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 jeff of Nova
Wow this is where our Starting pitching excellence in the first round hurts us… our pen has had NO action they look like they are in Spring Training
Posted: 10:46 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
awesome, just awesome
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
when it rains it pours…JRoll made great defensive plays all night, but now…NOPE.
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Matt
In all fairness, Durbin has been a pretty solid 6th/7th inning guy for the Phils during his tenure.
Wow, that’s a big boot by Jimmy there. He’s been playing great defensively too. I think that’s a sign that it’s just not their year this year.
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Really JROL
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
i give up, really
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Terri
2010 Giants remind of the 2009 Phillies. The 2010 Phillies remind me of the Mets
Posted: 10:47 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
This is just terrible – Phils are beating themselves.
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Oh my God!!! What a time for Jimmy to bobble the ball. The Giants are cashing in on our mistakes and out playing us.
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
dp baby
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
They have just ran out of gas
Oh well lets at least go down with a fight
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Ryan H: i know you love the Big Piece, but he isn’t hitting 45 homers and 140 RBIs anymore either. check this year’s numbers: 31 and 104?
All I know is how many RBI’s does Hamilton have in the LCS this year? How many does Howard have?
Cmon now…
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 PhillyMike
Here’s what it comes down to…the Phillies are playing like they want to call it a season. Lackluster, sloppy, and no drive. It’s almost past the point where it’s too late even if they do come to life. The Giants are 1 hit away from putting this series in the bag.
Posted: 10:48 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Matt
Keep the faith. I still think Ryan can strike out, or even better, get him to turn one over into a double play.
Posted: 10:49 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
We are in trouble if this gets tied up we have used up most of our pen already
Posted: 10:49 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Madson needs to dig in and then Howard, Werth and rOLLINS NEED TO COME THROUGH.
Posted: 10:49 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
Matt which Durbin have you been watching? He walked 27 batters in just 68 innings. Nothing going, Durbin was good in 08 – period.
Posted: 10:49 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
I am stressed
Posted: 10:49 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
there just hungier than phils, nothing more than that, lets just call them clubber lang
Posted: 10:50 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
If we win this game it’s a real miracle.
Posted: 10:50 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
I’ve never seen jimmy boot a ball like that and he does it NOW ?
Posted: 10:50 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
“All I know is how many RBI’s does Hamilton have in the LCS this year? How many does Howard have? ”
I tried to stay out of this debate, but are you retarded Howard was the NLCS MVP last year??? Remember……..
Posted: 10:50 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
They score here call it a night
Posted: 10:52 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Matt
What did I tell you!
Posted: 10:52 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
WOW
Posted: 10:52 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Geoff
phew
Posted: 10:52 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Thank God Madson!!!!
Posted: 10:52 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Wow – huge double play. Finally. Can we use that play as the rallying point for some offense in the 8th???
Start praying to the baseball gods…
Posted: 10:53 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
I got one thing I want you to do for me, WIN,,, WIN
WHAT ARE WE WANTING FOR
Posted: 10:53 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
big play Lets show some heart and go after it this inning, may have to keep madson in too!! do not want Romero out there
Posted: 10:53 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Matt
Brooks – Almost a K an inning, less than a hit an inning. I agree, the walks are a bit high, but he’s a decent 6th/7th inning guy. It just didn’t work tonight.
Posted: 10:53 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
AC in NJ
Howard would have been real close to those totals without his injury. He missed 20 games this season and was completely out of it at the plate for 2 weeks when he came back because his timing was off. Were you paying attention? He was also hitting .296 went he went down.
Posted: 10:54 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
wow , jimmy off the hook —— OK PHILLY BOY , GIVE ME A CHANT BROTHER —– 6 OUTS TO DO SOMETHING .
Is it possible ? Does anyone still believe ? I’m trying folks .
Posted: 10:54 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
Howard, Werth and Rollins need to show up this inning.
Posted: 10:54 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
This offseason they should just Clean out the pen minus Madson… Maybe Lidge and Bastardo
Posted: 10:54 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
Jeff -
You say “I tried to stay out of this debate, but are you retarded Howard was the NLCS MVP last year??? Remember……”
Yeah, I remember. But that was last year. And do you remember how the NLCS MVP played in the World Series last year? Remember? Let’s see him get a hit now…I’ll reconsider.
Posted: 10:55 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Mike I am on board LETS DO IT RALLY HATS ON.
I just put on my Lucky McGraw Irsih Green shirt.
Do it for the TUGGER!!
Posted: 10:55 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
howard was on track for 40 plus homers and around 140 rbi before he turned his ankle down in DC. for all intensive purposes he missed about a month of the season. which also happened to derail his usual late season surge. this is the only full season in which he didn’t hit those numbers. and to be honest he was having his best season since his mvp year before he got hurt. he was also hitting over .300.
hamilton has never even played a full season. he’s good for streaks (which he’s on now) but has never put together a solid full year. howard meanwhile is an iron man who plays every day. howard’s NLCS last year was better than hamilton’s ALCS this year.
Posted: 10:55 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 biz
That was below the knee. Wtf?
Posted: 10:56 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
C’mon Howard!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 10:56 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
come on baby, lets do it
Posted: 10:56 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
I agree with the hit part, but he has gotten hits just not many with RISP but they guys in front of him have not really gotten on
Posted: 10:56 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 miked63
@sam —- thats why madson should have pitched a couple innings when we had the lead , this ones on charlie. Durbins stuff is just not good enough to shut a hot team down. I swear i was screeming at the tv when he came in. One swing ties it , the big guns are up we havent hit 1 hr here yet. This is the season folks
Posted: 10:57 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 JAY-AKA-PHILLYBOY
TALK SH&t NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
Posted: 10:58 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 matt
its about time
Posted: 10:58 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 AC in NJ
I’m SORRY RYAN! I eat my words, ok everyone??
Posted: 10:58 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 jeff of Nova
Well AC there you go
Posted: 10:58 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 Ryan H.
its about time? he’s been hitting the whole damn friggin series!!!!!! what are you talking about!!!!
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 brooks
Man, used to be a leadoff double meant some runs… lets Go Jason!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010
Posts: 0 SAM
OK this is what we’ve been waiting for!!! He was very selective and everyone else should be too. No swinging at sh_t guys!!!
Posted: 10:59 PM on October 20, 2010