Papelbon, Offense Have Hand in Brutal Loss
Posted by Pat Gallen, Mon, May 07, 2012 10:12 PM | Comments: 40
2012 Game Recaps, Analysis, News, Posts
Doc came away with a no-decision. (AP)
Ugh. The Phillies looked great early, then gave up five unanswered to the Mets as they took game one of the series, 5-2.
PAPELBON BLOWS IT
-Until this point, Jonathan Papelbon’s 2012 season had been going swimmingly. Then, he let up a three-run home run to a guy named Jordany Valdespin. Yeah. It was Paps first blown save of the season. Your Phillies season in a nutshell.
-Papelbon had not been used in a game since last week in Atlanta.
HALLADAY RETURNS TO FORM
-His line: seven innings, five hits, two runs (both earned), one walk, seven strikeouts. He certainly returned to form after a disaster in Atlanta. Only problem, the offense couldn’t help him out. Halladay deserved better than a no-decision.
-Early on, Halladay’s velocity was strong. At times, his fastball reached 93 on the radar gun both in the ballpark and on MLB.com’s pitch f/x. Clearly, his demise was premature.
-He threw his curveball for a strike often. In a second inning at-bat against Ike Davis, he made the lefty look silly throwing him back to back curves to fan him. Halladay mixed his pitches well throughout. Davis then looked helpless against Halladay again in the fifth inning as Halladay went curve, cutter, cutter, changeup, curve for a strikeout.
-Even in his tough-luck sixth inning, Halladay looked pretty good. He barely missed on a few pitches during his walk to Andres Torres, then got Kirk Nieuwenhuis to hit it right at Jimmy Rollins. Only problem; Rollins had gone to second to cover a potential stolen base. David Wright slapped a double just over the third base bag, literally inches from being foul, that score two runs. Breaks of the game.
A FEW GOOD AT-BATS
-The Phillies didn’t score a ton of runs, but they worked the count well, especially against Jon Niese. Shane Victorino took a walk. Jimmy Rollins had perhaps his best at-bat of the season in the top of the first that led to the run. John Mayberry Jr. hit his hardest ball of the season that knocked Jimmy in.
-In the top of the fourth, Carlos Ruiz was down 0-2 to Niese, but worked a walk with four straight balls. He did not chase; he waited for his pitch and it never came. Chooch gladly made his way to first.
-Niese tossed 80 pitches in four innings, and only 43 of those were strikes. Patience is a virtue, sometimes.
A FEW NOT-SO-GOOD AT-BATS
-It felt like the Phillies were dominating the game, but when Halladay allowed two runs in the sixth and the Mets tied it, the Phillies needed to capitalize on opportunities. Once again, they did not. With the bases loaded in the seventh, Hunter Pence put together an awful at-bat and eventually grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, made whole by Shane Victorino’s baserunner interference call at second base. That was made possible by a poor showing at the plate by Pence.
-Again in the eighth the Phillies had two on and nobody out only to get nothing out of it. More squandered opportunities.
GLOVELY
-John Mayberry Jr. has had his troubles at the plate. On Monday night, he was a wizard with the glove, making two diving stops in left field. If there is one thing you cannot deny, it’s JMJ’s ability to play the field at a high level.
-Freddy Galvis made a few nice plays as well. After Roy Halladay was hit in the rear end by an Ike Davis liner, and Carlos Ruiz missed the throw to first base, Galvis was there for a sweet sliding back up. Galvis was also on the scene of a blooper over the head of Halladay. He raced in and slid across for the final out. The kid can play defense with the best of them. But right now his bat is not on par. He still needs work, but his defense will likely keep him in the bigs for a long time.
-Placido Polanco completed a double play of his own in the eighth on a spinning-top grounder by Lucas Duda. He clamly picked it up, fired to first, and ended the threat.
NOTES
-Tomorrow, the Phillies resume their series with the Mets at 7:05. Miguel Batista takes on Joe Blanton.
Posts: 0 Scott in D.C.
John Mayberry in the 2-hole? Yeah, that worked well.
Posted: 10:14 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 BART SHART
We will struggle to finish 500 this year. And I am not being negative. It will be a long, tough year.
Posted: 10:42 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
I would be willing to bet a decent amount of money that they finish at least 10 games over .500.
Posted: 11:47 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 c schreiber
I got your back on that. Fully agree, it could even be worst than that.
Posted: 12:31 AM on May 9, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff
charlie manuel is showing his skills. horrible. this team cant hit in the clutch and pap is declining. does not strike people out anymore.
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS GO RANGERS. YEA BABY
Posted: 10:56 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 glutenous
Yeah, .500 is looking like a stretch at the moment. I have never seen a team squander more scoring opportunities than this years phillies. It is sickening. At the same time, if they start turning some of these opportunities into runs, they will win some games.
Posted: 11:23 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
rube better start contemplating a managerial move! before it’s too late. i know it’s early but as yogi once said it gets late earlier than you think. or something like that. cholly hasn’t used paps in 5 days! he lost two games that were close and could have possibly been won and noe he finally uses him and poof he goes caput ! i don’t blame paps i blame the manager! uses guys in situations they’re unproven in, schwimmer and lets him throw almost 60 damn pitches, same with sanchez he was almost close to 60 also. lets paps stay in the pen collecting dust for 5 days and expects him to be sharp! yea the guys gettin 50m to pitch! let him pitch for crying out loud! took KK out with only 87 pitches in 6 inn and tries to get 4 innings out of the bullpen in a tie game and using pitchers in matchups then oops i only have 2 guys left! and of course the next night someone else is “unavailable” cause he pitched 3 innings! whew he’s got to go!
Posted: 11:26 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
I actually think his usage of Papelbon tonight was a step in the right direction. Unfortunately they lost, and therefore Charlie’s unlikely to do it again, but the idea is that if the game is on the line you want your best pitcher in there. If you’re at home there are some considerations of the batters that the pitchers are likely to face and leverage situations, but generally I’m ok with losing with the best pitcher on the mound.
Posted: 11:49 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
yea eric i hear ya! i got so ticked watching this game and how it ended i had to vent! i hope i didn’t tick my PN friends in the process.
Posted: 11:54 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
I didn’t write the book, but it says you don’t use your closer in a tie game on the road. The book says you can use him in a tie game at home. That’s the way it’s always been, and that’s the way almost all managers play it.
It really doesn’t matter at this point, if you only score two runs you really don’t deserve to win. In 30 games so far the team has scored 2 or less in almost half of them (14). They are 2-12 when scoring 2 runs or less. Not surprising at all.
Posted: 12:39 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
it’s apparent that galvis needs more seasoning as a hitter, so i’ve heard. well as low as his average is around .198 ? he has more RBI than cholly’s boy j-bag. did anybody notice that j-bag could have hit the dirt and slid into first to try to be safe, but noooo jimmy don’t do that! he’s so pathetic to watch anymore! his ab’s are sickening. i’ll lay money on chase coming back and even if he’s not the old chase he’s still gonna dirt bag grind it out kickin and screaming and clawing to be safe at first, and i think that given the same amount of ab’s that j-bag has he’ll have quadruple the amout of RBI that jimmy has! and howard also! say what you want about him and i complain too but it tells you something about the man when he grounds out making the last out in the playoffs and he knew when he hit it there was no way he’s gonna beat that throw, and he also knows his ankles in pain. but what does he do? he busts it to try! then he blow his achilles out and he still tried to run a few steps. all the complaining i did about that man for this and that. well after what he tried to do on that last ab he’s earned my respect from now on wheather he strikes out or whatever i just gonna stfu. we should all appreciate the RBI that he produces. we sure miss them now! we not only miss ryan and chase for what they did or what hopefully they can still do. most of all the phils miss their heart! jimmy has no heart! he got his contract he’s riding the wave! trade his sorry a$$
Posted: 11:48 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
Stay away from bridges and sharp object tonight, bud.
Posted: 11:53 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 Ryne Duren
i’m cool now ! thanks lol
Posted: 11:56 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 George
It’s been pretty much shown that sliding into first actually slows a runner down. Slides are to avoid tags or break up double plays. At first base, if the throw beats you, you’re just plain out, and it will always beat you if you try to slide under it. I suppose with a slide, he could have taken the first baseman’s legs out from under him, and the guy might have dropped the throw. Then Rollins would have been called out for interference and that maybe would have started a brawl and he’d be suspended.
Also, it’s a given that Utley will have more RBIs. He’ll have the lead off man (Rollins) or the second place hitter on base way more often then Rollins will have the number eight (Galvis) or number nine (a pitcher) on.
You really DO need to chill. Anger has clouded your thinking.
Posted: 07:03 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 1077 EricL
I think he was talking about Jimmy’s bunt in the 9th, during which Jimmy actually did a sort of slide/dive maneuver to try to avoid the tag. It was a good try by Jimmy and unfortunately a better play by the Mets.
Posted: 10:21 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 861 The Original Chuck P
With all due respect, Jimmy was 2-5 with a double last night…
Posted: 10:08 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 bacardipr05
I did worry a little when they signed J-Roll. I wanted him to be a Phillie but in the back of mind i wondered if he would slack off. Jeff Papelbon is declining because of one game? A case of him been a little rusty, that one batter who kept fouling off pitches and a little luck, i wouldnt say he is declining, thats a stretch.
Posted: 11:57 PM on May 7, 2012
Posts: 0 schmenkman
In Rollins I see a slump — no slacking off at all.
Posted: 05:34 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 861 The Original Chuck P
With all due respect, he was 2-5 with a double last night…
Jimmy has actually been decent over his last 10 games – .256/.319/.326. Those might not seem like tremendous numbers but I’ll take that from a guy that is giving you Gold Glove defense at shortstop.
Posted: 10:11 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 schmenkman
Agreed, although I think he can, and will, end up with better numbers by the end of the year.
Posted: 10:54 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 brooks
Bases loaded and 1 out in the 7th – nothing
Man on first and third, one out in the 8th – nothing
In the bottom of the 9th, not even a whimper – the core of this lineup 1-2-3 without any struggle.
Papelbon gave up the hr to a kid who had never hit a major league hr, it was probably close to 400 feet if not longer. Pathetic. I thought Papelbon was the only legit relief the Phils had this season, what a joke.
Nobody will be getting walked intentionally on the Phils this year, there is no fear with this lineup.
Posted: 12:12 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
It was not only his first HR, it was Jordany Valdespin’s first major league hit!
Posted: 12:32 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Papelbon is no longer a “legit” reliever because he happened to get a pitch up a little in the zone? That’s ONE WHOLE MISTAKE so far this season. Before this, he’d saved every game he’d been in.
Even Cy Young and Walter Johnson made bad pitches now and then.
Posted: 07:17 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Andrew from Waldorf
Why would anyone think a team that sends Erik Kratz to hit in a tie game in the 8th inning with runners on first and third and 2 outs could ever be 92-72 or better?
The season is salvagable. Maybe. New manager and a few major deals could do that.
I have 0 trust in Ruben Minaya pulling the trigger on any of that though.
Losing Halladays starts at hme to the Mets is an issue.
I have a lifetime bet with a Mets fan. 100$ better record Mets of Phillies.
It should not be in play this year.
But sadly it is.
Been coming for years though. I am more shocked at people being suprised by it all than anything else. This is your team.
Posted: 12:42 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 3468 Lefty
I completely disagree on Halladay. Early in the year when he was not throwing with as much velocity, but he had better command of his pitches. He was 3-0 with a good ERA and WHIP.
Now that he’s ratcheted it up a bit he’s losing the bite and sink on his two seamer and grooving the four. Everyone thinks it’s all about velocity, it’s not. As you age you can still throw hard, hell at 55 I can still throw pretty hard. I don’t know where the balls going to end up when I do, but I can do it.
I’d rather not see him try to reach back so much. Stop reading Bow-Tie boy’s tweets, and just be a pitcher. A guy with his talent and conditioning can pitch well for a long long time, but his game has to evolve with age.
Posted: 01:05 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 George
Yeah, he’s lost command. That’s why he only gave up two lucky runs and had a strikeout per inning.
Posted: 06:50 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 David
Why were the runs lucky? Wright’s hit was a solid double down the line. Also, the old Halladay doesn’t blow a 2 run lead in the 6th inning. Prior to that he had set the Mets down in order 4 times. Face it, he is on the decline. Only through rose colored glasses can you see it differently.
Posted: 10:51 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 schmenkman
“the old Halladay doesn’t blow a 2 run lead in the 6th” — well, sorta. Last year he had a 1.50 ERA in the 6th, but in 2010 it was 3.58
I actually don’t know how anyone can type these two sentences one after the other: “Prior to that he had set the Mets down in order 4 times. Face it, he is on the decline.”
What, suddenly whenever he gives up TWO runs in a game it’s a sign that he’s on the decline?
Posted: 11:04 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Stuart
Don’t believe Papelbon had a blown save. It was a blown hold. He had nothing to save coming into a tied game…
Posted: 01:17 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff Dowder
That’s true…it wasn’t a save situation.
Posted: 01:28 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 22 jeff y
Freddy Galvis really blows. Play anyone, Pete Orr….Please!
Posted: 06:46 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 2524 Chuck A.
And when Orr doesn’t get a hit in a key situation he’ll ” really blow” as well. Is that what you’re trying to say?
Posted: 08:14 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff
First look at paps past four seasons. All declining. Look what he
Did last year to blow it for the sox. Yes, there is something wrong with
Doc. Also Charlie can’t play small ball.
Posted: 09:27 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 0 Jeff B
I believe Papelbon only blew 3 saves all of last year and only allowed 3 of 10 inherited runners to score.
This year, the only games he wasnt lights out were the games he came in in non-save situations.
Posted: 09:52 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 1051 Manny
We really lost our momentum when we didn’t capitalize in the bottom of the 8th with 1-out and guys on 2nd and 3rd. I don’t understand why Charlie didn’t pinch-hit for Galvis there. The Mets have Bobby Parnell, a righty, on the mound… and we have Nix (who’s hitting over .300) on the bench. You have to score there… USE HIM! Then you can put in Orr for the ninth. Or you could’ve just pinch-hit with Orr straight up cause he’s a lefty. Either move would’ve made much more sense than letting Galvis bat —ESPECIALLY when he was 0-3 at that point.
That, to me, was the missed opportunity that cost us the game.
Posted: 10:18 AM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 61 GM
They brought out Nix to hit for Halladay in the 8th, just after Galvis, and the Mets brought in a lefty to face him, so Charlie pulled Nix back and sent Kratz to strike out. The Mets would have made the same move whether Nix hit for Galvis or Halladay.
If Nix had gone out to hit for Galvis, and we then used Kratz against the lefty, Halladay would have been due up with Orr or Schneider to face the lefty reliever.
Posted: 12:14 PM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 1051 Manny
That’s still fine and a better scenario. Our odds of scoring a run would’ve increased with Kratz against a lefty instead of Galvis against a righty. With Papelbon warming up, and 1 out in the bottom of the 8th… guys in scoring position, you gotta make these moves. If we burn Nix because the Mets decide to bring in a lefty, so be it. The crucial at-bat in this case is the one with 1 out.
Posted: 02:34 PM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 61 GM
Kratz faced the lefty, and struck out. Kratz has struck out in 2 of 3 AB’s this season, and hit .140 in his career during limited time in the majors. Kratz has a career strikeout rate of 27%, Galvis only 16%.
A better option was to have Galvis drop a bunt as was mentioned by the ESPN crew.
Posted: 03:49 PM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 61 GM
I was wrong, it was Bastardo due up in the eighth, not Halladay, but the point is the same.
Posted: 12:17 PM on May 8, 2012
Posts: 79 branderson925
Man who let all the goons into the PhilsNation comment section?
Ignoramuses
Posted: 11:26 AM on May 8, 2012