Inside Phillies-Rays: Phillies' Starting Pitching

If you’ve ever been around your grandparents or other members of the greatest generation, you’ve likely noticed they’ve picked up some favorite expressions they break out here and there, depending on the situation.

Baseball, like other centenarians that have been around the block a few times, has its favorites as well. October is the stage on which they surface. And pitching is their favored topic.

“Pitching and defense wins championships.”

“Momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitcher.”

One common theme. 

One common goal.

In a World Series that features two teams that thrive on the long ball, it will be the pitching staff that makes the fewest mistakes that will likely be tasting champagne one more time. 

But World Series champs do not live by pitching alone—just ask Cole Hamels during the season about run support. 

Still, for a team like the Phillies whose hitters can go white-hot to ice-cold faster than Andy Reid to a buffet table, it will be the starting pitchers’ job to keep the potent Tampa Bay bats silent long enough for the next unassuming hero to step to the plate and take his place in Phillies history.

Here are five reasons the Phillies can out-pitch the Rays in the World Series.

1. Cole Hamels: The NLCS MVP is 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA in the playoffs. Opponents are hitting a measly .173. He’s lasted at least seven innings in each of his starts, striking out 22 and walking only six. His changeup is quickly becoming one of the nastiest pitches in the game. 

If you’ve watched any of the Phillies’ playoff games, you’ve heard over and over (and over again) that the “arm slot” of Hamels for all three of his pitches is exactly the same.  So, you get a fast-ball in the low 90s, a change in the low 80s, and a curve in the low 70s.   

Tampa’s core is comprised of young, scary, explosive hitters who may be sitting fast-ball, think they see a fast-ball—until the bottom drops out. Hamels is not afraid to throw that change in any count and needs to take advantage of the Rays’ over-anxious bats.

If the Phillies can win behind Hamels in Game One, they’ll steal home field and—if everything goes to plan—could theoretically have him back on the mound in a clinching Game Five.

2. Brett Myers: Has there been a Phillies pitcher who deserved the nickname “Wild Thing” more since Mitch Williams? Despite a hiccup the last two games of the season, Brett Myers has been money in the (Citizens) Bank. I don’t think the man gets enough credit for accepting the demotion to AAA Lehigh Valley—one he could have vetoed—to get his act together. Name one other established starter in the majors that would have done that.

While Myers’ exploits in the batters box has gotten most of the press this postseason, he hasn’t done all that bad on the bump, either. He’s 2-0 with a 5.25 ERA, but batters are only hitting .182 again him. Walks have been killer, giving up seven BB to just 10 strikeouts. Myers needs to throw strikes and throw them early in counts.

Expect the Rays to take a lot of pitches early in the game. If he can get through the first inning and settle into a rhythm, the Phils will have a good shot in Game Two. 

Myers will also likely be on the hill in Game Six (if necessary). 

Myers is an adrenaline junkie, which is why he loved the closer’s role last season. If the Phillies fall behind 0-1 to Tampa Bay, he’ll definitely feel the pressure to perform.

Which could be a good thing. Or a bad thing.

Where’s my Zantac?

3. Jamie Moyer: Despite the cries of many a Philly fan, Charlie Manuel is putting Jamie Moyer back out for Game Three. Of course, that may be subject to change should the Phillies find themselves sitting 0-2. 

This World Series may mean a little more to Old Man Moyer: He watched the 1980 Phillies parade down Broad Street, and wants nothing more to be the one riding the float representing his hometown team.

The problem is that Moyer has been awful in the playoffs. He’s taken the loss in both of the Phillies defeats this postseason and was tagged for eight runs in just 5.1 innings.  Moyer also went 1-3 this season in interleague play, losing to the Red Sox, A’s, and Rangers.

The good news: Moyer is 8-4 lifetime against Tampa Bay, with a 2.85 ERA. Plus, the Rays have a young team. If you look back at the 16 wins Moyer got this season, an interesting pattern develops. His greatest success came against Washington, Florida, and Atlanta, teams with relatively young talent. Moyer went 10-2 against those three teams. 

Why does any of that matter?

Well, Moyer’s stuff is slow. Really slooooooow. What needs to happen for Moyer to be successful is similar to why Hamels' changeup is so good. If hitters get out in front of a pitch, it throws off their balance and timing. Moyer needs to rely on the Rays’ big boppers being impatient and wanting to kill these meatballs he’s throwing up there. 

Otherwise, Moyer will see an early exit yet again. Tampa killed Boston’s Tim Wakefield on Oct. 14, giving up five runs on three homers in just 2.2 innings. But Wakefield is a knuckleballer, and if that pitch isn’t dancing, it usually ends up flying out in a hurry. 

Moyer has pitched in big games before and may never get the chance again. You know he won’t want to go out in a rout.

4. Joe Blanton: “Average Joe” was the “B-level” talent Phillies GM Pat Gillick picked up down the stretch. All he’s done is go 4-0 in 13 starts during the regular season and 1-0 in the postseason. Having Blanton allows the Phillies to get Hamels an additional day of rest instead of relying on only a three-man rotation.

He was touted as an innings eater, but hasn’t gone more than seven IP in any of his 15 starts. The good news is that the Phillies' bullpen is very good. Depending how good the team has done thus far will speak to the length of Blanton’s leash.

5. Carols Ruiz:  The Phillies' catcher has been brilliant in this postseason. He’s only hitting .200, but that’s not why he’s in there. Despite coming up with several key hits this postseason, backup catcher Chris Coste has a better bat. But Charlie Manuel really likes the way Ruiz has handled the pitching staff. Plus, he has a better arm than Coste. 

And as my sister in Boston would tell you, Tampa Bay is “wicked fast.” It’s an oft-overlooked aspect to any pitching staff, but Carlos Ruiz is calling good ballgames, and it needs to continue for the Phillies to win the Series.

If the starters can take the ball deep into the game, and keep the bridge to Brad Lidge short, 25 years of championship futility could be close to and end.

Statistics courtesy Yahoo! Sports.