Awesome to limit the damage to just 1 run. We need some runs this inning!

Hermida pulls a ball way outside.... how does he manage to PULL everything...it would be nice to see him go the other way sometimes... especially on a ball like that

Hermida and Hanley were both fooled, this may be a bad day, especially with the sun, fielding will be bad

Nice AB Jorge

0 hits 1 Bb 0 er in the 1st..... I'd like to see Johnson go 1-2-3 here..... make it so.

Helms batting fourth is just plain stupid, I can't believe Fredi still does that.

That sun looks brutal out there, lets see some cloud coverage!

Helms batting fourth is just plain stupid, I can't believe Fredi still does that.

 

 

he does it to keep everyone else in the same spot....so that he doesn't have to completely shift the entire lineup. Since Hammer bats 4th so will Helms....

Helms batting fourth is just plain stupid, I can't believe Fredi still does that.

 

 

he does it to keep everyone else in the same spot....so that he doesn't have to completely shift the entire lineup. Since Hammer bats 4th so will Helms....

 

Which is why its stupid. Especially since Helms is ice cold with the bat. Put someone like Ross or Uggla fourth. It's not going to mess them up.

Great inning Josh

nice 1-2-3, all you have to do now is be able to handle the top of the lineup/

Helms batting fourth is just plain stupid, I can't believe Fredi still does that.

 

 

he does it to keep everyone else in the same spot....so that he doesn't have to completely shift the entire lineup. Since Hammer bats 4th so will Helms....

 

Which is why its stupid. Especially since Helms is ice cold with the bat. Put someone like Ross or Uggla fourth. It's not going to mess them up.

 

 

easy for you to say, since you are sitting behind a computer. But Freddi is a little closer to these guys and if he thinks they are better off batting in the same spot then I gotta think he knows more than I do. Usually you don't move a player around in the lineup unless he is a struggling everyday player who needs a change to try and spark the bat a bit.

wow.... Tommy just said Uggla is 3 for 30 against Phillies pitching.... ouch

Show me any other manager in baseball who puts a bench player batting fourth.

Show me any other manager in baseball who puts a bench player batting fourth.

 

It's not quite that simple, it depends on a lot of things, who is the bench player? What is his history against the pitcher that day? Is it just a 1 day replacement? Do yout want to shift other guys in the lineup out of their regular spots for a day?

 

I am not saying you are wrong. Helms is probably not the best candidate for the 4 spot. But the point is, there are many reasons I could see Freddi making that decision and it is not just "stupid" as you called it.

He's batting .179 this month....and his average versus lefties is terrible. If he even gets on base today, I'll be surprised. The bottom line is, he's NOT what you want in a clean up hitter.

OH FFS

Ugh

Johnson should NOT have walked Utley.... throw the strike on the 3-2 count and make him get a hit. I knew that would would turn into something bad...Howard is locked in pretty good

ugh, still early and its been all howard so far.

nice K

Show me any other manager in baseball who puts a bench player batting fourth.

 

 

Angels manager, Mike Scioscia, had Maicier Izturis batting 3rd yesterday...

Btw, I'm sick and tired of this lineup looking SO DIFFERENT against lefties, than it does against righties. It's like 2 different lineups. Against righties, they look awesome. Against lefties, they look as if they don't even belong in the big leagues.

 

I know Hamels is very good, but seriously...has he even thrown 30 pitches yet, in his 3 innings of "work?"

JJ's pitch count is around 60

Nice work Josh. Let's get a hit.