Series Preview: Phillies at Pirates, 8/25-8/27

The Phillies (72-50) visit Pittsburgh this week for a 3 game series with the Pirates (51-71). Have a look below for pitching match ups and more key details.

Tuesday, 7:05pm. Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.86 ERA) vs. Ross Ohlendorf (11-8, 4.15 ERA). Blanton has a 2.31 ERA and a 6-3 record, dating back to May 26th. Blanton's career ERA in August of 2.77 is by far his best month (his next best month is June- 3.35, 3rd best month is July 4.33). Ohlendorf at home this season is 8-2 with a 3.01 ERA in 13 games. Ohlendorf since the all star break is 4-1 with a 2.72 ERA in 6 starts.

Wednesday, 7:05pm. Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.78 ERA) vs. Paul Maholm (7-7, 4.74). In two career starts against Pittsburgh, Colbert is 1-0 with a 6.55 ERA. Hamels in August this season is 0-3 with a 6.75 and .326 batting avg. against in 4 starts. Maholm is 3-1 with a 3.71 in 5 career starts against the Phillies. Jayson Werth is the only active Phillie with a homerun against the lefty Maholm. At home this year, Maholm is 4-2 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts.

Thursday, 7:05pm. "Jay" Happ (10-2, 2.59 ERA) vs. Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21 ERA). Happ on the road this year is 6-1 with a 1.72 ERA and a .205 batting average in 15 games. The NL central has scored 1/3 of Happ's earned runs against him this season in just 4 of his 29 games. Morton has faced the Phillies just once and surrendered 5 earned runs in 2 innings. Morton gave up 10 earned runs to the Cubs in just 1 inning of work on August 14th...without that outing, Morton's ERA is 3.70.

Andrew McCutchen is batting .304 at home. He also has 5 of his 7 homeruns in Pittsburgh.

Shane Victorino in 16 career games against the Pirates, is a .382 hitter with a 1.041 OPS. Shane's batting average is 65 points lower on the road this season than it is in Philadelphia.

Matt Stairs is a career .344 hitter with a 1.063 OPS at PNC Park. He has 14 homers there in 79 games played. Stairs' last hit was on July 11th.

Miguel Cairo is back with the big club after hitting .287 over 78 games with triple A Lehigh Valley.

Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, combined in August, have a .277 batting avg., 15 homeruns, 29 RBI and 27 runs scored.

Team ERA Phillies- 4.16

Team ERA Pirates- 4.49

Comments

What the hell else was I going to write about...?

It will be too late for many people's liking, but it's really about time to NEVER USE BRAD LIDGE IN A SAVE SITUATION ON THE ROAD AGAIN. Lidge in 2009 road games- 0-6, 8.10 ERA, 15 saves, 10 blown saves. One of my favorite statistics that I regularly update here on PhoulBallz is the percentage of games that Brad Lidge has allowed earned runs in this season, compared to the 18% he allowed in 2008. This year, Lidge has allowed earned runs in 43% of his outings. And, as a reminder, in 2007 Brett Myers allowed earned runs in just 21% of his relief appearances. Considering Lidge's season-long struggles, what is the solution when Brett Myers is ailing with a back muscle/shoulder injury, when Chan Ho Park has an injured hamstring, when Ryan Madson looks just as inept in the 9th inning as Brad Lidge seems and when JC Romero is still unavailable to pitch due to a forearm injury? Well, on Wednesday night, with Hanley Ramirez batting with two outs and the tying run on 3rd base, your an...

Watch Out For the Bat Boy

Stop ice grillin' the Phillies players, bat boy. I am watching YOU. I don't know what is on your mind, bat boy, but don't even think about doing something slick. You might wear the Phillies' uniform, but it is clear that you are a Yankees fan. It's all over your pale little "I wanna grow up to be like the Robert De Niro character in The Fan " face. The World Champs should be cautious around this kid. He could be dangerous. ------------------------------------------- Follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE !

Greatest Comeback I've Ever Witnessed

I was lucky enough to be in the building for the Phillies' game 4 NLCS walk off victory. I would like to write about it as though I'm reporting on it. I'd love to be able to jot down a story and go off to bed, like I did after game 3, but I don't think that is possible. I feel like I did last year following game 5.2 of the World Series. I was up all night, unable to come down off of that Phillies high. I have the same feeling right now. You all know what happened. I don't need to tell you all a story about the game. It's very likely you've got the image of Jimmy Rollins lacing that double off Jonathan Broxton burned in you brain, frame by frame already. I know I do. With two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning, my lady began to collect her things, strapping her purse on across herself. I shot her a quick look as though to convey, "What are you doing?" She shot back, "I'm getting ready to go." I replied, "I'm getting ready to...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog