That Balls Outta Here » Phillies http://thatballsouttahere.com A Philadelphia Phillies Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Wed, 22 May 2013 23:06:14 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 Phillies Gameday: Not Another Lefty! http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/24/phillies-gameday-not-another-lefty/ http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/24/phillies-gameday-not-another-lefty/#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2013 21:05:36 +0000 Ethan Seidel http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=14415 There’s no such thing as a must win game in April, but another low scoring loss would be really demoralizing. Charlie’s frustrated, the team’s frustrated, and lord knows the fans are frustrated. Things won’t get any easier tonight as the Phillies face another lefty in Wandy Rodriguez. Let’s all take the positive outlook and say they are due for thumping some left-handed pitching.

 Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Roy Halladay (2-2, 6.04 ERA)

Doc’s line still doesn’t look so great at first glance, but he has cut his ERA in half after his first two starts. His last outing against St. Louis was vintage Halladay. He pitched a complete game (thanks to mother nature) only giving up two hits and striking out six. More importantly he had command of all his pitches, and he had great movement as well. Another solid outing tonight against the Pirates will put all the doubters to rest, and continue to build Doc’s confidence as he continues his re-invention. It won’t be any easier as the Phils offense is still a no-show nearly a month into the season. At the rate they’re going, a no hitter might be needed from Halladay if the Phils are going to win one.

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Wandy Rodriguez (2-0, 0.56 ERA)

The Phillies offensive struggles are only magnified when facing a pitcher like Wandy Rodgriguez. Not only is he left handed, but Rodriguez has been lights out to start the season. He came to the Pirates at the trade deadline last year from Houston and pitched well, but he’s kicked things into another gear this year. I won’t be so cynical to say that it’s because of his impending free-agency, but whatever the motivation it’s working. He missed a start due to a minor injury, but rebounded in his last start dominating the Braves. If you can keep the 2013 Braves in the park you’ve done a great job. Anyone looking for answers as to why Wandy has been so good can just look at his command. He’s only allowed one walk in three starts, throwing his fastball and breaking stuff wherever he needs em.

Game Notes:

It’s no shock to find out that Halladay has great numbers against Pirates hitters in his career. One guy who has his number though is Gaby Sanchez. Go figure. Despite being right handed don’t be surprised to see him in the lineup tonight. Sanchez is hitting .257 (7-27) with two long balls off Doc.

It wouldn’t have been my first guess, but Ryan Howard actually has good numbers against Rodriguez. He’s 4-12 against him with a homer and a .585 slugging percentage. Howard isn’t the only Phil who’s had success off him, with Michael Young and Jimmy Rollins hitting a combined 10-27 (.370).

Recent history doesn’t favor the Phillies in this match up, but with good lifetime numbers expect to see Howard break his power slump tonight, and help put Wandy on the hook for his first loss of the year.

]]> http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/24/phillies-gameday-not-another-lefty/feed/ 0 REPORT: Cole Hamels Shaves Mustache for Some Asinine Reason http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/01/report-cole-hamels-shaves-mustache-for-some-asinine-reason/ http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/01/report-cole-hamels-shaves-mustache-for-some-asinine-reason/#comments Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:24:15 +0000 Justin Klugh http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=14013 Several days ago, Cole Hamels was firing hot dogs from a four-wheeler, with the help of Cliff Lee’s disembodied smiling face.

That mustache was a symbol of his newfound leadership; its commanding presence and bristling intensity brought an aspect to Cole’s game that was basically absent before.  Sure, Cole was a pretty good pitcher, but now he was a pretty good pitcher with a mustache.  The Cy Young votes he got solely for that reason were probably through the roof.

And then, today, when it would matter the most:

What are supposed to think?  That if Cole quits on his mustache, what’s to stop him from quitting on his team?  What if he comes out to the mound today, catches a reflection of himself in the glistening beak of a passing sea gull, and loses all sense of confidence?  Huh?  WHAT IF THAT EXACT SITUATION HAPPENS.

And now we do not have an answer.  Because for some reason, a huge, Ron Swan-stache was good enough for Cole Hamels one day, but not good enough for the day.

WHATEVER COLE.  I hope that sea gull makes you sick to your stomach.

]]> http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/04/01/report-cole-hamels-shaves-mustache-for-some-asinine-reason/feed/ 0 Troublesome Roy Halladay Performance Blows up Internet http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/03/23/current-roy-halladay-performance-blowing-up-internet/ http://thatballsouttahere.com/2013/03/23/current-roy-halladay-performance-blowing-up-internet/#comments Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:41:47 +0000 Justin Klugh http://thatballsouttahere.com/?p=13840 Not necessarily because of how good it is.

Hitting a guy? An 85 mph fastball?  No mid-game barfing to cover the struggles?

WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO THINK, ROY?  The thing that we don’t want to think?  Is Adam Morgan about to have the most important season of his life?  Suddenly, April 3 does not seem so far away and the place from which Roy Halladay will have to start recovering seems very small in the distance.

Meanwhile, Delmon Young is also playing, and has lined out and struck out looking.  Today he is not facing a pitcher whose sole pitch, when thrown wrong, is basically like hitting a slow-pitch softball.  So that might be a thing.

The point is, RUN RUN EVERYBODY RUN.

I might update if I can learn to type with my head on my desk.

11:57 pm

To everyone’s disbelief, Halladay came back out for the 4th inning and promptly gave up back-to-back singles.  These were Blue Jays minor leaguers, by the way, all cementing the stories they’ll tell their grandchildren about getting a hit off Roy Halladay.  Half of them retired after the game, pretty sure they could never top today.

Then, Doc struck out a guy looking and got the next one to ground into a double play.

Two Halladays are at war in the man’s head, fighting for dominance.  One is his physicality, fighting the game he forces upon it, the other is Roy Halladay, THE Roy Halladay, and he’s got some stairs to run.

12:11 pm

Could have been… worse?

 

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