2023 Phillies Post Season Discussion

[Callison]

No manager in world goes to him against Acuna and Riley at that moment.

That opinion can neither be proved nor disproved, but the manager that looks at the roster and asks himself who has the best arm goes to him.

[andyb]

d'Arnaud started the game over Murphy precisely because he hits Wheeler well

I think he is mostly Fried's personal catcher too.

[el-pietro]

Well that doesn't help my agenda!!

[andyb]

It is also different that most of the league has more of a 60/40 type of catching split as opposed to the 80/20 or 85/15 that the Phillies use. It would not surprise me is half the postseason teams start more than one catcher in the postseason. 10+ years ago that was never the case. Even a guy like Chooch who did not start a huge share of games in most seasons was the preferred postseason catcher.

[zambonir]

Funny how I barely remember the way it went down at this point. Just that they won.

• In the 1993 NLCS — the first postseason edition of this rivalry — the stately Braves walloped the scruffy Phillies in Games 2 and 3 (combined score: 23-7), but somehow lost the next three games and the pennant.

When do Braves name their starter? I've seen it suggested even an opener is possible. Otherwise do they go with Elder which would be like the Phillies going with Walker and Lorenzen in a game, or the youngster (which would a little bit like the Phillies going with Sanchez)?

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

I remember attending game 1 of the '93 NLCS. I had good seats next to 3rd base when Kim Batiste's error in the 9th inning blew it for the Phillies. In the 10th, Mariano Duncan grounded out, then Kruk hit a double. The next batter, Batiste doubles to Left, and Kruk scores, and the Vet goes crazy. However, the next two games were SO bad for the Phillies that I thought there was NO chance they'd win the NLCS. Game 2 was in Philly, losing 14-3, with the next three games in Atlanta. I doubt anyone thought they'd recover from the loss in games 2 and 3. Even game 5 in Atlanta, where Schilling pitched eight solid innings, and the Wild thing blew it in the 9th, appeared to be the end, but they pulled it off in the 10th inning with a homer by Dykstra.

[Aquapong]

Mlb app has Elder as the starter. He’s seen us 2x. One excellent start in June and more recently a short outing when he gave up 4 earned.

I feel like we need this one. Nola has got to keep the ball down and make them run the bases instead of homering. We should be able to out slug them.

Beating Strider 2x is a tall task. I wouldn’t want to have to do it tomorrow facing elimination.

[Patchmk88]

Yea this is the decider for me. If we win it, I think we have a really good chance to win the series. If we lose it, I think it is gonna be extremely hard to win two in a row.

[el-pietro]

Elder has been poor for a while now. His season line looks decent, ERA of 3.81, FIP of 4.42.
https://www.fangraphs.com/players/bryce-elder/27779/splits?position=P&season=2023
Mar/Apr ERA 2.17
May ERA 1.72
Jun ERA 3.56
Jul ERA 5.96
Aug ERA 4.88
Sep/Oct ERA 5.68

I would imagine we will see an approach from the Braves similar the Phillies in game one. A short outing from Elder followed by a bunch of pitchers.

[andyb]

I would imagine we will see an approach from the Braves similar the Phillies in game one. A short outing from Elder followed by a bunch of pitchers.

Yeah, they clearly want to get to Strider tomorrow and get 7 innings from him then. Everyone's available today and they might try a different pitcher each of the first 3 times around the lineup.

[zambonir]

Would be good night to finally get that lead-off Schwarbomb.

[LoneStarPhan]

Would be good night to finally get that lead-off Schwarbomb.

Will be great to start game 4 against the Braves tomorrow.

[zambonir]

Sure why not, another righty eh?

[Aquapong]

Rojas needs to sit a game. Time for Cave to get a shot in LF and Marsh in CF.

Keep it simple and start Suarez or do we do some opener type stuff? I imagine Walker is very much available, along with Hoffman, Kimbrel, Sanchez, Soto, and Alvarado.

[zambonir]

Might be worth trying against Strider but I don't imagine Cave would do any better. Rojas isn't in the line-up for his bat. And Marsh was really good in LF tonight. Cave's not as good.

Thomson already said Suarez is starting. He could change his mind before he has to make it official but I reckon he trusts him enough to face those righties one time.

Seranthony will be available. Strahm too. Maybe not Kerkering (due to his lack of experience pitching back-to-backs as well as in general). Lorenzen was warming up tonight though I don't imagine he's a preference.

Hard for Soto or Sanchez to get in a game where they might have to face a big righty (Soto because he's not good Sanchez because he hasn't been relieving. But if they need two innings in the middle, maybe.)

[Docs]

Lorenzen pitched the ninth.

I think it would be interesting to start a reliever to go through the first, then ranger could face the top of the lineup for the first time in the fourth and possibly pitch the fifth and sixth innings too. Rob lied to ranger before game two it’s possible he is lying to us now!

[zambonir]

yeah I was at the game but my 81 year-old Dad with a two-hour drive ahead of him decided not to stay for the celebratory end so I missed him actually pitching.

I agree. But there's a hard deadline tomorrow fairly early in the day, not possible to actually trick the Braves.

[andyb]

I would not be shocked if they had Walker ready to start the 3rd or 4th inning if they decide it is a short outing for Suarez. Make them pinch hit for Pillar early so a LHP can face him later. Walker and Sanchez are there for a reason and one of them being a bridge to the 6th or 7th inning is very possible tomorrow.

[Aquapong]

Whomever wins this series will host the Diamondbacks.

[zambonir]

DBacks romp. Geez. Phillies still not there yet but I didn't even put NLCS Games 1 and 2 on my calendar (I have tickets for "home game 1").