It's Not Do or Die, But ...
The Phillies gotta step up this week against the Mets at Shea Stadium, don't you think?
It's Not Do or Die, But ...
Todd Zolecki
It's only Juy 22, so there is time.
We know how quickly things can change in just a matter of weeks. The Mets held a comfortable seven-game lead over the Phillies with just 17 games to play last season, but choked away the National League East in an epic collapse. But the Mets have turned the tables on the Phillies this year. The Phillies had a 7 1/2 game lead over the Mets on June 13, but enter tonight's three-game series against the Mets at Shea Stadium in a first-place tie.
The Phillies were 41-28 (.594) on June 13 for the fourth-best record in baseball. The Mets were 32-34 (.485). But the Mets are 21-12 (.636) since for the third-best record in baseball, while the Phillies are 12-18 (.400) for the sixth-worst record in the Natonal League.
The Phillies helped the Mets get hot by losing three-straight games to them earlier this month in Philly.
Now would be a good time for the Phillies to get their act together.
"I'm excited,'' Joe Blanton said. "Maybe there will be a few butterflies, but once you get settled in, it's about competing."
"I can't think of a better team for me to come back against," Brett Myers said. I don't like them. We're not supposed to like them. Nothing against the guys on the team - they're our rivals. We like beating them; they like beating us.''
Lately, the Phillies haven't beaten much of anybody. They'd like that to change this week at Shea.
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Billy Wagner's shoulder is bothering him. His availability this week remains uncertain.
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Here are the pitching match ups at Shea:
Tonight at 7:10
RHP Joe Blanton (5-12, 4.96 ERA) vs. LHP Johan Santana (8-7, 3.10).
Tomorrow at 7:10 p.m.
RHP Brett Myers (3-9, 5.84) vs. RHP John Maine (8-7, 4.22)
Thursday at 12:10 p.m.
LHP Jamie Moyer (9-6, 3.90) vs. LHP Oliver Perez (6-6, 4.36).
3 wins in NY would be a great way to get the Phils back on track. I think Blanton will be solid tonight, hopefully we can score a few runs for him.— GHOSTPHAYCE- Joe, you idiot, bonuses are agreed upon as part of the players' contracts. Therefore, players with a shot at MVP have a agreed upon bonus written in, Rollins got what he and the Phils agreed upon in advance he'd get if he won the MVP. as for Cole, you have a point as pitchers get awarded bonuses for #s of wins. even so, look for Cole to get his payout if not this coming year then the next one. you can't blame the Phils for not wanting to lock him up in a long term mega-deal based on his first real season as an ace.— jeff gross
- YOUR PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BRAIN TRUST---Well, it turns out a committee that apparently included Charlie Manuel, pitching coach Rich Dubee, general manager Pat Gillick and assistant GMs Ruben Amaro and Mike Arbuckle decided that because Hamels went into the All-Star break with the most innings pitched in the National League, he needed more than his normal 4 days of rest between starts. Way too much thinking takes place with this team-- Where is Cy Young when you need him--— Truth
- Wags' "shoulder bothering him"???? Right! He's just afraid to face Chase & Pat! And this offense better support Blanton tonight!!!— Norma
joerothwell12: A bonus for winning the MVP? All-Star? Triple crown? As jeff gross points out, players who have the potential for these acheivements may have them included as incentives in their contracts, but if you think an organization is just going to pay a guy more than contracted based on his performance, you're nuts. That would be just plain stupid. Players get paid for what they'll do in the future, not what they did in the past. When a long-term contract is signed, it's a gamble for both the player and the club. But what they both get is security. Jimmy got his payday when he signed his deal. Cole Hamels simply isn't at that stage yet. Once he gets to arbitration, the money will start to roll in for him.— bobby- Truth - I think this is more of Hamels being too much of a pretty boy. He won't pitch on too few days in the play-offs, and 6 is too many. He sure does like to complain..— Gary Varsho
- Myers gets 2 more starts to prove himself as a starter. If not, Happ gets recalled (maybe myers goes to the pen..., maybe he sits). I'd like to see Marson get his chance now. Neither Coste nor Ruiz are hitting the ball. We might as well face the truth (and I don't mean the guy). The Cubs and the Brewers are both better than we are. Assuming we make the playoffs (bad assumption as I'd just like to see us take the approach of winning tonight and then worry about tomorrow), we won't see the championship series let alone the world series.— diehardphan
joe rothwell, yes some players are entitled to bonuses for winning awards such as the MVP, CY Young, but IT IS SPELLED OUT IN THE PLAYER'S CONTRACT, and they are called incentives. No team would be so foolish as to not honor a contract incentive. Jimmy just wants a new contract as the reigning MVP. He's "only" getiing $8MM per year. By contrast Hanley Ramirez is getting over $12MM. So I guess we are getting $8MM worth of effort from Jimmy this year. Rollins could have won the mayor's election after the year he had last year. Kinda reminds me of the T.O. saga now.— RAS- Correction, Hanley Ramirez' big money doesn't kick in til next year.— RAS
- Agreed - Hamels talks waaaay too much. And are the Phillies the only team where so many of the players feel "disrespected?" Funny - in the real world (where the rest of us live) - people do silly little things like honor contracts and that. Shame athletes aren't held to the same standards.— John in LA
- I just realized by reading Bill Conlin's article for the first time, that Truth's thought wasn't even his own - he copied it from the article. But even though it was written by a "journalist" its still wrong.— Gary Varsho
- Has anybody even seen Conlin and Truth in the same room? Hmmmmm....— John in LA
- I never cared for Hollywood Jimmy Rollins. Everyone gave him credit in the club house last year which i think was not deserving. Sure he had a stellar year STAT wise but where the heck has he been? From his not running out a ground ball to his comments to the press. Again i am for Firing Milt Thompson to send a message, if they dont respond Cholley would be the next one to go.— mondonj
Comment removed.- Gary Varsho-I wasn't exactly claiming the thoughts as my own. This obvously was not Cole's decision it was the braintrust(I use that term with utmost sarcasm). Why beat up Cole b/c they didn't want him to pitch b/c he had the most innings of any other Phillie-boo/hoo braintrust. I know what happened last yr in the playoffs but why let the player dictate to you with out a fight mid-season...— Truth
