Yesterday in this space I questioned: Cole Hamels: ace or ass?
Clearly I am the ass ... The happiest ass in Virginia. (Yes, I know how that sounds. No, I don't care.)
Go Phillies!!!!!
One down. Ten to go.
Now that we have established all of this, let's move forward ...
Good news from Wednesday:
- Hamels was clearly on top of his game Wednesday. He was in top form. As good as he has ever pitched. A couple more outings like this and we'll be in the World Series.
- Ryan Howard walked three times. When he's dialed in, he goes with what's offered. That's how he got his average up so high in September while still hitting so many dingers. Further, the bottom half of the order has been fairly productive this season, which helped with Utley hurting and Rollins out of whack. So if they continue to walk Howard, they likely end up paying for it eventually.
- The TBS coverage was not Fox. I hate baseball on Fox. Tim McCarver. Good guy, bad analyst. And the camera work. Fox loves to zoom in on players faces to help keep the scene in motion during an otherwise still moment. For example, bottom of the 8th, two on, two outs and the clean-up hitter coming to bat. Fox can't resist zooming in on the pitcher's face as he watches the catcher flip the signs. If the catcher goes through the alternate set because of a runner on second, Fox will zoom straight into the guys eye balls. Seriously, they should hook the cameras up to an air gun and they could check the pitcher's intraocular pressure while he going though the sign.
- Philadelphians did nothing to embarrass themselves. Always a positive.
Bad news from Wednesday:
- One of our dirty little secrets just go loose on national TV. Brad Lidge has been screwing up for the better part of September. Though he was just named Comeback Player of the Year for the National League (Yeah!), he has been far from "lights out" these past few weeks. In fact, there were a couple non-save situations this year in which he looked down right pedestrian. So now we are three outs from winning our first playoff game since 1993 and he comes in and nearly poops the bed in the ninth. Mitch Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch today. Have to wonder if he left a bit of himself on the mound for Lidge.
- But why was Lidge even in the game???? Well you see, Charlie Manuel is a manager. And managers don't get paid to sit back and chew. They get aid to manage. So good old Charlie steps up and manages. he sits Cole and sends in Brad. The result? A win. But wait, there's more. Now half the Brewers have a good chance to check out Lidge and get familiar with how he works. And Lidge is now exhausted from so many pitches. Well played, Charlie! Maybe we should fire him and hire Ned Yost (zing!)
- Our batters, the powerful Phillies sluggers, could barely get wood on the ball against a pitcher (Yovani Gallardo) who apparently was dead for most of last week. Seriously, I've heard good things about the kid. But how sorry can our hitters be if they can't tag this kid in his first or second real start after rehab? Yes, I am complaining that we won a playoff game, but not by enough runs. Shut up.
We won a playoff game. I'm not taunting, I'm just saying. In the years since we last won one, I've lost my hair and gained a wife, two daughters, one hamster, four cats, and thirty three fish. So clearly it's been awhile.
More Thursday. More baseball. More playoff wins. Less Charlie Manuel. Less scary 9th innings.
