Archive: April, 2008
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The Phillies just announced they've placed short stop Jimmy Rollins on the disabled list. That means Rollins won't play until at least Monday, May 12.
I'm not down at the ballpark tonight, so that's all I have as of right now.
Rollins injured the ankle April 8. The Phillies said at the time it was a day-to-day thing. When he left for his uncle's funeral in California, manager Charlie Manuel, assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. and GM Pat Gillick all said at separate times that they thought there was a chance that Rollins would play this weekend. On Friday, Rollins had an MRI on the ankle, which Amaro said revealed nothing new.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Three weeks into the season, the Phillies are 8-10 and in third place in the NL East, three games behind the Mets, who enter today's game looking to win their sixth straight.
Pitching hasn't been a problem. Their team ERA of 3.51 ranks fifth in the league. But the supposed strength of the team, its bats, have been silent. The Phils are hitting .251 as a team, eighth in the National League. They are first with 27 home runs, but are seventh with a .332 on base percentage.
But the real struggle has come in scoring situations.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
It's been the Johan Santana show here for the most part. Chase Utley went deep on the left-hander last inning to pull the Phillies to within 2-1, but it is the only hit of substance the team has gotten off of Santana all evening. Thus far, the left-hander has 10 strikeouts, his 40th career double-digit game and his first of the season.
Hamels was solid through 7, allowing 2 runs, but ran loaded the bases with no out in the eighth on a Ryan Church single, a David Wright double, and an intentional walk.
The Mets have increased their lead to 4-1 with an RBI groundout by Carlos Delgado and an RBI double by Angel Pagan, both off of J.C. Romero.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Sometimes, people come up to me and tell me I have the greatest job in the world. You get paid to watch baseball, they say. And most times, I try to explain to them that it ain't all rainbows and butterflies.
Tonight is not one of them.
I can honestly say this is the first game of the year I genuinely can't wait to get to. I've got a lot of stuff to get done this morning. I need to join the gym. I need to pick up my dry cleaning. I should probably eat something and then brush my teeth. But I can't wait to get to the ballpark. The thing I love most about professional athletics is that you have an opportunity to watch individuals who are the best in the world at what they do. That's what I found so fascinating about Michael Jordan. When he had a basketball in his hands, there wasn't a single person on the entire Earth who could do what he was about to do as well as he could.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Miguel Tejada's home run in the fourth inning off of Brett Myers didn't actually age him by two years.
Nope. Tejada took care of that himself last night.
The all-star short stop told the Houston Chronicle that he lied about his age when he was signed out of the Dominican Republic. Tejada is actually 33 years old, instead of 31.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
A day game after a night game is a good time for a manager to give some players a breather. Today, that means Greg Dobbs, So Taguchi and Chris Coste are all in the line-up as the Phils try to take two of three from the Astros.
Taguchi is leading off, and he's had some success in that role, hitting .293 for his career in more than 100 at bats.
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David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Day Eight of Jimmy Watch brought more of the same. Rollins took batting practice and got his first pinch-hit on a ninth-inning single, but didn't start for the seventh straight game. He won't play tomorrow or Friday, regardless of how he feels, as he is scheduled to return to his hometown of Oakland for a family member's funeral.
Talked to Rollins after batting practice, and he sounded convinced he'd be back on the field Saturday. He has a 10 p.m. flight back from Cali Friday night. Saturday is a 3:55 p.m. game. Anyone who saw him run to first tonight realizes why he isn't on the field.
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David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
One of the things that may have been lost in last night's rousing ninth inning is the man who would have had an opportunity to win the game had Geoff Jenkins not taken matters into his own hands. I don't think there's any question that last night's ninth was the most entertaining inning of baseball we've watched out of this Phillies team this year. The only thing that could have made it better is if Eric Bruntlett had continued his turn-around from his rough start by knocking in the game-winning run against his former team. The former Astro short stop was standing in the on-deck circle when Pedro Feliz knocked his double down the left-field line, sparking Jenkins mad dash from first to home.
Other musings:
1) I talked to Brad Lidge before the game, but not afterwards. He doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would gloat, but it was interesting that after being shipped out of Houston for a rough 2007 campaign, his replacement, Jose Valverde, blew a three run lead in the ninth against the Phillies.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Big ups to reader Larry Brady for raising this point in an email in the wake of tonight's remarkable 4-3 win over the Astros.
"Thank God Burrell struck out in the 7th inning because if he would have walked Manuel would have pinch ran for him," he writes.
Judging by past history, there's a chance that's true. If Burrell had reached base, So Taguchi might have been inserted as a pinch-runner/defensive replacement, and it would have been Taguchi facing Jose Valverde in the ninth inning. Then again, down by three runs, maybe not.
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Jimmy Rollins will not start tonight for the sixth straight game. He's already missed an entire series with the Cubs, and it isn't clear if he'll get back on the field in time to face the Astros. Charlie Manuel said he was still hopeful that Rollins will be back soon, and that the injured left ankle continues to be a "day-to-day" thing.
While a lot of you out there in Phillies Nation may be getting restless, Manuel said today that he isn't thinking about sending Rollins to the disabled list in order to free up a roster spot.
Rollins will be available for pinch-hitting duties.
