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BY SCOTT LAUBER
Less than 10 days ago, the Phillies looked like a last-place team in an ugly, Friday-night loss in Toronto. So, they called a 20-minute, closed-door meeting to discuss their issues. The following day, J.A. Happ tossed a complete-game shutout, and once again, everything was wonderful in the Phillies' universe. It was at that point that I decided to channel my inner-James Carville and come up with a slogan to explain what had just transpired.
"It's the pitching, stupid."
Now, here we are, fresh off the Phillies' three-game sweep of the Mets and talking about Jimmy Rollins' revival, Brad Lidge's flashback to 2008, and whether Raul Ibanez will be ready to play in a major-league game before the All-Star break. But, really, the reason for the Phillies' successful weekend was the same as it always is whenever they're playing well.
"It's the pitching, stupid."
From 33-year-old retread Rodrigo Lopez's surprising results Friday night, to Jamie Moyer's 6-1/3 quality innings Saturday, to Joe Blanton outdueling the great Johan Santana for 7-1/3 innings yesterday, the Phillies' weakest link was their tone-setting strength against the free-falling Mets. In the past four games, Happ, Lopez, Moyer and Blanton have combined to allow five runs on 22 hits in 27 innings for a 1.67 ERA. Tonight, it's Cole Hamels' job to keep that going against the Reds.
"That's exactly what we want to see," Charlie Manuel said.
Which brings us to this morning's rumblings that the Phillies are planning to scout out-of-work future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez in the Dominican Republic this week. For months, Ruben Amaro Jr. said the Phillies weren't interested in Pedro. But when your starting rotation has the worst ERA in the National League (5.09), and you fancy yourself a World Series contender, and there's little pitching available with the trade deadline only 3-1/2 weeks away, you do whatever it takes to upgrade your staff.
That said, let's put this into context:
The Phillies will be scouting A LOT of pitchers between now and July 31. A source with knowledge of the Phillies' front office told me over the weekend that the Phillies will have a scout at each of Erik Bedard's starts before the trade deadline to determine if the Mariners lefty is healthy enough to help a contender. If there's a deal to be made for Cleveland's Cliff Lee (right now, there isn't), Amaro & Co. will know about it. If Jason Marquis suddenly becomes available (right now, he isn't), someone with the Phillies will be dialing Denver. They'll get an up-close look at Aaron Harang tomorrow night, but as long as the Reds are hanging around in the wild-card race, they're not selling either.
And, as a source told me this morning, if Pedro Martinez is healthy and effective enough to pitch in the majors, the Phillies certainly won't rule him out.
But Amaro has said, over and over, that the Phillies want to acquire a pitcher who will be a clear upgrade over what they have. It's hard to imagine that Pedro, who went 5-6 with a 5.61 ERA last year with the Mets and hasn't pitched at all in 2009, would be an upgrade over Lopez. But I haven't seen him throw lately. Neither have the Phillies, which is why they'll watch him work out this week in the Dominican. And, for now, that's all this is, a mission to make certain they're doing their due diligence.
Something else to keep in mind: In April and May, Martinez reportedly wanted to be paid $5 million this season, a sum that was too rich for the Phillies. But now it's July, almost the All-Star break, and he remains unsigned. Perhaps his demands have come down. Perhaps they haven't. But when pitching is in such short supply, you want to keep your options as open as possible, and that's exactly what the Phillies are doing, no more, no less.
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Here's your preview for the four-game series against the Reds:
REDS (40-40) at PHILLIES (42-37)
Tonight, 7:05: RHP Johnny Cueto (8-4, 2.69) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (4-5, 4.98)
Tomorrow, 7:05: RHP Aaron Harang (5-8, 3.86) vs. LHP J.A. Happ (5-0, 2.96)
Wednesday, 7:05: RHP Homer Bailey (1-0, 5.94) vs. RHP Rodrigo Lopez (1-0, 2.84)
Thursday, 7:05: RHP Micah Owings (6-8, 4.48) vs. LHP Jamie Moyer (7-6, 5.72)
Hot: Reds 1B Joey Votto is batting .419 (18-for-43) with two homers and eight RBIs in his last 10 games; Reds CF Willy Taveras is batting .400 (14-for-35) in his last eight games; Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is 7-for-15 with one homer, five RBIs and a .556 on-base percentage since breaking his career-worst 0-for-28 slump; Phillies CF Shane Victorino is batting .349 (53-for-152) in his last 38 games.
Not: Reds SS Paul Janish has two hits in his last 19 at-bats, dropping his average from .278 to .233; Reds RF Jay Bruce is batting only .217 despite leading the team with 18 homers; Phillies C Carlos Ruiz has seven hits in his last 60 at-bats (.117); Phillies 1B Ryan Howard, named to the All-Star team Sunday, has one hit in his last 11 at-bats.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
So, rather than continuing to rehash the series of miscues that led to last night's loss to the Marlins (there's enough of that in today's News Journal), I thought we'd look ahead to tonight's game. In that vein, I spent a few minutes with Joe Blanton yesterday. Blanton hasn't pitched particularly well this season, as evidenced by the 7.11 ERA that he'll lug to the mound tonight. But after his outing last Thursday in Cincinnati, he seemed to have an awakening.
To recap: Blanton had sailed through four innings against the Reds before yielding five runs in the fifth and slashing a 6-0 Phillies lead to 6-5. So, after the game, we naturally asked how everything unraveled so quickly. Blanton noted that he has been far more effective when there aren't any runners on base, and the numbers support that claim. With the bases empty, opponents are batting .286 (32-for-112) with three home runs against him. But when runners reach base and Blanton pitches out of the stretch, opponents are batting .342 (25-for-73) with six homers. And with runners in scoring position, the numbers rise to .381 (16-for-42) with four homers.
Since Thursday, Blanton has been watching video, and he spotted a slight mechanical flaw when he pitches out of the stretch. Basically, it has to do with how he comes set, and it's preventing his arm from following through completely. He thinks he has corrected the problem (he really won't know until he pitches tonight), and he's expecting to have more success against the Marlins.
"It's a little thing, but it makes a big difference," Blanton said. "With this little adjustment, hopefully that will be the cure."
***
Also within the notebook today, there's more on John Mayberry Jr. and J.C. Romero. It'll be interesting to see what happens next week when Romero finishes serving his 50-game suspension. The Phillies will have to make a roster move, and it would seem they have two choices: a) they can send Mayberry back to Lehigh Valley and use a short, four-man bench; b) they can send a pitcher (likely Jack Taschner) to Lehigh Valley and still keep 12 pitchers.
What would you do?
BY SCOTT LAUBER
HEBRON, Ky. -- Howdy from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, where we're sitting at Gate A-4, awaiting a Delta flight home. In the morning, I'll hop an Amtrak train to the Big Apple, and at about 2 p.m., before the big Phillies-Yankees inter-league series opens, Philled In will get a mini-tour of the House That George Built. We'll be sure to jot some notes and pass along our impressions of the New Stadium.
First, though, let's recap today's 12-5 Phillies win over the Reds.
1. Jimmy Rollins went 4-for-6 and has hit safely and scored a run in nine of the last 10 games, going 15-for-44 (.341) with 11 runs. That's good news for the Phillies' offense, which functions far more consistently when J-Roll reaches base. Rollins also notched a couple of milestones: He stole his 300th base in the second inning, then picked up his 1,500th hit in the seventh. "It means I'm halfway there," Rollins said, referring to the magical 3,000-hit plateau. Asked Rollins if he thinks he can reach 3,000 hits. "If I can play until I'm 39 or 40, yeah," he said. "It's a very large number, but it shows the longevity. The guys who got 3,000 hits played 19 to 24 years back in that time. They played forever. Guys just don't last that long if you're that significant of a player today. You get old, you're automatically a role player. That's what makes it even tougher. I've got to make sure the young guys stay young, until they say, 'J-Roll, you need to go.'"
2. One player who may reach 3,000 hits: Derek Jeter. The Yankees' shortstop, who turns 35 next month, has 2,580 career hits. During our weekly live Phillies chat Wednesday, there was a spirited debate about whether you'd rather have J-Roll or Jeter as your shortstop. To me, if you're basing your argument on the entirety of their careers, you'd have to go with Jeter. If you're talking strictly about 2009, you'd probably go with J-Roll. So, you tell me: What do y'all think?
3. Deep within the notebook in today's News Journal, there's this from Joe Blanton, who cruised through four innings before giving up a five-spot in the fifth: "I'm not pitching very well with runners on base," said Blanton, who has a 7.11 ERA in eight starts. "I'll just have to go to video, see if I'm doing anything different out of the stretch. I could be tipping my pitches. I'll have to go check it out." Entering Thursday’s game, opponents were batting .338 against Blanton with runners on base, .175 with the bases empty.
4. Charlie Manuel said Matt Stairs or Greg Dobbs will DH tonight against Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett. My money is on Stairs, who is 2-for-8 with two homers in his career against Burnett, his former teammate with Toronto. Dobbs is 4-for-6 in his career against Burnett. But with lefties Andy Pettitte and CC Sabathia starting Saturday and Sunday, Stairs and Dobbs will be on the bench. Manuel hasn't decided who he'll use as a DH, but it'll be a right-handed hitter. Chris Coste may be the best option, although the Phils would have to be willing to use their backup catcher as the DH. Eric Bruntlett could play first or second base, freeing up Chase Utley or Ryan Howard to DH. It's also possible -- and likely, according to assistant GM Scott Proefrock -- that the Phillies will call up a right-handed hitter from Lehigh Valley, possibly Pablo Ozuna or John Mayberry Jr. My guess is it'll be Ozuna.
6. While the Phillies were winning their series against the Reds, Ruben Amaro Jr. dropped by Reading, where 21-year-old right-hander Vance Worley was pitching. Worley allowed a pair of solo homers but struck out three and didn't walk a batter in seven innings. In eight starts overall, he's 3-2 with a 3.22 ERA, 40 strikeouts and only nine walks in 50-1/3 innings.
OK, that's all for now. Back with more tomorrow from New York.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
Quick turnaround today with a 12:35 p.m. first pitch for the rubber game against the Braves, so we'll make this quick: The Phillies lost yesterday, and while the offense was a big reason (four hits against Javier Vazquez), Joe Blanton once again failed to provide them with a quality start and gave up two more homers. So, for those of you who have lost track, here's a look at the eyesore numbers of the Phillies' starters through 28 games:
Cole Hamels: 1-2, 6.17 ERA, 5 HR
Brett Myers: 2-2, 5.35 ERA, 10 HR
Jamie Moyer: 3-2, 7.26 ERA, 10 HR
Joe Blanton: 1-3, 6.82 ERA, 8 HR
Chan Ho Park: 0-1, 6.67 ERA, 5 HR
Blanton thought he pitched far better than his line yesterday. He also said the Phillies starters aren't overly concerned about their worst-in-the-majors 6.47 ERA. "I don't think anybody's worried," Blanton said. "I think you can ask all four other guys. I wouldn't say we don't care, but we know it's a long season. We know what we can do. What was it, my sixth start? That's not very many. There' a lot more." Myers will go to the mound today. We examined his struggles a few days ago. It'll be interesting to monitor his velocity, but, of course, the big thing for Myers will be keeping the ball in the park.
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Happy Mother's Day to every mom out there, especially mine in New Jersey.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
ST. LOUIS -- So, if you hadn't already noticed, Ryan Howard is kind of a big deal around here.
Howard grew up in St. Louis back in the days when Ozzie Smith and Whitey Herzog were synonymous with the Cardinals, and he often talks about going to games at old Busch Stadium with his dad and his brothers. Howard's family still lives here, and in the offseason, he does, too. A few years ago, before he signed his three-year, $54 million contract extension, Howard built a home in a nearby suburb. And, clearly, he enjoys playing in The Loo. In 16 career games at new Busch, he's batting .383 (23-for-60) with seven home runs and 28 RBIs.
Those numbers include his grand slam against Kyle Lohse in last night's 6-1 victory. With that homer, Howard tied Mike Schmidt's franchise record of seven career grand slams. The difference: It took Schmidty 8,352 at-bats to hit seven slams. Howard has done it in only 2,164. Because of that -- and Howard's fairly candid pregame comments about wanting to be known as an all-around player (just like Albert Pujols) -- I focused the game story in today's News Journal around Big No. 6.
But I could've just as easily written about Joe Blanton.Finally, in his fifth start of the season, Blanton (AP photo) gave the Phillies exactly what they've been craving: A quality start. Entering last night's game, the Phillies' starters had combined for a 6.71 ERA, worst in the majors. But Blanton allowed only one run and four hits in six innings. He worked out of jams -- a two-on, two-out situation in the fifth; a bases-loaded, one-out mess in the sixth -- against a strong Cards lineup (Pujols, Chris Duncan, Ryan Ludwick and Rick Ankiel are a formidable 3-4-5-6). And for those who like their irony, Blanton, last year's big trade-deadline acquisition, defeated Lohse, the Phillies' top midseason pitching addition in 2007. If the Phillies had been able to re-sign Lohse before last season, they may have never traded for Blanton, who, you may recall, pitched pretty well in the postseason. Anyway, after the game, Blanton said a minor mechanical adjustment helped him throw a more effective sinker. Mostly, though, he said the Phillies' starters have confidence that things are going to get better.
"We know we can pitch," Blanton said. "We know what we did at the end of last season, and we know we can do that again. It's just a matter of us putting a few good runs together. We're not going to go through the season with 7.00 or 9.00 or 12.00 ERAs."
You'll find more from Blanton, along with a few quotes from struggling Chan Ho Park and a few details on Ankiel's frightening headfirst crash into the outfield wall, in the Phillies' notebook in today's paper. And I'll try to get you a longer, more detailed, post about Park later today or tomorrow, certainly before he faces the Mets tomorrow night at Citi Field.
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On tap for today: Cole Hamels will throw a bullpen session, and if he believes his sprained left ankle has healed enough for him to field his position, he'll start Friday night against the Braves at the Bank. Check back here later today to get the latest on Hamels.
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Programming note: Please join me at noon tomorrow for our weekly Phillies chat at www.delawareonline.com. I'll be live from La Guardia Airport in New York. (My flight is scheduled to land at 11:30 a.m., so if I'm late, blame US Airways!) We've gotten some great questions over the past few weeks, so please join the discussion.
Also, don't forget that Philled In is now on Twitter and Facebook.
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Oh, almost forgot: Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!
More in a bit from Busch.
