Paul Hagen: At least Torre saved Dodgers bullpen

October 19, 2009|by Paul Hagen
(Page 4 of 4)

"It's a long way to go. We've got to get there ourselves. But it would be awesome."

We hear

The Yankees and Angels scouts who are out in force for the NLCS have taken copious notes about Phillies second baseman Chase Utley's throwing yips so far. You can be sure that they started scribbling when Ryan Howard had to dig his first toss to first out of the dirt in the fourth.

Talking points

Cliff Lee: The Phillies didn't trade four prospects to the Indians just before the deadline so Lee could help them reach the postseason. They traded four prospects so he could help them win once they got there. So far, he has done a terrific impersonation off Cole Hamels circa October 2008. Last night, 8 shutout innings, 3 hits. In three postseason starts: 2-0, 0.74 earned run average.

Ryan Howard: Ain't no stopping him now. Six RBI in the NLCS, including three more last night on a triple and a single. A total of 12 in seven postseason games. And only one came on a home run. En fuego, indeed.

Story continues below.

Hiroki Kuroda: He hadn't pitched since Sept. 28 and had been sidelined before that with a strained muscle in his side, a concussion after being beaned by a line drive and a sore neck caused by a small herniation in his cervical spine. But the Dodgers activated him because they thought he threw well in Arizona last week and because he had an 0.95 career ERA against the Phillies in three starts. Oops.

The Eagles: Couldn't beat the punchless Oakland Raiders. Then they got outscored by the Phillies, 11-9, last night. Ouch.

Game 4: Big Joe Blanton, the Phillies' most consistent starting pitcher during the regular season, makes his first start of the postseason tonight at Citizens Bank Park with an opportunity to push the Dodgers to the brink of elimination. Adding to the intrigue: He'll be facing former Phillie Randy Wolf.

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