As Comcast Sportsnet pointed out last night, the Phillies are playing their NL West doppelgangers this week. The Giants stats and record are eerily similar to ours. The biggest difference is that the Padres are streaking right now and the Giants are several more games back than we are. The other major difference is that the Giants had played nine more home games than the Phils coming into last night.
Brett Tomko, who once pitched a 1-walk, 27-batter no-hitter for my Strat team, faced Randy Wolf in game 1 last night at the Park. Tomko struggled with his control from the outset, issuing walks in each of the first three innings. It wasn't until the 3rd that the Phils finally capitalized. Wolfie led off with a double off the scoreboard in right, and was sacrificed to third by J-Roll. Lofton, playing on his 38th birthday and defying pretty much everyone, including me, who said he was too old five years ago, drove in Wolf with a line single to center for a 1-0 lead. Abreu and Thome followed with walks, setting up a bases loaded situation for Burrell, who apparently no longer thrives under these conditions as he once did. Pat popped up to Lance Niekro at first base, seemingly deflating any chances for a big inning for the Phils. The next batter, Chase Utley, immediately got down 0-2, before fouling off a few high fastballs and basically looking lost. Then Tomko dropped a slider off the plate and down, and Utley, in what was last night's best hitting performance, somehow slapped it into center field to score Lofton and Abreu to make it 3-0. Tomko must have been royally pissed that he let that inning get away, and probably more than a little impressed with Utley, as was everyone who saw that hit.
Wolfie, meanwhile, was also struggling a bit, including a couple of early walks and a hit batsman, but he always managed to escape his self-made jams without allowing any runs. Manuel lifted him in favor of Ryan Madson in the 7th to face Moises Alou with a man on and two outs. I haven't read the full scoop on this, but I'm guessing it was a combination of pitch count, fatigue, and the fact that the Giants had their right-handed cleanup hitter up. In any event, Mad Dog did his job getting the game to Wagner in the ninth. Thankfully, the Phils tacked on a couple of runs in the 8th, because Wags gave up yet another home run, this one to rookie Jason Ellison. The Phils managed to hang on for a 5-2 win, and are now 3.5 games out following losses by Florida and Atlanta. The NL East is tighter than (insert Dan Ratherism here).
I'm getting really worried about Billy Wagner. I keep saying that, but this time I mean it. He once could spot his 99 MPH heater, but now it inevitably ends up right on the barrel of the hitter's bat. He's publicly disavowed using his slider, so unless he comes up with another off-speed pitch, unlikely from a guy who has mentioned retiring after the season, he has nowhere else to turn.
I'm letting up on the "Do Something, Ed" watch. Outrighting Terry "I Hear Scranton Has A Pretty Good School System" Adams and giving Robinson Tejeda a shot at some meaningful work has been enough so far to halt the precipitous slide of the bullpen. Still, it sure would be nice to unload Ryan Howard, who will never play as long as Thome is around, and break up the Utley/Polanco/Bell playing time mess in favor of a reliable young reliever and maybe some help for the farm system. I've heard some folks mention that the A's would love Howard and his potentially sweet OPS, and they have a young catcher, Daric Barton, who they might part with. They also have a deep bullpen we could poach from with the right combination of players. Then again, knowing Wade and having read "Moneyball", the chances Ed won't get fleeced by Billy Beane are pretty remote.
Soft-tossing lefty Kirk Rueter takes on Cory Lidle in the Park tonight. Thome has had some monster Junes in the past (9 and 15 HR's so far as a Phillie), but Rueter is very tough on lefties, so he probably won't get cranking tonight.
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