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
Follow Phillies Nation on Twitter
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 Geoff
what is he doing?
Posted: 11:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 wxdavid
raul is like 0-20 you moron
Posted: 11:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
They didn’t want to pitch Halladay on short rest, but they will throw Oswalt on 2 day rest. How does this make any sense.
Posted: 11:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Like your thinking Mike
Posted: 11:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
come on guys…just get one run…one run
Posted: 11:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 wxdavid
snake bit Phillies ..even when gload gets a hit …. he doesnt
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
out by a centimeter…no breaks there.
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
its look like we just arent getting them lil breaks like we have in the past…
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
they really need to come up with a computer system that does the umpiring because people obviously suck at it
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
He will only pitch an inning or 2 that is what he normally does on off days
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
Gload looks like crap – why not try Sweeney – who knows
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Can someone give Wilson the Italian curse?
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
oswalt would be throwing his regular bullpen i guess if he gets in for an inning…
Posted: 11:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
why is vic surprised, its been all nite
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
WE NEED A RUN!!!
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
said the same thing Ac at same time…we just arent getting the breaks
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Come Vic that was right down the plate
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Mostone
wtf, Shane?
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Brooks – why not try Ibanez there?
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
HEY UTLEY< YOUR MAN HOOD IS ON THE LINE
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
wow vintage Victorino swing from 4 years ago
Posted: 11:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
Brooks,
Sweeney is right handed. So is Wilson. And Ibanez has 2 hits in 20+ AB’s this post season. Hope that answers your question.
Posted: 11:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
Too agressive biz was right , how come they didnt work him there.
This is Utleys chance to make it all up
Posted: 11:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
Chase has had a very forgettable series. Need something big here
Posted: 11:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
looking at strikes, awesome
Posted: 11:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Utley that was a nice pitch
Posted: 11:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
What a weak effort!!!
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 JAY-AKA-PHILLYBOY
I DONT KNOW ABOUT THIS GUYS……OSWALT?
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
this had better not be for more than an inning….i guess it was his throwing day…?
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Okay looks like it will be Oswalt
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
Oswalt is pitching the 9th…
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
Terri yes you are right but this is desperation time…oswalt was the only guy that shut them down right now…its desperation…panic time…
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
Chase…………
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
ok…just get through the 9th and we’ll have Howard and Werth up…
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 wxdavid
lets see we open the game with horrible call of a NOn balk that was balk…. and now we edn it with a bad call at 1st with a safe call that was ruled out
its over
Posted: 11:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
is this a panic move. Does KK look that bad?
Posted: 11:26 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
We need to get through this inning, cause our best leadoff hitter is up next inning Polly and Howard our other best Lead off hitter:)
Posted: 11:26 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Can anyone give me the odds of the Phillies winning this game? I think we need to get back to Werth to drive in a run.
Posted: 11:26 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jt
Why can’t we figure out wilson?the braves were knocking him around…roy o pitching here we go.
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
man this is nerve wracking…oswalt in relief…
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
biz, I have so much more confidence in Raul than anyone else. Sooner or later Raul is going to break it open.
Anyone else not comfortable with Oswalt pitching now?
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
and 50/50, in the season they were pretty good, in the extra innings
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
well at least he learned not to put lidge in when we are not ahead..finally
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Mostone
Oswalt, huh.
Posted: 11:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
What happened to Lidge?
Posted: 11:28 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
i like the move. go for the gusto. he’d be throwing a bullpen today anyway as others have said
Posted: 11:28 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
this feels like a game 7 kinda huh
Posted: 11:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
ryan h that was funny “people suck at it ”
Sam i’m 3/4 italian , its called the milouque (spell check) but i’ll try and put it on theyre whole team
Posted: 11:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
It’s a toss day for Oswalt. He could go 2 innings maybe more. This game is a must win.
Posted: 11:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
wow…werth makes it look scary…nice catch, but my heart rate just jumped.
Posted: 11:30 PM on October 20, 2010