A Look Ahead: Rivalry Week
Posted by Jason Bintliff, Sun, June 28, 2009 10:44 PM | Comments: 23
Analysis, Posts, Projections
What started as a forgettable week ended with the first series win since the Phils took two of three to the Mets earlier this month. The Phils will get their chance to add to their current two game streak when they head south to Atlanta to take on the Braves Tuesday. Following the three games down south, the Phillies will come back home for a weekend series against the New York Metropolitans.
The Phillies enter the week with a 39-34 record but are only 3-7 in their last ten games. The Braves sit five games back on the Phillies and are 4-6 in their last ten. The Mets meanwhile are sitting just two games back on the Phils heading into Sundays game against the Yankees.
Neither the Braves or the Mets have been especially hot and this week could provide an opportunity for Phillies to put some space between their division foes as the month of July gets into full swing.
Pitching will be key this week with the Phillies throwing out right-handed Joe Blanton on Tuesday to face Atlanta’s ace, Derek Lowe. Wednesday, Cole Hamels will try to right his wrongs as he faces youngster Jair Jurrjens, who has been great for the Braves this season, despite his 5-6 record. It is reported that the Phillies will call up young pitcher Carlos Carrasco to make his season debut on Thursday. Carrasco struggled early on this season in the minors but has gotten better as of late.
Earlier it was announced that Jimmy Rollins would be starting Tuesday and will be leading off. Rollins as well as the rest of the line up have a tough test Tuesday against Lowe and have not hit well against him. Also this week, the Phils hitters will have to face one of the games best pitchers in Johan Santana. On a brighter note the Phillies will be receiving an injection of life when Raul Ibanez returns in time for the weekend showdown.
The Phillies could go 4-2 this week if their hitting stays consistent and the pitching finds a groove. Anything less and the Phils could surrender the division lead and be looking up at their northern rivals. The Phillies will be receiving a nice gift from the Mets in that Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, and Jose Reyes will not be playing due to injury. My advice to the Phils? Accept this gift and pounce on the Mets this weekend and the Fightins’ may finally begin to run away with the division. Hold on to your seat pennant race fans, this week promises to be a wild ride.
Posts: 0 Evan
I know this is sort of unrelated, but is anyone else watching the Yankees Mets game right now? Is David Wright wearing eyeliner? I swear he is…
Posted: 11:05 PM on June 28, 2009
Posts: 0 The Little Guy
Evan, i am, haha i didnt notice really, but if he is that is hilarious.
If the Mets keep this same lineup against the Phils this weekend, we should be able to sweep them.
No excuses without Reyes, Delgado, or Beltran.
Posted: 11:09 PM on June 28, 2009
Posts: 0 Miles
Not so fast though Little Guy….they will have Santana on the mound for a game and their starting pitching has been pretty darn good lately. Remember that we haven’t exactly been ripping the cover off the ball lately. I would be very happy with 2 out of 3 in both series because we will be facing some great pitching in the Atlanta series as well.
Posted: 12:00 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Eli
No chance you all are in first after this week. The Amazins are on the rebound and will have their A-game on the Philthies. We only need our B game to defeat you all though. Let’s go Mets
Posted: 12:14 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Brian of CO
Eli, the first thing I would do is go and put your head in sand, and wait to see if something happens. You said last Friday “the Mets will be in first by Sunday” meaning last Sunday. The Phils are still in first after having a HORRIBLE PATHETIC week. HOWEVER, thankfully the least clutch team in MLB has come through giving Wang his FIRST thats right FIRST win of the season. Not only giving him the win, but also lowering his ERA from about 17 to about 10. I really enjoyed watching K-Rod walk in a run, that one was especially funny. Is the seaon over? By no means. I am still not convinced the Phils have what it takes because of the pitching woes this year to take the division for the 3rd straight year by the way. But really, why would come on here blurting out you only need your B game when your B game got swept by the Yankees. But I guess the Mets only need to B game if the Phils play like they did last week with their D game. Get over yourself man. After getting swept by the Yankmees, and giving Wang his first win, you are still talking about how GREAT the Mets are. LOL.
Posted: 12:37 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Brian of CO
Also looking at this week it looks like we will sadly be losing Tuesday. Rollins can harldy hit his way out of a paperbag against my grandmother on the mound, much less Lowe. And now injecting him back in there against the Braves. But then again Wang only gave up 2 runs today, who would have thought that would have happened.
Posted: 12:48 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Mazinman
A couple of weeks ago the Phillies went into the Mets home with a 3 game lead. Since then they have played absolutely horrible baseball with a record that I don’t even wanna remember at this point. After all those weeks of torture they have a 2 1/2 game lead. Think about that. As horrible as we have been we only lost a half game lead in the division. The Fish got themselves back into the thick of things but no one was really able to take advantage of the Phils problems.
Now I think things are finally starting to look up. If the Phillies can finally reverse their home issues with those series against the Mets and Reds we might very well be able to go into the All Star break with a relatively nice lead in the East.
Posted: 01:30 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 M.P. aka A.J. #54
Brian – LUCKILY – we gained enough ground that a Tuesday loss would be tolorable. I am going to the game Thursday @ Turner Field, so if you see a dork in a Phillies shirt, that is me.
Posted: 01:39 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 M.P. aka A.J. #54
Brian – At least Eli is consitent and shows up when the lose too. How many Mets trolls have shown up this weekend?
Posted: 01:40 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 4daysrest.com
In years past, the Phillies have absolutely dominated the Braves when they play at Turner Field. Shane Victorino absolutely terrorizes the braves and causes Bobby Cox all kinds of trouble. I really hope that continues, we need him on base.
I’m predicting that Rollins is going to have a solid series against the Braves (5-for-13 or close) and then a real coming out party against the Mets. I think these few days off have given him an opportunity to lose the bad muscle memory and habits that were causing him to pop out and have poor at-bats.
I think we dominate both these series and put a lot of distance between ourselves and the foes in the division. I think it’s more about the bats in these two series than the pitching, actually. Neither team is very capable of putting up more runs than the Phillies in a batting contest.
Posted: 01:59 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Brian of CO
4daysrest, I would say its bout time J-Roll has a solid series. He has been absolutely pathetic this season.
Posted: 04:16 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 » Utley’s Triple Rallies Phillies Past Toronto in Series Final | Blogging-Baseball.com
[...] Nation reports on coming Phillies roster additions or changes: …The Phillies will call up young righthanded [thank goodness!] pitcher Carlos Carrasco to [...]
Posted: 05:32 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Stuart
Why, just why would we put J roll back at the lead off. Try him back at 6 or 7. Thats where he is successful. and you just gave him a break to get back on track and youre going to just throw him into the leadoff? man i hope he proves me wrong.
Posted: 08:28 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Papa Thompson
I’d say the ’07 MVP is successful in the lead-off spot … just hasn’t been this year. Hopefully, this returns him to form.
Posted: 08:43 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Eli
Santana will eat you all for lunch as will pelfrey and Redding. be ready ladies
Posted: 08:53 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Cheeses Priced
Get ready for another 2-loss series, Thillies fans. You’re lucky Hanson isn’t pitching or else you would get swept.
Posted: 10:46 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 psujoe
Only a Mets fan could get swept at home and say his team “is on a role”. If your SS and 2nd baseman could communicate it would help. Congrats to K-Rod for getting Rivera his 1st MLB RBI!
Posted: 11:02 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
Hahahaha, Evan, Wright ALWAYS looks like he’s wearing eyeliner, I think maybe he’s had that cosmetic surgery to give one that “smokey eye” look. When he comes up to bat with lipstick on, though, it could get ugly.
Oh, and I have NO problem with that, I absolutley LOVE drag queens, I’ve never been able to figure out why, but I just love a guy in drag.
Posted: 11:04 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 mikemike
Hanson is a stud the braves if they get a bat will be tough to beat. they have better starters than us ,need a bat maybe they get nick johnson and a relief pitcher it makes them tougher to beat,
Posted: 11:18 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 psujoe
mikemike, we need to build a cushion on the Braves because whent hey get Hudson back their rotation is going to be awesome. I’m really glad Derosa was picked up by a team not inthe East. he was one of the better bats out there.
Posted: 11:20 AM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
With the Mets going through hard times playing .500 ball and the rest of also rans in the division below .500, the Phillies will lose little or no ground if they go 3-3 playing the Braves and Mets this week.
Posted: 12:37 PM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 4daysrest.com
Tha Phillies gon’ handle this shit brah. Just watch.
Posted: 04:16 PM on June 29, 2009
Posts: 0 CHRISTINA
FIRST OF ALL, JASON great column. second, ELI you gay ass mets fan: eat shit! hahaha LET’S GO PHILS!
Posted: 02:19 AM on June 30, 2009