12:07: Rays win! Rays win! 4-2 for all you people (and I believe that is one person) who depend on Attytood to know the score. It was one of the most frustrating games I've ever watched, given the stakes. The Phillies coulda, shoulda won this game -- too many mistakes and men left on base (and at least one bad ump call) to even enumerate. Indeed, it's so bad that I was watching (a fairly boring) Michael Moore on CNN instread of any postgame stuff.
One of the unfortunate things is that I thought we were so over questioning Charlie Manuel, but I wonder about some of his decisions tonight, especially not starting Dobbs over Feliz at 3rd and using Matt Stairs as DH. So did the Phillies get all the bad baseball out of their system, or is this how it's going to be?
11:08: Off to the undisclosed location, maybe a change of scenery will help. I wonder if this game would be as dull if the Phillies were winning on 3 RBI groundouts....
10:56: Some guy singing "God Bless America" is the most entertaining thing to happen in the last hour. If the Rays were owned by Ed Snider, we could have had Sarah Palin performing "God Bless America" on the flute.
Also, if the Phillies are such a loose team under Charlie Manuel, why do they not hit with runners on base. That's the dictionary definition of "uptight."
10:55: Nothing to see here.
10:27: Woman in Sunway ad eats $5 bill..."Dramatization...do not attempt" No! Chevy Chase is back. Ads more entertaining than watching Phillies hit with runners in scoring position.
10:22: Two two-out hits, including a bloop by the barely awake Greg Dobbs, and now Shields is gone here WITH TWO OUTS IN THE 6TH INNING (happy?), 4-0 TB. I would not have pulled him so early, and Manuel passes on a chance to counter with Matt Stairs here....as Feliz grounds out weakly. Is Manuel a tad too laid back for the World Series here?
9:58: Whatever can be done wrong, has been done wrong...unbelievable. Meanwhile, the Daily News newsroom is rebelling against the showing of the Chevy Chase Direct TV ad for what feels like the 17th time this game.
9:49: You didn't really want this thing to end in four games, did you? It's too much fun to be in the World Series. And I'm sure Jamie Moyer and JoBla will be able to mow them down in Games 3 and 4. On second thought, pray for rain on Saturday so that Hamels is in Game 4.
Ad on TV: "Saved by Zero." Not the Phillies.
9:33: Good news! The Phillies get a hit with a runner in scoring position! Bad news -- he didn't score, as it was a Victorino infield hit with Howard on second. Howard is 2 for 2 and now batting .333 in the World Series, albeit with no home runs.
Still waiting for the real Greg Dobbs to show up.
9:21: Now 0-for-19 with runners in scoring position. This is becoming the stuff of legend -- Black Friday-type legend. At least Ruiz showed up to play tonight. I am feeling very good about his future catching for this team -- would not have said that back in June.
9:12: Nice play at the plate, Werth to a plate-blocking Ruiz, but small consolation as the Rays expand their lead to 3-0. This could be good news...for Game 5 ticket holders.
9:08: WHAT???? Rays get a walk by appealing a 3rd strike call to the first base umpire, you cannot do that! Plus, it was a strike to begin with. John McCain wishes he had a "game-changer" like that. Now a cheap swinging bunt hit and it's bases loaded Rays and threatening to give Philadelphia and early bedtime.
9:00: Phillies now 0-16 in the Series with runners in scoring position -- not a winning formula.
8:56: Victorino swings at the first pitch...wtf? Let's see if the Dobbs gamble pays off.
8:53: Untracked? Howard golfs a tough curveball over the centerfielder's head for a long double. It's a start. Now let's see if the Phillies can get their first hit with a runner in scoring position....and now Burrell draws a walk.
8:47: 1-0 Rays already, now 2-0. Myers doing what he does in a bad start, too many curves and not establishing his fast ball right away. Quick recovery on three quick groundouts, but the Phillies are going to need to do what they've done so many times, come from behind.
8:42: A weak 1st inning against the real "Big Game James" (Shields) and now a walk, a hit and an error in the first two batters with Myers.
Those of you who hoped for a split in Tampa may be getting what you wished for.
8:33: Rollins...NOT "Big Game James."
8:30: Ford's Keys to the Game: "Where is Ryan Howard?" Has there been some big story that I'm missing? Is he not at Tropicana Field. J-Roll swinging through pitches again as the game is on!
8:18: Editing Daily News stories (sigh). Who were those three schlubby guys (I should talk!) singing the Star Spangled Banner?
8:02: Weird, they just showed that baseball is all about WWII and JFK and MLK and 9/11 video all over again -- guess they're trying to make back the productions costs.
Hope the game is also a repeat from last night.
7:46: It's Dobbs!....
as designated hitter in Game 2, that is, as Charlie Manuel again shows his John McCain-compulsive gambler side. The conventional wisdom was that Manuel would pencil in Matt Stairs as DH, since Stairs has experience against the Rays and specifically starter James Shields, and more familiarity with the DH role. But Dobbs has been the Phillies' most dependable bat against righties, so....here we are.
Last night's game followed a script that was easy to envision -- a lights-out (more or less) performance by Cole Hamels. Tonight?
Which of the many Brett Myers' will show up in St. Pete?
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- Comment removed.
could Joe Buck be any more mundane? Didn't get any of dad's idle wit. Back out to the car with the XM here in PHX, so I can listen to the Phils' broadcast— frinkie- amazing..howard finally gets a hit...burrell gets on base and you have victorino swing at the first pitch, dobbs posing for pictures during his at bat and feliz flying out...— OgieOglethorpe
- amazing..howard finally gets a hit...burrell gets on base and you have victorino swing at the first pitch, dobbs posing for pictures during his at bat and feliz flying out...— OgieOglethorpe
- Do you have a TV in your car?— will
- Comment removed.
- These umps are terrible tonight.— foley26
- This team leaves more guys stranded on second and third than a Catholic school girl.— BlairW
- scooter... you have no clue.. The clown (for an ump) is living proof that baseball needs instant replay..— zeezuma
- zz, um, baseball actually began instant replay this year.— Some Boca Dude
- sbd, um.. for HR only..— zeezuma
- Comment removed.
- At least Direct TV replaced the dead kid Poltergeist ad— chorl
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
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