Phillies re-sign Moyer, add RHP Park

The Phils re-signed left-hander Jamie Moyer to a two-year deal Monday.

The Phillies have also added right-hander Chan Ho Park, who signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

Moyer allowed three runs or fewer in 14 straight starts, from June 6-August 21, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat since 1967. Leading the team in wins, he surpassed 30 starts for the eighth straight season.  Terms of Moyer’s deal were not disclosed.

World Series Game 3 Preview

8:00 PM ET from Citizens Bank Park

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Outcome: With the World Series coming back to Philly for the first time in almost 15 years the Phils look to feed off the energy of a raucous Citizens Bank Park.  Jamie Moyer takes the hill for the Phils tonight as the Game 3 starter. Moyer has had some rough outings in this postseason but look for him to rebound tonight, and heres why.  He has never pitched three terrible games in a row, hes a savvy vet, was unfortunate in Milwaukee and LA with some fielding blunders as well as a few minor mistakes.

Matt Garza will get the nod for the Rays; Garza was named ALCS MVP and has been pitching very well of late.  One can only hope that the left handed bats of the Phils hit Garza early and often.

I look for our skippers true genius to finally shine through.  With the series now back in the NL park, Charlie will get to work his magic with pinch hitters, relief pitching and double switches.  I used to question his tactics a few years back, but he has proven time and time again to have mastered his moves and matchups.  Look for Charlie Manuel to put this team on his back and coach them to a great victory in this great city of brotherly love.

GO PHILS!

Final: TB 5   PHI 6
COACH of the Game: Charlie Manuel – 4 pitching changes, 3 pinch hitters, 1 double switch

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: The World Series moves to the 215 as the Phils and Rays Game 3 is tonight in the Illadelph.  Phils fans are a little on edge after watching the Phils struggle to drive in runners in scoring position compounded with ageless Jamie Moyer getting the start tonight after struggling in this post season.

The Phillies bats will need to come alive tonight to help support Moyer early.  The Phils have to hope to get this game to the bullpens early knocking Matt Garza out as early as possible and give Moyer as much room for error as they can.

If the Phils jump out early look for the crowd to carry Moyer and the bats, and for the Phils to take Game 3 tonight and the series lead.

Final: TB 3   PHI 6
Player of the Game: Pat Burrell – 2 for 4, HR, 2 RBIs

The Starting Rotations

World Series Pitching Matchups

Game 1: Cole Hamels (PHI) vs Scott Kazmir (TB)
Game 2: Brett Myers (PHI) vs James Shields (TB)
Game 3: Matt Garza (TB) vs Jamie Moyer (PHI)
Game 4: Andy Sonnanstine (TB) vs Joe Blanton (PHI)

NLCS Game 4 Preview

8:22 PM ET from Dodger Stadium at Chavez Ravine

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Outcome: To be honest, Blanton scares me, but I cant decipher if its more or less then Jamie Moyer.  I knew deep down Moyer would be throwing meatballs across the plate and that’s what scares me about Blanton.  He sucked during the regular season after we acquired him (Eaton-esque) and his only really good game came in the NLCS.  PLEASE FOR LOVE OF GOD continue to pitch well Joey.  I think the Phils are revving to go on all cylinders after last night’s small tussle in the infield after the Kuroda/Victorino incident.  God I would of loved Vic to JACK UP Hiroki.

Anyway look for the Phils to have Lowe’s number after facing him in Game 1 and to be hot in the batters box and flying around the base paths.  I also see the Dodgers getting to Blanton a bit and the scoring to be high and often.  Maybe Ryan Howard will actually do something with the bat tonight as well.  Phils win, Phils win.

Final: PHI 7   LA 4
Player of the Game: Jimmy Rollins – 3 for 4, 3 Rs, 2 SBs, 1 RBI

T0bias Funke-

Outcome: After the intensity level was kicked up a few notches last night, we turn right around and get back on the field tonight for Game 4.  Joe Blanton gets the nod against Dodger ace Derek Lowe coming back on 3 days rest.

Lowe baffled the Phils hitters minus one inning in game 1, but that inning was all Phils needed as Lowe was pinned with the loss.  Look for the Phils bats to be a little more successful this time around, as a shoot-out will break out tonight.

Look for the scoreboard to start firing up in the middle to late innings as the 2 pitchers will come out throwing strikes trying not to fire up things like last night, for fear of ejections and suspensions, and then try to challenge the hitters the second time around, unsuccessfully. The Phils pen will out-duel the Dodgers and send the Phillies to a 3-1 series lead on a 10-7 Phillies victory.

Final: PHI 10   LA 7
Player of the Game: Jayson Werth – 4 for 6, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs

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.

Phils Split Sunday Doubleheader with Mets

Jamie Moyer shut down the Mets only allowing two hits over seven innings and Greg Dobbs hit a three-run homer off Pedro Martinez, helping the Phil cut the NL East margin to one game with a 6-2 victory in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Sunday.

Carlos Delgado hit two long homers and drove in four runs, backing a huge win by Santana as New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-3 on Sunday night for the doubleheader split.

The NL East leading Mets salvaged the finale of the three-game series, giving them a two-game lead over the second place Phils.

I think we still all remember last September, when the Mets blew a seven-game cushion with 17 to play and lost the division crown to the Phillies. Plenty of time fellas, plenty of time.

Spring Training Gets Under Way

Aaaaah as we sit here in the middle of a winter in the Northeast, we can all warm up a little bit by thinking about how our Philadelphia Phillies start the defense of their 2007 NL East Division Title, as pitchers and catchers reported yesterday.

There is not much at stake this spring training for the Philadelphia Phillies, only a couple of middle relief decisions, maybe a # 5 starter spot up for grabs. This spring training is more about working the kinks out, staying healthy, and gazing at the trimmer, 20 pound in the pants lighter, Charlie Manager.

The Phillies top 4 starters are set; Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, Kyle Kendrick, and ageless Jamie Moyer are in the rotation. The # 5 spot seems to be Adam Eaton’s to lose, which we all know he is very capable of doing. He will be one of the few guys to really take stock in his spring performance as last years rookie call up, JD Durbin, has been “told” he is still in contention for a starting spot. Barring a complete melt down (again) from Mr. Eaton, he should be the number 5 starter to begin the ’08 season.  With the newly acquired Kris Benson waiting in the wings in Triple A, hopefully Eaton gets his act together and earns his paycheck this year.

As for the bullpen, it will be nice to see newly acquired closer Brad Lidge impress during spring training. It’ll also be interesting to see how Tom Gordon comes back from an injury riddled 2007, and see if he can once again become the dominate set up man he was for Mariano Rivera. The bullpen consisting of; Ryan Madsen, JC Romero, JD Durbin, Matt Smith, and Scott Mathieson, will soon fill out, and we will get to find out what we are working with this year. With 4, probably 5 spots open out of those Madsen and Romero are locks, with Smith and Mathieson all but anchored in. Look for Durbin to start season in AAA, being the first call up due to injury by either a starter or reliever.

The line-up is set with maybe the only battle being in right field.  Will it become a straight up platoon with newly acquired Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth based on pitching match ups, or will one player be able to rise above and set themselves apart as needing to be the everyday starter? Other then that, everyone will be looking to get their timing down, getting in shape and staying healthy for opening day.