Comments on: Offense Shames, Frustration Reigns As Phils Fall

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 15:23:48 +0000

I don’t think you can compare April weather to now. Both are cold environments, yes, but the October cold in the postseason is completely different. There is too much on the line for them too really be concerned about that. And April is different because it’s at the beginning of the season and everyone is adjusting more.

By: Don M

Don M — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:54:48 +0000

I just watched the Replays of Rollins HBP.. and the non-call on Baldelli on mlb.com..

I know we left too many runners on base,, etc.. but it really SUCKS when you get shafted on two calls in the World Series.. and these aren’t judgement calls like a balk..

This is a ball that clearly hit Rollins’ jersey.. and a ball that crossed the 1st-base corner of home plate.. damn.

Oh yea.. and you know how front page of all the sports sections yesterday had stories about the Balk that wasn’t called with pictures of the Rays… well today I had to go searching for stories about these two blown calls

By: Dennis

Dennis — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:26:51 +0000

I hope it is an advantage but I just don’t see it…. Monday is going to be in the 40s at game time.

By: Phil

Phil — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:25:43 +0000

It was nice in Boston last week…it was in the 60′s. It will also be in the high 50′s low 60′s this week for the games.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:20:15 +0000

I would love to believe that weather would be a factor but I just don’t see it. Phils have traditionally not played well in the cold(see April stats). And it’s not like these players grew up in Florida and have never played outdoors before, not to mention they went into Fenway last week and took 2 of 3 and it was cold there. So I wouln’t look to much into weather helping the Phils Bill. Now being at home in a hostile environment, a whole different story….

By: JimC

JimC — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:17:15 +0000

If you would have told me yesterday monring that brett myers went seven, gave up four, and eric bruntlett hit a home run I would have expected us to win. We are not going to win every game and but it is sitting right there for the taking. It seemed like every inning we had a man on third with less then two outs. It was good to see howard rip one to center and I think we bust out on saturday night. Comon PHILLies

By: Bill

Bill — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:13:07 +0000

Does anyone else think the weather will be a huge factor in Philly? Obviously it will affect both teams. But mentally, I think the Phils will have a big edge in cold, windy, possibly wet conditions against a south Florida dome team.

By: Don M

Don M — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:09:28 +0000

it is now a Best of 5 Series… and we’re home for 3 of those games!

By: Dennis

Dennis — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:00:58 +0000

The rust has worn off, the bats will come alive starting tomorrow night. We could’ve had both but I think before the series started everyone said they needed to get one in Tampa, well they are coming home 1-1 and the city is fired up!!!

By: Don M

Don M — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:47:11 +0000

That was Werth’s 8th assist (not many people run on him..) and I think his 1st error of the season??

He is a very good outfielder.. and a very good baserunner.. THAT was tough to see two mistakes from last night in areas where he usually excels.. we all know that he struggles against RHP.. but he hit the ball hard a few times last night.. 2 rockets to 3rd, that shot right back up the middle..

I don’t know what they should do.. Victorino looks like he’s whipping his bat again instead of swinging it.. which is where his lazy, infield pop-ups come from..

Dobbs killed me last night.. he usually makes contact, so those 2 Ks were HUGE mostly because you thought he would def come through

By: MP

MP — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:43:07 +0000

Yeah I don’t want to make excuses, but those two blown calls were complete game-changers in their respected innings.

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:42:47 +0000

Chuck is absolutely right, that fake field at the Trop is what caused that error for Werth…guaranteed. And my optimism is still on the Phils because there is nothing like a game at CBP. I was at Game 1 of the NLCS and my ears are still ringing!

By: Don M

Don M — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:39:41 +0000

The Home plate umpire SCREWED Brett Myers on that Strikeout+Walk call for Baldelli.. FoxPitchTrack DEFINITELY shows where the catcher catches the ball, not where it crosses the plate. WHen they showed the overhead view for replays they showed balls over the outside of the plate, but on pitchtracker it was like a full ball away.. which matched exactly where the pitch was caught..

Both close plays at 1st base were correct, eventhough they went against the Phillies..

Rollins DEFNITELY got hit with that pitch, no question about it.. that was a bad call.

Myers was great last night… runs scored because of an error.. and then they had they didn’t have the infield playing in with a runner on 3rd!!… I understand trying to prevent a big inning.. but when your team has been off for a week, and then struggled to score runs in game #1, did we expect a lot of offense last night??

ANyway.. Phillies come back home.. take at least 2 of 3 here.. Lets Go Fightins!!!

By: MP

MP — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:35:51 +0000

Agreeed, Chuck. Everyone needs to calm down. The boys won’t strand that many runners at home. In fact, I think Jimmy, Ryan, EVERYONE will explode at home. I think the whole offense will just really, really get hot when they hit the bank.

And for whoever said Jamie Moyer is our worst pitcher – is a bandwagon Phillies fan who has just been watching the playoffs. Even if you break down both of Moyer’s postseason starts, they wern’t that bad. Look, I think Moyer is gonna do great Saturday. I think the combination of bringing this thing home, the hopeful return of our offense, the noise at the bank, and Jamie’s expertise at throwing these young players off base will be great for us. This is the WS,I didn’t expect for us to sweep. We are the only team in the entire postseason to stay undefeated at home, and I think it’s gonna stay that way.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:27:24 +0000

Manny, I completely agree. Hamels was Hamels and Myers was Myers. Myers didn’t have his A game or his best stuff. But he pitched pretty well….good enough to win if the run support is there. I agree…..if there is a rainout……change the rotation a bit.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:23:32 +0000

Everybody needs to freaking calm the f down. Bottomline is that we lost that game last night, we sucked at the plate in key situations and we made some costly errors. Throw in some terrible umpiring and it was a very ugly loss. Our pitching was really ok…….good enoough to win most games when we are producing. Really, if you take away Werth’s error in the first (which is really rare!) and get even just ONE hit with RISP it’s a tie game or a Phillies lead. My gut tells me that the boys are on top of all that stuff and will come out in game 3 clicking on all cylinders.

And lets’s think a minute about Garza. This guy has to wear freaking earplugs when he pitches because of the sound of the cowbells in the Trop. Are you kidding me?? What is the guy gonna do with 46,000 screaming delirious fans at CBP? My money says he’s outta there by the 3rd or 4th inning.

Let’s go boys!!!!!! Cholly…….rally the troops!!!!!!

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:21:13 +0000

Here is to hoping that the boys can get the bats going when they come back to Philly and we get an umpire who is not blind and doesn’t appeal his own calls. I agree with the post, the Phillies did terrible last night at the plate; Howard came alive but he did so at the worst possible position…lead-off batter. Kudos to Ruiz, he did an exceptional job at the plate not only hitting well, but making the pitchers work.

Go Phillies…Sweep ‘em at home!!!

By: Manny

Manny — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:12:52 +0000

Hamels and Myers have both been outstanding in the WS. If they push Saturday’s game to Sunday because of rain, I’d go for Hamels pitching Game 4 and Myers Game 5. They can throw well, they can hit, too and they’ll have the crowd behind them. We should be able to win those… Moyer could still go for Game 3. If they get him early, put in Blanton.

Blanton/Moyer for Game 6 and if needed, Hamels for Game 7.

By: Evan

Evan — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:11:33 +0000

Meyers worst inning was the first, which seems to be consistant with the way he’s pitched all year, and even with that inning he pitched a decent and winnable game. Charlie needs to step in and get his boys hitting cause they are dead at the plate.

I give so much credit to Ruiz, who has taken the postseason as an opportunity to shine.

By: RiVLez

RiVLez — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:10:18 +0000

I’m not going to even waste my time arguing with a whiney b*tch.