Just heard that the Phillies have set up their rotation for the first three games of the National League division series against the Milwaukee Brewers: Cole Hamels will pitch Game 1 on Wednesday, Brett Myers will pitch Game 2 on Thursday and Jamie Moyer will pitch Game 3 on Saturday.
This isn't a surprise.
Hamels is their best pitcher, so they will pitch him Game 1. Myers dominated the Brewers earlier this month. And because the Brewers struggle against righthanded pitching, they probably didn't want the Brewers to face back-to-back lefthanders. The Phillies think they have a handle on Myers' recent pitching woes, but we'll know for sure Thursday. And Moyer goes Saturday in Game 3 in Milwaukee.
So what happens after that?
I think it depends on the situation. If the Phillies lead the best-of-five series, 2-1, you might see Joe Blanton on Sunday. If the Brewers lead, 2-1, the Phillies have to decide if they want to pitch Hamels on short rest or stick wtih Blanton and bring back Hamels at full strength for Game 5.
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Don't know much about Milwaukee? Here's a taste.
Yup, no surprise here. The real key here, of course, is Brett Myers. All other factors being equal, I think it's on Myers to determine how far this team can go in the playoffs. A strong Meyers equals possible short series wins and a very good chance of making it to the WS. A weak Myers means playing from behind and using up the bullpen, which then jeopardizes other games. Come on, Brett. Be the pitcher you were in July and August!— bobby
jimmy.....Short term memory loss. 6200 or 6220?— Norma- I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE ITS 10 MIN.S TO 3PM AND ESPN IS STILL CARRYING ON ABOUT THE METS LOSS AND WHAT SHOULD THEY DO NEXT! NOT MUCH TALK ABOUT ANY OF THE OTHER TEAMS WHO WON BUT THEN THEY AREN'T FROM NEW YORK.— Wally 24
- shhhh... no yelling, please.— Jeffrey
- I love how Gavin Floyd is pitching against Freddy Garcia today for a potential spot in the playoffs. Very ironic?! Almost as good as Helms getting the winning run for the Marlins yesterday.— KarenA
- Sorry Jeffrey loas my head!— Wally 24
- Wally, It's no different than last week. After the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs, espn went on and on about it. What dose it mean. What about the off season. What can we expect next year. You'd swear the entire team was killed in a plane crash or something......About the Phils, you're right on about Myers, Bobby. Hamels should get the job done in game 1, which means that Myers' start will be the key to how the rest the series lays out, especially considering he will be facing Sabathia.— bski
- Smart move starting Moyer in the 1st away game in Milwaukee. I'm worried about Hamels and Myers these first two games but if they step up and perform the way we know they can we'll win.— Wally 24
- Maybe he can throw a fastball this time.— zman
Comment removed.- I agree Wally...having Moyer pitch the 3rd game is excellent strategy. He's the pitcher I'd want when the series is on the line. He's proven he can handle the pressure of these types of games (ie Saturday's game)— KarenA
- Comment removed.
- Plus you have both "storied" stadiums closing this year which adds to NY's melodrama— KarenA
- bski, It's that kind of out right bias that keeps me from watching ESPN on a regular basis. Their 5 analyst panel picked New York and Fla to finish ahead of us this year.— Wally 24
- Push comes to shove and the series goes to a Game 5...do we start Kendrick? Happ? Or ask Hamels to take one for the team and go out there again? I'd just worry that we'd get thin by that point.— Citizen Rorshach
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.
To submit a question for Matt Gelb's Phillies mailbag, click here.
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