Geesh, pessimistic much? The Phils make up 5 games over the past 3-4 weeks and now somehow they won't be able to make up 2 games in the next 6 weeks? And with getting to play the Braves in 6 games with Halladay/Hamels/Oswalt pitching in all 6? Still plenty of games to be played and the Phils are a proven entity late in the season. I like their chances.
89Hen wrote:
It just seem like it's been 2.5 for a few weeks. When was the last time the Phils won a game on the same day the Braves lost a game?
August 14th. Your point is valid though. They've really been matching each other, with wins for the most part. The Phils have been the hottest team in baseball for about a month and the Braves are not far behind.
Here are the two teams' records from 22 July - 22 August:
Phils 22-7 (.759)
Braves 18-12 (.600)
The Braves seem to have had an "oh shit, here come the Phils" moment around August 4th, as the teams records from 4 - 22 August are:
Real bad loss by the Phils tonight, you can't blow a game in the 8th against a team like Houston. If the Phils ever wanna catch the Braves, they better start acting like it, only 30-some games left....
bluehenbillk wrote:Real bad loss by the Phils tonight, you can't blow a game in the 8th against a team like Houston. If the Phils ever wanna catch the Braves, they better start acting like it, only 30-some games left....
I knew they were going to lose when Werth got picked off second after ball 4 of an intentional walk. WTF was he thinking? He's not going to steal, why not just stand on the bag. One of the dumbest plays I've seen all year.
I'm also not sure about the Bourne bunt play. He definitely ran on the grass to avoid the tag.
BlueHen86 wrote:I'm also not sure about the Bourne bunt play. He definitely ran on the grass to avoid the tag.
Charlie mentioned in the post-game that he has some bad history with that umpire. He said the umpire explained that Bourne established his "baseline" around Howard's tag before drifting even further out of the basepath and over into the grass. Hell, you could see by the chunk of turf that Bourne ripped up that he was well outside the base path. Charlie said he asked the ump if it would have been OK if Bourne went all the way to the dugout and the ump said yes.
Anyway, Bourne turned out to be the winning run. I'm not sure why Howard didn't just turn and flip back to Utley, who would have been there in time at first.
BlueHen86 wrote:I'm also not sure about the Bourne bunt play. He definitely ran on the grass to avoid the tag.
Charlie mentioned in the post-game that he has some bad history with that umpire. He said the umpire explained that Bourne established his "baseline" around Howard's tag before drifting even further out of the basepath and over into the grass. Hell, you could see by the chunk of turf that Bourne ripped up that he was well outside the base path. Charlie said he asked the ump if it would have been OK if Bourne went all the way to the dugout and the ump said yes.
Anyway, Bourne turned out to be the winning run. I'm not sure why Howard didn't just turn and flip back to Utley, who would have been there in time at first.
Apparently it's a screwy rule - the baseline is only established when the tag is attempted - the baseline becomes the straight line between where the runner is at that point and the first base bag. So when the ump said yes to Bourne being okay if he was in the dugout, he was correct. Of course, if it's not always called that way then the rule becomes a bit bogus, and of course, if the runner is tagged then it doesn't matter where he is.
But yes, Werth getting picked off second on an intentional walk is vintage Werth. Just one more reason why he won't be missed next year, at least by me.
GannonFan wrote:Apparently it's a screwy rule - the baseline is only established when the tag is attempted - the baseline becomes the straight line between where the runner is at that point and the first base bag.
Really not that screwy when you think about it in relation to any other base. How many times have you seen a guy round third and stay on the paint to home?
GannonFan wrote:Apparently it's a screwy rule - the baseline is only established when the tag is attempted - the baseline becomes the straight line between where the runner is at that point and the first base bag.
Really not that screwy when you think about it in relation to any other base. How many times have you seen a guy round third and stay on the paint to home?
But rarely is there ever a tag play on someone as they round 3rd base.
89Hen wrote:
Really not that screwy when you think about it in relation to any other base. How many times have you seen a guy round third and stay on the paint to home?
But rarely is there ever a tag play on someone as they round 3rd base.
That's kind of the point. The baserunner is allowed to run well outside the "line", until they are in the process of being tagged. Then they can't go outside to avoid the tag.
What a time for the offense to disappear again!! Missed opportunities. I can't get The Bronx Tale outta my head this week when DeNiro keeps saying "wasted talent"...
bluehenbillk wrote:What a time for the offense to disappear again!! Missed opportunities. I can't get The Bronx Tale outta my head this week when DeNiro keeps saying "wasted talent"...
Yup - Werth just continuing his lost season as he prepares to leave Philly after this year. I can understand Utley and Howard a little bit, at least coming off of injuries, but no one's hitting around them and that's the problem. HR's seem few and far between anymore as well. Right now umpiring mistakes are hiding the fact that the hitting is brutal, but this crew won't be here after the next two games so the bats will be front and center. For all the talk about the bullpen and the bench earlier in the year, it still comes down to a simple equation - if the Phils hit, they win, if they don't, they lose. Pretty simple.
SCOTT BARRY will be the second-base umpire and Greg Gibson will be checking checked swings at third when the Phillies resume their thrilling series with the last-place Central Division Houston Astros tonight at Citizens Bank Park.
For fans unable to take their eyes off the two after the events of the last 2 nights, be forewarned: This might be one of the last chances to see the two together on the same field. That's because when he's not ejecting major league stars for the first or second time in their careers, Barry spends most of his time umpiring minor league games.
Gibson? He spends his off hours hiding behind a rule that really doesn't seem to exist, or at least operates more as a guideline...
The real problem is, this was supposed to be the easy part of the schedule. Yes, we play all NL East teams like the last 3 weeks of the year, but it may be catch Atlanta or bust, as the Giants have pulled even on the WC and STL is a game back, & the Cards will have the easiest schedule the rest of the way. Certainly not saying the Phils can't win, but they need to play a lot better.
bluehenbillk wrote:The real problem is, this was supposed to be the easy part of the schedule. Yes, we play all NL East teams like the last 3 weeks of the year, but it may be catch Atlanta or bust, as the Giants have pulled even on the WC and STL is a game back, & the Cards will have the easiest schedule the rest of the way. Certainly not saying the Phils can't win, but they need to play a lot better.
Eh, I like the Phils better when they feel their backs are up against the wall - I think they too thought this was the easy part of the schedule. Fortunately, there's still plenty of games to be played to make up 2 games on the Braves and if the Phils are feeling the pressure, I'd rather that happen sooner than later - they seem to need the pressure to step it up.
bluehenbillk wrote:The real problem is, this was supposed to be the easy part of the schedule. Yes, we play all NL East teams like the last 3 weeks of the year, but it may be catch Atlanta or bust, as the Giants have pulled even on the WC and STL is a game back, & the Cards will have the easiest schedule the rest of the way. Certainly not saying the Phils can't win, but they need to play a lot better.
I never buy into the "it's the easy part of the schedule" crap. It's not who you play, but how well you are playing at the time. Just look at how the Phillies have fared against the Pirates this year.
If the Phillies are playing well they will beat anyone in the NL, if not, they can lose to anyone.
