Posted: Sunday, April 27, 2008, 10:47 AM | 15 comments |
 

A Good April? The Phillies? Really?
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Ryan Howard homered last night against Pittsburgh. Is it a sign?You might have heard that the Phillies are slow starters. Here's their record after the last five Aprils:

2007: 11-14.
2006: 10-14.
2005: 10-14.
2004: 10-11.
2003: 16-12.

Yep, they haven't had a winning record entering May since 2003. But the Phillies, who are 14-11, at least have guaranteed they won't have a losing record entering May this year. With three games to play this month, they can finish no worse than 14-14. How have they done it without Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino in the lineup? Chase Utley and Pat Burrell have been on fire, and the Phillies have been pitching very well, especially the bullpen. Good pitching wins.

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Ryan Howard and Charlie Manuel are optimistic that last night's homer in an 8-4 victory over the Pirates can get him going.

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In the Phillies Notebook, Jayson Werth is the most patient hitter in baseball and injury updates for Jimmy Rollins, Chris Snelling, Scott Mathieson, Shane Victorino and Kris Benson. Pat Gillick spoke with reporters before today's game. Rollins will be back in Philadelphia tonight and will be revaluated by athletic trainer Scott Sheridan tomorrow. Expect Rollins to begin a rehab assignment in a few days. Victorino should be activated before Tuesday's game, replacing T.J. Bohn. Gillick also said he likes the way his bullpen has pitched, but is looking for another lefthander.

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In Jim Salisbury's Sunday baseball column, he takes a look back at Lee Elia's infamous tirade against Chicago Cubs fans. Check out Extra Bases, too.

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You know it's bad when US Airways calls you at noon to tell you that you're 8:20 p.m. flight from Pittsburgh to Philly has been delayed 75 minutes for "operational issues."
Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 10:47 AM  Permalink | 15 comments
15
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:21 PM, 04/27/2008
    I would have never thought the Phils would start this good if you told me that J-roll and Victorino would miss two weeks or more and that Howard would hit about .190 or so. The Pitching is doing great so far, I see no reason they cant keep up the good work! I would love to see Moyer end his career by having a great year!!
    — Clinton, NJ
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:02 PM, 04/27/2008
    This has been a great April, all things considered. I worry about having to go to the bullpen every single day for multiple innings. It's a long season, hope there are some arms on the farm that can step up, by August the bullpen will be shot.
    — jimmymack
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:17 PM, 04/27/2008
    Dear Scribe Zolecki, Your ink is finally a refreshing sight every morning because you do not have the unfortunate proclivity to hereh ag hag ha hga hga hgh ag hag hag ha hga hga hg ahg. E11. Best regards, Hal C.
    — Hal C
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:18 PM, 04/27/2008
    our former/future closer isn't have a good time so far this season as a current starter.
    — timm
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:34 PM, 04/27/2008
    What the heck happened to our offense!!!!! Have to hand it to Maholm.
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:39 PM, 04/27/2008
    What's wrong with Myers' velocity? He didn't hit 90 on the radar gun the entire day.
    — southpaw57
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:56 PM, 04/27/2008
    Another example of Phillies deceit. Cholly came clean and said that Myers hasn't hit 90mph all year. He actually said he hasn't seen him throw a fastball all yr. Its obvious what happened here; P.G. Little Ed and the new Giles aka Dave Montgomeryeither didn't treat Myers' injury last properly or didn't disclose to YOU the depth of his injury. No wonder they got Lidge 4 the closer role. 85-88 doesn't get it done. Myers struggles alot getting outs in the 9th last year, now it all makes sense. Your Phillies are a classless organization.
    — Truth
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:30 PM, 04/27/2008
    Wow, another highly reasoned, well articulated argument from our resident seer. Please start your own blog, so we can enjoy more TRUTH from someone who knows. Every pearl from your lips is so highly anticipated, I can't wait to log on and find out more facts from the informed mind of the only person who knows anything.
    — jimmymack
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:51 PM, 04/27/2008
    OK. Instead of slamming our team, how about giving props to the opposing pitcher. Maholm was brilliant. Yes, Myers didn't have his best outing, but our offense wasn't able to hit off of Maholm.
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:10 PM, 04/27/2008
    You tell em' Norma!! Lets hope the Padres bats stay cool in the up coming series...Hamels needs a good start to the game tuesday, if he can get through the first couple innings with out major damage, he should cruise......Wy do we even bother responding to you know who? If we ignore him, he'll go away! Im sure he gets a huge kick out of all our responses to him, so lets stop mentioning him!!!
    — Clinton, NJ
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:26 PM, 04/27/2008
    Maybe the Phillies travel schedule on this road trip caught up with them today. They were definitely seemed like they ran out of steam. What an unexpected treat that the Phillies are having a good April! As we know it's a long season and the bullpen, Burrell and Utley will might have their slumps....but hopefully with Victorino and Rollins back in the line up and you know Howard will get his act together they'll pickup any "slack"
    — Karen
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:02 PM, 04/27/2008
    Clinton, it's actually fun taking swings at the blog pinata. Last week he referred to the Phils with a "we", now we're back to YOU. Don't leave us Truth!
    — John in LA
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:08 PM, 04/27/2008
    One month into the season what have we learned? 1. We lose nothing when we go to our 2nd catcher. We probably shouldn't make him our 1st catcher, but if he starts 60 or 70 games that is a bad thing. 2. Jayson Werth can absolutely be one of the starters in the outfield, should anyone be DLed (which we know will happen). 3. We have the best player in the league in Utley. 4. Pat Burrell with a healthy foot is better than Pat Burrell with a bum foot...either that or he really like the "man or machine" t-shirt. 5. Great plays and a few clutch hits aside, Pedro Feliz is not the "hoover" gold glove fielder or the hit for average or Streaky HR hitter that we were hoping for...more a below average statistical offensive 3rd baseman.
    — phillybob
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:12 PM, 04/27/2008
    TRUTH = LOSER
    — phillybob
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:32 AM, 04/28/2008
    Zo, what's the deal with this kid in Clearwater, Bastardo? Could this kid get an August call up? The Thresher Manager said he would be surprised if he got another start at single-A.
    — Casey


15 comments
About Matt Gelb and Bob Brookover












Bob Brookover and Matt Gelb team up for their third straight season covering the Phillies for the Inquirer and philly.com.

This is Brookover’s second stint writing about the Phillies, having joined the coverage team after seven years as an Eagles beat writer. Brookover was hired by The Inquirer in 2000 as the Phillies beat writer after spending 13 years writing about the team for two suburban newspapers. While on the Eagles beat, Brookover, who had covered just two winning Phillies teams in 15 seasons, saw the Phillies move into a cash-cow new ballpark and begin playing a brand of the game he found unrecognizable. Follow him on Twitter here.

Gelb is in his third season covering the Phillies. He was hired by The Inquirer in August 2009 after graduating from Syracuse University. He has also covered baseball at The Star-Ledger and Cape Cod Times. Born and raised in Bucks County, he attended Central Bucks High School West. Follow him on Twitter here.
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