Morning happy hour: Beerleaguers revel in the rally

Good morning.

“How many monumental closer meltdowns have the Phillies now benefited from this year? There was the game that Werth tied with 2 outs in the 9th at San Fran, Carlos Marmol in Chicago, Leo Nunez in Florida, now this. They've really stolen their share of wins this year. Sort of compensates some for watching Brad Lidge the last couple of seasons.” - RSB

“The Phils are now scoring runs without the long ball. They have gotten back to running again and have shown an ability to string hits together and keep innings alive with walks/patience at the plate. Hope this continues even when Utley and Howard return. If they could ever get their leadoff hitter going, look out. … Besides Mariano Rivera, there aren't many lights out closers in baseball. Broxton literally looked scared to death tonight. He didn't want to throw his best pitch. He wanted to nibble. He faced 5 guys and they all reached base. … Why would anyone leave a Phillies game early? Some of the best memories of Phils games in the past 4 or 5 years, are of 9th inning/extra inning wins. How many more times do we have to be reminded that this team, no matter who is in uniform, plays 27 outs? Its truly what seperates them from about any other team in baseball.” – denny b

“How 'bout a little love for Valdez? He's been the target of a lot of hatin' at BL - but all-in-all he's done a very adequate job of filling in for Utley. How many BL posts were there asserting before the trading deadline that Amaro picking up a second-string infielder was the key to the season?” – phlipper

Beerleaguer: If you tuned out like many viewers did, do yourself a favor: find a television set and turn on one of the morning highlight shows. Watch Chooch dance between first and second in an attempt to dodge the tidal wave of teammates surging from the dugout. You’ll never forget it. Viewers who gutted it out are still trying to wrap their head around the final two frames. Was it just another meltdown or the Phillies at their opportunistic best? A little of both I’d say. Chooch shot down Broxton with a clutch double off the wall, one of my favorite plays in baseball, especially when it caps a walk-off rally. But the ball that short-hopped Casey Blake and plated a pair was a killer considering it should have been turned into a twin killing. How on earth did that get through?

Revel in the eighth inning, too. The Phils opened the frame with a single, single, single, double, and then Wil-Val’s RBI poke to complete the four-run rally against big loser Ronald Belisario. All these manufactured runs without the long ball are a good sign heading into Citi Field.

Comments

[Jack]

awh: Yeah, on a play like that, you actually want those two guys to be pretty much next to each other. The guy on 1st has to take more risk, in taking more room from the base, in order to score, so he's up all the way at 2nd or even around it. The guy on 2nd, who will score no matter what, should be halfway between 2nd and 3rd and watching the ball.

[dlhunter]

Florida Marlins Delay Game Until Their Fan Shows Up

[Conshy Matt]

sifl - madson does a bit of that as well (showing the ball early). i always used to think that was a reason he wasn't having more success. apparantly, a 96+ mph fastball and ++ change can overcome that.

[Willard Preacher]

I just hope last night's game gets the likes of Roy O, Dom B and the new guys a good taste of what REAL Phillies' baseball is about.

As crazy as it sounds, the thing I love more than anything about baseball are those moments when very highly paid millionaires who get paid to play a game can appreciate the fun part of the game and act like little kids again. It's so easy to get caught up in those ruts, slumps and the day-to-day monotony. Last night was a flash back reminder as to why I love this damn team. Also, to consider what they've been through this season, to see where they sit in the standings, and to see a win like that last night, you can't help but think, if even only for a second, if this is a bit of a team of destiny.

[MG]

Ben Francisco:

A guy who was pretty maligned on here earlier in the year has given the Phils some decent production since the ASB in limited PT (20 G, 10 GS):

.271/.364/.542 with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs in 48 ABs.

He also has been adequate as a PH this year again:

7-28 with a line of .250/.382/.321 and 4 RBIs.

I would bet he hasn't seen his share of fastballs during his PH AB and has been willing to take some BBs instead.

He is a guy who makes his share of mental blunders/lapses at times and is a defensive liability in RF but also has given the Phils valuable contributions.

Likely going to be an integral part of this team next year too as a guy who gets his share of PT at the corner OF spots with Ibanez and Brown.

Random fact - He has a whopping 87 ABs at CBP but he has a .867 OPS so far. Obviously likes hitting here.

[CJ]

I'm checking out the True Blue LA blog (SB Nation site) for comments during last night's implosion. Here are some of my favorites:

Phillies dont have Matt Stairs anymore, so Broxton should be fine.

If the strike zone was in the LHB batters box, this game would be over already

CARLOS F*CKING RUIZ. (This comment was made as he came up to the plate, not after his double)

If Ruiz swings away, I bet he bounces into a DP.
I normally hate bunting, but i bunt here.

Season over (From someone named angelofdeath, not bay area phan)

I heard the Phillies are going to retire Broxton's number.

[Willard Preacher]

All of that said, I still think the Phils lose that game, and probably fall out of the playoffs, if BAP doesn't distract himself in the 6th inning or so.

[MG]

One last thing - For a guy who was supposed to be a dead fastball hitter, Francisco does get seems to get pretty easily overpowered by a guy with a decent fastball above 93 or so.

He actually seems to fair much better against guys who throwing their fastball in the high 80s and top out at 90-91.

Can't hit a changeup or a splitter thoug to save his life most times. Pitchers who throw fairly hard and have a changeup generally gives him fits.

[CJ]

Yo, new thread.