Phillies Nation

After a crazy week in which the Phillies dropped two of three to the last place Pirates before taking two of three from the Braves, the Phillies continue on their six-game home-stand. The San Francisco Giants come to town to start a three game series that kicks off on Tuesday.

The Giants enter play Tuesday, tied for the Wild Card lead with the Colorado Rockies. The Giants have been playing good baseball as of late, going 6-4 in their last ten. The key to the Giants success so far has been their rotation, especially the front three. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain have both been bonafide aces for the Giants, and Barry Zito is starting to show signs of the old Zito the Giants had envisioned when signing him to a free-agent contract.

The Phillies had trouble with the Giants pitching staff the last time they faced the Giants. They dropped three of four to the Giants, scoring only eight runs throughout the four games. The Phillies lone win in the series came courtesy of Cliff Lee’s Phillies debut.

This week, the Phillies will face Jonathan Sanchez and Tim Lincecum. Thursday’s starter for the Giants has yet to be announced. The Phillies were baffled by Lincecum in their last outing against him. Sanchez also beat the Phillies earlier this year, allowing just two runs in 5.2 innings of work.

The Phillies will counter with Cole Hamels, J.A. Happ, and Pedro Martinez. Last Wednesday, Hamels finally showed glimpses of his old self, as he threw eight shut-out innings against the Bucs. Happ also pitched well against the Pirates, but lost the game after surrendering an eighth inning, go ahead bomb.

No one is quite sure what they’re getting with Pedro Martinez. He has yet to lose a game since joining the Phillies, but has looked mediocre at best. Two of his four starts were shortened due to rain, but in his two complete starts, he has looked shaky, and at times, just plain ordinary.

Following the Giants series, the Phillies head to Houston to face Ed Wade’s Astros. Houston starts the week 14 games back from the Cardinals in the N.L. Central. Houston plays well at home, and are 35-30 this season.  The Astros have gone 4-6 in their last ten and are 62-68 overall.

The Astros have yet to announce their starters for the weekend series, though it looks as if the Phillies will face Bud Norris, Wandy Rodriguez, and Roy Oswalt.

The Phillies will send Cliff Lee, Joe Blanton, and Cole Hamels to the mound to face the ‘stros.