Phillies Take First Trip to Bail Out Field

I've spent over an hour this afternoon trying to think of something worth posting that wasn't Chan Ho Park vs. Johan Santana related. I couldn't do it. There's really not anyone around the baseball world that thinks the Phillies will win the first of a two game series in NYC tonight, when the Phillies' worst possible option faces the best pitcher in the National League. Park, who is 0-1 with an 8.57 ERA, will start for our Phillies and will face off against Johan Santana, who was just named NL pitcher of the month for April.

Johan Santana has never suffered a loss to the Phillies. Santana's career stats against Philadelphia- 6 starts, 2-0, 2.85 ERA, .201 batting average against. Some Phillies struggle against Johan (Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Pedro Feliz and Chase Utley combine for a .121 career avg. against him...8-for-66), while others are not very troubled by the ace starter (Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth combine for a .359 avg. against him...23-for-64).

Park faced the Metropolitans last Friday night and got roughed up. He walked 6 and gave up 7 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings pitched. In 5 games thus far in 2009, opposing batters are hitting .333 against Park. This could potentially be Chan Ho's last turn in the Phils' rotation, as "Jay" Happ continues to perform well in relief, and Kyle Kendrick holds a low ERA at triple A Lehigh Valley.

On the flip side, however, imagine how broken the Metropolitans would be, if they lost this series opener. The Mets are already so fragile that the team has banned local newspapers from the club house, so players won't be subject to the local media critiquing them. If the Phillies can come out victorious on Wednesday night, you can count out the Mets early this year. Your regularly scheduled September choke date four months early!

I still feel as though failing to making adjustments to the rotation and allowing this match up to take place is a mistake by the Phillies coaching staff. All games count the same in the standings. For Cole Hamels to throw his bullpen session and practice fielding & covering first base yesterday, follow it up by saying he "feels fine", but then stick with the delay of his next start, till Friday, is the worst news in this whole scenario. Why doesn't the #1 starter and World Series MVP want to start closer to "on time" (his last start was Tuesday, 4/28, when he sprained his ankle) so he can face his team's arch rival?

Hamels is the Phillies pitcher that gives the team the best chance of beating Johan Santana while he's on a roll. Cole stating that he "feels fine" but then resting for the next two days does not sit well. Surely, we all understand pitchers have routines. If Colbert's routine is to rest two days after his bullpen session, between starts, that's fine. We know he's shot down questions about pitching on short rest before. We remember that he once scoffed at potentially returning from an injury unless the team was fighting for a playoff spot. The problem with that is...again, the games count as much now as they do in September. Less rest now, when he "feels fine", means more starts by the Phillies' ace in the long run.

I want to root for players that are driven by competition and winning, not guys who are steadily focused on a routine. I am not exactly hating on Hamels, but I will fully admit that it would be plenty more difficult to like how he operates if he wasn't the NLCS and World Series Most Valuable Player.

Jersey Shore clinches playoff berth on final day of regular season

Ottto Kemp, image- Jay Floyd With an extra-inning victory over first-half division champions Hudson Valley on Sunday, the Class A Advanced Jersey Shore BlueClaws clinched the team's first playoff appearance since 2018, winning the second-half division title. Key performers in the BlueClaws' clincher were righty hurler Jason Ruffcorn, who threw three innings of relief to earn the victory and third baseman Otto Kemp, notched three hits, a walk, two stolen bases and plated the game winning run in the 11th inning on a sacrifice fly. On top of that, Kemp, who turned 24-years-old on Saturday, made an absolute game-saving defensive play to help the club hold their lead in the bottom of the 11th frame. One of Jersey Shore's most consistent performers all season long has been right-handed reliever Cam Wynne. The Phillies' 20th round draft pick in 2021 out of Nebraska. In 34 appearances, one start, the 24-year-old tallied a 1-1 record with one save, a 2.44 ERA and a .190 batti

PhoulBallz Interview: BlueClaws OF Justin Crawford

Justin Crawford w/ junior reporter Evan At the age of 19, outfielder Justin Crawford has played his way into the conversation of being considered as one of baseball's top prospects. The son of four-time MLB All-Star Carl Crawford, Justin has looked every bit as impressive as his position as the 17th overall draft selection last year would have most fans thinking he should be. He opened the season with Class A Clearwater where, in 69 games, he notched a .344/.399/.478 slash line. And since mid-August when he was promoted to Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, the younger Crawford has posted a .300/.364/.440 line. He's also stolen 44 bases in 52 attempts overall. And while the BlueClaws enter the final week of the regular season 1/2 game out of first place in their division, I spoke with Justin Crawford about the team's hopes of making the postseason for the first time since 2018. I also asked Justin about the similarities and differences between his skillset and his father'

RHP Pipkin headed to AFL after hot August

After completing what was easily the best month of his career, righty hurler Dominic Pipkin is ready to face the tough competition of the prominent Arizona Fall Leage. Pipkin, who was the Phillies' 9th round draft selection in 2018, has had moderate success in his five years as a pro, posting a 4.93 ERA, a 7.6 K/9 mark and a .260 batting average against mostly at the lower levels on the minors. After missing time this year with an unspecified ailment, the six-foot-four 170-pounder proved to be healthy as he dominated AA competition in nine appearances with the Reading Fightin Phils during August. Pipkin's impressive production resulted in a 1-0 record with a save and a 0.96 ERA while striking out eight and walking three in 9 1/3 innings. The California native says his efforts to improve have helped him touch 100 MPH on the radar gun, while his fastball velocity is mostly around 96 MPH. Pipkin's arsenal includes that improved fastball as well as a slider while his curve

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