Game chat: Phillies seek revenge against Dodgers

The hometown nine hosts the team that swept all four games with them last week. The four-game series starts tonight at 7:05 ET.

Summary: Greg Maddux (6.9, 3.99), who the Phillies last faced as a member of the Padres, goes for Joe Torre’s club. Kyle Kendrick (10-7, 5.01) tries to get it going following dismal starts in his last two outings. Kendrick has struggled against LA more than any other team (1-2, 9.39). Lineups are posted and Charlie Manuel shuffles the deck. Chase Utley bats second, followed by Pat Burrell, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino. Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins and Chris Coste round out the order.

Comments

[Sophist]

Kendrick not looking sharp.

[AWH]

KK is up in the zone again. Ethier?

[redbeard]

what the heck was that jim?

[timr]

Is Kendrick imploding?

Maybe its a good thing, because I think I liked this team better when the hitters killed it and the pitching was suspect. Its more exciting that way.

[AWH]

Jimmy swinging at the first pitch again.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[Sophist]

Why the Phils continue to bat a guy who's hitting .260 with a .325 OBP lead off is mystifying. This year he's batting .213/.239 leading off the game this year and .200/.237 leading off the inning.

[doubleh]

What do the Phils do if Kendrick has another bad outing tonight?

[Sophist]

Just ugly. What a response, fellas.

[Craig P]

"Ethier?" Ethier has 16 home runs and potential for quite a bit more if they'd played him every day from the start of the season. Oppo field is rare for him tho.

[AWH]

I wonder if the Phillies met in the locker room before the game and said: "Hey, let's all swing at the first pitch tonight".

[AFish]

Maddux is on a pace to have a 45 pitch complete game shutout.

[doubleh]

It's like they all have no plan when they go up there. It's just hack away and hope we get a bad pitch. Well, guess what, guys? You aren't going to get many bad pitches from Maddux, m'kay?

[redbeard]

tmac talks too long. if he is going to give his "reports" then he should get to the point quicker and end it. just when you think he is done talking, he goes into more of the same point, and then again, and again.

drives me nuts.

[AWH]

Yeah, great job making a 40+ year old guy throw a lot of pitches.

I hope it's not a long night.

[phReed]

I think he is out of the rotation if he has a bad outing. Too late to let him work through it. KK would be a good situational righty and Happ deserves a chance.

[AWH]

hh, JA Happ is the answer.

Don't expect the 'oxymoron' to pass the test though.

[Sophist]

Happ is available. Kendrick can keep this close so long as he handles the bottom of the lineup -the RHB.

Over/Under on the number of 1st inning runs the Mets score?

[timr]

Sophist: I feel like in a weird way Jimmy's comments and his previous run-ins with Manuel mean Charlie has to keep him in his leadoff spot, for fear that any move would seem like a disciplinary thing and inspire further dissension in the ranks.

[Sophist]

Those lead off numbers I posted are just further proof that the Rollins of 2008 isn't the normal Rollins. No, he won't have a 1.000 OPS like he did last year leading off, but those numbers for this year are ridiculous. Reyes singled to start the Mets game tonight and only a few minutes later scored their first run after stealing second, getting moved to third, and a single by Wright.

How many times has Rollins started a game in such fashion this year?

[AFish]

Why does it feel like the Phillies are losing 5-0?

[redbeard]

4 outs 6 pitches. what a ridiculous joke

[MikeyPhils]

Mutts up 1 zip already. They've scored in the 1st inning in 12 of their last 15 games...unreal.

[doubleh]

At least this is a good pitcher and not Tim freakin Redding.

[AFish]

Maddux is now on pace to pitch a 50 pitch perfect game.

[Hope SE]

Don't you think they would talk about making Maddux work a little?

Apparently, they have talked about going after the first pitch since they all are doing that. Can someone offer a rational explanation for that?

[vegas]

Is that six outs and 10 pitches for Maddux? I'm not going to blow my top. I'm not going to blow my top. I'm not going to.....

[timr]

Its like they're actually trying to lose, with these one pitch at-bats.

[AWH]

Next up, the balck hole!

[AWH]

"black hole".

[vegas]

KK settles in.

[JMS]

Jenkins is making him work for it. Color me shocked.

[JMS]

...and replace that with ASTOUNDED.

[AWH]

Jenkins saw as many pitches, 6, as the entire side in either the 1st or 2nd inning.

[curt]

Jenkins crushed one half way to 3B.

[AFish]

Ok, now Maddux is on a pace to pitch a 69 pitch complete game.

[curt]

It's unreasonable to look at the last 13 games (9 against the worst teams in baseball, 4 against these Dodgers) and have any expectations of these guys. At some point -- after a bad month after another -- you have to accept that this is what they are.

[MikeyPhils]

Mets up 3-0 with Santana on the mound. Doesn't look like they plan on losing anytime soon.

[doubleh]

What happened to Oswalt this year?

[Hope SE]

Now we're stretching him out, making him work, Afish, for him to be up to a 69 pace.

[timr]

Even Brian Schneider is crushing balls for the Mets now.

Is Jenkins hurt? I'm watching on Gameday.

[THEDUDE]

Season = Over Bitches

[JMS]

Jenkins literally hurt himself getting to 1B. Greattttt. That pretty much sums up exactly how the rest of the team is playing.

[AFish]

Jenkins strained his hip. Can the Phillies survive without him?

[curt]

Sarge must have graduated the Broadcaster School of Cliches with high honors.

[vegas]

curt: If this is the case, and there is no spark by the end of the season, time to break the dynamic up. New players and coaches.

[phReed]

and somewhere in the dugout Milt Thompson scratches his and laughs to himself that he has a job. I like Milt and it is not all his fault, but this situation in another baseball city leads to a firing when your team is built for offense.

The ironic thing about Milt is that his offense is more similar to the guy he platooned with in '93, Inky - all or nothing.

[THEDUDE]

"Team Dysfuntional" comes up small again

[JMS]

curt-He did, actually. 4.0 GPA. Little known fact: he double-majored and Stating the Obvious and Pointless Rambling.

[phReed]

nice inning for KK. if only he could get lefties out.

[Tray]

The fewest pitches thrown in a shutout is 58, by Charley "Red" Barrett, back in 1944. Next fewest is 67. That was in 1915. Maddux is on track for 69.

[timr]

Two pitches for Jimmy this time. Thats a 50 percent improvement!

[Sophist]

Kendrick is getting the LHB bats out tonight. Only 2 hits and 1 BB through 4. Surprising considering how he started.

I love Jimmy, but he is doing himself no favors.

[curt]

It's managerial malpractice to keep throwing Jimmy out there at #1.

[Hope SE]

That's a 100% improvement, timr.

[NEPP]

So is it safe to say we have a below average offense so far this year?

[Sophist]

NEPP - somehow, the Phils are still 4th in the NL in RS.

[JMS]

YEAH HOWARD!

Anyone think Chollie was saying, "THAT is how you work an at-bat" to Rollins?

[timr]

You're right! 100 percent.

Also: did they just try to pick off Burrell?

[Sophist]

a HR!! Ah, once in every 20 AB or so it's not bad rooting for this offense.

[timr]

Hey Ryno! Where ya been?

[NEPP]

Thank you Howard...reverser jinx in full effect.

[Sophist]

Let me amend that to say, once in every 29 AB.

[Hope SE]

So Vic swings at #1.

Go figure.

[redbeard]

great job burrell, howard

we needed that, bigtime.

[jerry]

Did Sarge just say that at Cornell you could study "lawyer?" And I finally agree with you guys about T-Mac. Horrible.

[Slocs]

with jenkins hurt, one name BONDS

[Kerr Mudgeon]

Phils are g-a-r-b-a-g-e.
Let's go Mets !!!

[NEPP]

Talent...Yes
Baseball sense...Not Yet

That's Vic for ya. He's gonna be dangerous if he ever becomes a baseball player.

[spenne]

You are looking at the final score. Maddox will pitch great and get another loss that he doesn't deserve against the Phils. I guess the Phils deserve revenge for last night.

[Sophist]

Nice, and we get to see RHB-Pitcher for the top half of the 5th.

[Sophist]

spenne - did you watch the last three games of the prior LAD-PHI series? The Dodgers offense is tough to contain for 9 innings.

[KSholly]

Can someone give a compelling argument for why Dobbs shouldn't have been starting 3B since, like, June?

[Wanks]

Can somebody explain to me the shot of Charlie and Rollins in the dug out after the home run? I had the Eagles game and got a text message saying it looked like Rollins sorta snubbed him. whats the deal?

[spenn]

This is true sophist. I can't deny that.

[Kerr Mudgeon]

Sophist - what you know about baseball could fit on the head of a pin....

[NEPP]

Am I the only one that really wants to see Maddux get 2 more victories so he passes Clemens on the all time list? Just not tonight is all.

[spenn]

But, Kendrick has a way of pitching well in games I don't expect him to.

[Tray]

All that sturm and drang over Kendrick for nothing. He's bounced right back.

[JMS]

Wanks-I'm thinking he was saying something to the effect of, "that's how you hit" or whatever. I'd like to believe he was about to put J-Hole in a chokehold, but I doubt that. I didn't see any snubbing, to be honest.

[redbeard]

dobbs just made the bunt for hit play look easy

[vegas]

Small ball!!!

[KSholly]

And just to justify my argument...bunt single. This guy knows how to get it done on both ends and consistently comes up with ways to get on base.

[curt]

Sarge: "A little easier to score when you have a guy on base."

[NEPP]

If Dobbs had the glove to justify playing every day that would make sense...sadly he's Helmsian in his defensive appitude.

[Wanks]

Thanks JMS. Appreciate it.

[KSholly]

Being lucky doesn't hurt either.

[philsphan]

Jenkins replacement is most likely Bohn, not Bonds.

Maybe we can trade for Aubrey Huff? Can he still play RF? He is putting up great numbers this year, is a lefty, and is probably available.

[Sophist]

spenne - if Maddux were still pitching for the Padres, or if Moyer were on the mound, I'd probably agree. I didn't mean my response to be serious.

[redbeard]

well done werth

[JMS]

Runners on the corners, 0 outs? I'm nervously optimistic.

[MG]

Santana looking strong yet again. I will say that he has pretty lived up to the hype and pitched very well for the Mets.

If he had a bit more offensive support and the bullpen behind him wouldn't have faltered in a few games, he would probably have around 15 wins right now and be in Cy Young consideration. Santana's stats are pretty much right around Webb with the exception of the 19-6 record.

[Sophist]

Huff cleared waivers, I believe.

[GoPhilsGo]

I'm not sure, but this looks suspiciously like offense.

[redbeard]

alright alright alright, love that small ball from the bottom of the order (or any part of the order)

[Tray]

I think Huff can't play right field, and I doubt we'd be willing to pay his salary.

[spenn]

It's cool sophist. I'm just trying to use my pesimisim towards the Phillies offense and make it work for once.

[curt]

Rally! Everybody hits!

[vegas]

Are we wakeing up? Three in a row!

[Sophist]

MG - many of those statements apply to our own Cole Hamels, not to take anything away from Santana who's destoyed the Phils this year.

So many hits

[THe Dude]

"TEam Dysfunctional" stinks...go ahead and rest now...cause you got your typical three runs for the night

J$hit stinks