HOTB, this is the worst start for the Braves since the early 90s, before the strike but after the 65-95 season. I think 1993.
They managed to win today, 7-5, behind two homers from Chipper and some key hitting from Wes Helms, who is now my favorite 1st baseman (he plays more than one position:)).
Thank goodness!
ah, yes, the new #18, he’s just as easy on the eyes as the old #18 
That’s nice, really, that you’re busy reminiscing about 1983. It was a mostly-good year, as the Sixers won the NBA championship and the Phillies won the NL pennant (but lost the I-95 World Series to the Orioles).
This, however, is a Phillies Phans thread, so go mope somewhere else. 
…and a month after I made this fatuous prediction, it’s been the pitching, more than the offense, that keeps 'em in the hunt. Er, anybody want to know which way the stock market is going to move next?
Anyhow, Go Phils!
didn’t think I’d ever see you say that…
The Phillies are still in first, five games up on both the Braves and the Marlins.
After Friday 18 May’s games, the magic number (it’s not too early, is it?) is 117. At this rate, they should clinch the NL East on or about Wednesday 26 September, at the Vet, against Cincinnati.
Let’s hear it, Phils Phans!
Uh, yeah, it’s a bit too early to be talking about magic numbers when said number is over a hundred!
Still, the Phillies’ early start is promising. Atlanta looks beatable, and the Mets look…even more beatable.
I didn’t say that Helms was cuter than Klesko; he’s just a good substitute.
Still, you placing anyone else in that clas... (ok, maybe Alstott...)
Seen some talk the Mets are interested in RK…should we expect a visit if they pick him up? 
Oh, you KNOW I place Alstott in the same category!!!
If the Mets pick up Ryan, I’ll definitely be up there!
Phils win, Fish win, but the Braves lose, and the magic number drops by one to 116.
So, they’re about 42 (41 for the Phils, 43 for the Braves) games into the season. That means there are 120 games, or so, left. If the Phils go .600 the rest of the way (their winning percentage going into tonight), they will need the Marlins/Braves to lose 44 more games, a winning percentage no greater than .633. Right now the Fish and the Braves are both below .500 (tee-hee), and the Mets are becoming a memory at 9.5 out of first.
I love my Phils! Person striking out J.D. Boo to end the game was sweet justice.
After tonight’s easy sweep of the Pirates, the Phils are six games up on the Fish and the Braves. The Braves are technically ahead of the Fish in the standings, and the Phillies magic number over the Braves is:
112 [sub]it’s 113 over the Fish[/sub]
The Phillies only play one opponent between now and the month of June with a .500 or better record (Boston, and one of those three games might be against Pedro), so it looks like smooth sailing until the All-Star break.
This team is closely becoming incredible. Just wait until Abreu’s and Rolen’s bats warm up. Glanville’s and Lee’s already have. Even the pitching is improving, too.
Let’s go Phils!
There’s really only one thing that worries me. I like their starting pitching, and their bullpen’s doing much better than anticipated. Some bats have produced, but the ones that have not should do so sooner rather than later.
But the position of catcher. Hm. Don’t know if I’d like to keep this current tandem for the whole year. This could bite them come playoff time.
I think that most of the Phillies pitching staff members are pitching a bit over their heads right now (particularly the relievers and Wolf, who’s talented but inconsistent). Exceptions are Telemaco and Chen, who might actually improve some.
I think Marlon Anderson is hitting over his head. Travis Lee MIGHT be (He’s had good minor league numbers, but has been disappointing in the majors. He might have turned the corner, though.) On the other hand, Abreu and especially Rolen should improve.
Wolf’s always had the potential (and the Wolf Pack), it’s just in the last month he’s turned it around and is smoking. It’s funny that he keeps claiming he’s not a strikeout pitcher, either. Neither is Randy Johnson, I guess.
Chen probably needs another stint at AAA to build his stamina up. Telemaco has good stuff and has been mostly lucky so far. Daal is a good pitcher who just had a (really) bad year last year, and Person’s an ace, once he settles down from his early inning jitters.
As for the hitters, I think Abreu’s gonna heat up, Bonds-style, in June. Rolen will in July, I think. Lee has always had the talent and potential, and burned out after his rookie season in Arizona, but he’s in a stride in Philly.
And watch out for Pat the Bat next year…
Magic number watch: 111.
What a game tonight! I was doing work and listened to it via MLB.com’s GameAudio (it’s worth $9.95 a year to listen to three innings of Harry Kalas a night). Somewhere around the fifth inning, I thought to myself, “It’s going to take 10 runs to win this thing.”
Abreu had a good game, Rolen had a better one, and Travis Lee is my new hero. And, Bowa’s celebration at the end was almost as joyful as the Tugger hugging Boone in '80.
Braves also won tonight, so the lead is still 6.5 and the magic number tumbles down to 110.
There’s no stopping us! Believe!
Lee’s homer–it was a thing of beauty. And Kalas making the call perfected the moment (“This game is over!”).
Byrd takes the hill tonight for the first time this year (we have tickets to the game)…after the Expos, it’s the Mets, then the Expos again…this is getting real interestin’…
Scott Sanders and Larry Anderson are the announcers in the late innings on the radio (WPHT 1210), but Baseball Tonight showed the end of the game with HK’s call. Awesome. I almost expected him to say “That ball is outta here! Michael Jack Schmidt hits the game-winning homer!”
I hope Byrdie can bounce back, if only to be tradebait. Although, they might keep him and option Chen or put him or Telemaco in the bullpen. We’ll see…
It’s Scott Graham, not Sanders - isn’t Scott Sanders pitching for the Padres?
“There it is! Number 500! The career 500th home run for Michael Jack Schmidt, and the Phillies lead the Pirates 8 to 6, here in the 9th!”
Anyway, what Chen needs is to build his stamina - so maybe a stint in AAA will be helpful. And Telemaco’s kicking butt as a starter, isn’t he?
I’m not sure where Scott Sanders is any more. Is he still in baseball?
Bruce Chen will be fine in the long run. It says here he’ll end up being better than Telemaco, Byrd, Wolf and Daal. He might end up being better than Person.
Burrell might hit 40 homers one of these years.