Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Sudden life

The unexpected element is a plus for Jimmy Rollins and the Philadelphia Phillies. Have you noticed the recent transactions in the NL East?

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

WELCOME, NEWCOMERS:

I will publish after every battle that is not washed out. I will have many season-long highlights of puzzle pieces, especially important after drubbings and defeats. If you were directed here by a feed and this review does not mention yesterday’s contest, please go to the Phillies page for my most recent coverage. (Early morning readers may arrive before the latest post.) Scroll down to Tal’s Handy Links at the bottom. Thank you.

Check out: Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Plan B

CAP-SIZE HINDSIGHT: 7-6 Triumph

TYPE	PLAYER	REASON
The Crystal Champagne Toast	Cliff Lee	Four-Star Performance
The Penthouse	Cliff Lee Jimmy Rollins	Worked Out Of A Runner-At-3rd One-Out Jam In The 2nd Fired 7 3-Hit Innings An RBI Single To Tie The Score At 1 In The 8th
The Kangaroo Courthouse	Ty Wigginton	Thrown Out Rounding 3rd To End The 2nd
The Whitehouse	Cliff Lee	Reached his 200th K In The 5th

Chooch Clears The Juiced-Bags In 8th

NITECAP INSIGHT

Uncharted Territory:

After a franchise-record 102 victories, the view north in the standings has been unpleasant for 4 months. However, that has changed this week. Because the red pinstripes don’t fit into the 2 neatly arranged categories of the majors. If you’re not a buyer, you are a seller. If your players are available, you have no hope for the postseason. This thinking is based on the rule and ignores the exception, even when the most recent example was in 2011.

This Is What Cinco Ocho Told Chooch He Had In Mind At The All-Star Game

The Fish traded a starter, a super-utility man, a solid reliever and Hanley Ramirez. The Mets will alter their rotation with a hot prospect now instead of in September. The rarity is that the two organizations in front of the locals are dropping out, which means that the Phils are perceived that way also. The reasoning is that they are a last-place team, but not why they are in that position. New York came up short against contending clubs when the stakes increased. Miami had underperforming personnel, while the hometown 9 had health issues.

Only Jose Contreras did not return, leaving the 8th-frame set-up role open. That said, another variable is that the 3 warriors re-entered the active roster fresh and dangerous. And they have been waiting since February to play. That’s what you see from Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. You can expect the same from Doc Halladay when he becomes reacclimated, like the others. This squad has the 1 hole that Contreras was going to plug. Even wildcard competitors have more weaknesses.

Chase Beats The Backend Throw On The 8th-Inning Double Steal

The offense picked up Cliff Lee and the Doctor in this series, which means they will not want that to happen again. When you add Utley and Howard to Chooch Ruiz with Hunter Pence behind him, you get a threat that can be seen from the mound. However, it doesn’t show up in the manager’s scouting reports, which say that the Phillies don’t comeback late or batter the opposing relief corps. Their stud was congratulated after firing only 87 bullets, because the previous night was obviously an aberration. Stats cannot tell you everything, like–for example–recent hits to the opposite field after approach changes that don’t stand out in the percentages. These unexpected advantages are where you should look to make sense of their resurgence. You can anticipate third place shortly, 2 months of winning baseball, and better performances from star cogs.

The Vanimal Delivers At The Bank On July 20 Against The Giants

PRECAP PITCH

Vance Worley:

He has worked 6.2 innings plus in 5 of 16 outings with 4 debacles. That said, he is 2-3 with a 4.69 ERA at the Bank, which is 1.73 lower on the road.

	STARTER	RECORD	TM	STARTER	RECORD	DAY & TIME
1	LHP Cliff Lee	1-6, 3.72 ERA	@ Nats	RHP Stephen Strasburg	11-4, 2.76 ERA	Tuesday, Night
2	RHP Vance Worley	5-6, 3.88 ERA	@ Nats	RHP Edwin Jackson	6-6, 3.52 ERA	Wednesday, Night
3	LHP Cole Hamels	11-5, 3.31 ERA	@ Nats	LHP Ross Detwiler	5-4, 3.24 ERA	Thursday, Night

Marco Estrada Rocks Back On July 20 In Cincinnati

Marco Estrada:

He has been the Kyle Kendrick of the Brew Crew, and is expected to rejoin the ‘pen when Shaun Marcum is reactivated. Estrada has lasted 7 frames in 2 of 10 attempts with 1 clunker.

DELIVERY = PITCHER’S 2012	DEFINITION OF SEASON
Over The Top	Excellent
3-Quarter Sidearm	Good
Sidearm	Above Average
Short Arm	Approximately Average
Submarine	Below Average

Quality number of the pitcher: 1 – 5

Slot on his club: 1 – 5

Ranking is 1 to 5 & 15 for the less adventurous.

HURLER	B.J. Rosenberg	Gio Gonzalez
NUMBER	A Five	A Two
CLUB SLOT	Five	One
FOR 2012	1st Start	Over The Top
'12 RANKING	-- of 5 Categories	1st of 5 Categories
LAST START	1st Start	Changeup
LAST HIGH OR LOW	-- of 15 Categories	8th of 15 Categories

DISPLAY NOTE: Non-listed results can go up or down by

* 1 notch & ** 2 clicks (This note will only appear when it’s relevant.)

* 1 Tick DOWN

	PITCH	INN	ER - R- H		PITCH	INN	ER
1	Gyroball	9 (CG)	0 - 0 - 3	10	Screwball	6	4
2	Fastball	9 (CG)	0 - 0	11	Knuckleball	5	3
3	Cutter	9 (CG)	3	12	Forkball	0 - 4.2	Monstrosity
4	Split Finger	7	2	13	Eephus Pitch	0 - 2.2	Disaster
5	Curveball	7	3	14	*Palm Ball	Ejected
6	Sinker	6.1	3	15	*Spit Ball	**Ejected+
7	Slider	6	2		*Breaking Ball	Injured
8	Changeup	6	3		*Fosh	Rain Interrupted
9	Slurve	5	2		*Knuckle Curve	Pitch Count
	** = Suspended				* = A 2nd Pitch Also

STATS APOCALYPTIC HORSEMEN CLIFF LEE
CLIFF'S LINE: 6 INN, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K & 109 DARTS

ACE	W - L	ERA	INN+	CONV	CG - SO	BAD	INN	ER	BB - IBB	SO
Total	34 - 23	3.48	6.1	59 of 86	2 - 2	12	582.2	225	114 -2	557
Hamels	17 - 06	3.05	6.2	21 of 31	2 - 2	03	215.1	073	050 - 2	218
Lee	06 - 09	3.16	6.1	23 of 30	0 - 0	02	211.0	074	028 - 0	207
Halladay	11 - 08	4.49	7.0	15 of 25	0 - 0	07	156.1	078	036- 0	132

LINK-UP BELOW:

Tal’s Handy Caps on Facebook is for notification of posts and any holdups that may occur. It might be worth your while because there are delays of 2 hours on most feeds.

Check out my previous publication (One More Series) and the 81 storylines–so far–for 2012 on the Phillies page, where there is an excerpt photo.

Tal’s Handy Stats is daily coverage. I am alternating the 2012 ERA For The NL East and the 2012 ERA For The MLB 5. Thank you, to all who bookmarked my page.