2 Down, 2 Up: Phillies Not Getting It Done

Phillies are getting more disappointed as the season moves on. They have lost 2 of 4 games against the Pirates. Score of the first game: 3-2 Bucs, Score of second game: 2-0 Bucs (note: Ross Ohlendorf was 0-6 going into this game)

Our infield needs help. After losing Placido Polanco and Chase Utley, we cannot used our AAA or AA because they aren’t very well offensively. Wilson Valdez has been a pleasant surprise offensively blasting 4 homers to some of the deepest parts of the field (ex. at PNC Park in Pitt., hit a home run to the 410′ sign in left center field.) Juan Castro isn’t doing anything at the plate. Brian Bocock, well we haven’t seen him yet except for some AAA footage.

Phillies are looking at some prospects, here are some note able names, Jose Bautista (RF, Toronto), Ty Wigginton (2B, Baltimore), Kelly Johnson (2B, Arizona.) Jose Bautista is a homerun machine with 20 on the season, but he is a outfielder. So I’m not sure if he is a player that is a OF/IF.

Some news from MLB Trade Rumors, Phillies are interested in Cliff Lee. The Phillies call themselves “long shots” in getting Lee. Oh how I miss the Lee chants during the 2009 postseason!

Here is the link for the article: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/07/phillies-interested-in-lee-tejada-wigginton.html

Phillies Dramatic Win Comes By Homerun

Try and guess who hit that homerun… Wilson Valdez, no he was pinch-running for Brain Schenider. Ryan Howard, no he hit in the bottom of that eighth. Chase Utley, nope he was went 1-3. How about trying Jimmy Rollins… thats right.

Jimmy Rollins hit his first walkoff homerun. It was a 2 run homerun right down the right field foul poul. Everybody knew it was gone… even Jimmy. Thats a nice comeback. Over the last 2 games Jimmy went 0-7. He also said “The first hit isn’t always going to happen at your first at-bat, it may always come down to your last at-bat” After he said that to “Sarge”, Shane Victorino came out and ran behind Jimmy, Sarge said “Uh, Jimmy, behind you, and splattered Jimmy all over his head. Then a pitcher from the bullpen came out and rubbed his head and wiped it on Jimmy’s shirt.

Congratulations to Jimmy on his first walk off homerun, it was the Phillies first walk off before Carlos Ruiz’s walk off in April against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Lidge Back, Phils Stuggle in Atlanta

Lidge came back shining for only one inning. He had one strikeout with 2 ground outs all on sliders. The Phils? They did get 3 runs in a 9-3 blow out against the Braves. Still no homers in 62 innings. Tomorrow is always another day. What I don’t get is why Pete McKanin (Maneul was thrown out of the game because he was arguing that Wilson Valdez (I think) got hit by a pitch) would take out Greg Dobbs and put in Juan Castro instead of Jayson Werth when the Phils has a rally going in the top of the 7th inning. Juan Castro was batting with 2 outs and grounded out to second. Jayson probably would have put the ball in play to score 3 runs to make it 5-6 Braves. No, he didn’t do that though.

Brad Lidge:
He had a great outing today coming back from a cortisone shot.

Phillies, Marlins: Rubber Match

Phillies are on a high streak right now after Roy Halladay pitched a perfecta. They are looking to sweep the Marlins. Can they defeat the Fish with their offensive problems? I think they will because of last night. Moyer is looking for his 6th win of the season. In the 1st inning it looks like they are taking pitches.

Lineup: Phillies                                            
1 – Shane Victorino (CF)                                  
2 – Wilson Valdez (SS)
3 – Chase Utley (2B)
4 – Ryan Howard (1B)
5 – Jayson Werth (RF)
6 – Ben Francisco (LF)
7 – Juan Castro (3B)
8 – Brian Schneider (C)
9 – Pitcher (Jamie Moyer) 

Lineup: Marlins
1 – Chris Coghlin
2 – Wes Helms
3 – Hanley Ramirez
4 – Jorge Cantu
5 – Dan Uggla
6 – Ronny Paulino
7 – Cody Ross
8 – Brett Carroll
9 – Pitcher (Anibal Sanchez)

                                                                                                                                              

Its a Hallady in Miami

Doc ordered a perfect prescription.
Roy Halladay just got done pitching a perfect game! What was the score? Well the Philadelphia offense only mustered 1 run, perfect game against Florida, what did they get? Well a big fat 0 up on the score board. He has pitched the 2nd perfect game in Phillies history.

Score:
1-0 Phillies on top.

Defense:
Juan Castro playing 3rd base for the injured Placido Polanco. Polanco is still felling the effects of a swollen left elbow that got hit by a pitch from Tim Hudson of the Braves. He is under going a MRI on Sunday.

“It’s been bothering me ever since I got hit,” said Polanco, who feels the injury was made worse by coming back too soon. “It comes and goes. I’ve been able to play, but sometimes I swing and miss and it seems like I hyper extend my elbow, and then it feels weak and I can’t extend it, field or hit.

“It hurts there a little bit, too, just from the touch.”

“The MRI is going to be the answer to everything,” Polanco said. “See how bad it is and what it is and if it can get worse, or if it’s just inflammation.”

Playing at SS is Wilson Valdez, who is trying to stay up with the Phils. Valdez’s time maybe running out with Phils as Jimmy Rollins is expected to be back by June 6. Either Castro or Valdez is to be optioned to AAA ball. If Polanco is going on the DL both of them will stay up and play for a little longer.

“I don’t think about that,” Valdez said in Spanish. “What I have to think about is helping [the team], playing, doing my job, and for them to decide what they need to decide, because I can’t control those things. The only things I control are the games they put me to play in. They have their plans, and they know what they have to do. Not me.”

“I put him out there because he has talent, he can run, he can handle the bat,” Manuel said. “He was trying to hit that hole last night and hit that ball to right field, and that’s the sign of a guy who knows how to play.”

Some information taken from: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100529&content_id=10577532¬ebook_id=10577534&vkey=notebook_phi&fext=.jsp&c_id=phi