Game chat: Bitter rivals unite under common flag

The Phillies and Mets continue their series in a July 4th matinee in our Nation's birthplace starting at 4:10 p.m. The Phils pay tribute to our founding fathers by handing the ball off to one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence, Souderton's own Jamie Moyer (6-6, 6.05). Fernando Nieve (3-1, 2.25) goes for the Mets. Lineups are posted: The Phillies go with the same setup as yesterday, meaning Greg Dobbs and Paul Bako will start in left and behind the plate once again. Leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins will look to build on a pair of multi-hit games.

Comments

[G-Town Dave]

"The Phils pay tribute to our founding fathers by handing the ball off to one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence, Sellersville's own Jamie Moyer."

LMAO!!! :-D

On the "Not-So-LMAO" side of the coin, Bako?

Again?

Really?

I knew breaking up the no-no in Atlanta the other day would buy ol' Paulie way too much cred w/ Charlie, but even I didn't expect that it would be this much or this soon. :-S

[MPN]

Not sure if it has been mentioned, but there is a STRONG northwind down here in S. Philly today. Between that and the temperature I foresee some HRs today.

[justphantastic]

did a double take - that made me really laugh !!

maybe ruiz is getting the 4 day off treatment that rollins got..

who knows with chuck?

[G-Town Dave]

Fox is actually split-screening the broadcast to show Manny's ABs?! Give me a mother f*cking break. Oh, nevermind. Now the split is gone & it's ALL Manny.

Sickening.

[MPN]

North wind means the ball will sail to LF today.

[justphantastic]

G-Town Dave- what's next - locker room & shower coverage - GROSS - enough already..

[G-Town Dave]

justphantastic: I'm sure sports "journalist" Colleen Dominguez wouldn't mind. ESPN has probably offered up her favors to Manny in exchange for the 24/7 access us fans apparently so desperately crave, anyway.

[clout]

MPN: A north wind means wind out of the north. Do you mean a south wind?

[bullit]

timmy is perpetuating the betsy ross myth. and decides that, when it comes to flags, size does matter.

[phil wood]

Anyone know who is doing the broadcasting on Fox?

[NEPP]

The obsession with a cheater like Manny is pathetic. When did he become the face of baseball? Who the fvck cares about Manny Ramirez?!?

MLB should be ashamed that Manny is the face of the game.

[clout]

Moyer hitting his spots today.

[clout]

NEPP: Um, this means of course that you won't be rooting for JC Romero, right?

[NEPP]

I wouldn't be making him the face of the franchise clout...nor would I cut away from other games to show him making a relief appearance. They act like he's on the verge of breaking a historic record instead of coming back from a steroid suspension.

Bako sucks.

[MPN]

clout: You are correct, the wind is blowing from the south, northward.

[MPN]

I am about 1 mile north of the stadium, so the streets may canalize the wind... the ballpark flags seem to be blowing to right again.

[bullit]

timmy says that cholly considers manny "his son" espn is in full manny rehabilitation mode.

[Hope SE]

Kenny Albert and Tim McCarver on Fox.

[NEPP]

I heard that Manny was actually suspended for being too much of a humanitarian that he was making the other players look bad. He "volunteered" for the suspension so he could work in a soup kitchen for two months in the inner city.

Did you know that Manny Ramirez donates all of his salary to AIDS research?

[NEPP]

Pujols is ridiculous. I've never seen a better hitter in my lifetime.

[LarryV.]

Folks, the Philly airport is reporting a gusty WEST wind (that means FROM the west). So, it should be more of a cross-wind at CBP... from LF to RF. Balls hit to RF may sail further while ones hit to LF will be heading into the wind a tad.

Winds will decrease during the game so this will be less of a factor later.

[G-Town Dave]

Yes, Larry, but what are the wind conditions like where Manny is? After all, that's what Phillies & Mets fans REALLY want to know ...

[NEPP]

The winds blow in whatever direction Manny wants them to blow.

[MPN]

LarryV: Umm, okay Dave Roberts, but if you lived on 11th St. in S. Philly you'd see for yourself.... and by the way, the airport is south of the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, so that might play with wind patterns, too......

[G-Town Dave]

NEPP: It's more like the networks all blow Manny. Constantly.

[LarryV.]

NEPP: Yes, Sir Albert is amazingly good. Almost too good to be true. Just like Clemens, Bonds, Sosa... (well, he is at least younger than those guys were in their heydays).

How come PEDs were brought up with Raul's name but you never hear it with Pujols? Don't you agree that he LOOKS the part and PERFORMS like he's on PEDs?

[MPN]

The Sorcerer of Souderton is casting mad spells today...

[NEPP]

Yeah, its a possibility. One that I hope isn't true.

[NEPP]

Rollins actually took a walk. I almost want to think he's out of the slump.

[NEPP]

I love it when seeing eye singles make it through for us.

[NEPP]

Off Topic but apparently Steve McNair was just shot to death...wow.

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=10643962

[bullit]

pre-peds era "stan the man" was an allstar 24 times. incredible indeed.

[MPN]

I hope DavThom has special pants on now...

[NEPP]

It would've killed Fox to lose some commercial revenue instead of playing the Gehrig clip during the game action.

[MG]

Everybody keeping say how bad this Mets' lineup is right now but is it really that much worse than the lineup the Braves are trotting out right now?

I guess you give the edge to the Braves because McCann is in the lineup but the Braves are have the likes of Franceour, Kotchman, and Johnson getting alot of PT and Larry just isn't the quite the same hitter this year.

[G-Town Dave]

NEPP: Damn. I was never a particular fan of McNair, but I respected his career quite a bit. And he never seemed to be the kind of guy that courted trouble, either. That's a real shame. :-(

[NEPP]

Musial is probably one of the top 5 OF of all time.

[G-Town Dave]

MG: But Kotchman's a future Hall of Famer!!! :-o

Oh, wait ... that's only when he's playing the Phillies.

[NEPP]

Why swing at the first pitch, Greg?

[MPN]

Glad Dobbs saw some pitches in that at bat there...

[MG]

Nieve is exactly the kind of marginal starter the Phils should hit hard. Letting him off the hook early here.

[fljerry]

Musial was a great hitter, not a great outfielder - he did not have the arm, even though he was a smart outfielder which helped, sort like Ted Williams

[MG]

Dobbs did the last night with the bases loaded too.

I can see many going after the first pitch when you are a PH (especially if you think you will get a fastball over the plate) but there really is no excuse to be swinging at the first pitch in that spot. Just some poor situational hitting by Dobbs.

[NEPP]

McNair was a beast on the field...we used to joke about what type of injury would actually prevent him from making a start.

[MPN]

What happens if the ball hits the ump? I forget the rules... obviously the ball is in play, but what if there is a weird deflection?

[NEPP]

And that's why Utley should win a GG this year...DAMN!!!!

[MG]

Cora ERASED.

[fljerry]

Dobbs has just left 5 men on base - lets hope leaving all these men on base do not bite them in the azz

[justphantastic]

We need to get some more runs... we have had the opportunities

dobbs is too anxious - he has left 5 men on base so far today

[NEPP]

They are seriously cutting to Manny again.

I hate Fox. This is pathetic.

[MPN]

Gawddamn, you'd think Manny was breaking Bonds record or something. ENOUGH Fox!

[NEPP]

Well, he's probably done more steroids than Bonds.

[G-Town Dave]

Fox wouldn't cut into their commercial time for Lou Frakin' Gherig, but they will to show another ever-so-historical ManRam AB ...

Classy.

[NEPP]

I love that the national game is the smaller box here.

[clout]

I thought showing the first AB was fine, but showing every AB is ridiculous.

[NEPP]

What happens if the Dodgers go to the World Series this year? Does Fox implode?

[NEPP]

How was showing the first AB fine?

What a HORRIBLE CALL...HOW DARE THEY SCREW MANNY!?!?!?!?!?!?

[MG]

Its nice to see Feliz just staying steady and continuing to hit. The power hasn't quite been there but he has arguably been most steady presence in the lineup with the exception of Utley.

[G-Town Dave]

It's a good thing I've got radio, because the Phils game has been relegated to such a small box I can't see it anymore.

I *HATE* Fox!!!!!!!!!!!! :-[ :-[ :-[

[MG]

Why comment about Manny's ABs? I don't care unless the Dodgers are playing the Phils are an NL East team.

[NEPP]

We need to jump on this fringe pitcher here.

[bullit]

manny has to bitch over his first out. and has to be separated from the ump. what a sport.

[GBrettfan]

I tuned in here b/c I knew I could count on BLers to be as irritated as I felt that Manny's ABs warrant national attention in the 2nd (not even the 1st) game back from his suspension. Stupid.

[NEPP]

Thank you Jimmy! Good to see him back.

[MG]

JRoll!

[MPN]

Who said Jimmy was still in a slump???

[G-Town Dave]

Red Bull!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D

[cjp]

Who's this guy the Phils have hitting in the leadoff spot now. This fella sure don't look like anyone else they've had there all season. Good pickup.

[bullit]

jimmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[clout]

NEPP: Well, a national audience didn't see last night's Dodger game, so for them this is their first chance to see him post-suspension. But the first AB is enough I would think, particularly since he went yard.

[MG]

It is hard to believe that a guy like Nieve has been so successful so far. There has been nothing impressive about Nieve today.

His stuff is blah and he has had trouble locating every inning so far.

[MPN]

Sarge with the influence!

[George]

Somebody mentioned earlier the idea of Pujols on PEDs. Why don't we hear more about this? He does look the part. Is it the benevolent St. Louis atmosphere? Has he outwitted the test? Something else? I'd love to see the lab results on his urine sample.

[MPN]

Yes, Church is out McCarver, sorry.

[G-Town Dave]

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D

[MG]

Moyer is locating well and the defense is flashing some nice leather today. This is the infield defense we saw in May/early June and not the last 3+ weeks.

[bullit]

i see that howard has embraced the over-sized cap, straight brim style of the hip hoppers.

[MPN]

bullit: Howard apologizes that his cap isn't white enough for you... idiots...

[G-Town Dave]

Well, that sucked. Nothing like getting abused by the bottom third of the order.

[justphantastic]

the GD pitcher gets a hit for the mets???

[MG]

Normally I would be surprised by a pitcher getting a base hit but it doesn't against a guy like Moyer with his 81 MPH fastball.

[NEPP]

Fantastic play by Utley.

[justphantastic]

and a rbi - geez...

thanks castillo ...

[justphantastic]

good stuff - moyer's era under 6.00 -

[bullit]

i personally like the straighter brim look. sorry.

[NEPP]

I wish McCarver would just shutup.

[MPN]

I wonder where Timmy M and Wheels will get there his and his spa treatment tonight after the game...

[G-Town Dave]

LA on Oliver Pérez's recent stint in the Minors:

"They're probably saying "Get him back to the Majors; we're trying to win down here!""

:-D

[NEPP]

Hey its MANNYTIME!!!!

[G-Town Dave]

Gee, it'd be super nice if Fox would cut into "As Manny Turns" to show me a play or two from the Phils game ...

[NEPP]

How many grounders of Moyer is that now?

[drake]

manny's not going after a record, it's not pennant race time yet, he's just a returning cheater. who cares?

[NEPP]

Moyer's getting a good amount of contact today but its right at people.

[clout]

Strong outing by the "washed up" Jamie Moyer today.

[NEPP]

Well apparently Fox cares enough..and ESPN, and CNNSI and every other major sports outlet that treats him like a saint instead of a guy coming off a suspension.

[Hope SE]

LA: They didn't show every Manny at bat before he was suspended. Why now?

An excellent question. Fox has no good answer. He was in LA before.

[NEPP]

Quit swinging at the first pitch.

[NEPP]

He's at all of 84 pitches...no way in hell Moyer comes out at 84 pitches.

[GBrettfan]

When will Fox realize that not even the great Manny has an exciting at bat every single time up? How long will they keep this up? For the rest of the season? Because he'll be coming up to bat a lot between now and end of September, and all those ABs will be after he's returned to the lineup, and he might hit a HR or an XBH any of those times.

[NEPP]

Awesome job by the fan!!!