In-Game Blog, NLDS Game 2, Phils-Rockies
Well, just when you're bemoaning the fact that two homers in the top of the first was the last thing the Phils needed to see from the Rockies, J-Roll responds with a first-pitch bomb in the bottom of the first. Big start for Jimmy, but he needs some help from the rest of the lineup.
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Utley strikes out for the fifth time in five postseason ABs. Here's how many times Utley has struck out in five straight plate appearances in his big-league career: Zip. I would not be at all surprised to see him try to bunt for a hit in his next at-bat, just to break the ice and calm down.
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... and Howard strikes out. Sorry, you can't have your superstars not putting a single ball in play. It doesn't matter if these are left-handed starters or not. If they are going to only put a ball in play one out of every 10 ABs, they might as well bat sixth and seventh in the order.
They need to make Morales work. He has a terrific arm, but he'll work a lot of deep counts. The Phils need to have a team goal of making him throw 20 pitches per inning. Make Colorado use its bullpen.
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Seriously, Chase Utley better get his head out of his rear end. That's Rollins' play on the double-play grounder back to the pitcher. He takes the throw with the better positioning and momentum for the relay throw. That's Little League crap.
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Maybe Rollins can win it all by himself. Two-run triple. Ridiculous.
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With the toughest half out of the way, Rollins has a chance to become the first player in major-league history to hit for the cycle in a postseason game. That's about 1,200 postseason games, which at 18 starting players per game gives you approximately 21,600 players who have had an opportunity to hit for the cycle and not done it.
There have been three instances (Reggie Jackson in 1977, and Babe Ruth twice) where a player has hit three homers in a postseason game, so tell me: Is hitting for the cycle more impressive than hitting three home runs? Tough call.
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As Kyle Lohse warmed up with the bases loaded in the fourth, I turned to Scott Lauber of the Wilmington News Journal and said, "I don't like bringing him into this spot. He should only start an inning fresh."
Bam. Grand slam.
I'll have to have Lauber vouch for me on his blog.
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Sure, keep Mesa in to face Torrealba ... because watching him walk the first two guys isn't reason enough to yank him.
Charlie deserves to catch heat for his decisions today.
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Wow ... now Kaz Matsui is a single away from hitting for the cycle.
Remember when Mets fans did nothing but dump on that dude?
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There have been 84 five-game series in baseball. Here are the seven teams to overcome a 2-0 deficit:
1981 Dodgers vs. Astros (Damn you, offense - 3 R, 12 H in last three games for the 'Stros)
1982 Brewers vs. Angels (Damn you, Luis Sanchez!)
1984 Padres vs. Cubs (Damn you, Lee Smith!)
1995 Mariners vs. Yankees (Damn you, Jack McDowell! You made uber-Yankees fan Scott Lauber cry - in college no less! How embarrassing.)
1999 Red Sox vs. Indians (Damn you, uh, all those pitchers who gave up 35 runs in the last two games!)
2001 Yankees vs. A's (Damn you, Mike Mussina!)
2003 Red Sox vs. A's (Damn you, Trot Nixon!)
For what it's worth, since the wildcard was implemented in 1995 there have been 28 instances where a team held a 2-0 lead in the series, with four teams recovering to win the series. Keep in mind that Seattle's comeback in 1995 came in a series where they played the first two games on the road and the final three at home. The only Division Series team to lose the first two games at home and bounce back to win the final three games was the 2001 Yankees. Scott Lauber informs me that he jumped up and down and squealed like a 4-year-old girl when that went down.
(Lauber's reaction when I showed him that final line: "Heh, heh, heh .. I kinda did.")
---
Utley strikes out for the fifth time in five postseason ABs. Here's how many times Utley has struck out in five straight plate appearances in his big-league career: Zip. I would not be at all surprised to see him try to bunt for a hit in his next at-bat, just to break the ice and calm down.
---
... and Howard strikes out. Sorry, you can't have your superstars not putting a single ball in play. It doesn't matter if these are left-handed starters or not. If they are going to only put a ball in play one out of every 10 ABs, they might as well bat sixth and seventh in the order.
They need to make Morales work. He has a terrific arm, but he'll work a lot of deep counts. The Phils need to have a team goal of making him throw 20 pitches per inning. Make Colorado use its bullpen.
---
Seriously, Chase Utley better get his head out of his rear end. That's Rollins' play on the double-play grounder back to the pitcher. He takes the throw with the better positioning and momentum for the relay throw. That's Little League crap.
---
Maybe Rollins can win it all by himself. Two-run triple. Ridiculous.
---
With the toughest half out of the way, Rollins has a chance to become the first player in major-league history to hit for the cycle in a postseason game. That's about 1,200 postseason games, which at 18 starting players per game gives you approximately 21,600 players who have had an opportunity to hit for the cycle and not done it.
There have been three instances (Reggie Jackson in 1977, and Babe Ruth twice) where a player has hit three homers in a postseason game, so tell me: Is hitting for the cycle more impressive than hitting three home runs? Tough call.
---
As Kyle Lohse warmed up with the bases loaded in the fourth, I turned to Scott Lauber of the Wilmington News Journal and said, "I don't like bringing him into this spot. He should only start an inning fresh."
Bam. Grand slam.
I'll have to have Lauber vouch for me on his blog.
---
Sure, keep Mesa in to face Torrealba ... because watching him walk the first two guys isn't reason enough to yank him.
Charlie deserves to catch heat for his decisions today.
---
Wow ... now Kaz Matsui is a single away from hitting for the cycle.
Remember when Mets fans did nothing but dump on that dude?
---
There have been 84 five-game series in baseball. Here are the seven teams to overcome a 2-0 deficit:
1981 Dodgers vs. Astros (Damn you, offense - 3 R, 12 H in last three games for the 'Stros)
1982 Brewers vs. Angels (Damn you, Luis Sanchez!)
1984 Padres vs. Cubs (Damn you, Lee Smith!)
1995 Mariners vs. Yankees (Damn you, Jack McDowell! You made uber-Yankees fan Scott Lauber cry - in college no less! How embarrassing.)
1999 Red Sox vs. Indians (Damn you, uh, all those pitchers who gave up 35 runs in the last two games!)
2001 Yankees vs. A's (Damn you, Mike Mussina!)
2003 Red Sox vs. A's (Damn you, Trot Nixon!)
For what it's worth, since the wildcard was implemented in 1995 there have been 28 instances where a team held a 2-0 lead in the series, with four teams recovering to win the series. Keep in mind that Seattle's comeback in 1995 came in a series where they played the first two games on the road and the final three at home. The only Division Series team to lose the first two games at home and bounce back to win the final three games was the 2001 Yankees. Scott Lauber informs me that he jumped up and down and squealed like a 4-year-old girl when that went down.
(Lauber's reaction when I showed him that final line: "Heh, heh, heh .. I kinda did.")
3 Comments:
Love the in-game blogs
love it
I might need to hire more loquacious commentators to the blog ... c'mon, anonymous, "Love the in-game blogs?" and "Love it?"
This might be Matt "Play Hard, Play Well, Play Hard" Holliday posting these comments. Seriously, that dude should finish second to J-Roll in the MVP voting solely on quotability.
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