• March 19, 2024

Notes From The Phillies’ 2-1 Win Over Miami

rhalaThe Philadelphia Phillies finished their weekend series with a win on Sunday afternoon, edging the Marlins 2-1 in Miami. Their record now stands at 6-6 on the season.

  • Roy Halladay enjoyed a strong performance on the mound for the first time all season, tossing eight innings and allowing just one run. The Marlins more than did their part to make life easy for Halladay. They gave the former ace a lot of quick innings, often swinging at the first pitch and producing easy outs. That being said, give Halladay credit. No matter how weak a lineup is, if a pitcher has been dealing with mental issues like Halladay has, they
  • In the seventh inning, Miami was even kind enough to bail Halladay out of a jam. With two on and one out, after a flyout to centerfield, and Rob Brantley never tagged second before he tried to get to third, resulting in an inning-ending double play.
  • Another miserable effort at the plate by the offense. Roy Halladay was able to pitch a gem, and the offense was able to generate just one run through six innings.
  • Chase Utley has had a strong start to the season overall, but he might have had his worst game of the season at the plate today. Utley hit into double play with runners at the corners to kill one inning, and grounded out on the first pitch with bases loaded in the fifth.
  • The Phillies are going to get very little offense out of the catcher position until Carlos Ruiz returns. Humberto Quintero got the start today, and with an opportunity to hit with runners in scoring position in the sixth inning, Quintero made Chad Qualls look like a competent major league pitcher, grounding into an inning-ending double play on the first pitch.
  • For the Marlins, Qualls was excellent in relief, pitching two scoreless innings. After turning the double-play off of Quintero in the sixth, Qualls got another double-play off of Michael Young in the eighth.
  • Ryan Howard hit his fourth double of the series to lead off the sixth inning, and later came around to score the first run of the game. Howard’s RBI numbers still aren’t there, but at least he’s beginning to hit consistently and get on base. He had his first three-hit game of the season today.
  • Michael Young came through with an RBI single that drove Howard home in the sixth.
  • Freddy Galvis made his second straight start, but this time played shortstop in place of Jimmy Rollins. Galvis looked good at the plate as well, picking up a couple of hits.
  • I did not like Charlie Manuel’s decision to pinch hit Jimmy Rollins for John Mayberry in the eighth inning. Manuel was trying to get a favorable matchup, but putting Rollins into the game in that spot prompted the Marlins to take Chad Qualls out of the game. I’d have much rather taken my chances with Mayberry against Qualls, a guy who you know is ripe for implosion at any moment, especially after having already tossed nearly 30 pitches.
  • Ben Revere really struggled to make good contact with the ball at the plate today, and had three swinging bunts.
  • Laynce Nix gave the Phillies the lead in the ninth inning with a pinch-hit solo home run.
  • The Phils have now won two games because of big hits from their bench. They got one earlier in the year from Kevin Frandsen’s hit against the Royals, and they got one today from Nix.
  • Jonathan Papelbon earned his fourth save of the season.

Final Thoughts

Before this series began, the general consensus was that nothing short of taking two of three games from this series would be acceptable. The Phillies managed to meet their quota, but they did it in a pretty discouraging fashion (at least offensively).

The Marlins pitching staff has some competent pitchers, but there’s no excuse for the Phillies’ hitters to struggle as heavily as they did over three games. They didn’t just struggle against the Ricky Nolasco’s and Jose Fernandez’s, they couldn’t even hit Chad Qualls despite having opportunities to face him in three different innings today. Nothing else I could say about the lineup could be more damning than that statement.

Offenses go through slumps in baseball, and its no reason to get overly concerned. However, the Phillies are in a spot where they have to take advantage of games against inferior competition. They can’t afford to fall too far behind the Nationals and Braves this early in the season, and the lineup had to give the team more than what they did over the weekend.

The good news for the Phillies was that the Miami lineup was as bad as advertised. This is a lineup stocked with reject Phillies Greg Dobbs, Placido Polanco, and Juan Pierre, and was without their only capable hitter, Giancarlo Stanton for the entire series. On their best days, this lineup is going to have trouble scoring more than two runs, and that was the case for this series.

The best news from the series was the performance of Roy Halladay on Sunday. Granted, this was hardly a major-league lineup, but it was still impressive to see Halladay shake off his struggles that have been going on for well over a month and deliver a seven-inning gem. Hopefully this is a start that will restore Halladay’s confidence, and serve him well in his upcoming starts.

 

 

Denny Basens

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DCar
DCar
April 14, 2013 4:02 pm

Revere really can cover ground. Nix hit a bomb. Good game. It’s ashame, we can’t play the beer leaguers every night. Those fans, ought to storm Lorias mansion, with pitchforks & torches! What a disgrace! Talk about a team, that needs to be contracted & expunged!

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 11:14 am
Reply to  DCar

fans? you mean the ones who come dressed as blue seats! ? it is a terrible baseball city– and with what they did in the off season as you said before contract those a.holes.

DCar
DCar
April 14, 2013 4:04 pm

Hope Galvis is ok, after getting hit.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 14, 2013 4:05 pm

If contracted Phil’s call dibs on stanton

DCar
DCar
April 14, 2013 4:14 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

DAMN RIGHT! Rumor yesterday, Phils, Mets & 2 teams, asked about him again.

paulman
paulman
April 14, 2013 7:34 pm

Take a Wn anyway you can get them.. That’s 2 Serues Eins in a row and something Positive to build on.. The Good News is that both Hamels/Doc Pitched well and the Bullpen did a good Job all Series
There’s nothing wrong with winning 2 out of 3 on the Road regardless if it’s the Marlins, chances are moving forward, the Phils will be in a lot of close games
And if they can Win 14 Games (even 13) out of their first 25 Games until Ruiz returns, they will stay within reach of the Braves/Nats
Ruiz’s prescence is a big one behind the Plate, handling the Pitchers and of course his Batting ability in key moments..

jakedog
jakedog
April 14, 2013 7:48 pm

If Roy Halladay can pitch like that on a consistent basis this team has a chance

paulman
paulman
April 14, 2013 9:01 pm

These Braves are not the same old Braves, they have Speed, Power, Very good Defense, and a Roster full of Players in their Primes and still have a great Bullpen and a very game Manager in Gonzales, what they don’t have is dominating Starting Pitcher that they usually have had in the past.
They are smonmg hot out of the gate which does not bode well for the Phils

109876ers
109876ers
April 15, 2013 12:34 am

not impressed.

daggolden
daggolden
April 15, 2013 5:52 am

Reported late Sunday night Doug Collins set to resign. What a mess the Sixers, Flyers and Phillies are. The honest to goodness truth is the Eagles at 4-12 are the closest team to a championship lol. My goodness.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 6:54 am
Reply to  daggolden

the phils are a mess? how?

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 15, 2013 10:46 am
Reply to  haveacigar

.500-
catcher suspended for cheating-
next year’s manager coaching 3rd-
1st baseman runs 40 yard dash at 7.9 seconds –
lame duck 2nd base + RHP+ manager + catcher

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 15, 2013 10:47 am

revolving door in Right field also

Pipolo87
Pipolo87
April 15, 2013 10:01 am

Phillies will stay at 2nd maybe claw to first but overall stay at 2nd for the year. I dont see the mets being a threat the Nationals are Solid (Sadly) Braves are to but they are like the Fish they Flounder miami is miami so if we get things together we should be good but it obviosuly wont be easy.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 10:13 am

phils right now are clearly the third best team in the division, they will need to play exceptionally well and get a break here and there… looooong season!

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 15, 2013 10:32 am

The hump (.500) – can Phils ascend it
I’ve seen enough of the toy bat of Galvis- If Charlie wants to give him time, don’t do it against #1 or #2 pitchers.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 10:42 am

i like what he is doing with galvis at this time… he is getting utley, rollins and young off days which is necessary

paulman
paulman
April 15, 2013 10:36 am

A couple of Team Stats

Team Batting is Ranked 8th in the NL thus far
Team Batting Average is .258, they are Ranked 8th in HR’s & RBI’s and middle of the road Offensively

Team Pitching is Ranked 13th in th NL with a Team ERA of 4.82 so far in the Season and the biggest area of improvment that’s needed and this is even after the Good Pitching this Weekend versus the weak Marlins..Hopefully if Hamels/Doc can stay on track and Pitch well, the Phils can jump up in the PItching Stats pretty quickly. but they must get that TEAM ERA below 4.00 and closer to 3.75 to have any chance to compete with the Top Teams

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 15, 2013 10:41 am
Reply to  paulman

have a cigar doesn’t like hard stats, he can’t manipulate them with pom poms

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 11:10 am

i said they were third best team in the division…is that pom pom waiving?

paulman
paulman
April 15, 2013 10:47 am

Meanwhile Brewers RHP Kyle Loshe has Pitched 13 Innings over 2 Starts
with 3 ER and an ERA of 2.08 and has always been a fast starter as he signed with the Brewer’s about a month ago..

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 15, 2013 10:56 am

Have a cigar – these were the chumps of MLB ( KC, NYM, Miami) .500 is a little disappointing – it is not panic time but definitely a concern

BirdoBeamen
BirdoBeamen
April 15, 2013 10:57 am

Is there anyway we can trade Howard to an AL team so he can finish his career off as a DH? This guy CANNOT run. It’s horrible to watch.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 11:11 am
Reply to  BirdoBeamen

to all you guys who are banking on jason peters playing at pro bowl level after 2 achilles tears…take a look at howard run after 1 surgery!

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 11:18 am

i don’t know how the braves are doing it…they have four starters batting below .215…

DCar
DCar
April 15, 2013 12:10 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

WOW! Are we lightening up a bit? I see some teeny bits of criticisms today. Are we finally seeing the light, Superfan, & realizing the realities of this squad?

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 12:32 pm
Reply to  DCar

contrary to what you think i am not delusional i see their warts — i watch almost every inning of every game– i understand they have aged and see the holes.
my point in ‘defending’ RA is simply that he has made some bold moves in an effort to win it all– and in sports they don’t always work out.

DCar
DCar
April 15, 2013 12:48 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

What bold moves???? He was given an open checkbook, like a kid in a candy store, in which an GM, could have accomplished, & he still failed miserably! Stop it now! He took a WS Champion team, regressed it every subsequent year, with the 3rd highest MLB payroll, with no future plan, nor position prospects in site. Enough said.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 1:34 pm
Reply to  DCar

he took shots every year– they didn’t win the WS… as for regression as a team ages they regress–
bold moves– oswalt- 7-1 down the stretch
lee trade– niether of us liked it and i believe there is more to that story than we know
pence trade- he really fit right in and was a huge contributor
again they have won a lot of games but they haven’t won the biggest one…

paulman
paulman
April 15, 2013 12:59 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

Here’s a pretty good Reason HAC

1)Their Team Pitching is the lowest in the NL by a lot
Team Era is 1.82, the 2nd Lowest in 2.39 and the rest of the NL is above 3.0 which is a pretty good spread and even this early in the Season
2) They are 2nd in the NL with 20 HR’s (Phils only have 11)
Beaves are 6th in Runs Scored 62, while the Phils are at 8th at 48 Runs Scored ..

If you can Keep Teams from Scoring many Runs with Good Pitching, and Score Runs in bunches via the Home Run Offensively and play sound Defense, that’s a pretty good Recipe for Winning a lot of Games .. So even Uggla, Upton may not hit for HIgh Average, these guys will pop 25-30 HR’s Season
The Braves OF of Upton,Upton, Heyward are all younger than 28 Years old, All signed to long-term deals and will probably be around for the next 5-6 Years so get used to seeing the best OF in the NL down in Atlanta

BirdoBeamen
BirdoBeamen
April 15, 2013 11:30 am

Haveacigar? Are you new to this? The Braves always start off hot. Then they flounder. Same ol song and dance.

haveacigar
haveacigar
April 15, 2013 11:50 am
Reply to  BirdoBeamen

was just saying that the bats aren’t that hot yet they are getting wins.. i know its a long season, i know the phils are a much better team in july/august… i get it.

DCar
DCar
April 15, 2013 12:11 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

2 words why! Justin…. Upton.

paulman
paulman
April 15, 2013 1:03 pm
Reply to  DCar

You guys are fools if you think this is the same old Braves.. This Team is not only built to Win in 2013 but for the next 5-6 Years with a very young Core of everyday Players, a Deep Pitching Staff with many young arms and a minor league System loaded with more arms..
Best OF in the NL, have young SS (Simmonds) and 1B (Freeman) who will battle for All-Star Spots the next 6-8 Years and a quality
Cather,3B & 2nd to go along with the Best Bullpen bar none in the MLB
and a good Game Manager and excellent GM in Frank Wren..

pheags88
pheags88
April 15, 2013 1:52 pm
Reply to  paulman

I dont follow the Phillies as much as I do the NFL but Im pretty sure nobody picked the Phillies to finish ahead of the Braves/Nats. Its no secret our roster isn’t as good on paper. Thus, all the pressure is on the Braves/Nats to make playoffs.

BirdoBeamen
BirdoBeamen
April 15, 2013 1:55 pm

Shutup paulman — every year you pick the Braves and every year they fail. You are a closet Braves fan. STFU.

paulman
paulman
April 15, 2013 4:25 pm
Reply to  BirdoBeamen

INcorrecto again Birdbrain
Last Year I picked and was probably the only person to pick the Washington Nationals to Win the NL East with the Braves finishing 2nd ahead of the Phils
I’ve been pretty spot on with this club the last few years as far as their Playoff/WS chances go.. You may not like what I have to say, but it’s been the truth…