Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt struggled and the offense continued to be inconsistent as the Phillies posted their first .500 week of the season (3-3). Nonetheless, the Phillies wrapped up the first road trip of the season 6-4 and ended the first month of the much-hyped 2011 at a franchise best 18-8. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard both had big weeks. Howard, in particular, crushed 3 HRs and knocked in 9, including a grand slam in the weekend series opener against the Mets. Rollins, who has been efficient but not necessarily productive hitting out of the 3-hole (has been on base in 24 of the Phillies 26 games), had three multi-hit games and hit his first homerun of the season.
Raul Ibanez is mired in one of the worst slumps of his career 0-24 and was benched twice against lefties this week. John Mayberry Jr started both times and looked very good collecting 3 hits, including a homerun, and walking twice in 9 plate appearances.
The Phillies have scored one run in Cliff Lee’s past two starts. Lee, who has been up and down, was good enough to win both starts. His line for the week. 3.21 ERA, 0-1 14IP 13H 5ER 3BB 17SO
Roy Oswalt was clearly distracted in his start against the D-Backs. Oswalt couldn’t get out of the 4th, surrendering 5 runs on 6 hits. Oswalt, who makes his off-season home in Weir Mississippi - an area that was hit by record number of tornadoes this past week, left the team before the game was over. Amaro said Oswalt was returning home to tend to his family.
Rookies Vance Worley and Michael Stutes were both impressive this week, posting 4 scoreless appearances. Their combined line for the week: 8 1/3IP OER 2H 5BB 6SO
Joe Blanton and Jose Contreras were sent to the DL. Both injuries are minor, however, and both pitchers should rejoin the club by Mid-May at the latest.
Highlights:
The Doctor is in
Roy Halladay notched his second complete game of the season, opening with 17 consecutive strikes.
Ryan Howard hits a Grand Slam
Howard had already hit a two-run shot, a second deck blast in the fourth inning, when he came to the plate with the bases loaded two innings later. After swinging and missing at two very hittable fastballs and then fouling one off, Howard caught a 2-2 two-seamer, sending it high into into the Philadelphia night for a grand slam. All told, Howard knocked in six runs to back rookie Vance Worley’s first big league start of the season.
John Mayberry Jr Homerun
Mayberry had already hit a couple of screaming line drives, but both balls were right at Center fielder Carlos Beltran, the first just off to the left, the second pulling Belran a few steps into the dirt lining the warning track in left center. Philadelphia fans have been waiting two years for the talented but underperforming outfielder, a number 1 pick and the son of a powerhitting 15 year Major Leauguer to blossom. Mayberry had a very good spring and and in limited playing time has had a number of big hits, got the biggest hit of the night, extending his long arms and crushing a low slider into the seats out in left center. With Raul Ibanez in the midst of one of the worst slumps of his career, and Big John starting two games this week, I expect the chorus to start Mayberry is going to get louder.
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