Tagged: Phillies
“Nice timing”
Well, Pedro showed he can still pitch, and the offense can still hit, and last night we found out that Cubs fans can still be the most ruthless fans in the game. During the 5th inning with the bases loaded, Jake Fox hit a fly ball, can of corn to center field where Shane Victorino was measuring it up. Just as he caught the ball, a fan dumped a cup of beer on him. Luckily, Victorino caught the ball, talk about the Flyin’ Hawaiin, what a night. More on that later. Hey beer guy, you should go to jail and never come back to watch another baseball game ever, anywhere.
After the game, when Victorino was asked about the beer being poured on him he jokingly said, “nice timing.” Well the timing wasn’t good enough because Shane was still able to hold onto the ball, and the Phillies got out of the inning unharmed. Shane, what a game, 2-5 with a homer and a triple, and made the infamous “beer catch.” I salute you Shane, as you are the igniter in this Phils’ offense.
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Pedro told us he could still pitch, but we all answered as, “We will believe it when we see it.” Well we saw ‘it’ in last nights’ game as Pedro went 5 strong giving up 7 hits, 3 earned and struck out 5. As I watched I noticed that he kept his composure, and kept throwing the changeup to hitters which really messed them up! In the second inning, Alfonso Soriano was down 0-2, (a count he sees all the time) and Pedro threw him a nasty circle change which dove right down and made Alfonso look silly. Pedro also hit 93 on the gun in the 5th inning, which shows shades of the early days in which he was a power pitcher, not finesse. But all in one, Pedro had a great game, and looks to build off of that.
“This is my first game coming back,” Martinez said. “If you look at me, I’m totally different. Attitude. Aggressiveness. Physically. I look better than the previous two years in New York. I just feel so healthy. I’m just coming back. I’m not 100 percent yet. And I still feel like I can compete with those guys. I hope I can do that for a little longer with a little more consistency.” It was a great game and one that looks to keep Pedro on track.
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Young Jeff Samardzija, getting his first ever MLB start, got rocked by the Phillies offense, as it all started when Shane Victorino tripled in the first, followed by a Chase Utley doubled, topped with a Ryan Howard triple. It was 2-0 after the first inning, and the Phillies didn’t stop scoring, as they scored two in the 3rd, (Shane’s two run bomb), and 8 in the fourth. Jimmy Rollins went deep for a three run shot, followed later in the inning with a Raul Ibanez three run shot, in which Jimmy helped him out on. After Jimmy’s shot, he came in and told Ibanez to keep his head down on the curveball, since he was facing a lefty and to take his hands right to the ball, not out and around. Ibanez found a good curve and took it yard to left field to add on to the mammoth lead.
There’s nothing like teammates teaching each other new things! The offense had it last night and the intensity, it was there, the fire, it was burning. Hey, the Phillies can hit, and they can pitch, and the fielding, who can’t? Watch out!
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-Philly Focus
“Hey, we are a baseball team!”
At least he is a good loser,…
Jamie Moyer, I salute you in this post. As Pedro took your number 5 spot in the rotation, you still were the same old Jamie Moyer, ********** though… I mean, it could be alot worse! He lost his spot to a veteran, at least he didn’t lose it to a newb of some sort. He could still get starts when the Phils’ go on a never ending road trip, or when they play double headers.
Moyer is 10-9 with a borderline 5.47 ERA in 22 starts this season. “I feel disheartened, like I have been misled. I feel like I have played the game long enough that the respect factor should be there. I’m really not happy with the decision the Phillies have made.” Now, if you leave the quote at that, which most sore reporters would do, it would seem as if Jamie was a bad loser. Well, he is borderline retarted if he thinks he needs more respect than Pedro.
Our friend Jamie dealt with the pain, as this quote came up. “Whether I like it or not, this is the decision we are in and I will deal with it.”
That is why Jamie Moyer gets the hater award! Just kidding, Jamie is strong in my opinion, the only thing that I wouldn’t agree on with him is the fact that he complained about the respect factor. Dude, you can’t bring that up when you are talking about Pedro Martinez. He is the word respect. He is one of the best pitchers of the era. ‘Talk about respect..’ Jamie, I know where you are, but Pedro is ‘the man’ and deserves the spot. And J.A. Happ, your buddy, has been pitching a heck of a lot better than you so he needs to stay in there also. There is no other explanation Jamie. Your a good loser, at that.
Yesterday night, wow what a game. As Rich Harden was just bombing the Phillies batting arsenal, he had a perfect game going into the 6th inning. He walked Carlos Ruiz, and after two batters, Slim Jim, Jimmy Rollins came up to the plate. And he just said to Harden, “your welcome,” as he hit a two run bomb to make it 2-2. The Phillies got the lead in the eighth when Carlos Marmol loaded up the bases as he walked two Phillies and hit poor old Shane-o. Ryan Howard got pitched 4 straight balls and the Phillies took the 3-2 lead. Now you think the Phillies have the game won, yada yada yada yada. No. Brad Lidge comes in, and walks old Fukudome who sucks! After Ryan Theriot sac bunted Fukudome to second, Milton Bradley “the soul of Chicago,” hahah, got a single that tied the game. All I can say is, “Are you kidding me?” The same guy that threw the ball into the stands with two outs and had to ask, “Can I have that Back?” Boo Brad Lidge, boo! You are on the World Series Champions ‘Philadelphia Phillies’, and you cannot afford to do this buddy.
Well it all ended when the newly acquired, and I use this term loosely, ‘younggun’ Ben Francisco homered to right, his first as a Phil. How does it feel Ben? Scott Eyre came in, and got the win, as Chad Durbin got his second save of the year. Brad Lidge, 7 blown saves. Lucky number 7! Everyone has it. Well in baseball, you don’t want it, at least not as a closer. Brad Lidge has gone 8 out of 9 in save opps since the DL stint, but also has gone 0-1 with a 7.31 ERA. So it goes both ways. But Brad, Come on dude. Toughen up!
Tonight, starts the era of Pedro. The Phillies are facing the Cubs tonight at 8:05 at Wrigley Field with two pitchers making their season debuts, Jeff Samardzija who has been in the bullpen his whole career against Pedro Martinez, the icon who went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA with last years’ Mets. Ew, the Mets. Pedro quoted on his return, “I might surprise you, I might not.” That is straight, honest and to the point right there. The game will be shown on ESPN, channel 11 where I live, and I will be watching closely and hoping for a Phillies victory. My prediction, if Pedro goes 5 strong and gives up 3 I think that the Phillies will get the win. The offense has been struggling and all, but I think that they can get it done tonight at ‘hitter-friendly’ Wrigley Field. Let’s go Phils!
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Where Pedro stands
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All-time rankings
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| Strikeouts per nine innings: 3rd (10.081) |
| Winning percentage: 5th (.684) |
| WHIP: 6th (1.051) |
| Strikeouts: 13th (3,117) |
The Phillies will try to make it 34-19 on the road tonight, as they continue to be the best road team in baseball. Gosh, only if the Phillies could play every game on the road! Pedro Martinez was great, but who knows about now and here. He could be great and dominant as he was hitting 91 on the gun into the 6th inning while down in the minors. If he can use his changeup effectively, watch out Cubs. He isn’t down and out just yet. He is just starting. Let the games begin…
—Philly Focus
Philly Focus 