Raise Your Hand if You Thought That Vance Worley Would Throw a Complete Game This Season

Looking at the scheduled starting pitchers for today’s baseball game in Philadelphia, the Giants had a distinct advantage as they ran out a two time Cy Young award winner against the surprisingly effective Vance Worley.  Prior to today’s game it was announced that Lincecum would be missing the start due to a stomach illness and the colossal waste of salary Barry Zito would be moved up to face the Phillies.

At this point the momentum shifted toward the good guys as Zito is fucking horrible.  Since the Giants signed the former Cy Young winner to a 127 million dollar contract he has failed to post a winning record and led the league in losses with seventeen in 2008.  In addition he was left off of the playoff roster during the Giant’s championship run.  We all like Worley because he wears glasses.  Advantage Phillies.

The San Francisco Giants are not a very good offense.  Cody Ross has turned back into Cody Ross after his Ruthian postseason, playoff stalwarts Juan Uribe and Edgar Renteria are gone and their best hitter, Buster Posey, is out for the year.  Vance Worley used their inability to hit the ball to throw a three hit, two run complete game.  It was the first complete game of Worley’s career and the twelfth thrown by the Philadelphia pitching staff.  Before the season, the emphasis was placed on the four established ace pitchers on the staff and the notion of an unheralded rookie throwing a complete game seemed laughable.  Worley laughed all the way to his seventh win tonight.

The Phillies hit a shit ton of home runs off of the Giants tonight.  Zito was staked to a 1-0 lead after Andres Torres doubled and was knocked in with a Pablo Sandoval SAC fly.  He quickly relinquished the lead by allowing an RBI double to Ryan Howard and a three run home run to Raul Ibanez.  His fall from effective starter to borderline major league pitcher has been impressive.  He allowed another home run to John Mayberry Jr. and an inside the park home run to Chase Utley.  Chase really looks like Chase again.  He is driving the ball to all fields and he is moving like nothing to wrong with his knee.  Ryan Howard ended the scoring with a smash to center field off of the Giant’s vaunted bullpen when he took Guillermo Mota.

Philadelphia likes guys who will run into a fence to catch a ball. It helps if they do it to preserve a shutout for  Gavin Floyd.  Aaron Rowand is a fan favorite in Philadelphia because he ran into stuff and looked like he was trying really hard.  He hit a pinch hit home run in the eighth inning to make the score 6-2.  Ryan Howard got that run back with his home run and Worley shook it off to finish the game.

Not that any of us wish ill upon another human being, but I would not be upset to see Timmy miss this series with his hurt belly.  It looks like he will make his start against Cole Hamels tomorrow.  It should be a good one.