Hamels must return to form.

[northeastphillyguy]

The Phillies can make it 3 in a row today if Hamels can find his groove, He needs to find his control and regain his confidence starting today! IMO.

 

[Omar 382]

Lots of base runners early on, but his fastball and changeup have both been outstanding. Looks good so far

 

[Retroram52]

 

[Cedrique]

Hamels pitched his ass off today and the bullpen let him down. This has been going on for a few years now. The Phillies need to change the way they make their personnel decisions and stop giving consideration to guys like Manship just because he has previous major league experience (by the way, that previous experience was awful). Take a couple guys from the system that are hard throwers that have potential and let them take their lumps in the majors. Diekman seems like he is finally ready to turn the corner. He has had bad stretches but at least he throws 95 and you can see progress, unlike some 30 year old who may have had some minor success a few years ago. The last couple years people were blaming the in-game strategy of the manager, saying he was too senile to use the bullpen correctly (as if there is a right way to "use" BJ Rosenberg,Michael Stutes,Raul Valdes,Chad Quals, Michael Schwimer......).
Then this year the same shit is happening with Sandberg as manager and he takes drastic measures.
He lets Hamels in his 3rd start of the year throw more pitches than he has in any game in his entire career, then brings in Friday night's starter just to avoid the shitty guys at the back of the pen--AND THEY STILL LOSE. Enough already with the garbage relievers. (Maybe this Gonzalez kid that they got from Cuba can do something in the pen.)

 

[Retroram52]

Didn't we have this discussion back before the season started and everyone was ragging on a few posters for being so negative? Looks like those posters were correct.

 

[Progeriakid]

Didn't we have this discussion back before the season started and everyone was ragging on a few posters for being so negative? Looks like those posters were correct.

Your Welcome!

 

[Cedrique]

Didn't we have this discussion back before the season started and everyone was ragging on a few posters for being so negative? Looks like those posters were correct.

Probably. It's hard to remember the bullpen conversation. They all kind of blend together with your discussion about how Amaro is brain dead, Utley is old and sucks, Howard is old and sucks, Rollins is old and sucks, Byrd is old and sucks, Ruiz is old and sucks, Adams is old and sucks. I'm sure you covered the bullpen somewhere in there.

 

[Cedrique]

But yeah, if you said the bullpen is an area they need to solve from the farm system then you were right. I don't think middle relievers are something you can buy too easily because if they are any good no one is giving them up

 

[Retroram52]

Correct Cedrique. Something about being old and sucks!

 

[jvett77]

Didn't we have this discussion back before the season started and everyone was ragging on a few posters for being so negative? Looks like those posters were correct.

I disagree. The Phillies have a lot to work with. The solid core of players is hitting and surprising people. Utley, Byrd, Ruiz, Revere, and Rollins are .276 to .338. Howard is having a very good comeback year. Two needed pieces have yet to make an impact - Asche and Brown. I think that will happen. It's too early to be totally negative despite yesterday loss (note that Gwynn was 0 for 6, in for Revere). But if pitching doesn't improve, we won't win even 81 games.

I like the standard lineup used in the wins on Friday and Saturday - Revere thru Asche. I think the bench substitutions would improve with Ruf and Hernandez in the mix vs Nix (.154) and Gwynn (.189). I predict that will happen within a month.

 

[powerchord86]

I like Cole Hamels!

 

[Caligula]

Didn't we have this discussion back before the season started and everyone was ragging on a few posters for being so negative? Looks like those posters were correct.

It wasn't negative. It was an accurate evaluation of the team.

 

[jvett77]

It wasn't negative. It was an accurate evaluation of the team.

Evaluations are positive or negative. We'll know how accurate in September.