Sunday, February 17, 2013
Bret Hart vs Antonio Cesaro 2/3 Falls - First round of WHC #1C tourney: Antonio Cesaro was able to overcome the Hitman in a grueling bout and is closer to possibly becoming a multi-champion at No Way Out.
Mark Henry vs Hulk Hogan - First round of WHC #1C tourney: Hulkamania is running wild again. The Hulkster and The World's Strongest Man battled in and out of the ring - the highlight being a bodyslam by Hogan through the announce table. Ultimately, Hogan finished off Mark Henry for his first win since his return, with none other than the Hogan Leg Drop.
Undertaker vs Big Show - It's been rumored there's already a three-way in place for the World Title at Over the Limit, so it would seem this match was just about gaining momentum towards that. Also, a second stipulation was added that the loser will "have their poison picked" next week, similar to Randy Orton's match tonight. This match was back and forth, with Undertaker and Show both dishing out their finishers (Chokeslam/WMD) and the Undertaker was bloodied. Big Show began to dominate but a Tombstone Piledriver put the former World Champ away. Undertaker is coming after the Legend Killer hard, and this was a message sent.
Edge & Christian vs Prime Time Players - First round of WWE Tag Title tourney: E&C's Smackdown reunion was a rather brief one, as they quickly disposed of Darren and Titus. They face either Rhodes Scholars or Team Mucha Lucha next.
Randy Orton vs The Rock - Pick Your Poison: Contenders Undertaker and Big Show watched intently as they saw new champ Randy Orton take on the opponent they chose for him - the Brahma Bull. The Rock accepted the chance to layeth the smacketh down, claiming that if he beat Orton, he should be next in line for a World Title Shot. And so, Orton went one-on-one with the Great One. The Legend Killer lived up to his name, delivering an RKO to beat the Rock and keep his hot streak going. The two shook hands in respect and Smackdown ended with Orton celebrating yet another victory.
HHH beat Jericho, Sledgehammer Submission 2/3 Falls Match: Triple H rechallenged Chris Jericho after losing to him at Extreme Rules. He upped the ante so Y2J would accept by giving him a match that would favor "The Man of 1,004 Holds" - 2/3 falls, submissions only. Since The Game isn't known for his technical ability, he added in a stipulation of his own, all sledgehammers under the ring. The two men destroyed one another, each wearing a crimson mask in the process. To most fans' surprise, HHH pulled out the win via a Camel Clutch to pick up the decisive fall. The score is 1-1 in this rivalry and it would seem this isn't over, by a long shot.
Big E Langston (w/AJ Lee) knocked out Kevin Nash after multiple Big Endings.
US Title #1C 10-man Battle Royal - Drew McIntyre defeated Booker T, Haas, Rhodes, Slater, Ohno, Henry, Shelton, DiBiase, Kidd to move on and face the other battle royal winner for an opportunity at the U.S. Title.
MITB Match - Dolph Ziggler beat Kane, ADR, Daniel Bryan, John Cena, and Edge to retain his MITB briefcase.
Ryback defeated Seth Rollins in 2/3 Falls to advance on to the second round of the WWE Title tourney: Even with Dean Ambrose at ringside, Ryback was able to get some revenge against the Shield by pinning Seth Rollins twice. Their battle probably continues, but for now, Ryback moves closer to the WWE Championship.
Mr. Anderson loses against Zack Ryder in his RAW return.
3MB (McIntyre/Mahal) defeats International Airstrike in the first round of the WWE Tag Title tourney.
Matt Hardy beats Hunico in Hardy's RAW return.
10-man battle royal for an opportunity at the IC title: Kofi defeated A-Ry, Roode, Bully Ray, Tensai, Bourne, Swagger, Storm, Miz, and Flair to advance to face the winner of a second battle royal.
Steen defeated John Cena (w/ special guest ref Dolph Ziggler) in the first round of the WWE Title tourney.
For his actions as special guest referee, costing rival John Cena his match (and title shot) the RAW GM has plans for Dolph this coming week. Perhaps karma will come back on the Show-Off.
That's all for Raw.
Matt Hardy added to Raw
New Age Outlaws added to Raw
Samoa Joe added to Smackdown
Usos added to Smackdown
Mr. Anderson added to Raw
Rules are meant to be broken.
Here's the card:
U.S. Championship - Tables Match
Antonio Cesaro (c) def. Booker T to retain
This match came to be after Booker T beat Kassius Ohno and moved onto a #1 contender's fatal four-way match, which he won and defeated R-Truth, Christian, and Wade Barrett. Title contenders Mankind and Booker T lost to champions Cesaro and Kofi Kingston on an episode of Main Event, though on the go-home Smackdown, Booker T bloodied the champ and pinned him in a non-title contest, finishing him with a Scissor Kick.
In the title match, Cesaro climbed to the top turnbuckle and an elbow drop sent Booker T through a table to keep the gold.
WWE Tag Team Championship - Tornado Tag TLC Match
World's Greatest Tag Team (Haas & Benjamin) def. Team Hell No (c) to win the titles
Team Hell No's #1 contenders had to win an 8-team tournament to earn a shot at the champions. Along the way they eliminated International Airstrike (Kidd & Gabriel), The Prime Time Players, and finally, the Colons. The teams have not met to this point and were pitted to face off in a TLC match that was sure to entertain.
And it did. We saw these two teams battle it out, using anything and everything at their disposal to destroy one another. In the climax of the bout, Charlie Haas suplexed the Big Red Monster off a ladder onto a table on the outside; plus there was both a Chokeslam from Kane and a Rock Bottom-type move hit by Shelton Benjamin off of a ladder down to the mat. By the end, World's Greatest Tag Team snagged the gold.
It would seem Team Hell No may be going their separate ways after losing the titles, but that remains to be seen.
IC Championship - Extreme Rules Match
Mankind def. Kofi Kingston (c) to win the title
Mankind is back. On his quest to get a singles gold around his waist, he beat the Miz, and then RVD, Bobby Roode, and the Shield's Dean Ambrose in a fatal four-way which determined a #1 contender. Kofi had the upper hand when he and fellow champ Antonio Cesaro defeated contenders Booker T and Mankind. But as we all know, Mankind's specialty is these hardcore kind of matches.
This match was a brutal one, as expected. Kofi got to show off his high-flying style but in the end fell to the Hardcore Icon. A new champion was crowned as a bloodied Kofi was victim to a Mandible Claw that put him down for the 3 count.
Grudge Match - Hell in A Cell
Chris Jericho def. HHH
The feud began between the Game and Y2J during a first round match of the WWE Championship #1 contender's tourney. Jericho was fighting against Brock Lesnar when the Game made his return. He made his way into the ring and it seemed he was going after rival Lesnar, but instead the two attacked Jericho. That made it easy pickings for Brock, who went onto pin the beaten-down Jericho. Having lost his chance at the title, Jericho made sure there would be hell to pay for The King of Kings. He challenged Triple H to several matches on the road to the PPV, most of which taking place on Main Event. There were different stipulations - a submission match, Extreme Rules, and even "Pick Your Poison", where Jericho selected Tensai to face The Game, who picked "The Rabid Wolverine" Chris Benoit to fight Jericho. Both men shared wins and losses, but their feud was to be settled at the pay-per-view, in the structure named Hell in A Cell.
This match didn't involve much of the cell, to the surprise of some. Moreover it was focused on just working each other over and using their technical ability. It got good when Jericho pulled off a Codebreaker early on, then later a bloodied Y2J locked in the Walls of Jericho, which Triple H did not tap to. Jericho finished off the worn-down HHH with a dropkick for the 1..2..3.
I have a feeling this one isn't over. HHH likely won't be satisfied until he has beaten the man who proclaims himself to be "The Best In The World" at "everything {I} do".
World Heavyweight Championship - Triple Threat Steel Cage Match
Randy Orton def. The Undertaker and Big Show (c)
A reinvigorated Orton returned to action as not the Viper, but The Legend Killer. He claimed that while Big Show is a legend of the business, it was time for him to shine in the next Age of Orton. He wasn't too fortunate in the World Title #1 contender's tournament, losing in the first round to Kurt Angle. All matches were 2 out of 3 Falls, and while Orton fell short, another legend stepped up to the challenge. Another match in the first round saw returning Undertaker easily take down Hulk Hogan, who had also made a comeback to the WWE. He moved on to the second and final round along with Alberto Del Rio, Bret Hart, Angle, Mark Henry, and Eddie Guerrero. Those winners fought in an Elimination Chamber to earn the right to face Big Show, and The Deadman came out on top in a great matchup.
Before that though, the losers in the first round were granted a possible future title shot since they've all been established as main guys on the roster, whether it be in the past or current time - those men being Orton, The Rock, Edge, Sheamus, Hogan, and J.B.L., also making his return, from the broadcast table to the ring. Orton got the win after the others were all eliminated from this battle royal-type bout. Since it was such a good battle, the Smackdown GM allowed Orton to enter the Taker vs Big Show match, making it a triple threat. He added one final stipulation, putting the three men inside a hellacious steel cage where only escape rewarded victory.
The cage didn't play a huge factor, but this was still a good fight put on by the three competitors. They brawled all over the ring, set up double teams (as expected in a triple threat), and more than once tried to make their escape. In the end, the Legend Killer found his way up the steel structure, and did it at the perfect time - as Big Show chokeslammed Undertaker, he scurried up and out, regaining the prized World Heavyweight championship.
Even though he lost, Big Show still has a rematch clause since he was the champion, and it would seem a rematch is in order, since technically he didn't get pinned to lose his title, nor was it a one-on-one match. And there's also a case to be made that maybe Orton shouldn't have been in the match in the first place. The Legend Killer once again reigns supreme, but there's a large target on his back set forth by the giant named the Big Show.
Gauntlet Match
The Shield def. Ryback
The Shield made Ryback pay for his injustices earlier, but he claimed that he wasn't done with them yet. And so The Shield made a preemptive strike on Ryback, sending Roman Reigns to attack him during a WWE title #1 contender's tourney match against HHH, allowing The Game to pick up the pinfall. The Ryback was pissed, and he wanted not just Reigns, but all of them. With Dean Ambrose out of IC title contention, The Shield's focus was set on preparing for Ryback. They would come at him one by one rather than all at once - in a gauntlet match fashion.
Ryback was game for his opponents, first beating down Seth Rollins and laying him out with Shell Shock. He was down but Roman Reigns once again brought the pain down on Ryback. Reigns gave the big man all he could handle, and pinned him on his own.
The Shield was victorious this time, but the war likely will continue. And I have a feeling Ryback will bring more firepower next time out.
WWE Championship - Ironman Match
CM Punk (c) fought Stone Cold Steve Austin to a draw
It's a match everyone wanted to see. It came to life after Stone Cold beat ROH import Kevin Steen, then won a second round ladder match over Triple H, John Cena, Goldberg, TNA import Austin Aries, and Brock Lesnar.
A Wrestlemania atmosphere was in the air when the Second-City Saint, the Straight-Edge Superstar, and the year-long reigning WWE Champion C.M. Punk would meet his match - the beer-drinking, ***-kicking, rule-breaking antihero known as Stone Cold. Except it was at Extreme Rules, the main event which would be given a 30-minute time limit in which the man with the most falls (pins or submissions) would win the WWE Championship.
It was a treat for the fans, seeing arguably the best of two generations of wrestling battle it out for a good half-hour of action. The champ and challenger brutalized each other with anything they could find, doing anything they could to keep the other down for a 3 count. It wasn't long before both men were busted open, with Punk taking a 3-2 lead via a Go To Sleep - a minute to go. It was then that Stone Cold pulled out the unthinkable, a desperation manuever - stealing the Anaconda Vice right out of C.M. Punk's playbook and using it on him to try and make him tap. The last 20 seconds or so of the match ticked down as Punk remained locked in the hold, not willing to give in. He couldn't go any longer and gave in, tapping out just in time to make the score a 3-3 tie. That would be the last fall, however, as time quickly expired. A draw meant that Punk retained the championship.
The WWE Championship remains in C.M. Punk and Paul Heyman's grasp, but since Austin didn't lose, he is certainly still considered first in line to fight the champ next. Who else is going after the top star in the WWE is up in the air, but the idea of a second match between Punk and Austin is certainly an interesting thought.
Hope you enjoyed Extreme Rules 2013. We'll see you next time for Over The Limit (2013).
RAW
A-Ry
Austin Aries
Batista
Bobby Roode
Brad Maddox
Brock Lesnar
Bully Ray
Chris Benoit
Y2J (Current)
*C.M. Punk (WWE Champion)
Dean Ambrose
Ziggler
Epico
Evan Bourne
Hunico
Swagger
James Storm
Jeff Hardy
John Cena (Current, could change to '04)
*Kofi (IC Champion)
Mankind
Miz
Primo
R-Truth
Rey Mysterio
RVD
Roman Reigns
Ryback
Seth Rollins
HBK (Not current, same as above with Eddie)
Stone Cold
Tensai
HHH
Zack Ryder
Smackdown
AJ Styles
ADR
*Cesaro (US Champ)
*Big Show (World Champion)
Booker T
Bray Wyatt
Bret Hart
Christian
Cody Rhodes
Damien Sandow
*Daniel Bryan (WWE Tag Champion, w/Kane; can appear on Raw)
Darren Young
Drew McIntyre
Eddie (Not current, could change to CAW of modern Eddie)
Edge (Current)
Heath Slater
JBL
Jinder Mahal
Justin Gabriel
*Kane (WWE Tag Champion, w/Daniel Bryan; can appear on Raw)
K.O. Ohno
Kurt Angle
Mark Henry
McGillicutty
Orton
Ric Flair
The Rock
Sheamus
Sin Cara
Ted DiBiase Jr.
Titus O'Neil
Tyson Kidd
Undertaker
Wade Barrett
Teams/Stables
The Colons
Team CoBro
The Shield
Team Rhodes Scholars
Prime Time Players
International Airstrike
3MB
First part of it with the roster and etc. coming up.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
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MLB Standings
First, let's look at how the division races are looking after the first month:
| MLB Standings - Updated: May 1, 2011 | |||
| AL EAST | W | L | GB |
| New York Yankees | 16 | 11 | --- |
| Boston Red Sox | 15 | 12 | 1 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 14 | 13 | 2 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | 13 | 15 | 3.5 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 10 | 17 | 6 |
| AL CENTRAL | W | L | GB |
| Chicago White Sox | 16 | 12 | --- |
| Detroit Tigers | 14 | 13 | 1.5 |
| Cleveland Indians | 14 | 13 | 1.5 |
| Minnesota Twins | 14 | 14 | 2 |
| Kansas City Royals | 8 | 19 | 7.5 |
| AL WEST | W | L | GB |
| Oakland A's | 15 | 12 | --- |
| Seattle Mariners | 15 | 13 | 0.5 |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| Texas Rangers | 13 | 14 | 2 |
| AL WILD CARD RACE | W | L | GB |
| Boston Red Sox | 15 | 12 | --- |
| Seattle Mariners | 15 | 13 | 0.5 |
| Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| Cleveland Indians | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| Detroit Tigers | 14 | 13 | 1 |
| NL EAST | W | L | GB |
| New York Mets | 18 | 9 | --- |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 17 | 10 | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 14 | 12 | 3.5 |
| Florida Marlins | 12 | 14 | 5.5 |
| Atlanta Braves | 11 | 17 | 7.5 |
| NL CENTRAL | W | L | GB |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 19 | 8 | --- |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 16 | 11 | 3 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 14 | 13 | 5 |
| Chicago Cubs | 13 | 14 | 6 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 13 | 15 | 6.5 |
| Houston Astros | 9 | 18 | 10 |
| NL WEST | W | L | GB |
| Colorado Rockies | 14 | 13 | --- |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 14 | 14 | 0.5 |
| San Francisco Giants | 11 | 15 | 2.5 |
| San Diego Padres | 11 | 16 | 3 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 10 | 17 | 4 |
| NL WILD CARD RACE | W | L | GB |
| Philadelpia Phillies | 17 | 10 | --- |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 16 | 11 | 1 |
| Washington Nationals | 14 | 12 | 2.5 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 14 | 13 | 3 |
| Colorado Rockies | 14 | 13 | 3 |
It's not too surprising how the standings have went this season. One of the exceptions has been the Rangers, who are at the bottom of the AL West, 2 games back of the A's. Another are the Mets, who were last in all of the league in Spring Training, and now hold a one game lead on the Phillies in the NL East. A third is the San Francisco Giants, who are 11-15 and are 2.5 games back of the Rockies in the NL West.
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MLB League Leaders
Next, let's look at who the league leaders are this season:
| MLB League Leaders - Updated: May 1, 2011 | |||||
| Batting Average | AVG. | Homeruns | HR | ||
 | 1. Angel Pagan | .438 |  | 1. Russell Branyan | 12 |
| 2. Starlin Castro | .385 | 2. Chase Utley | 11 | ||
| 3. Ryan Braun | .379 | 3. Ryan Howard | 9 | ||
| 4. Chase Utley | .379 | 4. Nelson Cruz | 9 | ||
| 5. Michael Saunders | .365 | 5. Aramis Ramirez | 8 | ||
| Runs Batted In | RBI | Stolen Bases | SB | ||
 | 1. Chase Utley | 27 | | 1. Angel Pagan | 13 |
| 2. Ryan Howard | 25 | 2. Corey Hart | 11 | ||
| 3. Jed Lowrie | 25 | 3. Andrew McCutchen | 10 | ||
| 4. Kendrys Morales | 23 | 4. Eric Young Jr. | 10 | ||
| 5. Nelson Cruz | 23 | 5. Corey Patterson | 9 | ||
| Wins | W | Earned Run Average | ERA | ||
| 1. Cole Hamels | 5 |  | 1. Tim Wakefield | 1.31 |
| 2. C.C. Sabathia | 4 | 2. Aroldis Chapman | 1.32 | ||
| 3. John Danks | 4 | 3. Cole Hamels | 1.34 | ||
| 4. Adam Wainwright | 4 | 4. Ross Ohlendorf | 1.38 | ||
| 5. Roy Oswalt | 4 | 5. Adam Wainwright | 1.41 | ||
| Strikeouts | K | Batting Average Against | BAA | ||
| 1. Jered Weaver | 50 |  | 1. Hiroki Kuroda | .169 |
| 2. Josh Johnson | 42 | 2. John Danks | .176 | ||
| 3. Mat Latos | 41 | 3. Jorge De La Rosa | .179 | ||
| 4. Tim Lincecum | 41 | 4. Kevin Correia | .180 | ||
| 5. Adam Wainwright | 40 | 5. Chris Young | .183 | ||
Once again, it's not too surprising who's producing this season, but there are a few sticking out. Angel Pagan, who is leading the league in batting average (.438) as well as stolen bases (13), has had a bit of a resurgent year, and so has Russell Branyan, who currently leads the majors in homers (12). Another surprise has been 44-year-old Tim Wakefield, whose knuckleball has helped him lead the MLB in ERA. The Phillies, meanwhile, have also gotten on to the list of the MLB's best, with Chase Utley and Ryan Howard topping some batting categories and Cole Hamels getting the most wins.
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'Phils Individual Stats
Now, let's look at how the Phillies' players are doing individually this year:
| 2011 Philadelphia Phillies Stats - Hitting | ||||||||||||||
| NAME | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | BA | OBP | SLG |
| Jimmy Rollins SS | 95 | 17 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 1 | 2 | .358 | .430 | .495 |
| Placido Polanco 3B | 103 | 10 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 0 | .282 | .315 | .350 |
| Chase Utley 2B | 103 | 20 | 39 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 27 | 6 | 16 | 5 | 0 | .379 | .414 | .777 |
| Ryan Howard 1B | 108 | 17 | 34 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 0 | .315 | .333 | .667 |
| Brennan Boesch LF | 105 | 19 | 30 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 26 | 0 | 0 | .286 | .330 | .552 |
| Shane Victorino CF | 90 | 11 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 1 | .244 | .313 | .300 |
| Domonic Brown RF | 94 | 15 | 25 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 2 | 0 | .266 | .349 | .500 |
| Chris Snyder C | 56 | 11 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .321 | .391 | .446 |
| Carlos Ruiz C | 49 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 0 | .204 | .250 | .286 |
| Hank Blalock 3B/1B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 | .500 | .500 |
| Michael Martinez IF/OF | 21 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 1 | .286 | .286 | .333 |
| Ben Francisco OF | 87 | 7 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 0 | .264 | .289 | ,634 |
| John Mayberry Jr. OF | 15 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .400 | .438 | .400 |
| 2011 Philadelphia Phillies Stats - Pitching | |||||||||||||||
| NAME | GP | GS | W | L | SV | QS | HLD | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | WHIP | ERA |
| Roy Halladay SP | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 43.1 | 38 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 37 | 1.04 | 3.32 | |
| Cliff Lee SP | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42.2 | 39 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 28 | 1.05 | 2.32 | |
| Cole Hamels SP | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.1 | 29 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 32 | 0.89 | 1.34 | |
| Gio Gonzalez SP | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29.1 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 1.19 | 3.07 | |
| Vance Worley SP | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 1.44 | 3.00 | |
| Kyle Kendrick LR | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 0.71 | 0.49 | |
| David Herndon MR | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 1.50 | 1.93 | |
| Ryan Perry MR | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1.63 | 3.38 | |
| Jose Contreras MR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.86 | 3.86 | |
| Antonio Bastardo MR | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 1.54 | 5.54 | |
| Ryan Madson SU | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2.2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.63 | 10.13 | |
| Andrew Bailey CL | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 1.38 | 0.69 | |
Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, as well as second-year rookie Dom Brown have been pleasant surprises this season on the offensive side. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco have been disappointments. On the pitching side, Cole Hamels has been dominant, and Andrew Bailey has also been impressive this season. Roy Halladay has also done a good job, even though he started off rocky. In all, the starting pitching has limited the bullpen to about 62 innings this year.
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Transactions
Before we look at how the Phillies' minor leaguers are doing, let's review the transactions made by the team's GM this season:
The team signed C Bengie Molina to a minor league deal.
Originally, Molina was signed to perhaps backup Carlos Ruiz in case Brian Schneider didn't work out, but once the team traded for Chris Snyder, Ruiz was relegated to the bench, and Molina wasn't needed to be a backup. He still could potentially be the backup to Snyder if Ruiz doesn't hit, as he is batting a solid .377 with 3 bombs this year at AAA.
The team signed IF Troy Glaus to a minor league contract.
Glaus was signed before the season in hopes to put numbers up in the minors and bring power off the bench for the big league club, but has hit only 1 homer in 21 games this season with AAA Lehigh Valley. He still is a candidate for a September callup, though.
The team signed 3B/1B Hank Blalock to a minor league contract.
Blalock was signed for the same purpose as Glaus, and although the 30-year-old managed only 5 RBI with AAA Lehigh Valley, he got the call when Ross Gload was released. He's expected to fill in at 3rd and 1st, as expected, until further notice.
The team signed signed OF Cory Sullivan to a minor league contract.
Sullivan was re-signed before the season to a minor league deal after being released, and has hit just 7-34 (.206) this season. You can expect him to stay in the minors and possibly be released around draft time if the Phillies draft an outfielder.
The team signed Ps Thomas Diamond, Fernando Nieve, and Tyler Walker to minor league contracts.
All three were signed to provide experience and depth to the minors. Diamond has had a decent season, and could be called on later in the year as a long man. Nieve, who had an agreement in the off-season to play for Doosan in Korea, struggled to a 6.94 ERA in 11 and 2.3 relief innings with AAA. He was demoted to AA Reading, and has done well in the exact same amount of innings there. He still probably won't get to the majors at any time this season. Tyler Walker, a former Phillie, had been searching for offers in Spring Training after not receiving any in the offseason. In 16 and 1/3 innings this year, Walker has allowed 11 runs, while striking out 9. He'll probably will get called up this season, with September being the latest.
The team traded three prospects to the A's for P Andrew Bailey.
Bailey has been solid this season, allowing only a combined 2 runs (on 11 hits) with the A's and the Phillies. He's struck out 11 and walked only 1, and has not blown a save yet this season (6 for 6). Bailey is firmly entrenched as the team's closer of the future.
The team traded P Brad Lidge to the Indians for P Vinnie Pestano.
Lidge became expendable due to the trade for Bailey, so the 'Phils tried to get whatever they could for the aging right-hander. Cleveland offered young reliever Vinnie Pestano, to which the Phillies accepted. Pestano was sent to AAA and set-up before becoming the team's closer. He has thrived in the role and has only allowed 1 run this season in a total of 10 and 1/3 innings between AAA Columbus and AAA Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old could very well see time with the big league club this year.
The team signed P Kelvim Escobar to a minor league contract.
Escobar was signed only to provide depth to the lower levels of the minors after the trade for Andrew Bailey. The 35-year-old veteran has struck out 15, walked 11, and given up 4 runs in 20 and 2/3 innings this year in AA. He has also held batters to a .188 batting average in that span. Still, don't expect him to make his way back to the majors this year.
The team traded C Brian Schneider and a pitching prospect to the Pirates for C Chris Snyder.
Schneider obviously wasn't part of the Phils' future, and so they shipped him off for more production at the catcher position. Carlos Ruiz's defense has been praised plenty of times, but his offensive production (or lack thereof) has left the Phillies wanting more. Snyder has done pretty well since coming over from Pittsburgh to the hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, hitting 11-36 (.306) with 4 doubles, a homer, and 4 runs batted in. He could be the team's starting catcher next season if Carlos Ruiz doesn't bring more to the table on the offensive side or the Phillies fail to get another catcher through the draft or free agency.
The team signed P Shawn Hill to a minor league contract.
Hill was signed to provide pitching depth and experience at the AAA level. He started two games with Lehigh Valley before being shipped off along with Raul Ibanez to acquire Brennan Boesch. The 30-year-old righty is now a part of the Tigers rotation.
The team traded P Joe Blanton to the Tigers for P Ryan Perry.
The first of two trades between Philadelphia and Detroit allowed the 'Phils to acquire an area of need, getting the young righty to help out in middle relief and possibly in the late innings. Perry, who the Phillies sought out because of his potential and solid pitches, has done a nice job overall this season, not allowing a run in 8 innings. He should get more opportunities as the season goes on and could be a key part of the bullpen for years to come. Blanton, meanwhile, is in the Tigers bullpen as a long reliever. The move also allows Vance Worley to take the 5th spot in the rotation.
The team traded P Danys Baez to the Rangers for P Eric Hurley.
The Phillies had an excess of relievers after the Perry-Blanton swap and elected to send out Danys Baez to Texas for youngster Eric Hurley. The move provides the "Fightins" another option as a starter or long reliever, but mainly fills the rotation spot at AAA Lehigh Valley left by Vance Worley. Hurley has compiled an 0-1 record with 17 strikeouts in 11 total innings this season between the two teams' AAA affiliates. Baez is currently a reliever for the Rangers' AAA affiliate.
The team traded P Roy Oswalt and IF Wilson Valdez to the A's for P Gio Gonzalez and P Fautino De Los Santos.
In the first blockbuster trade of the season, the "Fightin' 'Phils" traded two-time All Star Roy Oswalt to the A's for Gio Gonzalez. The 25-year-old lefty adds to an already fantastic rotation, like Oswalt, but still has room to grow and has the potential to be an ace. Valdez was thrown in partly to give Rule 5 draft pick Michael Martinez time as the utility infielder, but also because the team liked Fautino De Los Santos. De Los Santos could be part of the team's bullpen in the future, but this season will probably only be a September call up.
It's interesting to note that both Gonzalez and De Los Santos are part of the chain between the A's, White Sox, and Phillies that got Freddy Garcia to Philly and Gonzalez to the A's.
The team traded OF Raul Ibanez and P Shawn Hill to the Tigers for OF Brennan Boesch.
The Phillies wanted to solve their outfield problems, and by getting Brennan Boesch, they seem to be set for the long-term. The 26-year-old is batting .282 with 6 homers and 3 stolen bases this year. Ibanez is now on Detroit's bench, while Shawn Hill is in the Tigers' rotation. This one was a complete steal for the Phillies.
The team released P J.C. Romero.
Romero was the odd man out in the 'Phils bullpen as they try to get younger. He allowed a run in 2 games this season. The 12-year veteran could draw interest from teams looking for a lefty.
The team signed OF John Raynor to a minor league contract.
The Ironpigs had room on their 25-man roster, and they were looking for an extra outfielder. The 27-year-old has gotten 2 hits in 12 at-bats (.167) this year with the team, and only really offers speed. He could get called up in September.
The team signed P Jeremy Bonderman to a minor league contract.
Bonderman was picked up for the same purpose as the rest of the Phillies' minor league signings: to provide depth and experience and to mentor the team's younger players. In his first start with AAA Lehigh Valley, the 28-year-old righty pitched 7 and 1/3 solid innings, striking out 5 and not allowing a run. He could get called up, but if he doesn't get a chance with the team, he would probably be a hot commodity on the market for teams looking for a 5th starter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Down on the Farm
Here's where we'll check out how some of the Phils' top prospects as well as other minor leaguers are doing:
Vinnie Pestano
Vinnie has impressed this season after only allowing 2 runs last season when he was a September callup. The 26-year-old rookie has not allowed a run this season in nine April innings since being acquired from Cleveland. He could be in line for a callup this season, whether it be from injury or lack of production.
Trevor May
May quickly made the jump from Single-A Clearwater to Double-A Reading after striking out 10 and allowing 6 runs in 3 starts. The 21-year-old righty will be eased through the system because of the presence of the "The Big 3" (Halladay, Lee, Hamels) as well as Gio Gonzalez. May provides depth in case of an injury right now and will be a nice replacement for the older two in years to come.
*Top pitching prospects Brody Colvin and Jarred Cosart also project as part of the Phillies' rotation in the future. The two haven't put up notable stats this year in just a month's work in Single-A, so expect more info to come when they get more starts. The same goes for Sebastian Valle, who will probably take over as the team's catcher in a few years.
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Minor League Standings
In this section, we'll look at how the Phils' minor league affiliates are doing:
Ironpigs (AAA)
---------------------------
International League North
Buffalo Bisons 15-9
Syracuse Chiefs 12-12
Pawtucket Red Sox 12-12
Rochester Red Wings 10-14
Lehigh Valley Ironpigs 9-15
Even though team management stocked up on former major leaguers, the Ironpigs have struggled to last in their divison and third to last in the International League.
Phillies (AA)
----------------------------
Eastern League North
New Britain Rock Cats 16-7
Binghamton Mets 15-8
Trenton Thunder 13-10
Reading Phillies 11-11
Portland Sea Dogs 10-13
New Hampshire Fisher Cats 7-16
Reading sits at 11-11 with youngster Trevor May ready to anchor the pitching staff. Expect them to get better over the next few months when the Phils' top prospects arrive from Single-A.
Threshers (A)
---------------------------
Florida State League North
Lakeland Flying Tigers 16-7
Brevard County Manatees 15-8
Tampa Yankees 14-9
Dunedin Blue Jays 11-12
Daytona Cubs 10-13
Clearwater Threshers 10-13
The Threshers are 10-13 and are tied for last in their divison. It's mostly in part that the rest of their divison is doing well. They'll only do better if their young prospects produce. Even if they do, the Threshers will only get worse because they'll be gone for Double-A.
Monday, July 25, 2011
PHILADELPHIA-The Mets got to Roy Halladay first in this one, as a Daniel Murphy sac fly scored David Wright in the top of the 2nd. The Phillies got the run back for him later in their half of the 3rd, which started off with a walk by John Mayberry Jr. Roy Halladay would help his own cause with a single, and was moved to second on a single by Placido Polanco that scored Mayberry. Chase Utley broke the tie with a no-doubter down the right field line. Brennan Boesch, who was making his Phils' debut, tacked on to the lead with a solo shot in the bottom of the 6th. It was all Halladay needed to finish the complete game, 76-pitch outing, in which the veteran righty allowed only 5 hits since allowing the 2nd inning run. Most of the pitches thrown by Halladay happened in the 9th, as the Mets attempted a comeback. Angel Pagan started the inning off with a single, but was out at second on a double play attempt by the Phillies. Carlos Beltran was safe at first, and scored right after on a single by Ike Davis. Another double play fielder's choice left Davis out at 2nd, with David Wright reaching first. Lucas Duda stepped up next, and singled to into the right-center field gap. David Wright tried to score from first, but was thrown out at home to end the game.
| NYM at PHI - Citizens Bank Park | ||||||||||||
| Apr 29, 2011 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| New York Mets (17-7) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Philadelphia Phillies (15-10) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 11 | 0 |
| W: Halladay (4-2) L: Pelfrey (3-2) | ||||||||||||
| Scoring Summary | ||||
| SCORING DETAILS | NYM | PHI | ||
 | TOP 2nd | D.Murphy sac. fly, D.Wright scores | 1 | 0 |
 | BOT 3rd | Polanco singles, Mayberry Jr. scores | 1 | 1 |
| BOT 3rd | Utley homers, Halladay and Polanco score | 1 | 4 |
| BOT 6th | Boesch homers | 1 | 5 |
| TOP 9th | I.Davis singles, Beltran scores | 2 | 5 |
| New York Mets | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Pagan CF | 4 | 2 | ||||||
| Beltran RF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| I.Davis 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| D.Wright 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Duda LF | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| D.Murphy 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Thole C | 3 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| R.Tejada SS | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Bay (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| L.Hernandez SS | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Pelfrey P | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| J.Turner (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| D.J. Carrasco P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| S.Hairston (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Parnell P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| BATTING: 2B: Pagan, Wright | ||||||||
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| M.Martinez SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Polanco 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Utley 2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | |||
| Blalock 1B | 4 | 2 | ||||||
| Boesch LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| D.Brown RF | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| Mayberry Jr. CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Ruiz C | 3 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Halladay P | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| BATTING: HR: Utley (11), Boesch (6) | ||||||||
| New York Mets | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Pelfrey (L) | 5 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| D.J. Carrasco | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Parnell | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Halladay (W) | 9 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| PITCHING: WP: Halladay | ||||||||
Friday, July 22, 2011
Phillies vs Mets: Tale of The Tape
---------------------------------------------------
RHP Roy Halladay
This season: 5 GS, 34.1 IP, 3-2, 3.67 ERA, .237 BAA
Last start: 4/23 vs Padres: 8 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 13 K (W 4-1)
VS
RHP Mike Pelfrey
This season: 4 GS, 27.1 IP, 3-1, 2.30 ERA, .245 BAA
Last start: 4/23 vs Diamondbacks: 3.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K (L 2-4)
Roy Halladay hasn't been exactly dominant this season, although he has held batters to a .237 batting average. Pelfrey has enjoyed a nice season, but still could get lit up against the Phillies lineup, which has enjoyed a lot of success this year. When the Phillies played the Mets earlier this year, they were missing Ike Davis, who has done well upon his return. The Mets are without Jose Reyes this time, who is on the DL due to a herniated disc. New York's lineup has done a good job putting up runs for its solid pitching staff this year, especially Angel Pagan, who is hitting .433 with 10 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Here are tonight's lineups:
Starting Lineups
------------------------
Phillies
Michael Martinez SS
Placido Polanco 3B
Chase Utley 2B
Hank Blalock 1B
Brennan Boesch LF
Domonic Brown RF
John Mayberry Jr. CF
Carlos Ruiz C
Roy Halladay P
VS
Mets
Angel Pagan CF
Carlos Beltran RF
Ike Davis 1B
David Wright 3B
Lucas Duda LF
Daniel Murphy 2B
Josh Thole C
Ruben Tejada SS
The Phillies gave Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard the night off for this game, letting Michael Martinez and Hank Blalock fill in for them respectively. Blalock was recalled from AAA before the game to fill in at the corners, and bats cleanup. Brennan Boesch makes his debut as a Phillie tonight, batting 5th. The Mets, meanwhile, still maintain a good lineup even without Jose Reyes. Ike Davis, Angel Pagan, and David Wright, as well as Daniel Murphy, are players the Phillies have to watch out for tonight.
Summary
---------------
The Mets are without Jose Reyes in a game where they have a vulnerable pitcher on the mound. Roy Halladay has yet to have a dominant start this season, and he needs one if he wants to come close to repeating his 2010 Cy Young season. Brennan Boesch makes his Phillies debut.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
PHILADELPHIA-The D'Backs got to Gio Gonzalez first, when a Gerardo Parra 3rd inning single turned into a run. Parra singled, advanced to third on a Joe Saunders sac bunt, and scored on a Kelly Johnson grounder to short that took too long to throw home. Chase Utley would finally break down a surprisingly effective Joe Saunders in the 5th with a two-out double to right-center field, which scored Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino.
The Diamondbacks would later tie it up in the 8th, as a Ryan Roberts single over second base scored Willie Bloomquist. Each bullpen would hold it down, until the 9th when the Diamondbacks threatened. Stephen Drew hit a one-out triple, but Andrew Bailey came in and was able to get the next two batters to send the game into extra innings. The hometown team would get another chance an inning later. Kelly Johnson reached on an error by Chase Utley and moved over to second on a single by Ryan Roberts. Chris Young sent the fans home happy as he delivered a walk-off base hit into shallow left field.
| PHI at ARI - Chase Field | |||||||||||||
| Apr 25, 2011 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Extras | R | H | E |
| Philadelphia Phillies (13-9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks (8-13) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| W: J.Gutierrez (1-1) L: A.Bailey (0-1) | |||||||||||||
| Scoring Summary | ||||
| SCORING DETAILS | PHI | ARI | ||
 | BOT 3rd | K.Johnson singles, G.Parra scores (FC) | 0 | 1 |
| TOP 5th | Utley doubles, Rollins and Victorino score | 2 | 1 |
| BOT 8th | R.Roberts singles, Bloomquist scores | 2 | 2 |
| BOT 10th | C.Young doubles, K.Johnson scores | 2 | 3 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Rollins SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Victorino CF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Utley 2B | 5 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| Howard 1B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| D.Brown RF | 5 | 0 | 3 | |||||
| C.Snyder C | 5 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| B.Francisco LF | 5 | 1 | 3 | |||||
| M.Martinez 3B | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| G.Gonzalez P | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Gload (PH) | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Perry P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Ibanez (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Contreras P | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| BATTING: 2B: Utley 3 | ||||||||
| FIELDING: E: Utley (2) | ||||||||
| Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| K.Johnson 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| R.Roberts 3B | 5 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| C.Young CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| J.Upton RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Allen 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| S.Drew SS | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| M.Montero C | 4 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| G.Parra LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Saunders P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Blum (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Demel P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Bloomquist (PH) | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| J.Gutierrez P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| Gillespie (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| BATTING: 2B: C.Young, Bloomquist 3B: S.Drew | ||||||||
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| G.Gonzalez | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Perry | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Contreras | 2.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Madson | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| A.Bailey (L) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Saunders | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 0 | |
| Demel | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| J.Gutierrez (W) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| PITCHING: WP: J.Gutierrez | ||||||||
But before they head home for 9 games, they travel from San Diego down to Arizona to play the 4th-place Diamondbacks.
The Phils' will send newly-acquired Gio Gonzalez to the mound, who will now start his first regular go-around in the NL. Gonzalez, who has had a decent season, will make what is his first start as a Phillie. He'll be opposed by 2008 AL All-Star Joe Saunders, who is averaging a strikeout per inning this season, although batters are hitting .283 off him. The 29-year old lefty is a combined 9-17 since going 17-7 in 2008 with the Angels. Let's look at how the two lefties are doing this season:
Phillies at Diamondbacks: Tale of The Tape
-------------------------------------------------------------
LHP Gio Gonzalez
This season: 4 GS, 25.1 IP, 2-1, 3.20 ERA, 3.67 K/BB
Last start: 4/20 vs Red Sox: 7.2 IP, 5 H, R, 6 K, 2 BB (W 4-1)
VS
LHP Joe Saunders
This season: 4 GS, 24.2 IP, 2-2, 3.28 ERA, 8.39 K/9
Last start: 4/20 vs Reds: 7.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 8 K, 1 BB (L 1-3)
Both pitchers have had decent seasons, but nothing special.
Saunders just hasn't been the same since being an All-Star in 08', and facing the Phillies offense doesn't make it any easier for him. Even playing in the hitter-friendly Chase Field might not be an advantage for the Diamondbacks offense, who are last in the MLB in hits (160), doubles (27), team RBI (53), runs scored (55), total bases (222), team average (.228), and team slugging percentage (.317). The Phillies, as we know, are in the top of the league in those categories. And with that, here's Game 1's starting lineups:
Starting Lineups
--------------------------
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Domonic Brown RF
Chris Snyder C
Ben Francisco LF
Michael Martinez 3B
Gio Gonzalez P
at
Diamondbacks
Kelly Johnson 2B
Ryan Roberts 3B
Chris Young CF
Justin Upton RF
Brandon Allen 1B
Stephen Drew SS
Miguel Montero C
Gerardo Parra LF
Joe Saunders P
Although the D'Backs offense hasn't produced this season, they have plenty of good players and a nice mix of contact, power, and speed. The Phillies give Placido Polanco the day off in an effort to find more playing time for Michael Martinez.
Summary
---------------
Gio Gonzalez makes his Phillies debut. Two lefties face off. The Phillies hot lineup gets to play in hitter-friendly Chase Field. The D'Backs offense is struggling, and they have Joe Saunders on the mound.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Phillies acquired P Ryan Perry from the Tigers for P Joe Blanton.
This one was a move for the long-term as the team has the 24-year-old Perry under contract for 5 years. Blanton, whose contract is worth 13.60 million over two more seasons, was 1-1 through 18 innings with 16 strikeouts and 10 runs allowed for the Phillies this season. Perry, meanwhile, had only pitched 4 1/3 innings with Detroit, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits, also walking 2 and striking out 5. In 2010, the young righty pitched 62 and 2/3 innings, going 3-5 with 45 strikeouts and 6 homers allowed. His arsenal includes a good fastball that tops out at 98 MPH, a 2-seam fastball, a cutter, and a slider as well as a changeup.
To replace Blanton in the rotation, Vance Worley was recalled. Through 3 starts with AAA Lehigh Valley, Worley struck out 12 and allowed 5 runs, with a solid 1.93 ERA. To replace Worley in the Ironpigs' rotation, the Phillies acquired P Eric Hurley from the Rangers for P Danys Baez.
Hurley had pitched 6 and 2/3 innings in relief with Texas's AAA affiliate. Baez had pitched only a third of an inning with the Phillies this season, and managed a ugly 1.22 K/BB ratio through 47 and 2/3 innings with the team last season. He didn't have a role in their bullpen this season, and it doesn't look like he will with the Rangers either, as he was sent down to AAA by Texas right after. The fact that the Phils were able to get anything for the soon-to-be-retired Baez makes this an automatic steal for them.
The last trade the aggressive GM made was shipping P Roy Oswalt and IF Wilson Valdez to the Oakland Athletics for P Gio Gonzalez and P Fautino De Los Santos.
It's another move to get younger, as the Phillies trade the aging Oswalt for an up-and-coming 25-year-old lefty in Gonzalez. Oswalt was 2-2 with a 4.15 ERA through 26 innings with the Phillies, while Gonzalez was 2-1 with a decent 3.20 ERA through 25 and 1/3 innings with Oakland. Valdez, who had managed just 4 hits in 21 at-bats (.190) with the team, was thrown in to give Michael Martinez more time as the backup infielder. Martinez, who has the ability to play at every position except for first base and catcher, was batting .260 (13 for 50) with 9 RBI with AAA Lehigh Valley since being selected as a Rule 5 Draft Pick from the Nationals. De Los Santos could get a look as a middle reliever for the Phillies, but for now will be sent down to the minors. The Phillies liked him because he is said to feature a nice sinker and a decent fastball. He also offers a 12-6 curve and a slider.
In other news, some veteran pitchers signed on for a fresh start:
The Cardinals signed P Elmer Dessens.
Dessens pitched in 53 games with the Mets last season, going 47 innings with a 4-2 record and holding batters to a .230 batting average. He signed a minor league contract with the Giants in the winter, but it fell out. The 40-year-old vet has a 52-64 career record and a career ERA of 4.44. He's definitely on the downside of his career, but still can pitch and has plenty of experience. He's expected to pitch in middle relief for St. Louis at the moment.
The Cubs signed P Jeff Weaver and sent him to AAA Iowa.
Weaver pitched for the Dodgers last season, and went 5-1 with a 6.09 ERA in 44 and 1/3 relief innings. The 34-year-old right-hander has a career .277 BAA and a career 2.35 K/BB rate.
He was sent down to be a starter in AAA, and probably doesn't have much left.
That's all for this edition of "Around the League". The next will be for the 24th to the 30th, which will wrap up the month's transactions.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
PHILADELPHIA-This was a low-scoring game, unlike most games for the Phils' this season.Ross Gload started the 2nd with a bases-loaded double to score Raul Ibanez and Ben Francisco and give the Phillies the early lead. Cole Hamels's dominance in Petco Park continued, as he did not allow a run until the bottom of the 9th, when Chris Denorifa singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout by Ryan Ludwick. He would score on a groundout to 2nd base by Kyle Blanks. Cole Hamels would strikeout Nick Hundley to finish the dominant outing, in which he went the distance, allowing only 1 run on 7 hits and striking out 5.
| PHI at SDG - PETCO Park | ||||||||||||
| Apr 21, 2011 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Philadelphia Phillies (10-8) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| San Diego Padres (7-10) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| W: Hamels (4-0) L: Moseley (0-1) | ||||||||||||
| Scoring Summary | ||||
| SCORING DETAILS | PHI | SDG | ||
| TOP 2nd | Gload doubles, Ibanez and B.Francisco score | 2 | 0 |
 | BOT 9th | Blanks grounds out, Denorfia scores (FC) | 2 | 1 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Victorino CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Polanco 3B | 4 | 0 | ||||||
| Rollins SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Ibanez 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| B.Francisco LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Ruiz C | 3 | 0 | 1 | |||||
| Gload RF | 3 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| W.Valdez 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| Hamels P | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| BATTING: 2B: Gload | ||||||||
| San Diego Padres | ||||||||
| HITTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | HR | AVG |
| Bartlett SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Maybin CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Denorfia LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| Ludwick RF | 3 | 1 | ||||||
| Blanks 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Hundley C | 4 | 0 | 2 | |||||
| Headley 3B | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| O.Hudson 2B | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Moseley P | 2 | 2 | ||||||
| Gregerson P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| E.Cabrera (PH) | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Frieri P | 0 | 0 | ||||||
| BASERUNNING: SB: Denorfia (3), Ludwick (1) CS: Denorfia | ||||||||
| Philadelphia Phillies | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Hamels (W) | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| PITCHING: WP: Hamels | ||||||||
| San Diego Padres | ||||||||
| PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Moseley (L) | 6.2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Gregerson | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Frieri | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Monday, July 11, 2011
Phillies vs Padres: Tale of the Tape
--------------------------------------------------
LHP Cole Hamels
This season: 3 GS, 24.1 IP, 3-0, 1.11 ERA, 20 K, 5 BB, .182 BAA
Last start: 4/16 vs Marlins: 7.2 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 9 K (W 3-0)
VS
RHP Dustin Moseley
This season: 3 G (1 GS), 9.1 IP, 0-0, 1.93 ERA, 9 K, 4 BB
Last start: 4/16 vs Astros: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K (W 7-2)
Hamels has the clear advantage here, not only because of his success at PETCO Park, but also because the 27-year-old has allowed just 3 runs in 3 starts this season. It would be a surprise if he stopped pitching well now, as he faces a weak Padres offense that ranks in the bottom part of the league in a few offensive categories, including hits (155), RBIs (63), runs scored (63), team batting average (.244), and average with runners in scoring position (.204). The Phillies', on the contrary, rank in the top part of the league in all of those categories, the most notable being the fact that that the team has the best batting average in the majors (.297).
Here's both teams' starting lineups for game one of four:
Starting Lineups
-------------------------
Phillies
Shane Victorino CF
Placido Polanco 3B
Jimmy Rollins SS
Raul Ibanez 1B
Ben Francisco LF
Carlos Ruiz C
Ross Gload RF
Wilson Valdez 2B
Cole Hamels P
VS
Padres
Jason Bartlett SS
Cameron Maybin CF
Chris Denorfia LF
Ryan Ludwick RF
Kyle Blanks 1B
Nick Hundley C
Chase Headley 3B
Orlando Hudson 2B
Dustin Moseley P
Philadelphia is losing some firepower as they are giving Ryan Howard and Chase Utley some much-needed days off. The two have been essentially two of the best players in the league this season, but have not gotten a break very often because of their contributions. Raul Ibanez makes his season debut, surprisingly at first base, where he has played a bit before. Ibanez is probably there so he doesn't have to move much, and it'll be interesting to see how he holds up. Domonic Brown, who is also having a good season, is replaced in the lineup by Ross Gload. Although the Padres' lineup isn't exactly producing, they face a less intimidating offense.
Summary
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Cole Hamels returns to Petco Park, where he has been successful. He doesn't have Ryan Howard or Chase Utley behind him to knock in runs, but he might not need that many tonight. The Phillies have the advantage offensively and defensively.
*Hamels's quotes on Petco Park from 4/23/11: http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2...4259005171.txt
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