The Phillies have won four NL East titles in a row. During this run they have been able to bitch slap the Braves when the games between these teams mattered. Can we forget last year when the Candystripers found themselves down by seven games near the end of August to the Braves and then managed to push the tomahawkers aside to capture a fourth division title?
The Braves, the pundits said, were a young inexperienced team who didn't have the emotional maturity to keep from folding against the experienced Phillies who had won the whole thing just two seasons past. That may have been true last year, but it may not be the case this year. Both teams have been winning of late with the Phillies holding the best record in baseball as the teams prepare for a weekend series with a whole bunch of implications. The Braves actually have the better w-l record since the end of April - 40-21 vs 37-25 and come into tonights game on a roll, and are now just two and a half games behind the Phillies. Do the math and you will see that a Braves sweep of the hometown guys will give them the division lead going into the All-Star break.
Neither team is hitting the covers off of the balls. The Phillies have a team batting average of .247, ranked tenth in the NL with the Braves coming in at .240 in fourteenth place. The Phils are seventh in runs scored with the Braves right behind them at eighth. Over the past couple of weeks we have seen Rollins start to hit as have Utley and Victorino. Even Superstar has managed to raise his average to the .260 level, but Victorino is hurt and Polanco seems to be heading towards the Mendoza line at the speed of sound. Ibanez has settled in around the .230 level and I wonder if Charlie will sit him down for much of this series as the Braves pitching is skilled at making left handed hitters look terrible.
This series will more than likely be decided by pitching. In this department you have to like the Phillies starters. Charlie will send Halladay, Lee, and Hamels against the Braves, and that seems to give the edge to the home town heroes. Not so fast, the Braves have the better bullpen which features Jonny Venters and his 1.52 ERA. Left handed batters are hitting .152 against him. Eric O'Flaherty is also tough against lefties, and closer Craig Kimmel may be the best closer in the game at this point in the season. He now has 27 saves and has struck out seventy batters in 45 innings. The Phillies left handed line up could have their problems against this crew.
I've been invited to watch the game with my friend Bob. Bob, as you may remember, is a card carrying member of the Kool-Aid club and is planning to wear his Halladay jersey tonight, his Lee jersey tomorrow, and his Hamels jersey on Sunday. He tells me that his bobbleheads will be out in force, and that he is calling for a Phillies sweep. He thinks Ryan Howard is the best first baseman in the league and that Raul Ibanez is just a few at bats from regaining his past form. I have advised Bob to seek help, but to no avail. Bob will go down with the ship in order to stay loyal to his heroes, no matter how bad they play or how many times Superstar strikes out while looking stupid in the process.
As a fan, I would love the Phillies to take two out of three against the Braves and will in my capacity as the LSF give them their due, if they manage to do so and gain a game on the Braves. However, if the Bravos manage to take the series I'll be able to be cynical, critical, and snarky in my comments lambasting the guys in red. It is more fun to be that way when writing. Coming up with new ways to say that Howard sucks is a treat. How cool would it be for me if the Phillies take the series and Howard goes one for twelve with seven strike outs in the three games?
I haven't mentioned the All-Star game because I don't care about the All-Star game. When the leagues come up with a process that fields the best players instead of guys like Derek Jeter and other "popular" players who are either past their primes or who are having shitty seasons I'll get on board. Until then, the game will continue to be an annoying interlude that interrupts the flow of the season.
Have a great weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment