i wonder what the reaction to this is going to be.

that was just one terrible ####### gutpunch of an inning.

it's hard to really criticize anything roy halladay does on the mound, but i'd really like to see him establish his sinker early in the game instead of trying to fool hitters from the first pitch by using his entire repertoire from the start.

he has a really, really good sinker, but he's not been throwing it near enough to get the maximum value from it. he used to have an elite GB:FB ratio, but it's been merely above average since he's been a phillies, and i think that's directly related to the decline in frequency in him throwing the sinker.

plus, another advantage to establishing the sinker early in the game is that you set a pace in the hitters head, which you can then screw with by throwing cutters, sliders, curves, and changeups.


oh, and i'm fairly sure that was a retrosheet shoutout from the phillies TV booth in the top of the 7th.

that was an absolutely awful game.

33 games in 31 days:
5-2

Herndon gave up 5 intentional walks in 3 1/3 innings. Must be some kind of record. Most INTs for a pitcher entering a game in extra innings?