Yankees 9 Howard 7

Is it possible to sue more than one party for lack of support?

Rheal Cormier may have one of the lowest ERA’s among relievers in the NL this season, but at first glance the overall numbers don’t always tell the whole story.  With RISP his ERA is 2.70; with RISP and 2 outs, it balloons to 6.23; with the bases loaded it tops out at 6.75.

Arthur Rhodes never met a batter in the late innings he didn’t want to walk.  He isn’t fooling anyone at this point…not even Pat Gillick.

David Bell has absolutely no range to his left any longer.  He isn’t too impressive on balls hit at him either.  He goes to his right well enough.  There is a guy on the bench who could spell him in the late innings.  See the highlights from Monday night’s game for any references.

Sal Pasano offered up his nightly passed ball.  For the last time, where is Carlos Ruiz when the Phillies actually need a catcher?

Cory Lidle, indeed most if not all of the Phillies starters (Myers included except Monday night) have a particularly galling habit of giving up runs immediately after their mates have either staked them to a lead or at least scored in the preceding inning.  Nothing changes momentum faster.   Lidle can stand there on the mound looking pained and shaking his head as much as he wants, but the reality remains he is a career mediocre pitcher.  Staked to a three-run lead last night, he promptly allowed the Yankees to climb back into the game.  He departed, finally, with the lead, but his numbers (5.1 innings pitched, ten base runners, four earned runs, two home runs) were hardly impressive.

Impressive was Ryan Howard.  One night after sitting against Randy Johnson, the kid returned with a literal bang, including a mammoth home run, an opposite field home run, a triple and seven RBI’s.  Too bad the rest of his mates were firing blanks.