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 matt
36 so;s
Posted: 09:13 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Why are these PROFESSIONALS looking like they are about to cry and go sit in the corner! I mean man up show some something…. Show that you care, that you want this!
I mean instead of throwing your helmet Werth maybe focus on driving through the ball
Utley instead of sitting there looking like your dreaming of a White Christmas, walk around get some guys fired up!
Come on We have been die hards and have cheered for you during the good bad and ugly this is beyond that!
If you are going to lose Lose admirably not like a little boy who lost their first little league game!
You owe the fans that much.
I can deal with losing if you show some F*(king effort!
Posted: 09:13 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Big Ben! Leadoff man on…MAKE IT HAPPEN NOW!
Posted: 09:14 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Wow something Raul could not manage to do
Posted: 09:15 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
lets all thank joe for explaining the ugly finder, as*
Posted: 09:15 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
This ump has been pretty inconsistent with his strike zone
Posted: 09:15 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
can we get a fox track on the 3rd pitch to Ruiz? that was a ball inside.
Posted: 09:15 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
He going to throw that cutter inside again
Posted: 09:16 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
yup they have called that a strike 4 out of 6 times tonight
that was the only one that was not a strike out
Posted: 09:17 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
walk, then bunt
Posted: 09:17 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
yesss
Posted: 09:17 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
so Blanton with a bunt?
Posted: 09:18 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Blanton has really not pitched that bad to be honest not sure we want the bullpen this early
Posted: 09:18 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Charlie’s going to let Joe bat?
Posted: 09:19 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
wow, nice job joe
Posted: 09:19 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Now we need a big hit!!!
Posted: 09:19 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Good small ball
Posted: 09:19 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Tracey
Argh. But Ruiz ges points for taking a chance.
Posted: 09:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
they should known better Rowand has a gun
Posted: 09:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
dam it,
Posted: 09:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
jeff on nova well said , most of us have watched every game , we live n die with this team ——–
WHY DID CHOOCH GO THERE ? NOT WERTH THE CHANCE
Posted: 09:20 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
shane should be at second
Posted: 09:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
WHY ISNT SHANE ON 2ND WTF !!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 09:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Sh_t!!! We get something going and we don’t hold the guy up on third.
Posted: 09:21 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Tracey
Wow! Who knew the Phillies could hit???
Posted: 09:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
rowand doesn’t have a gun. he’s got a noodle. he always had a pathetic arm from what I can remember. thats the best throw he ever made
Posted: 09:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
What was Shane doing while the play was at home?
Posted: 09:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
VICTORINO WOULD HAVE SCORED THERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 09:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
wow should be 2-2 with 1 out
Posted: 09:22 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 PhillyMike
Sam – you’re fired. WTF were you thinking. It would be 3-2 now with 1 out. Sam blew it, plain as day!
Posted: 09:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff
how does chooch get thrown out on a bad arm. why isnt shane on second.
amazing.
Posted: 09:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
I really cant believe he didnt go to 2nd on that throw home , does anyone have an answer ?
Posted: 09:23 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Ryan pretty sure you are wrong there, but either way that was a great throw and an even better play by Posey I really think is the best player on that team
Posted: 09:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Hey Ryan, anytime ex Phillies play against the Phillies they seem to excell. Isn’t that the pits? Anyway, this game should be tied by now. We let the Giant’s off the hook.
Posted: 09:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
what a mess!
Posted: 09:24 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jt
Why didn’t shane go to 2nd on throw?he would of scored on the utley hit…we already knocked their pitcher out yet only got one run..
Posted: 09:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Yeah Chooch should have never been sent, he is decent speed for a catcher, but he was on first and did not get a head start on a sharply hit line drive to center
Posted: 09:25 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
phillymike : your absolutely right gotta holdup a catcher running there
and were winning right now if sam does the LOGICAL thing.
When Oswalt ran thru his hold sign he scored , wtf is sam doing ?
Posted: 09:26 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Come on Polly this is your time to shine
Posted: 09:26 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
polly wants a homer
Posted: 09:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
I coulda sworn Rowand was a notoriously weak arm from center. apparently I’m mistaken because that throw was good and posey’s play even better
Posted: 09:27 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Tracey
WHEE!!!!
Posted: 09:28 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
yess
Posted: 09:28 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Tracey
Polly will settle for two RBIs!
Posted: 09:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
WAY TO GO POLLY!!!!!!!!!!
PHINALLY
Posted: 09:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
POLLY JUST GOT SAM AND SHANE OFF THE HOOK !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 09:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
COME ON WORTH
Posted: 09:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
OK Phillies!!!! BN Let’s kick the sh_t out of them now!!!
Posted: 09:29 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
OKay lets keep adding no settling
Posted: 09:30 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
PS I KNOW ITS SPELLED WERTH, but since he wants more money its worth
Posted: 09:30 PM on October 20, 2010