Game chat: Phillies rematch with Rockies tonight

[Live Boxscore]

Comments

[Sophist]

Just looking at the Braves' schedule so far, they are off to a great start, despite the record. 9 loses but 7 of them, 7, by 1 run. 9 wins and 6 of them by 5 or more. They are up 6-0 right now. There last 4 games:

8-0
6-1
4-1
6-1

all wins.

Go Phils. This is a big start for Kendrick, after a solid start previous. For his confidence's sake, I wish it weren't against the Rockies.

[Sophist]

Make that "[t]here" and "their". Damn, must have been that goal the Caps just scored.

[Parker]

Mets loosing to the Cubs 0-2 in bottom of 5. I was kind of looking at the Cubs series as a measuring stick for the Phils so far. The Cubs were hot when they played the Phils and then lost 2 of 3 to Phils. They left Philly and got hot again. I'm interested to see how the Mets fare against the only good team that both teams have played so far. Of note is the fact that the Phils played the Cubs with Soriano and the Mets will not have to face Alphonso.

[Sophist]

And it looks, Parker, like the Mets will face the same rotation schedule as the Phils did with Zambrano pitching on the first day.

[Parker]

Put Madson back in the Rotation. You would have to be an idiot to keep a guy with an 88 MPH fastball in the bullpen.

[Parker]

Indeed Sophist, indeed.

[Sophist]

Indeed.

[Parker]

Moises Alou back by this weekend? According to ESPN that may be the case. I didn't know that he had hernia surgery. I wonder if that was a hand hardening exercise gone wrong?

[Parker]

Everyones best fiend C.B. Bucknor behind the plate. He already has his inter-continental strike zone working.

[Will]

I'm missing something I'm sure. What channel is the game on? Is it not on tonight?

[bathtubhippo]

cn8

[Parker]

Uts!! ho-hum.

[Will]

thanks hippo

[Malcolm]

Bartender: Whatcha havin', big fella?

Howard: The usual.

[stjoehawk]

Guess the thinner air made that throw carry a bit...

[Malcolm]

You have to be KIDDING me.

[drake]

over/under:

5 BB for kendrick

[J. Weitzel]

Love these CN8 games. Like watching sports using leftover equipment from the 1980 Olympics.

[Dave X]

Rox announcers talking about how bad the Phils defense is...

[drake]

bleh

[Parker]

If Kendrick has no better control than to throw that garbage pitch to the 8 hitter with a bad hitting pitcher on deck, then he does not have what it takes to be a MLB pitcher. That was sad.

[Dave X]

Remember, LF defense doesn't matter because we play in cbp.

[Parker]

Mark Redman is Cy Young. He is almost as good as Shawn Chacon.

[Jack]

Dave X: You didn't know that defense doesn't matter? I thought Clout would have explained that to you by now.

Kendrick needs to give you more than 1 quality start per 5 outings. I mean seriously.

Flyers choking it away...

[Sophist]

How many 2 goal leads can the flyers just give away. Ridiculous.

[MG]

How does Bucknor keep his job? Honestly he definitely has to be in the running for one of the worst umps behind home in the majors. Thought MLB had largely fixed this problem with umpires recreating the strike zone on a nightly basis.

[MG]

Yet another error by this infield. Ugh. If Feliz isn't playing flawlessly in the field, he is useless.

[Malcolm]

HUGE play by Utley.

Also, why the hell is it pronounced Bar-nes, and not Barnes?

[Tray]

Well first of all, it's Barmes, not Barnes, but I'm guessing Barmes is a French name; hence the counterintuitive pronunciation.

[THe Dude]

i can't take watching Howard look absolutely pathetic out there anymore. When is a slump more than just a slump and maybe something more, like he's just not ever going to re-create a season like 2006? Adam Dunn here we come!

[MG]

Pfizer should become a sponsor of this team because they are impotent against LHP right now. Impotent.

[timr]

Nice to see Howard even getting some singles yesterday and today.

We need Pat the Bat to pick up some slack now--Utley can't do it alone.

[THe Dude]

can someone slap Cholley silly and tell him that we need to separate Utley and Howard with a Right Handed hitter that will make the other manager actually think about doing some managing in late inning situations. Maybe Cholley thinks that the opposing managers will go easy on him especically with a short bench and Cholley's tendency to run out of bench players before extra innings.

[MG]

I still can't believe all the negativity that is raining down on Howard. Yeah he has sucked so far but I certainly would rather see him up there useless options like Senor Out, Ruiz, or Bruntlett right now.

[Tray]

For the first time in a very long time, Howard has less than twice as many strikeouts as hits (he's up to 14 hits and 27 strikeouts).

[MG]

PtB answers yet again. Nice to see somebody stepping up although that was a meatball from Redman.

[THe Dude]

way to work the pitcher Pedro! Anyone think that maybe Pedro is actually a few years older than his reported age? Look at his picture

[Sophist]

THe Dude, did you have a problem with his 2007 after April?

[timr]

way to go Pat!

MG--I'm sure Howard will turn it around, but if the best we can say about him right now is that he's better than Bruntlett, he deserves the scorn.

[curt]

Outside of 3-4-5, this lineup is a bad joke.

[MG]

It is fine against a lefty starter, but there is ZERO reason that Feliz should be starting everyday at 3B. This offense just can't afford right now to have him give AB after AB up. Unless a pitch makes a mistake pitch that is thigh-high and over the plate so Feliz can pull it, he is just over matched.

Dobbs should be starting at 3B at least 2-3 a week.

[Parker]

MG: It was the same last year. He sucked at the beginning and there was unprecedented bashing, but when he was helping bash the Phils into the playoffs, there was a great big Howard love-fest. It is the A-Rod syndrome. Pick on the most obvious target when they are not performing at the astronomically high pace that they have in the past. The criticism of Howard, just like A-Rod, can be best characterized as being a victim of his own success.

[Sophist]

THe Dude - Feliz was already caught reporting an incorrect age with the Giants back when that became an issue post-9/11.

[THe Dude]

MG - thats not the point. He showed what he was capable of doing in 2006 before he decided to get a head as big as his stomach. He needs to stop thinking about pulling everything into the right field bleachers and do whats right for the team and get a friggin hit to left field every once in a while. Or better yet the Fat Man can take Cholley's suggestion to get closer to the plate but he's too pig headed to do that. I can't believe that he was quoted as saying that he's not comfortable close to the plate. When was the last time you saw him actually get hit with a pitch?

[MG]

Making a move though for a SS who can field though is much more pressing than another OF. Bohn sucks but Bruntlett continues to be an adventure in the field while contributing nothing at the plate. I would take a guy over the next 2 weeks who just gobbles up grounders and hits .220 with no pop.

[timr]

yeah, these errors by Feliz are absolutely infuriating. If this continues all year, we seriously might as well have never signed him and just made Dobbs the full time 3rd basemen.

[Tray]

That's just ridiculous, Parker. A-Rod doesn't struggle to hit above the Mendoza line. He puts up Hall of Fame numbers every month, and then he gets picked on for not hi-fiving people after they hit home runs or going 4-20 in a five-game series when Jeter puts up the same numbers. That's very different. We have a guy who's objectively terrible right now. He's barely outhitting Feliz, and we have every right to bash him - especially because he has been successful in the past and therefore can only be seen as a huge underachiever.

[MG]

Freaking Yorvit. How is it that this loser has hit so well against the Phils? One thing to get hit by Helton. Another to get hit by a guy who should be at best be a backup at this point in his career.

[THe Dude]

i think they need to recheck his age. His picture up at CBP big screen was reminiscent of Mesa. Looks closer to 40 than 30.

I was at the phils games on Sat & Sunday and have to admit that we as Phillies fans should be ashamed by the behavior of some of the dumb assed teenagers that make us all look like idiots. I can't believe all the lewd behavior that was happening out in Ashburn Alley last night in particular.

[The Theory]

Sarge has a sweet cap on.

[THe Dude]

MG - do you want Juan "ding dong" Bell?

[Parker]

Dude: What you might not know is that the major criticism by scouts (and the one that many thought would keep him from being a success in MLB) was his susceptibility to the inside fastball. He counteracted that by moving off the plate and letting his great reach compensate for moving off the plate. If you watch Howards at bats and the pitches thrown to him, there is still a concerted effort on the part of the Phils opponents to throw him fastballs inside. He still struggles with those pitches, but by moving off the plate, he has substantially counteracted that flaw in his swing. So before applying for a hitting instructors position, it might behoove to actually analyze what is happening rather than make blanket assumptions based on something that looks unfamiliar. I don't suppose that you would tell Jim Thome that he should move in closer to the plate? He stands well of the plate for the same reason as Howard.

[Parker]

Tray: Then by your logic, the Red Sox should be booing David Ortiz unmercifully for hitting .158 on the season so far? No? He is obviously objectively worthless. But he almost always puts up MVP type numbers when all things are said and done. Where does a guy like Ortiz fit into this analysis?

[THe Dude]

I was wondering if anyone else brought up the behavior of the fans this past weekend at the park on the board?

I was witness to some obviously drunk & high teenagers who made a little 3 year old mets fan cry when they stole his David Wright baseball card and ripped it up out near Tony Lukes last night. BTW being that it was "4/20" last night it would have been nice if the Phils had some pot sniffing dogs or perhaps cops & not rent-a-cops who are actually capable of handling a situation where kids are smoking pot in a public place. It's ridiculous at the Phils games anymore and I'd be willing to say its almost as bad as the old 700 level days at Eagles Games.

[MG]

My point about Howard struggling is that people are starting ridiculous statements though like they would rather see anyone than him up (Really?). If he is still near .200 in another 2-3 weeks or some type of injury surfaces, then there will be reason to be really concerned. I am still exercising a bit more patience with him.

[Tray]

Ortiz has had a long run of being great. Howard had an MVP year, then went backwards last year and set the strikeout record, and now he's really struggling. Just to be clear, I don't advocate booing either player, but I'm a lot more confident that Ortiz will put up great numbers when all's said and done than I am with Howard. I'm sure he'll have a lot of home runs by season's end, but he could also quite easily bat just .250.

[MG]

The Dude - Seriously. At this point, playing with Harman is like playing with a man down since Cholly will utterly refuse to use him in a game unless he has to (can't blame him though on this one).

That is my biggest gripe about Cholly as manager. He is a stubborn SOB. Like playing Taguchi in RF and Werth in CF. This makes no sense yet Cholly continues to do it. Better of having solid defense in RF with Werth instead of having suspect defense at two positions.

[Parker]

Tray: Really, ROY, MVP, 48 HR (In an injury plagued year)? Most HR hit in the least amount of at bats ever? Would your perspective change if he changed his name to George Herman Ruth?

[MG]

Tray - C'mon. If he hits near 50 HR again and walks at a really good clip to keep his OBP high, hitting .250 vs. .270 is meaningless. A handful more base hits over the course of a season.

[MG]

Damn. Kendrick needs to keep the ball in the park to have any chance of being effective. Good thing though that the Phils didn't sign Lohse though.

[THe DUde]

Parker - my perspective wouldn't change if you called him Rob Deer. I'd say that when its all said and done Howard is closer to Rob Deer than Babe Ruth. Just my thoughts.

[Parker]

Amazingly Howard is catching the brunt of criticism when Kyle Kendrick looks like a batting instructor throwing batting practice out there.

[curt]

There's not alot to like about this group of nine. Seven of them can't hit, six of them can't catch, the pitcher can't pitch, and none of them can run.

[Tray]

I was assuming, MG, that his OBP drops 20 points too. Of course if he walks so much it makes up for the drop in hits, it wouldn't matter. But an OBP in the 370s would be disappointing for a player of his abilities.

[THe Dude]

Kendrick ain't making $10 million and bitching about it either.

[Steve Jeltz]

Until Rollins/Vic get back, they need Coste's bat in the lineup as often as possible. I'd consider even giving him a start in the OF for a game.

[Parker]

Tray: a rather large assumption when describing someone as objectively terrible 2 weeks into a season.

[Parker]

Inside the parker by Werth!!!

[Sophist]

Gotta love Coor Field. Great hit by Werth.

[MG]

Kendrick is probably done. I know he has had only 4 starts but Kendrick has to figure that he basically only has another 5-6 starts to figure things out if he only keeps making to the 5th inning with such shaky results.

At this point, my guess is he gets pulled from the rotation in the 3rd week of May.

[brother]

Weeeeeeerth!

[Parker]

Out of the parker by Utley!!!

[brother]

UTZ! UTZ! UTZ!

[PKS]

So is Benson taking Kendrick's spot? I have to assume Eaton keeps his role...

[Malcolm]

What a BEAST!

[Tray]

I'm not predicting it or assuming it, Parker, just saying that when I said "he could hit .250," I meant that his OBP would fall off as well.

[brother]

6 homers in 5 games?

[Zach Morris]

Nice!! It's shocking, though, that you can so badly misplay a ball in your home park!

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Ok that warrants a moniker change.

[MG]

Redman is a stiff and I am glad the Phils are finally showing it.

They get beat fine but getting shutdown by a loser like Redman would have been pretty humbling.

[timr]

Wow, another homerun for Utley!!!

He is absolutely amazing.

[clout]

MG: Who replaces him in the rotation?

[curt]

Utley and the 7 dwarfs.

[clout]

Feliz having bad game=no posts by Jack.

[MG]

PKS - Maybe. Or they might slide Durbin into the starting role or even bring up someone from the minors. I think the Phils would settle for even an ERA of 5 from Kendrick if he would take them longer into games.

Have a poor ERA mixed with spotty control that results in outings of 5 innings or less though is a ticket back to the minors for Kendrick after 9-10 starts.

[Jon]

Nice to see that bats coming alive here! Is there anyone playing at a higher level in either league than Chase Utley? A great defensive play and yet another homer!

[drake]

you'd think howard would be seeing better pitches to hit now than he has in the last two years, batting between two of the hottest hitters in the league

[birds]

Dude,
On a previous post I noted that the Sports Radio in NYC (where I live) where making a big deal about the fans at CPB. Most complaints from adults about fans yelling at the for the jersey they were wearing. Nothing about teenagers harassing kids.

On the radio, it sounded like whining adults.

Werth is faster than Burrell.

[clout]

MG: Durbin's been their most reliable reliever. This is the problem I've been screaming about all winter: Pitching has no depth. Can't afford even one piece to be broken.

[Jon]

Feliz sucks. Funny how some of us knew that all along.

[MG]

Clout - You can't have a pitcher who consistently gives you 5 innings or less almost everytime out (especially if you get such poor results). It will blow out this pen by July.

[birds]

CBP

[timr]

What a relief for opposing pitchers after Burrell works his customary long at bats to get to face ol' two-pitch Feliz.

[curt]

If Ruiz keeps this up, Coste will get another start.

[Jon]

Coste should be playing more right now. Sad thing is, Charlie will still bat Feliz ahead of him.

[Tray]

He's our most reliable reliever, but no one would've predicted it and it's probably only a matter of time before he ceases to be so reliable. Who knows if he'd be much of an improvement on Kendrick though? I doubt it. Kendrick's bad, but I don't know that he's so bad that he needs to go. Once we start hitting, we can probably win about half of his starts.

[timr]

Howard and Bruntlett were getting lonely down there below the Mendoza, but now they've got Ruiz to keep them company!

[clout]

MG: This is KK's 4th start. In the 3 priors he went 5, 2, and 7. What made him so valuable last year is he went 6 just about every time out. Let's see where he is after 10 starts.

[MG]

curt - I think you already saw that the last few days. Coste is starting to get more of share of starts behind home. If Ruiz continues to do nothing at the plate and struggle in the field, I would be surprised if Coste become the default starter for the next few weeks even if Cholly won't admit it.

[Inside/Outside the Parker]

Dare I say it: Rod Barajas is outperforming Ruiz.