KTE Phillies Aug 13-15

[smg58]

record (before tonight's game): 63-50, 2.5 games behind the Braves

injury update: Shane Victorino was activated today and should see action this weekend. Ross Gload and recent acquisition Mike Sweeney are filling in for Howard at first base. Ex-Met Wilson Valdez has been playing second. His .640 OPS won't make anybody miss Utley, but would be an upgrade for us.

team stats: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/stats/sortable_player_stats.jsp?c_id=phi

Their best hitter has been Jayson Werth, with a .302/.395/.528 line. Otherwise Howard has been Howard, and Rollins and Utley have actually been a bit disappointing.

Halladay has been the pitcher they paid for, and Hamels has been decent. Oswalt has had two good starts and one mediocre one since the trade. But I look at their pen and think I'd rather have ours.

the matchups:
Friday: Hamels vs. Dickey
Saturday: Halladay vs. ?
Sunday: Kendrick vs. Pelfrey

I hope we see Misch on Saturday, as Ollie vs. Halladay would not be particularly entertaining. I'm confident Dickey will bounce back, and who knows maybe he'll even get some run support. I'm more than a little worried about Pelfrey coming off a season-high 122 pitches the other night, given his recent form otherwise, but hopefully he can prove me wrong.

[smg58]

Gload is nursing an injury as well and is day-to-day.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Phils warmed up by giving a big FU to the Dodger bullpen, scoring 4 in the 8th and 4 in the 9th to overcome a 9-2 deficit and win 10-9.

FU, Joe Torre.

[seawolf17]

Gload is nursing an injury as well and is day-to-day.[/quote:24t867el]
We're all day to day.

I want Ollie on Saturday.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I want Ollie on Saturday.[/quote:2g1sv5v7]

You know, why the hell not?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Because Jerrry hasn't really even bothered to throw the guy scrap innings in recent weeks.

[Ceetar]

Because Jerrry hasn't really even bothered to throw the guy scrap innings in recent weeks.[/quote:3ayqingu]

He can't be stretched out enough to pitch, and you'd end up using Takahashi for 3 anyway. or Valdes more likely. It's too early, even given the likely inevitability, to throw away games like that by just throwing relievers out there at random to fill innings. Especially before a long 8 days, a road trip, and no days off.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Valdes and Igarashi down to make way for Misch and Sluggo McDaddybruiser.

Jerry breaking my heart a little more with his Misch assessment for The Post, brandishing the logic that killed the career of Tak 1.0.

"If you are left-handed and the lefty hitters have a higher average against you than right-handed hitters, and you're not a guy that lights up the gun, you have to be really lights out with all the other parts of the game," Manuel said. "You have to be one of those guys that continues to prove that time in and time out. That's what he's done. He's proved that he can get it done."

[smg58]

Now they're 81-60, and a game up on the Braves. 18-10 since their last series with us.

Their offense still looks underwhelming. Werth has cooled down. Utley's starting to get hits (6 multi-hit games in his last ten), but the power isn't there. Rollins is playing, but not particularly well. Howard has been very hot lately, though (a .324 BA and 4 HRs in September).

The biggest difference has been pitching. Hamels has caught fire, and Oswalt has been solid (though still not massively better than J. A. Happ). Lidge and Madson have been lights out in the pen, combining for 3 ER in 40 innings since the beginning of August.

The pitching matchups are:
Friday: Mejia vs. Halladay
Saturday: Pelfrey vs. Kendrick
Sunday: Niese vs. Oswalt

Halladay has only been so-so lately, and hopefully that will continue. Kendrick is just not that good.

[G-Fafif]

Friday: Mejia vs. Halladay
Saturday: Pelfrey vs. Kendrick
Sunday: Niese vs. Oswalt[/quote:5mfqf39b]

Roy Vey!

[Frayed Knot]

Rollins pulled up with a sore hammy the other day and had to leave the game. Not sure if/how often he'll see action this weekend.