This is far from an April Fool’s joke: Brett Myers will take the mound as the team ace at Citizens Bank Park on Opening Day in two weeks. This will not be the first time he does so, but it will be his first in an Astros uniform.

Myers gets starting nod

Astros manager Brad Mills gave Myers the nod as his ace today. All he has to do is beat Doc Halladay to continue his effort to show up Phils management for letting him walk a year ago.

That isn’t as far fetched as it seems. While the Phils will be favored and Halladay is coming off a Cy Young Award season, the fact is that Myers was one of the best throwers in the NL after the All-Star break last year.

The man who once fouled off a boatload of CC Sabathia fastballs went 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA last year. In 15 starts from July 4 to September 19, Myers gave up more than two earned runs just twice.

In his only start against the Phillies he garnered a 3-2 win in which he allowed just two runs on seven hits in as many innings. While he faced Blanton that day, the fact is that Blanton put up a Docesque line of one run on six hits in seven innings. The bullpen handed Myers the win.

Having said all that, we still expect Doc to start the season with a memorable outing, much as he did last season in Washington and the postseason against the Reds last year.

Ace Roy Halladay is going to Anaheim for the All-Star game unless Charlie Manuel has completely lost his mind. If Jamie Moyer has another solid start today and in his next start July 2 at Pittsburgh, he would have to be given consideration to become the oldest player in All-Star history.

Under new rules imposed by MLB this year, both would be eligible to play as well. Thanks to MLB.com’s Barry Bloom for pointing this rule out to us, but pitchers who start the last game before the All-Star break are ineligible to play in the midsummer classic. The Yankees CC Sabathia is one starter in line to miss the game, according to Bloom.

If the Phillies rotation continues on its current pace — meaning no rainouts or a JA Happ return — Cole Hamels would start Sunday, July 11, against the Reds at CBP. (Sidenote: That’ll be your DailyPhiladelphian’s bachelor party.)

Roy Halladay is in line to earn his first NL All-Star birth.

As it stands, Halladay’s last start before the break will come on July 10, and Moyer will throw July 7 in an important battle against the first place Braves.

Entering today’s game against the Blue Jays, Moyer has a chance to pitch himself into All-Star history, as we pointed out earlier this week.

his recent body of work has been excellent, starting with a complete game shutout against first-place Atlanta on May 7. In his last nine games, he’s allowed more than two earned runs just three times (four on May 14 and May 25, and the nine-run disaster in Boston).

With another solid outing against the Blue jays on Sunday, Jamie Moyer will inch one-step closer to All-Star history.

Take away the Boston game, and his ERA over the last two seven weeks has to make him a potential All-Star. If he goes to Anaheim, he’ll be the oldest player in All-Star history, beating out Satchel Paige by days.

As it stands, only Cole Hamels is not able to go due to the new rule. Based on yesterday’s game, that’s not the only thing that’ll give him a few days off to rest with wife Heidi and their baby boy.

While fatman CC has mowed down opponents throughout the last two years, he hasn’t done so well against the Phillies. In three career games, he’s 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA. That is not your normal CC Sabathia.

Last year, he gave up five runs on six hits in just 3.2 innings against the Phillies. He also walked Brett Myers in a memorable at-bat en route to racking up a 12.27 ERA in the postseason.

Then in Game 1 on Wednesday, CC got the loss, giving up two earned runs in seven innings as the Phils spanked the Bronx Bitches 6-1.

Of course, now, Sabathia goes against Joe Blanton who has been up-and-down this year. If Sabathia pitches as well on Sunday as he did on Wednesday, he could very well get the victory and out the Yankees in a position to go back home and win the series.

However, first, he must show he can stop Utley, Myers and the rest of the Phils lineup.

Sure, the Phillies could have opted to go with JA Happ or Cliff Lee, but Blanton was the best choice. The guy has World Series experience as he started Game 4 last year.

Happ is a rookie and hasn’t exactly been lights out this postseason. Should the Phils lose on Saturday, do you really want Happy on the mound in a must-win game?

Lee would have gone on three days rest, something he’s never done in his career. This is not the time to experiment. Game 7? Yes. Now? Not unless the Phils were facing elimination, which they won’t be.

Blanton is the safe choice, and the right choice. Besides, rumor has it he’s been in the batting cages with Brett Myers this week learning tricks on how to earn a walk from CC Sabathia.

While the Yanks haven’t named a starter yet, we’d be shocked if it wasn’t CC. Over the last two postseason’s, the Fightins have proven they are CC’s Daddy!

We stand corrected.

While driving home from a long day of molding young minds as a teacher, your Daily Philadelphian flipped on SportsRadio 660 WFAN in New York to get their take on the Fall Classic from the obnoxious jackass perspective. CC Sabathia’s news conference was on the air, and that’s when we heard it.

CC, how many pinstripes are on your jersey?

It is the single dumbest question ever asked at any news conference at any time.

“With your broad shoulders and build (i.e. you’re a fat friggin pig), some have said you probably own the record for wearing the most pinstripes on your jersey in Yankees history. Have you ever counted the number of pinstripes on your jersey?”

The questioner was not Dave Spadaro as far as we can tell. In fact, the questioner was not identified, but he should have his media credentials revoked yesterday!

It’s jackasses like that who make me wonder why some bloggers can’t get media credentials. No blogger would have asked that question. Some of us have legit newspaper experience, including me. Yet, somehow, people with moronic questions get into World Series news conferences while others of us sit at home.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOjE85n7Lm0]

Let the fun begin in less than 48 hours!

Will the real Cole Hamels please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?

Tonight is the young pitcher’s most important start since Game 5 of the World Series. At 7:05 p.m., the postseason commences for young Cole.

For Cole Hamels and the Phillies, the postseason starts tonight against the Giants.

The pitcher who never shies away from the demands of being an ace pitcher is stepping into a pressure cooker tonight when the NL Wild Card-leading San Francisco Giants try to deposit a loss into the Phillies standings at Citizens Bank Park.

For the Phillies to make a return appearance in the World Series and end October with another parade down Broad Street, Hamels must regain his command, confidence and form that made him the NCLS and World Series MVP last year.

This year has been a different time and place for Hamels. He has been the least effective pitcher in the last month, posting an -3 record in the process. In fact, Jamie Moyer has two more wins over the last three weeks, and he hasn’t started a game since Aug. 9.

Hamels has one month left to find his stud self, and must start September on a positive note. He could not have found a better situation in which to do this. This is his time to make a statement.

Not only can he start the month with a win, but he can light the fire to carry the Phillies to home field advantage throughout the National League playoffs. The team starts today just 3.5 games behind the Dodgers, and 2 games ahead of the Cardinals. Hosting the deciding game of the first two rounds of the playoffs is very much in Cole Hamels’ hands.

Sitting down the Giants, a potential first round opponent with a top pitching staff, is important. Let the team leave CBP with doubt about whether or not they can handle the Phillies next month. Remember, last year the Brewers were riding the hot hand of CC Sabathia toward a postseason run. They came to Philly, and the team in red pinstripes sent them to the airport yearning for a case of Old Milwaukee Light. The Brew Crew wanted to forget what happened to them here.

The Brewers then were among the hottest teams in baseball and came back during the playoffs. The Phillies had confidence and the Brewers had doubts entering that series. Brett Myers then upped CC’s pitch count, and The Flyin’ Hawaian torched a grand slam on the stretch that ended with Pat Burrell sniffing a Clydesdale’s ass.

The Phillies need to do the same thing to the Giants and the rest of the National League and they need Cole to find himself.

For Hamels, the postseason starts tonight. ]]> http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/09/01/for-hamels-postseason-starts-today/feed/ 0 http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/09/01/phillies-must-play-with-urgency/ http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/09/01/phillies-must-play-with-urgency/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 09:49:18 +0000 Frank Ward http://dailyphiladelphian.com/?p=106

Will anyone remember the 2009 Kansas City Royals in two months? Actually, do you remember them now?

Will you remember the Florida Marlins in November?

Of course not. That’s fairly interesting considering after the first month of the season, the two teams were among the best teams in baseball.

The point is, nobody remembers how you start a season, only how you end it. For the Phillies, they can’t afford to rest on their 7.5-game lead in the division entering play tonight.

To fulfill World Series aspirations, the Phillies must close out this year like they did the last two.

While the Phils will not finish this September pulling on the chocker collar of the New York Mets in only a way Michael Vick could love, they still need to play with the same sense of urgency as the last two seasons.

The teams who end the season on the hottest streaks generally ride that momentum into the postseason and into a World Series appearance. Two years ago, the Colorado Rockies had won 21 of their final 22 games and then swept our Phillies back into Bridesmaid Territory. Last year, we finally ended our championship pity party thanks to the way the Phillies closed out the Mets regular season.

Charlie Manuel must make this team understand that home field advantage for the NL playoffs is within an Eric Bruntlett triple play, Brad Lidge slider, Cole Hamels curveball and Ryan Howard swing. It’s there for the taking.

Pay attention to the standings between the Dodgers, Phillies and Cardinals. Treat that like the division. Entering play today, the Dodgers hole a 3-game lead on the Phils, and the Cardinals are just percentage points behind. The race is tight.

Finish this year with the same urgency and a return trip to the World Series is likely. We’ll get to see CC Sabathia make a return appearance at the Big Bank with the Yankees in October. Word has it that Brett Myers should be available to pinch hit by then. ]]> http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/09/01/phillies-must-play-with-urgency/feed/ 0 http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/08/30/better-now-than-later-for-cliff-lee-phils/ http://dailyphiladelphian.com/2009/08/30/better-now-than-later-for-cliff-lee-phils/#comments Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:25:43 +0000 Frank Ward http://dailyphiladelphian.com/?p=84 It was bound to happen sooner or later. Cliff Lee was going to get torched. All pitchers do.

Since coming to Philly in late July, Lee has been unhittable on his way to a 5-0 record. Last night, the skies opened up on Lee, who surrendered six runs and three home runs, in the Phillies 9-1 loss to the Braves. The game was called after 8 innings due to heavy rainfall.

Lee suffering a loss now is good for two reasons. First, it lets us see how he bounces back after a poor outing and how he handles a little adversity.

Second, he wasn’t going to go from now until the end of October without losing a game. Remember CC Sabathia last year. The man was a stud for the Brewers, until he faced the Phillies in the playoffs. He then made Brett Myers look like the second coming of Richie Ashburn.

A loss now or in October? CC Sabathia can lose in October; Lee can lose now.