Philadelphia @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2009 ) San Francisco 1, Philadelphia 2
Roy Halladay is pitching for a brand new team in a brand new league and in brand new ballparks. What isn’t new are the results.
The Philadelphia Phillies ace has been dominating in each of his first four National League starts, compiling a 4-0 record and an 0.82 ERA in 33 innings. He has 28 strikeouts against just three walks entering Monday’s road start against the San Francisco Giants.
There were questions regarding why the Phillies felt like they needed to trade for the high-priced, 32-year-old pitcher since they won the World Series two years ago and lost to the New York Yankees in last season’s Fall Classic.
But all wasn’t well with Philadelphia’s rotation – especially when you trade for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner in late July, sign a former Cy Young Award winner trying to salvage a career in mid-July and employ a 46-year-old pitcher who made 25 starts.
The evidence displayed that upgrading the starting rotation was a real need.
Enter Mr. Halladay.
The Phillies’ prized offseason acquisition is making adjusting to the National League look easy after being a six-time All-Star and the 2003 Cy Young Award winner during 11 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Oh yeah, that 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner (Cliff Lee) is now in Seattle, the former Cy Young award winner (Pedro Martinez) remains unemployed and Jamie Moyer is now a 47-year-old pitcher still wearing a Phillies’ uniform.
And Halladay is thriving as the new ace of a team vying to make its third straight World Series appearance and has a National League East-leading 11-7 record heading into Monday’s game.
Very few of San Francisco’s hitters are familiar with Halladay. Long-time American Leaguer Aubrey Huff is the lone Giant with more than 10 career at-bats against Halladay. Huff is batting .254 in 63 at-bats with just one of his 16 hits going for extra bases (a double).
Catcher Bengie Molina and outfielder/infielder Mark DeRosa are both 1-for-9 (.111) against Halladay.
Monday’s game could be a terrific pitcher’s duel if Giants lefthander Jonathan Sanchez is on his game. Sanchez is just 1-1 in three starts this season despite a 1.86 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings.
Sanchez gave up just one hit and struck out 10 over seven innings in his last start, a 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres.
San Francisco, which has scored 11 runs over its last seven games, hopes to have infielder Juan Uribe back in the lineup on Monday. Uribe left Saturday’s game with St. Louis with elbow tightness and missed Sunday’s game.
Uribe is batting .310 and leading the Giants with 11 RBIs.
Uribe has been getting extensive playing time because Freddy Sanchez is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Sanchez could be back with the Giants before mid-May.
Philadelphia is 3-3 on the current nine-game road trip. First baseman Ryan Howard has a team-leading 16 RBIs but just three homers. Second baseman Chase Utley has a team-best six homers and has 14 RBIs.
Shortstop Jimmy Rollins remains on the disabled list with a calf injury.