I agree, it’s over

Mike Freeman at CBSSportsline.com thinks “It’s Over“, and I agree.

Ryan Howard hit two home runs to pace the offense in Phillies Game 3 win. Joe Blanton allowed only 2 runs, both on HRs, but made amends by hitting one of his own. (courtesy of mlb.com)

The Phillies are on the verge of their 2nd World Series championship, courtesy of their 4th quality start of this series. Joe Blanton did give up 2 dingers (see previous post), but they were both solo shots, in his 6 innings (2 ER). The bullpen and the offense did the rest. Actually, that is not entire true. Blanton helped his own cause with his first career home run. Blanton is the first pitcher to hit a Fall Classic homer since 1974. That is crazy!

Andy Sonnanstine allowed 3 earned runs, 5 in total, in his 4 innings. A smarter decision by Sonnanstine in the first inning on Ryan Howard’s grounder really could have changed the entire game here. If Sonnanstine goes to second to start a 1-6-3 double play, he would have gotten out of the first inning jam entrirely and perhaps may have settled in after that. Well, ifs and buts.

I expect Cole Hamels to give the Phils 5 quality starts in as many games and finish off the Rays tonight. Get ready for the Phillies to be World Series champs folks.

Quality So Far for Phillies in World Series

We are three games into the 2008 World Series, and the Phillies, yes folks, the Phillies, not only lead the series 2 games to 1 but they have also have had some pretty quality performances on the bump from their starters. In each of the 3 games, they have gotten QS.

Game 1: Cole Hamels – 7 IP, 2 ER

Game 2: Brett Myers – 7 IP, 3 ER

Game 3: Jamie Moyer – 6 1/3, 3 ER

The Rays, conversely, have lost their only quality start in the series, which came in game 1 from Scott Kazmir. It should be noted that Shields was a single out away from hurling a quality start in the Ray’s game 2 win.

Game 1: Scott Kazmir – 6 IP, 3 ER

Game 2: James Shields – 5 2/3 IP, 0 ER

Game 3: Matt Garza – 6 IP, 4 ER

Through 3 games, both teams have a 3.12 ERA. Surprisingly, each team has made at least one error in each game (total of 7 combined). And possibly the key to the Phillies success in this series – keeping the ball in the ballpark – they have out-homered the Rays 5-1, that after the Rays hit 6 HRs in the ALDS and another 16 in the ALCS. If the Phils can keep the Rays from going yard, they’ll be sizing up rings pretty soon.

In Game 4 tonight, Andy Sonnanstine will matchup against Joe Blanton.  Blanton faced the Red Sox way back in Japan in game 2 of the season, remember that? During the regular season, Sonnanstine had 13 quality stats (41% of his 32 starts). Blanton had 14 quality starts in his 33 starts (42%), split between the A’s and the Phils. Each has thrown one quality start out of two outings in the post-season. Very even matchup here from the mound.

Can Sonnanstine get his mojo going tonight or does Blanton control the Rays lineup? Stay tuned (if you indeed have already been watching).

Sox Lose Battle of Starters to Rays

The Sox only received 2 quality starts in the 2008 ALCS. Game 1′s gem from DiceK and Lester’s valiant effort in Game 7. No quality in between. Interestingly, the Rays also got quality starts in these 2 games and the teams split the two games. 

The Rays starters also tossed quality starts in games 3 (Garza), 4 (Sonnenstine), and 5 (Kazmir) and went 2-1 in those games, and would have won all three if not for some fortutious Red Sox bounces in the 2nd largest comeback in a playoff game ever. 

More of the post-mortem on the 2008 Red Sox will come soon.

Game #145: Beckett good, bullpen fine until Timlin

More later – all I can say is ARGH!

Game 144: Rays solve Papelbon

Sox starter Diasuke Matsuzaka pitched a typical DiceK game, throwing 102 pitches in 5 innings, walking 4, strikeout 5 and allowing 3 runs. He is now 50-50 in quality starts, 13 quality, 13 non-quality, on the season. He is consistent in his inconsistency. I’ll give him that. He does get through innings with lots of base runners and seems to minimize the damage. He just throws way to many pitches and gets into too many deep counts.  Some how, his ERA is less than 3 for the season despite allowing over 200 baserunners in 151 1/3 innings.

Here’s the QS Bottom-Line:

Game 144	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	PC-ST	ERA
DM #18	5	8	3	3	4	5	0	102-61	2.97

The End Result:
Two walks and a hit by pitch hurt DiceK in the 3rd, when he allowed 2 runs. He passed off a 3-2 deficit to the bullpen after his 5 innings of work. Despite an 8th inning, go-ahead home run by new guy Jason Bay, the Rays battled back to shock the Sox by scoring 2 in the ninth against Jonathan Papelbon and win the game 5-4.

Red Sox Record:	85-59
Total Quality Starts:	74
Record in QS games:

Tampa starter Scott Kazmir gave his team a quality start (6 IP, 2 ER), the second in a row by a Ray pitcher at Fenway, after failing the first 6 times this season. 7 tries this year. The Rays are now 4-1 against the Sox when their starter gives them a quality start. This series is now even at 1 game each, and the Rays continue to lead the AL East, now by 1.5 games.

A Look Ahead:

Game 3- Andy Sonnestine (10 QS, 36%) v. Josh Beckett (14 QS, 54%). Advantage: Sox

Game 143: Lester Owns Rays

Jon Lester added to his resume another outstanding, dominant performance last night at the Fens, going 7 2/3 innings and allowing no Rays to score. The 3-0 win by the Sox move them to only a half game out in the AL East race. Lester lowered his ERA to 3.23 while securing his 18th quality start of the season and 5th in 6 games. According to this morning’s Boston Globe, Lester has started a league-high 7 games that have ended in shutouts of the opponent. In reference to Lester’s ownership of the Rays, he is undefeated in 7 starts, including 3-0 and a 0.90 ERA this season.

Here’s the QS Bottom-Line:

Game 143	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	PC-ST	ERA
JL #31	7.2	6	0	0	3	9	0	119-74	3.23

The End Result:
When Lester needed it, he was able to get strikeouts or a groundball. He controlled Rocco Baldelli, whiffing him 3 times. The end result is that Lester has again stepped up when the Sox needed him too, contributing an ‘ace-like’ effort to propel them within sniffing distance of the top of the division.

Red Sox Record:	85-58
Total Quality Starts:	74
Record in QS games:

Tampa starter Edwin Jackson also gave his team a quality start (7 IP, 3 ER), the first by a Ray pitcher at Fenway in 7 tries this year. So the Sox improve in their head-to-head quality start record against the Rays (now 3-1).

A Look Ahead:

Game 2 – Scott Kazmir (11 QS, 48%) v. DiceK (13 QS, 52%). Advantage: Sox