Series Preview: vs St. Louis Cardinals

PHI: 51-60, 5th in NL East; STL: 61-51, 3rd in NL Central

When: August 10-12
Where: Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, PA)

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Roy Halladay (5-6, 4.02) vs Kyle Lohse (12-2, 2.79)
Saturday: Cliff Lee (2-6, 3.78) vs Jake Westbrook (11-8, 3.76)
Sunday: Vance Worley (6-7, 3.83) vs Laynce Lynn (13-5, 3.52)

Broadcast Info
Friday, 7:05, CSN
Saturday, 7:05, CSN
Sunday, 1:35, PHL 17
All Games on 94.1 FM

Series Preview: at St. Louis Cardinals

PHI: 22-23, 5th in NL East; STL: 25-19, 1st in NL Central

When: May 24-27
Where: Busch Stadium (St. Louis, MO)

Probable Pitchers
Thursday: Joe Blanton (4-4, 3.74) vs Jake Westbrook (4-3, 2.41)
Friday: Cliff Lee (0-2, 2.66) vs Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.91)
Saturday: Kyle Kendrick (0-4, 5.23) vs Jaime Garcia (3-2, 3.55)
Sunday: Roy Halladay (4-4, 3.58) vs Adam Wainwright (3-5, 4.78)

Broadcast Info
Thursday, 8:15, PHL 17
Friday, 8:15, CSN
Saturday, 7:15, FOX
Sunday, 2:15, PHL 17
All Games on 94.1 FM

Postgame quotes about the brawl

Shane Victorino walks away from the scrum last night. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

As soon as the final out was recorded around 1:30 AM ET, I hit the “publish” button, closed my computer and went to bed.

But my phone kept buzzing with texts from Matt Gelb and Todd Zolecki’s Twitter with interesting quotes from last night so I know I had to look them up this morning and share them with you guys.

As you know, things got a little testy last night. The benches cleared on both sides during the 6th inning of the Phillies 9-2 beat down of the Giants. Shane Victorino was plunked by reliever Ramon Ramirez and Eli Whiteside decided to look for a fight, blowing the top off and already boiling rivalry.

Here are some post game Phillies comments and the radio broadcast from last night. L.A. calls everyone gutless:

Series Preview: at San Francisco Giants

PHI: 71-39, 1st in NL East; SF: 62-49, 1st in NL West

When: August 4-7
Where: SBC Park (San Francisco, CA)

Probable Pitchers
Thursday: Cliff Lee (10-7, 3.14) vs Madison Bumgarner (6-10, 3.80)
Friday: Vance Worley (7-1, 2.33) vs Jonathan Sanchez (4-5, 3.81)
Saturday: Cole Hamels (12-6, 2.62) vs Matt Cain (9-7, 3.10)
Sunday: Roy Oswalt (4-6, 3.79) vs Tim Lincecum (9-9, 2.77)

Broadcast Info
Thursday, 10:15, CSN
Friday, 10:15, CSN
Saturday, 4:10, FOX
Sunday, 4:05, PHL 17
All Games on 1210 AM

Player to Watch – Carlos Beltran: Both the Phillies and Giants will be featuring a new bat in right field this series. On the Giants side, it’s Carlos Beltran. Beltran was in the line up last week when the Giants played Philadelphia for the final of three games.

Four teams splash big at the deadline

Phillies OF Hunter Pence. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

The final week leading up to the trade deadline makes for some of the most exciting and exhausting news in baseball. Beat writers, fans and owners dread the July 31 date and breath a huge sigh of relief when 4:00 PM passes.

This year was no different. With teams like the Phillies, Giants and Braves looking to bolster their offense and the Yankees and Red Sox looking to make splashes in pitching, the deadline can get hairy for the serious competitors and first timers.

Here are a handful of teams that made the biggest splashes at the deadline, hoping for that final push into the post season and baseball greatness.

THE WINNERS

Cleveland Indians – Ubaldo Jimenez: The Indians made a huge splash at the deadline, trading for Colorado’s ace Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez is one of the game’s best young starters and will have an immediate impact on a team that could be one good starter away from winning their first AL Central crown since 2007.

A year removed from winning 19 games and posting a 2.88 ERA, Jimenez is struggling this season. He’s been mediocre at best, compiling a 6-9 record and 4.46 ERA on a Rockies team that is 10 games behind any chance at the post season. But the Indians are 2.5 behind the Detroit Tigers and Jimenez’s presence is a significant upgrade.

The only interesting thing that remains to be seen is if Jimenez will be effective in the American League. He’s been struggling this season and is now walking into a tougher hitting league. This move could prove to be a huge step forward for the Indians or a monumental bust.

Phils Land Pence

After months of talk about adding a right-handed bat, the Phillies have finally added the piece that will put them over the top.

Pence provides the right-handed bat that the Phillies have coveted. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)

Reports are saying that the Phillies have landed Houston Astros outfielder Hunter Pence. In exchange for Pence, the team will be sending pitching prospect Jarred Cosart and first baseman Jonathan Singleton and two lesser prospect to be named later.

The deal was made without parting with Domonic Brown or Vance Worley, two popular fan-favorites.

There had been talk for the last week that the Phillies were interested in acquiring Pence. The pursuit had really kicked up a notch over the last two days as the team had made it clear that they would do just about anything to acquire Pence.

They are getting a player in Pence that is hitting .309 with 11 home runs and 62 RBIs. He has also scored 49 runs and added seven stolen bases.

He is a career .290 hitter and has hit 25 home runs each year from 2008-2010. Pence also has 56 outfield assists, proving that he is an above average defender.

Around the MLB 7/27/11

METS, GIANTS CLOSE ON BELTRAN –Well, I think it’s time to let go of the possibility of trading for Carlos Beltran. That’s not so much of a bad thing seeing as the

Phils didn’t want to part with any good prospects for a 2 1/2 months rental player.

Carlos Beltran (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants are close on a deal that would send Beltran to the NL West leading Giants.

The deal is said to send Giants right-handed pitcher Zack Wheeler to New York for Beltran and cash. Wheeler, the sixth overall pick in the 2009 First Year draft, is one of San Fran’s top pitching prospects.

Wheeler, 21, is 7-5 with 3.99 ERA for San Francisco’s Class A Advanced San Jose affiliate this season.

The trade will instantly improve the 25th offense in the Major Leagues. Beltran, 34, is hitting .289 with 15 homers and 61 RBIs. He also had a major league leading  30 doubles.

Pregame Notes 7/25/11

PHILS SCOUTING BELTRAN — Carlos Beltran is one of a handful of right-handed hitting outfielders on the Phillies radar as we head into the final week of the trade deadline. Though Hunter Pence is the player the Phils prefer, it’s now doubtful that Houston would want to move the 28-year-old All-Star.

Instead, it seems the Phillies’ focus has shifted to Beltran. It was reported by Steve Popper, a Mets reporter for the Bergen County Times, this morning that the Phillies have two scouts following the Mets to Cincy for their series against the Reds.

Still no word on what type of player or players the Phillies would be willing to give up for Beltran but they have said Domonic Brown and RHP prospect Jarred Cosart are untouchable.

Series Preview: at New York Mets

PHI: 31-19, 1st in NL East; NYM: 23-26, 4th in NL East

When: May 27-29
Where: Citi Field (Queens, NY)

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Roy Oswalt (3-2, 2.77) vs Chris Capuano (3-5, 5.36)
Sasturday: Cole Hamels (6-2, 3.06) vs Mike Pelfrey (3-4, 5.37)
Sunday: Vance Worley (2-0, 2.14) vs Jon Niese (3-5, 4.33)

Broadcast Info
Friday, 7:10, CSN
Saturday, 7:10, PHL 17
Sunday, 1:10, CSN
All Games on 1210 AM