Hernandez downs the A's on Dollar Dog Night

It was blanket give-away and dollar dog night at the Mac tonight. While waiting in line to get one of the 10,000 blankets, I saw a group of young Japanese fans enjoying a tailgate tour package, featuring barbecued hotdogs. I didn't see the group inside the Mac - hopefully the tour included the game! In this first of 2 games, the Mariners' offense and defense were superb and they deserved their win, 4-2. Watching Ichiro is always a treat. His first at-bat was classic - a single, a steal to second on a passed ball, a steal to third, then a trot home. Too bad for our pitcher Joe Blanton, who pitched well after a wobbly first inning but couldn't match up with Mariner's ace Felix Hernandez who was definitely on his game tonight.

'pigs on a streak

It was construction workers' night at Coca-Cola Park yesterday. Despite the chilly temps, good pitching, timely hitting, and solid defense helped the IronPigs tame the hard-hitting Toledo Mud Hens and garner a 4-1 win for starter Brian Mazone. Veteran pitcher Steve Kline, picked up last week by the Phillies, made his debut from the bullpen. After getting two quick outs, Kline started talking, with the 2nd base umpire, his infielders, the pitching coach, the home plate ump, and eventually the manager, then came off the field still talking. Another loony lefty.

I was glad I missed the Phillies sleepwalk through Shawn Chacon, who held them scoreless through eight. The 9th, however, was something else. Chris Snelling, called up the other day from the 'Pigs, started the inning with a pinch-hit homer. Chase Utley was hit by a pitch, but Ryan Howard whiffed. Up stepped Pat Burrell. Bingo! 2-run homer, game tied. Geoff Jenkins then reached first on a strike-out, passed ball. Pedro Feliz followed with a wicked hit past third and into the left field corner. Jenkins chugged and chugged. Head down, he ran through the stop sign from 3rd base coach Steve Smith and slid safely (wink, wink) home. Phils win 4-3. WOW!

ironpigs win! the ironp-i-i-i-gs win!

It took 12 tries but they finally did it. The IronPigs beat the Richmond Braves tonight 3-1. Starting pitcher Ron Chiavacci had his curve working all ways for 6 solid innings. With 2 outs, the Braves mounted a threat in the 9th but the last batter flied out to center to strand two runners on base and give the fans who had sat through a cold night of baseball a chance to cheer history. It was the first win ever for the IronPigs, and it happened at home in Coca-Cola Park. I had tix for the Sixers last home game and gave my 'Pigs tix to friends. Hope they enjoyed the game. I meanwhile ended up (circumstances) catching both the Sixers and the 'Pigs on TV.

As for the Sixers, they lost a heartbreaker to the Cavs on a reviewed call made with less than a second on the clock. After a look at the replay, the referees deemed that a foul had indeed been committed and the Cavs got 2 free throws. They made both and won 91-90. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard were courtside, which brings a miscall from yesterday's game to mind. Mark DeRosa hit what was called a home run to left. Pat Burrell protested. Replay showed that it was a foul ball. The umps conferred and let the call stand. Charlie Manual protested and got tossed for his efforts.

It seems just silly that baseball does not have instant replay for foul/fair boundary calls for home runs. The NBA uses instant replay for shots in the last seconds of games. Tonight was the first time I saw it used to determine a judgement call. I think that's where instant replay should not be used, in the NBA or MLB. But for determining if a shot was made before the quarter or game ends or if a ball is fair or foul, instant replay makes all the sense in the world. A couple of years ago the Phillies were essentially knocked out of the play-offs when they lost a crucial game in Washington. Chase Utley hit what was clearly a home run but the umpires ruled it foul. La Rosa's foul homer yesterday also changed the outcome of the game.

Go, 'Pigs!

pork illustrated

Despite the many clever freebies handed out during the inaugural weekend of the IronPigs, the team continues in a mammoth slump. Now 0-11. Yikes. May be it's time to embrace losing and see how bad they can be. So far the opposing teams don't look that hot themselves but no matter the 'Pigs are incapable of putting anything together. Yesterday the many fans who braved the cold, gusty winds, overcast skies, and sprinkles, cheered madly when the guys mounted a comeback but were again deflated in the next innings. The game went way too long. I had to leave at 4 and was even less happy to catch the futile end of the Phillies' game, when the bullpen coughed up a 5-4 lead in the 8th, then Derrick Lee of the Cubs made a spectacular game-saving catch to end the 9th and preserve the tie. Talk about a momentum shift. Sure enough in the 10th, the Cubs scored the go-ahead run on what should have been an inning-ending double play. But Utley threw the ball into the dirt. Cubs won 6-5. Where is the D!!!

In Reading, at least, Carlos Carrasco pitched the R-Phils to a solid win over the Curve. Go, CC.

pagoda day at reading ballpark

It was Pagoda Day at First Energy Stadium in Reading and we all got spiffy red caps with a blue pagoda on front. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Reading's most distinctive landmark, which sits on a mountain overlooking the city. On an afternoon of mixed spring weather (showers, sun, wind), Fabio Castro led the R-Phils against the Altoona Curve and for 6.1 innings the little lefty had a no-hitter. He then gave up a clean hit but finished strong and left with a one-hitter after seven. The relievers allowed the only runs in the R-Phils 5-2 victory, which also featured some nice defensive plays and a 3-run homer by catcher John Suomi.

Yesterday evening at the Lehigh Valley game, Travis Blackley looked good against the Richmond Braves for five innings. The IronPigs put some hits together in that frame to take a 2-1 lead, but the relief corps came in in the 6th and coughed it up in excruciating fashion. Another 'Pigs' loss: 5-3.

Not dressed for the falling temps, we left the 'Pigs after the sixth and caught the last of the Phillies-Cubs on the way home. It was pretty much Cole Hamels just being Cole, holding the Cubs to one hit through seven and improving his ERA to 0.82. The Phillies banged out 11 hits in the 7-1 win. However, Shane Victorino left the game in the 6th with a right calf strain, the same injury that sidelined him for a month last season, and went straight to the 15-day DL. That means both guys at the top of the order are now out. Bummer, bummer, bummer.

Cards beat the Giants in Extra Innings

Anthony Reyes' beautiful leg kick

On a beautiful warm afternoon the Giants blew a 5-1 lead and ended up losing to the Cards 8-7 in the 10th inning. Matt Cain was on the mound again but this time he pitched well into the 6th inning. Then Pujols drove in a double and the relievers were unable to hold Cain's lead. Still, the Giants kept the game close and things got interesting when Izzie blew the save. Still, we were reminded that this was a rebuilding year. Bad news on Dave Roberts, who had knee surgery today and will be out 3 months.

historic first pitch

First pitch at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, PA. It was a strike from J. D. Durbin of the IronPigs to Josh Anderson of the visiting Richmond Braves.

This cool print showing last night's official first pitch was handed out to fans leaving the game last night. It would make a super postcard. (Is anyone at the IronPigs listening?) Everyone also received a framed commemorative ticket for the historic game. Unfortunately, the 'Pigs continued to wallow. They are off to a historically-bad 0-9 start. J.D. Durbin was so-so for five innings but in the 6th it all caught up with him. Some sloppy play and anemic offense rounded things off. Someone must have put a spell on this team.

It was a sell-out crowd and the fans were ready to rock. The local weather channel had predicted a shower in the 7th inning. And it happened, sending some scurrying to the concourse. The guy next to me, a BoSox fan, kept his kids and us posted on the MLB scores of interest. Phillies went up 5-3 in the 6th on a Burrell double. The hot Burrell also knocked in a 2-run homer earlier to tie the game. Brett Myers, who had vowed before the game to come out 'closing', pitched 8 innings of 3-run, 5-hit ball. Brad Lidge came in for his first save for the home team.

screams in the night

I got out of Nadine Labaki's sweet and sexy Caramel last night and put the radio on to what I thought was the local Phillies station only to hear the Fox announcers nattering. Game over, I thought. Hours later I tuned in again only to hear the postgame show following the 12-inning loss to the Mets on a controversial call at the plate. Again, the Phillies wasted a good outing by Adam Eaton, who gave up 5 hits and 3 runs. Again, Eric Bruntlett, subbing for Jimmy Rollins, came up small, this time popping out foul on a crucial bunt attempt. Again, the offence struggles. Shades of Aprils past! Scream!

I was supposed to be at the park tonight but will miss the convergence of three games in South Philly, with the Phillies, Sixers, and Phantoms all playing. This weekend is wall-to-wall minor league games.

MVP? The past two days prove that J-Roll is the man.

sloppy ball

Last night J-Roll lost his streak of 230 games played consecutively and the Phillies lost the game. Kyle Kendrick morphed into Gavin (oh-no) Floyd, nibbling instead of pitching and walking 6 in the first two innings. The Mets scored only once, though, on a fielding error by Chase Utley. The Phils then tied it, on a throwing error by Jose Reyes. In the 3rd, the wheels came off. Eric Bruntlett, subbing for Rollins, committed 2 errors, Carlos Ruiz threw another. By inning end, the Mets were up 7-1, with five runs unearned. Ugh. Not the way to play or win ball games. If we want a silver lining, Chad Durbin was good in long relief. J-Roll did not look happy on the bench.

rollins out

rollins out
mets crow:
we win

Scheduled to play tonight, Rollins was taken out of the line-up late this afternoon. The Mets were ecstatic. When Rollins mentioned to the Sandy Alomar and son (Mets coaches) that he was out, they immediately said, "We win." Willie Randolph lightened up at the news. Hahahahaha. One night, OK, but please not one of these day-to-day things that turn into stints on the DL. Like Chase, Jimmy's a tough dude. But he's the one that makes the team go.

Glorious Disappointment

San Francisco fans braced themselves for a year of rebuilding, patience and sheer horror stories. The Home Opener certainly had elements of all this. The opening ceremonies started auspiciously enough with a celebration of 50 years in San Francisco. Surviving members of the 1958 team were driven around the field in vintage cars. They looked elderly but happy to be there and the mellifluous voice of Lon Simmons announced each player to the cheers of the Giants fans. Afterwards, the national anthem was sung, the great Red/White/Blue was unfurled (this blogger decided not to be part of the unfurling this time) and a young child's voice cried, "Play Ball!" That was the high point. What followed was a dreadful pitching performance by Matt Cain who had the honor of facing the Padre's elderly ace, Greg Maddux. He was finally replaced in the 6th by Keiichi Yabu, who had earlier bruised both his eyeballs in a freak rubber band accident near his locker. Yabu did better than Cain, though one wondered how long his eyes would handle the strain. Final score 8-4 Padres.
Meanwhile, in the other "rebuilding" camp, the Oakland A's have already lost 2 pitchers to injuries. Duchscherer, in his starting pitcher debut, strained a bicep after pitching brilliantly against the Indians and promptly went on the 15-day disabled list. The most delicate of the A's pitching staff, Rich Harden, is again hurting somewhere. Still, the A's are doing better than the Giants. They beat the Jays tonite.

hit counter

Chase Utley tied a major league record in today's game with the Mets and the Phillies did what they never seem able to do at CBP---win on opening day. As for Utley, he was plunked 3x at the plate. It was #4, though, when he put himself in the way of an errant throw to second by first baseman Delgado that allowed the tying runs to score and started the boos raining down from the sellout crowd at Shea. Through six the Mets had nursed a 2-0 lead, but starter Jamie Moyer never broke. And he got the win. Yay, Jamie!

In the 7th, the Phillies scored three times on the Mets' bullpen, taking a 3-2 lead on a Jayson Werth single. In the 8th, they added 2 more. The boos continued. Gotta love it. Utley had a fabulous at-bat where the Mets tried to distract him mightily by coming in behind Rollins at second. Over and over and over. Utley, though, hung in and hit a ball to the base of the wall, and Rollins was able to waltz home. That, it turned out, was the only way Rollins was going to make it home. He had sprained his left ankle on one of his scrambles back to second. Shane Victorino, struggling at the plate, was a dervish in the outfield, running down ball after ball. As Pat Gillick said the other day, Rowand takes better routes to the ball but Victorino goes where Rowand cannot.

By the 9th, the Mets faithful were streaming from the park. What we learned today, perhaps, is that so far the Mets are playing the same mediocre ball that they played for most of last season.

J-Roll had better be OK.

take the split

And get out of town. Cole Hamels pitched today. That should say it all and it did. Postgame, Hamels said he didn't have his best stuff, still doesn't have his velocity, which usually takes 3 to 4 games to get back. Last week he sparkled and lost. This week he won. Jimmy led off with a homer. Pat had two. Geoff Jenkins cranked his first of the year. Final score: 5-3. In the 9th, Brad Lidge made it a bit too interesting, giving up a run and putting guys on. But he got the save. This was Lidge's first save opportunity and the first time he's pitched back-to-back. The guy barely had spring training and is coming off an injury. No reason to go off on him. Same for Brett Myers. After a good spring training, he's been less than impressive in his first two starts. Could simply be that he still has his 'closer' cap on. Butterfingers must be catching. If the Phils don't tighten up their defense pronto, the NY series is going to be interminable.

from montage mountain

Batting practice yesterday at the Yankees' triple-A park in Moosic, as seen from Montage Mountain.

mimi sings
my mind wanders--
cincinnati

The Met simulcast of La Boheme yesterday was at the Cinemark atop Montage Mountain. I used to see the cinema from the ballpark, when it was the home of the Red Barons. Now I get to see the ballpark from the cinema parking lot. The IronPigs were playing the Yankees yesterday afternoon. That game and the Phillies' game in Cincinnati ended before the opera. The Phillies lost in the 9th on an RBI single that broke a 3-3 tie. What I learned is that Adam Eaton pitched well, going into the 8th. That's all we want! Keep it up, Adam!

100 for chutley, phillies win

pat skies one
chutley knocks two--
we got dingers

With the Phillies in an hour-and-a-half rain delay in Cincinnati, I got to concentrate on the Double 'Dres leading the Sixers in Atlanta to a play-off spot. Good going! When I fell asleep on the Phils' game, they were up 7-4 and Ryan Madson had taken over in the 6th for starter Kyle Kendrick, who worked hard for his first win of the season. Pat Burrell hit a homer and Chase Utley, even sexier, hit two, for the 99th and 100th of his young career. Final score: 8-4. The Phillies are now .500, somewhere it took them weeks to reach last year. Brad Lidge will join the club today. Baby-faced Mike Zagurski, just recovered from hamstring surgery, had Tommy John surgery yesterday and his season is over. I'll be at the Met simulcast of La Boheme while this afternoon's game is being played. Adam Eaton gets the start.

j-roll shows mvp stuff

The first home series had deja-vu all over it. It also had all the markings of a textbook lesson in excruciating losses. Game one it was the pitching that failed. Game two it was the hitting. Cole Hamels threw an 8-inning gem and made just one mistake, a solo homer to Ryan Zimmerman, in a 1-0 loss to the Nats. His mates meanwhile were being one-hit by journeyman Tim Redding. The last time the Phillies were one-hit, by the bye: 2003.

When I tuned into the game yesterday, I was just in time to hear Chris Coste smack a homer to put the Phillies on the board in the 3rd. By then, though, they were down 5-1, thanks to a first, I learned, marked by four! errors. OK, you just don't deserve to win with play like that.

By the time I reached home, it was the 6th, they were trailing 6-1, and Shane Victorino, still looking for his first hit, had just made out. Then the rally started. The Phillies batted around, hitting 8 singles and taking a 7-6 lead. The Nats tied it in the 7th but there it stayed till the 10th. Rollins got on by legging out an infield hit. Victorino then laid down a bunt and Rollins, who saw that the Nats catcher was not going to cover 3rd, sped around 2nd and slid into 3rd. A gutsy heads-up play that showed true instinct. The Nats predictably then walked both Utley and Howard to load the bases. Up stepped Jayson Werth. Four balls later, Rollins trotted home and the Phils had won 8-7.

Rudy Seanez was good in his Philadelphia debut. Tom Gordon pitched a scoreless 9th and lowered his ERA by mabye 100.

Yesterday was the debut of the day-game retro unis. I'm not a fan of multiple uniforms but gotta admit these are cool. Cream with red and blue trim, they mimic ones from the late 1940's.

iron pigs make their IL debut

The Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs officially open the season tonight on the road in Scranton-Wilkes Barre. I'm listening to the radio pregame show and one of the 'Pig announcers is already irritating me. He grew up a Yankee fan and it's obviously coloring his coverage of the SWB team, the triple-A affiliate of the Yankees. We really don't care about your fandom, guy. He may just be the one who made some of the more egregious mistakes in the Reading exhibition game. Just goes to show how hard it is to do good play-by-play.

Home Opener at the Mac

The A's opened against the Bosox last nite. Well actually it was game #3 of the series but it was our "opener." This year celebrates 40 years of Oakland A's baseball with little hope of seeing 50 as plans are to move the team to Fremont. Opening Ceremonies honored Dick Williams, newly inducted into the HOF and first pitch(es) were thrown out by Joe Rudi, Sal Bando, Steinie and Hendu. Where is Canseco when we need him? The A's lineup of no-namers went up against the dazzling Red Sox but the A's didn't seem particularly intimidated. Blanton pitched well, despite sometimes wobbly fielding support and the game was a close 2-1 Boston win. Unfortunatley the A's bats were silenced except Cust's solo homer.

My seat from the Westside club provided a good vantage point for watching Daisuke pitch. He threw a lot of balls along with his impossible to hit strikes. Still, he walked virtually none. Matsuzaka has an oddly rounded body, no chiseled angles anywhere. He's considered a "botchan" in Japan and he certainly lives up to that, starting with his chapatsu (dyed brown) hair and dyed-to-match eyebrows and beard. Still, he pitched better than Blanton and won with the help of Okajima (a bit shakey) and Papelbon (lights out). Looking forward to listening to the game this afternoon - GO A's!!

bits and pieces

Biggest bit is the news yesterday that the Phillies had signed veteran reliever Rudy Seanez, recently released by the Dodgers because of a 7.00+ ERA during spring training. That's nothing of course compared to the 135.00 (yes, that's right) ERA that poor Tom Gordon posted in Monday's third of an inning.

It's also true that Alex Rodriguez, not to mention Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi, will make more this year than the entire roster of the Florida Marlins. Parity, anyone? Even more interesting, only one player on the 25-man roster of the Fish is on the hook for more than a year, and that would be Andrew Miller, part of the Cabrera-Willis trade with the Tigers.

Last night the IronPigs exhibition game in Reading with the double-A R-Phils was on TV but there was no sound. So I watched the game (how desperate was I) on TV and listened to the radio broadcast. My guy Carlos Carrasco was pitching for the Phils and good guy J.D. Durbin for the 'Pigs. Lots of yakkety-yak on the radio, what you would expect from an exhibition game. Was surprised, though, how often the play-by-play guy flat out missed calls. Tix for the game were $5 and about 3800 fans were on hand. The Reading park looked great, sounded great. Do hope the ownership group does not go for a new park in center city. Coca-Cola Park is a good new park but the old Reading park has it beat every which way. I wish the new park too patina and a fiercely loyal and demanding fanbase. The triple-A team won 6-2, which gave a local paper here the chance to use this headline: 'Pigs take flight against R-Phils.

bittersweet beginning

Jimmy Rollins got the biggest ovation, and lots of chants of MVP, in the opening game ceremonies yesterday.

It was steady rain and fog all the way to Philadelphia yesterday morning. About 10 minutes from home I was almost taken out by two deer that streaked in front of the car, but managed to discourage the two trailing. The gloomy weather, however, did not dampen the spirits of the sell-out crowd of 44,500+ on hand for opening day, or stop the flow of beer. Michael Nutter, the likeable new mayor of Philadelphia, threw out the first pitch, wearing a Phillies jersey nerdily tucked into his jeans. That didn't stop him from throwing a straight strike from the mound, which earned him kudos from receiver Chris Coste. Must have been a thrill for Coste, too, taking part in his first big league opener. Reliever Brad Lidge had come north for the festivities and got a rousing welcome. Adam Eaton got the predictable reception and tipped his cap to the boobirds. P.A. announcer Dan Baker's intro for C-OH-OH-OH-OH-OH-LE Hamels was over the top but brought lots of cheers.

My seats, courtesy of Mrs. October, were great, between home and third. Starter Brett Myers was good early on, then hit a guy, and in the 5th went into a funk. By the time he staggered through the inning, the Nats were not only on the board but had taken a 4-2 lead, helped in part by an odd JRoll error. In stepped Ryan Madson, who dispatched the first two batters, then gave up a single and almost on cue hung one for a 2-run homer. Chase Utley answered with a solo home run to right and in the 7th J-Roll evened things up with a 2-run homer. Then came the terrible ninth, when Tom Gordon went from Flash to Crash. After a quick out, he surrendered five (how was that possible) runs, and people finally started heading for the exits. Another Phillies error, this time by catcher Carlos Ruiz, featured in the Nats' scoring. Ruiz made two errors last season, his first coming in August. What was going on yesterday with the sure-handed men?

The weather was lousy but what else do you expect for opening day in the northeast? The Phillies have a terrible record at CBP for home openers, no matter who they play. The Nats are not a good team but always give the Phillies fits. Seems too to me that Myers has had trouble with Nats/Expos throughout his career. But the worst thing about losing on opening day is that there's no game today.