Aaron Nola will make one of his final home starts of the year Tuesday against the New York Mets.The Philadelphia Phillies and the Mets are
meeting for the middle game in a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Lefty
Steven Matz (5-11
http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-dave-dravecky-jersey , 4.18 ERA) will be on the mound to oppose Nola (16-5, 2.42).The Phillies (76-73)
have dropped two in a row after Monday night’s 9-4 loss, and they are seven
games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East with 13 games to
play. They are also 5.5 games back in the NL wild card race.Article continues
below ...Nola is second in the National League in ERA (2.42), third in WHIP
(0.971) and fourth in strikeouts (201) and innings pitched (193 2/3). However,
the All-Star hasn’t been as sharp in his first three starts this month.Nola has
a 5.60 ERA and opponents have a .871 OPS against him in September. He’s allowed
seven homers in his last three starts after giving up just eight in his first 27
appearances.The Washington Nationals took Nola deep twice and scored four runs
off him in five innings last Wednesday. The five inning start tied for the
second-shortest of the season for Nola.“He’s missed location at times and he has
been punished for those missed locations,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said
after Nola’s last start. “But part of Nola’s success hinges on his deception,
which he always has and has always had. …There are going to be stretches, just
like with anyone else, that you run through and they just put the fat part of
the bat on the ball.”Nola is 9-2 with a 2.46 ERA and 10.4 K/9 rate in 15 starts
at home this season. He’s also has four wins against the Mets and has posted a
1.97 ERA in 32 innings against the Phillies divisional foe this season. Nola has
a 3.38 ERA in eight career starts when facing New York.The Mets could help out
their teammate Jacob deGrom — the front-runner for the 2018 NL Cy Young Award —
by hitting Nola hard. On the mound, Matz will try to continue a streak of strong
starts.Matz has a 2.67 ERA in five starts over the last month, giving up only 16
hits while striking out 35 batters in that 30 1/3-inning stretch. He notched a
quality start in his last game, holding the Miami Marlins to three runs on three
hits in 6 1/3 innings last Thursday. Matz also helped himself
Brandon Crawford Jersey , hitting his first career home run in the Mets’ win.“It was a good feeling, I know that,” Matz told MLB.com of the two-run blast
off Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara. “I definitely got all of it, and it
definitely felt good to get my first one.”Matz, who is facing the Phillies for
the fourth time this season, has a 4.58 ERA and 1.472 WHIP in four career starts
against Philadelphia. BALTIMORE (AP) — Buck Showalter has been fired as manager
of the Orioles, who made three playoff appearances under his guidance but this
year staggered through the worst season since the team moved to Baltimore in
1954.Showalter confirmed the dismissal Wednesday in a text message to The
Associated Press.A three-time AL Manager of the Year, Showalter ranks second on
the Orioles’ career list with 669 victories, trailing Earl Weaver. He took over
in August 2010 and orchestrated the resurgence of a team that suffered through
14 straight losing seasons.Once hailed for making baseball in Baltimore relevant
again, the 62-year-old Showalter is out of a job after a season in which the
Orioles finished 47-115, 61 games behind Boston in the AL East. His contract
expired at the end of October, and the Orioles opted against a renewal as they
continue a major rebuild that began in late July
http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-brandon-belt-jersey , when they traded stars Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Jonathan Schoop and Kevin
Gausman for minor league prospects.Those deals were made by Dan Duquette, the
executive vice president of baseball operations, whose future with the
organization is up in the air.Showalter earned AL Manager of the Year honors in
2014 after taking the Orioles to the AL East title and a berth in the
Championship Series. He was also named Manager of Year with the Yankees in 1994
and Texas in 2004. His career record is 1,551-1,517, including 669-684 with
Baltimore.“I just think ever since he came here, the franchise just gained a
little more accountability, gained an edge for some time,” Orioles outfielder
Adam Jones said before the final game of the season. “It’s the end of an era. A
great manager, a great tenure. I don’t know if he’s going to coach or manage
again
Jeff Samardzija Jersey , but he’s got grandchildren. Go golf. Relax and go sit on the golf course.”With his future in doubt, Showalter appeared
undaunted during the final series of the regular season.“You know how good
they’ve been to me? I’m not ever going to forget that, regardless of what
happens,” he said.Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin was asked before his
team’s playoff game against the Yankees on Wednesday night whether Showalter was
victimized by the trend toward analytics.“I don’t think Buck was a guy that
ignored analytics,” Melvin said. “I think it was probably a combination of how
they did this year and maybe some relationships.”After the Orioles brought
Showalter out of retirement, he offered renewed hope by fashioning a 34-23
finish in 2010 for a team that was 32-73 upon his arrival.Baltimore ended a
14-year playoff drought in 2012, advancing to the AL Division Series following a
victory over Texas in the wild-card game. Playoff appearances in 2014 and 2016
followed.Last year, however, the Orioles fell to 75-87 after losing 19 of their
final 23 games. Baltimore hoped the addition of starters Alex Cobb and Andrew
Cashner would enable the team to be a contender this year, but a horrid start
quickly dispelled that notion.The Orioles’ deficit in the AL East reached double
digits by April 18 and they were 8-27 on May 8. By the end of July, Baltimore
fully entered rebuilding mode, leaving Showalter with the dubious distinction of
overseeing a team that finished with the poorest record in the majors and one
that surpassed the 1939 St. Louis Browns for most losses in franchise
history.Showalter never offered an excuse. He just grinded forward
http://www.giantsfanproshop.com/authentic-johnny-cueto-jersey , working to prepare the team for 2019 even though he knew he might not be around
to follow through.At the outset of a season-ending series against Houston,
Showalter was asked if he was thinking these might be his final days in the
Baltimore dugout.“We all have some private thoughts and emotions about that, but
I don’t think it serves the organization well for me to be worried about that
right now,” he said. “We’ve got some things to do these last four games that
need to get done.”Showalter has a reputation as a no-nonsense manager, but his
players appreciated his baseball knowledge and skill at handling a team. He made
a point of talking to each of them on a regular basis, almost always offering
encouragement.“He gave me a chance,” said catcher Caleb Joseph, who played
six-plus years in the minors before arriving in Baltimore. “He believed in me in
2014, ran me out there and gave me a chance to be part of a championship team.
He’s really vouched for me ever since. I owe a lot to Buck and his loyalty. He’s
been a main figure here for a long time.”Sensing the end was near for the only
big league manager he had every played for, first baseman Trey Mancini said:
“It’s been an absolute honor to play for Buck. He’s been incredible.”
