Phils’ Gameplan Worked Vs. Gallardo
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Thu, October 02, 2008 11:03 AM | Comments: 20
Posts
When the Brewers announced Yovani Gallardo as their game-one starter, I felt a panic. This wouldn’t be easy, I thought. The guy can throw darts, and if he’s on, he’ll be almost impossible to beat.
The Phillies had to look at game one like a battle of attrition. Play it slow and patient and wait for your breaks. They did exactly that. They took a lot of pitches, wearing out the young, still rehabilitating righty. He was effective early, but Carlos Ruiz had the big leadoff hit to get the party going.
Cole Hamels dropped a very nice bunt that was dropped by the receiving Rickie Weeks. With two out, Chase Utley delivered with what should’ve been the inning’s final out — instead, Mike Cameron never quite got a hold of the ball, and it dropped immediately.
“It was two strikes, I was just trying to put the ball in play and we caught a break right there. Sometimes you need those breaks to win the game.”
They extended the inning with an intentional walk to Ryan Howard, a walk to Pat Burrell, and a final run-scoring walk to Shane Victorino. Clearly the Brewers’ miscues got in Gallardo’s head, and he responded by pitching wildly. Against a young, unseasoned pitcher like Gallardo, the goal is to make him think too much. Sure, Gallardo didn’t let up hits, but sometimes it takes some luck and head games to get a few runs. The plan worked.
Posts: 0 CT
Winning this way against Gallardo was great and all, but we definitely need to start warming up the bats and get some hits on the boards. Patience at the plate alone can only get you so far.
Posted: 11:09 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
When Hamels laid that bunt down.. he hit it pretty hard, and I thought they were actually going to get Ruiz at 2nd. But the Phillies did a great job of being patient (for the most part).. and making sure they get Gallardo up in his pitch-count and out of the game early. I’d like to see them put up 2-3 runs today against CC… a lot of that depends on which way the wind is blowing.. if its blowing out today at 15+ mph, we could see a few long balls
Posted: 11:22 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Jim
Agreed CT. We can’t count on brewer mistakes and we certainly can’t count on our pitching staff to give us a performance like cole did yesterday.
Posted: 11:23 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Did anyone hear the story about Mets relief pitcher Ambiorix Burgos? He hit, and killed 2 women with his SUV, and the cops are looking for him. Thats insane.
Posted: 11:34 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Chris.I
Heres the story
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/10/01/mets.burgos.accident.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
Posted: 11:35 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Go figure, I won the lottery drawing for NLDS Game 5 (if necessary) and I was about 20 minutes too late in responding to get tickets.
I’m never going to a playoff game….
Posted: 11:38 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 CT
SJ Mike… there’s always ebay, StubHub, and craigslist as options to getting tickets!
Posted: 11:43 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
CT, I have checked Stubhub. Playoff tickets are either $40 or $70. Any of the other places are selling for more then triple the values.
I’m a 24-year-old freelance videographer. I just don’t have that kind of money.
I actually had Game 1 NLCS tickets for last year, but we obviously didn’t make it to the NLCS, so all for naught.
Posted: 11:56 AM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Wilson
You’ll get there SJ…
I had to give up my playoff tickets for the past two seasons (I have the Sunday plan) because of grad school. Next year though….no more school…
I watched game one on my computer during class yesterday and had to leave the room when Lidge struck out Hart….I almost had an anxiety attack
Posted: 12:03 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Griffin
I won NLDS “last chance” game 5 tickets this morning. I’m hoping that it doesn’t come to a game 5 so we don’t have to face Sabathia again.
Posted: 12:04 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Wilson, I was pacing back and forth yesterday during that 9th inning. I had rushed to get all of my work finished, packaged, and mailed away so I could relax the whole game. And the way Hamels was dealing, I was relaxed….until the 9th inning got interesting.
My girlfriend has made it a policy during htis whole stretch run to not talk to me until at least a half hour after the game has ended, just because of how anxious I get.
Posted: 12:06 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Griffin, Sabathia lifetime against the Phillies 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA (2 starts).
Posted: 12:11 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
SJ Mike… got any links to any of your stuff… Im getting married in 4 weeks (World Series game #7 is October 30th, and I get married on Nov 1st.).. so thats in the clear, which is nice..
I didn’t hire a videographer cause they charge like $3,000 and I think people tend to act goofy in front of video cameras anyway.. but wouldn’t mind hiring somebody for the before the wedding and for the ceremony and stuff…
random i know but let me know
Posted: 12:22 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Don, I actually don’t do weddings any more. Haven’t done one since I was a Sophomore in college over 4 years ago. Sorry.
My website is http://www.MixedNutsProductions.com if you’re bored, however!
Posted: 12:25 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 NEPA
As much as we caught a break from Cameron dropping that ball, I think the Brewers caught a break that it wasn’t 20 feet over his head. Even the Brewer’s manager said that Utley quote “Hit the crud outta that ball.” The wind just killed it. I look at those factors as canceling each other out, so lets just take it for what it is: a 2 RBI double by Utley.
Posted: 12:28 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Nepa, I think Utley’s ball was destined to hit off the top part of that weird angle in the left part of center and carum back into the middle of center. That ball just died. Cameron is too good of a fielder to mess that up without the wind.
Posted: 12:30 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
Mike, does that gmail email go to you? or someone else?
Posted: 12:32 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Don M
NEPA i think it was actually Gallardo.. hit the crud outta that ball that flew out to Burrell in the 3rd… if the wind wasn’t blowing in, that was 10-rows deep …
Cameron with a gold glove resume, just got fooled by the wind, and took a bad angle to get back to the ball, but i still though he caught it for a split second
Posted: 12:33 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 SJ Mike
Don, it goes directly to me.
Posted: 12:56 PM on October 2, 2008
Posts: 0 Nah_Roots
Yo, SJ. Are you ever in need of actors for your short films. I’m at Temple right now taking some acting courses, and I’m always looking to help people with their stuff.
Posted: 01:51 PM on October 2, 2008