NLCS Gameday: Phillies vs. Giants, Game 4
Posted by Michael Baumann, Wed, October 20, 2010 05:19 PM | Comments: 757
2010 Gameday, Posts
Philadelphia Phillies (1-2) at San Francisco Giants (2-1)
Joe Blanton (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Madison Bumgarner (1-0, 3.00)
Time: 7:57, AT&T Park
Weather: Sunny, 62
TV: FOX
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As demoralizing as yesterday afternoon’s loss was, a 2-1 deficit is hardly the end of the world. After all, this was exactly the position in which the Phillies found themselves through three games in the 1993 NLCS, against a far superior Braves team–and we all know how that ended. Tonight, the Phils take another crack at San Francisco, and the national audience gets its first chance to see Joe Blanton.
Blanton, for his part, recovered in a big way after a rocky start to the season. In the Big Easy’s last 20 starts, he’s 8-1 with a 3.81 ERA. For his postseason career, Blanton’s 2-0 with a 3.89 ERA in eight appearances. What’s more, he’s been a Cody Ross killer (who’d'a thought that would become important?). According to ESPN’s Stats & Info blog, Ross is 3-for-11 in his career against the former Kentucky Wildcat, but has struck out in each of his last four plate appearances.
Opposing Blanton will be Madison Bumgarner, a 21-year-old lefty out of Hickory, N.C. Bumgarner, a former top-10 pick, had the dubious distinction of being about the fifth-most-hyped rookie to make his debut in the NL at age 20 this season. If you’ve got a name like Madison Bumgarner, you either get stuffed in a locker every day of your life or you grow up to be a total badass. That Bumgarner started and won a postseason clincher on the road against Derek Lowe, 10 weeks after turning 21, suggests the latter. Still, he’s only pitched 121 major league innings, so he’s far from a known quantity.
In other interesting news, Raul Ibanez has been relieved of his place in the starting lineup. After leading the Phillies in most offensive categories in the NLDS, Ibanez has gone 0-for-11 against San Francisco. With Madison Bumgarner, a lefty who relies on power breaking stuff, on the hill, Uncle Cholly has seen fit to remove his aging left fielder and replace him with righthanded-hitting Ben Francisco. The former Cleveland Indian had a .284/.344/.557 slash line against lefties this season and was hit in the head in his only plate appearance thus far this postseason.
Game 2 Lineup: Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Polanco 3B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Rollins SS, Francisco LF, Ruiz C, Blanton P
Your gameday beer: Left Hand Sawtooth Ale
Seems to me like this postseason’s narrative has been the performance of various lefthanded pitchers. All due respect to Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum, we’ve been hearing a lot about the continued domiance of Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, and the emergence of Jonathan Sanchez, C.J. Wilson (today’s shellacking notwithstanding), and Bumgarner (God willing, ditto). With that in mind, today’s offering comes form Left Hand Brewing Company in Longmont, Colorado. This is a solid, medium-bodied American ale that took home bronze in its category at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival. You won’t stop going to bars that won’t stock it, but if you try it, I dare you not to like it.
- PG
Posts: 0 Matt
Giants have to be kicking themselves. They should have really cashed in last inning. It’s going to come back to haunt them.
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 BravoMan
Come on Giants. Eliminate Funky Philly tomorrow!
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
That was some really nice, un-clutch hitting by RYAN HOWARD’S CONTRACT.
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Time for business Werth!!!! JRol you can make up for the error!
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Nice hitting by Ryan. What’s the story on the next pitcher, Romo?
Phils have absolutely no excuse now not to get the tying run home with no outs here. I’m expecting very positive results.
Posted: 11:00 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
jeff of nova — you and me brother —– nobody should be gettin on ryan even before that double , but especially not now, whats his avg now in this series ? Utley gets my vote for the jeltz for the series so far i think he has one hit. HERE WE GO TAKE THE LEAD RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 11:01 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
AHHHH Bravotard has returned how is your offseason going…..
Are you excited about your new manager? How is the trailer park going? Have you hooked up with your sister yet?
Keep us informed we truly do pity your sorry self
Posted: 11:01 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Does anyone notice that other managers pull relief pitchers if they can’t get the first out? Maybe Charlie should take some tips.
Posted: 11:01 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
outside
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 JAY-AKA-PHILLYBOY
HELL YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
nice!!!!
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
fair balll
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Jayson WERTH!!! You are WERTH it! Sign him up long term now Phils…
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Wow this ump is all over the place with strikes
Posted: 11:02 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 BravoMan
Saddam Hussein ain’t much of a pitcher. We hit him hard too.
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
BRAVO GO AWAY YOU F##KING RETARD YOUR TEAMS PLAYING GOLF NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS —— YO JEFF OF NOVA YOU AND ME BROTHER !
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
OK Jason!!! Great at bat!!! Now Jimmy has to restrain himself from swinging at crap!!!
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Al
YEESSSS!!!!
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
RYAN HOWARD’S CONTRACT!
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
should have bunted rollins…i agree with Larry Anderson…
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
WERTH!!!!!
Here we go Mike lets keep it going!
Posted: 11:03 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
why not bunt????
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
wow, lazy old man pop up
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
Jayson!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
this game is bringing out so many emotions
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
ASSHOLE!!! SWINGS AT THE FIRST PITCH!!! ARE THE GIANTS PAYING HIM?
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
sorry sam. he couldn’t help himself. horrible AB. all he has to do is pull it and he can’t. he’s swinging for the fences inteas and pops up
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Matt
This guy choked against the Braves, he’s doing it again.
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Franny!!! you can be a hero!!
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
Raul should be up right now
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Francisco…Mr. O and 2.
Posted: 11:04 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Not cool that AB by Francisco.
Posted: 11:05 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
choccch
Posted: 11:05 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
ugh, this is going back to the BP. I am sacred
Posted: 11:05 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
maybe you could have taken that pitch, hm? rusty.,
Posted: 11:05 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
WOW I saw that one coming
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
CHOOCH TIME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 BravoMan
jeff, everything is good with me. How are you?
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
it probably would have been called a strike anyway
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
I would have put Raul into the game – why not?
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Chooch needs to jack one out!!!
Posted: 11:06 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Werth relay to the dugout that Posey is setting up on the outside so pretty sure it is not going to be near the plate
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
ugh
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
anyone realize he pitched the same 6 pitches???
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 JAY-AKA-PHILLYBOY
THAT WAS 6 OF THE UGLIEST SWINGS I’VE SEEN……..
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
6 straight sliders for strikes. RYAN HOWARD’S CONTRACT, maybe?
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 BravoMan
STEEEEEEEERIIIIKE 3 SWINGING!!!!!!!
Posted: 11:07 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Glass very half empty right now. how do you fail to bring home the lead run on 2nd with no outs???
Posted: 11:08 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
wow can we all say before that pitch I knew with 100% confidence that Ruiz was going to swing at it
Posted: 11:08 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
OMG …. the catcher was 30ft to the right of him? How could Cooch swing at that?
Posted: 11:08 PM on October 20, 2010