The Philadelphia Phillies won their fourth straight game on Sunday afternoon, taking down the Braves 5-2. Their record improves to 9-9.
On The Mound
- Zach Eflin was excellent in his second start of the season, carrying the team through seven innings and allowing just one run on three hits.
- Eflin’s only blemish came on a solo home run he allowed in the seventh inning.
- Eflin did not walk a batter.
- Pat Neshek got one out in the eighth inning before being lifted for Joely Rodriguez.
- Rodriguez entered the game with a runner at second, and got the next two batters out to keep the game tied at 1-1.
- Hector Neris had a rocky ninth inning, allowing a run on two hits and two walks before settling down and retiring the side.
At The Plate
- The offense managed five runs on eight hits.
- The team was held scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Freddy Galvis singled home Daniel Nava to tie the game.
- In the eighth, the offense broke out with three straight home runs from Cesar Hernandez, Aaron Altherr, and Odubel Herrera. It was the first time the team has had back-to-back-to-back homers since Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell accomplished the feat in 2008.
- Hernandez finished the game 2-4, another multi-hit game.
- Altherr has now hit in seven straight.
- Maikel Franco went 0-4, dropping his average to .171.
- Daniel Nava started in left, going 1-2 with two walks.
- Andrew Knapp caught the game, and went 0-3 at the plate.
- Michael Saunders got the rally in the eighth started with a pinch-hit double.
Final Thoughts
The Phillies earned their first sweep of the season, gaining three games of ground on the division rival Braves over the weekend.
For a team with as many offensive deficiencies as the Phillies to be playing .500 ball is pretty impressive. The team has been in almost every game that they’ve played, I can only think of two or three occasions where the team was blown away.
Through the first three weeks of the season, the biggest things that jump out to me is the depth of the pitching staff. The starting pitching has struggled to go deep at times, but they’ve kept the team in games and given them a chance to win almost every time out. Jeremy Hellickson and Jerad Eickhoff have been solid. Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez have room to improve, but both guys have high ceilings. If Zach Eflin’s first two starts are any indication, he’s progressed a bit since his handful of starts a year ago, and could be a nice upgrade over the injured Clay Buchholz.
The bullpen has logged a lot of innings, and the closing situation still isn’t completely settled, but this bullpen has more reliable arms than previous years. Pat Neshek has been a nice surprise, and Joely Rodriguez has recovered from a rough start to the season to carve out a key role for himself.
A nice Sweep of the Braves to get back to .500 at 9-9
A much needed day off for the Bullpen tomorrow before they face the improved Marlins ..
The Phils Offensive Line-up is improved with Altherr playing every day
Veterans Nava/Saunders have contributed nicely and make a good Platoon
Situation as the 3rd/4th OF & PInch Hitters
Stassi is getting more AB’s with Joseph struggling at 1B
The Catcher Hitting Production has been anemic so far
2B Hernandez has played very welll and probably is the most consistent Hitter so far and has exceeded expectations…
if Franco can become more disciplined at the Plate the Phils could have a very athletic and dynamic top 4 with Hernandez, Altherr, Herrera &’Franco to build around as all can Run, Have some Pop and are capable Hitting 15-20 HR’s with Franco Hitting 25-35 HR.. they can all run the Bases (go from 1st to 3rd or 2nd to Home) easily with base Hits hit into the OF and help stay away from some Double Plays and Steal some Bases
They should all heat up as the Weather gets warmer..
Agree, that day off for the bullpen is huge right now. Hopefully VV can build off of his last start and go at least six (ideally seven, but I doubt it) innings tomorrow.
One thing that’s pretty obvious is that the Players are playing hard, seem to care and pull for each other and are a pretty tight knit group for such a young Team with a lot i for new faces which is a real positive to see and a nice reflection of the Front Office and Manager McK and his Staff…
Ben Simmons + lakers pick + Sacramento pick for Russell Westbrook. Who says no okc or philly?
Philly?
He is not the player that i would wish for. Not sure that he can co-exist with anyone else to try to win a championship.
Crazy to think that OKC had Harden, Durant and Westbrook.
I’d do that deal in a heartbeat if I were OKC.
I think its too much to give up from a Sixer’s perspective…if Embiid’s health doesn’t hold up, I don’t think Sixers wouldn’t be much better of a team than OKC is right now…I’d give up two of those pieces, but not three.
Idk lots of busts out there. If lakers pick doesn’t convey this year. Next year the draft is crap(all bigs). Sac pick won’t convey for 2 more years. Westbrook is young and arguably best player in the game and a rare breed of killer that doesn’t come around anymore.
Westbrook on this team this year is a top 3 team in the east with or without embiid. The east is trash minus cavs and they aren’t great either. The west is so stacked it’s hard. He’d crush the east and if embiid were healthy that’s a title team with saric and our first rounder we keep in the deal.
I’m real suspect on Simmons man. Think he’s too soft to cut it in the NBA. Hope not but think that trade would be awesome for all parties
Yeah that’s fair, Sixers’ supporting cast even without Embiid is still stronger than OKC’s group.
I don’t mind the Laker pick, and I share your concerns about Simmons (I really have no idea what to expect from him moving forward) but I’d really want to protect the Kings pick. Just a dumpster-fire of an organization that hasn’t gotten anything right in the last 10 years…that pick is almost a lock to be in the top-10, Kings shouldn’t even sniff the playoffs with the West being as deep as it is.
A lot would depend on where the Sixers fall in the lottery this year. If they’re able to come away with the top pick again and land Fultz, I’d be much more willing to go all-out to get Westbrook.
Westbrook is gonna come to Philly and jack up a bunch of shots the ball starts with Westbrook and ends with him no exception. Now that Durant is gone Westbrook has absolute free reign to disrupt the flow of the offense.It’s even worse now with absolutely nobody to keep it in check.
Westbrook is a bonafide ball hog he takes it upon himself to carry the team he has little to no trust in his teammates he will drain the shot clock all the way down to 3 seconds only to get a shot off for himself. He forces up ridiculous shots even when double teamed he would rather take a bad shot than to pass to a teammate who may have a better one.
When Westbrook is on the court there is just about no passing going on within the offense he dominates the ball to such a degree that when he does pass his teammates are hardly into the flow of the game. He just can’t adjust his game to give any team a chance to win games without him dominating the entire goddamn offense.
Brown is a 100 percent team oriented coach he’s going to have to literally alter all that to accommodate Westbrook. Then look at what your going to have to give up to get him fuck that! I’m taking my chances with Simmons and the draft picks. So mhenski you can take that lousy ass resource depleting sorry excuse for a trade and shove it up your ass!
He doesn’t pass and is a ball hog yet on a team full of nobody misfits he’s 3rd in the league in assists per game. Great analysis yaidiot