Manuel: Blanton will start Game 4
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Manuel: Blanton will start Game 4
Daily News staff
Here is what Charlie Manuel had to say, after the Phillies lost Game 3 to the Giants, 3-0.
Will Joe Blanton start Game 4? "Yeah," Manuel said. Manuel was asked if there was any discussion after the game about starting Blanton. "No discussion," Manuel said.
About Game 4, Manuel said: "I'd say tomorrow is the biggest game we've played so far. Today was a big game but tomorrow is bigger. That's how I look at it."
About Giants starter Matt Cain: "I thought Cain was too good. He didn't give us any runs. Even though he hit a couple of batters and gave us three walks, he pitched better. We did hit any balls hard. He mixed his pitches well."
About whether Ben Francisco will replace Raul Ibanez in leftfield: "He hits lefthanders real well. We'll think about it."
About Cole Hamels' performance: "I thought it was big when he walked [Pat] Burrell. Cody Ross has been hot and he bit a ball down. Hamels, he definitely could have gotten out of the inning. Ross got a big hit off him."
About Chase Utley's swing: "It might have something to do about the pitching. I don't know what we're going to do about it. I can talk to them about it but when the game starts, it's up to them."
put rollins back in leadoff... rollins-polanco-utley-howard-werth-francisco-victorino-ruiz— jodya2- I think this plays out like the 1996 NLCS with the Phillies winning in seven after falling behind 3-1.— TripleOption
- The series gets evened for one day, then hopes get pinned on Blanton beating The Freak?— Philly Fan in Kuwait
- Rauuuuuuul needs to siiiiiiiiit— hey buddy
Comment removed.- RAS - completely false. I guess you are conveniently forgetting the extended layoffs Utley, Howard, Rollins et al. had this year due to their injuries. They are plenty rested, they just don't know how to play small ball and beat good pitching.— UncleEddie
- I am sensing a little panic in the overconfident Philly faithful. It wasn't but a few days ago that people weren't expecting this series to go more than five games. I hope they are right. The Giants have your #!!! Go Giants!— SF#1
- Comment removed.
- Here go the bandwagoneers again....jumping off the wagon...you idiots haven't learned anything about this team...your spoiled...you don't deserve this franchise...move it to Oakland.....— merlinknghts
- hey philly fans why the long face. this is the year we get to prove what kind of champions we are. this is the year we get to come back from 7.5 down to win the East. This is the year we get to fall behind the Giants only to overcome and win. This is the year.This is the year!! Somewhere Dave Cash is saying yes we can. Si se puede!!— notch44
- Giants fans..shutup...we have won something to be cocky about...you morons haven't won a damn thing yet...this series is FAR from over...— merlinknghts
- Phils in 6. No prob.
- Big Joe is the right move. the phils aren't down 2-1 because Hamels didn't pitched well, it'd because their offense got embarrassed. Joe Blanton, two run homer. calling it now.— dreinterests
- bandwagon fans are terrible. please never read another david murphy column again. he deserves better readership. just go away. that said, we need to beat a rookie pitcher game 4. its not about blanton. its about scoring more runs than the giants do, and if we can't hit tomorrow, well, forget about it. its time the bats come alive and stay alive!!!!
- Blanton holds the keys to our season. If we win Game 4 tomorrow and hopefully jumpstart our anemic offense in the process, we will have exactly what we would have asked for at the beginning of the season. A chance to go to the world series needing to win 2 out of 3 games, with the last 2 at home with a rotation of halladay, oswalt, and hamels. OK, maybe not what we would have exactly asked for, but something we'd be confident about. I like my chances with those 3 to begin with, but then throwing on top of it that the giants would have to take 2 out of 3 from that trio for the second time in the same series makes it even more in the phils' favor.— eagles4lf
