2023 Phillies Post Season Discussion

[Philsmania]

They played in the game 5 against the Cardinals and lost in 2011. I was there. Maybe somehow they can win tomorrow.

Also played in a win or go home game 5 against the Astros in 1980 and against the Expos in 1981. 1-1 in those two.

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

how could I forget that Astros or Expos series? I watched them both.

[VoteForKalas]

Looks like the Rangers are going to advance over Houston, up 8-2 in the 4th. That result would complete the road team won every game trend of the series.

[zambonir]

No it wouldn't! (Oh haha you meant the streak in the ALCS only. Hopefully the home team has one left in this post-season though.)

I will say however that it's still early. Phillies didn't seem to have a chance down four runs at all tonight but Astros aren't completely dead yet.

[zambonir]

Rangers already using their Game 5 starter (Montgomery) in relief. Sign of things to come tomorrow?

[gmwannabe]

there is no joy in Mudville, Might Casty has struck out....and struck out....and struck out. a shame the bats have gone cold at this time. Swinging and missing at frisbees 1 foot outside the K zone. Anything can happen in a game 7. if the Phils lose 4 out of 5 to Arizona they don't belong in the WS. Doesn't look good. Momentum on the DBacks side. Their bats have woken up and they have Cy Young on the mound tomorrow night. it was a good ride. not too many teams make it this far in back to back years. crowds were great. last post on this subject this year. this one really hurts.
gm

[zambonir]

if the Phils lose 4 out of 5 to Arizona they don't belong in the WS

Also true if they lose 4 out of 7!

One thing I couldn't help but notice to night with the Phillies playing from behind, so many hitters slumping, and Harper and Schwarber being handled was the weak bench. Not that any one pinch-hit was likely to turn that game but especially true of our guys (and then of course Rojas made another great catch after his last AB. Cave did finally get up at the end, but didn't get his turn).

[Jazzhead]

The crowd did its best to back the boys once they'd fallen behind, but without offense, there was just a feeling of air escaping from a busted tire that wasn't going to stop.

The good news is that Ranger is ready and so are our best bullpen assets. Hoffman and Alverado have to be the late inning guys, with Straum hopefully providing the bridge.

[Austinfan]

Hoffman, Alvarado, SD and Strahm, with Sanchez for middle relief.
All rested. Can't ask for much more with Ranger starting and the DIamondbacks basically having to go with a bullpen game.

[andyb]

We probably see Wheeler in the 8th or 9th in a close game.

[zambonir]

Wheeler and Gallen definitely both available.

And I wouldn't say the DBacks are going with a bullpen game any more than the Phillies are. Their guy pitched 1/3 of an inning longer than ours last time.

I hope Ranger has 5 in him. With the seeming loss of bullpen depth can't do a repeat of the Atlanta start.

[zambonir]

I reckon Wheeler could pitch the 6th and 7th even. They could easily burn two relievers before then (and then need two more after).

Wheeler and Gallen are both scheduled to throw bullpen sessions Tuesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, which they would skip in exchange for exhausting those pitches in a must-win game. Wheeler said his bullpen sessions range between 25 and 40 pitches. Gallen said his bullpen sessions range between 30 and 40 pitches.

Zack Wheeler, Zac Gallen say they’ll be ready to pitch when Phillies, D’backs...

[Callison]

Well, maybe the travel demon stopped the Phils bats again.

Facing elimination, the DBs summoned their best game of the series. Phils need to return the favor. 1 run will never get it.

We know they're good enough. They beat the Braves. I usually wear my Utley jersey when I'm going somewhere it can be seen by others, but today I'm wearing it before the TV to evoke the spirit of a Phils champion.

[fish]

I reckon Wheeler could pitch the 6th and 7th even. They could easily burn two relievers before then (and then need two more after).

I can't imagine what his stuff would look like after just 2 days rest. I wouldn't remotely consider him until the last options were Kimbrel and Walker.

[BostonRoss]

I would like to see two RHB between Schwarber and Harper and another two between Harper and Stott.

Schwarber
Turner
Bohm
Harper
Realmuto
Casty
Stott
Marsh
Rojas

Is that what you want? I like it

I'm advocating for this lineup change again. It wouldn't have mattered last night with so few people hitting, but someone is going to have to improve their hitting for the Phillies to win tonight, and I think it's more likely to be Turner or JT than Bohm or Castellanos. It would be nice if Saalfrank came in to face Schwarber that he would have to face both Trea and JT before getting to Harper.

[andyb]

He brought in Ranger to save a game last year in the NLCS with 1 day rest. The start was only 68 pitches but Rob has done this before. And this is the starter's typical throwing day, so 1 inning is not uncommon in the playoffs. Montgomery last night threw 2.1 innings (32 pitches) on 2 days rest after throwing 82 in his start.

It has to be the right situation, but Wheeler is definitely on my potential usage radar in the 8th or 9th.

[zambonir]

It's his normal bullpen day and this is pretty standard Game 7 stuff. Mongtomery (Friday's Game 5 starter) entered in the third inning for Texas last night on two days rest and went 2 1/3 (32 pitches).

I think Wheeler is probably no lower than the 5th man up, and that's only because the Top 4 (Strahm, Alvarado, Hoffman, SD) will be pencilled in for other spots. So then it's merely a question of whether he is first man or up or last guy if needed. I don't use Soto or Kerkering over him (as well as Kimbrel) against Carroll or Marte and Lorenzen (who's still not been allowed to get into a regular routine or groove as a reliever) pitched last night.

Thomson was already asked if there was any chance he'd change the line-up last night. "Zero" was his reply.

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

Schwarber and Harper can't do much when they are being pitched around, but it's even worse when Turner (.238/.320/.429) bats before Harper. Teams would be more reluctant to pitch around Harper if Bohm (.273/.333/.318) was doing better. Oddly enough, Bohn is getting on base slightly more than Turner in the NLCS. If Bohm could get on base more, then perhaps players after him could knock him in. However, even Stott (.238/.304/.238 NLCS and .231/ .313 /231 NLDS), has been terrible at the plate. JT (.261/.261/.478) is doing slightly better than Bohm in OBP, but much better in SLG. Casty (.050/.130/.200) might be doing so poorly because there's nobody on base in front of him (you can challenge a hitter more, or make him chase where there is nobody on base.) Marsh (.333/.391/.476) is doing well, which is surprising since there is nobody on base in front of him, and Rojas is having a terrible Postseason. Baseball is a difficult game for sure and clearly we have players who are just not seeing the ball well now, hence the slump. It happened to the Braves. It's the worst time of year to be in a slump. If by some miracle they can win tonight, the Rangers are En Fuego right now and likely win in 4 or 5. If the Phillies make it to the WS, they'd have to walk Adolis García every time he comes to the plate.

[VoteForKalas]

The Rangers can cool off just like any other team.

Risky to predict production stays the same with human beings playing baseball (or even not playing baseball lol).

The point of tonight is to advance. That is it. Everything will be done that can help make that happen. No looking ahead or behind.

I think the clear trend from the series is we need to get a lead. With our top heavy lineup that Rob refuses to change, that needs to happen in the first inning or at least by the third inning IMO. Once we score one, the crowd will kick in and we can work at adding to it. That will also help Suarez immensely.

If we get past the third inning and we have not scored yet, my confidence level will start to drop. Their young pitcher Pfaadt kept us off balance in Game 3; we cannot allow that to happen again. As usual, I advocate being very patient and making him throw strikes. As a nibbler, he could get frustrated and start to take chances that we can crush. We need base runners so when we crush it, we can get more than one run.

They are going to pitch around Schwarber and Harper. Everyone must know that and Rob & Kevin must have a plan to make them pay that price - whether that being more aggressive on the bases or bunting or using a PH, again whatever needs to be done to advance should be done.

[el-pietro]

I feel nothing but dread around this game. It should never have gotten this far. I look at the results of the last 6 games, the series stats for both teams and everything says that the Phillies should have had this wrapped up by game 5, or even earlier, but the pen, which has been mostly very good, collapsed at the wrong time in game 5.

Now we're staring at elimination. The first game 7 in franchise history, and as far as I can tell only the third winner takes all game, having lost games 5 in 1981 to Montreal and 2011 to St. Louis.

Bryce came to todays game in a Sixers jersey. The Sixers themselves are well aware of how to lose game 7, having done it 3 times in the last few years, in painful fashion each time.

On paper the Phillies are the better team. We have a deeper lineup, we have the better starting pitcher, we have a better, and more rested bull pen. But the Royals swept the Astros in 3 games in Houston near the end of the season when the Astros were trying to win the division, and for one week in 2010 Cody Ross looked like Babe Ruth, so being the better team on paper doesn't really matter in the shortest possible sample size.

There is nothing but bad vibes and juju surrounding this game.

Edit: I didnt realise the NLCS used to be a best of 5, so the 1980 NLCS is the one time the Phillies have won a winner takes all game.