It’s Opening Day everyone!!!  It should be a National Holiday, but alas, the powers that be do not agree.  Instead, it’s just a Thursday on the everyday calendar, but in my mind, it is one of the most exciting days of the year.

To get started for the year, let’s look at some questions that face our foes within our division:

Nationals (by Keara Dowd @kgdowd):

1. Bryce Harper. Unless a tsunami hits Syracuse and his legs get crushed by the water, he will be making his big league debut at some point this season. Nats fans (and the entire baseball world) will get to see what this kid can do. He likely won’t be blowing everyone away at first, but if his bat is steady enough, he could help the Nats make a push into a playoff spot.
2. New Rotation. The Nats brought in a lot of new pitching during the offseason with Gio Gonzalez and Edwin Jackson. These additions mean that the Nats don’t just have a chance to win once every 5 games (as they did briefly with Strasburg in 2010) but should get a chance to win every time they step on the field. The new guys should be able to help the rotation find consistency and overall improvement.
3. Rebounding Werth. Jayson Werth had one of the worst seasons of his career statistically in 2011. The “fart in the wind” as he described it, can’t happen again with his salary. Also, without his bat, the Nats are going to have a really hard time getting enough runs to win games. Now that the pitching staff is set, it’s important for the position players the Nats already have to step up at the plate and bring the run support.

» Continue reading “NL East Preview”

Charlie Manuel - Photo courtesy of: MyPHL17.com

It took 13 innings to do it but the Phillies left Atlanta not only sweeping the Braves but also collecting their 102nd win of the season (franchise record), claiming the best record in all of the Majors, and making Charlie Manuel the most winning manager in Phillies history with 646 (2005-2011)!

After the game, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Madson stood in front of the team in the winning clubhouse and presented Manuel with a large bottle of champagne. The bottle was neatly emblazoned with a label that featured Manuel’s picture and 646. – CSNPhilly.com

The Phillies also killed the Braves’ playoff hopes, but let’s be honest here, the Braves pretty much blew it themselves.  They had a pretty substantial lead in the Wild Card race heading down the stretch but they just seem to fall apart.  And their implosion allowed the St. Louis Cardinals to squeak in.

Last night’s game reminded me of my son’s recreational baseball league, where all the kids get to play no matter how good or how bad they are.  With going so many innings, both the Phillies and Braves used just about every player each had on their respective benches.

As far as the pitchers went, righty Joe Blanton started for the Phils and threw two innings.  Manuel wanted Cole Hamels to get some work, so Hamels pitched three innings.  Then a total of seven relievers came into the game, four of which were rookies and none gave up a single run.  In fact the Braves’ three runs were scored off of Blanton and Hamels.

Hitting wise, the Phillies had four batters with an RBI each, Chase Utley, Hunter Pence, Ryan Howard, and Carlos Ruiz.

The final score was 4-3 and the Phillies ended the regular season on a high note.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Braves – 9/28/11 Game

The 2011 National League Division Series will begin on Saturday, October 1st, time to be determined.  Here is the schedule:

2011 NLDS Schedule - MLB.com

Roy Halladay (19-6 ERA 2.35) will be the starter for the Phillies in Game 1.  Its unknown at this time who the Cardinals are going with.

Image source MyPHL17.com

I stated a couple days ago how the Phillies were either going to be the Atlanta Braves’ worst nightmare or their dream come true, well I think its pretty clear which one the Phillies are.

The Phillies 7-1 victory over the Braves, put to rest any doubt people had (myself included) on whether they could finish out the regular season on a high note after hitting a bad streak.  But I refrain from being too ecstatic for fear of being a j**x.  Look at that, I won’t even spell it out!  And for those that know me and my track record at Phillies games this year, I have NO tickets for any of the post season games.  So everyone can breath a sigh of relief.  I will watch from the comforts of my home in southern New Jersey, approximately 30 minutes from Citizens Bank Park, I think that’s a safe enough distance!

In regards to Tuesday night’s game, I can’t stress enough how absolutely wonderful it is to see the offense show up and make the other team’s pitchers work.  Especially when you have a guy like Derek Lowe on the mound.  Let’s face it, the dude has been struggling.  The Phillies would have been crazy not to take full advantage of Lowe’s current lack of pitching prowess.

Roy Oswalt - Photo credit: Steve Trapani

Chase Utley started it all off with a solo home run in the first.  Hunter Pence had 3-RBI’s on the night, thanks in part to a 2-run homer in the fifth.  Pence has 96 RBI’s on the season, just four shy of a 100.  Jimmy Rollins hit another solo shot after hitting one in Monday night’s game.

Righty Roy Oswalt pitched well by going six innings, only giving up three hits, no runs, and struck out four.  That was enough to give him his ninth win of the season.  Rookie Joe Savery relieved Oswalt in the seventh and had a one-two-three inning including a strikeout.  Then Antonio Bastardo pitched the eighth and I’ll be honest, my faith in him has been teetering.  But he looked good, also having a quick inning, retiring all three batters.

Kyle Kendrick threw in the ninth and though gave up a homer to Martin Prado, he retired all three batters afterwards.  Game over!

With Tuesday night’s win, manager Charlie Manuel reached 645 wins (2005-2011) as the Phillies skipper.  Tying him with Gene Mauch for the Phillies franchise record.

The Phillies’ win on Tuesday was their 101st victory of the season and that ties them with the 1976 and 1977 Phillies for the franchise record.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Braves – 9/27/11 Game

After the jump, check out Wednesday’s game preview which is the Phillies final regular game of the season!!!!

» Continue reading “Phillies = Buzzkill For Braves”

For the third time in Phillies franchise history and not since 1977, the Phillies got their 100th win of the season.  A couple weeks ago I would have thought 100 wins would be no problem, but the way things had transpired over the last week, I was starting to think 100 wasn’t going to happen. But they did it.

And now they are on a 2-game winning streak, and are back on track.

Cliff Lee threw six innings, gave up five hits, two runs, and struck out six.  He also collected his 17th win of the season.  The offense also contributed thanks to a Jimmy Rollins solo shot in the fifth, 2-RBI’s by Raul Ibanez and one by Placido Polanco.

Rookie relievers Joe Savery and Michael Stutes, both pitched in the seventh inning without giving up any hits or runs.  Brad Lidge threw in the eighth, gave up a hit but also kept the Braves from scoring.

Closer Ryan Madson got his 32nd save of the season and the Phillies won 4-2.

Complete Box Score Phillies/Braves – 9/26/11 Game

Check out Tuesday night’s game preview after the jump….

» Continue reading “Phillies Reach 100 Wins!”

Chase Utley - Photo credit: Steve Trapani

For those who don’t know, my track record for Phillies games this season has been abysmal and they have lost just about every time I’ve attended a game. Thankfully for the Phillies and the fans, I haven’t made it to many.

But that being said, on Wednesday night they WON while I was there.  Although I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I was sweating it for most of the game.

The game actually started off pretty good, minus a few walks, Roy Oswalt had a no-hitter working into the sixth.  And in the bottom of the second, with Raul Ibanez‘s 18th homer of the season, I felt it was a going to be a good night.  That was of course until Ibanez’s home run was pretty much all they got until the eighth inning, so that nagging feeling of being a jinx reared its ugly head.  My own kid calls me a jinx!!!  Can’t argue the facts.

And matters weren’t helped when I watched Ryan Howard strikeout with bases loaded.  Boy did he hear the boos.  I didn’t personally boo him, but he’s got to stop swinging for the fence and/or be a little more patient.  But he wasn’t the only guilty party on that, a couple times it looked like Hunter Pence was just hacking or not fully committing to his swings.  I wanted to shout either swing the damn bat or don’t swing at all.  It was frustrating to watch.  Pence went 0-for-4 and I take full blame because the last time I attended a game, he struck out three times.  Sorry Hunter, its all my fault.

But even with the anemic offense barely on the radar last night, the worst thing that occurred came in the bottom of the sixth.  Atlanta reliever Eric O’Flaherty beaned Chase Utley with a 90 mph fast ball.  That ball hit Utley’s helmet so hard, you probably could have heard it miles away.  Utley was awarded first base and from my advantage it looked like he was unscathed.  But by the eighth inning, Utley was absent from the game.*

Right before O’Flaherty hit Utley, there was an incident where Placido Polanco singled to right field.  Atlanta’s Jason Heyward slid to catch it but in reality he just trapped it on the ground.  Shane Victorino had gotten to third and Polanco was safe at first.  Or so we thought.  The ump called Polanco out and the inning was over.  Well Polanco argued that Heyward DIDN’T catch it, that it hit the ground first.  Charlie Manuel emerged from the dugout and argued as well.  And in a RARE moment, after the umpiring crew talked it over, the call was reversed and Polanco was safe as was Victorino.  If I hadn’t seen it in person I might not have believed the Phillies actually had a call go their way.

Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez then argued but was ejected. A few moments later O’Flaherty hit Utley with the first pitch.  Sadly the Phillies couldn’t capitalize on the bases loaded and reversed call, that’s when Howard struck out.

» Continue reading “Gotta Love a Sweep!”