The La-La Shuffle: Two More For The Road

August 31:  PHILLIES 8, Los Angeles 3
September 1:  PHILLIES 5, Los Angeles 1

The world is good for baseball fans when the hitters are hitting, and the pitchers are stifling the opposition, and both are happening at the same time.  The recent hitting funk the Phils encountered masked some very fine pitching performances, and hopefully, with the Opening Day Eight starting to play together with more regularity (and health), the hitting can continue and improve.

Kyle Kendrick pitched very well on Tuesday night, and it's indicative of the way he can pitch when he's focused and, more importantly, when he's not pitching from behind.  It's been said by others, and bears repeating, that once a pitcher gets behind in a game, he's more likely to continue to deteriorate.  Not because he's behind, but because his options become limited.  If they're hitting his best pitch, he's going with something else.  And something else he may have a lack of command over.  Or, he's afraid to nibble at the corners because he feels he can't afford more baserunners.  Or, he tries to do to much by himself, and gets gassed, and becomes completely ineffective.

So it was good to see the Phils give Kyle the lead, and that allowed him, I think, to relax, focus, stay with the game plan, work the corners, spot pitches, and give himself the best chance to succeed.  I haven't done the statistical analysis to back up my theory, but I honestly believe that a pitcher's success on the mound is more closely tied to how his offense performs than most people mugh be willing to give credit for.  Perhaps I will take a look at that in the off-season and make that the focus of a series of posts.

Back to reality, it was great to see Roy Oswalt once again pitching as advertised.  One thing I have thought since the Cliff Lee deal last year is that it's rather rare for the Phillies to land a quality pitcher while he is still a quality pitcher.  The last guy I think we had gotten in that way was Lefty.  Far too many of the Phils "name" acquisitions in the rotation seemed to come at the tail end of their careers.  Guys like Jim Lonborg, Jim Kaat, and Jerry Koosman come immediately to mind, and I'm sure I could come up with a few others you all will recall.

And so, the Phils say goodbye to Hollywood at 5-1 on their current road trip.  A quick stopover in Denver to face Carlos Gonzalez and the Rockies tomorrow, and then home to face the Brew Crew for the weekend.  After the weekend, it's goodbye to the rest of the league, and hello to the NL East for the remainder of the regular season.

As I like to say ... unfold a deck chair and break out the popcorn ... this is gonna be fun ...

Order up!