March 10, 2012; Clearwater, FL, USA; pitcher

Does anyone else find it odd that the Phillies can not beat the Houston Astros?  This team  lost 106 games last year, but for some really strange reason, the Phillies do not seem to perform well against the Astros.  There has been some player swapping between the two teams, but no trades that were so lopsided as to engender a curse.  In lieu of having a rational response, I will blame my least favorite Phillie of this era; Brett Myers.

In today’s game, Brett did not appear, but the Phillies still fell to the Astros on a walk off three run homer in the tenth inning.  Cole Hamels started the day and did what Cole Hamels does.  He was opposed by Livan Hernandez, who throws the kind of dreck that has the ability to send the line-up into a tailspin.  Both pitchers threw well with Hernandez handing the Houston bullpen a 1-0 lead.   (more…)

On a day when the Phillies immortalized a fat baseball player on their wall of fame, it seemed apt that a fat old man would shut them down.  Orlando’s brother Livan, threw six and 2/3  effective innings allowing only one unearned run in the process.  He also had two hits and drove in a pair of runs.  How the hell someone that looks like him actually be a good athlete?  Some mysteries will never be solved. (more…)