The Good: Werth doing his best Victorino impression by getting two outfield assists. It always seems that Rowand’s homeruns come at a time in which the runs are needed most, definitely proving he is the most clutch hitter on the team. RYAN HOWARD STOLE A BASE?
The Bad: This must be the only team in baseball to dread having the bases loaded with no outs. Simply because everyone seems to forget how to hit. Only one run!? But the experienced Phillies fan that I am, I have learned to appreciate the times that they do at least score one run. Good times manufacture runs. Decent teams score runs when they are being handed to them on a silver platter.
Where did Jayson Werth come from? 
In the month of August, he is batting .288, with three homeruns and twelve RBIs. While these number may not seem anything spectacular, I find him doing a good enough job replacing Victorino and Bourn. Throughout the entire season, Gary Matthews has praised Werth saying how good he is and how much power he can produce. I guess Matthews might know a little bit about baseball. Albeit his production is coming off of only lefties, I’m starting to see Werth as an excellent pinch hit option when Victorino comes back healthy.
Now that’s a freakin’ ball club. Though they came in a little flat in the first couple innings, falling behind 3-0, they showed that they are not the Phillies of old. And the good ole’ reliable Kyle Kendrick was able to stay within himself and keep the Dodgers at bay. Although the Dodgers are the weakest team of the three team coming into Philadelphia, the Phillies did exaclty what they had to do, win the first game of the series. Now they just have to win one of the next two in order to continue to win series.
Just as I was writing about how this was a very important stretch of games for the Phillies, and their ace needs to do something special, the TV broadcast says Hamels 
is going to miss his start. With JD Durbin taking his spot, all I can hope for is that he can keep them in the game. He hasn’t really had a chance to get comfortable as a starter or a reliever as he continues to go back and forth. Coming off a good start in Pittsburgh, Durbin has a chance to show if he is the “Real Deal.” Derek Lowe will be starting for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Despite his stats, this guy can get groundouts better then anyone with one of the best sinkers in baseball. Though he has had some nagging injuries with his hip and groin, he is exceptional at keeping the ball on the ground and in play. He does struggle from the stretch and hitters tend to succeed when they attack his first pitch.
Last start: W / 7.0 / 0 ER / 5 H / 0 BB / 2 SO / Houston
Last words . . . one win down, nine more to go.
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Posted on August 21, 2007 by Soss | Filed Under Baseball, Philadelphia, Phillies, Philly Sports, Professional Sports
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