Cole Takes Mound to Finish Off Reds

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While the Reds called up Homer Bailey from Triple-A to start today's business person special at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies will trot out the ace of their staff, Cole Hamels, to throw for the series win.

Bailey is making his first big league start of '08 but went 4-2 with a 5.76 ERA in 2007 as a rookie with the Reds.

Homer should be a whole lot easier to get to than last night's starter, Edinson Volquez, who simply stifled the potent Phillies line up. We don't like that guy one bit.

Hamels needs to come up big today and bounce back from his worst outing of the year on Saturday against the Marlins. (7 runs, 8 hits in 5.2)

No word as of 12:30 whether Junior will be in the lineup, but if he is, we hope Cole strikes him out four times. It's all business today. UPDATE: Griffey is in the line up.

Comments

[rosco]

bp special = try not to get fired while watching the gamecast

[Loqiel]

People here just listen to it on their radios.

Then again, this IS a government job.

[MikeY]

...and every other day while reading the700level.com posts and comments.

[Gladly]

Has anyone heard why Bruntlett is in the game for Rollins?

[Matt S]

I've heard 2 possibilities, 1) he's 'under the weather' 2) LA thinks he was pulled for not running that out.

so no injuries but my guess is number 1

[enrico]

Wheels speculates that Jimmy got benched for not running a ball out.

[Phils Phan]

I love you guys. I just noticed Bruntlett was in at SS, and feared the worst.

[Chamomiles Davis]

YES!!! Complete game shut-out, baby!

[Pete]

Nice showing Cole!!!

[MikeY]

The last 5 series:

Won 2 of 3 vs.Washington
Won 2 of 4 vs. Houston
Won 3 of 3 vs. Colorado
Won 2 of 3 vs. Florida
Won 3 of 4 vs. Cincinnati

12-5 in the last 17...not bad.

[Chamomiles Davis]

I don't wish to alarm anyone, but the Phillies' staff ERA is now officially under 4.00, 6th best in the league.

If Myers, Eaton and Hamels are all ending their schneids at the same time, look the fuck out.

[Mike L.]

I just wanna ask everyone to stop booing RyHo. Its honestly not helping his situation at all. All it does is get him in a pissy mood and then he wont talk to anyone and he just continues sucking. I hate that he tries to pull everything and that if its low and away by god hes swinging just as much as anyone else but just stop booing it does zero good.

[Loqiel]

Charlie doesn't do superstar coddling. I'm betting he got yanked for lack of effort on that drop.

[Mike]

Nice work, Cole! I say you crack open a bottle of "Homer Bailey's Chardonay" tonight to celebrate!

Homer actually does have a wine...it is for a charity that helps disabled people emjoy the outdoors. I will let a crueler man than me make a joke comparing Homer's pitching at the big league level thus far to his charity.

[MikeY]

This upcoming month will be a really good test to see just how good this team really is.

The schedule for the rest of June:

3 games @ Atlanta Braves
3 games @ Florida Marlins
3 games @ St. Louis Cardinals
3 games vs. Boston Red Sox
3 games vs. Los Angeles Angles
3 games @ Oakland A's
3 games @ Texas Rangers

[Chamomiles Davis]

That schedule is god-damned brutal.

[Pete D]

Here is to the health of Jimmy, the health of Ryan Howards psyche, and some frickin run support when Brett decides to come in and pitch for once. Seeing that schedule, they will need everyone at full strength.

[PhilaMegaMan]

Let me preface this comment by saying Ryan Howard is my favorite Phillie.

Howard deserves to get booed. He's not performing to potential, and that's the only good excuse to boo a player.

He does alot of good things. He hustles, he plays a decent first base for such a big guy, and he's not a distraction off the field. He has awesome opposite field power.

I know it's not like Ryan wants to hit .200 and strike out so much, but when you're paid like a superstar, you have to learn to make adjustments and study how you're being pitched on an inning to inning basis.

Again, Ryan is my favorite Phillie. I followed him in the minors, I despised Jim Thome in the beginning of 2005 because I felt the better player was in the minors. The fans booing him just want him to produce like we know he can...

Maybe a little Chase Utley-like work is all it would take.

[Mike L.]

Ok i know what you're saying about the deserving of boos but it absolutely doesnt help at all. So why do it? i admit to booin plenty of players and ryan is one of them but im seeing that that shit doesnt help anyone really and specifically not him so if you want them to win why hurt a major part of the team with your booing.

[Benjamin]

Was in the house for that great BPS. Another sell-out, another festive atmosphere, and the air tingles with the feeling that this team is something special.

Major props to everyone who gave Griffrey a standing ovation when coming just shy of 600 in the 9th. I love being the 1 guy in the section standing and watching everyone around me rise to join in. Griffrey definately appreciated it when walking to the dugout. It would have been awesome to see 600, but I'll take the complete game shut out from king cole.

The future schedule might be brutal, but come on people, don't you think the teams on the schedule with US in the near future should be the ones saying, 'oh shit' ? Personally, I'm excited. How else can a team develop into a championship team, without playing against the best teams to prove it?

Keep the sellouts coming. That park is an incredible amount of fun when packed, and juiced up to a raucous celebration.

[ron]

ryan went the other way for an rbi today, didn't he? he hit the ball hard twice, didn't strike out, didn't make an error... i don't get it.

if you gotta boo, boo the mets. boo the umps. boo billy wagner. boo howard eskin as he walks in the concourse. boo red sox fans. boo $6.25 beers. boo elijah dukes. boo the fourth pick off attempt. boo the idiots who get out of their seat while the ball is in play. boo the guy who drops the foul ball. boo rod barajas.

booing ryan howard is stupid and beneath us.