![\"series\"](\"http:\/\/assets.nydailynews.com\/img\/2008\/10\/23\/alg_world.jpg\")
It wasn’t the most encouraging win possible, but a win is a win, as they say, and the Phils have one down and three to go in the hunt for the title.\u00a0 It was basically more of the same from the first two rounds of the playoffs.\u00a0 Hamels was great, the bullpen was unhittable, and the offense was mediocre at best.\u00a0 Some thoughts I had throughout the game:<\/p>\n
-I was going crazy with excitement as the starting line-ups were announced and the players came out on the field….then the Backstreet Boys appeared.\u00a0 Absolutely nothing kills your buzz like a 10-minute rendition of the National Anthem by the Backstreet Boys.<\/p>\n
-We’ve seen a couple teams in the past put the shift on Utley, but it doesn’t seem like a good idea.\u00a0 I’m sure the Rays have some scouting reports that say it’s a good move, but Utley is not Howard.\u00a0 He can spray it all over the field and that shift is libel to backfire if they keep doing it.<\/p>\n
-When Utley hit the homer, I liked how the Phils bench stayed relatively calm.\u00a0 It looked like they came in with a business-like approach.\u00a0 Of course, it may have just seemed like they stayed calm compared to how I reacted.<\/p>\n
-Jimmy Rollins took the prize for worst at-bat of the night in the second inning.\u00a0 He comes up with the bases loaded and one out.\u00a0 Kazmir has walked three in 1 1\/3 innings, including two of the previous three batters.\u00a0 Rollins takes ball one, then gets jammed for a shallow fly-out to center, resulting in Victorino getting\u00a0thrown out at home to end the inning.\u00a0 Jimmy:\u00a0Make the guy throw\u00a0a strike!!!<\/p>\n
-B.J. Upton hit into two big double plays in the first three innings, including with the bases loaded in the third.\u00a0 Amazingly,\u00a0he didn’t hustle down the line either time.\u00a0 He’s a fast guy, and he was nowhere near first when the Phils completed the 5-4-3 DP in the third.<\/p>\n
-What’s up with Japanese second-baseman against\u00a0the Phils\u00a0in the playoffs?\u00a0 Hamels couldn’t get Akinori Iwamura out last night, and it definitely brought back memories of Kaz Matsui last year.\u00a0 It was interesting how Hamels seemed to struggle more against the lefties last night, between Iwamura’s three hits and the Crawford homer.<\/p>\n
-It was a nerve-racking game, thanks to the continued inability of the offense to add on runs.\u00a0 A few weeks ago, Bry ![\"longoria\"](\"http:\/\/www.clackamasreview.com\/reuters_graphics\/2008-10-23T061748Z_01_BTRE49M0CJX00_RTROPTP_2_NEWS-US-BASEBALL-SERIES.JPG\")
pointed out to me that Ryan Madson is suddenly throwing 97 mph, and it is crazy.\u00a0 For years, he basically threw a low-90’s fastball that was pretty straight,\u00a0and\u00a0he got guys out (some of the time) with the change-up and curveball.\u00a0 Now he’s not only throwing\u00a096-97, but the ball is tailing back on to the right-handers hands, and he is looking VERY tough to hit.<\/p>\n
-Game 2 tonight.\u00a0 Hopefully Myers can keep Longoria and Upton off-balance, as Hamels\u00a0did, and maybe Howard\u00a0can get going off the\u00a0righty James Shields.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It wasn’t the most encouraging win possible, but a win is a win, as they say, and the Phils have one down and three to go in the hunt for the title.\u00a0 It was basically more of the same from … Continue reading