Gameday: Phillies (11-8) at Giants (11-8)
Posted by Jonathan Fogg, Tue, April 27, 2010 07:13 PM | Comments: 109
2010 Gameday, Posts
Philadelphia Phillies (11-8) at San Francisco Giants (11-8)
Jamie Moyer (2-1, 5.00 ERA) vs. Todd Wellemeyer (0-3, 8.16 ERA)
Time: 10:10 p.m at AT&T Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: Cloudy with showers possible, 53
Twitter: @philliesnation
Yes, I know it’s April.
Yes, I know the Phillies are still in first place in first place in the NL East despite injuries, shaky pitching and an offense as fickle as the Dow Jones industrial average.
But for several reasons, this is a must-win game for the Phillies. You don’t have to be Keith Law to figure that out. Just take a look at who pitched for the Giants last night: up-and-coming left-hander Jonathan Sanchez, who held the Phillies to one run. Then take a peek at who the Giants are handing the ball to tomorrow: two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
Teams want to avoid sweeps in any series, whether it’s April or September. And tonight the Phillies get a chance to pick up a win against Todd Wellemeyer, whose ERA is even higher than Ryan Madson’s 6.75 – which also happens to be Wellemeyer’s career ERA against the Phils. And if that’s not enough, here are the rest of Wellemeyer’s career splits vs. the Phillies: 0-2., 1.63 WHIP, .290 BAA, seven home runs allowed in 22 2/3 innings pitched.
As troubling as Monday’s loss was (after all, Roy Halladay has to settle for 32-1 instead of 33-0), there was one major bright spot. Shane Victorino went 3-for-5, including his first two doubles of the season, for only his second game of the season with more than two hits. No matter where he hits in the order, Victorino is an essential gear in the high-octane engine that is the Phillies’ offense; when he sheds his early-season slump, it will give the lineup a nitro boost.
One troubling thing that has emerged in the first month is the Phillies’ steep decline in steals. They rank second-to-last in the National League with a meager seven; the Nationals and Padres are tied for the most with 20. From 2007 to 2009, the Phillies stole 393 bases, behind only the Mets’ 460 in the NL.
LINEUP: CF Victorino, 3B Polanco, 2B Utley, 1B Howard, RF Werth, LF Ibanez, SS Castro, C Ruiz, P Moyer
Your gamenight beer: The very malty strong ale, Old Chub, is a Scottish ale that goes down very nicely. The can – it’s served in a can – has a nice kilt pattern on it. Couldn’t you imagine Jamie Moyer in a kilt? Go get ‘em, old chub! Have this with some beef barley.
Go Phillies!
Posts: 0 Manny
Hey, the Dow has been going up and up!
Posted: 07:59 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Martin Schneider
Manny – Well, true! I’ll be at the game, and I hope Moyer comes through.
Posted: 08:16 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 BurrGundy
Moyer will be spellbinding.
Posted: 08:32 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
Had no idea there was even a game last night. I seriously was 110% positive it was their off night. So when I see a post from the Phils Official Site on my news feed that says “Doc loses first; Phils fall 5-1″, I legitimately thought it was a joke for about 5 minutes. And the fact of the matter is, it sucks. But we’ll bounce back. Hopefully tonight! Howard and Raul come up big, are my predictions, and Jamie keeps this offense off balance just like he did last time out.
Posted: 10:00 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Manny
Unleash the lefties!
Posted: 10:03 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Manny
Looks like the Mets are joining us at the top on the division standings. Part of me is actually excited that we might get this rivalry back… and just in time for our first series against them.
Posted: 10:09 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 David, the Mets fan from Queens
The Mets have been playing inspiring and, most importantly, winning baseball. This weekend’s series will be exciting. I’m debating if I should make the short, but exciting trip down I-95.
I’ll make sure to avoid Camden, NJ.
What is happening to the Atlanta Braves?
I know that it’s still very early in the 2010 season, but Mets fans and Phillies fans alike must look forward to battle this weekend at CBP.
Posted: 10:18 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Laura
I hope the Phillies saved the receipt….
Posted: 10:31 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
125 million for that
oh boy
thats tongue in cheek
kinda
Posted: 10:31 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
That was absolutely embarrassing. Wheels hit it right on the head.
Posted: 10:31 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
Should be 1-0 right now. Shaken heads all around.
Posted: 10:32 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
Actually it is the most embarrassing play. If Werth does it its something I n ever forget
Th Mets are sweeping. We may well not be in first place coming back home for the mets series.
Posted: 10:33 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 j
im watching the game on gamecast..what just happened
Posted: 10:34 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
j, Howard hits a roper down the right field line, looks like a double all the way. Howard gets lazy, pulls into second slowly, and standing up, and Renteria applies a quick tag on him. Out at second. Kinda like what Werth does sometimes to dyed in the wool singles when the ball gets to him fast, throws a strike to second base to make it close. Except worse, cause it happened to us. And it happened because of laziness.
Posted: 10:37 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
Aubrey huff homer
The howard play is the most embarrassing by a phillies player in a few years.
He simply didnt hustle on a ball that rattled around in the out field corner in one of the biggest stadium in baseball.
It was a disgrace simply put and he shuold have done it the day before the big contract. not the day after
Posted: 10:40 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Mulvi
Let’s just hope that the one run is the extent of Jaime’s bad inning.
Posted: 10:41 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
I am curious to see how the old man handles this. He has benched Rollins for not hustling a few times before. If he is going to be consistant will have to bench Howard also.
Posted: 10:45 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
Phillies pitchers arent giving up cheapies this west coast swing. These are bombs.
Posted: 10:48 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 David, the Mets fan from Queens
What did Howard do that was so deplorable, guys? My MLB.TV isn’t working for some reason.
Posted: 10:50 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 j
pitching needs to step it up.. whens blanton due back
Posted: 10:53 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
Dave, read above post.
Posted: 10:54 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
Ruiz banged up
Trust me. he is the ONE player this team cannot lose.
More than Utley even.
A Ruiz injury and I could see this team not making playoffs.
Posted: 11:00 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Mulvi
Oh god I hope Chooch is alright!
Posted: 11:01 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
The best double play I’ve ever seen.
Posted: 11:04 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
OMG thats as all time DP
I like castro alot.
Posted: 11:05 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Mulvi
Wow! HOW THE F*** DID HE DO THAT?!?!
Posted: 11:05 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 jordo
check out this article that features placido
http://www.classactsports.com/the-present/infielders-on-fire.html
Posted: 11:07 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 HotDogs
juuuuuuuuuust a bit outside
as called by Bob Uecker (sp?)
Posted: 11:08 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
Explain to me why this team still employs Ibanez?
Oh yeah that is right he has a crappy contract
Posted: 11:17 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Manny
Howard should get benched for that play! Dude you just got the biggest contract in franchise history!! And Charlie benched Jimmy for not hustling a couple years ago… so….
Posted: 11:17 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
These stranded runners…costing us as always.
Posted: 11:18 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 BurrGundy
NO CLUTCH HITTING
Posted: 11:19 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Mulvi
Where did the bats go?
Posted: 11:20 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 AGH
Phils are now 0 for their last 17 with RISP going back to the 8th inning of Sunday’s game at Arizona. Stunning.
Posted: 11:23 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
You know with Howards embarrasing non hustle play the phils will lose by 1.
Question is will it be 2-1 or 15-14?
Posted: 11:36 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 greg
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTT!
Posted: 11:37 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
We need Rollins back to bring in some much needed fire to our lineup.
Vic needs to go to patience school
Ibanez just looks off and out of sync since the start of the season.
Ben Francisco should not see the batters box, at all, he is one man rally killer.
Utley is in a funk, he needs guys around him to pick up till he comes out.
The MO of this team the last 4 years is one work STREAKY!! We are now on the funk streak. Need to win ugly.
Posted: 11:39 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
Well 3rd time through lineup….. THey have figured out ole Jamie….
Sadly we do not have another starter, we have to bring the Reliever to Start. Anyone who disagrees with Moyer not being reliever material should watch the last couple of batters he has faced, the good ones firgure it out
The flood gates open
Posted: 11:42 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 joe
they’re going to be 11-11 by the time they get home for the mets series.
Posted: 11:45 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 mg52
As Sarge said, Sandoval just put a tough pitch in play. That’s what a low-offense team like the Giants has to do. The Phils need to do some more of that – hitting it where it’s pitched…as long as it’s pitched somewhere in the zone. Because they’re the ones who really are low-offense now.
Posted: 11:45 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 joe
do you think the philliesnation will give props to vic tonight?
they seem to never talk about games like this when he pops up weakly in almost every at bat
Posted: 11:48 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 j
they cant even hit this pitcher and hes a bum
Posted: 11:48 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
ok maybe they will lose by more than 1 run
Nice to see Mets fans emboldened again. will they be comng back here now? It is always funny to me. they beat up on the cubs and Astros and dodgers team without Manny that lost 1-0 to the nats a few days ago.
But hey the Mets are great again. Maybe there will be some juice for this weekends series. The mets havent mattered in a very long time now.
Posted: 11:49 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Andrew
Ibanez needs to be benched. He was dropped in my fantasy league. this is not something new. Ever since the hot streak to begin last year he has sucked. I guess the old man wont ever bench a player though.
Posted: 11:50 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
We need to just find ways to win, till Blanton, Happ, Rollins and Lidge are off DL. Then we will be fine.
I still have issues with Moyer starting, but guess that is not going to change unless they go get Pedro again, Kendrick is not a viable replacement and we have NO BUDDY in LHV to replace him or anyone close to being ready. The Price of Halladay/Lee oh well rather have Halladay.
What makes Moyer better is if Halladay/Hamels/Blanton/Happ pitch well then the bullpen will not be taxed
Posted: 11:51 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Thunder Lips
The Phils offense looks lifeless: no clutch hitting, too many strikeouts, letting the pitchers getting much more confidence than they deserve. It’s really sad to see. Hopefully bringing the mets into town this weekend will wake them up. It makes me sad they started out so hot and now they can’t buy a run. This pitching the offense is seeing really isn’t that good. Utley looks clueless tonight.
Posted: 11:51 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Keegan
Honestly? This team looks bad right now. Really bad. Like…horrible.
I know its a slump and I know it won’t last the whole season. But it’s like…hard to watch.
Posted: 11:52 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 joe
my god..
tood wellemyer is shutting them down.
Posted: 11:52 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
He parked Ibanez last night for Francisco, and Ben was a one man rally killer all night, Halladay would have had a shot at winning if they could have done something with RISP
Posted: 11:53 PM on April 27, 2010
Posts: 0 Jeff of Nova
Keegan I agree, its painful to watch!
This is a bad streak hopefully the bleeding will stop soon
Posted: 11:54 PM on April 27, 2010