Sorry so late...might be inclined to bet the Giants
Phillies (4-5) at San Francisco Giants (4-5)
The Phillies embark upon a 10-game road trip and the first stop is AT&T Park in San Francisco, a recent house of horrors for Charlie Manuel's team. The west coast trip is filled with interesting pitching matchups, perhaps none more so than what will be on display Monday night.
Starting Pitchers
Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.60 ERA) makes his third start of the season as the Phillies look to again reach .500. Halladay has allowed eight baserunners and one run in 15 innings this season. Doc is no stranger to hot starts. In 2011, he gave up one run in his first 19 innings. In 2010, Halladay allowed one run in his first 21.
In the other clubhouse, the Giants are looking for a bounce-back outing from Tim Lincecum. The ace has struggled mightily in two starts this season, allowing 11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. Lincecum’s 12.91 ERA is the highest in baseball among pitchers with at least five innings. His fastball velocity is down from 92.3 miles per hour last season to 90.3 this season.
Previous games
The Phillies avoided a sweep on Sunday by beating the Mets, 8-2. The Phils went 5 for 28 in the series with runners in scoring position and are hitting .235 in such situations. Troubling is the fact that 57 percent of the Phillies opportunities with runners in scoring position have come with two outs.
The Giants are coming off of a home loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had lost five straight after taking two of three from the Phillies in the opening series. San Francisco started out 1-4 but is 3-1 since. Surprisingly, hitting hasn’t been the problem early on for the Giants, who are averaging 4.6 runs per game in five losses. Pitching has been the issue. San Fran has allowed 7.6 runs per game in their losses and 1.3 in their wins.
Head-to-head
The Phillies and Giants have split 20 regular-season meetings since the start of 2009. The Giants defeated the Phils in six games in the 2010 NLCS en route to a World Series title. Last year the Phils won the season series for the first time since 2006. From 2008-10, the Phillies were 3-7 at AT&T Park, until winning three of four last year in San Francisco.
Halladay has struggled more with the Giants than any other team. In three regular-season starts, Halladay is 0-2 with a 7.23 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The Giants have batted .313/.353/.488 off Doc; all three averages are the highest marks produced by any opponent. Halladay did not face the Giants in 2011.
Lincecum against the Phillies has a 4-1 record in nine starts to go with a 2.61 ERA. The unconventional righty has struck out 65 Phillies in 62 innings and held them to a .198 batting average. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence are a combined 13 for 76 (.176) off Lincecum. Juan Pierre is the only Phillie who has hit him well, going 6 for 12 with a double and two triples.
Who’s hot
Pierre went 3 for 4 Sunday and is one three-hit game away from having 162 for his career, a full season’s worth. The 34-year-old slap-hitting left fielder is batting .350 but has no walks or extra-base hits.
Ty Wigginton and Laynce Nix finally contributed in the series finale against the Mets, going 2 for 7 with five RBI.
Who’s not
Placido Polanco didn’t start Sunday but went 0 for 1 with a run as a pinch-hitter. He is 1 for his last 10 and is batting .194 on the season with no extra-base hits.
Storylines
On the road trip, the Phillies have a chance to prove that the first nine games of the season weren’t indicative of how they’ll fare in 2012. Facing Lincecum, lefty Madison Bumgarner (who signed a five-year extension Monday) and Matt Cain will be exhausting, but producing runs and winning two of three games would be quite an early-season statement.
Plagued by an inconsistent and largely powerless lineup, spending 10 games on the other side of the country could actually serve as a blessing in disguise. It also figures to be a bonding experience for a team with many new faces.
When the Phillies return home to play the Cubs on April 27, we’ll know much more about what type of team they are. Can they contend offensively, or will the bats wilt as the pitching matchups get tougher?
Sound off
Halladay is pitching at a ridiculously high level right now but has never been himself against the Giants, particularly in San Francisco. Will we see the continuation of his 2012 success, or of his Bay City struggles?
Phillies (4-5) at San Francisco Giants (4-5)
The Phillies embark upon a 10-game road trip and the first stop is AT&T Park in San Francisco, a recent house of horrors for Charlie Manuel's team. The west coast trip is filled with interesting pitching matchups, perhaps none more so than what will be on display Monday night.
Starting Pitchers
Roy Halladay (2-0, 0.60 ERA) makes his third start of the season as the Phillies look to again reach .500. Halladay has allowed eight baserunners and one run in 15 innings this season. Doc is no stranger to hot starts. In 2011, he gave up one run in his first 19 innings. In 2010, Halladay allowed one run in his first 21.
In the other clubhouse, the Giants are looking for a bounce-back outing from Tim Lincecum. The ace has struggled mightily in two starts this season, allowing 11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. Lincecum’s 12.91 ERA is the highest in baseball among pitchers with at least five innings. His fastball velocity is down from 92.3 miles per hour last season to 90.3 this season.
Previous games
The Phillies avoided a sweep on Sunday by beating the Mets, 8-2. The Phils went 5 for 28 in the series with runners in scoring position and are hitting .235 in such situations. Troubling is the fact that 57 percent of the Phillies opportunities with runners in scoring position have come with two outs.
The Giants are coming off of a home loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, who had lost five straight after taking two of three from the Phillies in the opening series. San Francisco started out 1-4 but is 3-1 since. Surprisingly, hitting hasn’t been the problem early on for the Giants, who are averaging 4.6 runs per game in five losses. Pitching has been the issue. San Fran has allowed 7.6 runs per game in their losses and 1.3 in their wins.
Head-to-head
The Phillies and Giants have split 20 regular-season meetings since the start of 2009. The Giants defeated the Phils in six games in the 2010 NLCS en route to a World Series title. Last year the Phils won the season series for the first time since 2006. From 2008-10, the Phillies were 3-7 at AT&T Park, until winning three of four last year in San Francisco.
Halladay has struggled more with the Giants than any other team. In three regular-season starts, Halladay is 0-2 with a 7.23 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. The Giants have batted .313/.353/.488 off Doc; all three averages are the highest marks produced by any opponent. Halladay did not face the Giants in 2011.
Lincecum against the Phillies has a 4-1 record in nine starts to go with a 2.61 ERA. The unconventional righty has struck out 65 Phillies in 62 innings and held them to a .198 batting average. Shane Victorino, Jimmy Rollins and Hunter Pence are a combined 13 for 76 (.176) off Lincecum. Juan Pierre is the only Phillie who has hit him well, going 6 for 12 with a double and two triples.
Who’s hot
Pierre went 3 for 4 Sunday and is one three-hit game away from having 162 for his career, a full season’s worth. The 34-year-old slap-hitting left fielder is batting .350 but has no walks or extra-base hits.
Ty Wigginton and Laynce Nix finally contributed in the series finale against the Mets, going 2 for 7 with five RBI.
Who’s not
Placido Polanco didn’t start Sunday but went 0 for 1 with a run as a pinch-hitter. He is 1 for his last 10 and is batting .194 on the season with no extra-base hits.
Storylines
On the road trip, the Phillies have a chance to prove that the first nine games of the season weren’t indicative of how they’ll fare in 2012. Facing Lincecum, lefty Madison Bumgarner (who signed a five-year extension Monday) and Matt Cain will be exhausting, but producing runs and winning two of three games would be quite an early-season statement.
Plagued by an inconsistent and largely powerless lineup, spending 10 games on the other side of the country could actually serve as a blessing in disguise. It also figures to be a bonding experience for a team with many new faces.
When the Phillies return home to play the Cubs on April 27, we’ll know much more about what type of team they are. Can they contend offensively, or will the bats wilt as the pitching matchups get tougher?
Sound off
Halladay is pitching at a ridiculously high level right now but has never been himself against the Giants, particularly in San Francisco. Will we see the continuation of his 2012 success, or of his Bay City struggles?
