Cliff Lee is BACK!

For one moment, let's forget that I ever tried to make you stop thinking about Clifton Phifer Lee by sitting on my high horse justifying The Trade for the past year and focus on what's really important here:

CLIFF LEE IS A PHILADELPHIA PHILLIE! AGAIN!

When the Phillies first signed Lee in July of 2009, everyone knew the inevitable. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was going to be a free agent following the 2010 season and he was more than likely going to be looking for a big payday when that time came. When Ruben Amaro, Jr. unexpectedly swapped one ace for another bringing Halladay to town, Philadelphia was a city divided. Was this the most bittersweet transaction in baseball history?

We all know what happened after that. Before the season was even officially underway, Lee had undergone foot surgery, was suspended for head hunting, and eventually made his Mariners debut on April 30th, nearly a month after Opening Day. Less than a month later, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history, and six weeks after that Lee was packing his bags for Texas. Doc went on to pitch the second no-hitter in postseason history, and Lee led the Rangers to their first World Series appearance in franchise history.

Lee, 32 years old, finished the 2010 season with a 12-9 record (of 28 games started, 7 complete games, one shutout, 212 and a third innings pitched), with a 3.18 ERA, 1.003 WHIP, and a staggering 10.28 strike out to walk ratio. He finished 7th in the AL Cy Young voting.

Halladay, 33, went 21-10 (33 GS, 9 CG, 4 SHO, 250 2/3 IP), enjoyed a 2.44 ERA (second lowest of his career in a season with 30+ starts), 1.041 WHIP, and 7.30 SO/BB. As if his year could not get any better, he was unanimously voted number one in the National League Cy Young race, receiving his second of his career.

All things remaining equal, it would appear RAJ and the Phillies made the right decision by choosing Halladay over Lee for the 2010 season. Everyone has their opinions on what could have been, but it wasn't until now that the impossible really seemed possible again: we can have both.

The people of Philadelphia really had nothing to think about going into the offseason other than Jayson Werth's eventual whereabouts. Roy Halladay and the rest of the gang would be back in 2011 with a few minor adjustments here and there, and life would simply go on. Cliff Lee had a bit more on his mind as his free agency not-so-quietly crept up on him. Would he remain in Texas? After all, he would be just a short, 40-minute flight from his hometown in Arkansas, he would be playing for a winning team, and let's not forget about the absence of a state income tax. On the other hand, the Yankees have lived up to their reputation of getting whatever they wanted and plopped a hefty offer of 6-years $160 million on the table in the hopes of wooing Lee back to the northeast.

But something incredible happened: He said "no."

All along there had been rumors of a "mystery team" lurking in the shadows trying to steal Lee away from the two favorites. The Phillies, who had previously been thought to be out of the race, swooped in late Monday night with an offer in the 5-year $100 million range surprising just about everyone. Recently, Lee had stated that he would entertain coming back to Philadelphia and that he genuinely enjoyed his time here, but Philly was the last place anyone thought he would end up as a free agent. As of midnight, both the Yankees and the Rangers have been notified that Cliff Lee would be rejoining the Philadelphia Phillies for the 2011 season and beyond.

Welcome back to Philadelphia, Cliff. We missed you! Pin It Now!

Insert Punny Headline About Werth [Here]

Yesterday, the news of Jayson Werth signing a monster deal with the Nationals came out of the blue so quickly that it left the baseball community collectively shaking their heads in disbelief. Seven years, $126 Million to play in DC?

How do you like Ryan Howard’s contract now?

The biggest question on everyone’s mind seems to be “why the Nationals?” Why indeed. Why would someone voluntarily leave a team that has achieved postseason births four years in a row? Why would someone willingly stay in the same division as Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt and bat against them? Why, why, why?

Because he’s going to be getting paid $18 Million dollars a year when he’s 38 years old, that’s why.
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A Plea to the Umpires

I know right now that this is a waste of my time. I’m going to write this, and a couple hundred of you are going to read it, and nothing is going to change. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is going to hold a few meetings this winter to make it look like the league is trying to do something to remedy the situation. The fact of the matter, though, is that Major League Baseball umpires are doing a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad job.

I don’t really need to give examples. You all watch the games. You’ve seen it. You’ve rationalized that it all balances out over time. And quite frankly, it usually does. But this year has just been icky.

We probably all say the same thing every year. In fact, I know we do. But somewhere along the way someone has to step in to say “enough is enough.”

Early in tonight’s game, there were four missed calls. Big calls. Inning ending calls. Home plate umpire Wally Bell called not one, but two fourth-pitch balls as strikes. Not “I’m-watching-this-game-on-TV-so-I-have-a-skewed-perception-of-where-the-ball-actually-crossed-the-plate” kind of balls, but “even-Fox’s-crappy-pitch-track-graphic-shows-the-ball-six-inches-off-the-plate” kind of balls. The umpiring staff missed a blatant balk by Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner as Jimmy Rollins was attempting to steal second base. Jimmy would get picked off (to end the inning) but after seeing the replay from multiple angles, it appears he was indeed safe.

I can’t sit around and make excuses for the Phillies. They have to hit the ball and they have to win this game unless they really want to face Lincecum, Sanchez & Cain back-to-back-to-back to attempt to finish the series. As I write this, the Fightins score their first runs in almost 16 innings. They may be winning right this second, but you can’t get shut out for the equivalent of almost two straight games and expect to move on to the next round of the playoffs. All I’m asking for is that the one constant in the game actually remains consistent. Isn’t that why math-minded people tend to be baseball fans? Consistency! Precision! I don’t understand why the umpiring has gotten more lax when the game itself has not.
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Chicks Dig the... what?

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

This image has not been used with the express written consent of Major League Baseball, it's employees or affiliates. But Ryan Howard said if I mention his name I can do whatever I want. Suck on that, FOX.

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Official Baseball Ladies Championship Series Predictions!

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

With the ALCS game between the Yankees and the Rangers about to begin here shortly, it’s time to look at the Official Baseball Lady Predictions for the Championship series. But first, let’s take a look at how we did at eyeballing the Divisional Series that recently came to a close. Here were our individual and collective predictions:

Official Baseball Ladies Predictions: Phillies in four, Giants in four, Twins in five, Rays in four.

The final (actual) results? Phillies in three (correctly predicted by Angela, Kelly and Janet), Giants in four (Meghan, Kim, Angela, Kelly, Janet and myself), Yankees in three (none of us thought that would happen, and face it, neither did any of you), and Rangers in 5 (just me). So overall as a group we were pretty good at analyzing the National League and completely tanked the AL. Angela, Kelly, Janet & myself slide into the lead with two correct predictions each while Liz, Natalie, Deanna and Cyn have a lower batting average than Greg Dobbs at 0.000.

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A Doctoral Dissertation: There Are No Words

I got back to the hotel around 9:00 PM last night, and I've been mulling over this ever since. How exactly can I put into words what Roy Halladay just did? I could write a simple, yet resonating piece reflecting on the evening a la Zoo With Roy, I could analyze every millisecond of the last pitch like Crashburn Alley, or I could write a telling recap the way Dash Treyhorn writes for The Fightins night after night. But in all honesty, the only things I can think of to say are "Doc is three pitches away from pitching three perfect games in 2010," "if he hadn't already, Roy Halladay just put the seal on his Cy Young Award," and "the Jays should fold their entire franchise for stifling him for so long." I don't have anything to add that hasn't already been said, and that's OK. The best I can do is bring you some pictures documenting the evening from my seat in the stands. If a picture is worth a thousand words, consider this my Doctoral Dissertation.

Reds & Phillies line up for the National Anthem before Game One of the NLDS.

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Official Baseball Ladies Division Series Predictions!

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

I'll be honest, I thought there was going to be a lot more variety when I asked the ladies to submit their to-the-point Division Series predictions. Here's the Clifton Phifer Notes version:



I'd say we're being biased in that we ALL picked the Phillies to take down the Reds in the first round, but let's be honest. The Reds haven't been in the playoffs since Deanna was in kindergarten. Charlie has had the past four years to figure out how to manage this team beyond Game 162, and because of that, all the media outlets have Philadelphia picked hands down to win the series. Angela, Kelly & Janet are the only ones of us that feel confident in a sweep, and it's hard to argue with them after what the Phils did to the Reds in the season series, but I'm going to go ahead say the Official Baseball Lady Prediction is Phillies in four.

There was very little (ok, zero) variation in our second NL pick, as well. Liz and Cyn feel the Braves are going to battle for Bobby and push their series with the Giants to five games with the Giants coming out on top. Natalie and Dee are eyeing a Giants sweep but as Natalie mentioned, it depends entirely on which Barry Zito shows up to the party. As for the rest of us, we're calling the Official Baseball Lady Prediction as Giants in four. Even though there hasn't been a playoff game in San Fransisco in seven years, the Giants played their tails off to earn their crown in the West. The fall of the Padres may have helped a little, but this is a crew that has their eye on the prize and they're not going to let a patchwork Atlanta Braves team steal it out from under them.

Over in the American League we have a little bit more of a shakeup. Janet and Cyn were the only gals to peg the Yankees to take down the Twins, but not without a struggle. None of us are predicting a sweep in this matchup, and I'm thrilled to bring you the Official Baseball Lady Prediction of Twins in five. It was an overwhelming consensus that the Twins and Yankees are both going to have to show up ready to fight to the finish in what I think is actually going to be the most exciting series of the first round of the playoffs. The Yankees have all the moving pieces necessary to wrap up the AL, but I'd be lying if I said they didn't back into the postseason on a wing, a prayer, and everyone not named AJ Burnett. If they Yankees can figure out a rotation that doesn't consist of CC, CC, and more CC, they have a shot, but with too much uncertainty lying on the pitching staff, I have to give this one to Minnesota.

Finally, we look at the Rays and the Rangers. Liz is the only one of us to predict a sweep, giving the nod to the Rays in three. Natalie and I are the lone rangers (ha) picking Texas in four and five games respectively. The Rays were the hurdle to leap over in the AL East all season long, giving the Yankees a run for their money right up until the last day of the season. The Rangers, however, held down the West without question practically from day one. Let's be honest, though, their division consists of the Mariners (biggest bust of 2010 if you ask me), Oakland (who finished with a respectable .500 record all things considered), and the rehabilitating Angels (who gave away their entire team in the offseason). The Official Baseball Lady Prediction is Rays in four.

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A Map To Game 162 (Updated)

***UPDATED***
Braves beat the Phillies 8-7

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The Five Phillies You Loved The Most

The city of Philadelphia has had a lot to be excited about over the past few years. In 2006 we had the Great Ed Wade Revival which brought the Phillies closer to the post season than anyone ever expected. In 2007 we saw the team achieve a playoff berth for the first time since 1993. The 2008 season had destiny written all over it, and in 2009 the word “dynasty” wasn’t far from anyone’s lips. But 2010 is different; it’s special. The opening day lineup has been intact only a handful of times this year, and that has forced the fans to look more at the individual parts rather than the whole. There appears to be a distinct divide between the guys we’ve always loved (Rollins, Utley, Howard), the ones we love when given a reason to love them (Ibanez, Werth, Victorino), and the ones we’ll remember for that special something they brought to the table during what has arguably be the greatest era in Phillies history to date. With that, I bring you the five 2010 Phillies you loved the most.

#5 - Mike Sweeney

Mike Sweeney came to Philadelphia as part of a post-deadline transaction that was necessary after Ryan Howard was placed on the disabled list with an injured ankle. Drafted by the Royals in 1991, Sweeney has played 1,451 games in the majors without experiencing the postseason, and can’t stop talking about how grateful he is to finally have that opportunity with Philadelphia. What the fans seem to like the most about him is that while he may not be the scariest player at the plate, he undeniably plays with the most heart. Every swing, every dive, every tag is approached with 110% effort, and when he’s not on the field, he is the first player at the top of the dugout steps to give out hugs and high-fives to his teammates. Before games he will sign autographs and hold your baby for a picture, and after games he can be found telling Sarge how “it’s a great gift to be a Philadelphia Phillie,” and that he will do whatever it takes to help get the team to their third consecutive World Series. It’s well known that the relaxed and confident clubhouse atmosphere has played a major role in the Phillies success in recent years, but I’m sure that Sweeney’s child-like optimism and gratitude helped keep the team’s spirits afloat as they scratched and clawed their way back atop not only the NL East, but all of baseball.
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Baseball Ladies Round Table: A Woman’s Place

Associated Press

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Approximately two weeks ago, sports reporter Ines Sainz alluded to a degree of sexual harassment towards her in the New York Jets team locker room after their season opener. Even though the story has been mulled over from several different angels already, I wanted to get the ladies’ perspective of the situation.

Question #1: Do you feel the comments made to/about journalist Ines Sainz in the Jets locker room by the players were inappropriate? Why or why not?

NATALIE: No, I don't think they were inappropriate at all. I feel that by dressing the way she does, she clearly invites any looks and comments thrown her way. I've been in the exact same position as her, and I know firsthand that the players are men and will do what all men do. They look, they whisper, and that is just par for the course. It is the responsibility of the female to be a professional. I personally never once felt unwelcomed by any male athlete or coach or the like, but I always took it upon myself to dress respectably and act appropriately. If you want the respect, especially if you are a woman in the presence of men with huge egos in a locker room that is much like a high school classroom, you must DEMAND respect. Frankly, that is the only way to get and keep it.

KIM: I do feel that the comments made to/about Sainz were inappropriate. Whether or not the team members were just messing around (which, who really knows except for anyone actually present at the time of the alleged harassment), it doesn't make it okay for them to be lewd or flirtatious toward her. Sure, guys will be guys and some guys like to joke around, mess around, whatever, but there's a huge difference between these guys just making lewd comments about other things while Sainz was present and these guys making lewd comments about or toward Sainz.

CYNTHIA: I have slightly mixed feelings on this subject. First off, the comments made towards Ines Sainz in the Jets locker room were definitely disrespectful. However, when a woman presents herself in an unprofessional manner, such as wearing tight, revealing clothing, it does little to prevent the situation. In fact, all it does is provoke and invite men to gawk and comment. I believe that she wants the attention that she gets from the players, just maybe not in such a harsh way. I cannot see how anyone could take her seriously with the way she dresses. Low cut, see-through shirts. Skin-tight pants. Short, tight dresses. Even I was gawking at her photos. I took it upon myself to Google Miss Ines and found nothing at all to support her case, in my opinion. I tried to sympathize with her, but I believe you get what you put out there. I don't want anyone to think that I am trash talking a woman wearing tighter fitting clothing or low cut tops, but if you want to be taken seriously as a professional woman in a field dominated by men, it really is NOT a good look.

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State of the Phillies Address: 09.21.10

45,264

rally towels in attendance

30

games over .500

20

wins by Roy Halladay in 2010; the first Phillie to do so since Steve Carlton in 1982

AP/Matt Slocum

9

wins in a row

8

games in a row in which opposing starting pitchers have gone five innings or less against the Phillies

6

magic number

5

games ahead in the NL East

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Sweet Victory!

With tonight's 8-7 victory over the Florida Marlins, the Phillies take a half game lead in the NL East over the Atlanta Braves. We would celebrate with a hearty boob-grab, too, if we could. Wait...

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The Colbert Report

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

If there’s one thing that has been growing more and more evident this year, it’s that judging a pitcher by his W-L record is the epitome of baseball bullshittery, and Cole Hamels knows this better than anyone.



In 2010, Hamels is 8-10 after 27 starts and 174 innings pitched. He ranks fifth in the National League with 176 strike outs and has a respectable 3.31 ERA which is 27^th of all qualified MLB starting pitchers.

While he hit some rough patches in the beginning of the season (his era hovered between 4.29 and 5.28 briefly, but the booming Phillies offense was busy bailing him out), Hamels deserved better than what happened to him between wins number 7 and 8.

After his last win on July 11^th, Cole pitched through 62 innings, giving up just 17 earned runs and posted a 2.47 ERA before locking in win number eight. In that span he walked only 11 batters and struck out 69 on 929 pitches (68% of those for strikes). The Phillies thanked him for his efforts by going 4-4 in games he started leaving Cole with 3 losses and 5 no-decisions before shutting out the Padres 5-0 on August 29^th.

What else happened during the Dark Ages of Hamels?

• Nelson Figueroa & J.A. Happ became Astros
• Juan Castro became a Dodger
• Jamie Moyer, Shane Victorino, Ryan Howard, Ross Gload and Danys Baez were put on the DL
• The Domonic Brown era began
• Mike Sweeney & Roy Oswalt became Phillies

Cole goes for his second straight win tonight against the Brewers. Here’s hoping it isn’t another seven weeks between victories, because frankly, the Phillies don’t have that kind of time. Pin It Now!

The Ladies of Twitter Annoint MLB's 2010 Surprises & Busts

Originally published by The Fantasy Fix.

Times are changing and Twitter has quickly become a great source of sports information. Everyone from sports stars to professional sports writers to internet-famed sports bloggers are writing daily. So TheFantasyFix.com decided it was far by time to do a roundtable with the LADIES of TWITTER!


So here was the question:




As the conclusion of the 2010 Major League Baseball regular season approaches, we would like to identify those players who fell short of expectations (busts) and those who exceeded expectations (surprises). 




Name one bust/surprise to this point of the 2010 season (describe their 2010) and state what you expect from them in the 2011 season. (rebound, maintain, regress etc..)




And away we go!...


Biggest Bust Of 2010: Chone Figgins | 2B/3B | Seattle Mariners

After acquiring Cliff Lee, Milton Bradley and Chone Figgins over the winter, the Seattle Mariners were thought to be a key contender in 2010. However, things did not go the way the franchise had planned. Bradley took a leave of absence to deal with personal issues, leaving him on the bench as a utility man, and Lee, perennial trade bait, was sent to the Texas Rangers in July. That left Figgins to provide the Mariners with the solace that their off-season aggressiveness wasn’t all for naught.

In 2009, Chone Figgins was among American League leaders in WAR, on-base %, tripples and stolen bases. He also led the league in walks, finished 10th in MVP voting and also played in his first All-Star Game. He was batting .292 in five full seasons as an Angel, averaging 162 hits, 52 RBI, and 44 stolen bases in 850 games from 2004-2009. After swinging at a career high 22.3% of pitches outside of the strike zone in 2007, his plate discipline was improving drastically, with his o-swing% in 2008 and 2009 at 16.5% and 15.1% respectively. He was considered one of the most desirable free agents on the market following the 2009 season.

When Figgins arrived in Seattle, however, he was another player. In 127 games in 2010, Figgins is batting well below his career batting average, at .246. His o-swing% has crept to 19.7%. His saving grace from a fantasy perspective is that he has still stolen 32 bases, but for the most part, that is where his allure ends. ESPN buffs project that he will have another turn-around year in 2011, and for the sake of his 4-year, $36 million agreement with the Mariners, I hope they’re right.


Biggest Surprise Of 2010: Carlos Ruiz | C | Philadelphia Phillies

In his first three full seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Ruiz was batting .245, and averaged 83 hits and 43 RBIs in 339 games. Among MLB catchers with a minimum 330 plate appearances, his batting average ranked 15th in 2007, 23rd in 2008, and 13th in 2009. In 2010, he is batting a career high .287, second only to Joe Mauer.

To date, Chooch has started 84 games, and sat out 20 days with a concussion. Before being placed on the disabled list, Ruiz was hitting .275. Since returning to the lineup on July 10, he is batting .301 with an on-base percentage of .359 and slugging .496 in 40 games. Ruiz also has 22 of his 35 RBIs since July 10 and has had 10 go-ahead hits year to date.

What’s easy to forget is that while 2010 may be the year of the pitcher, there is a catcher behind every staff ace. On April 5, Roy Halladay made his first start as a Phillie and reportedly never shook off Chooch once. On May 29, Doc pitched the 20th perfect game in history as Ruiz called the game from behind the plate. When the Phillies honored the perfect game on August 26, Doc presented Ruiz with a ring engraved with the phrase “We Did It Together”.

Chooch has been a remarkable asset to the team both at and behind the plate, and if the projections are any indication, he will continue to lead the Phillies in their playoff hunt. Pin It Now!

Tweets From Last Night: 08.27.10 Phillies 3 Padres 2

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy of @davefromphilly

1^st Inning

@Rob_STC: Wow another first place team and no crowd. Sounds like you can hear tons of Phillies fans in San Diego.

@Phrontiersman: I really like Mat Latos. But I hope we knock him all over the field tonight.

@_C8Lin: Instead of getting called out on check swings, Ryan decides to not swing at all.
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Game Recap 08.06.10 - Phillies 7 Mets 5

AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

On Friday evening in the Bronx, the Yankees and the Red Sox met for the 2,073^rd time in one of the oldest and most well-known rivalries in baseball. However, just an hour and a half down I-95, a rivalry match-up just as intense was underway in Philadelphia as the Phillies (61-48) defeated the Mets (54-55) 7-5.

Joe Blanton (4-6, 5.65 ERA) started the evening in a way he hasn’t in quite some time. He tossed an easy 13-pitch first inning only giving up a single to Angel Pagan who would be out just moments later as Carlos Beltran batted into an inning ending double play. Going into Friday’s game, Blanton was boasting a first inning ERA of nearly eight in 2010.

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Game Recap 08.04.10 - Phillies 7 Marlins 2

AP Photo/Alan Diaz

Kyle Kendrick (7-4, 4.37 ERA) and Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 3.50 ERA) had already warmed up before the Marlins ground crew scurried to put the tarp on the field just minutes before the first pitch was to be thrown. But 58 minutes later Sanchez took the mound and it appeared the game would go on as planned.

For the second night in a row the Phillies (59-48) struck first, scoring two in the first inning on big hits by both Ross Gload and Domonic Brown. Brown, who went 1-4 with 3 RBIs, is now batting .273 after six games with the big club with 6 RBIs. But it isn’t just his bat that’s making waves in the baseball world. The Marlins (53-54) tested Brown’s arm not once, not twice, but three times in the 7-2 loss to Philadelphia.

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Tweets from Last Night 08.03.10 Phillies 6, Marlins 1

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy of @uublog

1st Inning

@SethDH: Welcome to the @MLB. You just gave up a double vs your first batter. #Phillies #Marlins

@LONG_DRIVE: I feel like Werth leads the league in striking out on that pitch.

@ctrabs74: Fun factoid: Roy Halladay has retired the last 30 of #ThoseFloridaMarlins he has faced. Only 7 pitches - all strikes - to wrap up the 1st.

@LONG_DRIVE: Watching Roy Halladay pitch is like sports porn.

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Tweets From... This Afternoon? 08.01.10 Phillies 6 Nationals 4

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy @catrob927

1^st Inning

@meechone: Dom Brown just stole second base; in my heart.

@SonOfADeitch: Every Phillie is officially hurt ... but Brad Lidge says he can still close.

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Tweets From Last Night 07.30.10 Phillies 1 Nationals 8

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night’s ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

Courtesy @M_OMalley (Section 113)

1st inning

@WWBD102: Good to see JRoll is back in lineup to pop out to start the inning.

@ThatBeerSnob: Didn't the other Roy give up a run in the first inning in Washington, too?

@JuniorGeneral: Well, this is a very disappointing debut. At this point in his Phillies career, Cliff Lee already had cured cancer.
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Tweets From Last Night

Originally posted by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

Instead of doing a traditional game recap, we here at CDTLB thought it would be fun to recapture the highs and lows of last night's ball game by reposting the most insightful, humorous, and raucous Tweets of our favorite followers. Think of it as a drunken, profane game review written by you. And who knows, maybe what you Tweet tonight will show up on our blog tomorrow.

1st Inning

Courtesy @phillyGirlAtray (Section 127)

@phillykelly: Maybe we can get 17 runs tonight. I feel like that would be real helpful to KK.

@SarahMcTamney: Dear Kyle Kendrick, it's been a GREAT day to be a Phillies fan, please don't blow it. Love always, Me.

@4forfour: Polanco out at the plate. Like the aggressiveness though.
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What Just Happened?

• Monday, July 19: Kyle Kendrick gives up back to back to back homers to the Cardinals and takes the 8-4 loss.
• Tuesday, July 20: Kyle Kendrick is optioned to AAA
• Phillies call up Andrew Carpenter to take to the 'pen until the team decides on a starter for Saturday's game.
• Moyer is injured and then replaced by a barrage of relievers after the first inning who combined to give up 7 runs on 13 hits. Carpenter took the 7-1 loss.
• J.A. Happ was pulled from his start for the Iron Pigs after three innings (0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 44 pitches). Scouts were on hand from Houston to watch him, but also with Kendrick being sent down and a spot in the rotation left to fill, Happ was seen as a possibility to pitch on Saturday.
• The rumor mill was churning with talks of a possible deal that would bring Roy Oswalt to the Phillies. Coincidentally, both Happ and Oswalt were both already scheduled to start Saturday on normal rest for their respective teams.
• Wednesday, July 21: Phillies option Carpenter
• RHP Vance Worley is called up from AA Reading (9-4, 3.20 ERA)
• Nelson Figueroa claimed off of waivers by Ed Wade & the Astros.
• Thursday, July 22: Jamie Moyer flies to Philadelphia to consult with doctors about his injury. Official diagnosis: a sprain of the ulnar collataral ligament and strain of the pronator tendon. He will be placed on the DL Saturday and is expected to be out "indefinitely." Amaro announce the rotation spot will be filled internally and there will be no trade.
• Kendrick and Happ are both recalled, Kendrick to pitch Saturday vs. Ubaldo Jimenez and Happ will pitch Sunday.
• Milt Thompson is fired as hitting coach and replaced by Greg Gross.

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Sometimes We Boo

In baseball, there are many breeds of fans. There are the father & son duos that hit the ballpark an hour or two early to catch batting practice, foul balls and autographs. There is the season ticket holder that is on a first-name basis with the ushers and vendors. You’ve seen the gobs of diehard tailgaters drag their sunburned, beer-soaked selves to Ashburn Alley in the fourth inning only to disappear to a bar stool in McFadden’s by the sixth.

There are saber geeks, stat nerds and number crunchers. Terrace deck umpires. Grandfathers keeping score the old-fashioned way with an AM radio in their ear. Toddlers that don’t know the difference between the Phanatic and the Phan Photogs wandering the concourse.

There is one thing, however, that remains consistent among all of these groups: They show up.

H. Rumph, Jr./AP

On Wednesday night, the Phillies played host to 44,282 fans and notched the 80^th consecutive sellout at Citizens Bank Park. To show their appreciation, the Phils pounded out 5 runs on 10 hits including home runs by both Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino, but it wasn’t enough. In addition to the small spark of offense, Philadelphia went 2-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded a total of seven men on base - most notably leaving the bases loaded in the first inning wasting a lead-off double by Jimmy Rollins, scoring no one.

In the end, it was Jamie Moyer that unraveled. In a particularly ugly sixth inning, The Ageless Wonder gave up 6 runs on 6 hits, transforming the Phillies 3-1 lead into a 7-3 hole before being replaced by Danys Baez to secure the final two outs of the inning.

After unsuccessfully rallying back to within two runs, Billy Wagner pitched a 1-2-3 inning to end the game with a 7-5 score in favor of the Braves and leaving the Phillies six games back in the N.L. East – their largest deficit since September 2007.

After the game, both Charlie and the players had a lot of to say about the state of the Phillies after a pivotal mid-season series. However, it wasn’t just what happened on the field, but in the stands that had Shane Victorino fired up in the clubhouse:

“[Booing is] never unfair, but don’t forget like what we’ve done the last two years… three, four years, you know? Things aren’t going to the way they want. Don’t throw in the towel – find a way to get behind us.”

Ryan Lawrence tweeted “[He] said ‘I’m not going to use that word Jimmy said” while basically calling fans who’ve began to boo front-runners.”

This brings me back to the fans that keep showing up game after game. Sure, there are plenty of people in the stands every night that probably have absolutely no clue what’s going on. Girls that are on first dates with boys that would rather be doing just about anything else besides sitting in 96 degree heat surround by sweaty and crass Philadelphians for three hours but want to make a good impression. Kids that are still learning the difference between a fly ball and a line drive. Those tailgaters that could swear three ways to Sunday that there are eighteen men on the field because they’ve had a few beers too many.

But for every warm body in attendance that may not be able to provide a live play-by-play under their breath, there are at least 10 fans that can and as easy as it’s been to be optimistic in recent years even some of the most diehard phanatics are beginning to get frustrated.

In a season that is barely half over, Phillies fans have seen their boys of summer come and go through a revolving door between the 25-man roster and the disabled list. Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Placido Polanco, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and Carlos Ruiz have been the more notable players to be forced into the dugout to watch helplessly as their replacements struggle to keep the team afloat until their return. Six months ago, no one thought they would be watching Wilson Valdez, Juan Castro, Greg Dobbs and Dane Sardinha go to bat for the Phillies night after night as the team’s grip on their usual perch atop the east slips little by little.

Surprisingly, though, the b-squad hasn’t been the big disappointment everyone expected they would be as heralded All-Stars, MVPs, Gold Glovers and Silver Sluggers started dropping like flies. Valdez and Sardinha have combined for a .250 batting average, four home runs and twelve RBIs since June 29^th. Comparatively, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez have also combined for a batting average of .250, one home run (Werth), and five RBIs in the same time period. What must be noted here is that although everyone seems to be playing on the same level, they shouldn’t be.

Fans cheer when Valdez hits a home run because he had previously gone more than half a decade between big-league bombs. Fans are on their feet when Sardinha gets a double because he’s played a total of 44 games at the major-league level since 2003 and is the team’s fourth-string – read: FOURTH STRING – catcher that was just going about his business as Paul Hoover’s backup in Lehigh Valley less than a month ago.

Fans boo when Jayson Werth is batting a whopping .179 in his last ten games with one lone RBI. Fans boo when Shane Victorino comes in to pinch hit in a key at-bat, swings at the first pitch, and grounds out to first to end the inning. Fans boo when fielders commit thirteen errors behind Roy Halladay. Fans boo when the bullpen gives up a 5-run lead in the ninth inning wasting a quality start by Cole Hamels.

Fans boo when their team isn’t playing the baseball they know they’re capable of.

I’ll be the first to admit that the crowds in excess of 43,000 that show up to the ballpark night after night are going to get things wrong every once in a while. After all, there is a whole other level of perception from the stands than down on the field. But they also can’t be expected to keep their frustrations to themselves when the team’s struggles seem so ridiculous, so laughable.

So no, Shane, we’re not throwing in the towel just yet, but we’re going to need a reason not to very, very soon. Pin It Now!

Skipper Suspended

Charlie Manual has been fined and suspended for one game for "aggressive arguing and inappropriate contact" with C.B. Bucknor on Monday night in Cincinnati. Manual's hat brim brushed Bucknor's forehead during the heated berating of the home plate umpire's strike zone. He will serve the suspension this evening when the Phillies take the field against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. (Source: CSNPhilly.com)

AP Photo / Al Behrman

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Man Overboard: Chase Utley

AP / Al Behrman

According to a tweet by Peter Gammons this afternoon, it appears that Chase Utley will indeed be having surgery. Utley injured his thumb sliding into second base on Monday in Cincinnati and took himself out of the game in the ninth inning. At the time, it had been speculated that if Utley were to need surgery to remedy a tear in his thumb he could be expected to sit for at least 6-8 weeks.

With the trade season in full swing, it was assumed the Phillies would be shopping for pitchers. However with Utley down for the count, Placido Polanco on the 15-day disabled list, and Jimmy Rollins still fresh from his second trip to the DL it's safe to say Ruben Amaro, Jr. will have to make some quick decisions. Does he fill the void that Juan Castro, Wilson Valdez, and Greg Dobbs are left to tend to in the interim or does he continue to focus on the mound that has been equally plagued by injury in 2010?

More details to come throughout the day.

---

UPDATE (2:32 pm) - According to CSNPhilly.com Chase Utley had surgery on his thumb in NYC this morning. Pin It Now!

Game Recap 05.27.10 - Mets 3 Phillies 0

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Game Recap 05.15.10: Phillies 10 Brewers 6

AP Photo/Morry Gash

Third time’s the charm for Joe Blanton.

On Saturday afternoon, the Philadelphia Phillies (22-13) beat the Milwaukee Brewers (15-21) 10-6 helping Blanton (1-2, 5.49 ERA) earn his first win of the 2010 season.

After the first of four 1-2-3 innings by Blanton, the Phillies came out swinging in the bottom of the second. With Hoover on first, Blanton laid down a bunt that was poorly played by the Brewers leaving everyone safe. Victorino followed up by hitting a blooper up the middle to drive in the first run of the game putting the Phillies up 1-0. With two men on and two out, Utley ripped a ball to right field that appeared to bounce off the top of the wall, take a hop off of Corey Hart’s foot, and take a funny path back over the wall. The play was scored a ground rule double, which brought a runner home giving the Phillies a 2-0 lead, but the official scorer admitted that it was the wrong call. The Brewers ground rules state that if a ball hits the wall, then hits a player before going back over the wall, the play is to be scored a home run.

By the end of the third inning Brewers pitcher Chris Narveson (L, 3-1, 5.29 ERA) had already tossed out 74 pitches. He would eventually go a Major League leading 130 pitches through 5 2/3 striking out 9 and walking 3. He gave up two more runs in the sixth for good measure on a 2-run jack by Victorino (8) who went 3-6 with 4 RBIs. Victorino, Polanco and Hoover ran the show, combining for 10 of the Phillies season-high 17 hits on the day.

The most damage either team would do came in the 7^th. With Claudio Vargas pitching for the Brewers, Jayson Werth and Wilson Valdez each singled and were moved up to second and third on a wild pitch before Hoover doubled them in, bringing the Phillies up 6-2. Blanton helped his own cause by singling to center and Victorino answered with a double of his own driving in two more runs. The hit show didn’t end there, though. Polanco and Utley each drove in a run on a hit and a sacrifice fly, respectively, and the inning would finally come to a close 7 hits, 5 runs, and 2 pitchers later.

The Brewers didn’t waste any time tightening up the Phils’ lead. After letting up a double and a walk, Blanton mailed home a first pitch changeup right over the plate to Corey Hart who returned the favor with a three-run shot to left center bringing the Brewers within four runs of the Phillies. It was Blanton’s third homer allowed of the game and he finished the day with 7 innings pitched, giving up 5 runs on 6 hits, walked one, and struck out five on 104 pitches.

The Phillies made sure to tack on one more insurance run in the 8^th before handing the ball to David Herndon to close out the 9^th. After allowing three hits and a run with only one out to work with, Cholly brought in Contreras with two men on and a four run lead. After walking the first batter to load the bases, the Phillies held their breath as he worked back to back strikeouts to end the ballgame and earn his first career save.

In related news, it was reported after the game that Brad Lidge would be heading back to the 15-day DL (retroactive to May 10) with inflammation in his elbow. He could receive either a joint lubricant injection of a cortisone shot once the team returns to Philadelphia after tomorrows series finale against the Brewers. Antonio Bastardo has been called up once again to take Lidge's place on the roster.

Jimmy Rollins also made his first rehab start going 0-3 for the Class-A Clearwater Threshers.

Cole Hamels (3-2, 4.53 ERA) takes the hill against Doug Davis (1-4, 7.56) for ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball at 8:05 PM EDT. Pin It Now!

Some Quick Hitters

A lot of things happened in the past 24 hours regarding the Phillies. Here are some quick snapshots of the news:
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Game Review 05.08.10: Phillies 1 Braves 4

AP Photo/Tom Mihalek

After Friday night’s performance by Jamie Moyer, the Philadelphia Phillies knew the odds were against them of witnessing something even half as special this afternoon.

In fact, they were presented with just the opposite. The Phillies (18-12) dropped game two of three to the Braves (13-17) with a final score of 4-1.
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Game Recap 05.07.10: Phillies 7 Braves 0

We’ve all heard it said before: “You never know when you’re going to see something at the ballpark that you’ve never seen before.”

Friday night was without a doubt one of those nights.

Philadelphia Phillies fans can’t help but roll their eyes every time someone says “47-year-old Jamie Moyer,” or, “The Ageless Wonder Jamie Moyer,” but on Friday everyone was focused on one thing: Jamie Moyer is now the oldest pitcher to have pitched a complete game shutout, and no matter how you slice it, that’s just plain incredible.
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Game Recap: 05.05.10 Phillies 4 Cardinals 0

Depending on how you want to look at it, Kyle Kendrick (1-1, 5.87 ERA) was either brilliant or damn lucky in Wednesday’s 4-0 win against the Saint Louis Cardinals (18-10), with the Phillies (16-11) taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Kendrick relied heavily on his fastball, which made up for over half of his pitches. It was working for him, though, as he retired 11 of his 27 batters faced with it including 6 ground outs and 2 strike outs. He finished the night with 7 innings pitched, 6 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and no runs, getting his first win of the season. In a collaborative effort, Baez and Contreras assisted in the combined shut out of the Cardinals, each with one inning pitched, no walks, no hits, and one strikeout by Baez in the 8^th.

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Game Recap: 05.04.10 Phillies 2 Cardinals 1

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Cole Hamels showed exactly what he was made of on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals as the Phillies won the second of four games with the birds, evening the series at one each.

Cole pitched 8 innings, gave up 1 earned run on 8 hits, walked two and struck out eight. He maintained his composure throughout the entire game and did not get rattled until a fan leaped onto the field while he was in his windup and time was called in the middle of his delivery in the top of the eighth inning. After order was restored, Hamels gave up back to back singles and the tying run scored on a Yadier Molina line drive to right field.

Cole was visibly upset at the second straight night of fan antics but let’s be real – who wouldn’t be? Heck, even Roy Halladay would have to restrain himself from throwing a strike right to the guy’s skull, I’m sure. But I’m not one for excuses, and I am slowly but surely starting to believe that Hamels is getting better at not taking these kind of things so personally, too.
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If Found, Please Tase

Originally published by Chicks Dig the Long Ball.

For the second night in a row, Phillies fans had the unfortunate opportunity to witness yet another "fan" leap to his fate on the field at Citizens Bank Park. The only difference? Last night the Phillies were down by five runs, the fan did not jump onto the grass mid-pitch, and the fans in attendance were shocked to have just seen a 17-year-old kid tased by security. Tonight? 32-year-old Douchebag of the Year Thomas Betz of Philadelphia sent a tweet before he jumped onto the field announcing his intentions, gave up without a fight, and after 24 hours of "stop talking about the taser kid" chatter, cries of "TASE THE SONOFABITCH" rose from the mouths of every Phillies fan on the planet.

The culprit:

Image on left from @THETHOROBRED's Twitter account / Image on right AP Photo/Matt Slocum

The Tweet:

Please keep in mind that Chicks Dig The Long Ball DOES NOT under any circumstances condone harassment of anyone, even someone as seemingly deserving as this dickhead. That being said, here are links to his MySpace and Facebook accounts in case you want to track the aftermath from his point of view. Pin It Now!

Wheels & T-Mac Get Awkward

Someone at My PHL had the fantastic idea to blow everyone's minds away with tonights freeze cam moments: T-Mac & Wheels practicing, uh, their... grips?

Here, let me help you with that.

I guess we all know what they'll be doing after the game. Pin It Now!

Game Recap: 05.03.10 Cardinals 6 Phillies 3

AP/Matt Slocum

Joe Blanton walked back to the dugout to a standing ovation after being taken out of the game in the seventh inning, and rightfully so.

In his first start of 2010 after coming off a rehab assignment, Blanton pitched 6.2 innings with 10 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, and 4 Ks. It may not look like a winning line (and in the end, it wasn’t), but the Phillies achieved a different type of victory tonight in that they were able to add a pitcher back to the lineup that can eat innings and is if nothing else, consistently consistent.
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Brad is "Ready to Go"

Getty Images

The Phillies announced this morning that Brad Lidge has been reactivated on the roster, sending Antonio Bastardo to the AAA Iron Pigs.

Lidge made his final rehab appearance at AA Reading on Tuesday throwing two scoreless innings, striking out four on 34 pitches (22 for strikes) and said he was "ready to go." Tuesday was the last of six consecutive outings without giving up a run.

"Lights Out Lidge" may make his first appearance for the Phillies in 2010 this weekend in the highly anticipated series against the Mets.

In other rehab news, there is some speculation that Joe Blanton could be back in the rotation by Monday. Pin It Now!

Game Recap: 04.28.10 Phillies 7 Giants 6

AP/Eric Rigsby

The Phillies had one job to do today: win.

It may only be April, but the Fightins knew they couldn’t come home to Citizens Bank Park with anything less than a big, fat, pinstriped “W,” especially with the red-hot Mets coming to town, and they avoided their first sweep of the season with the most topsy-turvy victory they could possibly muster.

Going into today’s game the Phillies were 3-5 on this road trip having batted a sub par .234 with just four home runs between them (three of which were of the Jayson Werth variety). Surely going up against Tim Lincecum for the series finale wasn’t going to result in the offensive boom the team had been missing as of late.

Lincecum (4-0, 1.02 ERA) vs. Hamels (2-2, 5.28 ERA) turned out to be the pitchers dual everyone had hoped for – at least for the first five innings.
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Game Review 04.27.10 - Giants 6 Phillies 2

In the spirit of what I like to call "west coast road trip syndrome," (aka "it's 1 AM and I just want to go to bed so here's your stupid game recap") I bring you this:

http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2010_04_27_phimlb_sfnmlb_1

Go ahead and click it. You'll be glad you did.

Tomorrow: Hamels (2-2, 5.11 ERA) takes on Freaky McFreakerson (4-0, 1.00 ERA) at 3:45 PM ET. Be there.

Or just come read the recap around dinner time. Pin It Now!

Game Recap: 04.26.10 Giants 5 Phillies 1

Look, it's 1 AM and I have to be at work in seven hours for a 12-hour shift, so I'm going to keep this short.

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

• Victorino - 3/5
• Polanco - 1/4, 1BB
• Utley - 0/2, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HBP (first of the year)
• Howard - 0/3, 1BB
• Werth - 0/2, 2 BB, 2 SO
• Francisco - 0/4
• Valdez - 0/3, 2 SO
• Ruiz - 0/3, 1BB

Halladay (L, 4-1):

• 7 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 5 K
• ERA 1.80
• 104 pitches - 72 strikes

Sanchez (W, 2-1):

• 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
• ERA 1.85
• 107 pitches - 62 strikes

You're a smart group. You can figure it out from this, right?

Moyer (2-1, 5.00 ERA) vs Wellemeyer (0-3, 8.16 ERA) tomorrow at 10:15 PM ET. Pin It Now!

Game Review: 04.24.10

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

It was the most improbable of wins. With J.A. Happ on the disabled list the Philadelphia Phillies put Nelson Figueroa on the mound to make his first start since his October 4^th complete game vs. the Astros (which was done in a Mets uniform). Figgy knows how lucky he is to be playing professional baseball right now, especially for the Phillies, after being put on waivers by the Mets on opening day, but I doubt he thought he would be starting a game for the Fightins any time soon.

And let’s face it, we didn’t see it coming either.

In a 3-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Nelson pitched a solid 5 innings giving up 5 hits, 2 runs on a home run to Kelly Johnson, walked 2, and struck out 4. Durbin, Contreras (W, 1-1, 1.59 ERA), and Madson (S, 4, 6.75 ERA) carried out the rest of the game with near perfect precision putting up a combined 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, and 8 K.

The real heroes of the night, though, were Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. Werth went 2-4 with 2 RBI each on a solo home run. Raul followed suit with a solo blast of his own (his first of the year) and finished the night similarly at 2-4 and 1 RBI.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Don’t let a few long balls fool you, though. The offensive dry-spell that has cast a cloud over the rest of the Phillies lineup was still ever-present on Saturday evening. Victorino, Utley, Polanco, and Howard each went 0-4; Polly being the only one of the bunch to avoid a strikeout. Juan Castro went 1-2 before being taken out of the game in the 7^th with a mild left hamstring strain and was replaced by Valdez who went 0-2.

The Phillies wrap the series in Arizona tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET with Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 7.24 ERA) taking the mound against Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 3.50 ERA) before heading off to San Fransisco. Pin It Now!

Game Review: 04.23.10

Friday night’s game started the way the fans hoped it would: Cole Hamels threw a quick 1-2-3 first inning on 9 pitches, the Phillies scored first that started with a double by Hamels with the RBI driven in by a Victorino triple in the third, and in the fourth, Jayson Werth scored a non-inside the park home run on a sort-of error by the outfielder for catching but not catching a fly ball before dropping it or bobbling it or not transferring it correctly or whatever it was he did. Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch overstayed his welcome on the field trying to wrap his head around the scoring decision and was eventually ejected by crew chief Dale “it is what it is” Scott.
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Its Not You, Its Me

“For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’” – John Greenleaf Whittier

Some say it should take half the amount of time you were with someone to get over them. Others say it should take about six months per every two years you were together.

Either way, we should have been over Cliff Lee by Valentine’s Day.

Let’s start but looking at the chain of events that ultimately led to me writing this today:

• May 14, 1977 – Harry Leroy Halladay III was born
• August 30, 1978 – Clifton Phifer Lee was born
• 1995 – Halladay drafted by the Toronto Blue Days
• 1997 – Lee drafted by the Florida Marlins (but did not sign)
• 1998 – Lee drafted by the Baltimore Orioles (but still did not sign)
• September 20, 1998 – Halladay makes his major league debut vs. Tampa Bay (5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 93 Pitches [54 strikes], W 7-5)
• 2000 – Lee drafted by the Montreal Expos (he was just holding out for a contender, apparently)
• September 15, 2002 – Lee makes his major league debut with Cleveland vs. Twins (5.1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO, 82 Pitches [82 strikes], L 0-5)
• 2003 – Halladay wins the AL Cy Young Award
• 2004 – Halladay placed on DL twice with shoulder problems
• July 8^th, 2005 – Halladay suffers broken leg from a line drive and sits out remainder of season
• 2007 – Lee began the season on the DL with a groin sprain (ouch)
• 2008 – Lee wins the AL Cy Young Award (Halladay finished second in the voting)
• June 12, 2009 – Halladay placed on 15-day DL (pulled groin)
• July 29, 2009 – Lee is traded to the Philadelphia Phillies
• July 31, 2009 – Lee makes his debut with the Phillies vs. Giants (9 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO, 109 Pitches [76 strikes], W 5-1)
• December 15, 2009 – Lee is traded to the Seattle Mariners
• December 16, 2009 – Halladay is traded to the Philadelphia Phillies
• 2010 – Lee began the season on the DL with an abdominal injury
• April 5, 2010 – Halladay makes his debut with the Phillies vs. Nationals (7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 SO, 88 Pitches [59 strikes], W 11-1)
• April 30, 2010 – Lee scheduled to make his first start of the season

(I figured since we all like to compare the two phenoms to one another so much it was only appropriate to construct a list like that.)

In the past week I have seen more graphics comparing Cliff Lee to Roy Halladay than I have when the blockbuster trades initially happened, which seems absurd to me considering Lee hasn’t even pitched yet in 2010. Further, Halladay has only pitched four games for the Phillies and Lee only pitched 12 (postseason excluded). If anyone is going to be comparing anything it should be their career stats (I can feel Andrea cringing right now) before they ever walked thru the doors (turnstiles?) of Citizens Bank Park.

Before coming to Philadelphia, Cliff Lee had started 178 games over 8 ½ years for the Cleveland Indians and posted a W-L record of 83-48. He averaged 6.1 innings per start, and 9.2 H, 1 HR, 2.6 BB, and 6.7 K per 9 innings with a 4.01 ERA.

Back in Toronto, Roy Halladay was busy starting 287 games over 12 seasons hustling his way to a 148-76 W-L record. He averaged 7.1 innings per start, 7 H, 0.6 HR, 1.6 BB, and 5.2 K per 9 innings with a 3.43 ERA.

Right off the bat (pun intended) we can see that even though Cliff Lee has only started two-thirds as many games as Doc, Roy has him beat on every single stat. But let’s face it – unless something truly drastic happens and one (or both) of these guys have a year (or two, or three) that are so bad as to drag their overall results down, Cliffy Poo will always be second to Halladay.

I suppose I can hop on the “look how weird it is that Doc and Lee have identical numbers” train, now, even though I’ll have you know I hate having any part in it. Through their first three games with the Phillies, both Halladay and Lee were both 3-0 with 24 innings pitched and had 1.13 ERAs. Through their first four games in pinstripes, both were 4-0 with 33 innings pitched and 0.82 ERAs. I’ll admit it’s pretty cool, kind of freaky, and totally coincidental.

I could harp on how much better Halladay is than Lee (because when you look at the big picture, it isn’t just “marginally better” its “a whole hell of a lot better”), or that I agree with Amaro’s logic that in order to get Lee we had to give up a lot, and in order to get Doc we had to give up more, so to get back what we lost we had to give up someone big and that someone was Lee. I could go on about how I don’t think Lee would have taken a discount to stick around in Philly after this year and how I think Ruben is absolutely correct in reasoning that the organization needs to think long-term and not get wrapped up in the “do whatever it takes to win yesterday” mentality that a lot of players and fans focus on. I could point out that in the short time since Lee has left Philly he has landed himself on the DL and gotten into (and out of) a 5-game suspension situation for head hunting (badly).

But I won’t.

Instead I want to compare the career stats of Clifton Phifer Lee to your Philadelphia Phillies starting (and temporary starting) rotation. A little housekeeping first: I’m going to go ahead and include Figgy in there since he is taking the hill on Saturday, but try not to let his figure distract you too much. Also, bear in mind that Happ and Kendrick both have very few starts so their numbers are still pretty heavily influenced with every game they play. I also did not include Moyer’s start against the Braves on 4/22.

Now, I’ll admit, Lee’s numbers are (obviously) pretty damn good. How else does the kid win a Cy Young Award and cause such havoc on a city when he skips town after less than six months? I mostly want you all to keep in mind that the plan the whole time was to acquire Halladay and we were incredibly lucky to have a Plan B with so much promise. What I want you to notice is how when compared to the rest of the 2010 “rotation” he is clearly better than average, but never better than Halladay or Hamels (who a good portion of fans claim should have been traded to Seattle in lieu of Lee). With that being said, here’s what I’ve been staring at for the past two days:

Career Stats

Averages Per Start

Averages Per Nine Innings

Now I know this is a lot to look at, especially if you don’t have a round-the-clock female hard-on for spreadsheets like I do, but let’s work through it together.

First of all, I think W-L records are crap, so I’m not going to discuss it even though I’ve included it on the graphic for you to make of it what you will. There are too many variables that are not left up to the pitcher to reasonable use this stat to compare pitchers to one another. Don’t worry; if you disagree I’ll have a whole post dedicated specifically to the bullshittery of the W-L record soon.

ERA: As much as I’d like to throw Happ’s out for having only started 30 games in his career, it’s kind of hard to overlook a 3.06 no matter how new you are to the show. There is no surprise here though that Halladay follows closely behind with 3.39 and Hamels with 3.67. Lee would be batting cleanup with a 3.97 career ERA.

One of the more surprising figures I looked at closely was what I call the “inning eater stat.” I’m sure there is some sabermetricky name for this like IPCGSO+++ or something, but I’m not that dedicated to look it up (or test it and create it… maybe one day). But I was intrigued by the average innings pitched per start, percentage of complete games vs. starts, and percentage of shut outs to complete games. To be perfectly honest I think these plus ERA should count way more than W-L record (but as I mentioned before, that’s a conversation for another day). Just take a look at this condensed figure real quick and let it sink in for a second:

Super Duper Innings Eater Stat (official name TBD)

Who would have thought by looking at just about every other number to judge a pitcher by that the most innings pitched per start list would go this way: Figueroa, Halladay, Happ, Moyer, Hamels, Blanton, Lee, and Kendrick. Sure Halladay and Kendrick aren’t too surprising where they rank, but Lee is second to last. That means that technically, no matter how much you want to argue about it, with Lee in the rotation the bullpen would be working harder. (I don’t need to make spreadsheets to explain to you all why the bullpen does not need to be working any harder than it already is this year.) Sure he tosses a complete game almost 7% of the time (third best on this list) but realistically that averages out to about 2 games a year. It doesn’t matter that he pitched two complete games for the Phillies in his short time here – he put up better than average numbers during that stretch and would be bound to “fall off” eventually. Ring any bells? *Ahem* Raul Ibanez? (OK, ok, easy kids, it’s a joke, and a bad one at that).

The Phillies have Harry Leroy Halladay III who goes the distance 17.5% of the time. That’s 5.67 – hell, let’s round up – that’s almost 6 games a year which is a huge deal even if it may not look like a lot when you consider the season is a 162 game marathon. Combined (minus Lee) the Phillies starting and temporarily starting pitchers are on pace to throw a full nine innings roughly every 13 games. They will go about 6 and two-thirds innings on average which sets the bullpen up perfectly to be used the way a ‘pen is meant to be used – reliever, setup man, closer. Of course just as we can “expect” a complete game every 13th day, we can also reasonable expect things to go awry once in a while, but it’s important to have innings eaters like the Phillies statistically have to keep the ‘pen rested and ready for those emergency situations.

We could look at hits, strike outs, and walks per nine innings, or averages per starts, but the numbers are going to keep lining up the same way. The truth of the matter is that Lee was only here for an incredibly brief period of time, and while we can sit here all day and debate his role in “leading us to the playoffs” and “what would have been the best 1-2-3 punch in baseball,” it doesn’t bring him back. We can hope that he has a mediocre year, or maybe even sub-par after coming off his injuries (don’t forget his foot surgery in the off-season in addition to the abdominal strain that’s kept him sidelined thus far) and maybe it’ll be enough for the free agency market to dry up just enough for the Phillies to snatch him back up for a bargain – but let’s be real. To be perfectly honest there really was no statistical reason to get rid of Lee. It really did come down to money, prospects, and the fulfillment of the prophecy of Roy – but that’s no reason to become discouraged.

It used to be that players could not wait to get as far away from the Phillies as possible – now they have Cy Young Award winners just walking through a rotating door and clamoring for those red pinstripes. There were no “special” players in 2008 leading the team to the World Series championship the city had been pining for for decades. There was no intricate, virtual game of chess being played like there has been ever since trying to get that third pennant. The Phillies didn’t need Cliff Lee to get them a ring two years ago and the organization clearly felt they didn’t need him to get one in 2010, either. At the end of the day, Cliff Lee was a love affair, a fling, the guy you get to take you out on dates until the boy you’ve had a crush on asks you to the prom. So instead of mourning the great Loss of Lee every time Kendrick or Moyer start to show signs of distress, or when Happ lands himself on the DL, just remember that it’s a team that wins championships, not just one player. Let’s all remember that at the end of the day Lee was very vague about his intentions to remain in Philadelphia once he was eligible for free agency and Halladay was literally so hurt to not be a Phillie that he couldn’t even bear to watch the 2009 World Series.

Besides, no one ever wrote a blog called “I want to go to the zoo with Cliff Lee.” Pin It Now!

Game Review: 04.21.10

After three straight (heartbreaking) losses, the Phillies looked to Doc Halladay to pull them out of their slump. He didn’t waste any time retiring the first Brave of the game on a slow roller to first after just one pitch (cuttered).

In his fourth start for the Fightins he pitched his second complete game and first shut out of 2010 bringing his record to 4-0 and his ERA down to a national league leading 0.82 having passed Mike Pelfry (0.86) and Tim Lincecum (0.90). Harry Leroy rounded out the night with 9 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, and 7 SO on 113 pitches (71 for strikes, 23 for cutters).
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Ode to Ryan Madson

I was going to write a post about Madson fucking up another game for the Phillies, but I decided to write a limerick instead. (Warning: Val is much better at this than I am.)

Put the purse down and pitch, you pansy. (Via @PhoulBallz)

There once was a Phillie named Ryan
Who left Philadelphia cryin’
He had only three Braves
to whiff for a save
Goddamnit, I think I want Lidge back.

Sad fans after a Madson blown save Du'Jour in 2009

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Game Recap: 04.17.10

Jamie, Jamie, Jamie.

Where do we begin? The game started off the way no fan ever wants to see a game start: Jamie Moyer giving up five earned runs before the offense-heavy Phillies even had a chance to bat.

Say what you will about his age or that Ruben Amaro shouldn’t have signed a 45-year-old to a 2-year contract, or that he should be in the bullpen if the organization insists on keeping him on the roster, but Jamie Moyer is hardly to blame for the Phillies third loss of the 2010 season.

Ricky Nolasco nearly pitched a complete game shutout, totally silencing the Phillies’ normally boisterous offense with the exception of Jayson Werth’s 9th inning 2-out solo home run to make it a 5-1 Marlins win. The Phillies only posed a threat once in the bottom of the 6th with a single by Brian Schneider, and walks to Victorino and Utley to load the bases with Howard coming up to bat. The Big Piece came up short and dribbled a second pitch grounder to first to end the inning.

Nolasco’s line was a beauty in only his fourth complete game of his career. In nine innings he allowed five hits (Victorino, Utley, Werth, Castro, Schneider), walked three, struck out four, and gave up one run in the 11th hour on Jayson Werth’s homer. I mentioned a few times previously that the offense just isn’t going to be there every night to get someone across the plate each inning.

I can’t say that this is a typical showing from Nolasco and it certainly isn’t usual for the Phillies bats to be so quiet, especially after the hot start they got off to. But every fan knows that once in a while two anomalies will meet halfway and results in a game like the one played in Philadelphia tonight. Utley can’t hit two home runs a night every night, Polanco can’t bat over .400 forever, and Howard… well Howard has delivered all of once with the bases loaded this year.

But what about Moyer? Aside from the batting practice session he threw in the first inning he pitched an absolute gem. In the midst of a 25-pitch, 5-run first inning Moyer relied heavily on his sinker and cutter, did not throw a single fastball and topped out at 82 MPH. By the game’s end he threw 89 pitches in 6 innings (58 for strikes), walked one, and struck out seven – three of which came from striking out the side in the 5th inning.

There isn’t much to analyze here tonight, folks. Sometimes bats go quiet. Sometimes the Phillies offense can dig their pitchers out of jams. Sometimes Moyer throws great games and just has one 5-run inning hiccup (ok, so that’s happened, uh, every time so far). But I don’t see it as anything to get worked up over. Once Blanton comes back (which should be by the first week of May), Kendrick will more than likely slink back to the bullpen and Moyer will continue to have a short leash on him. I may have gone out of my way to write a plea to KK after his most recent miserable outing to get his head on straight but I by no means have lost my confidence in him. I’m sure if the organization loses faith in Moyer and sends him packing to the ‘pen that Kendrick will be a reasonable replacement until they find a more permanent solution.

Why the Phillies haven’t figured out a permanent solution to their pitching woes already, though, is beyond me. If Roy Halladay was itching to put on red pinstripes and Cliff Lee was miffed to have been shipped off prematurely, surely there are other pitchers than want a shot at winning the Phillies second World Series title in three years. How many times can we say we’ve had Cy Young award winners just going through a revolving door as frequently as they have been recently? And now with J.A. Happ’s looming ailment, Charlie and Ruben have some decisions to make.

The Phillies wrap up the series against the Marlins tomorrow at 1:35 with Hamels (2-0) vs. Robertson (1-0). Pin It Now!