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Moyer Shows No Ill Effects From Bug

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By TONY FABRIZIO afabrizio@tampatrib.com

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2008

PHILADELPHIA - LHP Jamie Moyer's strong outing in the Phillies' 5-4 Game 3 victory looks even more impressive when considering that the 45-year-old pitcher was battling a severe stomach bug.

Moyer's wife, Karen, told Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal that Moyer was "the sickest I've seen him in 22 years."

Moyer didn't look sick. He held the Rays to one run on three hits through six innings. The Rays picked up two runs in the seventh, but only after Carl Crawford was called safe on a bunt single before replays clearly showed he was out.

On that play, Moyer made a tremendous effort to get to the ball and flip it to 1B Ryan Howard.

After becoming the second-oldest player to appear in a World Series game, Moyer, who has a new home near Bradenton, didn't say anything about being sick. But Karen Moyer told Rosenthal her husband had diarrhea and was sweating profusely before the game.

Rosenthal's story quoted the Moyers' 15-year-old son, Hutton, as saying the family's toilet seat should go in the Hall of Fame along with Boston P Curt Schilling's bloody sock from Game 2 of the 2004 World Series.

Sunday, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel downplayed Moyer being sick for his first World Series appearance in a two-decade career.

"He didn't say anything to me about it," Manuel said. "I did hear about it. At the same time, I figured that Jamie's not going to go out there unless he can pitch."

SEEING GREEN, BLEEDING RED

It has been well-documented that the Las Vegas bookmakers are pulling for the Phillies in the World Series. They will take a big hit if the Phillies lose, since the Rays were 150-to-1 to 200-to-1 long shots at the start of the year.

But the bookies aren't the only entity with no allegiance to either team with a rooting interest.

Bobbi Wilson, a regional sales manager for Kentucky-based sports merchandise company Hunter Manufacturing, said her "if-they-win" orders for Phillies product are running 15-to-1 ahead of "if-they-win" Rays orders.

UNEXPECTED OFFENSE

A .219 hitter during the regular season (four HRs, 31 RBIs), Carlos Ruiz is starting at catcher because of his defense.

Oddly, his offense helped the Phillies win Game 3, while his defense faltered.

Ruiz hit a solo home run off Matt Garza in the second inning and hit the bases-loaded dribbler toward third base in the bottom of the ninth that brought home the winning run.

Entering Sunday's game, Ruiz was batting .500 (4-for-8) with four walks, three RBIs and two runs scored in the series.

But he made a costly error in the eighth inning Saturday, throwing off target to third base when B.J. Upton was trying to steal. Upton came around to score.

"I think he's a better hitter than what he showed during the season," Manuel said. "He got in a rut and had a hard time getting out of it. The last couple of weeks, his bat's gotten quicker, he waits better."

GOAL: HOLD THE RUNNERS

After holding the Rays to one home run and three extra-base hits through the first three games of the series, the Phillies entered Game 4 planning to do a better job slowing the Rays' running game.

The Rays had stolen five bases in the series, including three by Upton in Game 3, and a record 22 in the postseason entering Sunday's game

"We've just got to hold them closer," Manuel said. "Our pitchers have to bear down, hold them, and our catcher has to throw well. We can do it if we concentrate and stay focused."

Tony Fabrizio

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