Ballet In The Dirt- A Philadelphia Phillies Dynasty

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
July 23rd-26th, 2010

July 23rd- Phillies-1 Rockies-0
Chase Utley's RBI ground out in the bottom of the first was all the support that Roy Halladay would get, but the Phillies ace made it work, holding the Rockies to just 1 hit over 7 shutout innings, as the Phils went on to defeat the visiting Rockies by the score of 1-0. Relievers Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge combined to complete the shutout, pitching a scoreless inning each.
WP-Roy Halladay(15-3) LP-Jorge de la Rosa(5-7) S-Brad Lidge(19) HR-None

July 24th- Phillies-6 Rockies-3
Ryan Howard homered and knocked in 3, and Chase Utley added a 2 run double, as the Phillies chased Rockies starter Jason Hammel in the 2nd inning on their way to a 6-3 victory over the Rockies. Starting pitcher Cole Hamels picked up his 15th win, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits over 7 and a third innings, Brad Lidge picked up the save.
WP-Cole Hamles(15-4) LP-Jason Hammel(6-8) S-Brad Lidge(20) HR- PHI, Ryan Howard(30), Jimmy Rollins(9) COL, Chris Iannetta(10)

July 25th- Phillies-3 Rockies-2
After falling behind 2-0 on a Todd Helton 2 run bomb, the Phillies slowly but surely fought their way back, getting a solo homer from Ben Francisco in the 2nd, a game tying RBI single by Ryan Howard in the 3rd, and finally a 5th inning RBI single by Placido Polanco which proved to be the difference, as Philadelphia defeated the Rockies once again, this time by a 3-2 score.
WP-Joe Blanton(10-4) LP-Jeff Francis(2-5) S-Ryan Madson(6)
HR-Phi, Ben Francisco(3) Col, Todd Helton(14)

July 26th- Phillies-9 Rockies-2
In what may have been his last start as a Phillie, starting pitcher J.A. Happ held the Rockies to 2 runs on 7 hits over 7 strong innings,as the Phils completed the sweep of Colorado, pounding them by the score of 9-2. Rocks starter Ubaldo Jiminez struggled with his control all afternoon, allowing 7 runs on 8 hits and 5 walks in 5 and a third innings pitched.
WP-J.A. Happ(7-9) LP-Ubaldo Jiminez(13-5) HR- Phi, Jimmy Rollins(10)

MLB News And Notes

The San Diego Padres traded 26 year old pitcher Luke Gregerson to the LA Angels in exchange for 20 year old minor league pitcher Fabio Martinez Mesa

The Folrida Marlins and New York Yankees have come to terms on a deal sending 28 year old pitcher Renyel Pinto to the Yankees for minor league catchers Gary Sanchez and J.R. Murphy, 18 and 19 years of age respectively.

In a shocking move, the New York Yankees have optioned struggling reliever Joba Chamberlain to Triple A Scranton. In 33 games with the Yanks, Chamberlain has a 4-2 record with a 5.20 ERA

The New York Mets have shipped 25 year old 1B Daniel Murphy to Cleveland, getting 26 year old reliever Joe Smith and 20 year old minor league pitcher Tyler Stovall in return.

The Cleveland Indians continue to be aggressive in rebuilding their franchise, sending 25 year old pitcher David Huff to Baltimore for 22 year old minor league pitcher Jake Cowan. In a 2nd separate deal, the Tribe have traded minor league pitchers Nick Hagadone and Jeanmar Gomez to the Marlins in exchange for 28 year old pitcher Christhian Martinez

With his 7th inning double off of Marlins reliever Leo Nunez, Braves 3B Chipper Jones collected the 2,500th hit of his storied career. One of the finest switch hitters in MLB history, Jones has a career .307 average with 444 home runs and 1,503 RBI, and seems destined for a spot in Cooperstown once his career comes to an end.

The Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles have agreed to swap highly touted prospects, with the Brewers sending 25 year old 3B Mat Gamel to the Orioles for 22 year old minor league pitcher Brandon Erbe

MLB Injury Report

Just back from a partialy torn labrum, Yankees SS Derek Jeter will be out for another 6-7 weeks after breaking his thumb on attempted steal of 2nd.

Dodgers 1B James Loney is out indefinitely after suffering a severe concussion on Friday, he's been placed on the 60 day DL

Astros 2B Maicer Izturis will be out for about 5 weeks with a fractured foot.

Athletics SP Ben Sheets is done for the season, after suffering a ruptured tendon on the middle finger of his pitching hand. Considering that Sheets has struggled mightily in his comeback attempt this year, you have to wonder if this could be the end for Sheets.

Cubs LF Marlon Byrd will be out for about a month after straining his hamstring on Saturday.

White Sox 1B Paul Konerko suffered a terrible injury on Sunday, breaking his kneecap after a nasty fall on an attempt to beat out a close play at 1st base. He was carted off the field to a rousing applause from the fans at U.S. Cellular Field. Recovery is expected to take as much as 9 months.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

Zobrist, Coghlan Nab Player Of The Week Honors

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
July 27th-29th, 2010

July 27th- Diamondbacks- 6 Phillies-1
Miguel Montero, Adam LaRoche, and Augie Ojeda all hit homers off of Phillies starter Jamie Moyer, as Arizona cruised to an easy 6-1 victory over a flat Phillies team. Moyer, pitched 6 lackluster innings, allowing 5 runs on 10 hits and dropping his record to 5-8. For the Snakes, starting pitcher Brandon Webb continued to look impressive in his return from injury, twirling 7 strong innings, and holding the Phils to a run on 5 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 5.
WP- Brandon Webb(10-6) LP-Jamie Moyer(5-8) HR- Ari, Miguel Montero(10), Adam LaRoche 2(16), Augie Ojeda(1)

July 28th- Phillies-4 Diamondbacks-3
Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the 8th inning, the Phillies took full advantage of the bumbling D-Backs defense, scoring 4 times in the inning on 2 singles, 2 walks, and 2 very costly errors, which all but wasted a tremendous effort from Arizona starter Edwin Jackson, as the Phils held on to win the game by the score of 4-3.
WP- Jose Contreras(4-0) LP- Edwin Jackson(8-8) S- Brad Lidge(21) HR- Ari, Mark Reynolds(20)

July 29th- Phillies-5 Diamondbacks-2
Cole Hamels pitched his 4th complete game of the season, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while walking 0 and striking out 8, as the Phillies overcame an early 2-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Diamondbacks by the score of 5-2. The game's turning point came in the 5th, where with the game tied at 2-2, Jimmy Rollins lifted a one out RBI sac fly, which was followed by an RBI single by Shane Victorino, from there it was all Hamels, who blanked the Snakes the rest of the way.
WP- Cole Hamels(16-4) LP- Rodrigo Lopez(2-8) HR- Ari, Miguel Montero(11), Conor Jackson(6) Phi, DeWayne Wise(3)

MLB Deadline Deals

Phils Acquire Oswalt!
After tense negotiations which lasted nearly a week, the Phillies and Astros finally came to an agreement on a trade in which the Phillies will receive none other than Houston ace Roy Oswalt, giving the team 3 legitimate aces, and making them the clear favorite to win their third straight National League pennant. The price of course was steep. In return, the Astros will receive last year's rookie of the year runner up, 27 year old SP J.A. Happ, as well as 3 of the Phils top prospects: 18 year old minor league 1B Jonathan Singleton, 19 year old minor league 2B Jonathan Villar, and 19 year old minor league CF Anthony Gose.

Rangers And Yankees Swap Superstars!
In a very interesting trade that has just been finalized, the New York Yankees have traded 38 year old starting pitcher Andy Pettitte to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 35 year old RF Vladimir Guerrero. With both teams locked into very tight divisional races, time will tell which team if any benefits most from the deal, but it must be said that with the addition of Guerrero, the Yankee lineup has become as fearsome as any in recent memory.

Indians Trade Sizemore to Milwaukee For Fielder!
In a huge 8 player deal, the Cleveland Indians have traded 27 year old all-star CF Grady Sizemore, 29 year old RP Pat Neshek, 23 year old minor league pitcher Bryan Price, and 21 year old minor league SP Kelvin de la Cruz to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for 26 year old all-star 1B Prince Fielder, 21 year old minor league pitcher Wily Peralta, 21 year old minor league pitcher Cody Scarpetta, and 29 year old RP Jesse Carlson. The obvious benefit to Milwaukee, is that they get a legitimate superstar who's under contract until 2015, while in Cleveland, they get an expiring contract and presumably more high draft picks with which to rebuild the club.

In Other Moves:

The Cincinnati Reds have traded 25 year old CF Drew Stubbs to the Kansas City Royals for 20 year old minor league SP Tim Melville

The Milwaukee Brewers have traded 27 year old minor league pitcher John Axforn to the Arizona Diamondbacks for minor league pitchers Michael Belfiore and Wade Miley

The Los Angeles Dodgers have traded 32 year old SP Vicente Padilla to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 29 year old 2B Jeff Baker and 21 year old minor league 2B Derrick Fitzgerald

The Cleveland Indians have traded 25 year old SP Aaron Laffey to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for 19 year old minor league pitcher Nathan Driessan and 22 year old minor league catcher Mark Fleury

The Arizona Diamondbacks have shipped 25 year old 2B Tony Abreu to the LA Dodgers for 19 year old minor league pitcher Garrett Gould

Disappointed with his me-first attitude, the Boston Red Sox have traded 31 year old 3B Adrian Beltre along with 22 year old catching prospect Ryan Lavarnway to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for 31 year old RP Matt Guerrier

The San Diego Padres have sent 28 year old RP Cesar Ramos to the KC Royals, getting in return 20 year old pitching prospect Noel Arguelles and 22 year old minor league 2B Fernando Garcia

The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded pitching prospects Tim Alderson and Aaron Pribanac to the San Diego Padres for 25 year old relief pitcher Wade LeBlanc

The pitching rich San Francisco Giants have sent 27 year old reliever Sergio Romo to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for 26 year old SS Jed Lowrie and 21 year old 3B prospect Will Middlebrooks.

The Florida Marlins have traded 26 year old SP Anibel Sanchez to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league infielders Justin Jackson and Kevin Aherns, both 21 years of age

The Mariners have traded veteran 1B Mike Sweeney to the Milwaukee Brewers for 32 year old RP Claudio Vargas.

The San Diego Padres have traded 26 year old reliever Edward Mujica to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitching prospects Jake Arietta and Randy Henry, 24 and 20 years of age respectively.

With RF now being occupied by Vlad, the Yankees have shipped 29 year old RF Nick Swisher along with 20 year old minor league pitcher Nik Turley to the Chicago White Sox for 28 year old RP Tony Pena.

The St Louis Cardinals have traded 27 year old minor league 3B David Freese, and 22 year old minor league SS Ryan Jackson to the Houston Astros in exchange for 30 year old reliever Jeff Fulchino

The Florida Marlins have raded 25 year old SP Rick VandenHurk to the Cleveland Indians for 21 year old minor league catcher Roberto Perez

The Tampa Bay Rays have shipped 20 year old SS prospect Tim Beckham to the Indians in exchange for 25 year old RF Matt LaPorta.

MLB News & Notes

The MLB trade deadline is tomorrow July 31st, however action is expected to be light due to the high amount of activity over the last couple of days.

35 year old Dodgers SP Hideki Kuroda is done for the year with bone chips in his elbow. Recovery is expected to take 5 months.

The Houston Astros and star RF Hunter Pence have come to terms on a 1 year extension worth a total of $6,696,000

With 2 hits on Wednesday, Dodgers CF Matt Kemp has extended his hitting streak to an impressive 20 games.

Angels SS Erick Aybar has been placed on the 15 day DL with what's being described as a sore shoulder, he could be out for about a month.

Mariners C Eliezer Alfonzo has been diagnosed with a torn abdominal muscle, and will be out for about 4 weeks.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

At
National's Park, Washington, D.C.
July 30th- August 1st

July 30th- Phillies-2 Nationals-1
Locked into a 1-1 game in the 9th, MLB home run leader Ryan Howard came through again for the Phillies, crushing a Todd Walker fastball over the right field fence, giving the Phils a 2-1 lead that closer Brad Lidge easily held, retiring Adam Dunn, Josh Willingham, and David Ortiz in order, giving the Phillies the 2-1 win.
WP-Ryan Madson(2-2) LP-Todd Walker(2-4) S- Brad Lidge(22) HR- Phi, Ryan Howard(31)

July 31st- Phillies-7 Nationals-2
DeWayne Wise had 2 hits and 2 RBI, Jayson Werth had a 2 run homer, and SP Jamie Moyer pitched 7 strong innings, as the Phillies won once again, defeating the Nats by the score of 7-2.
WP- Jamie Moyer(6-8) LP- J.D. Martin(4-2) HR- Phi, Jayson Werth(25) Was, Jesus Flores(2)

August 1st- Nationals-3 Phillies-2
Making his Phillies debut, starting pitcher Roy Oswalt found himself locked in a pitcher's duel with the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, that was won by the 22 year old rookie 3-2, thanks to a two run two out single by SS Christian Guzman in the bottom of the 8th inning that gave the Nats the win. Closer Brian Bruney pitched a perfect 9th for his 18th save of the season.
WP- Stephen Strasburg(3-9) LP- Roy Oswalt(10-8) S- Brian Bruney(18) HR- Phi, Jayson Werth(26)

MLB News And Notes

In an epic showdown in Saint Pete, the Tampa Bay Rays took two of three from the Yankees including an 8-4 pounding of CC Sabathia to move to within one game of the Yanks for first place in the AL East.

Despite the 4-2 win over the Giants, Dodgers CF Matt Kemp had his hitting streak snapped at 21 games

The Chicago Cubs have signed star catcher Geovany Soto to a 1 year contract extension worth a total of $4,935,000

27 year old Mariners pitcher Mark Lowe is done for the season after suffering a torn labrum on Saturday, recovery is expected to take 4 months.

Rangers reliever Chris ray will be out of action for 3 weeks with tendinitis in his shoulder.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

American League Leaders
July 31st, 2010

[PhillieFever]

National League Leaders
July 31st, 2010

[PhillieFever]

MLB Rookies Of The Month For July 2010

[PhillieFever]

MLB Pitchers Of The Month For July 2010

[PhillieFever]

MLB Batters Of The Month For July 2010

[PhillieFever]

MLB Players Of The Week For Week Ending August 1,2010

[PhillieFever]

At
Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fl.
August 3rd-5th, 2010

August 3rd- Phillies-7 Marlins-0
Roy Halladay tossed 8 scoreless innings, walking 2 and striking out 6, while offensively 4 different Phillies homered in a 7-0 shutout of the Marlins here at Sun Life Stadium. Marlins starter Sean West had absolutely no chance today, allowing 6 runs on 7 hits in 6 and a third innings pitched, his record falls to a miserable 3-11.
WP-Roy Halladay(16-3) LP-Sean West(3-11) HR- Phi, Ben Francisco(4), Placido Polanco(7),Chase Utley(15), Ryan Howard(32)

August 4th- Phillies-7 Marlins-2
Jayso Werth's 3 run first inning homer sparked a 7 run outburst over the first 5 innings, as the Phillies outhit, outpitched, and outclassed the hapless Marlins, defeating them by the score of 7-2. Starting pitcher Cole Hamels took a shutout into the bottom of the 9th, but a 2 out 2 run homer by Gaby Sanchez ended the bid, before Hamels retired John Baker for the final out in the Phils 7-2 victory.
WP- Cole Hamels(17-4) LP- Chris Volstad(2-3) HR- Phi, Jayson Werth(27) Fla, Gaby Sanchez(17)

August 5th- Marlins-5 Phillies-1
After two straight ugly defeats, the Marlins finally mustered up the strength to fight back, as starting pitcher Clay Hensley held the Phillies to just one hit over 7 shutout innings, while 2B Dan Uggla connected on an RBI sac fly and a 2 run single to lead the Fish to an impressive 5-1 victory over Philadelphia. Closer Leo Nunez also pitched well, allowing one hit over the final inning and two thirds for his 9th save of the season.
WP- Clay Hensley(3-6) LP- Joe Blanton(10-5) S- Leo Nunez(9) HR- Fla, Jason Delaney(1)

MLB News And Notes

Texas Rangers pitcher Andy Pettitte wasted no time making an impact with his new team, pitching 8 and a third scoreless innings to defeat Cliff Lee and the Mariners 1-0 at Safeco Field, as the Rangers took 2 of the 3 games in this crucial AL West matchup.

With 8 losses in their last 10 games, the detroit Tigers have fallen into 2nd place in the AL Central, 1 game behind the surprising Royals, who lead the American League with a .279 team batting average.

After nearly falling out of contention, the Boston Red Sox have came roaring back with 7 straight wins to move them within 2 games of first place New York, and a game and a half of wild card leading Tampa Bay.

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz has been placed on the 15 day DL with a fractured foot, he'll be out for a month, on the bright side, LF Raul Ibanez has returned from his stint on the DL and will be in uniform for the upcoming Mets series.

Marlins OF Chris Coghlan has been diagnosed with a herniated disc in his back and is out for 5 weeks.

Mets 2B Luis Castillo will be out for about 5 weeks with tendinitis in his elbow.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
August 6th-8th, 2010

August 6th- Mets-12 Phillies-6
In one of their worst performances of the season, Phillies pitchers were pounded for 12 runs on 16 hits in a 12-6 loss to the 4th place Mets here at Citizens Bank Park. 1B Nick Evans did the most damage for New York, going 3 for 5 with a double, a homer, 6 RBI and 2 runs scored.
WP-Oliver Perez(6-4) LP-Jamie Moyer(6-9) HR- NYM, Nick Evans(4), Carlos Beltran(14), Jeff Francoeur(4), Fernando Tatis(6) Phi, Raul Ibanez(25)

August 7th- Mets-4 Phillies-1
A 3 run homer by Rod Barajas in the 2nd, followed by a Chris Carter solo shot in the 3rd was all that SP Johan Santana would need, as he spellbound the Phillies for 8 innings, holding them to a run on 6 hits as the Mets once again defeated the Phillies, this time by the score of 4-1.
WP-Johan Santana(4-9) LP- Roy Oswalt(10-9) S- Francisco Rodriguez(21) HR- NYM, Rod Barajas(7), Chris Carter(1)

August 8th- Phillies-7 Mets-1
After two straight losses to the Mets, the Phillies finally got a win, taking advantage of 4 New York errors in a 7-1 victory. SP Roy Halladay was not at his best, but he came up big when he had to, allowing a run on 10 hits in 6 and a third innings pitched, improving his record to 17-3. SS Juan Castro, playing for an injured Jimmy Rollins had a great game, going 2 for 3 with a walk, a double, 2 RBI and a run scored.
WP-Roy Halladay(17-3) LP-Kelvim Escobar(1-1) HR- Phi, Raul Ibanez(26)

MLB News And Notes

After leading the division for over 3 months straight, the New York Yankees find themselves out of first place in the American League East, trailing the torrid Rays by one half game with a record of 64-46.

Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins has been placed on the 15 day DL with a sprained elbow, in his place the Phillies have called up Brian Bocock.

Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez had everything working on Saturday, twirling a complete game 4 hit shutout, while walking 3 and striking out 8 in a 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves

Rockies SS Troy Tulowitski suffered a strained biceps on Saturday and will be out for about 5 weeks.

Pirates RF Jonathan Van Every will be on the mend for 4-5 months after tearing a muscle in his back in a game against the Rockies.

Blue Jays 2B Aaron Hill will be out of action for 6 weeks with a strained oblique. The team is expected to make a roster move in the next day or so.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

This Week's MLB Players Of The Week

[EMSoccerCoach]

Ollie Perez got a win? scrap the roster set.

[PhillieFever]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

Ollie Perez got a win? scrap the roster set.

One thing that the game doesn't take into account is that thing in between the players ears, that's why Perez on the Mets and Brad Lidge on the Phils are so good in the game. They both have really good natural stuff, but they just seem to let their heads get the best of them.

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
August 10th-12th, 2010

August 10th- Phillies-4 Dodgers-0
LF Raul Ibanez provided the offense, going 2 for 3 with 2 homers and all 4 RBI, and SP Cole Hamels took care of the rest, holding the Dodgers to just 3 hits over 8 scoreless innings, while walking 1 and striking out 11, as the Phillies defeated the Dodgers by the score of 4-0 in game one of this three game set.
WP-Cole Hamels(18-4) LP-Clayton Kershaw(6-8) HR-Phi, Raul Ibanez 2(28)

August 11th- Phillies-7 Dodgers-5
On a day in which they lost 2B Chase Utley for the rest of the regular season, the Phillies rallied from a 5-4 deficit, scoring 3 runs in the 7th inning to go on to defeat the Dodgers by the score of 7-5. LF Raul Ibanez was once again a key contributor in the victory, going 3 for 5 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. For the Dodgers, RF Andre Ethier was awesome in defeat, going 3 for 5 with 2 homers, 4 RBI and 2 runs scored.
WP-Danys Baez(3-1) LP-Chad Billingsley(10-8) S-Brad Lidge(23) HR- LAD, Andre Ethier 2(26)

August 12th- Phillies-10 Dodgers-3
1B Ryan Howard, RF Jayson Werth, and just signed 3B Khalil Greene each homered and knocked in 3, as the Phillies completed the sweep of the visiting Dodgers with a resounding 10-3 victory. Starting pitcher Jamie Moyer was strong throughout, holding the Dodgers to 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 8 over 7 and 2 thirds innings pitched for his 7th win of the season.
WP-Jamie Moyer(7-9) LP-Jeff Weaver(2-5) HR- Phi, Ryan Howard(33), Jayson Werth(28), Khalil Greene(1)

MLB News And Notes

Cubs CF Kosuke Fukodome will be out of action for 4-5 months with a broken bone in his elbow.

The Rangers Brandon Boggs and the Yankees Alfredo Aceves have been suspended for 10 games each for their parts in an ugly bench clearing brawl on Tuesday.

Reds starter Aaron Harang was fantastic on Tuesday, twirling a complete game 3 hit shutout in a 12-0 hammering of the first place Cardinals.

Newly acquired Brewers CF Grady Sizemore will be out of action for about 3 weeks with a strained PCL in his knee.

In a key divisional matchup, the Mariners' Felix Hernandez threw a complete game 2 hit shutout at the first place Athletics on Wednesday, leading Seattle to an impressive 5-0 victory.

Phillies star 2B Chase Utley has been placed on the 15 day DL with a broken hamate bone, and will be out of action for 2 months. To take his place, the Phillies have signed free agent 3B Khalil Greene.

Brewers 3B Casey McGehee has been suspended for 3 games for verbally abusing umpire Joe West.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

At
Citi Field, Flushing, NY
August 13th- 15th, 2010

August 13th- Mets-2 Phillies-1
Despite Johan Santana going down with a tired arm in the 2nd inning, the New York Mets were still able to eke out a hard fought 2-1 victory thanks to some tremendous relief pitching from Joe Smith, Kiko Calero, and especially Francisco Rodriguez, who held the Phillies scoreless over the final 3 and two thirds innings, for his 22nd save of the year. For the Phils, starting pitcher Roy Oswalt pitched good enough to win, allowing 2 runs on 10 hits over 8 innings pitched, but he remains winless as a member of the Phillies.
WP-Joe Smith(4-3) LP-Roy Oswalt(10-10) S-Francisco Rodriguez(22) HR- None

August 14th- Mets-3 Phillies-0
For the second straight day, the Phillies could do nothing with Mets pitching, as Kelvim Escobar held the Phils scoreless over 7 strong innings before turning the game over to relievers Joe Smith and Francisco Rodriguez who each pitched a scoreless inning, as New York defeated the Phillies 3-0. Carlos Beltran had 2 hits including a solo homer, and David Wright and Ruben Tejada each had RBI hits providing the offense for New York. Roy Halladay took the loss for the Phillies.
WP-Kelvim Escobar(2-1) LP-Roy Halladay(17-4) S-Francisco Rodriguez(23) HR- NYM, Carlos Beltran(15)

August 15th- Phillies-10 Mets-2
After two days of futility, the Phillies bats finally woke up, pounding out 15 hits on their way to a 10-2 pounding of the Mets. Placido Polanco and Jayson Werth led the charge for the Phils, with Polanco going 4 for 5 with a walk and 3 runs scored, and Werth going 2 for 5 with a homer, 4 RBI and a run scored.On the down side, pitchers Cole Hamels and Danys Baez both left the game with minor injuries, neither players is expected to be out for more than a week.
WP-Antonio Bastardo(1-1) LP-Mike Pelfrey(9-9) HR- Phi, Jayson Werth(29)

MLB News And Notes

Buoyed by Pedro Martinez's first win of the season on Friday, the Kansas City Royals pulled off an impressive sweep of the Yankees this weekend, dropping the Bronx Bombers three games behind the 1st place Tampa Bay Rays, who swept Baltimore over the weekend.

The Detroit Tigers continue to hang tough in the AL Central, trailing the first place Royals by just 2 games following their sweep of the White Sox this weekend.

The Colorado Rockies have now won 9 straight games, expanding their lead in the NL West to 4 and a half over Los Angeles.

With 6 straight losses, the Texas Rangers did not need any more bad news, but they got some anyway when they found out on Saturday that RF Nelson Cruz(.296 24 HR) was done for the season, with torn muscles in his back.

White Sox SP Jake Peavey is out for the year with bone chips in his elbow, recovery is expected to take 7-8 months.

Twins 1B Justin Morneau, and Athletics pitcher Chad Gaudin have both been suspended for 8 games each for their part in a brawl between the teams.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

Phillips And Butler Garner Player Of The Week Honors

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
August 17th-19th, 2010

August 17th- Giants-6 Phillies-5
In a well played back and forth ballgame, the San Francisco Giants defeated the Philadelphia Phillies by the score of 6-5, on a two out RBI single by Jed Lowrie off of Phillies reliever JC Romero, who was charged with his first blown save of the season.
WP- Joe Martinez(3-2) LP- JC Romero(2-3) S- Brian Wilson(10) HR- SFG, Pablo Sandoval(16), Travis Ishikawa(3) Phi, Placido Polanco(8)

August 18th- Phillies-6 Giants-5 (15 Innings)
In another great game, the Phillies took a 4-2 lead into the 9th, only to see Brad Lidge allow an RBI sac fly to Jed Lowrie followed later by an RBI single by Pablo Sandoval which tied the game at four, forcing extra innings. In the extra frames, the Giants finally snapped the 4-4 deadlock in the 15 on an RBI single by Buster Posey, but in the bottom of the inning the Phils went right to work, getting a leadoff single from Ryan Howard that was immediately followed by a mammoth home run by Jayson Werth, giving the Phillies the 6-5 walkoff win.
WP- Chad Durbin(2-0) LP- Joe Martinez(3-3) HR- Phi, Jayson Werth(30), Khalil Greene(2)

August 19th- Giants-7 Phillies-6
In a fitting conclusion to what has been a highly entertaining series, the Giants took advantage of an ineffective Roy Oswalt and built a 6-1 fourth inning lead. In the 6th however, a 3 run homer from red hot Jayson Werth closed the gap to 6-4, and suddenly the Phillies had life. In the 8th, the Giants added to the lead, making it 7-4 on an RBI double by Pablo Sandoval, but once again the Phillies responded, getting a two run shot from Ryan Howard to make it 7-6. The Phils would run out of steam however, as Giants reliever Guillermo Moto twirled a scoreless 9th to preserve the 7-6 San Francisco victory.
WP- Barry Zito(10-11) LP- Roy Oswalt(10-11) S- Guillermo Mota(3) HR- SFG, Reggie Abercrombie(6) Phi, Jayson Werth 2(32), Ryan Howard(34)

MLB News And Notes

Promising young Athletics left hander Gio Gonzalez had his season come to an end on Tuesday, after tearing a muscle in his back in a game against Toronto. Recovery is expected to take 4-5 months.

Despite playing for a first place ballclub, the Royals Gary Sheffield is at it again, causing a ruckus on Wednesday when he had to be restrained from attacking manager Trey Hillman after a dispute about playing time, neither the team nor Sheffield would comment on the situation.

44 year old knuckleballer Tim Wakefield passed an important milestone on Wednesday, picking up career win #200 in a 6-2 victory over the Angels. For his career, Wakefield is 200-166 with a 4.30 career ERA

Javier Vaszuez continues to prove his worth to the Yankees, tossing a 4 hits 7-0 shutout at the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, keeping the Yanks 3 games behind the streaking Rays. For the season, Vasquez is 15-5 with a sparkling 2.57 ERA and 146 K's

The 1st place Athletics have lost another player to injury, as LF Rajai Davis went down with torn ligaments in his ankle, finishing him for the season. Recovery will take up to 5 months.

The wild card leading Dodgers will have to play without star CF Matt Kemp for up to 5 weeks with a strained hip muscle. For the season, Kemp is batting .292 with 12 homers, 43 RBi and 60 runs scored.

MLB Standings

[PhillieFever]

At
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pa.
August 20th-22nd, 2010

August 20th- Nationals-6 Phillies-2
On a day in which Phillies starter Roy Halladay just did not have it, the Nationals got a huge 2 homer day from Adam Dunn, as well as a fine pitching performance from John Lannan, on their way to a 6-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park. Dunn, was 2 for 3 on the day, with 2 homers, a walk, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, while Lannan pitched 7 strong, allowing 1 run on 7 hits while walking 0 and striking out 9.
WP- John Lannan(9-9) LP- Roy Halladay(17-5) HR- Was, Adam Dunn 2(27), Phi, Raul Ibanez(29)

August 21st- Nationals-10 Phillies-3
Ivan Rodriguez had 3 hits, including a homer and 5 RBI, Justin Maxwell had a homer and 3 RBI, and Mike Morse doubled 3 times, as the Nationals slammed Cole Hamels and the Phillies, defeating them by the score of 10-3. Seeking his 19th win of the year, Hamels was just brutal, allowing 6 runs on 10 hits over 6 innings pitched, as he lost for just the 5th time all season.
WP- Jason Marquis(11-6) LP- Cole Hamels(18-5) S- Brian Bruney(24) HR- Was, Ivan Rodriguez(3), Justin Maxwell(5)

August 22nd- Phillies-15 Nationals-1
Making his first start since spraining his elbow on August 6th, the Phils Jimmy Rollins gave the team a much needed shot in the arm, going 3 for 6 with 2 home runs, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored, as the Phillies destroyed the visiting Nationals, winning by the score of 15-1. Shane Victorino and Juan Castro also played big roles in the win, with Victorino going 4 for 5 with a homer, 4 RBI and a run scored and Castro adding 3 more hits including a double and 3 RBI. On the hill, SP Joe Blanton was just as good, throwing his 2nd complete game of the year, allowing a run on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 11 for his 11th win of the season.
WP- Joe Blanton(11-5) LP- Chien-Ming Wang(3-4) HR- Phi, Ryan Howard(35), Jimmy Rollins 2(12), Shane Victorino(8)

MLB News And Notes

Cubs CF Marlon Byrd has suffered a second setback in quest to return from a strained hamstring, and will be out at least another week. Byrd was originally injured on July 24th.

Oft traveled 1B Eric Hinske may be on the move again say sources, with the Braves seemingly close to a deal which will send Hinske to his 6th team since 2007. Of course, any deal is contingent on both players making it through waivers first.

Mariners relief pitcher Brandon League will miss the rest of the season due to what is being called "ulnar nerve irritation" recovery could take up to 4 months.

In the Cubs 14-5 victory over Atlanta on Saturday, 34 year old Cubs LF passed a huge milestone, collecting his 300th career home run off of the Braves Matt Maloney.

In the first waiver trade of the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have traded 28 year old RP Joel Hanrahan to the Marlins in exchange for 19 year old minor league pitcher Chad James.

Already decimated by injuries, the Chicago White Sox have lost another key player, with SP John Danks going down with a torn rotator cuff. this is a significant injury which could take up to 13 months to heal, meaning Danks could possibly miss all of next season as well.

In one of the finest pitching performances this year, the Royals Gil Meche allowed just 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 over 10 shutout innings, leading the Royals to a 1-0 shutout victory over the Chicago White Sox. For the year, Meche is now 10-7 with a 3.49 ERA and 107 strikeouts

The Texas Rangers and New York Mets have come to terms on a deal in which the Rangers will ship 26 year old catcher Taylor Teagarden to New York in exchange for 27 year old LF Chris Carter.

Marlins 2B Dan Uggla will be out for 5-6 weeks with a fractured hand, suffered in a game on Saturday.

Giants 2B Mark DeRosa will be out of action for about 6 weeks with a strained ACL.

MLB Standings