J.D. Durbin and Kyle Kendrick have made Charlie Manuel feel a little more comfortable as the July 31 trade deadline approaches.
That's a good thing because there are no indications the Phillies will be able to land a stud to bolster their rotation before then.
Durbin shutout the San Diego Padres yesterday in a 9-0 victory at Petco Park. He is 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA in his three starts for the Phillies. He won two of the Phillies' four victories on their just completed seven-game road trip through Los Angeles and San Diego. He allowed one run in 15 innings in those two starts.
Kendrick is 4-1 with a 4.40 ERA in seven starts for the Phillies.
Imagine where they'd be if they struggled?
But can they keep it up? I'm still curious to see how Kendrick fares the second time teams get to see him. And is this the real Durbin? Or is the real Durbin the pitcher who three teams gave up on earlier this season?
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Durbin talks about the shutout, and Jimmy Rollins talks about the team's three-game winning streak.
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Aaron Rowand and Michael Bourn almost collided on the final play of the game in left-center field. But they didn't, and Rowand made the catch to preserve Durbin's shutout.
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Jim Salisbury just wants the Barry Bonds circus to end. I do, too. I'm tired of the talking head about it on TV. Let him break the record and let's move on to something else.
Like how much is that baseball going to be worth?
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Came across this yesterday thanks to With Leather. Update: The Phillies won Mellon Bank jacket day on Aug. 17, 1986. Take a look at the box score here.
Comments (5)
With ads like that, it's hard to believe attendance figures dropped at the Vet as time went on...
Posted by Tom G | July 23, 2007 9:47 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 09:47
I know Coste isn't Johnny Bench, but anyone else notice how well he frames pitches? I swore last year, and still do, that he gets more borderline strikes called than any other catcher for his pitchers. Watch next time he catches.
I also comment again that while I love Rowand, he is going to get someone hurt, beside himself, with his need to handle every chance within his zip code. Last year when he broke his leg, he could have easily knocked Utley out for the season with him. Yesterday could have easily been Bourn's call, he was on a line and wouldn't have to backhand the catch.
But a great, great road trip, I thought it would be a 2-5 disaster based on the pitching they had to face. Again, credit to Charlie for keeping these guys on a even keel and to Dubee for coaching Durbin.
Posted by jimmymack | July 23, 2007 10:20 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 10:20
The way Durbin and Kendrick have been pitching is remarkable. If they consistently can give the Phillies 6 innings of 4-run-or-better baseball, those outings should translate into wins. And it could be an interesting September after all.
Posted by V | July 23, 2007 10:33 AM
Posted on July 23, 2007 10:33
I also went into the trip with low expectations; it's amazing how solid this team can look, at times. Even the bullpen. And Durbin and Kendrick - maybe the Phils can be the team catching a few breaks, for once.
PS: Great commercial. Takes me back.
Posted by John in LA | July 23, 2007 1:43 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 13:43
You don't know...how many times...I saw that freakin' commercial when I was a kid...
Posted by David | July 23, 2007 2:09 PM
Posted on July 23, 2007 14:09