Held by Happ in Humid Houston
Posted by Michael Baumann, Tue, September 13, 2011 10:44 PM | Comments: 10
2011 Gameday, Posts
The photo and the Jeltz award might make it look like this was Cole Hamels‘ fault, but that’s not the case. This 5-2 loss was a comprehensive team effort.
The Houston Astros, post all-star break, are quickly ascending to “hobgoblin” status, as the Phillies dropped their second consecutive game to a fetid assortment of castoffs, has-beens, and fringy prospects that seems to turn into the 1927 Yankees at the mention of the word “Philadelphia.”
A familiar face led the charge for the Astros, as former Phillie fan favorite J.A. Happ allowed one run over six innings in a belated attempt to reignite the debate on which skinny lefty should have been shipped out of town for pitching help after the 2009 season. Cole Hamels (who was awarded the Jeltz tonight for no other reason than he had the worst WPA; no one really showed up tonight) struggled with a creative strike zone from home plate umpire Jim Reynolds, allowing five runs in five innings. The hammer blow came on a three-run home run in the fourth by Astros shortstop and venison enthusiast Clint Barmes to make it 5-1.
The Phillies nearly got it all back in the top of the next inning, but Ryan Howard, with the bases loaded and two outs, flied out to the very edge of the left field wall, and Happ was never threatened again. Hunter Pence and Carlos Ruiz, who had a solo homer each, and David Herndon, who threw two perfect innings in relief of Hamels, were the only real bright spots.
Combined with the Cardinals’ 6-4 win at Pittsburgh, the Phillies will have to wait a little longer before clinching a playoff spot. Dating back to Sunday’s loss to Milwaukee, the Phillies have now lost three consecutive games for the first time since June.
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
To quote some of the folk on this blog…”Steamrolled”….
Posted: 11:04 PM on September 13, 2011
Posts: 566 Brian Sr. of CO
Errors…AGAIN, Astro’s Defense…AGAIN, Phillies looking disinterested and lost…AGAIN. Still not concerned. 1 game to clinch a playoff berth, 5 for division, 6 for home field. ALL the other teams involved still need ALOT of help to overcome the Phillies.
Posted: 11:19 PM on September 13, 2011
Posts: 0 BART SHART
Hamels pitched himself” “out- of-”contention” for the Cy Young Award. “
Posted: 11:29 PM on September 13, 2011
Posts: 0 mnjam
Halladay will be just as bad against the Astros. The policy should be to use call ups for every start against the Astros in September.
Posted: 01:05 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 265 Bruce
Ugh! Disappointing is an understatement for the way the Phillies played tonight. The unhappy team (and fans) looked hapless against Happ’s assortment of offspeed pitches. He obviously took his cue from Phillies killer Brett Myers’s effective outing last night.
I can accept and give credit to Happ having a good performance but I can’t tolerate the team’s sloppy effort in the field (errors by Mayberry and Howard) and looking uninspired in their play. Perhaps they are tired and certainly looked flat. It’s been a long season filled with injuries and the bench has been used overtime. However, with the doubleheader coming up this Thursday, there is no rest for the weary. The team have to push forward and clinch the division title before Manuel can rest his regulars. With the magic number down to 5, the regulars will get time off soon enough.
Halladay will pitch tomorrow and if that fact does not lift the team up, then I don’t know what will. Let’s go Phillies!
Posted: 01:47 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 28 kittykat
So, Oswalt and Hamels don’t give the team a lift? Why are they there if only Lee and Halladay give the team a “lift”? They should get up for everybody and not pick and choose who they get up for. That would be alarming and a disgrace. Really!
Posted: 07:37 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 1237 Tracey
The Phillies have a history of playing very well against the toughest teams, and then getting plowed under by crappy teams. In fact, a co-worker and I were expressing concern on Monday morning that exactly this would happen. The good news is, it hardly seems possible for them to avoid getting into the playoffs at this point, and they won’t be facing crappy teams in the playoffs.
And don’t get so nostalgic about Happ. Yes, I was sad to see him go, I liked him a lot as a rookie and thought he had a lot of promise. But have you seen his numbers this year? I’m sure a lot of the fault is the team he’s with, but no matter how lousy the rest of the team is, those numbers look bad.
Cataldi said this morning that Charlie slammed the door going into the locker room after the game. But didn’t he dress them down the previous night?
Maybe they’re just stalling, so they can clinch it at home this weekend.
Posted: 06:01 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 0 Original Jeff
Can Ryan strikeout one more time. Got he is just bad. Compiler of stats. Albert did as well and he was a ro ro head.
Posted: 08:51 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 1637 Chuck A.
Jeff, Howard JUST missed a grand slam or at least an extra base hit last night that would have probably cleared the bases. A few more inches and you wouldn’t be making that statement.
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Sloppy two games a from team that seems like they’re not interested at all. Tired, maybe but it’s time to get this thing nailed down….division AND home-field. Then they can coast a little.
Posted: 09:43 AM on September 14, 2011
Posts: 0 Darkelfling
Also want to point out that the Howard almost slam was hit to the opposite field. When he starts driving balls to the opposite field, good things will start to follow.
Posted: 10:51 AM on September 14, 2011