5th Inning Rally Lifts Phils

As seen on Phillies Nation.

The red carpet rolled out and each player walked down from centerfield. Charlie Manuel proudly raised the blue 2009 National League pennant banner in Ashburn Alley. The players were introduced, and the 2010 Home Opener was underway.

The news did not start off good. Jimmy Rollins was scratched from the lineup due to a calf strain. Jayson Werth later left with an injury. Werth's injury is not expected to be serious, however Rollins may be headed for the disabled list.

Cole Hamels' second consecutive start against the Nationals did not go as planned. The lefty struggled once again, surrendering four earned runs in 5.2 innings. Hamels struck out six, but his earned run average raised to 5.06. Hamels has yet to put 2009 behind, and return to the form he was in 2008 and prior.

The Phillies found themselves in a 4-0 deficit, but the offense always has a comeback in them. Ryan Howard continued his hot hitting with a RBI single.

Juan Castro caught on to his new team quickly, driving in a run during his first game as a Phillie. Placido Polanco (2-for-4) raised his average to .484 with a RBI single of his own. Chase Utley smashed a two-run home run down the right field line to cap off a five-run fifth inning. The Phillies offense remains hot and has no desire of cooling off.

The bullpen did a stellar job to secure the win for Hamels. Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, Danys Baez, and Ryan Madson combined for 3.1 hitless innings.

With the 7-4 victory, the Phillies improve to a Major League best 6-1 record. Tomorrow, Kyle Kendrick will look to redeem himself after a disappointing outing last week.

Phils Return Home for Opener

For full gameday, visit Phillies Nation.

Today, the Washington Nationals (3-3) face the Philadelphia Phillies (5-1). Jason Marquis, RHP starts vs. Cole Hamels, LHP.

The boys are back in town! The Philadelphia Phillies will make their much anticipated 2010 home debut. They are coming off an impressive 5-1 roadtrip, which includes a sweep of the Houston Astros.

The Phillies also faced the Nationals, taking two of three from them. The Nationals evened their record against the Mets, but the Phillies would like to put them below .500 again.

The Phillies’ offense has been unstoppable. They’ve been doing every right: drawing walks, getting on base, driving in runners in scoring position, hitting home runs, you name it. They lead all of baseball in runs scored and on-base plus slugging percentage. The Phillies look to continue their hot offense in their hitter-friendly ballpark.

Today’s game is an exact rematch of the second game of the season: Cole Hamels against Jason Marquis. Marquis was roughed up in four innings as control issues led to six earned runs. Hamels’ command wasn’t spot on either. Hamels earned the win despite only lasting five innings and walking four. Hamels didn’t seem to challenge hitters, and repeatedly threw down and in. Perhaps moving pitches in and out will help, while mixing his fastball with his stellar changeup and newly found cutter.

Phillies fans traveled well during Opening Week, but there is nothing like being behind an electric home crowd. It’s Opening Day: Part II. Baseball officially returns to the city of brotherly love.

Opening Day Loss: A Phillies Tradition

The Phillies lost to the Atlanta Braves 4-1, the fourth year in a row they lost Opening Day.

Festivities took place before the game including player introductions and the raising of the 2008 World Championship banner. But the Phillies that played in Sunday's game didn't look like the same team that beat the Tampa Bay Rays last October.

Brett Myers allowed 4 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings of work. He wasn't able to establish his fastball or changeup early, and in result threw 3 home runs to Brian McCann, Jeff Franceour (who is developing a new batting stance), and Jordan, or Logan as refered to by Jon Miller, Schafer (first home run in first major league at-bat to become the 99th player in MLB history). (Thank you Joe Morgan and Miller for the repetition).

Fingers will be pointed at Myers for the loss, but he didn't pitch as bad as the line may seem. After the first two innings, he threw four scoreless innings. Because his changeup and fastball were ineffective, he wasn't able to throw his deadly curveball as much, which was the only pitch working for him Sunday night.

Myers made the batters hit their way on; he allowed just one walk and struck out 6.

The real story was the offense, which was shut down by Derek Lowe for eight innings. The Phillies managed just two hits off Lowe in his eight shut out innings, who was able to get Phillies out via ground balls.

Mike Gonzalez made it interesting in the ninth inning when Eric Brunlett had a pinch hit double to leadoff the inning. He scored to make it a 4-1 game, and eventually the tying run, Ryan Howard, was at the plate with two men on base and one out. However, Howard struck out, as did Raul Ibanez to end the game.

Losing on opening day shouldn't be a shock. The Phillies are 60-65-2 on Opening Day. They won't be undefeated, but they can stil go 161-1.

PHOTO COURTESY: Phillies.com

Happy Opening Day

At Saturday's exhibition game on Phanavision's "Ask the Phillies" segment, the Phillies answered the question "What is the best day of the year?" Besides Larry Anderson's response of Tuesday, many of the Phillies and broadcasters replied "Opening Day." I'm going to have to agree with them. Opening Day should be an official holiday.

Today is the day the Phillies start defending.

Brett Myers takes the mound against Derek Lowe of the Atlanta Braves, on national television.

Thanks to Phightin' Phils Phorum, here is the schedule building up to the first pitch.

5:05 PM - All gates open

5:28-6:28 PM - Phillies batting practice

6:28 - 7:18 PM - Braves batting practice

7:23 PM - Cardinal O'Hara High School marching band will perform as the 2009 Phillies enter the ballpark, greeted by Mayor Nutter and Charlie Manuel.

7:38 PM - America the Beautiful will be sung by the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Men's Chorale, directed by Jeffrey R. Smith, as members of the Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard unfurl the American Flag. State Flags will be carried onto the field by the Philadelphia Police and Fire Department personnel.

7:42 PM - Introductions start

7:53 PM - National Anthem: Will be performed by Katie Stam, Miss America 2009.

7:56 PM - U.S. Army 82nd Airborne Parachute team will parachute onto the field (weather permitting), bringing the first balls.

8:00 PM - NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson, who wore a Phillies jersey in space, will present the jersey to Charlie Manuel.

8:01 PM - Ceremonial First Pitch: Will be thrown by former Phillies General Manager Pat Gillick and Ben Lo, representing Modell's Sporting Goods.

(I'm pretty sure there was a kid named Ben Lo who went/still goes to my school...)

8:09 PM - Play Ball!

And as Macho Row puts it, here is how the game will be after the first pitch.

8:11 PM - Brett Myers records season's first strike out

8:22 PM - Ryan Howard hits first of 84 home runs this season

10:53 PM - Brad Lidge records first save of the season

April 10th for Hamels?

Cole Hamels pitched in 3.2 innings during a minor league scrimmage. 35 of his 48 pitches were thrown for strikes. He allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out five batters. He said he felt great and pain-free.

Hamels said April 10th is a realistic target, and he should be ready to pitch in that game against the Colorado Rockies.

"If I'm able to jump in line with our four guys and be the fifth guy, the
fourth, third, second -- I don't care," Hamels said. "It's just knowing that
after the season starts, we're on that schedule. Knowing that I'm going to go
out there every five days and my teammates know that I'm going to go and be
healthy, that's really all that they can really ask for."

Brett Myers is on track to start on Opening Night.

Note: Chase Utley hit his first home run of the spring today in the Phillies 7-6 win over the Blue Jays.

Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino returned to lineup after missing the last 2 weeks due to the World Baseball Classic.

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com

Opening Day a "Long Shot" for Hamels

It was earlier reported that Cole Hamels had no structural damage to his left pitching elbow. Hamels will start long tossing on Thursday, however, Rich Dubee declared Hamels chances for opening night “a long shot”

“I don’t know that it’s out of the question, but I think it would be a long
shot,” Dubee said. “Opening Day is probably a long shot, just because we’ve got
to get him up and running. We’ve got to stretch him out. I think he’s been up to
52 or 54 pitches. We like our guys, if they’re going to pitch, hopefully they’ll
be ready to throw 100 pitches by Opening Day. It could be a long shot. Again,
this guy has always risen to the occasion. It’s good that we caught it when we
did. It wasn’t getting cleared up. It wasn’t getting any worse, but it wasn’t
getting any better.”

If Hamels were to miss opening day, Brett Myers will likely get the call.

Hamels Tabbed For Opening Night

It isn't a surprise. However, in the past Charlie Manuel has waited deep into spring training before announcing the Opening Day starter. It's the first day of spring training, and Manuel already made his decision.

"Yeah, you might as well go ahead and pencil [Cole Hamels] in," Manuel said. “I
don’t think there’s any sense in me playing games. Go ahead, pencil him in."

Hamels was excited to hear the news, but knows he must be ready for the opportunity.

"So if I'm not feeling right and I need a couple extra days, I will definitely
pass it down to anybody. I'm all about benefiting the team. But with him saying
that, that’s my goal. That's what I’m going to strive for — April 5. Be as
healthy as I can, be as strong as I can and go out there and win the first
game."

Hamels is undoubtedly the Phillies ace. Last season, he was 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He pitched over 127 innings and struck out 196 batters. In the postseason, Hamels was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA.

Hamels is honored to start, but it won't compare to starting Game 1 of the World Series.

"It won't -- I know it won't," Hamels said. "It never will. I think starting
Game 1 of the World Series is pretty much the top. I'd like to do that this
year. I'd rather be the No. 1 starter for the World Series. Then I'm happy. Now,
we've just got to get there."

QUOTE SOURCE: Phillies.com

Year In Review: Opening Day

The wait was over. Spring Training was over. The day every baseball fan waits for, Opening Day, March 31, 2008.

Brett Myers threw both the first and last pitch of the 2007 season, and would once again throw out the first pitch of the season. Prior to the season, there was controversy on who would start on Opening Day, Brett Myers or Cole Hamels. The Phillies decided on Brett Myers hoping he would get a starter's mentality again.

The Phillies would host the Washington Nationals, who a night before won their first game at their new stadium, Nationals Park, in dramatic fashion on Ryan Zimmerman's walk off homerun.

The very first pitch of the season was a ball, but Myers retired the side in order.

Jimmy Rollins, the 2007 MVP, led off the 2008 season with a double. He would score on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly as the Phillies took an early 1-0 lead.

However, things got shaky for the Phillies in the 5th inning. The Nationals threw up a 4 spot on the scoreboard. Brett Myers was pulled after 5 innings of work. He allowed 4 runs, 3 earned. He walked 2 and only struck out 2.

The Phillies showed their resilience as they rallied back. In 2007 they led the Major League in come from behind wins, and the Phillies tried to bring back some memories. Jimmy Rollins hit a homerun to tie the game at 6 in the 7th inning.

The bullpen would have to hold the Nationals. The Phillies had one of the worst bullpens in 2007, and hoped 2008 would be different. In the long run, the Phillies proved to have one of the top bullpens in the league, but Opening Day was different.

Ryan Madson gave up 2 runs, but the big blow came when Tom Gordon, who would allow 5 earned runs.

Like 2007, the Phillies scored plenty of runs, but the pitching didn't hold up and the defense didn't make big plays. The Phillies didn't get their first win of the season until April 3, 2008. Was this the sign of another bad April?