Well, the gameplan to beat the Phillies is set. Throw a lefty or a knuckleballer. For two nights in a row the Phillies have been shut out by stud pitcher R.A. Dickey and 35 year old Hisanori Takahashi. Takahashi shut out the Phils for 6 innings, giving up 5 hits and striking out 6.
Here are the rest of my thoughts after reviewing Wednesday's boxscores:
Mets SS Jose Reyes followed up his 3-5 performance on Tuesday by going 2-4 and 2 RBIs. He has his BA up to .238, and he appears to be healthy.
Yo Adrian!! Red Sox third baseman Adrian Beltre had a good week on Wednesday night as he went 4-5 with 2 HRs and a triple and drove in 6 runs. Beltre is now hitting .341-.372-.517 with 5 HRs and 33 RBIs. Beltre is on pace to drive in 115 runs. I was pretty damn pissed at Scott Boras when he took Beltre away from LA after his monster 2004 season.
Hey, I bashed David Ortiz countless times back in April and early May, so i have to be fair and write about him when he is hot. And that he is. Ortiz went 2-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI. He has his BA up to .266 and his SLG up to .573. Kudos to Terry Francona for sticking with him.
Speaking of bounce backs, Rays outfielder Ben Zobrist is on some kind of tear, as he went 2-5 with his 3rd HR of the season on Wednesday night. He has 6 multi-hit games in his last 10 games, and has raised his BA from .266 to .303.
Bounce back Part III-Carlos Lee went 2-4 with 2 RBI on Wednesday night and is approaching the Mendoza line. Did I light a fire under Lee or what? Not.
Astros starter Roy Oswalt just increased his value in trade talks, and to fantasy owners, after shutting out the Brewers in Milwaukee for 8 innings. He gave up just 4 hits and a walk and struck out 9. Surprisingly, Oswalt is 3-6 with a 2.35 ERA. Wow.
Former Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman threw a scoreless inning, but gave up a hit and a walk in doing so. I am curious if he gets the next save opportunity? I assume he won't pitch on Thursday though.
Unbelievable. I am watching the Dodgers-Cubs game and in the 7th inning, with men on second and third. Jeff Baker hits a ball to deep left field, and Manny Ramirez starts jogging toward it, looking to the fence, then the ball, as if it was crushed and was a HR. Well, the ball hit off the ivy at Wrigley Field and two runs scored. Torre must be livid.
Rockies starter Ubaldo Jiminez won his 9th game by shutting out the Diamondbacks for 8 innings. He struck out only 3 and walked one. His ERA dropped to an absurd 0.88. Can you say Cy Young? Now he might win 20 games. I am not so sure about Roy Halladay.
Royals starter Luke Hochevar won his 5th game of the season, as he held the Rangers to 2 runs in 8 innings on 6 hits and struck out 4. Hochevar has won 3 of his last 5 starts.
Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez went 3-4 with a HR and 2 RBI on Wednesday. He has now hit in 8 of his last 10 games, with 6 multi-hit games, and 3 HRs and 9 RBIs.
Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun has a torn labrum in his right shoulder and could be out for the year. George Kottaras and recently called up Jonathan Lucroy will probably share the starts in Milwaukee.
Can someone tell me how so many teams passed on making an offer to Yankees starter Andy Pettite? Pettite held the Twins to two runs on 8 hits while striking out 4 in winning his 6th game of the season. His ERA sits at 2.62 for the season. Just think what it would be if he pitched in the NL.