Comments

[NEPP]

Chase Utley...YOU ARE THE MAN!

[NEPP]

Typepad is acting all wacky again.

[TNA]

Go Phillies.

[Bay Slugga]

Chase Utley, YOU ARE THE MAN.

GO PHILS!

[Scott]

"What I can bring over here, is my experience, health. A healthy Pedro Martinez has been through everything. You can talk about whatever want to bring up, I've been there. For this club, what I'm lacking right now, I might give them at the end, which is experience, a cold-blooded person that doesn't matter how big the game is. I'm going to stand right there. And if anybody fails, well, they can always count on the old goat to go out there and kind of stand up. I might do that. I might be able to do that if I'm healthy. So that's probably all the things that I would like to bring to this team." - Pedro Martinez, August, 2009

"I might surprise you. I might not. But it's going to be fun. It's going to be really fun to go out and find out." - Pedro Martinez, July, 2009

Come on, Pedro. Don't let the magic end.

[NEPP]

I hope the Phillies butcher the Yankees like Mary J. Blige butchered the National Anthem.

[RSB]

Mary J. Blige = awful.

[NEPP]

Where's Tim? In Joe's lap?

[bay_area_phan]

Time to settle down and enjoy the last 3 hours of the 2009 baseball season.

[NEPP]

You better be working the reverse jinx.

Besides this game will be far longer than 3 hours.

[MG]

This has a 'bullpen game' written all over it. Agree with Clout in the previous thread that I actually think it will be a lower-scoring affair than people think but neither starter will have sharp control and both will be gone by the 6th.

[dlhunter]

BAP, what the heck is your problem?

[Old Phan]

BAP, you mean this game and tomorrow night are each going to be 1.5 hours? I doubt that.

[Josh]

BAP, you're so negative. This game will go at least three and half hours.

[Mick in Houston]

Great graphic JW, which inning does Chase break Reggies record?

[Old Phan]

Let the heart attacks begin!

[Mr. Mack]

Let's hope Pedro can spin some magic tonight and that Chase can inspire the Big Man in the four hole as well. A Pedro 'W' in the Apple would be a beautiful thing...if nothing more than to shut up the Yankee fans for a night.

Nerves are kicking in already for me, so I can only imagine how the players feel. Here's to a great game and hopefully not the last...

[bananagrabbers]

Amazes me how people still don't get BAP. If he posted that he would kill a puppy when the Phils lost tonight, you guys would trace his IP and call 911.

[Replacement Player]

I just wanted to say, good luck, Phils. We're all counting on you.

[tg082]

Gameday Audio is waaaaaaaaaaaaay out of sync with Fox. This freaking blows.

[NEPP]

Good work Shane!

[bananagrabbers]

Is Gameday Audio ever in sync? I gave up trying that.

[Rob McC]

Good, Shane. We don't need to make everything look pretty, we just need to win.

[tg082]

C'mon, Chase; now is as good a time as any to break Reggie Jackson's homer record.

[Christy]

tg082, I had it on and it was making me crazy. Luckily I bought a little radio earlier in the season to listen to the game outside. It's matching up better than GA.

[MG]

Wow Petitte can't field anymore. With Posada behind the plate, I wouldn't mind seeing the Phils drop a bunt tonight down the 3rd base line if the situation calls for it.

[NEPP]

So Pettitte will get inside and outside sides of the plate apparently.

[bay_area_phan]

Well, that was a pathetic start.

[tg082]

A radio? What's that?

Anyway, what's really frustrating is that, barring game 2, GA was matching up perfectly with Fox.

Dammit. I'll stop bitching about the broadcast, and focus on the game. Clearly, the Phils need me to bring my A-game.

[Mick in Houston]

8 pitch first inning, they need to work Pettitte's pitch count

[Dukes]

that second pitch was a ball and messed up the at bat.

[MG]

'The Box' - Hands down one of the dumbest and weakest premises for a Hollywood thriller in the past 20 years.

[Mr. Mack]

The top of the Yankee order (Jeter & Damon) just approaches their AB the way we all wish JRoll & Vic would. The key is to get Petitte to throw lots of pitches tonight on just three days rest. WTF? 8 pitches for three outs isn't exactly wearing him down, now is it?

[NEPP]

Still a weak swing by Utley. Hard to complain about him though. He's had an alright Series.

[Hope SE]

Looks like they are going high and in on Utley. With Cowboy Joe's wide plate, Chase will need to adjust.

[Mick in Houston]

Mound visit, Classic!!

[NEPP]

How could Ruiz go to the mound like that??? YANKEES ARE STEALING SIGNS!!!!!!

[MG]

Yanks' fans are booing Ruiz coming out to the mound? Are you kidding?

[NEPP]

Yankee Stadium crowd still unfamiliar with the difference between a fly out and a HR ball off the bat.

[Old Phan]

The top half of the 1st was the worst in the history of baseball.

[Mr. Mack]

Okay FOX guys...I get it. Only the Yankees can make mound trips and slow things down during the game. Pedro, not so much. A$$ wipes.

[NEPP]

MG, its only okay to go to the mound if you have a Yankees uniform on. Just like its only okay to balk on every pickoff throw if your name is Andy Pettitte.

[MG]

No nearly as interested to see how Pedro approaches Jeter & Damon as he does Teixiera and Matsui. Teixiera has been the worst player in the series offensively but he homered against Pedro and Pedro doesn't have a fastball that he is capable of blowing by Matsui.

[NEPP]

Ashame Pedro isn't getting the sides of hte plate too.

[tg082]

Oh man, I almost pooed my pants.

[Mr. Mack]

Pedro is busting the Yankee fans balls with his slowing things up. Meanwhile they have the audacity to boo. Classic.

[bay_area_phan]

banana: I picked up 9 puppies at the pound this afternoon. I'm going to kill one after every inning in which the Phillies don't score a run. If it goes to extra innings, I'll start rounding up the neighborhood cats.

[NEPP]

Yankees fans are the same classless NY idiots that vote for the Mets and tramp their asses through my state annoying me every fall to "look at the leaves".

[Dukes]

NEPP - maybe they cheer every popup to right because most popups go out there. what a joke.

[Mr. Mack]

Well, here comes a record breaking moment we can all reminisce about for years to come. Any takers?

[NEPP]

Chase Utley won't like that, BAP. He's a big dog/cat person from what I understand.

That said, if he doesn't hit 3 HRs tonight, I will be going to the SPCA to adopt a cat which I will then toss in Lake Champlain with weights attached to it.

[NEPP]

Remember when...

[NEPP]

They might just want to make Pettitte throw pitches here.

2.5 pitches per AB here so far.

[GBrettfan]

I missed the top of the 1st. Saw the bottom, however, and Pedro did great.

I decided to keep count tonight. How many mound visits has Posada made so far?

[TTI]

MG: The Box was actually a really good short story by Richard Matheson called, "Button, Button." It made a really good Twilight Zone episode as well.

[Billums]

Hello leaguers, I missed 1st inning, did we have any Yankee mound meetings? I'm keeping count tonight.

[Mr. Mack]

That ground out was encouraging. Making contact is a start. Baby steps...

[GBrettfan]

Also, just how quickly de we go down in the 1st? Did we make Pettite work at all?

[NEPP]

So Joe West seems to be giving inside and outside black plue 2 inches but no low or high strikes.

I wonder how that will change as the game goes on.

[Billums]

@Gbrettfan: great minds think alike.

[NEPP]

First 4 batters - 10 pitches, 4 outs
Werth - 7 pitches, 1 BB.

[MG]

Nice AB. Didn't get Werth trying to be a hero and chase a pitch that was probably 6 inches off the plate.

[NEPP]

So, "swing at the first pitch" must have been the gameplan against Pettitte.

[G-Town Dave]

Terrible.

[kart racer]

Is Werth the only that gets it tonight? take pitches... Pettite throws mostly junk off the plate.

[bananagrabbers]

BAP: YOU'RE AN ANIMAL! I am calling the police.

[fljerry]

One good thing - no KO's to our 3 lefties - that means they are on Pettites pitching

[MG]

Obviously trying to swing first pitch here through and hoping they get fastballs.

Still, that was terrible AB by Ibanez. Swinging at pitch that was around the letters.

[NEPP]

Martinez always throws 85/86 in the first inning.

Idiots.

[MG]

Phils are going to need either a big game from Feliz or Francisco tonight to win. Unlikely hero?

[anon]

pettitte pitches like a girl with runners on base

[NEPP]

Tough play for Jorge...I mean it only bounced INTO his mitt there.

[tg082]

Damn you, Feliz.

[MG]

Posada stinks defensively but then again he always did. He just has nearly a HOF-caliber bat though at a position where offense is a rarity.

[G-Town Dave]

Heads. Up. Asses.

[bananagrabbers]

Glad that one homer bumped Feliz up a spot in the DH order. Ugh.

[kart racer]

Phils are showing up really weak vs someone who doesn't look like he really has great command/stuff tonight.

[ae]

Feliz must have felt really uncomfortable being up 3-1. had to pop out to the catcher to feel more at ease.

[NEPP]

Posada is not a HOF. Hall of Very good maybe, but not HOF.

[GBrettfan]

Awww, Feliz was doing so well with that AB up 'til that awful pop-up! Darn!!

[Matt]

And the decision to bat Feliz seventh has already come back to bite them in the butt.

[bay_area_phan]

In a normal lineup configuration, maybe it makes sense to bat Feliz 7th & Ruiz 8th, since it helps flip the lineup over. But, with no pitcher's spot to flip, there is absolutely no reason why Feliiz should be batting anywhere except 9th.

[Dukes]

they look nervous. what was raul swinging at. and that was a weak swing on a 3-1 pitch. aweful. come on Pedro, we're gonna need you.

[MG]

In a game like tonight where some many of your LHB are handcuffed by Petitte, you need guys like Werth and Feliz to step up.

Werth definitely can but Feliz won't. You just hope he can coax a BB tonight or get a mistake fastball on the inner part of the plate he can drive. Otherwise he is useless.

[GBrettfan]

Charlie just likes to show calm/no panic by keeping the lineup the same order, maybe?

[TTI]

2 things:

1.) Posada is not a hall of famer. Close, but not quite. Could get in as a veteran's committee selection though.

2.) Some sad approaches so far by both teams at the plate.

[NEPP]

Pedro needs to hit his spots here.

[Billums]

Call me crazy, but Petite has a 2:1 ball strike ratio here - should the phillies be looking to foul off eveyrthing they see? I want to see that 4 seamer float up in the 4th.

[NEPP]

Kinda worried at this point for Pedro. Pedro at 86 is not nearly the guy we need (Pedro at 91)

[joe l]

ground ball... ground ball..

[GBrettfan]

Not liking the walk to A-Rod, at least not with Matsui up.

[anon]

pedro looks more sick tonight than he did in game 2.

[Unikruk]

West is being a dick tonight. Not a good sign at all.

[NEPP]

Pedro needs all the guile that an old goat can have tonight.

[Billums]

Ding the second inning and I've already yelled SHUT THE HELL UP MCCARVER already. Gonna be a long night.

[Mick in Houston]

Matsui missed that ball down the middle of the plate

[Mick in Houston]

Matsui missed that ball down the middle of the plate

[kart racer]

Umps plan: Call a tight strike zone, if the yankees get a lead, expand it by 6 inches!

[Brian G]

pedro is obviously throwing slower on purpose. Just like that first mound visit was planned. He's owning the pace of this game.

[NEPP]

Probably right, Brian G.