[World Series] Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Yankees

[Deviant]

Four truths about this Series:

- Chase Utley's Nasty Haircut Owns CC's Nasty Pitching

Really, Chase Utley has some bad natural hair. But, he has dominated Sabathia in this World Series. Three solo shots off of CC and close to four (off the wall early in the top of the 1st of Game 4). It has to be that killer hair sending shivers down Sabathia's spine every time he comes to bat. He is responsible for four of five runs batted in against Sabathia.


- Ryan Howard Is OK-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K-K

Talk about K-razy. Ryan Howard had a batting average of .375% (6-for-16), 6 RBI, 3 R, 4 K in the NLDS against the Rockies in four games. Then, in the NLCS against the Dodgers, he posts a .333% (5-for-15), 8 RBI (2 HR), 5 R, 4 K in five games. Very productive and only 8 K in nine games. In the four games of the World Series alone, Ryan Howard is an abysmal .176% (3-for-17) with only 1 RBI and 1o K. This only means one thing...

...Ryan Howard is on pace to break the glorious record of most World Series strikeouts. He's only two away from tying Willie Wilson's record from the 1980 World Series with the Kansas City Royals. (Fun fact about Willie Wilson: he had 13 Inside-the-Park Home Run in his career, the most of any MLB player since 1950.) With the way Ryan Howard has been swinging at pitches, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened in Game 5 against the man who struck him out three times in Game 2, A.J. Burnett (his fourth K came against Mariano Rivera). And he wants it, bad. I saw him strike out swinging on a ball that was in the dirt before it got to the plate. Now, that's determination.


- Andy Pettitte Is Hotter Than Cole Hamels

Sorry Philly Phemales, your heartthrob is just not hotter than Pettitte. You can scowl all you want Cole, you know it's true. Their Game Two match-up cleared it all up. Pettitte came out hot in his six innings, striking out 7 batters and collecting his MLB-record 17th post-season victory. He was even hotter than Hamels at the plate as he hit an RBI single to bring in Nick Swisher and ever scored a run which eventually got Cole Hamels the hook. It is without a doubt in my mind that as of now Pettitte is the hotter pitcher.

What, you thought I meant looks? Sorry, I don't swing that way. (Get it? Swing? Baseball?)


- The Yankees Are 27 Outs Away from #27

And with as clutch as the Yankees have been in the late innings, including tonight's crazy double-steal by Damon and A-Rod's double into deep left, it should only take 27 innings. No extra inning shenanigans in this World Series as the Yankees lead 3-1 in The War For The Heart Of The Garden State.


:: http://thesportssyndrome.blogspot.com/

 

[mobbdeep1122]

Ugh

The difference is the Yankees capitalize on their opportunities and the Phillies don't.

All I ask is for Cliff Lee to win tonight so these pussies can't win it on our field. Just get it to Game 6 and go from there.

 

[SethMode]

That game was one peckerslap after another. This Phils team looks like they did in their June slump. They look fucking clueless at the plate. Ibanez looks like he's never held a bat before. They can't seem to get a hit on 2 strikes, and they seem to have an insane amount of trouble getting a guy out with 2 strikes on the mound. Let's just ignore the fact that every time they managed to scratch and claw their way back into the game, boom, following inning give up 2 or 3 runs. Ugh.

Here's the problem with Lidge: once that CRAZY Damon double steal went down (kudos to him, btw, for some serious heads-up baserunning), Lidge's really only pitch was gone because they didn't want to let Damon in on a ball in the dirt. The irony of it is though, by not being able to throw his pitch he got fucking rocked.

And really? A-God? Come on now. He's had two nice swings among a pile of crap. Damon and Jeter are carrying this team on offense, for the most part.

Here's hoping some sort of miracle come back can occur, and we can take this to 7. Obviously highly unlikely. That, and who the fuck will we pitch in game 7? Happ? It certainly can't be Hamels. Would we really try to throw Joe Blanton on 3 days rest?

 

[DJ Rhude]

All I ask is for Cliff Lee to win tonight so these pussies can't win it on our field.

Yes, I would LOVE to see us party on your home field tonight

 

[DJ Rhude]

And really? A-God? Come on now. He's had two nice swings among a pile of crap. Damon and Jeter are carrying this team on offense, for the most part.

We might not even be in the WS if it wasn't for A-Rod.....true he struggled the first two games, but he's been clutch the last two games

More so than Ryan Howard, that's for sure

 

[SethMode]

We might not even be in the WS if it wasn't for A-Rod.....true he struggled the first two games, but he's been clutch the last two games

More so than Ryan Howard, that's for sure

The most amazing thing Ryan Howard has done was manage to Matrix his way around Home Plate with that chunky frame of his.

And I'm not discounting his clutch hits, I'm just saying that calling him "A-God" isn't accurate. If Damon doesn't have that huge 9 pitch at bat, and then the even huger double steal, A-Rod doesn't even get a chance. The situation benefited him greatly, as Lidge is a one-pitch guy and had that pitch taken away by Damon.

Not knocking A-Rod, just saying "A-God" is a little much.

 

[DJ Rhude]

Truth, I'm not ready to adorn him the "A-God title just yet....Jeter is the only Yankee player I'd ever think about putting the title God and his name in the same sentence lol.....and yeah I'm in agreeance that Damon's play most likely saved our asses.....when the Phillies tied that shit up and then Lidge got the first two outs, I started to get a sense of dread.....Mo was only going one inning, so you guys would've waited him out, then I wasn't liking who we had left in the pen going up against that lineup.....outside of Robertson, I'm not sure Ace can get the Phillies out consistently.....that lineup is brutal

I think Howard's troubles against lefties are the main reason he's struggling.....but that guy worries me everytime he steps to the plate....

And what's up with Hamels saying he can't wait for it to be over? That's a terrible mindet to be in.....if the Phils rallied to force a game 7, you think Charlie will start him?

Off topic a lil: Giant fans piss me the fuck off sometimes.....team goes thru a tough stretch and they're ready to give up......and fuck the Eagles while I'm at it haha

 

[DJ Rhude]

We really need Cano and Tex to wake up....Cano looks worse than Howard at the plate....this guy hit .320 during the regular season, will you please find yourself?

Melky's not playing tonight due to that hammy, so I think Giradi might start Hairston again

 

[SethMode]

We really need Cano and Tex to wake up....Cano looks worse than Howard at the plate....this guy hit .320 during the regular season, will you please find yourself?

Melky's not playing tonight due to that hammy, so I think Giradi might start Hairston again

I was thinking the same thing about Cano. He looks lost.

Although after last night, I think Raul Ibanez looks the most confused at the plate. Howard has never been great against LHP, and he also for some reason got away from just trying to hit the ball and is instead trying to hit it out every time. Ibanez just looks like he's never played baseball before.

Ugh, I hate talking about last night's game. These games have seemed close, but they have all had this feel about them that the Phils just won't do what they need to do to pull it out. And well, obviously the Yanks do.

 

[mobbdeep1122]

The series has been even the difference is the Yankees have taken advantage of their opportunities and the Phillies haven't. Also, let's face it, the Yankees have gotten a little lucky, too (how many more bloop hits can these fuckers have???).

Howard picked a bad time to go through one of his slumps where his striking out all the time. Has Ibanez even played this series? He's been terrible.

Also, the Yankees have done a good job of minimizing the walks because usually the Phils can draw walks and then hit a 2 or 3 run bomb. This series we have 8 home runs -- all solo. That's a credit to the Yankees pitchers for not walking any of our hitters.

If we win tonight, I don't know how we're gonna win Game 6 up there. I will never give up on this team though, not after what they've done these last few seasons.

 

[SethMode]

Also, the Yankees have done a good job of minimizing the walks because usually the Phils can draw walks and then hit a 2 or 3 run bomb. This series we have 8 home runs -- all solo. That's a credit to the Yankees pitchers for not walking any of our hitters.

It doesn't help when you get runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and get pop-outs by your power hitters. Utley's bomb in the 7th was great, no doubt. Just wish it had come when there were guys on base.

 

[DJ Rhude]

Yankees 3- Red Sox 0......that's all I'm saying....No way I will say this series is over after the way I was scarred in 04

 

[jms493]

If Howard was hitting the series would probably be tied.....dude is slumping hard.

 

[mobbdeep1122]

It doesn't help when you get runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and get pop-outs by your power hitters. Utley's bomb in the 7th was great, no doubt. Just wish it had come when there were guys on base.

Yeah, that goes back to the Yankees taking advantage of their chances (bottom of the order gets guys on base; Jeter, Damon, etc come through) and us shitting the bed with guys on base.

Hopefully we can turn it around tonight -- I'll be at the game, all I ask is that the Phils win tonight so I don't have to watch them celebrate on our field -- then we'll go from there.

 

[DJ Rhude]

Hopefully we can turn it around tonight -- I'll be at the game,

Where you sitting at? I don't want the Phils to win the series just for the simple reason of not having to watch Mobb party in the streets like a mad man like he did last year LOL...fool posted all them pics on MM lol

 

[SethMode]

Yeah, that goes back to the Yankees taking advantage of their chances (bottom of the order gets guys on base; Jeter, Damon, etc come through) and us shitting the bed with guys on base.

Hopefully we can turn it around tonight -- I'll be at the game, all I ask is that the Phils win tonight so I don't have to watch them celebrate on our field -- then we'll go from there.

I think they can get to Burnett...as long as they don't let him have his way with a first pitch fastball over and over right down the middle like they did in game 2. I swear, these guys swing at the first pitch when they shouldn't (i.e. - when one or two walks were dished out prior) and don't when the should (i.e. - a guy spends the situation with Burnett above).

Here's hoping Mobb!

 

[mobbdeep1122]

Where you sitting at? I don't want the Phils to win the series just for the simple reason of not having to watch Mobb party in the streets like a mad man like he did last year LOL...fool posted all them pics on MM lol

I'm sitting in right field tonight. LOL f that, that was the first sports title I've witnessed in my life. Best believe I was gonna party all night. Who knows when it's gonna happen again haha.

 

[mobbdeep1122]

I think they can get to Burnett...as long as they don't let him have his way with a first pitch fastball over and over right down the middle like they did in game 2. I swear, these guys swing at the first pitch when they shouldn't (i.e. - when one or two walks were dished out prior) and don't when the should (i.e. - a guy spends the situation with Burnett above).

Here's hoping Mobb!

You're not lying. We let Burnett get away with too much in Game 2. I think we can get to him too.

 

[Mogriffjr]

If Howard was hitting the series would probably be tied.....dude is slumping hard.

slumping? You don't know Howard.

Once in a while he'll get lucky and smash a HR against a lefty but the bottom line is, he'll never become a GREAT player until he learns a CLUE to hit a lefty....mind you he hit somewhere around .200 against lefties this year.

I already forsaw a bad series for Howard because C.C. was going to pitch twice and Pettitte was pitching a game as well. I've watched the phils all this year, Howard complete sucks against lefties. For as good of a hitter he is against righties, he's clueless against lefties.

It's the reason why I felt the Yanks had the advantage. While Werth and Ibanez were generally decent against lefties this year, these are top flight lefties. I figured Howard wouldn't do nothing, Utley has been the Phils best hitter aside from Werth. I didn't forsee ROIDAUL Ibanez being this bad though.

It also didn't help that I felt they didn't stick their best SP's out there. Lee is a shoe-in...but where's Happ? Happ was arguably the Phils 2nd best SP this year. Pedro came in late in the season and pitched strong. Blanton was pretty solid this year. I understand Hamels when on is a top tier pitcher and they chose to stick with him...that's all fine and dandy but he hasn't been Hamels of 08 all year.

 

[mobbdeep1122]

slumping? You don't know Howard.

Once in a while he'll get lucky and smash a HR against a lefty but the bottom line is, he'll never become a GREAT player until he learns a CLUE to hit a lefty....mind you he hit somewhere around .200 against lefties this year.

I already forsaw a bad series for Howard because C.C. was going to pitch twice and Pettitte was pitching a game as well. I've watched the phils all this year, Howard complete sucks against lefties. For as good of a hitter he is against righties, he's clueless against lefties.

It's the reason why I felt the Yanks had the advantage. While Werth and Ibanez were generally decent against lefties this year, these are top flight lefties. I figured Howard wouldn't do nothing, Utley has been the Phils best hitter aside from Werth. I didn't forsee ROIDAUL Ibanez being this bad though.

It also didn't help that I felt they didn't stick their best SP's out there. Lee is a shoe-in...but where's Happ? Happ was arguably the Phils 2nd best SP this year. Pedro came in late in the season and pitched strong. Blanton was pretty solid this year. I understand Hamels when on is a top tier pitcher and they chose to stick with him...that's all fine and dandy but he hasn't been Hamels of 08 all year.

Howard has been the top run producer in baseball since he's come into the league. Also, over a 4 year span, he's set numerous offensive records. Also has rookie of the year and an MVP, NLCS MVP under his belt. Pretty sure that makes him a great player already.

Am I pissed he's struggling? Yes. But he's facing CC and Andy Pettitte. These guys are no joke and proven winners.

As far as starting pitching is concerned, Happ did get a start in the NLDS and struggled. We needed Happ more in the bullpen because JC Romero was hurt and we desperately needed a lefty in the pen. Scott Eyre was our only lefty with experience and he's suffering from an elbow injury. It's a miracle he's even pitching right now.

You can't just give up on Hamels at this point, especially when he started to turn things around at the end of the season. He's always a threat to throw a gem. Blanton was pretty consistent all year, but with the short 5 game series and weather effecting one game, he wasn't needed in the NLDS. Pedro pitched strong and obviously got his chances to start and has been pretty effective. I think the Phillies handled their starters pretty well this post season. It hasn't been the reason we're down in this series, IMO.

But you've been watching all year, so you should know that already.