Today's OOTS, featuring Brewers at Phillies

[Benjamin Grimm]

Only one afternoon game today, and it does have pennant race impact as the Twins, one game out of first place in the AL Central, host the Royals.

But the game we all care about starts at 7:05 p.m.: Brewers at Phillies.

Jamie Moyer goes for the Phillies on three days rest. The Phillies, without the benefit of the offdays that the Mets have this week, are having some rotation problems as a result of the unexpected Sunday doubleheader.

Ben Sheets pitches for the Brewers. Last time we saw him he was pulled after 5 shutout innings against the Mets. (Some kind of tightness, if I remember correctly.) But he recovered enough in his next start to pitch a 1-0 complete game shutout against the Padres on September 6. (5 hits, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts.) Sheets hasn't given up a single run, earned or unearned, since August 19, when he gave up 5 in 6 innings in a loss to the Astros in Milwaukee.

So tonight's pitching matchup seems to heavily favor the Brewers. Let's hope things go according to plan. Anything can happen at Citizens Bank Park.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Encouraging stuff:

]It�s slipping away By RANDY MILLER Burlington County Times PHILADELPHIA � When it was apparent the game was lost, Phillies reliever J.C. Romero made an angry face on the mound and yelled in some choice words to catcher Chris Coste. At the same time, shortstop Jimmy Rollins glared out to center fielder Shane Victorino. The Phillies won't admit it, but their on-field actions showed frustration in the late stages of their 7-3 defeat yesterday to the Florida Ma-rlins. With the Phils down 4-3 in the ninth inning, emotions were laun-ched when Dan Uggla laced a two-run double to left-center against Romero. Romero wanted to throw a 3-0 sinker, Coste called for a fastball and Uggla nailed it. Then when Victorino threw a rainbow instead of a pea back to the infield and two runs scored instead of possibly just one, Rollins stared down his teammate. �It's a family matter,� Romero said. �It's over with.� If the Phillies don't get hot soon, their season will be over soon enough. As it is, the Phils have cooked up a pot of trouble with their season down to 16 games. By losing a series to Florida after winning Monday's opener, the Phils were three games behind the first-place New York Mets in the National League East before the finish of the Mets-Nationals game and trailed Milwaukee by four games in the wild card standings. �It's not over by any stretch,� third baseman Greg Dobbs said. �We'll keep fighting. As disappointing as it is, we have to turn the page.� The Phils need help to catch the Mets, but they'll have the Brewers in their building for four games in four days beginning tonight. �We have to start winning some games,� second baseman Chase Utley said. A year ago, the Phils stole the division after trailing the Mets by seven games with 17 to play. This season's deficit is less, but the Phillies aren't playing the same way. �I think we were a little more relaxed last year,� pitcher Brett Myers said after pitching into the eighth and losing. �We were like "whatever happens, happens.' That's what we need to do to stop pressing so much.� The Phils have had problems all year with the third-place Marlins, who lead the season series 9-6 with the teams playing three more times next weekend in Miami. �Our (postseason) chances are pretty slim to none right now ... so anybody we can take down with us we're going to have a little bit of extra effort,� Uggla said. �If we ain't going, we don't want anybody else to go.� The Phils scored two in the fifth to tie the game 3-3, but Florida pulled ahead for good in the eighth when Josh Willingham rapped an RBI double against Chad Durbin, who had just replaced Myers with runners on the corners and one down. Then in the eighth, Durdin and Romero were lit up for three runs, and the Phils were left to ponder another lost day. �We'll keep fighting and we'll see what happens,� manager Charlie Manuel said. �This game's funny. You never know when you can catch fire and take off.� Email: rmiller@phillyBurbs.com

[Benjamin Grimm]

Twins have taken a 1-0 lead in the first.

[Centerfield]

Looks like the Phils will miss Sabathia.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Twins-Royals game, that we don't really care about, has gone into extra innings, and the Royals have scored once, and are still batting, in the top of the 10th.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ryan Howard has homered and doubled so far; Phils lead 3-1 in the fourth.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Now Feliz doubles home Howard. 4-1 Phillies.

I'm not pleased with Ben Sheets tonight.

[Gwreck]

Prince just homered off Moyer to bring it back to 4-3.

[Elster88]

It's becoming a battle of fat slobs, as Fielder hits a two run homer to make it 4-3.

[Elster88]

Houston up 1-0 on a safety squeeze by Oswalt. I didn't realize they had the same record as the Phills

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Fielder knocked Moyer out of the game with his shot. Madsen in for Moyer with 2 outs in the 6th.

[Elster88]

Sheets fucking sucks. Go back on the DL you jerk.

[stevejrogers]

So I'm guessing you are crossing Sheets off the shopping list for this winter huh Elster?

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

6-3 Phillies with the Brewers hoping to rally against Lidge in the top of the ninth.

A day without the Mets magic number reducing is no fun at all.

[Fman99]

Phillies win. Lame.

[Valadius]

Yes, but now we're percentage points ahead of the Brewers, who have one more win and one more loss than we do.

[stevejrogers]

Wild Card is not on the table for this team.

Oh I'll take it, especially if there is a championship run along with it, but after last September? After the first half of this year? Nothing short of a division title will be a grave disappointment.

[Fman99]

SteveJRogers wrote: Wild Card is not on the table for this team. Oh I'll take it, especially if there is a championship run along with it, but after last September? After the first half of this year? Nothing short of a division title will be a grave disappointment.

I call shenanigans.

Given how many teams have won the World Series after making it to the postseason as a Wild Card ('97, '02, '03, '04), I could give a good god damn about how they get in.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Of course it's on the table.

I much prefer the division title, but playoffs is playoffs. I want to watch the Mets play in October.

[soupcan]

Steve - you say some really ridiculous things sometimes.

[Frayed Knot]

And what does the first half of the season have to do with it?
In May or June most Met fans would have been estatic if told they'd secure a playoff spot ... ANY playoff spot.



Game 2 tonight: Parra vs Hamels
Hmmm, not a good matchup.

[Benjamin Grimm]

No, it's not.

I think the best matchups for the series were last night's, which didn't turn out well, and Sunday's.

My unofficial prediction for the series was MIL-PHI-PHI-MIL.

[Frayed Knot]

Phostponed in Philly phor Phriday