Posted: Monday, August 25, 2008, 1:04 AM | 12 comments |
 

Who's the bigger hero?
options
 

Pedro Feliz is the obvious choice here. He had four RBI in the final three innings, including a game-tying single in the ninth and a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th.

He also turned a double play that probably saved the game, grabbing a hard-hit ground ball with the bases loaded and no out in the 10th, then stepping on third and throwing home.

Kudos for Charlie Manuel for having him in there (Greg Dobbs started the game at third).

But I don't think the Phillies win this game without Shane Victorino, either. He led off the ninth with a single, putting himself in position to score on Feliz's hit. He then stretched what should have been a single into a double in the 11th, which put a ton of pressure on Dodgers righty Jason Johnson, who ultimately allowed the game-winning blast to Feliz.

And don't forget Victorino's great defensive play to chase down a long fly ball off the bat of James Loney in the sixth. That easily could have been a leadoff double that could have led to a huge inning, especially considering the fact that Joe Blanton walked the next two batters he faced.

Who's the bigger hero, Feliz or Victorino?

How about this: both.

Phils are now a half game behind the Mets.
Posted by David Murphy @ 1:04 AM  Permalink | 12 comments
12
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:01 AM, 08/25/2008
    Time to switch Victorino and Rollins in the order. Jimmy's BA leading off is lower than Howard's BA. If it was possible, I'd like to have Shane hitting first AND fifth.
    — old baseball guy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:06 AM, 08/25/2008
    Maybe Victorino and Feliz can just bat in every clutch situation, since nobody else can hit with any pressure on them.
    — azazo26
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:27 AM, 08/25/2008
    Mr MVP should definitely get moved down in the line up...his BA is falling faster then the NY Giants chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions :>) Charlie wont move him of course, but will continue to tinker with 2 thru 6...why is J Rol's spot at lead off so solidified? He isnt even stealing bases anymore once he does get hit by a pitch (that's the only way he has been getting on lately) and finds himself at first...we cant make a serious play off run when our lead off man is batting .250ish and a dropping OBP.
    — joey2times
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:30 AM, 08/25/2008
    Don't forget about Ryan Howard's huge hustle play to end the 6th inning. Sure, it doesn't make him the hero of the game, but it was a heck of a play--people that haven't played 1B can't even begin to imagine how hard it is to track that ball off a RH batter. And at the time, the Dodgers had runners on 1st and 2nd with the dangerous Russell Martin at the plate. Great play by Ryan... we often give him grief for his errors, so we should also praise him when he makes a great play.
    — danielswolf
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:38 AM, 08/25/2008
    Shane's catch was WillieMays-ish. Cholly's critics will have to slow down after watching all the SMART moves he has made lately.
    — mick314
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:11 AM, 08/25/2008
    I'd like to cast my vote for Manny, since the Phillies took advantage of Manny-being-Manny twice. Shameful the way he just gave up an out in the 10th, rather than trying to get himself in a rundown to at least allow the other runners to advance to 2nd and 3rd. And then that play by Victorino in the 11th, taking an extra base on Manny, was beautiful. Note to L.A.: Make a deal with the devil, and it will cost you your soul eventually. Manny will cost you runs like this from time to time for the rest of the season. You just have to hope he makes up for them with his bat. Last night, he did not. Go Phils!
    — RollinsWasRight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:14 AM, 08/25/2008
    old baseball guy: You CANNOT switch Rollins and Shane right now. It isn't so much about Jimmy leading off as it is about Shane hitting in the bottom half. He was moved down to try to jumpstart the bottom of the order, and it has worked. Moving him would be a huge mistake. Besides, Shane is simply NOT a situational hitter. He needs to hit somewhere in the lineup where he is allowed to be aggressive, and swing freely. He belongs in the 6 or 7 hole (although he is hitting 5th right now, which I can live with, but it's not ideal). And it is ABOUT TIME Charlie put Burrell between Utley and Howard, where he has belonged for 3 years. It will continue to pay dividends.
    — RollinsWasRight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:06 AM, 08/25/2008
    I understand the point of having Shane in the bottom of the order so at least there is SOMEONE down there hitting, but if a team still considers the top of the lineup to be the "run-producers" they are expected to be, does it not make sense to have men on base in front of these producers? I guess if you just accept that the top of the lineup isn't going to hit anyway, it makes sense to keep Rollins at the top. No, Shane is not a prototypical leadoff man either (the Phils do not have one) but he is currently doing a much better job hitting, getting on base, and making things happen. Plus, I don't see Rollins as a much better situational hitter than Shane. If Shane stays at the bottom, however, I would not bat him after Howard. If Howard does ever get on base, how then could Shane use his best asset...his speed?
    — MrPhillie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:18 AM, 08/25/2008
    To RollinsWasRight: Manny's play in the 10th was actually very savvy. When Feliz tagged the bag at third, there was no longer a force at the plate. Considering that there was a play a first place (for a triple play), Coste could have fired the ball down the line (especially with Ramirez pulling up as if out). If Coste did make a bone-headed throw, Ramirez would have trotted home for the go-head run (since the force was off). Do you really think that a runner could have come in behind Ramirez, at third, during a rundown? Not at all likely. All he could have done was rush back to the bag, but he was too far gone--all the better because if he froze when the ball was hit, Feliz could have tagged him and had a real chance at a triple play.
    — tgray83
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:22 PM, 08/25/2008
    Ok, not sure where I went wrong making a simple point, but it is basic Baseball 101: When caught in a rundown with a runner(s) behind you and less than two outs, the smart play is to stay in the rundown as long as possible to allow the trailing runner(s) a chance to advance as far as possible. I never said he should've "froze"; with a force play that is absolutely the wrong thing to do. He did the right thing, he started down the line. But he should not have dropped anchor halfway and ALLOWED Coste to tag him so easily... he should have retreated to third, and attempted to get himself in a rundown. Had he managed to do so, James Loney, who was already around second at that point, had a reasonable chance to move up to third, where the go-ahead run could score on a wild pitch, passed ball, balk, etc. It was typical Manny laziness. Once Feliz tagged third, and then threw home, there was NO shot at a triple play, so I am not at all following your logic there.
    — RollinsWasRight
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:58 PM, 08/25/2008
    It took all those heroes to produce a win in a big game on Sunday night baseball when we'd had just 2 hits thru maybe 7 innings. Ryan Howard, big game but how'd he get picked off, he ain't running; Pedro for fielding and big hits; Shane for starting things, exactly the guy I wanted to see leading off the 11th; Manny for being Manny and laissez-fairing Shane's hit and the resulting throw to 2nd. Thanks, Man.
    — PhillySubsMac
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:55 PM, 08/25/2008
    What's with all the pitchers in the bullpen and no one on the bench? It was only the 11th inning and Cole Hammels had to pinch hit.
    — unknownblogger


12 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. E-mail Dave at dmurphy@phillynews.com.

Join on Facebook    Follow on Twitter

Advertise Here
XML
 
@ChelsCoyle More power to you. I usually stopped paying attention by the all star break - 02/18/2012
 
@michaelweil thanks yeah I'm real interested to see what the reg season is like - 02/18/2012
 
RT @DawninPhila: @HighCheese Never heard a louder crowd than G2 of 08 DS. We were hungry, dizzy and unsure what would happen next. Not t ... - 02/18/2012
 
RT @DEKerr77: @HighCheese For me, the Phillies payroll has changed everything. Trying to buy championships -- & failing -- has taken muc ... - 02/18/2012
 
@DaveBehler thanks. amazing how far the organization has come - 02/18/2012
Get Your Philadelphia Phillies Gear Here
    Latest Phillies Videos