Game 63: Can Minnesota cure a sickness?
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Game 63: Can Minnesota cure a sickness?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MINNEAPOLIS — The Phillies are 8.5 games out of first place, the furthest they've been since June 2, 2007. Following a day off, nearly the entire group of position players took to Target Field for early batting practice Tuesday. Perhaps a visit here is the cure for their recent malaise.
To start, they will face righthander Nick Blackburn, whose 7.75 ERA is the highest for any pitcher in baseball with at least eight starts. The Twins are in last place with a minus-67 run differential. That is worst in the American League.
If there was a time to start making hay, this series is a prime opportunity.
Charlie Manuel's lineup for Tuesday looks like this:
1. Jimmy Rollins 6
2. Juan Pierre 7
3. Hunter Pence 9
4. Jim Thome 0
5. Shane Victorino 8
6. Ty Wigginton 3
7. Carlos Ruiz 2
8. Mike Fontenot 5
9. Michael Martinez 4
Kyle Kendrick starts for the Phillies. The last time the Phillies played in this city, Paul Abbott started. Hey, it could always be worse.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
Great, we just added another "Mendoz Line" hitter in Martinez into the lineup. I'm sure that will spark this offense. Whats going on here, is Mark Belanger not available?— drhoffman- hmmm .. leadoff hitter is hitting .240 and has an obp of .291 .... manager must be a genius... and he's signed for 3 yrs for $33 million... g.m. must be a genius— warbiscuit
- Excellent, just what they need. Another pitcher with a 7+ ERA they'll make look like Koufax. Hack, hack, hack. Wouldn't want to miss that 3-run bomb...— MrLincoln
- hmm .. starting pithcer has a 2-5 record, 4.44 era (4.41 lifetime era) and just signed a $7.8 mil. 2 yr contract... g.m nust be a genius— warbiscuit
- hmm. starting 1st baseman had 9 errors and 45 strikeouts in limited duty... g.m. must be a genius— warbiscuit
- Matt failed to mentioned that the Phils are also 10 games behind the lost column.— farley
Vlad Guerrero and Marlon Byrd were just released by their ballclubs. Vlad could be 100 years old and still have a heck of a presence in a lineup. Byrd, just about 2 seasons ago, was an All-Star. I would take my chances here on either guy to platoon with Juan Pierre. John Mayberry Jr. is not solving any problems for the Phillies all season long.— FreeCable4Ever- Just what we need. More has beens and never beens. — wo_fat
Great time for them to start some momentum. Schedule gets a bit softer.
Go phils !— zubzub- Maybe you should start posting over/under numbers...
Errors...over/under 3
Infield pop-ups with RISP....over/under 4
Plain boneheaded plays.....over/under 2
That would add some interest to the dreck we are presented every night— scootch - How did this team get this bad this fast - it took a coordinated effort by the GM, the manger, the coaches and the players - WELL DONE!!!— jawpsu
- manuel: don't start another game with wigginton at 3B(play him at 1B along with mayberry) I don't care if martinez can't hit he can field leave him at 2B rollins should have been moved to 6th or 7th weeks ago to help break out of his slump this is manuel's call, bring up brown.— only 9
- The scene earlier today at Target Field: Charlie Manuel sitting at a desk in his office. His forehead in his hands, several drafts of the lineup balled up in front of him. Kyle Kendrick walks in, "It's all good, Cholly. I got this."— Ronwell Q. Dobbs
Comment removed.- Of for the days of Terry Walter Harmon— outta work
