High Hopes: A Phillies Blog

October 29, 2009

UT-er-LEE Amazing!

PHILLIES TAKE GAME 1, 6-1, BEHIND A COMPLETE GAME FROM CLIFF LEE AND TWO HOME RUNS OFF C.C. SABATHIA FROM CHASE UTLEY

NEW YORK- The grounds crew paraded around the rain soaked Yankee Stadium field, a few hours before yesterday’s Game 1 of the World Series. Their shirts, with a crossed out number 26 and a big 27 on the back. The significance? The Yankees 27th title was just days away.

Or so they thought.

It had been a week since the Phillies played a baseball game, and anticipation was high around. The City of Brotherly Love. After getting it’s first dose in a long time, last season, of World Series baseball, Philadelphia couldn’t wait much longer for this year’s highly anticipated series with the Yankees to begin.

It wasn’t the perfect night for baseball, rains soaked the field all day, and the game was played through a steady drizzle, which at points escalated to a hard pour.

However, when Cliff Lee stepped to the mound, all that was forgotten, and the day couldn’t be more perfect.

Lee was dazzling, sending Yankees diving across the plate to try to catch his perplexing breaking pitches. After pitching two scoreless, innings, Lee headed back to the dugout to watch his offense try to put some runs on the board against the left-hander C.C. Sabathia.

After Sabathia swiftly retired Jimmy Rollins, who predicted the Phillies would win the series in five games and Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, the struggling All-Star second baseman strode to the plate. With two strikes and two outs Utley took Sabathia’s pitch into the second run beyond the notoriously short right-field fence.

With the 1-0 lead, Lee continued to shine, mowing down Yankees, and still refusing them runs. In the sixth, Utley again strode to the plate against Sabathia, who looked good, making only the one mistake in the third. With a 1-2 count, Utley again took Sabathia pitch deep to right. This time way back into the stands.

It turned out the two runs would be all Cliff Lee would need, as he continued his rout of the storied franchise.

After Sabathia left the game, it was all down hill. The Phillies rallied to score four more, heading to the bottom of the ninth. With Ryan Madson warmed and ready, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had a decision to make.

Let Lee try to finish his complete game shutout, or have Madson put the finishing touches on for him.

For Charlie, the decision was easy. The ball belonged to Cliff.

Hitting only one minor speed-bump- an unearned run scoring on a Rollins throwing error- Lee finished things off for the Phils winning Game 1 6-1.

With that the Phillies have taken a 1-0 series lead, and more importantly, taken home-field advantage away from the Yanks.

It looks like it’s just one step closer toward putting the arrogant Yankees’ shirts back in the closet until next year.

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Tags: Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, World Series

October 28, 2009

World Series Game 1 preview

LINEUPS:

For your 2009 NL Champion Philadelphia Phillies!

Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Raul Ibanez DH
Ben Francisco LF
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C

Notable: Ibanez DH, Francisco LF.

AL Champion Yankees:

Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

—–

MATCHUPS:

From today’s press notes:

C.C. Sabathia vs. Phillies hitters
Jimmy Rollins: 5/13, 4 XBH, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Shane Victorino: 5/9, 2 XBH, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB
Chase Utley: 0/5, 3 SO, 1 BB
Ryan Howard: 3/9, 1 XBH, 1 RBI, 4 SO
Jayson Werth: 2/8, 2 XBH, 3 SO
Raul Ibanez: 11/40, 5 XBH, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 2 BB, 10 SO
Pedro Feliz: 1/8, 1 XBH, 1 RBI, 3 SO
Carlos Ruiz: 2/5
Ben Francisco: 1/5, 1 XBH, 1 BB

TOTALS: 30/102 (.294), 19 XBH, 3 HR, 6 BB, 23 SO

Cliff Lee vs. Yankees hitters
Derek Jeter: 11/27, 3 XBH, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SO
Johnny Damon: 2/22, 1 BB, 3 SO
Alex Rodriguez: 5/15, 2 XBH, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SO
Mark Teixeira: 9/23, 5 XBH, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SO
Jorge Posada: 6/21, 4 XBH, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 SO
Hideki Matsui: 5/17, 2 XBH, 2 BB, 4 SO
Robinson Cano: 4/18, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 SO
Nick Swisher: 6/18, 2 XBH, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 4 SO
Melky Cabrera: 3/11, 1 XBH, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO

TOTALS: 51/182 (.280), 19 XBH, 6 HR, 14 BB, 24 SO

—–

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Tags: World Series

October 28, 2009

Don’t mess with Pedro

Probably my favorite quote so far this series, from Pedro’s presser just moments ago at Yankee Stadium:

“I remember quotes from the paper, ‘Here come the men that New York loves to hate.’ Men? None of you have probably ever ate steak with me, or rice and beans with me to know what the men is like. You might say the player, the competitor, but the men? You guys have abused my name.

“There is one time I remember when I was a free agent there was talk that I might meet with [Yankee's owner George] Steinbrenner. One of your colleagues had me in the paper with horns and a tail. Red horns and a tail. That’s the sign of the devil. I’m a Christian man. I don’t like those things.”

Don’t mess with Pedro, before you eat rice and beans with him, New York.

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Tags: Pedro Martinez

October 28, 2009

Emptying the notebook, World Series style

So, I’ve been trying this week to actually write some insightful columns, and conduct some interviews, both for the folks over at CBS and here. In addition to that, I’ve been accumulating a tremendous amount of notes that I’ve slipped into various columns or interviews. However, not everything made the cut, or fit or whatever. So just for the sake of having everything in one place, or in case this is the only website you go to on your internet machine, let’s review the events from the last few days:

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25. WORKOUT AT CITIZENS BANK PARK:

Charlie Manuel officially named Cliff Lee his Game 1 starter, but he would not commit to anybody for Game 2. Well, at least publicly he would not commit to anybody.
The Phillies held a simulated game this afternoon. Pedro Martinez, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park, Brett Myers, Kyle Kendrick, Antonio Bastardo, Clay Condrey and Tyler Walker all threw.
Raul Ibanez did not rule out surgery after the season to repair a tear in his abdomen, which was first reported by Sports Illustrated.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26. WORKOUT AT CITIZENS BANK PARK/ TRAIN RIDE TO NEW YORK:

Charlie Manuel expects to see CC Sabathia three times if the World Series goes seven games.
Raul Ibanez is going to DH Game 1, which allows Ben Francisco to play left field. Matt Stairs or Greg Dobbs could DH Game 2 against A.J. Burnett.
Robin Roberts spoke about the 1950 World Series to reporters. He said he hated four things growing up: Notre Dame, Michigan, the Yankees and Russia.
Charlie Manuel again refuses comment about his Game 2 starter.
J.A. Happ was named Sporting News Rookie of the Year as voted by his fellow players.
Jimmy Rollins picks the Phillies in five games on Jay Leno. He correctly predicted a Phillies-Yankees World Series in Playboy back in March.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27. MEDIA DAY/WORKOUT AT YANKEE STADIUM:

Charlie Manuel announces that it will be Pedro Martinez in Game 2 for the Phillies. He will use Cole Hamels Game 3, at home, Saturday.
Ryan Howard makes the regional cover of Sports Illustrated.
Brett Myers, who was left off the NLCS roster is back on the World Series roster. Miguel Cairo is the odd-man out. Everyone else is the same from last round.
Shane Victorino laughed when the cover of the morning’s New York Post was shown to him, depicting him in a poorly photoshopped skirt.

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Tags: World Series

October 28, 2009

Interview: Jody Mac talks about the World Series

I got the privilege to speak with one of my favorite talk radio hosts, Jody McDonald today. Jody Mac and I talk about the difference in callers between NYC and Philly as well as looking into all of the matchups of this year’s World Series.

You won’t want to miss it! Click play to hear it all in this Phillie Phanatics podcast!

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Tags: Jody Mac, Podcast, World Series

October 27, 2009

Interview: NY Times’ Kepner discusses the Series

Here in Philadelphia, fans are gearing up for the highly anticipated 2009 World Series between the Phillies and Yankees. In the Bronx, the media circus has fully begun. Over 300 writers attended today’s media day at Yankee Stadium. Among them was the New York Times’ Yankees writer Tyler Kepner.

Tyler was kind enough to speak with me this morning, about the Yanks, the Phils and how they might match-up, in what promises to be an exciting World Series.

SHAY RODDY: You haven’t gotten to see much of the Phillies this year, covering them in just one series back in the spring. Give us an outsider’s take on the Phils.

TYLER KEPNER: Well, I’d say I follow the Phillies closer than I follow any other NL team, because I grew up outside Philadelphia and my parents have season tickets. They’re a tough team — tough-minded and confident. They know they can come back, they’re not intimidated by anything, they’re cocky in a way that translates to success on the field. Charlie Manuel seems to have a tremendous feel for his players, both the subtleties of their personalities and their strengths/weaknesses on the field. Just a very impressive team all the way around.

SR: The Yankees are a franchise with a rich history of winning. The Phils won the title just last year with virtually the same team. Talk a little about how experience plays to each team’s advantage.

TK: I don’t think experience matters very much in the postseason. The first year I covered the Yankees was 2002. They had been to five of the last six World Series. Their playoff opponent was the Angels, who had one player (Kevin Appier), with one series of postseason experience. So what happened? The Angels pounded the Yankees in four. Then the next year, in 2003, the Yankees played a young Marlins team in the World Series and lost. So I just don’t think it matters. And even if it did, in this case both teams have lots of postseason experience.

SR; Yankee Stadium and Citizens Bank Park are both hitter friendly parks, which coupled with both team’s explosive offenses could lead to high scoring games. However, both teams have solid pitching, the Yankees with Sabathia, Petite and Burnett and the Phillies with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Pedro Martinez. What do you anticipate the scoring will be like?

TK: Good hitting. Good pitching. So who wins? The cliche is good pitching stops good hitting, but we’ll see. I wonder if the Yankees can neutralize Howard because they have two very good lefty starters. If they do, that’s a big problem for the Phillies. But all six of those starters can shut down any lineup when they’re on. Still, these teams can hit so well that I’d expect a fair amount of home runs.

SR: What is the key to winning this year’s series?

TK: Pitching’s usually the key, so I don’t see any reason why it won’t be just as important in this series as it usually is in all the rest. Specifically, though, the bullpens will make a huge difference. The Yankees devoured opposing bullpens this season, and my guess is the Phillies did the same. Both teams have a knack for late comebacks, especially at home. Obviously that puts a lot of emphasis on the relievers, and the Yanks’ late-inning guys have been a little shaky lately.

SR: Talk a little about this Yankees club. The common stereotype is that they are more of a group of talented players put together rather than a real team. Is that description accurate?

TK: No, I wouldn’t say so. When you’re around them, they actually work together quite well. The free agents they imported last winter all had the nice bonus of being good team guys (Teixeira, Burnett and especially Sabathia), and they’ve really seemed to enjoy each other’s company since spring training. The four stalwarts (Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte) bring stability and leadership, and I’d throw Matsui into that category, too. Damon keeps them loose, and A-Rod has cut way, way back on his usual distractions and just focused on baseball this year. That has made a big difference, too. He’s not the preening diva of past years; he’s just a really, really good ballplayer.

SR: Lets do some head to heads. Who has the advantage…

Rollins-Jeter: Jeter

Howard- Teixeira: Teixeira

Utley-Cano: Utley

Posada-Ruiz: push

Sabathia-Lee: push

Manuel-Girardi: Manuel

SR: And finally, your series pick…

TK: Yankees in 7, but only because they have home-field advantage. That’s the only obvious difference to me that distinguishes between these two extremely evenly matched teams. It really could go either way, and I’m just hoping for a hard-fought, compelling World Series. I think we’ll get it this year.

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Tags: New York Times, New York Yankees, newspapers, Tyler Kepner, World Series

October 26, 2009

Phils deserve respect heading into series with Yanks

They said last year’s title was cheap. A fluke, the so-called experts labeled it. They didn’t have to play a real team in the World Series, they claimed. They only made the playoffs because the Mets collapsed they protested.Well, what will the excuse be this year, if the Phillies pull off the unthinkable, and repeat as World Champions?

After the Yankees wrapped up their series with the Angels last night, the Phils finally learned their opponent in the 2009 World Series. The Yankees, the winningest team in the history of the sport, stand in the way of another parade down Broad Street.

The Yankees bring their rich history of 40 World Series appearances and 26 rings back to baseball’s grandest stage in 2009. But you can expect the underdog Phillies to put up a fight.

For the Phillies things haven’t come easy this season, for the first time since 1981, they were forced to defend their crown. They’ve been through their share of trials and tribulations. But the attitude never changed. This is an organization that’s prided itself on hard work, and dedication, as well as perseverance.

Now, in the Bronx, with the crisp orange leaves falling from the sky, as the cool autumn breeze whistles through the air, a group of twenty-five men, a manager and a coaching staff are joined together with one common goal.

Repeating.

These men all grew-up far away from the streets of Philadelphia. They practiced baseball, dreaming to one day be able to showcase their skills on the grandest of levels. They never knew each other, and came to this organization through various outposts, some coming straight from high-school, others bouncing around from team to team, before finding a place they could call home.

They were raised in places like California, Florida, Texas, and the Midwest. They were perhaps unaware, and certainly isolated from the city they now find themselves fighting for.

Now they are cobbled together and charged with a task that baseball history has proved unlikely, a task Philadelphia has witnessed very infrequently in the history of professional sports in the city.

Repeating as a world champion.

This year, the road block is upgraded, perhaps. Instead of a ringless expansion franchise, the Phils get to face the best. Yet the mentality for the Phillies remains the same.

They think they can beat anyone. And they can.

The Yankees will be tough, coming at the Phils with bombers like Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. But the Phils can counter with stars like Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and the best hitter in the game right now, Ryan Howard.

The Yankees will throw pitchers like CC Sabathia, Andy Pettite, and A.J. Burnett. But the Phils will matchup with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Pedro Martinez.

The teams seem evenly matched on paper. But the Phillies get no respect. The national media’s act gets old.

I wonder what excuse the media will find this year to discredit the Phillies if they once again win the World Series. What kind of fluke will it be this time, guys?

Or is it that the Phillies are just that good?

Nah…it couldn’t be. It’s just another fluke.

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Tags: 2009 Playoffs, national media, New York Yankees, World Series

October 25, 2009

Phils have options at DH

The Phillies will wait, at least another day, to discover their opponent in the World Series. Game six of the American League Championship Series was pushed back a day, due to the rain storms yesterday that washed the Northeast. When the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim meet again tonight, the Phillies could find out who their opponent will be, with the Yankees leading the series 3-2. But regardless of the opponent, the Phils are already faced with a problem.

Because the AL won the All-Star game, and clinched home field advantage for the World Series, no matter who they play, the Phils will need to decide on a designated hitter for Games One and Two, and if necessary, Six and Seven of the World Series. It’s no secret that there’s no obvious choice for the spot.

The Phils have a few potential candidates, but with a lineup that has clicked so well, one can’t help but wonder if adding a DH will prove to be a disturbance.

However, it doesn’t really matter. Like it or not it’s part of the game, and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has to make a decision.

Last year, in the same situation, Manuel again waited and waited to clue the media in on what he was thinking regarding DH. Now after hearing Manuel’s thought process from last year, we can expect him to think heavily about match-ups.

When LAA/NYY use a right handed pitcher, the likely candidate would appear to be Matt Stairs. Stairs, the power hitting lefty, is tailor made for the DH spot, lacking in speed and fielding skills. He’s also no stranger to postseason heroics, sending Jonathan Broxton’s fastball deep into the October sky last season.

Stairs admits he strides to the plate with one goal every time. Sending one into the upper deck.

The downside to Stairs is that he struggled mightily this season. Because of this, you have to have a backup plan, for when the opponent throws a lefty, or if Stairs were to struggle mightily.

There’s no cut-in-stone way to go here. You could use Greg Dobbs, but he’s a lefty, go with Miguel Cairo, but he’s old and may not be the best option, perhaps even use Eric Bruntlett, but he’s not known for his bat.

However, the best option involves one of General Manager Ruben Amaro Jr.’s most useful trade-deadline acquisitions- Ben Francisco.

Francisco was a slip-in in the deal Cliff Lee headlined with the Indians. Perhaps the best deal made at the deadline.

He has proved his worth time and time again this season, both in the field and at the plate. So why not utilize both?

Here’s how it would work: you take Francisco and make him the starting left fielder against all left-handed pitchers. You then make Ibanez the DH. This not only provides you with a defensive upgrade, but also with an upgraded bat in the lineup. Ibanez still gets his at-bats in, and Francisco can become a baserunner in front of the red-hot Carlos Ruiz.

Manuel says he hasn’t decided, but I’m sure he’s looking for everyone to step up. In October, even the 25th man matters.

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Tags: 2009 Playoffs, Ben Francisco, Charlie Manuel, DH, Matt Stairs, Raul Ibanez, World Series

October 23, 2009

Morning Coffee: Mets fans split between rivals in 2009 World Series

In all of the hubbub Wednesday night, through celebrations, displays of emotion, and feelings of triumph, there was one thing I bet was never on anyones mind- the Mets.

The Mets and their fans have become a forgotten hatred amongst the fans of this city. They put-forth an effort so pathetic, even we forgot to hate them for a little while.

Now, their fans get to sit and see which of their arch-rivals will go on to win the World Series. Because it’s either gonna be their division rival Phillies, or cross-town foes, the Yankees.

Here’s a letter, originally sent by a Mets fan, which was forwarded eventually to Michael Barkann, who then shared it with me.

While it does suck to support Philly, they are clearly the lesser of 2 evils. Lets face it- what Mets fan cared about Philly before 2007? They were irrelevant. The Yankees, however, have been in our face our whole lives. For the last 13 years 80% of NY newspaper back-pages wash their jock-straps. They represent all that is wrong with sports. They are greed, excess, and they flaunt it constantly. Philly, as much as I don’t like them, I have to respect their team. They didn’t go buy all-stars at every position. They are gritty and blue collar, they have balls and don’t back down from anyone. Everything I wish our Mets were. They represent the NL, a league laughed at by most everyone, especially Yankee fans. The Yankees will stroll into the WS thinking they have already won it by beating their nemesis in the much tougher AL. Their fans and the media will be ready to crown them for #27, as will the whole world. The defending champs will not get the respect they deserve, and as we know, they enjoy beating NY. They thrive on being disrespected, and they will beat the Evil Empire. And when they beat that $200 million payroll bunch of all-star mercenaries, in their billion dollar stadium in game 6, I will still be a Mets fan. I still won’t like Philly, but I will damn sure respect them. As will every other baseball fan. Cheering for the Yankees is not an option. Never.

Under any circumstance.

Get me a Cheesesteak.

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October 22, 2009

Celebrating back-to-back League Championships!

When the Phillies win, the city celebrates. Last night was no exception. Here are some clips from the celebrations after the game from across the city:

From Broad Street: