Gameday: Marlins (87-74) at Phillies (92-69)
Posted by Amanda Orr, Sun, October 04, 2009 12:31 PM | Comments: 111
Gameday 2009, Posts
Florida Marlins (87-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-69)
Josh Johnson (15-5) vs. J.A Happ (12-4)
Time: 1:35 p.m at Citizens Bank Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 64
TV: MY PHL 17
Twitter: Phillies Nation
This is it. Game number 162. The final game of the regular season. It will be the Phillies final tuneup before facing the Colorado Rockies in the National League Division Series on Wednesday.
J.A Happ will make his final campaign for the Rookie of the Year Award, but he may also be pitching for a spot in the postseason rotation. “When I think about it, you want him in [the rotation] because he is a starter, but missing [J.C] Romero … if [Happ] pitches one inning in three days, he could come back and pitch on his regular turn. I’m not saying we’re going to do that, but that does enter my mind,” Charlie Manuel said.
It is unlikely Happ will pitch more than six innings today. He’ll pitch long enough so he doesn’t become rusty, but short enough to avoid an injury. It will also allow relievers to audition for a spot on the playoff roster. Happ pitched seven shutout innings when he last faced the Marlins.
Happ will be opposed by the Marlins’ ace, Josh Johnson. Johnson is 1-1 with a 2.50 ERA against the Phillies this year. In 18 innings, Johnson has struck out 24 Phillies. Phillies hitters are batting .212 against him.
It is Fan Appreciation Day at Citizens Bank Park. The fans would really appreciate a win, ending the season on a positive note. Being swept is not a good way to enter the postseason.
Today’s Lineup: Cairo 2B, Dobbs 3B, Werth RF, Stairs LF, Francisco CF, Tracy 1B, Bruntlett SS, Bako C, Happ P
Your Gameday Beer – Birra Moretti
We’re going with an easy drinker for what hopes to be an easy Sunday. This Italian Pilsner has a crisp golden pour and similarly light flavor. It’s both bubbly and hoppy and since neither are overwhelming it makes for a nice party in your mouth. Keep it going with your favorite hoagie. – By Brian
GO PHILLIES!
Posts: 0 ray
We beat the rockies, cards beat the dodgers, there’s your home field advantage peeps
Posted: 01:34 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
is the starting rotation trying to pull a rope a dope by playing so badly…like when the Rox come will they suddenly look like major league pitchers and take the hard hitting Rox by suprise
Posted: 01:43 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
It’s called hustling isn’t it jreed?
Posted: 01:45 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
the phils will dominate the rockies and sweep them and say “Hey you hustled us” and then a big brawl will break out..lol
Posted: 01:46 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
boy this game looks uggla
Posted: 01:47 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Phan in TN
last game on MLB.TV for this year.
have to say it was an interesting year.
Posted: 01:48 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
yeah well you have to say the cards, dodgers and phils are limping into the postseason while the rockies are dominating. even though the dodgers won last night they are struggling and you could even say the rockies are the favorite to get to the world series even though they won’t be in vegas because they don’t have home field
Posted: 01:49 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
I know the game is meaningless but I just wanted to see something from the starters….were not scaring any line-up and its gotta be looming over the head of the bullpen….order more arm epoxy stat
Posted: 01:52 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
it looks like happ is going in the bullpen because all of the injuries. It’s weird the beginning of the season the phils starters weren’t very good and the bullpen carried them, then the starters started playing well and going deep and the bullpen fell apart. Now nothing is going well. A few days off will do this team good
Posted: 01:54 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
why do we give up 2 runs in the first inning every game now?
Posted: 01:55 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
The starting pitchers look like their going out just trying to get some work in, not much more.
Birra Moretti… Great choice Brian! Got my cupboard stocked with 2 pint bottles. Honestly one of the best beers in the world!
Posted: 01:57 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
on a positive note, this team is due to get hot, may as well make it the postseason
Posted: 01:59 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
they also lost del la rosa and their bp is not much more healthy then ours.
Posted: 02:00 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
Happ sucks. Trade Happ for Dontrelle Willis.
Posted: 02:01 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
Joedad only speaks the truth folks
Posted: 02:09 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
joedad – as much as i like to make fun of the leminings, the starters are a legit concern. They are the key to going any where in the post season.
Posted: 02:14 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Harry Kalas
huh?? Must have been the Clinton joke…Who gives a f*ck… Phillies Nation it may be better to just turn the game off… It’s not worth the stress…..
Save the emotion for Wednesday!
Posted: 02:16 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 karen
I just hope that the Phillies are saving their magic, power, and motivation to win. If not, it may be a longer offseason than we wanted.
Posted: 02:19 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
Yeah but here’s the problem Jreed. Concern is one thing, the crap you’ve seen on these threads the past week seems like pure hatred on this team. Why? Everyone guns for the champions. It’s hard to repeat. The phillies until the end of october last year with basically the same team that is tired now.(where are the tampa bay rays now?) Even if they go out in the first round do we need to hear screaming about what a bunch of bums they are? Call them heartless? Appreciate what happend last year, it was 100 seasons between championships for all philly teams until the phillies won last year. Being concerned and upset when they lose? All well and fine. Ripping this team like a bunch of lowlife Howard Eskins is just wrong. I think Joedad is trying to point that out with his sarcastic posts.
Posted: 02:19 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 homer simpson
Remember what vince lombardi said: If you lose you’re out of the family!!
Posted: 02:24 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 chris wheeler
Thanks for the 4 people who showed up to let me sign my book for them.
Posted: 02:26 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
Cairo hits his first homerun in forever!
Chris Wheeler is great as well.
Posted: 02:36 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 nm
cairo better get that spot on the roster over bruntlett…bruntlett has done nothing this year
Posted: 02:36 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
tied game!
Posted: 02:44 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
so my prediction for postseason roster
Rollins, Victorino, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Feliz, Ruiz
Dobbs, Francisco, Stairs, Bruntlett, Bako
Lee, Hamels, Blanton, Pedro
Happ, Kendrick, Myers, Durbin, Eyre, Condrey, Madson, Lidge
Posted: 02:50 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 chris wheeler
I’m great? Harry Kalas didn’t even like me for christ sakes
Posted: 02:54 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
How about Wes Helms as Phils 3rd baseman next year?
Posted: 02:57 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
well this game sucks, oh well.
Posted: 02:59 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 karen
How can anyone justify bruntlett on the post season roster over cairo? bruntlett should not even be on a major league team…he is awful. and I do not care what he did in any season before this year….he sucks
Posted: 03:00 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
ray – i am aware of that and i know joedad is being sarcastic. In fact, several of my posts often suggest trading Jayson Werth for a sack of magic beans. And I always rail against people saying they are playing heartless….our champs deserve more than that psychological tripe. But you see that i said i like to make fun of the leminings…you know the cousins of prarie dogs that commit mass suicided by jumping off cliffs. I am happy with what this team has done, i do think that the upper managemet could have been more aggressive in securing the bull pen (closer issue aside, nothing to be there) with some middle relievers. I don’t expect alot out of the post season but still believe this team is capable of anything. This believe however has grown smaller with each one of these putrid starts.
Posted: 03:01 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
j reed, starting pitching is usually the most important aspect of the postseason. I think they will get a lift facing the Rockies who don’t hit lefties well and will use the momentum the rest of the way.
Posted: 03:02 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
…and I’d trade Werth for Navy beans because he strikes out too much. No magic beans needed
Posted: 03:05 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
ray- that’s “nothing to be done there”
the bench is looking good….pushes away some of the dark clouds
Posted: 03:07 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
The Detroit game is getting interesting in the 8th
Posted: 03:07 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 chris wheeler
although i agree with karen about bruntlett being left off the roster, she seems to have the opposite jinx effect on this team..lol
jreed i do agree with you there are concerns, i’m just pointing out the overhatred for this team since they started slumping
Posted: 03:09 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
Bruntlett gets an RBI single and tells everyone that he deserves to make the team.
and Chris Wheeler, aren’t u busy announcing the game? ;)
Posted: 03:10 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
joedad -i was thinking Goya Navy Beans – you can get a sh*t load of Goya anything for Werth. What’s alarming about the starters is its been across the board…like their bodies are in sync something. Weird
Posted: 03:11 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
i forgot to change my name after my smartass book remark..lol
Posted: 03:11 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
who said he deserves to make the roster? did you read wheeler’s post. for the record, i’m not always chris wheeler, maybe every once and awhile but that’s it
Posted: 03:12 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
that’s “in sync or something”
Posted: 03:12 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 ray
oooo sorry karen i thought you blaming chris for saying that bruntlett should make the team
Posted: 03:13 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Keith
tied game! again.
Posted: 03:17 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 joedad
j reed, I agree and that is exactly why I think the Rockies as a first round opponent is best for them. Throw Hamels, Lee and Happ against them and they are back in sync the rest of the way.
Posted: 03:18 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
well ray, i keep saying that they play 162 games for a reason….For baseball fan that can’t handle losses and slumps it has to be a painful six months. I learned this lesson when I was 10 in little league
Posted: 03:18 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 The cow
moo
Posted: 03:18 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 j reed
joedad – aren’t you glad yor not a tigers fan? talk about nerve racking
Posted: 03:20 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 the cow's wife
moo
Posted: 03:21 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Harry Kalas
Say what…….
Posted: 03:22 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Harry Kalas
Hey Jreed, his curve is back!
Posted: 03:23 PM on October 4, 2009
Posts: 0 Jim Bunning
Hey everyone. The Phillies are the best!
Posted: 03:24 PM on October 4, 2009