Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Better half

Returning warriors, like Chase Utley, have guided the Philadelphia Phillies to a possible wild-card berth with a strong 2nd half. Can Utley, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard inspire this squad to compete beyond the regular schedule?

TAL’S HANDY CAPS

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Check out: Philadelphia Phillies storyline: Answer at game 162

CAP-SIZE HINDSIGHT: 8-2 Outcome

TYPE	PLAYER	REASON
The Crystal Champagne Toast	Darin Ruf	Four-Star Performance
The Penthouse	B.J. Rosenberg Darin Ruf	Escaped A Bags-Full, 1-Out Jam In The 2nd Picked-Off A Runner At 1st To End The 4th * Hit A Solo HR To Take A 1-0 Lead In The 4th * Smoked An 0-2 HR, Closing The Score To 3-2 In The 8th During His 2 For 4 Night
The Fun House Of Mirrors	All	Fog Game #1 For 2012
The Outhouse	HP Ump	A SB On A Questionable Foul Tip In The 5th
The Animal House	Darin Ruf	* A 2 HR Night

Above Asterisks ( *) = Corresponding Plays And/Or Events

MASKED SEPTEMBER NUMBERS:

GB 2nd WC: 4.0
2ND WC Pos: 4
Elimination No: 7

Chooch’s Tag Was Late On This 2nd-Inning Play

NITECAP INSIGHT

Healthy Results:

The season is on life support, again. However, the Cards have 2 more battles with their long-time adversary–the Cubs–and 3 against the ‘Stros in Houston, where they have recently been difficult. They are 6-2 against 3 postseason-hopeful clubs during September, and that is the easiest of the 4 remaining series for the Cardinals. They finish at home with 3 each against the Nats and Reds, but both teams don’t want them to become too confident for the NL playoffs. That means these final games are meaningful.

How far have Cholley’s boys come since the break? St. Louis held a 9.5 game advantage over the Phils when baseball returned to daily action. Against contenders the locals are 8-3-2 in series with a 24-17 record (.585) for the 2nd half. Overall, they have gone 13-5-2 in matchups with a 40-25 mark (.615).

Series 1:

TEAM	W - L	GMS	VERSUS
Cardinals	2 - 1	3	@ Cubs
Brewers	2 - 2	4	@ Nats
Dodgers	2 - 1	3	@ Reds
Pirates	1 - 2	3	@ 'Stros
D-Backs	3 - 1	4	@ Rox

Big John Came Within A Whisker Of A Catch In The 8th

The red pinstripes are 16-6 (.727) since August 30, while the Red Birds are 10-12 from that point. That is a 6-game boost over a span of 22. The Cards have struggled to get a 1-1 split so far in Chicago, which confirmed the suspicions I had before those contests began. 1 setback isn’t going to determine this race. St. Louis is playing .500 ball for September, and their roster holes cannot be hidden. If they continue to win every other battle, the Phils can catch them on the last day of the year despite a slim margin for error.

2nd Wild-Card Teams:

TEAM	W-L (8/31)	W - L	GB	W-L (SEPT)
Cardinals	71 - 61	84 - 72	-----	13 - 11
Dodgers	70 - 63	81 - 75	3.0	11 - 12
Brewers	63 - 68	80 - 76	4.0	17 - 08
Phillies	63 - 69	78 - 78	6.0	15 - 09
D-Backs	66 - 67	78 - 78	6.0	12 - 11

The General Commands A 2-Seam Fastball During The 3rd On September 17 In Queens

PRECAP PITCH

Cliff Lee:

He is 6-2 with a 2.50 ERA since July 4. During those 14 outings, his log is: 100.2 innings, 98 hits, 32 runs (28 earned), 9 walks and 95 punch outs. Against the Braves at the Ted recently, his ledger read: 1-0, 7 complete, 5 hits, 0 runs, 1 BB and 5 whiffs on 93 bullets.

	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

Tim Hudson Loads Up A Pitch On September 17 In Miami

Tim Hudson:

He has worked 6.1 frames or more in 14 of 26 opportunities with 8 clunkers. His line against the Phils in both parks (2 each) is: 2-1, a 5.32 ERA, 22 total, 26 hits, 13 all-earned runs, 8 free passes (1 intentional) and 12 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

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

1 or 2 categories (This note will only appear when it’s relevant.)

* 1 Tick UP & ** 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 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

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