The Phillies have been pushed to the brink of elimination, after falling in Game 4 to the Giants. They now face a difficult, but not impossible challenge to keep their championship dreams alive.
They’ll have to defeat all three of the Giants best pitchers, Tim Lincecum, Jonathan Sanchez, and Matt Cain. Luckily for the Phillies, they have the pitching to pull such a comeback off. Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt (who should still be able to make his regularly scheduled start), and Cole Hamels will all have to be at their best for the Phillies to comeback in this series.
The pitchers can’t afford to give the Giants a lead of more than two runs at any point. If this happens, it will make things much easier for the Giants starters to get into a comfortable groove and work their way through a Phillies lineup that has been inconsistent and unreliable.
The offense showed a little more life in Game 4, but still wasn’t able to do enough to get the job done. In the 5th inning when the Phillies made their rally, it was a mistake to send Carlos Ruiz home on the base hit by Shane Victorino. The ball wasn’t hit in a position that could have allowed Ruiz to make it all the way home from second base with his lack of speed. The decision cost the Phillies a run.
In the 8th inning with Jayson Werth on second base with no outs, Jimmy Rollins made no effort to move Werth up to third. He gave the Giants an easy first out instead.
The Phillies are down, and things look bad, but they aren’t out just yet. The three aces of this staff are capable of shutting down the Giants lineup, which hasn’t been explosive but has still been able to grind out runs when they need it the most. Remember just several months ago, Philadelphia saw the Flyers come back from a supposedly impossible situation down 3-0 in Boston. The Flyers looked dead, but kept their heads up and found ways to win in every game, even in Game 7 when they went down 3-0 in the 1st period.
The Phillies will now face a similar challenge. The Phillies have prided themselves on being a team that always battles until the last out of a ballgame. If they really deserve that reputation, this is the time to prove it. The margin for error is now gone. A promising season is now on life support, but the Phillies still have some hope with three of the best pitchers in baseball ready to go.
Nice try GCobb but it’s over. These guys don’t want it. I can see it in their eyes. I can see it in their body language. They don’t want it. They’re not hungry. They remind me of Rocky before Mr. T came and cleaned his clock.
San Fran is Mr. T right now. Rocky got big-headed and didn’t take him seriously. Which is what we did with San Fran.
I Agree Birdo,
They have been outhustles,outpitched,outhit,putmanaged and overall outclassed by the Giants teams
This was the One team that scared me for the Phils due to their Pitching,Bullpen and their Ball Park
where the Phils have not played particularly well over recent years..
I am not sure why Durbin was kept in after the 2nd Runner got on, this was the Inning they blew it.
Giant Manager Bochey has made all the right moves and has used his entire bench which has paid off for them big time.. Manuel on the other hand is going to put the same guys out and expect/hope for them to perform… Utley & Ibanez have really looked lost at the plate all series, Rollins has left a ton of Base Runners on base and the Phils Bench has not come thru with any hits.
Right now the Giants deserve to be the NL Champ..
BUT Paulman, that’s why its a 7 game series. We’ll see where it goes, but if it ends tonight…some serious changes need to be made this offseason.
Even if Doc throws a masterpeice tonight,
I think the Giants will win Series in 6, they are just playing as a team where PHils are trying to hit homeruns instead og putting the ball into play and earning runs.. They have made the Giants Pitching look like HOF by chasing,swinging and missing the low breaking stuff.. Phils are a great fastball hitting team, but not too good versus the breaking ball,sliders, and curve ball Pitchers that the Giants have (outside of Lincecum)
Areas they need to address…
#1) A true Leadoff Batter — Someone hwho consistently makes contact,gets on base,moves runners,takes walks,can bunt,etc,etc,.. Rollins is not the player he was 2 years ago and is still a great fielder but he takes too much of a swind. An OBP for a good leadoff hitter is around .375-.400%
Phils leadoff guys are about .330 at best since they don’t put the ball in play and strikeout alot
#2) Chase Utley needs to find his groove back and really has struggled most of the Season after a hot Start.. He is trying to pull everything and takes too many pitches too often..
#3) Raul Ibanez is having a hard time getting around on the fastball, he still put up some good numbers but he is 39 with limited Defensive ability, a weak arm.. He would be perfect for an AL Team as a DH and could play another 3-4 years, but as a positional player, he has his limitations
#4) Jason Werth is still in his prime and the Phils really need to attempt to re-sign, but I am sure his Agent Scott Boras is going to be looking for $15-$18 Million per Season which the Phils won’t go for.
I see Werth signing with the Boston Red Sox
#5) They need to add at least 1 more quality Right Hand Batter to the Line-Up..and 2 if Werth moves on which I believe he will.
#6) They need to improve their bench and add to the Bullpen (especially a tough LHP reliever)
They had a great finish in Sept/October after a real inconsistent May,June,July,& August..
mainly due to their starting 3 Pitchers.. But you can see where many of the regular players look flat,
tired and just missing badly at the plate..The Giants had to play hard-nosed,come from behind & meaningdul baseball up to the final day of the Season and had to utilize their entire roster which is paying off big dividends and Manager B Bochy has pulled all the right srings at the right times..
(I think he’s the MVP of this Series..)
Real frustrating game. Charlie choked on this one. Haladay should have gone, Durbin should have been pulled, Rollins should have bunted and Victorino should have been on second when Ruiz was thrown out at home. Should of, could of, would of…..any more of this and these guys will be fishin soon.
Not the best slide by Ruiz also,
If he slides wider on the foul side of the field, he makes it in under the tag, or even if he started his slide a step sooner but Catcher Posey did make a great play on the short hop after a great throw by A Rowan
(another good move for manager Bochy having Rowan in the game for the other centerfielder Torres has a weak arm and would have never made that throw)
I have no problem with them throwing Blanton, but they should have had a better plan for the bullpen rotation afterwards knowing that Balanton is giving you no more that 5-6 Innings at best..
I think Kendrick should have followed Blanton and then Bastardo just to give the Giants a different look
Blanton’s Wild pitches really hurt where they got extra bases and got a cheap run in..(all with 2 outs too)
no Paul, Haladay should have been the starter. If they were concerned about Oswalt & Hamels also needing to throw on short rest, then pitch Blanton in game 5. The other benefit of that would be having Haladay available for game 7 if Hamels were to start poorly
It doesn’t matter GF,
The better all-around “Team” is ahead in this series and will Win and represent the NL in the World Series.. The SF Giants will face the Texas Rangers as the Phils & Yankees watch it from their TV’s.
not a tough prediction to make with them being down 3-1…quite bold paul. but you are right, no use in talking about what they should have done now.