Let's Blow Off The Dust...

Wow, how long has it been since I've posted anything? September, you say?

The Phillies, they must have won the World...lost in the NLDS? Really?

But the Eagles, they must have come through...4-7? Andy Reid is done? Wow.

How about the Sixers? That season must be over...starting on Christmas? The NBA is back? Love it.

The Flyers, they took a step back, right? No Richards, no Carter...they're one of the best teams in the East? I need to quit drinking.

So, yeah, it's been a while. Things have changed. Seasons have gone down in flames. The Sixers are back. Shoot, I wish I could have done more during the last two and a half months, but work has kicked my ass and not even asked me for money. That's where I've been. Work and real life have been in the way. I'll be back soon. This Eagles season is making me come back. Someone has to show some life.

Phillies Recap: Phillies-3, Braves-2

Game Recap:

Down 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Phillies scored off of Jonny Venters, and Ross Gload plated Raul Ibanez in the ninth inning to give the Phils a sweep of Atlanta and push them to 10.5 games up in the division.

What went right?

Placido Polanco was 2-4 with the game tying RBI.

Raul Ibanez went 1-3 and scored the game winning run. He also homered in the second inning.

John Mayberry pinch hit in the eighth inning and scored the tying run.

Ross Gload had a pinch hit walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth.

Roy Oswalt had a no-hitter going through five innings and finished the game allowing just two runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out seven.

Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson came in for the eighth and ninth innings and did well, allowing just two hits.

What went wrong?

Shane Victorino went 0-3 with three strikeouts.

Ryan Howard was 0-4 and struck out three times.

Chase Utley was 0-2 and left the game after being hit in the head by a ball in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Hunter Pence went 0-4 and struck out twice.

Game Analysis:

After two games of avoiding the best part of Atlanta's bullpen, the Phillies took it on tonight, and came out with another win. Their come from behind, walk-off win gave the Braves their first three game sweep of the entire season and pushed the Phils to ten and a half games up in the National League East. The magic number to clinch a playoff spot is now down to five for the Phillies, while the division magic number is 12.

While the last two games had the offense getting out to a quick start against the Atlanta starting pitching, tonight was a little bit different, as Raul Ibanez was able to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a solo home run. From there, Brandon Beachy was solid, and Eric O'Flaherty kept the Phils off the board until the bottom of the eighth inning, when Jonny Venters was brought in to keep the lead for Craig Kimbrel. The Braves boast one of the best bullpens in baseball, and while O'Flaherty did his job tonight, Venters couldn't finish things off. The back end of the lineup managed to string together a hit by John Mayberry and a sacrifice bunt from Wilson Valdez, and then Placido Polanco did his part with a two out single that scored the tying run. It wasn't the most pretty inning, but it was good enough to get the run home, and that's all that matters.

The ninth inning was more of the same. Raul Ibanez walked with one out, and Carlos Ruiz singled him over to second base. Ross Gload came in to pinch hit, and considering his lack of success of late, I doubt people were expecting much. Instead, Gload grounded a shot past the first base bag and into right field that scored Ibanez and gave the Phillies a sweep over the Braves. The entire game summed up this series. It wasn't the best played, but it may have made the biggest difference in the regular season.

With the limited offense tonight, you can't take away from how the pitching did, either. Roy Oswalt took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and while he allowed two runs in seven innings of work, he still looked solid, and was every bit the pitcher that the Phillies want him to be down the stretch. It's still a question of whether it's going to be him or Vance Worley as the fourth pitcher in the playoff rotation, so every last start helps right now. I'm keeping my mouth shut on that one for the moment.

The bullpen was solid once again tonight, too. Antonio Bastardo and Ryan Madson pitched the eighth and ninth innings and were excellent once again, with Bastardo using the double play to get out of a jam, and Madson picking up his fourth win of the season in walk-off fashion. The Phillies don't have the same buzz that the Braves do out of their bullpen, but when you look at Ryan Madson and Antonio Bastardo and link them up with the pitching that the Phillies have, it's almost a light's out situation. Every starting pitcher for the Phillies can go seven innings. If they leave at that point, the Phils can bring in Bastardo, who closed for a bit this season, and then Madson, who is the closer now. That takes care of the last two innings. The Braves might have a better overall bullpen, but the entire pitching staff makes the Phillies that much better.

The National League East race isn't over yet, but it's pretty damn close. The Phils did what they have done over the last five years and made a statement in a big series against a division rival. Usually, it's been against the Mets, but this year, the Braves will have to do. Now, the Phillies have 91 wins in the fewest games in team history, and are looking to set a team record for wins. It's likely going to happen, and there is not a fan around that would complain about it.

Enjoy the ride, everyone. It's going to be a fun one.

Tomorrow, the Phillies take their talents on the road to Milwaukee for a four game series with the Brewers. Their "prove it" week continues, as Cole Hamels (13-7, 2.63 ERA) pitches against Chris Narveson (10-6, 4.26 ERA).

Phillies Recap: Phillies-6, Braves-3

Game Recap:

Despite an almost two hour rain delay, Vance Worley pitched six innings to get his 11th win of the season as the Phillies took their second straight in a huge series against the Atlanta Braves. The National League East lead for the Phils is now nine and a half games.

What went right?

Chase Utley had a solo home run in the first inning, then reached base and scored the final run of the game in the seventh inning.

Ryan Howard went 1-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Raul Ibanez was great tonight, going 3-4 with three RBI.

Vance Worley didn't have his best outing, but he still pitched well, allowing two runs on seven hits in six innings. He walked three and struck out six.

Brad Lidge gave up a hit in the eighth, but struck out three in a rare four out inning.

Ryan Madson worked the ninth and picked up his 28th save with a quick inning.

What went wrong?

Brian Schneider was 0-3.

Michael Stutes had another rough outing, allowing a run in the seventh inning on a hit and a walk.

The Phillies left nine men on base.

Game Analysis:

One night after Cliff Lee shut down the Braves for his sixth shutout of the season, Vance Worley took his turn on the mound. While he didn't have the same stuff that Lee did, he had enough to hold the Braves to two runs in six innings, and the Phils did the rest. Raul Ibanez drove in three runs as the Phillies won their 90th game of the season with a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

In two games in this series so far, the Phillies have outscored the Braves by a 14-3 margin. That's about as good as you can get for the two best teams in the National League. Though the Phils have had the edge in starting pitching, the Braves have countered with Tim Hudson tonight and Derek Lowe, two pitchers that aren't exactly scrubs. Tonight, Vance Worley pitched through some middle inning struggles and the Phillies scored runs when they needed to in order to get him a win. Without the offense, the Phils wouldn't have won tonight's game, it's that simple. They took advantage of Atlanta's mistakes and made them pay. It's what good teams do all the time. Last year, it's what the Giants did to the Phillies.

Just as they did the night before, the Phillies jumped on the Atlanta starting pitching early. Before the Braves hardly had a chance to react, the Phils were up 2-0, and it should have been more. Tim Hudson was able to pitch out of trouble and keep the Braves in the game, but after Atlanta tied the score, the Phillies took action with a two run bottom of the sixth inning that gave them the lead for good. Raul Ibanez just missed a two run home run in the inning, and he would drive in another run in the bottom of the seventh that would give the Phillies even more insurance against a potential Atlanta comeback.

The heart of this lineup has just been great in this series so far, but there's still a lot to do. Ryan Howard is playing hurt, and needs a few games off, and Hunter Pence is just coming out of a slump in which he was 0-10. Raul Ibanez is starting to show signs of life once more, which is a good sign, but there's no telling whether or not he's going to be able to keep this up throughout the rest of September and the playoffs. However, at the moment, this team is playing like most people thought that it would, and that's a very good thing.

The only question mark that I have about tonight has to do with Michael Stutes, who struggled again on the mound. Stutes has pitched more innings this year than he has in any other season since he was drafted, and fatigue has to be settling in. If the Phillies bring him with them to the playoffs, he could be a problem on the mound, especially in a tight situation. Tonight, he allowed a run, but the Phillies countered with two of their own in the bottom of the seventh inning. That's not always going to happen. If he struggles the rest of the way, having him in the playoffs might do more harm than good for this team. They need whatever help they can get in the bullpen.

Regardless of that, the Phillies are the best team in baseball right now. They have reached 90 wins in the shortest amount of time in team history, and are nine and a half games up in the National League East. This week is supposed to be their toughest coming down the stretch and so far, they've won both games, without Roy Halladay or Cole Hamels pitching. I like what I see at the moment.

Tomorrow, the Phillies try and sweep the Braves for the first time this season. Roy Oswalt (7-8, 3.80 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies against Brandon Beachy (7-2, 3.37 ERA).

Phillies Recap: Phillies-9, Reds-0

Game Recap:

Roy Halladay won his 16th game of the season and the Phillies recorded their 18th team shutout, winning the second game of their series against the Reds by a 9-0 score.

What went right?

Ryan Howard was 2-5 with two home runs and three RBI, giving him 100 RBI for the sixth time in this career.

Hunter Pence was 2-5, scoring two runs and hitting a solo home run.

Raul Ibanez started for the first time in almost a week, going 3-5 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI.

Roy Halladay pitched seven shutout innings, getting his 16th win of the season. He allowed two hits, walked two and struck out nine, while also hitting a three run double in the sixth inning to completely blow the game open.

Brad Lidge and Michael Schwimer worked clean innings in the 8th and 9th innings to hold the shut out.

What went wrong?

Placido Polanco was 0-5.

Yep, that's all I've got.

Game Analysis:

When you give Roy Halladay an eight day rest and put him up against the Cincinnati Reds, good things tend to happen. The last time it happened, Halladay pitched the second ever no hitter in playoff history, and tonight, while he didn't throw a no hitter, he did keep the Reds from crossing the plate and drove in three runs of his own to give the Phils their second straight win and push them to 39 games over .500.

After two straight starts without a win (neither of which was really his fault), Roy Halladay came out again tonight and showed how good he can be. The Reds mounted a little bit of offense in the first inning, but after that, Roy was cruising, and he had little problems through the rest of the game. He struck out at least one batter in each inning he pitched, and added to his own cause in the sixth inning with a bases clearing double that drove in three. The RBI were the first of the season for Halladay and put the final touches on Bronson Arroyo's night as well.

The rest of the offense did a good job tonight as well, giving Halladay more than enough runs to take care of business. After a lackluster game last night, Ryan Howard hit two home runs and reached 100 RBI for the sixth season in a row. He still strikes out a ton, and his batting average is on pace for a career low, but the fact still remains that Howard drives in runs and hit home runs. During the late months, he always seems to be able to put the offense on his back for stretches, and he can turn his power on like a light switch. Meanwhile, Hunter Pence has been simply outstanding as a member of the Phillies, hitting his sixth home run with the team tonight and driving in another run. Since he was traded, Pence has hit those six home runs, driven in 15 runs and scored another 16. Not bad for someone who had the weight of an entire city weighing on him when he got to Philadelphia.

Raul Ibanez had a good night as well as he returned to the starting lineup. Ibanez has struggled this season, and is going to see more of his playing time going to John Mayberry, but tonight, he looked like the Raul of old, hitting a home run and scoring twice while driving in two runs of his own as well. Though Ibanez isn't going to be the same hitter than he was when the Phillies signed him, they still need him to produce when he's in the lineup, especially against pitchers that he can hit. Tonight was one of those occasions, and Ibanez rose to the challenge. That's what the Phils need out of his bat the rest of the way. If they can get that, as well as production from Mayberry when he's in the lineup, then the offense is going to be just fine.

So far, so good when it comes to this series in Cincinnati. The Phils have held the highest scoring team in the National League to just two runs in two games, while scoring 12 themselves. Cole Hamels looked good in his first start off the DL last night and Roy Halladay was simply Roy Halladay on the mound tonight. With the Braves losing today, the lead in the National League East grew to 7.5 games, and with 30 games to play, the Phillies can go .500 the rest of the season and still win 100 games.

Sometimes, it's nice to be on top.

Tomorrow, Cliff Lee (14-7, 2.71 ERA) goes against Dontrelle Willis (Hey Remember Him? 0-3, 4.10 ERA). Seriously, this almost isn't fair right now.

No Baseball This Weekend

So, if you've been living under a rock this past week, the weather in the Philadelphia area isn't exactly that great right now. First, there's a hurricane and now, we're in the middle of a hurricane. Plus, you throw in the Phillies losing the last game of their series to the Mets, and losing last night to the Marlins, and it's not that good of a week.

Luckily, the Phillies already landed in Cincinnati for their series with the Reds after the double-header that was scheduled for today was called off, due to the hurricane. The rest of the weekend is going to be interesting for all of us in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Hopefully, all of you stay safe, and are good to go once this whole thing goes past.

This will likely be my last post of the weekend. I'm expecting to lose power tonight at some point, and I'm not using my phone unless I have to. Be safe out there, and let's be ready for the Phils and the Reds on Monday. Cole Hamels is off the DL and pitching in the first game of the series. I'll be ready.

Phillies Recap: Phillies-10, Mets-0

Game Recap:

Cliff Lee's seven shutout innings were the icing on the cake, as the Phillies scored ten runs against the New York Mets to move their record to 82-44 on the season.

What went right?

Shane Victorino was 1-4 with a two run triple.

Placido Polanco made his return from the disabled list and went 2-4.

Hunter Pence was 2-3 on the night with two walks, a two run home run and four runs scored.

John Mayberry went 1-3 with a two run home run and a bases loaded walk.

Carlos Ruiz was 2-4 and drove in two runs.

Wilson freaking Valdez continued to be one of the most clutch hitters that the Phillies have, going 1-3 with the game winning RBI. Sure, it happened in the second inning, but it still counts.

Cliff Lee pitched seven shutout innings to earn his 14th win of the season. He walked three, struck out seven and allowed three hits. He also went 1-4 at the plate and scored a run.

David Herndon pitched the last two innings of the game, giving up two hits while striking out one.

What went wrong?

Chase Utley went 0-4.

Ryan Howard was 1-4 with three strikeouts.

Game Analysis:

What the Phillies needed tonight was a good game against the Mets to follow their disappointing series against the Nationals this past weekend. What they got was not just a good game, but a great one, as the Phils blasted rookie Dillon Gee for eight runs in less than four innings for what turned out to be a 10-0 win.

Even with Jimmy Rollins going on the disabled list today, the offense was more than ready for the Mets. Shane Victorino had a two run triple in the second inning, and every Phillie, save for Chase Utley, had a hit in the game. Placido Polanco came off the DL and had two hits, and John Mayberry continued his incredible hot streak with a two run home run, giving him 11 on the season now, which is good for fifth on the team. That's not too bad considering he's only played in 75 games this season. The best part about that is that Mayberry only got the start tonight because Raul Ibanez was scratched from the starting lineup with a sore groin. At least Mayberry made it pay off.

Cliff Lee was on the mound tonight, and he pitched another solid start, making this August look like June did for him. While Lee did walk three batters tonight, he added to his career high in strikeouts for a season, and won his fourth game in the month of August and fifth game in a row. Even with his poor July showing, there's nothing to suggest that Lee won't be ready for the playoffs, and even if he does struggle in September, he's been great in every other month, so October will be right up his alley. That being said, giving up two runs in the entire month of August isn't too bad. Having 14 wins as the number two pitcher doesn't hurt, either.

All things considered, tonight was the best possible outcome for the Phillies. They not only bounced back from a bad series against Washington, but they completely destroyed the Mets, at home, and had Cliff Lee pitch seven shut out innings. Jimmy Rollins is on the disabled list for at least a few weeks, but with the way Wilson Valdez is hitting in the clutch, it might not matter right now. The night wasn't perfect, but very few are. With the win, the Phillies are still six and a half games up on the Braves for the division, and 15 games up in the Wild Card, if it comes to that.

Yeah, I think that this team is going to make the playoffs.

Tomorrow, the Phillies and Mets square off in game two of this three game series. Vance Worley (8-1, 2.76 ERA) will go against Jonathan Niese (11-10, 4.05 ERA).

Phillies Recap: Nationals-5, Phillies-4

Game Recap:

The Phillies had the Nationals down to their last strike, but Ian Desmond hit a game tying home run off of Antonio Bastardo, and then Jonny Gomes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th, giving Washington their second walk off win of the series against the Phillies.

What went right?

Chase Utley was 1-5 with his ninth home run of the season.

Raul Ibanez went 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Carlos Ruiz was 2-4 with a two run home run.

Michael Martinez was 1-4 and put the Phillies ahead with his RBI single in the top of the ninth inning.

Michael Schwimer gave up a home run to the very first batter he faced in the major leagues, but then worked three innings of two hit baseball, including striking out the side in the seventh inning.

What went wrong?

Jimmy Rollins was 0-2 before leaving the game with a right groin strain. He's day to day at the moment.

Hunter Pence was 0-4 with a strikeout.

Antonio Bastardo struck out the first two batters he faced, and had Ian Desmond down to his last strike, but gave up a game tying home run in the ninth inning for his first blown save of the year.

Brad Lidge was in trouble early in the 10th and never got out of hit, giving up the rare walk off hit by pitch to end the game.

Game Analysis:

Boy, there haven't been many of these games for the Phillies this year, have there? I mean, aside from Friday's game, that is. The Phillies went into the ninth inning today with Antonio Bastardo having struck out the first two National batters that he faced. The remaining, rain soaked crowd was mostly Phillies fans, who were on their feet, ready for a final strikeout. The only problem was that Bastardo threw one bad pitch in the inning, and Ian Desmond hit it into the left field seats for a game tying home run. Brad Lidge did next to nothing in the 10th inning, loading the bases before recording a strike out of his own, and then hitting Jonny Gomes to end the game. It wasn't a good way to end the series for the Phils, that's for sure.

The weather played a factor once again, limiting Roy Halladay to just five innings of work. Halladay wasn't as sharp as he usually is, allowing seven hits and two runs in those five innings, but he was still pitching well enough to go another inning or two without a problem. Instead, the rain came in, and rookie Michael Schwimer got to make his major league debut. Two pitches into it, Danny Espinosa greeted him with a home run that tied the game.

Fortunately for the young kid, things only got better from there, as Schwimer retired eight Washington batters in a row, including striking out the side in the seventh inning. He didn't look bad at all out on the mound, giving up just two hits, both to Espinosa, and striking out four. All in all, it was a good first showing, and he was in line for the win today before the bottom of the ninth.

Just like they did the entire series, the offense did a little bit, but had the Phillies in the lead going into the bottom of the ninth inning. Carlos Ruiz tied the game up in the second inning with a two run home run before Chase Utley gave the Phils the lead in the third with a solo home run of his own. Ruiz would help out again in the ninth, singling Raul Ibanez into scoring position for Michael Martinez. Mini-Mart singled back up the middle, scoring Ibanez and putting the Phillies on top once again.

Just the other day, I was praising both Ryan Madson and Antonio Bastardo. Well, in this series against the Nationals, Madson and Bastardo both blew saves and the Phillies lost both of those games. I don't think it's going to become a trend, since both pitchers have had stellar years, so I'm not too concerned. However, those two are going to be the back end of the rotation in the playoffs, so if they do struggle, it won't be pretty. For now, I'm willing to give them a pass on this series. The Nationals, for whatever reason, always have played the Phillies tough, and they now have 19 wins in their last at bat, so they don't give up easily. A series like this was bound to happen.

The bigger concern is about Jimmy Rollins and his strained groin. He's scheduled for an MRI tomorrow, and hopefully it won't reveal anything too major. Even with Placido Polanco coming off the DL tomorrow, the last thing that the Phils really need is another starter going out for a month or so. Rollins has battled through injuries before, so hopefully he can do the same with this one, but a groin strain isn't just something you can play through without discomfort. If he can't go, Wilson Valdez or Michael Martinez will obviously play in his place. For now, Rollins is day to day.

Everyone needs to just step back and breathe a little bit. Did the Phillies blow saves in two of the three games in this series? Yes they did, but before that, they had only blown one save all season long. Having three blown saves near the end of August isn't too bad, right? Besides, the Braves are still a way's back in the division, and this series should prove to have been a launching point for the rest of season. This isn't the end of the world, just remember that.

Tomorrow, the Phils are back at home to take on the New York Mets. Cliff Lee (13-7, 2.82 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies, while Jonathan Niese (11-10, 4.05 ERA) goes for the Mets.