11/21/24
August 25, 2005
here comes the phillies: The Phillies I believe will come in second in the wild-card to the Houston Astros. It will be extremely close. The Phillies lead the NL with the highest OBP. They have an extremely middle of the lineup with Abreu, Burrell, Utley, and now Ryan Howard. The poor man's Yankees(very poor comparatively) has an average starting rotation but like the Yankees a great bullpen with Wagner, Urbina, and Madson. I believe that if they get 5-6 innings out of their starters every game they could win the wild-card. Thats a big "if". What do you think will the Phillies make the playoffs?
posted by redsoxthrowdown to baseball at 09:23 PM - 3 comments
I look forward to your next post/question regarding the fortunes of the NFL team of your choice. Having said that, I think the Astros will retake the wild card lead and lose to the Cardinals in the NL championship series again.
posted by thatweirdguy2 at 11:05 PM on August 25, 2005
The Phillies will not win the wild card, but I don't know that Houston will either. I would love to see them make it, but while they do have one of the best rotations in baseball, and one of the best bullpens for that matter, they simply cannot give their pitchers enough run support. Clemens has 9 no decision starts this year with a 1.3 something era. That is insane. If you can't score 2 runs a game, you don't have a chance. I think the Marlins have the best chance right now. While their run support is not great, it is better than the Astros'; Burnett is 7-1 in his last eight starts; Willis is finally doing something in the second half of the season, and Beckett has the ability to shut out any team on any night. They will win the NL WC with superb pitching and just enough offense.
posted by bdf1010 at 09:11 AM on August 26, 2005
No. my personal opionion, which is a bit bias because I'm a Houstonian, is that the Phillies rotation is not average it's below average, not one big name on that staff. Thier lineup is pretty good but, big but I'll take pitching over hitting any day and the Astros have the best pitching in the leauge, they have been a little off as of late but I belive they will snap and get back on track. The Phillies who have been hot will hit a wall in this next series and the astros shoukd beat these mediocre teames they are facing. Of cousre in the end it will be very close but I'll say houston by half a game