Comments on: Sweep! Phils Exit Atlanta On High Perch

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:51:41 +0000

Is this the long-awaited Howard break-out?

By: Adam C

Adam C — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:18:41 +0000

Great writing, Tim. It really was an amazing weekend.

By: Gavin

Gavin — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:24:18 +0000

Build a nice lead while things are good so you can survive the tough stretches that will come……..all the teams will go through it. The Phils will too. I’m cautiosuly optimistic. :)

By: Brooks

Brooks — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:19:01 +0000

I stand corrected Phils Phan – nice company eh?

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:15:24 +0000

I’m reading, and it’s really funny. I actually can’t believe that most of them are throwing in the towel.

By: Mike W.

Mike W. — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:04:36 +0000

If anyone wants to feel even better, go over to metsblog and just soak in the depression and devastation over on those boards. Man, it is so so awesome.

By: Phils Phan

Phils Phan — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:05:04 +0000

@ Brooks

Minor correction to (quest for an unprecedented 3rd MVP by the same team, different player.). To risk sounding like “Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it!”…

The Yankees (who else, really) did it–Maris, Mantle and Howard in ’61 to ’63.

By: Brooks

Brooks — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:29:37 +0000

Let’s put this in perspective Phils fans. Who’s the leader of the club that’s made for you and me? “Cha-rlie, yes that spells Charlie…”

It has taken a while but Charlie? Pat Gillick?

OK, seriously -what has been the main reason for the sucess we are seeing? The bullpen. Let’s break it down for a sec (yes, some of us have too much time on our hands);

Here is the mainstay; Between Durbin, Seanez, Romero, Lidge and Gordon
G IP Hits ER K ERA W-L S
128 135.2 108 31 113 2.06 15-7 18

More optimistically, if you take out Gordon’s first game (nightmare)
G IP Hits ER K ERA W-L S
127 135.1 104 26 113 1.73 15-6 18

Let’s put Madson and Condrey back into the equation (along with the nighgtmare game):
G IP Hits ER K ERA W-L S
174 192 163 55 151 2.57 17-7 19
That is a winning percentage of .708.

OK, pinch yourselves and ask the questions that need to be asked.
Is this for real here? The starting pitching by contrast has a 4.46 ERA and has 22 wins with 19 losses.

More questions; when the bullpen comes back down to reality (Gordon will take time off, Durbin & Seanez have NEVER played so well), will the starting pitchers fare better than a .537 winning percentage? Are they capable of something better?

What do we know to be true?
Jimmy Rollins is the reigning MVP. Ryan Howard is NOT a .200 hitter and definitely should start wreaking havok on opposing pitchers. Chase Utley is on pace for the MVP award. Offense, offense, offense.

We cannot expect what we have seen so far to continue, it is not realistic. How about when Ryan Howard will be punishing opposing pitchers, Jimmy Rollins to get on track and more of the Chase Utley quest for an unprecedented 3rd MVP by the same team, different player.

As for me and my buds, we are all loving it!
Go Phils!

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:15:51 +0000

Are we good?!! I have not rooted for a good baseball team since the Flash -in-the-Pan ’93 Phils. This series makes me say yes… lets make it happen in Florida. I’ll believe.

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:11:20 +0000

I think Hamels and Myers have found their stuff and will bring their A. game to Dolphins stadium. Hamels isn’t going to want to get embarrassed by the Fish again.

By: bob

bob — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:01:04 +0000

dudes and dudettes – we’re only 3.5 games up on the Fish. With three games in this next series, it’s time to create a real cushion between the phillies and the rest of the division. but i’m expecting to lose two out of three. hamels and myers always get hammered at Dolphins stadium. hopefully the bats will provide some cover for moyer and we can escape the series 2.5 games up.

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:45:48 +0000

it is nice to soak this in. The Phillies have not had this type of success since 93 and if you think about it, they have not been good since 77 ot 78. It is an exciting time to be a Phillies fan. We need to soak it up and hope it continues!

http://myteamrivals.typepad.com/phightin_phils_phorum

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:48:31 +0000

Yeah, 49 RBIs for Howard and people still hate on him. I am ridiculously frustrated with him, but today showed me why I want him in our lineup. Once the all-star break rolls around that guy will be averaging 1 a game again.

By: hoey

hoey — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:47:48 +0000

the phillies sweeping in hotlanta was as good as the girls high team winning the public league debate trophy

By: erik

erik — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:43:28 +0000

chase utley 56 phi
ryan howard 49 phi
manny ramirez 47 bos
david ortiz 43 bis
pat burrell 41 phi
k youkilis 38
jd drew 32 bis

By: Phanatic74

Phanatic74 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:38:34 +0000

I would have been happy with the Phils making it through this road trip going 6 for 9, but with the win today I see it as 7 for 9. The Phillies are doing and outstanding job on the road, but they also elivated their game at home with the most recent 8 for 10. WoW . . . Go Phightins !!

phanatic74.wordpress.com

By: erik

erik — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:30:33 +0000

not to mention the cardinals after the marlins, who happen to be pretty good themselves

By: Greg V.

Greg V. — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:29:40 +0000

It seems all too good right now. I feel if I say anything, i’ll jinx it but something is happening that is really going to be great. I feel it like never before. If we hold our own in this road trip and with the sox and the angels, we will truly be a force to be reckoned with.

By: dan

dan — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:17:54 +0000

Chipper- We’re playing the Marlins who are pretty darn good, the Red Sox who are in first place and are reigning WS Champs, and the Angels in first place.

By: Tim Malcolm

Tim Malcolm — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:06:33 +0000

Scouring blogs, a commenter at Braves Journal posted some quotes by the always outspoken Chipper after today’s game:

â€œThey got guys who go up there with a game plan,â€ said Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who missed Sunday with a strained right quadriceps muscle. â€œThey got guys who work at being a tough out. Over the course of nine innings, they wear you out. Thatâ€™s what division champions do.â€

â€œTheir hitters put big at-bats up in crucial situations,â€ Jones said. â€œThey got big base hits. When they needed to put a ball in the outfield, they did it. We just couldnâ€™t do it. When we needed a hit or a big at-bat, we struck out or hit into a double play.â€

â€œI donâ€™t know about everybody else, but Iâ€™m worried,â€ Jones said. â€œI donâ€™t want to come back from this road trip and be out of the race. Weâ€™re playing the Cubs in first place, the Angels in first place and the Rangers, who are pretty darn good. Theyâ€™re the best offensive team in the American League. Itâ€™s not going to be easy. Some people in here better start picking it up.â€

Ouch. Chipper calls out the team. But they’re not out of it. Not by a stretch.