Phillies Nation

Yesterday I wrote about the possible need for a veteran setup man to work late innings. I had written this about the current Phillie setup:

We’ve seen that the Phils bullpen parts are clearly defined in their abilities. Romero should strictly work lefties, but can get out of big jams late in games. Durbin is best as a swing man capable of jetting through the middle innings. Condrey is a great long-innings reliever. Madson — while possessing the most setup experience of the four — seems to be better suited in the seventh inning (.208 BAA/.577 OPSA) than the eighth (.281 BAA/.708 OPSA).

Yup, Madson cannot work the eighth inning.

For the second night in a row, the Phillies blew an eighth-inning lead, losing to the Cubs 6-4. It was painful. Madson gave up a solo home run. Then a double. Then a single. Durbin came in, walked one, then gave up a game-breaking grand slam by Aramis Ramirez.

The Cubs do this stuff all the time, but that’s no excuse. The bullpen blew it, and again, it was with people not accustomed to pitching in big situations.

It ruined a great outing by Cole Hamels. He went seven, gave up a run on five hits. You could argue to keep him in the game after the seventh, but according to Charlie Manuel, Hamels was “spent.” I’d think my bullpen could finish the deed for two innings in this situation.

The Phils offense did well off Ryan Dempster. Shane Victorino hit a two-out RBI single in the first, while Carlos Ruiz, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley picked up RBI in the fifth to make it 4-1. You’re supposed to hold three-run leads.

The Phillies bullpen couldn’t. Instead, they’re now a game back of the Mets with the toughest part of the series ahead.

Associated Press photo

Headline: The need for a split starts tonight
The Major Players: Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, Aramis Ramirez, Fabio Castro
The Venue: Wrigley Field, Chicago
The Number: 0.5 games behind (Mets)

The Phillies split with the Mets, so we’re back at square one. Of course. Tonight a huge four-game set with the Cubs begins. The Cubs are the best team in the National League, by record, and should prove to be an incredibly hard test for the Phightins. The Phils took two from the Cubs back in April at Citizens Bank Park.

Curious Cub: Ryan Dempster is a crazy case. Between 1998 and 2003 he started, and had a 3.66 ERA in 2000. Other than that season, he has been pretty horrible as a starter. But this year? A 2.85 ERA.

Demp Yard: A few Phillies have hit Dempster well. Jimmy Rollins is .444 in nine at bats and Eric Bruntlett has a home run in two bats against Dempster.

Cole Snap: Cole Hamels has pitched twice in Wrigley Field. His numbers: 10 IP, 5.43 ERA.

Phillies: Cole Hamels (11-8) 3.20 ERA
Cubs: Ryan Dempster (15-5) 2.85 ERA

Gametime: 8:05 p.m. EST
Weather: 76, cloudy
Lineup:

MLB TV
MLB Gameday Audio
MLB Gameday

Your gamenight beer: My good friend and beer God recommended to me Creme Brulee Stout from the Southern Tier company. He said it wipes out dessert for a whole week, and goes best after chicken and fries. Clearly a dessert drink, it’s made for slow sipping, so enjoy it if you can tonight with Cole on the hill.

Go Phillies!

One of the glaring problems with the Phillies — especially since the injury to Tom Gordon — has been inconsistency and overworking at the back end of the bullpen.

The problem surfaced in ugly fashion last night, with Rudy Seanez having to pick up the slack while JC Romero, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey and Ryan Madson all sat in the bullpen unavailable. While Seanez is experienced, he works best in far-ahead or far-behind situations. His stuff doesn’t translate to late-inning high-pressure relief status.

We’ve seen that the Phils bullpen parts are clearly defined in their abilities. Romero should strictly work lefties, but can get out of big jams late in games. Durbin is best as a swing man capable of jetting through the middle innings. Condrey is a great long-innings reliever. Madson — while possessing the most setup experience of the four — seems to be better suited in the seventh inning (.208 BAA/.577 OPSA) than the eighth (.281 BAA/.708 OPSA).

With that knowledge, it seems achingly evident the Phillies should have a capable veteran right-hander who can get outs late in the game. And it would be almost too late to fix it. The only names that come to mind are David Weathers (3.45 ERA, 57.1 IP) and — gulp — Eric Gagne (6.35 ERA, 34 IP). I’m not saying a guy like this would be the primary setup man, but be used as a possibility for an out or two late in a game.

On the other hand, it’s valid to say these options are just like the one Charlie Manuel turned to last night — Seanez. In that case, could the Phillies live with Madson/Romero/Durbin taking turns in the eighth?

Fabio Castro has been called up to the Phillies. Andrew Carpenter, who pitched one inning in his first major league appearance, was sent down to AA Reading.

In 25 games at Reading this season, Castro has gone 8-1 with a 4.20 ERA, 80 K and 44 walks. He’s been used primarily as a starter, but has relief history, especially with the Phillies. In two seasons with the Phils he has gone 0-1 with a 3.05 ERA in 26 games.

Castro will likely go into the bullpen as a middle reliever capable of facing lefties. He’s not that good against righties. So suddenly the Phils have three left-handed relievers. It’s possible this move was made because Scott Eyre needs a rest (he has pitched four innings in the last two days), but could it be someone is hurt?

Note: This was astutely brought up by a Beerleaguer poster. Because he was optioned to the minors, Carpenter has now wasted an option. An option is the franchise’s ability to send someone to and from the majors during a season. An option is one season. Each player has three options. Now, if Carpenter never was sent down (the Phils could’ve waited until Monday when the rosters expanded), he wouldn’t have wasted an option, because the option only comes in play when a player is sent down, not brought up. Carpenter now has two options remaining.

Note 2: Putting Castro onto the roster now may be an act of shaping up the playoff roster. Players on the 25-man roster before Sept. 1 are available for the playoffs. The Phils may have wanted a third lefty for the roster, thus the move.

Despite the loss last night, a real refreshing story coming out is the work of Scott Eyre.

In seven games with the Phillies, Eyre has worked 7.2 innings, giving up three hits and a walk, but striking out nine.

In the past two days, Eyre has been called upon to get big outs against both left-handed and right-handed bats. He has responded, and then some. His slider is pretty nasty, and he complements that with an average fastball and changeup combination. He’s not unlike Brad Lidge, just without the velocity and intimidation.

Most of all, seeing Eyre work last night showed me the importance of a second lefty in the bullpen. It’s nice having a guy who can get one or two big outs against lefty bats in tight situations, then turning to the other guy when those bats come up once more.

A tough loss for sure, the Phillies took one on the chin to the Mets, 6-3. They dropped back to a game behind the Mets in the National League East, splitting the two-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phils held the lead until the eighth inning, when things sadly fell apart. Rudy Seanez got the first two outs easily, but Carlos Delgado ripped a line-drive home run (his second of the game) to tie the game. A Carlos Beltran hit took out Seanez and brought in Brad Lidge, who walked Ryan Church intentionally then fell victim to a Daniel Murphy double and Brian Schneider bloop single. When the dust settled, it was 6-3 Mets, and the Phils had blown it.

Charlie Manuel had nowhere to go with Seanez in the eighth. JC Romero, Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson were all taxed from the past couple games, forcing Seanez into the game. Question all you want keeping Seanez in the game to face the left-handed Delgado, and question walking Ryan Church, and you’ll have completely valid arguments.

And point to an offensive effort like those of a week ago for some of the blame. The Phils took the lead from Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth homers, but couldn’t deliver with runners on base, especially later in the game. Almost everyone squandered opportunities with men on base, keeping the Mets close, and setting up the crash at the end.

It’s a shame, too, because the Phils wasted a nice, hang-in-there effort by Kyle Kendrick. His five innings were filled with hard-hit bullets, but he kept from major damage. Being lifted after the Mets mounted a mini rally, Scott Eyre mowed down New York with two outstanding innings. He had three strikeouts and looked dominant against both lefties and righties. After the fact, Andrew Carpenter pitched his first major league inning, giving up a walk and a hit, but no runs.

Tough loss, sure. Big loss? Nah. Like I wrote before, this ain’t the end of the world. Let’s all strap in for the final 30-plus.

Associated Press photo

Headline: Expect anything, everything
The Major Players: Kyle Kendrick, Johan Santana, Pat Burrell, Pedro Feliz
The Venue: Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
The Number: 0.5 games ahead

Yesterday the Phillies and Mets played — hyperbole necessary — the best game of the 2008 baseball season, and then some. The Phils won 8-7 in 13 innings, 13 gutwrenching innings of great baseball. Chris Coste delievered the winning RBI, a fly ball single into deep center field that scored Shane Victorino and sent Philadelphia into a frenzy not heard since Sept. 30, 2007.

Carpenter’s School: Because the bullpen was so taxed yesterday, the Phillies brought up Andrew Carpenter from A+ Clearwater. He could pitch an inning or two, or three. It’s best that Kyle Kendrick goes deep into this one.

Pick Up Bat, Pat: Pat Burrell is a key player tonight because as the Phils main right-handed hitting threat, he has to come through against New York ace Johan Santana. Burrell, of course, went 0-for-7 last night, maybe the worst performance of his career.

Jars Of Clay: As if there wasn’t more to write about last night, Clay Condrey had his first hit since 2003 with a double in the fourth inning. It was the first extra-base hit of his career and the second run scored of his career. His OPS is at a very nice 1.000.

Don’t Mess With The Johan: In three starts against the Phillies this season, Johan Santana is is 1-0 with a 2.74 ERA and 20 K. With at least a five-inning performance tonight, Santana would’ve pitched against the Phils twice as much as any other team he’s faced this season.

Phillies: Kyle Kendrick (11-7) 4.87 ERA
Mets: Johan Santana (12-7) 2.64 ERA

Gametime: 7:05 p.m. EST
Weather: 79, partly cloudy
Lineup: Rollins/Utley/Burrell/Howard/Victorino/Werth/Feliz/Coste/Kendrick

MLB TV
MLB Gameday Audio
MLB Gameday

Your gamenight beer: Hopefully you enjoyed last night’s beer slow, because I’m not pitcking up your hospital bill. Tonight we stay slow with Cadillac Mountain Stout from Bar Harbor in Maine. Eat beef brisket with this and sit back, watch the fun unfold.

Go Phillies!

In a stunning move, the Phillies have purchased the contract of prospect Andrew Carpenter. The 23-year-old right-hander was pitching in A+ Clearwater, and together with a stint in Reading, was 9-11 with a 4.68 ERA this year.

Andy Tracy was designated for assignment to make room for Carpenter on the 25-man roster, and Mike Zagurski was placed on the 60-day DL to make room for him on the 40-man roster.

No word yet on Carpenter’s role, but as of now Kyle Kendrick is starting tonight. Carpenter was scheduled to start tonight — as was Kris Benson — but the Phils could use Carpenter out of the bullpen if necessary. To me, it’s a good move for at least tonight.

So last night was unforgettable, unbelievable, unfathomable. Sure. Last night was maybe the best game of the past — I don’t know — 15 years.

Leave it behind.

Already writers are talking about the playoffs, about 2007 all over again.

Forget it.

This is 2008. It’s a season with offensive lulls, with sometimes spotty starting pitching, with a lot more panic later in the marathon. This ain’t your 2007 Phillies.

Is this ain’t your 2007 Mets. As much as people want to throw out the “choke” word and the “collapse” word, this isn’t the same thing. The Mets have Jerry Manuel at the helm. They have a very strong offense, maybe better than last year. And yes, they might catch fire in the bullpen somehow. But most of all …

They have Johan Santana. And tonight the Mets trot Santana out there, and he’ll figure to mow down Phils hitters, just as he’s done all season. I imagine a run, maybe two from the Phils, if they’re lucky. It’ll be up to Kyle Kendrick, starting on pitch No. 46 tonight, to keep the Mets at bay.

A loss is very possible. A letdown is very possible. A Met blowout? Wouldn’t rule it out at all. I’m not saying don’t be excited, but don’t get crazy, that’s all. No reason to ride the far ends of the rollercoaster car. Enjoy it. It’s a long, long stretch to the finish, so breathe in, breathe out, settle down, get ready, and let’s do it all again.

The Phillies made their annual decision on who to send to the Arizona Fall League, the six-team minor league that serves as a warmup for players close to the majors, in front of a slew of scouts. The eight going to Arizona, to play for the Mesa Solar Sox, are:

Quintin Berry (OF, 23 y/o): Projected as a fifth outfielder, he has great speed and an OK bat.

Joe Bisenius (P, 25 y/o): Made it to Philadelphia, but has struggled this year in Lehigh Valley and a little in Reading. Not much time left to turn him into something good.

Andrew Carpenter (P, 23 y/o): Horrible in Reading, he came back to Clearwater and has pitched well. A time in the spotlight will be a good barometer of his future.

Jason Donald (IF, 23 y/o): A .308 hitter with good power in Reading, he played for the U.S. Olympic team and has been generally one of baseball’s better infield prospects. He could see some time in Philly before May 2009.

Sergio Escalona (P, 24 y/o): Not a top-30 prospect, but the lefty has good K numbers and has pitched well throughout his ascension. Now in Reading.

Lou Marson (C, 22 y/o): Hitting .319 in Reading with an .857 OPS, Marson is regarded as the franchise’s best position prospect. Time in the AFL would make him among the first readt for Opening Day 2009.

Pat Overholt (P, 24 y/o): Not great numbers after making the jump to Reading; could be trade bait or Rule V fodder.

Jeremy Slayden (OF, 26 y/o): Getting too old to be a prospect, Slayden has been a good hitter, but not good enough in the front office’s eyes to be in the majors. Might be trade bait.