vlaze.com

Adam Eaton has struggled over the last 2 + seasons and currently sits with an ERA at 5.59 and opposing batters hit .287 against him. Eaton doesn’t give his team many innings pitching into the 6th inning in once in his last 6 starts. Roy Oswalt is Thursday’s scheduled starter and was experiencing soreness in his hip area. He was forced out of the game in his last start on May 17th with the problem. Oswalt is sitting with a career high 5.42 ERA and teams are batting .291 against him; again well above his career high. There is some controversy brewing over Oswalt’s last start and his manager Cecil Cooper. Oswalt reported that he told his coaches that due to his pain in his hip he couldn’t go any further in his last start but the Astros sent him out for the 7th inning anyway. If that was the case Oswalt may have not want to make it public and keep this behind closed doors. You don’t want that stuff getting out. The Astros are hitting .292 with runners in scoring position and in a hitters park the Phillies bats will come alive against a struggling Oswalt who’s ERA is a point higher at home. Play this one over 9 ½ runs.