He’s Back!…

My Fellow Phans,

I’m sure by now you all know the news. Our beloved second baseman, Mr. Chase Utley is making his 2011 Phillies’ debut tonight.

Here is tonight’s starting lineup:

1. Jimmy Rollins
2. Chase Utley
3. Placido Polanco
4. Ryan Howard
5. Raul Ibanez
6. Carlos Ruiz
7. Domonic Brown
8. John Mayberry Jr.
9. Cole Hamels

Man, it is truly a wonderful to sight to see isn’t it? So, what exactly does this mean for the Phillies? Well, Utley’s return will change this lineup, there is no doubt about it. 

I will post later about how much of an effect that Chase could have so stay tuned for that!

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Strong Pitching Overcomes Sputtering Offense as Phillies Win Series Against Texas

My Fellow Phans,

The Phillies eeked out a pair of victories against the Texas Rangers in the opening series of interleague play before they were denied the sweep by the tough left hander, Matt Harrison. As predicted, the series turned out to be a hard-fought low scoring affair between two teams that are both struggling on the offensive end.

Here’s a look back at the series:

Friday: Phillies 3 – Rangers 2

W: Roy Halladay (6-3); L: CJ Wilson (4-3); S: Ryan Madson (8)

Once again, Roy Halladay turned out a stellar performance giving up just a pair of runs over 8 innings of work. The Phillies offense actually did something for Doc that they hadn’t done in awhile for the ace scoring enough runs allowing him to improve to 6-3 on the season. He struck out 7 and walked just 1…Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless 9th for his 8th save of the season…CJ Wilson was the hard-luck loser for the Rangers allowing 3 runs in 7 innings of work on just 4 hits…Offensively, the Phlliies managed just those 4 hits, but two of which left the ballpark. Ben Francisco belted his 5th homer of the season and Raul Ibanez chipped in with his 4th; a solo shot that proved to be the game winner…Third baseman Adrian Beltre had a pair of hits for the Rangers and Mitch Moreland knocked in the only run for Texas. The other run scored on a double steal in the first inning when shortstop Elvis Andrus stole home on the back end of a steal of second base.

Saturday: Phillies 2 – Rangers 0

W: Cliff Lee (3-4); L: Colby Lewis (4-5); S: Madson: 9

After Roy Halladay shutdown the Rangers, Cliff Lee took up the reigns and one-upped his fellow ace. Lee struck out 10 and walked just 2 in 8 shutout innings. He scattered just 5 hits…Madson finished his second consecutive game for his 9th save of the season in 9 chances…Colby Lewis took the loss for the Rangers allowing 2 runs in 6.2 innings…The Phillies’ offense actually broke out and got 8 hits even though they just scored a pair of runs. Jimmy Rollins, Placido Polanco, and Ryan Howard all registered a pair of hits. Howard knocked in the opening run with a solo homer in the second inning. John Mayberry singled in the second run in the 6th. Turns out, it was just enough for Lee on this night… Michael Young, whom started at first base, finished 3 for 4 in the losing effort.

Sunday: Rangers 2 – Phillies 0

W: Matt Harrison (4-4); L: Roy Oswalt (3-2); S: Neftali Feliz (9)

A day after the Phillies shut down the Rangers by 2-0 score, the Rangers returned the favor…Matt Harrison pitched 8.1 scoreless innings. He struck out 3 hitters allowing 5 hits and 3 walks in the winning effort. … Feliz finished the 9th inning for his 9th save in 11 chances and helped the Rangers avoid the sweep in Philadelphia…Roy Oswalt was the tough luck loser for the Phillies as he allowed just 1 run on 8 hits in 7 strong innings of work. He struck out 3 and walked just 2. Oswalt was making just his 2nd start since returning from the DL… Elvis Andrus, David Murphy, and Adrian Beltre each registered 2 hits for the Rangers. Mitch Moreland and Chris Gentry knocked in the runs for the Rangers.

Look for another update later on a huge story!

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Chase Utley Sighting & Other Updates

My Fellow Phans,

I come to you with reports of a great event! Upon turning on the Phillies game this afternoon, I witnessed a truly exciting event! Chase Utley, yes – our beloved second baseman – is sitting in the Phillies dugout!

No this is no mirage as I am sure all of you by now have heard the fantastic news! CSNPhilly.com is reporting that not only has Utley returned to Philadelphia, he is expected to be activated and ready for tomorrow’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. Chase has been spending the past few weeks in Clearwater rehabbing an preparing himself for this moment.

I’m sure I speak for the Phillies community when I say, I cannot wait for the return of Mr. Utley! We definitely can use you!

We’re not sure how often Chase will be available to start, but I think its safe to presume that the Phillies will be cautious with their star infielder to start with.

I will keep you all updated on this situation!

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On other injury fronts, Brad Lidge and Brian Schneider are both going to Clearwater sometime today for their rehab assignments.

Jose Contreras pitched in a rehab assignment last night at Reading. He loaded the bases with nobody out, but then got the next three hitters out to pitch a scoreless frame. He is scheduled to pitch in a rehab game at Lehigh Valley on Monday night.

Again, I will keep you updated on all of these situations.

Look for a recap of the Phillies /Rangers series tonight and a preview of the Reds’ series later.

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Rangers (23-21) @ Phillies (26-17)

My Fellow Phans,

Don’t look now, but that fabulous time of year has started once again: Interleague Play. As many of you know, I have mixed emotions surrounding this yearly trend, but I will save those thoughts for another time.
So here, I present to you my series preview for the Rangers and Phillies at Citizens Bank Park this weekend.

Pitching Matchups:

Friday: C.J. Wilson (4-2 3.38) vs. Roy Halladay (5-3 2.21)


Halladay has been nothing short of brilliant this year. Sadly, due to a lack of run support, his record just sits at 5-3. He has pitched a pair of complete games in a row in his last two starts; both losses. The Phillies scored just 3 total runs in those games…After last season’s breakout season, Wilson has repeated his success thus far this season. He is a tough lefty looking for his 5th win on the season. He has pitched at least 7 innings in 5 of his last 6 starts. The only Phillies player with more than 2 at bats against him is Raul Ibanez, whom Wilson has held to a meager .059 average.

Saturday: Colby Lewis (4-4 3.81) vs. Cliff Lee (2-4 3.84)


Lee is coming off a shaky outing control-wise against the St.Louis Cardinals. He walked a career high 6 hitters in the defeat although he allowed just 3 runs in that game. His record doesn’t reflect how good Lee has been this season. Lee has only allowed more then 3 earned runs twice this season and has been 6 innings in all but one of his starts…Lewis has never faced the Phillies in his career. Last season, he played a critical role in helping the Rangers get to the World Series. Lewis is coming off of a brilliant 5-hit shutout against the Chicago White Soxs. In his last four starts, Lewis has gone 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA.

Sunday: Matt Harrison (3-4 4.27) vs. Roy Oswalt (3-1 3.09)


Oswalt made his first start since coming back off the DL. He pitched just 5 innings allowing a run on 7 hits while striking out 3. He has been one of the Phillies most consistent starters this season and looks to continue that start against Texas. In his last 3 starts, he has pitched to an 1-1 record with a 3.86 ERA…Harrison gave up just 3 runs in 7 innings of work in his last start against the White Soxs. He has never faced the Phillies and few batters in the lineup have any at-bats against him. He has pitched 6 innings in all but two of his starts in 2011.

Synopsis: I think the Phillies will go as far as the starting pitching takes them this season. The offense will not score a lot of runs this series, but if the pitching holds up, the Phillies have a chance to win this series. If the Rangers’ offense breaks out, then the Phillies will be looking at possibly another series loss. Let’s break this interleague season off on the right foot!

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and go Phillies!

Injuries & Roster Moves Galore!

My Fellow Phans,

So, we have a bunch of roster moves and injury updates to throw at you – pun intended. 

Well, let’s start with some good news. Chase Utley’s (pictured on right) rehab is going strongly down in Clearwater. Overall, Utley is hitting 6  for 24 (.250 AVG) in his appearance down in Florida. It seems more and more likely that Chase’s time for the Thrashers is nearing its end. This bodes will for a team in desperate need of an offensive boost.  I will keep you updated on this situation.

Injured catcher Brian Schneider is also close to returning from an injury. He was placed on the DL on May 12th with a strained left hamstring. The Phillies believe Schneider can return sooner rather than later.

"I've been jogging outside, hitting in the cage," he said. "I don't know if I can be back in 15 days, but from how I felt then to how I feel now, I'm very happy with the way it's going. Very happy. I don't feel it walking or jogging. It's going in the right direction."

Here’s hoping that Schneider can come back ASAP.

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Now for some less than positive news: The Phillies placed a player on the disabled list with another player to join the list shortly.

The player that was actually placed on the DL was centerfielder was Shane Victorino. Shane was hitting .284 with 6 homers and 19 RBIs this season before being shutdown with a strained hamstring.

To replace the speedy outfielder, the Phillies recalled an old favorite of many here, myself included, Domonic Brown. This has been the call-up that everyone has been waiting for. Brown has been tearing it up for Lehigh Valley hitting a robust .341 with a pair of homers and 10 RBIs in just 11 games played for the Iron Pigs. He will not be playing everyday, but should see a vast amount of at bats in Victorino’s absence.

The irony is that General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said on Thursday that Brown would not be called up to replace Victorino. I guess things have changed. Amaro was stated saying that he didn’t believe Brown was ready to do it. Well, turns out, Brown is here and ready to play.

While he is not currently placed on the DL, the other player that is going to be placed on the DL is Joe Blanton, surprise – surprise.  Big Joe seemed to rush back from his previous injury and ended up hurting himself yet again. Blanton was supposed to pitch yesterday’s game against the Rockies, but threw just 20 pitches before realizing that he couldn’t possibly go any longer. The righty just couldn’t shake soreness in his pitching elbow and pulled himself from the scheduled start. The Phillies are looking to hold off on officially putting him on the DL until his next listed start in order to grant the right-hander more time to heal.

Another roster move was made today when the Phillies demoted reliever Scott Mathieson while recalling David Herndon. Mathieson has pitched just 3 innings this season without allowing an earned run, while scattering 5 hits and striking out 3. Herndon pitched in 11 games this season allowing 11 earned runs in 10.2 innings of work amounting to an horrific 9.28 ERA. Honestly, this move confused me a little, but I guess there’s not that big of a difference in talent between the two young guns. Both have their flaws and a lot of room to grow.

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So, I think that’s it on the updates. The Phillies are heading into a 3-game showdown with the high flying offense of the Texas Rangers. Look for an updated/preview coming later tonight.

Tonight’s game can be found on Mph17 at 7:05. Let’s go Phillies!

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Sputtering Offense + Solid Pitching + Wins = Phillies right on track…

 

Another lackluster performance by the offense last night led to the 3rd straight loss for the Phillies. Now, I know some of you out there are going to be panicking and complaining about the recent turn of events, but before I do, I have to ask, isn’t what you expected?

Let’s face it. This team was built on pitching. Instead of signing Jayson Werth, we made the splash of the offseason and signed Cliff Lee. We created a super rotation with the hopes that this above average pitching overcomes our potential offensive shortcomings.

So far, the Phillies have one of the top records in all of baseball, lead the National League East, boast one of the best pitching staffs in the game, yet have one of the most inconsistent offenses in the game.

Thus far, we rank 2nd in the NL in ERA (3.13) and strikeouts while leading the league in wins, quality starts, complete games, and shutouts. Our staff has also issued the least amount of walks in the league.

So, the pitching is there. No need to worry on that end. Now for the offense…

The Phillies are 15th in batting average, which actually ranks higher than fellow division leaders, the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. They are 19th in runs and 21st in homers. Unfortunately, the offense just hasn’t been there.

In reality, this season is pretty much going to plan thus far. We haven’t scored much, but haven’t needed to. Our starters have been rocks this season which includes outstanding contributions from the young studs, Antonio Bastardo, Michael Stutes, and the highly impressive, Vance Worley.

I’m not saying you cannot be frustrated with the lack of scoring, but I ask fans out there to remember that this season is so far on par with what I have expected; strong pitching and not so strong hitting.

I will throw more tidbit in here. All of our offensive struggles cannot be blamed solely on the personnel.  During this year we will play 76 games against our division; Atlanta, Florida, Washington, and New York. Let’s face it, our division is loaded with pitching. The Braves (2.94)  have the top ERA in the league, while the Marlins (3.38) are 4th. The surprising Nationals (3.65) are 6th in the league. The Mets are 12th in the NL, but still house a very respectable ERA of 4.06.

My point being is that, we are going to face a lot of good pitching which will lead to low scoring games. As long as we win a majority of games, this should not worry anyone.

The Phillies have the most wins in baseball; tied with Cleveland with that distinction. Right now is no reason to worry about the team. We’ve gotten this far with a shaky offensive display and I see no reason why we can’t continue this.

When in reality, we are really just performing exactly the way that we were expected to.

Until we meet again Phillies fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!

Look Who’s Back…..

My fellow Phans,

Miss me? Oh, It’s been so long since I have last written on here. For this, I apologize. My life was moving at the speed of light for the past couple of weeks as I put the finishing touches on my college career. Finally, my life has started to slow down as graduation sits just 5 days away! So, expect the posts to pick up once again. Now that I have nothing else to do, I can put more time into writing to you fine folks. Thanks again for all your patience!

So, when I last reported, the Phillies sat in first place and have gone 7-4 to increase their lead from .5 to 2 games over the high flying Florida Marlins.

They are currently battling their pesky divisional foes down in Florida with each  team splitting a pair thus far. The disappointing factor is that I have seen little league games with more spectators than the Marlins have. Yes, these are the second place, wild card leading Florida Marlins not a last place team losing in bunches. I actually feel bad watching these games.

Last night’s game was no exception. The game featured two of the three best starting pitchers in the game of baseball, Roy Halladay & Josh Johnson. (King Felix may barely squeak ahead of Johnson for the 2nd best spot). Still, it was empty.

I think last night’s game was the definition of what baseball truly is these days; pitching, pitching, and more pitching! As a baseball fan, it was fun watching each ace carve up the opposing lineup and if the Phillies had made the routine plays, the game may have remained at 1-1, but a bobble on routine groundball by Jimmy Rollins led to the Marlins pushing across the decisive score in a 2-1 victory.

I guess the irony is that Johnson did not actually earn the victory as he was pulled after 7.

Look for another nail biting game tonight with Cliff Lee and Ricky Nolasco toeing the rubber. I just hope Ricky isn’t hoping for a lot of support from the home crowd, since he probably won’t get it. Sad, but true.

Until we meet again Phillies’ fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!