SATURDAY MARCH 18, 2017
It was a great day for baseball today. It was a little chilly before the game, but by game time it was 70 and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. It looked as though it was going to be a big crowd. I had a chance to talk with Zebedee and Boston Ross before the game. It is good to meet guys that I have been sharing baseball discussion for years on the chat rooms.
âCanât anyone here play this game?â was a Casey Stengel quote about the original Metsâ expansion team. It fit very well the Phils play today. True, it was a high sky and the wind was blowing a bit, but several of the hits charged to Hellickson should have been errors. Francoâs mother probably told him there would be days like this. First, he olayed a single into left that started a 5 run rally, then he failed to catch a high popup, against a high sky that went and later missed a tag. Galvis nonchalanted a simple ground ball hit by the pitcher who beat it out. The relays from the outfield were sloppy and mishandled that led to a 5 run third that I figure Hellickson could have gotten out of with no runs with a little help from his friends. All in all, it was just a sloppy game. Several of the miscues went as hits because they were wither not touched, or as in Glasnow just outhustled a nonchalant throw. Benoit looked the worse I have seen him this spring and gave up 3 runs in one innings work. He couldnât locate his pitches very well. He walked two and gave up a three run dinger. Gomez pitched two scoreless innings and Rodriguez, who had been pitching pretty well this spring had a bad inning.
On the offensive side, the Phils did get 12 hits and 8 runs. Franco did make up some for his earlier bad play in the field with a grand slam in the 7th that helped to close the gap. Quinn and Altherr both had doubles. Altherr has come alive and has looked like he wants to stay with the club. He hasraised his average to.324. Today, he went 2 for 2 with a double and 3 ribbies. Of the guys fighting for that extra outfield spot, Nava went 1 for 2, Stassi went 0 for 2, Goeddel went 1 for 2, Coghlan went 2 for two playing second base, and Quinn went 1 for 3 with a double.
Odds & Ends: Today was the first time the pitchers have batted. Both teams let their pitchers hit⢠Phils need to work on their relays from the outfield. They were pretty sloppy today⢠Heard boos today for the sloppy play in the field⢠Todayâs attendance was 9,261. It looks like the crowds are back.