KTE - Philles (Apr 18, 19, 20)

[Frayed Knot]

Alright, it's been like barely a week since we played these guys so if you need help knowing them you've got bigger problems then my essay here will solve - but a little update on what's been happening in the last 9 days never hurts.

The Phils come in at 8 - 8 having just took 2 of 3 from the struggling Astros. That leaves them 1 game behind the 8 - 6 Mets (we've played fewer games to this point than every other team in the majors) and 1-1/2 behind the 1st place Florida Marlins (9 - 6)


Friday - 7:05 (SNY)
Santana vs Cole Hamels (L): 3 starts; 2-1; 22 IP; 0.82 ERA; 0.82 WhiP (check out that ERA/WHiP coincidence)
The top-dog matchup that didn't happen during the first go-round leads this series off

Saturday - 3:55 (FOX)
Perez vs Jaime Moyer (L): 3 starts; 14-2/3 IP; 5.52 ERA; 1.84 WHiP
The (sorta) young vs the (very) old as we continue to see a steady diet of southpaws even as Schneider and especially Church are spending the early season giving a big F.U. to the practice.
These two hooked up in the first game of last week's series. Mets got 2 off Moyer in 6 innings while Perez was yanked in the 6th despite still having a shutout. Eventually the Met pen caved in (Schoeneweis, Sosa, Heilman) and the Phils won 5-2

Sunday - 8:00 (ESPN)
Pelfrey vs Adam Eaton (finally a RHP!): 3 starts; 19-2/3 IP; 4.12 ERA; 1.39 WHiP
Yes, for the 2nd week in a row ESPN schedules (read as: MLB allows them to) a Sunday game at night, in April, in the northeast.
Mets built a 3-0 lead on Eaton last week before the pen (Heilman again) let the Phils tie it up in the game the Mets eventually won in the 12th when Pagan's hit scored Reyes on a close play at the plate.

Jimmy Rollins has had only 3 ABs since twisting his ankle last week (our pick-off strategy worked in other words) and isn't expected to play until Saturday at the earliest. That leaves Eric "E-6" Bruntlett manning the position who, in addition to not fielding, isn't hitting either (.176/.222/.265)

Shane (the flyin Hawaiin) Victorino has been DL'd with a calf problem. So Taguchi is getting most of his ABs and the spot on the roster is being taken up by the Florida-born, Australian-raised OFer Chris Snelling. The lefty-swinging Snelling was a top prospect in the Mariners system where his style of play often had him referred to as a down-under version of Lenny Dykstra. He put up some real good minor league numbers and even made hi ML debut way back in 2002, but his Lenny-like penchant for running into walls and other people kept shelving his progress as he missed major chunks of several seasons. The Phils are his 4th organization in the last 4 years.

Pat Burrell (.373/.492/.804 - 6 HR); Chase Utley (.317/.400/.651); Chris Coste (.400/.478/.800 - 20 AB); and Jayson Werth (.370/.514/.556) are the hottest hitters for the Phightin's
Eric Bruntlett; Carlos Ruiz (.186/.239/.233); and Ryan Howard (.211/.361/.456 - 4 HR) not so much

Relievers Rudy Seanez (6 IPs); Brad Lidge (5 IP); and J.C. Romero (6-2/3 IP) are unscored upon so far this season.

[Guest Triple Dee]

This KTE was proudly brought to you by;

[metirish]

For the useless info file , Cole Hamels used to have Santana on his fantasy teams when he played.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Never glad to know there's an injury or anything but without Victorino catching everything in sight in the first series I'm pretty sure we'd have destroyed them.

Onward.

[HahnSolo]

Rollins will not be back with the team until Saturday. He is at his uncles funeral in California. Whether he can play at that time is unknown.

The Phillies have treated this quite Met-like: first they said he was day to day; then it was afew days; then he had a couple pinch hit opportunities; according a to Phillie message board I looked at, Rollins looked like he could barely walk, never mind pinch hit. Phillies fans now frustrated that Rollins won't play any time soon, they're down a bench player, Bruntlett stinks, and the pinch hit ABs will push back his retroactive DL time.

[bmfc1]

"Sunday - 8:00 (ESPN)
Pelfrey vs Adam Eaton (finally a RHP!): 3 starts; 19-2/3 IP; 4.12 ERA; 1.39 WHiP
Yes, for the 2nd week in a row ESPN schedules (read as: MLB allows them to) a Sunday game at night, in April, in the northeast."

True...plus, it's the second night of Passover which means that Seder #2 conflicts... not that there are any Jews in New York or Philadelphia that might want to see this game.

[Guest Triple Dee]

I'd be stating the obvious when I say Santana needs to pitch deep in today's game, as I don't think Sanchez or Smith will be available from the pen.

Anyhow, I'm off to bed.

[soupcan]

Bed? Dude its the middle of the day!

Slacker.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Hamels told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he's not going to be focused on Santana; he has to concentrate on the Mets hitters.

As for Santana, "I don't care," Hamels said. "He could be a weird-looking person that had eight arms, and that's not going to bother me."

The Mets should send Santana to the mound in this costume and see if they can't freak Hamels out:

http://www.entertainmentstore.com.au/media/client/HenryMed.jpg

[metirish]

Is there a reason Santana keeps getting the extra day between starts , does he have a preference. I don't like the idea that he gets the extra day because this is Philly.

[Willets Point]

soupcan wrote: Bed? Dude its the middle of the day! Slacker.

He's Australian. Those Aussies just drop off for a nap whenever they feel like it.

[Guest Triple Dee]

Willets Point wrote: ="soupcan"]Bed? Dude its the middle of the day! Slacker. He's Australian. Those Aussies just drop off for a nap whenever they feel like it.

Yes. Especially at 1am in the morning.