With Game 1 less than 24 hours away, word is the roster is set. Since the Phillies have until 10:00 am tomorrow to submit this final roster, it’s not official, but here’s how it’s shaping up:
Starting Pitchers
Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton
No real surprises here. Kyle Kendrick, who’s spent a majority of the season in the rotation is in Clearwater at the Florida Instructional League. Hamels, Myers, & Moyer will be starting the first three games. The use of Blanton really depends on where the series is at on Friday when they travel to Milwaukee.
Relief Pitchers
Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre, J.A. Happ
The biggest surprise here is Happ making the cut. He’s the third lefty in the bullpen, but when the Brewers biggest bat, Prince Fielder, is a lefty, so having an abundance of southpaws in the bullpen is never a bad thing. Given that fact he’s a starter, Happ gives the Phillies a long …
Left fielder Pat Burrell was seen whining this afternoon while taking batting practice in what has been described as lower back discomfort. Burrell felt something in his back during a swing, and promptly headed to the dugout.
This is terrible news for the Phillies who are counting on Burrell’s clutch bat in the playoffs.
Burrell’s status for tomorrow’s Game One of the National League Division Series is up in the air. He will be re-evaluated prior to Charlie Manuel filling out his lineup card, and if he can go, he’ll be in left field. Should Burrell be unable to go, expect Matt Stairs or Geoff Jenkins to take his place.
The Phillies Brad Lidge was the recipient of the 2008 National League Comeback Player of the Year. Lidge was stellar for the Phillies this season going 2-0 with a 1.95 ERA. More importantly he was 41 for 41 in save opportunities, making him the first Phillie in the 125-year history of this franchise to have more than 20 saves in a season and not record a blown save. Lidge beat out Cubs closer Kerry Wood and Cardinals outfielder Ryan Ludwick.
The obvious criteria to win Comeback Player of the Year you have to come back. That’s exactly what Lidge did.
It wasn’t that long ago the Lidge was on top of the world. In 2004 he took over the closers role from Octavio Dotel in Houston and flourished. In a little over half a season Lidge recorded 29 saves and posted a 1.90 ERA. More impressive was his 157 strikeouts in only 94 innings.
In 2005 Lidge started the …
With Game 1 of the NLDS starting tomorrow at Citizens Bank Park, manager Charlie Manuel has announced his starting rotation for the series. Cole Hamels will pitch the opener tomorrow, with Brett Myers on Thursday, and Jamie Moyer on Saturday in Milwaukee. The Game 4 starter is still unannounced. This depends on if there is a Game 4, and what the Phillies situation is. Should the Phillies be up two games to one, Joe Blanton would most likely get the nod. Should they be facing elimination, Hamels could return on three days rest with Myers pitching Game 5 (if necessary).
This is the most logical rotation, although, I was hoping Moyer would get the nod in the first game. He’s been the most consistent pitcher for the Phillies this season, and he’s not afraid to pitch on three days rest if needed (Hamels on the other hand is a different story). It would also set up Hamels to start …
Phillies’ fans were treated to a double dose of awesome this weekend as their beloved Fightins won their second National League East division title in as many years and the hated rival New York Mets completed their second straight end of season collapse, missing the playoffs yet again.
The Phillies were three games back of the Mets as of September 10, and things were looking bleak. But the Phillies put things together and got wins when they needed to, including a four game sweep of their first round opponents, the Milwaukee Brewers. The Phils won 10 of their last 11 games and gained six games in the standings in just 12 days.
The Amazin Mets, on the other hand, lost six of their final nine games in yet another September collapse. The collapse was fueled, in large part, to one of the worst bullpens in the majors. This entire season, particularly, it seemed, the final quarter of it, no lead was safe from the likes of Aaron …
For those people who thought sitting Brian Westbrook would be a good idea last night against the Bears, you got your wish, however, the outcome was a far cry than what had been expected. Last nights 24-20 loss at the hands of Chicago lie directly at the feet of Westbrook, who was sorely missed during a fourth quarter goal line stand that prevented The Eagles from taking the win and keeping pace in the ultr competitive NFC East.
With the Redskins beating the Cowboys yesterday afternoon, the Eagles are suddenly in last place in the NFC East, a game behind Washington and Dallas, 1 1/2 games behind the defending Super Bowl Champs, NY Giants.
The bears tried giving the game away on several occasions, with 4 turnovers that led to only 6 points for the birds who were held to just 6 points in the second half.
Also missing from the Birds lineup last night was Right Guard Shawn Andrews. Andres was missed throughout the game, as the Eagles …
The Philadelphia Phillies will host the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Playoffs.
Despite the Phillies winning their second National League East division title in as many years, thereby ensuring their season would continue into October, their playoff opponents were as yet unknown by the start of Sunday’s season finale. The New York Mets and the Brewers started the day tied for the National League Wild Card.
The Mets played their last game ever at Shea Stadium against the Florida Marlins, while the Brewers were ending their season in Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, who have long since sown up their own playoff birth.
Turns out it was a former Phillies that did in the Mets, as Wes Helms’ pinch hit homerun in the eighth inning puts the Marlins up for good, effectively ending the Amazin’s season.
The Phillies were 5-1 against the Brew Crew this season, including a four game sweep of them at home earlier this month.
More playoff details to …
And then there were two…
Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies, who with a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals, clinched their second consecutive National League East title. That leaves the Mets and the Brewers, both with identical records, fighting for the NL Wildcard.
Recap of Saturday’s Action:
The excitement was in the air at Citizens Bank Park, as the Phillies entered play one win away from winning the NL East. The scoring started in the fourth when Chase Utley and Ryan Howard started the inning off with back-to-back singles. Utley came around to score on a Pat Burrell sacrifice fly, and Howard followed on a Carlos Ruiz sac fly, giving the Phillies and early 2-0 lead. In the top of the fifth, the Nationals cut the lead in half when Anderson Hernandez’s two-out double scored Roger Bernadina. It didn’t take long for the Phillies to respond as Jayson Werth hit his 24th home run of the season (a shot barely clearing …
The Phillies are on the verge of winning their second straight National League East division title and the City of Brotherly Love is infected with Playoff fever. I was at the Phillies Braves series opener on Monday night and was walking around the city after the victory and you could just feel the excitement in the air.
Walking down the street wearing my Phillies’ hat and Pat Burrell jersey, I got big thumbs up from bar tenders, shouts of “Who won tonight?” from doormen, gleeful bangs on the glass from restaurant patrons. All over the city, you see red hats with the white P, rally towels taped onto windows, and Go Phillies! signs.
Despite a dreary rain filled September night on Friday, Citizen’s Bank Park was still packed with raudy, dedicated fans. The same fans who have consistently sold out the ballpark all season.
In a city that bleeds Eagle green above all else, football has taken a backseat to the Fightins as they move ever closer to the thing that has eluded them so often in their 100+ year history: the …
With only two games left in the regular season, it’s the Mets who wake up this morning and find themselves on the outside looking in, while the Phillies clinched a tie for the NL East, and the Brewers are one step closer to making the post season for the first time since 1982.
Recap of Friday’s Action:
On a misty night in South Philadelphia, the Phillies got on the board early. Ryan Howard’s three-run home run (his major league-leading 48th), in the first inning, gave the Phillies a quick 3-0 lead. The Nationals got on the board in the second when Elijah Dukes scored on a Luke Montz single, making the score 3-1. In the second the Phillies added to their lead when Chase Utley hit a bases clearing double, and scored when Howard doubled, giving the Phillies a commanding 7-1 lead. The Nats scored two more in the fifth (courtesy of a Ryan Howard error), and one in the six …
Here we are, the last series of the 2008 Major League Baseball season for the Philadelphia Phillies. The Fightin Phils find themselves one game up on the New York Mets in the National League East. The Mets, on the other hand, find themselves tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the National League Wild Card.
The Phillies end their regular season this weekend at home against the Washington Nationals. Despite being the worst team in the National League at 59-99, the Nationals have played the Phillies very tough this season, winning six games so far in the season series.
The series kicks off on Friday night with Collin Balester (3-6, 4.83) on the mound for the Nationals facing off with Joe Blanton (8-12, 4.79). Balester gave up five runs on nine hits in just five innings his last time out against the San Diego Padres. The short venture was one of the worst outings of Balester’s young career.
Despite lasting seven innings only three times since joining the Phillies earlier this season, the club has posted an 8-4 record …
As we enter the final weekend of the season, all three teams fighting for the final two playoff spots are within a game of each other. While the Phillies had the day off, the Mets and Brewers both won, and like in any playoff race, they won in dramatic fashion. This will be the final series of the season for one of these three teams.
Recap of Thursday’s Action:
In Flushing, weather was a concern. A Nor’easter was rolling up the coast, threatening to postpone the game. Thankfully the weather gods held off so the Cubs and Mets were able to play, but this game will not be talked about not for what happened on the field (which we’ll get to shortly), but what happened before the game. When Brewers and Phillies fans got home from work, and checked the starting lineups for the game, the Cubs lineup looked a bit strange. Missing was Alfonso Soriano, Derek Lee, …
