Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Pitcher’s box

Roy Halladay toed the rubber last night to open a stretch of tough competition for the Philadelphia Phillies. What can we expect from the next 6 battles? A spoiler or an early configuration of the 2013 Phils?

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

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Check out: Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Red-pinstripe alert

CAP-SIZE HINDSIGHT: 12-5 Blowout

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

Above Asterisk (*) = Corresponding Play

Big John Sends A 2-Run Souvenir To The Leftfield Faithful In The 6th

NITECAP INSIGHT

Start To Finish:

The article title is a reference to the original name and chalked rectangle for the hurler. On each side of the plate, there is a similar limitation. Thus, the phrase, back through the box, makes more sense. That stated, Rube Amaro is building a team from the mound outward with defense. That is why Cole Hamels was re-upped and Kyle Kendrick is in the rotation.

Chase Snags Ryno’s Wild Throw During The Pick-Off Play In The 5th

The 3 aces and Kendrick are under contract to be part of the 5-man staff. Vance Worley is either working through his bone-chips problem, and/or has been figured out by the league. Rube extended Kyle for another year at $4.5M, which brings the average to $3.75M over 2 campaigns. It should be noted that not 1 of the 5 slots is considered a throwaway for the locals, because it’s a drain on the relief corps. This is the thinking of the brain trust even with a solid bullpen.

J-Roll Slides Into 3rd In The 6th

The pattern is unmistakable with the trades for Cliff Lee, Halladay, the inkings of Lee, Jonathan Papelbon, Kendrick and Hamels. Jeremy Horst and Michael Schwimer–who is not listed below after his dismal 8th-frame auditions–are 2 prime candidates for 2 seats in the ‘pen. Two other jobs are available from Antonio Bastardo, Josh Lindblom, Michael Stutes and David Herndon. The club needs 2 FA endgame arms, and will field leather in some positions, which equals one affordable mid-range stick. In other words, 1 right-handed power bat for the outfield or third base is required. Freddy Galvis has the glove for third, Juan Pierre hits .300 as a part-time leftfielder, and Dom Brown is already somewhere in the April lineup.

While most in the media debate the moves, they should compute the AAV (average annual value) that is committed for 2013 before looking over the free agents available. When the GM is interviewed, listen to his answers, because he says it without mentioning any names. His first answer yesterday was the bullpen before a bat with pop, when he was asked his intentions. Most forget to acknowledge Amaro’s big FA acquisition for next season: King Cole.

2nd Half Stats:

HURLER	W-L & SV	ERA	GOOD	OKAY	BAD
Doc Halladay	3 - 2	3.91	03	3	1
Cole Hamels	4 - 2	2.36	05	1	1
Cliff Lee	1 - 2	3.55	03	3	1
Vance Worley	2 - 3	5.35	02	0	5
Kyle Kendrick *	2 - 1	3.22	02	1	1
Jonathan Papelbon	9 of 10 Sv	1.59	11	2	2
Jeremy Horst	------	1.50	06	3	2

* As a starter

Cliff Lee Fires A Bullet During 7.2 Solid Innings On August 16 In Milwaukee

PRECAP PITCH

Cliff Lee:

For his last 8 performances, his line is: 2-2, a 3.38 ERA, 58.2 innings, 58 hits, 24 runs (22 earned), 5 walks and 53 whiffs. He has worked 7 complete or more in 7 of those 8 efforts.

	STARTER	RECORD	TM	STARTER	RECORD	DAY & TIME
3	LHP Cliff Lee	06-08, 3.12 ERA	@ Nats	RHP Edwin Jackson	09-11, 4.13 ERA	Wednesday, Day

Homer Bailey Delivers His Offering At Home On August 16 Against The Mets

Homer Bailey:

He is 7-2 with a 2.92 away ERA, which is 2.50 lower than at home. He has worked 6.1 frames or more in 12 of 24 appearances with 6 clunkers. However, for his last 4 outings, his ledger reads: 1-2, a 8.24 ERA, 19.2 innings, 35 hits, 20 runs (18 earned), 9 free passes (1 intentional) and 16 strikeouts.

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

Starters’ photos, not described otherwise, are in the 1st inning.

Quality number of the pitcher: 1 – 5

Slot on his club: 1 – 5

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

*** = Approximately equal to after plus-and-minus computation

HURLER	Cliff Lee	Edwin Jackson
NUMBER	A One	A Four
CLUB SLOT	Three	Three
FOR 2012	3-Quarter Sidearm	Short Arm
'12 RANKING	2nd of 5 Categories	4th of 5 Categories
LAST START	Cutter *	Eephus Pitch
LAST HIGH OR LOW	3rd of 15 Categories	13th of 15 Categories

	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 DOC HALLADAY
DOC'S LINE: 5 INN, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K & 90 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

15TH RIDE OF THE HORSEMEN:


ACE	W - L	ERA	INN+	CONV	CG	SO	BAD	INN	H	R	ER	BB	IBB	SO
Total	2 - 0	2.84	6.1+	2 of 3	0	0	1	19.0	14	6	6	4	0	20
Halladay	1 - 0	7.20	6.1+	0 of 1	0	0	1	05.0	06	4	4	3	0	07
Lee	0 - 0	1.29	7.0+	1 of 1	0	0	0	07.0	03	1	1	0	0	05
Hamels	1 - 0	1.29	7.0+	1 of 1	0	0	0	07.0	05	1	1	1	0	08

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