Up and Adam
Adam Eaton had his third quality start in a row. Too good to be true? Or a sign of things to come?
Up and Adam
Todd Zolecki
What's up with Adam Eaton?
He is 2-1 with a 2.29 ERA in his last three starts, which included last night's 3-2 victory over the Reds at Citizens Bank Park. Eaton has not had a three-start stretch like that since May 8-20, 2007, when he went 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA. I wrote today the Phillies have the best bullpen and second-best offense in the National League. You can imagine the possibilities this season if Eaton continues to pitch like this, Brett Myers returns to prior form and Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick continue doing what they've been doing (save Hamels' last two starts, of course).
"It all starts with starting pitching," Pat Burrell said. "That sets the tone for the whole game. Their guy did pretty good; our guy did great. And our bullpen was great. With pitching like that, it's possible to win games with three runs. We've got a good thing going right now. We need to continue it."
Eaton has three-straight quality starts, but his next start will be a big one. He hasn't put together four-straight quality starts (three earned runs or fewer in six or more innings) since he had six-straight quality starts June 6 - July 3, 2004, with the San Diego Padres. He went 3-1 with a 1.83 ERA in that stretch. So while Eaton's last three starts have been encouraging, it's much, much too early to say he has turned a corner -- although the Phillies certainly hope that he has. Eaton has had flashes like this in the past, but his inconsistencies have caught up to him.
Maybe this time is different. Maybe it's not.
If it is different, the Phillies have one less worry in their rotation.
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In the Phillies Notebook, this year's draft is the most significant one for the Phillies in the last 16 years ... at least.
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Last night was Dollar Dog Night at the ballpark, which means one thing: Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Got a call from a friend in Section 309, who couldn't believe the chaos up there. He said there were at least three fights in his section alone. The moral of the story? Idiots love cheap hot dogs.
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Jim Salisbury says Phillies fans should be eager to see Ken Griffey Jr. play tonight or tomorrow afternoon at the Bank. This could be their last chance to see one of baseball's all-time greats.
I was at Phillies-Braves game a few years ago and I almost got into a fight with a Redsox fan! He was saying how lame the CBP crowd was, and he was talking up Fenway like it was heaven on earth. I couldn't take it anymore so I screamed at him to STFU, and that noone cares about the Redsox. We were going at for a full half an inning. RedSox fans more pompous and annoying than Yankee fans. God, I hate the RedSox and their fans. Just because your team hadn't won anything for decades, then finally won something, doesn't make you yourself "resilient". Douches.— Leron- bye bye john smoltz.— timm
- I was at Phillies-Braves game a few years ago and I almost got into a fight with a Redsox fan! He was saying how lame the CBP crowd was, and he was talking up Fenway like it was heaven on earth. I couldn't take it anymore so I yelled at him to STFU, and that noone cares about the Redsox. We were going at for a full half an inning. RedSox fans more pompous and annoying than Yankee fans. God, I hate the RedSox and their fans. Just because your team hadn't won anything for decades, then finally won something, doesn't make you yourself "resilient".— Leron
Comment removed.- Last season I called for Adam to be traded for Eve. This season, I was boilin' but I apologize to Adam. He is pitching as good as he can and one has to give props not only to him but to Dubee and Manuel for aiding the entire staff. I look forward to the Draft and hope for some lefty pitching help.— KGKoons
- Eaton's pitching these last few games has certainly been encouraging. Let's hope that the trend continues for all the starting pitchers (especially tonight's starter).— KarenA
- "Idiots love cheap hot dogs." Correction, Z. EVERYBODY loves cheap hot dogs.— tjc
- Comment removed.
- Yeah, I don't condone fighting, but I make exceptions. Snobby bandwagonning Red Sox are one of them. Bostonians in general annoy the hell out of me. They claim Boston is the Birthplace of America, and not Philadelphia. Can their heads get any bigger?— Leron
- We should trade our fat slob of a 1st baseman, who only cares about his stats and how much money he is making,today.— Matt
- MATT: Exactly where is that coming from? Don't you care about how much money you're making today? Everybody should take the time to read "The Phantom Five" in the June issue of Philadelphia Magazine. Bryan posted the link earlier, but I'll do it again: http://www.phillymag.com/articles/the_phantom_five/page1— bski
- I sat in Section 309 last night also. Even worse than the fight was the ongoing game of musical chairs that was going on up there. Apparently the idiots that like cheap hotdogs do not have the ability to match the numbers on their tickets with the numbers on the seats. Please people find YOUR seat and sit in it. If you want to get up and wander the park and Ashburn Alley, that's fine too. But enough with the constantly moving from seat to seat, row to row, all within the same section. Idiots.— BJG
- BJG, I can't help by agree about the moving in the seats...I was in 309 as well and these morons kept moving around, but refused to move for a woman and her kids until being harassed by the non-idiots in the section. Of course, the real tragedy of it all was the preponderance of muffin top around the section as well.— BJGG
- We'll be better off without him. You know he will be playing for the Red Sox/Yankees in 3 years anyway and he knows it to. So why not get a #1 starter and some prospects for him now. He is a baby just like McNabb. Can't even make contact with the bases loaded last night.— Matt
- I totally agree, Matt. Howard can't hit unless it's a homer to pad his stats and earn him more money next year. He certainly can't field either. He doesn't want to be here, so ship him out now to the AL as a DH and get us a top starter.— scotty82
