Gameday: Phillies (8-11) vs. Pirates (10-8)
Jonathan Pettibone (0-0, 0.00) vs A.J. Burnett (1-2, 2.63)
TIME: 7:05, Citizens Bank Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Weather: 51, mostly cloudy
Media: Twitter and Facebook
Jonathan Pettibone makes his Major League debut tonight against the cross-state rival Pittsburgh Pirates. Pettibone, 22, is the youngest Phillie starting pitcher to make his debut with the team since Vance Worley started as a 22 year old in 2010. Pettibone’s AAA stats this year are a bit misleading: Pettibone has a 9.64 ERA with a 4.88 BB/IP in 9.1 IP against a 2.55 ERA in 42.1 IP last year for Lehigh Valley after a late season call-up.
Crashburn Alley’s Eric Longenhagen says Pettibone: has terrific control but spotty command, meaning he throws a ton of strikes because his mechanics take him directly toward the plate but he doesn’t always throw them where he wants. He left several pitches up in the zone which he won’t get away with tonight if it continues. Pettibone, per Longenhagen, sits in the low 90s with his fastball and has a low 80s change-up.
The Phillies will face A.J. Burnett tonight, who in 164 PA, current Phillies are hitting .255/.355/.462. Chase Utley is hitting a career .296/.406/.593 against Burnett in 32 PA. Burnett and the Phillies have some history: Burnett defeated the Phillies in Game 2 of the 2009 World Series while the Phillies got some revenge in Game 5 by chasing him in the third.
Lineup: Rollins SS, Mayberry RF, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Young 3B, Brown LF, Revere CF, Kratz C, Pettibone P
I’m going to be honest – I have never heard of this beer before tonight, but this Belgian import sure has a cool can with a simple but awesome name. Hopefully the Phillies put up 8.5 or more runs tonight and avenge the Western PA sailors. Argh matey!
Go Phillies!
