MVN: Most Valuable Network

The greatest Phillies moment in 2009 would have to be when the WFCs received their World Series rings. The second greatest moment of the season occurred in the third inning of Thursday night's game in Atlanta. With one out, and northpaw Javier Vazquez on the mound, Jimmy Rollins grounded a single into right field. Rollins' hitless streak had been snapped, after twenty-eight fruitless at bats. The game was stopped, as the bat, ball, and first-base bag were removed from play. The historic artifacts are en route to Cooperstown, for future generations to enjoy. The crowd of over 38,000 rose to cheer the shortstop/Red Bull spokesman, as even Kotchman's Crotchmen realized the significance of the moment.

The Phillies seemed energized by the momentous event, and recovered from an early deficit, to tie the score at two. The Phils finished with eight hits on the night, quadrupling their output in a single day. Stopper J.A. Happ got in on the offensive explosion, blasting his first MLB hit, a fifth-inning single. Happ continued to excel on the mound, surrendering only two runs over seven innings. Happ's ERA fell to 2.96, in the one-hundred and four pitch, seven hit, effort. The young southpaw has pitched like a #2 starter over the past month, in fronting a rotation performing like #7 starters. When Happ left the game, the Phillies were tied 2-2, had a Win Probability of 50%, and were primed to extend their winning streak to one game.

Former interim closer Ryan Madson entered the game in the bottom of the eighth. Four batters later, the Phils trailed, 5-2. It was the second three-run implosion for Madson, in his last five appearances. The Phillies went down meekly in the top of the ninth. Adding insult to injury, Paul Bako was used as a pinch-hitter, popping out in what will, hopefully, be his last appearance as a Phillie. The sweep at the hands of the Braves dropped the Phillies into a first place tie, with Florida.

The Phillies host the Mets Friday, in the opener of a crucial three-game series. The Mets have the misfortune of having to face newly-promoted northpaw Rodrigo Lopez. With Jimmy Rollins heating up, and the Lopez-Madson-Brad Lidge trio armed and at-the-ready, the Phillies won't be in a first place tie for long. (They will soon be ahead of the other NL East teams, if that wasn't clear.)

Jimmy Rollins got a hit in Thursday night's game! In fact, Rollins got two hits, and is now two for his last thirty-one! The Red Bull must be sparking his resurgence... Raul Ibanez worked out in Reading for the third consecutive day, but did not play. Ibanez continues to not play, and the Phillies continue to indicate that he hasn't "had a setback" and that they are "waiting until he is 100%." It is best for them not to rush Ibanez, but the Phils really need him back. Scott Eyre is expected to make another rehab appearance on Friday night. Hopefully, this one goes better than the last one. He'll almost definitely miss the Mets' series. Rodrigo Lopez will be promoted to make the start for the Phillies on Friday night, but the corresponding roster move has yet to be announced. Hoping for Paul Bako or Jack Taschner, but... Read more

The Phillies lost to the Braves on Wednesday night, by a score of 11-1. But do not be deceived. The game wasn't really that close. It is easy to lay the blame at the feet of third-string catcher Paul Bako, and Manager Charlie Manuel for including the ineffectual backstop in the starting lineup. But, once again, Bako wasn't the only Phillie who was bad at baseball on Wednesday. (Just the only one tragically-named Gabor.) Ace Cole Hamels got the start, and was strong from the outset. Until the third inning, when he surrendered three runs. After a scoreless fourth inning, Hamels ran into more trouble in the fifth. Hamels pitched to four batters in the fifth, retiring a grand total of zero of them, before his untimely departure. Hamels threw eighty-eight pitches in the abridged outing, permitting seven runs, on nine hits (two walks/one(!) strikeout). Hamels' record dropped to... Read more

The Phillies announced that Lehigh Valley (AAA) starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez will be recalled for Friday night's start against the New York Mets. The Phillies chose "experience" over "skill", at least for Friday's start. Lopez has pitched well recently, and the Phillies wanted to see how the veteran (of thirty-three years on the planet, including seven in MLB) northpaw would do at the MLB level. Before TJ surgery in 2007, Lopez had a 4.42 ERA/1.31 WHIP with Colorado. Lopez would have to pass waivers to return to AAA, so he'll likely be given a few starts for the P-Phils, before they decide whether he is rotation-worthy. (He may be able to stick as a reliever, also.) Carlos Carrasco certainly has more upside, and the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, but the Phils opted not to recall him. Yet. Perhaps they wanted to protect his delicate psyche? Perhaps they... Read more

The Phillies lost the first game of their three-game series in Atlanta, 5-4, in ten innings. Starter Joe Blanton was mediocre, allowing three runs (eight hits, three walks/three strikeouts, ninety-three pitches), as the Phils fell behind, 3-2. Pinch-hitter John Mayberry and 3B Pedro Feliz (three hits) hit back-to-back homers in the eighth, giving the Phillies a 4-3 lead. But setup man Ryan Madson combined shoddy fielding, and poor pitching (two walks, one hit), to allow a game-tying, unearned run. Chan Ho Park gave up the game-winning run to the Braves, acquiring two outs in the tenth, but three hits, which proved to be one too many. Blanton, Madson, and Park certainly did enough to be blamed for the loss. Jimmy Rollins (0 for 5), Jayson Werth (0 for 4, error), and Carlos Ruiz (0 for 4, 6 LOB) also contributed heavily to the losing effort. However, Gabor Paul Bako... Read more

Jimmy Rollins returned to the lineup on Tuesday, and increased his hitless streak to 24 AB, with an 0 for 5 effort. The Braves fans mocked him, chanting .208 (his batting average). Still better than Gnome Bruntlett... Paul Bako played in the field, and was allowed to bat (!), in Tuesday night's loss to Atlanta. These events should only be permitted to occur under emergency circumstances, or in blowouts. This may have been our last chance to see Bako on the field, however, if he is removed from the roster on Friday. The Phillies acquired Brian Mazone, a soft-tossing journeyman, to bolster the Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) staff. With a day-night doubleheader looming on Friday, and the probable promotion of a member of their starting rotation to the parent club, the Phils just wanted another arm for AAA. They may not want to promote any of their AA starters,... Read more

Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez have sizeable leads at their respective positions in All-Star voting. It looks like Utley and Ibanez will start, and that they will be the only Phils' starters. Raul Ibanez is eligible to return from the DL on Friday, but is not expected to be ready at that point. Hopefully, he'll be ready by next week? Antonio Bastardo was placed on the DL, with Sergio Escalona optioned (again) back to the P-Phils to take his roster spot. This move probably could have been made in time for Escalona to be available for the Jays' series. No one has been officially announced to take Bastardo's rotation spot. Most of the speculation seems to lean towards a promotion of Carlos Carrasco from Lehigh Valley (AAA). Scott Eyre starts his rehab on Wednesday, and hopes to return this weekend. Jack Taschner, Tyler Walker, Paul Bako, and Sergio Escalona... Read more

With a 4-1 deficit after three innings, it looked as if another mediocre Jamie Moyer start would end the Phils' winning streak at a single game. But The Power of the Closed-Door Meeting overcame poor starting pitching, and the fourth consecutive start by Eric Bruntlett, in a 5-4 series-winning victory in Toronto. A two-run fourth-inning triple by Chase Utley keyed a four-run outburst, Jayson Werth reached base in all five plate appearances (four walks and a single), and the Phils never trailed after the fourth inning. Jamie Moyer survived five innings, and managed to keep the Blue Jays off the scoreboard in his final two frames. In his first three frames, Moyer surrendered four runs, all scoring on the three home runs allowed by the soft-tossing veteran. Moyer got the win, the 252nd of his career, but the lefty has the Phils' offense, and the bullpen, to thank. Moyer... Read more

Charlie Manuel announced that Jimmy Rollins will be back at shortstop, and in the leadoff spot, on Tuesday. Eric Bruntlett went 1 for 4 on Sunday, and the "1" was a bunt hit that probably should have been a "0." Bruntlett did well to break up a potential double play on the basepaths. But a potential twin killing in the field, turned into yet another Bruntlett defensive fail. Even the Bad (0 for 19) Rollins would be an improvement over The Gnome. Chan Ho Park returned to the mound, and threw two scoreless innings. Given the current state of the bullpen, it's a good thing Park's knee injury didn't necessitate a DL stint. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs (AAA) were no-hit for the first six innings, in their Sunday night matchup with the Norfolk Tides. The FeHogs exploded for a six-run eighth, in a 6-1 win. The Swine hurlers managed... Read more

Maybe Charlie Manuel should have a team meeting after every game? The tactic paid immediate dividends, as the Phillies destroyed the host Blue Jays, 10-0, on Saturday. Rookie southpaw J.A. Happ, making his eleventh career start, pitched a complete-game shutout. Jayson Werth went 4 for 4, with a pair of home runs, one of which landed in the United States. Ryan Howard, Pedro Feliz, Chris Coste, and Carlos Ruiz contributed two hits apiece. It might have been the Phils' most dominant effort of the season, and was the kind of victory the team can build upon. Hopefully, this game will be spotlighted as a turning point, in the 2009 World Series Champion Phillies DVD. Happ was incredible, requiring only 100 pitches to procure the 27 outs. Happ permitted only five hits, and did not walk a single batter. His performance allowed the Phillies to rest their embattled bullpen, which... Read more

Reliever J.C. Romero was involved in a postgame incident in Tampa on Thursday. Romero, allegedly, pushed a man, and grabbed him around the neck. The man had requested Romero's assistance in acquiring some steroids. Romero should have just ignored the jackass. If Romero did instigate physical contact, a suspension is very possible. Perhaps Sergio Escalona will get to stay with the P-Phils for more than a few days this time... It has been announced that Antonio Bastardo will be unable to make his start on Wednesday, due his shoulder injury. Cole Hamels will move up a day in the rotation, and pitch on Wednesday. Hamels will still be pitching on his regular fifth day. Carlos Carrasco is expected to be promoted from Lehigh Valley (AAA) to make the start on Thursday. Andrew Carpenter is 7-1 with a 2.75 ERA for Lehigh Valley. Carrasco is 4-7 with a 4.92 ERA... Read more