Utley Out 4-6 Months After Hip Surgery

Chase Utley will need right hip surgery that potentially could keep him out until the first week of June.  There’s a chance he could be back near the end of March at the earliest, missing almost all of spring training.

There may be a bright side to all of this as the Phils could try Jason Donald at second instead of settling for Eric Bruntlett, who I don’t mind anyway.

Tadahito Iguchi anyone?

Some Phillies Parade Pics

We all know Chase Utley was hammered during the parade after his awesome speech but here are a few pics of others getting in on the action.

Werth with his Banquet beer.

Geoff Jenkins hitting up the local brew.

Chase’s face after a Shot.

World Series Game 2 Preview

8:00 PM ET from Tropicana Field

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Outcome: So my Cole prediction for last game was pretty close.  I said “7.2 IP, 5 Hs, 2 ER, 8 Ks”.  His ending stat line was: 7.0 IP, 5 Hs, 2 ER, and 5 Ks.  Damn good call if I do say so myself.

Now onto tonights game.  Brett Myers against James Shields.  How bad did Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard look last night.  Well I’m pretty happy that JRoll will be turned around at the plate and batting leftie for the most part.  He looked terrible on the right side last night.  Ryan should see some better pitches as well from the rightie, Shields.

Brett Myers takes the hill for his first ever World Series appearance as that seems to be the theme between these two young ball clubs.  Myers will be juiced beyond belief for tonight’s game and  I bet he coems out a little TOO juiced and gives up some early hits, only to settle in and cruise through six solid (notice I didnt say strong) innings.  As long as we can get him some support we should be able to hold on a for 2 – 0 series lead heading back to the Illa.  I see this being a high scoring affair and the Phils able to outlast the streaky Rays. 

GO PHILS!

Final: PHI 8   TB 5
Player of the Game: Chase Utley – 3 for 4, SB, 2 Rs, 2 RBIs

Phils Quiet the Cowbells

Phils Win! Phils Win!

What a game indeed.  Chase Utleys bomb in the first inning proved to be the mighty blow that Tampa Bay just could not overcome and seemed to shut up those annoying ass cowbells for a minute.  Cole Hamels once again pitched a gem of a game and moves closer to making his mark on baseball postseason history.  Oh, he’s just now 4-0, with a 1.55 ERA, with 27 strikeouts in 29 innings. That makes him only the 10th starting pitcher in history to win four games in one postseason, joining: Josh Beckett, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Jack Morris,  John Smoltz,  Orel Hershiser, Dave Stewart, David Wells and Burt Hooton.

Also, if Hamels gets another start in Game 5, he will have a chance to tie the all-time record for most wins in a single postseason, held by Randy Johnson (2001) and Francisco Rodriguez (2002). NOTE: all of K-Rod’s wins, and one of Johnson’s, came in relief. So Hamels is now in position to become the first starting pitcher ever to win five times in one postseason.

Carl Crawford and Akinori Iwamura were the only Rays that seemed to shake Cole as Crawford went deep on a breaking ball that hung out over the plate a little too long and Aki went 3 for 4 as well as driving in the Rays second run. The Phils had multiple opportunities to pad their lead but failed to do so, going 0-11 with runners on base and leaving nine men stranded.

Cole gave way to the best bullpen in the 8th.  Ryan Madson came in throwing straight HEAT for a perfect 8th leading the way for Mr. Perfect himself, Brad Lidge.  Lidge once again did his thang, throwing another perfect 9th while striking out two.

The Phils will try to make it two in a row at Trop tonight as Brett Myers pitches against James Shields in Game 2.

World Series Game 1 Preview

8:00 PM ET from Tropicana Field

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Outcome: The day this city has been waiting for for 15 years is upon us.  Game time is only a few hours away.  Cole Hamels once again takes the mound for the Phils as Scott Kazmir gets the ball for the Rays.  Cole is 3-0 in this here postseason and look for him to continue his dominace as he takes the Phils deep into the game and keep the hot bats of Rays offguard.  Cole is one of the few pitchers who continually gets better against batters as he faces them two and three times around during the course of the game.  The stats prove it over the course of the regular season and I see no reason as to why that would change now.

A lot of folks are bringing up the added rest as a possible downfall for the Phils, but this team is as gritty as they get and look for them to come out swinging.  I foresee the Flyin’ Hawaiian Shane Victorino and Pat ‘The Bat’ Burrell to get the juices pumping early and spark the bats of the rest of the lineup.

Charlie Manuel is keeping it quiet as to who will be the DH for this game, but to be honest, I really dont care, whoever he plugs in will most certainly get the job done.  Whether it be the best PH in the majors in Greg Dobbs, the savvy Canuck Matt Stairs or the grizzled vet in Chris Coste, look for all to be swinging for the fences.  Let’s get an early one in Tampa guys.  GO PHILS!

Final: PHI 7   TB 3
Player of the Game: Cole Hamels – 7.2 IP, 5 Hs, 2 ER, 8 Ks

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: FINALLY, we are on gameday of Game 1 of the World Series.  After a week off, the Phightins start the World Series tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays.  A lot has been said leading up to the start of this series regarding the long layoff and how it will negatively affect the Phils, and it could.  But I just don’t see that happening tonight.  I think the Phils are a big stage team and are primed for this opportunity.

Cole Hamels takes the mound for the Phils facing off against another young ace Scott Kazmir.  This is obviously the first time both of these teams have faced either pitcher this year, so look for the pitchers to have the early advantage, and the beginning innings to be quick and strike out filled.  Look for the offenses to pick it up a little more into the 2nd and more so the 3rd time through the lineups.

I see the Phils bats striking the big blow first but the Rays will battle and keep it close. Then, what the Phillies really hope the entire series comes down too, the battle of the bullpens to begin.  The Phils have a decisive advantage in this department, one of their biggest going into the series, and look for that to be displayed in Game 1.  The Phillies pen goes an inning and two thirds of no hit ball as the Phillies take game one and home field advantage in game one.

Final: PHI  4    TB  2
Player of the Game: Jimmy Rollins – 2 for 3, BB, 2B, 2 RBI, RS

Phils One Win Away

A classic game last night moves the Phillies within one win of the World Series.  After an amazing night, a game that saw lead changes, countless opportunities for both teams to blow the game open in the early innings, some more long balls, and ho hum another Brad Lidge save, the Phillies pulled out a 7-5 win in Los Angeles to take a 3-1 series lead.  Cole Hamels is scheduled to take the mound in Game 5 on Wednesday.

After jumping out to an quick 2-0 lead following Chase Utley and Ryan Howard RBIs, the Dodgers took a 5-3 lead in the 5th inning as Manny Ramirez continued to make it look easy.   But then the Phils bats stole the show. In seemingly an instant, playoff MVP Shane Victorino, booed continually from the moment he took batting practice, lined a laser into the Phillies bullpen tying the game at 5, giving the Phillies new life, all while setting the Phillies record for RBIs in a league Championship Series.

After a Carlos Ruiz hit (a two out single), 40 year-old Matt Stairs hit a straight bomb to right field.  The Phillies dugout exploded with the 7-5 lead.  Brad Lidge came out of the bullpen with 2 outs in the 8th and recorded the final 4 outs, 46 of 46 for the season and playoffs, and the Phillies are one more win away from the Series.

NLCS Heats Up!

Well the NLCS actually became a series last night as the Phigtin’s fell in Tinseltown to the L.A. Dodgers 7-2 in a very emotional contest not too mention the few hit batters as well as some messages sent.

The Dodgers jumped all over the Professor Jamie Moyer in the first few and the veteran failed to make it out of the second giving up 6 ER in 1 1/3 innings.  The crushing blow coming off the bat of rookie Blake DeWitt smashing a 2-2, 2-out pitch down the right field line opening the flood gates on a 6 run first.  The Phils got one of the runs right back as Pedro Feliz singled in Ryan Howard, but the momentum was quickly killed as Rafael Furcal hit a home run to left field the very next inning.

Things than became real interesting in the 3rd inning, after both Phillies all-star Chase Utley had a Hiroki Kuroda throw a fastball up around the face in the top of the first, Jamie Moyer plunked Dodger all-start catcher Russell Martin in the knee in the bottom of the frame.  Then things got real heated in the top of the third when Kuroda threw a fastball over the head of Phil’s centerfielder Shane Victorino.  Shane immediately made it known he was more then unappreciative of the throwing at his head as he jawed with Kuroda after grounding out to end the inningwhich prompted the benches to clear and words to be exchanged and the series was officially on.

Following the game Russell Martin explained rather wise-a$$ed, “We didn’t throw at his head, we threw it over his head.” Hey Russ, Where do you get off? You talk about you don’t want to hurt people, hopefully, that little comment will indeed get someone hurt, someone in Dodger blue.  Look for the hit batters to continue, and the high and tight pitching to become common place the rest of the series.  Hopefully, that comment, said with the little douche smirk on your face, has lit the fire under the Phillies and we come out with more intensity now that fuel has been poured on the fire, that is, the NLCS.

NLCS Game 2 Preview

4:35 PM ET from Citizens Bank Park

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Outcome: Manny Ramirez is still on fire but so is Brett Myers of late.  With Manny only sporting a career .158 (3 for 19) average against Myers, I think Brett can keep him in check.  Hopefully the right hand heavy lineup of the Dodgers has a tough time with Brett today and he can work some solid innings.  I see Jimmy and Chase getting their bats going again after an awesome game last night.  I think that’s exactly what Chase needed to break out of his mini slump there.  Look for Chase, Shane Vic and Jimmy to have a great day and be extremely active on the base paths.  I also foresee some Jayson Werth surprise action.

Final: LA 3   PHI 6
Player of the Game: Jayson Werth – 2 for 3, HR, 2 Rs, 2 RBI, BB

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: Well if the Phillies were not fired up enough for this afternoon’s NLCS game 2, word that manager Charlie Manuel’s mother has passed away, has to put their motivation over the top.  The Phillies can not let down skipper Manuel’s mother’s honor and be defeated this afternoon and I predict that the Phightin’s will come out bats a blazing.  Look for the the Phils to jump on Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley early and often as today’s game will feature much more offense then yesterday.

Final: LA 4   PHI 7
Player of the Game: Ryan Howard – 2 for 3, HR, 3RBI, 1R

Chicks Dig the Long Ball

Last night in raucous South Philly, your Phightin’s put up barely enough of a fight to eek out a Game 1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Ace Cole Hamels settled into his usual dominate outing after a shaky first couple of batters and Chase Utley and Pat Burrell provided all of the offense with more home runs as the Phillies took a 1-0 series lead over LA.  Game 2 is set for this afternoon with the first pitch being tossed at 4:35pm.

With the Phillies offense looking pathetic through 5 innings, it was the flying Hawaiian sparking a rally yet again in the bottom of the 6th as he busted his hump down the line on a seemingly routine ground-out.  But Victorino’s hustle forced Furcal to rush his throw which went out of the glove and over the head of first basemen James Loney and Victorino took second on the error.

The very next pitch, Utley ripped a two run blast into the right field seats and the Bank was shaking.  Two batters later, “Bait” as we learned is what one Patrick Burrell is affectionately referred to by his teammates, we think its pretty explanatory what “Bait” is referring too, hit his 3rd home run in 2 games staking the Phillies to their first lead of the series.

Hamels and Ryan Madsen did the rest of the work setting the stage for another Lidge save, as he worked a 1-2-3 9th inning, and the Phillies improved their record to 80-0 when leading after 8 innings.  

NLCS Game 1 Preview

8:22 PM ET from Citizens Bank Park

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Outcome: Manny Ramirez is on fire.  Rafael Furcal is back.  Joe Torre is in the playoffs again.  And Cole Hamels is LIGHTS OUT BAY BAY!  Cole will continue his dominant pitching in Game 1 and take a shutout into the seventh where I think he might get a little tired and let up a few hits, possibly a run before Charlie Manuel gives him the pull.  This will be perfectly fine, because we will have a solid lead at this point behind the timely hitting of our fearless leader Jimmy Rollins and the rest of the order.  A raucous Philly crowd who haven’t been this close to a championship since the Eagles choked in the NFC Championship will be the spark for the Phils as their bats finally get back on track in this one.

Final: LA 2   PHI 5
Player of the Game: Cole Hamels – 7.1 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 8 Ks, 1 BB

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: Both of these teams come in feeling good about themselves.  Game 1 is going to come down to who works out their nerves first.  Reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins does not get phased by the big stage; expect him to lead the Phillies to a 1-0 lead with back to back games with a lead off HR putting the Citizen’s Bank crowd into a frenzy.  Expect the Phillies left handed power bats of Ryan Howard when he gets his chances, but more-so Chase Utley to do a lot of damage in this series as the Dodgers have no left handed arms to combat the sluggers.  Cole put on an ace-like performance we’ve started to become accustomed too, going deep into tonight’s game keeping the Dodgers hitters looking silly with his deadly fastball and curveball combo as Citizen’s Bank Park will be never be louder tonight from start to finish. 

Final: LA 1   PHI 6
Player of the Game: Jimmy Rollins – 3 for 4, HR, 3 RS, 2 RBI, Double, Single, 2 SBs