Series Preview: Phillies at Marlins, May 20-22

The Phillies (21-23) hit the road this week, beginning a three-game series against the Marlins (12-23) in Miami on Monday night
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Looking to get back on the positive side of .500, the Phillies will kick off the series with two of their main stars ailing, as Ryan Howard is sidelined with right knee soreness and Carlos Ruiz left Sunday's contest against the Reds with a right hamstring issue.

The Phils have won four of seven meetings with Miami thus far this season.

Read ahead for full details on the pitching match ups from this series and plenty more key stats from this series.

Monday, 7:10 PM. Cole Hamels (1-6, 4.61 ERA) vs. Alex Sanabia (2-6, 5.00 ERA). In four road starts this year, Hamels is 1-2 with a 3.52 ERA. In 26 career starts against the Marlins, Hamels is 8-11 with a 3.24 ERA. In two career starts against the Phils, Sanabia is 0-1 with a 2.45 ERA. Sanabia is 1-3 with a 5.70 ERA in four home starts this season. Jimmy Rollins is 0-for-6 against the right-handed Sanabia.

Tuesday, 7:10 PM. Tyler Cloyd (0-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. Jose Fernandez (2-2, 3.48 ERA). Cloyd gave up just two hits and two earned runs in his lone MLB start this season against Arizona on May 10th. Cloyd was 1-4 with a 6.57 ERA in seven starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year. In two starts against the Phillies this season, the rookie Fernandez is 1-0 with no runs allowed in 13 innings pitched. Fernandez has a 2.12 ERA with a .169 batting average against in three home starts this season. Fernandez, a righty, was the Marlins' 1st round draft pick in 2011.

Wednesday, 7:10 PM. Cliff Lee (4-2, 2.83 ERA) vs. Kevin Slowey (1-4, 3.44 ERA). Lee is 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA in five road starts this season. In his past three starts, Lee is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA. In three career starts against the Phils, the right-handed Slowey is 1-0 with a 5.14 ERA. Slowey held the Phillies scoreless over seven innings on May 5th, to lock down a win. Ryan Howard is 3-for-7 (.429 avg) with a double and a home run in his career against Slowey.

In 12 road games this year, Freddy Galvis is batting .400 with two homers and three RBI. Galvis is a .294 career hitter in 10 games against the Marlins.

Michael Young is batting .211 in 16 games this month. In 21 games against the Marlins in his career, Young is a .289 hitter with five doubles and nine RBI.

Chase Utley is batting .308 with four home runs and 15 RBI in 21 road games this season.

Placido Polanco has a career .287 average with three doubles and four RBI in 28 games against the Phillies. Polanco is batting .239 in 20 home games this season.

Heading into action on Sunday, righty hitting opponents were batting .115 against Marlins closer Steve Cishek while lefties had tallied a .316 average.

Rookie outfielder Marcell Ozuna is 8-for-16 with four doubles a homer and eight RBI in four career games against the Phillies. Ozuna is batting .286 in eight home games.

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...

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