kuroda snuffs what little offense there is

This image of some pregame event is from five or six years ago, when the Red Barons were still in Moosic. Before the Yankee farm team moved in the turf was swapped out for grass. They now want a new park. But is the park the reason they don't draw that many fans?

Batting Practice Live remains my fave program on MLBN, with the live drop-ins as a close second. Coming down with a cold yesterday, I whiled away a lot of time last night watching baseball on TV. That is how I got to see the many very empty parks around baseball. Atlanta? The team's in first place, the weather was temperate, and the park was empty. But compared with Cincinnati, another first-place team, Atlanta was jumping. Cleveland? Nothing but crickets. Arizona? A ghost town. Tampa Bay? Embarrassing. I didn't see Yankee Stadium but guess it was pretty much sold out. The Giants too should have drawn a decent crowd. OK, school is starting in some places but I think the IronPigs last night drew more than some of these parks.

Dodger Stadium started off empty but reached its usual level, and the place was buzzing as Hiroki Kuroda took a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Fittingly, it was Victorino, who has a history with Kuroda and with Dodger fans, who broke it up. Kuroda was lifted for Kuo, who preserved the one-hitter in a 3-0 blanking of the Phillies, the 11th time the team has been shut out. Halladay gave up one run in the 1st, one in the 2nd, and one in the 5th, but I was already dubious after the first. Kuroda has gone down this road with the Phillies again and again.

For all that the Phillies swept the Padres over the weekend, they only hit .163 doing it.

too much cole for san diego

It took Cole Hamels more than 50 pitches to get through the first two innings, but he only gave up three hits and allowed no runs. After that it was smooth sailing. Hamels went eight innings, allowing four hits, striking out six, and walking none. He retired the last 16 men that he faced.

Mirabile dictu, the Phillies' offense finally showed up for Hamels, first with a lone run in the third to take a 1-0 lead on Pads' starter Clayton Richard. Despite Hamels' dominance, it still felt dicey. Then Mike Sweeney hit a two-run homer in the seventh and handed out hugs all around. It was his first homer as a Phillie. Ryan Madson pitched the ninth, giving up a hit but keeping what was by then a 5-0 shutout intact. In the three-game sweep of the Padres, Phillie starters combined for a 0.82 ERA.

the shane show

Shane Victorino drove in two runs, scored one, and kept the Padres down with a strong outfield assist in a 3-1 Phillies' win. And he did it all against right-handed pitcher John Garland. That's of note because Victorino has been lost batting left this year.

Very quietly, Joe Blanton is pitching very well. Brad Lidge rebounded from his balky outing Friday night with a 1-2-3 appearance yesterday. The Phillies are now 17-4 at Petco Park. Does that bring the Astros at CBP to mind? Baseball is a weird sport.

It's Hawaii vs. Japan in today's Little League World Series in Williamsport.

baez to dl, bastardo recalled

Yesterday Danys Baez was put on the DL with back spasms and Antonio Bastardo recalled from Lehigh Valley to take his place. As much as I have not been a Baez fan, I must say that of late he has been pitching well so this is a bit of unfortunate timing. As for Bastardo, if he would stand up and grab the job, it would be a first. Let's go, Antonio. I say that for several other relievers at the Triple-A level.

I ended up seeing bits and pieces of the Reading game last night on TV, including the final inning when Justin DeFratus came in to mop things up. (Was it only last year that I got his autograph at a Lakewood game?) The R-Phils were up 9-1 and there wasn't much saving going on, but DeFratus still looked very good. Very good. He was recently promoted from Clearwater and seems to be holding his own. Starter Drew Naylor, too, had a very good outing.

a jimmy shimmy

Roy Oswalt was dominant last night for eight and the Phillies scatched out a couple of runs against Mat Latos and the Padres' bullpen for a 2-1 lead. At 102 pitches, Oswalt wanted to finish the game. Charlie Manuel, however, opted to go to Brad Lidge, who went all bizarre on us, balking in the tying run. On to the 12th and a lead-off double by Jimmy Rollins. Polanco then singled and Rollins dashed around third, did a nifty shimmy to evade Torrealba's tag, and slid across home to give the Phillies the 3-2 lead. Whew! Chad Durbin finished it off. All on what was 'bark in the old Petco park' day in San Diego. Fitting that a bulldog--and RoyO is definitely that--started the game for the Phillies.

dismal home series ends 4-6

Kyle Kendrick leaked runs from the start and the offense continued to run with the battery on low. Should I even mention Jasyon Werth trying to score from third on a shallow fly to the strong-armed Hunter Pence? And not even bothering to slide into home? Michael Bourn, meanwhile, got on base, then ran wild the whole series long, while our speedsters were pop-pop-popping out.

The Astros prevailed easily yesterday, wining 5-1 and sweeping the series. What a disaster. It was the first four-game sweep by a visiting team at Citizens Bank Park. A disaster doubled. If the Phillies do not make it to the playoffs, point to this series for sure.

Joe Blanton pitched well on Monday night in a 3-2 loss, Cole Hamels was again brilliant on Tuesday night in a 4-2 loss, Roy Halladay was very good Wednesday night in a 3-2 loss. The bullpen, too, was outstanding throughout the series and the homestand. But the offense is again putrid.

So it's off to San Diego, Los Angeles, and Colorado. Splutter, splutter.

16 exhausting innings

If the Phillies end up missing the play-offs, many of us will think immediately of Tuesday night's game. I missed the first 11 innings because I was at an IronPigs game. But I did catch the other five. When Jimmy Rollins tied the game in the bottom of the ninth, I said to a guy next to me, "Win it now, boys!" But they did not.

It was in the 14th that things fell apart, with the inexplicable taunting of Ryan Howard by fill-in umpire Scott Barry, who seems to have something against Ryans. Last week he tossed Ryan Zimmerman, also for tossing his bat after sriking out. With two on and two out, Barry called Howard out on a check swing that clearly had been checked. Howard, a mild-mannered guy, was furious. There was only one arrogant jerk in this story and it was the umpire, who tossed the star player.

With Howard gone and no position players left, a pitcher had to come in to play the field. Enter Roy Oswalt in left, as Raul Ibanez went to first. I was beside myself. Sure enough the first ball put in play in the 15th was an easy fly to Oswalt, who made the catch to a standing O. Ibanez made the other two outs, including an outstanding play on the speedy Michael Bourn. Alas, the Phillies' offensive woes continued. David Herndon did a yeoman's job pitching late but flagged in the 16th, walking one and hitting another batter. He then got the ground balls he wanted but the double plays needed could not be turned. The Astros went up 4-2 and won the game. The final out was made by Roy Oswalt, batting fourth for Howard. With two on, he worked the count from 0-2 to 2-2, then grounded out.

There's too much to say about this game, too much that would be about this dismal umpiring crew, the Phillies' offense, how the Astros always beat the Phillies at home, the airhead baserunning, and on and on. One thing that was stunning to me is that at 12:20 a.m., there were tons of people in the ballpark. When Oswalt took left, the bottom bowl looked to be filled with standing fans. When he came up to bat in the bottom of the 16th, the place was absolutely rocking with chants of "Let's go, Oswalt".

Beat writer David Murphy had a great piece at High Cheese yesterday about what was going through Oswalt's mind out there in left. Turns out all he wanted was a chance to throw someone out at the plate. He wanted to show the outfielders how it was done! Oswalt was loving every minute of it of his chance to play the field. At Philled In, David Hale, another beat writer, added that Oswalt after the game remarked that he had never had his name chanted by more than maybe five people ever. On Tuesday night it was more like 40,000. Way to go!

that's baseball

A sign up at the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees' park in Moosic.

So I was in Philadelphia tonight and sure enough J.A. Happ beat Roy Halladay, who actually looked unbeatable for several innings and who left in the seventh having thrown about 70 pitches but trailing 3-2. Happ, looking like his usual balletic self on the mound, threw over 100 and got the win. As usual these days, the Phillies mustered only two runs, ho-hum, ho-hum. That is their limit these days.

The umpires were booed roundly when introduced and when they did just about anything. The biggest frisson of the evening was reserved for Ryan Howard, who did not start but did come out to pinch-hit in the 9th. He got a very loud and very pointed standing O, which was repeated after he got a single. Alas, Domonic Brown then struck out, the third strike-out of the inning and that was that. It was a quick game, the best that could be said for it. I didn't really expect the Phillies to win. Once again there was a boneheaded play on the base paths, tonight's by Ben Francisco, who was picked off third on a throw by catcher Umberto Quintero to end a rally threat. What the hell else is new? We now know the (funny) reason for Werth being picked off second on Monday, but it really is a bum way to play baseball.

Kyle Kendrick goes tomorrow, the last hope for a one-game salvage.

fun at the ballpark

The three hotties in front of me last night were totally into the game and into being on the big screen whenever the guy operating the camera was in the vicinity. So was the jumping little girl in front of them, who was all decked out for Irish Heritage Night at Coca-Cola Park. A contingent of Chinese men, all wearing IronPigs caps, was several rows down in the next section. Every time the three hotties started dancing, the men had their cameras out and ready. They too got really into the game, clapping, cheering, standing and waving. It was a funny, funny night at the park. Sad to think that after tonight there are only six home games left in the season.

Vance Worley pitched well enough to keep his team in it but did not figure in the loss, which went to Scott Mathieson, who blew a hold in the 9th. The Phillies recently hired Hall of Fame pitcher Bruce Sutter to work with Mathieson. I don't know if last night's blown game reflected work done or work just begun.

it's the astros

From the old brick ballpark in Reading, Pennsylvania.

For all the folks predicting an easy time of it this week, I had these three words: It's the Astros. That's the team that always beats the Phillies up, even without Oswalt, Bagwell, and Biggio. Same old story last night. Joe Blanton gave up a run in the first, then was very good through the seventh. Carlos Ruiz tied the game with a home run to left. The Phillies managed to get another run off Brett Myers, who looks like a shambling mess again but seemed to be enjoying his return and certainly is pitching well.

Each time the Phils threatened for more, Myers thwarted them. Jasyon Werth's falling asleep at second did not help. How could anyone be picked off at second as a batter is walking to first? It reminded me again of Scutaro last year stealing second in the act of being walked. Shudder. It's odd how many times Werth has not had his head in the game this year. Then there was the confrontational, controversial call in the eighth, which eventually led to Ryan Madson giving up two runs. The Astros took a 3-2 lead and that was the game. My pre-series prediction was the Phillies get one; if lucky, they get two.

Tonight it's Cole (where is the run support) Hamels v. Bud Norris. The Phillies have often knocked Norris around but watch out, he too seems to have found himself.

My feeling about the 'Stros turn out to be right. They are only one of two NL teams with a winning record at CBP, at a rate of something like .638. The other team, the Braves, is only a game over .500 there. Time to lower the 'Stros.

oswalt goes bulldog again

I started having flasbbacks yesterday afternoon. As Roy Oswalt was working his way out of trouble again and again with the pesky Nats, who just love to get on base against the Phillies, I kept thinking of games where I had watched Oswalt do exactly the same against the Phillies. Somebody would get on base, move on over, and just when you thought Oswalt was going to crack, nada. Pretty soon it would be seven or eight innings of the same and that's when you knew that once again Roy Oswalt had beat you.

Yesterday Oswalt went a strong seven, then, with the Phillies ahead 4-0, the rain came down. After a delay of an hour and 44 minutes, play resumed. Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer and Madson and Romero combined for two scoreless innings. The Phillies won 6-0. They are now 15-10 in shutouts this year. And Roy Oswalt is a bulldog.

fo'-fo'-fo'

No, it was not Moses Malone night at the ballpark last night. Nor were any predictions of postseason wins in sight. Rather, on Thursday night the Phillies had four hits in a 5-2 loss to the Giants; on Friday, four hits in a 1-0 win over the Nationals, and last night again four hits in an 8-1 loss to those same Nats. That also adds up to exactly four runs in three games. The opposition, meanwhile, has been rapping out the hits, and often the runs, too.

I caught bits and pieces of this game on radio, while drifting in and out of a feverish sleep. Kyle Kendrick's clunky start (three walks leading to three runs in the 1st) was pretty much enough to put me in a coma.

I happened to be awake, though, when Nats' starter Steven Strasburg injured his elbow/arm and I immediately switched to the Nats' broadcast. Those two guys are among the more clueless on the air, but I was stunned to hear that they were a step behind the Phillies' duo on the Strasburg injury. I'm not talking time lapse here. Franzke and Andersen had immediately twigged to Strasburg's elbow discomfort and plea for help. The Nats' guys, meanwhile, were speculating about his shoulder and looking at the replay. That's when they finally concluded that it was his elbow.

An injury to a budding ace or to any player is nothing you ever want to see or hear. Strasburg later maintained that he was fine but really the Nats should think seriously about shutting this kid down for the season.

Ryan Howard was activated yesterday afternoon and Ross Gload was put on the 15-day DL. So last night was the first time the starting line-up was, theoretically, intact for the first time in months. Because of the righty Stasburg, Manuel loaded the line-up with lefties. Domonic Brown was in right for Werth and Brian Schneider behind the plate for Ruiz. Howard had a single and an RBI. And that was all she wrote.

halladay, madson, and lidge

It was an exhausting win, with men littering the bases all night--the Nationals alone left 12--, but in the end Roy Halladay, Ryan Madson, and Brad Lidge combined for a 1-0 shutout. The only run that scored--and there were plenty of chances--was in the 3rd, when Jason Marquis walked Chase Utley and Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez doubled Utley home. A highlight of the night was seeing Utley back again in person. Another was the super 7-4 doubleplay he and Ibanez pulled on Ian Desmond. If the Marlins should learn how to field, the Nationals should learn how to run the bases. Or maybe it was just the rookie Ian Desmond who was doing weird stuff out there. In any case, I tottered out of the ballpark. It was, as I said, an exhausting game.

Sad news from yesterday: Tyson Gillies, the outfield prospect in the Cliff Lee deal, was arrested in Florida on charges of cocaine possession for an incident that occurred in June. Gillies, who has been injured for most of the year, appears in a cute ad for the Reading Phillies, but methinks we have seen the last of that one. What a shame if this guy, who is legally deaf and must have worked hard to get to where he is, has thrown it all away. A highly-touted piece in a highly-controversial trade, Gillies got off to a slow start with Reading, then soon got injured. If he had not got injured, he would have played the year in Double-A and this strange incident might never have happened.

the howie show goes on the road

The amazing Reading Phillies' Ryan Howard garden gnome, one of the best promotions ever, sitting amidst marigolds and zinnias.

Good news, good news! Ryan Howard starts a rehab assignment tonight with Single-A Lakewood, where he will have his number there (29) retired before the game. That was scheduled to happen at a September 2 game, with Howard in attendance of course. It had to be postponed, however, because the Phillies now have a make-up game in Colorado on the 2nd.

If all goes well tonight, tomorrow should bring Howard to Lehigh Valley and a rehab with the IronPigs. Let the frenzy begin.

The current Sports Illustrated has an interesting piece on Jayson Werth. The first paragraph is a bit overblown, but ther rest of the article is worth the read. Gotta love people who actually think private lives should be private.

Werth further cemented his place in Phillies' folklore by quoting Charlie Manuel on Jimmy Rollins after Wednesday night's game. Days ago some journalist asked Manuel if Rollins could still hit. Manuel's immediate response, "You bet your sweet ass." Vintage Manuel, of course, but also more proof that Jayson Werth knows how to pick his spots.

phils fall on 100th consecutive sell-out

Last night's game was the 100th consecutive sell-out for the Phillies, who trail only the Yankees in average attendance. Kudos to all, and that includes the fab team, the front office and organization, and the fans.

Unfortunately, the game itself was a dud. As usual, the Phillies did not hit with Cole Hamels on the mound. This time it was Jonathan Sanchez holding them to just one hit through eight innings. They got a couple more in the 9th and even managed to avoid the shut-out but the Giants won it 5-2. Hamels did not have it from the start, giving up three runs in the 1st and another two before leaving after the 5th. It's way past time for this pathetic lack of run support to end.

swing is the thing in 8-2 romp

Oh, what a little good health can do for you. Jimmy Rollins is moving better, looking better, swinging better. Last night he was a double shy of the cycle. He scored the tying run in the third, then put the Phillies ahead in the fourth with a three-run jack into the right field seats. He also stole two bases. All in all, vintage Jimmy Rollins.

Chase Utley hit the ground-out that scored that first run, then got two hits with that sweet swing of his. Raul Ibanez and Carlos Ruiz joined the J-Roll triple parade. Ross Gload--watch that groin--made everyone hold their breaths as he legged out an infield single. He also made another sharp play at first.

The cherry on top came in the 8th, with the Phillies leading 7-2. Pinch-hitter Domonic Brown blasted a solo shot into the second deck in right field--and got a well-deserved curtain call for it.

Joe Blanton was on the mound and finally looking something like his old self. After giving up a lead-off run to Angel Torres, he settled down and was solid. The only other run he allowed was another solo shot, to Pat Burrell, who has quickly become a footnote to the series. Blanton left in the 7th, with one out and two on, but Chad Durbin, in on relief, got a doubleplay ball to end the threat. That was that for the Giants. The Phillies, meanwhile, are starting to look healthy.

like candy to a baby

Let's hear it a bit for Shane Victorino who has been on something of a tear since coming off the DL. He's looking again like the Super-Pest that fans either love or hate.

Tim Dierkes over at MLB Trade Rumors yesterday had a piece about how the Phillies are handing out contract extensions like candy. His bad contracts: Ryan Howard (you either get that one or you don't and Dierkes doesn't), Jamie Moyer (a good neighbor reward, Tim), Cole Hamels (how can he not get that one?), Placido Polanco (the very player that Jimmy Rollins last night called the best hitter on the team), Joe Blanton (well, that one is not looking good this year), Danys Baez (don't get me started), Brian Schneider (yes, why two years not one), Ross Gload (could say the same as for Baez though Gload has been 100x better), and picking up the option of Jimmy Rollins a year early (a no-brainer). All I concluded from the piece was that as a long-time Cubs fan, Tim Dierkes simply does not get it. Ruben Amaro, Jr., however, does.

phillies beat giants

I was waiting all summer for these commemorative stamps to come out and they are now here.

Barry Zito pitched his game early but the Phillies played their game from the fifth on. The Giants took a 1st-inning lead on a doubleplay ground-out and a solo homer by Pat Burrell. (Got that quickly out of the way.) Burrell, playing in his first regular-season game at the 'Zen since 2008, got a standing O when first announced but the big noise was for Chase Utley, playing in his first game since June 28. He went 0 for 5 but it was great to see him back.

After the first, Roy Oswalt, previously 0-3 against the Giants, was pretty much in control. The Phillies tied the game in the 5th and went ahead 4-2 in the 6th. The Giants made it closer in the 7th on a solo shot by Jose Guillen. Then came the ugly eighth, ugly that is for Giant pitching and fielding. By the time it was over, the Phillies had added five runs to their lead. Chad Durbin came in to finish off the game and secure the 9-3 victory, which put the Phillies in sole possession of the NL wild card lead.

Placido Polanco went 4 for 4, Rollins had a three RBI night, Victorino knocked in the go-ahead runs in the 6th with a double, and on and on it went. The only home runs were by the Giants. The Phillies have not homered in their past six games. In that span, they are 5-1.

Tonight it's hard-throwing Matt Cain v. enigmatic Joe Blanton.

chase utley activated from dl; dobbs dfa'd

The Gigantes are in town for a big series with the Phillies and--woohoo--Chase Utley has been activated from the DL. It's been a long time. He was DL'd June 29, after injuring a thumb sliding into second in a game in Cincnnati on the 28th. Once again, though, Utley defies the odds and comes back a couple of weeks early. Just so he is well!

To make room for Utley on the roster, the struggling Greg Dobbs was designated for assignment. If he clears waivers (he should) perhaps he will accept an assignment to the minors. (Details are pending.) It's been sad to see Dobbs, a key contributor to the 2008 team and a guy who seemed to get it, fall off like this.

Tonight's match-up: Barry Zito v. Roy Oswalt. Pat Burrell and Aaron Rowand are also back in town.

thanks very much, young kendrick

Last night's game in New York was pretty much a slog. It started in rain, with water pooled on the infield and the field looking like a mess. The Phillies got on the board first with a manufactured run (single by Rollins, who stole 2nd, then 3rd, then was knocked in) in the 3rd but the Mets answered immediately with a lead-off solo homer by Jose Reyes in the bottom of the frame. That was, however, the only hit the Mets would get the rest of the way, except for a phantom single by Luis Castillo. The Phillis meanwhile put together another run in the 5th, and a third one in the 6th.

Kendrick went 6.2 innings. Chad Durbin finished off the 7th, Madson pitched the 8th, and Lidge, who is 16 for 16 vs. the Mets, threw an easy ninth. Rain was still falling at game end. The Phillies are now a fraction ahead of the Giants in the wild card standings, for what that is worth on this day in August. It does, however, add a bit more to the series starting Tuesday with those same Giants.