Weekend Wins and Pitching Improvements Needed

Joe Blanton gave up 5 earned runs in 6 innings in a loss to the Marlins on Friday

Perhaps the Phillies don't realize that there are still reasons to win these remaining games. If they lose out this weekend and end up with the worst record among the division winners, they will go on the road to face the West division champions in the first round. And surely the Phillies must realize that the Marlins won't roll over, and still have something to play for...second place. For second place teams that don't make the playoffs, bonuses per team member can exceed $10,000. Marlins players and coaches want bonus money. Don't get it twisted.

The forecasted Phillies' first three starters for the post season are Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Joe Blanton. This group of fellows who had been awfully hot in the mid to late summer haven't been so hot lately. Here's a look at recent samples for the top three guys.

Cole Hamels is 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA in his last 5 starts.
Cliff Lee is 2-4 with a 6.13 ERA in his last 7 starts.
Joe Blanton is 3-2 with a 5.52 ERA in his last 5 starts.

Sure, the Phillies offense has carried them for stretches this season, but through August and into September many experts, analysts and fans thought the Phillies' starting pitching could match up to the strong Cy Young Award candidates, Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter, of the Cardinals. At this rate, the Phils' rotation would have to rely on the offense to carry the team.

-----------------------------------

Be sure to check out this tribute video from Macho Row. Solid stuff.

Hey, follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE!

Comments

OBC said…

Yeah, don't be complacent. Still need winz!

October 3, 2009 at 11:37 AM

Justin De Fratus Interview Excerpts- May, 2011

Armed with a 2-0 record, 3 saves and a 2.95 ERA in 15 games this season for the Double A Reading Phillies, Justin De Fratus continues to make strides toward his goal of reaching the Major Leagues. Ranked as a top 10 prospect within the Phillies system last off-season, the 23-year-old De Fratus was in camp with the Phillies during big league spring training. In 3 games with the Phils during the Grapefruit League season, De Fratus allowed 4 earned runs in 4 innings and took a loss. He did strike out an impressive 5 batters in those 4 frames, however. Drafted in the 11th round of the 2007 amateur draft, De Fratus stood out as a force in relief last year for both the High A Clearwater Threshers and the R-Phils. In 49 combined games at the two levels, De Fratus posted a 3-0 record with 21 saves and a 1.94 ERA. De Fratus continued his excellent 2011 by pitching for Team USA in the Pan-American qualifiers held in Puerto Rico, helping the Americans finish with a 9-1 record. He also posted out...

Bubby Rossman's long awaited MLB debut

Eight years after he initially signed a professional contract with the Dodgers and a five-year stretch playing away from affiliated ball, Bubby Rossman became a major leaguer on Wednesday. Added as a substitute for pitcher Kyle Gibson, who is restricted from travel to Canada for the Phillies' series in Toronto, due to his medical inability to be vaccinated from COVID-19, Rossman took the mound for the first time in the majors. Rossman, who was a 22nd round draft selection in 2014 had pitched in 200 professional games before his one-inning outing in the Phillies' 8-2 loss to the Blue Jays. In 27 appearances with Double-A Reading this year, the 30-year-old right-hander has performed well, tallying a 2-2 record with a save, a 3.32 ERA and a .200 batting average against. The embedded video below features a media session with Rossman from prior to opening day this year, in which the California native discusses his journey through independent baseball and back to affiliated ball w...

Lakewood falls as Lexington takes Sally League title

Spencer Howard, image- Jay Floyd LAKEWOOD, NJ- Only one team can with the last game and unfortunately it wasn't the home club at FirstEnergy Park on Friday night as the Lexington Legends (Royals affiliate) nabbed a 2-1 victory and, in the process, their second Class A South Altantic League championship. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th, the Lakewood BlueClaws failed to plate a run and fell in the best-of-five series, three games to one. Lakewood's lone run came in the 6th inning on a Jhailyn Ortiz RBI single. Manager Marty Malloy waved another runner home that was gunned down at the plate. Lexington took the lead back in the top of the 9th on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Cristian Perez, who doubled in the Legend's first run in the 5th. The sac fly brought home left fielder Brewer Hicklen, who beat a close play at the plate. "We had two plays at the plate, one was our guy being out and the other was their guy being safe and that was the dif...

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog