Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
TEXT SIZE: A A A A
Email this post | Back to Blog home
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Blanton set to debut. . .but what about Cole?
While in New York, Chase Utley took filmed a commercial for Abbott Nutrition's EAS Myoplex. The commercials,which also feature Matt Hasselbeck, are scheduled to air later this year.

Good afternoon from Shea Stadium.

The skies are blue and the sun is shining and the temperature is in the 80's, which is a far cry from the setting when we last visited here in early April.

One thing that isn't different is the fact that Cole Hamels won't be on the mound. A lot of readers have emailed me asking why the Phillies haven't gone out of their way to make sure the lefty pitches against the Mets. He's had just one outing against them. Johan Santana, meanwhile, will be making his third appearance against the Phils tonight.

What gives?

Bill Conlin disagrees with the set-up, which you can read all about here.

The Phillies have said they wanted to make sure they got Hamels enough rest over the All-Star break. He was leading the NL in innings at the break, and he's had some injury history, so that was probably the leading concern. No doubt they wanted to get Jamie Moyer an appearance at Shea, where he has pitched very well over the course of his career. And Joe Blanton hasn't allowed a run in 15 career innings against the Metropolitans, so that makes sense. But Bill thinks they still should have found a way to get their ace lefty on the hill against their leading competition for the division.

^

Now, about Blanton. . .

I'm sure there isn't a Phillies fan out there who isn't interestested to see how he does tonight. He's pitched well in two lifetime appearances against the Mets, one in 2005 and one in 2007. The Phillies haven't set many expectations for Blanton, at least publicly, other than his reputation for eating up innings. It'll be interesting to see how he fits in here.

Here's a story on the 27-year-old righty in today's Daily News.

 

Posted by David Murphy @ 2:42 PM  Permalink | 13 comments
SAVE AND SHARE
Comments
Posted by wmontanez27 02:56 PM, 07/22/2008
Keep tonight in perspective. It is one game. Santana, the Met best, against a competitive kid. He won't back down. Give him a shot.
Posted by phigglesfan75 05:27 PM, 07/22/2008
This is just one night, and a tough one for a first assignment!
Posted by cg 08:23 PM, 07/22/2008
I started reading an article on ESPN (I don't have an insider account) http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3494712&name=law_keith&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3494712%26name%3dlaw_keith and it was funny that Keith Law wrote that Blanton could get away with pitching to contact in Oakland because the field is bigger (true) and they have a better defense than Philly. That lead me to do some research using ESPN a site Mr. Law posts his blog on and I found the following information on the differences between the two teams' defenses:

The Phillies have a better fielding % at 1B, 3B, SS, LF
The A's are better at 2B, CF, and RF
The teams are even at catcher

Furthermore, the teams' Zone Ratings were split right down the middle. How could Keith Law make such an erroneous claim?

I've done some math and on position players alone it looks like the Phils have a .984 fielding % to Oakland's .983, even their zone rating is worse!!
Posted by cg 08:40 PM, 07/22/2008
My bad, my math is off...Oakland has a .985 to Philly's .984. It's still not nearly as bad as Keith Law was trying to make it out to be.
Posted by AllDawk_AllTheTime 09:36 PM, 07/22/2008
yeah - Blanton's ERA was so miniscule before.... in a bigger ball park.. like Shea. Another 6 inning/ 5 run pitcher. So, great - Gillick ... thanks for the memories. Maybe with Floyd & Lohse - we would not have had to be forced to make such a ridiculous trade.
Posted by Rajah 10:23 PM, 07/22/2008
Slot Blanton at the current end of the ever growing line-up of has beens: Eaton, Garcia, etc., etc. We're the only team who cannot pick up the players it needs. The Phillies are a mediocre team who has seen first
Posted by davemarsh 10:33 PM, 07/22/2008
HUGE WIN!! murph, watch the sny replay of the game. im pretty sure you got some airtime tonight.
Posted by cg 01:11 AM, 07/23/2008
Wow, I can't believe you guys are giving up on him after 1 game??? You guys are crazy!!
Posted by Wheelermustgo 07:46 AM, 07/23/2008
Blanton will be fine. The issue now is the eigth inning. When did Romero become a lefthanded specialist? He can't get righthanders out this year. Gordan is not the answer, they need another arm for the eigth.
Posted by mick314 08:04 AM, 07/23/2008
"Bill thinks........." Now thats news. He really thinks this is 1949 and Joe Page is in the pen
Posted by phillybob 08:38 AM, 07/23/2008
I love this Blanton move. Yeah, there were bigger and better guys out there that we should have gotten, but putting that aside, we got this guy for NOTHING....NOTHING.
Posted by phillybob 08:38 AM, 07/23/2008
I love this Blanton move. Yeah, there were bigger and better guys out there that we should have gotten, but putting that aside, we got this guy for NOTHING....NOTHING.
Posted by scotty82 11:49 AM, 07/23/2008
Blanton hadn't pitched for 2 weeks, people. And Delgado was out in the third. His line should really have only been for 3 ERs, not 5. Plus I'll take 5 runs in 6+ innings over 8 runs in 2+ innings any day.
13 comments
About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times.
Advertise Here
PHILLIES SCOREBOARD