Dodgers vs. Phillies: Series open thread

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[aksmith]

I'm first in, so let me just say that Vin Scully is highly overrated. I don't think he does away games anymore, so no chance of hearing his verbal diarrhea today. Seems like a good guy, and there was a time when he was good, but the random fact generator that he has become is somewhat less poetic than he was in the old days.

[Willard Preacher]

And he's still a million times better than TMac...

[Phillibuster]

Eh. TMac seems to do better now that he's not working with Motormouth Wheels or Mortuarymouth (where words go to die) Sarge.

I've noticed significantly longer/more-frequent pauses in his patter this year, especially when teamed with Moyer, and while he's not Harry Doyle-level honest, he seems to be following the general media-trend message that's been going out lately ("Phillies not good, going to sell, Amaro on hot seat," etc.) less vociferously than he used to do.

Of course, I also end up watching at least half the games without sound because I'm at work, so that probably contributes to my perceptions as well.

[Willard Preacher]

Ruf starting in LF tonight! And he's breaking up his lefties!

Rollins
Ruiz
Utley
Byrd
Howard
Ruf
Hernandez - 3B
Mayberry - CF
Fausto

[aksmith]

Willard - You'd have to go pretty far to find someone who ISN'T a million times better than TMac. In fact, Greg Murphy is a million times better than TMac.

I really wonder why the Phillies don't just simulcast their radio crew to the TV side. They are a ton better than anything in the TV booth and have been for a long time now.

But I think that Vin Scully is what you get if you somehow fix Matt Stairs' mumbles. The way Stairs lets out that rat tat tat mumbling, i know he must be saying something, I just don't know what it is. Maybe, like Vin, he's letting us know what Yasiel Puig had for breakfast that morning, or that Cole Hamels is from San Diego and once got a parking ticket. I'm just not sure.

[Phillibuster]

Eh. TMac seems to do better now that he's not working with Motormouth Wheels or Mortuarymouth (where words go to die) Sarge.

I've noticed significantly longer/more-frequent pauses in his patter this year, especially when teamed with Moyer, and while he's not Harry Doyle-level honest, he seems to be following the general media-trend message that's been going out lately ("Phillies not good, going to sell, Amaro on hot seat," etc.) less vociferously than he used to do.

Of course, I also end up watching at least half the games without sound because I'm at work, so that probably contributes to my perceptions as well.

[NEPP]

Vin Scully is awesome...even a half-senile 130 year old Vin Scully is still the best in the business.

[NEPP]

Vin Scully is awesome...even a half-senile 130 year old Vin Scully is still the best in the business.

[NEPP]

Vin Scully is awesome...even a half-senile 130 year old Vin Scully is still the best in the business.

[NEPP]

Vin Scully is awesome...even a half-senile 130 year old Vin Scully is still the best in the business.

[bittel]

Feels like a win.

[PLM]

Gosh so Sandberg soured on Revere that bad huh? The kid was struggling but not like he was hitting .200.

[PLM]

Gosh so Sandberg soured on Revere that bad huh? The kid was struggling but not like he was hitting .200.

[PLM]

Gosh so Sandberg soured on Revere that bad huh? The kid was struggling but not like he was hitting .200.

[Steve]

Well if Comcast doesn't kill this site, Typepad will

[bittel]

Feels like a win.

[Willard Preacher]

I think Revere sitting is more a product of the lefty starter (same with Asche and Dom sitting, as well, along with splitting Howard and Utley). This is, essentially, Ryne's "all in against a lefty starter" lineup.

He's got plenty of options off the bench today. I can't wait to criticize his management of them!

[Willard Preacher]

I think Revere sitting is more a product of the lefty starter (same with Asche and Dom sitting, as well, along with splitting Howard and Utley). This is, essentially, Ryne's "all in against a lefty starter" lineup.

He's got plenty of options off the bench today. I can't wait to criticize his management of them!

[bittel]

Feels like a win.

[Willard Preacher]

"Well if Comcast doesn't kill this site, Typepad will"

Typepad ‏@typepad

Hi everyone, we're aware of the current slowness. We're looking at whether it's our mitigation or a new attack and will have more info soon.

Perhaps BL should consider moving to another platform (assuming it's not really resigned to just going away...)?

[bay_area_phan]

So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?

[bay_area_phan]

So, the LH hitter with the 1.027 OPS against LHP sits, but the guy with the .653 OPS against LHP must start and bat 5th.

Also, I'm glad to see that Cesar's 11 zillion errors in 1 month at AAA didn't deter Sandberg from starting him at 3rd base.

[bay_area_phan]

So, the LH hitter with the 1.027 OPS against LHP sits, but the guy with the .653 OPS against LHP must start and bat 5th.

Also, I'm glad to see that Cesar's 11 zillion errors in 1 month at AAA didn't deter Sandberg from starting him at 3rd base.

[PLM]

Did not mean to post 3 times..not sure what happened

[ColonelTom]

Hernandez posted an .843 fielding percentage in AAA. Let's say that's .100 below an MLB-caliber 3B - that's an error every 10 plays ascribed to having Hernandez there vs. a major-league 3B, and the average 3B faces (back of the envelope) 2.5 chances per game. That's one additional error every four games by putting Hernandez there.

In the glass-half-full view, there's a 3-in-4 chance that Sandberg dodges the bullet when playing Cesar there for a single game. So we have that going for us, I guess.

[ColonelTom]

Hernandez posted an .843 fielding percentage in AAA. Let's say that's .100 below an MLB-caliber 3B - that's an error every 10 plays ascribed to having Hernandez there vs. a major-league 3B, and the average 3B faces (back of the envelope) 2.5 chances per game. That's one additional error every four games by putting Hernandez there.

In the glass-half-full view, there's a 3-in-4 chance that Sandberg dodges the bullet when playing Cesar there for a single game. So we have that going for us, I guess.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Homie the Clown]

Let's say every post I make shows up three times. That could never, happen, right?

[Phillibuster]

Talk about post-count inflation.

[GBrettfan]

"So, I guess this is up and running again but everything seems to be posting in triplicate. Does that mean we will lose 3 times tonight?"

You know, I believe we could pull this off. Especially with Hernandez+ BP facing Kershaw.

[Curt]

Watching Sandberg fill out the lineup card has been a riot. He figures out everything the rest of us figure out - a month later. Next, watch for Byrd to stick at #4 regardless of who is pitching.

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Bonehead]

I thought it was a foregone conclusion that we would have seen a bullpen roster move or two.

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Curt]

Bonehead - Garcia will never be allowed to pitch again, but he's booked through the weekend cutting the guys hair.

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[Homie the Clown]

Typepad Tourettes. Sweet...

[aksmith]

More than wondering why Garcia is still in the majors, or ever was, I think we need to wonder why the Phillies can't ever seem to take a guy with a major league fastball and teach him how to locate it, and teach him a useful secondary pitch to make it less predictable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, no Phillies pitcher learns anything useful in their minor league system. Even high school pitchers come into this system and leave it for the majors without adding anything to their repertoire. At least Dubee was able to teach some of them a cutter and others a changeup, but only at the major league level does instruction seem to begin.

Garcia has a major league quality fastball. However, he still can't locate it and he has jack squat for secondary stuff. And it's the same with every other reliever who has come up through the system. Thank goodness Madson and Hamels learned changeups in high school or I shudder to think what their careers would have been. And changing the entire minor league pitching coaching staff hasn't seemed to help at all.

[aksmith]

More than wondering why Garcia is still in the majors, or ever was, I think we need to wonder why the Phillies can't ever seem to take a guy with a major league fastball and teach him how to locate it, and teach him a useful secondary pitch to make it less predictable.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, no Phillies pitcher learns anything useful in their minor league system. Even high school pitchers come into this system and leave it for the majors without adding anything to their repertoire. At least Dubee was able to teach some of them a cutter and others a changeup, but only at the major league level does instruction seem to begin.

Garcia has a major league quality fastball. However, he still can't locate it and he has jack squat for secondary stuff. And it's the same with every other reliever who has come up through the system. Thank goodness Madson and Hamels learned changeups in high school or I shudder to think what their careers would have been. And changing the entire minor league pitching coaching staff hasn't seemed to help at all.

[GBrettfan]

You just know that since Cesar is new at playing 3B, there will be at least one ball hit to him that he misplays. It's Murphy's Law. I just hope he gets a few hits, since the point of playing him is most likely that he can bat RH.

At any rate, R. Hernandez v. Kershaw is a loss before it even begins, on paper. Here's to winning anyway!

[GBrettfan]

You just know that since Cesar is new at playing 3B, there will be at least one ball hit to him that he misplays. It's Murphy's Law. I just hope he gets a few hits, since the point of playing him is most likely that he can bat RH.

And if we're stacking the lineup with RH hitters, why is Howard still in the lineup?

At any rate, R. Hernandez v. Kershaw is a loss before it even begins, on paper. Here's to winning anyway!

[Bonehead]

If I were Sandberg, on a daily basis, between Dom, Ryan, and Ruf, I'd start the two who are playing the best at the moment.

I wouldn't even necessarily tell them this plan. I would just do it, and let them figure it out themselves.

[GBrettfan]

If we're stacking the lineup with RH hitters, why is Howard still in the lineup?

[GBrettfan]

Is it finally working? My last post went up instantly. I hope so, since it's close to game time.

[Willard Preacher]

GBf, with Ruf and Mayberry already in OF spots, who do you put at 1B to sit Howard?

[Bonehead]

Franco

[Willard Preacher]

Fair enough!

But if we're playing "rainbows and unicorns" then can we call up Giles and jettison Garcia and/or Manship, too?

[Bonehead]

...and Gillies in CF

[Bonehead]

It hurts me to think that Ryan is still owed $75MM.

[GBrettfan]

Right, WP. I did not stop to think about that.

[PLM]

Bonehead i was under the impression that next year was the last year. Then a BL'er made a random post about the Big Contract and forgot its still two more years UGH!....Amaro really hampered us there.

[bay_area_phan]

With a groundball pitcher on the mound, the over/under on misplays by Cesar Hernandez is about 2.5.

[bay_area_phan]

"Bonehead i was under the impression that next year was the last year."

The real buffoonery of the Ryan Howard contract is that it didn't even START until 2 full years after he signed it. Normally, when a team locks up a player 2 full years before free agency, it buys out his arbitration years, so that it can get the benefit of his peak years without having to take on too many of his decline years. If the Phillies had done that, then that $10M buyout would be coming up after this season. Instead, it doesn't come up until after 2016, by which time he'll be 37 (and probably a sub-.700 OPS hitter). Although couched as a 5-year extension, the effect was a 7-year commitment.

[PLM]

As much as we criticized Dubee i think this Mcclure guy is a down grade.

[bay_area_phan]

So it's going to be bad Fausto today. It's just as well. Why waste one of his good outings on a day when we're unlikely to score anyhow?

[GBrettfan]

I liked Dubee.

* * *
Just got home from walking the dog (It's a lovely evening)...Is there any reason to expect the score won't only get worse as the game goes on?

* * *
Good point, BAP.

[bay_area_phan]

Kershaw had what I assume must be one of the worst starts of his career in his last outing (1.2 IP, 7 earned runs), and he actually looks a little ragged tonight. It probably won't stop him from throwing a no-hitter, though.

[PLM]

Yes sir BAP.

[GBrettfan]

Chris Branch ‏@ChrisBranchTNJ 4m
Hi Clayton Kershaw, were you dealing? Here's a rain delay. Love, Philly.

[Juums]

On the plus side, Ruf's got a 1.000 OBP against LHP so far. Should put this "Ruf can't hit LHP" nonsense to rest!

[Meyer]

My kids game was 2 outs away from an official game when the rains came. They were up 3-2 and the wind and rain came. Both teams were playing fast to get it in. The right fielder almost made the 2nd out as he went into a slide to catch the ball but with the wet grass completely slid under it and it landed behind him. Game was called at that point.

[GBrettfan]

Sounds like an exciting game, Meyer! My son used to be so disappointed when games would be called or cancelled due to rain. He used to love his sports when he was younger.

[Meyer]

While the other team stoically gathered under a tree our team as a unit was sliding down a long grassy hilly having fun. I was in the car keeping the scorebook dry.

[Meyer]

Kershaw finished. Hernandez back out?

[GBrettfan]

Darn, we didn't get rid of Kershaw. What good was that rainstorm, then?

[Meyer]

Kershaw's arm is stiffer then my drink.

[Curt]

Howie could have done that.

[bittel]

Byrd's AB disappointing.
Howard's, expected, though a decent fight.

[bittel]

I have absolutely NEVER seen that. Three consecutive SOs in the dirt, with throws to first.

[GBrettfan]

Damn shame to get the first two on board and then...nothin'.

[GBrettfan]

I agree, was pleased that Howard gave it a fight.

[Curt]

Summing up: Kershaw is good, we're not.

[Meyer]

Hernandez flashing his Golden Glove.

[bay_area_phan]

Why the hell can't you review this? It's an absolutely unambiguous error.

[GBrettfan]

Would the ump have called that last pitch of Cesar's AB a strike if Samuel hadn't been sniping at the 1B ump?