Tagged: Phillies
11/4 MLB Tonight – The Leiter Side
We’ve got Game 6 in a few hours, and the key has got to be Andy Pettitte. His success will predicate on his ability to get ahead, and get easy outs on the Phillies hitters.
Cruising early will build his confidence up, while knocking down the Phillies confidence. He’s always been a pitcher who can identify and exploit a hitter’s weakness on the mound, using his slider, cutter, and curve arsenal. Not being at full strength, he’ll need his command of those pitches to be on point.
By attacking the cold hitters, and making good pitches to the hot hitters, he’ll be able to get through the early innings quickly, and stay sharp. On only three days rest, getting off to a good start is essential to his success.
But, if he gets behind the eight ball and has to labor early, it’s going to be trouble. It’s so vital to his success because he needs to be confident out on the mound. With the Phillies facing elimination, every inning he shuts them down will put more and more pressure on the hitters, especially those who are already pressing.
So it’s down to this, Pettitte and Pedro, Game 6, Yankee Stadium.
Our stage is set; is today going to be the last day of summer, or will we travel to one of the greatest destinations in sports, World Series, Game 7, Yankee Stadium? – Al Leiter
11/3 MLB Tonight – The Left Wing
The Phillies have had bullpen issues all season long, so it’s no surprise that going into Game 6, it’s still a danger zone.
Both pitching staffs are thin, but the Yankees have a clear advantage with Marte, Joba, and Rivera closing out games. For the Phillies, it’s not as easy as 1-2-3; it’s more like who in the pen can hold a 1, 2, or 3-run lead.
Going into Game 6, having the messy Phillies pen facing a confident comeback team like the Yankees is a bad situation. But this is nothing new, and the Phillies have made it this far without a lock-down closer to finish off wins.
Charlie Manuel was confident in Brad Lidge before his Game 4 meltdown, and now it seems like Ryan Madson is the guy to step in and put out the fires. We saw last night when Lee ran out of gas who can be relied on. Chan Ho Park did what he had to do, and Madson got the Phillies to a Game 6.
Cliff Lee has been more than what the Phillies hoped for when they traded for him. His consistency has boosted the Phillies entire pitching staff this season.
For the Phillies to get to Game 7, they will have to win around their bullpen. I’m confident in Pedro rising to the big occasion in this tough spot. The Phillies need him to pitch well into the 7th to stay away from the mess in their bullpen. Facing Andy Pettitte on 3-days rest, the Phillies offense should be able to generate a nice cushion for the bullpen to hold in the late innings.
If the offense can provide a safe lead, let’s say 3 runs or more, they can avoid the dreaded situation of having to close out a close game with the back end of that bullpen. -Dan Plesac
10/28 MLB Tonight – Reviewing Instant Replay
This has been on my mind all postseason, and now it’s time to let it out. There is a desperate need for Instant Replay in baseball.
Look at that play in the Bottom 5th with Jimmy Rollins. He caught Cano’s jam shot, and got the double play by doubling off Matsui who didn’t know what hit him. It was a great intelligent play by Rollins that could have been erased by bad umpiring.
Just in this postseason alone, there have been a ton of plays where the umpires have made egregious errors. At home we can see them, all the fans at the game can see them, the players even turn to look at the replays on the Jumbotrons; everyone on the planet but these umpires sees the play and knows what the call should be.
In the ALCS you had two Yankees clearly tagged out at 3rd, Posada and Cano, who was on some other planet, but the umpire missed it. Then two plays with Swisher, the pick off at 2nd and the tag up at 3rd, more missed calls. All it took was a pair of eyes watching the right spot at the right time, which is the essence of umpiring.
We need Instant Replay.
Having one more umpire up in a booth, in front of a T.V. watching the game is the solution. Every MLB game is televised, so it’s just a matter of breaking out of this Stone Age way of thinking that the game isn’t pure unless human error is involved.
Having play go on when there is a clear and obvious error is a stain on the credibility of the umpires, which is a shame. These umpires are great umpires, but their job is extremely tough to do, no matter how many umpires are on the field.
Looking to the other professional sports, the NFL, NBA, NCAA, and NHL all use video replay to get the calls right.
Just using it for the HR calls is a joke, a tease. The number of times they review HR is minuscule compared to the number of calls that are wrong.
This postseason has been defined by missed calls. Do we really need to hear from umpires after the game that all they do is go out there and try to do their best?
I say leave the human element in baseball to the players, and let’s get the calls right. Put an extra umpire in the booth. With an umpire already in the booth, all they will need to do is signal the booth, and a few moments later, the right call will be made.
In the time it takes for the crew of umpires to huddle up, discuss, argue, ponder, and come to a decision, the right call can be made, and the game goes on.
If you want to cut down on delays, limit the number of times a catcher can go to the mound. It seemed like Jose Molina was going out to the mound talking to A.J. Burnett before every pitch in key moments. It was ridiculous.
If the players can have endless time-outs, why can’t the umpires have one?
I can go on and on with more examples, and I know you purists out there have many questions about my theories for improving the game, but hey, we’ve got a game out there in the rain. I’m going to watch the rest of Game 1.
Tune in to our post-game coverage following every World Series game, and don’t forget for two hours leading up to every World Series game is a special edition of MLB Tonight.
-Greg Amsinger
10/27 MLB Tonight – World Series Preview
How difficult is it to get into the World Series, win, and then repeat? Looking back to the Yankees Dynasty of the late 90’s, there was some luck conspiring in their favor to accomplish that feat.
In Game 1 of the ’98 World Series, the Padres had a 3-run lead and what seemed to be an inning ending strike 3 call on Tino Martinez in the 7th. If the call went the Padres way, the outcome of the series could have been quite different. The Padres were the kind of team people seemed to rally behind because of their play, and because of a few of my favorite players, Tony Gwynn, Kevin Brown and Trevor Hoffman. That call would have been a big step to securing their confidence, and securing a win.
But that 2-2 pitch from Mark Langston was called low, and the next pitch was a grand slam into the seats, which changed the series and the course of baseball history.
This was the first hint of that Yankee karma which dominated the baseball world. Looking back we can focus on that moment as a launch pad for the Yankees Dynasty of the late ’90’s.
The Phillies seem to have nothing conspiring in their favor over the last few seasons. It’s hard to look at one moment that changed the luck of the Phillies success because the team has just been awesome. The sustaining drive pushing the Phillies success has been a result of players’ heroics. If you look at their run to the World Series, it makes sense. They took care of the NL East, beat up on the Rockies, beat up on the Dodgers, and now will face the best of the AL. There is no doubt that the Phillies are the best team in the National League.
The ’09 Yankees made it out of a tough AL, but there were some key moments that brought them to the World Series. First there was the blown call in Game 2 of the NLDS. Joe Mauer’s 11th inning drive into the LF corner was called foul, but clearly fair. This swung the game and the series because instead of scoring a go-ahead run, Teixeira’s sinking liner into the LF seats ended up sinking the Twins.
Then there was A-Rod’s game tying HR off Brian Fuentes in Game 2 of the ALCS. He got a fat 2-strike pitch and it just sneaked over the RF fence.
Robinson Cano was either in or out of position, depending on how you look at it, but took care of a grounder up the middle to an Angels rally in Game 6.
These breaks helped launch the Yankee Dynasty in the late 90’s, showing how powerful that Yankee Karma can be carrying an already good team.
In saying all this, Cliff Lee has been the best pitcher this postseason. Sorry A-Rod, but Ryan Howard has been the scariest hitter this post-season. The Phillies have a dynamic lineup, and wildcard going in Game 2 (I can’t wait for Pedro in the Bronx). With all the karma being tossed around, the Phillies will win the World Series, a repeat, and the start of a new dynasty. -Matt Vasgersian
10/22 MLB Tonight – Thing’s Things
Just like I expected, the Phillies took care of the Dodgers, and are on their way to another World Series.
The Dodgers didn’t have enough starting pitching, their bullpen couldn’t clean up the mess, and it’s goodbye to the Dodgers.
Phillies hitters just pounded the ball, and pounded their way into the Fall Classic.
The Yankees are on their way to meeting up with the Phillies, although it looks like they’re going to have to settle it back in Yankee Stadium.
A-Rod and CC have been unbelievable this October. They put the Yankees on their shoulders and carried them through the best of the AL.
As hot as A-Rod is.
As hot as CC is.
The Angels can’t overcome that, it’s too lethal a combination.
Phillies and Yankees in the series, it’s going to be a battle of two monster teams.
– Mitch Williams
10/16 Path To The Pennant – The Left Wing
This is a huge game for the Dodgers who can’t leave home 0-2, going into Philly. Last night Kershaw got off to a great start, but fell apart in the 5th. The Phillies bullpen bent, but didn’t break, and now the Dodgers are in a must win situation.
The Pedro and Padilla match-up is an interesting one. Pedro hasn’t thrown in a while, but gets better the bigger the situation. With the game one win, they are playing with house money, and after a 2 quick innings, Pedro is looking sharp.
With Padilla, you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. I played with him in Arizona and Philadelphia, so I’ve seen his stuff first hand, and it can be tremendous. It’s just a matter of which Padilla is going to show up today. After 2, he is throwing hard, and looking tough.
Going into this series I thought the Dodgers had an advantage, but after sitting down and really watching the game last night, it’s going to be tough for any team to knock off the Phillies. The Dodgers bullpen is superior, but the Phillies have better starters, and a better group of position players. They are a battle tested team, playing with hunger and confidence.
Looks like the Dodgers have their hands full. – Dan Plesac
10/15 MLB Tonight – NLCS Preview
I love these match-ups that have some meat on the bone. There’s a lot of history woven between these Phillies and Dodgers teams about to duke it out, but it’s not all recent. It goes back to consecutive playoff meetings in the 70’s, when the Dodgers got the better of those Phillies.
But what’s really cool about this NLCS match-up, is all the former Dodgers who are now Phillies and vice-versa. Shane Victorino was original Dodger property, picked up in the Rule 5 Draft by the Phillies. Jayson Werth spent 2 beat up, injury-plagued years in L.A. They gave up on him, and now he has turned into a terrific player for the Phillies.
In our game 2 match-up, Pedro and Padilla are another example of players flip-flopping. It’s easy to drift back to seeing Pedro as the unknown flame-throwing brother of Ramon, and the Padilla Flotilla in full force out in the stands of Veterans Stadium.
Some of the coaches who have switched sides have had huge impacts on their team’s success. Davey Lopes was vital to the Dodgers’ success in the 70’s, leading the league in stolen bases twice. Now, his journey through baseball has taken him to the Phillies, where he has really helped their powerful base-running game evolve. He’s shared the intuition and discipline which defined him as a player with the Phillies, and they have really taken off with it.
On the Dodgers, Larry Bowa is not a warm and fuzzy man, but that attitude has brought him success as a player, manager, and now a coach. Like Davey, he’s the textbook, old-school coach, who knows how to get the most out of his players. His influence is most evident in Matt Kemp, who has always been gifted with exceptional athletic ability but limited baseball knowledge. Bowa’s teachings have rubbed off on him and now we see what kind of baseball skills he’s able to possess.
I hope the series goes 7 games, and I don’t have any predictions for who will come out on top, but I do predict that this series will be more about the role players than the superstars who have dominated in the past.
For the Dodgers, we are seeing a young class of players emerging into top-of the-line players. It’s no longer the “Manny Ramirez Show,” staring a superhuman, dreadlocked, goofball, waving a magic RBI bat. Since the All-Star break, he’s been just a guy, not the superhero character people have made him out to be. That magic has now jumped to Kershaw, Kemp, Ethier, and Broxton, who now carry this Dodgers team. Manny’s not going to be the same factor and the Dodgers are stronger because they have a better supporting cast behind him.
For the Phillies, we know what their stars bring to the table, but guys like Happ, Ruiz, and Werth are going to be the key to the Phillies’ success. They need those supporting players to give them a lift into another World Series. – Matt Vasgersian
10/14 MLB Tonight – Thing’s Things
On the eve of the Championship Series, I’m going to throw my predictions out there.
The Yankees need to keep the top of the Angles order off the bases, or guys like Figgins, Abreu, and Hunter will steal them blind. This is the key to the series because it will affect how the hitters hit, and how the pitchers pitch. Speed will prevail, and I’m taking the Angels in 6 games.
For the Phillies to be successful, Cole Hamels needs to show he’s a semblance of the guy he was last October. Brad Lidge has his confidence back, and that’s going to be huge for him going forward. The mashers on offense are always there, and I’m taking the Phillies, also in 6 games.
For all the players out there still competing, it’s no secret that they’re tired. All the arms out there are basically running on adrenaline, so pitchers really need to make the best pitches they can with what they have left. – Mitch Williams
10/12 MLB Tonight – The Mayor’s Office
Tonight after the Rockies and Phillies game, we’re going to have a lot to talk about.
I want to see how Cliff Lee is going to pitch tonight in his first start in Coors Field. What’s his game plan going to be? Will he have the same movement on his pitches? How will he react to the cold conditions? The key for him tonight might just be the adjustments he makes if his stuff isn’t as sharp in the thin Denver air.
Having played at Coors Field, I can tell you it’s is a great place to hit. The ball comes clearly out of the backdrop and the outfield is a big spacious place to drop a base hit into. But tonight, the cold will be on the hitters’ minds. With Ubaldo throwing in the upper 90’s, and Cliff spotting his fastball, it’s going to be difficult for the hitters to square the ball up. I mean, you take one on the hands and you’ll have a constant reminder to make sure to square the ball up the next time because your thumbs will be ringing the rest of the game.
For the Rockies I’m looking at their line-up adjustments. Can Carlos Gonzalez stay on his hot-hitting tear, and will Dexter Fowler moving up in the line-up make an impact? They have been on base 3 times already; let’s see if they can keep it up. Also let’s see what Seth Smith can add to the offense.
After being in the booth for a lot of Red Sox games this season I must say the sweep really shocked me. I have to question Terry Francona’s decision to intentionally walk Torii Hunter to load the bases in the 9th to bring up Vladimir Guerrero. But after playing for Tito, I know how big he is on match-ups and Torii Hunter hits well against Papelbon.
Even though Vlad has not had success in the playoffs, he is one of the greatest players of our generation. In that situation, Jonathan Papelbon needed strikes and had to come right at Vlad, but that’s just playing right into his hands. You can’t just reach back and throw fastballs to a free swinging, first-ball fastball hitter as dangerous as Vlad. Pap needed to get strike one but that pitch to Vlad ended up being his last of the season.
Thanks for joining me in the Mayor’s Office. – Sean Casey
9/25 MLB Tonight – Thing’s Things
Tonight at 11, we’ve got the playoff races flowing on tap.
Only one interesting playoff race is going on right now, and it’s in the AL Central. The showdown between the Tigers and Twins is going to be a fight to the finish.
I mean for me, what makes baseball exciting is that after the long season it comes down to four games to determine it all.
One team’s going home.
One team’s going to the playoffs.
Who’s it gonna be??
In the NL, it’s plain and simple; the bullpen that pitches the best is going to carry their team in the playoffs.
To me, the Dodgers have the potential to make it to the series because they have the best bullpen. With Jonathan Broxton, George Sherrill, and Ramon Troncoso firing on all cylinders they could be taking the Dodgers for a long ride in October.
And if we’re talking about bullpens, we should probably talk about the Phillies. It’s simple, if they don’t get Scott Eyre and J.C. Romero back, it’s trouble.
If Brad Lidge can’t get his game straightened out, more trouble.
Add the playoffs and that’s a whole heap of trouble. The offense is going to have to score a ton of runs with that bullpen. – Mitch Williams
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