Game 6 (4-1): Can this line-up solve Jon Niese?
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Game 6 (4-1): Can this line-up solve Jon Niese?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
Ben Francisco has been locked in since the start of spring training, and through five games that right fielder is 7-for-21 with two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored.
Today, though, is the type of day where the Phillies could really need their new No. 5 hitter.
Mets lefty Jon Niese, who starts today against Roy Halladay, is the type of pitcher that in the past has given this line-up fits. Last year, he started three games against the Phillies and pitched at least seven innings while holding them under three runs in each one.
As good as Jayson Werth's overall numbers were last year, he actually hit better against righties (.300/.382/.556, 21 HRs in 453 PAs) than he did against lefties (.287/.402/.479, 6 HRs, 199 PAs). Against Niese, he had three singles with five strikeouts and one walk in 9 plate appearances.
We'll see how Francisco and the rest of the Phillies' line-up fares today:
- Shane Victorino CF
- Placido Polanco 3B
- Jimmy Rollins SS
- Ryan Howard 1B
- Ben Francisco RF
- Raul Ibanez LF
- Carlos Ruiz C
- Wilson Valdez 2B
- Roy Halladay RHP
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Today is the day. Get run support for Roy #1.— shawnmac- Why Ibanez and not Mayberry? Today seems like a perfect day to give Mayberry a start, or is Charlie worried about no righties on the bench?— scor80
- Exactly, scor. What is the love affair with Ibañez? Cholly said that Mayberry has talent and could be the next Werth and that it was time for him to show it. How the hell is he going to show it sitting on the bench?— EL Zorro
- I thought Mayberry might get a look today too. But Ibanez is 6-for-20 with three walks thus far this season and has a home run off Niese, so that might have played into it.— David_Murphy
- Charlie is of the opinion that it is illegal in MLB to use a member of the bench outside of a pinch role or in the extreme case of a DL stint.— pmoehrle5
- Well, the last couple of years Charlie has been putting Ibañez in the lineup almost against any type of pitcher regardless of his performance when he had Francisco.— EL Zorro
- It is early so Raul is still fresh. I guess he believes in not changing anything right now because Raul is hitting pretty well. He has no problem hitting lefties when he is on. I happen to think Raul will have a very good year if we can keep him on the field. He needs some time off but not the 1st week of the season, As it turned out he picked up 2 more rbi's. He has started some rally leading off innings so far. — pattymac3
- 1-0 phils today— Ted Mosby
- How about this: Charlie thinks a healthy Ibanez is better than Mayberry. And, Charlie's right. We have a chance to win a series today against a division opponent. If everyone's at full strength, you start your best lineup.— eman
- basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix. So far except for teh first game (until the 9th) the offence has been fine. Why play with it if you don't have to?— jeff gross
- I'm still somewhat amazed at the amount of runs this team is scoring! I don't know if this can last for a while or not.....but it sure felt good the first four-outta-five. If we're gonna get beat this year, Niese is the epitome of the type of pitcher that can do it.....but really, how MANY of them are there? I'll take our Front Five and this lineup every damn day! If somehow we can average four runs a game...we're gonna win a hundred plus. The only worry right now would be Hamels...and if ANYBODY can shake off a bad outing, it's HIM. Joe started getting hammered last night when he got the ball up, and those Mets were hacking early in the count...and must have been pretty proud of themselves for coming back the way they did. Man did I LOVE seeing us score three more to rub their faces in it! GO FIGHTINS!!!— TBear
- Can the Mets lineup solve Roy Halladay? Did Murph forget who the better pitcher is in this matchup?— mccarte1
- it's not a love affair with Ibanez that plagues Charlie, it is his blind loyalty to all "his guys". He can't stand the thought of disappointing any of them. This is the worst organization possible for a kid like Mayberry (or Josh Barfeld, for that matter) to break in with, or kids like Stutes or Worley or Mathieson getting a fair shot to take Kendrick, Herndon or Baez' spots in the 'pen.
Charlie is loyal to a fault, and simply doesn't realize that a situation like today (day game after a night game, against a lefty and Raul being 39 years old) screams out for Mayberry to get a shot.
Now that I said all that, watch Raul go 3 for 4 with two round-trippers. Happens every time!— advantasux - I know it's just one appearance, but doesn't Bastardo look like an entirely different pitcher this year. He looks grown up. Live arm, weird, confusing delivery, hits that low inside corner very sweetly and throws a slurve for strikes. I think the only limit on him at this point is experience and composure -- and last night he showed a lot of it coming in with the bases loaded. Super impressive. They could really use another middle reliever good enough for meaningful innings.
— tomB - Raul has hit .222 against Niese. Francisco and Mayberry have only faced him once each (no hits). So that may be part of Charlie's thinking. Chooch has hit him the best (.333). With Doc on the mound we stand a shot no matter how many hits we get.— s
