Phillies strike first
Meet Mr. Steady
Ryan Howard’s disgraceful World Series debut was wiped clean by steady Cole Hamels. Shane Victorino’s glaring baserunning blunder, which was preceded by Jimmy Rollins’ bad at-bat, was massaged away by steady Cole Hamels. The layoff and the cowbells and the jitters all were neutralized by steady Cole Hamels.
Before our eyes, and minding that games remain to be played, Hamels is emerging as one of the great pitchers of our era, of any Phillies era. We knew he could and needed to do this, in this postseason, and he is doing it.
Seven innings, two runs, five hits, five strikeouts. Rays boppers disarmed. A Game 1 World Series win for the Phillies.
Chase Utley’s first-inning shot to right helped too.
The Rays didn’t want to face a scorching Utley. They even walked him to get to Howard — an indictment of Howard’s entirely immature approach at the plate. The intentional walk in the ninth (after which Howard struck out looking) was a shining example of why Howard should not win the National League MVP award (his atrocious fielding is extra ammo), because it would only reinforce his bad habits.
He needs to be a hitter, not a slugger. The home runs will come anyway. He needs to put the ball in play, like he failed to do when even a groundout would have produced a run in the seventh.
But this isn’t bash-Ryan-Howard time. Despite the chasms in his game, his power numbers are undeniable. This is time to savor the sight of a pitcher creeping up on greatness, to appreciate Mr. Steady, Mr. Cole Hamels.
Flyin’ outta control Hawaiian: Anyone who tells you Victorino”s “gamble” to try for home with the bases loaded on a shallow flyout to center was a good move is dead wrong and flatout stupid. If his potential out would have been the second out of the inning, or even the first, you could make such an argument (even though Rays center fielder B.J. Upton has a well-documented rocket). But not when it ends the inning, not when you’d have another shot at scoring runs — more runs — with Jayson Werth at the plate and the bags full. And if the Phillies’ didn’t believe in Werth, they shouldn’t have had him batting in the 2 slot.
Not to mention, Rollins’ popup to shallow center was the result of dumb hitting. He swung at a 1-0 pitch that jammed him.
Nerves and rust: They may have played a role in Rollins’ lousy at-bat. Maybe he was trying force it (although he”s never been the savviest, most patient hitter). You have to believe that nerves and rust played a role in the Phillies’ stranding 11 baserunners. The good news is, they were knockng the ball around enough to strand 11 baserunners.
Fox’s phony radar gun: Fox, always “fair and balanced,” still hasn’t fixed its radar gun. On average, it was clocking pitches 2 m.p.h. faster than the stadium guns. Not as bad as a few years ago, when it was faster by an average of 5 m.p.h. in the postseason, but still not truthful. Goes to show how little Fox appreciates the nuances of baseball. (It’s not merely about how hard you can throw.)
Reaction: Tampa Bay isn’t daunted by being down. Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News dares to question Joe Maddon’s moves. With the Phils sending Brett Myers to the mound tonight against James Shields, can Myers trust the pitching rubber?
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