Philadelphia Phillies: 65-58
San Diego Padres: 48-75
Cole Hamels (9-8 3.32 ERA, 1-1 2.86 ERA)
Cha Seung Baek (4-6 5.12 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Hamels P
Hairston CF 2/3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .667/.667/2.000
Giles RF 2/10, 1 RBI, .200/.200/.300
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/5
Gonzalez 1B 3/9, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333/.400/.667
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B 0/7
Bard C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Baek P
Last night may have been rock bottom for the Phillies, and I hope it was. Once again, the offense was left baffled against a starter that's quite frankly, not very good. They got off to a strong start by scoring two and making him throw a lot of pitches early, but for some reason, things just shut down. Kyle Kendrick also had maybe his worst outing of the year against one of the worst lineups in baseball this year. It's unfortunate that this was the only game on the road trip I could see, because it could've been the worst.
Anything can happen in baseball, but if there's ever a mismatch, it's this one. Baek is a career bad pitcher, and I can't fathom the Phillies' lineup pulling another disappearing act. Hamels is due for a win, and he's got a great shot in this ballpark against this lineup.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Game 123: Phillies at Padres (2/3)
Philadelphia Phillies: 65-57
San Diego Padres: 47-75
Kyle Kendrick (10-6 4.74 ERA, 1-0 1.50 ERA)
Chad Reineke (0-0 -.-- ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Gerut CF N/A
Giles RF N/A
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/3
Gonzalez 1B 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B N/A
Hundley C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Tonight, I'd expect another game in which not many runs are scored. Partly because the Padres have very little offense, partly because the teams have a total of six plate appearances against the opposing pitcher. I find it hard to believe that Reineke will even be decent, considering his age and level in the minors. The Phillies should be able to score more than one run tonight.
If the Phillies can recover and win the next two, a 3-4 road trip wouldn't be the end of the world. They come home to the Nationals, and they can probably handle them too. It's the last time the Phillies go out west, so returning one fewer game above .500 isn't bad. You would've liked to see them beat the Dodgers, who are actually a good team, but it's about how many wins you get, not who you get them against.
San Diego Padres: 47-75
Kyle Kendrick (10-6 4.74 ERA, 1-0 1.50 ERA)
Chad Reineke (0-0 -.-- ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Gerut CF N/A
Giles RF N/A
Kouzmanoff 3B 0/3
Gonzalez 1B 1/2, .500/.667/.500
Headley LF N/A
Iguchi 2B N/A
Hundley C N/A
Rodriguez SS N/A
Tonight, I'd expect another game in which not many runs are scored. Partly because the Padres have very little offense, partly because the teams have a total of six plate appearances against the opposing pitcher. I find it hard to believe that Reineke will even be decent, considering his age and level in the minors. The Phillies should be able to score more than one run tonight.
If the Phillies can recover and win the next two, a 3-4 road trip wouldn't be the end of the world. They come home to the Nationals, and they can probably handle them too. It's the last time the Phillies go out west, so returning one fewer game above .500 isn't bad. You would've liked to see them beat the Dodgers, who are actually a good team, but it's about how many wins you get, not who you get them against.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fake Game 2: Panthers at Eagles
Last week, I covered 10 players to watch in the first preseason game. Today, I'll list 10 players that need to improve on their performance.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He had his moments, but I'd like to see be a little more aggressive tonight. There's some athleticism on the second team offense with him, so players creating space shouldn't be a problem. After the Pittsburgh game, a lot of people came away unimpressed with his arm strength. He has the ability to get the ball down the field, and he should get ample snaps to prove it.
2) WR Reggie Brown. Brown was inactive last week, so just being in the lineup is going to help him out. To a lot of the fans, Reggie's on the hot seat this season. Although he turned it on a little bit in the second half of 2007, he didn't have that breakout year a lot of people had hoped for. Now, it's believed that Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and even DeSean Jackson could push him for playing time. He says he's more focused and approaches each snap differently now, and that needs to pay off on the field.
3) OL Todd Herremans. I don't have any specific complaints about his game against the Steelers, but with Tra Thomas scratched tonight, protecting 5's blind side is a pretty big deal. He played LT in his rookie season before an atrociously illegal block cut it short, but he's played guard since. Most people would agree that he's a solid player, yet he took a step back in 2007. There are a lot of responsibilities at his temporary position, and he needs to show that he can step in and play the spot in a pinch if necessary.
4) G Scott Young. Who would've thought that tonight's starting O-Line would feature two projected backups and a third player playing out of position? It's unfortunate that Young has to start tonight, and it's also kind of alarming that players such as Nick Cole, and the two rookie Mikes haven't been able to pass him on the depth chart. He's a flat out fringe player, and he can't bring down the first team offense tonight.
5) DT Brodrick Bunkley. After a holdout and some discipline problems essentially eliminated Bunkley's rookie season, he burst onto the scene in 2007 and probably should've been a Pro Bowl player. He's big and athletic, and he can get off the ball fast. He's a huge reason why the team's run defense improved last season, but he struggled against Pittsburgh. He has to do a better job of holding his ground and disrupting the Panthers running game tonight.
6) DT Mike Patterson. The fact that I had to include both DT's shows how poor they played. Patterson has been on the field ever since he was drafted, and he's taken his lumps along the way. However, with a bigger and dominant Bunkley beside him, Patterson broke out last year. He's one of the quickest tackles in the league, and like Bunkley, should've had a postseason trip to Hawaii. The knocks against him are his size and strength, and his game against the Steelers didn't do anything to dispel those criticisms. He was on the ground way too much, and he needs to use his quickness to disrupt the flow and timing of Carolina's ground game.
7) MLB Stewart Bradley. We're already up to our third starting member of the defense. Bradley had some nice plays against the Steelers, but he got lost in the shuffle a little too much for a Linebacker with his size and skill. Some of the criticisms of the game can be deflected to the poor play of the tackles in front of him, but the reality is he won't get great protection from the tackles every play. He has to do a better job of quickly reading the play and shedding blocks to find the ball.
8) CB Lito Sheppard. Working with the second team tonight, Lito will be the best player on the field at all times. There's no reason for him to not blanket his receiver and make plays given the opportunity. He can't mope or not take the game seriously. Against Pittsburgh, he got a stupid penalty, wasn't as aggressive as he could be against the run and made one pretty poor play, albeit in zone coverage. With that being said, I wouldn't expect any special packages with him and the two starters on the field. Johnson isn't going to give us a taste of what he's going to do in the backfield until the regular season starts.
9) Brian Dawkins. I'm really not too worried about him at all, but that doesn't correct his poor position on Santonio Holmes' TD. In this defense, it won't be the last time Sheldon Brown blitzes and Dawkins has to competently cover a receiver that's quicker than he is. Part of that responsibility falls on Jim Johnson and Sheldon Brown, and I'll admit that. Surprise is a key element of blitzes, and lately, teams have had an easy time adjusting to what's being thrown at them.
10) Special McTeams. If special teams had a name, that's what they would be. I was thinking about listing Rocky Boiman for this entry, but he's not responsible for Akers' inconsistent kicking, nor is Akers responsible for poor punt coverage and return blocking. I don't know what it is about special teams, but they have been flat out bad in recent years, and things didn't take a turn for the better last week. DeSean Jackson is an incredibly gifted return man, and if he's not getting good yards, something is terribly wrong.
These aren't the only ten players that need to play better. In fact, a coach will say that every player on the roster needs to get better, and that's probably the truth. That's what these games are for. Donovan McNabb played well last week, but maybe he could get rid of the ball quicker. Buckhalter ran well in the preseason loss, but maybe he should position himself in pass blocking better. Everyone has something to work on, and I hope it culminates into an injury free, positive game tonight.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He had his moments, but I'd like to see be a little more aggressive tonight. There's some athleticism on the second team offense with him, so players creating space shouldn't be a problem. After the Pittsburgh game, a lot of people came away unimpressed with his arm strength. He has the ability to get the ball down the field, and he should get ample snaps to prove it.
2) WR Reggie Brown. Brown was inactive last week, so just being in the lineup is going to help him out. To a lot of the fans, Reggie's on the hot seat this season. Although he turned it on a little bit in the second half of 2007, he didn't have that breakout year a lot of people had hoped for. Now, it's believed that Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and even DeSean Jackson could push him for playing time. He says he's more focused and approaches each snap differently now, and that needs to pay off on the field.
3) OL Todd Herremans. I don't have any specific complaints about his game against the Steelers, but with Tra Thomas scratched tonight, protecting 5's blind side is a pretty big deal. He played LT in his rookie season before an atrociously illegal block cut it short, but he's played guard since. Most people would agree that he's a solid player, yet he took a step back in 2007. There are a lot of responsibilities at his temporary position, and he needs to show that he can step in and play the spot in a pinch if necessary.
4) G Scott Young. Who would've thought that tonight's starting O-Line would feature two projected backups and a third player playing out of position? It's unfortunate that Young has to start tonight, and it's also kind of alarming that players such as Nick Cole, and the two rookie Mikes haven't been able to pass him on the depth chart. He's a flat out fringe player, and he can't bring down the first team offense tonight.
5) DT Brodrick Bunkley. After a holdout and some discipline problems essentially eliminated Bunkley's rookie season, he burst onto the scene in 2007 and probably should've been a Pro Bowl player. He's big and athletic, and he can get off the ball fast. He's a huge reason why the team's run defense improved last season, but he struggled against Pittsburgh. He has to do a better job of holding his ground and disrupting the Panthers running game tonight.
6) DT Mike Patterson. The fact that I had to include both DT's shows how poor they played. Patterson has been on the field ever since he was drafted, and he's taken his lumps along the way. However, with a bigger and dominant Bunkley beside him, Patterson broke out last year. He's one of the quickest tackles in the league, and like Bunkley, should've had a postseason trip to Hawaii. The knocks against him are his size and strength, and his game against the Steelers didn't do anything to dispel those criticisms. He was on the ground way too much, and he needs to use his quickness to disrupt the flow and timing of Carolina's ground game.
7) MLB Stewart Bradley. We're already up to our third starting member of the defense. Bradley had some nice plays against the Steelers, but he got lost in the shuffle a little too much for a Linebacker with his size and skill. Some of the criticisms of the game can be deflected to the poor play of the tackles in front of him, but the reality is he won't get great protection from the tackles every play. He has to do a better job of quickly reading the play and shedding blocks to find the ball.
8) CB Lito Sheppard. Working with the second team tonight, Lito will be the best player on the field at all times. There's no reason for him to not blanket his receiver and make plays given the opportunity. He can't mope or not take the game seriously. Against Pittsburgh, he got a stupid penalty, wasn't as aggressive as he could be against the run and made one pretty poor play, albeit in zone coverage. With that being said, I wouldn't expect any special packages with him and the two starters on the field. Johnson isn't going to give us a taste of what he's going to do in the backfield until the regular season starts.
9) Brian Dawkins. I'm really not too worried about him at all, but that doesn't correct his poor position on Santonio Holmes' TD. In this defense, it won't be the last time Sheldon Brown blitzes and Dawkins has to competently cover a receiver that's quicker than he is. Part of that responsibility falls on Jim Johnson and Sheldon Brown, and I'll admit that. Surprise is a key element of blitzes, and lately, teams have had an easy time adjusting to what's being thrown at them.
10) Special McTeams. If special teams had a name, that's what they would be. I was thinking about listing Rocky Boiman for this entry, but he's not responsible for Akers' inconsistent kicking, nor is Akers responsible for poor punt coverage and return blocking. I don't know what it is about special teams, but they have been flat out bad in recent years, and things didn't take a turn for the better last week. DeSean Jackson is an incredibly gifted return man, and if he's not getting good yards, something is terribly wrong.
These aren't the only ten players that need to play better. In fact, a coach will say that every player on the roster needs to get better, and that's probably the truth. That's what these games are for. Donovan McNabb played well last week, but maybe he could get rid of the ball quicker. Buckhalter ran well in the preseason loss, but maybe he should position himself in pass blocking better. Everyone has something to work on, and I hope it culminates into an injury free, positive game tonight.
Game 121: Phillies at Dodgers (4/4)
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-56
Los Angeles Dodgers: 61-59
Brett Myers (5-9 5.09 ERA, 3-1 2.76 ERA)
Hiroki Kuroda (6-8 4.02 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Werth CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Ethier RF 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Kent 2B 5/12, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .417/.500/.917
Ramirez LF 3/13, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .231/.353/.615
Loney 1B 0/1
Garciaparra SS 1/8, 3 RBI, .111/.200/.222
Martin C 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Blake 3B N/A
Kuroda P
They have to salvage this last game or this road trip is already a pretty unfortunate failure. People were worried that the improved Dodgers would provide problems, and they were proven correct. They outpitched the Phillies early in the series, and they outhit the Phillies last night. Six runs should usually be enough to win, but when you don't get a hit after the 4th inning, I'm not sure the offense did its job. It got shut down by pitchers such as Jason Johnson and Chan Ho Park.
I think the outrage over Rollins' frontrunners remark is funny. I hate to criticize other people in this great fanbase, but he's completely correct. If you don't play well, the player gets booed. It's fact. They acknowledge it. Fans acknowledge it. Fans say all the time that they boo because they're passionate about sports. When you're booing a guy who's playing poorly but will cheer when he's hot, that's playing exactly into what Jimmy's saying! He probably shouldn't have said it, but he's 100% correct.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 61-59
Brett Myers (5-9 5.09 ERA, 3-1 2.76 ERA)
Hiroki Kuroda (6-8 4.02 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Werth CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Dobbs 3B N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Ethier RF 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Kent 2B 5/12, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .417/.500/.917
Ramirez LF 3/13, 1 HR, 8 RBI, .231/.353/.615
Loney 1B 0/1
Garciaparra SS 1/8, 3 RBI, .111/.200/.222
Martin C 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Blake 3B N/A
Kuroda P
They have to salvage this last game or this road trip is already a pretty unfortunate failure. People were worried that the improved Dodgers would provide problems, and they were proven correct. They outpitched the Phillies early in the series, and they outhit the Phillies last night. Six runs should usually be enough to win, but when you don't get a hit after the 4th inning, I'm not sure the offense did its job. It got shut down by pitchers such as Jason Johnson and Chan Ho Park.
I think the outrage over Rollins' frontrunners remark is funny. I hate to criticize other people in this great fanbase, but he's completely correct. If you don't play well, the player gets booed. It's fact. They acknowledge it. Fans acknowledge it. Fans say all the time that they boo because they're passionate about sports. When you're booing a guy who's playing poorly but will cheer when he's hot, that's playing exactly into what Jimmy's saying! He probably shouldn't have said it, but he's 100% correct.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Game 120: Phillies at Dodgers (3/4)
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-55
Los Angeles Dodgers: 60-59
Joe Blanton (1-0 3.27 ERA, 1-0 2.25 ERA)
Brad Penny (6-9 5.66 ERA, 8-4 3.33 ERA)
Projected lineups
Victorino CF 1/7, .143/.250/.429
Utley 2B 4/15, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .267/.353/.467
Rollins SS 9/45, 3 RBI, .200/.265/.289
Howard 1B 2/10, .200/.333/.200
Burrell LF 10/41, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .2444/.279/.488
Jenkins RF 5/17, 3 RBI, .294/.333/.471
Dobbs 3B 0/3
Coste C N/A
Blanton P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.500/.333
Ethier RF 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Kent 2B N/A
Ramirez LF 13/21, 6 RBI, .619/.625/.667
Loney 1B N/A
Martin C N/A
Garciaparra SS 2/3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .667/.750/1.667
Blake 3B 1/16, .067/.167/.067
Penny P
I don't know what's going to fix this offense, if anything. Your top five is set, and I'm not too worried about them. All of those guys have gone in and out of hot and cold spells, but that's baseball. Every team is going to deal with that. I suspect the main cause isn't those guys going into slumps at the same time, but the final four in the batting order. Jenkins has been a huge disappointment, and production from catcher has been inconsistent at best.
Tonight will probably be another low scoring affair. Joe Blanton has been on a roll lately, and the Phillies hope that'll continue. Although Brad Penny is struggling this season, he has always had success against the Phillies. He has great stuff, and a lot of players in this lineup seem to get overpowered by it.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 60-59
Joe Blanton (1-0 3.27 ERA, 1-0 2.25 ERA)
Brad Penny (6-9 5.66 ERA, 8-4 3.33 ERA)
Projected lineups
Victorino CF 1/7, .143/.250/.429
Utley 2B 4/15, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .267/.353/.467
Rollins SS 9/45, 3 RBI, .200/.265/.289
Howard 1B 2/10, .200/.333/.200
Burrell LF 10/41, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .2444/.279/.488
Jenkins RF 5/17, 3 RBI, .294/.333/.471
Dobbs 3B 0/3
Coste C N/A
Blanton P
Kemp CF 1/3, .333/.500/.333
Ethier RF 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Kent 2B N/A
Ramirez LF 13/21, 6 RBI, .619/.625/.667
Loney 1B N/A
Martin C N/A
Garciaparra SS 2/3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .667/.750/1.667
Blake 3B 1/16, .067/.167/.067
Penny P
I don't know what's going to fix this offense, if anything. Your top five is set, and I'm not too worried about them. All of those guys have gone in and out of hot and cold spells, but that's baseball. Every team is going to deal with that. I suspect the main cause isn't those guys going into slumps at the same time, but the final four in the batting order. Jenkins has been a huge disappointment, and production from catcher has been inconsistent at best.
Tonight will probably be another low scoring affair. Joe Blanton has been on a roll lately, and the Phillies hope that'll continue. Although Brad Penny is struggling this season, he has always had success against the Phillies. He has great stuff, and a lot of players in this lineup seem to get overpowered by it.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Game 119: Phillies @ Dodgers (2/4)
I tried posting this on my Ipod, but it was a pretty huge failure.
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-54
Los Angeles Dodgers: 59-59
Cole Hamels (9-8 3.35 ERA, -.-- ERA)
Clayton Kershaw (2-3 3.71 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Werth RF N/A
Bruntlett 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Hamels P
Kemp RF N/A
Blake 3B 0/2, .000/.333/.000
Kent 2B N/A
Ramirez LF 0/3
Martin C N/A
Loney 1B N/A
Jones CF 4/13, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .308/.400/.538
Berroa SS N/A
Kershaw P
Cole Hamels has serious potential to have another hard luck loss tonight. Clayton Kershaw has great stuff, and young pitchers who teams don't have a big book on have cruised against the Phillies as of late. Hamels can match him pitch for pitch, and I'm not sure who's going to blink first. It's crazy to think that someone as good as Hamels might only be .500 this late in the season, but that's how things have gone this season. I sometimes wonder if the Phillies fans who don't think Santana is an ace feel the same way about Hamels.
I'm honestly not sure what the Dodgers lineup is going to look like tonight. Torre switches guys around a lot, and it's tough to get a read on what platoons he's trying to run. I don't think he likes playing Ethier against lefties, and he also wants to try and work Jones and Pierre in regularly.
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-54
Los Angeles Dodgers: 59-59
Cole Hamels (9-8 3.35 ERA, -.-- ERA)
Clayton Kershaw (2-3 3.71 ERA, 0-0 -.-- ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Burrell LF N/A
Werth RF N/A
Bruntlett 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Hamels P
Kemp RF N/A
Blake 3B 0/2, .000/.333/.000
Kent 2B N/A
Ramirez LF 0/3
Martin C N/A
Loney 1B N/A
Jones CF 4/13, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .308/.400/.538
Berroa SS N/A
Kershaw P
Cole Hamels has serious potential to have another hard luck loss tonight. Clayton Kershaw has great stuff, and young pitchers who teams don't have a big book on have cruised against the Phillies as of late. Hamels can match him pitch for pitch, and I'm not sure who's going to blink first. It's crazy to think that someone as good as Hamels might only be .500 this late in the season, but that's how things have gone this season. I sometimes wonder if the Phillies fans who don't think Santana is an ace feel the same way about Hamels.
I'm honestly not sure what the Dodgers lineup is going to look like tonight. Torre switches guys around a lot, and it's tough to get a read on what platoons he's trying to run. I don't think he likes playing Ethier against lefties, and he also wants to try and work Jones and Pierre in regularly.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Game 118: Phillies at Dodgers (1/4)
Philadelphia Phillies: 64-53
Los Angeles Dodgers: 58-59
Kyle Kendrick (10-5 4.37 ERA, 1-1 6.75 ERA)
Derek Lowe (8-10 4.10 ERA, 3-1 2.84 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 5/17, .294/.294/.412
Victorino CF 0/3
Utley 2B 3/11, 1 RBI, .273/.333/.364
Howard 1B 2/13, 1 RBI, .154/.267/.154
Burrell LF 6/16, 2 RBI, .375/.412/.500
Jenkins RF 2/12, 2 RBI, .167/.232/.333
Dobbs 3B 0/6
Coste C 1/4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .250/.250/1.000
Kendrick P
Kemp CF N/A
Ethier RF 2/4, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.600/1.500
Kent 2B 0/3
Ramirez LF N/A
Loney 1B 2/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .400/.400/1.000
Martin C 2/5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .400/.500/1.000
Blake 3B N/A
Berroa SS N/A
It's time for five straight 10 PM starts. These games are always tough. They start late, and more often than not, the offense puts people to sleep. Tonight features a matchup of two sinkerballers, and Kendrick could learn something tonight. He has to go out there and compete, but between innings, I hope he's watching Lowe and how he approaches situations. He's a veteran sinkerballer, and it would be great if Kendrick could find a niche like Lowe's.
The Dodgers did get Manny, but this is a team that's under .500 and has been so since acquiring him. They have very good pitching and could overtake Arizona, but they're not an unbeatable force. Their lineup is mediocre up and down besides Manny, and if you control him, you control their offense.
Los Angeles Dodgers: 58-59
Kyle Kendrick (10-5 4.37 ERA, 1-1 6.75 ERA)
Derek Lowe (8-10 4.10 ERA, 3-1 2.84 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 5/17, .294/.294/.412
Victorino CF 0/3
Utley 2B 3/11, 1 RBI, .273/.333/.364
Howard 1B 2/13, 1 RBI, .154/.267/.154
Burrell LF 6/16, 2 RBI, .375/.412/.500
Jenkins RF 2/12, 2 RBI, .167/.232/.333
Dobbs 3B 0/6
Coste C 1/4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .250/.250/1.000
Kendrick P
Kemp CF N/A
Ethier RF 2/4, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .500/.600/1.500
Kent 2B 0/3
Ramirez LF N/A
Loney 1B 2/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .400/.400/1.000
Martin C 2/5, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .400/.500/1.000
Blake 3B N/A
Berroa SS N/A
It's time for five straight 10 PM starts. These games are always tough. They start late, and more often than not, the offense puts people to sleep. Tonight features a matchup of two sinkerballers, and Kendrick could learn something tonight. He has to go out there and compete, but between innings, I hope he's watching Lowe and how he approaches situations. He's a veteran sinkerballer, and it would be great if Kendrick could find a niche like Lowe's.
The Dodgers did get Manny, but this is a team that's under .500 and has been so since acquiring him. They have very good pitching and could overtake Arizona, but they're not an unbeatable force. Their lineup is mediocre up and down besides Manny, and if you control him, you control their offense.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Game 117: Pirates at Phillies (3/3)
Pittsburgh Pirates: 53-63
Philadelphia Phillies: 63-53
Jason Davis (1-1 2.57 ERA, 0-0 --- ERA)
Jamie Moyer (10-7 3.78 ERA, 6-7 5.54 ERA)
Lineups
Sanchez 2B 3/6, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .500/.500/1.167
Rivas SS 7/19, .368/.368/.421
McLouth CF 0/3
Doumit C 0/1
Michaels RF 1/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.250/1.000
Moss LF N/A
Mientkiewicz 1B 5/20, .250/.318/.350
Gomez 3B 3/29, .103/.161/.103
Davis P
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Werth LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Bruntlett 3B 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Ruiz C N/A
Moyer P
Storms coming short entry.
Philadelphia Phillies: 63-53
Jason Davis (1-1 2.57 ERA, 0-0 --- ERA)
Jamie Moyer (10-7 3.78 ERA, 6-7 5.54 ERA)
Lineups
Sanchez 2B 3/6, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .500/.500/1.167
Rivas SS 7/19, .368/.368/.421
McLouth CF 0/3
Doumit C 0/1
Michaels RF 1/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.250/1.000
Moss LF N/A
Mientkiewicz 1B 5/20, .250/.318/.350
Gomez 3B 3/29, .103/.161/.103
Davis P
Rollins SS N/A
Victorino CF N/A
Utley 2B N/A
Howard 1B N/A
Werth LF N/A
Jenkins RF N/A
Bruntlett 3B 0/0, .000/1.000/.000
Ruiz C N/A
Moyer P
Storms coming short entry.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Game 116: Pirates at Phillies (2/3)
Pittsburgh Pirates: 52-63
Philadelphia Phillies: 63-52
Ian Snell (4-8 6.14 ERA, 3-2 4.50 ERA)
Brett Myers (4-9 5.34 ERA, 2-4 2.92 ERA)
Projected lineups
Sanchez 2B 1/11, .091/.091/.091
Mientkiewicz 1B 2/9, .222/.222/.444
McLouth CF 2/5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .400/.400/1.600
Doumit C 1/4, .250/.250/.250
LaRoche 3B N/A
Moss LF N/A
Pearce RF N/A
Wilson SS 3/13, 1 RBI, .231/.333/.308
Snell P
Rollins SS 8/15, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .533/.588/1.037
Utley 2B 1/8, 1 RBI, .125/.222/.250
Burrell LF 4/12, 1 RBI, .333/.385/.417
Howard 1B 1/10, 1 RBI, .100/.321/.100
Werth RF 0/2
Victorino CF 0/1
Dobbs 3B 3/6, .500/.571/.833
Coste C 0/5, .000/.167/.000
Myers P
I don't get it. I don't understand how a team that's supposed to have a great offense gets shutout two games in a row. I don't get how they only muster six hits in 12 innings against Pirates pitching. I don't get how they can't score a run for 21+ innings. How can they not even put the ball in play? I guess you have to give credit to some of the pitchers, but you're telling me that the entire roster these two days couldn't string together enough baserunners to score one run?
Philadelphia Phillies: 63-52
Ian Snell (4-8 6.14 ERA, 3-2 4.50 ERA)
Brett Myers (4-9 5.34 ERA, 2-4 2.92 ERA)
Projected lineups
Sanchez 2B 1/11, .091/.091/.091
Mientkiewicz 1B 2/9, .222/.222/.444
McLouth CF 2/5, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .400/.400/1.600
Doumit C 1/4, .250/.250/.250
LaRoche 3B N/A
Moss LF N/A
Pearce RF N/A
Wilson SS 3/13, 1 RBI, .231/.333/.308
Snell P
Rollins SS 8/15, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .533/.588/1.037
Utley 2B 1/8, 1 RBI, .125/.222/.250
Burrell LF 4/12, 1 RBI, .333/.385/.417
Howard 1B 1/10, 1 RBI, .100/.321/.100
Werth RF 0/2
Victorino CF 0/1
Dobbs 3B 3/6, .500/.571/.833
Coste C 0/5, .000/.167/.000
Myers P
I don't get it. I don't understand how a team that's supposed to have a great offense gets shutout two games in a row. I don't get how they only muster six hits in 12 innings against Pirates pitching. I don't get how they can't score a run for 21+ innings. How can they not even put the ball in play? I guess you have to give credit to some of the pitchers, but you're telling me that the entire roster these two days couldn't string together enough baserunners to score one run?
Friday, August 8, 2008
Fake Game 1: Eagles at Steelers
I'm not going to do a full preview for preseason games, but here are ten players to watch as the Eagles return to the field for the first time since the 2007 season.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He's expected to be the franchise QB starting as soon as next season, and it'll be interesting to see how far he has come in the past year. Last preseason, I thought he looked pretty good. He took some shots downfield and seemed to move around well in the pocket. However, his brief regular season time was quite forgettable. With an extra year in the offense and without the burden of being a wide-eyed rookie just trying to survive, he should look more comfortable out on the field.
2) RB Lorenzo Booker. Acquiring Booker for a second day pick was a pretty quiet move on draft day, but the Eagles are hoping he can play a role in their offense. As a rookie with Miami, he was unable to find the field much, and when the team made changes in their coaching staff and front office, they decided there wasn't a place for him anymore. Booker has opened eyes at training camp. His speed and quickness can create matchup problems for opposing defenses, and the Eagles will do everything they can to get him and Westbrook on the field at the same time.
3) WR/KR DeSean Jackson. In April, a lot of mock drafts pegged Jackson for the Eagles in the first round. Those got the team right, but the Eagles got better value on him by taking him 20, 25 spots later. Jackson has nuclear potential in the return game, and his elusiveness goes unmatched by most NFL players. In training camp so far, Jackson has even been able to contribute offensively, with reports out of Lehigh saying he catches everything in sight. As long as he can avoid those pesky hamstring injuries that limit his athleticism, DeSean Jackson should be an asset to the team this season.
4) T Winston Justice. Justice came under heavy criticism last season, and for good reason. His technique was horrible, and he was embarrassed on two occasions, one of which was on national TV. He may not be able to play LT in the NFL, but he can still be a part of the Eagles' future plans. However, he has to work hard and prove to the coaching staff that he can be a player in this league. Even if defenses are typically vanilla in a preseason game, the Steelers' 3-4 will present unique pass rushes for Justice to pick up. I don't know if he's on the roster bubble, but a bad preseason certainly can't help him.
5) T King Dunlap. I hate to include two offensive tackles here because I'm one of the only people who enjoys watching them play, but Dunlap is an interesting case. As the tallest Eagle, he has the size to be the dominant LT this team will need once Tra Thomas departs, but he's missing a couple important qualities for linemen. He has terrible technique, and he's not very tough. He was benched in his senior season at Auburn, but the Eagles just couldn't resist passing up on his size and potential. Getting into a live game will help him adjust to the NFL, and Andy Reid will be able to see what he has.
6) DL Darren Howard. You've probably noticed that every player so far has two years of experience or less, so what's an eight year veteran doing on the list? According to anyone who has seen him play this camp, he's quicker and in better shape than ever. His first two years as an Eagle have been disappointing, to say the least, and fans are still waiting for a return on the team's investment. After Victor Abiamiri's injury, Howard may have to step up and play a bigger role in the rotation than previously expected. If he can contribute anything positive this season, it'll be a plus.
7) DE Chris Clemons. Despite his dehydration scares in the early stages of camp, I'm pretty sure Clemons is going to play tonight. He piled up sacks with the Raiders last year, and the Eagles signed him to bolster a pass rush that was pretty lacking last season. Even if he's going to be in a limited pass rushing role, it'll be interesting to see how Jim Johnson works him into the defense and how his speed can improve the defense.
8) MLB Stewart Bradley. Bradley was thrust into the starter's role after the Eagles parted ways with Takeo Spikes, and he's going to be expected to use his size and athleticism to be a force in the middle of this defense. Overall in 2007, the Linebackers were solid. This season, they're the youngest starters in the NFL, and they're going to have to grow in a hurry. As MLB, Bradley calls all of the plays, so his football IQ will be tested early this preseason in the huddle.
9) LB Joe Mays. Mays was just a 6th round pick from a small college, but a lot of fans want to see how he plays. He was a big time player in the lower ranks of college football, and the Eagles hope he can contribute on special teams. He's an aggressive player with a nose for the football, and his hard working attitude could help him overcome a lack of height. I'm not sure if he'll ever become anything, but there is a lot of training camp buzz around this guy.
10) S Quintin Demps. The Eagles emphasized team speed this offseason, and I've probably used speed, quickness and athleticism too many times when doing these write ups. With that being said, Demps could be one of the biggest playmakers in the secondary. He can return kicks and contribute on special teams. At UTEP, Demps also showed the knack for the big play on defense, with several big interception returns for scores. I don't know if he'll start this year or even make the team, but he could be a weapon if he makes adjustments to the NFL.
1) QB Kevin Kolb. He's expected to be the franchise QB starting as soon as next season, and it'll be interesting to see how far he has come in the past year. Last preseason, I thought he looked pretty good. He took some shots downfield and seemed to move around well in the pocket. However, his brief regular season time was quite forgettable. With an extra year in the offense and without the burden of being a wide-eyed rookie just trying to survive, he should look more comfortable out on the field.
2) RB Lorenzo Booker. Acquiring Booker for a second day pick was a pretty quiet move on draft day, but the Eagles are hoping he can play a role in their offense. As a rookie with Miami, he was unable to find the field much, and when the team made changes in their coaching staff and front office, they decided there wasn't a place for him anymore. Booker has opened eyes at training camp. His speed and quickness can create matchup problems for opposing defenses, and the Eagles will do everything they can to get him and Westbrook on the field at the same time.
3) WR/KR DeSean Jackson. In April, a lot of mock drafts pegged Jackson for the Eagles in the first round. Those got the team right, but the Eagles got better value on him by taking him 20, 25 spots later. Jackson has nuclear potential in the return game, and his elusiveness goes unmatched by most NFL players. In training camp so far, Jackson has even been able to contribute offensively, with reports out of Lehigh saying he catches everything in sight. As long as he can avoid those pesky hamstring injuries that limit his athleticism, DeSean Jackson should be an asset to the team this season.
4) T Winston Justice. Justice came under heavy criticism last season, and for good reason. His technique was horrible, and he was embarrassed on two occasions, one of which was on national TV. He may not be able to play LT in the NFL, but he can still be a part of the Eagles' future plans. However, he has to work hard and prove to the coaching staff that he can be a player in this league. Even if defenses are typically vanilla in a preseason game, the Steelers' 3-4 will present unique pass rushes for Justice to pick up. I don't know if he's on the roster bubble, but a bad preseason certainly can't help him.
5) T King Dunlap. I hate to include two offensive tackles here because I'm one of the only people who enjoys watching them play, but Dunlap is an interesting case. As the tallest Eagle, he has the size to be the dominant LT this team will need once Tra Thomas departs, but he's missing a couple important qualities for linemen. He has terrible technique, and he's not very tough. He was benched in his senior season at Auburn, but the Eagles just couldn't resist passing up on his size and potential. Getting into a live game will help him adjust to the NFL, and Andy Reid will be able to see what he has.
6) DL Darren Howard. You've probably noticed that every player so far has two years of experience or less, so what's an eight year veteran doing on the list? According to anyone who has seen him play this camp, he's quicker and in better shape than ever. His first two years as an Eagle have been disappointing, to say the least, and fans are still waiting for a return on the team's investment. After Victor Abiamiri's injury, Howard may have to step up and play a bigger role in the rotation than previously expected. If he can contribute anything positive this season, it'll be a plus.
7) DE Chris Clemons. Despite his dehydration scares in the early stages of camp, I'm pretty sure Clemons is going to play tonight. He piled up sacks with the Raiders last year, and the Eagles signed him to bolster a pass rush that was pretty lacking last season. Even if he's going to be in a limited pass rushing role, it'll be interesting to see how Jim Johnson works him into the defense and how his speed can improve the defense.
8) MLB Stewart Bradley. Bradley was thrust into the starter's role after the Eagles parted ways with Takeo Spikes, and he's going to be expected to use his size and athleticism to be a force in the middle of this defense. Overall in 2007, the Linebackers were solid. This season, they're the youngest starters in the NFL, and they're going to have to grow in a hurry. As MLB, Bradley calls all of the plays, so his football IQ will be tested early this preseason in the huddle.
9) LB Joe Mays. Mays was just a 6th round pick from a small college, but a lot of fans want to see how he plays. He was a big time player in the lower ranks of college football, and the Eagles hope he can contribute on special teams. He's an aggressive player with a nose for the football, and his hard working attitude could help him overcome a lack of height. I'm not sure if he'll ever become anything, but there is a lot of training camp buzz around this guy.
10) S Quintin Demps. The Eagles emphasized team speed this offseason, and I've probably used speed, quickness and athleticism too many times when doing these write ups. With that being said, Demps could be one of the biggest playmakers in the secondary. He can return kicks and contribute on special teams. At UTEP, Demps also showed the knack for the big play on defense, with several big interception returns for scores. I don't know if he'll start this year or even make the team, but he could be a weapon if he makes adjustments to the NFL.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Phillies Have Their Eyres On Relief
With the news that Tom Gordon is injured again, the Phillies acquired left-handed reliever Scott Eyre in hopes of giving Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson a break. Eyre has been hit hard in his last three outings and has battled injuries all season. Prior to that, he had a couple of decent seasons with the Cubs. He's pretty much only a lefty specialist, which will also decrease J.C. Romero's workload.
In return, Chicago is receiving 22 year old reliever Brian Schlitter, a 2007 draft pick. He has a great K rate and allows less than a hit an inning, but it's still probably not a terrible loss for the Phillies. Eyre's deal expires after this season, so it wasn't necessary to give up very much.
In return, Chicago is receiving 22 year old reliever Brian Schlitter, a 2007 draft pick. He has a great K rate and allows less than a hit an inning, but it's still probably not a terrible loss for the Phillies. Eyre's deal expires after this season, so it wasn't necessary to give up very much.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Game 113: Marlins at Philies (2/3)
Florida Marlins: 59-54
Philadelphia Phillies: 61-51
Anibal Sanchez (1-0 3.18 ERA, 0-1 10.61 ERA)
Kyle Kendrick (9-5 4.59 ERA, 1-1 5.40 ERA)
Projected lineups
Ramirez SS 2/9, .222/.222/.333
Hermida RF 3/9, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333/.333/.667
Cantu 3B 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Willingham LF 3/6, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .500/.571/1.000
Uggla 2B 3/8, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .375/.444/.875
Jacobs 1B 0/6, .000/.333/.000
Ross CF 2/4, .500/.500/1.000
Baker C 2/2, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1.000/1.000/2.500
Sanchez P
Rollins SS 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Victorino CF 1/5, .200/.333/.200
Utley 2B 2/6, .333/.333/.833
Howard 1B 1/2, .500/.833/.500
Burrell LF 0/3
Jenkins RF 2/3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .667/.750/1.667
Dobbs 3B 0/1
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Last night was a pretty shameful display. Jamie Moyer didn't have his A-game with him, but he battled through it and gave the team a few decent innings. Once again, the offense couldn't string baserunners and hits together to score some runs, even though some of it was bad luck. The Marlins made some good defensive plays, and the Phillies had a baserunning blunder or two.
Last time out against the Marlins, Kyle Kendrick really struggled. He didn't have his best command, and he left a lot of pitches out over the plate, which reflects in the amount of home runs he gave up. With the offense struggling in just about every game, there's very little room for error tonight. Although Anibal Sanchez has bad career numbers against the Phillies, most of the damage was done by players like Mike Lieberthal, and even guys like Abe Nunez and Danny Sandoval.
Philadelphia Phillies: 61-51
Anibal Sanchez (1-0 3.18 ERA, 0-1 10.61 ERA)
Kyle Kendrick (9-5 4.59 ERA, 1-1 5.40 ERA)
Projected lineups
Ramirez SS 2/9, .222/.222/.333
Hermida RF 3/9, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .333/.333/.667
Cantu 3B 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Willingham LF 3/6, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .500/.571/1.000
Uggla 2B 3/8, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .375/.444/.875
Jacobs 1B 0/6, .000/.333/.000
Ross CF 2/4, .500/.500/1.000
Baker C 2/2, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1.000/1.000/2.500
Sanchez P
Rollins SS 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Victorino CF 1/5, .200/.333/.200
Utley 2B 2/6, .333/.333/.833
Howard 1B 1/2, .500/.833/.500
Burrell LF 0/3
Jenkins RF 2/3, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .667/.750/1.667
Dobbs 3B 0/1
Coste C N/A
Kendrick P
Last night was a pretty shameful display. Jamie Moyer didn't have his A-game with him, but he battled through it and gave the team a few decent innings. Once again, the offense couldn't string baserunners and hits together to score some runs, even though some of it was bad luck. The Marlins made some good defensive plays, and the Phillies had a baserunning blunder or two.
Last time out against the Marlins, Kyle Kendrick really struggled. He didn't have his best command, and he left a lot of pitches out over the plate, which reflects in the amount of home runs he gave up. With the offense struggling in just about every game, there's very little room for error tonight. Although Anibal Sanchez has bad career numbers against the Phillies, most of the damage was done by players like Mike Lieberthal, and even guys like Abe Nunez and Danny Sandoval.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Game 112: Marlins at Phillies (1/3)
Florida Marlins: 59-53
Philadelphia Phillies: 61-50
Josh Johnson (1-0 4.18 ERA, 1-1 6.75 ERA)
Jamie Moyer (10-6 3.79 ERA, 10-0 3.69 ERA)
Projected lineups
Ramirez SS 7/21, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .333/.364/1.000
Hermida RF 3/12, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.400/.500
Cantu 3B 1/5, 1 RBI, .200/.333/.200
Willingham LF 1/15, /.067/.067/.200
Uggla 2B 2/18, .111/.158/.167
Jacobs 1B 6/14, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .429/.467/1.143
Ross CF 1/16, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .063/.118/.250
Baker C N/A
Johnson P
Rollins SS 2/8, 1 RBI, .250/.250/.375
Victorino CF 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Utley 2B 2/7, .286/.375/.286
Howard 1B 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.500/.857
Burrell LF 0/5
Jenkins RF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Dobbs 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Moyer P
Runs were tough to come by in the St. Louis series, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing too many this week. Both of these offenses love the longball, and it's almost always a slugfest when they meet in Philadelphia. Jamie Moyer has historically dominated Florida, but you have to figure his luck will run out eventually. I find it funny that with the exception of Hanley, the Marlins' best hitters against Moyer are left handed. It shows you that most of their lineup sits dead red, and if they don't get it, they have problems scoring runs.
Josh Johnson's career ERA against the Phillies isn't good, but he did a decent job last time out last month. Geoff Jenkins has the reputation of a low ball hitter, so it would be nice if he could have some success tonight against Johnson's sinker. In that outing last month, he threw a lot of fastballs, so the Phillies could have some success if they sit on it early and get aggressive.
Philadelphia Phillies: 61-50
Josh Johnson (1-0 4.18 ERA, 1-1 6.75 ERA)
Jamie Moyer (10-6 3.79 ERA, 10-0 3.69 ERA)
Projected lineups
Ramirez SS 7/21, 4 HR, 5 RBI, .333/.364/1.000
Hermida RF 3/12, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.400/.500
Cantu 3B 1/5, 1 RBI, .200/.333/.200
Willingham LF 1/15, /.067/.067/.200
Uggla 2B 2/18, .111/.158/.167
Jacobs 1B 6/14, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .429/.467/1.143
Ross CF 1/16, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .063/.118/.250
Baker C N/A
Johnson P
Rollins SS 2/8, 1 RBI, .250/.250/.375
Victorino CF 0/3, .000/.250/.000
Utley 2B 2/7, .286/.375/.286
Howard 1B 3/7, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .429/.500/.857
Burrell LF 0/5
Jenkins RF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Dobbs 3B N/A
Ruiz C N/A
Moyer P
Runs were tough to come by in the St. Louis series, and I have a feeling we'll be seeing too many this week. Both of these offenses love the longball, and it's almost always a slugfest when they meet in Philadelphia. Jamie Moyer has historically dominated Florida, but you have to figure his luck will run out eventually. I find it funny that with the exception of Hanley, the Marlins' best hitters against Moyer are left handed. It shows you that most of their lineup sits dead red, and if they don't get it, they have problems scoring runs.
Josh Johnson's career ERA against the Phillies isn't good, but he did a decent job last time out last month. Geoff Jenkins has the reputation of a low ball hitter, so it would be nice if he could have some success tonight against Johnson's sinker. In that outing last month, he threw a lot of fastballs, so the Phillies could have some success if they sit on it early and get aggressive.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Game 111: Phillies at Cardinals (3/3)
Philadelphia Phillies: 60-50
St. Louis Cardinals: 62-51
Brett Myers (4-9 5.46 ERA, 3-2 5.43 ERA)
Todd Wellemeyer (8-4 4.13 ERA, 0-1 9.00 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 0/5, .000/.286/.000
Victorino CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Utley 2B 3/5, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.500/1.400
Howard 1B 1/2, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.667/2.000
Burrell LF 1/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.400/1.000
Jenkins RF 2/4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.500/1.250
Dobbs 3B 0/0, 1.000 OBP
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Schumaker CF 4/7, 2 HR, 2 RBI, .571/.571/1.571
Mather LF N/A
Pujols 1B 9/23, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .391/.440/.696
Ludwick RF 1/4, 1 RBI, .250/.250/.500
Glaus 3B 2/10, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .200/.273/.800
Molina C 3/12, 3 RBI, .250/.250/.250
Kennedy 2B 0/4, .000/.200/.000
Wellemeyer P
Miles SS 5/10, 1 RBI, .500/.500/.500
Last time Todd Wellemeyer started against the Phillies, the team scored 20 runs en route to a huge blowout. Maybe they don't need to score quite so many this time, but it would be great to bust out of this mini-slump they've dealt with in St. Louis. They were fortunate that Joe Blanton pitched so well last night, or it would've been another game the team lost while scoring 3 or fewer runs.
Brett Myers will really be tested tonight. He looked very good in his last start, but it was against the worst offense in baseball. The Cardinals have some guys that can hit, and they have a much tougher lineup. Pujols, Ludwick and Glaus all have good power, and Myers can't go back to his old habits of allowing too many home runs. If he struggles, J.A. Happ is waiting in the bullpen to take his place.
St. Louis Cardinals: 62-51
Brett Myers (4-9 5.46 ERA, 3-2 5.43 ERA)
Todd Wellemeyer (8-4 4.13 ERA, 0-1 9.00 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 0/5, .000/.286/.000
Victorino CF 1/3, .333/.333/.333
Utley 2B 3/5, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.500/1.400
Howard 1B 1/2, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .500/.667/2.000
Burrell LF 1/4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .250/.400/1.000
Jenkins RF 2/4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .500/.500/1.250
Dobbs 3B 0/0, 1.000 OBP
Coste C N/A
Myers P
Schumaker CF 4/7, 2 HR, 2 RBI, .571/.571/1.571
Mather LF N/A
Pujols 1B 9/23, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .391/.440/.696
Ludwick RF 1/4, 1 RBI, .250/.250/.500
Glaus 3B 2/10, 2 HR, 3 RBI, .200/.273/.800
Molina C 3/12, 3 RBI, .250/.250/.250
Kennedy 2B 0/4, .000/.200/.000
Wellemeyer P
Miles SS 5/10, 1 RBI, .500/.500/.500
Last time Todd Wellemeyer started against the Phillies, the team scored 20 runs en route to a huge blowout. Maybe they don't need to score quite so many this time, but it would be great to bust out of this mini-slump they've dealt with in St. Louis. They were fortunate that Joe Blanton pitched so well last night, or it would've been another game the team lost while scoring 3 or fewer runs.
Brett Myers will really be tested tonight. He looked very good in his last start, but it was against the worst offense in baseball. The Cardinals have some guys that can hit, and they have a much tougher lineup. Pujols, Ludwick and Glaus all have good power, and Myers can't go back to his old habits of allowing too many home runs. If he struggles, J.A. Happ is waiting in the bullpen to take his place.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Prospect Power Rankings 8/1
After a three month hiatus, stock watch is back. There have been several changes in the organization since May 6th, and these rankings will likely reflect that. It's obvious how this works. If a player is performing better, his stock will go up. If he is performing worse, it will go down. Promotions help, demotions hurt.
1. SP Carlos Carrasco AA: 7-7, 4.32 ERA, 114.2 IP, 109 H, 45 BB, 109 K: Stock Push- There really isn't anyone that should take the #1 slot from him. His K rate has gone down just a little bit, but his hit and walk rates have remained steady, if not gotten a little better. This is a good showing for him at AA. It wouldn't be bad for him to throw some AAA innings, and he could compete for a job with the Phillies next March.
2. 2B Adrian Cardenas N/A: Since he's not in the organization anymore, he really has no place on the top prospects list. Good luck in Oakland.
3. SP Joe Savery A+: 5-9, 4.46 ERA, 121 IP, 143 H, 51 BB, 101 K: Stock Down- Although his K rate has stayed roughly the same, his hit and walk rates have shot up, and it's scary. His season started off on the right foot, but the FSL figured him out quickly. He has to find a way to make adjustments and pitch better. This season has been a bit of a disappointment. Savery was expected to use his college experience to push through the system, and it doesn't look like that's happening for now.
4. SP Kyle Drabek R: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K: Stock Up- Now that he's back on the hill, his stock is up. His velocity was sitting in the low 90's in his return from surgery, and that's a good spot for him to be at by now. Let's see how he progresses.
5. OF Greg Golson AA: 90/317, 51 R, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 19/23 SB, .284/.329/.435: Stock Push- His rates have gotten a little worse, but this might still be his best minor league season. He's walking a bit more, but he has got to stop striking out. He shouldn't be untouchable at all in any deal. He should get a little taste of AAA pitching before the season is over, and I'd imagine he's headed to Arizona again this offseason.
6. C Lou Marson AA: 101/317, 55 R, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 3/6 SB, .319/.434/.423: Stock Up- Sweet Lou has broken through in 2008, and it looks like he could become a solid major league regular. You'd like to see him develop some more power, but with the mess the Phillies have at the position right now, it's hard to complain about what he's doing. He could be in the majors as soon as Opening Day 2009.
7. P Josh Outman N/A: Good luck with Oakland. It looks like you'll be needing it.
8. OF Dominic Brown A: 110/378, 62 R, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 16/22 stealing, .291/.373/.415: Stock Up- Since the last time I did an entry like this, Brown has become very patient, posting a solid increase in OBP despite a drop in his average. He's starting to smack some more extra base hits, which he'll need to continue to improve to rise through the system. I'd imagine they're going to come as he fills out and slides to a corner position.
9. SP J.A. Happ MLB: 0-0, 3.27 ERA, 11 IP, 8 H, 8 BB, 8 K: Stock Up- It looks like he's finally found his place as a major league pitcher, but his role has not yet been defined. He hasn't pitched since receiving his most recent call up, and it's not clear how Charlie Manuel will use him. It's widely believed that he's Brett Myers insurance, but I'd like to see him get some innings in against lefty hitters in the meantime.
10. SP Edgar Garcia AA: 0-3, 8.77 ERA, 25.2 IP, 29 H, 13 BB, 14 K: Stock Up- Those numbers look absolutely dreadful, but there aren't many 20 year old pitchers in AA. After some struggles in 2007, Garcia recovered by pitching very well in Clearwater and earned an early-July promotion. He's taking his lumps now, but he has great stuff, and it's up to him to make adjustments to the new level.
11. SS Jason Donald AA: 104/338, 53 R, 14 HR, 54 RBI, 10/12 stealing, .308/.388/.509: Stock Up- Even though he's older than you like at Reading, you can't argue with his results. He's getting noticed on the national scene, starting with his appearance in the Futures Game and then his invitation to the Olympic Team. He's a solid all-around player whose stock would jump in a big way if he can prove he can play 3B.
12. SP Drew Carpenter AA: 3-7, 6.35 ERA, 66.2 IP, 88 H, 24 BB, 43 K: Stock Down- At the end of May, the Phillies had enough of Carpenter's performance at Reading, and they sent him down to Florida to get in shape. He got some confidence back in a league he dominated last year, and he pitched a solid outing in his return to the Eastern League. He might be the biggest disappointment in the organization in 2008, and he has to take care of himself better if he wants to regain the ground he gave up this season.
13. SP Antonio Bastardo AA: 2-3, 3.11 ERA, 46.1 IP, 34 H, 29 BB, 39 K: Stock Down- His K rate dropped when he reached Reading, which is to be expected of a pitcher making the jump to the next level. However, the increase in walks wasn't good, and whenever he comes back from the labrum injury, he has to improve his command. His stock isn't going down because of performance, but I have to see if he can battle back from a tough injury and prove he's the same pitcher.
14. SS Freddy Galvis A: 79/337, 44 R, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 10/15 SB, .234/.301/.279: Stock Push- His numbers have improved since the last edition, but I still find it hard to raise him when he's still hitting that poorly. I've seen him in person, and his defense at short is just effortless. If he can improve his swing mechanics, he can at least find a niche in the majors like John McDonald has. I'm still blown that someone so young is playing full season ball.
15. C Jason Jaramillo AAA: 86/325, 34 R, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 0/1 SB, .265/.332/.378: Stock Push- His numbers are leaps and bounds better than they were in early May, but how far does that really get Jaramillo? He's more or less the same as last season, except he traded in a lot of patience for a little more power. He's repeating the level, so you would've liked to see him show a little improvement. I see him being designated for assignment and then taken in the Rule 5 draft next year.
16. C Travis D'Arnaud SS: 40/127, 16 R, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 1/3 SB, .315/.379/.488: Stock Up- I'd imagine that at the end of March when D'Arnaud was told he would be staying in Florida for extra practice to prepare for the New York-Penn season, he wasn't happy. Over a month into the season, he's proving he deserved a shot at full season ball from the start. He's been one of the stars of a solid Williamsport team, and he's answering any questions people had about his offense.
17. P Heitor Correa ?: Stock Down- It's time to issue an Amber Alert for this guy. Where is he? I read on Phuture Phillies almost a month ago that he's been suspended, but I think this has been long enough. He's got good stuff, and it'll be a shame if he was just kicked to the curb, depending on what he did.
18. IF Brad Harman AA: 72/322, 39 R, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 2/3 SB, .224/.294/.370: Stock Down- As one of the extra infielders on the 40 man roster, Harman saw some time with the big club. He'll probably never be more than a nice utility player, but the season he's having now is still disappointing. He needs to put his bat on the ball more often because he does have a little power in that bat. He can hold his own around the infield, but not well enough to make up for his current level of hitting.
19. 3B Travis Mattair A: 88/348, 44 R, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 6/11 SB, .253/.319/.322: Stock Push- He's gotten a little better since the last time I wrote about him, but Mattair is still struggling at the plate. For a guy his size, he's not hitting for enough power, and it's kind of surprising that he's only been able to hit a couple home runs. Another year at Lakewood couldn't hurt, and it wouldn't surprise me if he suited up in the Fall League this offseason.
20. SP Carlos Monasterios A+: 3-7, 5.46 ERA, 61 IP, 74 H, 19 BB, 39 K: Stock Down- Since coming back from an injury that kept him off the mound for a couple months, Monasterios has been lit up. His BB rate is still pretty solid, but his inability to strike batters out is being exposed. He's given up 46 hits in his last 6 starts, which might be a little bit of an aberration, but it's still not good. He's the last part of the Abreu trade that hasn't been seriously injured, released or trying out a new position, so that's looking worse and worse by the day.
21. SP Julian Sampson A: 7-4, 4.53 ERA, 99.1 IP, 117 H, 41 BB, 47 K: Stock Push- I said he'll be a Crosscutter this season when it's all said and done, but it doesn't look like that'll happen. His hit and walk rates have improved, but he still gives up way too many hits, walks a few too many and doesn't strike out nearly enough. His stuff is better than his numbers indicate, and I'm really not sure how he's surviving with the frequency he allows runners to reach base.
22. SP Drew Naylor A+: 1-5, 6.87 ERA, 38 IP, 40 H, 25 BB, 31 K: Stock Up- Naylor is discovering that things aren't as easy in the FSL as the Sally. Every rate is worse, and in the case of his walk rate, significantly. He had a nice two game string of good starts, but overall, he has struggled after the promotion. He was a K machine at Lakewood, and it's a bit disappointing to see he hasn't done it at the new level.
23. 1B Michael Durant A: 63/281, 43 R, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 4/4 SB, .224/.328/.427: Stock Down- July was terrible for Durant, and his average has dipped every month since April. He's a big guy with a lot of power, but like a lot of players with those qualities, his bat misses the ball much too often. Durant has a decent eye, but if he doesn't put the ball in play more, it doesn't mean a thing.
24. SP Scott Mathieson DL: Stock down- I hope he pitches again sometime, but I'm not counting on him ever getting back to the majors.
25. OF Michael Taylor A+: .286, 17 R, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 3/5 SB, .286/.340/.429: Stock Up- Taylor came out of nowhere and started mashing Lakewood. He's too old to still be in the low minors, but after Stanford messed up his swing, he has some time to make adjustments. He's a big guy with a lot of power, and it would be a nice steal for the Phillies if he can find it as he advances through the system.
26. OF Matt Spencer N/A: See ya.
27. OF D'Arby Myers SS: 23/95, 12 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4/5 SB, .242/.301/.347: Stock Down- He's still very young, but I'm losing confidence in my favorite player in the system. He had a ton of problems at Lakewood, and he had to return to Williamsport when their season ended. However, he's running into problems there by not being able to build on last year's disappointing season there. He should be playing well in a league he's repeating, and I hope this is just because his wrist is still bothering him.
28. OF Quintin Berry A+: 107/396, 47 R, 3 HR, 34 RBI, .270/.349/.338: Stock Down- He's doing a little better than he was to start the year, but it's hard to be impressed with underacheiving 23 year olds in High A. He has great speed, but he's never going to show it if he can't get on base more or hit the ball in the gap.
29. RP Joe Bisenius AAA: 0-2, 7.50 ERA, 12 IP, 14 H, 11 BB, 9 K: Stock Down- After being sent down to Reading to possibly regain some confidence and command. He got his confidence back, but the latter has gotten worse. He's all over the strike zone, or ball zone, more accurately, and I'm not sure if he'll ever see a serious major league stint.
30. P Tyson Brummett AA: 2-3, 4.18 ERA, 51.2 IP, 50 H, 28 BB, 33 K: Stock Push- He turns 24 in just a couple of weeks, so it's kind of disappointing that he's just reaching Reading now. I don't want to discount the solid season he posted at Clearwater, but he doesn't have much of a major league future. He had good strikeout numbers way down at Lakewood, but that didn't translate to the higher levels.
(31) 31. P Freddy Ballestas SS: 3-3, 5.40 ERA, 43.1 IP, 48 H, 18 BB, 47 K: Stock down- His strikeout rate indicates he probably has pretty good stuff, but the way he gets hit around does not. At his age, he should probably a bit further along in the system than he is, but I also believe that this is his first year stateside. Maybe he'll put everything together in the next couple years, but I'm not expecting it.
Whew. That's the last 30, and here's the new one.
(1) 1. SP Carlos Carrasco AA
(6) 2. C Lou Marson AA
(4) 3. SP Kyle Drabek R
(8) 4. OF Dominic Brown A
(9) 5. SP J.A. Happ MLB
(3) 6. SP Joe Savery A+
(11) 7. SS Jason Donald AA
(5) 8. OF Greg Golson AA
(10) 9. SP Edgar Garcia AA
(NR) 10. OF Anthony Hewitt R
(16) 11. C Travis D'Arnaud SS
(22) 12. SP Drew Naylor A+
(25) 13. OF Michael Taylor A+
(NR) 14. OF Zach Collier R
(14) 15. SS Freddy Galvis A
(15) 16. C Jason Jaramillo AAA
(12) 17. SP Drew Carpenter AA
(NR) 18. SP Vance Worley A
(13) 19. SP Antonio Bastardo AA
(19) 20. 3B Travis Mattair A
(21) 21. SP Julian Sampson A
(18) 22. IF Brad Harman AA
(NR) 23. SP Justin De Fratus SS
(NR) 24. SP Jason Knapp R
(NR) 25. C Sebastian Valle R
(NR) 26. OF Steven Susdorf SS
(23) 27. 1B Michael Durant A
(NR) 28. SP Michael Stutes A
(30) 29. P Tyson Brummett AA
(NR) 30. C Tim Kennelly A
(NR) 31. OF Leandro Castro R
And that just took almost my entire day. Wow.
1. SP Carlos Carrasco AA: 7-7, 4.32 ERA, 114.2 IP, 109 H, 45 BB, 109 K: Stock Push- There really isn't anyone that should take the #1 slot from him. His K rate has gone down just a little bit, but his hit and walk rates have remained steady, if not gotten a little better. This is a good showing for him at AA. It wouldn't be bad for him to throw some AAA innings, and he could compete for a job with the Phillies next March.
2. 2B Adrian Cardenas N/A: Since he's not in the organization anymore, he really has no place on the top prospects list. Good luck in Oakland.
3. SP Joe Savery A+: 5-9, 4.46 ERA, 121 IP, 143 H, 51 BB, 101 K: Stock Down- Although his K rate has stayed roughly the same, his hit and walk rates have shot up, and it's scary. His season started off on the right foot, but the FSL figured him out quickly. He has to find a way to make adjustments and pitch better. This season has been a bit of a disappointment. Savery was expected to use his college experience to push through the system, and it doesn't look like that's happening for now.
4. SP Kyle Drabek R: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K: Stock Up- Now that he's back on the hill, his stock is up. His velocity was sitting in the low 90's in his return from surgery, and that's a good spot for him to be at by now. Let's see how he progresses.
5. OF Greg Golson AA: 90/317, 51 R, 10 HR, 45 RBI, 19/23 SB, .284/.329/.435: Stock Push- His rates have gotten a little worse, but this might still be his best minor league season. He's walking a bit more, but he has got to stop striking out. He shouldn't be untouchable at all in any deal. He should get a little taste of AAA pitching before the season is over, and I'd imagine he's headed to Arizona again this offseason.
6. C Lou Marson AA: 101/317, 55 R, 5 HR, 46 RBI, 3/6 SB, .319/.434/.423: Stock Up- Sweet Lou has broken through in 2008, and it looks like he could become a solid major league regular. You'd like to see him develop some more power, but with the mess the Phillies have at the position right now, it's hard to complain about what he's doing. He could be in the majors as soon as Opening Day 2009.
7. P Josh Outman N/A: Good luck with Oakland. It looks like you'll be needing it.
8. OF Dominic Brown A: 110/378, 62 R, 7 HR, 44 RBI, 16/22 stealing, .291/.373/.415: Stock Up- Since the last time I did an entry like this, Brown has become very patient, posting a solid increase in OBP despite a drop in his average. He's starting to smack some more extra base hits, which he'll need to continue to improve to rise through the system. I'd imagine they're going to come as he fills out and slides to a corner position.
9. SP J.A. Happ MLB: 0-0, 3.27 ERA, 11 IP, 8 H, 8 BB, 8 K: Stock Up- It looks like he's finally found his place as a major league pitcher, but his role has not yet been defined. He hasn't pitched since receiving his most recent call up, and it's not clear how Charlie Manuel will use him. It's widely believed that he's Brett Myers insurance, but I'd like to see him get some innings in against lefty hitters in the meantime.
10. SP Edgar Garcia AA: 0-3, 8.77 ERA, 25.2 IP, 29 H, 13 BB, 14 K: Stock Up- Those numbers look absolutely dreadful, but there aren't many 20 year old pitchers in AA. After some struggles in 2007, Garcia recovered by pitching very well in Clearwater and earned an early-July promotion. He's taking his lumps now, but he has great stuff, and it's up to him to make adjustments to the new level.
11. SS Jason Donald AA: 104/338, 53 R, 14 HR, 54 RBI, 10/12 stealing, .308/.388/.509: Stock Up- Even though he's older than you like at Reading, you can't argue with his results. He's getting noticed on the national scene, starting with his appearance in the Futures Game and then his invitation to the Olympic Team. He's a solid all-around player whose stock would jump in a big way if he can prove he can play 3B.
12. SP Drew Carpenter AA: 3-7, 6.35 ERA, 66.2 IP, 88 H, 24 BB, 43 K: Stock Down- At the end of May, the Phillies had enough of Carpenter's performance at Reading, and they sent him down to Florida to get in shape. He got some confidence back in a league he dominated last year, and he pitched a solid outing in his return to the Eastern League. He might be the biggest disappointment in the organization in 2008, and he has to take care of himself better if he wants to regain the ground he gave up this season.
13. SP Antonio Bastardo AA: 2-3, 3.11 ERA, 46.1 IP, 34 H, 29 BB, 39 K: Stock Down- His K rate dropped when he reached Reading, which is to be expected of a pitcher making the jump to the next level. However, the increase in walks wasn't good, and whenever he comes back from the labrum injury, he has to improve his command. His stock isn't going down because of performance, but I have to see if he can battle back from a tough injury and prove he's the same pitcher.
14. SS Freddy Galvis A: 79/337, 44 R, 2 HR, 29 RBI, 10/15 SB, .234/.301/.279: Stock Push- His numbers have improved since the last edition, but I still find it hard to raise him when he's still hitting that poorly. I've seen him in person, and his defense at short is just effortless. If he can improve his swing mechanics, he can at least find a niche in the majors like John McDonald has. I'm still blown that someone so young is playing full season ball.
15. C Jason Jaramillo AAA: 86/325, 34 R, 7 HR, 34 RBI, 0/1 SB, .265/.332/.378: Stock Push- His numbers are leaps and bounds better than they were in early May, but how far does that really get Jaramillo? He's more or less the same as last season, except he traded in a lot of patience for a little more power. He's repeating the level, so you would've liked to see him show a little improvement. I see him being designated for assignment and then taken in the Rule 5 draft next year.
16. C Travis D'Arnaud SS: 40/127, 16 R, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 1/3 SB, .315/.379/.488: Stock Up- I'd imagine that at the end of March when D'Arnaud was told he would be staying in Florida for extra practice to prepare for the New York-Penn season, he wasn't happy. Over a month into the season, he's proving he deserved a shot at full season ball from the start. He's been one of the stars of a solid Williamsport team, and he's answering any questions people had about his offense.
17. P Heitor Correa ?: Stock Down- It's time to issue an Amber Alert for this guy. Where is he? I read on Phuture Phillies almost a month ago that he's been suspended, but I think this has been long enough. He's got good stuff, and it'll be a shame if he was just kicked to the curb, depending on what he did.
18. IF Brad Harman AA: 72/322, 39 R, 11 HR, 37 RBI, 2/3 SB, .224/.294/.370: Stock Down- As one of the extra infielders on the 40 man roster, Harman saw some time with the big club. He'll probably never be more than a nice utility player, but the season he's having now is still disappointing. He needs to put his bat on the ball more often because he does have a little power in that bat. He can hold his own around the infield, but not well enough to make up for his current level of hitting.
19. 3B Travis Mattair A: 88/348, 44 R, 2 HR, 44 RBI, 6/11 SB, .253/.319/.322: Stock Push- He's gotten a little better since the last time I wrote about him, but Mattair is still struggling at the plate. For a guy his size, he's not hitting for enough power, and it's kind of surprising that he's only been able to hit a couple home runs. Another year at Lakewood couldn't hurt, and it wouldn't surprise me if he suited up in the Fall League this offseason.
20. SP Carlos Monasterios A+: 3-7, 5.46 ERA, 61 IP, 74 H, 19 BB, 39 K: Stock Down- Since coming back from an injury that kept him off the mound for a couple months, Monasterios has been lit up. His BB rate is still pretty solid, but his inability to strike batters out is being exposed. He's given up 46 hits in his last 6 starts, which might be a little bit of an aberration, but it's still not good. He's the last part of the Abreu trade that hasn't been seriously injured, released or trying out a new position, so that's looking worse and worse by the day.
21. SP Julian Sampson A: 7-4, 4.53 ERA, 99.1 IP, 117 H, 41 BB, 47 K: Stock Push- I said he'll be a Crosscutter this season when it's all said and done, but it doesn't look like that'll happen. His hit and walk rates have improved, but he still gives up way too many hits, walks a few too many and doesn't strike out nearly enough. His stuff is better than his numbers indicate, and I'm really not sure how he's surviving with the frequency he allows runners to reach base.
22. SP Drew Naylor A+: 1-5, 6.87 ERA, 38 IP, 40 H, 25 BB, 31 K: Stock Up- Naylor is discovering that things aren't as easy in the FSL as the Sally. Every rate is worse, and in the case of his walk rate, significantly. He had a nice two game string of good starts, but overall, he has struggled after the promotion. He was a K machine at Lakewood, and it's a bit disappointing to see he hasn't done it at the new level.
23. 1B Michael Durant A: 63/281, 43 R, 13 HR, 44 RBI, 4/4 SB, .224/.328/.427: Stock Down- July was terrible for Durant, and his average has dipped every month since April. He's a big guy with a lot of power, but like a lot of players with those qualities, his bat misses the ball much too often. Durant has a decent eye, but if he doesn't put the ball in play more, it doesn't mean a thing.
24. SP Scott Mathieson DL: Stock down- I hope he pitches again sometime, but I'm not counting on him ever getting back to the majors.
25. OF Michael Taylor A+: .286, 17 R, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 3/5 SB, .286/.340/.429: Stock Up- Taylor came out of nowhere and started mashing Lakewood. He's too old to still be in the low minors, but after Stanford messed up his swing, he has some time to make adjustments. He's a big guy with a lot of power, and it would be a nice steal for the Phillies if he can find it as he advances through the system.
26. OF Matt Spencer N/A: See ya.
27. OF D'Arby Myers SS: 23/95, 12 R, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4/5 SB, .242/.301/.347: Stock Down- He's still very young, but I'm losing confidence in my favorite player in the system. He had a ton of problems at Lakewood, and he had to return to Williamsport when their season ended. However, he's running into problems there by not being able to build on last year's disappointing season there. He should be playing well in a league he's repeating, and I hope this is just because his wrist is still bothering him.
28. OF Quintin Berry A+: 107/396, 47 R, 3 HR, 34 RBI, .270/.349/.338: Stock Down- He's doing a little better than he was to start the year, but it's hard to be impressed with underacheiving 23 year olds in High A. He has great speed, but he's never going to show it if he can't get on base more or hit the ball in the gap.
29. RP Joe Bisenius AAA: 0-2, 7.50 ERA, 12 IP, 14 H, 11 BB, 9 K: Stock Down- After being sent down to Reading to possibly regain some confidence and command. He got his confidence back, but the latter has gotten worse. He's all over the strike zone, or ball zone, more accurately, and I'm not sure if he'll ever see a serious major league stint.
30. P Tyson Brummett AA: 2-3, 4.18 ERA, 51.2 IP, 50 H, 28 BB, 33 K: Stock Push- He turns 24 in just a couple of weeks, so it's kind of disappointing that he's just reaching Reading now. I don't want to discount the solid season he posted at Clearwater, but he doesn't have much of a major league future. He had good strikeout numbers way down at Lakewood, but that didn't translate to the higher levels.
(31) 31. P Freddy Ballestas SS: 3-3, 5.40 ERA, 43.1 IP, 48 H, 18 BB, 47 K: Stock down- His strikeout rate indicates he probably has pretty good stuff, but the way he gets hit around does not. At his age, he should probably a bit further along in the system than he is, but I also believe that this is his first year stateside. Maybe he'll put everything together in the next couple years, but I'm not expecting it.
Whew. That's the last 30, and here's the new one.
(1) 1. SP Carlos Carrasco AA
(6) 2. C Lou Marson AA
(4) 3. SP Kyle Drabek R
(8) 4. OF Dominic Brown A
(9) 5. SP J.A. Happ MLB
(3) 6. SP Joe Savery A+
(11) 7. SS Jason Donald AA
(5) 8. OF Greg Golson AA
(10) 9. SP Edgar Garcia AA
(NR) 10. OF Anthony Hewitt R
(16) 11. C Travis D'Arnaud SS
(22) 12. SP Drew Naylor A+
(25) 13. OF Michael Taylor A+
(NR) 14. OF Zach Collier R
(14) 15. SS Freddy Galvis A
(15) 16. C Jason Jaramillo AAA
(12) 17. SP Drew Carpenter AA
(NR) 18. SP Vance Worley A
(13) 19. SP Antonio Bastardo AA
(19) 20. 3B Travis Mattair A
(21) 21. SP Julian Sampson A
(18) 22. IF Brad Harman AA
(NR) 23. SP Justin De Fratus SS
(NR) 24. SP Jason Knapp R
(NR) 25. C Sebastian Valle R
(NR) 26. OF Steven Susdorf SS
(23) 27. 1B Michael Durant A
(NR) 28. SP Michael Stutes A
(30) 29. P Tyson Brummett AA
(NR) 30. C Tim Kennelly A
(NR) 31. OF Leandro Castro R
And that just took almost my entire day. Wow.
Game 109: Phillies at Cardinals (1/3)
Philadelphia Phillies: 59-49
St. Louis Cardinals: 61-50
Cole Hamels (9-6 3.27 ERA, 2-1 3.81 ERA)
Kyle Lohse (12-3 3.68 ERA, 1-1 1.65 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 2/14, .143/.143/.143
Victorino CF 0/7
Utley 2B 1/9, .111/.200/.111
Howard 1B 2/5, .400/.500/.400
Burrell LF 3/11, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .273/.333/.545
Jenkins LF 4/22, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .182/.250/.455
Dobbs 3B 1/4, .250/.250/.250
Ruiz C 1/6, .167/.167/.167
Hamels P
Ryan 2B 0/1
Mather LF N/A
Pujols 1B 3/10, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300/.273/.700
Ludwick RF 1/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .200/.200/.800
Glaus 3B 0/3
Molina C 1/7, .143/.143/.286
Izturis SS 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Lohse P
Schumaker CF 0/1, 1 RBI
The Phillies have won five in a row, and the offense has woken up for now. What better time for it to continue than tonight against one of the better teams in the NL and Kyle Lohse? I hated seeing him dominate the Phillies a couple months ago. There aren't many pitchers in the league that I'd like the Phillies to beat than Lohse. I'm glad he didn't get a big, multi-year contract like he hoped, and I hate seeing him pitch well.
Later today, I hope to have another edition of prospect stock watch and maybe I'll finish my trade deadline wrap up.
St. Louis Cardinals: 61-50
Cole Hamels (9-6 3.27 ERA, 2-1 3.81 ERA)
Kyle Lohse (12-3 3.68 ERA, 1-1 1.65 ERA)
Projected lineups
Rollins SS 2/14, .143/.143/.143
Victorino CF 0/7
Utley 2B 1/9, .111/.200/.111
Howard 1B 2/5, .400/.500/.400
Burrell LF 3/11, 1 HR, 3 RBI, .273/.333/.545
Jenkins LF 4/22, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .182/.250/.455
Dobbs 3B 1/4, .250/.250/.250
Ruiz C 1/6, .167/.167/.167
Hamels P
Ryan 2B 0/1
Mather LF N/A
Pujols 1B 3/10, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .300/.273/.700
Ludwick RF 1/5, 1 HR, 1 RBI, .200/.200/.800
Glaus 3B 0/3
Molina C 1/7, .143/.143/.286
Izturis SS 2/3, .667/.667/.667
Lohse P
Schumaker CF 0/1, 1 RBI
The Phillies have won five in a row, and the offense has woken up for now. What better time for it to continue than tonight against one of the better teams in the NL and Kyle Lohse? I hated seeing him dominate the Phillies a couple months ago. There aren't many pitchers in the league that I'd like the Phillies to beat than Lohse. I'm glad he didn't get a big, multi-year contract like he hoped, and I hate seeing him pitch well.
Later today, I hope to have another edition of prospect stock watch and maybe I'll finish my trade deadline wrap up.
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