Cole Takes the Mound to Face the Cards

Cole Hamels takes the mound in a few minutes to try and put an end to this losing thing we hate so much. Albert Pujols and the Cardinals are in town and Pat Burrell will try to show why he's more worthy than that other guy on the Cards who made the All Star game. What's his name? Ryan Ludwig?

It's Joel Pineiro, who has been pretty awful, on the mound for St. Louis which means the Phils will either score 12 runs or get shutout. Definitely one of those two.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Comments

[Mike L.]

Shutout.

[RyanAbrams77]

Great...Chicago got Harden. Top AL pitchers are going to NL teams that are in the thick of a playoff run. Not only did Chicago get Harden, but they also got a second starting pitcher...for essentially nothing. The Phils need to read Moneyball and learn how to trade with Billy Beane....

Are are supposed to be satisfied with Eaton pitching every 5th day and the prospect of Brett Myers returning from the minors?

[Mike L.]

Pat Gillick will get a B-List pitcher guys. DONT WORRY! Fuck you Gillick. Go all the way for this shit. Whos the best guy left you think?

[PhillyFriar]

Bedard, Bedard, Bedard.

I'd rather have him than either Sabathia or Harden. Seriously.

[GreggyD]

I'm starting to think Gillick doesn't really care if they get a top starter at the deadline. He's leaving for Seattle at the end of the season so why should he even put any effort into getting one of these top guys like Sabathia or Harden? The Phillies aren't good enough as is. The Brewers and Cubs have been proactive. Why is it so hard for this team to be the same way? Don't give me the "well they tried for Sabathia" stuff either. Try all you want but he's still not in our rotation. I don't want Bedard, Burnett, or Arroyo. I have a feeling that's what we MIGHT end up with. If we get anything at all...

[GreggyD]

Runners at 2nd and 3rd with no outs...I'm scared of what will happen once Feliz and Ruiz have to come to the plate.

[John]

Anyone else call Ruiz hitting into that bases loaded inning ending double play? Just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one.

[GreggyD]

ANOTHER GIDP! THIS TIME WITH THE BASES LOADED AND ONE OUT!

I F*CKING HATE CARLOS RUIZ. He needs to go...NOW!

[BadMotherFutley]

Ruiz hit a soft grounder in a clutch situation? What a shock.

And yes, I copied & pasted that AGAIN from my comment in Saturday and Sunday's threads. Maybe I should write a macro to save myself time the rest of the year...

[Liam]

Anybody have the stats for either ruiz's batting average with runners in scoring position or the %of time he grounds into double plays when he has the chance? Regardless though its inexcusable to have a runner on 3rd with no outs and not score

[RyanAbrams77]

Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause to....Carlos...."double plaaaay"...Ruuuiiiiiiizzzzz

[Mike L.]

RUIZ. MINORS NOW!!!!!!! And thats pathetic not to score runs with 2nd and 3rd no outs. Disgusting.

[Marson for Prez]

It's a crime that Marson is hitting .320 something in the minors and Chooch is pushing .200. Drop this SOB please.

[Matt P]

@RyanAbrams77: I thought Moneyball was a great book about how no team should ever willingly trade with Billy Beane. At least that was the theme of Steve Phillips chapter...

That bein said, although I think a month on the DL is likely for Harden at some point this year, part of me still wishes I'd have seen him here. Also, watch for his numbers to trend up some (but still be great when he's on the mound). The A's weren't playing in Wrigley, and after Harden's last start, there was a report that he was feeling a little dead arm.

I'm still not too happy about the B List comment by Gillick though...

[GreggyD]

I love when Cole has the best AB in an inning...

[MSM]

I just looked up Ruiz's splits with RISP. Better than I thought, but it still seems he doesn't do the job in the right spots.

Prior to today, with RISP, 58 PA, 48 AB, .292 BA with 4K, 8BB, 3 GIDP, 17 RBI on 14 Hits (2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR).

Compared to Coste who has 42 PA, 38 AB, .316 BA with 11K, 2BB, 1 GIDP, 16 RBI on 12 Hits (4 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR).

Pretty equal but it doesn't seem so. I'm tired of hearing Coste isn't an everyday player. Even if he only does a little each game it's better than Ruiz lately.

[Liam]

Thanks for those stats. Unfortunately as you said stats can make people seem better than possible. I remember probably the best game he had all year was during the 20 run game in St Louis. He just isn't clutch and doesn't seem to deliver when the team needs him too.

And why is it the team scores tons of runs for Kendrick but does nothing for Hamels. If they consistently scored a decent amount of runs for Cole his record would be much much better and he would've been assured an all star spot.

One more thing, anyone think its funny that if Rowand managed to beat Burrell out then the Giants would have more all stars than the phils?

[Mike]

Coste has better stats than Ruiz, but I still don't think he's an everyday player. At this point I'd rather have Jaramillo than Ruiz.

[BadMotherFutley]

This is the 5th game of this homestand, and the Phils have managed 4 runs in the first 5 innings of all of the games combined. None in the first 3.

[ricky]

I like how Wheels knows the thought process of anyone at any time.

He knows what your thinking, and will describe it to anyone who will listen.

Get your foil hats.

[Phils Phan]

How in the world can a team perform so poorly on offense so consistently? The lack of hitting period is amazing.

[Liam]

What is with the offense do they hate Cole? And can they please take some pitches... especially during these big hit situations, make them throw a few.

[Phils Phan]

Sigh. Feliz has accounted for 20% of the Phillies offense tonight. That's the only statistic I need to see.

[Phils Phan]

Gah, Ruiz is pinch hit in a moderately promising situation! Chollie! You mad genius!

[BadMotherFutley]

Was that cheer for the "Greg Dobbs" part of the announcement, or the "Pinch hitting for Carlos Ruiz" part? I think I know the answer.

[Chewy Wellington]

I really don't get the Harden deal. We couldn't have topped that?

Any why not give Morrison a chance today? I'm sick of these Ruiz, ,Barajas, Fasano types. Is it impossible to find a catcher who can hit worth a sh*t?

[Phils Phan]

Well, whatever it was, Dobbs night is done. Stop using him as a pawn, you mad genius!

[Liam]

So because dobbs was techinally in the game he can't be used right? So we just wasted our best pinch hitter?

[BadMotherFutley]

I'm starting to think they're not going to score 12 tonight.

[Chewy Wellington]

and there goes Coste GIDP with a runner in scoring position. So much for him over Ruiz.

[Phils Phan]

Coste. Ruiz. Ruiz. Coste. I suppose there goes the whole "who is better" debate.

[Liam]

3 double plays in one games. They are just shooting themselves in the foot. They should absolutely be winning this game

[Drew]

yea ruiz and costes RISP stats seem similar but remember ruiz has 16 more plate appearances with RISP!

[Phils Phan]

Balk. A balk. Are you kidding me? This team really stinks right now. Any error they can make, they're making.

Werth, you stupendous bastard. Great throw.

[Mike L.]

So how do nationals and padres fans handle their shitty offenses. Cause i'd say ours is about there right now.

[Bob]

Elton Brand agrees to go to the 76ers
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-clippers9-2008jul09,0,7626268.story

[Phils Phan]

Ed Stefanski, you magnificent bastard!

[Zack]

god...what a terrible way to go into the all star break

[TJ]

Can Ed fucking Stafanski be the Phillies GM?

Blow me Pat Gillick

[hep]

When should we start calling for Charlie's job again? Is there any other reason beside management that these guys are not only failing to hit, but showing such lack of discipline at the plate. If he is such a good hitting coach why can't he teach these guys to wait for pitches to hit and especially to stop hacking at first pitches

[Jason]

lol @ the effort put forth by this team over the past month.

Seriously, its time to bench some of these guys and call up some young players who look like they want to be in a major league game. Maybe when the Mets/Marlins pass them in the standings it will serve as some sort of motivation, I'm not holding out any hope though.

[Justin]

I hear footsteps???? I think I know what it is!!

[Phils Phan]

Justin:

It's your mother. I just finished putting it in her ear, and I fed her at Denny's, so she's a little wobbly. Couple that with her fat ass, and understandably the floors above the basement--you know, where you watch Mets games, masturbate, and consistently put off working towards your GED--are creaking.

Thanks for stopping by, though!

[RyanAbrams77]

I'm not in love with the Brand deal. Thats a ton of money for a guy coming off of an Achillies tear...

Honestly, Josh Smith was the more exciting pick with CRAZY upside (22 years old!), and a better fit for the Sixers style.

Oh, and about moneyball: The point was that Billy goes for OBP and WHIP guys (Sabremetrics)and ends up paying little for winners in trades. But we need a pitcher to make a run, so whatever walks and singles guys we would have given up to Billy Beane would be justified.

[El Ricko]

They're still shitty.

[Jason]

You know when you have Ryan Howard attempting a bunt things have gotten really bad.

[Zack]

this lineup just baffles me sometimes

[TJ]

6 hits 0 runs and Ryan Howard trying to bunt his way on base in the 9th...

this team is starting to scare me.

[theKrisheim]

this game was even more fun to follow on ESPN gamecast

[GreggyD]

I have to argue that the game was equally as exciting to watch on mlb.com's gameday or whatever it's called.