Written by Mike Mariano | 23 May 2010

The current series against the Red Sox is the opening Interleague play match-up for the Phillies.  Things have gotten off to an up and down start, predictably, for the team.  The Phillies have a lifetime (since 1997) .442 winning percentage in Interleague play -- including a 6-12 record last year and a 4-11 record in 2008.  It's not unreasonable to think that over the next few weeks the Phillies will drop a few games.

One reason the Phillies have struggled in recent years can be attributed to the increased role of the bullpen in games against the American League.  AL lineups are normally full of bigger bats and overall more powerful offenses.  The "take and rake" approach is extremely popular in the AL, where working deep counts leads to starters not working as far into ballgames.  This year and the past two the Phillies have hardly had a dominant pitching staff either in the front or back end.  In 2008, the bullpen was a large reason that the Phillies went to and won the World Series, however it came on strong largely at the end of the year.  Last year, well Brad Lidge redefined the phrase "mental midget".  And this year, day in-day out you're not really sure what you're going to get out of this bullpen.

The first two games of this Red Sox series are most likely indicative of what the Phillies will get out of Interleague play.  Monday, Hamels threw well and the bullpen was solid -- a good win.  Tuesday, Kendrick was terrible and the offense sputtered a little -- a loss.  It didn't help that Dice-K took a no-no into the eighth inning, but hitting is volatile, you never know what you're going to get.  Today, Halladay is throwing (actually losing 1-0 in the third as a write this), so hopefully we can keep the bullpen out of it, get strong starting pitching and a win.  However, it's a windy day at the park and Wakefield's knuckleball should be dancing.  Stay tuned.

Written by Mike Mariano | 19 May 2010

Tuesday night, Roy Halladay's gem was wasted in a 2-1 loss at the hands of Zach Duke and the Pirates bullpen who held the Phils to one run.  Last night, more of the same -- a 4-1 loss, this time against Tim Gorzelanny and the Cubs bullpen. Baseball's a funny game like that.  Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jayson Werth get held down by journeymen starters from time to time.  Sometimes on back to back nights, no less.

To add to the no names giving us fits, the RBIs were driven in by Starlin Castro (the youngest player in the bigs), John Baker, and Xavier Nady (who played for the Mets for god's sake).  3 defensive errors never helps either.  The Phils had a chance after getting strong pitching from Moyer, but Durbin promptly let in 2 runs and extended the game from reach.

All in all the Phils are 6-3 so far this month and still have 3 games up on the rest of the division -- one that's locked in a 3 game differential between the 2nd place Marlins and 5 place Mets.  HA! the 5th place Mets, you've got to love it.  I haven't blogged in two weeks and what do I come back to?  Mets futility.  Amazing comeback, glad to be here.

(by the way, how the hell did we lose to a team sporting this kind of effort? -->)

Written by Mike Mariano | 14 May 2010

Absolutely unbelievable comeback by the Philadelphia Flyers completed tonight.  Down 3 games to none they won 4 straight games to win the series and advance to the Conference Semis.  Not only that, they were losing 3-0 in the first period to the Bruins in Game 7 and came back to win 4-3!  Unbelievable series, unbelievable team of guys, should be a great series to come.  Had to interject some hockey into your baseball life on this special occasion.  My apologies.

Oh and on a side note I love the way this picture looks on the blog.  I'll be bringing pictures back to my posts ASAP.

Written by Erica Bauwens | 13 May 2010

It’s safe to assume that most of WTTTB’s readers are single, seeing as you are sitting here reading a baseball blog written by mostly other dudes and me. Well, I’m here to tell everyone that there is more to life than your bros and your baseball. In fact, there are women out there that really enjoy the sport as well. Being one of them myself I have learned to appreciate all that comes with baseball: stats, history, you know what I mean. But there comes a point where the chromosomes get crossed. There’s a lot that most girls don’t enjoy discussing that makes a man’s heart beat a little faster. So stop updating your fantasy roster for five minutes- and don’t act like you weren’t just doing that- and read on for my top tips on how to understand a baseball girl.

Stats suck:

So I was at the Phillies game lounging at Ashburn Alley with Mike M. and my other two friends (Mets fans,,, awkward) when some homeboy comes strutting up next to us with his girlfriend. He then proceeded to blabber away to his poor date for the next seven innings with every baseball statistic he has ever heard, all while the girl giggled and scanned for the nearest getaway. I couldn’t help but be reminded of my first date with my boyfriend at the same spot one year ago. My smart man watched the game and only made a comment when something happened or when he wanted crab fries. RBIs, ERAs, OBPs. We get it, you know baseball. Guess what? So do I. That doesn’t mean I want to spend two hours spitting out abbreviations. I want to talk about recent homeruns and bad calls, not every single stupid stat you’ve read through online blogs like this. Save the stats for your bros, boys.

Girls don’t need a history lesson:

When trying to impress a girl or hold out some type of conversation with the opposite sex, leave the past in the past. No girl wants to discuss Mike Schmidt’s career play-by-play. Honestly, I don’t even understand how you men do it. As awesome as past players are, they do not make for interesting or appealing conversation. It only leads to drawn-out, overly-opinionated conversation that I find very unattractive. It’s great that you love your team, but we don’t need evidence. Why not discuss what’s going on now? Keep things light and interesting. Old players are dusty and boring, but the players now keep on changing.

The players become our best friends:

I have a confession: Carlos Ruiz became my favorite player partially because I think he is the most adorable man on the planet and has an awesome voice. To a woman, a player is more than just their position. They are a person we get attached to, kind of like a really attractive puppy or something. How else do you think Chase Utley and Cole Hamels became fan favorites? Come on, they look like Disney princes. A girl does not want to get into a statistical shouting match over players. So many girls I know like players because they are talented, but also because they look like they would be fun to hang out with. Like in dating, a player’s personality is key. I mean, it took me months to warm up to Jayson Werth, even when he was knocking ball after ball out of the park. Then he showed up to spring training in that astounding beard, and I was sold. When talking players, keep the hard facts to a minimum and talk about the things you would never tell your bros: like how darn cute Ryan Howard looks in the Subway commercials.

Your lady does not want to hear about how hot the ball girls are:

Everyone in the stadium knows that they are just there to be your fantasy. After all, they are smoking hot and working for your favorite team. I mean, come on, that job isn’t actually necessary, but put a girl in pinstripes and short-shorts and ticket sales might just go up. So lets refrain from the cat calls in the presence of your date. Maybe compliment them instead. Just consider how many times your girl’s kept her mouth shut when Chase Utley came strutting on the field.

Keep the competition to a minimum:

If you are one of the many couples keeping a relationship alive through a baseball rivalry make sure you play nice. Sure, a nice jab here and there always feels really good, but I wouldn’t spend my time ripping my man apart if he was a Mets fan. Sure, it’s really easy to do, and I’ve got plenty of material, but it is not the way to a person’s heart. I’ll be the first to tell you that, yes, girls are completely crazy. If some guy tries to knock my team, it takes a lot of strength for me not to bite back, and when a girl gets mad, it can get super ugly. So the next time you want to shout out an insult just take a breath, walk away, find a Yankees fan and let it all out.

What if your girl is rooting for the same team as you? I’ve got news for all you guys: you are not your team’s number one fan. There are much crazier and more over-the-top people out there. Don’t try and compete with a girl to decide who loves your team more. You may win the argument, but you’ll lose so much more in the long run.

I’m not saying girls are not as into baseball as guys. Everyone knows that isn’t true. I’m just saying that girls have so much more invested in their lives than just statistics and numbers. You don’t have to dumb down your conversations to impress a chick, but your knowledge of every single thing in the history of baseball won’t impress her either. So, why are you still reading this? Get out there and start talking.

Written by Alex Young | 13 May 2010

Good news from Phillies camp today when word came that they expect backstop Carlos Ruiz's knee injury will only keep him off the field for a day or two. With the injuries and DL stints the team have been collecting this year, it's a relief to see that this injury won't keep another one of our key players out for too long.

If I were reading that last sentence two years ago I would ask, "How can you even put Carlos Ruiz and key player in the same sentence?" but ladies and gentlemen, but the performance the Ruiz has been putting in for the Phillies this year has been nothing short of All Star caliber. Right now, a case could be made that Ruiz is the best all-around catcher in the National league.

It's crazy to think that I once despised Ruiz, but I guess when you have a career average of around .250 you're asking for it. Ruiz's turnaround that began at the end of last year and he carried it into the playoffs with a .341 average with 2 HRs and 9 RBIs on the way to the Phillies second straight NL pennant. He has started the 2010 season on fire with a .245 average and leads the NL with an amazing .475 on-base percentage. He is well ahead of Philly glamour-boys Chase Utley and Jayson Werth in that area.

I think it's incredible that he is doing so well considering he has done it while hitting in the eighth spot for most of the season. His ability to turn over the lineup almost 50 percent of the time is so valuable to the Phillies. Add his always stellar defense to his new-found bat and Carlos Ruiz might just be the Phillies' most valuable player not named Jayson Werth for the 2010 season.

For now it looks as though the Phillies have dodged the bullet that is an extending stint with 34-year old Paul Hoover behind the plate. In his seven year MLB career he has played in 32 games and did not look good when he took over for the final six innings of last nights game against the Rockies.

The Phillies are also without backup catcher Brian Schneider which means that if something were to happen to Hoover while Ruiz is out, we could see Werth, who started as a catching prospect with the Orioles, behind the plate. Let's hope that doesn't happen because, let's be honest, hiding that miraculous beard behind a mask would be a crime against humanity.

Written by Benny B. | 12 May 2010

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, due to "security concerns" of the G-20 Summit meeting in Toronto, the interleague game b/w the Blue Jays and Phillies will be relocated to Philly.  As a result, the Phillies will play 84 home games; 3 more than anyone else in baseball.

Forgetting about the rivalry for a second, as a baseball fan this is just a blatant disregard of balance and fairness.  The NL east is shaping up to be a tight race again this year, and 3 additional home games could go a long way in determining the final standings.  Now this isn't the same as say a game being rained b/w the Dodgers at Philly and the game being made up at Dodgers stadium.  You are not going to ask a west coast team to fly 12 hours round trip for one game...sometimes they don't even play that game unless its outcome will affect playoff positioning.  This is not the same scenario.

Firstly, the G-20 was held in Pittsburgh last year and guess what?  They played the games in Pittsburgh.  They rescheduled a night game to a day game.  Some claim the game was "sparsely attended" due to the G-20.  I say to them when isn't a Pirate game sparsely attended?  Are the Phillies such pussies they can't handle a protest or two?  Do they sit down when they pee (and don Krull-like spiked tipped strap-on dildos with rat tail)?

Second, the Mets are playing a series in Puerto Rico this year.  If security is an issue, hold the games at a neutral site.  I don't know the team schedules, but I am sure there is a stadium empty somewhere between Philly & Toronto to hold these games.  I think a three game series at say historic Wrigley field would be a major draw.

Anyway, I hope that the commissioners office steps in and makes a change.  Because as Jeff Francoeur said "That's just BULLSHIT"

Oh, and in other news, the Phillies have been warned by MLB to stop cheating.  Amazinavenue said it best:

Their bullpen coach was seen using binoculars to look at the Rockies' catcher, Miguel Olivo, during Monday's Phils-Rockies game. Unsurprisingly, notorious bush league ballplayer Shane Victorino is at the center of the controversy as well. In all seriousness, sign stealing is just part of the game but the use of binoculars and a bullpen phone is a bit seedy.

More than a "bit seedy"...how bout dirty cheaters?  And of course Shame Victorino is in the middle of this.  Hey Philly, how bout trying something new for a change?  Like winning a game with your talent and skills alone.  This is not the first time Philly has been accused of stealing signs. The Mets accused the Phillies of doing so in 2007, The Red Sox in 2008, and Larry Bowa did so last year during the world series.  Shane Victorino was furious at the accusation....perhaps a little too furious:

Victorino erupted before Game 5 here last night when told Bowa had said the Phillies had a reputation for stealing signs, calling the allegations "weak." "I guess he knows something that I don't know about, obviously," Victorino said. "You know, everybody makes excuses. Everybody is going to find a reason. For Bowa to come out and say something like that if he doesn't know what he's talking about, if he doesn't have cold, hard facts, he shouldn't say something like that.

Written by Benny B. | 11 May 2010

Written by Benjamin Brenner | 04 May 2010

Not really much to discuss on a night where the Phillies Lose and the Mets fail to capitalize by losing in extra innings to the Reds.  So, lets all simply take pleasure in this Phillie fan's pain:

A picture is worth a 1000 words, but I think we can all agree that at this moment, this guy has come to the realization that deciding to run onto the field was a lot funnier in theory than in practice.  DON'T TASE ME

(MIKE): I enjoy how this kid is getting a full-fledged victim spotlight in the media today.  Since when do you get the benefit of the doubt when you run onto the field during a sporting event?  It's not like the cop shot him with a real gun or gave him a rubber bullet to the head (ala The Last Castle).  Just because he looks like a harmless college dope, doesn't mean he doesn't have something crazy/damaging in mind.  You run on the field, you get tased, end of story.  Isn't the point to deter more people doing it?  Well, tase-ing every idiot who runs on the field certainly will do so.

Let's stop babying the situation and act like this kid is a victim.  I'm sure he'll end up suing and that security guard/cop will lose his job -- all because an idiot thought it'd be funny to make him chase him all around the field.  I guess we'll all feel stupid when a player gets killed by a lunatic who didn't get shot by the taser guy.  Then we'll start rubber bulleting people with snipers.  And I don't want to hear about people dying from being tased in the past -- if you are pregnant, have a heart condition, or are susceptible to death by taser, then stay in your damn seat.

I like the message sent -- run on the field and get smoked.  What a shot to nail him on the sprint and give him a face full of grass.  Exceptional.

(ERICA): I've got to disagree with you on this one Mike.

I'm not justifying what this little 17-year-old jerk did in any way, but a taser? Seriously?

First of all, he is a scrawny little boy. Yeah, he's a stupid kid, but he's still a kid. What is he really going to do? Does running around with a towel really merit electrocution? Second of all, where is he possibly going to go that requires a taser? If you can't tell, he's surrounded by security on a field surround by walls. There is no way he wasn't getting at least arrested. Whipping out the de-masculator that is a taser gun was completely unnecessary. I gotta say, from a girl's point of view, there is nothing more embarrassingly unattractive than Mr. Rent-a-cop using his minimal powers for no reason at all.

I just think the whole thing was pretty much pointless and stupid. They should have escorted the the dumb kid off the field and kept going with the game. Could have avoided a whole big situation!

Video:

The Phillies have a pair of players among those who have the most home runs per at-bat versus Santana: Frank Thomas: 5.75 AB/HR | Ryan Howard: 6.75 | Chase Utley: 7.75 | Ryan Garko: 8.67 | Jim Thome: 9.25

Written by Mike Mariano | 03 May 2010

Ahh, the universe has finally righted itself again.  It's no coincidence that last week when the Mets took the division lead, I immediately got sick.  Also, I didn't get over that sickness entirely until this morning, when I awoke to the Phillies back on top of the Mets.  The glitch in the Matrix has been fixed and we can all go back to our normal lives.

Saturday and Sunday were both thought to be uneventful games seeing as both teams' respective aces were throwing opposing back-end guys.  Phillies win easy Saturday with Roy Halladay and the Mets win easy Sunday with Johan Santana.  However, that's why we play the games.

Not too much to write about for Saturday's snoozer.  10-0 rout for the Phillies.  Roy Halladay went the distance only allowing 3 hits, striking out six Muts.  Meanwhile, the Phillies bashed hits all around the ballpark and only had one home run in the accumulation of those ten runs.  Werth-Ibanez-Castro, 5-6-7 in the order, accounted for six RBI's knocking in anyone and everyone on base.  Big Pelf Dog picked up his first of what should be many losses on the season and everything seemed to go exactly according to plan.

On Sunday however, most Mets fans were sorely disappointed and rightfully so.  I was in attendance (as were Matt and Erica) at CBP and there was a large contingent of Mets fans there.  Lots of blue and orange in the ballpark and most of them were all hopped up with Johan pride and fully expecting a great Mets win.  Then in the top of the first David Wright hit a three run home run to left center and the Mets chested were so puffed  out I thought a few of them were going to pop.  However, in classic Mets fashion, Johan gave up two solo homers in the bottom of the first to nearly even it right out.  The only remaining bright spot of the day for the Mets was Rod Barajas' two run home run to give them a 5-2 lead with their ace still on the mound early in the game.  But, that excitement was very short-lived.

The Phillies put together a 9 run bottom of the fourth, scoring all 9 with two outs.  Jamie Moyer made it all possible by working a bases loaded walk to plate the second runner of the inning and get Shane Victorino to the plate.  His ensuing Grand Slam, followed by Chase Utley's two-run homer and Ryan Howard scoring from first off a Jayson Werth double and the stadium was in pandemonium.  Moyer's at-bat was very Brett Myers v. C.C. Sabathia-esque.  After Johan threw the first pitch ball one, the crowd got a little loud.  Then after ball two, the stadium was rocking.   After working a full count and fouling off a pitch, Jamie made the play of the day getting the walk that sparked the rally.  The stadium went bananas -- it was a great mix of laughter, cheering, and snickering.  Mets fans were just distraught.  All that excitement just turned to a deep shade of sadness.  Made me so happy to see them crying in their beers.

Back on top and looking to expand, Smokin' Joe Blanton takes on the Cardinals today and what could be a rainy day at the Bank.

(one final note:  No love for Mets bullpen catcher Dave Racaniello.  The guy wouldn't throw the pretty blonde next to me a ball the whole game.)