Game chat: Cole seeks consistency in Arizona opener

Hoping to build on an eight-inning gem against Florida, Cole Hamels (2-1, 3.86) toes the slab in the first of three from Arizona. Former Phillies reclamation project Kris Benson (0-1, 3.00) goes for the Snakes.

Meanwhile back east, Joe Blanton, making his second rehab start, allowed four hits and struck out three over three shutout innings for the Reading Phillies, working out of a first and third jam in the third, using a pick-off at first and two strikeouts. Then, Brad Lidge followed, allowing a hit, a walk, but no runs, in a 20-pitch inning. Needless to say, it would appear both right-handers are on the verge of returning. [Jump to the newest comments]

Comments

[bay_area_phan]

I know everyone's trying to find significance in every radar gun reading, but we can't draw any conclusions from the fact that Lidge's first pitch was 87. I mean, we don't even know if it was a fastball. From what I've read, his velocity has been up around 91 in the last few games. If he's throwing 91, he sure won't fail because of lack of velocity.

I AM concerned that he has walked a hitter in each of his last 2 appearances. Small sample size & all but, since lack of control was his undoing last year, it's not a great sign.

[Burt Lavallo, friend to all]

I am friend to all.

[Meyer]

I'll bring the Asian delicacy for a post game snack.

[NEPP]

UC actually using the bench...stunning.

[Slocs]

hmmm. Benson always has our number when he was with Pittsburgh

[goody]

Blanton picked off a runner? Joe for closer!

Jim Jackson on radio. I preferred Wheels. LA knows how to loosen up Wheels.

[Scott]

Pretty weak Top of the 1st. I hope Cole picks up where he left off on Sunday.

[NEPP]

That Utley guy sucks.

[Iceman]

Benson made that look pretty easy. I normally am brimming with confidence, but chances are this guy does what most other Phillies' cast-offs do (Paulino and Barajas, et al.): kill us. Happens way too often.

[Old Phan]

The D'backs named their stadium after him.

[NEPP]

To keep it even, Polly has to get a grounder to start off the bottom of the 2nd.

[Scott]

Well, at least they brought their gloves with them.

[Scott]

Is Iceman going for the bap?

[THat Dude]

Game. Over.

[NEPP]

Sometimes I forget about Francisco...since he never plays.

[NEPP]

So far Kris Benson looks like a Cy Young winner.

Good work by Francisco to break up the no-no.

[Scott]

Benson is mixing up his slop pretty well.

[NEPP]

Nice curve by Hamels.

[Scott]

Cole is looking sharp thus far...

[MG]

Hamels got away with a curveball that didn't break much and was right over the heart of the plate against Reynolds.

[kuvasz]

Nice to see Hamels' pitches not getting fouled off consistantly.

[NEPP]

Jimmy gets to that...can't wait for him to be back.

[Scott]

In other news, the typepad delay seems to be in mid-season form.

[NEPP]

That'll do, Cole. That'll do.

[Old Phan]

Nice job, Cole

[NEPP]

Gillespie really misjudged that one.

[Old Phan]

It's about time he got a double. He's been slacking at the plate.

[NEPP]

Wow...ball is just flying tonight.

[Scott]

Nice time to break out of it, Shane!

[Old Phan]

It's about time he got a triple. He's been slacking at the plate.

[NEPP]

I know he's pissed that he struck out but dont throw the bat like that.

[Scott]

I'm thinking Polly can't be 100%. Looking uncharacteristically weak at the plate.

[NEPP]

Might not have hurt to give Dobbs another start at 3B.

[Meyer]

Andy Musser just called a homer on radio.

[NEPP]

Cole looks like he's bludgeoning baby seals tonight...lovin' it!

[MG]

NEPP - I was thinking the same thing against against a guy like Benson and a bullpen that doesn't have a single lefty reliever.

[Old Phan]

Why do the 3 biggest clowns in the stands have to be wearing Phillies shirts?

[Matt]

Howard does not look good at the plate.

[Sophist]

flipper - Didn't mean to put words in your mouth. Was simply defended our discussion - i was paraphrasing. I call you "flipper" cos that was what you originally went by around here and I like to look like an insider. Just what I know you by.

[NEPP]

At least Werth is making him finally throw some pitches.

[NEPP]

Not a catch.

Good call, blue!

[Matt]

Wow, what an awful call. How do you miss that?

[Timothy Malcolm]

The catch and the after-catch must be three seconds of security. It wasn't. That's a live ball. Wow.

[NEPP]

Jayson: Did he catch that?

Chase: ~shrugs~ I dont know.

[Old Phan]

That was an odd play, but it looked like he dropped it.

[MG]

That was a strange play all-around but I don think he caught it.

[phlipper]

Fair enough, Sophist.

[Timothy Malcolm]

I shouldn't say three seconds. It's not three seconds. But it is an exchange or lengthy amount of time of certain security. That wasn't. He didn't even hold the ball with his other hand and it dropped right out. Live ball.

[Voice of Reason]

what happened? watching on gamecast. error?

[Old Phan]

He never had control of the ball.

[NEPP]

The OF "caught" the ball, didn't control it and it fell out as he was bringing the glove down for the exchange and Werth smartly kept running.

No control=not a catch.

[NEPP]

Here's the rule:

"A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of
a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or
any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if
simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player,
or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball.
It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team
or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made the
catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall
be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall
hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his
release of the ball is voluntary and intentional."

Rule 2.00

[Old Phan]

Heads up baserunning by JW.

[phlipper]

Listening on the radio -

The Phils have 3 stolen bases this year?

Hard to believe.

[NEPP]

Here's the rule:

"A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of
a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball. It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made thecatch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional."

[NEPP]

The pertinent part is "In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional"

The umpire ruled that he never established control and that he didn't drop it in the act of the exchange.

Honestly, it was borderline but it looked like a drop full speed and its close on slo-mo replay.

I was shocked it went our way.

[bay_area_phan]

That call on the Werth fly ball is sort of like discerning whether it's a fumble or an incomplete pass when the quarterback loses the ball as his arm is coming forward. It's a fairly arbitrary decision, but it's a discretionary call. There's not really any clear-cut right or wrong.

[Gsl]

It was a catch.

[Scott]

Hopefully the delay doesn't affect Cole too badly.

[NEPP]

****It was a catch.***

It would have been had he not be so nonchalant. He didn't prove control, thus it wasnt a catch. Two hands people, two hands.

[TTI]

NEPP got it up but that last sentence is the pertinent one to this situation. Young had the ball in his glove for less than a second and that action made it look like he never really had control of the ball. The general rule of thumb the give you when you start playing little league is to count to 3, but that doesn't really follow the higher up you go in baseball.

Good call by the ump to get that right and the right call was made in him not requesting help. If he thinks he has a good angle of everything and doesn't need it, he is not required to ask for assistance.

Also, nice job by the ump to let Hinch argue his point and remain calm for a long time. Bad move by Hinch though as he really made Benson stand there for a while and risked freezing him up a little. At some point you just need to cut your losses.

[NEPP]

And we're even...damn.

[MG]

That was a lousy pitch.

[Matt]

Totally missed his spot there.

[Timothy Malcolm]

Leave it to a middle-in Cole Hamels fastball to erase all the good fortune.

[Old Phan]

It was a dropped ball, not a catch.

[NEPP]

Stupid cutter didn't cut.

[Josh M]

Like that Sarge said that instant replay would make the game too long, following a 10 minute ump-manager argument over a call.

[NEPP]

Does Sarge ever shut up?

[bay_area_phan]

"the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional"

I mean, he OBVIOUSLY had complete control of the ball within his mitt, and he did voluntarily & intentionally try to put the ball into his other hand. He just fumbled as he did it. Like I said, it's a discretionary call. If I had been the ump, I would have called it a catch (particularly if it happened to a Phillie outfielder).

[Ribbies]

I sure wish he would.

[NEPP]

When he leaves pitches up...he gets hurt.

[MG]

That air-raid siren that goes off after a DBacks' HR is really annoying.

[bay_area_phan]

Oh brother. The return of Headcase Cole. He wasn't even gone long enough for me to notice.

[Matt]

Another terrible pitch.

[NEPP]

Karma for the catch/non-catch?

[NEPP]

You gotta wonder if the long layoff there caused Cole to cool down.

[bay_area_phan]

A homerun followed by a meltdown. Who would have ever imagined . . .

[phlipper]

Cole's BABIP is not good this inning.

[MG]

I know the evidence shows that pitchers really can't do that much to control the HRs they give up but 5 HRs in 22 IP so far is a ton.

[NEPP]

Cole thinks to damn much. He does the pacing around the mound crap way too much.

[Matt]

Wow. So much for the resurgence of Cole Hamels.

[Old Phan]

Ouch.

[phlipper]

Wow!

[Timothy Malcolm]

Yeah, this spring training crap is overrated. He didn't learn anything. I'm sticking to that.

[kart racer]

He is throwing them too high in the zone this whole inning, he has to keep his pitches low, they are all up

[Old Phan]

The ball is certainly flying out tonight.

[NEPP]

Maybe our offense can realize they're playing Kris Fvcking Benson and start getting some hits.

[MG]

NEPP - It might have but Hamels has been flat out terrible this inning. Making mistake pitch after mistake pitch.

If Figueroa wasn' scheduled to go this series in place of Happ, I would PH and pull Hamels here.

[Meyer]

Bombs away.

[curt]

Seems we've got a bunch of starters who specialize in 5 run, 5 minute, innings.

[bay_area_phan]

MG: The evidence shows that the pitchers can't do much to control what happens on balls put in play. A homerun is not a ball in play. I don't think anyone has ever argued that the number of homeruns a pitcher allows is the product of luck.

[NEPP]

Cole might try to argue it...though I think he'd be biased.

[MG]

Hamels is going to give up his share of HRs but 6 HR in 23 IP so far? Hard to win when you games when you are giving up that many jacks.

[bay_area_phan]

Personally, I would have pinch hit. I've seen enough.

[awh]

cole hhamels should be an Italian waiter. He serves up great meatballs.

[phlipper]

Again, listening on the radio, it sounded like each of those HR's was crushed, and each was a "mistake" pitch.

That is not simply a matter of bad luck.

[Timothy Malcolm]

Hitters need to realize that if Kris Benson throws the ball to Tucson, it'll be called a strike. They'd better swing away.

[NEPP]

phlipper, they weren't crushed, they were destroyed. All 3 were just grooved.

[NEPP]

Benson is getting a HUGE strikezone tonight. Not that that is a real excuse...its still Kris Benson.