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Friday, October 24, 2008
(un)Productive Outs

Post-game clubhouse interviews are often an exercise in futility, and for good reason. All anybody wanted to know tonight is why the Phillies have been so awful with runners in scoring position (1-for-15 in Game 2, 1-for-28 in the World Series). But if the players had an answer, I'm sure they'd put it to good use. Nobody I spoke with felt like the Phillies were tight, or rusty, or suffering from Tropicana-itis. They just didn't get big hits at opportune times. The result, of course, was a 4-2 loss.

Like it or not, it is something this club has dealt with over the course of the season. I'm sitting in my hotel room with Gonzo (the tilty-headed guy from the Inquirer) watching Sportscenter and trying to pull an all-nighter so I don't sleep through my flight tomorrow. Steve Phillips just pointed out that the difference in Game 2 was productive outs. Tampa Bay was able to put them together. The Phillies weren't. The Rays scored their first two runs on groundouts. The Phillies had a runner on third base with less than two out a couple times and weren't able to drive him in.

^

The Phillies were on the wrong end of a couple of non-calls. The first came in the second inning when Rocco Baldelli was awarded a walk after appearing to go around on a 3-2 pitch from Brett Myers. Instead of a runner on first with two out, the Rays had runners on first and second with one out and ended up converting that situation into a run.

Then, in the ninth inning, a pitch from David Price appeared to hit Jimmy Rollins jersey as he tried to get out of the way. But the Ump did't see it -- actually, Rollins said afterward the ump told him he couldn't "hear it" -- and Rollins ended up popping out to short. Instead of runners on first and second with no out, the Phils had a runner on second with one out. Ruiz ended up scoring. But Rollins getting on base certainly could have changed things.

^

If you are the Phillies, or a Phillies fan, you have to be happy with a split at Tropicana Field, don't you?

 

Posted by David Murphy @ 2:45 AM  Permalink | 25 comments
25
Comments   
Comment removed.
Posted 06:55 AM, 10/24/2008
joey2times
On Saturday we all have to PRAY FOR RAIN so Moyer will get skipped in the rotation and we will see Blanton followed by Hamels then back to Myers. I would be quite happy with seeing Moyer stay on the bench for the duration of the series. Oh, and by the way, has anyone seen 2 worse at bats in the history of baseball then what Dobbs put in his first 2 at bats? Both times with runners in scoring position I might add
Posted 07:03 AM, 10/24/2008
joey2times
Ok, I figured it out...the new starting line up should be as follows. SS Rollins, CF Victorino, 2B Utley, DH/1B Howard (DH when in AL park), LF Burrell, RF/1B Werth (1B when in AL park), 3B Feliz, Jenkins RF (when in AL park), C Ruiz...I would consider moving Burrell down in the line up and either moving Werth of Feliz up to 5th.
Posted 07:15 AM, 10/24/2008
peabody
joey2times - wow, is that the dumbest thing I've ever seen. Great idea, the Phillies should completely panic and play Werth at a position he's never played, and put Jenkins in the lineup (a guy who hasn't had a hit in about 2 months. Oh, and by all mean, move Feliz UP in the order. Sheeeesh, did I mention this was a stupid idea?
Posted 07:51 AM, 10/24/2008
joey2times
No, you're right, lets keep saying GO PHILLIES while we strand another 20sum players in scoring position...lets keep a guy batting .000 up in the order...lets continue to watch the circus act on every ball hit to our starting 1st baseman...oh and for the record, Werth did play a game at 1st last year for the Phillies...DUH!!!
Posted 08:09 AM, 10/24/2008
Neal Obstat
A game? One game? And you want to put him at first in the World Series! Brilliant!
Posted 08:50 AM, 10/24/2008
Tim418
Yeah, everybody just calm down. The Phils don't need to panic or do anything ridiculous. They had 14 baserunners in Game 1 and 13 in Game 2. I'll take that most days of the week. It's very frustrating to see Rollins and Howard struggle, because you know it'd be a different story if they got going. Howard at least had a couple of decent hits last night. Also, everyone's knocking Moyer, but let's make a comparison. ERA: Moyer, 3.71, Garza, 3.70. Basically a tie, though I'll point out that Moyer pitched 15 more innings. Wins: Moyer, 16. Garza, 11. Strikeouts: Moyer, 123, Garza, 129. Walks: Moyer, 62. Garza, 59. Hits Against: Moyer 199, Garza, 170. HR Against: Moyer, 20, Garza, 19. They're basically the same pitcher statistically. Everyone's concerned about Moyer because of his playoff starts, but I'd much rather point to the way he pitched during the regular season. Let's not forget that he was 8-1 with a 3.39 ERA after the break. And everyone's ready to write him off. I say he's got at least one great start left in him.
Posted 08:55 AM, 10/24/2008
doorspj24
I'm happy with the split, but uneasy about the future of the series due to their impotence at the plate.
Posted 08:56 AM, 10/24/2008
scuba
i believe coldplay said it best, "Nobody said it was easy..." We are in the World Series playing the best team in the other league. The Phils have to pick themselves up by the boot straps, put their nose to the grindstone, and do work, son. A split was ideal, winning both was lofty, and stretching too much. There is no need to panic, yet. We are on the cusp of scoring big, we just need to get over the hump.
Posted 09:12 AM, 10/24/2008
bcstpete
If it were easy, everyone would win the world series.
Posted 09:54 AM, 10/24/2008
fran g
Transplanted Philly fan in Tampa. I've had to watch this team all year. Rays are a really good team, however, so are we. You're goal is to get the split in the Trop. A place where the Rays have over a .600 winning percentage. The way our team is batting we're lucky to get the split. I'm always reluctant to blame officiating in any sport, but that guy last night was clueless. Phils will be fine coming home for 3 games...IF SOMEBODY, ANYBODY CAN DRIVE I A RUN.
Posted 09:54 AM, 10/24/2008
MrPhillie
The Phillies cannot change who thy are, offensively, at this point. The offense stuggled all year with strikeouts, clutch hits and productive outs so I don't know why it should be any different in the postseason. We just need to win "ugly" like we have many times this year. It is a little disconcerting, however, how many of the Phils "look" at the plate. There are too many swings at bad pitches and taking of good pitches; many batters look lost; many swings are poor fundamentally (getting off-balance, pulling off the ball, pulling the head, getting too far out in front....). Werth often looks ridiculous, lunging and spinning around in the box. But, at-bats such as these got the team this far, hopefully they will be enough to make them world champions.
Posted 10:03 AM, 10/24/2008
bird11
peabody - can't see why joey2times idea of corner outfielders Burrell and Werth doesn't make absolute sense to you? You have the chance to weaken yourself in RF while maybe improving yourself MAYBE improving yourself at 1B. At least if he said Burrell at first we would have someone with over 50 games experience there. Calm down we split on road against a team that had best home record in baseball - lets take care of business at home (Rays are a sub-.500 road team). Only change in batting order/lineup Shane bats 2, Werth bats 6. No panic. GO PHILLIES!!!!!
Posted 10:05 AM, 10/24/2008
EL Zorro
Guys, Tampa is the team that should be pressing. We won one game in their place, which is not easy. Now they have to come here for 3 games. I think coming home will help take the pressure off some guys, espcially Werth and Rollins. Everybody relax.
Posted 10:11 AM, 10/24/2008
EL Zorro
Guys, Tampa is the team that should be pressing. We won one game in their place, which is not easy, and we did it without playing our best ball. Now they have to come here for 3 games. I think coming home will help take the pressure off some guys, especially Werth and Rollins. Everybody relax.
Posted 10:18 AM, 10/24/2008
MICK17901
J-Roll needs to get going. That is the key to the rest of the series. Go Phils !
Posted 10:23 AM, 10/24/2008
palmyra21
not happy with a split...they should have won both games. How many guys were on third with one out or less? If Werth fielded that ball cleanly, it would have been a completely different game.
Comment removed.
Posted 11:14 AM, 10/24/2008
scotty82
It's just the way we lost last night. A split was what we needed, and we got it. Moyer will pitch an excellent game against this fastball hungry, free swinging team. Rays were bad on the road and the Phils were great, plus the Rays will have no idea how to prepare for the noise at the Bank. Still say Phils in 6
Posted 11:19 AM, 10/24/2008
Wally 24
Between discraceful umpireing and our errors we gave them that game. Myers pitched a hell of a game. Seven full innings, 85 pitches, and 3 earned runs is good enough to win anywhere. Jayson Werth committed a huge mistake in right which started everything down hill. Basics, basics, basics, and the execution there of wins games. While we failed to perform they did right down to the squeeze play. Greg Dobbs looked like he had just returned from a trip to the eye doctors. Maybe he's color blind and the ball and background were looking the same to him but in anycase he was a failure at DH. I still say you have to use the professional hitter as your DH when ever possible. Stairs not only has the swing for it but he is used to the mind set. Their approach with Howard and Utley last night worked and you can expect more of the same. Chase has got to take the ball the other way which will bring him back into the picture as a threat. The way it stands now they will just keep giving Ryan enough to keep him swinging freely and knowing he's a strike out at any time they need one. One thing about last night's play is it will force Charlie to pull yet another duck out and rearrange the line up to something that will work. Rollins is late almost all the time but they are also pitching him tough to keep him off the base paths. With Victorino or Utley behind him he may see better pitches but then the trick is to be able to drive them. If Jimmy would just spread out a little more in the batters box he may solve his problems. All things considered we still did a great job against their ACE getting him out of the game after 100 pitches in 5 2/3 innings. Thats something for them to think about. Moyer for the first time in the playoffs gets to start in front of the home town and I think he will be a different pitcher.
Posted 12:20 PM, 10/24/2008
Dull
Just to tweak the lineup against Garza I would bat Vic second so he sees four lefties out of the box in first inning. Garza had an ERA over five late in the regular season against lefties. Get out of the box with firstest with the mostest and put immediate pressure on them. And since Chooch is in the zone, I would move him into the 7 hole so they can't pitch around Werth in the 6th hole. Feliz must stay in the game for defense.
Posted 12:42 PM, 10/24/2008
EndTheDrought
Take a Xanax Phils fans! Offensive onslaught in Philly!!! Phightins in 6 baby!!
Posted 02:00 PM, 10/24/2008
Jeffe
Last night was basically a must-win game for Tampa, they couldn't afford to go down 2-0 coming back to Philly for 3 games. It's fairly common that in must-win situations, that team is going to win the game. We had our chances and you could make the case that their pitchers got them out of a jam. The RISP stat bothers me, but it also shows me that we are getting on base and one time we're going to break it wide open. We could've won that game last night, but I am happy with a split. Moyer pitching game 3 is not a concern for me. He's a veteran who won 16 games for us this year. It's his first time in the World Series - not only does he deserve a start, but I have a feeling he is going to surprise a lot of people and pitch one of his best games - it's his last shot at a title and his only shot to pitch in this series, he's going to give it all he's got. Besides, Tampa has batters that like to hit and jump on pitches - if Jaimie has control, he's going to force a lot of grounders and pop-ups and force them to swing at bad, slow pitches. We'll be fine.
Posted 02:08 PM, 10/24/2008
Wally 24
Steve Phillips is anti-Philly and even Pa. As far as unproductive outs are concerned there would have been one less run in the 1st with out the umpires help. Yeah they were able to get the ball in play and provide those runs but through out the rest of the game Myers did a commendable job on them. Pena is 0-7, Longoria is 0-7, Crawford is 1-8,Upton is 2-8 hitting into 3 double plays, so their not doing real good at the plate either. As Zorro says the last thing they wanted was a split at home and we pulled it off. So now we come home and they have to deal with the C.B. crowd noise and our rules and the weather. Lets just see what happens then.
Posted 04:25 PM, 10/24/2008
DonEck
OK, I'm relaxed ... Don't panic! I'm OK with that. BUT, I am frustrated! WHY, you ask? Phillies batters swinging at first pitches; Phillies batters looking like they have never faced a major league pitcher before; Howard and Rollins looking absolutely LOST at the plate and Howard looking bewildered in the field; Umpires that should be home watching the Series instead of helping to determine the game's outcome; FOX announcers (c'mon Timmy) who make it their business to appear to have been as bad a selection as some of the umpires; A FOX pitch diagram box that is useless; FOX "Sounds of the Game"; FOX interviews and commercials that are too long and then we miss the first pitches; AND I miss the dialog of Wheels, Harry, Gary, Scott and Larry.
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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