Gameday: Phillies (77-57) at Astros (66-70)
Posted by Amanda Orr, Mon, September 07, 2009 01:15 PM | Comments: 181
Gameday 2009, Posts
Philadelphia Phillies (77-57) at Houston Astros (66-70)
J.A Happ (10-4, 2.77 ERA) Jamie Moyer (12-9, 5.07 ERA) vs. Brian Moehler (8-10, 5.11 ERA)
Time: 2:05 p.m at Minute Maid Park
Weather: Fair, 77
TV:Comcast Sportsnet
Twitter: Phillies Nation
Happy Labor Day! The Phillies offense has been on vacation for the last couple of weeks so today would be a good day for them to get back to work. The Astros are on the verge of sweeping the four game series.
J.A Happ can’t seem to win his eleventh game, and it’s unlikely he’ll get it today. He’s been scratched with mild right oblique strain, so Jamie Moyer will get his first start since being relegated to the bullpen.
Brian Moehler takes the hill for the Astros and has lost five of his last six decisions. He has struggled against the Phillies throughout his career (11 G, 7 S, 2-3, 6.38 ERA). The lineup collectively has good numbers against Moehler: Ryan Howard- .471, 2 HR; Chase Utley- .412, 2 HR; Jimmy Rollins- .250, 2 HR; Shane Victorino- .545 (though it is unlikely he’ll play today as he nurses a bum knee).
Former Phillie, Michael Bourn has been trouble. He is 5-for-13 with three stolen bases and two runs scored. The Phillies need to keep the speedster off the base paths.
Your Gameday Beer – Hop Explosion
The Phils are in dire need of an offensive explosion, so let’s drink to that. Brewed in Bethlehem, Hop Explosion is not too widely available outside of the Lehigh Valley but as the name hints, it’s an IPA. There are some citrus flavors but they’re completely overpowered by the intensely bitter hops. This beer is certainly an acquired taste, but so is curried goat, so have the two together and pray for better meals and games ahead. – By Brian
GO PHILLIES!
Posts: 0 Morris Buttermaker
Ok guys, we got a game with the Astros today. And that only means one thing. Bad news for the Astros!
Posted: 01:57 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 vito
….the phils break out in a big way…..just a hunch but i feel a blowout in our favor…….
Posted: 02:02 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
I hope Happ’s injury isn’t bad and that he only missed this one start… Any way, it’s good he gets some extra rest.
And this is why we have Moyer in the pen!!
Posted: 02:05 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Andrew
At least they are pitching the best pitcher. Lets hope Happ can close.
Posted: 02:07 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
So what’s Happ’s diagnosis
Posted: 02:11 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
holy crap, a manufactured run…finally a bloop goes our way
Posted: 02:13 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Brian Michael
I guess Vic is playing today…good thing.
Posted: 02:16 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Okay, i just read the game day post – a right oblique strain…that’s not good…
Posted: 02:18 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Well done Mr. Moyer
Posted: 02:21 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
ha
figured out how to listen to WPHT while watching the game on MLB.TV
no more stupid Geico commercials
Posted: 02:22 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Morris Buttermaker
Minute Maid Park should just have a clown’s mouth in the outfield, and if you hit one into it, you get a free game.
Posted: 02:26 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
man another 0 out RISP failure.
Posted: 02:29 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Morris – exactly…minature golf course/wally world…
Posted: 02:31 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Dave S
@ Phan in TN: “Tell me please, would you one time, let me be myself…” If I hear that song one more time….
Posted: 02:35 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
oh no choo choo tome
Posted: 02:40 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Thunder Lips
The Phils can’t hold a lead as of late
Posted: 02:41 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
that’s “time” …like it matters
Posted: 02:42 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
I don’t know why Moyer never developed a curve ball .. or maybe he has one that he never uses
Posted: 02:46 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Hunter Pence looks like a distant cousin of Leatherface.
Posted: 02:49 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
@Dave, I had my wife throwing things at me one night because of those damn commercials.
Gameday audio has saved my sanity although the TV feed taught me that Hawaii is a country because Sarge said so.
Posted: 02:50 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 jt
The philly killer pence does it again.
Posted: 02:51 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Jimmy Rollins with 1 walk in his last 15 games. The wait continues.
Posted: 02:53 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Morris Buttermaker
The “if I knew what I know now when I was younger” from the radio broadcast gets pretty tiresome too.
Posted: 02:53 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Brooks
everyone mantra together, “hit the ball, hit the ball, hit the ball hit the ball “… if we hold hands in a circle, without the full moon… help!
Is there an answer to this madness??
Posted: 02:57 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
don’t forget Lance Berkman….hasn’t reared his ugly head yet this game but there is plenty of time for that to happen….
Posted: 02:57 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Morris Buttermaker
When was the last time the Phillies scored more than 2 runs in an inning? Was it last week against the Mets? When Howard hit the 3 run homer?
Posted: 02:59 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Brooks – yes there is an answer but he is on another team.
Posted: 03:01 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
morris – i’d look but I am to afraid of relapsing back into a catatonic state….
it’s clobberin’ time!
Posted: 03:05 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
no choo choo when the visiting team blasts one
About time….
Posted: 03:07 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Rauuuuuuuuuuuuuul, its been a while
Posted: 03:08 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
all solo shots..
Posted: 03:09 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Stuart
Raul just might possibly be back
Posted: 03:09 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
Feliz grounds out to short..for the 5000000000000000000th time this year.
Hey Pedro , mix it up next time. Ground out to 3rd.
Posted: 03:11 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
no the first run was manufactured
Posted: 03:11 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
all or nothing softball swings
taking those batting tips from Matt Stairs
Posted: 03:11 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
Raul’s back? After hitting a guy whose ERA is over the Eaton line?
Too early to make that call.
Posted: 03:13 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 dodger fan
The Raul with the career 800 OPS might be back. The guy with the 1000 OPS was an imposter that is unlikely to reappear ever again.
Posted: 03:17 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
watched the Dodgers and Padres last night….watched david eckstein, who has the same crouched over contact hitter stance like Rose and Bowa, choke up on the bat with two strikes and went to the opposite way with an RBI single..I think he drove in a run…needless to say it was a good piece of stituational hitting. Funny how he was the 2006 WS MVP. Some one like that on our team might improve our RISP numbers.
Posted: 03:22 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 dodger fan
That was painful to watch. David Eckstein is a fundamental machine. He squeezes every drop of production out of what god gave him.
Posted: 03:26 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Wow!!! A Rollins walk.
Posted: 03:28 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Hitting with RISP is highly overrated. The Phils were ridiculous last postseason with low RISP average and won.
I’ll take no walk Rollins every day over Eckstein. It isn’t even close.
Posted: 03:38 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
yep that’s why I call him “just in time” Eckstein…esp. when he played SS and had to make longer throws…looked more like an outfielder’s throw..The Dodgers have someone like him, named Juan “still looks like he’s 12 years old” Pierre. I don’t follow the Dodgers obviously and without a fantasy team this year I don’t track players as much , so I don’t if he is still as productive as he was while Manny was suspended relative to the amount of playing time he’s seen since Manny’s return.
Posted: 03:41 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
Sarge give us a break.
The team is not in any way out of it’s funk.
3 runs off this journeyman is an embarassment.
Posted: 03:42 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 dodger fan
Pierre has not been nearly as productive. I think Pierre has more talent than Eckstein, but he definitely works just as hard in his preparation, etc. Even if you did have a fantasy team, I’m note sure you’d know much more about Pierre, because he’s still irrelevant in fantasy.
I’m not sure there is anyone that wouldn’t take rollins over eckstein. Nice strawman.
Posted: 03:47 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Imagine how ridiculous Pierre’s head would look in one of those new Gazoo batting helmets!
Posted: 03:53 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 teejvee
Houston: ” ok we feel sorry for you . Here.Here are 3 runners, on the house.”
Phillies:” Thanks, but we can’t hit sh$t right now”
This game has another loss written alllllll over it.
Posted: 03:56 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Joedad – firstly, eckstein plays 2nd base now and I would still prefer Rollins over him however ” hitting with RISP is highly overated” is something you’d never hear a MLB manger say even Manuel who is always lamenting about this aspect of this team….Really overated now? Bases loaded courtesy of the pitcher and nothing…A gimmie.
Posted: 03:57 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
Dodger fan – “strawman” that was the word i was looking for…
Posted: 04:01 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
good work Mr. Moyer
Posted: 04:05 PM on September 7, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
Season low ERA for Moyer now sitting at a respectable 4.98
Posted: 04:07 PM on September 7, 2009