The Phillies had an incredible month of September and ran away with the N.L. East Division title, and notched the top record in the MLB in the process. They finished the regular season with a record of 97-65, their best record since 1993, when they finished with the same record en route to winning the National League. A final day 8-7 loss to the Braves leaves the playoff matchups looking like this:
(1) Philadelphia vs. (3) Cincinnati
(2) San Francisco vs. (4) Atlanta
The Phillies play game 1 of the NLDS at home on Wednesday at 5:07 PM. They will then have a day off on Thursday, followed by game 2 on Friday at home at 6:07 PM. The remaining times of games are TBD, but game 3 will be on Sunday in Cincinnati, and games 4 and 5 (if necessary) will be on Monday in Cincinnati and Wednesday in Philadelphia, respectively.
The scheduled starters for the series are as follows:
Game 1: Roy Halladay
Game 2: Roy Oswalt
Game 3: Cole Hamels
It appears that, based on the days of rest between games, Halladay would pitch game 4 and Oswalt would pitch game 5. The pitching setup is ideal for the Phillies and I have a hard time imagining them losing this series.
Not to get ahead of myself, but just as a quick preview, Manuel's toughest decision for the NLCS would be choosing the 4th starter. It would either be Joe Blanton or Kyle Kendrick. Based on experience and bullpen ability, I expect Manuel to choose Blanton as the 4th starter and move Kendrick to the bullpen.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Cubs Series/Cardinals Series
Cubs Series
Game 1: Cubs 12, Phillies 6
Length of game: 2:57; W - Dempster (8-7) - 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER; L - Moyer (9-9) - 3 IP, 6 ER; Howard: 3-5, 2 HR (18,19); Cubs combine to hit 16 for 39 with 11 RBI in rout of Phillies
Game 2: Cubs 4, Phillies 3
Length of game: 2:12; W - Marshall (6-2) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Madson (2-1) - 1 IP, 1 ER; Lilly (CHC): 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Blanton: 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Howard: 1-4, HR (20)
Game 3: Phillies 4, Cubs 1
Length of game: 3:03; W - Durbin (1-1) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Marmol (2-2) - 2/3 IP, 4 ER; Hamels: 7 IP, 1 ER in ND; Wells (CHC): 7 IP, 0 ER in ND; Phillies score all 4 runs in 9th inning to recover from 1-0 deficit
Game 4: Cubs 11, Phillies 6
Length of game: 2:45; W - Gorzelanny (5-5) - 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER; L - Halladay (10-8) - 6 IP, 5 ER; Howard: 1-4, HR (21)
Cardinals Series
Game 1: Cardinals 8, Phillies 4
Length of game: 2:48; W - Hawksworth (4-5) - 6 IP, 4 ER; L - Kendrick (5-4) - 5 IP, 7 ER; Phillies score 3 runs in 1st inning; Cardinals score 5 runs in 5th inning
Game 2: Cardinals 7, Phillies 1
Length of game: 2:33; W - Carpenter (11-3) - 8 IP, 1 ER; L - Carpenter (0-1) - 3 IP, 3 ER; Phillies combine to hit 6 for 32 and score just 1 run
Game 3: Cardinals 5, Phillies 1
Length of game: 2:24 (0:25 delay); W - Garcia (9-4) - 7 IP, 1 ER; L - Blanton (3-6) - 7 IP, 3 ER; Howard: 1-3, HR (22)
Game 4: Phillies 2, Cardinals 0 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:11; W - Durbin (2-1) - 2/3 IP, 0 ER; L - McClellan (1-3) - 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Hamels: 8 IP, 0 ER in ND; Wainwright: 6 IP, 0 ER in ND; Polanco: 3-5, HR (6) to take lead in 11th
Final Analysis: The Phillies are in serious trouble. Roy Oswalt may be the only hope for this team to be in contention come September.
Game 1: Cubs 12, Phillies 6
Length of game: 2:57; W - Dempster (8-7) - 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER; L - Moyer (9-9) - 3 IP, 6 ER; Howard: 3-5, 2 HR (18,19); Cubs combine to hit 16 for 39 with 11 RBI in rout of Phillies
Game 2: Cubs 4, Phillies 3
Length of game: 2:12; W - Marshall (6-2) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Madson (2-1) - 1 IP, 1 ER; Lilly (CHC): 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Blanton: 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Howard: 1-4, HR (20)
Game 3: Phillies 4, Cubs 1
Length of game: 3:03; W - Durbin (1-1) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Marmol (2-2) - 2/3 IP, 4 ER; Hamels: 7 IP, 1 ER in ND; Wells (CHC): 7 IP, 0 ER in ND; Phillies score all 4 runs in 9th inning to recover from 1-0 deficit
Game 4: Cubs 11, Phillies 6
Length of game: 2:45; W - Gorzelanny (5-5) - 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER; L - Halladay (10-8) - 6 IP, 5 ER; Howard: 1-4, HR (21)
Cardinals Series
Game 1: Cardinals 8, Phillies 4
Length of game: 2:48; W - Hawksworth (4-5) - 6 IP, 4 ER; L - Kendrick (5-4) - 5 IP, 7 ER; Phillies score 3 runs in 1st inning; Cardinals score 5 runs in 5th inning
Game 2: Cardinals 7, Phillies 1
Length of game: 2:33; W - Carpenter (11-3) - 8 IP, 1 ER; L - Carpenter (0-1) - 3 IP, 3 ER; Phillies combine to hit 6 for 32 and score just 1 run
Game 3: Cardinals 5, Phillies 1
Length of game: 2:24 (0:25 delay); W - Garcia (9-4) - 7 IP, 1 ER; L - Blanton (3-6) - 7 IP, 3 ER; Howard: 1-3, HR (22)
Game 4: Phillies 2, Cardinals 0 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:11; W - Durbin (2-1) - 2/3 IP, 0 ER; L - McClellan (1-3) - 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Hamels: 8 IP, 0 ER in ND; Wainwright: 6 IP, 0 ER in ND; Polanco: 3-5, HR (6) to take lead in 11th
Final Analysis: The Phillies are in serious trouble. Roy Oswalt may be the only hope for this team to be in contention come September.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Braves Series/Reds Series
Braves Series
Game 1: Phillies 3, Braves 1
Length of game: 2:14; W - Halladay (10-7) - 9 IP, 1 ER; L - Lowe (9-7) - 7 IP, 2 ER; Ibañez, Howard, Werth, Dobbs (2 hits each; 3,4,5,6 hitters in lineup) record 8 of 9 Phillie hits; Phillies take 2-1 lead in 6th inning on 2 run home run (2) by Dobbs
Game 2: Braves 6, Phillies 3 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:31; W - Chavez (1-1) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Herndon (0-2) - 1 IP, 2 ER; Jurrjens: 6 IP, 3 ER in ND; Hamels: 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Ibañez hits 2 run home run (7) in 1st inning
Game 3: Braves 7, Phillies 5
Length of game: 2:53; W - Medlen (6-1) - 6 2/3 IP, 4 ER; L - Moyer (9-8) - 5 1/3 IP, 7 ER; Prado goes 3 for 5 with 2 RBI for Braves; Howard hits 2 run home run (16) in 5th
Reds Series
Game 1: Phillies 4, Reds 3 (F/12)
Length of game: 3:42; W - Figueroa (2-1) - 2 IP, 0 ER; L - Smith (2-2) - 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Cueto: 7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER in ND; Kendrick: 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER in ND; Schneider: walk off solo home run (3) in 12th
Game 2: Phillies 9, Reds 7 (F/10)
Length of game: 3:03; W - Madson (2-0) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Rhodes (3-3) - 0+ IP, 2 ER; Leake: 8 1/3 IP, 5 ER in ND; Blanton: 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER in ND; Phillies score 6 runs in 9th, recover from 7-1 deficit; Howard: walk off 2 run home run (17) in 10th
Game 3: Phillies 1, Reds 0 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:11; W - Contreras (4-3) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Bray (0-1) - 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Wood: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER in ND, perfect game through 8 innings, lost on Ruiz double in 9th; Halladay: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER in ND; Rollins wins game in 11th with walk off single
Game 4: Phillies 1, Reds 0
Length of game: 2:36; W - Hamels (7-7) - 7 2/3 IP, 0 ER; L - Maloney (0-2) - 6 IP, 1 ER; Rollins plates Ruiz with single for Phillies lone run on 2nd consecutive day
Final Analysis: The Phillies (47-40) sit 4.5 games behind the Braves (52-36) for the N.L. East lead and for the best record in the National League. They are in 3rd place, behind the 2nd place Mets (48-40) who are 4 games behind the Braves. This please the Phillies in an interesting position as the trade deadline approaches. They're too close to 1st place to sell. They're too weak in the minor leagues to buy. Unless they plan on dealing Jayson Werth (free-agent-to-be who is expected to test the market, who would be replaced by minor leaguer Dominic Brown) or Dominic Brown (supposed heir to Werth), they will be sticking to small deals when it comes to the deadline. Unfortunately, I don't really see anything that is done at the deadline helping them very much. Normally, small deals involve acquiring an average player who fills in a weak spot on your roster. The Phillies have few to no weak spots. They have an overabundance of average players, in fact. Small deals will not likely help this team, which leads to the question on everyone's mind: Will Jayson Werth stay? Or will he go?
Game 1: Phillies 3, Braves 1
Length of game: 2:14; W - Halladay (10-7) - 9 IP, 1 ER; L - Lowe (9-7) - 7 IP, 2 ER; Ibañez, Howard, Werth, Dobbs (2 hits each; 3,4,5,6 hitters in lineup) record 8 of 9 Phillie hits; Phillies take 2-1 lead in 6th inning on 2 run home run (2) by Dobbs
Game 2: Braves 6, Phillies 3 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:31; W - Chavez (1-1) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Herndon (0-2) - 1 IP, 2 ER; Jurrjens: 6 IP, 3 ER in ND; Hamels: 7 IP, 3 ER in ND; Ibañez hits 2 run home run (7) in 1st inning
Game 3: Braves 7, Phillies 5
Length of game: 2:53; W - Medlen (6-1) - 6 2/3 IP, 4 ER; L - Moyer (9-8) - 5 1/3 IP, 7 ER; Prado goes 3 for 5 with 2 RBI for Braves; Howard hits 2 run home run (16) in 5th
Reds Series
Game 1: Phillies 4, Reds 3 (F/12)
Length of game: 3:42; W - Figueroa (2-1) - 2 IP, 0 ER; L - Smith (2-2) - 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Cueto: 7 IP, 2 R, 1 ER in ND; Kendrick: 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER in ND; Schneider: walk off solo home run (3) in 12th
Game 2: Phillies 9, Reds 7 (F/10)
Length of game: 3:03; W - Madson (2-0) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Rhodes (3-3) - 0+ IP, 2 ER; Leake: 8 1/3 IP, 5 ER in ND; Blanton: 5 1/3 IP, 5 ER in ND; Phillies score 6 runs in 9th, recover from 7-1 deficit; Howard: walk off 2 run home run (17) in 10th
Game 3: Phillies 1, Reds 0 (F/11)
Length of game: 3:11; W - Contreras (4-3) - 1 IP, 0 ER; L - Bray (0-1) - 1 1/3 IP, 1 ER; Wood: 9 IP, 1 H, 0 ER in ND, perfect game through 8 innings, lost on Ruiz double in 9th; Halladay: 9 IP, 5 H, 0 ER in ND; Rollins wins game in 11th with walk off single
Game 4: Phillies 1, Reds 0
Length of game: 2:36; W - Hamels (7-7) - 7 2/3 IP, 0 ER; L - Maloney (0-2) - 6 IP, 1 ER; Rollins plates Ruiz with single for Phillies lone run on 2nd consecutive day
Final Analysis: The Phillies (47-40) sit 4.5 games behind the Braves (52-36) for the N.L. East lead and for the best record in the National League. They are in 3rd place, behind the 2nd place Mets (48-40) who are 4 games behind the Braves. This please the Phillies in an interesting position as the trade deadline approaches. They're too close to 1st place to sell. They're too weak in the minor leagues to buy. Unless they plan on dealing Jayson Werth (free-agent-to-be who is expected to test the market, who would be replaced by minor leaguer Dominic Brown) or Dominic Brown (supposed heir to Werth), they will be sticking to small deals when it comes to the deadline. Unfortunately, I don't really see anything that is done at the deadline helping them very much. Normally, small deals involve acquiring an average player who fills in a weak spot on your roster. The Phillies have few to no weak spots. They have an overabundance of average players, in fact. Small deals will not likely help this team, which leads to the question on everyone's mind: Will Jayson Werth stay? Or will he go?
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