It Was Ten Years Ago Today

[EastFallowfield]

8/5/07

Awful, dispiriting loss last night. No playoffs, say some of us. Bad manager, say many of us. Awful bullpen, we all agree. And we're back in 3rd place. Ugh. Looking to salvage the finale today.

8/5/07 Game Thread Phila @ Milwaukee

Video highlights here from 35:56-36:37

[EastFallowfield]

8/6/07

The Phils' biggest ninth inning comeback since 2002, Jose Mesa's first (and last) save for the Phils since his return, probably the best win of the season. Now an off day. 5 games over .500, in third place, 5 games back.

[bkeich]

I remember watching this game and I remember saying on the board "there are going to be some people on this board very surprised when they wake up in the morning". In some ways this game actually started the 5 year run.

The other really part was Howard walking out to the pitchers mound in the 9th, I swear he told Mesa he was going to beat the $$%$# out of him if he blew the save.

[EastFallowfield]

8/7/07

Phils are back in action, starting a 6 game homestand with 3 against Florida. Pat Gillick said last night that a 3-3 homestand would be 'acceptable'. Phils are 5 games back in 3rd place. We'll see...
.
.500 is acceptable Mr. Gillick? GT 8/7- VandenHurk vs. Moyer

[EastFallowfield]

8/8/07

Easy 11-1 win last night, we're a third of the way to the 'acceptable' 3-3 homestand. Phils have outscored opponents 34-8 in their last 11 games at home. Keep it up, boys.

Lohse gets his 2nd start for us. In other news, Barry Bonds broke the all time home run record last night.

One step closer to 3-3! GT 8/8 - Willis vs. Lohse

[DurhamBull]

I googled Dontrelle Willis and found that he'd gotten a minor league contract as recently as 2015. I wonder what he's doing these days.

[bkox]

I wonder what he's doing these days.

Analyst with Fox Sports

[Philsmania]

Did Willis injure himself at some point? It seems has though his career dramatically and permanently went south in 2007.

[EastFallowfield]

8/9/07

With the win last night the Phils moved ahead of the Braves into 2nd place again, 4 games back. Going for the sweep vs Florida.

Trying to boost the bench, the Phils bought the services of Russell Branyan. Branyan's been pretty awful in his career as a pinch hitter (.112 AVG) and has been pretty punchless this season. Geoff Geary headed back to the minors to make room.

A good night for a sweep - GT 8/9 - Mitre vs. Kendrick

[EastFallowfield]

8/10/07

Phils couldn't get the sweep last night, and we're back in third place. But now it's time for the Braves, we can pass them without scoreboard watching. Cole Hamels time!

Game thread 8/10/07 - Braves (James) at Phillies (Hamels)

[EastFallowfield]

8/11/07

11-3 in last 14 at home. Passed the Braves again for 2nd place, and now just 3 back of the Mets. Aaron Rowand left last night's win with blurred vision, but is in the lineup tonight. But, it's another Adam Eaton start.

A Vision for the Future: GT 8/11 - Cormier vs. Eaton

[EastFallowfield]

8/12/07

Another Adam Eaton loss, back in third, but still 3 games out before the Mets won during the day. Rubber game tonight vs Braves on Sunday Night Baseball. Although Gillick said he'd be happy with 3 wins on the homestand, which the Phils have already done, for us it's always a must win.

Yes, this is a must win... GT 8/12 - Carlyle vs. Moyer

[EastFallowfield]

8/13/07

Won the Must Win Game last night, big homer for Ryan Howard. Of course, Bobby Cox whines, "It was a little fly ball. It goes out here and Cincinnati. Maybe Houston [with] the short porch." Howard's HR measured 391 feet.

We'll spend today's off day in 2nd place, 3 back.

[EastFallowfield]

8/14/07

3 games down in RFK with the Nats, who are playing great since the break (18-12) and have won 5 straight series at home. Let's see if the Phils can make them look more like the perennial losers they are.

8/14 Game Thread Philadelphia @ Washington

[EastFallowfield]

8/15/07

Russell Branyan's 2nd career pinch hit homer lets us steal a win in DC to keep pace in the NL East. Enough things like that happen and you might think our luck is gonna change this year. We'll see.

Phils in Washington Game 2; 8-15-07

[Philsmania]

8/15/07

Russell Branyan's 2nd career pinch hit homer lets us steal a win in DC to keep pace in the NL East. Enough things like that happen and you might think our luck is gonna change this year. We'll see.

Phils in Washington Game 2; 8-15-07

Interesting season for Branyan. Spent the season with three teams, those being the Padres the Phillies and the Cardinals. Twenty-four days before he wore a Phillies uniform, he played for the Padres against the Phillies and exactly twenty-one days after he last wore a Phillies uniform, he played against them with Cards and was something of a handful in one game. Branyan never matched his superstar projections but managed to compile a fourteen year ML career through 2011 while kicking around in the minors as recently as 2014. He had five tours of duty with the Indians organization.

[EastFallowfield]

8/16/07

Lose a clunker vs the Nats, back to third place and 4 games out, and in other news, Adam Eaton's headed to the DL. (Most of us not too sad about that last bit).

Can't score in spacious RFK like we do at CBP, let's see if we can grind out the rubber game.

Game thread 8/16/07 - Phillies (Hamels) at Wash (Hanrahan)

[EastFallowfield]

8/17/07

Phils take 2 of 3 in DC, move back into 2nd again* and just 3 games back of 1st and still close in the wild card race too. Hamels looking like our first real ace since Curt Schilling. It's on to Pittsburgh...

Beat the teams you're supposed to beat - GT 8/17 - JD vs. TG

*Spoiler: Phils would never return to 3rd place again in 2007.

[EastFallowfield]

8/18/07

Another big night for the offense, JRoll getting MVP talk, JD Durbin somehow has 5 wins, tie for the Wild Card lead, maybe the Phils can actually win some games in Pittsburgh this year?

Just Keep winning... - GT 8/18 - Moyer vs. Maholm

[EastFallowfield]

8/19/07

A come from ahead loss drops us 4 games back and sets up a rubber game in Pittsburgh. Mike Zagurski got hurt, Yoel Hernandez called up.

Game Thread 8/19 - Lohse vs. Snell