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Friday, October 30, 2009
Blanton to start Game 4

Cliff Lee will not come back to pitch Game 4 on three days' rest.

Instead, Joe Blanton will get the call on Sunday night against the Yankees at Citizens Bank Park.

Lee has never pitched on three days' rest in his career, but seemed confident he could. He threw 122 pitches in his masterful Game 1 victory on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

Blanton started Game 4 of the NLCS against the Dodgers and gave up four runs in six innings. He had pitched out of the bullpen in the Division Series.

Blanton won Game 4 against Tampa Bay last year, allowing two runs over six innings with seven strikeouts and two walks. He also bashed a home run.

More to come.

Posted by Daily News staff @ 3:02 PM  Permalink | 73 comments
73
Comments   
Posted 03:20 PM, 10/30/2009
lefty1117
hmmm
Posted 03:22 PM, 10/30/2009
Bobbyo
Hamels better be back to 2008 form tomorrow
Posted 03:24 PM, 10/30/2009
amann08
Lee closes it out on Monday. No Pat the Bat this year who leads the parade down Broad Street?
Posted 03:24 PM, 10/30/2009
traymelvin
move of confidence...Lee to close out game 5
Posted 03:24 PM, 10/30/2009
Bobphxville
This is a mistake. I think Lee should be used in game 4, and brought back in game 7 if needed. He has all winter to rest.
Posted 03:25 PM, 10/30/2009
mchughu1
Youve got to be kidding me. There goes the Series and the season. How could you feel comfortable with the match-ups Saturday (Hamels vs. Pettitte) or Sunday (CC vs Blanton.) We could easily be down 3-1 before Cliff pitches again.
Posted 03:25 PM, 10/30/2009
TVGuy22
Cliff for the clincher on Monday night...
Posted 03:26 PM, 10/30/2009
flynny4u
didn't think they would send Lee on short rest, but why not Happ? Blanton can be good when he is on, until about the 4th or 5th (2nd or 3rd time around the lineup), then he scares the heck out of me.
Posted 03:27 PM, 10/30/2009
everydayguy
We're not in panic mode. Blanton is fine for Game 4. The guy's good. Let's just wake the bats up.
Posted 03:29 PM, 10/30/2009
ChrisM
Game 3 is key. Hamels needs to have a good outing and we need to score some runs
Posted 03:31 PM, 10/30/2009
MH
This makes tomorrow night's game even bigger than it already was.
Posted 03:39 PM, 10/30/2009
ashemnat99
If Hamels loses tommorow the series is over. Id like to have confidence in blanton but in the end he is just a solid to good pitcher when he is on his game and I just don't think his stuff is good enough to go through that yankee lineup without getting rocked for at least 4 or 5 runs in 6 innings. That doesn't mean that the phillies can't match those runs, but it's not a good bet against Sabbathia, whether he's on 3 days rest or not. It's funny. I had no bad feelings about this series at all until I just read that headline. Im a die hard Phillies fan but that doesn't mean I have to wave pom-poms and not look at this honestly. Wow. Hamels better win tommorow night. I think happ has steadily come back to the pack in the last few weeks and has become the 4th or 5th rotation starter (meaning just above average)that the phillies and the scouts always projected him as, but I think I'd still start him ahead of Blanton. Blanton can have solid runs and be a steady pitcher, but we need a stud to go against CC. Not that Happ is a stud, but I see him as maybe being able to have a once in a lifetime start against the yankees as opposed to Blanton who is most likeky just going to have a "solid" game. That all being said..... Yo Joe !!!!! Please prove me and the other doubters wrong!!!!! Please!!!!!!!!
Posted 03:40 PM, 10/30/2009
larryflick
flynn4u - after the 5th you bring in Happ.
Posted 03:41 PM, 10/30/2009
cheesesteak17
This is exactly what they should do, esp since Blanton wasn't needed in either game 1 or 2. Bringing pitchers back on 3 days rest is just silly and not worth it when you have fresh arms. Blanton ALWAYS keeps us in the game and gives us a chance to win. Plus his delivery is very herky jerky and he throws off hitters that aren't familiar with him. I just have to ask, why did we have to announce this today so the Yanks can watch film and have 2.5 days to prepare? They haven't announced their game 4 starter yet.
Posted 03:42 PM, 10/30/2009
bsbullie
With the potential offens the Phils have, its not the pitching thats the issue. Any of the starters in any order will suffice, so long as the hitters do their jobs. No offense equals no victory, no matter who is on the mound. Pedro and crew pitched well enough to win in game two but rarely will one run win a game for you, especially against the pinstripers in the Series.
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.

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