Analysis: Bullpen Headlines Positives After 0-2 Start
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Wed, April 08, 2009 11:44 AM | Comments: 22
Analysis, Posts
Yes, there have been highlights despite the Phillies 2-0 start.
Among them:
- The bullpen has been shut-down. Led by Jack Taschner (3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER), the bullpen hasn’t allowed a thing in seven innings, while striking out eight.
- Ryan Howard seems to be striking the ball well. His shots are up the middle (even when hitting into the shift). When Howard is on his game, he’s driving the ball to the middle of the field. Soon you’ll get some gap doubles. Then you’ll get some bombs.
- Howard’s defense has been good so far. And Raul Ibanez passed his first test with a nice throw home to record a third out last night.
- Despite Brett Myers’ line, his start was OK without the longball.
Are we reaching? Maybe. But sometimes you have to reach.
Posts: 0 Jason B.
Taschner has looked awesome. I was really suprised by his ability to stay poised, even when getting behind the hitters. Moyer and Myers had rough days, but “Fat Joe” blanton takes the mound today and hopefully he improves upon his undefeated streak in a Phils uniform.
Posted: 11:48 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin
JOE THE BOMBER!
Posted: 11:50 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Chase, Jimmy, Ryan are the faces of this team but right now I think the centre-peice of this team is the bullpen (even without JC). The names weren’t flashy and Lidge was damaged goods but whether it’s Dubee, someone else or pure luck we have the best bullpen in baseball. Lidge is a top 3-5 closer and behind him there are an efficient bunch of arms that fit the roles they’ve inherited. Other teams have great backend arms, some guys with great names and numbers but this is a GREAT bullpen being handled close to perfection.
Posted: 11:53 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 sawaob12
yeah loving the bullpen so far. Honestly, we’ll win a bunch of games this season when allowing 4 runs. Just need that offense to piece together some hits…
Posted: 11:56 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Yeah somethings gotten into Taschner, change of scenery does that sometimes, because he has been dominant in his work out of the pen. I think theyre going to ride him heavily while Romero is gone and hope that he really makes their decision difficult about what to do then.
Chan Ho Park pitched a smooth inning as well, staying fresh for his start on Sunday in Colorado. Myers was good once he settled in, but Moyer was bad all teh way through his start.
Howards defense is noticeably better. And Ibanez has been good defensively too….so there are a few small things to take away from this bad start, I agree.
Posted: 11:56 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Phillies need to get to a good start and get the lead. Remember as rollins go, the team goes. He needs to get on base. 1 for 8. If he gets, the pitcher has to worry about rollins stealin and then the big bats come up. We can’t be down 2-0 after not even taking a pitch like in the past two games. Hopefully those bling rings can spark the phils. Burrell will be at CBP to get his ring, say some goodbyes and then get on flight to Boston cause Rays play at Boston tonight. Also looking at schedule interleague should be fun this year if the phils play well unlike in the past. Host Red Sox, visit new yankee stadium, host blue jays and visit blue jays, visit Tampa in rematch of ’08 Series and face former phillie burrell and host orioles and who knows maybe adam eaton starts in one of those. If i was the O’s manager i wouldn’t start him because he’s gonna get booed really hardcore and who know beer bottles might be thrown at him. Hopefully the phils blast him unlike former phillies. I just hope Eaton doesn’t throw a gem because it’s like a phillie law. Every former phillie comes back to philly and does good against. Remember last year rod barajas hit a grand slam and a 3run shot to lead blue jays past phils and in the other game he hit a solo bomb another jays victory. Scott Rolen also had a good series. But hey it’s ADAM EATON. Also i wish the phils wouldve gotten a home 4 game series with the mets. Looking at the schedule it was either july or august two series on the west coast and then head to ny to play mets for 4 games.
Posted: 11:57 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 NC Jason
The start of the season has just had a weird feeling to it. It is almost like the “it-does-feel-like-X-mas” on December 25th feeling. I do not know if it was the short off-season, the long (but seemed short) spring training, a hang-over from excitement (and possibly from the beer, champagne, liquor) from the World Series. But I feel that I am constantly comparing this team right now to the team last September (or even October). And then I have to remind myself that there are 160 more games to go and a 0-2 start is nothing new and something that can be overcame….
Posted: 11:59 AM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Don’t expect a breakout season from Taschner yet. The coaching staff have a great plan in place right now by riding Taschner early with Eyre seeing the tough outs until Romero comes back ready to be lights out on a short season. When you look at the Romero suspension glass half full things look VERY good for the bullpen.
Posted: 12:01 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
Yes, I know Tim, got to be positive and look for those silver linings. We wish the team didn’t repeat their slow start each year and play catch up especially with the parity of competition in their division. Oh well, we have 6 months of a most interesting season to watch.
Posted: 12:01 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Jason B.
NC Jason…
Champagne always produces the worst hangovers.They drank a lot of it last year. Looks like the Phils are still sleeping theirs off.
Posted: 12:05 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
Blanton will shut these Braves down!
Posted: 12:05 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
The phillies are good at gettin bounce around players who need a change of scenery. Just look at these guys. Moyer from seattle and he won 16 games last year and he is our #3 starter. Blanton undefeated decision wise and was great in the postseason and probably on for a breakout year and he’s our #4 guy. Lidge traded from Houston cause he wasn’t good in the last few years and he went perfect in saves over 40 in the regular season and postseason. J.C Romero picked up and look at him, our top left-handed specialist. Recording 2 somethin era. Scott Eyre had a 18+era with cubs now with phillie recorded 1. somethin era and our top lefty to start this year. Greg Dobbs from Mariners now phillies best pinch hitter and right now one of the best pinch hitters in the majors. Shane Victorino if you wanna go back some years. Rule 5 draft pick looked like a journey now startin CF with phils one of best defensive outfielders in majors, one of fastest and could have a breakout year. Jayson Werth injuries plagued him now phils startin rf and some say 30 homers 90-100 rbis and 30 steal potential in him. Chad Durbin strugglin with tigers comes to phils and posts 2.87era in bullpen and could be used as a starter in emergency situation. Jack Taschner and Chan Ho Park could have great years just because change of scenery.
Posted: 12:07 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Wilson
Taschner’s three innings have been well worth the price paid even if he doesn’t pitch another ball this season….could be a huge steal for the good guys
Posted: 12:09 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
When anyones feeling bad after losses all you need to think about is that horrendous stretch in the middle of last year, outside of the bullpen the future looked incredibly bleak to those like us on the outside and that resulted in a championship winning team. As I’ve said before this teams going to look very bad in a lot of games this year but will tear the ball for stretches and look like champions, just got the enjoy the good when it comes and remember how tough this game is.
Posted: 12:10 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Chooch's cooches
I just heard paulino had a triple and a double for the marlins yesterday.
Posted: 12:34 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Yah Paulino had a real good game for the Marlins yesterday. He’s not in the lineup today for the marlins. All 30 teams are playing today for the first time this year. Nats and Marlins game is already underway. Phils Braves 3:05 and Rockies Dbacks 3:40. The rest of the schedule gets underway after 7pm. Update on the 0-2 Washington Nationals at 2-0 Florida Marlins game today which got underway at 12:10pm ET. Daniel Cabrera making pitching debut with Nationals while the young Chris Volstad starts for the Marlins. Currently bottom 2, Nats lead the Fish 2-0. Austin Kearns with an rbi single and ryan zimmerman with men on 1st and 3rd no out flied out to CF cody ross who tried to double off elijiah dukes at first but had an error throwing it away and scoring a run. Both runs came in the first inning. Right now 1out Dan Uggla on first cause of walk and jeremy hermida with a full count. And he gets an infield single. So marlins threatening now. 1st and 2nd 1 out and Cody Ross who allowed a nats run cause of a error will try to get atleast 1 run back as he’s battin now.
Posted: 12:51 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Best sports time of year this time around. NBA and NHL Playoffs coming up, MLB season starts and NFL Draft comes which also means some trades. Philadelphia 76ers are in playoffs and currently in 6th seed with a record of 40-37. Half game back of 5th place Miami Heat. 5 games to go and they will probably face either the Orlando Majic or the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia Flyers are in the playoffs and are currently in 4th place with 97 points. 5th place Hurricanes also have 97 points but they have played one more game. In the end everyone will have played 82 games. Flyers have 3 games remaining. Still have a shot at getting division title with devils 5 points. However if flyers lose a game or devils get on more point, devils clinch division. The nhl playoff is too confusing at this moment, so we don’t know who’s gonna play flyers. Probably either be hurricanes or penguins. I know that we won’t face capitals, bruins, rangers or maybe either montreal in the first round. The phillies season has started and they will look to defend the WS title. eagles have lots of cap space, draft picks and two 1st rounders so they will be busy during draft weekends. Expect a big trade either to move up or to acquire a really already NFL talented player.
Posted: 01:00 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 DHall
I heard the Phillies are already losing 2-0 and the ring ceremony hasn’t even started yet.
Posted: 01:19 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Your lineups for today’s game:
2-0 Atlanta Braves
1. 2B Kelly Johnson .222
2. SS Yunel Escobar .250
2. 3B Chipper Jones .500
4. C Brian McCann .143
5. LF Garrett Anderson .250
6. RF Jeff Francoeur .250
7. 1B Casey Kotchman .125
8. CF Jordan Schafer .333
9. P Javier Vazquez .000
Posted: 01:28 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Lineup for the phils:
0-2 Philadelphia Phillies
1. SS Jimmy Rollins .111
2. CF Shane Victorino .000
3. 2B Chase Utley .286
4. 1B Ryan Howard .250
5. RF Jayson Werth .125
6. LF Raul Ibanez .125
7. 3B Pedro Feliz .000
8. C Carlos Ruiz .286
9. P Joe Blanton .000
Posted: 01:31 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
Currently the weather in Philadelphia,PA is 45 F. Cloudy and the wind is 15mph WSW. Also people were outside CBP to be in first to see ring ceremony.
Posted: 01:34 PM on April 8, 2009
Posts: 0 Travis
0-2 Nationals leading at 2-0 Marlins 2-1 Top of the 5th. Kearns with an rbi single and an throwing error after cody ross catched ryan zimmerman’s ball, cristian guzman scored. Both runs for nats came in 1st. For marlins john baker had an rbi sbi in the bottom of the 3rd to score emilio BONAFACIO. man i love that name.
Posted: 01:37 PM on April 8, 2009