Mailbag: Reds Matchup/ Phillies MVP

In this post, I answered questions presented by Pat Gallen of Phillies Nation. Click the link to see answers from other bloggers. If you have a question, please e-mail me at amanda@swingandalongdrive.com.

The Phillies will face the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS starting on Wednesday. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most favorable to the Phillies, 1 being least favorable) how do you think the Phils match up with the Reds in the opening series?

6.5. I was really hoping that the Padres would win the Wild Card because I think that the Reds are the toughest road to the NLCS. I think the Phillies are the favorites, but I still think the Reds are a tough opponent.

Offensively, I think it's fairly even. As far as collective team stats go, the Reds gained the edge. However, the Phillies were without Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard at parts of the season. Now, they are all back. The Phillies win offensively now, but the Reds are no slouch. Joey Votto scares me.

Pitching-wise, the Phillies get the advantage. The Reds are going to face three aces. On the other hand, the Reds have Bronson Arroyo slated as number two. The Reds have some decent young arms, but they have yet to reach their peak.

Overall, I pick to win the Phillies, but it's not going to be an easy series. The Phillies may have took the season series, 5-2, including a 4-game sweep at home, but the Reds still played the Phillies tough. One of those 4 games featured a miracle late-inning comeback, and two were extra inning wins.

The Phillies wrapped up the regular season yesterday, finishing 97-65. Who was the Phils regular season MVP?

Roy Halladay. Every five days is win day. He gave the Phillies a solid 250 innings. Complete Games. Shutouts. Perfect game. How can he not be the team MVP?

Second: Jayson Werth; Third: Ryan Howard

Phillies Aim To Sweep Reds

Cincinnati Reds (49-40) at Philadelphia Phillies (46-40)
Matt Maloney (0-1, 4.76 ERA) vs. Cole Hamels (6-7, 4.05)

Just as everybody is about to write them off, the Phillies pull everybody back in. Not only has their three straight walk-off wins improved their record, but perhaps has given the team that "swagger" they once had. Last night, Travis Wood was nearly perfect, but even perfection can't beat Roy Halladay. Halladay kept the Phillies in the game with nine shutout innings, and for the third straight night, the Phillies won in extra innings. Jimmy Rollins came through with the eleventh inning clutch hit. Who will get the walk-off today, as the Phillies will attempt to sweep the four-game set?

There's always that one team that a pitcher absolutely destroys. For Cole Hamels, it is the Cincinnati Reds. In his career against the Reds, Hamels is 5-0 with a 1.26 earned run average. He has 39 strikeouts in 43 innings against them.

Maloney is filling in for an injured Aaron Harang. Maloney is making his second start of the season, and possibly his last with the possibility of Harang returning. Maloney surrendered three runs in 5.2 innings against the Mets in his last start. Sometimes it's these "no-name" pitchers that have the most success against the Phillies, so don't tab them for 12 runs yet.

This is the final game before the All Star Break. The Phillies would like it to end on a high note, with a sweep.

Halladay Takes on Reds

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Cincinnati Reds (49-39) at Philadelphia Phillies (45-40).
Travis Wood (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Roy Halladay (10-7, 2.33 ERA).

How can last night's comeback be topped? How about with a Halladay?

With Roy Halladay on the hill, there is a very good chance that the Phillies can win the series, since they already took the first two games of the four game set. The only setback could be the weather. It's been raining all day, and the forecast isn't too promising. Let's hope they can get this one in without a delay. A rain delay in the middle of the game could take Halladay out of the game, putting it into the hands of the bullpen.

Everybody knows what to expect from Halladay. He could easily have 13 or 14 wins, if not for a struggling offense. On the other hand, it's unsure what to expect from Travis Wood, who is making his third Major League start. The Reds have several top pitching prospects, and Wood is one of them. Wood has pitched well in his 11.2 innings in the big leagues, but still seeks his first win. Against Roy Halladay, odds are against him.

The Reds may have some concern if Wood struggles, or has to be lifted due to a rain delay. The Reds bullpen has struggled two nights in a row, and has been worked for quite a few innings. Getting to the Reds' bullpen could be a key for the Phillies.

The Phillies are in a pretty good position to take the series tonight, but as shown last night, anything can happen.

Improbable Comeback Stuns Reds

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Baseball is such an unpredictable sport. One team can have all the momentum, but in the blink of an eye, it can switch over to the other side. That's what makes the game great. Just when it can't get any worse for the Phillies, Greg Dobbs shines a light of hope. The Phillies pulled off an improbable 9-7 comeback on an evening with a huge turn of events. These are the comeback kids that the fans love. It's amazing how quickly boos turn to cheers.

There were several misplays on both sides during Thursday's game. The errors carried over immediately on Friday as Jimmy Rollins botched the very first play of the game. Several batters later, Johnny Gomes sent Joe Blanton's offering into the left field seats. Blanton never settled in.

Blanton got knocked around in 5.1 innings. He surrendered six runs, five earned, on a whopping twelve hits and two walks. The Reds were hitting shots off him; he never found a groove. Lately, Charlie Manuel has been critizied for leaving his starters in too long. If there was ever a good time to lift Blanton, it was in the bottom of the fifth. Instead, Manuel let Blanton hit for himself. Blanton allowed a few base runners in the top of the sixth before Manuel pulled him. Blanton tipped his cap to an upset crowd, and headed for the showers. Luckily, David Herdon avoided further damage.

In the meantime, Mike Leake cruised. The rookie who skipped the minor leagues looked like a long time veteran retiring batter after batter. At one point, Herdon's pitch count in a little over an inning matched Leake's through five. Leake dominated. He even went 3-for-4, having a much better night at the plate than most Phillies.

It looked like the game was over, and the Reds had an easy victory. Not so fast. All the trouble came in the ninth. Leake went out for the complete game, but ran into trouble: the return of the Phillies offense. Shane Victorino led off with a double, and Leake could not finish the game off. Ryan Howard drove in Victorino with a single, but the big momentum shift came off the bat of Dobbs. Since being designated for assignment, Dobbs has had a fire under his belt. He's starting to hit again, and boy did he get ahold of one. Dobbs smoked a three-run shot off the foul pole, putting the Phillies down 7-5. The damage was far from over.

Leake failed to close out the game, so Dusty Baker brought in closer Francisco Cordero. He didn't exactly get the job done either. Ben Francisco drew a huge two-out walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. Then, Cody Ransom earned his pinstripes. Cordero threw him an outside fastball, and he hit the ball where it was pitched; he sent it in the first row of the opposite field. The crowd turned electric as the score became even.

The Phillies were unable to score another in the ninth, but the six-run inning was plenty, sending the game into extra innings for the second straight night. Ryan Madson tossed a 1-2-3 tenth, striking out two, with his changeup looking better than ever.

In the bottom of the tenth, a lead-off double once again started a rally. Raul Ibanez greeted Arthur Rhodes with a double, but Howard topped that with an opposite field blast. Another day, another walk-off home run. Arthur Rhodes sure must hate facing the Phillies. He has given up six runs all year; five to the Phillies (revenge for 2006?).

As Howard rounded the bases, all sorts of excitement and emotion were released. This is the team that the fans want to see more of. This is the team that the city fell in love with. Perhaps these are the types of games that can turn a season around for the better.

Blanton Looks To End 1st Half on High Note

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Cincinnati Reds (49-38) at Philadelphia Phillies (44-40).
Mike Leake (6-1, 3.38 ERA) vs. Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.27 ERA)

It wasn't pretty. It wasn't easy. But the Phillies pulled out a much needed victory in last night's 4-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds, thanks to Brian Schneider's walk-off home run. Hopefully tonight's game is a little more well-played, and a Phillies win can come easier.

Unfortunately, wins haven't come easy for Joe Blanton, but it would be nice to see him end the first half on a high note. He is 3-3 with a 3.63 ERA in his last ten starts, however, the big right-hander has struggled all season long, as opponents are batting .294 against him. Many times, he has become a victim of a big inning for the opposition. Blanton needs to limit the damage and put his team into position to win. In addition, as witnessed last night, the bullpen can not always be relied on. The Phillies could use seven or eight innings from Blanton. With that being said, the Phillies also need to score more than four runs. They'll have to do that against Mike Leake.

Leake, who skipped the minor leagues completely, has had a solid rookie campaign. Leake had a stretch where he struggled, but overall he has pitched very well. Last week, the Phillies were able to figure him out, scoring six runs in six innings against him. It would be nice to see the Phillies do that again.

The Reds are contenders this year. They're going to continue to play the Phillies tough. The Phillies just have to keep up with them. For the Phillies to show that they are still in this race, they need to beat other first place teams. This is a perfect time for it.

Lineup: There are some late changes to both lineups: Wilson Valdez was scratched due to a sore left wrist, so Juan Castro is playing 2nd. Scott Rolen is out with a sore back, so Miguel Cairo is playing 3rd.

Kendrick Struggles; Utley Injured

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Ryan Howard put good wood on a baseball and sent it to the deepest angle of Great American ballpark. Off the bat, it looked long gone, but it ricocheted off the top of the center field wall. That summed up the day for the Phillies: nothing seemed to go their way.

Kyle Kendrick retired the first ten batters he faced, but fell apart quickly after. In the fourth inning, Scott Rolen smacked a two-run shot to left. Since leaving the Phillies, Rolen has given his former club all sorts of fits (.350 AVG career vs. Phillies) and troubles. But that is typical for most ex-Phillies; it’s nothing out of the ordinary.

The Reds kept chipping away and tacked Kendrick for six runs (five earned) in 6.1 innings.

Meanwhile, Johnny Cueto cruised along, surrendering just one run in eight innings of work. He got plenty of help from his defense, as the Reds backed him with numerous spectacular plays and web gems, showing why they lead the majors in fielding percentage.

The Phillies finally added a couple runs with two outs in the ninth inning. Raul Ibanez sent Bill Bray’s breaking ball into the right field bleachers for a meaningless home run. It can’t hurt his statistics.

There is a little concern regarding Chase Utley, who was mysteriously removed for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. It was later revealed that Utley had his thumb wrapped, and will have an MRI tomorrow. Utley, who made a fielding error, injured his thumb by sliding head first into second base.

“Hopefully [Utley] isn’t seriously-seriously hurt. But for him to leave the game, that in itself says something. That’s the last guy is going to take himself out of the game,” Shane Victorino said.

There is no word on the severity of the injury, but if Utley were to miss time, that would be a huge blow for an already snake-bitten clubhouse. Placido Polanco would normally be the replacement, however he remains out of the lineup due to elbow problems. Losing any player of Utley’s caliber is tough, so hopefully he does not miss a significant amount of time.

The Phillies’ 7-3 loss showed that the Reds are legitimate contenders. They currently sit in first place in the National League Central, when in previous seasons they were towards the cellar. The Reds finally have a healthy mix of young, talented players and proven veterans. If the Phillies are going to contend, they have to beat teams like the Reds, who also have a chance to make the postseason.

QUOTE SOURCE: Ryan Lawrence

Bats Support Moyer in 9-6 Victory

As seen on Phillies Nation.

After a lack of offense in their previous two games, the Phillies' nine runs lifted them over the Cincinnati Reds, winning the final game of the series. Jamie Moyer struggled, but the bats backed him up.

The Phillies were having trouble with runners in scoring position in the past two games. The streak continued in the first inning. With one out and the bases loaded, Micah Owings escaped the jam untouched. The Reds took advantage of the situation in the top of the second, taking a 2-0 lead on Edwin Encarnacion's triple. Micah Owing's sacrifice fly made it 3-0.

Chase Utley has proved he can hit home runs out of the park. He hit a long drive to deep center field off the angled wall and it richocted to right. As always, Utley hustled from the box. He rounded the bases with an easy inside-the-park home run, the second inside-the-parker of his career. Not only did it pump up the crowd, but the boys in the dugout.

Jayson Werth's double made it 3-2, but Encarnocian's home run gave the Reds a little cushion. Even though Shane Victorino was elected into the All Star Game via Final Vote, he still had to prove why he deserved it. His two run single off the glove of Brandon Phillips tied the game at four a piece. Phillips wanted those runs back, so he hit a two run shot giving the Reds a 6-4 lead. The first five innings were like a see-saw.

Moyer was done after five. He allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks. The Phillies relied on Chan Ho Park to keep the game close, and he pitched three hitless innings.

Feliz's RBI single made it a one run game, so the Phillies called on Paul Bako after Carlos Ruiz left the game with an apparent injury. It looked like Bako grounded into an inning-ending double-play, but the pitcher covering missed the bag on the relay to first. Bako was safe, and the tying run scored. Jimmy Rollins followed with a RBI single, bringing in the go-ahead run.

The Phillies kept tacking on runs, winning 9-6. Werth hit his 20th home run of the season. He homered in every game of the series. In addition, with Utley's and Werth's home runs, the Phillies now have four players with 20 or more home runs before the All Star Break.

Phillies Note: Raul Ibanez went 1-for-3 (doubled) in a rehab start with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Ibanez drove in two runs and walked twice. Ibanez plans on playing tomorrow against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Phillies Look For Series Win Vs. Reds

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Cincinnati Reds (41-42) face the Philadelphia Phillies (44-38)

Today's matchup: Micah Owings (6-8, 4.48 ERA) vs. Jamie Moyer (7-6, 5.72 ERA)

Jamie Moyer takes the hill tonight against the Reds. In his last three starts, Moyer is 3-0 with a 3.11 earned run average. Moyer faced the Reds earlier this season and gave up three runs over six innings.

Micah Owings will start for Cincinnati. He is 2-1 with a 4.13 ERA in his career against the Phillies. He was rocked in his last start against the Phillies; five earned runs in three innings. Chase Utley is 5-for-10 with a home run and Greg Dobbs has two career home runs against Owings.

The Phillies have scored only six runs since their 22 run outburst. With Moyer on the mound, three runs may not cut it. They have a good chance against Owings, but run support is key for Moyer. With a win, the Phillies will take 3 of 4 from the Reds.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins (SS)/Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Werth (RF)/ Dobbs (LF)/ Feliz (3B) /Ruiz (C)/ Moyer (P)

Final Vote In Mind, Victorino Comes Through

Originally posted on Phillies Nation.

Shane Victorino has been around the city promoting his candidacy for the Final Vote. Handing out flyers, shaking hands and signing autographs help, but proving why he should be selected is more important. Shane Victorino (2-for-4, 2 SB) did that in the ninth inning.

In the fourth, the Cincinnati Reds took a 2-0 lead on Lance Nix's RBI single and Ramon Hernandez's sacrifice fly. In the bottom half of the inning, Ryan Howard returned the favor with a RBI single of his own.

Starter Rodrigo Lopez pitched five innings allowing two runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out four. Still, the Phillies had trouble manufacturing runs, leaving nine men on base. Additionally, they were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

The Phillies pitching kept them in the game, and one swing off the bat of Jayson Werth tied it in the sixth. Werth's nineteenth home run of the year made it a new ballgame.

The Phillies bullpen pitched four shutout innings. Ryan Madson's two innings were key, giving the Phillies a chance in the bottom of the ninth.

Pedro Feliz led off with a single. Paul Bako failed to bunt him over, and Eric Bruntlett flied out. Jimmy Rollins worked a two out walk, and Victorino was given the perfect opportunity to make his campaign speech. He singled to center, scoring Feliz. A walk-off single and that was the ballgame. Phillies win 3-2.

Call of the Day: Last April, the Phillies had an exciting walk-off win off the bat of Pedro Feliz.

"Smoked. Down the left field line. Going all the way to the
corner! Here comes Jenkins, being waved around. The throw to the
plate.. he's safe at home plate! Phillies win 4 to 3 with a three run
ninth inning! Pedro Feliz with a big game winning double! Jenkins
was flying around third and scored the winning run. What a comeback by the
Phils, who led the majors in come back wins last year and they had several again
this year as they comeback from 3-0 in the ninth inning and come back to win it
4 to 3. Wow.

Our Chevrolet players of the game; the Phillies offense in this ninth
inning. Pinch hitter Chris Snelling homered. Pat Burrell
homered. And Pedro Feliz the game winning double. The Phillies
offense, our Chevrolet the players of the game."

Phillies And Reds, Take 3

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Cincinnati Reds (41-41) play the Philadelphia Phillies (43-38).

Homer Bailey (1-0, 5.94 ERA) starts vs. Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 2.84 ERA)

Rodrigo Lopez was impressive in his Phillies debut. In 6.1 innings, he allowed only two runs on six hits and one walk. Lopez will look to duplicate that performance.

Homer Bailey is coming off one of the best starts of his career. He gave up two runs on three hits in 7.1 innings against the Cardinals. Bailey has walked 15 batters in 16.2 innings. The Phillies are going to need to take advantage of his command problems and take walks. The Phillies had no problem getting on base last night. Driving in runs was the problem. With the amount of baserunners that Bailey allows, the Phillies need to bring those runners home. Bailey has struggled against the Phillies in his career. He is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA.

Any Runs Left?

Originally posted on Phillies Nation.

The Cincinnati Reds (40-41) play the Philadelphia Phillies (43-37).

Aaron Harang (5-8, 3.86 ERA) starts vs. J.A Happ (5-0, 2.96 ERA).
After a 22 run offensive explosion, the Phillies hope they saved some runs for tonight.

Aaron Harang hasn't won a start since May 25, but don't let that fool you. He has been pitching quality starts, but has lacked run support. Harang faced the Phillies earlier in the season. In seven innings, he allowed only one run and struck out nine. The Reds are hoping Harang can go deep into tonight's game after the bullpen was over-used last night.

Since becoming a starter, J.A Happ has been fantastic. In his last start against the Braves, Happ gave up two runs over seven innings. If Happ gets into a jam, he has proved he can escape it. Many times he will get key ground-ball double plays.

Lately, Jimmy Rollins has been swinging the bat well. He has had success against Harang in the past, batting .348 against him in 23 at-bats.

Runners Left on Base Costs Phils

As seen on Phillies Nation.

The Phillies didn’t save any leftovers from Monday. The Phillies had a chance to pound 22 runs on the Reds for the second straight night, but twelve runners left on base prevented a repeat.

In the second inning, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth hit back-to-back home runs, jumping to a 2-0 lead off Aaron Harang. In the third, Chase Utley’s RBI double gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead, and a chance to break the game wide open. However, Harang escaped a bases loaded no-out jam.

J.A Happ was solid. He made two mistakes- two home runs to Brandon Phillips. In seven innings, Happ allowed three runs on six hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out a career high seven batters.

The Phillies had another run scoring opportunity in the eighth inning. With John Mayberry Jr. on third, Jimmy Rollins chopped a ball to the first baseman, Joey Votto. Votto fired home gunning down Mayberry at the plate. After Utley’s third inning RBI double, the Phillies had a runner on third with less than two outs four times. They scored zero.

Tied at three in the ninth, Brad Lidge allowed a lead-off double and found himself in a one-out, two-on, jam. He surrendered the go-ahead single to Ramon Hernandez as the Reds took a 4-3 lead.

The Phillies had plenty of chances to tack on runs. Instead, they left 12 men in scoring position, missing many opportunities.

Offensive Outburst Brings out History Books

As seen on Phillies Nation.

22 runs. 21 hits. Four home runs, including one grand slam. Those were the offensive numbers that the Phillies put up in a historical 22-1 blowout against the Cincinnati Reds. It was the first time since 1900 that the Phillies beat an opponent by at least twenty runs.

The Phillies scored ten runs in the first inning, nine off Johnny Cueto, who lasted two-thirds of an inning, raising his earned run average from 2.69 to 3.45. The inning marked the fourth time in franchise history that the Phillies scored ten runs in the first inning. The last time the Phillies scored ten runs in the first inning was in July of 2002 against the Montreal Expos.

Shane Victorino made his best "vote for me" campaign with a 4-for-5 night. He homered, drove in four runs, and walked. Greg Dobbs (4-for-6, 2 RBI) and Chase Utley (2-for-3, 4 RBI) also homered. Jayson Werth (2-for-5, 5 RBI) hit a grand slam in the eighth inning off Paul Janish, a shortstop, as the Reds were desperate to save their bullpen.

The "Everybody hits! Wahoo!" guy was busy. Every starter in the Phillies lineup had at least one hit, including Cole Hamels (2-for-4). Jimmy Rollins (3-for-4) continued his hitting ways. The only batter who did not get a hit was John Mayberry Jr. (0-for-1, BB), who came in as a substitute. Matt Stairs had one plate appearance and walked. Other than that, six Phillies had a multi-hit night. Two Phillies (Victorino and Dobbs) had four hits. Every batter reached base at least once.

The credit will go to the offense, but Hamels also deserves recognition. In seven innings, he allowed three hits, including a solo home run to Jonny Gomes. He struck out two and did not walk a batter. The Phillies starters have picked it up this week, giving their bullpen plenty of rest.

The last time the Phillies pounded 22 runs was in 1986 against the New York Mets. It is also the third most runs the Phillies scored in one game. Not only did the win make Phillies history, but Reds history, marking their largest margin of defeat, 21 runs.

Hamels Always Successful Vs. Reds

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The Cincinnati Reds (40-40) are at the Philadelphia Phillies (42-37)

Johnny Cueto (8-4, 2.69 ERA) will face Cole Hamels (4-5, 4.98 ERA).

The Phillies need to carry their momentum from the last series into the next. The Phillies will send out their ace, hoping he'll be the ace he once was.

Cole Hamels has struggled in his last five starts, going 0-3 with a 6.18 ERA. However, Hamels loves facing the Cincinnati Reds. Hamels is 4-0 with 1.25 ERA and 0.94 WHIP against the Reds. In 36 innings, Reds hitters are batting .154 against him and struck out 37 times.

Johnny Cueto, who has recently had back problems, lost to the Phillies earlier in the year. He gave up four earned runs in seven innings, including a home run to Ryan Howard. Despite his back trouble, he pitched six shutout innings in his last start against Arizona.

News Around MLB

Ryan Howard has been diagnosed with acute sinusitis. He could return the lineup as early as Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Howard has been taking antibiotics and is improving. His 104-degree fever is gone and he will rest Monday at his home.

The Phillies could add on to their payroll to acquire pitching. The Reds are dealing Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Could this be an option for the Phillies?

In other news, the Detroit Tigers benched Magglio Ordonez and his agent Scott Boras is not happy about it. Ordonez is hitting .273, however is slugging only .343. Ordonez could return to the lineup, but either way, the Tigers could be looking for a power bat.

Manny Ramirez has started "rehabbing" in Triple-A after being suspended 50 games due to violating the drug policy. Pending rainouts, Ramirez should be back in the lineup on July 3.

Tony LaRussa became the third manager to reach 2,500 wins.

On the injury front, Daisuke Matsuzaka was placed on the 15 day disabled list. CC Sabathia left his last start with bicep tendinitis. The Mets continue to get injured. Carlos Beltran was placed on the DL.

Dunn to D-Backs

The Cincinnati Reds' Adam Dunn was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league pitcher Dallas Buck and two players to be named later. Dunn was claimed off waivers, and a trade was worked out. Adam Dunn will be a free agent after this season.

The Diamondbacks were in desperate need of a bat. Eric Byrnes and Orlando Hudson are both done for the season. The are also without right fielder Justin Upton for the time being.

Dunn is hitting just .233 this year. However, he is tied for the Major League lead in homeruns with 32. He also has 74 RBI. He also has an OBP of .373 and a SLG of .528, giving him a .901 OPS.

Buck, coming off Tommy John surgery is 1-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 9 games this season in Single A.