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Cliff Lee Cliff Lee Cliff Lee Cliff Lee Cliff Lee

Written by Mike Mariano | 20 August 2009

Well I guess there’s only one place this post can go.  Cliff Lee improved to 4-0 as a Phillie last night.  Cliff threw a complete game, two-hitter, striking out eleven.  Lee is doing his best Sabathia impression since switching teams from AL to NL and coming up with big start after big start for the Phils.  Maybe Cliff is jacked up about pitching for a contender, maybe the AL to NL switch is really that important, maybe Cliff is just this good.  Who cares, but it’s making Ruben Amaro look reeeeeaaaally good.  After last night’s game, Kruk is talking about the Phillies being scary good right now.

Another Baseball Tonight debate worth mentioning is the Cy Young battle.  Tim Lincecum is the odds-on favorite, sporting a 12-3 record, 2.37 ERA and 4 CG’s thus far.  However, if Cliff Lee keeps up his brilliance for the Phillies he could very well sneak out in front.  Lee is 11-9 overall with a 2.72 ERA and 5 CG’s.  It’s going to be tough, but a Sabathia like finish for Lee could easily sway the voters in his direction, especially if the Phillies run away with the division.

Other game notes from last night, Jayson Werth continues to bash home runs with 2 more.  Ryan Howard and Chase Utley also dropped bombs, each having one of their own.  The most impressive part about the 8 runs is that 6 of them were against Dan Haren who is having a fantastic season. Tonight it’s Doug Davis and Joe Blanton and the Phillies look for a 3-win series.

Pedro & Moyer split up the game and the Phils win 5-1

Written by Mike Mariano | 19 August 2009

Jamie Moyer threw a quality start’s worth of work and picked up a win in last night’s victory over Arizona.  Pedro threw 3 solid innings to start the game, but after a rain delay Jamie Moyer took over in the fourth and didn’t give it up the rest of the way.  Moyer threw 2-hit baseball over the final six and blanked the DBacks.

This begs the question, why not do this all the time?  Use Moyer and Martinez to split the game into two 4.5 inning shifts and keep them both fresh?  Moyer’s getting you five innings more often than not and if Pedro only has to go 4, he would be much more effective.  I think it’s an interesting concept, we’re not done talking about that idea.  I’m putting that one in the freezer to keep it fresh and we’ll come back to it another day.

Offensively, Ryan Howard came back to earth and was hitless in 5 at-bats.  He had homered in all of the previous four games.  Jayson Werth set a new career high with his 25th home run of the season and Carlos Ruiz managed to get one out of his own.  Carlos also added a run scoring single, as did Pedro Feliz.  For those keeping track at home, Jamie Moyer added two hits of his own.

The game is must see television tonight as Dan Haren and Cliff Lee face off in what should be a game of very little hitting and a lot of bad swings.

Ryan Howard puts team on his back with the long ball(s)

Written by Mike Mariano | 17 August 2009

I can’t tell if that headline is weird or not, but I’m sticking with it.  Ryan Howard is getting hot and I’m getting excited.  Howard has 4 homers in his last 4 games, including 2 last night supplying all of the runs the Phillies would get and/or need.

The only thing that sucked about Rhyno’s homers last night is that I barely lost what could’ve been a great bet.  I bet my buddy that the Phillies would homer in the bottom of the first and I got 5:1 odds for it.  Sure enough after Chase’s line drive double play, Ryan Howard homers to start the second.  Come on!  It’s not even about the few dollars I would’ve won, it’s about the bragging rights!  Damn.

J.A. Happ is killing it too and he’s got to be the front-runner for the rookie of the year.  Well, after Fernando Martinez that is… HAAH ZIING! Man, I’m sorry about that.  I couldn’t help myself.  Anyway, good win for the Phillies, great job by Howard and Happ.

Just Another Reason to Hate Philadelphia

Written by Mike Mariano | 14 August 2009

Beer Shower For Vicky

Written by Mike Mariano | 13 August 2009

In yesterdays win over the Cubbies, apparently one Cubs fan had just about enough of the most hated Phillie's antics and doused him with a Molsen Golden shower in center field. In my opinion, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy (We still owe you one flying elbow Vicky). Also, what's the deal with Shane intensely sniffing his arm after in the dugout and then having his teammates take a whiff too?  Very weird. UPDATE Victorino has filed assault charges with the Chicago Police.

“It’s part of the game. It’s one of those things that happens and I just want to make sure that guy gets what’s due,” Victorino said before the Phillies’ 6-1 win.

“I think he needs to be held accountable. But for the most part, I just see it as the guy thought it was fun. It is what it is. It didn’t cost me in any way and it didn’t hurt me in any way. It’s part of the ballgame,” he said.

“I just think that, not so much that I want to press charges or file anything against him. I just think he’s probably sitting at home thinking he got away with it. I hope that he gets the understanding that you can’t be doing things like that,” Victorino said.

“I don’t think he’d be walking too far if something like that happened in the streets. It’s just not something that you do. For the most part, in the big picture, this guy should be held accountable and something should be done,” he said.

Man I hate this guy,  and what a pussy.  Assault Charges?!  Could he be any more contradictory in his statements?  "It's part of the game",   "It's just not something you do", "I don't want to press charges" and then presses charges.  What an A**HOLE.

For the record, the fan should not have thrown the cup at him.  Had Pricktorino dropped the ball, it would and should have been ruled fan interference. But seriously.  Assault charges for getting hit with a plastic cup?  GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE VICKY YOU POMPOUS CRY BABY!  Jeez.  It's going take a lot to dethrone Vicky as the most hated Phillie.

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