Drew, Of Course, Leads Sox To Series Win
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Wed, June 18, 2008 10:21 PM | Comments: 27
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JD Drew, join Jorge Cantu, Tim Redding, Kyle Lohse, Rod Barajas, Prince Fielder, David Wright and Brandon Webb in the “We Kill Phils” bin. (Check that, put most of the Phils’ hitters in that list too.)
Drew bashed a three-run home run and finished 4-for-4 in a 7-4 Red Sox win at Citizens Bank Park. They won the three-game series 2-1. For the Phils, it was their third-straight series loss, and are now 4-6 in their last 10 games.
Kyle Kendrick was tattooed early, giving up six runs in three innings. Sox hitters were patient with him, waiting on the easy pitches, and they got ‘em, and got ‘em good. The bullpen did a nice job cleaning up the mess and keeping the game close. While Clay Condrey surrendered his usual run, Chad Durbin, Rudy Seanez, JC Romero and Brad Lidge all had scoreless innings.
You’d think the offense could respond with a lot of time to come back, but they couldn’t. They got a few back, mainly from a two-run single by pinch hitter Pedro Feliz. Pinch hitter Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard added RBI singles. But yet again, it was the middle of the order coming up painfully short. Chase Utley went 0-for-4 and is now at a shocking .295. Pat Burrell went 0-for-4. Geoff Jenkins went 0-for-3. Shane Victorino went 0-for-3. When you get one hit out of your middle five hitters, you’re going to lose. The worst moment of the game came in the seventh, as Feliz’ single made it 7-4, brought the crowd back into the game and signaled big things with nobody out. Jimmy Rollins followed the single with a walk off new pitcher Manny Delcarmen. Cue the black hole: Victorino pop out; Utley line out; Howard strikeout. A potential huge inning became a deflated mess in a matter of minutes.
Suddenly Utley is becoming a troubling matter. While this isn’t the kind of slide that sounds the alarms, he is looking foolish out there, somehow losing the patience and short swing he had been displaying all season. Without anyone stepping up in his place, this team is just bad.
What does this all mean? A 1-2 series to the Sox isn’t the end of the world; hell, the Phils are still leading the National League East. But you can’t help but be dissatisfied with the way the team performed in front of an elite club. Surely the Sox are on Class-A. They’re patient hitters, crafty pitchers and clutch relievers. The Phils, meanwhile, are jittery hitters, softball pitchers and clutch relievers. Well, one out of three ain’t good enough.
Associated Press photo
Posts: 0 Phil
What happened to the display of pitchers for sale? I want to see what you had to say about that and not about how bad the Phillies have been lately. Howard has stepped up a few times in Utley’s slump, so don’t count him out. I mean even today at least he had 1 RBI. That’s better than none.
Posted: 11:14 PM on June 18, 2008
Posts: 1650 Tim Malcolm
Phil, that’s coming tomorrow. Patience, my friend.
Posted: 11:28 PM on June 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Ah, I guess because tomorrow is an offday? I’m kinda starting to think they should unload the farm for 2 pitchers and make only Marson and Carrasco untouchable.
Posted: 11:41 PM on June 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Doug Drabek's Son
I will play as many games for the Phillies as JD Drew did.
Posted: 11:41 PM on June 18, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Something interesting to say about Ryan Howard.
He’s hitting .333 with RISP. That is higher than the following players: Josh Hamilton, Adrian Gonzales(I thought that guy would be hitting for .800 with RISP with how bad the Pads offense is), Chase Utley, David Wright, A-Rod, J.D Drew, Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, Derek Lee, Pat Burrell, Alfonzo Soriano, and tied with Manny Ramirez. The only people I found higher were David Ortiz and Chipper Jones. Thought that was interesting. He K’s a lot and has a horrible average, but is obviously clutch as fuck.
Posted: 01:42 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Mark
Kendrick got bombed, but he’s entitled. He’s had a great string. It;s the offense. The old expression “you snooze, you lose” seems appropo for the last two games of the Boston series.
Posted: 02:22 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Greg V.
If this is the go for it all season, we need to unload the farm for one of the big names. Everyone keeps talking Bedard and I rather we not seek him. I’d go after Sheets, Sabathia, or Harden.
I’m not going to be too hard on Kendrick. I think the man has a bright future and for all that can be said, we still win most of the games he pitches.
Posted: 08:09 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Joshua
this is troubling, we lost 3 straight series and now play the tough ALW leading Angels…worst part is the mets seemed to have gotten a little roll going, they won 4 of 6 series including 2 very tough Al teams.
Posted: 08:48 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
I think you designate 4 or 5 guys untouchable and everyone else becomes expendable to get the guy you need to get. thats the smart way. AND the guy you get youd BETTER resign if he proves his worth.
Posted: 08:51 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
I agree, Geoff – that’s how it has to be done.
Here’s my five: Cole, Utley, Lidge, Rollins, Romero.
Posted: 09:11 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Is this going to be one of those strange days where we all agree on everything???
The Brew Crew is starting to win again.. with the Cards a little banged up, this may give them a window to makeup some ground. I don’t think they’ll be trading Sheets, espc with Gallardo on the DL… I threw that out there for Myers+prospects since they need a closer. But it doesn’t look like the Phillies are going to move Myers to the pen.
Harden is interesting, since you know the A’s love to make deals for prospects.. and we’ll be out there in a few days.. Im sure my boyfriend and Billy Beane will go out to a lovely dinner or two and talk trades.
Posted: 09:37 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
Mike..I was referring to prospects. im sure you know that jenkins and feliz and ruiz have no trade value. so unless they move howard or victorino then the only way to get someone is with prospects.
who are the 5 untouchable prospects accoring to all you guys?
marson, carrasco, golson, savery. bastardo/brown??
id be interested to know what people think about that. or is everyone expendable if they can get an re-up cc sabathia?
Posted: 09:47 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
To me only Marson, Carrasco, and Savery are untouchable. You can get an outfielder other ways.
Posted: 10:02 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
This is such a critical series this weekend. they need to take two of three from this team. theyre 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost 3 series in a row. winning a series to stop the bleeding is IMPERATIVE!
Posted: 10:04 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
i tend to think if they can get a real stud then golson can be included in that trade. it depends.
catchers are like gold though. if they trade that kid marson then theyll have some expaliing to do when he becmes a perennial all star.
Posted: 10:05 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Marson is totally untouchable, more so than anyone. Unload Jaramillo on someone who needs a catcher. Donald and Cardeans look like good players and we don’t need them. Outman, Drabek, etc. all have potential, so they look like trade bate. Just keep Savery, Carrasco, and Marson.
Posted: 10:19 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
those three are and should be universally agreeable. bastardo could be good but hes risen so fast hell be one of the first guys a team will ask for.
also..how the heck does billy beane think hes getting three A prospects for joe blanton?
everytime i see blanton on baseball tonight its in a clip of him giving up a homerun or a double. its never clip sof blanton dominating. screw that. ill give you drabek and some B outfielder for blanton. thats it.
Posted: 10:31 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
Geoff, I’d say Bastardo over Brown. But like I said about current players – I’d ship anyone not listed above.
Posted: 10:33 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
I’d move Cardenas, but I think I want Jaramillo around, Ruiz is horrible.
Posted: 10:34 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
Well, if the trade is good sure. id add kendrick to the list because i dont like giving up young pitching. een though he is what he is i dont like giving up young starters who dont totally and completely suck.
id err on the side of propsects only in season. if they win or dont win the world series, however, in the offseason all but like 8-10 guys on this roster are fair game. llidge gets resigned automatically. to not do that is beyond comprehension and theres no line of bullshit they can sell us on that which is even remotely close to being acceptable.
Posted: 10:38 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
i think ruiz has goota get moved as soon as possible
Posted: 10:42 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
just some random prospect thoughts:
I think Marson will be on the team next year, so the Phils should keep him to replace Ruiz.
Bastardo is a soft-tossing lefty and future lefty specialist, you’re not going to get much for him.
According to a chat with Jim Callis of Baseball America yesterday, he ranks Savery higher than Carrasco.
Posted: 10:47 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
Carrasco will be mlb-ready next spring or sooner. thats why hes a valued prospect. he projects to a 3rd starter type of guy. savery could be a number two or number one but his development is out of whack because he was injrued
Posted: 10:53 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Jeremy
There are no untouchables in the farm system. If this is a go for broke year and the Phils can get a #1 starter in return, then they should pull the trigger, even overpay a little if they have to. The Yankess didn’t give up Kennedy and Hughes to get Santana because I think they know the team is still a year or two away from being a legit WS team. The Phillies are legit right now but need another arm to complement Hamels.
And let’s not start jumping off bridges because of the last three series. Lester had great stuff 2 days ago, but the other 5 losses in this stretch were all close. Even yesterday the Phils had the tying run up in the 7th with nobody out. I don’t like that this team has had 2 walk off losses in the last week, but they battle and are in almost every game. The only laughers this season involve Phillies blowouts, not the other way around. Beginning with the Braves series I was hoping for 12-9 in a very tough stretch of 7 series. Now they’re 6-6 so there’s some work to do. Hopefully they take either Friday or Saturday’s game from the Angels and then Hamels can win the series on Sunday.
Also, I’ll be much more interested in the All Star game this year because of the Phils’ playoff chances and the fact that the NL is in great shape to finally win.
Posted: 10:54 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Brooks
I like the fact that we can sometimes whine on this site and it would be understood by quite a few Phillies fans… I went to Tuesday nights game and yesterdays game. (note, the last 4 out of 5 games I’ve been to have been losses – I am getting shit from everyone at the office and even my wife is giving me crap!) Both huge dissappointments. It really looked to be a nice comeback in the making as Feliz delivered, Rollins walked and there is 2nd & 3rd with no outs and $$$ coming to bat…
I was begging for mercey when Drew came up the 4th time – he tuned the Phillies up while our big 3 took a nap…
I saw earlier where Ryan is hitting .333 with RISP. Amazing, I know I have seen the last 4 atbats with men in scoring position say an intentional walk to Chase and he has sputtered big time. And yet tomorrow night he is perfectly capabale of crushing the Angels nearly single-handedly – what a team –
If you see a white haired gent in the mid 50′s looking for a ticket on Friday night, be gentle on him (he’ll be wearing that same Ryan Howard home Jersey)..
Posted: 11:45 AM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 benjamin franklin
step of the ledge. The phillies aren’t that bad becasue they lost 2 of 3 to Boston.
Posted: 12:10 PM on June 19, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Benjamin Franklin is the emperor of Philadelphia, so we should all probably agree with him. haha
Posted: 12:11 PM on June 19, 2008