Drabek Shut Down

Phillies top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek was placed on the inactive list yesterday. He isn't hurt but reached his innings max, throwing 158 innings this year in Double A Reading and Single A Clearwater. He was also 12-3 with a 3.19 ERA for both teams combined. He is not scheduled to pitch in either the Arizona Fall League or the Florida Instructional League either.

This is smart because he is recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2007. They don't want to risk hurting him. He will see his time next year with Reading and hopefully Lehigh. If he develops well enough, he may see time on the Phillies 40-man roster late next season.

Phillies Gain Ground

The Phightin's came up with a huge series win on Atlanta tonight, expanding their division lead to eight games on both the Braves and Fish. This series showed how human Cliff Lee can be and how effective Pedro Martinez and Jamie Moyer are in the same game. This gives the Phillies more depth in the bull pen as the "two old goats" could see time there in the playoffs.

Friday - Phillies won 4-2: Ryan Howard had two homers and drove in all four runs. It was another rain delayed game so the Pedro-Moyer connections pitched 6.1 innings allowing a run on five hits and striking out six. Moyer earned the win and Brad Lidge notched his 26th save.

Saturday - Braves won 9-1: Lee came back down to earth as he got rocked by Atlanta for six runs on three long balls. He lasted five innings, striking out five. Chase Utley hit a homer in the first and that was it for the scoring.

Sunday - Phillies won 3-2: Big Joe Blanton got some run support in the seventh off of Carlos Ruiz's two run double. Blanton tossed seven innings, allowing a run on three hits and four walks, striking out seven. Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3- ninth for his 27th save.

Series MVP's:

Ryan Howard: 6-11, 2 R, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI

Chase Utley: 5-12, 3 R, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Brad Lidge: 2 IP, 2 K, 2 Saves (this is impressive the way he's played all year)

Next Series: San Francisco Giants (72-59, 28-38) @ Philadelphia Phillies (75-53, 34-30 at home)

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: SF: Sanchez, J (6-10, 4.27), PHI: Hamels (7-8, 4.52)

Wednesday: SF: Lincecum (13-4, 2.33), PHI: Happ (10-3, 2.63)

Thursday: SF: Zito (9-11, 3.94), PHI: Martinez, P (2-0, 4.50)

Key Game: Wednesday's game is going to feature NL Rookie of the Year candidate JA Happ versus last year's NL Cy Young winner and candidate for this year, Tim Lincecum. Both pitchers have been tops on their teams and are in the top five in ERA in the NL. Lincecum pitched eight scoreless as the Giants shut out the Phillies on August 1. Happ hasn't face San Fran this year.

The Giants lead the series 3-1 after dominance in their own park. Well the Giants aren't that hot on the road and the Phillies have been good in their own park as of late. This should be a very interesting series as the Giants are in a heated Wild Card race with the Rockies.

The Giants are not an offensive powerhouse like the Phillies. They're ninth in the NL in average and 13th in runs scored. They are also 16th in homers. The Phillies are first in runs scored and homers and 11th in average. Pitching is the other way around as the Giants are second in ERA while the Phillies are eighth.

The Phillies are very capable of winning this series as they only have to face Lincecum and not Matt Cain as well. If the bats can wake up a bit, they should be able to win this series to keep pace in the NL east. Phillies will take two this series.

Just Call Him the Rain Man

Jamie Moyer has found a new home in his long relief role. Yes Chan Ho Park is still the innings guy but Moyer as excelled this year in his two roles post-rain delay. Grampa Jamie is now officially "The Rain Man."

In his two appearances since being demoted to the bull pen, Moyer has gone 10.1 innings and has allowed one run on six hits and no walks, striking out 1o. His first appearance came versus Arizona where he pitched six scoreless innings to complete the game and earning the win. His second came last night versus Atlanta where he again recorded the win. Both times were when Pedro Martinez started.

Moyer has seemed to have embraced his new role after he was publicly displeased with the Phillies decision to put him in the pen. He isn't acting like Jon Lieber, who would pitch like crap about five years ago when he was dumped to the pen. Moyer is a professional and loves the game and sees any opportunity to pitch and help this team as a blessing.

Before Moyer's demotion and Martinez's call up, I figured the Phillies could get 7-8 effective innings if they combined the two pitchers. It doesn't have to be in a rain delay situation. As Martinez starts to fatigue, you can warm up Moyer. If you add in Martinez's stats to Moyer's two appearances, you get these Cliff Lee-like numbers: 15.1 IP, 2 R/ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 14 K in two starts. That's an ERA below 2.00 and a WHIP at around 0.67

Pedro-Moyer is shutting down opponents because of their two different styles of pitching. Martinez throws in the mid to high 80's and uses a slider in the low 80's and a change up that hits around 75. Moyer throws around 81 with a change up around the same speed as Martinez's. This makes their fast balls and Pedro's slider more effective. It also prevents them from wearing down as much, especially because Martinez is 37 and Moyer is 47.

"You never know what you'll get when you put two old goats out there," Martinez said following a 5-1 victory over the D'Backs on August 18. "It's a scary combination. You're not going to see that very often. You might as well enjoy it. I enjoyed it."

Plundered By Pirates

After exploding versus the Mets, the offense basically died down minus a few spurts versus Pittsburgh. Another problem that needs to be corrected before the season ends is the bull pen. Brad Lidge blew another save in the first game and Ryan Madson even followed that up with one the next game, erasing a great start by Cole Hamels.

Tuesday - Pirates won 6-4: After being down 3-2, the Phillies offense exploded to take a 4-3 lead. All Lidge has to do is get three outs, right? Should be an easy task. Not for him as he gave up a hit, an error by Jayson Werth that allowed the tying run to score and then a two-run walk off home run by Andrew McCutchen to end it.

Wednesday - Phillies won 4-1: Hamels went eight shut out innings, allowing seven hits and a pair of walks, striking out seven. Madson came in for the save and gave up a home run. Ryan Howard saved the game with a three run blast. Chase Utley had a homer in the first.

Thursday - Pirates won 3-2: JA Happ pitched a rare complete game loss as he went eight innings. He had the lead all the way until the eighth when he surrendered a two run homer to Garret Jones. He still pitched well, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He also struck out four. Paul Bako hit his second homer of the year.

Next Series: Atlanta Braves (67-60, 32-30 on road) @ Philadelphia Phillies (73-52, 33-29 at home)

Braves lead the series 8-4. The Braves are still seven games back from the Phillies and they know they need to sweep to get back in this. The Phillies are streaky and want to avoid that scenario as much as possible. They will have Cliff Lee on the mound during the series and he has shown no signs of being beatable yet.

On the offensive side, the Braves have a tendency to get guys on base but not get them home. They are third in the NL in batting average but only seventh in runs scored. The Phillies have the opposite problem as they lead the league in scoring. Atlanta is fourth in pitching ERA while the Phillies are improving, moving up to sixth.

The match ups at pitcher favor the Phillies despite the first game. Pedro Martinez has shown some bright spots but he isn't much of a difference than Jamie Moyer. Both teams need to win this series but the Braves need a sweep more, a much more difficult task. Phillies will bounce back to win the series.

Pitching Probables:

Friday: ATL: Hanson (9-2, 3.12), PHI: Martinez, P (2-0, 5.14)

Saturday: ATL: Lowe, D (12-8, 4.48), PHI: Lee, Cl (12-9, 2.63)

Sunday: ATL: Jurrjens (10-8, 2.91), PHI: Blanton (8-6, 3.88)

What To Do With Lidge

If you think Cole Hamels is pitching like crap, just look deep in the bull pen and you will see another 2008 monster leaving you scratching your head. We know what Hamels' problems are and it's the fact that he is lazy and hasn't had to be challenged all year. He'll be fine in October.

Now back to the problem. Brad Lidge has been absolutely terrible. He was Mr. Perfect. He went 41/41 in the season and 7/7 in the playoffs. This year, Lidge has looked more like Billy Wagner of 2008. In 53 appearances and 46.2 innings, Lidge has blown nine saves and boasts an ERA of 7.33 and a WHIP of 1.80.

Last night was just another example of his wheels falling off his bus. After the Phillies fought back to take a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth, Lidge surrenders a hit and an error allows the tying run to score. Then he gets rattled so bad that he gave up a two-run walk-off homer to a rookie who doesn't hit for power.

So what do we do with Lidge? Before you think it, you can not put him in the minors unless he is injured. There is a waivers system and he can get picked up. Now he does have knee problems but he is unwilling to admit that he is hurt.

You also have guys in your system as options. Ryan Madson tried his hand at closing earlier this year and failed at it, blowing a pair of saves and took a while to shake the nerves when Lidge came back. You also have Chan Ho Park, who has been their best reliever but you don't want to move him from his comfortable role as long reliever. Newly demoted Jamie Moyer? Not if you want to see 81 MPH fastballs leave the yard. A healthy Romero? See Park.

So what does that leave us with then? Well with a hungry Brett Myers rehabbing in the minors, he looks to be ready by mid-September. He will most likely bolster the bull pen and I can really see him closing games in the playoffs.

Here is why:
He's in his contract year and if teams see him come back with fire in his belly, they will show interest in him. He could also try to impress the Phillies as with his return next year, they could have the best rotation in baseball. Imagine Cliff Lee, Hamels, Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and Myers in a 5-man rotation.

Another reason why Myers could close is how well he pitched in 2007 as a closer. He went 5-5 with a 2.87 ERA. He saved 21/24 games including the game where the Phillies clinched their first division title and playoff appearance in 14 years.

Myers has the mentality to be an effective closer. He also has the stuff. His fastball is hitting the low-mid 90's and he has a really good curveball, more effective than Lidge's current slider. Move Lidge to a different spot in the pen or DL him for the season while Myers takes the reigns and helps this team repeat. Lidge will only hinder this team in the long run. We love you Lidgey-poo but not this year.

Werth Player of Week

Jayson Werth was recently named the NL Player of the Week for his outstanding play.

Werth led the Majors with five home runs and 29 total bases. He hit .440 (11-for-25) and led the NL with a 1.160 slugging percentage. He also tied for the league lead with nine RBIs while scoring seven runs and collecting three doubles to go along with a .481 on-base percentage.

He will be getting a well deserved day off tonight as the Phillies take on the Pirates. Matt Stairs will play in his place and bat seventh.

New York Invasion

The Phillies and their fans invaded Queens this past weekend, including the Phillies Nation bus trip on Saturday where a fight was shown in their section by Comcast. After dropping the first game thanks to some poor pitching by Cole Hamels, the Phillies bats exploded as they handled the Mets to win three of four games during the series.

Thankfully Hamels has been the worst pitcher of the four who will make up the playoff rotation. He will pick his game back up when he's needed in the clutch. He hasn't been pressured all year due to a lack of competition in the division so I am confident he will be fine come October.

This series saw some great pitching, a lot of errors, a lot of pop from the Phillies line up, and even an unassisted triple play to end Sunday's game by Eric Bruntlett. Pedro Martinez earned a win in his home coming to New York and even tallied a hit.

Friday - Mets won 4-2: Hamels lasted five innings and got the loss as he surrendered four runs on 10 hits. He allowed a home run to Jeff Francoeur, who had a pretty good series versus the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard had two hits apiece for the Phillies.

Saturday - Phillies won 4-1: After Tim Redding dominated the Phillies, he was pulled due to a pitch count. Chase Utley capitalized with a two-run homer that gave the Phillies the lead for good. Brad Lidge earned his 24th save.

Sunday - Phillies won 9-7: This was one crazy game. After the Phillies jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first thanks to three homers by Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz, the Mets answered back. Martinez pitched six solid innings as the Mets stayed in it the whole game. In the bottom of the ninth with a 9-7 score and no outs, Francoeur hit a line drive with runners on first and second to Bruntlett who caught the ball, stepped on second, and tagged out Daniel Murphy for the game ending unassisted triple play. Lidge earned his 25th save.

Monday - Phillies won 6-2: There was no drama in this game but plenty of errors. The Phillies and Mets combined for five errors in the game. Cliff Lee pitched very well despite giving up two runs, none earned. He went seven innings and allowed six hits and struck out five.

Series MVP's:
Ryan Howard: 5-19, 4 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Chase Utley: 5-12, 4 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Eric Bruntlett: 4-9, R, unassisted triple play

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (72-50, 40-21 on road) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (51-71, 33-28 at home)

Phillies lead series 3-0. This series is almost as predictable as the last. The Pirates will be seeing a Phillies offense that has just caught fire again. If they keep up this tear, this can be a very easy three wins as the Phillies look to expand on their seven and eight game leads on Atlanta and Florida respectively.

The Pirates offense is at a low as it is 12th in average and 13th in runs scored in the NL. The Phillies are 11th in average but climbing while they sit on top of the NL in scoring. As far as pitching, the Phillies ERA has dropped some more as they now sit sixth in the NL while the Pirates are 13th.

This should be another easy series for the Phillies as they find themselves in a race with Los Angeles for the top seed in the NL. Sports Illustrated still thinks the Dodgers are the best team in baseball and the way they Phillies are playing, they are proving them otherwise. I expect a sweep of the Pirates as the Phillies get set to come home versus Atlanta.

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: PHI: Blanton (8-6, 3.86), PIT: Ohlendorf (11-8, 4.15)

Wednesday: PHI: Hamels (7-8, 4.78), PIT: Maholm (7-7, 4.74)

Thursday: PHI: Happ (10-2, 2.59), PIT: Morton (3-6, 5.21)

News 8/24

Dobbs on DL: article

The Phillies had placed Greg Dobbs on the 15-day DL yesterday with a right calf injury. He will be replaced by Miguel Cairo. Cairo is back on the Phillies since being optioned back in May.

I was going to post this yesterday but was busy all day.

Myers to Rehab Today: article

Brett Myers will make his first rehab start today with Lakewood. He was originally scheduled to pitch yesterday but the game was rained out. He made one appearance with Clearwater, striking out the side and allowing two hits.

Turning Three

Eric Bruntlett's unassisted triple play was something to witness. After being robbed of a base hit in the eighth by Jeff Francoeur, Bruntlett returned the favor, snaring Francoeur's no-out line drive up the middle, stepping on second, and tagging Daniel Murphy for the unassisted triple play to win the game for the Phillies.

It has been that kind of year for the Mets as that was the third time this year they lost on the last play. The other two times were a throwing error that allowed a run to score early in the season and a dropped pop-up by Louis Castillo versus the Yankees that allowed the tying and winning run to cross the plate.

How special was Bruntlett's turn? It is just the 14th unassisted triple play in the regular season in baseball history. It is just the second unassisted triple play to end a game as the only other time happened in 1927. The last Phillie to repeat such a feat was Micky Morandini in 1992.

From Todd Zolecki's article on MLB.com:

"It's hard to know how to react to it," Bruntlett said. "I was almost laughing. That doesn't happen. What do you do there? Game is over. High fives."

Thank God For Pitch Counts

The Mets thankfully had Tim Redding on a pitch count or else the Phillies probably would have never had that sixth inning. The Mets took Redding out after five innings of one-hit shut out ball. They bring in Pat Misch who give walked Shane Victorino and then gave up a homer to Chase Utley. That right field short-porch in Citi Field has become Utley's Alley as he has killed the Mets there all year.

The Phillies tacked on another run in that inning with back-to-back doubles by Raul Ibanez and Pedro Feliz and then got another off of Carlos Ruiz's RBI single in the eighth to make a final score of 4-1.

JA Happ earned the win, going seven innings and allowing one run on eight hits and two walks. He got himself in and out of trouble as game as he stranded seven runners. Brad Lidge pitched a 1-2-3 ninth with two strike outs to earn his 24th save.

Oh the wedding was nice by the way but I wound up watching the entire game inside where it was air conditioned.

No Updates Until Sunday

I'll be trapped in Harrisburg, PA at a wedding. I hate weddings. I won't be updating and barely tweeting for the next 24-32 hours so enjoy watching the Phillies... I hope. I'm leaving in a half hour.

By the way, Cole Hamels sucks.

Myers Pitches

Brett Myers made his first rehab appearance on Thursday with Class A Clearwater, pitching one inning and allowed two singles and struck out the side. This was his first pitching appearance since he pitched with the Phillies back on May 27. He was scheduled to pitch last Sunday but was scratched due to an odd span of injuries.

Here are the two articles related to the injuries:
http://team2beat.blogspot.com/2009/08/myers-falls-on-face.html
http://team2beat.blogspot.com/2009/08/myers-police-say-he-wasnt-in-fight.html

Bringing the Broom Sticks and Boom Sticks

The Phillies did a little cleaning as the swept the Diamondbacks to continue their tear and keep a hold of the NL East lead. The Phillies starting pitching continued to mow down opponents and the bats have awoken from their sleep. Phillies pitchers did not surrender a walk all series and also had six hits, two apiece for Jamie Moyer, Cliff Lee, and Joe Blanton.

Tuesday - Phillies won 5-1: Pedro Martinez got the start and pitched three good innings and then the clouds opened up. Moyer got the ball and pitched six scoreless, allowing only two walks. "You never know what you'll get when you put two old goats out there," said Martinez.

Wednesday - Phillies won 8-1: Lee pitched a complete game, allowing two hits and an unearned run and struck out 11. Jayson Werth hit two homers and Ryan Howard and Chase Utley each hit a long ball.

Thursday - Phillies won 12-3: Blanton pitched another quality start as he went eight innings, allowing three runs on 10 hits. He struck out four. Howard, Werth, and Carlos Ruiz all went deep.

Series MVP's:

Cliff Lee - CG, R, 0 ER, 2 H, 11 K's; Batting: 2-4, run scored

Jayson Werth - 7-12, 6 R, 2B, 4 HR, 6 RBI

Jamie Moyer - 6 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 5 K's; Batting: 2-3

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (69-49; 37-20 on road) @ New York Mets (56-65; 33-29 at home)

Meet the lowly Mets. The Phillies lead the series 6-4 and should be able to really take control after this four-game series. The Phillies have won eight of their last nine as well. The Mets are continuing on their downward spiral as they sit 14.5 games behind the Phillies.

If you look at the Mets line up, you will scratch your head at the names in it. No David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran, or Carlos Delgado. They will also get to miss Johan Santana as he pitched Thursday, earning a quality start but a loss thanks to no offense.

The Phillies are first in the NL in runs scored while in 11th in team batting average. The Mets are actually second in NL batting average but are 11th in scoring. The Phillies are climbing in pitching, sitting eighth in ERA while the Mets are 11th.

This should be a cake series for the Phillies. They will win atleast three of four or possible sweep. Winning this series will give them a lot of room to work with while the Marlins and Braves struggle to keep up.

Pitching Probables:

Friday: PHI: Hamels (7-7, 4.69), NYM: Pelfrey (8-8, 4.75)

Saturday: PHI: Happ (9-2, 2.66), NYM: Redding (1-4, 6.53)

Sunday: PHI: Martinez, P (1-0, 4.50), NYM: Perez, O (3-3, 6.06)

Monday: PHI: Lee, Cl (11-9, 2.72), NYM: Parnell (3-5, 4.74)

The Incredible Cliff Lee

I knew the Cliff Lee trade was a brilliant move but I wasn't fully impressed yet. Sure he tore it up his first three games and I got to see it on TV but my perception changed last night.

I went to the Phillies game last night, my eighth of the season, and I was lucky enough to see Lee pitch live. That changed everything. He worked fast, efficient, and got the job done as the Phillies won 8-1 over Arizona. The game was over in two and a half hours. He had a perfect game through three and lost the no-hitter in the sixth with one out to a pinch hitter. He only allowed one more hit after that as he struck out 11 batters, giving up one run and two hits to earn his fourth win as a Phillie.

He does something else that you would expect from an ace: get the crowd behind him. My heart was pounding watching him pitch. I was on the edge of my seat with every strike. After he gave up that first hit, the place stood up and applauded. It was crazy. The crowd was basically telling him "Okay, that was pretty cool. Now go after these guys and finish the job."

He has been scary his four starts as a Phillie. He's 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA. He has allowed only 18 hits and six walks in 33 innings and has struck out 34. His opponents batting average is .161. If anyone is still crying that the Phillies didn't trade for Roy Halladay, you're a lost cause.

From Todd Zolecki's article:

"He's a for-real ace," Werth said. "He's that type of guy. He's a shutdown guy. He can go out and control a game. Look what he's done since he's been here. That's pretty remarkable. But that's the kind of stuff he brings to table. You can't expect a guy to do that every time out, but so far, the stuff he's offering is definitely different than what guys are used to seeing. At least it looks that way to me. You get a run on the board for a guy like that, you're in pretty good shape."

This guy is the reason the Phillies can repeat. He has picked up tremendously for the slack of Cole Hamels. If Hamels figures himself out and you throw in Joe Blanton and JA Happ's success to make a four-man playoff rotation, there is no reason at all to say the Phillies won't repeat as World Champions.

Myers, Police Say He Wasn't In Fight

Brett Myers strongly denies he injured his eye during an argument and fight that took place in an Irish Pub in his home town. He hurt his eye when he slipped out of his truck. Police confirmed that he was not involved in the altercations as well.

"I was in no way involved with pushing or shoving or yelling at anybody," Myers told MLB.com. "People are saying it was me, and it really wasn't. I'm tired of people saying things about me that aren't true."

This is all in relation to the story I posted the other day.

Twitter

I have my own Twitter account that I used to post on a bit but I got tired of posting personal thoughts on everything. I decided since I mainly use Twitter to follow Todd Zolecki, David Murphy, and Phillies Nation, I figured I would make a new account for this site. Follow me on Twitter @TeamToBeat. If you look in the top left hand corner of the page, you'll see my Twitter feed. I'll post thoughts during and after games, short news I hear from other places, and links to the site.

Speaking of Twitter, Zolecki reported the Phillies signed their 7th round pick, RHP Brody Colvin:

Phillies sign RHP Brody Colvin, a 7th round pick. He had committed to LSU. Phils sign each pick in the top 10 rounds.

Pitching, Homers Win Series

I was quieted a bit by the Phillies as I had little faith in them winning this series in Atlanta. They were going into the series 2-7 versus the Braves and wound up winning two. They could have easily had the sweep if Brad Lidge didn't blow his eighth save of the year and the game with his throwing error.

The offense has remained relatively cool but has seen a lot of big flies. Ryan Howard had three homers in the series. Despite the hitting issues, the starting pitching has been phenomenal, including Cole Hamels' recent start.

Friday - Phillies won 3-2: Joe Blanton pitched a great game, allowing two runs, one earned, in seven innings of work. He got support from Chase Utley's two run bomb in the fourth. Howard took Rafael Soriano deep in the top of the ninth and allowed Lidge to record his 22nd save.

Saturday - Braves won 4-3: Fast forward to the ninth. After Hamels pitched six strong innings and a three-man bull pen effort went another scoreless two, Lidge had to get three outs. First batter hits a seeing-eye single and then this is when the wheels fell off. A sacrifice bunt turned into a throwing error by Lidge to score the first guy from first! After loading the bases and getting an out, Omar Infante hit a single between third and short to win the game.

Sunday - Phillies won 4-1: After a rain delay that lasted over 90 minutes, Howard supplied all of the offense with three hits, hitting two homers and driving in four RBI's. JA Happ went 7.2 innings and pitched well despite allowing six walks. Brad Lidge earned his 23rd save, pitching to one batter.

Series MVP's:

Ryan Howard - 4-10, 3 runs, 3 HR, 6 RBI's

JA Happ - 7.2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 6 BB, 3 K

Shane Victorino: 4-11, 3 runs, double, triple, SB

Next Series: Arizona Diamondbacks (54-64, 26-29 on road) @ Philadelphia Phillies (66-49, 29-29 at home)

Phillies lead the series 2-1. Arizona has fallen out of the playoff picture and they are playing for pride now. The Phillies are trying to keep on top of the NL East, where they have been since the end of May.

Arizona hasn't been an offensive power at all this year. They are 12th in the NL in average while the Phillies sit at 11th. Meanwhile in runs scored, the D'Backs are eighth while the Phillies are first.

The pitching match ups don't favor Arizona at all. Pedro Martinez is making his Philly debut Tuesday and will be looking to impress. Cliff Lee and Blanton will follow him up, two of the Phillies' hottest pitchers. The Phillies will win the series.

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: ARI: Garland (6-10, 4.28), PHI: Martinez, P (1-0, 5.40)

Wednesday: ARI: Haren (12-7, 2.50), PHI: Lee, Cl (10-9, 2.86)

Thursday: ARI: Davis, D (7-10, 3.59), PHI: Blanton (7-6, 3.88)

Myers Falls On Face

Brett Myers injured his eye when getting out of his pick up truck Friday night. He had originally told the organization he was having a catch with his 4-year old son, Kolt, and that's how he hurt his eye. He was too embarrassed to admit what really happened.

Due to his injury, he was scratched from his rehab start scheduled today in Clearwater.

Classless Fan Turns Self In

I know what you are all thinking before I talk about this: A Phillies fan upset with a classless act by another team's fan? I'm still pissed at the Phillies fan who shined a laser pointer at a Cardinals player last month.

Anyway, this idiot sitting in the front row in center field threw his beer at Shane Victorino as he was catching a fly ball. The Cubs were trailing 12-2 at the time and scored on the sacrifice fly during the play.

Yesterday, the fan identified as Johnny Macchione, 21, of Bartlett, IL turned himself in to the Chicago Police Dept. He was charged with misdemeanors of battery and illegal conduct in a sports facility.

Johnny? What are you 12? Throwing things at athletes and going by the name of Johnny? Grow a pair, be a man, and accept the fact that your team has been irrelevant in the sports world for over 100 years.

"It was a big mistake. I'd like to apologize to Shane Victorino," Macchione told reporters after bonding out of the Belmont Area Police Headquarters on Thursday night. "It really is nothing against him. It was a mistake, like I said.

"The Chicago Cubs -- I'm sorry I disgraced you, the fans of the Cubs, myself, my family. And that's all. The courts will handle itself."

It's a disgrace to any team's fans when a guy does something like this. I know from personal experience. Take your ball and go home, Johnny. Even the Cubs fans are more disgraced by your act then they would be of their team.

Bouncing Back

The Phillies got swept by the Marlins. So how do they respond? They go to Chicago and beat up the Cubs, sweeping the three-game visit to regain some of the ground lost versus Florida. The Starting pitching was the reason this team made the Cubs look like a team who is starting it's decline in the Wild Card race.

Tuesday - Phillies won 4-3: The Phillies got another quality outing from rookie JA Happ as he gave up a couple runs in six innings of work. Brad Lidge blew his seventh save in the ninth and the Phillies got a solo homer from Ben Francisco in the top of the 12th to put them ahead.

Wednesday - Phillies won 12-3: This was an absolute butt kicking to go on top of Pedro Martinez's solid debut. He went five innings and allowing three runs. He struck out five. The Phillies got home runs from Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins, and Raul Ibanez.

Thursday - Phillies won 6-1: Cliff Lee continued his dominance in his new home, going eight innings and allowing a single run. He struck out eight Ryan Howard hit a three run bomb and Pedro Feliz added a solo shot.

Series MVP's:

Cliff Lee: 8 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 8 K

Shane Victorino: 4-13, 4 R, double, triple, HR, 2 RBI

Pedro Feliz: 5-14, 2 R, HR, 3 RBI

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (64-48, 35-19 on road) @ Atlanta Braves (60-54, 30-25 at home)

The Braves are five games back on the Phillies but have been doing well against them all year. The Phillies are 2-7 versus Atlanta. The Braves have won their last five games and Phillies have won their last three. Both teams are in a bit of a groove even though the Phillies are playing very inconsistent. The Braves definitely have the momentum going into this series.

The Braves have been winning games with their pitching. They are third in the NL in ERA while the Phillies are in ninth. Offense is a different story as the Phillies score a lot of runs, being first in the NL while the Braves are ninth. The Braves' average is fifth while the Phillies are 11th.

I love being the optimist but the Phillies have a few things going against them. Good pitching beats good hitting and the consistent team always wins. The Braves feel they have a chance at the Wild Card and are not going to give up. Braves will win two.

Pitching Probables:

Friday: PHI: Blanton (7-6, 4.02), ATL: Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01)

Saturday: PHI: Hamels (7-7, 4.77), ATL: Kawakami (5-9, 4.12)

Sunday: PHI: Happ (8-2, 2.75), ATL: Vazquez, J (10-7, 2.90)

Moyer "Disheartened" By Move to Pen

Jamie Moyer feels like he was "misled" by Ruben Amaro Jr. when he was informed a few days ago that he would be moved to the bull pen. Here is what Jamie had to said:

I feel a little disheartened," Moyer said. "I feel a little bit like I've been misled. I feel like I've played this game long enough that the respect factor should be there. I'm really not happy with the decision that the Phillies have made."

"Ultimately, I'm a little disheartened because this past winter when I was negotiating with the Phillies, this was a sore thumb, if you will, about this potentially happening," Moyer said. "You can't promise anything in this game, but I really felt [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.] parlayed to me that this type of situation would not happen. Actually, I even had some discussion with [team president] David [Montgomery] with them reassuring me that this type of situation wouldn't happen."

Even though Moyer was disappointed, hearing him say this was real comforting, knowing he isn't going to pout or pull a Jon Leiber:

"We're in first place," Moyer said. "I probably feel like I haven't contributed as well as I could have, but I think if you go around to the other 24 players on our club, they would probably say the same type of thing.

"Whether I like it or not, this is the situation I'm in. I will deal with it. I will deal with it in a respectful way. I'll be respectful to my teammates. I do not want to be a distraction and I refuse to be a distraction. It's about the 25 players that are here. We all have to pick each other up. We all have to support each other. We all have to be professional about what we do.

"This is a job that sometimes you're in situations that you like or dislike and you have to deal with it. That's why for me dealing with this like a man and taking whatever they choose to do. I'm an employee here, but I don't always have to like the situation that I'm in. And that's OK. Life goes on."

In other news, Pedro Martinez will be set to make his season debut tonight versus the Cubs at 8:05 ET on ESPN/CSN. He will be facing former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardija, who is making a spot start.

Pedro to Debut Wednesday; Moyer to Bull Pen

Hallelujah!

Pedro Martinez will make his 2009 debut with the Phillies on Wednesday. To make room for him in the rotation, Jamie Moyer was informed that he will be put in the bull pen. Chad Durbin was also re-activated and Rodrigo Lopez was sent to AAA Lehigh in his place. A roster move to accommodate Martinez will be announced prior to Wednesday's game.

Moyer has been terrible all year and the Phillies will try his hand in the pen. He will most likely take the lefty long reliever role as Chan Ho Park will be the righty. It's unknown on how effective he will be but Charlie Manuel feels he will still be a key player for the Phillies.

"Based on our reports on how Pedro has pitched in his rehab starts, we felt it was time to move him into our rotation," Manuel said. "Jamie was a total professional and team player when we let him know of the decision to move him to the bullpen. He has been, and will continue to be, a very important part of this team."

The move was highly anticipated by a lot of fans who were getting tired of Moyer's struggles. Martinez went 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA in three minor league starts. Moyer has been terrible all year, going 10-9 with a 5.47 ERA.

The Cubs will also pitch Jeff Samardzija in a spot start Wednesday versus Martinez. The game will be on ESPN at 8:05 ET. He's pitching in place of Ted Lilly.

Pitching Probables for the Cubs series:
Tuesday: Happ (8-2, 2.74) vs Harden (7-7, 4.41)
Wednesday: Martinez (0-0, - -) vs Samardzija (1-1, 6.29)
Thursday: Lee (9-9, 2.95) vs Dempster (6-5, 4.04)

Marlins Sweep Phillies

I am extremely frustrated at watching this Phillies team play as of late. Three rants to be had on this team after watching their performance versus Florida (or lack there of).

Cole Hamels is a sissy:

If there is anyone out their that has no heart, it's Cole Hamels. He has been a disgrace to watch on the mound and it can be said that all Philly fans are tired of his approach to each game this year. I am in no way saying he is a bad pitcher but this year it seems that he has been lazy and shown no will to win.

Phillies Nation had a post on him just being unlucky. I call BS on that as this is just Hamels not being good. He is showing no command of his change up or his fastball and his curveball is a joke. He knows that pitch sucks but he shows no signs of improving it. Ace's can not be two-pitch guys. Thank God for Cliff Lee or this season could be in serious jeopardy.

Offensive Inconsistency:

After a torrid July, the bats have officially died. With the exception of Jimmy Rollins, no one has shown any consistent run support. They strand runners and they don't hit with runners in scoring position.

Ryan Howard is awful. He hasn't homered since July 27. Chase Utley is batting .148 in August with one extra base hit (2B). Shane Victorino is also struggling with his .227 average for the month.

Raul Ibanez's lack of support:

Don't get me wrong, he's had plenty of hits. He just isn't driving anyone in. This does have something to do with Utley and Howard's struggles but he's not bringing guys home. He only has one RBI since July 28.

It's about time for another behind-closed-doors meeting where there is a lot of hollering from Uncle Chollie. This is his team and he has to tell his team that in order to win, they have to straighten their crap out.

Friday - Marlins win 3-2: Ricky Nolasco out pitched the steady Joe Blanton as the Phillies wasted another quality start by Big Joe. The only offense for the Phillies came from Ben Francisco's two run homer, his first as a Phillie and 11th of the year.

Saturday - Marlins win 6-4: Hamels gave up a pair of homers including four runs in 5.1 IP. Howard went 4-4 with two doubles.

Sunday - Marlins win 12-3: This was just an ugly game. The Phillies went up 1-0 and it all fell apart after that. Moyer pitched okay, giving up three runs, two earned, in five innings. He gave up 11 hits and a walk as well, throwing 97 pitches. Rodrigo Lopez was destroyed for six runs in .2 IP. Pedro Feliz hit a two run homer.

Series MVP's:

No one. I'm not even going to put forth the effort for Florida's players.

Next Series: Philadelphia Phillies (61-48; 32-19 on road) @ Chicago Cubs (58-51; 33-19 at home)

The Phillies lead the series 2-1 after playing the Cubs a few weeks ago. The Cubs, much like the Phillies, have been playing some inconsistent baseball, allowing the Cardinals to make some room in the Central standings.

The Cubs offense has still been struggling as they are 14th in average in the league while the Phillies are 8th. The Cubs are also 10th in runs scored while the Phillies still have first in hand. Chicago's 3.83 team ERA is 5th in the league while the Phillies are 11th.

The Phillies are off tomorrow, a great time for Charlie Manuel to close the doors and sit his team down. Hopefully the Phillies will wake up in time to prepare them for the real late season run that will lead into the post season. They match up well in the pitching category so we shall see if the offense shows up.

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday - Happ (8-2, 2.74) vs Harden (7-7, 4.41)

Wednesday - Lee (9-9, 2.95) vs Marshall (3-7, 3.93)

Thursday - Blanton (7-6, 4.02) vs Dempster (6-5, 4.04)

All Douche Bag Team

I was bored at work today and my friend challenged me to make a line up of the biggest douche bags in baseball. I decided to one-up him and make a 25-man roster. This may not be the most loved team but it would sure win a World Series if the players were at their best. The only stipulation is that they played from 1993-on. This way I could give a fair assessment of how big of an asshole these guys really were.

Here is my roster. Please don't throw any batteries at them:

Manager: Tommy Lasorda
1B Coach: Tony LaRussa
3B Coach: Lou Pinella
Bench: Don Zimmer

Starters:
C: AJ Pierzynski
1B: Rafael Palmiero
2B: Jeff Kent
SS: Jose Reyes
3B: Alex Rodriguez
LF: Barry Bonds
CF: Milton Bradley
RF: Jose Canseco

Bench:
C: Mike Piazza
IF: Mark McGwire
IF: Alberte Belle
OF: Darryl Strawberry
OF: Gary Sheffield
OF: JD Drew

Starting Pitchers:
1: Roger Clemens
2: Brett Myers
3: Curt Schilling
4: Carlos Zambrano
5: David Wells

Relief Pitchers:
RP: John Rocker
RP: Ugueth Urbina
RP: Kyle Farnsworth
RP: Guillermo Mota
RP: Billy Wagner
CL: Francisco Rodriguez

"Happ's Not Going Anywhere"

Todd Zolecki:

"(JA) Happ's not going anywhere," Amaro said. "He's not going out of the rotation. He deserves to stay in the rotation. He has pitched very well. He's one of our most effective starters."

That's exactly what Ruben Amaro had to say about the pitching situation. It's a day late but I figured I'd add to his statement and also talk about the possibility of a six-man rotation, another option Amaro expressed.

Happ's performance three days ago was a gem. It is now safe to say that there are four spots in the rotation locked up. This leaves Jamie Moyer and when he returns, Pedro Martinez. Amaro has said that Martinez was signed to be a starter but it's almost impossible to see Moyer in the rotation.

"Why can't we go with a six-man rotation?" Amaro said.

It's certainly do-able but not when the Phillies reach the playoffs. At least one guy will have to go even though it's ideal for a play-off team to go to a four-man rotation.

Top 10 Phillies Game Pet Peeves

My friend Dan MacNeal, who I used to write with on Justin Evans' "We Hate to Lose," compiled up a list of the top 10 pet peeves when attending a Phillies game. I found this list very humorous but I had to disagree with #10. The Phillie Phanatic demands our attention and we are allowed to give it to him over the game.

Here is his list:

1. Do not walk to/from your seat from the concessions during play
Seriously, you can't wait a minute while a guy is batting?

2. All fly balls are not Home Runs
Please watch the outfielders. There is a difference between getting close to the wall, and being shy of the warning track.

3. Show up on time, stay the whole time, or don't come
I can understand if you're coming to work, or you have a kid who needs to get home and go to bed, but if you want to show up late and leave early just to tailgate/go to
McFadden's, you might as well not even go, and let someone else who will stay, get your ticket.

4. If you are going to yell to players, know their name
I understand that not everyone will know everyone's name, but if you don't know for sure, don't say a name, just say "let's go buddy" or "strike this guy out". I am tired of hearing "Go Rick Dorito" or "Let's go Shawn". WHO THE HELL IS SHAWN?!?

5. Don't be an instigator
This one is tricky, because we all like to razz the other teams' fans. My personal rule is if they aren't being annoying (or assholish) then they should be left alone. I am not going to curse at/yell/start a fight with a Brewer fan because he's wearing the jersey. I wouldn't expect that in Milwaukee, Denver, or any other city. Now I can see friendly joking around such as "haha you traveled 1000 miles to see your team lose". If they start stuff with you, or another Philadelphia fan, it is okay to reply (in whatever way you would like).

*This does not include saying (loudly) near a Mets fan that they are in 4th place, 10 games back (especially if said Mets fan is not even at a Phillies-Mets game)*

6. Shut your mouth
I don't mind conversation during the game with a friend or relative, but nobody around you wants to hear about your car breaking down, or how you can't get into bars because you are underage.

7.If you stand, stand with 2 outs, 2 strikes
Personally for me, this is superstitious. You don't have to stand, but if you do, please don't do it before 2 outs, 2 strikes. I have seen so many times people standing with 1 out, or 2 outs, 1 strike, and bad news happens.

8.Jersey fouls
Do you buy a jersey because the player is the "hot player"? Do you buy one just because we've won a World Series? Is your jersey a lesser player because that's all that was left in September last year? Personally I can't wait to see someone rock a Ben Francisco jersey.

9.Promotions should not equal tickets
I like bobbleheads as much as the next person, but I am not only going to go to games just for free giveaways. This ties in with #10.

10.The Game comes first
Sure, I like all the fun stuff like the Bobblehead races between innings, or making fun of people acting foolishly on the Jumbotron, but while the game is on, that is all that should matter. The Phanatic is a distraction at this point, as is leaving to go to McFadden's early, or anything else.

I do want to add two more:
11. Don't wear Eagles, Flyers, Sixers, or any other Philly jersey to the game. You're at a Phillies game. Don't be a jack ass.

12. Don't start and EAGLES chant

EDIT:
13. The Wave..... assholes.

Back On Track

The Phillies got back to work, especially after losing five of their last six. They had two of their best pitchers this year throwing during the series. Jamie Moyer was the same old and JA Happ and Cliff Lee both dominated the Rockies as the Phillies took two of three in the series. The rookie and former Cy Young winner combined for 16 innings of work, allowing one run and striking out 19. Winning this series helped the Phillies maintain a comfortable seven-game lead on both Florida and Atlanta.

Moyer hasn't been doing much to keep himself in the rotation. Happ's performance Wednesday really helped him solidify a permanent spot in the rotation. Lee has been dominant in his introduction to the NL, going 16 innings and allowing two runs in his two starts as a Phillie.

Tuesday - Rockies won 10-3: I was at this debacle of a game as Moyer only lasted five plus innings, giving up six runs on six hits and four walks. Garrett Atkins started the scoring with a two-run shot in the second and Colorado started to pour it on in the fourth and sixth innings. Jimmy Rollins continued his hot tear as he homered and singled.

Wednesday - Phillies won 7-0: JA Happ pitched probably the best outing a Phillies pitcher has thrown this year, shutting out the Rockies. He allowed four hits and two walks and struck out ten. Rollins hit a two-run shot while Pedro Feliz added a solo homer and Jayson Werth hit a three-run bomb.

Thursday - Phillies won 3-1: Cliff Lee made his debut in Philadelphia, going seven strong innings and allowing a run on six hits and a walk. He also struck out nine. Rollins fell a home run short of the cycle Paul Bako hit his first home run in since June 19, 2008.

Series MVP's:

Jimmy Rollins: 6-14, 4 runs, double, triple, 2 HR, 4 RBI

JA Happ: CG, SO, 4 H, 2 BB, 10 K

Cliff Lee: 7 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 10 K

Next Series: Florida Marlins (55-53, 26-27 on road) @ Philadelphia Phillies (61-45, 29-26 at home)

The Phillies are 7-2 versus the Marlins and have won three straight. The Marlins have also been pretty cold and are losers of their last three games. The Phillies were struggling out west but woke up in the middle of the Rockies series. The Phillies will have Moyer pitching this series, who kills the Marlins (thank God he has a team he can beat).

Offensively, the Marlins have some guys that can hit, including Hanley Ramirez, the best short stop in the National League. He's batting a sizzling .344 and has 16 homers and 70 RBI's. The team is 8th in the NL in average, one spot behind the Phillies and are 6th in runs scored (the Phillies are 1st).

The Phillies have the Marlins number and that is no surprise. Like all year, they shouldn't have any problem sweeping the Marlins, let alone just beating them. I'm going to predict another series sweep and a ten-game advantage after the series.

Pitching Probables:

Friday: FLA: Nolasco (7-7, 5.00), PHI: Blanton (7-5, 4.02)

Saturday: FLA: West (3-4, 4.91), PHI: Hamels (7-6, 4.68)

Sunday: FLA: Johnson, J (10-2, 2.98), PHI: Moyer (10-8, 5.55)

A Few More Thoughts

So the pitching battle has heated up even more. While Jamie Moyer struggled again, JA Happ and Pedro Martinez continued to gain ground in the race for the final rotation spot. Moyer has one thing going for him: he's uselessness in the bull pen. The Phillies know what his stuff is, and frankly, it's nothing special anymore. The team also doesn't want to lose his knowledge and leadership so they don't want to cut him entirely loose.

Moyer's fastball hits 81 MPH tops. That is ridiculously slow and a lot slower than the 83-85 he hit the past few years. This makes his 73 MPH change up a lot less effective. Hitters have a much easier time sitting on the change up or catching up to the fast ball to fight it off when guessing wrong. As much as the crowd loves Moyer, he's done.

Happ pitched probably the best outing any Phillies pitcher had all year. He went the distance, shutting out the Rockies, only allowing four hits and two walks with 10 strike outs. He improved to 8-2 and his ERA dropped to a 2.74.

Martinez moved one step closer to being major league ready, going six innings and striking out 11 in his third and probably final AA rehab start. The 37-year old also allowed four runs, three earned.

Rotation Battle Pt. 2

The Phillies are in a dilemma that most teams dreamed they were in. They will soon have six very capable starting pitchers once Pedro Martinez is ready. But who will go when he is ready? The Phillies already said that they didn't sign Martinez to pitch in the bull pen. So he is almost locked in.

Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton are locked in. That leaves Jamie Moyer (who got shelled again last night), JA Happ (who pitches tonight to make his bid to remain in the rotation), and Martinez to battle for the last two spots. Rodrigo Lopez already lost his spot and has joined Chan Ho Park as the other long reliever in the pen.

So the Phillies are stuck. Right now, Moyer seems to be the obvious choice to dump due to his ineffectiveness all season. He has only pitched seven innings twice all year. He has been the bull pen killer. But he is not the kind of pitcher who could be effective in a relief role due to his style of pitching.

Happ has been proven to be human as of late but is still pitching pretty well. He can tighten up his spot in the rotation with a good outing tonight. If he gets beat up by the Rockies, the rumors of him being sent back to the bull pen could be true. The Phillies know he can start but how well he has pitched in the pen this season prior to starting can really help them boost a bull pen that has struggled tremendously all season.

One could only imagine what the Phillies would be going through next month if Brett Myers is ready. The bull pen would be the likely spot for Myers, who is in the last year of his contract. He may become the new bridge to Brad Lidge and could close if something happens to Lidge. His chances at starting are very slim and deciding to do so could cost the Phillies games.

A Giant Step Backwards

July was a phenomenal month for the Phillies as they went 20-7. But now comes August and it seems as it the Phillies finally cooled down. Cliff Lee's amazing debut saved the Phillies from getting swept as they couldn't figure out the Giants starting pitching, losing three of the four-game series. This was their first series loss since the beginning of July.

Thursday - Giants won 7-2: Rodrigo Lopez got hammered in the fourth as he gave up a total of seven runs, three earned, in his short outing. Pablo Sandoval hit a homer and had four RBI's and Eugenio Velez drove in three. The Phillies offense could only muster five hits on Jonathon Sanchez.

Friday - Phillies won 5-1: Lee made his debut and pitched a complete game, allowing a run on four hits and two walks, striking out six. He also had a pair of hits including one off the wall in left-center. Lee got support from Jayson Werth's two hits, including his solo homer in the second, and three RBI's.

Saturday - Giants won 2-0: Tim Lincecum pitched another stellar game as he out matched Joe Blanton. Aaron Rowand scored on a Juan Uribe sacrifice fly in the fifth to give the Giants a 1-0 lead.

Sunday - Giants won 7-3: Cole Hamels officially has been the Phillies worst starter of the season. After a great start, he fell apart in the fifth and sixth, allowing seven runs, six earned. Jimmy Rollins and Ben Francisco had a pair of hits including Rollins' solo shot in the fourth.

Series MVP's:

Cliff Lee - CG, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 6K; batting: 2-4, double

Tim Lincecum - 8 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 1 BB, 8 K; batting: 1-2

Eugenio Velez - 7-17, 3 R, double, 5 RBI

Next Series: Colorado Rockies (58-47; 31-26 on road) @ Philadelphia Phillies (59-44; 27-25 at home)

The Phillies lead the series 2-1 (last played in April). Despite a crappy road trip where the Phillies went 3-7 (lost four of last five), the Phillies will come back home where they have seemed to have found their groove.

The Rockies have been playing tremendous baseball as of late and are riding a four-game win streak. Their offense is second in the NL in runs scored only behind the Phillies. The Rockies pitching is sixth while the Phillies are twelfth.

It can't be said what kind of Phillies team you'll see in Philly versus Colorado. The offense could be working the count and the pitching could be good but at the same time, you could see Jamie Moyer give up a ton of runs and the offense look just as terrible in the past seven games. The Phillies will get a needed day off and hope to rebound.

Pitching Probables:

Tuesday: COL: Hammel (5-6, 4.66), PHI: Moyer (10-7, 5.32)
Wednesday: COL: De La Rosa, J (9-7, 4.68), PHI: Happ (7-2, 2.97)

Thursday: COL: Cook (10-3, 3.88), PHI: Lee, Cl (8-9, 3.02)

Lee Makes Most of Debut

I usually don't do post-game write-ups but Cliff Lee's performance was something to see. If you missed it, shame on you. After taking a no-hitter into the sixth and a shut out into the eighth, the left-hander pitched a complete game in his debut as a Phillie, beating San Francisco 5-1. He improved to 8-9 with a 3.02 ERA.

Lee was throwing first-pitch strikes, forced a pair of double play balls including the one that ended the game, and retired 16 batters in three pitches or less. His final line was: CG, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

And if his pitching wasn't good enough, Lee went 2-4 with a single and double and a run scored. His double was a rocket that hit off the top of the left-centerfield wall.

Lee wasn't the only new Phillie to make an impact as Ben Francisco went 1-4 and was hitting the ball hard all night. He had a sacrifice fly that drove in a run in the seventh. In two games, he's 2-8 with a pair of doubles and an RBI.