9! Offense Surges, Eases Past Dodgers
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Sun, August 24, 2008 09:02 AM | Comments: 21
Posts
They did it again, this time with less longball and more situational ball, en route to a 9-2 win over the Dodgers.
Pat Burrell had five RBI. He launched his 30th home run in the first inning, a three-run shot that put him into the 30-home run club with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. It’s the third time in franchise history the Phils have had three 30-HR hitters (it happened last year, too). Burrell added an RBI when Matt Kemp lost the ball in the sun, and capped it off with a single scoring Cole Hamels in the seventh.
Ryan Howard drove in a pair with a double in the fifth, following Kemp’s miscue. Shane Victorino drove in two with a hit in the sixth. And just as important, Jimmy Rollins got on base twice, scoring twice. In all, the Phils had 10 hits and made most of them count.
Hamels reaped the benefits, getting his 11th win with a fine seven-inning performance. He struck out five and let up just five hits, letting two score. The Dodgers had just six baserunners in the game, but with the Phils offense backing him up, Hamels didn’t need to be that perfect. The nine runs were the most he has received in a quality start all season.
Associated Press photo
Posts: 0 Richie Allen
More games like this would be nice indeed
Posted: 09:34 AM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 ped
we’ll need this kind of run support for joe tonight!
Posted: 10:56 AM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Greg V.
This team has always been a team that has to fight back. They could have ran away with first place this season, but just fell apart. Now that the pieces are being put back together, this team has an opportunity and it’s now or never. It’s called WIN WIN WIN! Drop a game or two here and there, alright. But winning is essential as ever right now. I would argue that they are in the biggest battle of their careers right now. The Mets had to fall apart last year for the Phils to win. We have a real genuine race for first place this season. It’s time to capitalize!
Posted: 10:57 AM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Chase
just what we needed
Posted: 11:14 AM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Jamie
Hey gang…looks like we get to have the privilege of Joe Morgan announcing our game again tonight – yipee!!
Posted: 11:45 AM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Bear Mike
It was great to see our Phillies put together back 2 back solid wins playing the way we know our boys can play.
The Phillies certainly do have the team to win the NL East. I have said it all along that the Phills will win it. How far they will go after that, I do not think very far. Our pitching has been far better than anyone has anticipated this year, and our offense was furocious until the mid-summer’s collapse. The big if to me is the offense. If they play like they are capable, the Phillies will do well. Cholly must manage this team in Base 2 Base Offense fashion from this point forward for success. No doubt about it.
Just curious. What happened to all of the Sell, Trade, Retreat talk that has been on this blog for past few weeks?
GO PHILLIES!!!!!
Posted: 12:12 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
It’s simple, all the offense needed to do was put some offense together when they were in control of the game in multiple innings. The pitchers in this league are on the whole pretty damn good and you can’t fault guys for making outs unless their getting themselves out.
Nothing’s changed and it’s not all blue sky because they have to sustain playing well over a matter of weeks win or loss and give themselves a chance to see October. We don’t have to win every game but we have to build on the last two games and make the other teams feel like they’ve played a contendor and not a team in flux.
Posted: 01:05 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
^Teams like the ’06 Mets and last years Tigers proved it’s not the number of games you win, but in 162 games how well you play when September rolls around (unless your the ’06 Cards)
Posted: 01:07 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Fred
Sell now while the price is high.
Posted: 01:11 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Lewisauce
It needs to be stated again: Burrell must remain a Phillie next year. The front office won’t have the gonads to make it happen, but happen it should.
Posted: 01:37 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Fred
Burrell’s price tag will be too high, at least for the Phillies.
Posted: 02:02 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 christopher
great game to be at, really a team effort up and down the lineup which was nice to see. now they just need to take two more to even the season series up.
Posted: 03:03 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
I think if burrell stays he has to stay at first base. freeing up howard to be moved for pitching, if they so desire. they may actually do that, because i doubt they want to go through that arbitration mess with howard. matt holliday is out there still, and i think theyll revisit that in the offseason. JA Happ & Greg Golson should spearhead a package for holliday. thats ok. golson is another one of those players they drafted to do something they havent taught him how to do. cant get on base in the minor leagues. he is another better version of michael bourn. probably wont need to include donald because they have tulowitzki, probably wont need to include marson because they have catching. add in some pitching prospects and theyll accept that offer. if holliday leaves in free agency then we get two first round picks if he has another good year. no big deal. you reshuffle the deck here. there needs to be change after this season, no doubt. utley and victorino arent going anywhere. its clear rollins doenst want to be here anymore. howard probbaly doesnt either. id hate to get rid of him but i dont think he likes phildelphia either. if people arent happy here then itsbest to bring in people that want to play here. unlike jimmys argument, its TRULY a positive atmosphere when you have players that want to be here and love the fans and the city they play for. you want a positive clubhouse? then it wont include jimmy rollins and ryan howard.
Posted: 03:27 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
this team got old a little fast. though burrell is over 30, remember, HE is your franchise player. your first overall pick. hes your veteran leader. your professional hitter. he can play first base for you for 3-5 more years. his defense cant be worse than howards. you gotta look at the value here. let it ride out this year. see what happens. either way, they know what they need. theyre not stupid. will they do it? thats the big question.
howard is only movable, repeat, ONLY, for good pitching. rollins can give you young position players. with that you can afford to trade for matt holliday. id rather have one year of a focus steely eyed professional like holliday than the rest of the time with these punks like howard and rollins. who cant focus on the job at hand and blame their problems on other people. get that shit out of here. bring in professionals, not crybabies.
Posted: 03:48 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
lastly, all im going to do the rest of this season is enjoy the ride and see what happens. theres no much they can do to change the makeup here. i was there yesterday, nice win. they need to get to kuroda before the 6th inning tonight. i hope joe can hold them off for 6-7 innings. great television tonight though, thats for sure.
Posted: 03:50 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 dodgers suck
hey just a reminder last year burrell got to bat 3rd and the phillies won the nl east maybe it works cholly so leave that way.
Posted: 03:54 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Mike T.
brad ausmus with a solo shot – houston over the mets 5-4, top 10.
Posted: 04:03 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Fred
First off, to get Holliday you’ve got to have something the Rockies want. If you were the Rockies would you give up Holliday for Happ and Golson? I think not.
Secondly with Howard’s ever increasing salary only a few teams will be willing and able to pay that skyrocketing salary. Therefore you are severely limited as to what you can get in return.
Posted: 04:22 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
i said happ, golson, and a few pitching prospects. bastardo. maybe 2 more guys. itll take a lot but if you trade rollins for prospects you can absorb the loss.
Posted: 05:26 PM on August 24, 2008
Posts: 0 KM
geoff, i agree, howard is only movable for pitching.
I’d like to get Holliday, but don’t see it possible, even if rollins is gone and we added prospects. The Rockies are going to want a top flight outfield prospect in addition to pitching, 2 positions in which the phillies have no depth.
I would go into next season with only Utley, Victorino, Hamels, and Moyer (obviously I am exaggerating a bit) – everyone else I wouldn’t mind trading. This team needs drastic change, and being so fundamentally flawed offensively; playing in a matchbox; and never getting the right pitcher, whether it be via trade or free agency, they will never win a championship as currently constituted.
Even though their best days are behind them, I would look into trading for either Juan Pierre or Gary Matthews in the offseason. Both those guys can play all 3 outfield positions, and are the odd men out with their current teams. Both guys can play defense, and both guys are capable hitters. Both guys know how to manufacture runs, and both guys are willing to sacrifice stats to better the team. I would also trade Howard for an above average sinker ball pitcher and some minor league depth. I guess Burrell could play first, although i don’t mind him in the outfield. and I would also look into moving Myers.
My lineup next year would be:
1) Victorino
2) Pierre/Werth
3) Utley
4) Burrell
5) Rollins
6) Matthews/Werth
7) Feliz
8) Coste/Ruiz/Marson
9) Hamels
Bench: Dobbs, Bruntlett, Werth, Golson, Coste/Ruiz/Marson
There is still enough power in the lineup without Howard, and this team would be better defensively, and would hit for a higher average, while scoring more runs. I think Werth should go back to the bench – I don’t think he is a starter in the majors.
Posted: 12:55 PM on August 25, 2008
Posts: 0 KM
On MLBtradeurumors.com there was one post saying the rockies might like to move Atkins instead of Holliday, because Ian Stewart is developing at 3rd, and Helton will be going back to 1st. I wouldn’t mind getting Atkins, plug him in at first, and move Howard to the AL for pitching.
Posted: 01:00 PM on August 25, 2008