Moyer Takes On Lowly Pirates

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Philadelphia Phillies (41-36) at Pittsburgh Pirates (28-51)

Jamie Moyer, LHP (6-6, 4.30 ERA) vs. Ross Ohlendorf, RHP (0-6, 4.90 ERA)

The Pirates are a team that the Phillies should sweep, but with last night's 3-2 loss, they will have to settle with a series win, if in fact they can win the next two. Nothing is certain for the Phillies, especially with the amount of injuries.

Jamie Moyer continues to amaze at 47 years of age. In addition, a team like the Pirates are the exact types of teams he has success against: young, free swinging, impatient hitters.

On the other hand, Ross Ohlendorf has yet to win a game this year. Of course, he plays for the Pirates who have one of the worse records in baseball. Ohlendorf has had success against the Phillies throughout his career, but the Pirates haven't always backed him with defense or run run support.

Hot Stove Commentary

Here is the latest Hot Stove news and rumors, and some unnecessary commentary:

Roy Halladay said that he would approve a trade to the New York Yankees. Traitor! Going to a division rival!? The Blue Jays want a pitcher and a hitter for him.

The Marlins might be looking to deal Josh Johnson. Typical Marlins: draft a good player. Bring him up through the farm system. Have a successful first few years in the big leagues. Then, trade him away for some prospects. Have those prospects come up and put together a successful team. Possibly win, then trade those players away. Repeat the process.

The Cubs are looking for an outfield bat. They still have to get rid of Monopoly-- errr, Milton Bradley.

Pirates would like to bring Mike Gonzalez back, but would it matter? They also might be looking at Blalock and Ankiel. Iwamura, Gonzo, Blalock, Ankiel, are they trying to be contenders?

The Baltimore Orioles would consider Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets. This is not much of a risk. Orioles probably won't contend in 2010 and both these guys have health issues. It would be worth a shot, as long as it's not too expensive.

Tim Lincecum is looking for a one year deal. Probably smart for him because when he wins another Cy Young, he'll be able to get another contract that makes even more money.

Jamie Moyer is doing well after minor surgery. Moyer had surgery to wash out a small collection of blood cells that could have been infected.

“The surgery is not likely to impact his rehab schedule and is likely to have minimal impact on his spring training schedule,” said Michael Ciccotti, the team doctor. Moyer will remain hospitalized until Monday.

Pirates Take Series With Late Comeback

As seen on Phillies Nation.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have nothing to play for. Being in last place (19 games under .500, 19 games back), the Pirates can only play spoiler. The Phillies swept the Pirates in July, but the Pirates wanted redemption. They welcomed in the reigning World Champs, and embarrassed them.

The Phillies had an excellent opportunity to knock around Charlie Morton right from the chute. The Phillies only had one run to show in a bases loaded, nobody out situation. Ryan Howard’s RBI ground out put the Phillies on the board, but Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez each popped out to end the threat. The Phillies added another run in the second inning on Paul Bako’s (2-2, 2 BB) homer.

Andrew McCutchen greeted J.A Happ with a lead-off home run. After that, Happ didn’t allow anything– until the eighth inning.

The Phillies learned about Garrett Jones at Citizens Bank Park, when he homered in each game of a three game series. With two outs in the eighth, he struck again. His two-run homer to center field gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead.

Other than the two homers, Happ pitched well. He pitched eight innings giving up three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.

With a struggling closer in Matt Capps, the Phillies had an opportunity to take the lead in the top of the ninth. Matt Stairs represented the go-ahead run, but he’d have to snap an 0-for-24 streak . The last time he had gotten a hit was on July 11, when he homered against Capps. It wasn’t meant to be, because although he swung for the fences, he struck out.

Jimmy Rollins grounded out to end the game. The offense struggled all series long. When the Phillies bats are hot, they’re on fire. When they’re cold, they’re frozen. The offense has been very streaky and they’ve become too reliant on the home run.

Expecting to sweep, the Phillies learned they can not take the Pirates lightly. With the 3-2 loss, the Phillies now have a record of 9-13 at PNC Park since 2002. The Phillies have a history of falling to bad teams, but they still have a comfortable lead in the division.

Phils/Bucs Rubber-Match Preview

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Philadelphia Phillies (73-51) at Pittsburgh Pirates (52-72)
J.A Happ (10-2, 2.59ERA) vs. Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21 ERA)

The Phillies and Pirates will play the rubber-match game of the series tonight. Even though the Pirates are a last place team, they've kept pace with the Phillies during this series. The games have been close and down to the wire.

The Phillies will hand the ball to J.A Happ, who has the lowest ERA of any rookie since Hideo Nomo in 1995. He has been one of the most consistent starters, and isn't phased when runners reach base. Happ allowed one run in seven innings when he faced the Buccos in July. He limited them to four hits, and walked two.

Charlie Morton gave up two runs in 6.1 innings in his last outing, rebounding from a game in which he allowed ten runs in one inning. Morton faced the Phillies last season and gave up five runs in two innings. Shane Victorino homered off him. Victorino, the team's leading hitter, is batting just .222 in the last seven days.

The offense needs to provide Happ with run support, something they've lacked in the past two games. With the ninth inning troubles, it would be nice for the Phillies to get a comfortable lead, big enough so that it is a non-save situation.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins (SS)/ Victorino (CF)/ Utley (2B)/ Howard (1B)/ Werth (RF)/ Ibanez (LF)/ Feliz (3B)/ Bako (C) Happ (P).

Call of the Day: An exciting finish in an extra inning game in 1989 on Bob Dernier's inside the parker.

"Line drive. It is a fair ball down the left field line, going all the way to to
the corner! Here comes Thon into score. Lake being waved around. Mitchell can't
pick it up! Lake scores, here comes Dernier! The throw to the plate... safe! I
can't believe it! The Phillies have won 3-2 in the bottom half of the 12th
inning! Incredible! Mitchell could not pick the ball up down in the corner, it
kicked away from him. Dernier has circled the bases! Bedlam here at Veterans
Stadium, when all looked lost! The Phightin' came back and won, 3 to 2!"

Howard Provides the Difference

As seen on Phillies Nation.

For some reason, Ryan Howard can't hit at PNC Park. Entering tonight's game, the slugger batted .167 there. His average may not have raised much, but he provided the biggest, and most important hit of the night.

Chase Utley's solo home run in the first inning immediately put the Phillies on the board. The Phillies have homered in the first inning in four consecutive games. It was awhile before another run would cross the plate.

Cole Hamels finally put together a solid outing. He pitched eight shutout innings, but did allow many base runners. He allowed seven hits, walked two, and hit a batter. He managed to escaped the jams without problems. Paul Maholm pitched just as well. In seven innings, he gave up one run on five hits. He walked two, struck out four, and was able to get the Phillies to ground out eleven times.

With a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth, the Phillies would have liked to add on. With runners on second and third and nobody out, the Pirates wiggled out of a potential big inning. Joel Hanrahan struck out Ben Francisco and Pedro Feliz. He intentionally walked pinch hitter Raul Ibanez to get to a slumping Matt Stairs. Stairs was ahead 3-0, but Hanrahan fought back, getting Stairs to ground out.

Brad Lidge received the day off since he pitched in four straight games. Ryan Madson took over, and struck out Steve Pearce to start the inning, topping at 99 mph. A sign of relief? Not so much. The next batter, Brandon Moss, homered to center field, tying the game at one. For the second day in a row, the Phillies blew a save to the Pirates.

Unlike Lidge, Madson was able to keep the game tied and give the bats, which were silent all night, a chance in the tenth.

Jimmy Rollins walked and Shane Victorino singled. With Rollins at third, Utley hit a fly ball to center, deep enough for Rollins to score. Holding up at third, Rollins didn't take a chance. On the very first pitch to Ryan Howard, Rollins trotted home. Howard hit a towering drive to right field; a three-run go-ahead home run.

Madson came back out for the bottom of the tenth. He allowed a lead-off single, but Chase Utley ended the game by turning a fantastic double play on a ball that deflected off the mound.

The game moved along quickly as Maholm and Hamels took part in a pitchers' duel. But it was Ryan Howard who provided the difference in the Phillies 4-1 win over the Pirates.

Hamels Looks To Rebound vs. Pirates

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Philadelphia Phillies (72-51) at Pittsburgh Pirates (52-71)
Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.78 ERA) vs. Paul Maholm (7-7, 4.74 ERA)

Losing a heart-breaker last night, the Phillies learned that they can not take the Pirates lightly. The Pirates may be in last place, but the Phillies continued their struggles at PNC Park.

Cole Hamels has found himself slumping against many teams this season, including the Pirates. In six innings, he gave up five earned runs against them. The biggest problem for Hamels is his location. If he has command of his pitches, he will be in complete control.

Hamels will be opposed by Paul Maholm who is 3-1 with a 3.71 ERA in his career against the Phillies. Maholm, a sinkerballer, is able to get many hitters to ground out.

Lidge Blows the Comeback

Also seen on Phillies Nation.

Baseball's an interesting game. As we saw with Eric Bruntlett's unassisted triple play, a player can make a mistake, but turn into the hero. A pitcher could be the best closer in baseball one year, but the opposite the next. A team could gain momentum, but it can be reversed quickly.

The Phillies managed to come back in the ninth inning, but just like Matt Capps, Brad Lidge ultimately failed to convert the save in the Phillies 6-4 loss.

On the very first pitch of the game, Jimmy Rollins' line shot cleared the right-center field seats to put the Phillies on the board. On the first pitch in his second at-bat, Rollins homered again. Two pitches, two home runs.

Joe Blanton pitched a quality start; he lasted six innings allowing three earned runs. However, all three runs came on home runs: Ryan Doumit's solo shot and Steve Pearce's two-run blast. Blanton gave up six hits, walked two, and struck out seven.

Ross Olendorf was just as effective. He pitched 6.1 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. The Phillies were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base. The Phillies trailed 3-2 heading into the top of the ninth.

Capps had trouble in his last appearance against the Phillies. In that game, he blew a 7-3 lead thanks to home runs by Matt Stairs and Ryan Howard. Tonight, neither were due up in the inning, but the bottom of the order provided the damage. Carlos Ruiz started the rally with a double. Ben Francisco drove Ruiz home to tie the game at three.

With two outs, Shane Victorino tripled, scoring Francisco from second. In Little League, coaches stress that the first step is always back. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen did not follow those rules and took the first step in. It was costly. The ball sailed over his head and the go-ahead run scored. McCutchen would get that run back... and more.

With Lidge closing, nothing is a sure thing. Capps already blew his save, but the truth is Lidge has been worse this year. Luis Cruz singled to start the inning against Lidge. That was the beginning of the end.

Brandon Moss singled to right fielder, Jayson Werth. Werth went to scoop up the ball, but bobbled it. Pinch runner, Brian Bixler, rounded the bases and scored from first. Werth fired to the plate. The throw beat the runner, but was off-line so Ruiz could not apply the tag quick enough. Tie game. Blown save, Brad Lidge.

The next batter was McCutchen, who had a chance to redeem himself. He did that, and more. He hit a long drive to straight-away center field. Victorino kept going back, but so did the baseball. It cleared the fence for a walk-off home run.

Lidge blowing saves is becoming a re-occurring nightmare for the Phillies. He is now 0-6 with nine blown saves and an ERA standing at 7.33. There has to be thought as to whether Lidge's days as a closer are numbered. Either way, the Phillies dropped a game to the lowly, last-place Pirates, a team they must take advantage of.

PHOTO COURTESY: The Fightins'

PNC Doesn't Always Fair Well for Phils

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Philadelphia Phillies (72-50) at Pittsburgh Pirates (51-71).

Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.86 ERA) starts vs. Ross Olendorf (11-8, 4.15 ERA).

The Phillies travel to Pittsburgh to face the lowly, last-place Pirates. In the midst of a 10-game winning streak, the Phillies swept the Pirates in July. The Pirates are completely different team than they were in July; they're worse.

Freddy Sanchez, Jack Wilson and Adam LaRoche, and others have all been traded away. Right now, their centerpiece is rookie Andrew McCutchen, who is batting .284 with an .822 OPS. He has seven homers and 14 stolen bases.

For some reason, the Phillies do not fair too well at PNC Park. They are 8-11 there since 2002. The Phillies have a history of falling to last place teams in the past, and they can't let that happen during this series.

As hot as Ryan Howard has been, he struggles at PNC Park. In 14 games, he is batting .159. He has hit the Pirates this season, including a ninth inning, game tying home run against Matt Capps.

The Phillies will give the ball to a hot hand in Joe Blanton. Since May 26, Blanton is 6-3 with a 2.45 ERA. He hasn't been very lucky in the win column, despite eating innings and putting up solid numbers. Blanton pitched 7.1 innings against the Pirates earlier this year. He gave up one earned run on four hits.

Ross Olendorf pitched 5.2 innings against the Phillies in July. He gave up three earned runs on five hits and walked four.

Baseball's Latest

The New York Times reported that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were on the list of 104 players who tested positive for steroids in 2003. Both Ortiz and Ramirez were teammates at the time.

Ortiz previously made this comment about steroids:

"I think you clean up the game by the testing. I know that if I test positive by
using any kind of substance, I know that I'm going to disrespect my family, the
game, the fans and everybody, and I don't want to be facing that situation."

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired George Sherill from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for prospects Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. Sherill has a 2.40 ERA and 20 saves as the O's closer.

The Pirates continue to be sellers and are basically giving up their whole team. The Cubs acquired John Grabow and Tom Gorzelanny for Kevin Hart, Jose Ascanio, and Josh Harrison.

Omar Minyaya apologized to a reporter after saying that he "lobbied for a player development position." Today, Minaya said that his comment about Adam Rubin was "out of character."

QUOTE SOURCE: MLB.com

Pirates Sellers At Deadline

With all the hoopla surrounding Cliff Lee, the Pittsburgh Pirates moves were overshadowed.

The Giants just finished a three game sweep of the Pirates. Moments later, a Pirate switched clubhouses, joing the G-men.

The Pirates traded Freddy Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants for minor league pitcher Tim Alderson. The 20 year old Alderson was ranked the Giants fourth best prospect and 26th best prospect in all of baseball according to Baseball America.

Because of a knee injury, Sanchez proposed a 3 year $20 million offer to the Pirates, which they turned down.

Sanchez is batting .296 with 6 HR and 34 RBI. He won the 2006 batting title.

It wasn't the only move the Pirates made. The Pirates and Seattle Mariners made a seven player deal.

The Mariners acquired Jack Wilson and Ian Snell for Ronny Cedeno and minor leaguers Aaron Pribanic, Brett Lorin and Nathan Adcock. The Pirates will also pay almost all of Snell's and Wilson's contract for the remainder of the season.

Feliz's Grand Slam Leads To Sweep

The last time the Phillies were at home, they had one of their worst homestands in franchise history, going 1-8. Talk about a turn around. The Phillies went 9-1 during this homestand, one of the best homestands in team history.

Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino each reached base for Chase Utley. Utley hustled out an infield single.

Utley's hustle will be overshadowed by the performance of his teammates, but Utley's hard-nosed play was a key factor in the Phillies win. On a line drive, Utley dove to second to double off the runner, NLCS style. He also deeked Andrew McCutchen, leading to another double play.

Utley's infield single opened the gates for Pedro Feliz after Ryan Howard's sacrifice fly scored Rollins. Feliz hit a grand slam to left field, breaking the game open, 5-0.

The Phillies knocked out started Virgil Vasquez after only 1.1 innings. On the other hand, J.A Happ was terrific. He allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks in seven innings.

J.C Romero allowed a home run to Garrett Jones in the ninth, his third homer of the series. However, Romero finished off the 5-2 Phillies win.

With the win, Happ improved to 6-0. He has not lost since making his Major League debut in 2007.

The Phillies head into the All Star Break on a positive note, sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 9-1 homestand, they outscored opponents 66-27, and improved to 10 games over .500.

Phillies Look To Sweep Pirates

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Pittsburgh Pirates (38-49) at Philadelphia Phillies (47-38).
Virgil Vasquez (1-2, 4.50 ERA) vs. J.A Happ (5-0, 3.04 ERA).

The Phillies would like to end the first half of the year on a good note. For the most part, the Phillies have hit and pitched well during this homestand. They'll look to continue that today and complete the sweep, improving to 9-1 on this homestand.

Although he is not overpowering, J.A Happ has been the Phillies most consistent pitcher. In his last outing, he received the no-decision, but pitched well. He struck out seven and walked none in seven innings. Happ hasn't lost since his Major League debut in 2007.

Virgil Vasquez is making his third start since being move in the rotation. In his last start, Vasquez gave up four runs in six innings. Walks have hurt Vasquez. He has allowed eight walks in 18 innings. The Phillies will have to be patient against the 27-year old right hander.

After missing the last two games due to a neck injury, Carlos Ruiz is back in the starting lineup. Raul Ibanez will also play for the second straight day.

Amazing Ninth Inning Comeback

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Over the years, the Phillies have taught us to never give up on them. We may not always listen, but even if they are down 5-0, they are capable of a big comeback.

Good start. Bad start. Good start. Bad start. That has been the pattern for Cole Hamels and Ross Ohlendorf. If the pattern continued, Hamels was due for a bad start, and the opposite for Ohlendorf. That was exactly what happened.

The Pirates took a 5-0 lead on home runs by Garrett Jones, Delwyn Young, and Andrew McCutchen. Cole Hamels’ line: 6 innings, 7 hits, five earned runs, no walks, six strikeouts. The long balls hurt him.

The Phillies didn’t get to Ohlendorf until the sixth inning. In his first start since coming off the disabled list, Raul Ibanez’s RBI double put the Phillies on the board. Greg Dobbs’ sacrifice fly and Paul Bako’s RBI single made it a 5-3 game. Ohlendorf’s line: 5.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs, four walks, five strikeouts.

The bullpen was not able to have a “shutdown inning” in the seventh. Chad Durbin loaded the bases (with the help of few mental mistakes by third basemen Dobbs), and Scott Eyre could not clean up his mess. The Pirates extended their lead, 7-3.

Trailing in the ninth, the Phillies had no chance against Matt Capps. It would take a miracle. Matt Stairs hit a meaningless home run. 7-4. But was it? The rally caps broke out and the fans rose to their feet. They didn’t sit for the remainder of the game.

Jimmy Rollins walked and Chase Utley singled. With one out and two on, Ryan Howard gave us all a preview of the Home Run Derby. His three-run home run tied the game at seven.

Ibanez followed with a double and Pedro Feliz singled. With runners at the corners and one out, Bako was due up, with Stairs on-deck. It was time for Bako to show why the Phillies kept him on the roster. Bako’s walk-off single scored Ibanez to cap off an unbelievable five-run ninth inning.

Bako was deservedly mobbed at first base by his teammates. The 8-7 come-from-behind win once again proved why to never give up on the Phightin’ Phils. Will Pittsburgh’s announcer be walking home tonight?

Hamels On Hill Vs. Pirates

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The Pittsburgh Pirates (38-48) are at the Philadelphia Phillies (46-38).

Ross Ohlendorf (7-7, 4.63 ERA) pitches vs. Cole Hamels (5-5, 4.70 ERA)

The Phillies turned it around during this homestand, winning seven of eight. Tonight, Cole Hamels and Ross Ohlendorf matchup. Both have been inconsistent his season.

Hamels hopes he can get half of the run support he received in his last start; 22 runs. That game he kept his pitch count low with 92 in seven innings. He did not walk a batter and gave up one run on three hits. Back-to-back great outings is important for Hamels. He faced the Pirates once in his career – in five innings, he allowed three runs.

Ohlendorf has also been inconsistent. He has fared well at times, only to follow it up with a subpar performance. He allowed five runs in his last start, which followed a seven inning shutout and a career high eight strikeouts. If the pattern continues, Ohlendorf should be good tonight. The Phillies don’t want that.

Amazing 9th Inning Comeback

Also seen on Phillies Nation.

Over the years, the Phillies have taught us to never give up on them. We may not always listen, but even if they are down 5-0, they are capable of a big comeback.

Good start. Bad start. Good start. Bad start. That has been the pattern for Cole Hamels and Ross Ohlendorf. If the pattern continued, Hamels was due for a bad start, and the opposite for Ohlendorf. That was exactly what happened.

The Pirates took a 5-0 lead on home runs by Garrett Jones, Delwyn Young, and Andrew McCutchen. Cole Hamels' line: 6 innings, 7 hits, five earned runs, no walks, six strikeouts. The long balls hurt him.

The Phillies didn't get to Ohlendorf until the sixth inning. In his first start since coming off the disabled list, Raul Ibanez's RBI double put the Phillies on the board. Greg Dobbs' sacrifice fly and Paul Bako's RBI single made it a 5-3 game. Ohlendorf's line: 5.2 innings, five hits, three earned runs, four walks, five strikeouts.

The bullpen was not able to have a "shutdown inning" in the seventh. Chad Durbin loaded the bases (with the help of few mental mistakes by third basemen Dobbs), and Scott Eyre could not clean up his mess. The Pirates extended their lead, 7-3.

Trailing in the ninth, the Phillies had no chance against Matt Capps. It would take a miracle. Matt Stairs hit a meaningless home run. 7-4. But was it? The rally caps broke out and the fans rose to their feet. They didn't sit for the remainder of the game.

Jimmy Rollins walked and Chase Utley singled. With one out and two on, Ryan Howard gave us all a preview of the Home Run Derby. His three-run home run tied the game at seven.

Ibanez followed with a double and Pedro Feliz singled. With runners at the corners and one out, Bako was due up, with Stairs on-deck. It was time for Bako to show why the Phillies kept him on the roster. Bako's walk-off single scored Ibanez to cap off an unbelievable five-run ninth inning.

Bako was deservedly mobbed at first base by his teammates. The 8-7 come-from-behind win once again proved why to never give up on the Phightin' Phils. Will Pittsburgh's announcer be walking home tonight?

All Stars Lead Blanton To Victory

The All Star syndrome is contagious. First it was Raul Ibanez and Chase Utley. Then, Ryan Howard. Next, Shane Victorino was voted in. Now, Jayson Werth is added. Several of those All Stars played a key role in today's win and Joe Blanton pitched an All Star-type performance.

In 7.1 innings, Blanton allowed one earned run; a Garrett Jones moonshot over the centerfield bricks. He allowed four hits and one walk. He struck out six.

In the third, Utley's single scored Victorino. The play at the plate was close, but Victorino's textbook slide tied the game at one. The Phillies took a 3-1 lead on Werth's two-run double that scored Utley and Howard.

Like Blanton, Zach Duke was also dealing. In eight innings, he allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out six. However, the Pirates weren't able to support him.

Despite giving up a solo home run to Brandon Moss and allowing the tying run to reach base, Brad Lidge converted the save by striking out Delwyn Young after falling behind in the count, 3-0. With the 3-2 win over the Pirates, the Phillies have won seven of eight.

Call of the Day: Chris Coste had a lot of big hits during his time with the Phillies.

"Deep to left center field, and this ball is OUTTA HERE! Three-run
home run Chris Coste! And this game is tied here in the second at 3-3.
With that home run Patty Buffett of Riverside, New Jersey, winning $100
courtesty of McDonalds' home run jackpot."

Pirates/Phillies Open Series

Pittsburgh Pirates (38-47) play the Philadelphia Phillies (45-38).

Zach Duke (8-7, 3.28 ERA) starts vs. Joe Blanton (5-4, 4.69 ERA).

The Phillies are 6-1 on this home stand, hoping to continue their winning ways. Their offense has been somewhat inconsistent. The Phillies need to hit with runners in scoring position. One thing that has been consistent during this homestand: the bullpen.

Joe Blanton will take the hill for the Phillies. After a slow start, Blanton is improving as the season goes on. In his last eight starts, Blanton is 3-1 with a 2.63. In his last outing, he out-pitched Johan Santana. In his lone career start against Pittsburgh, Blanton threw seven scoreless innings striking out seven.

Zach Duke has struggled in his career against the Phillies. In three starts, he is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA. Duke has had a good season, posting a 3.28 earned run average, but hasn't received much run support.

Chris Coste was designated for assignment after Raul Ibanez was activated from the disabled list. Coste was claimed off waivers by the Houston Astros.

Braves Acquire McLouth & MLB News

The Atlanta Braves added depth to their outfield by acquiring Nate McLouth from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In return, the Pirates acquired starting pitchers Jeff Locke and Charlie Morton, and center fielder Gorkys Hernandez.

McLouth is batting .256 with 9 HR and .819 OPS. The 26 year old had a career year last season when he batted .276 with 26 HR and 94 RBI and had an .853 OPS.

The Braves also released Tom Glavine, who spent most of the season on the disable list. Highly touted prospect Tommy Hanson will most likely start on Saturday. Glavine does not expect to pitch in 2010, so this could very well be his final season.

Sammy Sosa is also done with baseball. Out of the game for two years, Slammin' Sammy is set to announce his retirement. Sosa ranks sixth on the all time home run list with 607.

Randy Johnson will have to wait another day for an attempt and career win number 300. The San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals were rained out on Wednesday.

Former Phillie Vincente Padilla has been put on waivers by the Texas Rangers. I wouldn't be shocked if the Phillies go after him.

Phils Pitching Struggles in 10-4 Loss

The Phillies pitching could not hold up in their 10-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 5.2 innings, Jamie Moyer struck out seven batters, but allowed seven earned runs on eleven hits, including Andrew McCutchen’s solo home run. McCutchen went 5-5 with 2 RBI.

In the eighth inning, Brad Lidge gave up a three run homer to Garrett Jones.

Ian Snell and the rest of the Pirates pitching limited the Phillies offense to just four hits. Ryan Howard hit his eighth home run of the season, a monster solo shot over the batter’s eye in center field. Carlos Ruiz hit a three-run home run off Denny Bautista.

J.A Happ pitched in a minor league spring training game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin.

In 5.1 innings, Happ struck out 4, allowed 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. In the first inning, he allowed three runs, but later retired 13 of 14 batters. The leftfielder coulnd't catch a fly ball to the outfield, and that allowed 2 runs to score.

Blog of Note: Macho Row had a round table discussion with four Phillies bloggers about the upcoming season. I had a chance to answer some questions along with Carson from We Should be GMs. Be sure to check it out!

Moyer To Face Pirates

The Phillies will head to Bradenton, Florida to face the Pittsburgh Pirates for the third time this spring. Game time is 1:05 and it will be aired on MLB Network and Comcast Sportsnet.

Jamie Moyer is the slated starter and J.A. Happ, Scott Eyre, and Brad Lidge are each scheduled to pitch for the Phillies. Ian Snell will be on the hill for the Pirates, who was roughed up in his last spring outing.

Blog of Note: More Hardball needs your help. Not my type, but you can vote for the hottest fans here.