Chase Utley and Pat Burrell are Officially Ridonkulous

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell have opened the 2008 season hotter than probably any duo has in the last decade.

The two have combined for 18 home runs, 46 RBI, 15 doubles, two steals, 35 runs, a .371 BA in just 23 games. They've out homered 12 teams in the Major Leagues. Kansas City has scored 64 runs all season. Utley and Burrell are responsible for almost that many.

Against the Brewers today, Burrell doubled home Utley and Greg Dobbs for the go ahead runs in eighth inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. A Jason Werth sixth inning homer run accounted for the Phillies first run.

Burrell and Utley were responsible for basically the rest of the Phillies offense. They reached base six times on four hits and two walks. Utley raised his batting average to .385 with his 3 for 4 day.

One of the biggest things responsible for their hot start is their ability to put the ball in play. They've combined for just 29 strike outs in over 160 at bats. That's less than one K per five at bats.

That's a lot different than in the past. Burrell had been striking out almost 25% of the time and Utley just over 20%.

The three runs Werth, Burrell and Utley produced was more than enough for soon to be AARP member Jamie Moyer. He threw six stud innings working in and out of jams all game. He allowed 11 base runners, but only one made it home. Moyer's last solid start against the Mets went without reward as the Phillies couldn't give him the run support. He surrendered just two runs in six innings against New York.

The 45 year old handed the ball over to 41 year old Flash Gordon who handed the ball over to 32 year old J.C. Romero, who handed the ball over to 28 year old Ryan Madson who handed the ball over to....not someone younger. 32 year old Brad Lidge threw a solid ninth inning for the save.

Lidge's fifth save extended his scoreless streak to open the year to ten innings.

Quick Hits:

• Ryan Howard didn't start, but came into the game as a pinch hitter. He stayed in the game and replaced Greg Dobbs at first base. The former MVP is three for his last 28 after going 0 for 2 this afternoon with two strikeouts. He started off slow last year partly because of his injury. Hopefully this is just a funk and there's not something wrong with his knee again.
• I mentioned above Jason Werth hit his fourth home run of the year. He's 14 for 44 with four home runs since moving into the everyday lineup after Shane Victorino went down.
• The National League's best bullpen gave up just two base runners in three scoreless innings tonight.
  

Hamels Labors Into 8th Inning, Brewers Win

You would never know sometimes that Charlie Manuel managed in the American League before moving to the Phillies. Usually AL skippers can manage pitchers better than hitters because of the lack of the double switch and pitching spot in the lineup.

That's just not the case for Manuel. The Good Phight reported that the Phillies were first in the league in both bullpen ERA and pinch hitting in 2008. Manuel's worked his bench to absolute perfection. He's great at double switches and making the necessary fielding and hitting substitutions.

What he doesn't do well is manage the pitching staff. He's not terrible at managing the staff, but he makes a lot of bonehead decisions. The worst of the year so far, tonight against the Brewers.

Cole Hamels went into the eighth inning with around 110 pitches and had given up three runs in the game. Granted he'd given up none since the first inning, but he was going to face the meat of the Brewers lineup in the eighth with a 4-3 lead.

The Phillies bullpen is relatively rested. Ryan Madson would be the only guy I would stray away from tonight. That leaves Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero, Chad Durbin, and Brad Lidge in the pen ready to go.

Charlie, you need two innings from the pen! Just go to it. It's early in the season, no reason to put extra strain on a fragile body.

The Brewers threw their ace Ben Sheets a few extra innings late in games earlier this year and he was scratched from today's start with shoulder soreness.

There's no reason to risk Hamels in this situation.

With all this said, Hamels surrendered a double to Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun and then served up a fat home run to Prince Fielder (pun intended). The game went from 4-3 to 5-4 in an instant.

It ruined a superb outing for Hamels. His final line: seven innings, two walks, three runs, and 11 Ks. He gave up three first inning runs and then settled down until the eighth.

The Phillies got another MVP performance from Pat Burrell and Chase Utley. The two combined for two more home runs and went 3-7 on the day. Burrell now has eight homers and 23 RBI while Utley is 10 and 21.

After the two of them, the rest of the lineup essentially did nothing except for Greg Dobbs. He hit a two run home run to tie the game at three in the fifth inning.

Ryan Howard took an oh-fer with two more strikeouts and Geoff Jenkins went hitless in his return to Milwaukee.

The Phillies also blew a chance in the ninth to score off of Derrick Turnbow who was filling in for Eric Gagne. Gagne had pitched very poorly in several consecutive games and got a much needed day off.

So Taguchi reached third with one out. He walked, stole second, and went to third on an error on the throw by Jason Kendall.

Jason Werth struck out on the seventh pitch of his at-bat. He swung at a pitcher that according to MLB's Gameday was a 93MPH fastball that looked right of the middle of the plate at the knees. He had to get the ball in play and bring Taguchi home.

Pedro Feliz was the Phillies last chance. He swung at the second pitch that was out of the strike zone and grounded out to J.J. Hardy. Game over, Brewers win.

Brew Crew Preview

Cole Hamels takes the mound tonight looking to extend the Phillies win streak to four games against the Brewers.

Hamels is coming off a loss against the Mets in which Johan Santana out-pitched the Phillies ace. The Cole Train still enters this game with very solid numbers; 1.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 19 strike outs.

Hamels has a high ERA against the Brewers, but overall has solid numbers against Milwaukee. His ERA, 4.22, isn't quite indicative of how he's pitched against Milwaukee. He's got three starts against the Brewers, a 1-0 record, 21 strike outs in as many innings, and a 0.89 WHIP.

Tonight's projected Brewers lineup is a mere 7-39 against Hamels with three home runs and 16 strikeouts.

For Milwaukee, David Bush will toe the rubber. To put it lightly, Bush has been awful this year. He's got a healthy 7.02 ERA and an 0-3 record to boot.

He hasn't fared well against the Phillies in his career either. He's also thrown 21 innings against the Phillies like Hamels against the Brewers, but with much different results.

His 6.23 ERA and 1.57 WHIP say it all. The projected lineup's success means Bush could and should be in for a very short outing.

1. Jason Werth (never faced Bush)
2. Geoff Jenkins (never face Bush, but was his teammates for several years)
3. Chase Utley (2-5 with two walks)
4. Ryan Howard (3-8 with a home run)
5. Pat Burrell (3-7 with two home runs)
6. Pedro Feliz (3-12 with two home runs) or Greg Dobbs (3-7 with a homer)
7. Carlos Ruiz (2-4)
8. Eric Bruntlett (0-1)
9. Cole Hamels (0-2)

CuseAdelphia Prediction: Phillies 8 Brewers 2. The meat of the Phillies lineup has blown Bush up in three starts. Look for more of that. I think Howard will homer tonight and break out of his funk for at least one night. Cole Hamels goes seven innings and strikes out five.