http://www.sportsnipe.com Philadelphia Phillies, Team News, Updates, and Stats from all sports sources, updated continually. http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933207/hamels-phillies-top-marlins.html Cole Hamels threw seven shutout innings as the Phillies beat the Marlins, 10-6. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933206/phillies-roll-but-rollins-goes-out.html He offered no astonishing revelation, yet Charlie Manuel's words had plenty of meaning hours before the Phillies' 10-6 stomping of the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2933205/phillies-10-marlins-6.html ^Florida @ ^ Philadelphia @ ^ Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932206/philsamp39-kendrick-confident-amid-uncertainty.html Phils' Kendrick confident amid uncertainty Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932205/dubee-balancing-relieversamp39-workload.html Dubee balancing relievers' workload Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2932204/hang-on-for-dear-life-marlins-at-phillies-game-thread-september-8-2010.html First place?  Check.  Hanging on?  To be determined. The Phillies send Cole Hamels to the mound against Andrew Miller for the Marlins, in an attempt to keep a solid hold on first place in the NL East.  What a weird season. Discuss the game below. Next Game Florida Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday, Sep 8, 2010, 7:05 PM EDT Citizens Bank Park Andrew Miller vs Cole Hamels Clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 15-20 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 80.   Complete Coverage > W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2010 - Cole Hamels 9-10 29 28 1 0 0 0 181.0 161 67 64 24 53 183 3.18 1.18 W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2010 - Andrew Miller 1-0 4 2 0 0 0 0 15.0 16 7 6 1 10 11 3.60 1.73 Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2931018/prospect-singleton-excited-for-playoffs.html Prospect Singleton excited for playoffs Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2931017/from-abyss-to-first-place-how-phillies-got-here.html At the end of play on July 21, the Phillies were 48-46.  They had just lost their fourth game in a row, and their second in a row to the Cardinals in which the Phils scored only 1 run.  They were in third place -- 7 games out of first place and half a game behind the Mets.  Chase Utley was on the DL, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton had ERAs over 6.00, Jamie Moyer had been injured the day before, Jimmy Rollins' OPS had plummeted in a month from over 1.000 to .700 (and was about to go under it), and Roy Oswalt was pitching for the Astros. Things looked bleak. But turnarounds happen without identifying themselves first.  And with July 21 the Phils' 2010 nadir, no one really noticed that July 22 was the start of an amazing comeback. Since that loss to the Cardinals on July 21, the Phillies have played .696 ball, going 32-14 over the last month and a half.  They've been excellent at home, with a 19-10 record (.655 win percentage).  They've been other-worldly on the road, with a 13-4 record (.765). Given the team's almost season-long offensive struggles, it should come as no surprise the Phillies have won with pitching and not with their hitting.  During this 46 game stretch, the Phillies actually have scored less per game than they did in their first 94 games -- 4.63 runs per game in the first 94 games compared to 4.57 runs per game in the last 46. However, they've held other teams to almost 1 run less per game.  In the first 94 games, they gave up 4.46 runs per game.  In the last 46, they've given up only 3.54 runs. It's simply impossible to overstate how incredible the three-headed monster of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt has been.  Since July 21 (and excluding Oswalt's start for the Astros on July 24), the three of them have combined for this incredible line:  26 games started, 183.67 innings, 2.30 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 4.95 K/BB, and 0.93 HR/9.  The Phillies are 19-7 in games they've started (meaning the team is 13-7 over this stretch in games not started by one of the three). Incredibly, the back-end of the Phillies' bullpen has been almost better.  Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson have been on fire since July 22.  Combined, they've made 50 appearances, pitched 49 innings to the tune of a 1.65 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 4.85 K/BB, and 0.37 HR/9. The story of how the Phillies got to first place reflects the new normal for the Phillies, and one Phillies fans need to get used to.  The days of scoring 5 to 5.5 runs per game are apparently over.  Injuries and age seem to have taken their toll on the aging lineup. Instead, dominant pitching is the new normal.  With a starting rotation featuring three guys who go deep into games and collectively pitch like Bob Gibson at his best, the decrease in runs scored isn't the liability it would have been in years past.  And with Madson and Lidge shortening games once again, the opposing offenses have very little chance when one of the three-headed monster is pitching. Dominant starting pitching, shut-down back-end relievers, and adequate offensive production -- that's a formula for a first-place team.  It's a different formula than we're used to, but it works nonetheless. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2931016/accidental-genius-charles-f-manuel.html More photos » Charlie Riedel - AP Genius. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) Browse more photos » If there is anything we know about Charlie Manuel, it is that he stubbornly refuses to deviate from the received wisdom of bullpen management. During Proven Closer(TM) Brad Lidge's frequent struggles in 2009 and occasional struggles this season, Manuel has been steadfast in his support of Lidge. "He's my guy," Manuel replied to the angry hoards of fans (rightly) calling for Lidge to be removed as closer. Roughly translated, this means "I will continue to use Brad Lidge in close, late game situations despite the availability of better options." And indeed, Lidge has remained the Phillies' closer. To his credit, however, in the 16.1 innings since his ghastly blown save against the Nationals on July 31st, he has been absolutely dominant, recording 11 saves against 1 blown save, allowing only 2 runs on 7 hits, and striking out 18 while walking just 3 (though it is worth pointing out that over this span he has an unsustainably low .184 BABIP).  SABR-slanted fans have long challenged the bullpen management commonsense of major league coaches. Rather than designating a "closer" to earn "saves" by pitching almost exclusively in the 9th inning of games in which the team is leading by 3 or fewer runs, they advocate using the team's best reliever to pitch in the highest leverage situations or against the opposing team's best hitters. In the case of the Phillies, Ryan Madson has been, without a doubt, the best reliever on the team. In fact, Madson has been even better than his 2.83 ERA suggests, with a FIP/xFIP line of 2.18/2.46. Yes, believe it or not, Madson's .331 BABIP suggests that he has been a bit unlucky on balls in play this season. Perhaps most impressive to me is his eye-popping 11.32 K/9 and his miniscule 1.31 BB/9. But wait, there's more! Since his July 8th return from the DL after being attacked by a chair, he has been even better: 32.1 IP, 22 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 42 K, 1.67 ERA (prior to last night's appearance). If anyone on the Phillies is an ace reliever, it is Ryan Madson. Of course, with Lidge the apparent closer for life under the Manuel regime, Madson remains firmly entrenched in the setup role.  If one peers a bit deeper into the performance of the Phillies bullpen over the past month--in particular the combination of Madson and Lidge--one will notice something strange afoot. While it would probably be giving Charlie Manuel too much credit to suggest it has been by design, in the games in which Madson has set up Lidge, Madson has done a great deal of the dirty work. In other words, Madson has faced better hitters than Lidge has, thereby making Lidge's job in the 9th inning easier. After the jump I have posted the play-by-play of games since August 1st (I know this is a somewhat arbitrary cutoff, but it marks the beginning of Lidge's current streak) in which Madson and Lidge have pitched back-to-back innings. Players' pre-game OPSes are in parentheses.  August 4, @ Marlins: Bottom 8th - R. Madson relieved J. Contreras - G. Sanchez (.804 OPS) doubled to deep left center - D. Uggla (.881) walked - C. Ross (.740) flied out to deep left center, G. Sanchez to third, D. Uggla to second - M. Stanton (.784) struck out swinging - W. Helms (.715) struck out swinging Bottom 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - R. Paulino (.698) struck out looking - D. Murphy hit for L. Nunez - D. Murphy (Career .659 OPS) grounded out to third - H. Ramirez (.799) flied out to center Advantage: Madson August 5, @ Marlins: Bottom 9th - R. Madson relieved D. Baez - H. Ramirez (.799) hit by pitch - L. Morrison (.621) struck out swinging, H. Ramirez stole second - G. Sanchez (.821) struck out swinging - D. Uggla (.881) intentionally walked - C. Ross (.733) struck out swinging Bottom 10th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - M. Stanton (.795) singled to shallow left - W. Helms (.696) struck out swinging, M. Stanton stole second - B. Hayes (Career .694) struck out swinging - E. Bonifacio hit for W. Ohman - E. Bonifacio (.636) flied out to right Advantage: Madson August 8, vs. Mets: Top 8th - R. Madson relieved R. Halladay - D. Wright (.869) flied out to left - I. Davis (.767) flied out to shallow left - F. Martinez (Career .505) struck out swinging Top 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - J. Thole (.759) singled to shallow center - R. Tejada (.528) grounded out to first, J. Thole to second - C. Carter (Career .683) grounded out to first, J. Thole to third - J. Reyes (.727) flied out to deep center Advantage: Madson August 11, vs. Dodgers Top 8th - R. Madson relieved R. Oswalt - S. Podsednik (.730) doubled to deep left - R. Theriot (.650) struck out looking - A. Ethier (.895) struck out swinging - J. Loney (.763) flied out to shallow left Top 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - C. Blake (.737) grounded out to shortstop - J. Gibbons (Career .770) struck out swinging - J. Carroll (.691) struck out swinging Advantage: Madson August 15, @ Mets Bottom 8th - M. Sweeney at first - R. Madson relieved C. Durbin - J. Reyes (.726) popped out to shortstop - A. Pagan (.832) struck out swinging - D. Wright (.845) walked - C. Beltran struck (.645) out swinging Bottom 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - I. Davis (.751) struck out swinging - C. Carter (Career .683) flied out to right - J. Thole (.812) flied out to center Advantage Madson August 20, vs. Nationals Top 8th - R. Madson relieved R. Halladay - R. Bernadina (.734) singled to right - M. Morse (.841) grounded out to second, R. Bernadina to second - I. Rodriguez (.645) struck out swinging - A. Kennedy (.671) grounded out to shortstop Top 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - W. Harris hit for D. Slaten - W. Harris (.621) lined out to right center - N. Morgan (.646) flied out to deep left center - I. Desmond (.719) doubled to left - A. Dunn (.910) struck out swinging Advantage: Lidge August 28, @ San Diego Bottom 8th - R. Madson relieved J. Contreras - E. Cabrera hit for E. Mujica - E. Cabrera (Career .655) grounded out to shortstop - D. Eckstein (.687) flied out to center - M. Tejada (.692) struck out swinging Bottom 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - A. Gonzalez (.908) struck out looking - R. Ludwick (.797) popped out to shallow left center - C. Headley (.738) flied out to left Advantage: Lidge August 31, @ Los Angeles Bottom 8th - R. Madson relieved J.C. Romero - M. Kemp (.757) flied out to left center - J. Loney (.725) struck out swinging - C. Blake (.753) lined out to pitcher Bottom 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - R. Belliard (.641) grounded out to shortstop - R. Barajas (.737) flied out to right - J. Gibbons hit for O. Dotel - J. Gibbons (Career .770) grounded out to second Advantage: Madson September 1, @ Los Angeles Bottom 8th - R. Madson relieved J.C. Romero - J. Carroll (.717) singled to shallow center - A. Ethier (.866) flied out to center - M. Kemp (.759) safe at first on shortstop J. Rollins' fielding error, J. Carroll to second - J. Loney (.732) singled to deep right, J. Carroll scored, M. Kemp to second - C. Blake (.746) grounded into double play shortstop to first, J. Loney out at second Bottom 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - J. Gibbons hit for H. Kuo - J. Gibbons (Career .770) flied out to shallow right - R. Barajas (.734) struck out looking - R. Theriot (.671) walked - S. Podsednik (.737) struck out swinging Advantage: Madson September 4th, vs. Brewers Top 8th - J.C. Romero relieved R. Halladay - P. Fielder (.890) grounded out to second - R. Madson relieved J.C. Romero - C. McGehee (.812) flied out to shallow left center - C. Dickerson (Career .770) struck out swinging Top 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - A. Escobar (.641) grounded out to third - M. Gamel hit for J. Lucroy - M. Gamel (Career .760) struck out looking - G. Kottaras hit for C. Villanueva - G. Kottaras (.731) flied out to deep center Advantage: Romero+Madson September 6th, vs. Marlins Top 8th - J.C. Romero relieved R. Oswalt - L. Morrison (.892) walked - R. Madson relieved J.C. Romero - H. Ramirez (.868) lined out to left center - D. Uggla (.875) struck out swinging - C. Tracy (Career .785) grounded out to third Top 9th - B. Lidge relieved R. Madson - W. Helms (.688) struck out looking - M. Stanton (.795) popped out to left center - E. Bonifacio hit for M. Rivera - E. Bonifacio (.685) singled to shallow right - E. Bonifacio to second on fielder's indifference - S. Cousins (Career .789 Minor League OPS) struck out swinging Advantage: Romero+Madson While clearly not intentional, Charlie Manuel has done a good job managing the back end of his bullpen recently, generally using his best reliever (Madson) against the opposing team's best hitters. In 9 of the 11 games listed above, Madson has faced better hitters than Lidge has. Surely this has simply been because the meat of the opposing team's lineup has just happened to bat in the 8th inning, but sometimes it really is better to be lucky than good. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2931015/phanatic-statue-auction-raises-70000.html "High Hopes" indeed. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2930022/firstplaceapaloozalinks-for-you-september-8-2010-boob-job-lidgel-stiff-its-war.html More photos » Matt Slocum - AP Each year, in early September, the migration of the journeyman reliever begins with a sentinel skyward bellow, as seen here (AP Photo/Matt Slocum). Browse more photos » Phillies grab first place as fan grabs second base: Fightins.comThis tableau of Ashburn Alley groundlings from last night's game does evoke this morning's mood rather nicely.As best we can determine, it wasn't any of our blog lords either, not even one of the new guys. Anyways, you stay classy, Phillies fans! Sam Donnellon: It isn't pretty, but Blanton gets job done for PhilliesWe come not to bury Blanton, but to praise him.   Phillies Notes: Phillies' Lidge sidelined by elbow soreness  "It is different from what I had before," Lidge said. "But instead of trying to throw through the pain and maybe make it worse, we decided I should take two nights off. It really is minor." Also, Dubee had nice things to say about Worley, and Dom was scratched with a right quadriceps strain. Voting begins for award honoring ClementeShane Victorino is the Phillies' candidate honoring community service.  The Braves’ lead has been squandered. What happens now? - Atlanta Journal-Constitution Rick Ankiel has done nothing. Nate McLouth continues to do nothing. Derrek Lee has done next to nothing. Troy Glaus hasn’t done much since June. Those four men staff two fairly key positions,  and at this late date you have to wonder: Would moving Melky Cabrera to center and the kid Freddie Freeman into a starting role at first base have a deleterious effect on a team that can’t score to begin with? This is exactly the kind of thinking that now struts through the fantasy clubhouse of Team WL. Call the Hall: Hoffman gets 600th save: mlb.comOn a night when Madson blew a save FTW, we hereby salute Trevor Hoffman (check the video of him hugging his three boys and dare yourself not to feel!) and call to question what this milestone means in the midst of the Lively Save Era. Chat with Joe Morgan: ESPN.comO.K., which one of you jokers is Conshy Matt? You get a b-slap for provoking Joe into saying what he did. OTOH, Tito from Brooklyn, I thank you once again for asking the obvious about Cousin Nyjer. I wept. September 22 can't come soon enough. Johnson leads WAR at Labor Day: Fangraphs.comIf Halladay's potential zOMG PLAYOFF WINZ! carry the old guard Cy Young ballots, Josh Johnson's wonderful flower of a season will likely be destined to bloom unseen on the humid turf of ProPlaya. Yet if you read the comments, even the propeller-headed stats set is tearing each other apart! A lively debate is upon us. hello thar, 2nd place! Braves impotent against Pirates, fail miserably 5-0, lose NL East lead: Talking ChopTim Hudson was really good until the seventh, when NL Central Cellar Karma struck again. Ise not sorry. Mathieson, Brown win top honors: Reading EagleA roundup of Phillies prospect 2010 honorifics. Interesting side note: Dom Brown, Matt Rizzotti, and Tagg Bozied were all Eastern League batting leaders at either their point of call up or at the end of the season. Future Shock: Tuesday Ten Pack: Baseball Prospectus(sub. req'd). Kevin Goldstein has some nice things to say about Lakewood's Julio Rodriguez. To answer PhillyFriar's question yesterday, Rodriguez is now throwing in the low-90s. No subscription? Then read more: Julio Rodriguez will help BlueClaws attempt championship defenseGo BlueClaws! I must, however, invite you all to join my fan backlash against nicknaming any player whose last name is Rodriguez with the "_-Rod" format. As an homage to the Mets third-base coach, I'd much prefer "Razor Rodriguez." He'll cut you, hermano! Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2930021/98-stat-notes-wpa-feeble-marquee-stats-popups.html   Best offensive performance -- WPA and OPS JoshuaR had a fanpost a few days ago asking which Phillie has had the single best offensive performance this year.  The list below was in the comments, and I thought I would repeat it here.  These are the top games in Win Probability Added.  As a reminder, WPA is calculated for each at bat by looking at how that AB changed the team's probabilty of winning the game.  For example, the winner is JRoll's game on 6/23, but in his first four at bats, he had WPAs of -.024, -.020, -.035, and -.030 for a total of -.108. His walk-off increased the Phils’ probability of winning by .709 (from .291 to 1.000), for the total of .601. 1. Rollins 6/23 .601 1-5, walk-off HR 2. Howard 4/10 .583 2-4, triple, HR, 3 RBI 3. Ruiz 8/12 .539 3-5, 3 RBIs, walk-off double 4. Ruiz 8/5 .506 3-5, 2 2B’s, HR in 10th 5. Polanco 8/1 .473 2-6, game winner in 11th 6. Ruiz 5/4 .454 2-3, 2B, walk-off HR in 10th 7. Werth 4/24 .451 2-4, 2 solo HR's, including go-ahead run in the top of the 9th in 3-2 win 8. Rollins 7/25 .441 2-4, drives in tying run, scores winning run on WP 9. Ruiz 5/10 .430 4-5, HR) — after this game, he led the NL in OBP and was 12th in OP 10. Howard 7/27 .395 2-4, HR, 3 RBI 11. Victorino 8/28 .388 2-4, go-ahead 3B in 7th 12. Ibanez 8/5 .385 3-4, RBI in the top of the 9th to bring score to 4-3, game tying run 13. Rollins 8/18 .372 3-5, 3 RBI, double short of cycle 14. Werth 6/23 .369 3-3, 2B, HR This isn't necessarily what most people think of when they consider best offensive performances, but it does factor in timeliness, or "clutch".  Also listed in the same fanpost comments are the highest single game OPS's this year: 1. Howard 6/18 4.250 4-4, double, triple, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs, 3 runs 2. Werth, 7/23 3.333 3 for 3, 2B, HR, BB 3. Victorino 5/10 2.833 2 for 3, 2 triples, 3 walks 4. Ruiz 8/23 2.750 1 for 2, HR, 2 walks 4. Ibanez 6/19 2.750 2 for 3, 2B, HR, BB 4. Werth 5/6 2.750 3 for 4, 2 doubles, HR, 3 RBI 4. Utley 5/20 2.750 1 for 2, HR, 2 walks, 3 runs Marquee Stats The Phillies have a good chance of making the playoffs, but I got to thinking what the initial TBS broadcasts would look like as batter after batter came up with stats that have been decimated by slumps and injuries.  Below are the 2009 full year stats, compared to the 2010 projected ending numbers (extrapolating current stats with essentially full playing time the rest of the way): 2009 Final 2010 Projections Difference   AVG HR RBI   AVG  HR   RBI   AVG   HR   RBI Rollins .250 21 77 Rollins .240 9 47 1st -.010 -12 -30 Victorino .292 10 62 Polanco .309 7 56 2nd .017 -3 -6 Utley .282 31 93 Utley .270 15 64 3rd -.012 -16 -29 Howard .279 45 141 Howard .277 32 104 4th -.002 -13 -37 Werth .268 36 99 Werth .293 23 76 5th .025 -13 -23 Ibanez .272 34 93 Ibanez .262 15 80 6th -.010 -19 -13 Feliz .266 12 82 Victorino .257 20 71 7th -.009 8 -11 Ruiz .255 9 43 Ruiz .288 7 48 8th .033 -2 5 Kind of funny that Feliz and his .695 OPS would be 2nd in RBIs on the 2010 team. Infield Popups Finally, an interesting post by Rob Neyer...  He deserves some credit for talking about Howard in a positive light for a change. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2929360/phillies-lidge-out-till-friday-yahoo-sports.html Plenty of Philadelphia Phillies fans likely heaved a sigh of relief last night when, according to MLB.com,... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927170/rays-bury-red-sox-to-gain-on-yankees.html BOSTON - The Tampa Bay Rays hit five home runs to support David Price's strong six-inning performance and beat the Boston Red Sox, 14-5, on Tuesday night to gain a game in the AL East race. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927169/minor-leagues-pettitte-to-make-start-for-trenton-thunder.html New York Yankees lefthander Andy Pettitte is scheduled to make a rehab appearance Thursday at Waterfront Park when the Trenton Thunder face the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in Game 2 of the Eastern League divisional playoffs. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927168/orioles-rise-up-to-put-down-sabathia.html CC Sabathia had no reason to expect his game plan, the one that has been nearly perfect against Baltimore throughout his career, would fail him as he tried for his first 20-win season. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927167/braves-lose-to-pirates-relinquish-first-place-phils.html James McDonald pitched seven innings, Ronny Cedeno's triple keyed a five-run seventh and the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates beat the visiting Atlanta Braves for the second straight game, winning last night, 5-0. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927166/indians-pitchers-getting-together.html Cleveland pitching looks up Now that the postseason is way out of reach and it doesn't matter that much, Cleveland Indians pitchers are finally getting in the zone. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927165/phillies-win-wild-one-over-marlins-to-reclaim-first-place-in-nl-east.html CHARLIE MANUEL said he hopes Brad Lidge will be able to recover from his current case of elbow soreness by Friday. The Phillies definitely missed him last night, although clutch late-game performances from Chad Durbin, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco muted the effects. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927164/phil-sheridan-long-season-no-more-as-pennant-race-heats-up.html It isn't a long season. Not anymore. For months, baseball people dismiss all mishap and misfortune by invoking the grueling marathon of the schedule. Slumps, injuries, bad plays and questionable managerial moves – they're all swept away with those four words: "It's a long season." Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927163/sam-donnellon-isnt-pretty-but-blanton-gets-job-done-for-phillies.html THEY GAVE HIM $24 million for 3 years and that started his troubles. Joe Blanton is not a lights-out guy, not a shutdown guy, not a guy you want to watch pitch without your hands real close to your face. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927162/paul-hagen-for-phillies-this-doesnt-feel-like-first-place-years-past.html SUGGESTED TITLE for the highlight video this offseason: "What A Long, Strange Trip It's Been." Because the Grateful Dead would have loved these 2010 Phillies. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927161/phillies-win-take-over-first-place.html For 100 days, the Atlanta Braves occupied first place in the National League East. In that span, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel aligned his eight position players in 68 different batting orders. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927160/phillies-notes-lidge-sidelined-by-elbow-soreness.html With the Phillies holding a one-run lead against Florida on Tuesday night, Charlie Manuel stuck with his setup man, Ryan Madson, for the ninth inning even though the righthander had already pitched in the eighth. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2927159/phillies-notebook-wont-say-if-worley-will-supplant-kendrick.html One day after Vance Worley's solid debut against the Marlins, manager Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee declined to provide much insight about how they will proceed with their rotation. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919259/hamels-shuts-down-hometown-pads-in-50-win-ap.html Cole Hamels wouldn't mind another trip to his hometown this season. That, of course, would mean a Phillies-Padres playoff series. "It'd be special," Hamels said after shutting down the Padres on four singles in eight innings to lead Philadelphia to a 5-0 victory Sunday that completed a three-game sweep of the bumbling NL West leaders. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919258/philadelphia-phillies-will-make-playoffs-again-yahoo-sports.html The bits and bytes were hardly dry on Alex Remington's playoff case for the Atlanta Braves when I heard from... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919257/ryan-howard-beats-ailing-ankle-smacks-first-homer-since-july-27-yahoo-sports.html Make no mistake: One home run isn't going to vaporize all the talk about whether Ryan Howard returned from... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919256/roy-oswalt-pitches-phillies-past-dodgers-51-ap.html Roy Oswalt has been one of baseball's most consistent winners down the stretch -- which is exactly what the Philadelphia Phillies were bargaining for when they obtained him just before the July 31 trade deadline. Oswalt pitched one-hit ball into the seventh and the Phillies used leadoff homers by Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino in the first two innings to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 on... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919255/hamels-works-7-scoreless-as-phils-top-brewers-10-ap.html Cole Hamels is used to getting little run support. It hasn't affected his pitching. The left-hander dominated over seven innings and the Philadelphia Phillies capitalized on a Milwaukee miscue to score the only run they would need in a 1-0 victory over the Brewers on Friday night. Hamels (9-10) made the lone run stand, as he breezed to his second straight win and ran his consecutive scoreless... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919254/halladay-wins-17th-game-for-phillies-ap.html A little heads-up baserunning by one of Philadelphia's role players sent Roy Halladay to his 17th win. Placido Polanco hit a tying sacrifice fly and Wilson Valdez hustled home with the go-ahead run on an errant throw on the same play, lifting Halladay and the Phillies to a 5-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919253/fielder-hits-30th-hr-in-62-win-over-phils-ap.html Kyle Kendrick went after Brewers slugger Prince Fielder with runners on base. Fielder made him pay with a milestone home run. Kendrick has bigger problems -- like holding his tenuous spot in Philadelphia's rotation after another shaky outing. Fielder hit his 30th home run, Randy Wolf was sharp against his former team and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Sunday to snap... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919252/phillies-werth-getting-ready-to-sign-boras-yahoo-sports.html Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth becomes an unrestricted free agent at season's end and... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919251/phillies-team-report-yahoo-sports.html Rookie right-hander Vance Worley's decent first start as a major-leaguer could lead to the Phillies making a change in their rotation. Officially, his Labor Day outing was no audition, but Worley's five-inning, two-run outing Monday in Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader against Florida might entice the Phillies to decide whether it's time to bump struggling righty Kyle Kendrick from the rotation. "I'm not even thinking about that," manager Charlie Manuel said. The Phillies have a few days to weigh their options because Kendrick, 2-4 with a 7.04 ERA over his last six starts, isn't due to pitch again until Saturday. Kendrick was hit hard Sunday, allowing five runs over four innings in the Phillies' 6-2 loss to Milwaukee. A day later, Florida scored... Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919250/werth-mum-on-free-agency.html Werth mum on free agency Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919249/phils-keep-focus-on-winning-division.html Phils keep focus on winning division Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919248/kendrickamp39s-struggles-continue-as-phils-fall.html Kendrick's struggles continue as Phils fall Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919247/zagurski-gets-another-callup-to-philadelphia.html Zagurski gets another callup to Philadelphia Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919246/williams-phils-know-how-to-win-in-september.html Williams: Phils know how to win in September Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919245/victorino-earns-clemente-nod-for-charity-work.html Victorino earns Clemente nod for charity work Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919244/phillies-scratch-rookie-brown-tight-quad.html Phillies scratch rookie Brown with tight quad Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919243/phils-yet-to-announce-fifth-starter-decision.html Phils yet to announce fifth starter decision Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919242/good-phight-brother-mouzone beneath-nerdy-proper-exterior-lies-heart.html The Good Phight = Brother Mouzone Beneath the nerdy and proper exterior lies the heart of a ruthless killer. I guarantee you WholeCamels reads pretentious magazines and owns at least one bowtie. Zoo With Roy's "Phillies Bloggers as Characters from The Wire" name checks us/me. For the record, I was contemplating a bow-tie purchase this weekend, and I have a subscription to The New Yorker. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919241/best-record-in-nl.html Right now, there's lots of angst in Phillies fandom about the inconsistent, sometimes non-existent offense, Ryan Howard's hitting since his injury, Jimmy Rollins' spot in the lineup, and the fifth starter spot. But all this fretting is missing a much more important point.  The Phillies have a very real chance to finish the season with something they haven't had since 1977 - the best record in the NL. Going into tonight's games, the overall NL standings look like this: <!--table {mso-displayed-decimal-separator:"."; mso-displayed-thousand-separator:",";} .xl1522158 {padding-top:1px; padding-right:1px; padding-left:1px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:10.0pt; font-weight:400; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; mso-font-charset:0; mso-number-format:General; text-align:general; vertical-align:bottom; mso-background-source:auto; mso-pattern:auto; white-space:nowrap;} .xl6322158 {padding-top:1px; padding-right:1px; padding-left:1px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:10.0pt; font-weight:400; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; mso-font-charset:0; mso-number-format:General; text-align:right; vertical-align:bottom; mso-background-source:auto; mso-pattern:auto; white-space:nowrap;} .xl6422158 {padding-top:1px; padding-right:1px; padding-left:1px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:10.0pt; font-weight:700; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; mso-font-charset:0; mso-number-format:General; text-align:general; vertical-align:bottom; mso-background-source:auto; mso-pattern:auto; white-space:nowrap;} .xl6522158 {padding-top:1px; padding-right:1px; padding-left:1px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:10.0pt; font-weight:700; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Arial, sans-serif; mso-font-charset:0; mso-number-format:General; text-align:right; vertical-align:bottom; mso-background-source:auto; mso-pattern:auto; white-space:nowrap;} --> Team Opp Win % Padres 0.523 Phillies 0.501 Braves 0.492 Giants 0.491 Reds 0.460 Unfortunately, the Reds, with the best record in the NL now, have a sizable advantage here, as they face a steady diet of the Pirates, D-Backs, Astros, and Brewers in the remaining weeks.  But the Reds also have the biggest division lead and are the most guaranteed to make the playoffs, so they may ease up a bit. Of course, at this point, the big issue is just making it to the playoffs.  As the first chart shows, the Phillies are almost equally likely to miss the playoffs as they are to have the best record in the NL.  However, if they do get the best record in the NL, they get homefield advantage throughout (as the NL won the All-Star game this year). For a team that's 12-5 at home in the playoffs in the past three years, that could be huge. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919240/phillies-prospect-roundup-tuesday-edition-box-scores-vanish.html The bad news about football season kicking off, and MLB kicking into high gear for its stretch run, is that it also marks the end of the minor league regular season. To some, it may sound like a small price to pay, but for prospect junkies like myself, it's a bit hard to swallow. Once the short season leagues start up, there can be up to eight Phillies box scores to check per day, and as Labor Day passes, they suddenly vanish. True, we'll get to see the Lakewood BlueClaws start their playoff run tomorrow, so we'll have something to wean us off of the en masse box scores that make up the latter part of the summer, but it's a tease more than anything else. With that said, this year's box scores -- or, more accurately, the cumulative statistics they engender -- have told us quite a bit about the Phillies' farm system. Assessing the big picture isn't something that can happen overnight, but we now have a chance to assess the information that's out there, see what Baseball American and the like have to say in their forthcoming offseason prospect rankings, and form our own conclusions. Sure, it still stinks that there's no baseball to follow (instructs and the various winter leagues aside), but next season is only seven months away! So as we meander through our last prospect roundup of the 2010 season, let's take a look at some of the 40-man call ups along with a few more guys. Vance Worley, RHP, Philadelphia: Yesterday's spot starter was a tough luck loser, as he more than held his own in his first major league start (5.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K). I think dajafi is onto something when he wonders aloud whether we've seen the last of Worley as a starter this year; Rich Dubee's displeasure with Kyle Kendrick aside, it's probable the Worley is a better option at the back of the rotation, plain and simple. He doesn't have Kendrick's platoon issues, he's been stingier with the free pass, and his curve and slider (while not exactly earth-shattering) give him legitimate secondary pitches to induce swings and misses. Put it this way: watch this space. Antonio Bastardo, LHP, Philadelphia: Bastardo laid waste to the minor leagues this year, posting a 1.12 FIP and 4.5 K/BB in 20 Triple-A appearances, and after a couple of false starts with the big league club, it appears that the diminutive southpaw is finally finding his gear in the bigs. He hasn't walked a batter in his 2.1 innings since returning to the Phils, and aside from the bunt parade the Rockies dropped on him, he hasn't been terribly hittable either. Charlie Manuel should continue to deploy Bastardo cautiously, but if he's healthy and throwing strikes, he's really tough on left handed hitters, and could prove to be a valuable specialist this month and as part of any potential playoff roster. Mike Zagurski, LHP, Philadelphia: See Bastardo, Antonio... no, I'm actually kind of serious. The erstwhile Kansas Jayhawk was likewise impressive in Triple-A (3.04 FIP, 11.9 K/9, 4.8 BB/9), and he's likewise struggled a bit in the majors. It's all about command for the Tommy John survivor, as two hit batsmen punctuated a rough outing yesterday against the Marlins. Zagurski's no world beater, but he's held hitters to a .225 batting average throughout his minor league career, and could prove to be an effective mop up guy with occasional LOOGY deployment. Scott Mathieson, RHP, Philadelphia: In case you couldn't tell, September roster expansion is really about all the arms you can add to your bullpen for the stretch run, as the presence of Bastardo, Zagurski, and Mathieson attests to. The double Tommy John survivor has -- stop me if this sounds familiar -- had a bit of trouble throwing strikes while wearing red pinstripes, although he's only appeared twice this year for the Phils. Command issues should probably leave him confined to low leverage situations until he gets comfortable, but guys who can pop high 90s on the radar gun aren't exactly a dime a dozen. Trevor May, RHP, Lakewood: It's been a weird season for the big right hander. He's continued to pile up the strikeouts at each stop, but his control problems became a big issue in Clearwater (where he walked 61 in 70.0 innings), necessitating a demotion to Lakewood. Back in Low-A, May has been nothing short of outstanding, and he'll take the hill for the BlueClaws tomorrow with a sparkling 2.00 FIP, 13.0 K/9, and -- best of all -- 2.9 BB/9. Kevin Goldstein recently raved about his upside; the question that remains is whether the mechanical issues that plagued him earlier in the year have been smoothed. Domingo Santana, OF-R, Williamsport: The now 18-year old had a rough go of it in 2010, ending up with a combined .211/.329/.333 line across stops at Lakewood and Williamsport. I still think the Opening Day assignment to Lakewood was overaggressive and may have had something to do with his subsequent struggles (even in the NYPL), but that's pure speculation on my part. What we do know is that Santana is still very young, and he would still be age appropriate in Lakewood two years from now, so there's absolutely no need to panic here. I'm fascinated to see where he winds up on offseason prospect lists. Cody Overbeck, 3B-R, Reading: The overall Reading numbers aren't awe inspiring -- .255/.333/.440, 8.8% BB, 30.8% K -- but he improved greatly as he adjusted to Double-A, including a .316/.404/.600 showing in August. The strikeouts are something of a concern, but even more of a concern is where Overbeck fits defensively -- he was a -5 TotalZone at the hot corner last year, and his .927 fielding percentage this year doesn't instill a ton of confidence. I still think Overbeck profiles as a four corners reserve a la Ty Wigginton (non-2010 edition), but he'll need to play at least a passable third base for that scenario to occur. Eric Pettis, RHP, Williamsport: Pettis was the closer for UC-Irvine his sophomore and junior seasons before being shifted to the rotation for his senior year, and he likewise handled both roles for the Crosscutters this summer. Whenever he entered the game, though, Pettis was dominant, as a simple glance at his NYPL numbers show: 10.3 K/9, 1.1 BB/9, 0.00 HR/9, 45.3% GB, 1.30 FIP. He's obviously not the kind of monster prospect his numbers would indicate -- guys like that don't usually last to the 35th round, after all -- but he's certainly got a shot to make it to the bigs as a bullpen guy, which would be a great return on a pick that late. James Klocke, C-L, Lakewood: Klocke is a guy I haven't mentioned before, and there's a chance I may never mention him again, but he was a later round draft pick that I really liked. A 31st round selection out of Southeast Missouri State, Klocke scooped up several All-American awards after a .370/.444/.635 campaign as a senior. Guys with great control of the strike zone always intrigue me, and Klocke has that in spades; his 111:66 BB:K in his college career carried over to a 6:8 BB:K in just 107 plate appearances in pro ball. A 15% caught stealing rate might indicate that he's lacking a bit defensively, but I'd like to see him get a crack at full season ball next year to see if he can develop into a backup catcher. Julio Rodriguez, RHP, Lakewood: This is a classic case of, "We need to wait to see what the scouting reports say." On pure numbers, Rodriguez is easily a Top 10 prospect in the system, racking up 90 strikeouts in just 56.1 innings for the BlueClaws to go along with 36 in 34.0 NYPL innings. He's also rectified the gopher ball problem that plagued him last year, surrendering only 4 in his 90.1 innings. The real issue, as Phuture Phillies noted a few weeks back, is that there have been conflicting reports on his velocity, and if he's only sitting high 80s, that isn't a great recipe for success heading forward. We'll have to wait to make a judgment on this one, but I for one am fascinated to see what the scouting reports say. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919239/back-to-reality-marlins-at-phillies-game-thread-september-7-2010.html The holiday weekend is over, and the Phillies their crucible-like weekend of five games in four days with decent 3-2 record. Tonight, the Phillies face the Marlins and Chris Volstad, who will be opposed by Joe Blanton, who turned in a poor outing last week after a string of more solid efforts.  Hopefully he returns to form. Discuss the game below. Next Game Florida Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday, Sep 7, 2010, 7:05 PM EDT Citizens Bank Park Chris Volstad vs Joe Blanton Mostly clear. Winds blowing out to right field at 10-15 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 85.   Complete Coverage > W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2010 - Joe Blanton 6-6 23 23 0 0 0 0 142.1 175 90 83 22 33 101 5.25 1.46 W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2010 - Chris Volstad 9-9 25 25 1 0 0 0 143.2 153 82 77 14 53 90 4.82 1.43 Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919238/marlins-at-phillies-september-7-2010-overflow-treat.html Marlins at Phillies, September 7, 2010 - OVERFLOW TREAT Bottom 8th, 7-7 tie Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919237/back-in-high-life-again-phillies-8-marlins-7.html And just like that, with a Braves loss (in Pittsburgh no less, with Tim Hudson pitching), and a sloppy win against a tough Marlins team, the Phillies reclaim sole possession of first place for the first time since May, and become the first National League team to 80 victories in 2010. It wasn't pretty.  Three of the Marlins' seven runs were unearned, thanks to a Joe Blanton error in the third inning that was really kinda Ryan Howard's fault due to his inability to throw to second, and a horrendous "WTF?" throw from right field "to" "third base" from Jayson Werth that allowed Marlins catcher Brad Davis to score in the eighth inning.  The Marlins then tied the game on a Ryan Madson wild pitch later that frame.  But the Phillies took the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth after a Shane Victorino stolen base, then an RBI single from Placido Polanco. Joe Blanton was, again, "Average Joe," allowing four runs (only two earned) over 6.1 innings, striking out five.  The bullpen allowed three runs, all charged to Jose Contreras, but as documented above, there was plenty of blame to go around.  Oh, and Ryan Madson got a blown save AND the win in that game.  Got it?  KILL THE SAVE STAT. The offensive star of the night was Raul Ibanez, who came just a double short of hitting for the cycle. FIRST PLACE BITCHEZ. via www.fangraphs.com Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919236/hamels-phils-blank-brewers.html After Alcides Escobar fouled off the third straight Cole Hamels fastball in the seventh inning, Carlos Ruiz realized the Brewers shortstop was slightly more out in front of the pitch than before. He was catching up to the fastball. So Ruiz, with two runners on, called for Hamels' 103d pitch of the night to be a change-up. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates http://www.sportsnipe.com/main_sportsnews/2919235/phils-extop-picks-savery-hewitt-still-hopeful.html Joe Savery is going to Clearwater after he completes his fourth minor-league season next week. Anthony Hewitt, on the other hand, is going to stare at clear water during a cruise through some Caribbean islands. Philadelphia Phillies - Sport Snipe - Team News - Stats - Updates