Game chat: Lohse toes rubber in series opener

Newly acquired right-hander Kyle Lohse (7-12, 4.66 ERA) makes his third start for the Phillies as the Nationals counter with recently activated righty Shawn Hill (3-3, 2.70 ERA). Game time is 7:05 p.m. ET.

Preview: Lohse gave up four runs and six hits, including two homers, in 6 1-3 innings his last start, but in many ways, he was a lot better than that line suggests on a brutally hot and wacky night last week against Florida. Lohse also helped his own cause with a pair of sacs and an RBI single. For Washington, this will be Shawn Hill’s first start since May 11, sidelined with a strained shoulder. Hill had been having a superb start to the season before the injury setback. The Phillies trail the Mets by three games in the National League East. After a poor start, the Nationals have improved to 54-64 (.458)

Lineups are set: Greg Dobbs, Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz get starting assignments. [Live Boxscore]

Comments

[MG]

Normally I would give a prediction here but I honestly don't have a good handle on this game. Too many variables to make a sensible projection including the following X factors:

1. Effectiveness and durability of Shawn Hill in his first start from injury
2. Lohse's control
3. Effect of the day-off on the Phils

Honestly, I would be surprised if the Nats or Phis one this game tonight. The only thing that would really surprise if this ends up being a pitcher's duel with a final score of 3-2 or 2-1.

[J. Weitzel]

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on my last post. Way back in another life when Beerleaguer was only getting a handful of visitors, my intention was to create a place for great baseball writing and expression, a forum about the Phils that was desperately lacking. Today, I wish I had more time to write better pieces like the olden days, but I gotta be honest. It's getting hard to top the quality of writing down here in the comments section. Once again, many thanks for making this the place for Phillies baseball on the Web.

From the previous discussion, it would take a monster, monster second half for Ryan Howard to get my MVP vote. Don't get me wrong; he's having a productive season. But I don't think you can throw out the first month when he needed to go on the DL to get his head straight. They're still trying to climb out of that early hole. He's had a couple stretches where he's produced nothing. And I think his defense actually took a step backward, if anything. He's not even the MVP of the team. He's a great player however - probably a top 8-10 player in the National League this season.

[CJ]

Good inning for Lohse... lots of strikes... and those strikes weren't "Adam-Eaton-middle-of-the-plate" strikes.

[CJ]

Jason: I think we all know that MVP awards are often won in September. If he manages a 12 HR month, leads the NL in HR and RBI for the season and the Phils win the division, he'll get a lot of consideration.

[CJ]

Pirates jump out to a 1-0 first inning lead on El Duque and the Mets.

[jeremy]

The Nats announcers are close to Sunday Night Baseball terrible. For some reason it's always the worst teams with the worst announcers. It's like the worse the team is, the more they need to slobber over mundane plays and players.

[CJ]

Make that 2-0 Pirates.

[Steve Jeltz]

To continue the Daulton conversation from the last thread, I'll share my story about when I met him last year. If you're not interested, I won't be offended if you scroll right past.

I was out at a bar here in Tampa for a bachelor party last year sometime before spring traning (Jan./Feb.). This was right before the first stories I heard about him being crazy. The group I was with had reserved half the VIP area of this bar. After awhile, I saw Dutch sitting over in a corner with one of his buddies. I went over, told him I was a Phils fan, and just wanted to say hi. I told him I was originally from greater Reading and he said how much he loved Reading, the stadium, etc.

Anyway, he was really friendly and I guess he's kind of the mid level of celebrity who really appreciates meeting fans but isn't so famous he can't go anywhere. So anyway, I talked to him for about 20-25 minutes about various Phillies and baseball stories. He said Richie Ashburn was a great guy and, like me, he finds Tim McCarver to be annoying. No talk about other dimensions, moonmen, etc. Eventually I went back to hanging out with my friends because I didn't want to be a weird stalker-fan guy.

About an hour later, a group comes in that has reserved the other half of the VIP area. This group happened to include Michael Jordan, Derek Jeter, and Charles Oakley. So not to soon after Dutch strides right past me and into their section and high fives Jordan. Oh well.

Later I ended up talking to Oakley briefly but I was a little drunk so I can't recall many details. You couldn't get anywhere near Jordan or Jeter (well, you could if you were blonde and had enormous knockers). But anyway basically I thought Dutch seemed like a nice and relatively normal guy, althought it wouldn't have killed him to introduce me to MJ. It was maybe like a month later or so I heard the first of his crazy interviews.

But, yeah, he's officially crazy but if he's happy, then good for him.

[Jacobin]

Hmm... MLB LameDay has that last pitch as being fat and over the middle of the plate, how accurate is this web thing anyway?

[CJ]

Um... it was over the plate... a little up from where Lohse wanted it I think... that let Church serve it into the opposite field.

[Jacobin]

Way to get out of the inning! If Eaton were in there it's be 4-0 Washington by now. Just need some offense...

[J. Weitzel]

One combined hit through three innings. I had a strong hunch this would be low scoring coming off the Monday break. It feels like pitcher air out there: hot enough for good tack on the ball, but without the excess sweat to make it slick.

And yes, I'm talking out my ass right now.

[The Other Kevin]

Man, that fat bastard Dmitri Young hung Felipe Lopez out to dry! He didn't even make an effort.

Bad luck for Jimmy on that liner.

[The Other Kevin]

Memo to Ryan Howard: this offseason, work on strike zone awareness. Please.

[jeremy]

Ryan Howard needs to learn with the other team isn't going to throw him a strike and just take the walk.

[kid]

if the phillies lose, it will completely be the fault of the retard yelling "whaddaya say" every 37 seconds, loud enough to be heard on the tv broadcast.

[Slocs]

kyle Lohse - Game on! Making it look easy. Looking like a run or two may win this thing. That scares me but we'll see.

[curt]

Howard's game has taken a giant step backwards this year. One hopes its the sophomore slump, and not a trend.

[Andrew]

@kid - at least you don't have to suffer through the nats' jackasses on mlb.tv. I nearly went deaf when they finally realized they hadn't been speaking anywhere near their microphones last inning and the volume suddenly tripled.

[Jacobin]

I really did not envision pitchers' duel when looking at the starting pitchers for today's game. At least Rowand breaks through with a hit (that might have been caught with some better communication between the Nationals outfielders).

[jeremy]

Running on 3-0, another genius decision by Charlie Manuel.

[hititonthegroundjroll]

activity in the nationals bullpen-
our only hope in this game??

[Nails4]

Howard is going to have about the same amount of Ks as last year or more playing in 14 fewer games assuming he plays in the remaining 45. He has become Burrell like on those sliders, but the Ks come with HRs just like Hamels serves up meatballs for HRs but Ks a lot as well.

[J. Weitzel]

Lohse and Hill brought their A games tonight.

[curt]

So we've had 3 baserunners, & 2 baserunning mistakes. At least Hills out after 80 pitches.

[Nails4]

For those of you wanting to get the Nats pen, the Nats commentators are reporting he is supposedly on an 80 pitch limit. He is just under it right now

[Brian G]

I've actually enjoyed the Nats announcers, especially coming after Sunday night.

Really happy Hill is coming out of this game. He's really got a heck of a fastball.

[denny b.]

Down at AAA, Here is J.A. Happ's line through 5 innings tonight:

3 H, 0 ER, 3 BB's and 8 K's.

Has thrown 86 pitches through 5 innings. Hasn't been as sharp with his control as he was in his prior 3 starts. But, 8 K's is still 8 K's. He leads 2-0 right now.

Now in his last 24 2/3 innings pitched at Ottawa, he has given up 2 earned runs and struck out 29.

How about starting Moyer Friday, Lohse on Saturday and giving Happ a start on Sunday at Pittsburgh? The Phils can't keep running Eaton out there for very much longer. Its the middle of August and with Happ pitching very well and Durbin there as well, Eaton's days should be numbered.

[curt]

OK Cholly, we've got our money's worth out of Lohse tonight.

[joe]

>Eaton's days should be numbered.

in the rotation, maybe. they *can't* get rid of him.

[Ribbies]

Whew!

[brother]

I second that "whew".

[Ribbies]

I enjoy listening to the Nats announcers talking about how smooth Howard is at first. How I wish that was true . . .

[curt]

Cholly lucks out...by about 10 feet.

[The Theory]

Ah yes, that smooth Ryan Howard... definitely Gold Glove material this year. ;-)

[brother]

Prediction: Phils score this inning.

[Jacobin]

Why'd the Nationals lift Hill after 79 pitches? He was working on a one-hitter! You'd think Charlie was managing Washington.

[bay_area_phan]

I think the loss of Utley & Victorino is starting to catch up with them.

[denny b.]

Edit on my above possible Pittsburgh rotation:

Moyer on Friday
Happ on Saturday
Lohse on Sunday

Happ now with 10K's through 5 2/3.

[Nails4]

Think that whiff blew wheels toup off

[ira]

anyone know why the game is in HD on comcast, usually they don't film in HD on away games.

[Slocs]

jacobin: because it was Hill's first start since mid-May

[brother]

Oops--wrong again.

[Brian G]

Jacobin... this is Hill's first game back from injury and was actually supposed to be a rehab assignment, so he was on a pitch count.

[Brian G]

Pat and Ryan have not looked good tonight in the middle of the order.

[Jacobin]

Thanks Slocs. That makes sense. It was a long day at work and I didn't have the usual time to overload on baseball reading! Bah, work gets in the way of slacking off all the time.

[joe]

alfie time?

[joe]

oh good lord.

[curt]

bay - the worst thing about the loss of Utley (other than no production at #3) is the loss of Howard.

[Jacobin]

Uh-oh... I hope Ruiz is okay. I don't want to see Barajas come back anytime soon.

[denny b.]

Damn....Happ runs out of gas and gives up a 3 run HR (on his 113th pitch) and now trails.

Too much swinging and missing from the Phils tonight in Washington. That place is a house of horrors for our hitters.

[Nails4]

anyone else enjoying the super slo mo replays on the nats broadcast?

[Mike H.]

My wife slaps me in the face like that all the time and I seem to bounce back. "Dr." Manuel says he's okay, too...

And god almighty is Ray Knight annoying on the home broadcast.

[curt]

Kendrick comes out after 79, and Lohse is still there?

[Slocs]

I like Cholly coming out for encouragement.

[Nails4]

Ray Knight just said we had Durbin closing when Myers went down...he should stick to the Nats

[Jacobin]

Sh!t... looks like 100 pitches was the limit for Lohse tonight.

[curt]

And we pay the price for our idiot manager for the ___ time.

[Slocs]

obviously, I was wrong

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Ugh. Announcers were just talking about how good of a PHer Batista is...hate when that happens...

[Brian G]

And Charlie blows another one for us... un*&^%ing believable.

[bay_area_phan]

Cholly just can't seem to figure out when to take a pitcher out of the game.

[king myno]

if Iguchi makes a sharp play or two at second, the damage is lessened, maybe we're even out of the inning

[J. Weitzel]

Stupid little hit by Logan, Lohse got behind Batista and needed to bring one in at 110 pitches. 2-0 Nats late. Not a good spot.

[Malcolm]

Wait, Lohse is STILL in there?

[Mike H.]

A slider that didn't slide... Why is he still in the game???

[Ed K]

Oh my god CHOLLY you putz!

[Naylman]

Is it going to take a 3rd run to figure out to get Lohse out of there?

[RSB]

I have never seen a manager worse at knowing when to take his starting pitcher out. I doubt anyone has.

[joe]

and now we get to see the second tier of the bullpen.

yippee, welcome to charlie's house of horrors

[Brian G]

To be fair, Alfonseca didn't look good or anything the other night.

[The Other Kevin]

The Phils have got to make up this deficit next inning. They don't want to face Cordero behind in the ninth.

[curt]

Well, you knew in a 0-0 game where the manager could make a difference, we were the team with the knife at a gunfight.

[Brian G]

I'm not that scared of Cordero, he's never looked particularly good against us.

[Mike H.]

Two batters too late, "Dr."

[king myno]

like i said, let's not forget that lohse got a few ground balls that iguchi couldn't handle. tough plays or not, it's not like they were hitting frozen ropes across the outfield

[Jacobin]

I guess Lohse is in the Jamie Moyer category of pitchers to Charlie. Manuel had no problem leaving Moyer in for 120 pitch-count games, but at the same time would lift guys like Kendrick who were pitching well after 75 pitches...

To be fair, Lohse was pitching well tonight and I can understand letting him try to start this inning. BUT when it looks like he's struggling and it's a 0-0 game, you need to be thinking about the bullpen (which has strangely been pretty good recently).

[The Other Kevin]

Brian G -- except that he picked up his 20th save the last time we saw the Nats...

[Randy]

Any body want to see alfonseca bat? Personally I think it would pretty funny... but I don't really want it to happen.

[curt]

Ummm, King, I believe the Nats missed a 3 run HR LAST inning by the length of Cholly's johnson.

[Jacobin]

This is totally unrelated, but I just heard a Viagra ad on the "Phillies Radio Network" that parodies Elvis' "Viva Las Vegas" into a disturbing little jingle of some guy singing (a term that is applied loosely), "Viva Viagra! Viva Viagra!"

[Randy]

There is a real commercial for the viva viagra. it's on youtube.

[king myno]

curt - Granted, I agree that Lohse SHOULD have been removed, but with a few good defensive plays, we could have been out of that. Coulda, woulda, shoulda, but it's worth noting.

With that said, there really was no reason to let him go over 100 pitches. Taints what was a really good Lohse start.

[curt]

With this lineup, if Rollins or Iguchi isn't getting it done, it aint happening.

[The Other Kevin]

Maybe this is the break we need. Gotta make 'em pay for that mistake.

[jeremy]

I vote Russ Branyan for PH.

[Ben Rivera]

Wow these Nats fans are annoying.

[Mike H.]

Branyan on deck.

[Nails4]

hopefully branyan can deposit one in the stands

[The Other Kevin]

Here we go!

[Naylman]

Chooch comes up big there.

[Nails4]

steve smith: 1 for 1

[Ben Rivera]

Good call Nails

[Naylman]

!!!!

[Bedrosian's Beard]

Holy Sh&T!!

[king myno]

hahahahahahahahaha. i don't even know what to say.

[The Other Kevin]

Branyon for MVP!!

[curt]

Unreal

[Malcolm]

BRANYAN!!!! HAHAHAH!

[RSB]

Uh.....wow.