PhoulBallz.com

While pitching in the Dominican Winter League for the Escogido Leones on Saturday, Jamie Moyer was removed from the game after 2 1/3 innings with an elbow injury. Moyer, whose contract with the Phillies expired at the end of the 2010 season, had been sidelined with an elbow injury since mid-season. Moyer was hoping to use his time in the Winter League to get in shape and showcase himself, in order to draw offers from clubs for another year in the Majors in 2011. Moyer, who will turn 48 years old in less than two weeks, has already pitched 24 years in the Major Leagues. With the Phillies in 2010, Moyer posted a 9-9 record with a 4.84 ERA in 19 starts. In 3 Dominican Winter League games, Moyer held opponents to a .190 batting average and posted a 1.69 ERA. Moises Alou, who is the general manager for the Leones team, told reporters that he felt Moyer's pitching days were likely over, due to the severity of the injury. Such a diagnosis is obviously premature and not fully reliable comi...

The Phillies are fresh off losing 3 of 4 against the Central Division's Chicago Cubs. Despite that, the Phillies are still 18-11 against that division as they travel to St. Louis to face the Central's first place squad. Riding a 5-game winning streak, the Cardinals (51-41) will send 27-year-old righty Blake Hawksworth to the mound to make his 6th Major League start. Philadelphia (48-43) will counter with Kyle Kendrick, who threw 7 shut out innings against the Cardinals for a win on May 5th. The Phillies won both games between the two clubs in St. Louis last season. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other information on this series. Monday, 7:05pm. Kyle Kendrick (5-3, 4.44 ERA) vs. Blake Hawksworth (3-5, 4.72 ERA). Kendrick is 3-1 with a 3.52 ERA in 11 road games this season. In 4 career starts against St. Louis, Kendrick is 4-0 with a 1.67 ERA. Skip Schumaker is 6-for-12 (.500 avg) with 2 doubles and a homer against Kendrick. In 3 outings against the Phillie...

The Phillies (47-40) hope to continue rolling with their pre-all-star break momentum, as they are fresh off a 4 game sweep of the Central Division leading Cincinnati Reds and possess a 17-8 record against that division as they head to Chicago to face the Central's 4th place Cubs (39-50). At Wrigley Field in 2009, the Phillies swept the Cubs in a 3 game series that received much publicity when a Chicago fan in the outfield bleachers threw a beer into the face of Philadelphia outfielder Shane Victorino, as he made a catch of a fly ball. Lefty veteran Jamie Moyer will take the mound in game 1, for the defending National League champion Phillies. Moyer broke into the Majors with the Cubs and made his MLB debut at Wrigley Field against the Phillies in 1986. The Cubs will counter with Ryan Dempster, who has not received much run support at home lately (Cubs have scored 3 or fewer runs in 6 of his last 7 starts at Wrigley). Read on for details on the pitching match ups as well as loads mo...

The first place Atlanta Braves (48-34) come to town, to face the third place Phillies (42-38) for a 3-game series. Atlanta currently leads Philadelphia by 5 games in the National League East standings. With a steady stream of injuries this year, the Phillies haven't been able to maintain their head lock on the top spot in the division. The team is aware that this head-to-head meeting with the division leader is their chance to bounce back. The Phillies will try to take a chunk out of that deficit in the standings by sending their ace, all-star Roy Halladay to the mound in game one. The Braves will counter with Derek Lowe, who is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA in three starts against the Phillies in 3 outings this year. Read ahead for details in the pitching match ups and loads more information, as the division rivals meet in this crucial series. Monday, 7:05pm. Derek Lowe (9-6, 4.53 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (9-7, 2.42 ERA). Lowe has a 4.75 ERA and a 1-2 record over his last 5 starts. In his ca...

AP Photo- Chase Utley injured his thumb on this play, where he was tagged out by Brandon Phillips As the Phillies head to Pittsburgh to begin a four game series against their Keystone State rivals, the Pirates, news has surfaced that Chase Utley, who hurt his thumb during Monday's game in Cincinnatti, will require surgery to repair a torn ligament. Several reports place Utley in New York City earlier today to have the surgery. Reported first by MLB Network's Peter Gammons, the news is likely to force the Phillies to make a deal in order to fill the void during Utley's absense. Until that happens, the existing team will need to focus on the task at hand, and that is to win series, starting in Pittsburgh. The current band of substitutes have been performing well for the Phillies as of late, with Utley, Placido Polanco and Carlos Ruiz on the shelf with injuries. Brian Schneider and Wilson Valdez have combined to go 10-for-32 (.313 avg) with 2 homers and 10 RBI over the past ...

Jamie Moyer is having a season that baseball fans could talk about for many years. The 47-year-old veteran starting pitcher is pitching like he is in his prime, delivering the steadiness that the Phillies greatly need in their rotation. On Sunday, Moyer reached 4,000 career innings pitched, with a scoreless second inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. In the very next frame, Moyer served up a homerun ball to clean up batter Vernon Wells, which set a new all-time record for homeruns allowed with 506. Moyer surpassed Phillies Hall of Famer Robin Roberts for the top spot in that category. While he stands alone in allowing big flies, Moyer is among 40 total pitchers to ever throw 4,000 Major League innings. Lately, the frequency of debates over Moyer's eligibility for the Hall of Fame seem to have increased, as he climbs up historical leader boards and achieves various milestones. Perhaps crowning Moyer in a class of the all-time greatest ballplayers ever is premature. Remarkable longe...

Something you never thought you would see is finally here...Phillies road games in Philadelphia. Thanks to the well documented issues with the G20 summit in Toronto, this weekend's 3-game interleague series was moved to Philadelphia. The games will still be played as though the Blue Jays are the home club, with American League rules. Fans in Toronto looked forward to this series with great anticipation, as it would have marked the return of all-time great Blue Jays pitcher Roy Halladay, who was traded to Philadelphia after last season. Halladay spent over a decade with Toronto, collecting 148 wins in the process. The Jays won't have to wait long to see Halladay, as he'll start the series opener on Friday night. The Blue Jays will counter with righty Jesse Litsch to start the series. Toronto won all three games in Philadelphia last year. Read on for information on the pitching match ups and loads more details. Friday, 7:05pm. Roy Halladay (8-6, 2.43 ERA) vs. Jesse Litsch (0-...

The Indians (26-42) visit Philadelphia this week to take on the defending National League champion Phillies (35-32) in a 3-game series. Cleveland is in last place in the American League Central, 13 1/2 games behind division leaders Minnesota. The Phillies are in third place in the National League East, 5 1/2 games behind the first place Braves. The Phillies have lost 17 of their past 26 games, without perennial lead off man Jimmy Rollins. Rollins has been sidelined with a calf strain for the past month. Rollins is expected to be activated from the disabled list and return to the Phillies' lineup for this series. The Phillies are just 17-15 (.531 winning %) at Citizens Bank Park this season, a place where they posted a .555 winning percentage last season. Philadelphia will have to start performing better at home if they hope to gain ground on top spot in the division. Cleveland will send Matt Talbot, who surrendered a career high 13 hits in his last start against the Metropolitans, ...

Boston and Philadelphia will meet for the second time this season, as inter-league play sparks back up this weekend. The Phillies (31-27) are in Boston to face the Red Sox (35-27) in a 3-game series. The Red Sox won 2 of the 3 meeting in Philadelphia last month. The Red Sox won 2 of 3 against the Phillies last season also. Jamie Moyer gets the assignment in game 1 to attempt to help dig the Phillies out of their recent struggles, as they've lost 14 of their past 21 match ups. Boston will counter with John Lackey, who boasts a 12-5 record and 2.77 ERA in inter-league play, during his career. The Phillies are just 9-18 (.333 winning pct.) against American League teams since they won the World Series against the Rays in 2008. Loads of details on the pitching match ups and more lie ahead. Friday, 7:10pm. Jamie Moyer (6-5, 3.98 ERA) vs. John Lackey (6-3, 4.72 ERA). In 23 career games against Boston, Moyer has a 6-12 record with a 6.57 ERA. In 26 career games at Fenway Park, Moyer, a fo...

Slump doesn't even begin to describe the rut that the Phillies have been in recently. In their last 47 innings, the Phillies have scored in just one of them. The Phillies (26-20) head to Florida, hoping to snap a 5-game losing streak against the Marlins (24-24). Despite the tough week, the Phillies still sit atop the National League East standings, which currently has 5 teams within 3 games of one another. The Phillies, who have identical home and road records at 13-10, will attempt to recover from their struggles against Marlins starter Chris Volstad, while the Phillies counter with fill-in starter Kyle Kendrick, in the series opener. The Phillies won 7 of 9 games in Florida against the Marlins last season. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups for this series as well as loads of other stats. Friday, 7:10pm. Kyle Kendrick (2-2, 5.66 ERA) vs. Chris Volstad (3-5, 4.31 ERA). Kendrick has no decisions with a 5.48 ERA in 4 road starts this season. In 9 career games against ...

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...

The first place Phillies (20-13) visit third place Milwaukee (15-19) for a three game series, starting Friday night. The Brewers have been plagued by inconsistency this season, as they've become one of four teams since 1900 to have scored 17 or more runs three times, and get shut out three times, within a 30-game stretch. The Phillies sport a .588 winning percentage on the road, which is second best in the National League, while the Brewers have a league worst home record of 4-11. Milwaukee defeated Philadelphia in 4 of 7 games between the two teams in 2009, but the Phillies won 2 of the 4 games at Miller Park last September. Read ahead for all the details on the pitching match ups for the series and other key info. Friday, 8:10pm. Jamie Moyer (4-2, 4.38 ERA) vs. Randy Wolf (3-2, 3.95 ERA). Moyer is 10-5 in his career against the Brewers with a 3.77 ERA in 24 games. In 3 road starts this year, Moyer has a 2-1 record with a 4.50 ERA. Prince Fielder is 2-for-11 (.182 avg) with a do...

Since the Rockies swept the Phillies out of the 2007 playoffs, Philadelphia has been relentless against their new rival. Last October, the phrase " Get me to the plate, boys " was born, as Ryan Howard ended the Rockies' season. This week, the Phillies return to Colorado for the first time since then. The Phillies also won both regular season series against the Rockies last year, winning 2 of 3 in both Philadelphia and Denver. In addition, the Phils won both regular season series in 2008. Overall, the Phils have won 5 straight series against Colorado. This week's clash of NL contenders has the third place Rockies (15-16) hosting the first place Phillies (19-12) for a 3 games series. Read ahead for details on the pitching match ups and other key notes from this series. Monday, 8:40pm. Kyle Kendrick (1-1, 5.87 ERA) vs. Greg Smith (1-2, 6.35 ERA). Kendrick, in 3 road starts this year, has no decisions and a 5.29 ERA. In 4 regular season starts against Colorado, Kendrick ...

The Braves make their first visit to Philadelphia this weekend, as the Braves (12-16) will face the Phillies (17-11) in a 3-game series. The series opener will see the 2nd meeting of Derek Lowe and Jamie Moyer this season. The first match up saw Moyer come out on top, when he pitched 6 shut out innings in Atlanta. That win clinched the series victory for the Phils. Off to a good start after winning that series opener against the Phils, the Braves have lost 11 of 15 games since then. The Braves won 5 of the 9 games against the Phils at Citizens Bank Park last season. Atlanta is currently in last place, 5 games behind the division leading Phillies. Read ahead for pitching match ups and other key stats from this series. Friday, 7:05pm. Derek Lowe (4-2, 5.81 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (3-2, 5.70 ERA). Lowe is 4-0 with a 1.60 ERA in five career starts at Citizens Bank Park. Lowe is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 15 career games against Philadelphia. Raul Ibanez is 2-for-28 (.071 avg) in his career again...

The Phillies' (11-7) road trip continues as they head to San Francisco for 3 games against the Giants (10-8). The Giants have won 5 of the last 6 match ups against the Phillies in San Francisco. In 2009, the Giants won 4 of 7 meetings with the Phillies. Read on for pitching match ups and other key statistics from this series. Monday, 10:15pm. Roy Halladay (4-0, 0.82 ERA) vs. Jonathan Sanchez (1-1, 1.82 ERA). In 2 career starts against the Giants, Halladay is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA. He allowed 5 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings pitched in his only outing at AT&T Park. Mark DeRosa is 1-for-9 (.111 avg) in his career against Halladay. In 7 career games against the Phillies, Sanchez has a 1-1 record with a 3.74 ERA and a .207 batting average against. Sanchez has a 10-11 record and a 4.49 ERA in 63 career games at AT&T Park. Jayson Werth is 0-for-7 against Sanchez. Chase Utley is 3-for-8 with 4 walks, a double and a homer against Sanchez. Tuesday, 10:15pm. Jamie Moyer (2-1, 5.00 ERA)...

The Phillies hit the road and will begin a 3-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday night. The 3-time defending National League East Division Champions from Philadelphia will get their first regular season look at the rookie with all the hype, Jason Heyward, who is batting .302 through his first 12 Major League games. Following a 7-1 start, the Phillies have lost three of their last four games, including their first series loss of the season, as they dropped 2 of 3 to the Marlins over the weekend. The Braves have a 7-5 record and are hoping to knock the champs down. Read on for details on the pitching match ups for this series and other key notes. Tuesday, 7:10pm. Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 17.47 ERA) vs. Tommy Hanson (1-1, 2.38 ERA). Kendrick's time in the Phillies' starting rotation could be in jeopardy as the man he is filling in for, Joe Blanton, work his way back from an oblique injury. Kendrick has pitched just 5 2/3 inning in two starts this season. In 7 career games against Atlant...

The Phillies are set to continue their opening week road trip in Houston, with three games this weekend. The Astros are winless after scoring just 6 runs in a 3-game series against the Giants to open the season. Houston's 643 runs scored were the lowest total in the Major Leagues last season. Houston swept the Phils in a 4-game set just last September. Read on for pitching match up details and other key stats from this series. Friday, 8:05pm. "Jay" Happ (12-4 record, 2.93 ERA in 2009) vs. Bud Norris (6-3 record, 4.53 ERA in 2009). In his career on the road, Happ is 8-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 20 games. Norris earned a win in his one start against the Phillies last year, when he threw 6 innings and allowed 2 runs. In 6 home starts last year, the righty Norris had a 4-2 record with a 4.70 ERA and a .295 batting average against. Saturday, 7:05pm. Jamie Moyer (12-4 record, 4.94 ERA in 2009) vs. Felipe Paulino (3-11 record, 6.27 ERA in 2009). Initially the Phillies were expected...

In "this is as surprising as Ricky Martin's sexuality" news...everyone's favorite 47-year-old surgically repaired pitcher Jamie Moyer was officially declared the Phillies' 5th starter by manager Charlie Manuel on Tuesday. Kyle Kendrick will fill a role in the bullpen. The confirmation came after weeks of most phans, reporters and folks surrounding the team knowing this decision was coming. Pitching coach Rich Dubee spoke to the media about the decision. "We think it’s the right way to go," Dubee said. "Jamie proved that he’s healthy. That was the biggest question coming into spring training, how he’d come back from the surgeries. He’s throwing the ball well. He’s functioning well. And again, this guy has a tremendous track record of being a winning pitcher." There's no denying Moyer's track record for winning, as he is Major League Baseball's active leader in wins with 258. Dubee also put a positive spin on things for Kendrick, look...

In many folks' opinion, Jamie Moyer pretty much locked up his claim to the Phillies' fifth starter spot on Friday night, when he pitched 6 2/3 shut out innings against the Yankees. Moyer struck out 6 batters and allowed just one hit against a Yankees lineup that included Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Moyer has, of course, been battling for the spot in the starting rotation with Kyle Kendrick, who has taken to shadowing new Phils ace Roy Halladay all spring. The impact of Halladay's presence can be seen in Kendrick's pre-season performances, as he has a 1.37 ERA through 5 spring games. Moyer's spring hasn't been much worse. Including his three "B" game starts and 2 Grapefruit League games, Moyer has a 2.61 ERA this spring. The coaching staff hasn't officially named Moyer to the rotation, but it could already be decided behind the scenes. Moyer has had the advantage throughout spring, based on his experience and his $8.5 million 2010...

Here is your tour around Phillies news land... After yesterday's game, BJ Rosenberg was sent down to minor league camp following his scoreless inning against the Tigers. Rosenberg spent time as closer for both the single A level Lakewood BlueClaws and the double A Reading Phillies in 2009. JC Romero threw some batting practice today. Facing live batters, while mixing in his slider is a positive step, but the lefty reliever still is not game ready and appears to be a considerable amount of time behind another rehabbing Phils pitcher, Brad Lidge. There's no doubt, however, that the Phillies and their phans would gladly sacrifice missing Romero for 2-3 weeks, to start the season, if it means he can stay healthy for the remainder of the 2010 campaign. Lidge is scheduled to face minor leaguers on the Phillies' off day tomorrow. Combined, Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay have put together the following stats this spring- 6 games, 20 2/3 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 1.31 ERA, 23 st...