Phillies End Series in Arizona, Live Blog!

According to Tom Fornelli, the Phillies shouldn't even show up today in Arizona.

If I were a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, I'd probably just skip the trip to Chase Field and go straight to the airport to catch my flight to San Francisco. I mean, Brandon Webb is starting for the Diamondbacks this afternoon, so you already know you're going to lose, why waste your time?

Yeah, the Phillies should just go hit the links today instead, right? Wait just a minute. Mr. Fornelli later contradicts himself a bit.

He hasn't been that good against the Phillies in his career, though, as even though he has a respectable 3.99 ERA against them, he's 2-3 in eight career starts.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the Phillies should show up.

It's Friday (Thursday), we ain't got no job (today) and we ain't got shit to do (except imbibe and watch baseball), so we may provide you with a Phillies live blog today.

Follow along with us on our tangential ramblings of the Phillies game today. First pitch at 3:40. Brett Myers will take the mound and try to prove he hasn't lost his stuff just yet for the Phils.

Pregame:

Harry and Wheels are on Comcast while MLB.tv is running the Arizona Fox Sportsnet broadcast. Jimmy Rollins won't be in the line up today but could make his return to the ball club tomorrow in San Fran.

Pat Burrell gets the day off. So what.

Top 1st:

Victorino leads off with an infield single. And he didn't even flinch when he ran by the bag. Tough Hawaiian.

Wheels is talking about the "beautiful natural air" flowing into the ball park with the roof opened up. Love that stuff.

Bruntlet grounds out but advances Shane.

Utley is 5-11 lifetime off Webb with a HR Shane moves to third on a passed ball.

Chase Utley hits a deep fly to center, Vic tags. 1-0 Phils

Ryan Howard strikes out, of course, to end the inning. But hell, I'll take a run per inning off Webb anytime. Nice to get to him early.

Bot 1st

Sorry, we got distracted reading about Comcast's venture into wireless Internet. Also, we did not see any signs that Clare was asking about.

Myers has not given up a HR yet but gave up his first hit to Ojeda.

Uh. Sorry. Brett Myers gives up his major league leading 12th home run. 2-1 Arizona

Brett Myers steals my will to blog. Geoff Jenkins made a nice play to end the inning, but damn it, Myers gave the lead right back to 'Zona.

Top 2nd

My buddy Scott's possible explanation of Myers: He's trying to take some of the heat off of Howard leading the lead in Ks.

Ground out, ground out, ground out. Inning over.

Bot 2nd

Myers doesn't look very sharp. Shocking! Gives up a single to start the inning. Synder follows that up with another single. Myers must not have done his tossing today.

DOUBLE PLAY! woo! Nice play by E-Brunt

I would like to be a major leaguer if for no other reason than to get to hang on the dugout fence and watch the game. That's a killer view.

Down goes Webb. Myers bounces back after two hits to get out of the inning unscathed.

Top 3

Tom McCarthy -- reporting live! -- tells us that BWebb was an average pitcher before he learned his sinker and later a nice change. On The DL did a podcast with TMac last night.

Another 1,2,3 inning for Webb. Vic almost slapped an infield single but they nailed him on a nice fielding effort.

Bot 3

Sorry, was reading about a man who shot a 66 on one hole of golf.

Two quick outs for Brett. and a nice K to end the inning. Myers is so Jekyll and Hyde.

Top 4

Also, more on Marvin Harrison. Did anyone hear Eskin bashing blogs yesterday? Man, that guy is worse than Buzz Bissinger.

Bruntlet gets on and Utley pops out.

E-Brunt puts on his wheels and steals second. Ryan Howard will not hit a HR.

My reverse psychology did not work. Howard grounds out and moves Bruntlet over to third.

Jenkins can't get anything done and pops out to short. This game is boring.

Bot 4th

Myers avoids the middle of the plate and walks Upton to start the inning.

Back to back walks and now men on first and second. This could be trouble.

Getting dicey. On a chopper to short, Bruntlet couldn't handle it and bases are juiced.

And there it goes. With bases juiced Myers gives up a 2 run double to Chris Synder. Where, oh where, did Brett Myers we all knew and loved go? 4-1 Dbacks with no outs.

I don't even know what happened on a ball hit to Dobbs, off his glove, to Bruntlett who had no play on it? 5-1 Dbacks. Damnit this is getting ugly quick.

ASDJASDJSDO!@#J!@#!@ crikey.  Bruntlet makes a nice play and flips to Utley at second but Chase didn't handle it properly and didn't even get one out.

Fly out to center gets in another. 6-1 Dbacks, 2 outs.  And a pop up to end the horrid inning. Ugh.

Top 5th

Phils can't catch a break as Dobbs is robbed of a single by a tremendous play at third.

Later in the Game

I got back just in time to see Howard get a hit! I swear he did. I didn't dream it.

Also, sixers of Newcastle for those curious.

Phils aren't getting anything, we're going on a beer run. Be back in a few.

Comments

[randolph]

"And you know this...Man!"

[Mark]

Mike Wise, is that you?

[ill]

If I were a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, I'd probably just skip the trip to Chase Field...

apparently the fans have taken this advise as well.

[meech.one]

The fuck you stealing boxes for? What you trying to build, a clubhouse?

[Reaazy]

its suprising more fans havent taken them up on the 10 tickets for $110 advertisement they have behind the plate the entire game

[Matt P]

I ain't tryin to be no dog catcher.

[Gerry]

Anyone see the article on ESPN.com by Buster Olney on why Ryan Howard should be dealt?

[michael]

I got mind control over Deebo. He be like "shut the fuck up." I be quiet. But when he leave, I be talking again.

[Bryan]

I hope Brett has been long tossing today.

[Chamomiles Davis]

If Tom knew his column was going to suck this much ass, why did he bother typing it?

[johndewar]

hehehe.....you said...."long tossing"....

[Loqiel]

Eh we all knew Howard wasn't worth 10M. I read that article. He does make some good points, but at the end of the day, Howard is going to be one of the upper-class power hitters of his time. Perhaps his struggles now will convince him he should take the long money; that would be convenient.

[Mike L.]

Wheels still has a job?! O right he's just been muted for years.

[Clare]

I have the game on on the radio in my office and Franzke and LA were cracking up over a sign somebody had up in the outfield. What did it say?

[ms]

Enrico you owe us 2 runs

[El Ricko]

So much for not giving up a home run yet.

[Mike L.]

has anyone told brett that pitching in the middle of the plate is bad?

[Matt P]

Paul Lo Duca fractured the the fourth metacarpal bone in his right hand and is set to miss 4-6 weeks.

--WaPo.

[Bryan]

^^ Who will we boo when the Nats come to town??

[Matt P]

@Bryan: Early favorite is Brett Myers.

[PhillyFriar]

Wow.

For all his "I'll do whatever I need to to help the team" posturing, you have to wonder if Myers' head is really in starting. The last time he consistently put up numbers like this was in 2004, when he was 23 years old and learning still learning how to pitch at the major league level.

He's 27 years old now, and supposedly in his prime. Let's hope this is just a rough patch, because this is completely unacceptable right now.

[Bryan]

lol

[Walklett]

This ad on the right hand side of the page is giving me a goddamn seizure...

[ms]

Man, I run to a quick meeting, come back expecting to take the rest of the day easy and enjoy a phils game, and come back to this...CRAP...anyone got a speed on his fastball?

[Chamomiles Davis]

7-1. Why in fuck's name is Myers still pitching? Somebody wake up Chollie!

/and warm up the bus

[Phil]

I can't listen to that jackass Tom McCarthy anymore. This is torture. I have to turn on my damn i-pod from the 4th through 6th.

[mike]

maybe brett myers and ryan howard shouldn't have shown up today. they both suck donkey balls. this game is over in the 4th inning

[Justin]

Brett Myers continues to pitch ace-tastic.

[jeremy]

Webb would have a no hitter right now if Burke made that play in the first inning.

[Mike L.]

Wheels is the man!

[Tartan69]

You gotta love a "live blog" of a baseball game where the blogger leaves in the 5th inning for a beer run...

Guess I'll just have to stop paying for access to this site. ;-)

[Mike L.]

I was actually thinking the same thing tartan. good thing i actually have a television.

[PhillyFriar]

@ Tartan and Mike L:

Actually, I was thinking that this was the perfect Philly-style live blogging of a game. An insurmountable early deficit induces despair, followed by apathy, followed by copious amounts of alcohol.

At least, that's my career as a sports fan in a nutshell.

[enrico]

Nobody appeared to be interested/following along and I felt I was being kinda boring anyway.

Didn't think anybody would notice. D'oh!

[Tartan69]

No worries Enrico, I was just breaking balls. If I really wanted to follow the game at work I have MLB live audio.

Besides, it's still hockey season anyway!

[Alex]

Check out this interesting picture of Chris Burke I stumbled upon...

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g294/landmine6969/t1_burkeASTRO.jpg

[Justin]

kimmo timonen is done for the year with a blood clot in his leg.

[Mike L.]

Yea but hockey season just got a whole lot tougher without Kimmo. FUCK!