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[Shane]

Why it's PANIC! time...

1) It's now a 4 game series in which we have to win 3. There is no more "Advantage", home field or not, for the Phillies anymore. They have to play nearly perfect the rest of the series. 2 more bad starts and we're done.

2) The bats are icy cold. Vic and Polly are killing us with only 2 Runs (and 2 RBIs) between them in 3 games. The Giants have Utley's number. Lopez owns both Utley and Howard in the late innings. How did this lineup manage to score 9 runs this series?

[phanatic's brother]

LET S GO BABY JOE !!

[out of my league]

Wondering if anyone can tell me whether or not b_a_p has commented here since the NLDS has begun?

[NEPP]

Just get us back to Philly.

[Mr. Mack]

I heard an interview about a wek ago with Rube and he made a statement something along the lines of, "If we don't win the World Series this year, the season shouldn't be considered a failure by the fans."

When I heard him say that I thought it was rather odd thing for a GM to say. Looking back, maybe he knows something we don't, such as the team is so banged up that accomplishing something like recording the best record in baseball was a Herculian enough feat for him & this team. It was almost as if he felt that they didn't have enough gas left in the tank to get there.

[Mick O]

Hypothetical Question:

If you could spot the Giants 1 run to start the game and start in the 2nd inning with the Giants #6 hitter, would you? (Basically do you think Blanton will do better or worse than 1-run, 1-left in the first.

[8thandPine]

This might be a stupid question but could someone please explain why Chooch isn't batting 7th?

[aksmith]

Clout - To continue from the last thread: Trading for Halladay and dumping Lee was financial and because Lee supposedly couldn't go on short rest in the playoffs.

The financial part is arguable.

But why in heck is Blanton pitching rather than Halladay on short rest? Is Blanton better on 20 days rest than Halladay one day short of full rest? Or was that yet one more myth surrounding that awful salary dump.

[Brian G]

clout: "His defense this year was also superior to his defense in 2008."

Disagree.

[Old Phan]

If the Phils were down 3-1 then yes, have Doc pitch on short rest. Otherwise, I'd rather see a fully rested Doc pitch tomorrow.

[NEPP]

His defense isn't better this year and his overall power is way down.

He had a worse year than 08...regardless of OPS+

[Heather]

Remeber when Howard hit over 50 home runs?

Remember when Rollins was the league MVP?

Heck, remember last year when we had 4 guys with 30+ HRs?

Be nice if those guys could show up tonight.

[NEPP]

Heather, they'll all be there...they just might not do anything worthwhile.

Just win 1 of 2 remaining in SF...that's all I ask. Force a game 6.

[NEPP]

Other than fielding percentage, Howard is significantly worse in every other fielding metric this year than in 2008.

And the fielding percentage is pretty much a wash (.990 vs .988)

[GTown_Dave]

Ryan Lawrence (via Twitter): "The Phillies haves 6 regulars hitting under .208 this Postseason (Vic, Utley, Polanco, Werth, Ibañez, Rollins). They have 27 Ks in 131 ABs."

Ouch.

[ozark]

Hit Ross in the elbow w/ a 93 MPH fastball.

[NEPP]

If by "elbow" you mean head, I'm with you.

[MG]

Dave - I didn't expect much of anything Polanco this offseason. Even more so of JRoll.

Vic and Werth have been the real letdowns. Need both of these guys have to strong postseasons and with an exception of 1 G each so far by each guy they haven't showed up.

[GTown_Dave]

"Hit Ross in the elbow w/ a 93 MPH fastball."

Wherefore art thou Tim Hudson?

[jozef]

Vegas line update: opened in favor of the Giants. Then realized San Francisco is GAY. Now favors the Phils by a decent margin. Go heteros!!

[GTown_Dave]

MG: Vic has really let me down. For whatever reason the Phillies as a group seem to have a lot of trouble scoring if their leadoff guy isn't getting on base, & Vic has been as awful as anyone. The total lack of power from Howard is also disappointing.

[timr]

Well, time for these guys to step up. Let's see if they've got any more postseason magic left in them, because tonight they're gonna need it.

[Steve]

"Whoever wins this game wins the series" just said on fox...couldn't agree more.

[Scott]

I really hope Blanton has his good arm slot going tonight. If he's not throwing downhill, we're in a lot of trouble.

I also really hope he beans at least one Giant. They need to taste some dirt.

[GTown_Dave]

If Charlie intended to have someone plunked he'd bring in Baez. The girl can't help it.

[GBrettfan]

I don't know about the Phillies, but the butterflies in my belly are hitting little baseballs like crazy!

Go Phils!

[Steve]

yeah the butterflies are pretty bad here for a guy sitting on the couch tonight haha

[Steve]

Ball 4.

[NEPP]

Wow...that was a brutal brutal call to start the game off.

Way to go, Blue

[Jack]

Not even close.

[GBrettfan]

MBum made Shane look really bad on S2. I thought that pitch was low and inside for S3. I saw Shane's words there, too.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

That's a BS strike 3. Here we go, again.

[BurleighGrimes]

Let the Great Strike Zone Debate begin again tonight...

[Steve]

well, 1,2,3 again....not a good start.

[NEPP]

"I think it caught the corner" -McCarver

Seriously? Is he paid to defend that trash?

[JeffS]

I hope Blanton gets that much zone off the corners.

[Hope SE]

Chase looks so weak. Solid contact and weak grounder.

[GTown_Dave]

A terrible call, but that's Bell's zone. On this night the Phillies might want to swing.

[Jon]

it would be nice to see chase take more pitches..

[Steve]

that was way off the corner....not even close...brutal

[NEPP]

That's one way to get on at least...pretty much our only way this post-season.

What's that...our 8th HBP this post season?

[Steve]

Victorino "No Fvcking Way" quoted lol east lip read that guy is

[Pblunts]

First pitch called a ball to chase was such a better pitch than the bs strike 3 to vic

[Steve]

swing the bat, ryan

[NEPP]

Here comes the strikeout.

[Mr. Mack]

Before this series, I always had SF circled on the map as a US city that I wanted to visit. Now, not so much. All of the things that were might have been quaint or interesting about the city, are no longer.

I now hate: Cable Cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Rice-A-Roni, the 1906 Earthquake & Fire, the Californai Gold Rush, Nob Hill, Haight Ashbury...

[NEPP]

Was it even in doubt that Ryan would strikeout on that pitch chasing?

[Steve]

here we go again...

[Matt]

Sigh.

[Jack]

At least one player is doing what he normally does.

[Ron Jones]

Wow, a good looking swing from Ryan again. I'm lefthanded, I think I could strike him out.

[TK]

Howard is an overrated singles hitter. What a world.

[NEPP]

Runners Stranded after 1: 1

[GBrettfan]

Not exactly the start we were hoping for...

[NEPP]

BS Ump calls after 1: 1

And we've still got a half inning to go.

[timr]

Boy... that was not a great start.

[Ron Jones]

After a half inning, they look the same - same expressions on their face, same body language, this doesn't feel good.

[NEPP]

I assume that Big Joe will cough up at least 1 run here, probably 2.

[GTown_Dave]

I'm setting the Over/Under on 1st Inning Runs Surrendered by Blanton at 3.

[NEPP]

They look about the same as they did during that Houston sweep...

[MG]

Howard strike out vs. LHP? Only happens about a 1/3 of the time (32% this year) which sadly is actually an improvement.

[GBrettfan]

Bumgarner looks a little bit like Pettite, IMO.

[BurleighGrimes]

Huey Lewis?! Seriously?

[Ron Jones]

Can they plunk Huey Lewis with a fastball?

[Dukes]

I just don't have a good feeling about this game.

[Steve]

that isn't a strike?

[Andy]

Panic time: Victorino takes four balls for a strike out. Another night of pro-Giant umping.

And I'm hoping I don't have to watch them look insipid at the plate either. But that last swing from Howard? hmmmm...

[bathtubhippo]

well, at least we have a new huey lewis album to look forward to...err...

[Matt]

Philly has The Roots, San Fran has Huey Lewis.

[NEPP]

Still Perfect after 1 out.

[Jack]

Inside strike zone to righties tonight. At least it looks like it's getting called both ways.

[NEPP]

There goes the no-no...damnit.

[MG]

Matt- Both cities have produced better music than the aforementioned bands. Especially Philly.

[NEPP]

Scarily, Tim McCarver and I agree on Halladay.

I think I might puke.

[Steve]

not good start....freakin aubrey huff has yet to hurt us...

[MG]

Blanton up and leaving breaking balls over the plate in the 1st inning? Shocking!

[Matt]

This game is starting so well.

[NEPP]

Ruiz should have stopped that and he usually does...another bad break.

[Bobby Cocks]

Here we go ...

[NEPP]

Huff Ks on a pitch that Blanton totally missed on...effectively wild?

[BurleighGrimes]

Buster Posey looks about 12 years old.

[timr]

There you go Blanton, at least he can still make the likes of Huff look silly.

[Jack]

Even really, really good teams play a few bad games in a row sometimes. If it happens in July, no one cares. If it happens in October, suddenly they're old, or mentally weak, or don't care anymore, or etc.

It's just baseball.

[jozef]

Heavt B aint got no speed

[NEPP]

Come on!

[Bobby Cocks]

Wow, wild thing has shown up.

[Steve]

blanton has no control...yikes.

[Matt]

Chooch has to stop those.

[timr]

Blanton looks like he's really overthrowing, and yet is barely hitting 90 on the fastball.

[MG]

Oh brother.

[NEPP]

Starting a guy after multiple WEEKS off is not good.

Doc should have started.

[sdphillie]

How much stick'em or tabacky does Joe have on his hands?

[GTown_Dave]

A.J. Blanton.

[Matt]

What a joke.

[Mr. Mack]

Get KK up please. This is why 20 days off doesn't work & Roy should be starting. Game over.

[Bobby Cocks]

There you go, reason#1 why Halladay should be on the mound.

[seattlephan]

jesus fvcking christ

[bananagrabbers]

Hits with two outs! Story of the entire series, and what separates the Giants mostly mediocre offense from the Phils' totally mediocre offense.

[timr]

Season=?

[gjs]

2 out, 2 strike hit run-scoring hit.

Something the Phils might want to try.