Phillies Nation

Philadelphia Phillies (73-57) at Los Angeles Dodgers (67-64)

Roy Halladay (16-10, 2.22 ERA) vs. 
Hiroki Kuroda (9-11, 3.56)

Time: 10:10 p.m at Dodger Stadium
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 67
Twitter: @philliesnation

This is what sets 2010 apart for the Phillies.

Faced with a similar position the past two seasons – heading into a big road series in need of wins, the Phillies would have had one hot starting pitcher (Cole Hamels in 2008, Cliff Lee in 2009) and a grab bag (Brett Myers and Joe Blanton ’08, Hamels and Pedro Martinez in ’09) for the rest of the series.

But not this year. This is why they got Roy Halladay and then added Roy Oswalt. Not to slight Kyle Kendrick, a serviceable fifth starter, but with the ability to hand the ball to Halladay and Oswalt heading into a key series – whether it’s at Dodger Stadium or Yankee Stadium – you have to like the Phillies’ chances.

Tonight it’s Halladay’s turn, and if anyone can maintain the staff’s momentum after an overpowering series against the first-place Padres, it’s Halladay. He’s been so dominant since his Sunday night clunker against at Wrigley Field in mid-July, until last week it seemed he might not lose the rest of the season. But then a bloop single and the Phillies’ inability to score in the Astros series ended that bid (Amazing bonus stat: Halladay has failed to pitched at least seven innings only four times this season).

But no matter how well Halladay pitches, the offense has to score runs. And before their five-run “explosion” yesterday, the Phillies hadn’t scored that many runs in a week. The struggles of Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino from the left side of the plate – and from Ryan Howard and Chase Utley in general – are a major threat to the Phillies’ playoff hopes with each day they continue.

Your Gameday Beer – Philadelphia Original Lager

Brewed by Red Bell Brewery out of the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia, this beer is a classic microbrew lager. It’s a bit heavier than Yuengling, with more of a roasted malt flavor and some sweet coffee and caramel hints. Its supreme drinkability coupled with a pour that looks like iced tea means you can sneakily house several of these bad boys. Have your favorite pasta with some marinara sauce and a few Philly Lagers. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!

In a couple of ways, it was just like old times Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Brad Lidge saved a game for Roy Oswalt–something he used to do regularly. But after a turn of events no one, no matter how crazy, would have foreseen the last time it had happened– July 28, 2007–both were wearing Phillies uniforms this time.

And the other familiar sight Wednesday was reminiscent not of the 2007 season but of the next one, when Ryan Madson teamed with Lidge as the most dominant setup-closer combo in baseball.

Oswalt held the Dodgers to five hits in seven innings, and Madson and Lidge combined to retire the last six L.A. batters – four by strikeout – to lead the Phillies to a 2-0 victory.

Sure, the win was important because it kept the Phillies 2 ½ games behind the Braves, who have pulled out two late-inning wins the past two days in Houston. But maybe even more importantly, the win made a statement a night after the Dodgers bombed Kyle Kendrick, and seemingly half the bullpen, for 15 runs.

If you want to get picky, the Phillies did leave a couple of runs on the bases, and their failure to score Wilson Valdez after his leadoff triple in the fifth inning was glaring. But the pitching took care of that. Oswalt wasn’t dominant, but he displayed steely focus when he encountered jams and got outs when he needed them most.

Raul Ibanez, meanwhile, stayed red-hot, driving in an insurance run with a sixth-inning double that extended his hitting streak to 18 games. Domonic Brown got the Phils on the board in the fourth with his legs, beating out a ground ball that would be a double play with most other major leaguers running. But with Dom gliding to first? Forget it.

As with a lot of Phillies games this season, however, there is a “but.” While hustling to second on a double that led to the Phillies’ second run, Ross Gload pulled up lame halfway between first base and second base, and he immediately left the game. Don’t be shocked tomorrow if he becomes the latest to pass through the DL turnstile, likely with a groin strain.

On the plus side, Shane Victorino homered, tripled and had three RBIs in a rehab game tonight with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He was expected to rejoin the Phillies on Friday, but it sure looks like he’s ready now.

Los Angeles Dodgers (59-54) at Philadelphia Phillies (62-50)

Chad Billingsley, RHP (9-6, 3.82 ERA) vs. Roy Oswalt, RHP (6-13, 3.50 ERA)

Time: 7:05 p.m at Citizens Bank Park

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Weather: Partly cloudy, 89

Twitter: @philliesnation

When the Dodgers hang a 15-spot on the Phillies, there isn’t a whole lot to feel too good about. But the way the Phillies allowed most of those runs is even more troubling.

Forget that Kyle Kendrick didn’t make it out of the fourth inning. KK had put together three very good starts in a row, and last night was an example of what common folk call “the law of averages” and math majors refer to as “regression to the mean.” Plain and simple, he was due to get hit around, and did he ever against the Dodgers.

Over the course of a 162-game season, any team’s fifth starter is going to give up plenty of runs and have more than a few bad nights. After all, that’s why he’s the fifth starter. Injuries notwithstanding, the Phillies’ real problem was encapsulated by what happened after Kendrick was out of the game. The offense mounted a rally, but the bullpen couldn’t keep the Dodgers at bay, allowing nine – nine! – earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. David Herndon, Danys Baez and, sadly, even J.C. Romero … do you trust these guys to consistently get batters out when called upon? (I won’t lump Antonio Bastardo with them because he’s only recently returned to the Phillies, but his ERA is 5.54, so maybe he should be grouped there too.) After Tuesday’s blowup, the Phillies’ bullpen ERA is 4.26, which ranks 10th in the NL and 19th in the major leagues. The Braves, by comparison, were almost a full run better (3.22) entering Wednesday – good enough to rank third in the league and fifth in the bigs.

Ruben Amaro has apparently hitched his star to starting pitching, and the Phillies are going to need an extra-strength dose of it tonight from Roy Oswalt. As for the team the Phillies are chasing, the Braves won again today – despite another blown save by Billy Wagner and the absence of Larry Wayne Jones, who reportedly was feeling much better after spraining his left knee in last night’s comeback win over the Astros. Jones is scheduled to have an MRI Thursday, and it appears the outlook is much better than when he was writhing in pain on the field.

Also, don’t forget – you can reach us on our new hotline to rant and rave about all things Phillies. The number is (801)-TRADE ME. That’s (801) 872-3363.

LINEUP: Rollins SS, Polanco 3B, Gload 1B, Ibanez LF, Werth CF, Brown RF, Ruiz C, Valdez 2B, Oswalt P

Your Gameday Beer – Melanie Brewing Company Beer 30 Light

My roommate got this once in college. The name stuck out, as did the fact that you could get a 30-pack for the same price as a case of Natty Light. That’s right. This beer is cheaper than Natty Light. I was too scared to try any, but according to my roommate, it’s the pisswater to end all pisswater. And this is coming from the guy who drank heavy Busch for four years. Enjoy.– By Michael

GO PHILLIES!

Philadelphia Phillies (48-45) at St. Louis Cardinals (53-41)

Joe Blanton, RHP (3-5, 6.21 ERA) vs. Jamie Garcia, RHP (8-4, 2.27 ERA)

Time: 8:15 p.m., Busch Stadium
Weather: Mostly Sunny, 90
TV: WPHL
Twitter: @PhilliesNation

Seven.

Not a lucky number – not for the 2010 Phillies. Seven is an unforgiving number gauging how frustrating, disappointing and utterly befuddling this season has been. It is how many games the team that was heavily favored to return to the World Series has fallen behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

Ten years ago – even five years ago – being seven games back of the Braves might have been regarded as an achievement. Now it is merely cause for fear, loathing and macabre jokes about enduring 25 more years without a title.

So as GM Ruben Amaro works the phones and rumors swirl about Roy Oswalt coming to Philadelphia in another megadeal (it’s worth noting that Oswalt is a year older than Cliff Lee), the only certainty around the 2010 Phillies is injuries. The seemingly indestructible Jamie Moyer suffered an elbow strain Tuesday night, meaning Amaro is going to be at high risk of developing that rare condition known as BlackBerry Ear as he tries to swing a trade for an arm or two.

In the meantime, the Phillies still have ballgames to play, and lately they haven’t been playing them very well. They easily could have lost all six games since the All-Star break, but even their one win Saturday wasn’t much consolation. The task doesn’t get any easier tonight, with Joe Blanton going up against rookie Jamie Garcia. After getting into a handful of games last season, the 24-year-old Garcia has been an outstanding addition to an already loaded Cardinals staff; his 2.27 ERA ranks third in the NL. Blanton has been inconsistent after missing the first month of the season, though his last start, against the Cubs, was one of his sharpest.

Bottom line: Phillies need a win almost as much as they need another starting pitcher.

LINEUP: Polanco 3B, Victorino CF, Francisco LF, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Rollins SS, Ransom 2B, Ruiz C, Blanton P.

Your gamnight beer: I sessioned this Friday night and it wasn’t bad: Steamworks Brewery’s Steam Engine Lager. It calls itself “arguably the best American amber lager in the world.” Heavy words, but it is a good lager. It pours with a golden-to-amber look, like Yuengling, but tastes much sweeter, with hints of yeast and even some fruit: I noted banana, but it might be more citrus. For me it was a session – can’t pound lagers usually – but for those who prefer Yuenglings and the like, seek this out to try. Goes good with pizza.

Go Phillies!

For anyone who thought that Roy Halladay might be slumping, his performance Monday night against the Braves, in the first game of probably the biggest series of the season so far for the Phillies, showed that any imperfection was in the eye of the beholder.

OK, that might be a small dose of hyperbole, but here’s the point: Halladay is just fine, thank you. Doc threw his seventh complete game of the season, holding the potent Braves lineup to five hits and needing to fling his right arm forward a measly 93 times to do so. The only blemish on Halladay’s stat line was a cheap home run to left-center by Chipper Jones that likely was a product of the furnacelike conditions at Citizens Bank Park and almost certainly would not have sailed over the fence at any other stadium in the major leagues.

Also in the category of amazing from the game was the source of the Phillies’ first two runs: the bat of Greg Dobbs, who homered to left-center off Derek Lowe in the sixth inning after the Phils’ offense had managed only four singles in the first five innings. The homer was Dobbs’ second of the season and first since being called up after he was designated for assignment, seemingly eliminating his spot on the Phillies’ big league roster.

But back to the Man of the Night. In two starts against the Braves this season, Halladay has pitched a complete game and allowed five hits both times. Take away Jones’ cheapie, and he’d have two shutouts. The only major league TEAM with more CGs than Doc’s seven is the Mariners, who have eight (mostly thanks to a relative unknown; I think his name is Lee).

The Phillies couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the series (OK, more offense would have been nice). Now it’s up to Cole Hamels to keep it going, and no offense to Hamels, but the Phillies are probably not going to be able to scrape by with three runs in the heat of the night Tuesday.

Nick “The Beerman” discusses the heat with last night on KYW

Atlanta Braves (48-34) at Philadelphia Phillies (42-38)

Derek Lowe (5-3, 4.53) vs. Roy Halladay (9-7, 2.42)

Time: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park

Weather: Partly Cloudy, 94

TV: Comcast SportsNet/ESPN

Twitter: @philliesnation

There haven’t been a lot of reasons to feel optimistic about the Phillies recently. From bullpen implosions to losing Chase Utley and Placido Polanco for the indefinite future to dropping three of four to the perennially meek Pirates (and I’m not talking about their lone All-Star representative), the Phillies have suffered the kind of body blows that normally put a contender on the mat.

But though they are staggering like Rocky Balboa in his first bout with Apollo Creed, the Phils still have their feet under them. And starting tonight, with a three-game series at the Bank against the resurgent Braves, they have a chance to quickly regain their balance and make up lost ground in the NL East. And not only that, but to kick off this all-important series, the Phillies have the man who is unquestionably their ace, Roy Halladay.

But as good as he is, Halladay is not immune to failure. And just like his teammates (and in large part because of them), Doc has fallen on hard times recently, losing four of his last five starts, most recently on a two-run, eighth-inning homer by Jay Bruce on Wednesday in a 4-3 loss after having been staked to a 3-0 lead. Following a dazzling 6-1 start to the season, Halladay has sunk to a confounding, and in many ways stunning, 9-7. But there are always other considerations, and in this case a major one is that in those four most recent losses, Halladay received a grand total of seven runs of support. Not exactly a lot to work with, even for a pitcher with a 2.42 ERA.

I don’t have any hard numbers, but since mid-May the Phillies have seemed to play more nervously when Halladay is on the mound. In that span, the offense has scored more than three runs just once (the 9-0 blowout against the Blue Jays in the “road” series at CBP) and the defense even has seemed to play with less efficiency (and with so many starters out, that likely will be the norm for a while).

So, yes, it is still early July and the All-Star Game has yet to be played, but plain and simple, these next three games are the most important of the season so far.

Phillies Lineup: Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Ibanez LF, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Dobbs 3B, Valdez 2B, Sardinha C, Halladay P

Your gameday beer: Ayinger Brau-Weisse

Ayinger Brau-Weisse pours a very light, golden color, and has a standard citrus and floral taste. The beer is slightly bland and is very dry, almost like champagne. It’s not hard to drink by any means. Ayinger, however, rarely disappoints. And it comes in a cool bottle, so there’s that.

Go Phillies!

San Diego Padres (32-21) at Philadelphia Phillies (28-24)

Mat Latos (5-3, 3.08 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (7-3, 1.99 ERA)

Time: 7:05 p.m at Citizens Bank Park
Weather: Partly cloudy, 86
TV: Comcast Sportsnet
Twitter: @philliesnation
Lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Castro SS, Ruiz C, Halladay P

Boy, do the Phillies ever need Roy.

Games such as this one are exactly why the Phillies shuttled a couple of their top prospects to Toronto to pry “Doc” away from the Blue Jays.

You do that to get a pitcher for which there are many nicknames – “horse,” “ace,” “stopper” – in essence, a guy who is his best when the chips are down.

The Phillies need Halladay because they need a win, having fallen three games behind the white-hot Braves in the NL East, and Halladay far and away gives them their best chance at getting one.

It’s probable that Halladay won’t be as good as he was the last time out, when he breezed through the Florida Marlins’ lineup three times as easily as he knocks out a 7 a.m. workout. It’s quite likely that Johnny Vander Meer’s record of consecutive no-hitters will still be standing come Saturday. But the amazing thing about Halladay is that you believe that indeed he could do it again.

In reality, this game is no more about Halladay, though, than it is about the Phillies’ offense. For the past 11 games, the offense has been a shell of its former self because of a combination of slumps and injuries that has turned the clock back on the lineup – as in back to February and March, when you would actually expect to see two or three reserves playing every day. In the Charlie Manuel era, the Phillies’ fate has usually been tied to the offense, and this season is no different.

Your Gameday Beer – Great Divide Wild Raspberry Ale

The arrival of hot weather means raspberries are almost in season – an excuse to try one of these 5.6 percent brews. As expected it’s sweet, tart and fruity but not exactly an authentic framboise. It has a dark amber appearance, which gives the beer a base for the flavors of red and black raspberries. It has a lot of carbonation, so be prepared. Pair it with spicy Mexican food. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!

The NBA in late May: Where Amazing Happens.

The Phillies’ offense in late May: Where Nothing Happens.

After the Phillies’ 5-0 loss to the Mets at Citi Field tonight, what else is there left to say about the offense’s slump? (Other than that word “slump” doesn’t come close to quantifying whatever has sapped the offense the past four games.)

When a team gets shut out, that’s normal. Back-to-back nights, well, that happens, too. But three times (nearly four) in four games, and being held scoreless in 37 of 38 innings? That’s no accident. It’s a sign that something isn’t right. The pitchers the Phillies have faced the past four games are Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi. That’s not in the same class as the starting rotation of the 1971 Orioles. If the Phillies faced Tim Lincecum four straight times, they’d probably score more than three runs, which is what they’ve managed against those four … shall we say lesser-caliber pitchers.

The truth is that every offense goes through slumps, some worse than others (and some really, really bad). While the Phillies haven’t had a dry spell quite like this the past few seasons, the combination of a couple of slow starts (Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez) and having two starters either on the DL or severely banged up (Jimmy Rollins, Carlos Ruiz) has caused a perfect storm.

I’ll spare the highlights of tonight’s game because, frankly, there aren’t any. But for the Phillies, one moment stood out above the rest. With Victorino on second base in the sixth inning and one out, Chase Utley lined a solid single to right field. We’re used to seeing the fleet Victorino zip around third on plays like that, but he was held at third. With the offense needing a spark, Victorino had to score on that play, but the fact that he didn’t served only to illustrate how the offense has lost its way. Third base coach Sam Perlozzo thought he was playing it safe by holding Victorino, but it was the wrong decision – especially considering Ryan Howard’s propensity to strike out against left-handed pitchers (Howard entered Wednesday with a .308 career OBP against lefties and a nearly 40 percent strikeout rate).

If there’s any positive news from tonight, it’s that Charlie Manuel held a short team meeting after the game. When Manuel gets mad, good things often follow.

Philadelphia Phillies (26-18) at New York Mets (23-23)

Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.06 ERA) at Hisanori Takahashi (3-1, 2.53 ERA)

Time: 7:10, Citi Field

Weather: Partly cloudy, 86

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Twitter: @philliesnation

The conventional wisdom said the Phillies would be comfortably in first place in late May. It also said the Flyers would be on the golf course.

But in sports, the conventional wisdom is all too often wrong. Don’t believe me? Grab a copy of “The Wages of Wins” by David Berri, Martin Schmidt and Stacey Brook. The authors are all sports fans who happen to be economists, and they make compelling cases as to why many of the beliefs regarded as canon in sports aren’t borne out by the numbers. Their research is thorough, and as a bonus, the book is an enjoyable read, too.

While the last three games have been anything but enjoyable for Phils fans, with the team having been shut out twice and held scoreless in 28 of 29 innings, an economist would say that it simply can’t hold up. The silent Phillies offense (which has batted a mind-numbing .203 and scored 15 runs in the past seven games) will crackle back to life – it’s just a matter of when and where.

What’s not helping with that are ever-present injuries. In addition to Jimmy Rollins being back on the DL, Carlos Ruiz acknowledged today that his right shoulder has been bothering him for, oh, about five weeks. He’s not in the lineup tonight but hopes to return tomorrow. The question remains of when – or if – his shoulder will be right.

Joe Blanton takes the ball for the Phillies tonight, and if anyone has the credentials to pitch a gem in Flushing, it’s Big Joe, who is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in four starts against the Mets in his career.

Tonight’s Lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Francisco LF, Valdez SS, Schneider C, Blanton P

Your Gameday Beer – Golden Cap Saison Ale

Lately, runs for the Phillies have been slightly rarer than flying monkeys. So while you wait for the offense to come around, grab one (or more) of these – it has a huge winged monkey on the label. It’s a farmhouse ale with faint lemon and yeast flavors which go down smooth – a definite summer ale. I’m drinking one right now and recommend a savory crepe with it. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!

Chicago Cubs (19-22) at Philadelphia Phillies (24-15)

Tom Gorzelanny, RHP (2-4, 3.49 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton, RHP (1-2, 5.49 ERA)

Time: 1:05, Citizens Bank Park

Weather: Sunny, 76

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Twitter: @philliesnation

In their matinee matchup with the Chicago Cubs, the Phillies have a couple of things going for them. One is that today’s starter for the Cubs, Ryan Dempster, pitches with the appendage on the right side of his torso, not the left. After being held to one run combined the past two nights by Zach Duke and Tom Gorzelanny, the last thing the Phillies want to see is another lefty.

Dempster is having a strange season. He’s pitched at least six innings in each of his eight starts and his ERA is a respectable 3.49, but he’s just 2-4 to show for it. In fact, he’s gone seven innings in each of his last four starts – and lost all of them. The problem is a lack of run support; the Cubs scored a total of 10 runs in those four games, dropping three of them by one run.

During his career, Dempster has been smacked around by the Phillies. He hasn’t beaten them as a starter since 2001, with a 1.62 WHIP, 4.99 ERA and .272 BAA. The only area where his numbers are OK is wins and losses (4-4).

After all the talk of the Phillies finally getting their lineup fully back with the return of Jimmy Rollins on Monday, it hasn’t resulted in much success – mainly because the lineup still wasn’t really together until Wednesday (Chase Utley sat out Monday and Tuesday with flulike symptoms). And today Werth and Ruiz will get a rest. So the wait for the varsity Phillies lineup to put it all together will have to wait for the Red Sox series this weekend.

Today’s Lineup: Victorino (CF), Polanco (3B), Utley (2B), Howard (1B), Rollins (SS), Ibanez (LF), Gload (RF), Hoover (C), Blanton (P)

Your Gameday Beer – Hop Explosion

The Phils are in dire need of an offensive explosion, so let’s drink to that. Brewed in Bethlehem, Hop Explosion is not too widely available outside of the Lehigh Valley but as the name hints, it’s an IPA. There are some citrus flavors but they’re completely overpowered by the intensely bitter hops. This beer is certainly an acquired taste, but so is curried goat, so have the two together and pray for better meals and games ahead. – By Brian

GO PHILLIES!