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

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'

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

McGwire Stays Phony, Despite Admitting Drug Use

Mark McGwire made an effort to publicly come clean today, admitting to the world that he took performance enhancing drugs during his playing career. Steroids and human growth hormones were among the drugs that McGwire admitted to using. MLB Network featured a one on one interview with Bob Costas and McGwire on Monday evening. The broadcast was virtually garbage, thanks to McGwire. Ahead is a list of quotes from McGwire's interview. McGwire repeatedly stated his point of view that there were no dishonorable intentions involved when taking steroids, and that he was merely using them as a means to recover from varying ailments. When asked if he felt like he cheated... "As I look back now...I can see how people would say that. As far as the talent goes and the hand-eye coordination, the ability, the genetics I was given...I don't see it." "I did not take this for any strength purposes." Denial. Read on for similar B.S. He whined about the abuse he's taken at