The BUZZ in Philly
Back in spring training, Jimmy Rollinsdeclared that the Phillies were the team to beat in the National League East. After a 4-11 start, Rollins’ declaration appeared to be foolish and the NY media had a field day with it. It appeared for all the talk, Rollins and the Phils were not walkin’ the walk.
Tomorrow’s New York papers will be having a field day once again, scrutinizing the complete collapse by the NY Mets that allowed the streaking Phillies to capture the NL East title for the first time since 1993.
Both teams turned to their veteran pitchers in must-win games. Forty year-old Tom Glavine didn’t get through the first inning as the Marlins hit him hard and took advantage of his throwing error, to post seven runs, much to the delight of the Citizens Bank crowd awaiting their games’ first pitch.
In sharp contrast, 44 year-old Jamie Moyer went 5 1/3 innings, giving up no earned runs, striking out six and walking none, before turning the ball over to the now-reliable trio of Tom Gordon, JC Romero and Brett Myers, to hurl …
As reported by John Madden and Al Michaels on NBC’s Football Night in America just moments ago, Brian Westbrook will not play tonight against the Giants. Look for McNabb to throw somewhere between 70 and 100 passes, and look for Correll Buckhalter to get the start.
And now for some good news (and by “good news” I mean “more bad news”)… Brian Dawkins is also inactive tonight… not to mention starting tackle William Thomas… oh, and don’t forget about LJ Smith… and… um… Lito Sheppard. I think that’s it for now, but stay tuned, cause there might be more.
So if you’re scoring at home, that’s FIVE invaluable starting players OUT for tonight’s DIVISIONAL game against the hated GIANTS. God help us!
The combination of poor fielding and impatient at-bats proved fatal, as the Phillies dropped a crucial game to the Washington Nationals 4-2.
Maybe it was because they knew the Mets had won before they stepped onto the field… Maybe it was because they thought the season ended last night… Whatever the reason, the Phillies did not bring their A-game to Citizens Bank Park today. The Phillies played sloppy, uninspired baseball in a game that was difficult for fans to watch and not exactly what you would expect out of “the team to beat”, as Jimmy Rollins stated this spring.
The defense gave a lackluster effort. Errors by Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz led to two unearned runs, which were the runs that led them to lose the game. Ruiz also made a poor decision on fielding a bunt in the fourth inning. He fielded a bunt with runners on first and second and one out. Instead of going to third base to get the lead runner (which he would have had with …
THE BUZZ in PHILLY
The Phillies’ magic number is now 2. Basically what that means is that if they win this afternoon on national TV, they clinch at least a spot in the play-in game on Monday against the Mets at Citizens Bank Ballpark (the Mets couldn’t even come through at the coin toss).
What that means is that Manager-Extraordinaire, Charlie Manuel, needs to manage today as if it is an elimination game. And that means every member of the bullpen, with the exception of Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer (tomorrow’s starter), should be ready, willing and excited to enter today’s game, whether it’s to get one out or three.
Just like every fan, reporter and announcer, I was questioning why Manuel didn’t pinch hit for Hamels in the 7th and send out a reliever in the 8th. I, like every fan, reporter and announcer, proved why I’m not the manager (unless of course Hamels’ arm is sore today, in which case we’ll all second guess the decision and rip him for it).
By keeping Hamels in the …
THE BUZZ in PHILLY
There hasn’t been a left-handed pitcher since Steve Carlton to remind us of, well, Lefty himself. That is, until now.
Cole Hamels plowed through the line-up, whiffing 13 batters and holding the Nationals scoreless through 8 innings.
Meanwhile, the Florida Marlins defeated the New York Mets, 7-4, moving the Phillies into sole possession of first place for the first time, in who knows how many years, this late in the season.
Jimmy Rollins got the Phillies on the scoreboard first with a two-run single to center field in the bottom of the 5th inning. Chase Utley then doubled near the “Marlins-6, Mets-3″ scoreboard on the right-field wall to put the Phillies up 3-0.
Pat Burrell chased Nationals’ starter Tim Redding from the game with a lead-off double to start the bottom of the 6th. Carlos Ruiz reached on an error, moving pinch-runner Michael Bourn to third base. Bourn then scored on sacrifice-RBI by Hamels, to put the Phillies up 4-0 after six innings.
Ryan Howard added a two-run homer in the seventh to put the icing on the cake ~ and maybe, do …
The Eagles are reporting that starting LT William Thomas (knee) is doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Giants… which would give Winston Justice the start. Corner William James suffered a lacerated finger in practice yesterday, and he is listed as questionable (although I don’t know what the big deal is. When I worked for Trio Cold Cuts back in the 80′s I cut my hand plenty of times. Did that stop me from making the best Trio Special ever? Nope! Quit crying Willie!).
This news shouldn’t make a bit of difference in regards to the outcome of the game (they’re both fat lineman who can block, and James isn’t really anything to write home about). The only thing that changes now is Winston Justice’s family will have a few more people to call than normal to let everyone know their baby is starting!
Who is playing? The Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) v. the New York Giants (1-2).
When will this game take place? Sunday, September 30th, 2007 at 8:15 (NBC).
Where will this game be played? Giants Stadium, New Jersey.
Why are they playing this game? Because this is America.
Any notable injuries I should know about before I bet my kids college tuition? As of right now it looks as though the Eagles will definitely be without TE LJ Smith (groin). As for the rest of the players in question, we won’t know till gameday, but it looks as though FS Brian Dawkins (neck) and T William Thomas (knee) are a go, and CB Lito Sheppard (knee) is a no. As for the Giants, their star receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle sprain) will be in uniform and will play “no question”. On the other hand, starting running back (for how long?) Brandon Jacobs (knee) will still be out of uniform and forced to watch new comer …
THE BUZZ in PHILLY
It was 1980……..the USA hockey team won the gold, the Eagles were in the Super Bowl, the Sixers played in the NBA Championship and the Flyers skated in the Stanley Cup. It was a great year to be a sports fan in Philadelphia. There has never been as great a time since.
I was in 8th grade and remember laying in bed listening to the Phillies on the radio on a school night (up later than I should have been). Back then, only some of the away games were on TV, so it was baseball at its purest ~ on the radio (and it wasn’t satellite, so the crackle of static was part of the broadcast).I remember Bake McBride hitting a walk-off homerun at about this time of the season and thinking to myself, “This is our year!” And sure enough it was, as the Phils won perhaps the greatest-ever NLCS over the Astros, and then beat the Royals in six games to bring a long-awaited World Series championship …
THE BUZZ in PHILLY
The Phillies came into tonight’s game 2 games back of the NL East-leading Mets and trailed the Padres by 1 in the wild card.
The Mets’ magic number is four and they sprinted out to an early 5-0 lead over the Nationals after a nearly miraculous comeback in the 9th inning last night.
The Phillies scored early themselves and took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the 7th inning behind a strong pitching effort by Kyle Lohse.
Lohse was scheduled to lead-off the 7th and was lifted for pinch-hitter Shane Victorino, who homered into the upper-deck in right field to give the tired bullpen an insurance run. The cheers got even louder when, later in the inning, the out-of-town scoreboard was changed to read: Nationals – 7, Mets – 6.
Tom Gordon entered the game and gave up a lead-off walk, but then got the next two batters out before being lifted for lefty JC Romero to face switch-hitting Chipper Jones (1-5 lifetime against Romero). Romero struck out the league’s leading hitter …
Brian Westbrook didn’t practice today but intends to play this Sunday, even though he’s been out all week with an abdominal strain. This would be a great game for B. West in terms of stats considering the New York Giants are letting up almost 103 yards per game on the ground, and almost 33 points per game. Last year Westbrook rushed for 68 and 97 yards respectively, and scored 3 times against the Giants. If Westbrook can’t go, look for Correll Buckhalter and Tony Hunt to get some burn (although the odds of Westbrook not playing against the G-Men are the same odds that you’re going to go see the new Resident Evil movie this weekend – exactly!).
THE BUZZ in PHILLY
The Phillies and the Mets both got off to identical starts on Tuesday night in their key games against the Braves and the Nationals. Both gave up several runs in the top of their first innings.
It seemed as though both teams would lose, but the Mets would gain, as their magic number would decrease to four.
From the very first pitch, Jamie Moyer was getting no borderline calls from home plate umpire CB Bucknor. A lead-off double, followed by a walk, brought Mark Teixeira to the plate. He was apparently struck out looking, but instead got the close call on the inside corner for a ball and then hit the next pitch to deep center for a three-run homer.
Moyer settled down and didn’t allow another base-runner until Andruw Jones doubled with two outs in the 4th. This proved costly when he then scored on Brian McCann’s single up the middle to put the Braves up 4-1.
Moyer and the Phillies got a ray of hope when home plate umpire CB Bucknor was hit in the throat by an attempted …
Either Dave Spadaro has gotten his hands on some of Mugatu’s crazy pills, or he’s been spending too much time with Chicago Sun-Time’s very own homer, Jay Mariotti .
In case you haven’t read Spadaro’s latest article, here’s a clip:
Now, with the numbers as they are, though, the rest of the league is taking notice of what a superstar the Eagles have in No. 36. And I’m here to suggest, on this feeling-really-good-about-the-Eagles day that Westbrook is the best running back in the NFL right now.You read it right.
The best running back in the NFL right now.
Brian Westbrook.
Obviously if we’re going by the “right now criteria”, you could definitely make the claim that Westbrook is the best running back in the game (leading all RB’s in total yards). At the same time though, if we’re going by those rules, we could say that Plaxico Burress is the best receiver in the game (5 receiving touchdowns), or that Derek Anderson is the best quarterback …
