Phillies Breakdown

Phillies Recap: World Series Game Three

2009-11-01T12:43:00.000-05:00

2009 World Series

New York Yankees 8, Philadelphia Phillies 5

W - Andy Pettitte (1-0, 6.00), L - Cole Hamels (0-1, 10.38), S - Mariano Rivera (2)

The highly important game three of the 2009 World Series was a much more wide open affair between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees. After the Phillies jumped out to a quick three-run lead, the Yankees battled back against Cole Hamels and took control of the game. Andy Pettitte did not pitch especially well and had a high pitch count early, but once again, the Phillies did not have a sound approach at the plate, and handed the Yankees another victory. When all the scoring was done, the final was 8-5.

Game Summary: New York Yankees

Andy Pettitte had a very shaky start to his outing, throwing nearly 50 pitches in the first two innings. However, to his credit, he limited the damage and settled in nicely. Once he was handed a lead, he really locked down the Phillies' lineup, who helped him out by becoming less patient as the night moved on. After six innings, Pettitte had allowed four runs on five hits, with two solo homers mixed in. The Yankees' bullpen came in and tossed three innings of scoreless relief.

The Yankee offense really came alive in this game, with Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher leading the way. Both Yankee hitters had been struggling this World Series, entering this game. However, they jump started the offense, which at one point scored in five consecutive innings. The Phillies bullpen was exposed after Cole Hamels lasted less than five innings. On the night, the Yankees tallied eight runs on eight hits and took advantage of three walks as well.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

For Cole Hamels, this was not the start he envisioned. Despite allowing a two run homer to Alex Rodriguez in the fourth inning, Hamels cruised through four with the lead most of the way. In the fifth, the tables were turned and he did not survive the inning. The Phillies pieces together their bullpen from that point, but they were unable to keep the team close, as the Yankees continued to tack on runs late, which proved to be the difference in the game.

The Phillies offense spotted Hamels an early three run lead. However, after that outburst, it seemed as if their approach at the plate changed. The quality of at bats diminished and the Philly hitters got themselves out for most of the rest of the night. Jayson Werth provided the lone offensive spark, with two solo homers, but the rest of the team managed just four other hits in the game. Through three games now, the Phillies big hitters have not performed as needed, and the lineup collectively can be blamed for the 2-1 series hole they now find themselves in.

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Game Three

2009-10-31T15:02:00.005-04:00

2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies (1-1) v. New York Yankees (1-1)

Saturday October 31, 2009
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

55° F - Overcast

Andy Pettitte, LHP (0-0, 0.00) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (0-0, 0.00)

After splitting the first two games, the Philadelphia Phillies will return home to host the New York Yankees for the next three games of the 2009 World Series. Thus far, it has been an unexpectedly low-scoring series, between two great offensive teams in hitters parks. However, with game three featuring Cole Hamels of the Phillies and Andy Pettitte of the Yankees, both team will hope to continue the pitching-dominant trend. The weather will be seasonably mild with overcast skies and a slight chance of rain.

Starting Pitcher: Andy Pettitte, Yankees

Andy Pettitte is the veteran presence in the Yankees' rotation. The elder statesman of the group, Pettitte has seen and done almost everything as a starter in the postseason. His career 16 wins is first all-time in postseason play and the crafty lefty still has some juice left in the tank. Pettitte pitches primarily to contact at this point in his career, but controls the running game very well with a great pickoff move. The 37-year old won 14 games for the Yankees this season, while logging 194.2 innings.

This season against the Phillies, Andy Pettitte face the Phillies once, allowing four earned runs in seven innings while taking the no-decision in a Yankees win. Pettitte is succeptible to the long ball, but does create an unfavorable matchup for the Phillies, as he is left-handed and can control the running game with a great pickoff move. For his career against Phillies hitters, Pettitte has allowed a .230 batting average in 148 plate appearances, with four home runs. The veteran is one of the best postseason performers, with a major league record 16 postseason wins.

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels, Phillies

Cole Hamels struggled through a hangover season from 2008, in which he battled injuries and inconsistency all year long. Still, he is the Phillies' starter with the most playoff pedigree and was able to win 10 games. In 2009, Hamels' innings were down to 193.2 and his strikeout numbers were also down, though he has the ability to miss bats. Hamels' achilles heel has always been the long ball, so if he can keep the ball in the park, the 25-year old is very tough. Hamels will likely be the Phillies' second or third starter.

Despite having a rough postseason thus far, the Phillies are hopeful that Cole Hamels can regain his World Series MVP form from 2008. Hamels faced the Yankees once this season, going six innings allowing two runs and a homer, in an extra-inning win for the Phillies. In his career against the Yankees, Hamels has allowed a .290 batting average in 66 plate appearances. The key for the young lefty will be to keep the ball in the park and limit his pitch count as much as possible.

Starting Lineup: New York Yankees

Statistics versus Cole Hamels
1. Derek Jeter, SS (4/7, 0 HR, 1 K)

2. Johnny Damon, LF (3/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Mark Teixeira, 1B (5/17, 2 HR, 3 K)

4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B (0/4, 0 HR, 4 K)

5. Jorge Posada, C (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

6. Robinson Cano, 2B (0/3, 0 HR, 0 K)

7. Jerry Hairston, Jr., RF (2/10, 1 HR, 1 K)

8. Melky Cabrera, CF (3/6, 0 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Andy Pettitte
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (4/18, 1 HR, 2 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (3/6, 0 HR, 1 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (1/7, 0 HR, 3 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (1/9, 0 HR, 1 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/13, 1 HR, 5 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (6/21, 1 HR, 5 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/7, 0 HR, 1 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (2/3, 1 HR, 0 K)

Phillies World Series Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Recap: World Series Game Two

2009-10-29T22:21:00.007-04:00

2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees

W - A.J. Burnett (1-0, 1.29), L - Pedro Martinez (0-1, 4.50), S - Mariano Rivera (1)

Game two of the World Series was another very close, low-scoring game. The Philadelphia Phillies, behind Pedro Martinez, took an early lead. After dueling for several innings with A.J. Burnett, the Yankees used the long ball to surge ahead in the game. In what turned into a late game battle of the bullpens, the Yankees were able to hold on to a small lead and pull out a win by a final score of 3-1. The win evened the series at one as the teams head back to Philadelphia for the next three games.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Pedro Martinez started the game for the Phillies, with many questions unanswered about his abilities at his age. However, the veteran pitcher showed that he still has something left in the tank, as he kept the Yankees hitters off balance and off the scoreboard for most of the night. Martinez was hurt by a pair of solo homers, but only allowed six hits and a pair of walks overall. In six plus solid innings, the future Hall of Famer struck out eight Yankee hitters, but left the game trailing, having allowed three earned runs. The Phillies' pen did a decent job, but it was in vain.

On offense, the Phillies didn't stir much. They seemed somewhat patient with Burnett early in the game, working his pitch count. But the right-hander settled in and held the Phillies in check, after an early Matt Stairs RBI single. The Phillies managed only five hits and three walks through the game. Ryan Howard had an especially tough night, as he struck out four times, thanks to some extremely generous strike calls. In the eighth, the Phils put a pair of runners on before a double play ended the threat. The offense was to blame as they could not get anything substantial going against Yankee pitching.

Game Summary: New York Yankees

A.J. Burnett was a wildcard coming into the game, with the Yankees uncertain what he would bring to the table. However, after a somewhat shaky start, Burnett settled in a dominated the Phillies' lineup for seven innings. The big righty added nine strikeouts and allowed just four hits. He walked two, one intentional, and gave up just one earned run. Mariano Rivera was brought in for a six-out save. He struggled through the eighth inning, throwing over 20 pitches, before completing the game in the ninth.

The Yankees offense really didn't do much against Pedro Martinez on the night. However, two mistake pitches were hit out of the park to give the Yankees the lead. In the seventh inning, they tacked on an important insurance run, but were unable to get more runs across. On the night, they didn't perform especially well and were not all that patient, but grinded out just enough to provide the final margin for the game.

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Game Two

2009-10-29T18:40:00.008-04:00

2009 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies (1-0) v. New York Yankees (0-1)
Thursday October 29, 2009

Yankee Stadium, New York, NY
52° F - Cool, Clear

Pedro Martinez, RHP (0-0, 0.00) v. A.J. Burnett, RHP (0-0, 0.00)

After a one-sided affair in the opener of the World Series, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees will go right back at it one night later. The Phillies took the opener in a game that was never really in doubt. Now the pressure lies complete on the Yankees as they try to avoid going back to Philadelphia in an 0-2 hole. The weather will be much better this evening, as the skies have cleared and the field has dried. Pedro Martinez will make his return to the big stage for the Phillies, and he will be opposed by A.J. Burnett of the Yankees in a crucial game two.

Starting Pitcher: Pedro Martinez, Phillies

Pedro Martinez was another late-season acqusition for the Phillies, as they signed the free agent to finish the 2009 season with them. Martinez has shown signs of his former self, now that he is healthy. And not having pitched the first half of the season means he is fresh for the playoffs, with only 44.2 innings. Most importantly, the 37-year old veteran righty has a lot of post season experience and is known as a clutch performer. While it has not been determined when Pedro will start, he still has the ability to miss bats and shut down an opponent.

It will be the return to the Bronx for Pedro Martinez in game two. After facing the Yankees many times in the playoffs earlier in his career, Martinez has not seen them for several years. While he did not have much success against them, he does bring a renewed sense of confidence and a fresh arm to the game tonight. Lifetime against the Yankees hitters, Martinez has held them to a .242 batting average in 442 plate appearances. In those appearances, he allowed 11 homers while fanning nearly 25% of batters (116). Tonight, Martinez will need to get the calls on the corners and mix up his pitches against an aggressive Yankee lineup.

Starting Pitcher: A.J. Burnett, Yankees

A.J. Burnett was the second half of the Yankees' big off-season pitching enhancement, as he signed around the same time as Sabathia. Burnett's career has been wildly inconsistent, as he has shown flashes of brilliance and periods of ineffectiveness. He is a strike out pitcher but suffers from poor command and composure. The big righty won 13 games in his first season with the Yankees and tossed 207.0 innings for them. With nearly a strike out per inning, Burnett must limit contact in order to be successful.

Burnett will have the tough task of trying to shut down the Phillies tonight. If the good Burnett shows up, he will have a good chance to help his team win the game. However, the problem with the big righty has always been his inconsistency and wildness. In 184 career plate appearances, current Phillies are hitting .265 with eight homers off of Burnett. Being a strikeout pitcher, the Phillies will need to be patient against him and not swing at bad pitches. Burnett is a hard thrower but his presence on the mound means that Jorge Posada's bat will be out of the Yankee lineup, in favor of a defensive catcher.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus A.J. Burnett

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (11/43, 1 HR, 12 K)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (1/6, 0 HR, 0 K)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (6/21, 1 HR, 7 K)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (2/12, 2 HR, 6 K)
5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/7, 1 HR, 3 K)
6. Raul Ibanez, LF (4/15, 0 HR, 4 K)
7. Matt Stairs, DH (3/11, 2 HR, 4 K)
8. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/15, 0 HR, 0 K)
9. Carlos Ruiz, C (3/3, 1 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: New York Yankees

Statistics versus Pedro Martinez

1. Derek Jeter, SS (27/102, 4 HR, 27 K)
2. Johnny Damon, LF (5/25, 0 HR, 4 K)
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B (1/6, 0 HR, 3 K)
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B (17/58, 1 HR, 20 K)
5. Hideki Matsui, DH (9/43, 1 HR, 8 K)
6. Robinson Cano, 2B (0/12, 0 HR, 1 K)
7. Jerry Hairston, Jr., RF (10/27, 0 HR, 6 K)
8. Melky Cabrera, CF (1/5, 0 HR, 2 K)

9. Jose Molina, C (2/10, 0 HR, 1 K)

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Recap: World Series Game One

2009-10-28T23:33:00.009-04:00

2009 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Yankees 1

W - Cliff Lee (1-0, 0.00), L - CC Sabathia (0-1, 2.57)

The first game of the World Series was a highly exciting affair between two ace lefties. Cliff Lee took the ball for the Philadelphia Phillies in opposition of CC Sabathia for the New York Yankees. The game started as a pitcher's duel, but in the end, a pair of Chase Utley homers set the tone behind Cliff Lee's complete game. Sabathia pitched very well, but he was outdone by his counterpart. The Phillies were able to tack on runs against the Yankees' bullpen to finish with a 6-1 win and take a 1-0 lead in the World Series.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

From a pitching perspective, the game summary for the Phillies started and ended with Cliff Lee. The veteran southpaw was once again dominant, as he kept the Yankees off balance all night. In what was a very close game for the first seven innings, Lee was lights out, striking out hitters in almost every inning and never really getting into a jam. On the night, Lee went the distance, throwing 122 pitches in a complete game effort. A late error robbed Lee of a shutout, but he struck out 10 Yankees hitters, without allowing a walk, and holding them to just six hits.

Offensively, the Phillies were led by Chase Utley, who crushed a pair of solo homers off of CC Sabathia. The Phillies also worked Sabathia well, though they weren't able to muster much off of him. However, late in the game when the Yankees' bullpen came in, the Phils tacked on runs very well. Raul Ibanez drove in a pair of runs on a two-out two-strike single in the eighth. In the ninth, they tacked on a couple more runs, which concluded their night with six runs, nine hits, and seven walks.

Game Summary: New York Yankees

The Yankees sent their big-money ace to the mound, in CC Sabathia. Early on, Sabathia was very strong, but was forced to throw a lot of pitches, which may have affected him. In the third and sixth innings, Sabathia surrendered solo homers to Chase Utley. Other than that, Sabathia pitched very well and only allowed four hits in seven innings, while walking three and fanning six. The Yankees' bullpen let them down tonight, allowing four earned runs over the final two innings that allowed the game to get out of reach.

On offense, the Yankees couldn't do anything. They managed only six hits all night and were not especially patient against Cliff Lee. In their defense, they had no choice as Lee peppered the zone with strikes. Derek Jeter had three hits, including a double, but the team never had a real chance to score until the ninth inning. An error helped the Yankees push across a lone, unearned run, well after the outcome of the game had been decided. Tonight was really more about Lee's greatness than any Yankees slumping.

Phillies World Series Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Game One

2009-10-28T18:47:00.009-04:00

2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies (0-0) v. New York Yankees (0-0)

Wednesday October 28, 2009
Yankee Stadium, New York, NY

48° F - Overcast, Rainy

Cliff Lee, LHP (0-0, 0.00) v. CC Sabathia, LHP (0-0, 0.00)

The 2009 World Series opens up on a rainy night in the Bronx between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees. This game features two former Cleveland Indians' aces and Cy Young award winners in Cliff Lee and CC Sabathia. The two lefties will both aim to shut down strong opposing offenses and get their respective teams off to a solid start in the series. The field and playing conditions will be wet, which will add another dimension to this already intriguing matchup. Which ever team can get to the opposing starter and take advantage of opportunities, while limiting weather-related errors, will likely win this game.

Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee, Phillies

Cliff Lee was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies and he didn't disappoint. Since the Phillies acquired him, the 31-year old lefty won seven games and struck out nearly a batter per inning. Overall, Lee is a pitcher that can dominate and go deep into games, which will help the Phillies' bullpen. He tossed 231.2 innings, marking his fourth 200-inning campaign in the last six seasons. Still, Lee has no post season experience and has not proven whether he is a big-game pitcher or not. He has emerged as the clear ace of the Phillies staff in this postseason, with dominating performances against both of the Phillies' National League opponents.

Against the New York Yankees, Lee has done very well, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA this season. Lifetime against the Bronx Bombers hitters, Lee has allowed a high .285 opposing batting average in 224 plate appearances lifetime. Yankees hitters have victimized him for eight homers in that time, and clearly the key for Lee will be to keep the ball in the park tonight. Lee works well to both sides of the plate, and can neutralize the Yankees' hitters by keeping them off balance and mixing his pitches well. The Yankees will need to be aggressive against Lee, as he throws a lot of strikes and can put hitters away when he gets ahead.

Starting Pitcher: CC Sabathia, Yankees

CC Sabathia was a major free agent signing by the Yankees prior to the 2009 season. He earned his huge contract this season, winning 19 games and accumulating 230.0 innings. The big 28-year old has enjoyed his best post-season ever, carrying the Yankees team to another World Series appearance. Sabathia is a dominant left-handed pitcher with ace-caliber stuff and the ability to pitch deep into games and shut a team down. He is hands down the best pitcher that the Yankees have and will pitch on short rest if needed.

Sabathia will have an apparent advantage over the Phillies, being that he is left-handed. This season against the Phils, he took a no decision after pitching eight solid innings in a Yankees loss. Lifetime against the Phillies, Sabathia has allowed a .275 batting average in 118 plate appearances. He has only allowed three long balls against the Phillies, but famously allowed a grand slam to Shane Victorino in the playoffs last season. For Sabathia, pitch count will not be as important as effectiveness, so if he can throw strikes early in the count, it could be a long night for the Phillies.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus CC Sabathia

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (5/13, 0 HR, 0 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (5/9, 1 HR, 0 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (0/5, 0 HR, 3 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (3/9, 0 HR, 3 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (2/8, 0 HR, 2 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, DH (11/40, 2 HR, 10 K)

7. Ben Francisco, LF (1/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

8. Pedro Feliz, 3B (1/8, 0 HR, 3 K)

9. Carlos Ruiz, C (2/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: New York Yankees

Statistics versus Cliff Lee

1. Derek Jeter, SS (11/27, 0 HR, 3 K)

2. Johnny Damon, LF (2/22, 0 HR, 3 K)

3. Mark Teixeira, 1B (9/23, 1 HR, 2 K)

4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B (5/15, 2 HR, 3 K)

5. Jorge Posada, C (6/21, 2 HR, 2 K)

6. Hideki Matsui, DH (5/17, 0 HR, 4 K)

7. Robinson Cano, 2B (4/18, 0 HR, 3 K)

8. Nick Swisher, RF (6/18, 0 HR, 4 K)

9. Melky Cabrera, CF (3/11, 1 HR, 1 K)

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Benches

2009-10-27T23:47:00.011-04:00

2009 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. New York Yankees (103-59)

The benches of both teams in the World Series will be extremely important. Considering that the Yankees will be forced to play without a designated hitter in Philadelphia, and the Phillies will need to add a DH in New York, both teams will need to make some adjustments. As a result of the configurations of the leagues, the teams' bench moves will be under a great deal of scrutiny. With pinch runners, defensive changes, and pinch hitting situations, look for the benches to play a big role in the outcome of the series.

Key Reserve: New York Yankees

Hideki Matsui, L - Hideki Matsui is typically the starting designated hitter for the New York Yankees. When Matsui isn't DHing, he will be the likely pinch hitter in a key situation for the Yankees. The left-hander can still hit, despite having injuries and age slow him down, and has significant pop, especially against righties. The 35-year old will be a key player in this series and will need to produce, regardless of his role.

Key Reserve: Philadelphia Phillies

Matt Stairs, L - Matt Stairs is already a hitting legend in Philadelphia. He is primarily a pinch hitter at this point in his career, but the lefty could get the nod as the designated hitter in games in New York. Stairs packs a punch and makes no secret that power is his primary game. However, the 40-year old can also work walks and has patient power at the plate. More than likely, if Stairs isn't already in the game, he will have some key at bats late in games.

Bench Players: New York Yankees

DH - Hideki Matsui, L: 142 G, .274 BA, 28 HR, 90 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 126 G, .271 BA, 15 HR, 44 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 75 G, .282 BA, 13 HR, 46 RBI
Postseason Career: 50 G, .292 BA, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. PHI: 89 PA, .193 BA, .247 OBP, .337 SLG, 2 HR, 20 K

OF - Brett Gardner, L: 108 G, .270 BA, 3 HR, 23 RBI, 26 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 76 G, .264 BA, 3 HR, 16 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 38 G, .291 BA, 0 HR, 7 RBI

Postseason Career: 9 G, .667 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB
Career vs. PHI: 11 PA, .400 BA, .400 OBP, .500 SLG, 0 HR, 0 K

IF - Jerry Hairston, Jr., R: 131 G, .251 BA, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 7 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 104 G, .255 BA, 4 HR, 28 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 61 G, .242 BA, 6 HR, 11 RBI

Postseason Career: 3 G, .500 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 76 PA, .286 BA, .333 OBP, .529 SLG, 2 HR, 14 K

OF - Eric Hinske, L: 93 G, .242 BA, 8 HR, 25 RBI, 1 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 81 G, .242 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 27 G, .244 BA, 2 HR, 6 RBI

Postseason Career: 5 G, .250 BA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 73 PA, .200 BA, .219 OBP, .371 SLG, 3 HR, 20 K

C - Jose Molina, R: 52 G, .217 BA, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 42 G, .216 BA, 1 HR, 9 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 24 G, .220 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Postseason Career: 13 G, .333 BA, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 45 PA, .256 BA, .273 OBP, .349 SLG, 1 HR, 7 K

Bench Players: Philadelphia Phillies

OF - Matt Stairs, L: 99 G, .194 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 92 G, .200 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 4 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Postseason Career: 12 G, .125 BA, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. NYY: 70 PA, .180 BA, .271 OBP, .344 SLG, 3 HR, 15 K

OF - Ben Francisco, R: 126 G, .257 BA, 15 HR, 46 RBI, 14 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 111 G, .260 BA, 13 HR, 36 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 61 G, .247 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI

Postseason Career: 7 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 34 PA, .321 BA, .424 OBP, .429 SLG, 0 HR, 5 K

IF - Eric Bruntlett, R: 72 G, .171 BA, 0 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 37 G, .123 BA, 0 HR, 5 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 35 G, .229 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Postseason Career: 29 G, .188 BA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Career vs. NYY: 5 PA, .200 BA, .200 OBP, .200 SLG, 0 HR, 1 K

IF - Greg Dobbs, L: 97 G, .247 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 1 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 90 G, .238 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 6 G, .429 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Postseason Career: 16 G, .333 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 12 PA, .636 BA, .667 OBP, .818 SLG, 0 HR, 3 K

C - Paul Bako, L: 44 G, .224 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 39 G, .245 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 9 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Postseason Career: 17 G, .194 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 23 PA, .227 BA, .261 OBP, .227 SLG, 0 HR, 6 K

Phillies World Series Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Hitters

2009-10-27T21:18:00.015-04:00

2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. New York Yankees (103-59)

The World Series will feature the two top offenses of the 2009 season, between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees. For the first time in Major League history, the top two home run hitting teams will square off in the Fall Classic. The teams have deep lineups that can drive in runs and produce scoring opportunities quickly. With both teams' ball parks being very hitter-friendly, the World Series promises to be high scoring.

Key Hitters: New York Yankees

Alex Rodriguez, R - Alex Rodriguez is arguably one of the best hitters in the game today. The slugging third baseman hits for high average and has power to all fields. The big righty was been surrounded in controversy for most of his career. However, the 33-year old will be making his first appearance in the World Series. Thus far this postseason, Rodriguez has been uncharacteristically productive, carrying the Yankees' offense to this point. How he performs against Phillies pitching will largely determine the Yankees' success.

Mark Teixeira, S - Mark Teixeira was an off-season signing for the New York Yankees. The switch-hitting first baseman is a solid hitter from both sides of the plate and can hit for some power too. Teixeira is playing for his fourth team in the last three seasons, and will also be making his first World Series appearance. He bats ahead of Rodriguez and will have a number of critical at bats in this series. If the 29-year old is able to perform better than he has to this point in the playoffs, he will take a lot of pressure off of Rodriguez.

Derek Jeter, R - Derek Jeter is the captain and emotional leader of the New York Yankees. Jeter is historically a clutch postseason performer and has led the Yankees to four championships in his career. The righty bats lead off and knows how to have a patient at bat and always seems to come up with key hits. The 35-year old shortstop has had another solid postseason and will need to be the spark plug for the Yankees offense if they are to win this series.

Key Hitters: Philadelphia Phillies

Ryan Howard, L - Ryan Howard is becoming one of the truly legendary power hitters of this generation. Howard put together his fourth consecutive 40-homer, 130-RBI season and simply produces runs at a prolific rate. The big lefty slugger once again got hot late in the season and helped carry the Phillies offense down the stretch. The 29-year old performed fairly well in his playoff experience and will lead the power charge for the Phillies offense. He has been the leader of the Phillies' offense this postseason, more than ever, and will be the most important hitter in their lineup this series.

Chase Utley, L - Chase Utley is the quiet leader of the Phillies squad and he does it predominantly with his bat. The slugging second baseman had another superb season, eclipsing 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases. However, the 30-year old Utley did wear down as the season progressed and entered a prolonged slump to finish the season with a subpar batting average by his standards. Utley will be key in the Phillies' offense, as he needs to produce against the Yankees' lefties and protect Ryan Howard.

Jayson Werth, R - Jayson Werth was an unheralded rising star coming into the 2009 season. The right-handed power hitter had a break out season and was named to the All-Star team. Werth will be of utmost importance in this series, as he is the biggest right-handed power threat for the Phillies. If the 30-year old can be a presence among all of the Phillies left-handed hitters, then their offense should be able to produce against all pitchers. Werth has been hitting the ball hard all postseason and will need a big series against the Yankees to help carry the Phillies' offense.

Starting Lineup: New York Yankees

SS - Derek Jeter, R: 153 G, .334 BA, 18 HR, 66 RBI, 30 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .311 BA, 12 HR, 43 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 80 G, .395 BA, 6 HR, 23 RBI

Postseason Career: 132 G, .308 BA, 20 HR, 54 RBI, 16 SB

Career vs. PHI: 202 PA, .288 BA, .370 OBP, .463 SLG, 7 HR, 37 K

LF - Johnny Damon, L: 143 G, .282 BA, 24 HR, 82 RBI, 12 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 133 G, .288 BA, 17 HR, 56 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 85 G, .269 BA, 7 HR, 26 RBI

Postseason Career: 49 G, .270 BA, 9 HR, 26 RBI, 10 SB
Career vs. PHI: 115 PA, .194 BA, .278 OBP, .252 SLG, 1 HR, 16 K

1B - Mark Teixeira, S: 156 G, .292 BA, 39 HR, 122 RBI, 2 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 149 G, .282 BA, 30 HR, 91 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 89 G, .305 BA, 9 HR, 31 RBI

Postseason Career: 13 G, .278 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 96 PA, .315 BA, .344 OBP, .576 SLG, 6 HR, 19 K

3B - Alex Rodriguez, R: 124 G, .286 BA, 30 HR, 100 RBI, 14 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 118 G, .289 BA, 22 HR, 79 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 61 G, .277 BA, 8 HR, 21 RBI

Postseason Career: 48 G, .307 BA, 12 HR, 29 RBI, 5 SB
Career vs. PHI: 142 PA, .284 BA, .408 OBP, .526 SLG, 8 HR, 36 K

C - Jorge Posada, S: 111 G, .285 BA, 22 HR, 81 RBI, 1 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 102 G, .282 BA, 17 HR, 57 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 60 G, .290 BA, 5 HR, 24 RBI

Postseason Career: 105 G, .238 BA, 11 HR, 34 RBI, 3 SB
Career vs. PHI: 140 PA, .213 BA, .307 OBP, .484 SLG, 8 HR, 46 K

2B - Robinson Cano, L: 161 G, .320 BA, 25 HR, 85 RBI, 5 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 144 G, .326 BA, 15 HR, 53 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 100 G, .335 BA, 10 HR, 32 RBI

Postseason Career: 22 G, .238 BA, 2 HR, 13 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 59 PA, .196 BA, .220 OBP, .286 SLG, 1 HR, 4 K

RF - Nick Swisher, S: 150 G, .249 BA, 29 HR, 82 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 133 G, .250 BA, 20 HR, 52 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 87 G, .244 BA, 9 HR, 30 RBI

Postseason Career: 19 G, .161 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 45 PA, .222 BA, .356 OBP, .278 SLG, 0 HR, 10 K

CF - Melky Cabrera, S: 154 G, .274 BA, 13 HR, 68 RBI, 10 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 128 G, .277 BA, 8 HR, 48 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 85 G, .268 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI

Postseason Career: 15 G, .259 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 42 PA, .308 BA, .341 OBP, .410 SLG, 1 HR, 4 K

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

SS - Jimmy Rollins, S: 155 G, .250 BA, 21 HR, 77 RBI, 31 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .257 BA, 14 HR, 55 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 80 G, .230 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI

Postseason Career: 26 G, .234 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 4 SB
Career vs. NYY: 92 PA, .262 BA, .315 OBP, .429 SLG, 2 HR, 15 K

CF - Shane Victorino, S: 156 G, .292 BA, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 25 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .283 BA, 8 HR, 50 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 90 G, .314 BA, 2 HR, 12 RBI

Postseason Career: 26 G, .299 BA, 6 HR, 21 RBI, 6 SB
Career vs. NYY: 25 PA, .375 BA, .400 OBP, .625 SLG, 1 HR, 1 K

2B - Chase Utley, L: 156 G, .282 BA, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 23 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 143 G, .279 BA, 20 HR, 60 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 116 G, .288 BA, 11 HR, 33 RBI
Postseason Career: 26 G, .245 BA, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 5 SB

Career vs. NYY: 43 PA, .256 BA, .326 OBP, .385 SLG, 1 HR, 15 K

1B - Ryan Howard, L: 160 G, .279 BA, 45 HR, 141 RBI, 8 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 144 G, .319 BA, 39 HR, 108 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 124 G, .207 BA, 6 HR, 33 RBI

Postseason Career: 26 G, .295 BA, 6 HR, 24 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 38 PA, .158 BA, .158 OBP, .342 SLG, 2 HR, 14 K

RF - Jayson Werth, R: 159 G, .268 BA, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 154 G, .256 BA, 22 HR, 62 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 89 G, .302 BA, 14 HR, 37 RBI

Postseason Career: 29 G, .288 BA, 9 HR, 17 RBI, 4 SB
Career vs. NYY: 34 PA, .129 BA, .206 OBP, .387 SLG, 2 HR, 13 K

LF - Raul Ibanez, L: 134 G, .272 BA, 34 HR, 93 RBI, 4 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 123 G, .267 BA, 21 HR, 53 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 86 G, .285 BA, 13 HR, 40 RBI

Postseason Career: 18 G, .208 BA, 1 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 148 PA, .276 BA, .331 OBP, .463 SLG, 5 HR, 33 K

3B - Pedro Feliz, R: 158 G, .266 BA, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 149 G, .282 BA, 6 HR, 63 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 69 G, .208 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI

Postseason Career: 31 G, .212 BA, 1 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. NYY: 43 PA, .179 BA, .256 OBP, .231 SLG, 0 HR, 7 K

C - Carlos Ruiz, R: 107 G, .255 BA, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 3 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 97 G, .242 BA, 5 HR, 26 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 41 G, .293 BA, 4 HR, 17 RBI

Postseason Career: 26 G, .296 BA, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 3 SB
Career vs. NYY: 12 PA, .583 BA, .583 OBP, 1.083 SLG, 2 HR, 0 K

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Bullpens

2009-10-26T21:41:00.013-04:00

2009 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. New York Yankees (103-59)

The World Series will not feature overwhelmingly great bullpen pitching from either the New York Yankees or the Philadelphia Phillies. However, both teams rely on solid relievers to wrap up games, and this series will be no different. With arguably the best finisher in the game, the Yankees seem to have an edge with Mariano Rivera closing games. The rest of their bullpen, though, is no better than the Phillies' pen. As the two teams square off, the bullpens and the use of relievers will undoubtedly play a major role in the 2009 World Series.

Key Relievers: New York Yankees

Mariano Rivera, RHP - Mariano Rivera is widely regarded as one of the best closers of all time. Though he is in the twilight of his career, the 39-year old still has something to bring to the table. Featuring just a single, devastating pitch, the cutter, Rivera dominates hitters and breaks as many bats as anyone. He is an imposing force at the back end of the Yankees' bullpen that can come in for save situations as long as two innings or more. In 2009, Rivera logged 66.1 innings and recorded 44 saves, his most since 2004.

Phil Coke, LHP - Phil Coke is the Yankees' primary left-handed reliever out of their pen. In his second season as a pro, Coke enjoyed great success setting up Mariano Rivera. Coke, the 26-year old, threw a career high 60.0 innings and had excellent lefty platoon splits. Coke will certainly make some late inning appearances against the tough lefties in the Phillies' lineup. However, he is vulnerable to the long ball (10) and does not pitch especially well on the road.

Phil Hughes, RHP - Phil Hughes has thrived as the righty setup man in the Yankees' bullpen. After a few brief stints as a starter, Hughes settled in to the seventh and eighth inning role and excelled. The 23-year old recorded a career high 86.0 innings pitched and had a great ERA. If the Yankees have a lead, you can count on seeing Hughes late in the game to get the ball to Rivera. He is a strikeout pitcher, with more than one strikeout per inning, and can dominate righties and lefties alike.

Other Relievers - Alfredo Aceves, RHP, Damaso Marte, LHP, David Robertson, RHP

Key Relievers: Philadelphia Phillies

Ryan Madson, RHP - Ryan Madson is the one, true flamethrower out of the bullpen for either squad. Madson, the 28-year old, throws a wicked fastball that often approaches triple digits on the radar gun. He had a moderately successful 2009, picking up 10 saves in 16 chances for the Phillies. The righty was a horse this year, throwing 77.1 innings and fanning a batter per frame. With Brad Lidge closing once again, Madson will serve as the primary setup man in the bullpen.

Scott Eyre, LHP - Scott Eyre's importance this series cannot be overstated. With an injury to J.C. Romero, Eyre is the Phillies' only reliable situational lefty in the bullpen. Eyre himself struggled through an injury-plagued 2009 season that has left the reliever pondering retirement. The Phillies will need one more playoff push out of the 37-year old veteran. He threw only 30.0 innings this year, so despite bone chips in his elbow, he hopes to be fresh. Eyre also sprained his ankle in the NLDS but pitched after the injury and seems to be okay.

Other Relievers - Chan Ho Park, RHP, Chad Durbin, RHP, Antonio Bastardo, LHP

Pitching Primer: New York Yankees

Mariano Rivera: (3-3) 66 G, 66.1 IP, 1.76 ERA, 72 K, 7 HR
2009 Home Splits: (3-2) 39 G, 39.2 IP, 1.82 ERA, 41 K, 4 HR
2009 Road Splits: (0-1) 27 G, 26.2 IP, 1.69 ERA, 31 K, 3 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 1.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (8-1) 84 G, 128.0 IP, 0.77 ERA, 104 K, 2 HR
Career vs. PHI: 60 PA, .158 BA, .200 OBP, .175 SLG, 0 HR, 13 K

Phil Coke: (4-3) 72 G, 60.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 49 K, 10 HR

2009 Home Splits: (4-1) 42 G, 36.1 IP, 2.97 ERA, 26 K, 7 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-2) 30 G, 23.2 IP, 6.85 ERA, 23 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 1.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 4 G, 1.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR

Career vs. PHI: 6 PA, .167 BA, .167 OBP, .167 SLG, 0 HR, 0 K

Phil Hughes: (8-3) 51 G, 86.0 IP, 3.03 ERA, 96 K, 8 HR

2009 Home Splits: (4-1) 27 G, 39.2 IP, 2.50 ERA, 44 K, 6 HR

2009 Road Splits: (4-2) 24 G, 46.1 IP, 3.50 ERA, 52 K, 2 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (1-1) 8 G, 10.1 IP, 3.48 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 17 PA, .286 BA, .412 OBP, .500 SLG, 1 HR, 5 K

Alfredo Aceves: (10-1) 43 G, 84.0 IP, 3.54 ERA, 69 K, 10 HR

2009 Home Splits: (6-0) 26 G, 50.1 IP, 1.61 ERA, 41 K, 5 HR

2009 Road Splits: (4-1) 17 G, 33.2 IP, 6.42 ERA, 28 K, 5 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (0-1) 3 G, 2.1 IP, 7.71 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR

Career vs. PHI: 1 PA, 1.000 BA, 1.000 OBP, 1.000 SLG, 0 HR, 0 K

Damaso Marte: (1-3) 21 G, 13.1 IP, 9.45 ERA, 13 K, 3 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-2) 11 G, 6.0 IP, 18.00 ERA, 6 K, 2 HR

2009 Road Splits: (1-1) 10 G, 7.1 IP, 2.45 ERA, 7 K, 1 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (1-0) 6 G, 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 3 K, 0 HR

Career vs. PHI: 47 PA, .279 BA, .326 OBP, .349 SLG, 0 HR, 13 K

David Robertson: (2-1) 45 G, 43.2 IP, 3.30 ERA, 63 K, 4 HR

2009 Home Splits: (2-0) 21 G, 20.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 27 K, 1 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-1) 24 G, 23.2 IP, 4.18 ERA, 36 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (2-0) 3 G, 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR

Career vs. PHI: 3 PA, .000 BA, .333 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HR, 1 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Brad Lidge: (0-8) 67 G, 58.2 IP, 7.21 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-2) 33 G, 31.0 IP, 6.10 ERA, 33 K, 5 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-6) 34 G, 27.2 IP, 8.46 ERA, 28 K, 6 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (0-1) 2 G, 1.1 IP, 27.00 ERA, 2 K, 1 HR
Postseason Career: (2-3) 31 G, 38.1 IP, 1.88 ERA, 55 K, 2 HR

Career vs. NYY: 33 PA, .276 BA, .364 OBP, .414 SLG, 1 HR, 11 K

Ryan Madson: (5-5) 79 G, 77.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 78 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (1-4) 36 G, 36.1 IP, 3.72 ERA, 35 K, 4 HR

2009 Road Splits: (4-1) 43 G, 41.0 IP, 2.85 ERA, 43 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (0-0) 3 G, 2.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (2-0) 18 G, 18.2 IP, 2.89 ERA, 20 K, 1 HR

Career vs. NYY: 19 PA, .211 BA, .211 OBP, .316 SLG, 0 HR, 7 K

Scott Eyre: (2-1) 42 G, 30.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 22 K, 3 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-0) 20 G, 13.2 IP, 2.63 ERA, 10 K, 2 HR

2009 Road Splits: (2-1) 22 G, 16.1 IP, 0.55 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (0-0) 1 G, 0.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 22 G, 11.2 IP, 1.54 ERA, 5 K, 0 HR

Career vs. NYY: 54 PA, .217 BA, .333 OBP, .500 SLG, 3 HR, 13 K

Chan Ho Park: (3-3) 45 G, 83.1 IP, 4.43 ERA, 73 K, 5 HR

2009 Home Splits: (2-1) 22 G, 41.2 IP, 3.67 ERA, 38 K, 2 HR

2009 Road Splits: (1-2) 23 G, 41.2 IP, 5.18 ERA, 35 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: n/a

Postseason Career: (0-1) 9 G, 7.0 IP, 3.86 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Career vs. NYY: 88 PA, .216 BA, .326 OBP, .432 SLG, 4 HR, 21 K

Chad Durbin: (2-2) 59 G, 69.2 IP, 4.39 ERA, 62 K, 8 HR
2009 Home Splits: (2-1) 28 G, 31.0 IP, 4.65 ERA, 30 K, 4 HR
2009 Road Splits: (0-1) 31 G, 38.2 IP, 4.19 ERA, 32 K, 4 HR
2009 vs. Yankees: (0-0) 2 G, 2.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (2-0) 11 G, 7.1 IP, 1.23 ERA, 4 K, 1 HR
Career vs. NYY: 75 PA, .200 BA, .253 OBP, .314 SLG, 2 HR, 10 K

Antonio Bastardo: (2-3) 6 G, 23.2 IP, 6.46 ERA, 19 K, 4 HR
2009 Home Splits: (0-2) 3 G, 9.0 IP, 8.00 ERA, 6 K, 1 HR
2009 Road Splits: (2-1) 3 G, 14.2 IP, 5.52 ERA, 13 K, 3 HR
2009 vs. Yankees: n/a
Postseason Career: (0-0) 2 G, 0.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR
Career vs. NYY: n/a

Phillies World Series Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Rotations

2009-10-26T18:32:00.016-04:00

2009 World Series
Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. New York Yankees (103-59)

The pitching matchups in this World Series will be key to the success of both ball clubs. With the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees featuring the top offenses of their respective leagues, how deep the starters go will be pivotal. Both teams have toyed with the idea of having their ace pitchers go on three days rest in an effort to make them available for three starts, should the series go the full seven games. However, beyond the aces, both teams have question marks at the starting pitcher spot. It should be interesting to see how these starters compare to each other. It can be said that whichever team gets the best starts will win the 2009 World Series.

Potential Starters: New York Yankees

CC Sabathia, LHP - CC Sabathia was a major free agent signing by the Yankees prior to the 2009 season. He earned his huge contract this season, winning 19 games and accumulating 230.0 innings. The big 28-year old has enjoyed his best post-season ever, carrying the Yankees team to another World Series appearance. Sabathia is a dominant left-handed pitcher with ace-caliber stuff and the ability to pitch deep into games and shut a team down. He is hands down the best pitcher that the Yankees have and will pitch on short rest if needed.

A.J. Burnett, RHP - A.J. Burnett was the second half of the Yankees' big off-season pitching enhancement, as he signed around the same time as Sabathia. Burnett's career has been wildly inconsistent, as he has shown flashes of brilliance and periods of ineffectiveness. He is a strike out pitcher but suffers from poor command and composure. The big righty won 13 games in his first season with the Yankees and tossed 207.0 innings for them. With nearly a strike out per inning, Burnett must limit contact in order to be successful.

Andy Pettitte, LHP - Andy Pettitte is the veteran presence in the Yankees' rotation. The elder statesman of the group, Pettitte has seen and done almost everything as a starter in the postseason. His career 16 wins is first all-time in postseason play and the crafty lefty still has some juice left in the tank. Pettitte pitches primarily to contact at this point in his career, but controls the running game very well with a great pickoff move. The 37-year old won 14 games for the Yankees this season, while logging 194.2 innings.

Other Candidates - Chad Gaudin, RHP, Joba Chamberlain, RHP

Potential Starters: Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee, LHP - Cliff Lee was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies and he didn't disappoint. Since the Phillies acquired him, the 31-year old lefty won seven games and struck out nearly a batter per inning. Overall, Lee is a pitcher that can dominate and go deep into games, which will help the Phillies' bullpen. He tossed 231.2 innings, marking his fourth 200-inning campaign in the last six seasons. Still, Lee has no post season experience and has not proven whether he is a big-game pitcher or not. He has emerged as the clear ace of the Phillies staff in this postseason, with dominating performances against both of the Phillies' National League opponents.

Pedro Martinez, RHP - Pedro Martinez was another late-season acqusition for the Phillies, as they signed the free agent to finish the 2009 season with them. Martinez has shown signs of his former self, now that he is healthy. And not having pitched the first half of the season means he is fresh for the playoffs, with only 44.2 innings. Most importantly, the 37-year old veteran righty has a lot of post season experience and is known as a clutch performer. While it has not been determined when Pedro will start, he still has the ability to miss bats and shut down an opponent.

Other Candidates - J. A. Happ, LHP, Joe Blanton, RHP

Pitching Primer: New York Yankees

CC Sabathia: (19-8) 34 G, 230.0 IP, 3.37 ERA, 197 K, 18 HR

2009 Home Splits: (7-2) 15 G, 105.0 IP, 3.17 ERA, 83 K, 6 HR

2009 Road Splits: (12-6) 19 G, 125.0 IP, 3.53 ERA, 114 K, 12 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 8.0 IP, 3.38 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (5-3) 8 G, 47.2 IP, 4.72 ERA, 44 K, 5 HR

Career vs. PHI: 118 PA, .275 BA, .322 OBP, .495 SLG, 3 HR, 26 K

A. J. Burnett: (13-9) 33 G, 207.0 IP, 4.04 ERA, 195 K, 25 HR
2009 Home Splits: (5-3) 16 G, 105.0 IP, 3.51 ERA, 104 K, 13 HR
2009 Road Splits: (8-6) 17 G, 102.0 IP, 4.59 ERA, 91 K, 12 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (0-1) 1 G, 6.0 IP, 7.50 ERA, 7 K, 3 HR
Postseason Career: (0-0) 3 G, 18.1 IP, 4.42 ERA, 13 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 184 PA, .265 BA, .326 OBP, .476 SLG, 8 HR, 41 K

Andy Pettitte: (14-8) 32 G, 194.2 IP, 4.16 ERA, 148 K, 20 HR
2009 Home Splits: (6-4) 16 G, 100.0 IP, 4.59 ERA, 74 K, 14 HR
2009 Road Splits: (8-4) 16 G, 94.2 IP, 3.71 ERA, 74 K, 6 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 5.14 ERA, 5 K, 2 HR
Postseason Career: (16-9) 38 G, 237.1 IP, 3.83 ERA, 154 K, 26 HR
Career vs. PHI: 148 PA, .230 BA, .267 OBP, .353 SLG, 4 HR, 26 K

Chad Gaudin: (6-10) 31 G, 147.1 IP, 4.64 ERA, 139 K, 14 HR
2009 Home Splits: (3-6) 15 G, 66.2 IP, 5.00 ERA, 61 K, 7 HR
2009 Road Splits: (3-4) 16 G, 80.2 IP, 4.35 ERA, 78 K, 7 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: n/a
Postseason Career: (0-0) 4 G, 4.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 51 PA, .372 BA, .451 OBP, .651 SLG, 2 HR, 9 K

Joba Chamberlain: (9-6) 32 G, 157.1 IP, 4.75 ERA, 133 K, 21 HR
2009 Home Splits: (4-3) 19 G, 90.1 IP, 5.28 ERA, 84 K, 14 HR
2009 Road Splits: (5-3) 13 G, 67.0 IP, 4.03 ERA, 49 K, 7 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (0-0) 9 G, 7.0 IP, 3.86 ERA, 7 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 13 PA, .273 BA, .385 OBP, .273 SLG, 0 HR, 3 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee: (14-13) 34 G, 231.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 181 K, 17 HR

2009 Home Splits: (6-8) 16 G, 110.2 IP, 2.85 ERA, 96 K, 7 HR

2009 Road Splits: (8-5) 18 G, 121.0 IP, 3.57 ERA, 85 K, 10 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (1-1) 2 G, 12.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 9 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (2-0) 3 G, 24.1 IP, 0.74 ERA, 20 K, 0 HR

Career vs. NYY: 224 PA, .285 BA, .345 OBP, .475 SLG, 8 HR, 32 K

Cole Hamels: (10-11) 32 G, 193.2 IP, 4.32 ERA, 168 K, 24 HR

2009 Home Splits: (7-5) 17 G, 105.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 103 K, 14 HR

2009 Road Splits: (3-6) 15 G, 88.1 IP, 4.99 ERA, 65 K, 10 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (0-0) 1 G, 6.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 5 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (5-2) 9 G, 56.1 IP, 3.36 ERA, 49 K, 8 HR

Career vs. NYY: 66 PA, .290 BA, .333 OBP, .500 SLG, 3 HR, 11 K

Pedro Martinez: (5-1) 9 G, 44.2 IP, 3.63 ERA, 37 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (2-0) 5 G, 24.0 IP, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 4 HR

2009 Road Splits: (3-1) 4 G, 20.2 IP, 5.66 ERA, 15 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: n/a

Postseason Career: (6-2) 14 G, 86.1 IP, 3.13 ERA, 83 K, 7 HR
Career vs. NYY: 442 PA, .242 BA, .319 OBP, .383 SLG, 11 HR, 116 K

J.A. Happ: (12-4) 35 G, 166.0 IP, 2.93 ERA, 119 K, 20 HR

2009 Home Splits: (5-2) 17 G, 71.0 IP, 4.18 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR

2009 Road Splits: (7-2) 18 G, 95.0 IP, 1.99 ERA, 58 K, 9 HR

2009 vs. Yankees: (0-0) 1 G, 6.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 4 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 6 G, 6.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 6 K, 0 HR

Career vs. NYY: 22 PA, .238 BA, .238 OBP, .429 SLG, 1 HR, 2 K

Joe Blanton: (12-8) 31 G, 195.1 IP, 4.05 ERA, 163 K, 30 HR
2009 Home Splits: (7-4) 16 G, 105.0 IP, 3.77 ERA, 87 K, 16 HR
2009 Road Splits: (5-4) 15 G, 90.1 IP, 4.38 ERA, 76 K, 14 HR
2009 vs. Yankees: n/a
Postseason Career: (2-0) 7 G, 28.2 IP, 3.45 ERA, 23 K, 5 HR
Career vs. NYY: 128 PA, .269 BA, .320 OBP, .546 SLG, 9 HR, 13 K

Phillies World Series Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Preview: World Series Overview

2009-10-26T00:16:00.012-04:00

2009 World Series

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. New York Yankees (103-59)

World Series Schedule

October 28, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Yankee Stadium

October 29, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Yankee Stadium

October 31, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

November 1, 2009, 8:20pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

November 2, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

November 4, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Yankee Stadium

November 5, 2009, 7:57pm ET - Yankee Stadium (If Necessary)

Playoff History: New York Yankees

Playoff Appearances: 48

American League Pennants: 39

World Championships: 26

Last Appearance: Lost 2007 LDS

Playoff History: Philadelphia Phillies

Playoff Appearances: 12

National League Pennants: 7

World Championships: 2

Last Appearance: Won 2008 World Series

How They Got Here: New York Yankees

The New York Yankees missed the playoffs in 2008 for the first time in 14 seasons, so they stockpiled talent over the offseason. The methodology worked as they won a Major League-leading 103 games in 2009. The Yankees played ahead in their division all season long, locking up the division title in early September and never really being challenged. This was in no small part because the Yankees were the best home team in the league this year, posting a 57-24 mark at the new Yankee Stadium. On the road, they were also effective, going 46-35. In close games, the Yankees went 22-16, a solid winning record in one-run affairs. They shut out their opponents eight times while only being shut out five times. The Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS and defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in six games.

How They Got Here: Philadelphia Phillies
After winning the World Series in 2008, the Philadelphia Phillies started slow this season. However, as the weather warmed up, they did too. The team got especially hot through June, July, and August, helping to put away the National League East title. After the All-Star Break, the Phillies' lead in the East never dipped below four games. They finished with a mediocre September and October, going 18-16 in that time. The Phils were 45-36 at home and a Major League-best 48-33 on the road. During the season, they had streaks of 10 straight wins and six straight losses at various points. The Phillies were 24-21 in one-run games, while they shut out their opponents on nine different occasions, and were shut out themselves seven times. The Phillies defeated the Colorado Rockies in four games in the NLDS and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in the NLCS.

Team Statistics: New York Yankees

Offense: .283 BA, 915 R, 244 HR, 1,014 K, 111 SB

Defense: .985 FP, 86 E, 131 DP, 52 CS

Pitching: 4.28 ERA, 753 RA, 181 HR, 1,260 K, 51 SV

Team Statistics: Philadelphia Phillies

Offense: .258 BA, 820 R, 224 HR, 1,155 K, 119 SB

Defense: .987 FP, 76 E, 132 DP, 36 CS

Pitching: 4.16 ERA, 709 RA, 189 HR, 1,153 K, 44 SV

Phillies World Series Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three

Phillies Recap: NLCS Game Five

2009-10-22T00:26:00.006-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Five

Philadelphia Phillies 10, Los Angeles Dodgers 4

W - Chad Durbin (1-0, 0.00), L - Vicente Padilla (1-1, 6.10)

Philadelphia Phillies Win National League Pennant

After an exciting National League Championship Series, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one. In tonight's clinching game, the Phillies bats came alive again, as they posted ten runs on the Dodgers. Cole Hamels was not sharp but their bullpen picked him up and the Dodgers had pitching issues from top to bottom on the night. With an LCS record-tying seven home runs in the game, the scoring came early and often. In the end, the Phillies came away with a 10-4 victory and advance to their second consecutive World Series.

Game Summary: Los Angeles Dodgers

Vicente Padilla was spotted a quick lead and promptly gave it right back to the Phillies. Padilla did not have the great command he demonstrated in game two of the series. As a result, he was pounded for six earned runs over three innings, including a pair of homers. The Dodger bullpen came in but was equally ineffective. Game one starter Clayton Kershaw came in and surrendered a homer and two earned runs which helped ice the game away. As a unit, the Dodgers' pitchers were not good all series.

On offense, the Dodgers pelted Cole Hamels with three home runs. However, part of their trouble in this game was the fact that all three long balls were solo shots. When the Dodgers had runners on base, they lacked the one big hit that would have moved them back in the game. Andre Ethier had a pair of hits, including a first inning homer to give the Dodgers a brief lead. After that, it was all down hill for their offense, as the Dodgers squandered prime scoring opportunities in the fifth and eighth innings.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels did not have the strong start that the Phillies were looking for. Fortunately, they were able to out-hit their counterparts and get Hamels off of the hook. Hamels surrendered three homers and was not sharp at all, as his pitch count grew quickly through three innings. Hamels did not make it through the fifth inning, but the Phillies bullpen came in and shut down the Dodgers. The pen went 4.2 innings and allowed just one earned run. Chad Durbin recorded the win, and got Manny Ramirez out in a key situation in the fifth inning.

The Phillies' offense came to play in this clinching game, despite the heart of their order going hitless. Jayson Werth picked up the slack with a pair of homers and four RBI on the night. Shane Victorino added a two-run shot and the offense was really propelled by key extra-base hits. Patience at the plate led to three walks and three hit batters, and compensated for only eight Philadelphia hits. As a unit, however, the Phillies really put on an offensive show, and kept the game out of reach for the Dodgers.

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Game Five

2009-10-21T18:54:00.006-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Five
Los Angeles Dodgers (1-3) v. Philadelphia Phillies (3-1)
Wednesday October 21, 2009 - 8:07pm ET
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
60° F - Clear

Vicente Padilla, RHP (1-0, 1.23) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (1-0, 6.75)

Game five of the National League Championship Series will give the Philadelphia Phillies a chance to close out the Los Angeles Dodgers and advance to the World Series. After an emotional win on Monday night, the Phillies will look to wrap things up at home and prevent the series from returning to Los Angeles. Cole Hamels, the Phillies' game one starter takes the ball against the Dodgers' game two starter, Vicente Padilla. The teams had a day off yesterday, and with the weather improving, tonight's matchup promises to be another close, exciting game.

Starting Pitcher: Vicente Padilla

Vicente Padilla will get the nod for the Dodgers and will try to send the series back to California. Padilla, a former Phillie, will likely get a cold welcome back to Citizens Bank Park tonight. He went 7.1 innings allowing just a solo homer to Ryan Howard in his game two start. In 119 total plate appearances, current Phillies hitters are batting .257 against him. Raul Ibanez has the most appearances against Padilla and has homered twice off of the 31-year old. The big lefties in the Philadelphia lineup will need to get to Padilla early, before he settles in and gets the ball to the Dodger bullpen.

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels will take the mound for the Phillies in a familiar situation, as he tries to close out the Dodgers in the second consecutive NLCS. Hamels is looking to find some of his recent success against the Los Angeles Dodgers' batting order. Last season, Hamels dominated the Dodgers and in 2009, his good fortunes continued, as he went 2-0 in 16.0 innings with a 0.56 ERA. However, in his game one start, the 25-year old was knocked around a bit, allowing four earned runs in 5.1 innings. Current Dodgers are now hitting .251 off of him in 219 career plate appearances. The key for Hamels will be to maintain his composure, and keep the Dodgers' scoring opportunities limited.

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

Statistics versus Cole Hamels
1. Rafael Furcal, SS (2/17, 0 HR, 2 K)
2. Ronnie Belliard, 2B (8/29, 2 HR, 8 K)

3. Andre Ethier, RF (4/19, 0 HR, 5 K)

4. Manny Ramirez, LF (6/16, 2 HR, 2 K)

5. Matt Kemp, CF (8/20, 0 HR, 5 K)

6. James Loney, 1B (7/20, 2 HR, 4 K)
7. Russell Martin, C (4/18, 1 HR, 5 K)
8. Casey Blake, 3B (5/23, 0 HR, 3 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Vicente Padilla
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (1/7, 0 HR, 1 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (0/6, 0 HR, 1 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (2/6, 1 HR, 0 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (3/5, 2 HR, 1 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/5, 0 HR, 2 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (9/31, 2 HR, 7 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/12, 0 HR, 3 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (1/2, 0 HR, 0 K)

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Recap: NLCS Game Four

2009-10-20T00:39:00.003-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Four
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 4
W - Brad Lidge (1-0, 0.00), L - Jonathan Broxton (0-1, 6.00)

Game four of the National League Championship series was an exciting and close affair all night long. Joe Blanton started off very strong and then got shaky, while Randy Wolf did the opposite in his start. The Philadelphia Phillies took an early lead, but the Los Angeles Dodgers battled back and carried a late lead into the ninth inning. However, late inning heroics from Jimmy Rollins helped the Phillies defeat Jonathan Broxton and the Dodgers by a final of 5-4. The walk-off win has already become the Phillies' signature win this postseason. With the win, the Phillies take a commanding 3-1 series lead and are one game from reaching their second consecutive World Series.

Game Summary: Los Angeles Dodgers

Randy Wolf got off to a slow start as he allowed two hits and a pair of runs on a Ryan Howard home run in the first inning. However, after the Phillies took the early lead, Wolf was brilliant, shutting down their offense for almost five innings. In the sixth inning, working with a lead, Wolf allowed one more run, but departed the game after 5.1 innings with a lead in tact. The Dodgers' bullpen was sharp in relief of Wolf, keeping the Phillies hitless and preserving Wolf's lead. That was, all until the ninth inning. Jonathan Broxton, on for a four-out save, allowed a walk, hit batter, and game-winning double in the ninth inning to blow the save and take the loss.

The Dodger offense was sluggish out of the gate against Blanton, as he retired the first 10 batters in a row. However, they came alive, putting up a pair of runs to tie the game in the fourth inning, then scored in the next two innings to take a 4-2 lead. However, as the game wound down, they squandered several key scoring opportunities which could have iced the game away. James Loney had a pair of hits and an RBI, while Matt Kemp homered and scored a pair of runs.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Joe Blanton had a great start to his night, as he was very efficient and retired the Dodgers in order for the first three innings. However, trouble came quickly in the fourth inning, as the Dodgers strung some hits together off of Blanton to tie the game. Blanton seemed to lose his command after that point, allowing a run to score in the next two innings. Blanton finished his night tossing six innings, while allowing three earned runs and four overall. The Phillies' bullpen came in and tossed three masterful innings of shut out ball, highlighted by Brad Lidge's pair of strike outs in the ninth which earned him the win.

The Phillies offense was once again all about Ryan Howard. Howard homered in the first inning for an early lead, which also set a new major league record for most consecutive postseason games with an RBI (in one season) at eight. However, after the homer, the Phillies' offense fell asleep and barely stirred over the next seven innings. They did tack on an important run in the sixth inning. But the real story came in the ninth inning, when they found themselves down to their last out with a pair of runners on. Jimmy Rollins lined a ball deep into the right field gap to plate a pair and win the ball game in dramatic fashion.

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Game Four

2009-10-19T10:42:00.004-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Four

Los Angeles Dodgers (1-2) v. Philadelphia Phillies (2-1)

Monday October 19, 2009 - 8:07pm ET

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

48° F - Clear

Randy Wolf, LHP (0-0, 0.00) v. Joe Blanton, RHP (0-0, 0.00)

After a blow out in game three, the Philadelphia Phillies can put a strangle hold on the National League Championship Series on Monday night with a win in game four over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers will need to win to even the series and guarantee a trip back to Los Angeles later in the NLCS. In the important game four, former Phillie Randy Wolf will face off with righty Joe Blanton. It will be considerably warmer than last night, picture perfect October baseball weather.

Starting Pitcher: Randy Wolf, Dodgers

Randy Wolf, the former Phillies pitcher earlier this decade, will make the start for the Dodgers in the crucial fourth game. Wolf will be pitching in familiar territory, but with an unfriendly crowd. The crafty lefty veteran mixes a low 90s fastball with breaking pitches and a changeup. He will need to locate the fastball to build his arsenal of "junkballs" to be effective. The 32-year old had a very effective season with that methodology, winning 11 games and posting a very impressive 3.23 ERA. Wolf was especially good on the road this season and though he pitches to contact, he posted solid strikeout rates.

Against the Phillies, Wolf was not great. He split two decisions with his former team, posting a very high 5.11 ERA. In his career against Phillies hitters, Wolf has allowed a .243 batting average against in 119 plate appearances. The newer Phillies have the most appearances against Wolf and have also posted the best numbers against him. Pedro Feliz has a .294 batting average with three home runs off of him. Meanwhile, Raul Ibanez (.273 BA) and Carlos Ruiz (.667 BA) also have solid numbers against Wolf. Clearly, tonight's matchup will hinge on how Wolf fares with the big lefties in the Phillies order.

Starting Pitcher: Joe Blanton, Phillies

Joe Blanton will be making the first start of this postseason tonight. Though he did appear in several games earlier in the playoffs, the big righty will make a very important start against the Dodgers. This season, Blanton was one of the Phillies' most consistent starters, winning 12 games and posting a respectable ERA. Blanton works with a low 90s fastball and a couple of breaking pitches and must have pinpoint location to be effective. Blanton typically gets about one strikeout per inning, but he is at his best when he pitches to contact and keeps the ball down in the zone.

This season against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Blanton took a no decision after tossing six solid innings of one-run ball against them. Lifetime against their hitters, Blanton has weaker numbers, allowing a .295 batting average against in 154 plate appearances. Especially dangerous to Blanton are the hitters in the heart of the lineup. Manny Ramirez (.560 BA, 1 HR) and Andre Ethier (.455 BA, 2 HR) have especially good numbers against him. The 28-year old will need to mix speeds and hit the lower corners against a free-swining Dodgers team.

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

Statistics versus Joe Blanton

1. Rafael Furcal, SS (0/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

2. Matt Kemp, CF (2/11, 0 HR, 3 K)

3. Andre Ethier, RF (5/11, 2 HR, 4 K)
4. Manny Ramirez, LF (14/25, 1 HR, 4 K)
5. James Loney, 1B (5/8, 0 HR, 0 K)

6. Ronnie Belliard, 2B (3/8, 0 HR, 0 K)

7. Russell Martin, C (2/7, 0 HR, 2 K)

8. Casey Blake, 3B (1/21, 0 HR, 7 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Randy Wolf

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (3/6, 1 HR, 0 K)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (3/9, 1 HR, 1 K)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (1/8, 0 HR, 4 K)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (1/9, 0 HR, 4 K)
5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/9, 1 HR, 3 K)
6. Raul Ibanez, LF (3/11, 0 HR, 3 K)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (5/17, 3 HR, 4 K)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (4/6, 1 HR, 0 K)

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Recap: NLCS Game Three

2009-10-18T23:25:00.004-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Three

Philadelphia Phillies 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 0

W - Cliff Lee (1-0, 0.00), L - Hiroki Kuroda (0-1, 40.50)

It was a cold night in Philadelphia for the third game of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies. However, the chill in the air didn't slow down the Philly bats, as they jumped all over Dodgers' starter Hiroki Kuroda early. Cliff Lee delivered yet another gem of a start for the Phillies and cruised through the game. By the time the Phils had finished scoring, they had wrapped up a big game three win by a final score of 8-0.

Game Summary: Los Angeles Dodgers

Hiroki Kuroda made the start for the Dodgers but he hardly finished it, as he was knocked around early and often. The Phillies offense rocked him for four first inning runs and tacked on another pair in the second inning. After just 1.1 innings, the Phillies had chased him from the game and forced the Dodgers to dip into their bullpen. Chad Billingsley, their former ace, came in for 3.1 innings of relief and allowed another couple of runs. It was an important game for the Dodgers' pitching situation, as they were forced to tax their bullpen.

On offense, the Dodgers did very little against Cliff Lee. Manny Ramirez has a couple of hits, but no Dodgers reached as far as second base before the seventh inning, when the game was well in hand. The Dodger order did work Cliff Lee's pitch count a bit, helping to ensure that Lee did not toss his second complete game of the postseason. However, the Dodgers looked confused at the plate and they did little else on the night. They did not work a walk, while striking out ten times.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee was simply brilliant once again for the Phillies. He continued his postseason dominance by throwing eight shut out innings, allowing just three hits while fanning ten. He induced a double play and allowed only one runner to reach as far as second base. Lee did work with a slightly high pitch count, due to a lot of foul balls, but he did not struggle with his command. The lefty worked quickly through the Dodgers' lineup and had shut down innings every time the Phillies scored. His performance was one of the best ever by a Phillies pitcher in the playoffs.

The Phillies got right to work hitting Hiroki Kuroda early in the game. They strung together four hits in the first inning to take a quick 4-0 lead and sailed from there. Ryan Howard delivered again with a two-run triple, adding an RBI in seven straight playoff games, and Jayson Werth followed with a bomb to dead center field. In the second, Carlos Ruiz continued his hot postseason hitting with a double and later added a run-scoring single. Shane Victorino added the exclamation point with a three-run homer in the eighth. On the night, the Phillies hit everything, with runners in scoring position, and scored without relying on the long ball. It was a picture perfect offensive performance.

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Game Three

2009-10-18T17:59:00.008-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Three
Los Angeles Dodgers (1-1) v. Philadelphia Phillies (1-1)
Sunday October 18, 2009 - 8:07pm ET
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
40° F - Cold, Rainy

Cliff Lee, LHP (0-0, 0.00) v. Hiroki Kuroda, RHP (0-0, 0.00)

After splitting the first two games of the National League Championship Series, the Philadelphia Phillies will return home to host the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games. Game three will be a very important one to set the tone for the rest of the series, with both teams trying to get a leg up on their opponent. Cliff Lee will take the mound for the Phillies and will be opposed by Hiroki Kuroda of the Dodgers. The weather will be cold and rainy and may play a factor, and wind may also influence the game this evening.

Starting Pitcher: Hiroki Kuroda, Dodgers

Hiroki Kuroda will get the start for the Dodgers after being meidcally cleared to pitch. Kuroda has been on the shelf for several weeks with a bulging disc in his neck. For the 34-year old, it is uncertain what he will bring to the table in cold, wet Philadelphia. But one thing that is known is that he historical does well against the Phillies. Last season, Kuroda won the only game for the Dodgers in the NLCS. Kuroda will need to command his off speed pitches and breaking balls in order to keep the Phillies off balance.

If Kuroda's track record continues, the Phillies could be in for a long night. Current Phillies are hitting .147 in 76 career plate appearances against him. Ryan Howard (.182 BA, 4 K) and Jayson Werth (.222 BA, 5 K) have struggled more than most in their lineup. However, one thing that Kuroda has not had to deal with previously is the playoff atmosphere at Citizens Bank Park. If the Phillies faithful sense fear, they will run with it. So it will be interesting to see if Kuroda's composure is as strong as his stuff against the Phillies.

Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee, Phillies

The Phillies will look for their ace, Cliff Lee, to continue his remarkable playoff run. Lee dominated the Rockies in two games thus far, and is having a major impact on the postseason. The Dodgers will be ready for Lee, as they are not nearly as crippled against left-handed pitching as the Rockies were. The 31-year old will need to work both sides of the plate and command all of his pitches in order to have success. The lefty has shown an ability to pitch deep into games, and with the Phillies bullpen in disarray, they will no doubt look for Lee to eat as many innings as possible.

Lee did not face the Dodgers this season, but does have some experience against their hitters. Current Dodgers are hitting .259 in 97 lifetime plate appearances against Lee. However, most of those appearances were Manny Ramirez, who has a .429 batting average with a pair of homers. The key for Lee tonight will be to bust Manny inside with fastballs, which he hasn't proven he can hit yet. With a slightly modified lineup, the Dodgers will cluster their right-handed hitters together in the middle of the order. Lee doesn't have huge righty-lefty splits, so he needs only focus on getting out whatever hitter he is facing.

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

Statistics versus Cliff Lee

1. Rafael Furcal, SS (2/3, 1 HR, 0 K)
2. Ronnie Belliard, 2B (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Andre Ethier, RF (0/3, 0 HR, 0 K)

4. Manny Ramirez, LF (6/14, 2 HR, 3 K)

5. Matt Kemp, CF (1/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

6. James Loney, 1B (0/3, 0 HR, 0 K)
7. Casey Blake, 3B (0/0, 0 HR, 2 K)

8 Russell Martin, C (0/1, 0 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Hiroki Kuroda

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (0/9, 0 HR, 2 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (0/8, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (3/9, 0 HR, 1 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (2/11, 0 HR, 4 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (2/9, 0 HR, 5 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (0/2, 0 HR, 1 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/4, 0 HR, 0 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (1/6, 0 HR, 0 K)

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Recap: NLCS Game Two

2009-10-16T22:05:00.008-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Two
Los Angeles Dodgers 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1
W - Hong-Chih Kuo (1-0, 0.00), L - Chan Ho Park (0-1, 13.50), S - Jonathan Broxton (1)

On a very sunny and warm afternoon in Chavez Ravine, the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers play a very close game in the second of the National League Championship Series. Despite the hot weather, both veteran hurlers Pedro Martinez and Vicente Padilla tossed gems for their teams. In the end, a costly error by Chase Utley helped the Dodgers' bullpen outperform the Phillies' pen. After leading for most of the afternoon by the slimmest of margins, the Phillies let the late lead get away for a 2-1 loss. The Phillies missed a great chance to take a commanding 2-0 series lead, but will instead travel home with a split.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies got a superb start out of Pedro Martinez, who went seven strong innings for them. He allowed just two hits and never allowed a base runner to reach third base. It was a better start than the Phillies could have even hoped for, but it was wasted. In the eighth inning, the Dodgers mounted a rally and the Phillies used five pitchers to get through the inning. A big error by Chase Utley, on what would have been a key double play, allowed the tying run to score and then, several batters later, enabled the go-ahead run to cross the plate. Chan Ho Park took the loss for the Phillies, a day after a clutch performance by the righty.

Despite the bullpen's collapse, the Phillies' offense was really to blame, mustering only one earned run off of Padilla before being shut down by the Dodgers' bullpen. Ryan Howard showed up and provided all of the offense, with a pair of hits and a solo home run. Most of the rest of the order was dominated by Padilla, which before the game would have been hard to imagine. As a team, the Phillies managed just four hits and walk, and bounced into a pair of critical double plays late in the game to kill any chance for insurance runs.

Game Summary: Los Angeles Dodgers

Vicente Padilla continued his resurgence with the Dodgers, as he limited the Phillies to just one run on four hits and a walk in 7.1 innings. He struck out six hitters and cruised through most of the game. The only blemish came on Ryan Howard's first career postseason home run on the road. After that, it was smooth sailing, as the Dodgers dipped into their bullpen and got a win from Hong-Chih Kuo and a save from Jonathan Broxton. The game was just how the Dodgers would have drawn it up.

On offense, the Dodgers didn't muster a threat until Pedro Martinez was out of the game. Once he was, the shadows crept across the infield and helped spur their eighth inning rally. They faced five Phillies pitchers and put together three hits, two walks, and leveraged Chase Utley's error to keep their inning alive. A bases loaded walk to Andre Ethier proved to be the difference in the game, though they missed a great chance for more runs as Manny Ramirez popped up with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Game Two

2009-10-16T09:33:00.009-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game Two

Philadelphia Phillies (1-0) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (0-1)

Friday October 16, 2009 - 4:07pm ET

Dodger Stadium, Dodgertown, CA

93° F - Sunny

Pedro Martinez, RHP (0-0, 0.00) v. Vicente Padilla, RHP (0-0, 0.00)

After the Philadelphia Phillies took game one and home field advantage from the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two teams will square off again in the second game of the National League Championship Series. In what was an offensive showdown, the two teams combined to put up fourteen runs, in what might be an indicator of things to come in this series. This afternoon, both will send veteran right-handers to the mound in Pedro Martinez and Vicente Padilla. With the weather forecast to be especially hot, the ball will likely be carrying well in Dodger Stadium.

Starting Pitcher: Pedro Martinez, Phillies

Pedro Martinez will make his first start of the postseason in 2009, after having the past 17 days off. He might be a veteran without a blazing fastball, but the future Hall-of-Famer still has a few bullets left. He was acquired in the middle of the 2009 season to give the Phillies' rotation a boost, and Martinez did just that. Pedro went 5-1 in nine games for the Phillies and logged just 44.2 innings this year. He should be fresh and ready to make an impact, though he will likely have a limited pitch count. Martinez still works off of his fastball, which reaches the low 90s, and also mixes in a changeup and breaking pitch to get hitters out.

In 2009, the righty did not face the Dodgers, but has excellent numbers in his career against their hitters. Over 209 career plate appearances, current Dodgers hitters are batting just .218 with 58 punchouts. The 37-year old will look to continue that dominance and keep with pitches in the park, in order to have success. Manny Ramirez has the most experience of any starter, by far, against Martinez and has hit just .154 with 16 strike outs against him. Off the bench, Jim Thome also has faced Pedro a lot and has belted four homers but also fanned 18 times against him.

Starting Pitcher: Vicente Padilla, Dodgers

Vicente Padilla will get the nod for the Dodgers and will try to bridge the gap to their nearly unhittable bullpen. With a travel day tomorrow, the Dodgers will have the luxury of dipping into their relievers earlier in the ballgame. Padilla, a former Phillie, started the season with the Texas Rangers and was released, then acquired by the Dodgers late in the season. He went 4-0 in eight appearances with the Dodgers this season and threw a combined 147.1 innings this season. The righty has a big repertoire of pitches, including a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. He doesn't throw especially hard and must hit the corners in order to be successful.

Like Martinez, Padilla did not face the Phillies in 2009 and since he went to the American League after his stint with the Phillies, he has not faced them very much. Still, in 93 total plate appearances, current Phillies hitters are batting .286 against him. Raul Ibanez has the most appearances against Padilla and has homered twice off of the 31-year old. The big lefties in the Philadelphia lineup will need to get to Padilla early, to put up some runs for Pedro before the Dodger bullpen arrives on the scene to shut them down.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Vicente Padilla

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (1/4, 0 HR, 0 K)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (1/3, 1 HR, 0 K)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (1/2, 1 HR, 1 K)
5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/2, 0 HR, 0 K)
6. Raul Ibanez, LF (9/28, 2 HR, 5 K)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/9, 0 HR, 2 K)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

Statistics Versus Pedro Martinez

1. Rafael Furcal, SS (6/25, 0 HR, 3 K)

2. Matt Kemp, CF (2/3, 1 HR, 1 K)
3. Andre Ethier, RF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)
4. Manny Ramirez, LF (5/30, 1 HR, 13 K)
5. James Loney, 1B (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

6. Casey Blake, 3B (0/3, 0 HR, 2 K)
7. Ronnie Belliard, 2B (1/4, 0 HR, 1 K)
8 Russell Martin, C (2/3, 0 HR, 0 K)

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Recap: NLCS Game One

2009-10-16T00:19:00.011-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game One

Philadelphia Phillies 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 6

W - Cole Hamels (1-0, 6.75), L - Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 9.64), S - Brad Lidge (1)

The beginning of the National League Championship Series was exciting and provided a preview into what the rest of the series will be like. Neither Cole Hamels or Clayton Kershaw pitched especially well and both were gone before the sixth inning concluded. In a back-and-forth affair, the Phillies actually led for most of the game, but it didn't feel like it. The Dodgers answered every Phillies rally but fell just short. The Phillies prevailed in a heart-pounder by a final of 8-6.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels started the game and looked to once again dominate the Dodgers lineup. However, early on he was forced to throw a lot of pitches. He allowed an early homer and then after the Phillies spotted him a lead, gave back a hand full of runs. The rally against Hamels in the fifth inning was keynoted by a Manny Ramirez homer. In the sixth, Hamels again found trouble and was lifted for the bullpen, which was pieced together to hold off the Dodgers. Ryan Madson looked especially shaky but they got a huge boost from Chan Ho Park. Brad Lidge earned his third consecutive playoff save in the ninth.

On offense, the Phillies kept rolling, blasting a pair of homers on the evening. Carlos Ruiz got things started and continued his impressive playoff track record with a three-run homer in the fifth inning. Ryan Howard joined in with a two-run double to cap off the fifth inning scoring and Clayton Kershaw's outing. As the game progressed, it felt as though they would not break through to bolster their lead against the Dodgers bullpen. However, an instant rally in the eighth inning was mustered when Raul Ibanez blasted a three-run homer to give the Phillies their final cushion.

Game Summary: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers got a good start from Clayton Kershaw early. He mowed through the Phillies in the first four innings. Where have we heard that before? In the fifth inning, the Phillies really got to him, chasing him after scoring five earned runs. George Sherrill was also touched up for three runs in the eighth inning. But aside from that, the Dodgers bullpen was sharp. As a team, the Dodgers staff allowed only eight hits, but seven walks, five of which scored, really hurt them.

Hitting came easy to the Dodgers in this affair, as they seemed to hit line drives and grounders through every hole. They put together 14 hits and had base runners in almost every inning. However, they only went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Andre Ethier and James Loney, the Dodgers' primary lefties, led the way with three hits a piece. Nevertheless, the lack of clutch hits befell the Dodgers and left them on the short end of the decision.

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Game One

2009-10-15T18:03:00.010-04:00

National League Championship Series - Game One
Philadelphia Phillies (0-0) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (0-0)
Thursday October 15, 2009 - 8:07pm ET
Dodger Stadium, Dodgertown, CA
79° F - Sunny

Cole Hamels, LHP (0-0) v. Clayton Kershaw, LHP (0-0)

The opener of the National League Championship Series should be a good one, as the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers square off in their second consecutive NLCS. Both teams will send young, ace lefties to the mound in Cole Hamels and Clayton Kershaw, respectively. With great weather in southern California and a setting sun, the game should be a low-scoring affair. With home field advantage and a great bullpen, the Dodgers would seem to have an advantage in this first game.

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels, Phillies

Cole Hamels will take the hill for the Phillies in this important game one. The 25-year old is a new father and will hopefully have his focus back for this game, after a rough first outing in the playoffs against the Rockies. Hamels builds his success off of his low-90s fastball, which makes his changeup devastating. He also features a show-me curveball to keep hitters honest. Control is the name of the game for Hamels, who must throw strikes early in order to get ahead of hitters and keep his pitch count down. He tossed 193.2 innings this year, so unlike last season, he didn't have to shoulder as big a work load down the stretch.

Hamels is looking to replicate his recent success against the Los Angeles Dodgers' batting order. Last season in the NLCS, Hamels defeated the Dodgers twice en route to the MVP honors. In 2009, his good fortunes continued, as he went 2-0 in 16.0 innings with a 0.56 ERA. Current Dodgers are hitting just .240 off of Hamels in 194 career plate appearances. The right-handers in the Dodgers lineup, especially Manny Ramirez (.385 BA) and Matt Kemp (.412 BA) have historically hit Hamels hard. Meanwhile, the lefties like Andre Ethier (.188 BA) have understandably poor numbers versus the Phillies' southpaw.

Starting Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw will make the start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in this evening's game. The 21-year old will make one of the biggest starts of his life against a powerful Phillies lineup. Pitching at home, Kershaw has had dominant numbers and will need to command all of his breaking pitches early. Walks hurt the young lefty so he will need to eliminate them and throw strikes. He threw a career high 171.0 innings and its uncertain if the young hurler will be impacted by his workload. Kershaw doesn't allow many long balls, with a very favorable home park, so the key will be sustaining rallies against him.

This season against the Phillies, Kershaw got roughed up a bit. He lost both games that he faced the Phils, and posted a 5.23 ERA with seven walks in 10.1 innings. Despite this, the Phillies as a whole do not have great numbers against the lefty, with a combined .222 average in 89 career plate appearances against him. In limited appearances, only Chase Utley (.273 BA, 1 HR) has homered off of him, while Phillies Ryan Howard (.111 BA) and Shane Victorino (.111 BA) have really struggled. The pressure will really be on the whole lineup to be patient and work walks.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Clayton Kershaw
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (3/12, 0 HR, 1 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (1/9, 0 HR, 2 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (3/11, 1 HR, 4 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (1/9, 0 HR, 3 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (3/10, 0 HR, 2 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (2/5, 0 HR, 3 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (0/2, 0 HR, 1 K)

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

Statistics versus Cole Hamels

1. Rafael Furcal, SS (1/14, 0 HR, 2 K)

2. Andre Ethier, RF (3/16, 0 HR, 4 K)

3. Manny Ramirez, LF (5/13, 1 HR, 1 K)

4. Matt Kemp, CF (7/17, 0 HR, 5 K)

5. Casey Blake, 3B (5/20, 0 HR, 2 K)

6. James Loney, 1B (5/17, 1 HR, 4 K)

7. Ronnie Belliard, 2B (7/26, 2 HR, 8 K)

8 Russell Martin, C (3/16, 1 HR, 5 K)

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Starting Hitters

2009-10-14T20:58:00.016-04:00

National League Championship Series
Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67)

The National League Championship Series will feature two of the top offenses in baseball, as the power hitting Philadelphia Phillies square off with the consistent-hitting Los Angeles Dodgers. From a power perspective, the Phillies led the league in every major statistical category, and greatly out-performed the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers can pack a punch when needed and also feature a very good hitting team, carrying a very high team batting average. With solid pitching in this series, each offense must take advantage of every opportunity it has.

Key Hitters: Los Angeles Dodgers

Matt Kemp, R - Matt Kemp is emerging as one of the rising speed and power players in the league. In his second full season and fourth overall, Kemp posted career highs in home runs and RBIs and added over 30 stolen bases. The five-tool outfielder will be batting high in the Dodgers order this series and will play a critical role in the scoring for them. The 24-year old can be a little impatient at times, but is still a threat to drive the ball and steal bases.

Manny Ramirez, R - Manny Ramirez is the elder statesman of the powerful Dodger offense. The veteran slugger missed part of the 2009 season on a drug suspension, so his numbers were down. But the threat is still there with the 37-year old outfielder, as he mashed 19 homers. Ramirez his righties and lefties well and has power to all fields. With him in the middle of the Dodgers line up, there will be the threat of a lot of run-production for Los Angeles.

Andre Ethier, L - Andre Ethier is another emerging star in the Dodgers outfield. The young lefty hitter turned a corner this year and really improved. He set career highs in homers (31) and RBIs (106), despite his batting average suffering. Still, Ethier is the primary lefty power threat in the middle of the Dodgers order, and will pose a challenge in late game situations, as he is sandwiched by right-handed hitters. What the 27-year old does this series can impact a lot of facets of the games.

James Loney, L - James Loney is a lighter hitting lefty than Andre Ethier, but is still a dangerous force. The 25-year old Loney put up almost identical statistics as last season, and provides a gap-power hitter down in the Dodger order. Loney doesn't generate as much power as would be expected from a first baseman, but plays solid defense and always has good at bats. With Loney being the other key lefty for the Dodgers, late game matchup decisions will be determined by Loney's production this series.

Key Hitters: Philadelphia Phillies

Chase Utley, L - Chase Utley is the quiet leader of the Phillies squad and he does it predominantly with his bat. The slugging second baseman had another superb season, eclipsing 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases. However, the 30-year old Utley did wear down as the season progressed and entered a prolonged slump to finish the season with a subpar batting average by his standards. Utley seemed to be his usual self in the NLDS so if he can continue that, the Phillies offense will soar.

Jayson Werth, R - Jayson Werth was an unheralded rising star coming into the 2009 season. The right-handed power hitter had a break out season and was named to the All-Star team. Werth will be of utmost importance in this series, as he is the biggest right-handed power threat for the Phillies. If the 30-year old can be a presence among all of the Phillies left-handed hitters, then their offense should be able to produce against all pitchers. Werth had a solid NLDS and will be critical to the Phillies' success against the Dodgers' lefties.

Jimmy Rollins, S - Jimmy Rollins is the offensive spark plug for the Phillies. The switch-hitting leadoff batter brings a unique combination of speed and power, and when he hits, the Phillies do well. Rollins reached the 20-homer, 20-stolen base plateau once again in 2009. The former MVP-shortstop will need to increase his on-base percentage in this series in order to be effective. If the Phillies can get their 30-year old star on base and around to score, they will be poised for success.

Starting Lineup: Los Angeles Dodgers

SS - Rafael Furcal, S - 150 G, .269 BA, 9 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 145 G, .261 BA, 4 HR, 28 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 68 G, .296 BA, 5 HR, 19 RBI

Career vs. PHI: 146 PA, .198 BA, .266 OBP, .282 SLG, 2 HR, 22 K

CF - Matt Kemp, R - 159 G, .297 BA, 26 HR, 101 RBI, 34 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 152 G, .278 BA, 18 HR, 76 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 66 G, .362 BA, 8 HR, 25 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 86 PA, .329 BA, .384 OBP, .544 SLG, 3 HR, 21 K

RF - Andre Ethier, L - 160 G, .272 BA, 31 HR, 106 RBI, 6 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .302 BA, 22 HR, 67 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 94 G, .194 BA, 6 HR, 25 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 86 PA, .289 BA, .372 OBP, .592 SLG, 6 HR, 19 K

LF - Manny Ramirez, R - 104 G, .290 BA, 19 HR, 63 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 101 G, .295 BA, 15 HR, 54 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 34 G, .270 BA, 4 HR, 9 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 177 PA, .333 BA, .452 OBP, .631 SLG, 10 HR, 36 K

1B - James Loney, L - 158 G, .281 BA, 13 HR, 90 RBI, 7 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 147 G, .283 BA, 9 HR, 65 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 71 G, .274 BA, 4 HR, 25 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 80 PA, .411 BA, .463 OBP, .575 SLG, 2 HR, 11 K

3B - Casey Blake, R - 139 G, .280 BA, 18 HR, 79 RBI, 3 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 134 G, .270 BA, 14 HR, 61 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 58 G, .320 BA, 4 HR, 18 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 93 PA, .225 BA, .286 OBP, .363 SLG, 3 HR, 20 K

2B - Ronnie Belliard, R - 110 G, .275 BA, 10 HR, 39 RBI, 3 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 87 G, .273 BA, 6 HR, 30 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 46 G, .282 BA, 4 HR, 9 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 103 PA, .247 BA, .314 OBP, .333 SLG, 2 HR, 14 K

C - Russell Martin, R - 143 G, .250 BA, 7 HR, 53 RBI, 11 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 138 G, .243 BA, 6 HR, 47 RBI
2009 vs. LHP: 57 G, .275 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Career vs. PHI: 79 PA, .243 BA, .329 OBP, .371 SLG, 2 HR, 18 K

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

SS - Jimmy Rollins, S: 155 G, .250 BA, 21 HR, 77 RBI, 31 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .257 BA, 14 HR, 55 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 80 G, .230 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 76 PA, .303 BA, .395 OBP, .606 SLG, 4 HR, 7 K

CF - Shane Victorino, S: 156 G, .292 BA, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 25 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .283 BA, 8 HR, 50 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 90 G, .314 BA, 2 HR, 12 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 59 PA, .216 BA, .298 OBP, .294 SLG, 1 HR, 10 K

2B - Chase Utley, L: 156 G, .282 BA, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 23 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 143 G, .279 BA, 20 HR, 60 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 116 G, .288 BA, 11 HR, 33 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 68 PA, .255 BA, .397 OBP, .473 SLG, 3 HR, 18 K

1B - Ryan Howard, L: 160 G, .279 BA, 45 HR, 141 RBI, 8 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 144 G, .319 BA, 39 HR, 108 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 124 G, .207 BA, 6 HR, 33 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 69 PA, .169 BA, .261 OBP, .356 SLG, 3 HR, 24 K

RF - Jayson Werth, R: 159 G, .268 BA, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 154 G, .256 BA, 22 HR, 62 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 89 G, .302 BA, 14 HR, 37 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 60 PA, .271 BA, .417 OBP, .438 SLG, 2 HR, 16 K

LF - Raul Ibanez, L: 134 G, .272 BA, 34 HR, 93 RBI, 4 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 123 G, .267 BA, 21 HR, 53 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 86 G, .285 BA, 13 HR, 40 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 170 PA, .362 BA, .424 OBP, .546 SLG, 5 HR, 24 K

3B - Pedro Feliz, R: 158 G, .266 BA, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 149 G, .282 BA, 6 HR, 63 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 69 G, .208 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 102 PA, .260 BA, .284 OBP, .448 SLG, 5 HR, 17 K

C - Carlos Ruiz, R: 107 G, .255 BA, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 3 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 97 G, .242 BA, 5 HR, 26 RBI

2009 vs. LHP: 41 G, .293 BA, 4 HR, 17 RBI

Career vs. LAD: 32 PA, .542 BA, .656 OBP, 1.042 SLG, 2 HR, 1 K

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Pitching Bullpens

2009-10-13T23:39:00.018-04:00

National League Championship Series
Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67)

The bullpens for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies will be crucial to the League Championship Series. The Dodgers feature a very strong and deep bullpen with a couple of solid lefties and a dominant closer. With their starting pitching less than perfect, they will lean heavily on their pen for support. Likewise, the Phillies' relievers will be important to this series. However, unlike the Dodgers, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding their abilities. Both teams will only go as far as their bullpens will take them.

Key Relievers: Los Angeles Dodgers

Jonathan Broxton, RHP - Jonathan Broxton is the power closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has had another solid season for the Dodgers, closing out a career high 36 games and winning seven others. The 25-year old racked up 76.0 innings and had a strike out ratio of 13.5/9 innings. Broxton's career numbers in the playoffs are not nearly as good and he notoriously gave up a decisive home run to Matt Stairs in last year's NLCS. How the big righty performs late in games will certainly have a impact on this series.

George Sherrill, LHP - George Sherrill was the closer for the Baltimore Orioles before he was acquired mid-season by the Dodgers. The lefty has decent stuff and has been a major boost to the Dodger bullpen. The 32-year old really turned things on with the Dodgers, recording an ERA under 1.00. On the season, he tossed 69.0 innings between his two teams, striking out nearly a hitter per inning. With the power bats in the middle of the Phillies order, there is no doubt that you will see a lot of Sherrill in this series.

Hong-Chih Kuo, LHP - Hong-Chih Kuo is the hard-throwing lefty out of the Dodgers bullpen. He has excellent lefty splits and can simply overpower hitters. Kuo, a 27-year old, had another stellar year out of the pen for the Dodgers, while tossing 30.0 innings. He strikes out a batter per inning and will be fresh moving into the playoffs. Like Sherrill, Kuo will likely see a lot of action late in games against the heart of the Phillies order.

Other Relievers - Ronald Belisario, RHP, Ramon Troncoso, RHP

Key Relievers: Philadelphia Phillies

Brad Lidge, RHP - Brad Lidge is widely considered to be the pivitol player in this series. After a dominating 2008 season, Lidge has struggled with injuries and command all season long. The Phillies look for their 32-year old closer to pick up the pieces and have a solid postseason for them again. Lidge racked up 58.2 innings this season and saved 31 of 42 games on the season. Lidge was used as the Phillies' closer and looked sharp, recording two saves in two opportunities in the NLDS.

Ryan Madson, RHP - Ryan Madson is the one, true flamethrower out of the bullpen for either squad. Madson, the 28-year old, throws a wicked fastball that often approaches triple digits on the radar gun. He had a moderately successful 2009, picking up 10 saves in 16 chances for the Phillies. The righty was a horse this year, throwing 77.1 innings and fanning a batter per frame. With Brad Lidge closing once again, Madson will serve as the primary setup man in the bullpen.

Scott Eyre, LHP - Scott Eyre's importance this series cannot be overstated. With an injury to J.C. Romero, Eyre is the Phillies' only reliable situational lefty in the bullpen. Eyre himself struggled through an injury-plagued 2009 season that has left the reliever pondering retirement. The Phillies will need one more playoff push out of the 37-year old veteran. He threw only 30.0 innings this year, so despite bone chips in his elbow, he hopes to be fresh. Eyre also sprained his ankle in the NLDS but pitched after the injury and seems to be okay.

Other Relievers - Chad Durbin, RHP, Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Brett Myers, RHP

Pitching Primer: Los Angeles Dodgers

Jonathan Broxton: (7-2) 73 G, 76.0 IP, 2.61 ERA, 114 K, 4 HR
2009 Home Splits: (5-1) 42 G, 45.0 IP, 0.40 ERA, 73 K, 0 HR
2009 Road Splits: (2-1) 31 G, 31.0 IP, 5.81 ERA, 41 K, 4 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (2-0) 3 G, 3.0 IP, 6.00 ERA, 8 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (0-1) 10 G, 11.1 IP, 3.97 ERA, 14 K, 1 HR
Career vs. PHI: 61 PA, .291 BA, .361 OBP, .400 SLG, 1 HR, 19 K

George Sherrill: (1-1) 72 G, 69.0 IP, 1.70 ERA, 61 K, 4 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-1) 38 G, 36.0 IP, 1.75 ERA, 34 K, 3 HR

2009 Road Splits: (1-0) 34 G, 33.0 IP, 1.64 ERA, 27 K, 1 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 3 G, 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (1-0) 3 G, 2.1 IP, 3.86 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR

Career vs. PHI: 13 PA, .222 BA, .417 OBP, .333 SLG, 0 HR, 2 K

Hong-Chih Kuo: (2-0) 35 G, 30.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 32 K, 2 HR
2009 Home Splits: (1-0) 15 G, 12.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR
2009 Road Splits: (1-0) 20 G, 18.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 20 K, 1 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 0 G, 0.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (0-1) 5 G, 8.1 IP, 3.24 ERA, 9 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 34 PA, .167 BA, .265 OBP, .167 SLG, 0 HR, 12 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Brad Lidge: (0-8) 67 G, 58.2 IP, 7.21 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR
2009 Home Splits: (0-2) 33 G, 31.0 IP, 6.10 ERA, 33 K, 5 HR
2009 Road Splits: (0-6) 34 G, 27.2 IP, 8.46 ERA, 28 K, 6 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: (0-1) 4 G, 3.2 IP, 7.36 ERA, 3 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (1-3) 27 G, 35.1 IP, 2.04 ERA, 51 K, 2 HR
Career vs. LAD: 85 PA, .230 BA, .310 OBP, .324 SLG, 1 HR, 20 K

Ryan Madson: (5-5) 79 G, 77.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 78 K, 7 HR
2009 Home Splits: (1-4) 36 G, 36.1 IP, 3.72 ERA, 35 K, 4 HR
2009 Road Splits: (4-1) 43 G, 41.0 IP, 2.85 ERA, 43 K, 3 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: (0-0) 4 G, 4.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (1-0) 13 G, 14.2 IP, 1.84 ERA, 16 K, 1 HR
Career vs. LAD: 121 PA, .262 BA, .316 OBP, .393 SLG, 2 HR, 18 K

Scott Eyre: (2-1) 42 G, 30.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 22 K, 3 HR
2009 Home Splits: (0-0) 20 G, 13.2 IP, 2.63 ERA, 10 K, 2 HR
2009 Road Splits: (2-1) 22 G, 16.1 IP, 0.55 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: (0-0) 2 G, 1.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (0-0) 19 G, 10.2 IP, 1.69 ERA, 5 K, 0 HR
Career vs. LAD: 84 PA, .304 BA, .407 OBP, .478 SLG, 3 HR, 14 K

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Pitching Rotations

2009-10-13T21:59:00.018-04:00

National League Championship Series

Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67)

The Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers are both better known for their hitting, but each team brings a surprisingly good mix of talent in starting pitching. The Phillies had some mystery surrounding their rotation as they entered the NLDS round and will do the same in the League Championship Series. Meanwhile, there are also questions about which starters will go for the Dodgers. It would appear that the Phillies have a slight edge between the rotations, but with both offenses featuring a lot of power, it will likely be the bullpens that play a bigger role in the game outcomes.

Potential Starters: Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw, LHP - Clayton Kershaw had a break-through season in 2009, posting the best numbers of his young career. Despite a pedestrian record, Kershaw is emerging as the ace of the Dodgers. The former first round draft pick tossed a career high 171.0 innings this season, while winning eight games. Kershaw had a great ERA and limited base runners, while not giving up many long balls at all. The 21-year old prodigy had some playoff experience last year, but will be looked to lead the Los Angeles staff this year.

Chad Billingsley, RHP - Chad Billingsley improved each of his first three seasons in the big leagues. However, in 2009, he seemed to take a step back, as he battled with an injury and moments of ineffectiveness. The 25-year old won 12 games and logged 196.1 innings. Home runs did befall Billingsley a bit and he also allowed a lot of hits. He did record nearly a strike out per inning but was not nearly as dominant as he has been in past years. Most of all, Billingsley has a poor track record in the playoffs and did not appear in the NLDS.

Randy Wolf, LHP - Randy Wolf is a crafty, veteran left-handed pitcher who has bounced around in the past few seasons. The former-Phillie had a resurgent season with the Dodgers in 2009, posting his lowest ERA since 2002. The 32-year old, in his second stint with the Dodgers, won 11 games and has been one of their most consistent starters this season. Wolf was never a strike out pitcher, but limited the damage against him by keeping runners off base. Wolf threw a career-high 214.1 innings this year, but rest should not be an issue for the soft-tosser. He had his first taste of playoff baseball in the first round of the postseason.

Vicente Padilla, RHP - Vicente Padilla is another former-Phillie pitcher who played a key role for the Dodgers in their stretch run. Since being acquired from the Texas Rangers, Padilla was a perfect 4-0 for the Dodgers and won his first postseason start. Between the two squads, Padilla pitched 147.1 innings, with a total of 12 wins. The 31-year old is a run-of-the-mill right-hander that doesn't overpower hitters and pitches to contact. He will likely get the opportunity to start at least one game this series.

Other Candidates - Jon Garland, RHP, Jeff Weaver, RHP

Potential Starters: Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels, LHP - Cole Hamels struggled through a hangover season from 2008, in which he battled injuries and inconsistency all year long. Still, he is the Phillies' starter with the most playoff pedigree and was able to win 10 games. In 2009, Hamels' innings were down to 193.2 and his strikeout numbers were also down, though he has the ability to miss bats. Hamels' achilles heel has always been the long ball, so if he can keep the ball in the park, the 25-year old is very tough. Hamels will likely be the Phillies' first or second starter.

Cliff Lee, LHP - Cliff Lee was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies and he didn't disappoint. Since the Phillies acquired him, the 31-year old lefty won seven games and struck out nearly a batter per inning. Overall, Lee is a pitcher that can dominate and go deep into games, which will help the Phillies' bullpen. He tossed 231.2 innings, marking his fourth 200-inning campaign in the last six seasons. Still, Lee has no post season experience and has not proven whether he is a big-game pitcher or not. He will have the opportunity this year as the Phillies' first or second starter.

Pedro Martinez, RHP - Pedro Martinez was another late-season acqusition for the Phillies, as they signed the free agent to finish the 2009 season with them. Martinez has shown signs of his former self, now that he is healthy. And not having pitched the first half of the season means he is fresh for the playoffs, with only 44.2 innings. Most importantly, the 37-year old veteran righty has a lot of post season experience and is known as a clutch performer. While it has not been determined if and when Pedro will start, he still has the ability to miss bats and shut down an opponent.

J.A. Happ, LHP - Jay Happ is the Phillies' rookie phenom that has been the surprise anchor of the rotation. The 26-year old lefty is a consistent performer, despite not having overpowering stuff. In his first full season as a starter, Happ racked up a dozen wins and logged 168.0 innings pitched. Happ is sneaky with his pitches and can miss bats at times, though he typically pitches to contact. Happ has been a solid starter for the Phillies all season long, so it would be hard to imagine he doesn't get at least one start.

Other Candidates - Joe Blanton, RHP, Kyle Kendrick, RHP

Pitching Primer: Los Angeles Dodgers

Clayton Kershaw: (8-8) 31 G, 171.0 IP, 2.79 ERA, 185 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (3-4) 16 G, 88.1 IP, 1.83 ERA, 97 K, 1 HR

2009 Road Splits: (5-4) 15 G, 82.2 IP, 3.81 ERA, 88 K, 6 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-2) 2 G, 10.1 IP, 5.23 ERA, 10 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 3 G, 8.2 IP, 3.12 ERA, 5 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 89 PA, .222 BA, .345 OBP, .347 SLG, 1 HR, 22 K

Chad Billingsley: (12-11) 33 G, 196.1 IP, 4.03 ERA, 179 K, 17 HR
2009 Home Splits: (8-6) 16 G, 92.0 IP, 4.01 ERA, 89 K, 6 HR
2009 Road Splits: (4-5) 17 G, 104.1 IP, 4.05 ERA, 90 K, 11 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 9 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (1-2) 5 G, 13.2 IP, 7.24 ERA, 19 K, 1 HR
Career vs. PHI: 128 PA, .313 BA, .444 OBP, .485 SLG, 3 HR, 28 K

Randy Wolf: (11-7) 34 G, 214.1 IP, 3.23 ERA, 160 K, 24 HR
2009 Home Splits: (4-3) 18 G, 114.0 IP, 3.63 ERA, 77 K, 15 HR
2009 Road Splits: (7-4) 16 G, 100.1 IP, 2.78 ERA, 83 K, 9 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: (1-1) 2 G, 12.1 IP, 5.11 ERA, 12 K, 3 HR
Postseason Career: (0-0) 1 G, 3.2 IP, 4.91 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 107 PA, .250 BA, .311 OBP, .552 SLG, 7 HR, 26 K

Vicente Padilla: (12-6) 26 G, 147.1 IP, 4.46 ERA, 97 K, 16 HR
2009 Home Splits: (5-4) 13 G, 72.1 IP, 5.35 ERA, 52 K, 10 HR
2009 Road Splits: (7-2) 13 G, 75.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 45 K, 6 HR
2009 vs. Phillies: n/a
Postseason Career: (1-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR
Career vs. PHI: 93 PA, .286 BA, .344 OBP, .488 SLG, 5 HR, 15 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels: (10-11) 32 G, 193.2 IP, 4.32 ERA, 168 K, 24 HR
2009 Home Splits: (7-5) 17 G, 105.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 103 K, 14 HR
2009 Road Splits: (3-6) 15 G, 88.1 IP, 4.99 ERA, 65 K, 10 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: (1-0) 1 G, 16.0 IP, 0.56 ERA, 14 K, 1 HR
Postseason Career: (4-2) 7 G, 46.2 IP, 2.70 ERA, 42 K, 3 HR
Career vs. LAD: 194 PA, .240 BA, .280 OBP, .377 SLG, 5 HR, 41 K

Cliff Lee: (14-13) 34 G, 231.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 181 K, 17 HR
2009 Home Splits: (6-8) 16 G, 110.2 IP, 2.85 ERA, 96 K, 7 HR
2009 Road Splits: (8-5) 18 G, 121.0 IP, 3.57 ERA, 85 K, 10 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: n/a
Postseason Career: (1-0) 2 G, 16.1 IP, 1.10 ERA, 10 K, 0 HR
Career vs. LAD: 97 PA, .259 BA, .361 OBP, .519 SLG, 5 HR, 10 K

Pedro Martinez: (5-1) 9 G, 44.2 IP, 3.63 ERA, 37 K, 7 HR
2009 Home Splits: (2-0) 5 G, 24.0 IP, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 4 HR
2009 Road Splits: (3-1) 4 G, 20.2 IP, 5.66 ERA, 15 K, 3 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: n/a
Postseason Career: (6-2) 13 G, 79.1 IP, 3.40 ERA, 80 K, 7 HR

Career vs. LAD: 209 PA, .218 BA, .290 OBP, .372 SLG, 6 HR, 58 K

J.A. Happ: (12-4) 35 G, 166.0 IP, 2.93 ERA, 119 K, 20 HR
2009 Home Splits: (5-2) 17 G, 71.0 IP, 4.18 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR
2009 Road Splits: (7-2) 18 G, 95.0 IP, 1.99 ERA, 58 K, 9 HR
2009 vs. Dodgers: (0-0) 1 G, 0.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR
Postseason Career: (0-0) 3 G, 6.0 IP, 9.00 ERA, 6 K, 0 HR
Career vs. LAD: 15 PA, .364 BA, .467 OBP, .364 SLG, 0 HR, 0 K

Phillies NLCS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Preview: NLCS Overview

2009-10-13T21:09:00.019-04:00

National League Championship Series
Philadelphia Phillies (93-69) v. Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67)

NLCS Schedule
October 15, 2009, 8:07pm ET - Dodger Stadium
October 16, 2009, 4:07pm ET - Dodger Stadium
October 18, 2009, 8:07pm ET - Citizens Bank Park
October 19, 2009, 8:07pm ET - Citizens Bank Park
October 21, 2009, 8:07pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

The Philadelphia Phillies will collide with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series for the second time in two years. Last season, the Phillies defeated the Dodgers in five games, clinching a World Series berth in Dodgertown. The 2009 versions of these teams are both improved and were the top two teams in the National League this season. For the season series, the Dodgers won four of seven games, including a pair in Philadelphia. The Dodgers will have homefield advantage, and the teams will open the series in Los Angeles this Thursday night.

Playoff History: Los Angeles Dodgers
Playoff Appearances: 28
National League Pennants: 20
World Championships: 7
Last Appearance: Lost 2008 National League Championship Series

Playoff History: Philadelphia Phillies
Playoff Appearances: 12
National League Pennants: 6
World Championships: 2
Last Appearance: Won 2008 World Series

How They Got Here: Los Angeles Dodgers

Last season, the Los Angeles Dodgers were dispatched in five games in the National League Championship Series by the Phillies. This year, they got off to a hot start, coasting as the top team in the National League for most of the season. Down the stretch, they struggled, becoming the final team to clinch their division, the National League West, with a game left in the season. However, they still finished with the top record in the National League, winning 95 games. The Dodgers played great at home, with a 50-31 record, while posting a 45-36 record on the road. They only won eight in a row, but only had a season-long five game losing streak during the season. The Dodgers were 28-22 in one-run games, tossing nine shut outs while being shut out themselves eight times. In the first round of the playoffs, they easily swept the St. Louis Cardinals.

How They Got Here: Philadelphia Phillies

After winning the World Series in 2008, the Philadelphia Phillies started slow this season. However, as the weather warmed up, they did too. The team got especially hot through June, July, and August, helping to put away the National League East title. After the All-Star Break, the Phillies' lead in the East never dipped below four games. They finished with a mediocre September and October, going 18-16 in that time. The Phils were 45-36 at home and a Major League-best 48-33 on the road. During the season, they had streaks of 10 straight wins and six straight losses at various points. The Phillies were 24-21 in one-run games, while they shut out their opponents on nine different occasions, and were shut out themselves seven times. The Phillies defeated the Colorado Rockies in four games in the NLDS.

Team Statistics: Los Angeles Dodgers
Offense: .270 BA, 780 R, 145 HR, 1,068 K, 116 SB
Defense: .986 FP, 83 E, 134 DP, 39 CS
Pitching: 3.41 ERA, 611 RA, 127 HR, 1,272 K, 44 SV

Team Statistics: Philadelphia Phillies
Offense: .258 BA, 820 R, 224 HR, 1,155 K, 119 SB
Defense: .987 FP, 76 E, 132 DP, 36 CS
Pitching: 4.16 ERA, 709 RA, 189 HR, 1,153 K, 44 SV

Phillies NLCS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Phillies Recap: NLDS Game Four

2009-10-12T22:08:00.002-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Four
Philadelphia Phillies 5, Colorado Rockies 4

W - Ryan Madson (1-0, 3.38), L - Huston Street (0-2, 13.50), S - Brad Lidge (2), Phillies Win NLDS 3-1

In what turned out to be another highly entertaining ball game, the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies fought in a back-and-forth affair. For the second straight night, the Phillies prevailed by the slimmest of margins to win the game. Cliff Lee tossed another gem of a start, going deep into the eighth inning, while Ubaldo Jimenez improved on his first start and went seven strong innings. The two teams matched late three-run innings late, which left the Phillies on the right side of the equation in a 5-4 victory. With the win, the Phillies won the series and advance to their second consecutive National League Championship Series.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

For most of the night, Cliff Lee dominated the Colorado Rockies lineup once again. Lee commanded all of his pitches and overcame a sketchy strike zone to be effective. The 31-year old pitched with a lead for most of the night, and went 7.1 innings, allowing three runs, one of which was earned, on five hits and three walks. He did not factor in the decision, but struck out five and gave the Phillies a great effort again. The Phillies bullpen was a little shaky at first, but they settled in and held off the Rockies' offense one final time. Brad Lidge entered and recorded the final out against Troy Tulowitzki in an identical situation as last night.

The Phillies came out swinging once again and put an early run on the board, thanks to Shane Victorino's solo homer. Jayson Werth added a solo shot in the sixth and for a while, it seemed like the low-scoring affair would hold that way. However, the Rockies climbed back into the game with three in the eighth inning, which put the pressure on the Phillies offense. After squandering several good scoring opportunities in the game, the Phils manufactured one after being down to their last strike. Ryan Howard delivered a clutch, two-out two-run double that was followed by Werth's game-winning single.

Game Summary: Colorado Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez pitched well in the game, despite not seeming to ever be in complete control. He allowed a pair of solo home runs and also danced in and out of trouble in most other innings. The Phillies left the bases loaded against him in the third inning, and he allowed six hits and a pair of walks on the night. However, the real damage was done against Huston Street, the Rockies closer. Working with a two run lead in the ninth inning, Street allowed three earned runs on three hits and walk. The performance earned Street a blown save and his second consecutive loss in the series.

On offense, the Rockies didn't manage much against Cliff Lee. They didn't get on the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when they scratched out a run. The offense came out of its shell in the eighth inning, though, scoring three runs thanks to a Phillies error and a questionable strike zone again. Regardless, a Yorvit Torrealba double plated two runs and gave the Rockies the lead, and seemingly the win. But their offense again could not produce in the ninth inning with the game on the line.

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Game Four

2009-10-12T16:28:00.003-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Four

Philadelphia Phillies (2-1) v. Colorado Rockies (1-2)
Monday October 12, 2009 - 6:07pm ET

Coors Field, Denver, CO

55° F - Sunny

Cliff Lee, LHP (1-0, 1.00) v. Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP (0-1, 9.00)

As the National League Division Series shifts to game four, the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies will both send their game one starters to the hill again. Cliff Lee takes the ball and will look to replicate his masterful complete game in the initial game. Meanwhile, the Rockies' Ubaldo Jimenez will look to rebound from a disappointing outing to get his team back in the series. The game will be played in much warmer conditions than game three, and both teams will look to take advantage of better pitching conditions. With a win, the Phillies can advance to their second consecutive National League Championship Series.

Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee, Phillies

Cliff Lee commanded all of his pitches in game one and threw a lot of first pitch strikes to the Rockies. Lee exploited their patience to get the jump on them, before putting hitters away with ease. The veteran lefty will look to duplicate this game plan and throw a lot of strikes against the Rockies. Lee's presence also helps to negate many of the lefty hitters on the Rockies, who have yet to make a major impact on the series. Lee will most likely face a lineup very similar to the one he saw in game one, so the matchups will be the same.

Starting Pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez got roughed up a bit in the wind in game one in Philadelphia. He was cruising along against the Phillies lineup until he ran into trouble in the sixth inning. Jimenez will need to keep his pitch count down and go deep into the game to save a depleted Rockies bullpen tonight. Even more, he needs to command his breaking pitches so that Phillies hitters cannot get locked in on his very hard fastball. Jimenez is a much better pitcher than he showed on Wednesday, so the Phillies offense may have a long night ahead of them.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies
Statistics versus Ubaldo Jimenez
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (2/6, 0 HR, 0 K)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (3/5, 0 HR, 0 K)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (2/5, 0 HR, 1 K)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (2/5, 1 HR, 1 K)
5. Jayson Werth, RF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)
6. Raul Ibanez, LF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (3/4, 1 HR, 1 K)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

Starting Lineup: Colorado Rockies
Statistics versus Cliff Lee
1. Carlos Gonzalez, RF (0/0 BA, 0 HR, 0 K)

2. Dexter Fowler, CF (2/4, 0 HR, 1 K)
3. Todd Helton, 1B (0/2, 0 HR, 0 K)
4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS (1/3, 0 HR, 1 K)
5. Garrett Atkins, 3B (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)
6. Yorvit Torrealba, C (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)
7. Seth Smith, LF (2/4, 0 HR, 1 K)
8. Clint Barmes, 2B (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Recap: NLDS Game Three

2009-10-12T02:26:00.003-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Three

Philadelphia Phillies 6, Colorado Rockies 5
W - Chad Durbin (1-0, 0.00), L - Huston Street (0-1, 4.50), S - Brad Lidge (1)

The critical third game of the National League Division Series was intense, exciting, and very cold. The Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies played in the coldest NLDS game (at the start of the game) and it was a nail-biter. Neither Jay Happ nor Jason Hammel lasted very long in the game and it became a bullpen battle. After a four hour affair, the Phillies finally surged ahead for good and took the important game three by a final score of 6-5.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

Jay Happ got the nod in the game instead of Joe Blanton and Pedro Martinez. From the outset, he struggled with a very inconsistent strike zone and, perhaps, the cold weather. After being spotted a quick lead, he surrendered three runs in the first two innings and was lifted for a pinch hitter after three unspectacular innings. Joe Blanton came in with a lead and also promptly allowed the game to be tied. However, he delivered 2.2 decent innings, allowing just one earned run. The Phillies pieced together three more relievers before getting to Brad Lidge in the ninth inning. Working with the slimmest of margins and the top of the Rockies order, Lidge delivered a heart-pounding save.

At the plate, the Phillies battled all night. They didn't have trouble getting base runners as they had eight hits and eight walks and scored six times. Chase Utley got things started with a first inning homer and both Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz delivered a pair of RBIs. However, a critical double play by Pedro Feliz killed a big rally in the fourth inning. The Phillies also struck out eleven times as a team, but were fortunate to have a number of timely hits to keep them in the game early.

Game Summary: Colorado Rockies

Jason Hammel started the game very strong, allowing just Utley's solo homer through the first three innings while fanning five. However, it all fell apart for him in the fourth inning, which he did not survive, as the Phillies tacked on several hits and walks. The Rockies' bullpen came in and did a decent job, allowing just two more runs over the rest of the game. However, the Phillies were able to rally in the ninth inning off of closer Huston Street to take the lead for good.

The Rockies were not very clutch in key hitting situations in the game. They seemed like they were just one big hit from taking control of the game, however that hit never came. They threatened in almost every inning, as Carlos Gonzalez was their spark plug once again. The Rockies managed 10 hits and four walks off of Phillies pitching, but they left eight men on base and went only two for nine with runners in scoring position. Down a run in the ninth with two men on, Brad Lidge induced a harmless fly out from Troy Tulowitzki to end the game.

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Game Three (updated)

2009-10-09T21:58:00.013-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Three
Philadelphia Phillies (1-1) v. Colorado Rockies (1-1)

Sunday October 11, 2009 - 10:07pm ET
Coors Field, Denver, CO
41° F - Cold

J.A. Happ, LHP (12-4, 2.93) v. Jason Hammel, RHP (8-10, 4.33)

With a weather postponement on Saturday night, the National League Division Series will resume, tied at one game a piece. The Philadelphia Phillies will travel to Denver to take on the Colorado Rockies in a pivotal game three. After a change, the Phillies will send lefty J.A. Happ to the mound to oppose the Rockies' righty Jason Hammel. With the game time set for the evening, the weather will almost certainly come into play, as forecasts call for very cold temperatures and snow. The Rockies may have some momentum, returning home after splitting the games in Philly, but they will be facing the best road team in baseball this year.

Starting Pitcher: J.A. Happ, Phillies

Jay Happ was not initially going to start game three, but due to the game being pushed back a day, he gets the start. And that might just give the Phillies the edge in this game, as the Rockies have notoriously struggled against lefties this season. Happ features a sneaky fastball along with a changeup and slider. The 26-year old rookie typically pitches to contact and must keep his pitches down to avoid getting hurt, but has the ability to strike batters out in key situations. The lefty was especially effective on the road (1.99 ERA) and with runners in scoring position (.158 BA).

This year against the Rockies, Jay Happ delivered the signature performance of his season, shutting them out on four hits while striking out ten. He has limited postseason experience, but pitches with a lot of poise. In his career against the Rockies, Happ has delivered a .139 opponent batting average in 39 career plate appearacnes. Dexter Fowler has a double and a walk against Happ, but not many of the other Rockies have much of anything to build off of from Happ. Unless the Rockies can make some dramatic adjustments against a tough left-hander, they could be in for a long night against the Phillies.

Starting Pitcher: Jason Hammel, Rockies

Jason Hammel will get the surprise nod in game three for the Rockies. The big righty had a decent season for the Rockies, but doesn't have overwhelmingly good stuff. Hammel features a fastball, which he throws over 60% of the time and also throws a curveball and slider, and will show a changeup occasionally. He reaches the low 90s with his fastball and he gets some decent movement from his breaking pitches. This season, the 27-year old threw 176.2 innings, by far the most in his career, and he has no playoff pitching experience.

Hammel appeared in two games against the Phillies this season, winning his only start. However, he was the beneficiary of solid run support, as he was not especially sharp in the game. In his career against Phillies hitters, they are hitting .385 in 57 plate appearances. Matt Stairs has hit a pair of home runs off of Hammel in his career, but he still will not start. Hammel does have a much higher ERA (5.73) at Coors Field this year but does not have marked differences in his righty-lefty splits.

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Jason Hammel
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (2/5, 1 HR, 0 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (3/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (1/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (0/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (1/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (4/8, 1 HR, 2 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (2/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (1/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

Starting Lineup: Colorado Rockies

Statistics versus J.A. Happ

1. Carlos Gonzalez, LF (0/0 BA, 0 HR, 0 K)

2. Dexter Fowler, CF (1/3, 0 HR, 1 K)
3. Todd Helton, 1B (1/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS (0/5, 0 HR, 3 K)

5. Yorvit Torrealba, C (0/3, 0 HR, 0 K)

6. Garrett Atkins, 3B (1/3, 0 HR, 0 K)

7. Ryan Spilborghs, RF (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

8. Clint Barmes, 2B (0/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Recap: NLDS Game Two

2009-10-08T18:26:00.008-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Two
Colorado Rockies 5, Philadelphia Phillies 4

W - Aaron Cook (1-0, 5.40), L - Cole Hamels (0-1, 7.20), S - Huston Street (1)

The second game of the National League Division Series between the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies was an exciting back and forth affair. The Rockies took an early lead that never quite seemed comfortable, but they managed to hang on for the win. Neither Aaron Cook nor Cole Hamels was especially sharp, and both starters went just five innings. However, by the end of the game, the Rockies hung on for a 5-4 victory.

Game Summary: Colorado Rockies

Aaron Cook started the game strong, scattering just a few base runners early. He benefited from pitching with a lead, and held the Phillies scoreless for five innings. But in the sixth inning, he ran into a lot of trouble with the heart of the Philly order creating some runs, and was lifted without recording an out. Cook last five plus innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks. He struck out four and turned the game over to five relievers who pieced together the win. Huston Street came in and recorded a shaky save in the ninth inning.

The Rockies were the beneficiaries of some helpful calls in this game, and took advantage early as they pushed across a run in the first inning. In the fourth, Yorvit Torrealba increased the lead with a two-run homer. The damage could have been a lot worse for the Phillies, but the Rockies stranded the bases loaded twice late, which kept the game close. Dexter Fowler hit a pair of sacrifice flies that proved to be pivotal in the game. The group as a whole had nine hits on the afternoon against Phillies pitching.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

With game two being very important, the Phillies hoped that Cole Hamels would return to his postseason form. It was not to be, as the lefty was hit around a bit and allowed four earned runs over five innings. Once again, Hamels had his pitch count creep up and was hurt on several two-strike pitches. He allowed seven hits and struck out five, without allowing a walk. The Phillies used six relievers, including Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ, who was hit on the knee by a line drive. Their relievers did a good job of working into and out of trouble and allowed just one earned run in four innings.

The Phillies offense was okay in this game, but got a slow start, which set them back. They managed 11 hits and had a few scoring opportunities that they took advantage of. A couple of double-play ground balls killed some of their chances, though. Raul Ibanez added two more hits and a pair of RBIs and Ryan Howard had two hits as well. Shane Victorino had three hits but ended the game with a weak line out with the tying run on second base. Overall, the bench was depleted a little too early, which handcuffed the Phillies' options late in the game.

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Game Two

2009-10-07T21:10:00.013-04:00

National League Division Series - Game Two

Colorado Rockies (0-1) v. Philadelphia Phillies (1-0)
Thursday October 8, 2009 - 2:37pm ET

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

69° F - Sunny

Aaron Cook, RHP (11-6, 4.16) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-11, 4.32)

After an exciting game one of the National League Division Series, the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies will face off one day later in game two. The second game, which will also be played in Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, features another pair of solid pitchers. Aaron Cook, the effective righty for the Rockies will be opposed by Cole Hamels, the Phillies' star lefty. With lots of sun in the forecast, shadows could play a role in this game and make things very difficult for hitters in the middle innings. The Phillies hope to again have a home field advantage in this game.

Starting Pitcher: Aaron Cook

Aaron Cook was one of the Rockies' most consistent starters over the last several years. This season, he was supplanted as the ace of their staff, but is still a very solid starter. The 30-year old recently returned to the Rockies after missing over a month with a strained shoulder. However, Cook only logged 158.0 innings this year so he should be fresh for this start. The righty pitches to contact, featuring a four-seam fastball, slider, and changeup. Cook also mixes in a few other show-me pitches to keep hitters off balance and induces 56.7% ground balls.

Cook started two games against the Phillies this season, and the Rockies lost both outings, with Cook taking the loss in his start in Philly. In those 11.0 innings pitched against the Phillies, he had a 4.91 ERA and only struck out two batters. Lifetime against Philadelphia hitters, Cook has not fared much better, allowing a .310 batting average against in 167 lifetime plate appearances. Chase Utley has really worn out the righty, hitting .381 with 11 RBI against him in his career. Still, in two starts since his return from the disabled list, Cook has been lights out with a 0.69 ERA in 13.0 innings pitched, so he will be a challenge.

Starting Pitcher: Cole Hamels

Cole Hamels was a star for the Phillies last season in the postseason, taking home the NLCS and World Series MVP Awards. The 2009 season has not been as kind to Hamels, who struggled with consistency all year long. Hamels threw 193.2 innings this year and won only 10 games, but can still be dominant. He is a fastball-changeup type pitcher, but has improved his curveball as a solid third pitch as well. The name of the game for the south paw is always to keep his pitch count down as much as possible.

In one start against the Rockies this season, Hamels was roughed up in a very short outing. The start took place early in the season in Colorado, but is still not a good omen for the Phillies. Nevertheless, the 25-year old is known as a clutch performer that steps up in the spotlight, and the Phillies will be hoping for just such a start out of their ace. Lifetime against the Rockies' hitters, he has allowed a very high .424 batting average in 37 plate appearances. Garrett Atkins has done especially well, with a .667 average and a homer off of Hamels. But Hamels is 4-1 with a 2.16 ERA in six postseason starts for his career.

Starting Lineup: Colorado Rockies

Statistics versus Cole Hamels
1. Carlos Gonzalez, LF (0/0 BA, 0 HR, 0 K)
2. Dexter Fowler, CF (1/3, 0 HR, 3 K)

3. Todd Helton, 1B (1/3, 0 HR, 0 K)
4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS (1/2, 0 HR, 0 K)
5. Garrett Atkins, 3B (2/3, 1 HR, 0 K)
6. Yorvit Torrealba, C (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)
7. Ryan Spilborghs, RF (2/3, 0 HR, 0 K)
8. Clint Barmes, 2B (2/2, 0 HR, 0 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Aaron Cook

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (11/29, 0 HR, 3 K)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (1/12, 0 HR, 0 K)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (8/21, 1 HR, 1 K)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (6/17, 1 HR, 2 K)
5. Jayson Werth, RF (4/10, 0 HR, 1 K)
6. Raul Ibanez, LF (2/5, 0 HR, 0 K)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (7/30, 0 HR, 3 K)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Recap: NLDS Game One

2009-10-07T17:01:00.010-04:00

National League Division Series - Game One

Philadelphia Phillies 5, Colorado Rockies 1
W - Cliff Lee (1-0, 1.00), L - Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1, 9.00)

The opening game of the 2009 National League Division Series lived up to its exciting billing between the Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies. In what was an extremely windy and sunny afternoon in South Philadelphia, the Phillies jumped on Ubaldo Jimenez and were carried by Cliff Lee's strong start to a game one victory. It was not an especially sharply played game, as the weather made for some defensive adventures. However, the Phils found themselves on the right side of a 5-1 final decision and took game one of the five game series.

Game Summary: Colorado Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez came out throwing some real smoke, often touching triple-digits on the radar gun. He went through the Phillies' order once without trouble, and matched zeroes with Cliff Lee over four frames. However, Jimenez seemed lose command and composure in the fifth inning, as the Phillies got to him for two runs. In the sixth, Jimenez was unable to record an out, as he surrendered several hard hit balls before being lifted for relief. The final line on Jimenez was five earned runs on nine hits and a walk over five plus innings. He did strike out four but the damage had already been done. The Rockies' bullpen came in to shut down the Phillies after that point, using four more pitchers to complete the final three innings.

The Rockies hitters looked like they were going to jump all over Cliff Lee early. They put together a pair of hits in the first and lead off double in the second, but failed to score. Lee avoided trouble in the second thanks to a generous call on a fly-ball double play, which saw Jayson Werth pegging Yorvit Torrealba at third base. On the afternoon, the Rockies managed just six hits and no walks off of Lee. Carlos Gonzalez managed a pair of hits on the afternoon and Troy Tulowitzki delivered an RBI hit to lead the way for their offense.

Game Summary: Philadelphia Phillies

When Ubaldo Jimenez came out firing hard strikes and locating his breaking pitches, it seemed like it would be a long day for the Phillies. The first time through the order, the Phillies were not especially patient. But that all changed in the fifth inning which started with a Jayson Werth walk. Raul Ibanez drove him in with a double, his first of two RBIs, and later scored on Carlos Ruiz's RBI hit. In the sixth inning, the offense picked up where it left off, scoring three more runs. The Phillies' three through six hitters were a combined 7/15 with four RBIs and all five runs scored. Most important, they did not rely on the long ball to score.

Cliff Lee seemed to get off to a shaky start, allowing a pair of hits in the first inning. But he settled down well, putting together a stretch of 16 straight hitters retired at one point. Lee commanded all of his pitches and threw a lot of first pitch strikes. The Rockies were able to get to him for one late earned run, that proved unconsequential. For the day, Cliff Lee went the distance, throwing a six-hit complete game. He did not walk a batter and fanned five hitters, including Garrett Atkins to end the game.

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Game One

2009-10-06T23:14:00.012-04:00

National League Division Series - Game One
Colorado Rockies (0-0) v. Philadelphia Phillies (0-0)

Wednesday October 7, 2009 - 2:37pm ET
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
65° F - Sunny, Very Windy

Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP (15-12, 3.47) v. Cliff Lee, LHP (14-13, 3.22)

Game one of the National League Division Series between the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies will feature a pitching matchup of Ubaldo Jimenez and Cliff Lee. The game to be played in South Philly, will get started in the early afternoon and officially kick off the 2009 postseason. Shadows will not play a role but precipitation might, as the forecast is for clouds and rain. This season, the Phillies took two of three from the Rockies in Philadelphia and Colorado. With the Philadelphia crowd in full throat, the Phillies hope to have a distinct advantage in this game.

Starting Pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez emerged as the ace of the Rockies staff this season. The right-hander won 15 games and dominated opponents, nearly striking out 200 hitters. The 25-year old features a fastball that reaches the mid-90s and slider, and will occasionally mix in a curveball and changeup. With his fastball being a sinker and the hard slider he throws, Jimenez induces a ground ball rate of 52.5%. Combined with his great strikeout numbers, Jimenez is a difficult pitcher to hit.

This season he did not face the Phillies at all, but in 45 career plate appearances, current Phillies hitters are a combined .368 off him, with two homers and five strikeouts. Ryan Howard (.400, 1 HR) and Pedro Feliz (.750, 1 HR) have especially good numbers against Jimenez. Down the stretch this season, the righty might have worn down a bit, going 2-2 with a 4.76 ERA in his final four starts. Despite this, Jimenez was very sharp in three prior postseason appearances, posting a 2.25 ERA in 16.0 innings. Jimenez will need to command all of his pitches in order to continue this success.

Starting Pitcher: Cliff Lee, Phillies

Cliff Lee was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies, coming over from the Cleveland Indians. The reigning 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner is a hard-throwing lefty with a lot of solid pitches. The 31-year old can strike a lot of hitters out, but typically pitches more to contact and lets the defense work, which helps keep his pitch counts down. Lee features a 2-seam and 4-seam fastball, a changeup, a curveball, and a slider. All of these pitches are above average and help Lee keep runners off base consistently.

Lee faced the Rockies once this season, dominating them through seven innings in a 3-1 Phillies win. Since then, Lee has struggled, posting a 6.13 ERA in his final seven starts. Current Rockies are hitting a combined .233 in 48 career plate appearances. However, Rockies reserve Jason Giambi has good numbers against Lee in his career (.300, 1 HR). This game will mark Cliff Lee's postseason debut and the pressure will fall squarely on his shoulders to shut down the Rockies once again, but he could be just the pitcher to get the job done.

Starting Lineup: Colorado Rockies

Statistics versus Cliff Lee

1. Dexter Fowler, CF (2/4, 0 HR, 1 K)

2. Carlos Gonzalez, LF (0/0 BA, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Todd Helton, 1B (0/2, 0 HR, 0 K)

4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS (1/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

5. Garrett Atkins, 3B (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

6. Yorvit Torrealba, C (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

7. Brad Hawpe, RF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

8. Clint Barmes, 2B (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies

Statistics versus Ubaldo Jimenez

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (2/6, 0 HR, 0 K)

2. Shane Victorino, CF (3/5, 0 HR, 0 K)

3. Chase Utley, 2B (2/5, 0 HR, 1 K)

4. Ryan Howard, 1B (2/5, 1 HR, 1 K)

5. Jayson Werth, RF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

6. Raul Ibanez, LF (0/0, 0 HR, 0 K)

7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (3/4, 1 HR, 1 K)

8. Carlos Ruiz, C (0/3, 0 HR, 1 K)

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Bench Hitters

2009-10-06T19:23:00.014-04:00

Colorado Rockies (92-70) v. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

Situational hitting is always important and the pinch hitters and platoon players will be important to both the Rockies and the Phillies. The Rockies have a very deep bench that features power and speed. Many on the Colorado bench are possible platoon starters, based on matchups, so they should be covered late in the game. The Phillies had one of the best benches in baseball last year, but this year, the group has regressed. However, they still have some solid players to bring off the bench in key situations.

Key Hitters: Colorado Rockies

Ian Stewart, L - Ian Stewart is a potential starter for the Rockies team, but because he is a lefty hitter, he will likely only appear as a late-inning replacement early in the series. The 24-year old played his first full season in the majors this year, and reached career highs in most offensive categories. He is a power threat with a sweet left-handed stroke and plays exceptional defense as well. This makes him a candidate to be a pinch hitter late in games, in key situations. The infielder does swing and miss a lot, though, and only hit .228 for the year.

Ryan Spilborghs, R - Ryan Spilborghs is a veteran outfielder on the Rockies squad, but brings a lot of energy to their team. The 29-year old is likely to see a lot of action in this series against the lefties of the Phillies, and platoons in left field with Carlos Gonzalez. Most important for Spilborghs is that he can get the clutch hit and can run very well. For his career, he is much better than his stats in 2009 would indicate.

Key Hitters: Philadelphia Phillies

Matt Stairs, L - Matt Stairs delivered one of the most famous homers Phillies history last postseason and is a presence on their bench. Stairs is their most dangerous power hitter and will likely only appear in pinch-hit situations. Being left-handed, the 41-year old often helps to dictate how opposing bullpens are used and helps alleviate pressure from the left-handed heavy heart of the Phillies order. Stairs will likely get a few hacks this series, and all of them will occur in critical situations of the game.

Ben Francisco, R - Ben Francisco was acquired as part of the Cliff Lee deal earlier this season. Though the Phillies weren't sure what kind of player they were getting, Francisco proved to be very important. The 27-year old is the Phillies' fourth outfielder off the bench and could backup any of the positions more than adequately. More important, Francisco is a right-handed power threat off the bench and typically hits the ball very hard. Expect to see a fair amount of Francisco this series, especially late in games.

Reserve Hitters: Colorado Rockies

IF - Ian Stewart, L: 147 G, .228 BA, 25 HR, 70 RBI, 7 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 134 G, .244 BA, 20 HR, 59 RBI, 7 SB

2009 vs. LHP: 69 G, .178 BA, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. PHI: 20 PA, .250 BA, .400 OBP, .313 SLG, 0 HR, 5 K

1B - Jason Giambi, L: 102 G, .201 BA, 13 HR, 51 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 91 G, .196 BA, 6 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 46 G, .213 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 209 PA, .267 BA, .364 OBP, .438 SLG, 6 HR, 42 K

OF - Seth Smith, L: 133 G, .293 BA, 15 HR, 55 RBI, 4 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 113 G, .300 BA, 12 HR, 45 RBI, 4 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 46 G, .259 BA, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 24 PA, .227 BA, .292 OBP, .273 SLG, 0 HR, 9 K

LF - Ryan Spilbourghs, R: 133 G, .241 BA, 8 HR, 48 RBI, 9 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 109 G, .250 BA, 3 HR, 26 RBI, 9 SB

2009 vs. LHP: 65 G, .230 BA, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. PHI: 47 PA, .364 BA, .404 OBP, .568 SLG, 2 HR, 8 K

C - Chris Iannetta, R: 93 G, .228 BA, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 87 G, .202 BA, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. LHP: 44 G, .296 BA, 4 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. PHI: 37 PA, .100 BA, .270 OBP, .133 SLG, 0 HR, 13 K

IF/OF - Eric Young, Jr., S: 30 G, .246 BA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 19 G, .206 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 4 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 9 G, .304 BA, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: n/a

Reserve Hitters: Philadelphia Phillies

OF - Matt Stairs, L: 99 G, .194 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 92 G, .200 BA, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 4 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 97 PA, .375 BA, .474 OBP, .638 SLG, 5 HR, 15 K

IF/OF - Greg Dobbs, L: 97 G, .247 BA, 5 HR, 20 RBI, 1 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 90 G, .238 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 1 SB

2009 vs. LHP: 6 G, .429 BA, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Career vs. COL: 39 PA, .361 BA, .385 OBP, .444 SLG, 0 HR, 4 K

C - Paul Bako, L: 44 G, .224 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 39 G, .245 BA, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 9 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 56 PA, .208 BA, .218 OBP, .302 SLG, 1 HR, 16 K

OF - Ben Francisco, R: 126 G, .257 BA, 15 HR, 46 RBI, 14 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 111 G, .260 BA, 13 HR, 36 RBI, 12 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 61 G, .247 BA, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB
Career vs. COL: 7 PA, .333 BA, .429 OBP, 1.000 SLG, 1 HR, 1 K

IF - Miguel Cairo, R: 27 G, .267 BA, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

2009 vs. RHP: 24 G, .286 BA, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 5 G, .000 BA, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 46 PA, .190 BA, .261 OBP, .310 SLG, 0 HR, 6 K

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Starting Hitters

2009-10-05T23:37:00.024-04:00

National League Division Series

Colorado Rockies (92-70) v. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

When the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies collide in the 2009 NLDS, they will bring the top two National League offenses with them. Both teams feature solid hitters from top to bottom of the order, with a healthy mix of speed and power. The Colorado Rockies can hit the long ball but are even better at clutch hitting and rallies. They scored the second most runs, hit the second most homers, and slugged at the second highest clip in the National League. Meanwhile, the Phillies were the class of the National League in power stats, with four different 30-home run hitters, while leading the league in runs scored, homers, and slugging percentage. Let's take a look at how these two teams stack up at hitting.

Key Hitters: Colorado Rockies
Troy Tulowitzki, R - Troy Tulowitzki is the undisputed offensive leader of the Colorado Rockies. The slugging shortstop rebounded from a slow start to the season to reach a career high in homers and batting average. Tulowitzki, a right-handed hitter, led the Rockies in home runs in 2009 and had a .930 OPS which ranked among league leaders. The 24-year old does have a poor track record in postseason play, but will try to improve on that this year.

Todd Helton, L - Todd Helton is the elder statesman of the Rockies team, but can still hit with the best players in the league. The slugging first baseman is a doubles machine, though he cannot run very well anymore. Helton is a lefty with a sweet swing, and has amassed a .328 career batting average. The 35-year old is a potential Hall of Famer and will taste the postseason for the second time, though he struggled in playoff baseball previously.

Brad Hawpe, L - Brad Hawpe is a lefty power stick in the middle of the Rockies lineup and is poised to be the key to their offense. If he can hit left-handed pitching, the All-Star Hawpe can make an impact. The 30-year old put up another solid season, with numbers consistent with his career averages. But he drives the ball to the gaps well and devours right-handed pitching, so keeping him in check will be difficult.

Dexter Fowler, S - Dexter Fowler is one of the primary speed threats for the Colorado Rockies. The rookie stole 27 bases this season, though he was thrown out 10 times. He struggled a bit to reach base at times, but his quickness is troublesome to opponents. The 23-year old didn't produce a lot of runs, and also struck out a lot. His season was plagued by some base running blunders, so how Fowler performs on the basepaths could be pivitol.

Key Hitters: Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan Howard, L - Ryan Howard is becoming one of the truly legendary power hitters of this generation. Howard put together his fourth consecutive 40-homer, 130-RBI season and simply produces runs at a prolific rate. The big lefty slugger once again got hot late in the season and helped carry the Phillies offense down the stretch. The 29-year old performed fairly well in his playoff experience and will lead the power charge for the Phillies offense.

Chase Utley, L - Chase Utley is the quiet leader of the Phillies squad and he does it predominantly with his bat. The slugging second baseman had another superb season, eclipsing 30 home runs and 20 stolen bases. However, the 30-year old Utley did wear down as the season progressed and entered a prolonged slump to finish the season with a subpar batting average by his standards. Getting Utley back on track offensively will be very important for the Phillies' success.

Jayson Werth, R - Jayson Werth was an unheralded rising star coming into the 2009 season. The right-handed power hitter had a break out season and was named to the All-Star team. Werth will be of utmost importance in this series, as he is the biggest right-handed power threat for the Phillies. If the 30-year old can be a presence among all of the Phillies left-handed hitters, then their offense should be able to produce against all pitchers.

Jimmy Rollins, S - Jimmy Rollins is the offensive spark plug for the Phillies. The switch-hitting leadoff batter brings a unique combination of speed and power, and when he hits, the Phillies do well. Rollins reached the 20-homer, 20-stolen base plateau once again in 2009. The former MVP-shortstop will need to increase his on-base percentage in this series in order to be effective. If the Phillies can get their 30-year old star on base and around to score, they will be poised for success.

Starting Lineup: Colorado Rockies
CF - Dexter Fowler, S: 135 G, .266 BA, 4 HR, 34 RBI, 27 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 117 G, .240 BA, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 21 SB

2009 vs. LHP: 59 G, .321 BA, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 6 SB
Career vs. PHI: 23 PA, .381 BA, .409 OBP, .619 SLG, 1 HR, 4 K

LF - Carlos Gonzalez, R: 89 G, .284 BA, 13 HR, 29 RBI, 16 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 78 G, .286 BA, 11 HR, 23 RBI, 15 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 41 G, .276 BA, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 SB
Career vs. PHI: 10 PA, .111 BA, .200 OBP, .222 SLG, 0 HR, 2 K

1B - Todd Helton, L: 151 G, .325 BA, 15 HR, 86 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 137 G, .332 BA, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 95 G, .311 BA, 1 HR, 28 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 196 PA, .307 BA, .408 OBP, .546 SLG, 6 HR, 23 K

SS - Troy Tulowitzki, R: 151 G, .297 BA, 32 HR, 92 RBI, 20 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 143 G, .307 BA, 22 HR, 64 RBI, 11 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 84 G, .269 BA, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 9 SB
Career vs. PHI: 54 PA, .152 BA, .278 OBP, .304 SLG, 1 HR, 12 K

3B - Garrett Atkins, R: 126 G, .226 BA, 9 HR, 48 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 98 G, .199 BA, 4 HR, 26 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 70 G, .268 BA, 5 HR, 22 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 111 G, .302 BA, .324 OBP, .547 SLG, 8 HR, 13 K

C - Yorvit Torrealba, R: 64 G, .291 BA, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 1 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 58 G, .316 BA, 1 HR, 26 RBI, 1 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 31 G, .220 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. PHI: 50 PA, .261 BA, .292 OBP, .370 SLG, 1 HR, 6 K

RF - Brad Hawpe, L: 145 G, .285 BA, 23 HR, 86 RBI, 1 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 135 G, .303 BA, 17 HR, 66 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 87 G, .243 BA, 6 HR, 20 RBI, 1 SB
Career vs. PHI: 100 PA, .367 BA, .430 OBP, .633 SLG, 3 HR, 20 K

2B - Clint Barmes, R: 154 G, .245 BA, 23 HR, 76 RBI, 12 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 139 G, .246 BA, 14 HR, 53 RBI, 8 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 70 G, .245 BA, 9 HR, 23 RBI, 4 SB
Career vs. PHI: 73 PA, .221 BA, .264 OBP, .324 SLG, 1 HR, 12 K

Starting Lineup: Philadelphia Phillies
SS - Jimmy Rollins, S: 155 G, .250 BA, 21 HR, 77 RBI, 31 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .257 BA, 14 HR, 55 RBI, 25 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 80 G, .230 BA, 7 HR, 22 RBI, 6 SB
Career vs. COL: 157 PA, .270 BA, .306 OBP, .419 SLG, 3 HR, 16 K

CF - Shane Victorino, S: 156 G, .292 BA, 10 HR, 62 RBI, 25 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 146 G, .283 BA, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 18 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 90 G, .314 BA, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 7 SB
Career vs. COL: 75 PA, .343 BA, .392 OBP, .507 SLG, 1 HR, 7 K

2B - Chase Utley, L: 156 G, .282 BA, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 23 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 143 G, .279 BA, 20 HR, 60 RBI, 12 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 116 G, .288 BA, 11 HR, 33 RBI, 11 SB
Career vs. COL: 121 PA, .370 BA, .430 OBP, .620 SLG, 6 HR, 13 K

1B - Ryan Howard, L: 160 G, .279 BA, 45 HR, 141 RBI, 8 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 144 G, .319 BA, 39 HR, 108 RBI, 5 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 124 G, .207 BA, 6 HR, 33 RBI, 3 SB
Career vs. COL: 105 PA, .241 BA, .371 OBP, .446 SLG, 3 HR, 23 K

RF - Jayson Werth, R: 159 G, .268 BA, 36 HR, 99 RBI, 20 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 154 G, .256 BA, 22 HR, 62 RBI, 15 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 89 G, .302 BA, 14 HR, 37 RBI, 5 SB
Career vs. COL: 61 PA, .377 BA, .459 OBP, .660 SLG, 4 HR, 6 K

LF - Raul Ibanez, L: 134 G, .272 BA, 34 HR, 93 RBI, 4 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 123 G, .267 BA, 21 HR, 53 RBI, 4 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 86 G, .285 BA, 13 HR, 40 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 106 PA, .320 BA, .377 OBP, .454 SLG, 2 HR, 17 K

3B - Pedro Feliz, R: 158 G, .266 BA, 12 HR, 82 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 149 G, .282 BA, 6 HR, 63 RBI, 0 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 69 G, .208 BA, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 119 PA, .297 BA, .328 OBP, .514 SLG, 5 HR, 15 K

C - Carlos Ruiz, R: 107 G, .255 BA, 9 HR, 43 RBI, 3 SB
2009 vs. RHP: 97 G, .242 BA, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 3 SB
2009 vs. LHP: 41 G, .293 BA, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB
Career vs. COL: 26 PA, .292 BA, .308 OBP, .458 SLG, 0 HR, 4 K

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches
Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Pitching Bullpens

2009-10-05T22:14:00.014-04:00

National League Division Series

Colorado Rockies (92-70) v. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

The bullpens of every team will have a major impact in the playoffs, and that will be no different for the Philadelphia Phillies or Colorado Rockies. With the Phillies' bullpen in disarray, they will certainly have more questions to answer in this series against the Rockies. Meanwhile, the Rockies have a very solid bullpen, especially at the back end. In this playoff series between two very evenly matched teams, the bullpens and especially lefties, will be critical. While the Phillies will try to lean on their starters to pitch deep into games, they need their bullpen to close out games. The Rockies can depend on a solid pen, but need to worry more about getting the ball to their relievers.

Key Relievers: Colorado Rockies

Huston Street, RHP - Huston Street was acquired this season from the Oakland Athletics as part of the Matt Holliday deal. After getting off to a sluggish start, the young righty was solid in the pen for the Rockies, serving as their primary closer for most of the season. He seemed to get worn down late, but the 25-year old should have plenty left in the tank after tossing just 61.2 innings this season. However, in his career he has not performed especially well in the postseason, so the jury is still out on what the Rockies can expect from Street in this series.

Franklin Morales, LHP - Franklin Morales will play a critical role in this series for Colorado. He will serve as the primary left-hander out of their bullpen and could potentially even see some save situations. The young 23-year old will be a bit more fresh entering the postseason, having compiled just 40.0 innings pitched this year. But the situational lefty has struggled with command and walks a lot of batters, which is uncharacteristic of much of the Rockies pen. Still, expect to see Morales in key situations against left-handed hitters.

Matt Daley, RHP - Matt Daley is a rookie pitcher who had a solid 2009 campaign. The 27-year old is a strikeout pitcher and does not allow a lot of base runners. Daley, the righty, had a moderate work load in 2009 with 51.0 innings pitched. Expect to see Daley in the late innings against righties, despite not having much experience. Daley does not throw especially hard, but has excellent command and can be used in short stretches to get big outs.

Rafael Betancourt, RHP - Rafael Betancourt was a mid-season acquisition for the Rockies, as they revamped their bullpen. Betancourt, the 34-year old, came over from the Cleveland Indians and was highly effective for the Rockies. He totalled 56.0 innings between the two leagues and has some playoff pedigree. The hard throwing righty will likely be one of the primary setup men for the Rockies out of the pen.

Other Relievers - Matt Belisle, RHP, Joe Beimel, LHP, Jose Contreras, RHP

Key Relievers: Philadelphia Phillies

Ryan Madson, RHP - Ryan Madson is the one, true flamethrower out of the bullpen for either squad. Madson, the 28-year old, throws a wicked fastball that often approaches triple digits on the radar gun. He had a moderately successful 2009, picking up 10 saves in 16 chances for the Phillies. The righty was a horse this year, throwing 77.1 innings and fanning a batter per frame. If Brad Lidge doesn't assume the closing responsibilities, look for Madson to get the nod.

Brett Myers, RHP - Brett Myers was a stud in the Phillies rotation down the stretch in 2008. This season, a hip injury sidelined the veteran righty and he returned to a role in the bullpen. The 28-year old will look to make an impact out of the back end of the pen, but his impact will be determined by the situations he faces. Very much a wild card for the Phillies, Myers once closed games for them in 2007 and could potential fill the role if needed (and if healthy).

Other Relievers - Chad Durbin, RHP, Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Kyle Kendrick, RHP

Pitching Primer: Colorado Rockies

Huston Street: (4-1) 64 G, 61.2 IP, 3.06 ERA, 70 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (4-1) 37 G, 35.1 IP, 4.08 ERA, 37 K, 3 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-0) 27 G, 26.1 IP, 1.71 ERA, 33 K, 4 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-1) 2 G, 1.2 IP, 16.20 ERA, 1 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (0-1) 5 G, 6.1 IP, 7.11 ERA, 4 K, 2 HR

Career vs. PHI: 40 PA, .316 BA, .350 OBP, .553 SLG, 2 HR, 7 K

Franklin Morales: (3-2) 40 G, 40.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 41 K, 4 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-0) 23 G, 20.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 20 K, 0 HR

2009 Road Splits: (3-2) 17 G, 20.0 IP, 7.20 ERA, 21 K, 4 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 2.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 1 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 4 G, 10.0 IP, 9.90 ERA, 6 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 20 PA, .056 BA, .150 OBP, .056 SLG, 0 HR, 4 K

Matt Daley: (1-1) 57 G, 51.0 IP, 4.24 ERA, 55 K, 6 HR

2009 Home Splits: (1-0) 30 G, 29.1 IP, 3.99 ERA, 39 K, 5 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-1) 27 G, 21.2 IP, 4.57 ERA, 16 K, 1 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-0) 1 G, 1.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: n/a

Career vs. PHI: 3 PA, .000 BA, .000 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HR, 2 K

Rafael Betancourt: (4-3) 61 G, 56.0 IP, 2.73 ERA, 61 K, 4 HR

2009 Home Splits: (2-1) 34 G, 26.2 IP, 2.70 ERA, 23 K, 0 HR

2009 Road Splits: (2-2) 27 G, 29.1 IP, 2.76 ERA, 38 K, 4 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (0-0) 7 G, 10.0 IP, 5.40 ERA, 9 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 26 PA, .346 BA, .346 OBP, .385 SLG, 0 HR, 6 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Brad Lidge: (0-8) 67 G, 58.2 IP, 7.21 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-2) 33 G, 31.0 IP, 6.10 ERA, 33 K, 5 HR

2009 Road Splits: (0-6) 34 G, 27.2 IP, 8.46 ERA, 28 K, 6 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (0-0) 4 G, 4.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (1-3) 26 G, 34.1 IP, 2.10 ERA, 51 K, 2 HR

Career vs. COL: 48 PA, .286 BA, .362 OBP, .500 SLG, 1 HR, 14 K

Ryan Madson: (5-5) 79 G, 77.1 IP, 3.26 ERA, 78 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (1-4) 36 G, 36.1 IP, 3.72 ERA, 35 K, 4 HR

2009 Road Splits: (4-1) 43 G, 41.0 IP, 2.85 ERA, 43 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (1-0) 3 G, 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (1-0) 11 G, 12.2 IP, 2.13 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR

Career vs. COL: 51 PA, .429 BA, .451 OBP, .571 SLG, 1 HR, 9 K

Scott Eyre: (2-1) 42 G, 30.0 IP, 1.50 ERA, 22 K, 3 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-0) 20 G, 13.2 IP, 2.63 ERA, 10 K, 2 HR

2009 Road Splits: (2-1) 22 G, 16.1 IP, 0.55 ERA, 12 K, 1 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (0-0) 1 G, 0.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 17 G, 9.1 IP, 0.96 ERA, 4 K, 0 HR

Career vs. COL: 57 PA, .269 BA, .316 OBP, .385 SLG, 0 HR, 11 K

Brett Myers: (4-3) 18 G, 70.2 IP, 4.84 ERA, 50 K, 18 HR

2009 Home Splits: (0-3) 10 G, 34.0 IP, 5.56 ERA, 23 K, 7 HR

2009 Road Splits: (4-0) 8 G, 36.2 IP, 4.17 ERA, 27 K, 11 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (1-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 5.14 ERA, 6 K, 3 HR

Postseason Career: (2-1) 5 G, 20.1 IP, 4.43 ERA, 15 K, 1 HR

Career vs. COL: 108 PA, .268 BA, .330 OBP, .557 SLG, 7 HR, 19 K

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Pitching Rotations

2009-10-04T23:32:00.018-04:00

National League Division Series

Colorado Rockies (92-70) v. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

A lot has yet to be determined for both the Philadelphia Phillies and the Colorado Rockies in terms of their rotations. Injuries and a surplus of starters will play a factor for both teams' choices in who they start in each game. In analyzing both rotations, the Phillies will have a clear advantage in starting pitching, as their lefty-heavy rotation matches up well against the Rockies. Meanwhile, if Jorge De La Rosa cannot go early on, the Rockies will throw all righties against the Phillies, in a very advantageous matchup. As the old saying goes, hitting wins games but pitching wins championships. Let's take a look at the rotation probables.

Potential Starters: Colorado Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP - Ubaldo Jimenez is clearly the ace of the Colorado Rockies and will almost certainly start the first game and potentially the fourth or fifth games if necessary. Jimenez is a 25-year old, hard-throwing righty who came into his own in 2009. He had a career-high 15 wins and is a strikeout pitcher with 198 in what was his fourth season as a pro. Jimenez did rack up 218.0 innings this season, his highest total by far, so fatigue may play a role in his game.

Aaron Cook, RHP - Aaron Cook is a crafty righty veteran for the Colorado Rockies and was enjoying a solid season before hitting the disabled list with a shoulder strain. He recently returned after a month absence and has looked very good in two starts since then. The 30-year old reached double-digit wins for the second consecutive season with 11 in 2009. He pitches to contact and is hittable, but he induces a lot of ground balls and can work with baserunners. Cook has also only logged 158.0 innings this year, due to the injury, so he will be fresh.

Jason Marquis, RHP - Jason Marquis is a 31-year old veteran who had a tremendous bounce-back season in his first with the Rockies. He probably has the most post season experience of the Rockies starters and was a National League All-Star this season. The righty logged a lot of innings this year with 220.0 and does not strike out a lot of hitters. However, he knows how to win as he tallied his sixth consecutive double-digit wins season with 15 for the Rockies in 2009. Marquis did seem to wear down as the season concluded, though.

Jorge De La Rosa, LHP - Jorge De La Rosa is the Rockies' best left-handed starter, but was injured in his last outing. The extend of De La Rosa's groin strain is unknown, but he will likely be unavailable before game three. De La Rosa was enjoying his best season as a pro this year, racking up 16 wins in 185.0 innings. The 28-year old lefty has poor numbers in his career against the Phillies, though. He is a strikeout pitcher and limits baserunners very well, so he has the potential to shut down opponents.

Other Candidates - Jose Contreras, RHP, Jason Hammel, RHP

Potential Starters: Philadelphia Phillies

Cliff Lee, LHP - Cliff Lee was a mid-season acquisition for the Phillies and he didn't disappoint. Since the Phillies acquired him, the 31-year old lefty won seven games and struck out nearly a batter per inning. Overall, Lee is a pitcher that can dominate and go deep into games, which will help the Phillies' bullpen. He tossed 231.2 innings, marking his fourth 200-inning campaign in the last six seasons. Still, Lee has no post season experience and has not proven whether he is a big-game pitcher or not. He will have the opportunity this year as the Phillies' first or second starter.

Pedro Martinez, RHP - Pedro Martinez was another late-season acqusition for the Phillies, as they signed the free agent to finish the 2009 season with them. Martinez has shown signs of his former self, now that he is healthy. And not having pitched the first half of the season means he is fresh for the playoffs, with only 44.2 innings. Most importantly, the 37-year old veteran righty has a lot of post season experience and is known as a clutch performer. While it has not been determined if and when Pedro will start, he still has the ability to miss bats and shut down an opponent.

J.A. Happ, LHP - Jay Happ is the Phillies' rookie phenom that has been the surprise anchor of the rotation. The 26-year old lefty is a consistent performer, despite not having overpowering stuff. In his first full season as a starter, Happ racked up a dozen wins and logged 168.0 innings pitched. Happ is sneaky with his pitches and can miss bats at times, though he typically pitches to contact. Given his success this season, especially in a complete game shutout of the Rockies, it would be hard to imagine Happ not getting a start in the third or fourth game of the series.

Other Candidates - Joe Blanton, RHP, Kyle Kendrick, RHP

Pitching Primer: Colorado Rockies

Ubaldo Jimenez: (15-12) 33 G, 218.0 IP, 3.47 ERA, 198 K, 13 HR

2009 Home Splits: (8-5) 15 G, 102.1 IP, 3.34 ERA, 86 K, 7 HR

2009 Road Splits: (7-7) 18 G, 115.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 112 K, 6 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: n/a

Postseason Career: (0-1) 3 G, 16.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 13 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 45 PA, .368 BA, .432 OBP, .579 SLG, 2 HR, 5 K

Aaron Cook: (11-6) 27 G, 158.0 IP, 4.16 ERA, 78 K, 19 HR

2009 Home Splits: (5-2) 13 G, 78.0 IP, 4.04 ERA, 31 K, 6 HR

2009 Road Splits: (6-4) 14 G, 80.0 IP, 4.28 ERA, 47 K, 13 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-1) 2 G, 11.0 IP, 4.91 ERA, 2 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (0-1) 1 G, 6.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 2 K, 1 HR

Career vs. PHI: 167 PA, .310 BA, .327 OBP, .449 SLG, 4 HR, 13 K

Jason Marquis: (15-13) 33 G, 216.0 IP, 4.04 ERA, 115 K, 15 HR

2009 Home Splits: (7-6) 16 G, 105.2 IP, 3.92 ERA, 59 K, 5 HR

2009 Road Splits: (8-7) 17 G, 110.1 IP, 4.16 ERA, 56 K, 10 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (1-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 2.57 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-2) 10 G, 22.2 IP, 4.76 ERA, 14 K, 6 HR

Career vs. PHI: 165 PA, .245 BA, .331 OBP, .336 SLG, 2 HR, 21 K

Jorge De La Rosa: (16-9) 33 G, 185.0 IP, 4.38 ERA, 193 K, 20 HR

2009 Home Splits: (10-6) 19 G, 103.2 IP, 5.21 ERA, 110 K, 12 HR

2009 Road Splits: (6-3) 14 G, 81.1 IP, 3.32 ERA, 83 K, 8 HR

2009 vs. Phillies: (0-2) 2 G, 9.2 IP, 11.17 ERA, 6 K, 3 HR

Postseason Career: n/a

Career vs. PHI: 89 PA, .338 BA, .402 OBP, .688 SLG, 6 HR, 15 K

Pitching Primer: Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels: (10-11) 32 G, 193.2 IP, 4.32 ERA, 168 K, 24 HR

2009 Home Splits: (7-5) 17 G, 105.1 IP, 3.76 ERA, 103 K, 14 HR

2009 Road Splits: (3-6) 15 G, 88.1 IP, 4.99 ERA, 65 K, 10 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (0-1) 1 G, 3.2 IP, 17.18 ERA, 1 K, 1 HR

Postseason Career: (4-1) 6 G, 41.2 IP, 2.16 ERA, 37 K, 2 HR

Career vs. COL: 37 PA, .424 BA, .472 OBP, .697 SLG, 1 HR, 9 K

Cliff Lee: (14-13) 34 G, 231.2 IP, 3.22 ERA, 181 K, 17 HR

2009 Home Splits: (6-8) 16 G, 110.2 IP, 2.85 ERA, 96 K, 7 HR

2009 Road Splits: (8-5) 18 G, 121.0 IP, 3.57 ERA, 85 K, 10 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (1-0) 1 G, 7.0 IP, 1.29 ERA, 9 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: n/a

Career vs. COL: 48 PA, .233 BA, .271 OBP, .349 SLG, 1 HR, 14 K

Pedro Martinez: (5-1) 9 G, 44.2 IP, 3.63 ERA, 37 K, 7 HR

2009 Home Splits: (2-0) 5 G, 24.0 IP, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 4 HR

2009 Road Splits: (3-1) 4 G, 20.2 IP, 5.66 ERA, 15 K, 3 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: n/a

Postseason Career: (6-2) 13 G, 79.1 IP, 3.40 ERA, 80 K, 7 HR

Career vs. COL: 80 PA, .203 BA, .313 OBP, .362 SLG, 3 HR, 21 K

J.A. Happ: (12-4) 35 G, 166.0 IP, 2.93 ERA, 119 K, 20 HR

2009 Home Splits: (5-2) 17 G, 71.0 IP, 4.18 ERA, 61 K, 11 HR

2009 Road Splits: (7-2) 18 G, 95.0 IP, 1.99 ERA, 58 K, 9 HR

2009 vs. Rockies: (1-0) 2 G, 11.1 IP, 0.00 ERA, 11 K, 0 HR

Postseason Career: (0-0) 1 G, 3.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 2 K, 0 HR

Career vs. COL: 39 PA, .139 BA, .184 OBP, .222 SLG, 0 HR, 11 K

Phillies NLDS Previews

Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four

Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Preview: NLDS Overview

2009-10-04T20:15:00.017-04:00

National League Division Series

Colorado Rockies (92-70) v. Philadelphia Phillies (93-69)

NLDS Schedule

October 7, 2009, 2:37pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

October 8, 2009, 2:37pm ET - Citizens Bank Park

October 11, 2009, 10:07pm ET - Coors Field

October 12, 2009, 6:07pm ET - Coors Field

The Colorado Rockies, winners of the NL Wild Card, will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies in what will be a re-match of the 2007 National League Division Series. This year, the two teams took much different paths to the playoffs and feature slightly different rosters than from two years ago. The Phillies took four of six games against the Rockies this season, winning two at home and home on the road. Still, the Rockies will look to continue their success after sweeping the Phillies in 2007. This year, the Phillies were the champions of the National League East, and are out to defend their World Championship from a year ago.

Playoff History: Colorado Rockies

Playoff Appearances: 3

National League Pennants: 1

World Championships: 0

Last Appearance: Lost 2007 World Series

Playoff History: Philadelphia Phillies
Playoff Appearances: 12
National League Pennants: 6
World Championships: 2
Last Appearance: Won 2008 World Series

How They Got Here: Colorado Rockies

The Colorado Rockies are the 2009 National League Wild Card winners. They have finished the season on a remarkable hot streak and nearly won the National League West from the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Rockies found themselves 12 games under .500 in early June but turned things around and have one of the best records in the Majors since that time. They finished September and October with a combined 20-11 record. They were 51-30 at home this season and 41-40 on the road. The Rockies rattled off 11 straight wins and five consecutive losses at different times during the season. They were also 23-20 in one-run games, shutting out opponents seven times, while being shut out themselves nine times.

How They Got Here: Philadelphia Phillies

Team Statistics: Colorado Rockies

Offense: .261 BA, 804 R, 190 HR, 1,277 K, 106 SB

Defense: .985 FP, 87 E, 146 DP, 27 CS

Pitching: 4.22 ERA, 715 RA, 141 HR, 1,154 K, 45 SV

Team Statistics: Philadelphia Phillies

Offense: .258 BA, 820 R, 224 HR, 1,155 K, 119 SB

Defense: .987 FP, 76 E, 132 DP, 36 CS

Pitching: 4.16 ERA, 709 RA, 189 HR, 1,153 K, 44 SV

Phillies NLDS Previews
Overview, Rotations, Bullpens, Hitters, Benches

Game Previews: One, Two, Three, Four
Game Recaps: One, Two, Three, Four

Phillies Recap: October 4, 2009

2009-10-04T17:26:00.000-04:00

Philadelphia Phillies 7, Florida Marlins 6

W - Durbin (2-2), L - Meyer (3-2)

The Philadelphia Phillies finished off the 2009 regular season with a bang, as they walked off to their 93rd victory. Playing with a mostly backup team, the Phillies fought back against the Marlins late and eventually won the game in 10 innings. Jay Happ got the start and tossed a couple of innings in what was essentially a bullpen outing. But the Phillies were able to tag Marlins' ace Josh Johnson and knock him out early. In the end, it was a Paul Hoover walk-off single that sealed a 7-6 win.

The Phillies used eight pitchers in 10 innings, in what was likely final tune ups and auditions for the postseason. With the roster in flux, the Phillies need to decided how many pitchers to carry and which to take. Early on, the Phillies pitchers were getting hit, but the bullpen came in and settled things down, one inning at a time. On the afternoon, Phillies pitchers allowed six earned runs over 10 innings on 11 hits and struck out eight.

Josh Johnson didn't finish the season the way he wanted, getting hit around by the AAA-Phillies team and leaving after 4.2 innings. It was a dismal way for Johnson to end his great season, as he allowed five earned runs on seven hits and walk. After taking the lead, the Marlins' pen came in and allowed the game to be tied and eventually lost the game in the 10th innning. Collectively, they allowed seven earned runs over 9.2 innings on 12 hits and they fanned 13 Phillies.

The walk-off win was nice, as it put an exclamation point on the regular season. It also gives the team and fans a boost, heading in to their NLDS series against the Rockies. The win also ensures that the Phillies will have home field advantage over the Cardinals if both teams make it to the NLCS. Now up for the Phillies is deciding how to lay out their post season roster for a short five-game series.

Phillies Preview: October 4, 2009

2009-10-04T13:24:00.001-04:00

Florida Marlins (87-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-69)

1:35pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Josh Johnson, RHP (15-5, 3.08) v. J.A. Happ, LHP (12-4, 2.85)

The Phillies have made J.A. Happ their season finale starter. Happ will be opposed by one of the best pitchers in the league, Josh Johnson. Johnson has tremendous ability, but was defeated by the Phillies the last time these teams matched up in Florida. With the Phillies looking to have one final tune up before the playoffs, they may elect to field a mostly reserve-player team.

Happ has enjoyed a very successful rookie campaign. He will get the start this afternoon in preparation for the playoffs and a role that is unclear at this point. Starting today leaves the possibility for Happ to appear as a reliever in games one or two and also potentially start games three or four. He will face a Marlins team that has been hot of late. Happ will need to control his fastball and throw strikes early in order to have success.

Josh Johnson will close out the season for the Marlins. He will be pitching in front of a partial line up as some of the Marlins' key players will be held out due to injury. Though this game is of little consequence to either side, it will be a good match up for the Phillies, as Johnson is a very high-caliber pitcher. Johnson has quietly had a great season, though the Phillies did defeat him in their last meeting. Phillies hitters will need to be aggressive and selective all at the same time, as falling behind Johnson makes them very vulnerable to the strike out.

In the season finale, the Phillies will try to put an exclamation point on another successful season. Though the game has little consequence to the playoffs, it is important for them to have a good performance from the pitching staff, as they prepare for the NLDS. With many of the starters likely to rest, it will be interesting to see which reserves get to play. Likewise, with the bullpen, the Phillies may provide some insight into what their postseason roster will look like.

Phillies Recap: October 3, 2009

2009-10-03T19:14:00.000-04:00

Florida Marlins 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3

W - Sanchez (4-8), L - Hamels (10-11), S - Nunez (26)

The Phillies played a full lineup but replaced starters earlier in a losing effort. Cole Hamels pitched the first three innings and surrendered some runs, but as just in to get some work. The Phils also got a pretty good look at their bullpen pieces as they prepare for the playoffs. Meanwhile the Marlins got a solid start from Anibal Sanchez again and despite losing a couple of their stars to injuries, won the game by a final of 4-3.

The game was basically meaningless to the Phillies, who learned that they would be assured home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Hamels went three shaky innings, after allowing runs in the first and second innings. He gave up three earned and struck out two. It was not an encouraging performance, but he is still in line to pitch game one or two for the defending world champions. The bullpen looked much better, with five different players throwing an inning or more.

Anibal Sanchez showed once again why he used to be considered a star prospect. Sanchez went seven strong innings against the Phillies again to pick up his second win in as many starts against them. He allowed one earned run on a Ryan Howard solo homer and five hits. Sanchez walked a pair and fanned three on the day. The Marlins bullpen came in and was shaky, as the Phillies put together some late rallies, but they came up short as the Marlins closed out their 87th victory of the season.

This will be one of the last losses this season that doesn't mean anything to the Phillies. The most important thing at this point is to stay rested and healthy as they enter the post season for the third straight year. Entering the final day of play, the Phillies cannot impact the playoffs in any meaningful way, therefore look for a lot of substitutes to get playing time. The starters will rest and relax and prepare for game one of the NLDS on Wednesday.

Phillies Preview: October 3, 2009

2009-10-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

Florida Marlins (86-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-68)

4:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Anibal Sanchez, RHP (3-8, 4.10) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-10, 4.25)

The Phillies have tentatively penciled in Cole Hamels for Saturday's start against the Marlins. They may replace him if they expect him to pitch on Wednesday's playoff opener. However, he could potentially still pitch Thursday on normal rest. He will be opposed by Anibal Sanchez of the Marlins. Sanchez struggled his last time out but shut down the Phillies offense the last time they squared off. If Hamels does get the nod, this will be an exciting, pitcher's duel on National TV.

With the playoffs looming, Cole Hamels will take the ball in what will be his final outing of the 2009 season. It has not been decided whether he will pitch in the opener of the postseason, which will be held in Philadelphia. However far he goes in this afternoon's game, one thing is for certain: Hamels always struggles with the Marlins. Current Marlins are hitting .238 in 234 career plate appearances, but Hamels has not defeated them since 2006. As Hamels tries to get on track for a solid postseason, he will need to locate his fastball to make his other pitches more effective.

Hamels will be opposed by Anibal Sanchez of the Marlins. Sanchez looked sharp in his last outing against the Phillies. But he was roughed up in a shortened start his last time out. Against current Phillies, Sanchez has fared okay, with a .256 batting average against in 105 lifetime plate appearances. The Phillies had trouble with all of his pitches previously, and they will need to be more patient this afternoon. Sanchez has a tendency to get wild, so if the Phillies can wait him out, they will have a good chance to put some runs on the board.

With a number of starters already getting breaks this weekend, today's game should be no different. Look for Hamels to have a limited appearance today and the regulars that get the start to be lifted early. With the Cardinals having lost earlier, the Phillies are assured of home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs, against either the Rockies or the Dodgers. This afternoon's contest is of little importance to the Phillies.

One Last Look at the Playoff Scenarios

2009-10-03T10:34:00.005-04:00

With just two days left in the season, everyone in the National League is still in the hunt for the best record. And since all teams have an equal number of games left, it is a little easier to see who might end up where. But since all four playoff teams are so close to one another, there is almost any scenario still possible. If the playoffs started today, the Phillies would host the Rockies and the Dodgers would host the Cardinals. If all three current division leaders win out, this will be the outcome. But a lot can and will change between now and Sunday night.

Currently, the Los Angeles Dodgers hold the best record in the National League. They are also most likely the weakest team in the playoffs right now. The Dodgers hold a one game lead over the Phillies for the best record and a one game lead over the Rockies for the NL West title, which is still to be determined. In the span of the next two days, the Dodgers could either win the division, thus ensuring a home series, or they could lose the division and end up being the road team as the wild card.

If the Dodgers do win the NL West (and they only need one win to do so), they will effectively guarantee that the Phillies host the wild card Rockies. The Phillies would have one of the top two records in the National League and either way would catch their 2007 playoff opponent. The only way this would not play out this way is if the Phillies lose two games and the Cardinals win two games. In that case, the Phillies would then be the visiting team to the Dodgers, who would have the best record in the National League. That seems highly unlikely at this point.

The final scenario would have the Phillies winning their final two games and the Dodgers losing their last two games. This would crown the Rockies as the NL West champions and see the Phillies hosting their 2008 NLCS opponent, the Dodgers. If all that happens, the Rockies would then host the Cardinals, having a superior record to them, regardless of what the Cardinals do in their final two games. The dynamic of having the two playoff teams in a series against each other this weekend makes for an interesting finale, but also limits some of the possible combinations.

Here are some basic rules of thumb to keep in mind when watching this weekend's games:

1. The Dodgers win the NL West with one more win (2 left)
2. The Rockies win the NL West with two more wins (2 left)
3. If the Dodgers win out, they will have the best record in the NL
4. The Phillies cannot play the Cardinals in round 1 of the playoffs
5. If the Phillies win out, they clinch home-field advantage in round 1

The playoff picture will become a whole lot clearer after today's games and they will obviously be settled after tomorrow's action. There are no circumstances in which there can be a one game playoff in the National League. Thus, by Sunday evening, we will know for sure who and where the Phillies are playing. Once the playoffs are set, the Phillies can begin preparing for their opponent. But when it all comes down to it, the Phillies will all say the same thing: it doesn't matter who we play. Let's win!

Phillies Recap: October 2, 2009

2009-10-02T23:11:00.003-04:00

Florida Marlins 7, Philadelphia Phillies 2

W - VandenHurk (3-2), L - Blanton (12-8)

The Phillies were once again flat as Joe Blanton was jumped on by the aggressive Marlins lineup. Kirk VandenHurk was strong for the Marlins, keeping the Phillies shut down and the Marlins tacked on runs late to put the game away. Despite playing with a partial team, the Phillies lost a tough game tonight, as they pursue the best record in the National League. By the end of the night, the Phillies had been dealt a 7-2 loss.

Joe Blanton had his second straight rough start, allowing a lot of early runs on the night. Once the Phillies fell behind in the second inning, they would never be back in the game. For the game, Blanton allowed five earned runs on nine hits and a pair of walks. He pitched into the seventh inning, but lasted on six official innings, and struck out only three. The Phillies bullpen allowed a few late runs that finished them off.

The Phillies offense was again stagnant against the Marlins, this time facing Kirk VandenHurk. Ryan Howard crushed his 44th homer of the season but the Phillies offense did almost nothing else. VandenHurk went six solid innings, allowing just two earned runs on five hits and a walk. The Marlins bullpen was impressive, though, as they came in for three shut out innings.

Once again, the Phillies failed to make up ground in the hunt for the best record in the National League. With two games left, the Phillies are 92-68 and can still improve on last season's record. It will be interesting to see what they do with their lineup the last two games of the season and how the rotation sets up. It is still much too early to tell who and where the Phillies will play in the first round of the playoffs.

Phillies Preview: October 2, 2009

2009-10-02T18:02:00.001-04:00

Florida Marlins (85-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-67)

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Rick VandenHurk, RHP (2-2, 4.44) v. Joe Blanton, RHP (12-7, 3.95)

Joe Blanton will take the hill in game one, in what will be his final tune up for the postseason. Coming off a tough start, Blanton will look to straighten himself out and prepare for whatever role the Phillies want him in. Most likely, Blanton will be the Phillies' third or fourth starter, so he may not pitch again for over a week. He will be opposed by the youngster, Rick VandenHurk. The Phillies faced VandenHurk the last time these teams met and got to him for some early runs.

The Phillies will want to see Joe Blanton toss a strong game in preparation for the playoffs. Blanton, who looks to be a starter in the post season, will get his final warm up against a Marlins team he knows quite well. Blanton had a strong start against the Fish the last time they met and has held their hitters to a .227 batting average in 147 career plate appearances. Look for Blanton to try to be aggressive tonight and take care of business.

Rick VandenHurk will take the ball for the Marlins and face the Phillies for the second time this month. VandenHurk, the big righty, will look to improve against the Phillies, after allowing a handful of runs his last time out. Current Phillies are hitting .265 in 56 career plate appearances against VandenHurk. The last time out, the Phillies were good at pushing across runs on VandenHurk and will need to support Joe Blanton.

After a hangover loss last night, the Phillies will again field a partial starting team. However, they will try to get back on track behind Blanton and pick up their 93rd win of the season tonight. With the playoffs looming, tonight's game will play large in who the Phillies play and where they will be playing this Wednesday.

Phillies Preview: Marlins Series 10/2 - 10/4

2009-10-02T09:49:00.002-04:00

Florida Marlins (85-74) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-67)

October 2 - October 4

With the season wrapping up, the Philadelphia Phillies will host the Florida Marlins for a three game series. With the Phillies having already clinched the NL East, they are now playing for the best record in the National League. However, expect to see a lot of subs as the Phillies get some rest for their regulars. The Marlins are playing for pride at this point, but would love to put a smudge on the Phillies' divisional crown heading into the playoffs. It should be an exciting series, regardless, with all three games being sold out.

October 2, 2009

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Rick VandenHurk, RHP (2-2, 4.44) v. Joe Blanton, RHP (12-7, 3.95)

Pitching Primer: Rick VandenHurk

2009 Road Splits: (1-1) 5 G, 25.0 IP, 3.60 ERA, 17 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (0-2) 2 G, 6.1 IP, 12.79 ERA, 5 K

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: 56 PA, .265 BA, 2 HR, 11 K

Pitching Primer: Joe Blanton

2009 Home Splits: (7-3) 15 G, 99.0 IP, 3.55 ERA, 84 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (9-3) 22 G, 137.0 IP, 3.55 ERA, 106 K

Career vs. Marlins Hitters: 147 PA, .227 BA, 3 HR, 37 K

October 3, 2009

4:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Anibal Sanchez, RHP (3-8, 4.10) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-10, 4.25)

The Phillies have tentatively penciled in Cole Hamels for Saturday's start against the Marlins. They may replace him if they expect him to pitch on Wednesday's playoff opener. However, he could potentially still pitch Thursday on normal rest. He will be opposed by Anibal Sanchez of the Marlins. Sanchez struggled his last time out but shut down the Phillies offense the last time they squared off. If Hamels does get the nod, this will be an exciting, pitcher's duel on National TV.

Pitching Primer: Anibal Sanchez

2009 Road Splits: (2-5) 8 G, 45.0 IP, 4.80 ERA, 40 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (0-3) 4 G, 16.0 IP, 10.69 ERA, 10 K

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: 105 PA, .256 BA, 2 HR, 21 K

Pitching Primer: Cole Hamels
2009 Home Splits: (7-4) 16 G, 102.1 IP, 3.61 ERA, 101 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (27-16) 55 G, 362.0 IP, 3.38 ERA, 336 K

Career vs. Marlins Hitters: 234 PA, .238 BA, 11 HR, 56 K

October 4, 2009

1:35pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Josh Johnson, RHP (15-5, 3.08) v. TBD

The Phillies have yet to announce a starter for Sunday's regular season finale against the Marlins. Whoever gets the start will be opposed by one of the best pitchers in the league, Josh Johnson. Johnson has tremendous ability, but was defeated by the Phillies the last time these teams matched up in Florida. With the Phillies looking to have one final tune up before the playoffs, they may elect to field a nearly-full team.

Pitching Primer: Josh Johnson

2009 Road Splits: (8-2) 16 G, 100.0 IP, 3.51 ERA, 78 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (3-0) 4 G, 21.0 IP, 0.86 ERA, 18 K

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: 168 PA, .258 BA, 3 HR, 36 K

Phillies Recap: October 1, 2009

2009-10-01T22:48:00.000-04:00

Houston Astros 5, Philadelphia Phillies 3

W - Paulino (3-11), L - Lee (14-13)

The Phillies, as expected, came out flat against the Houston Astros. After a night of celebrating their NL East crown, the Phillies did not muster much on offense against Felipe Paulino, while fielding a partial lineup. Cliff Lee was roughed up a bit early and late in his start, and ultimately took the loss. The Phillies rallied late but fell short by a final score of 5-3.

Cliff Lee had a tough time in the first inning, allowing two quick runs. He went on to settle down nicely, but came apart again in the sixth, allowing two runs again, before being lifted. On the night, he went 5.2 innings and allowed three earned runs. Lee did strike out five but allowed six hits and three walks. The Phillies bullpen got a good deal of work and allowed one run late.

The Astros must have enjoyed what they saw from Felipe Paulino. For five innings, he took care of business against a resting Phillies lineup. Paulino went five strong innings, allowing six hits and a run while fanning five Phillies. The Astros bullpen came in for three strong innings before they made the game interesting. For the Phillies, Ben Francisco had three hits but they did little else on offense.

This was an expected loss, though they had chances to win the game. The Phillies will continue to rest key players and line up their rotation for the playoffs. Though the best record in the National League is at stake, the Phillies will likely focus more on their team needs rather that playoff seedings. The are a game behind the chase for the top record, though.

Phillies Preview: October 1, 2009

2009-10-01T18:17:00.001-04:00

Houston Astros (73-85) at Philadelphia Phillies (92-66)
7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Brian Moehler, RHP (8-11, 5.21) v. Cliff Lee, LHP (14-12, 3.19)

Game three of this series will feature Cliff Lee of the Phillies and Felipe Paulino of the Astros. Lee is coming off of another shaky start and is in the middle of a mediocre stretch with the Phillies. However, he can get back on track as he prepares for his first postseason appearance this year. This will likely be his last start of the regular season, as the Phillies will want Lee to get some rest before the playoffs. Felipe Paulino will take the ball for the Astros, and despite his high ERA, still has the capability of shutting down a big league club.

Cliff Lee will take the hill in his final start of the regular season. Coming off of a huge win and night last night, the Phillies will certainly be resting some players tonight. Still, they will want Cliff Lee to pitch well. Lee has been hit around by the Astros in his career, allowing a .333 batting average against in 59 plate appearances. Houston roughed up Lee in a start earlier this season and Lee will try to avenge that loss.

Lee will face Felipe Paulino of the Astros. Paulino, the righty, has struggled through the season. Still, he has the stuff to keep the Phillies off the board. However, the Phillies have never faced him, so it will be interesting to see how they will fare. With some of the reserves getting starts, they will want to be aggressive with their opportunities and put some runs on the board for Lee.

After clinching their third straight NL East title, the Phillies will almost certainly have a hangover. But with the best record in the National League up for grabs, they still have something to play for. It will be interesting to see which stars get the night off and which reserves play. The postseason roster is far from certain at this point, so some of the bench players may be playing for a shot at the first round of the playoffs.

Phillies Preview: September 30, 2009

2009-09-30T22:10:00.003-04:00

Philadelphia Phillies 10, Houston Astros 3

W - Kendrick (3-1), L - Moehler (8-12), Phillies Clinch NL East

Pedro Martinez was not sharp tonight but he battled his way through the early part of the game and kept the Phillies close. Slowly but surely, the Phillies offense broke through against Brian Moehler and the Astros. After falling behind early, by a score of 3-1, the Phillies continued to just score and put up nine unanswered runs. They pieced together the bullpen to record their 92nd win of the season, by a final of 10-3. With the win, the Philadelphia Phillies clinched the 2009 NL East title.

The Phillies were hoping for more from Pedro tonight. But to his credit, he got through four innings and limited the damage, despite not having very good stuff at all. He was lifted early for a pinch hitter and did not qualify for the win. On the night, he allowed three earned runs on six hits and a walk, but it could have been much worse. Kyle Kendrick came in for three scoreless innings of great relief, and picked up his third win of the season. In a classy move, Charlie Manuel brought in Brad Lidge to record the final out of the game.

For the Astros, it was the same old story for Brian Moehler as he started to fall apart in the middle innings. The Phillies began to hit the ball very hard for extra base hits and scored four times in a big fourth inning that put them ahead for good. Moehler allowed seven earned runs on six hits over 4.1 innings pitched. The Astros bullpen allowed the rest, as seven different Phillies had RBIs and they did not rely on the long ball too heavily. Raul Ibanez did hit his career high 34th homer of the year.

So the Philadelphia Phillies will retain their title as the National League East Champions for the third straight season. It was a great win for the Phillies, who would have clinched anyway because the Braves have lost. However, it now gives the Phillies four extra days to rest, work their rotation into place, and aim for the best record in the National League. The Cardinals had already lost, giving the Phillies a two game lead ahead of the Central champs. And the Dodgers entered play later, with just a one game lead over the Phillies. The Phillies are headed to the playoffs again!

Phillies Preview: September 30, 2009

2009-09-30T18:13:00.001-04:00

Houston Astros (73-84) at Philadelphia Phillies (91-66)

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Brian Moehler, RHP (8-11, 5.21) v. Pedro Martinez, RHP (5-1, 3.32)

In a game that could be the clincher for the Phillies, Pedro Martinez will get the start against the Astros. Martinez, a big-game pitcher, should relish the opportunity to work in front of an electric Philadelphia crowd tonight. Pedro will be opposed by the Astros' Brian Moehler. Though he has a high ERA, Moehler is a formidable opponent and should be a solid challenge for the Phillies offense tonight.

The Phillies will look for Pedro Martinez to pick up where he left off before straining his neck 11 days ago. Prior to that, the Phillies were 7-1 in Martinez's starts. For his career against the Astros, Martinez has held batters to a .260 average in 164 plate appearances. Pedro will need to get off to a strong start, as he often struggles in the first inning. If he can do that and keep his fastball on the corners, then he should be poised for success.

The Astros will send their righty, Brian Moehler, to the mound this evening. Moehler has battled through a tough season, in which he has allowed a lot of runs, but won a handful of games in spite of it. He has some experience against the Phillies and will try to keep their bats off the board. In 182 career plate appearances, current Phillies are hitting .305 against Moehler with nine home runs. They will want to be aggressive tonight against this soft-tosser, as he does throw a lot of strikes.

With the division crown in striking distance tonight, there is no doubt that the team and fans want to clinch tonight. The magic number is at one, so even with a loss, the Phillies could back into the NL East title with a loss from the Braves. However, knowing the Phillies, they will want to have a good start from Pedro Martinez and put a lot of runs on the board and win this game and the third straight division outright.

Phillies Recap: September 29, 2009

2009-09-29T22:28:00.004-04:00

Philadelphia Phillies 7, Houston Astros 4

W - Happ (12-4), L - Lopez (0-1), S - Madson (10)

The Phillies had everyone at Citizens Bank Park holding their breath for most of the game. However, powered by the long ball, they jolted their way to their 91st victory of the season. It was a big win for the team, as they put together a solid start from Jay Happ and the offense got to Wilton Lopez. Pedro Feliz delivered the big hit with a grand slam in the fourth, leading the Phillies to a 7-4 victory.

Jay Happ pitched better than his numbers would indicate, and hung in for 5.2 innings. Despite having a very high pitch count early, Happ was getting the job done when he needed to, working out of several jams. Happ allowed three earned runs on nine hits and a walk. He struck out six and was lifted to his 12th victory by an uncharacteristically solid bullpen. One big concern was a groin strain that Jamie Moyer suffered on his final pitch in the seventh inning.

The Phillies offense looked like it was going to once again get shut down by a rookie. Wilton Lopez was strong out of the gate, but the Phillies rallied in the fourth. They loaded the bases with no one out and Pedro Feliz wasted no time depositing his second grand slam of the season deep into left field. The Phillies did well to tack on runs late, though they were not as patient as they could have been. Still, when the team scores seven runs, they should win the game.

With the win tonight, the Phillies have turned around their whole outlook on the home stretch of the season. Coupled with a Braves loss that came just a few minutes after the conclusion of the game, the Phillies' magic number is now down to one. That means the Phils will have five tries to seal the deal on their third straight NL East crown. The Phillies also surged a full game ahead of the Cardinals in the race for the best record in the National League; they still trail the Dodgers by two games entering play late tonight. More importantly, tonight gave everyone a boost of confidence in their offense and pitching.

Baseball is Still Just a Game

2009-09-29T20:09:00.001-04:00

When I was growing up, baseball was just a game to me. I played little league baseball and loved having a catch with my father. I would lay on my bed on summer evenings, listening to Harry Kalas give me a picture-perfect view of every ball game. A few times each year, my dad and I would make the journey to Veterans Stadium, usually on a Sunday afternoon. It was an all day event, from the moment I woke up until the time we got home. But I rarely knew their record or standings, because it was irrelevant. Baseball was always just a game.

In the mid-1990s, the Phillies were basically the laughing stock of the National League. They rarely fielded a legitimate baseball team and had only a few scattered stars. The most exciting part of every season was seeing the Phillie Phanatic ride around on his ATV, entertaining the crowds. Just a game. I knew very little about the Phillies' minor league teams, except that they existed. And I always had a naive belief that someday, my baseball skills would somehow morph into major league-quality talent.

When I was at the ball park, the sights and sounds always convinced me that baseball was just a game. I watched carefully as the players took batting practice, hitting the balls over the wall with ease. They would lob throws to each other across distances I could only dream about. The grounds crew would carefully paint chalky lines around home plate and shower the infield with water. It was all in delicate preparation for what was just a little boy's game. The public address announcer's voice would echo in the cavernous park and during the seventh inning stretch, a whimsical organ rendition of Take Me Out to the Ball Game would be played.

How could baseball not be a game? I knew nothing of steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. I never saw a corked bat or a pitcher with sand paper up his sleeve. I never analyzed pitch sequences or slugging percentages. There was a whole new dimension of the game that I never really knew existed. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy every statistic and intricate detail of the game I now know. But sometimes, especially when it feels like winning is most important, we can lose sight of the fact that baseball is just a game.

In the midst of yet another pennant race, Phillies fans almost certainly have a feeling of gratification and perhaps even entitlement. It has been many years since the team we love has competed consistently and made baseball more than just a game in Philadelphia. There's a week left in the season and the importance of every at bat is magnified. It's hard to have fun and enjoy baseball when championships hang in the balance. But as the season winds down, with the emphasis on winning and performing and executing, remember that baseball is still just a game.

Phillies Preview: September 29, 2009

2009-09-29T18:31:00.001-04:00

Houston Astros (73-83) at Philadelphia Phillies (90-66)
7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Wilton Lopez, RHP (0-0, 8.44) v. J.A. Happ, LHP (11-4, 2.79)

The Phillies will call on Jay Happ for the second game of the series against Wilton Lopez of the Astros. Happ was strong in his last outing, and will look to gain some more momentum heading into the post season. Though his role for the Phillies will be uncertain, Happ and the Phillies will certainly be hoping for a solid start. The Astros will be sending Wilton Lopez, another youngster, to the hill to face off with Happ. Lopez has yet to record a decision this season, but has a very high ERA and has had little success thus far.

With a tough loss behind them, the Phillies need Jay Happ to step up and right their ship. He might be just the man to do it, as he has been one of their most consistent starters this year. Though his role for the Phillies in the playoffs is unclear at this point, he can make one more solid start before anything changes. Happ has never faced the Astros before and will need to command his fast ball, as usual to keep their solid lineup under control.

Happ will take on Wilton Lopez of the Astros. Lopez is another rookie pitcher with an inflated ERA. The Phillies will need to be more patient against Lopez and look for opportunities to tack on runs. The Phillies have never seen this right hander so it will be especially important for them to see a lot of pitches early on. With much of their lineup struggling, they need to start finding a rhythm soon, as the quality of opposing pitchers will start to improve drastically.

This game might be the critical one in the season for the Phillies. With a win, they will lower their magic number to two and turn themselves out of a 2-5 funk. A loss, however, will cause more concern and start to back the team into a corner. Clearly, the Phils will need a clutch start from Jay Happ and some offensive production early and often.

Phillies Recap: September 28, 2009

2009-09-28T22:54:00.000-04:00

Houston Astros 8, Philadelphia Phillies 2

W - Bazardo (1-2), L - Hamels (10-10)

The Phillies didn't show up for their first game of four against the Astros. The Astros out-pitched, out-hit, and out-played the Phillies all night long. Cole Hamels started strong but began to wear down and find trouble in the middle innings. Meanwhile, Astros' rookie Yorman Bazardo dominated a punchless Phillies lineup that never really threatened much all night. By the time the disaster was over, the Astros had beaten the Phils 8-2.

The Phillies did not look impressive on the mound. Cole Hamels made it through the Astros order once before running into problems. Hamels went 6.2 innings, allowing six earned runs on nine hits and three walks. He did strike out five but overall, it was an ineffective night for the lefty. The Phillies bullpen came in and did just as poorly, allowing the game to get completely out of hand. It was a forgettable night for the Phils' pitchers.

The Phillies bats were equally bad against the rookie Yorman Bazardo. Coming in with an ERA near 10, Bazardo looked like an ace on the mound, allowing just two runs on two hits. He did walk four and strike out four over his 5.2 innings. It was his first career victory and came in an inexcusable fashion. No one in the Phillies lineup had particularly good at bats and they seemed anxious at the dish.

With the Braves winning again on Monday night, the Phillies' magic number remains three. The Phillies suddenly find themselves just four games ahead with six to play. They are dangerously close to making the NL East a race again. For now, it will be important to forget this loss and focus on tomorrow's game. The Phillies still control their own destiny and can clinch a playoff berth by Wednesday, so it's too soon to press the panic button.

Phillies Preview: September 28, 2009

2009-09-28T18:46:00.003-04:00

Houston Astros (72-83) at Philadelphia Phillies (90-65)

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Yorman Bazardo, RHP (0-2, 9.55) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-9, 4.11)

The first game of four will feature Cole Hamels, in what might be his final outing before the post season. By the time his next turn comes, the Phillies hope that the division is locked up, so that he may rest. This will be an important game for Hamels, as the Astros got to him a bit when they met earlier in Houston. Hamels will be opposed by Yorman Bazardo of the Astros. Bazardo is a young righty who has not yet won a game this season.

Cole Hamels is working back into the postseason-MVP form he had last autumn and the Phillies could not be more pleased. With tonight's game potentially being Cole's finally start of the 2009 regular season, he will look to finish strong after enduring one of his toughest seasons as a professional. He will face the Astros, a team that has hit him pretty well, sporting a .296 batting average in 90 career plate appearances. Hamels will look to build success off of his fast ball in the game and stay ahead of the Astros.

The Astros will send Yorman Bazardo to the mound in opposition of Hamels. Aside from having a fun name to pronounce, Bazardo has compiled a lackluster line in 2009. His ERA is up near 10 and he has yet to record a victory. In very limited action against the Phillies, Bazardo has allowed a .500 batting average in four plate appearances. He allowed an earned run in one relief appearance inning versus the Phillies this season. The Phillies will want to wait out this young pitcher and force him to throw strikes that they can handle.

With the magic number at three and the rally towels sure to be waving, the Phillies must buckle down and really focus on tonight's game. While the Braves are in action, they cannot be looking over their shoulder and must take care of business on their own. With a strong start from their ace and a patient offensive approach, the Phillies can have the NL East title within striking distance tomorrow.

Phillies Preview: Astros Series 9/28 - 10/1

2009-09-27T22:37:00.003-04:00

Houston Astros (72-83) at Philadelphia Phillies (90-65)

September 28 - October 1

The Philadelphia Phillies welcome the Houston Astros into town for a four-game series. This will begin the Phillies' final home stand, with seven games remaining in the season. Earlier this year, the down-and-out Astros swept the Phils in a four-game set in Houston. Now, the Phillies, on the verge of their third straight division crown, will look to return the favor. They can clinch as early as Tuesday and will send the heart of their rotation to the hill for one last turn before the post season. This series will be critical for the Phillies to get on track in all facets of their game.

September 28, 2009

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Yorman Bazardo, RHP (0-2, 9.55) v. Cole Hamels, LHP (10-9, 4.11)

The first game of four will feature Cole Hamels, in what might be his final outing before the post season. By the time his next turn comes, the Phillies hope that the division is locked up, so that he may rest. This will be an important game for Hamels, as the Astros got to him a bit when they met earlier in Houston. Hamels will be opposed by Yorman Bazardo of the Astros. Bazardo is a young righty who has not yet won a game this season.

Pitching Primer: Yorman Bazardo

2009 Road Splits: (0-1) 4 G, 11.1 IP, 9.53 ERA, 5 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (0-0) 1 G, 1.0 IP, 9.00 ERA, 2 K

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: 4 PA, .500 BA, 0 HR, 1 K

Pitching Primer: Cole Hamels

2009 Home Splits: (7-3) 15 G, 95.2 IP, 3.29 ERA, 96 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (27-15) 54 G, 355.1 IP, 3.29 ERA, 331 K

Career vs. Astros Hitters: 90 PA, .296 BA, 1 HR, 13 K

September 29, 2009

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Wilton Lopez, RHP (0-0, 8.44) v. J.A. Happ, LHP (11-4, 2.79)

Pitching Primer: Wilton Lopez

2009 Road Splits: (0-0) 3 G, 5.2 IP, 14.29 ERA, 4 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: n/a

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: n/a

Pitching Primer: J.A. Happ

2009 Home Splits: (4-2) 15 G, 63.1 IP, 3.98 ERA, 54 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (4-3) 22 G, 92.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 81 K

Career vs. Astros Hitters: n/a

September 30, 2009

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Brian Moehler, RHP (8-11, 5.21) v. Cliff Lee, LHP (14-12, 3.19)

Game three of this series will feature Cliff Lee of the Phillies and Brian Moehler of the Astros. Lee is coming off of another shaky start and is in the middle of a mediocre stretch with the Phillies. However, he can get back on track as he prepares for his first postseason appearance this year. This will likely be his last start of the regular season, as the Phillies will want Lee to get some rest before the playoffs. Brian Moehler will take the ball for the Astros, and despite his high ERA, still has the capability of shutting down a big league club.

Pitching Primer: Brian Moehler

2009 Road Splits: (5-4) 13 G, 73.1 IP, 3.93 ERA, 42 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (1-2) 5 G, 21.2 IP, 7.06 ERA, 13 K

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: 182 PA, .305 BA, 9 HR, 23 K

Pitching Primer: Cliff Lee

2009 Home Splits: (6-7) 15 G, 105.0 IP, 2.74 ERA, 90 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (3-1) 4 G, 30.0 IP, 2.10 ERA, 34 K

Career vs. Astros Hitters: 59 PA, .333 BA, 3 HR, 12 K

October 1, 2009

7:05pm - Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA

Felipe Paulino, RHP (2-11, 6.51) v. Pedro Martinez, RHP (5-1, 3.32)

The finale of the four-game series will feature Pedro Martinez and Felipe Paulino. Martinez has missed his last several starts with a stiff neck. The Phillies have been cautious with his health, as they prepare for the playoffs. This will certainly be Pedro's final test before the Phillies move into the post season. Martinez will be opposed by Felipe Paulino, who is in the midst of a terrible season. Paulino, the righty, has been getting more starts lately, without much success. But the Phillies will still need to treat this opponent seriously.

Pitching Primer: Felipe Paulino

2009 Road Splits: (1-6) 9 G, 33.1 IP, 8.37 ERA, 30 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: n/a

Career vs. Phillies Hitters: n/a

Pitching Primer: Pedro Martinez

2009 Home Splits: (2-0) 4 G, 20.0 IP, 0.90 ERA, 20 K

Career at Citizens Bank Park: (3-1) 8 G, 38.1 IP, 4.23 ERA, 45 K

Career vs. Astros Hitters: 164 PA, .260 BA, 5 HR, 34 K

Phillies Recap: September 27, 2009

2009-09-27T17:44:00.004-04:00

Philadelphia Phillies 6, Milwaukee Brewers 5

W - Blanton (12-7), L - Bush (5-9), S - Madson (9)

The Phillies came out of the gate early and scored runs for Joe Blanton. However, Blanton was not very sharp and kept the Brewers in the ballgame. Though he pitched with a lead all day, the game never felt under control. Dave Bush was hit hard by the Phillies but they left 14 runners on base in the game, leading to a close conclusion. However, they hung on to win the game 6-5.

Joe Blanton did not have electric stuff. His pitch count escalated quickly and though he pitched from ahead, he was shaky. In the sixth inning, Blanton finally gave up the big hit as the Brewers put together a four-run inning on him. On the afternoon, Blanton went 5.2 innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits and four walks. The bullpen kept the Phillies ahead with the slimest of margins, and Ryan Madson came in to record a four-out save.

For the Brewers, the damage could have been a lot worse. Dave Bush was very erratic and had trouble locating his breaking pitches. However, the Phillies were not very patient with him and he did settle down, after allowing four early runs. Bush went 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on nine hits and a walk. Once again, the Brewer bullpen held the Phillies offense in check and kept them off the score board for the final four frames. Jimmy Rollins got the scoring started for the Phillies with a lead off homer.

This was an important win for the Phillies. They finish the Brewers series and road trip at an even .500 and lower their magic number to three. More importantly, it builds some confidence in their much-maligned bullpen. The save for Madson is especially important, if he is to continue in that role into the playoffs. The win marks the Phillies' 90th of the season and 48th of the season on the road.

Phillies Preview: September 27, 2009

2009-09-27T12:43:00.000-04:00

Philadephia Phillies (89-65) at Milwaukee Brewers (77-78)

2:05pm - Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI

Joe Blanton, RHP (11-7, 3.82) v. Dave Bush, RHP (5-8, 6.22)

The finale of the four game set will feature Joe Blanton of the Phillies and Dave Bush of the Brewers. Blanton has been the Phillies most consistent starter and always gives them a chance to win. He has been especially good lately and if the Phillies can get him a lead, he should go deep into the game. Dave Bush, the struggling righty, will toe the rubber for the Brewers. Despite having a poor record and stats this season, Bush always seems to give the Phillies trouble. Earlier this season, Bush nearly no-hit the Phillies, so they cannot take this opponent lightly.

After dropping the last two games to the Brewers, the Phillies will look to Joe Blanton to be their stopper this afternoon. The Phillies are in the midst of a 1-4 stretch, but won the last start by Joe Blanton in convincing fashion. Blanton will look to duplicate that success against a Brewers team that he has not been great against. In 80 career plate appearances, current Brewers are hitting .333 against Blanton. Blanton will need to command all of his pitches and keep the Brewers' offense off balance.

Dave Bush gets the nod this afternoon against the Phillies. After starting the season strong, Bush spent time on the disabled list. Since returning, he has not been the same. However, the soft-tossing righty still has some decent stuff and has given the Phillies' offense fits. In his career, Bush has held current Phillies to a .243 average in 165 plate appearances. The Phillies will want to be patient against him, as he likes to nibble around the strike zone and use his breaking pitches to get hitters chasing.

With this being the last road game of the regular season, the Phillies will want to finish it strong. Their magic number remains at four and they can be ready to clinch early this week. With the rough patch they have hit recently, the Phillies will really need to buckle down to earn a split in the series against the Brewers and go .500 on their current road trip.

Phillies Recap: September 26, 2009

2009-09-26T23:04:00.001-04:00

Milwaukee Brewers 7, Philadelphia Phillies 5

W - Hoffman (2-2), L - Walker (2-1)

The Phillies jumped all over Braden Looper and the Brewers and took a 4-0 lead in support of Kyle Kendrick. However, the team just couldn't hold the lead and allowed the Brewers to claw their way back into the game. With the game tied going into the ninth, the Brew Crew won the game on a walk-off home run by Ryan Braun. The final score was 7-5 in a game that the Phillies really should have won.

Sloppy defense and a shaky start by Kyle Kendrick did not help to preserve the Phillies' early lead. Kendrick started off strong but quickly began to fall apart, allowing base hits and walks. In four innings, Kendrick allowed two runs on six hits and a pair of walks. He fanned four but was lifted early as he never really looked in control of the game. Jamie Moyer came on and gave the Phillies four solid innings of relief, but was the victim of some poor defense that allowed the game to be tied late. The Phillies bullpen then allowed the walk-off home run to Braun.

Braden Looper was not especially good and the Phillies touched him up for four early runs. However, he did seem to settle in and held the Brewers close for six innings. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits and walk, while striking out five. The Brewers' bullpen again came in and shut down the Phillies offense for the final three innings. Ryan Howard did hit his 43rd homer of the season in the losing effort.

In a game that featured five errors and poor play from both sides, the Phillies can only blame themselves for this loss. They built an early lead that they couldn't hold on to and failed to add much to their lead late in the game. The tandem of Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer did fairly well, but got little help from the rest of the team. That led to the dramatic finish, which leaves the Phillies' magic number at four with eight games left to play.

Phillies Preview: September 26, 2009

2009-09-26T16:41:00.000-04:00

Philadephia Phillies (89-64) at Milwaukee Brewers (76-78)
7:05pm - Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI

Kyle Kendrick, RHP (2-1, 2.70) v. Braden Looper, RHP (13-7, 5.12)

With the Phillies not wanting to risk Pedro Martinez's health at this point in the season, Kyle Kendrick will make another spot start. Thus far as a starter down the stretch, Kendrick has pitched extremely well, in clutch situations. The Phillies will look for another quality outing from the young right in Milwaukee. Braden Looper, the veteran righty will face off with the Phillies and Kendrick. Looper, the one-time reliever, is having an average season, despite a good record. He has the highest run support in the National League, and the Phillies will need to get to him early, before he can pitch with a lead.

After a tough loss last night, the Phillies will look to Kyle Kendrick to right the ship. They have the right man for the job, as Kendrick has excelled this season as a starter down the stretch. Kendrick has average numbers against the Brewers, allowing a .333 batting average against in 36 lifetime plate appearances. Kendrick will need to work ahead of the Brew Crew and keep them off the bases as much as possible.

The Brewers will send their struggling righty Braden Looper to the mound. Looper, a former closer, has been a starter for the last several seasons. However, the veteran is really struggling this year, with an ERA north of five. In his career, Looper has been solid against the Phillies, with current Phils batting just .237 in 130 plate appearances against him. They will want to be patient with Looper, who does not have overpowering stuff. If they can get some runs on the board for Kendrick, they will be in good shape to rebound.

A night after the Brewers jumped all over the Phillies, the Phils need to bounce right back against them. With Kyle Kendrick on the mound, they will want to support him early and often. Meanwhile, the Phillies cannot spend time scoreboard watching, as they control their own destiny. Four more wins gets them into the post season again, so they need to focus and get one of those wins tonight.

Phillies Recap: September 25, 2009

2009-09-25T23:30:00.000-04:00

Milwaukee Brewers 8, Philadelphia Phillies 4

W - Parra (11-10), L - Lee (7-3), S - Hoffman (36)

Cliff Lee gave up a big first inning and the Phillies were never able to make a full comeback. Lee settled down for a bit and allowed the Phillies to get close, but another big fifth inning befell Lee. Manny Parra pitched well for the Brewers, keeping the Phillies off balance and going deep into the game. By the time all of the scoring was done, the Brewers had won the game by a final of 8-4.

Cliff Lee had a shaky start and a shaky finish to his outing. He did toss six innings to help save the Phillies' pen, but did not have an effective start. The Brewers tagged him for four runs in the first inning to set the tone of the game. Lee gave up seven runs overall, over six innings, while allowing nine hits including two long balls. Lee struck out six on the evening, but it was not the kind of start he was looking for. Brad Lidge pitched an inning in middle relief, allowing an earned run, as it appears that he will no longer be used as the closer for the foreseeable future.

For the Brewers, their offense was the story. But Manny Parra pitched a very solid game, behind the scenes. Parra went seven strong innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits and a walk. He whiffed eight Phillies on the night and earned his 11th win of the season. The game got closer late, but the Brewers' bullpen hung on to lock up the victory. Ryan Howard was the offensive star for the Phillies, driving in three runs.

This was not what the Phillies were looking for. On a night when all of their closest competitors won, it was a big game for them. Cliff Lee had a rocky start and put the team in an immediate hole. The offense, which had been so efficient a night earlier, struggled to get anything going against Parra. For now, their magic number remains at four and they will try to bounce back tomorrow night.