Lee (0.27 June ERA) & Ruiz brace for Beckett (right) & Boston impactGame 1, tonight. 7:05 pm:
Boston: Beckett (6-2, 1.86 ERA)
at Philadelphia: Lee (8-5, 2.87 ERA)Josh Beckett, the MLB ERA leader, missed his last start because of the flu. Cliff Lee is coming off back-to-back shutouts.
Game 2, Wednesday, 7:05 pm:
BOS: Lackey (5-6, 7.36 ERA)
at PHI: Worley (2-1, 2.83 ERA)
The biggest game of rookie Vance Worley's career will be seen by millions as ESPN Game-of-the-Week.
Game 3, Thursday, 1:05 pm:
BOS: Lester (9-4, 3.66 ERA)
at PHI: Hamels (9-4, 2.49 ERA)
The Phils bumped Cole Hamels (3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 3 career starts against the Red Sox) up for Thursday's start, which shows how much this mid-season series means to them.
Before the season, a vast majority of experts said the Phils and Red Sox would meet in the 2011 World Series. So far, they appear to be right, with each team emerging as their respective league's leader.
"I think we measure up good if our pitchers pitch like hell. If we're seeing a better offense, that's where our pitching would have to shine," Charlie Manuel said of a potential World Series vs. Boston.
"Right now, you just look at it as another series but in the back of your head you're like, 'I might be facing these guys in the playoffs'," Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said.
ESPN is advertising Wednesday's game as "The Best team in baseball," the Phils, taking on "Big Papi and the Red Sox." David "Big Papi" Ortiz (.311, 17 HR, 48 RBI) is enjoying his best year since winning the World Series in '07. It was revealed in '09 that he and former teammate Manny Ramirez tested positive for steroid use. Now, the Red Sox seek a return to the Series behind Ortiz and '11 acquisition Adrian Gonzalez: .361 Ave., 16 HR, 71 RBI, .611 SLG %, 1.026 OPS.
Boston's all-star outfielders Carl Crawford and J.D. Drew are both injured and may miss the series. Meanwhile, David Ortiz, a Designated Hitter, will be relegated to pinch-hit opportunities due to the lack of DH in the NL/this series.
That won't slow the Red Sox offensive onslaught, however. The Red Sox lead MLB in runs (409), batting average (.277), Total Bases and OPS, among other categories.
Meanwhile, defending Cy Young Roy Halladay, who leads the Phils in wins (10), ERA (2.40) and S.O. (123) will not appear in this series, but would be the obvious starting pitcher in game 1 in October if these 2 teams meet again, this year.
The Phillies enter the series leading the National League in wins (49), and their pitching staff has allowed the fewest runs (257), posted the lowest earned run average (3.05) and most quality starts (53).
"A lot of times good pitching beats good hitting," said Ryan Howard. "I guess it all depends on what day."
They also posses baseball's best record since the 1st 12 games of the season. The Red Sox started 2-10, but have gone 43-22 since for an MLB-best .662 Win %. However, the Phils have baseball's best overall record at 49-30 and the most wins at home, where they are 30-13.
"Anytime the Red Sox come in, it's big for us," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's big for our fans. I think we've had a hard time beating them in the past, the last five or six years I've been here. It would be nice to win a series. We need to come out Tuesday and make sure we play good against them. It's good for us to play Boston. I think we're going to get a good look at some good pitching and also a good team, a very good hitting team. That's good for us. That's a good test for us."
It's an important opportunity for the Phillies right now, who appear to be gliding, which, at mid-season, can lull a team into a false sense of security. They have averaged a 5-game lead on the entire NL over the past couple weeks and won 7-straight from June 10th-16th.
Still, the Phils have failed to put together any kind of offensive consistency or presence. Raul Ibanez is hitting .240 (.200 in June), Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are batting .261, which has to improve, while Placido Polanco is hitting just .197 in June.
On June 8th, Manuel said, "I look at our offense right now, and we don't hit the ball hard enough to score runs... We don't hit a lot of homers, and at times we definitely don't have the speed to play little ball. I'm not going to sit here and knock no player, but watch the games. I think if we want to go to the World Series and stay the course of our goal, I think there has to be a cut-off somewhere. I think there has to be a time where we say we better be getting better."
The Phillies have scored 3 runs or fewer in the majority of their games, which is incredible considering they have the best record in baseball.
When the Phillies score 4 or more runs, they’re nearly unbeatable: 33-3.
“We haven’t hit – at all,” said Shane Victorino, whose .291 Ave. and .359 OBP lead the team. “There were glimpses of it early on, but there's nothing of late. No one in this room is panicking. We understand we have to keep working. Guys are trying hard. It’s not like guys aren’t trying. It’s just something that’s happening right now. You look around the whole world of baseball and the runs are down.”
Tell that to the MLB best hitting Red Sox, who haven't had trouble scoring runs. Better yet, the Phils hope Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will do the talking-- from the mound.
The Phils bumped Cole Hamels (3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 3 career starts against the Red Sox) up for Thursday's start, which shows how much this mid-season series means to them.
Before the season, a vast majority of experts said the Phils and Red Sox would meet in the 2011 World Series. So far, they appear to be right, with each team emerging as their respective league's leader.
"I think we measure up good if our pitchers pitch like hell. If we're seeing a better offense, that's where our pitching would have to shine," Charlie Manuel said of a potential World Series vs. Boston.
"Right now, you just look at it as another series but in the back of your head you're like, 'I might be facing these guys in the playoffs'," Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said.
ESPN is advertising Wednesday's game as "The Best team in baseball," the Phils, taking on "Big Papi and the Red Sox." David "Big Papi" Ortiz (.311, 17 HR, 48 RBI) is enjoying his best year since winning the World Series in '07. It was revealed in '09 that he and former teammate Manny Ramirez tested positive for steroid use. Now, the Red Sox seek a return to the Series behind Ortiz and '11 acquisition Adrian Gonzalez: .361 Ave., 16 HR, 71 RBI, .611 SLG %, 1.026 OPS.
Boston's all-star outfielders Carl Crawford and J.D. Drew are both injured and may miss the series. Meanwhile, David Ortiz, a Designated Hitter, will be relegated to pinch-hit opportunities due to the lack of DH in the NL/this series.
That won't slow the Red Sox offensive onslaught, however. The Red Sox lead MLB in runs (409), batting average (.277), Total Bases and OPS, among other categories.
Meanwhile, defending Cy Young Roy Halladay, who leads the Phils in wins (10), ERA (2.40) and S.O. (123) will not appear in this series, but would be the obvious starting pitcher in game 1 in October if these 2 teams meet again, this year.
The Phillies enter the series leading the National League in wins (49), and their pitching staff has allowed the fewest runs (257), posted the lowest earned run average (3.05) and most quality starts (53).
"A lot of times good pitching beats good hitting," said Ryan Howard. "I guess it all depends on what day."
They also posses baseball's best record since the 1st 12 games of the season. The Red Sox started 2-10, but have gone 43-22 since for an MLB-best .662 Win %. However, the Phils have baseball's best overall record at 49-30 and the most wins at home, where they are 30-13.
"Anytime the Red Sox come in, it's big for us," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's big for our fans. I think we've had a hard time beating them in the past, the last five or six years I've been here. It would be nice to win a series. We need to come out Tuesday and make sure we play good against them. It's good for us to play Boston. I think we're going to get a good look at some good pitching and also a good team, a very good hitting team. That's good for us. That's a good test for us."
It's an important opportunity for the Phillies right now, who appear to be gliding, which, at mid-season, can lull a team into a false sense of security. They have averaged a 5-game lead on the entire NL over the past couple weeks and won 7-straight from June 10th-16th.
Still, the Phils have failed to put together any kind of offensive consistency or presence. Raul Ibanez is hitting .240 (.200 in June), Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are batting .261, which has to improve, while Placido Polanco is hitting just .197 in June.
On June 8th, Manuel said, "I look at our offense right now, and we don't hit the ball hard enough to score runs... We don't hit a lot of homers, and at times we definitely don't have the speed to play little ball. I'm not going to sit here and knock no player, but watch the games. I think if we want to go to the World Series and stay the course of our goal, I think there has to be a cut-off somewhere. I think there has to be a time where we say we better be getting better."
The Phillies have scored 3 runs or fewer in the majority of their games, which is incredible considering they have the best record in baseball.
When the Phillies score 4 or more runs, they’re nearly unbeatable: 33-3.“We haven’t hit – at all,” said Shane Victorino, whose .291 Ave. and .359 OBP lead the team. “There were glimpses of it early on, but there's nothing of late. No one in this room is panicking. We understand we have to keep working. Guys are trying hard. It’s not like guys aren’t trying. It’s just something that’s happening right now. You look around the whole world of baseball and the runs are down.”
Tell that to the MLB best hitting Red Sox, who haven't had trouble scoring runs. Better yet, the Phils hope Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels will do the talking-- from the mound.
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