Mailbag: Second Half

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 hottest trade rumor is now Jayson Werth and his possible departure. Do you believe the Phillies can win if they were to trade him?

With Dom Brown in the waiting, I think they can win without Werth, but they are a better team with him.

The starting rotation has been the strongest part of the Phillies team this year. Led by Roy Halladay, they have thrown the most innings in the National League. They also have the most complete games in baseball. Can the Phillies starters keep up this pace in the second half?

Yes. There are no signs Halladay is slowing down. Hamels (3.94 ERA first half, 3.27 ERA second half) and Blanton (4.33 ERA first half, 3.99 second half) have been second half pitchers throughout their career. The only thing to worry about would be an injury.

Injuries have certainly taken their toll on the team, most notably the offense. In years past, this lineup was considered a juggernaut. Are those days over or can they regain that status in the 2nd half?

Absolutely. Over the past few years this team has really been a second half team, especially offensively. I'm not too worried about the offense. They'll come around.

The bullpen was good, then bad, but basically it's been all over the place. Will they go with what they have, or is a trade or move of some sort inevitable?

Any trade that can help the pitching staff would be nice. I would say they need at least one more decent reliever.

Dom Brown. Bring him up or keep him down?

In September. Unless Werth is traded and he'll be playing everyday, keep him in the minors where he can get some ABs.

Mid Season Report Card: Offense

This is a midseason review, which is also featured on Phillies Nation. Visit Phillies Nation for the full feature, which includes other blogger's opinions.

Jimmy Rollins: C+

Since he missed most of the season due to injury, it's hard to put a grade on Rollins. Before he was first placed on the disabled list, he showed tremendous patience at the plate. However, after his second return, all his numbers dipped off. The injured calf is mainly to blame, but Rollins is a player who is capable of stealing many bases; he only has two this season. The Phillies are a much better team when Rollins is healthy; they need him to be the spark plug.

Placido Polanco: B+

Despite losing at-bats due to his injury, Polanco remains near the league leaders in average (.318). He's not going to hit for power, but his slugging percentage is up from where it was at this point last year (.386 midway through '09, .433 midway through '10). Defensively, he has adjusted fine from second to third. The Phillies have gotten what they expected from Polanco. It's just a shame he's hurt.

Chase Utley: B+

He's the best second baseman in baseball, but he's having a down year -- for Chase Utley. His month long slump put a toll on his stats. He's batting .277; he's usually around the .290 mark. He's slugging .466; he's usually over .500. His OPS is .849; it's usually over .900. It just shows how spoiled we are to watch a player like Chase. His "down year" is above average for most players. It hurts that he'll be out so long.

Ryan Howard: B+

His batting average is way up. His strikeout numbers are way down, but so are his power numbers. Decide which Ryan Howard you like more: the one that will hit tons of home runs but strike out quite a bit, or the one that will hit for average, strike out less, but will also hit less home runs? You decide. He's having a very good season, but I'd still like to see a bigger power display from him.

Jayson Werth: A

Werth has had his ups and downs, but he has put together a solid year at the plate. A line of .286 AVG/ .371 OBP/ .531 SLG/ .902 OPS isn't too shabby. He has 26 doubles midway through 2010; that was his total for ALL of last year. He has slumped, however when he is hot, he's on fire.

Raul Ibanez: D+

There have been a lot less "RAAUUUUUUUL" chants this year. Last season was one of Raul's better seasons, but this year he can't even come close to the numbers he put up with Seattle and Kansas City.

Shane Victorino: C+

I like that Victorino is attempting to steal. It seems like he is only Phillie that is attempting to. His slugging percentage is about where it usually is (.446), but his average (.252) and on-base percentage (.322) are lower than normal. The Phillies need him on base.

Carlos Ruiz: C+

Chooch was having one of his better years at the plate before suffering an injury. The backstop is known more for his catching abilities, and has done a tremendous job defensively behind the plate, from calling the game to making game-saving plays.

Bench: D+

During the offseason, Ruben Amaro gave the bench a whole new look, hoping to improve on 2009. Many of those bench players have turned into "everyday" players, thanks to numerous injuries. Charlie Manuel always says that he needs to give his bench players at-bats for them to do well. Players like Wilson Valdez and Juan Castro have done a decent job filling in for hurt players. However, when guys are called off the bench to pinch hit, like Ben Franciso, it usually doesn't end up in any sort of production. Filling in nicely, yes. Pinch hitting, not so much.

Phillies Finish Home Stand on High Note

As seen on Phillies Nation.

There was some magic in those pink bats that Jayson Werth, Placido Polanco, and Shane Victorino used. They each smashed solo home runs to help the Phillies wrap up a 7-3 home stand. But it was the bullpen that was the story in the Phillies 5-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves.

Cole Hamels lasted just five innings, but was backed by solid defense. In the first inning, Omar Infante rounded third as Werth threw a laser to Carlos Ruiz, who applied the tag. Infante was gunned down, and the inning came to an end. Hamels allowed three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out five, but was a tad wild as he walked four. Luckily for Hamels, he received run support unlike his last start.

The Phillies loaded the bases in the first inning. Werth was hit by a pitch by Kenshin Kawakami to force in a run. Ibanez followed with a shallow fly ball to right field. It was nowhere deep enough to score a run, however when Chase Utley is on third base, nothing is shallow enough. Melky Cabrera took his time, and Utley took advantage and tagged from third to score. By the third inning, the Phillies led 4-0 thanks to home runs by Polanco and Werth.

The Braves inched back off Hamels, but the bullpen stepped in and dominated. Chad Durbin pitched two perfect innings and struck out four. Jose Contreras has made us all forget about his poor spring training. He threw a scoreless inning to set it up for Brad Lidge.

Eric Hinske and Infante hit two loud fly balls. On any day, those balls probably would have left the yard, but thankfully the wind knocked them down. After all the fans took a deep breath, Lidge retired Martin Prado to record his first save of the season.

The Phillies' bullpen combined for four scoreless innings. Nor Durbin, Contreras or Lidge allowed a single base runner. The bullpen needs to continue this sort of dominance, and the Phillies will continue to succeed.

The Many Styles of Jayson Werth II

Around this time last year, Swing and a Long Drive brought you a series of different pictures that included a varitey of Jayson Werth styles. Well, Jayson continues to change his style. In fact, he can't seem to decide on one. He's got a new style every day, it seems like.



The current look, via The Fightins.

Hard to believe that THIS was once him:

Year In Review: NL Pennant

Swing and a Long Drive will be looking at some of 2009's top moments. We had a similar "Year in Review" last year, but instead of month-by-month, we'll look at some of the top games. They are also a part of Phillies Nation's Top 25 Moments of 2009.

It had never been done in franchise history. Following an epic win, there was no doubt that this team was going to do it. For the second year in a row, each member of the Philadelphia Phillies raised the Warren C. Giles trophy. National League Champions! Some things just don't get old.

The Phillies fell to an early one-run deficit, but one swing of the bat changed the momentum. After crushing a three-run home run, Jayson Werth trotted to right field, tipped his cap and fist pumped to an amped up crowd. The atmosphere and the attitude didn't change as the Phightin's cruised to a 10-4 victory, shattering the Los Angeles Dodgers' hopes for the second consecutive year.

In the process, the Phillies rocked Vicente Padilla, who shut them down in game two. Cole Hamels handed over the NLCS Most Valuable Player award to Ryan Howard. Howard batted .333 with two home runs and eight RBIs during the series.

The players sported their new t-shirts and caps. Champagne was sprayed throughout the clubhouse and the streets of Philadelphia emptied. It's starting to become a nice tradition.

Other Top Moments: Jimmy Rollins' walk off against Dodgers in game four of the NLCS. Ryan Howard "gets to the plate, boys" in game four of the NLDS.

Year In Review: Werth Extends Win Streak

Swing and a Long Drive will be looking at some of 2009's top moments. We had a similar "Year in Review" last year, but instead of month-by-month, we'll look at some of the top games. They are also a part of Phillies Nation's Top 25 Moments of 2009.

July was an action-packed month for the Philadelphia Phillies. Headed into the All Star Break, the Phillies won five straight games. They carried their hot streak into the second half of the season, leaving it to one of their All Stars to extend their winning streak in dramatic fashion.

Joe Blanton and Rich Harden, two former Oakland teammates, were in the midst of a pitcher's duel. Blanton allowed just one run in seven innings. The Phillies scored one run themselves: a Jimmy Rollins solo home run. The game stood at one a piece headed into extra innings.

The Phillies bullpen was superb. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge combined for two scoreless innings. Chan Ho Park ate three innings out of the bullpen, and Clay Condrey tossed a 1-2-3 thirteenth inning. The defense was also praiseworthy. Rollins turned a fantastic double play on a kick-save by Lidge, and Raul Ibanez made a tremendous diving catch.

Jeff Samardzija started the thirteenth with two easy outs, but walked Ryan Howard and Ibanez. Jayson Werth stepped up to the plate, and sent Samardzija's offering deep into the left field seats. By the crack of the bat, everybody knew it was gone. As the Cubs players headed towards the visiting dugout in disappoint, Werth rounded the bases with his finger up in the air, and was mobbed at home plate to celebrate the 4-1 win.

The victory marked the Phillies tenth consecutive win, the Phillies longest winning streak since 1991. Everything was falling the Phillies way. The win streak was impressive, but Werth's walk off made it much more memorable.

Other Top Moments: Pedro Martinez outdueled Tim Lincecum on September 1st. The Old Goat beat the Freak, as Pedro might say. The Phillies won 2-1 in the pitcher's duel.

Phillies Win the Pennant!

This doesn't get old! For the first time in franchise history, the Phillies win back-to-back National League pennants. The Phillies 10-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers sends them back to the World Series!

Andre Eithier's solo home run put the Dodgers on the board, but Jayson Werth's three-run shot changed the entire atmosphere. Werth, who smacked two home runs, tipped his cap and raised his arms to the fired up crowd. That was the attitude for the rest of the game. The Phillies took a 3-1 lead and didn't look back. Even when the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth inning, there was never doubt that the Phillies would lose.

It wasn't a good homecoming for Vicente Padilla, who allowed six runs. The Phillies kept tacking on. Pedro Feliz and Shane Victorino each homered. Raul Ibanez added a RBI double. Victorino waited for Ronnie Belliard's fly ball to reach his glove as Carlos Ruiz and Brad Lidge rejoiced on the pitcher's mound with the rest of the team joining them.

Cole Hamels, who looked shaky in his 4.1 innings, handed over his NLCS MVP to Ryan Howard. Howard deservedly earned honors, driving in a run in eight consecutive games (which ended on Wednesday). Howard batted .333 with two home runs and eight RBI during the Championship series.

This series was amazing. Cliff Lee's eight inning shutout and Jimmy Rollins' walk-off were two of the top highlights during one of the best postseason series in franchise history. Celebrate Philadelphia, but we still need four more wins!

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Phillies Stun Rockies, Clinch NLDS

Take a deep breath Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Phillies clinched the National League Division Series with their 5-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Just when all life was sucked out, the Phillies dramatically rallied in the ninth inning.

Cliff Lee was spectacular. In 7.1 innings, Lee allowed three runs (1 earned). He gave up five hits, walked three, and struck out five. However, his dominant performance diminished when Ryan Madson came into relieve in the eighth.

Shane Victorino statred the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning. Jayson Werth's home run in the sixth inning made it 2-0. Troy Tulowitzki cut the lead in half with a RBI double against Lee in the bottom half of the sixth.

Lee started the eighth inning, but was replaced by Ryan Madson after the circus came to town. Dexter Fowler reached with a walk. Todd Helton hit a soft grounder to Chase Utley. Utley reached out to tag Fowler, who went airborne, leaping over Utley. Utley flipped to Rollins at second, but he missed the catch. Everybody was safe, and Madson entered with one out as part of a key double switch. Ben Francisco entered the game for Raul Ibanez. Francisco made a terrific diving catch, robbing Tulowitzski.

With two outs, Madson could see his way out of the inning. How quickly a stellar performance from Lee and an amazing catch were erased. Jason Giambi's RBI single tied the game.

Yorvit Torrealba caused the Phillies a lot of trouble, homering off Cole Hamels earlier in the series. He struck again, ripping the hearts out of Philadelphia fans all across the country with a two-run, go-ahead double.

The game was over. Get ready for game five. The Phillies stranding the bases loaded twice proved to be costly. The offense didn't show up against Ubaldo Jiminez. Why didn't Charlie Manuel keep Lee in? Not so fast. The Phillies led the league in come from behind wins in 2009. Once again, they showed their resilience.

With two outs in the ninth inning, Utley drew a walk against closer Huston Street. Then, Ryan Howard clobbered Street's 2-1 offering over the head of Carlos Gonzalez. Victorino rounded third, but missed the bag. He went back to tag, with Utley on his heels. Victorino and Utley scored, tying the game at four. Werth followed with a RBI single, giving the Phillies a 5-4 lead.

It was not Brad Lidge who started the ninth, but Scott Eyre. Eyre rolled his ankle on Sunday night, but that did not stop him from getting two quick outs. He allowed two runners, and it was up to Lidge to seal the deal. He did. Tulowitzski chased a nasty slider to end the game.

This game, and this entire series, will go down in the books as one of the greatest in Phillies franchise history. The Rockies played the Phillies tough, but luckily the Phillies finished on top. Los Angeles Dodgers, we'll meet again on Thursday.

As seen on Phillies Nation.

A Healthy Offensive Mix

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Brad Lidge’s struggles are well documented. Before the game, Charlie Manuel discussed Lidge’s fate. Unsure if Lidge would pitch in the next save opportunity, Manuel said he would go with his gut feeling. It was not the prettiest game, but the Phillies edged the Nationals 6-5. The Phillies played small ball and long ball to beat the Nationals.

Cliff Lee looked like Cy Young during his first five starts with the Phillies. Since, he has cooled off. He was not as bad as he was in his last two starts, but he was not the Cliff Lee that we’re accustomed to seeing. He pitched seven innings and did not walk a batter. On the other hand, he gave up five runs (four earned) on ten hits. Five hits went for extra bases.

Adam Dunn’s RBI single gave the Nats an early lead, but Jayson Werth quickly tied it with a single of his own. The Phillies have been struggling getting the little-big hit, but leave it to Lee to help his own cause. Lee singled, collecting his first career RBI. It gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead in the second inning.

Raul Ibanez continued his Nat swatting. His RBI double gave the Philliesa 4-1 lead. Ibanez is now 5-for-9 with three runs batted in during this series.

They are already eliminated from playoff contention, but the Nationals don’t quit. Phillies/Nationals games are always close. As expected, the Nationals fought back. Dunn’s RBI single made it a one-run game. Jorge Padilla’s bunt single barely stayed fair, and all of a sudden the Nationals had runners at the corners with one out. Christian Guzman looked like he had grounded into the inning-ending twin killing, however Chase Utley was unable to handle the late flip from Jimmy Rollins. Tie game.

Jayson Werth has displayed his power throughout the year, reaching the second deck at Citizens Bank Park and Rogers Centre. Once again, he reached new heights. Werth hit a towering drive to straight away center field to give the Phillies the lead. Pedro Feliz immediately followed with a solo home run of his own, to make it back-to-back jacks.

Trying to make his job easier, Manuel tried to stretch Lee through eight innings. However, the first two batters reached base, forcing Manuel to go to Chan Ho Park. Park allowed a walk, loading the bases with nobody out. Pete Orr’s sacrifice fly put the Nationals within one. That was all Park would give up, avoiding further damage.

Ryan Madson was called on to close. Although he converted Tuesday’s save, Madson previously struggled as a closer. Justin Maxwell greeted him with a single and stole a base. Madson was firing 98 mph fastballs, and struck out Guzman. Maxwell was dancing off second when Dunn lined a shot to Utley. Utley caught it, and flipped to Rollins covering second base. Maxwell was doubled off, ending the game.

With the victory, the Phillies have not only won their second game in a row, but clinched the series. Manuel’s gut feeling worked. They’ll look to sweep the Nationals tomorrow.

Solo Shots Lift Phils

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Brad Lidge was on the verge of blowing his eleventh save. Almost. When the lead-off runner reaches base, trouble is ahead. This time Charlie Manuel lost his patience and pulled Lidge. But would Ryan Madson escape the bases-loaded, one out jam with Ryan Zimmerman and Adam Dunn due up?

Before the ninth inning drama, Pedro Martinez pitched another gem. A strike away from finishing the seventh inning, Martinez allowed a solo home run to Willie Harris. Manuel called to the 'pen, but Martinez made the best of his 119 pitches. In 6.2 innings, he allowed three runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out four.

Once again, the offense started slowly. The bats would wake up. Raul Ibanez loves to beat up the Nats. He homered to put the Phillies on the board in the fifth inning. In the seventh, Jayson Werth hit his 32nd home run of the year. Ibanez homered again, going back-to-back with Werth. Not only did Ibanez's two homers give the Phillies the lead, but they upped his home run total to 30. After Pedro Feliz grounded out, Carlos Ruiz homered. The Phillies hit three home runs in the seventh inning. For the first time in 70 innings, the Phillies had a lead larger than one run.

The lead didn't last long thanks to Harris' homer, but Chase Utley returned the favor with a solo shot down the right field line. Like Ibanez, the homer was Utley's 30th of the year. The Phillies now have four players with at least 30 homers (Ryan Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Utley).

All of the Phillies five runs came on solo home runs. The last time the Phillies had five solo home runs in a game was in 1999.

Then it became interesting. Charlie Manuel has made it clear that Brad Lidge is his closer. He may have finally changed his mind. Lidge loaded the bases with one out. The eventual outcome was pretty obvious. Manuel had enough, and made the call to Ryan Madson. Madson fired 96 mph fastballs before striking out Zimmerman on a changeup. Adam Dunn hit a grounder into the shift to end the game. Phillies win, 5-3. Pedro collected the win, and Madson recorded the save.

For the first time in September, the Phillies scored more than four runs. The Phillies halted their four game losing streak, but the question remains: has Charlie lost his faith in his closer?

Players of the Week: 8/16-22

Jayson Werth earned National League honors by being named the NL Player of the Week.

From the week of August 16-22, Werth led the majors in home runs (5) and total bases (29). He batted .440 (11-for-25), scored seven runs and drove in nine. He slugged 1.160 and his on-base percentage was .481.

Werth is batting .269 with 29 home runs and 79 RBI this season. His OPS is .897.

In the American League, Michael Young was granted with Player of the Week honors.

Young batted an even .500 (15-for-30) with one home run and stolen base for the Texas Rangers. He slugged .733 and has an 11 game hitting streak.

Call of the Day: The right fielder makes a nice catch.

"Swing and a drive to right field. Johnson
got a long ways to run. Makes the running catch nicely. Rifels to
first base! Double Play! Great play by Johnson."

Power Display Leads to Sweep

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Is it September yet? Ryan Howard must think it is because he is tearing it up. Howard’s blast was the icing on the cake in the Phillies 12-3 blowout. With the victory, the Phillies swept the Arizona Diamondbacks and improved to 20 games over .500.

The Phillies put up a three spot in the first inning against Doug Davis (5 IP, 6 R). Shane Victorino tripled, and Howard brought him home with a double. Ben Francisco’s two-run single gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead.

The Diamondbacks tied the game in the fourth inning on Miguel Montero and Chad Tracy’s runs batted in. That was all Joe Blanton gave up in eight innings of work.

Blanton (2-for-4) singled to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Then, the offense jumped into the Cadillac and took off. Jayson Werth homered for the fourth time in this series. Carlos Ruiz hit his seventh home run of the season, a new career high. After Chase Utley’s RBI single, the Phillies led 8-3, but the big blow came from Howard.

Howard has hit some long home runs in his career, reaching the third deck and homering “over the backdrop.” He found a new area tonight with a 455-foot moonshot that bounced off the back of the Diamondback’s bullpen. From the sound of it, everybody knew it was gone; the only question was where it would land.

Twelve runs was plenty of support. After surrendering three runs through four, Blanton settled down. He allowed ten hits, but struck out four and did not walk a batter. In fact, none of the Phillies pitchers walked a single batter during the entire series. Also, the pitchers tallied a total of six hits.

Players are heating up at the right time, especially Werth and Howard. The starting pitching is going deep into games, resting the bullpen. At the moment, everything is clicking for the Phillies.

Brother-Lee Love

As seen on Phillies Nation.

On Brad Lidge Bobble Head Night, it wasn't Lidge who finished the game. All 45,356 rose to their feet anticipating the final out of Cliff Lee's complete game. With the Phillies 8-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Lee has won seven consecutive games.

With Lee and Dan Haren on the mound, the game was expected to be a pitchers' duel. Lee did his part, but the Phillies rocked Haren. Normally, the Diamondbacks play shaky defense, but all six runs that Haren allowed were earned.

After a couple missed opportunities in the first two innings, the Phillies got on the board in the third on Chase Utley's two-run home run. With the homer, the Phillies now have four players with at least 25 home runs: Howard (31), Werth (27), Ibanez (27), and Utley (25).

In the fourth inning, the Diamondbacks manufactured a run without a hit. Ryan Roberts grounded to Pedro Feliz, but the ball went under his glove for a two-base error. Roberts moved to third on a grounder to the right side of the infield, and Stephen Drew's sacrifice fly put the D-backs on the board. The perfect game and shutout ended, but Lee still had the no-hitter working.

For the second time in four starts, Lee took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Chad Tracy broke up the no-hit bid on a line drive up the middle.

The Indians did not provide Lee with much run support, but he received plenty tonight. Ryan Howard's opposite field, three-run homer gave the Phillies a 5-1 lead. Before the Liberty Bell could stop ringing and the fans could sit down, Jayson Werth took the first pitch deep off the ivy in center field. Werth homered again in the seventh inning.

As he stepped into the batter's box in the eighth, fans knew that Lee would be attempting the complete game. After a big hack on the first pitch, Lee dribbled a hit down the third base line. Mark Reynolds hoped it would roll foul, but Lee hustled out the single. It was his second hit of the night; the same amount of hits he allowed.

Lee struck out 11 batters, tying a career high. He improved to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.82 with the Phillies. His complete game is his second with the Phillies, and fifth of the season. The only run he allowed was unearned, and he did not walk a batter. Lee has gone at least seven innings in each and every of his starts with the Phillies. A tremendous addition to the Phillies, Lee is quickly becoming a fan favorite, and deservedly so.

Out of Bullpen, Moyer Dominates

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Jamie Moyer was clearly upset about the team's decision to move him from the starting rotation to the bullpen after the addition of tonight's starter, Pedro Martinez. Moyer isn't a left handed specialist. He is there to serve as a long man. Tonight, Moyer pitched in relief, but had the line of a starter.

The Phillies had a chance for a big inning in the bottom of the first with the bases loaded and nobody out. The problem for the Phillies hasn't changed; they continue to struggle with runners in scoring position. Ryan Howard struck out, Jayson Werth popped out, and Raul Ibanez grounded out to end the inning. The Phillies were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position, and left 11 men on base.

Stephen Drew greeted Pedro with a lead off home run, but he settled down. He pitched three innings, allowing one run. He gave up two hits and struck out three until the rain came down in buckets. A one hour and six minute rain delay halted play, but when it resumed, the Phillies quickly got on the board.

As shown during the series in Arizona, the Diamondbacks' defense is horrible. Tonight, the Phils were able to capitalize on Ryan Roberts' mistakes. He misplayed Jason Werth's double which scored Chase Utley, tying the game at one. Roberts made a throwing error on Pedro Feliz's RBI single. It gave the Phillies a lead, and moved the runners up. Carlos Ruiz's single gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the third.

Because of the thunderstorm, Pedro was forced to stop after three innings, however Jamie Moyer filled in nicely. He made his first appearance out of the bullpen since 2004 and officially became the oldest non-knuckleballer to pitch in relief since 1945. Moyer already had success against the Diamondbacks earlier this year, shutting them out in 6.2 innings.

It took only 69 pitches for Moyer to pitch six shutout innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out five. At the plate, Moyer had two hits-- the same amount of hits he allowed. It was Moyer's first multi-hit game since May, 2008.

There was talk about Moyer and Martinez sharing the fifth rotation spot, and it worked like that tonight."You never know what you get when you put two old goats out there. It's a scary combination," said Martinez. Since Martinez did not pitch at least five innings, Moyer was credited with the win. His 257th career win was his sixth win in relief, and first since 1996.

Werth homered in the 5th inning, and Carlos Ruiz homered in the sixth. Werth's 25th homer of the year set a new career high for the 30 year old.

Moyer came out of the bullpen with a vengeance, and dominated in the Phillies 5-1 win. Against the Diamondbacks this year, Moyer has shut them out in 12.2 innings. Although he relieved, he pitched like a starter tonight.

A Complete Game For Lee

After a 4-6-3 game ending double play, Cliff Lee was handed the baseball and stuck it in his back pocket. In his much anticipated Philadelphia Phillies debut, Lee absolutely dominated the San Francisco Giants. There is a reason why he won the American League Cy Young award last season, and there is a reason why the Phillies picked him up. He did it all in the Phillies 5-1 win.

The very first pitch he threw was a called strike and that was a sign for good things to come. He struck out the lead-off batter and had an easy 1-2-3 first inning. It wasn’t the only 1-2-3 inning he had. Lee had a no-hitter through 5.1 innings.

Before Lee allowed a hit, he got a hit of his own. Lee singled in the fourth inning. He later doubled off the left field wall in the eighth inning, just missing a home run. He also scored a run before he allowed a run.

Juan Uribe ruined Jonathan Sanchez’s perfect game earlier in the month by making an error. He ruined Lee’s no-no in the sixth inning with a double. He would later ruin Lee’s shutout by scoring a run on Aaron Rowand’s sacrifice fly.

The Phillies offense managed enough run support for Lee. The Phillies scored early on Jayson Werth’s solo home run, but went 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position until the seventh inning. Raul Ibanez drew a bases loaded walk and Werth’s two run single broke the hitless streak. The other addition, Ben Francisco, hit a sac fly that made it a 5-0 game. It also gave Lee a five run cushion.

Lee didn’t need all the runs, but it was a nice change of pace after receiving minimal support in Cleveland. In the complete game, he allowed one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out six. He located and mixed his pitches very well and wasn’t afraid to throw any pitch in his repertoire. He kept his pitch count down to 109 and fielded his position extremely well. Lee put on a show that kept everybody on the east coast awake.

This post was originally shown on Phillies Nation.

Twins: Victorino and Werth

Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth are twins... or at least they celebrate the same.

Werthy of a Walk Off

As seen on Phillies Nation.

Last month, the Phillies were finding different ways to lose each game. This month, the Phillies are finding new ways to win.

It was an Oakland Athletics reunion as former teammates Joe Blanton and Rich Harden were in the midst of a pitcher’s duel. Blanton allowed one earned run on five hits in seven innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out five. Harden also pitched seven innings and allowed one earned run. He allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out six.

The runs came on Jimmy Rollins’ solo home run in the third inning and Kosuke Fukudome’s RBI double in the fourth. Blanton and Harden took care of the rest.

Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge combined for two hitless innings out of the ‘pen. Lately, everything has been falling the Phillies way. Aramis Ramirez attempted to steal, but Fukudome grounded into a double play. The ball bounced off Lidge's leg. In perfect position, Rollins caught the ricochet and turned the twin-killing. An inning later, Raul Ibanez made an unbelievable diving catch. The defense was key.

Chan Ho Park was a big factor in the win, eating three innings. He did not allow a baserunner and struck out five. His spectacular performance gave the Philliesa chance to win. The bullpen was tremendous. The problem was the nine men the offense left on base.

After Clay Condrey tossed a 1-2-3 top of the 13th, Jeff Samardzija got two easy outs to start the bottom half of the inning. Walks to Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez gave Jayson Werth a chance for his first career walk-off home run. He didn’t disappoint. He crushed a fly ball to deep left. He knew it; the crowd knew it. Game over!

The exciting 4-1 win was the Phillies tenth consecutive win. It has been eighteen years since the Phillies won ten straight. There couldn’t have been a better site in Philadelphia tonight than watching Werth being mobbed at home plate by his teammates.

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."

Werth an All Star

Jayson Werth has been named to the NL All-Star roster replacing New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran, who is on the DL. The Phillies now have five Phillies headed to St. Louis for the mid-summer classic: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Shane Victorino and Werth.

It is the 13th time a team has sent three outfielders to the All Star Game. The last team being the 1995 Indians with Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton and Manny Ramirez.

In my opinion, Werth was more deserving than Victronio, but Pablo Sandoval as more deserving than both of them.

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.