Staff Blog
Crumblin’ Down: Game 4 a microcosm of Phils season
Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 8:31 am
posted by Brian Howard
categories Sporting Life, The Phightin Phils
Last night's World Series game 4 had a little bit of everything for your local neighborhood Phils cynic. Let's not forget that while the Phillies are indeed a very formidable team, they've got their weaknesses — and almost all of them were exposed against the best power pitching and power hitting money can buy.
- CC Sabathia — his inability to do anything with Chase Utley notwithstanding — continued to make Phils lefties Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez look look like Rico Brogna and Travis Lee.
- Joe Blanton, a yeoman 4th starter, despite a sick run from the second inning into the fifth where he painted the corners deftly, was undone in a fifth inning where nobody hit the ball all that hard, but, given Blanton's lack of an out pitch, was unable to drop the hammer and end an ill timed two-run rally.
- Charlie Manuel, despite finding himself in a situation — tied at 4 in the ninth after an improbable Pedro Feliz tying shot — where he might be facing extra innings, decided to not try to get another inning out of his best/most durable reliever, Ryan Madson, and went to Brad Lidge in a situation that called for perfection.
- In a bit of irony too rich for words, when the Phils employed a severe defensive shift against Mark Teixeira — the same one used so often against their own Ryan Howard — they got burned on a steal of second wherein Johnny Damon kept running right on down to an uncovered third base.
- Of course, then there's the mystery of why Brad Lidge stopped throwing his slider — his best pitch and possibly the best pitch on the entire staff — while facing Johnny Damon in the first place, but Brad Lidge mysteries could fill a book at this point.
Did I miss anything?
re: Did I miss anything?
Aren’t you *really* glad you’re a Phils fan and not a follower of the Yankees? I am.
Though their backs are against the wall, all the Phillies have to do is equal what the Yanks so far have accomplished… and they are Series Champs, Again.
Win 3 in row. One Game at a time.
Go Phillies!
I’d say the umpiring was a microcosm of the umpiring throughout the postseason. Hey, the one big missed call (Howard crossing home) went our way, but it’s almost like the umpires are begging to be replaced by robots.
@Allan: You’re right, I am still glad to be a Phils fan. And Lee’s just the guy you want on the Hill tonight (though, arguably, he’s the guy we wanted on the hill last night).
@Tofoomeister: I heard the umps got together before the game and made up a ground rule about being near the plate being good enough.
Lee is money in the bank. If I was a Phillies fan, I would feel very confident about tonight, and I wouldn’t be making comments that could jinx my team.
@JD: Who are you accusing of jinxing the Phils?
@Brian: I’m accusing myself. Sports fans are a superstitious lot, and if I was a Phillies fan I wouldn’t risk a jinx by writing “Lee is money in the bank” in the comments section.
Now please allow me to continue. I think Lee is as close to a sure thing right now as you can get, and if the offense can muster more than 1 run, Pedro will get you to Game 7.
@JD: hah! thanks for clarifying.
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