Phillies-Yankees Game Day Thread #4

[ngineer]

I'll get this started since I won't be able to comment later...Since I will be there in Section 227 rarin' to go. Obviously the 'must' win for the Phillies, now. Can't go back to NY down 3-2. I think the Phils will get to CC tonight, moreso than in game 1. Blanton has had a ton of rest. He'll give up a couple, but tonight I think he goes 7 innings and leaves with the lead and we get to see Lidge for the first time with a 'save' situation in the 9th. I'll be waving!:D

[93henfan]

The one game at a time approach is an oft-used cliche in sports, but it doesn't apply here. The next two games are must wins for the Phils.

[TheValleyRaider]

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
CC Sabathia P

LHP CC Sabathia (3-1, 1.57 ERA in postseason)

PHILLIES
Jimmy Rollins SS
Shane Victorino CF
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Jayson Werth RF
Raul Ibanez LF
Pedro Feliz 3B
Carlos Ruiz C
Joe Blanton P

RHP Joe Blanton (0-0, 4.66 ERA in postseason)

Let's Go Yankees!

[DSUrocks07]

My prediction....

CC wont make it past the 5th...xwhistlex

[Ivytalk]

Phils offense --especially Howard -- is overdue. I say we win to get to Lee tomorrow!xthumbsupx

[93henfan]

Phils offense --especially Howard -- is overdue. I say we win to get to Lee tomorrow!xthumbsupx

You can say that again. Let's make it a 2-fer Sunday against New York!

[UMass922]

HUGE two-out homer by Feliz! Now the Phillies can win the game without necessarily having to score a run off Rivera.

EDIT: I might have spoken too soon . . .

[UMass922]

4-4 headed to the 9th.

[UMass922]

Lidge v. A-Rod with two outs . . . This is huge . . .

A-Rod gets it done. Yanks rally off Lidge with two outs. Phils will have to score off Rivera after all.

[UMass922]

Game over. Possibly series.

[MR. CHICKEN]

Lidge v. A-Rod with two outs . . . This is huge . . .

A-Rod gets it done. Yanks rally off Lidge with two outs. Phils will have to score off Rivera after all.

AT LEAST 3X........LIGHTS-OUT LIDGE......JES' PULLED DUH MAIN BREAKERAH..ON OURAH PHIGHTIN'S....:(...ALAS!

[Pards Rule]

Wow - where was Feliz on the play with Damon? Talking to the ballgirl???

[foghorn]

Phils had the shift on for Texeira. Feliz was covering 2nd. Lidge should've been covering 3rd.

[UMass922]

Lidge was soooooo close to striking out Damon to end the inning, too. Damon just barely got a piece of a two-strike pitch to stay alive.

[TheValleyRaider]

A-Rod in the clutch again, Yankees take Game 4 by the score of 7-4

Just one more, Yanks up 3-1 in the Series xthumbsupx xthumbsupx xthumbsupx

[foghorn]

Why did Charlie take out Madson? He was scheduled to leadoff next inning; perfect time to leave him in. Instead he goes to a guy who's lost it. This loss is squarely on Charlie. xbawlingx

[UMass922]

We all knew it going into the series, and it really is the difference between these two teams: Phillies have Lidge, Yankees have Rivera.

[UMass922]

Why did Charlie take out Madson? He was scheduled to leadoff next inning; perfect time to leave him in. Instead he goes to a guy who's lost it. This loss is squarely on Charlie. xbawlingx

That, and it certainly wouldn't have been the worst idea in the world to intentionally walk A-Rod . . .

[MR. CHICKEN]

A-ROD....WAS DUH RIP VAN WINKLE...O' DUH SERIES......TIL...HAMELS DRILLED HIM.....LAST NIGHT........HE TAKES....'NOTHERAH ONE UP IN DUH TORSO...TA-NITE....SO NOW HE LIKES NUFFIN' BETTERAH.....DAN TA......DASH OURAH HOPES....AGIN'.........ALAS!

[Go Lehigh TU Owl]

Why did Charlie take out Madson? He was scheduled to leadoff next inning; perfect time to leave him in. Instead he goes to a guy who's lost it. This loss is squarely on Charlie. xbawlingx

I don't think so. The two problems with the Phillies were Lidge and their reliance on the HR.

Every single HR so far has been a solo. I believe they've hit 10 of them. If that isn't a WS or playoff season record then it's gotta be close. All season they had stretches when they couldn't manufacture runs and when it became hr or nothings they struggled.

As for Lidge it is what it is. He pitched great to the first two batters, battles Damon but he comes up with a big league play. This is the best of the best and sometimes the other guy makes the play. Still that was no reason to go in the tank the rest of the inning.

This was brutal to take but if nothing else it just proves that the Yanks are the better team. We should be extremely happy for last year given the Phillies history. I think they'll make some changes in the offseason and bank having a couple more years with this group. Everyone is still chasing them in the NL.

[89Hen]

I think they'll make some changes in the offseason and bank having a couple more years with this group. Everyone is still chasing them in the NL.
xnodx xthumbsupx

[andy7171]

I went to bed PO'ed after that double steal. GD I hate the Yankees.

[93henfan]

Over? You say over? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell, no!

[bluehenbillk]

To steal a thought from KC Keeler, we just have to go 1-0 tonight. Bring it home Cliff!

[Fear the Bird]

Agreed - last night was crushing but I don't think it's over yet...granted I think the Yankees win game 6 but let's not forget Cliff is fresh tonight and the Yanks are throwing a 40 year old on short rest in game 6 and CC on short rest for the second straight start in game 7. Then again I have no idea who the Phils would pitch in a game 7 after Cole's recent comments

[Pards Rule]

I say pitch Pedro!!

[GannonFan]

I just dread this is a 1993 thing all over again. We lose two games that were winnable in the last 2 (ok, '93 was a little different as we got swept in Toronto in the first 2), then we throw a stud in Game 5 (Schilling then, Lee now) to send the Series back to the AL park for Games 6 and 7, and then find a way to lose in disheartening fashion in Game 6.

On the bright side, the Yankees pitching is not the reason the Phils are where they are, and we'll see pitchers on short rest the rest of the way. CC definitely looked less sharp in Game 4 than he did Game 1, and I'm not expecting Burnett to come anywhere close to what he did in Game 2 in tonight's Game 5. Plus, besides the short rest, he's pitching on the road and his home/road splits are crazy. Pettite wasn't anything better than a Joe Blanton in Game 3 and now he'll be on short rest in Game 6. If Pedro gives us the same thing in 6 that he did in Game 2, we could go the distance in this Series.

What the difference has been, so far, is that the Yanks have strung together more big hits than the Phils. And even if they're not deep balls, they're getting the bat on the ball and making something happen. The Phils are getting their fair share of big hits (Utley for instance, heck, Pedro last night in the 8th), but they're not stringing enough of them together. Both bullpens have looked shoddy, and the starting pitching has been pretty even - it's the number and consistency of clutch hits that's making the difference in this series and the Yanks are getting more them.

[Fear the Bird]

I say pitch Pedro!!

Pedro has to pitch game 6 on Wednesday (assuming there is one of course)

[Pards Rule]

Yes - agreed Gannon. As I saw in the Inquirer "Paging Mr. Howard, there is a World Series waiting on you" xlolx