Phillies Nation

seems like every rookie pitcher the phils put in the game gets a win, so let’s hope that trend continues!

I have to say though I wasn’t excited about any of those other guys, but I have a great feeling about Bastardo. It is weird I’m telling ya, it is not as good a feeling as Hamels, but similar. I don’t know. Here is saying Antonio is here to stay!!!

I wonder if there will be a “Bastardo’s Bastards” section at PETCO. Plenty of Phillies fans seemed to have made the trip…

I’ll be more than happy if he can become a Myers, Tim. Can’t wait to see him pitch tonight… and I hope the bats back him up.

ha, i wish hamels could consistently throw his curve for a strike. i love the guy as a player, but let’s be real.

I think the Name party should call themselves “Bastardo’s illegimate children”.

Lincecum, Hanson or Strasburg?….. Seriously?

Let’s not compare Bastardo to any major leaguer, let alone Santana. Let’s hope he gets through 5 and gives the Phils a chance to win the game. That is all you can ask for. Anything more is gravy.

The pitch count is way to low.

I am not saying you are wrong Tim, I am saying if he is in a groove –in THAT park — then lets get him some real confidence.

I wish that the ceiling was 90 pitches instead.

Lets hope he gets quickly through the first couple so they can maybe extend him to six. So long as Ruiz has him pitch around Adrian Gonzalez’s sweet spot, he should be able to go relatively unscathed against that anemic offense they have in SD.

Echoing the late Harry Kalas’ favorite song, “High Hopes”, we all like to see and hope for instant success with Antonio Bastardo. Personally, I think it would be unrealistic to expect Bastardo to be dominant or overwhelming hitters at this level of play especially after such short duration of time in AA and AAA minors. Be alert and see what adjustments the Padres’ hitters make when getting second ABs against him (if Bastardo is still pitching) tonight.

I laughed when I read Tim’s comments..”..Some say Bastardo’s ceiling is – wait for it – Johan Santana..”. I wonder who are those “some” people making that comparison.

Anyway, we shouldn’t get carried away with any such comparisons and lets just observe and enjoy the possibilities with a rather raw rookie going against the ace (and much discussed in trade winds) of the Padres’ staff, Jake Peavy.

I hope they rock Peavy.

75 pitch count? Too low. Hasn’t he been starting games all year? Let’s see how he’s doing. If he’s doing well in the 5th, leave him in.

On the pitch count thing…

My little brother is 13, and pitches for his CYO team, and their pitch count is 75. I think a major leaguer can exceed 75 pitches.

Pitch counts are ridiculous

fanclud = fanclub

CYO teams have pitch counts??

I know that some little leagues have INNINGS LIMITS.. but not PITCHES.. who counts them? Umpires have too much going on to count the pitches

Pitch count? For who? For what? Did he have a pitch count in the minors? Is one minor league pitch translate to 1.2 pitches in the majors hence the early hook? RE: Hamels curve. I’ve seen him through it and it loops. its not a 12 to 6 curve but more of a slurve. I think a cut fastball would be a good complement to his repetoire right now. Oh yeah, we’re gonna have a field day with Bastardo’s name. The section should be totally made up of pregnant women, 6 months due and up.

The Dipsy

His nickname is so obvious… Ol’ Dirty

He wasn’t drafted for the same reason all domincan or other nationality players outside the US weren’t drafted, it’s an amateur draft for U.S. citizens only there has yet to be a player drafted from outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Players like Bastardo, Ruiz, Carrasco, etc for the Phillies were scouted in their home country, the scouts saw potential and signed them to contracts.

Don M, the guys that to the book for each team counts the pitches for their pitchers and the opposition.

My point was, if my 13 year old brother can pitch 5-6 innings with a 75 pitch count limit, why can’t a PROFESSIONAL pitch more?

If Bastardo knows going into the game he has a 75 pitch limit, he is going to press in tough spots, because he knows he has a limit to fulfill. If they would just let him go out and pitch, he would be much more relaxed, and able to focus on pitching his game.

If he has started all year…how the hell does he still have a limit? I mean 100 is usually standard, but 75?

Thanks, Justin… I didn’t quite understand how that works. It’s a strange process, to me. He wasn’t one of our “top prospects” largely because he was undrafted… well, it sounds to me like the “experts” don’t know their a-hole from a hole in the ground. Let’s goo Bastard-O!

This kid is going to be absolutely filthy tonight. Most times when a kid is making his major league debut, you expect a below-average to just-okay start. Antonio Bastardo is going to impress a lot of people tonight – watch.

If the Phillies shit all over the Padres in this series, that could be huge for sending a message to Peavy. “Listen man, sorry we had to beat up on you, but come here to Philly and hang out with us. You can be part of our team, Jake!”

We ran a feature about this at the site – pretty entertaining stuff.

Antonio, welcome to “The Show”. Good luck tonight. GO PHILS!!!!