Series Preview: Nationals vs Phillies, August 24-26

In the National League East division standings, a massive gap separates the Phillies (58-67) and the team they host for a three-game set beginning on Friday night, the first place Nationals (77-47). With the Nats ahead of the 3rd place Phillies by 19 1/2 games, heading into the weekend, it was just a year ago that things were nearly the exact opposite and the Phillies led the Nationals by 21 games.

Thus far in 2012, the Nationals have won 5 of 9 meetings with the Phillies.

Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and more key info on this series.

Friday, 7:05 PM. Edwin Jackson (7-8, 3.69 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (6-9, 4.20 ERA). In 3 career starts against the Phillies, the righty Jackson has a 0-3 record with a 5.60 ERA. Jackson has a 4-3 record with a 3.94 ERA in 13 road starts this season. Placido Polanco is 0-for-10 in his career against Jackson. In his past 2 starts, Kendrick is 2-0 while throwing 15 shutout innings. In 13 home outings this season, Kendrick is 2-6 with a 5.01 ERA. Ian Desmond is 8-for-19 (.421 avg) with a homer and 4 RBI in his career against Kendrick.

Saturday, 7:05 PM. Gio Gonzalez (16-6, 3.23 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (7-7, 3.95 ERA). Gonzalez, a lefty, is 10-2 with a 3.26 ERA in 14 road starts this season. In his career against the Phils, Gonzalez, who once pitched in the Philadelphia organization, is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in 2 games. Opponents are batting .214 against Gonzalez this year. In 4 August starts, Halladay is 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA. Halladay is 4-3 with a 3.63 ERA in 9 home starts this season.

Sunday, 1:35 PM. Jordan Zimmermann (9-7, 2.54 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (2-7, 3.78 ERA). In 13 road starts this season, Zimmermann has posted a 7-4 record with a 1.96 ERA. The right-handed Zimmermann is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in 4 August starts. Lee has a 0-5 record and a 4.42 ERA in 10 home starts this season. In 6 career starts against Washington, Lee has a 4-2 record with a 2.44 ERA. Lee's last home win was on September 5, 2011.

Ian Desmond has a .308 average with 2 HR and 9 RBI in 23 career games at Citizens Bank Park.

In 79 career games against the Phillies, Adam LaRoche has a .300 average with 13 HR and 41 RBI. LaRoche is batting .278 with 15 HR and 43 RBI in 62 road games this year.

Jayson Werth is batting .373 with 8 doubles, a triple and 8 RBI in 19 August games. Werth has a .903 OPS in 282 career regular season games at Citizens Bank Park.

Domonic Brown has a .306 average with 1 homer and 7 RBI in 13 home games this season. Brown is batting .308 against right-handed pitchers and .211 against left-handed pitchers.

Since joining the Phillies, reliever Josh Lindblom has posted a 7.88 ERA in 9 appearances. Lindblom has not allowed a run in 3 appearances against Washington this season.

Ryan Howard has a .284 batting average with 7 homers and 20 RBI in 21 home games this season. Howard is batting .333 with runners in scoring position this season.

Nationals team ERA in August- 2.90 (3rd in MLB)
Phillies team ERA in August- 3.36 (8th in MLB)
__________________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

On Wednesday, Phillies lefty pitching prospect Jacob Diekman made his Arizona Fall League debut. Diekman, who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, was assigned to Mesa late, in order to increase his 2010 innings total, according to Mesa hitting coach Mark Parent, who managed Diekman in Lakewood this past season. Diekman, 23, posted a 2-0 record with 1.90 ERA in 21 games with Class A Lakewood before being promoted to High-A Clearwater on June 24th. In 24 games with the Threshers, Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Combined, Diekman tossed 55 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .187 batting average against at two levels in 2010. However, after not pitching in an official game since he threw a shutout inning to wrap up the Clearwater season on September 5th, Diekman was unable to record an out as all seven batters he faced reached base, six with hits, one on an error. Diekman was charged with 5 earned runs in the outing. Diekman had spent time at instructional ball from

2022 Phillies Top Prospects Countdown: #24 RHP Cristian Hernandez

Venezuelan born right-hander Cristian Hernandez has begun to earn recognition as one of the Phillies most promising pitching prospects. Signed as a 16-year-old in 2017 for a reported $120,000, Hernandez got his professional career started the following summer as a starter for the Phillies' Red Dominican Summer League club. There, in 13 starts, Hernandez tallied a 2-3 record with 2.57 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP as well as a 7.0 K/9 mark. An injury sidelined Hernandez in 2019 and the 2020 season was cancelled due to the global pandemic. In 2021, Hernandez saw his first regular season action in the United States, starting his season in Florida Complex League. After two appearances there, the six-foot-three 185-pounder was promoted to the Class A Clearwater Threshers. In 20 combined outings (17 starts), Hernandez notched a 2-7 record with a 3.57 ERA, a .228 batting average against and an 11.2 K/9 mark. Projectability is something that baseball folks like about Hernandez. His size, consistent

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog