Series Preview: Rockies at Phillies, September 7-9

The Phillies (66-71) will host the last place Rockies (56-80) in a three-game set this weekend.

In the series opener, the Phils will send lefty ace Cliff Lee, who has the opportunity to win three consecutive starts for the first time this season, to the mound. Colorado will counter with left-hander Jeff Francis, who allowed 1 run in 5 innings of work in a no decision when he last faced the Phillies in June.

The two clubs have equally split their six previous meetings this season.

To read more about the pitching match ups and other key statistical details on this series, read head.

Friday, 7:05 PM. Jeff Francis (5-4, 5.73 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (4-7, 3.52 ERA). Lee is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 2 career starts against the Rockies. In his last 4 starts, Lee has a 2-0 record with a 1.91 ERA. Lee has a 1-5 record with a 4.14 ERA in 11 starts at home this year. Francis is 2-0 with a 5.14 ERA in his last 6 starts. In 8 road starts this season, Francis has a 2-1 record with a 4.69 ERA. Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-15 (.467 avg) with a double and a HR in his career against Francis.

Saturday, 7:05 PM. Tyler Chatwood (4-4, 5.53 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (14-6, 3.04 ERA). Chatwood has a 1-2 record with a with a 5.82 ERA in 6 road games this season. The righty Chatwood was a 2nd draft pick by the Angles in 2008 and was acquired in last off-season's trade for Chris Iannetta. In 7 starts since the All-Star break, Chatwood is 3-3 with a 4.60 ERA. Hamels has a 3-0 record with a 2.15 ERA in his last 5 starts. In 12 home starts this season, Hamels has a 6-3 record with a 2.87 ERA. Hamels' next win would tie his career single season high from 2007.

Sunday, 1:35 PM. Drew Pomeranz (1-8, 4.93 ERA) vs. Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 2.77 ERA). Pomeranz is 1-3 with a 4.86 ERA in 8 road starts this season. The lefty Pomeranz hasn't won since July 6th, a span of 10 starts. Opponents are batting .224 against the rookie right-hander Cloyd since his promotion to the big leagues. Cloyd was an 18th round draft pick by the Phillies in 2008.

Carlos Gonzalez has an offensive line of .377/.444/.627 in 63 home games this year while he has posted a .235/.308/.416 line in 59 road games this season. Gonzalez's career OPS splits are .269 lower on the road than at Coors Field.

Rookie catcher Wilin Rosario has a team high 23 HR this season. In 4 career games against the Phillies, Rosario has a .375 batting average with 3 HR and 8 RBI.

Colorado closer Rafael Betancourt has a 0.75 ERA in 25 road games this season. Betancourt has posted a 0-1 record with 1 save, 1 blown save and a 1.23 ERA in 7 career outings against the Phillies.

Jimmy Rollins has posted a .228 batting average in 50 games since the All-Star break. In 71 career regular season games against the Rockies, Rollins has a .311 batting average with 8 HR and 35 RBI in 71 games.

In 61 home games this season, John Mayberry Jr. has posted a .270 average with 7 HR and 20 RBI. Mayberry is batting .289 in 47 games since the All-Star break.

In 46 regular season games against Colorado, Chase Utley has a .348 batting average with 12 HR and 60 RBI. Utley has a .906 OPS in 30 home games this season.

Rockies team OPS since the All-Star break- .753 (12th in MLB)
Phillies team OPS since the All-Star break- .702 (23rd in MLB)

_______________________________________________________

You can follow PhoulBallz on Twitter by clicking HERE.

Also connect with PhoulBallz on Facebook by clicking HERE.

This Guy Speaks For All of You

This individual, interviewed by FOX 29 on Friday as the Phillies arrived back at Citizens Bank Park, said it best. When asked how he felt regarding the Phillies, he told Steve Keeley that he was, "Stoked, baby!" The unidentified phanatic then proclaimed, "We are talking about the Fightins here, the Fightins! Said!" Check out the media player below, as the transcribed version certainly does not do this phireball of phandom justice. The Phillies forced game 6 of the National League Championship Series with a 4-2 victory over the Giants in San Francisco on Thursday night. Game 6 will feature Roy Oswalt vs. Jonathan Sanchez in a return pitching match up from game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 7:57 pm EST at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Be sure to tune in on 97.3 ESPN's Weekend Sports Guide with Tyrone Johnson this afternoon around 1:15pm to hear me chatting about the Phillies! 97.3 is based in Atlantic City. You can listen live online HERE . _________

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 rol

Wassup with dat? Vito Friscia edition

Friscia, image- Jay Floyd What's up with that Vito Friscia guy? Well, he's a 24-year-old righty batting catcher that was drafted by the Phillies out of Hofstra University in 2019 with the team's final selection, 1200th overall, in the 40th round. But what's his deal? Friscia opened the season with Class A Advanced Jersey Shore, where, in 16 games, he notched a .264 batting average with a pair of home runs, five doubles and seven RBI. Last week, when Triple-A Lehigh Valley needed a reserve backstop, Friscia was promoted to fill their void. When Rafael Marchan returned from a short stint in the big leagues, Friscia was assigned to the Double-A Reading roster. Is he just a backup catcher? For now, it seems that's his role. But check out this quote from BlueClaws skipper Chris Adamson from earlier this month when I asked him about which player stood out to him as a guy that deserved recognition, but may not be getting it. "Vito Friscia is a guy that, earl

PhoulBallz.com

Search This Blog