Morning Phil Up – 4/24/2014 – Cole Hamels was good, but Zack Greinke was better
By Mike Lacy
Apr 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Zack Greinke (21) in the second inning of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Yesterday’s Game
Dodgers defeat Phillies 5-2
Tweetcap
Phillies Tweetcap 4/24: Hamels sharp in debut, but is let down by the bats and bullpen as Phils fall to Dodgers 5-2.
— PHILLIES TBOH (@FS_TBOH) April 24, 2014
Emotional reaction immediately after the game
How many times can the bullpen fail?
Less emotional reaction after thinking about it a bit
Hamels looked good, and that’s the most important thing.
Heroes
Zack Greinke was in fine form last night as he allowed only one run in seven innings. Yasiel Puig added two RBIs.
Goats
Tuesday’s win provided hope that the back-end of the Phillies’ bullpen was coming along. Wednesday’s loss showed that the front-end still has work to do. Jeff Manship, Mario Hollands, and Shawn Camp didn’t provide much relief.
Today’s Game
Philadelphia Phillies (10-11) at Los Angeles Dodgers (13-9)
Kyle Kendrick. Image Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Game time: 10:10 PM ET
TV: CSN
Starting pitchers: Kyle Kendrick (0-2) vs. Dan Haren (3-0)
Preview
The Dodgers try to salvage a series spilt, and they’ll do it behind one of the biggest surprises of the 2014 season. Dan Haren had a disappointing 2013 season with the Nationals, but the Dodgers took a chance on him, and so far, their gamble is paying off. He’s 3-0 with a 2.16 ERA and has helped the team compensate for the absence of ace Clayton Kershaw. The Phillies will turn to Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick has pitched well this season, but that isn’t reflected in his 0-2 record. Hopefully, the Phillies lineup will provide him a little more support than they did in his last outing, when they only scored one run. But that may prove to be a lot to ask if Haren is on his game.
Link of Interest
The Good Phight – Phillies show caution with Hamels
Cole Hamels claimed that he wouldn’t be limited in his first start, but apparently not every member of the Phillies organization felt the same way. Manager Ryne Sandberg pulled Hamels after six innings and 86 pitches, when it looked like he could have gone longer. Considering the outbreak of arm injuries throughout baseball, Sandberg may have been right to show caution.
Tweet of Importance
According to my math, Phillies' bullpen ERA rose to 5.64 ERA, which is the highest in baseball.
— Todd Zolecki (@ToddZolecki) April 24, 2014
It feels like they’ve been re-arranging the deck chairs lately. How long until Phillippe Aumont is called up?