Skip to main content

Series Preview: Marlins at Phillies, September 16-18

With the worst offense in the major leagues, the Marlins (55-94) seem to be an ideal opponent for a Phillies (69-80) team looking to avoid their first losing season since 2002. 

Miami, which ranks last in the big leagues in batting average (.231), runs scored (479), home runs (90), OPS (.627), will face Phils ace Cliff Lee in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

The Phils have been victorious in five straight games against Miami.

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


Monday, 7:05 PM.  Sam Dyson (0-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. Cliff Lee (13-6, 2.97 ERA).  The 25-year-old Dyson will be making his first big league start.  In five big league relief appearances, Dyson sports a 7.27 ERA and a .371 batting average against.  In his last five starts, Lee has a 3-0 record with a 2.00 ERA.  After throwing six complete game shutouts in 2011, Lee has completed one game, a shutout against Miami in May this year, in 58 starts since then.  Lee has a 6-4 record with a 3.50 ERA in 13 games at home this season.

Tuesday, 7:05 PM.  Brian Flynn (0-1, 10.13 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (3-4, 7.28 ERA).  Flynn, a 23-year-old lefty, was originally an 18th round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2008.  In 27 minor league contests this year, Flynn sported a 7-12 record with a 2.62 ERA and a 8.22 K/9 mark.  In seven home games this year, Halladay is 2-2 with a 6.56 ERA.  In 16 career games against Miami, Halladay has an 8-5 record along with a 3.65 ERA.  Halladay has tallied a 5.06 ERA in four starts since returning from the disabled list with a shoulder injury last month.

Wednesday, 7:05 PM.  Brad Hand (0-1, 3.18 ERA) vs. Kyle Kendrick (10-13, 4.70 ERA).   Hand, a lefty, was a 2nd round pick by the Marlins in 2008.  In 17 big league games, the 23-year-old Hand has struck out 56 batters and walked 46 in 75 innings pitched.  In his last seven starts, Kendrick has a 0-5 record with a 5.97 ERA.  Kendrick is 6-5 with a 4.48 ERA in 15 home starts this year.  Giancarlo Stanton is 3-for-18 (.167 avg) with a double and a homer in his career against Kendrick.


Adeiny Hechavarria is batting .201 in 55 games since the All-Star break.  In 13 games against the Phillies this year, Hechavarria is sporting a .191 batting average.

Rookie outfielder Christian Yelich entered Sunday batting .375 in 14 September games.  Yelich, 22, was the Marlins' first round draft choice in 2010.  Overall in 50 games this season, Yelich is batting .283.

Chris Coghlan is batting .148 in 10 games against the Phillies this season.  Coghlan is a .347 career hitter in 92 games after the All-Star break.

Cody Asche is 13-for-43 (.302 avg) with three homers and six RBI in 12 games this month. 

Jimmy Rollins is batting .209 with a double in 13 games against the Marlins this year.  Rollins has a .223 average in 51 games since the All-Star break.

Kevin Frandsen is batting .179 in 47 games since the All-Star break after batting .297 in 61 games prior to the midsummer classic.  Frandsen is a career .301 hitter in 91 games at Citizens Bank Park.

In nine September games, Carlos Ruiz is batting .394 with four doubles and 12 RBI.  Ruiz has posted a .320 average in 45 home games this season.

_______

Image- AP

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Lidge Shaky, T-Mac Honored in Trenton

TRENTON, NJ- Brad Lidge made his second rehab appearance for the Double A Reading Phillies on Thursday night and it didn't go as well as the veteran reliever or the team had hoped. Lidge struggled with his command and turned in a rather poor outing for the club that entered the night in a playoff race, 1 game behind division rival Trenton for the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Division. On the disabled list since spring training with a strained right rotator cuff, Lidge experienced an elbow strain when he was working back from that issue in late May. In his outing against the Yankees affiliate in Trenton, Lidge displayed difficulty with his control as he threw three wild pitches, hit two batters, walked another and gave up a single, all while letting up two earned runs on 28 pitches in 2/3 of an inning. After the disappointing performance, Lidge was composed and focused on some positive aspects, having reached 89 and 90 MPH on scouts' radar guns, according to some reports. ...

Jason Knapp Q&A

PhoulBallz .com was fortunate enough to meet with Phillies prospect Jason Knapp just one day after he caught the attention of the baseball world with his 7 shut out innings, 14 strike out performance against the Indians' Lake County team. - I asked Jason, the Lakewood BlueClaw , for some thoughts about his big game... I had pretty good command of three pitches (fastball, curve, change up). I was on the same page with my catcher, D'Arnaud , and I ended up, ya know, I felt pretty good. - In a great performance like that, how much credit goes to Travis D'Arnaud , the catcher? More than you might expect, definitely. I didn't shake him off once. He told me what to throw and I do what I'm told. And if it works out, a lot of the credit goes to the catcher. - Does the lack of run support (Lakewood has scored 3 total runs in his 3 starts), in your few starts, increase your stress level, or enhance your focus? No, I just try to go out and do my job every outing. Ya know, we...

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...