Phillies prove they can still hit Volstad: now what?
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Phillies prove they can still hit Volstad: now what?
David Murphy, Daily News Staff Writer
The lanky right-hander with "Volstad" across his back was standing on the mound in a Cubs uniform. That is notable because in previous years Chris Volstad was wearing a Marlins uniform, and the Phillies were able to count on facing him twice, and often three times, over the course of a regular season. That is notable because the Phillies tend to handle him as they did last night, scoring four runs in the first inning en route to a 6-4 victory that salvaged a split of a four-game series against the NL Central's doormat.
But the National League East is no longer home to the Chris Volstads of the world, and as the 6-foot-8 starter walked off the mound after six innings of work last night, the significance of the challenge that lies ahead for the Phillies came into view. If the Cy Young award was presented at the end of April, this year's ballot would read a lot like the list of pitchers the Phillies will face over the next six days as they travel to Atlanta and Washington for a pair of three-game series against the division's early frontrunners.
Tonight, the opponent is Brandon Beachy, who has allowed one fewer earned run in 25 2/3 innings this season than the Phillies scored in the first inning last night. Wednesday, it is Tommy Hanson, who has held the Phillies to two runs in 24 2/3 innings in his last four starts against them. On Friday and Sunday it will be Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann, both of whom have held opposing offenses to four earned runs, the same number the Phillies scored against Volstad last night. Also on the docket is Gio Gonzalez, who has allowed just two runs in 26 innings since surrendering four in his first start of the season.
Along with Braves right-hander Randall Delgado, who held the Phillies to two runs in five innings last September, the next six starters they will face have combined for a 2.25 ERA in 164 1/3 innings thus far this season. To put that in perspective, the 23 starters the Phillies have faced already have combined for a 3.73 ERA.
Stephen Strasburg and Jordan Zimmermann have both allowed four earned runs this season. Last night, the Phillies scored four earned runs against Volstad in the first inning. Beachy, who they will face tonight, has allowed just three earned runs this season.
While the Phillies will certainly take the energy that comes with a win from last night, they still need to prove that they can beat up on somebody other than the Volstads and Josh Collmenters of the world.
The Phillies hit a lot of groundballs that found holes in the 1st against Volstad. They only mistake was the pitch to Ruiz when he had him buried. He pitched pretty well after the 1st inning.— EL Zorro- Phillies will be in first place by the end of the week. Stop panicking people.— Ry824Guy
- When are they going to put Thome on the DL for the season? He will never time up these guys!— Dull
- Tough match-ups but I am looking forward to these next two. Four great pitchers there. The next 5 games look pretty evenly matched pitching-wise except for Kendrick/Strasburg. Too bad KK doesn't face the Braves. That's one team he's started very well against.
— s - As we all panic, the Phillies have picked up 2 games in the standings. Washington has come down to earth a bit as have the Braves. The Phillies need to "hover" around the .500 mark and stay within 5-6 games of the lead until the All Star Break. Anything better is icing. Remember folks, Lee comes back in a week. Hamels / Halladay have pitched as expected and Worley should have had the win last night, except for the bullpen which coughed up a 3 run inning (oops). Polanco is coming around and has been great for the past two weeks now that he has warmed up. I like Nix/Wiggington in the line up as they have some gap power. Thome is done, put a fork in him. Martinez should stay in Clearwater, not to see CBP until he becomes a September call up. Utley's status is bothersome because its always the same positive spin "feeling much better, on the road to getthing'there'". What does that mean in terms of "GETTING ON THE FIELD"? Howard is down in Clearwater, getting his bod back in baseball shape. It is May 1st, so June 15th is the EARLIEST we can expect some rehab games. I still say, After the all star game for Ryan Howard. Keep treading water Phillies. Finally, the Stutes/Herndon bunch in the pen need to be replaced by Diekman/Savery. Bastardo needs to find his grove or go to AAA to find it. These guys all have options, time to use them and have the best 6 guys in the pen. Pitching is what we need to rely on until we can score more than 2 runs CONSISTANTLY. Phight On Phillies.— drhoffman
- I have to admit I'm warming up to Wig/Nix a bit. I was really okay with Wigginton for a year as a bench guy from the start. I mostly didn't like the trio of Wigginton/Nix/Thome. Wigginton can hit and be a role player. I was really cool on Nix but he's working on me. He's also a better outfielder than I thought he'd be. No Nix at 1B though. Please? I just never saw it happening with Thome. Love the guy but as a PH in the NL ... made no sense from the start to me. — s
- During yesterday's Phils chat, Brookover said the Phils' plan seems to be trying to stay around .500 until Howard and Utley return, then seeing what kind of team we have. So, we need to win 3 or at least two of these 6 games, before coming home. And, by the way, we have guys named Halladay, Hamels and Worley pitching in four of them (Hamels twice) and a pretty decent closer.— eman
- One game Wildcard playoff this postseason. Phils are in position to completely tank the season and then still pick up the second wildcard spot. The scariest team in a one game wildcard playoff has to be the Phils with Halladay pitching. Win the game they come back in the Division series with Cliff Lee or Cole Hamels in Game #1 - How many other teams could do that (Lincecum & Cain, Weaver & Wilson, etc)? not too many...— michael2_19030
- Polanco's progress has been very encouraging. And the gold glove is still there as eman pointed out yesterday. I watched that play again and it was pretty sweet. Polanco has been able to hit both Beachy and Hanson in the past so he may be heating up at the right time. To me, hit hits no longer look weak like they did just two weeks ago. On the post-game show Bottalico theorized (no facts) that maybe that sports hernia surgery was still bugging him a bit or something and now it's good.
— s - Even in the best of years this team has had trouble hitting/beating the better pitchers. They have usually mangles other teams bullpens late in games. That doesn't happen much anymore.I can hope for 3-3 on this trip but it could just as easily go 1-5 if they can't hit anyone.— Mark1npt
- The Nats bullpen isn't nearly formidable as the Braves' is to me. Venters/Kimbrel = top-notch back-end. It's one reason I think the Braves have more staying power to be in the race all year than the Nats do. With the Braves, we'll probably need to get something before those two take the field. — s
- I seem to have 'mangled' mangles......— Mark1npt
- You'd have to be elated if the Phils could go 3-3, or better, in these games. I'm hoping some of the veterans -- Rollins, Victorino, Pence, Ruiz, Polanco -- rise to the occasion as they've done many times in the past. Do they still have that extra gear when the "lights go on?"— PhilaLogic
- Time and time again, I see the incarnation of the Phillies getting themselves out by swinging at off-speed and breaking pitches on "fastball counts." When is this team going to wake up to the fact that opponents are pitching them backwards. Throw out the averages. Check out the Phillies-specific numbers. I guarantee you'll see that our opponents very seldom throw fastballs on 2-0, 3-1, and 3-2. If this team is going to play small ball effectively, they have to stop trying to pull the ball and take the ball-4s presented to them. In the 4-4un, 1st inning rally last night, Jimmy got a bunt hit, Shane hit one the other way, Pence hit one up the middle, Nix drew a walk, and Chooch hit one the other way. Are you starting to see a pattern? The change in approach (and this applies to Howard, too, upon his return) needs to be just hit the ball hard WHERE IT'S PITCHED. For too long a time, too many of our regulars have become pull-crazy. I think that the players are part to blame, but I also think that Uncle Cholly and GG (and Milt prior to that), who preach trying to pull the fastball, have also contributed to the declining offensive numbers by stubbornly adhering to this mantra. Baseball is a game of adjustments. Our opponents have adjusted. Why hasn't the hitting philosophy adjusted? Remember, one definition of insanity is doing something over and over again in the same manner and expecting different results. Please, Phillies, stop the insanity!!!— southpaw57
- I wish Derek Lowe was still with the Braves. He was always good for a 6-8 run outburst and a Phillie win.— pajamas
