Happ-y Days
J.A. Happ threw six shutout innings in a 6-1 victory over the Braves. Ten to go, folks.
Happ-y Days
Todd Zolecki
J.A. Happ seemed to earn himself one more start Monday against the Braves. (JOHN BAZEMORE / Associated Press)
The Phillies had a couple options last night against the Braves at Turner Field: start lefthander J.A. Happ or righthander Kyle Kendrick.
They chose Happ and it paid off.
He threw six shutout innings in a 6-1 victory to keep the Phillies in first place in the National League East with just 10 games to play. Charlie Manuel wouldn't confirm it, but you have to think Happ will be starting Monday against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park.
How could they not start him?
"I definitely wanted to prove I could do it," Happ said. "I thought I could do it all along. It's about getting opportunities and taking advantage of them."
That holds true for the Phillies. They are tied with the Mets in the loss column. They have an opportunity to sweep the Braves tonight. It's Cole Hamels vs. Mike Hampton. Advantage Phillies? It seems to be. But the Phillies, like Happ, have to take advantage.
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Jim Salisbury tells us about Happ's journey to get to this point.
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In the Phillies Notebook: Pat Burrell remains in the lineup, despite having the second-lowest average in baseball since early August, and Jamie Moyer said fatigue wasn't a factor in Tuesday's struggles.
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Pen pals John Gonzalez, Bob Ford and Phil Sheridan discuss Ryan Howard's MVP candidacy.
Comments (67)
Great start by Happ! His motion is deceptive in that he steps towards the left-hand batter's box and throws back across, putting a lot of movement on all of his pitches. Still, he is able to pitch with command outside, inside, down, and up in the zone. It will speak volumes if he can be as effective facing the Braves again when they come into town next week...Pat the Bat is in another of his many clueless periods, although he did make a very nice play on that foul pop. Of course, his lack of foot speed made that play much harder than it would have been for any other Phils leftfielder. The fastest I've ever seen him run was when he charged out of the dugout when the Phils clinched last year. Isn't that first embrace reserved for the catcher? How about Manny in left in '09?— southpaw57- Good point on Cole vs. Ruiz...That's a toss-up at best. Guys on deck where I would choose to pitch to Ruiz with first open, based on how Ruiz has been hitting lately - Dobbs, Stairs, maybe Feliz. That's it. Earlier in the season, the list would have been anyone but Taguchi. You have to walk Ruiz to get to Taguchi since he's been...what's the word...terrible.— B in DC
- 1. Thank you to the offense for getting us 4 runs before even taking the field. 2. Thank you to JA Happ for cruising right along with your adorable little 6 shutout innings, and only one runner reaching 2nd base. 3. Thank you to the entire team for giving us an easy, low-stress game after the heart-pounding, stroke-inducing, sweat-fest that was Tuesday night. It was fun, don't get me wrong, but too much fun (especially that kind) is not healthy ... ... As for tonight, yes, Hamels vs. Hampton appears to be advantage Phils, but please don't take this game for granted. Hampton pitched a pretty darn good ballgame against the Mets his last time out, and IMO, proved that, when healthy, he can still pitch with the best of them. Need another strong performance from Cole tonight.— RollinsWasRight
- Re: Ruiz, I would hardly call my comment a 'parade' or even a 'defense' -- was just trying to give credit where it's due. While 8-hole hitters in the NL sometimes get walks to bring the pitcher up, my guess is that in the 2nd half of the season Ruiz (or whoever else hits 8th) has come up with 1 or 0 runners on base, in which case a walk is esp. valuable to turn the lineup over. You might be surprised to find that Ruiz and Coste have identical OBPs, because Coste almost never walks. However poor he is otherwise offensively, it's the one thing Ruiz does well (as opposed to, say, Abraham Nunez, who didn't even do that well).— Statman
- Dear Santa, I am very sorry to disturb you so early in the year; I know you don't start punching your time card for a few more months. But as I have been an especially good boy this year, and my desire is time sensitive, I felt compelled to send you my Christmas list well ahead of schedule. As you know from all my prior wish lists, sweet Santa, I am a pretty big Phillies fan, and I would like nothing more than to see them actually get into the playoffs two years in a row for the first time in over 20 years, and perhaps maybe win a round this time? It is that in mind, kind Santa, that I developed my Christmas list early. All I want for Christmas this year, good Santa, is for the Nationals to B*TCH SLAP Johan Santana tonight. That's it. That's all. I have worked hard to behave all year just to have this one request honored. You see, the way I see it, if Santana, the annointed savior, the hired gun "stopper", the mercenary "difference maker", $140M assassin who "won't allow the Mets to collapse again", comes up small in such a big game, against such a bad team, it will completely shatter the oh-so-frail psyches of that gutless, spineless, cowardly group of chokers up the NJ Turnpike, who will invariably clock out early, fold up the tents, close up shop, run screaming for the hills, and hand the Phillies their second consecutive division title (which, by the way, is I believe their only Christmas wish as well... ::hint hint::). I have always tried to be good for you in the past, and earn my rewards, wonderful Santa, and you have always come through for me in the past. Once more I ask your favor, your generosity, your wonderful kindness. Please help me, Saint Santa. Watching the Mets fall apart is just too funny to miss out on. :) - With utmost gratitude for all you have done, RollinsWasRight.— RollinsWasRight
- Nunez didn't even put the uniform on well. What a disaster he was.— jeff gross
- RWR: though I'm Jewish, I'll second your Dear Santa letter. SOmetimes I wish we had a Jewish Santa I could ask favors of...Like for Pat the bat to live up to his name from now through the end of the World Serries— jeff gross
- jeff: I could develop a revised Hannukah Wish List, but I wouldn't know who to address it to. My parents would think it's a practical joke. :) (since they are, obviously, Christians)— RollinsWasRight
- why don't we send all wish list to the Phanatic??— jeff gross
- I am not sure the Phanatic has a reputation for granting wishes, or giving extravagant gifts. I could be wrong, but I think he more the stick-out-your-tongue-for-a-cheap-laugh, and rub-a-bald-guy's-head, and give-Tommy-Lasorda-a-hard-time (which, I will admit, never got old) type.— RollinsWasRight
- Here is a thought, though... we could always just send it the Washington Nationals, Home Clubhouse, Nationals Park, Washington D.C... or maybe sending it directly to the Mets in the visitor's clubhouse will do well to damage their fragile little minds?— RollinsWasRight
- does anyone have any baseball related commetns? I think RWR and I have just about said all we can about Santa, Hannukah, the Phanatic, and other wish related issues--— jeff gross
- Hannukah Harry would be the appropriate addressee for such a letter, RWR. On Moishe, on Herschel, on Schlomo...hope all remember that SNL skit and don't take me for an anti-semite. As for the Santana theory of collapse, it's good. It could easily push the Mets over the edge. I'm still waiting for their bullpen to completely collapse, as well. I'll ask the "New Year's Fairy" for that.— B in DC
- I can't believe I'm say this, but....I don't think it would be a bad idea to give Chase a *rest*. Bringing Iguchi in with a big lead is a pretty good idea. There's still LOTS of talk about Chase playing injured. Not just from the fans, but from the media as well. I know Charlie would never sit him during a play-off run. He has too much confidence in him. Plus we need his defense. As for Pat...Apparently Charlie was asked about sitting him. He said he "thought about it" and decided he would start Pat and pull him if needed. Definitely put in Stairs if that's the case. Who'da believed a 40 year old, off the bench, would be so productive? Gotta love the guy!— Norma
- OK, we have 6 games against the Fish and the Nats, both who give us a hard time. Plus a Braves team that will come into the Bank with bad attitudes after we sweep them. So, we have a tought time ahead, no real slack and need to keep winning. This may go down to the last day again, should be quite a ride.— jimmymack
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The Phillies Zone is the place for up-to-the-minute Phillies coverage from the Inquirer.
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