
Jorge Posada nailed a 3-1 fastball to begin the frame off the top of the wall in right-center field for a double. This wasn’t the worst thing in the world, seeing as the Yankees needed three runs, but it was a bad start in his attempt to close out the game considering pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui was due next, followed top of their very dangerous order.
Matsui, making the most of his final at-bats as a Yankee, singled through the left-side to bring the tying run to the plate.
First and third, with nobody out, and Derek Jeter was the batter. Throughout his illustrious career, he has relished in these situations, giving him the appropriate nickname “Captain Clutch.”
Madson fell behind his third straight hitter before Jeter did something that entirely caught me off guard. He hit a grounder to Rollins, who then flung it to Utley “covering” second base (he pulled off the neighborhood play), who then fired to Ryan Howard, who was actually on the base, to retire Jeter. It was a double play. Who would have thought Jeter would be the rally-killer?
Damon followed with a two-out hit in the now 8-6 game to keep the rally alive. But it was the Phillies who would stay alive in the series, as the Yankees’ last hope, Teixeira, took a called strike and then swung through two changeups, allowing all of Philadelphia to celebrate.
The Phillies, with solid pitching by Lee, a good recovery by Madson, and the power display by Utley, are headed to the Bronx, living to see another day in a series the Yankees desperately wanted to end in Philly.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Why Are the Phillies Wasting J.A. Happ?
November 3, 2009 by Josh Rutledge
Filed under Fan News
I wrote an article last week arguing that J.A. Happ doesn’t deserve the National League Rookie of the Year. Apparently, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel agrees with me.
It’s already Game Six of the World Series, and J.A. Happ has yet to start a game in either the NLCS or World Series. He’s been used sparingly as a mid-game reliever and in occasional situations involving left-handed batters.
That’s not exactly what someone should expect from a guy who was arguably the most consistent pitcher on the entire Phillies staff. Since May, he went 10-4 as a starter while maintaining a 2.99 ERA.
Cliff Lee is obviously the Phillies’ ace, but beyond him, I question whether Pedro Martinez, Joe Blanton, and Cole Hamels are really better options than Happ.
During the season, Philadelphia had no problem calling on Happ in big game situations. Countless times, he stepped up in important games. More than any other pitcher on the team, Happ was most responsible for keeping the Atlanta Braves from becoming a threat to the Phillies’ division lead.
In response, Manuel has said Happ is being used in the bullpen because the Phillies need a long-inning reliever. Here’s a novel idea: If you have a pitcher who doesn’t get knocked out of the game in a few innings like Hamels, you don’t need a long-inning reliever.
Why do you think the Yankees are content with a three-man rotation? Because Girardi intends for all of them to go deep into games. And in every single game of this World Series except one, each of them has done that.
Furthermore, where were the long-inning relievers during the regular season for the Phillies? If that is Happ’s strong suit, why wasn’t he used as a reliever then?
Why does Manuel assume that Joe Blanton or Pedro Martinez are better options than Happ? I can understand why the Phillies would want to give Hamels every chance to succeed. He was the MVP of the World Series last year.
But Blanton? Martinez? Happ had better numbers than both of them during the regular season.
Not surprisingly this postseason, Happ hasn’t exactly been that sharp out of the bullpen. But that shouldn’t surprise anyone. He was a starter all season, accustomed to pitching on a routine basis.
Now, he’s being used on random occasions and people are wondering why he’s not his usual self.
Perhaps Manuel is right. Perhaps the Phillies will win the World Series, and no one will question Manuel’s decision. But even if he is right, what kind of affect has his decision had on Happ?
There’s no way Happ is content sitting in the bullpen watching Blanton and Hamels get beat up. There’s no way as a young pitcher he doesn’t feel misused in those situations.
He pitched all year for the Phillies, and now during crunch time, he finds out his manager has no faith that he can start in a World Series game.
Other than Cliff Lee, not a single Philadelphia pitcher has shown he can handle the Yankees’ lineup. Martinez lost. Blanton lost. Hamels lost.
Happ deserves a chance. It will be a shame if Manuel doesn’t give him one.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Shane Shocker in Game Five: I’ll Kiss It and Make It All Better
November 3, 2009 by Flattish Poe
Filed under Fan News
There was a heavy fog in the valley this morning as I drove to the coffee shop. But the stale mist that had settled in Citizens Bank Park for the last two games lifted long before that—at 7:57 Monday night to be exact. And just like this morning, the stars shone bright in an atmosphere of great clarity.
One thing was certain. The home team came to win.
Admit it. How many of you were humming High Hopes on your way to work this morning in spite of sleep deprivation and a Septa strike? I’ll be honest. I never understood that “rubber tree plant” thing. Until now.
It’s all about bouncing back.
And there’s not a better way to do it than with an Ut-Lee sequel. Cliff Lee faltered a bit from his Game One dominance, but Chase Utley said, “I gotcha, buddy.”
Awww, I think they’re soul mates.
In the first inning, Joe Buck happened to mention that Utley “went long last night” just as Stone Cold Chase stared Burnett down from the plate. That was only moments before Utley’s three-run homer broke the solo dinger curse that had plagued the Phils for the last four games.
I heard Chase Utley’s a write-in candidate for Governor of New Jersey.
And I heard lead-off walks always score. In the third, Chase proved he’s well acquainted with the “rules” of baseball, and did just that, walking on five pitches to start an inning that would be Andy Burnett’s last. Then he scored when Jayson Werth’s single slipped through the hole.
I love it when I talk dirty.
Fortunately, Andy saved those notorious “20 bad pitches a game” for the beginning of Game Five. I guess limited rest doesn’t work as well for him as it does for me. And for the first time in the series we got to the Yankee’s starter early, and forced their hand on the bullpen.
But wait. That didn’t work so well. Okay, Joe Girardi, let me explain something. The strategy was to get to your bullpen as early as possible, and then have our way with them.
I still love it when I talk dirty.
But that didn’t happen until the Phillie’s limited success with David Robertson and Alfredo Aceves served up a bubbly that would end in a seventh inning celebration with Phil Coke.
Insert your favorite Coke slogan here—just keep it legal.
Another Utley homer and five batters later, the underdogs had a Coke, a smile, and the two additional runs needed to break a three-game losing streak, and send Charlie’s Angels down that yellow brick road to New York.
Welcome to the hotbed of rival huff for Game Six…Six…Six.
While Utley tied the World Series record for five dingers with Reggie Jackson, Ryan Howard matched the one for most strikeouts by whiffing on yet another breaking ball to get to 12 by the seventh inning in just five games. If only he’d replace the image of that pitch with sugar plums.
So far I’ve replaced all my images with Shane Victorino.
Wait. Shane hurt his hand! Nooooo! Not Sugar Shane. Not my sweet centerfielder. Not my hyperactive, obsessive-compulsive, speed-talking, hustlin’ Hawaiian!!
And he was replaced with Ben Francisco in the eighth?! Has the manager lost his mind! Charlie, take a Viagra, but don’t deprive me of my sugar fix. Not at this point in the season. Not with only two possible games remaining. I’ll have to sell everything I have to catch a glimpse of him in Spring Training. I’ll be forced to prostitute myself for a premature peek at my island toy. Shane, I’ll kiss it and make it all better. Please just say you’ll come back for Game Six.
If I kiss it will you come?
Whoa. I did not just say that!
Okay, now I need a Viagra.
What can I say, the Phils are back—out of the black. I’m so psyched I feel some cheesy poetry coming on. Nope, that was just a hot flash.
Now, here’s that poem:
Nothing sets the mood like a bright fall day,
The Phillies having their way,
And a roll in the hay,
For yet one more game.
I promise I’ll behave,
And have only nice things to say,
When I kneel down and pray,
That they’ll put New York away.
Go Phils!
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Phillies-Yankees Game 5 Notes
November 2, 2009 by DMtShooter Five Tool Tool
Filed under Fan News
> And we’re back, because this has gone so well the last two times I’ve tried this. Stout heart! Firm belief! Cliff Lee! I might also still be drunk.
> In that all important portion of the game where I’m not really watching due to being a less than totally worthless Dad, the Phils took a big early lead on the continued relentless awesomeness of Chase Utley. Has there ever been an MVP from a team that lost in five games? Chase could be the first. From looking at the play by play track, the continuing troubles of vast portions of the Yankee lineup—really, it’s been more timely hitting and fortunate bloops than blasts—kept them taking a big early lead.
> In the fifth inning, the Yankees used Eric Hinske as a pinch hitter, who Philly fans remember fondly for his series-ending at bat as a Ray last year. Unfortunately for fans of history and/or nice memories, former Phillies OF Greg Luzinski exists and has a barbecue stand, which trumps such matters for Fox. Somehow, I’m thinking that if things were reversed, we’d have heard about this.
> Brett Gardner got his full Aaron Rowand on with a wall-slamming catch to open the fifth on a 400-plus foot out by Jayson Werth. For no good reason, Jayson decided to circle the bases on the out, which is one of those goofy moments that seem to endear the Phillies to Tim McCarver. Then again, McCarver seems to amuse easily.
> In the sixth, Lee stranded a runner with just his second strikeout of the night, and his pitch count is getting high enough that we all know that he’s not working nine tonight. Besides, a theoretical Game 7 would happen on his throwing day. So, um, more runs would be nice. Besides, you’re playing against a freaking bomb squad. A two-out single and advance by Rollins dies there, and it’s 6-2 Phillies after six.
> Hey, America! Did you know that you can get a cheese steak in Philadelphia? If you did, did you enjoy the federally mandated video of a guy making a cheese steak?
One fine year, I swear, some video team for some sports network is going to show someone making a soft pretzel. Or a Tastykake. Or a hoagie. Honestly, America, we eat all kinds of food that tastes awesome, but will make you obese and/or dead. I know, seems impossible, and yet IT’S TRUE. There is also, I am sure you will be amazed to hear this, more to see in town than an old cracked bell. Really.
> In the seventh, Posada tried to step out and waste more time, the way that he’s been doing all series long on both offense and defense, and the umpire had none of it. Lee with the three-pitch strikeout, and the only way that could have made Philly Fan happier was if Jorge had gotten ejected, and then gone insane with rage, killing The Centaur and Brad Lidge in his accidental fury. But the strikeout was nice, too. Jerry Hairston swung on a 3-1 pitch (thank you), popping it up for the out (even more thanks). Lee then shafted Jeter on a pop up to second, and we’re six outs away from Game 6.
> Phil Coke entered the game in the seventh, and Chase Utley treated him like just about every other pitcher in this series by crushing a home run to right. In five games, he’s got five home runs, and is now tied Reggie Jackson for the most home runs in a World Series. It’s just crazy to me that anyone is throwing him anything close to the plate right now, and I know Yankee fans that are just begging for someone, anyone, to hit him with a pitch to get him off the hot streak. In the very next at bat on the other side of the coin, Howard fans for his Series-tying record of the most whiffs. It’s a funny game. Watch it long enough, you see some things… including Raul Ibanez just destroying a ball to right. Not exactly the best night of Phil Coke’s life. 8-2, home team.
> Positives for the Yanks tonight: Phil Hughes looked good. They are very likely to not face Cliff Lee again. Jeter and Damon are continuing to set the table. That’s about it.
> Manuel pulled Victorino in the top of the eighth, to the visible consternation of Shane, who I think was expecting Ben Francisco to be coming in for Ibanez, which is the usual defensive substitution. I get that Victorino could use the time off given the earlier HBP, but I’m not sure thirty minutes would make that much difference. And if you are paranoid enough to send Lee out there with the six run lead…well, I’m not the manager. And the inevitable Teixeira double to left, which Francisco might have kept to a single…gahhh. Ibanez then fails to catch a line drive to left for an A-Rod double, scoring two. GAHHHHH. Lee’s night ends, it’s 8-4 Phils, and it’ll be Chan Ho Park time. The Yankees never make it easy.
> Park gets Swisher to ground out to Utley, moving A-Rod to third. Cano pops up to shallow center and the throw from Francisco is weak and late, and good grief, is that really three runs in this inning from the failure to put Francisco in left? I’m having Danny Ozark flashbacks here, and that was over 30 years ago. I blame Fox for the Luzinski footage. Park does the job with a third out, and if the Yankees are going to rally in the ninth, they’ll have to do it from the 8-9-1 slot. And yes, I’d leave Park out there.
> Chooch Ruiz led off the eighth with a single in his bid for a drama-free ninth, but Matt Stairs had to continue to be a guy that really needs to retire with a dribbler for a double play. A quick ground out by Rollins, and that’s eight innings. Manuel then heard the prayers of every Phillies fan by not bringing in Brad Lidge; hopefully, Madson finishes the deal by actually throwing strikes, despite Tim McCarver’s ultimate whammy jinx of saying he won’t walk guys like Lidge does. Of course, he then went 3-1 on the leadoff hitter (Posada), before giving up a near home run to right for a double. GAHHH.
> Fox ups the ante on the collapse by saying how no team in Series history has ever come back from 3 down in the ninth. Matsui came on to pinch hit. I think I’d rather be watching the MNF game. Madson wild inside to go to 2-1; he looks like he’s overthrowing to me, and Matsui promptly singles to left to bring up Jeter as the tying run. Just Kill Me.
> Lidge up with Scott Eyre. Madson throws ball one to Jeter, low. McCarver goes for even bigger jinx by pointing out that Howard is holding the runner on, leaving a hole open. 2-0, then a get over fastball that Jeter watches for 2-1. And holy hell, Jeter actually grounds into a double play, and we’re an out away from this being over. That won’t go on his Cooperstown reel.
> Damon again, just like last night. Strike one is nice on the inside corner. Strike two is electric and better. Crowd feeling it. An excuse me nick for a foul. Another wasted low and away. Up and away, Damon doesn’t chase, ball one. Inside for ball two, and dammit, I’ve seen this movie before, especially the part where the SOB gets to first base on a single. And to think the guy’s worst year as a pro was his only year in Oakland.
> Teixeira up, and I’m a little surprised Madson is still in there; you could go to Eyre here, but no. Madson gets ahead 0-2 as Damon takes second on indifference. Second time this inning that the home team is a strike away…and this time, it ends. Madson gets Teixeira to chase, and for the first time in forever, the Series will go (at least) six games.
> I’m not going to look a Yankee loss in the mouth, but this one just didn’t have the feel of a World Series game to me. It’s stretching the point to say that the Yanks rolled over or didn’t want to close it out tonight; no team has the hubris to prolong a series to win in front of their own fans. But they certainly didn’t seem to be the relentless team of Game 3 or Game 4. Then again, Cliff Lee has that effect on people.
> Lee goes to 4-0 in the post-season, 2-0 in the Series. Madson with the ugly save, Utley with the heroics, and yet I can’t help but feel that this was more of a survive than a win. Game Six is Wednesday, and looks like Pettite on three days rest versus Pedro Martinez. Oh, The Hype.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Lidge and Hamels Are Not To Blame For Phillies Phailures
November 2, 2009 by Andrew Mease
Filed under Fan News
“Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels have cost us the Series.”
Those are the words coming out of many of the Philly Phaithful’s mouths just a day after the Yankees put the Phillies in a 3-1 World Series hole.
Is that REALLY the reason? Can you blame Lidge and Hamels for the hole? After all Lidge did give up 3-runs in the ninth inning of a game four loss after Pedro Feliz tied the game at four in the eighth inning. Plus Cole Hamels gave up five runs in the Phillies game three loss.
To me, that’s just idiotic to blame those two guys.
Diving deeper into the series you will see that there are more pressing issues to the Phillies which include pitch selection, poor managerial decisions, and the lack of production from left-handed batters Chase Utley (unless he’s facing Sabathia), Ryan Howard (10 K’s in the series), and Raul Ibanez (3-16 in the series with 9 K’s).
The first issue to bring up is, pitch selection.
Last night Brad Lidge and company made a series of poor pitch selections to Damon and he made them pay. With the count at one ball and two strikes to Damon, Brad Lidge called upon his bread and butter pitch that put away the two previous batters; Hideki Matsui, and Derek Jeter. Johnny Damon barely kept his at bat, and the inning, alive by foul tipping it.
If I were Brad Lidge, Carlos Ruiz, or whoever was deciding what pitches to call, on that very next pitch I would have gone back to that slider. Instead, they opted to throw a fastball. Okay, so what, you change up his eye line, and keep him on his toes.
Then the unexplainable happens. Damon gets a base-hit on the 5th consecutive fastball. Lidge got beat, with his number two pitch. Not once after Damon barely stayed alive did he go back to that slider. What’s the deal with that?
Why would you abandon your best pitch when you’re ahead of the batter 1-2 in the count? After that, Damon, wisely stole second base. That gave Mark Teixeira, who has only 1-hit in the series, a chance to become the hero. An ill-timed throw on the steal by Catcher Carlos Ruiz (he shouldn’t have thrown it), and that quickly Damon is at third on a smart base running play.
Problem number two for the Phillies. Charlie Manuel’s managerial decisions. No, this is not about starting Joe Blanton in game four; I am completely okay with that. The problem is base-running, and run production decisions.
Last night, after both Rollins and Victorino got on base with nobody out Chase Utley comes to the plate. At this time, I’m thinking that Charlie HAS to bunt the runners over or double steal, down two runs.
I know, I know…it’s Chase Utley, and he’s hit Sabathia well this series, and you don’t want to take the bat out of his hands. You HAVE to get out of the double play chance if you’re down by two runs with nobody out. That (double steal, or sacrifice bunt) would move both Victorino and Rollins into scoring position, assuming weak-throwing Posada doesn’t throw either of them out or Utley himself reaches base.
If I’m Charlie I take that chance.
What ended up happening? Chase Utley and Ryan Howard both pop out, then lefty killer Jayson Werth strikes out to end the inning.
The third and final problem are from the lackadaisical lefties; the trio of Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, and Ryan Howard. The three are a combined 10-for-48 (.208) with 22 strikeouts, and 7 RBI’s.
Simply put, if these guys could produce the series would AT LEAST be tied. You cannot win if the middle of your lineup does NOT produce. If you take away Chase Utley’s four hits against Sabathia this series the trio has only SIX hits.
For Philly to get back into this series it will need to have better pitch selection in key situations, better managerial decisions when facing deficits, and more production from the lefty trio. If not, well then the series is over and the Yankees will take home their 27th World Series title.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
Phillies Down, but Not Out
November 2, 2009 by Richard Marsh
Filed under Fan News
Charlie Manuel says his team is resilient. He points out the fact that the team has lost 22 games this season in which they led after the seventh inning. That sounds like the 2008 New York Mets to me. But, it was the Phillies and not the Mets who ultimately wound up winning the 2008 World Series. (ouch)
I, too, am quite confident that this series is far from over. On the Yankee side all one must do is just look back a short five years when they were one game from eliminating their most hated rival, the Boston Red Sox and unless you’ve been hiding in a time capsule you know what happened there.
For the Yanks to close this puppy out they are going to have to do it on the arms of A.J. Burnett, who like his counterpart CC Sabathia, will be pitching on three days rest. If he doesn’t get past Cliff Lee they will have to use Andy Pettitte once again on three days rest, and if it goes to a seventh game it will be CC back from the short rest period.
Personally, I can’t see this as a formula for success, thus my unwillingness to count the Phillies out just yet.
With Cliff Lee on the mound tonight I see the Phillies regaining their swagger which has been missing in these first two games at Citizens Bank Park.
Charlie Manuel has made a couple of questionable calls in this series going back to not starting Cole Hamels in Game Two in Yankee Stadium. Last night’s example was a doozy.
I have always been taught as a coach, and listening to countless hours of Baseball Tonight, that in a tied game at home you never bring in your closer to pitch the top of the ninth inning. You save that guy for extra innings. I have seen it done too many times this year and the home team gets beat in extra innings because the visiting team is facing a much less threatening opponent.
It was also Lidge’s first appearance in more than a week, and after two very quick outs he lost control. Three runs later and another blown appearance, Lidge is anxious to get this series back to New York for an opportunity to face these guys again.
I think he will, and I would like nothing better than to see him close out Game Seven. That’s a long way off and the odds of that happening aren’t too good especially here in Vegas. However, if you want to make that prop bet that the Phillies will come back and win the next three games, I know 60 places that will take your bet and most likely your money.
Prediction
I correctly picked the “Skankees” (Now there’s ‘objective reporting’) to win Game Four. I stand by it—it will be the last game they will win.
After Game Two I picked the Phillies to sweep the next three. I apologize for being premature with that pick. So now I give it again, the Phillies will sweep the next three games and repeat as World Champions and be the first National League team to do that since the Big Red Machine in the mid ’70s.
By the way, tonight’s game; Phillies seven, Yanks two.
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com
MLB World Series Game 5 Debate: A-Rod As Hero Vs. Lidge As Goat
November 2, 2009 by Tom Hanson
Filed under Fan News
A-Rod delivered the big blow last night—but, was he more the hero or Lidge more the goat?
Let’s build the case for each…
A-Rod as the hero
A-Rod hammered a fastball to left that was just one mile-per-hour and about three inches different then the pitch he’d just taken for strike one.
(Technically the pitch seemed to A-Rod about two to three miles-per-hour different given the three inches higher, but that’s easy pickins for a decent three-spot hitter.)
As a professional hitter in the three-spot of the biggest pay-rolled line-up in baseball, that’s not much to pony up in a bid to be a World Series hero.
Lidge as the goat
Let’s see, Lidge threw the same pitch twice in a row to the three-spot hitter of the biggest pay-rolled line-up in baseball—after failing to cover third base on Johnny Damon’s steal.
Hmmm.
Not a tough call.
Lidge wears the goatee for this one…through “shear” loss of control…of himself.
Yes, he hadn’t pitched for a long time, so I’ll grant him that.
But to get caught grazing on the in-field grass after the throw buzzed over his head is a mental error.
(More accurately an emotional error. I’m certain they’ve discussed who covers third base, so mentally he knows it—but most likely the stampede of emotions pumping through Lidge’s body got his goat.)
The even bigger offense was throwing the same pitch to A-Rod twice.
By far, the most well hit balls in baseball are hit when the current pitch occurs to the hitter to be very similar to the last pitch.
This is why guys throwing 100 can get hit and a Glavine can make the Hall-of-Fame with much less.
Many more home runs are the result of pitching mistakes than hitting excellence.
Anatomy of a Goat
Like last night, most goatees are not shorn by the situations themselves, but by the loss of emotional control.
And, lack of confidence.
Lack of trust.
With Damon on third base, Lidge was too scared to throw the obvious pitch (slider) that would have stacked the odds in his favor—A-Rod might still have hit it, but then he would be the hero for hitting a good pitch.
Fascinating, isn’t it?
Someone with as much success as Lidge has had in his career still loses it.
But, most players lose it. Look at the chokes and goats throughout all sports history.
(I lose it myself sometimes. It’s easier to be a writer than a player.)
So the poor strategy of the pitch selection, precipitated by the lack of trust and flood of emotions, goated Lidge.
One anti-dote is to look inside Derek Jeter’s mind .
Another is to train yourself emotionally as effectively as you train yourself physically.
The Phillies have a mountain to climb to win this series, but I believe they have the goats to do it.
Dr. Tom Hanson offers more insight on the mental and emotional aspects of baseball—including a free mental training program—at www.BaseballConfidence.com/blog .
Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com