Skip to main content

Series Preview: Cubs at Phillies, 5/19-5/20


The first place Phillies (24-14) will host the Cubs (18-22) for a brief two-game series, starting Wednesday night. The Cubs sit in third place in the NL Central, 5 1/2 games behind the first place Reds. Last season, the Phillies won 5 of 6 meetings between the two clubs, and 2 of 3 in Philadelphia.

Jamie Moyer, who began his Major League career as a Cub, will take the mound for the Phillies in game one, looking for his 264th career win. Moyer is just 4 homeruns allowed away from tying Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, who passed away recently, for the all-time lead with 505.

The Cubs arrive in Philadelphia riding a 3 game win streak and will counter with left-hander Tom Gorzelanny in game 1.

Check out all the details on the pitching match ups and other key notes from this series below.


Wednesday, 7:05pm. Tom Gorzelanny (1-4, 3.60 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (5-2, 4.57 ERA). In one appearance against the Phillies, Gorzelanny has allowed 5 earned runs in 5 innings pitched. In 3 road starts this season, Gorzelanny is 0-2 with a 2.50 ERA. Moyer has won 4 of his last 5 starts...in those games his ERA is 3.51. In 7 career games against the Cubs, Moyer is 3-1 with a 4.58 ERA. Alfonso Soriano is 12-for-53 (.226 avg) with 4 homers and 9 RBI in his career against Moyer. Derrek Lee is 5-for-11 (.455 avg) with 3 doubles against Moyer.

Thursday, 1:05pm. Ryan Dempster (2-4, 3.49 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.49 ERA). Dempster has lost 4 straight starts and has a 4.34 ERA in those games. In 21 career games against the Phillies, Dempster is 4-4 with a 4.99 ERA and 1 complete game. Placido Polanco is 7-for-17 (.412 avg) against Dempster in his career. In 2 career starts against the Cubs, has no decisions and a 2.13 ERA. Blanton is 0-2 at home this year...Blanton was 7-4 at home last season. Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Marlon Byrd and Mike Fontenot are a combined 4-for-27 (.148 avg) against Blanton. In 8 day starts last year, Blanton posted a 4-1 record with a 5.47 ERA.


Alfonso Soriano is a .257 career hitter in 42 games against the Phillies with 9 homers, 16 RBI and 12 steals. In 17 games on the road, Soriano is hitting .274 with a .313 on base percentage. Conversely, at home Soriano is hitting .365 and has a .429 on base percentage.

Derrek Lee is batting .200 (14-for-70) in 19 road games this season. Lee is batting .229 on the season.

In 14 career games against the Phillies, Mike Fontenot is 3-for-24 (.125 avg) with a double, a homer, and 4 RBI.

Jimmy Rollins is a career .232 hitter in 58 games against the Cubs, with 6 homeruns.

In 23 career games against the Cubs, Jayson Werth is 23-for-77 (.299 avg) with a 1.032 OPS. In 18 home games this year, Werth is hitting .383 with a 1.280 OPS.

Ryan Howard is 13-for-28 (.464 avg) with 2 homers and 8 RBI over the past week.

Chase Utley, who has missed the past 2 Phils games with flu-like symptoms, may be a game time decision for game 1 of this series.

------------------------------
This week's PhoulBallz Phillies segment on The Shore Sports Report has been pushed back to 5:05pm, due to Lakewood BlueClaws double header action today on WOBM AM 1160 and Fox Sports 1310 AM. You can listen to live online by clicking this link.

You can follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eric B Needs to be Cut (and My Name is Rakim)

While the Phillies are on a hot streak this month, one player on the team is not. Eric Bruntlett is 1-for-12 in July. Since the start of May, Bruntlett's apex in batting average has been .167 on June 14th. Bruntlett's ineptitude can be tolerated no longer. Get rid of this guy NOW! Eric B. is the 2009 Endy Chavez. Remember Endy...the guy who in 2005 managed just 2 hits in his final 42 games played as a Phillie? That is about the sort of output the Phillies are getting from Bruntlett, and it's time to fix this void. Julio Lugo was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox and is expected to become a free agent. The Metropolitans are rumored to be interested. Why wouldn't the Phillies be interested in a guy who could surely outhit Bruntlett? Lugo was hitting .284 through 37 games played this season with Boston. Suspended Lehigh Valley IronPig Pablo Ozuna is eligible to return next Wednesday. Ozuna is batting .294 through 51 games at triple A. Miguel Cairo is also...

Yankees Fans Misled By Pepsi Promotion

**** Today, New York Yankees fans attended a Pepsi promotion in Times Square hoping for chances to win opening day tickets to the new stadium, but the tickets, which were difficult to track down due to poor organization on Pepsi's part, were actually for a game in June. Furthermore, the 250 pairs that were promised were actually only 100 pairs. The fans, who were made to sprint through traffic over multiple city blocks when locations for the promotion changed, quickly turned against the soda brand by pooring out their beverages and chanting anti-Pepsi phrases. Yankees fans are even threatening a boycott of Pepsi. An appearance by Yankee great Goose Gossage could not even settle the angry mob, as he had to be whisked away, as a precaution, according to the Daily News . Ooo , I'd hate to see what "the worst fans in sports" (Philadelphia fans) would have done to their free Pepsi cans and beloved reliever in that situation. Because this happened in a non-Philly city, th...

5th spot, Wall, Old timers, Links

The race for the Phillies' fifth starter spot is still on. While it's not fully fair to compare Grapefruit League stats, when some of the pitchers have had "B game" and scrimmage outings mixed in, Kyle Kendrick and Carlos Carrasco look to be falling behind Chan Ho Park and "Jay" Happ. Happ added to his solid Grapefruit League stats (2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP in 4 games) today against the Rays. Pitching coach Rich Dubee had been displeased with Kendrick even before he surrendered 8 earned runs in 3 innings of work yesterday against the Braves. Park has been working on improving his change up, with (Coach) Jamie Moyer. Park noticed Moyer's location control on his change, so he sought out Moyer to teach him the grip and positioning of the ball. Moyer, of course, feels good about helping anyone on the Phils' staff. Park has been coached by greats like Nolan Ryan with the Rangers and Sandy Koufax with the Dodgers, so Moyer is in great company. Park is working h...