Phillies Seeking to Put Loss Behind Them Quickly Today

The Philadelphia Phillies have distanced themselves from Game 2’s 14-3 hatchet job by the Atlanta Braves the way Jane Fonda disavowed that she had anything to do with “Barbarella.”

Fonda certainly proved you can move on to bigger and better things after laying a certified stinkeroo. The Phillies began what they hope is the shortcut way back from the most lopsided playoff loss in their 110-year history with their own workout video at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium late Friday afternoon.

The host Braves took a well-deserved day off to re-charge the batteries worn down in the epic pennant race with San Francisco.

“It’s been a while since we’ve played on grass and dirt,” Phillies third baseman Dave Hollins said. “It is an adjustment. We wanted to get familiar with this place again.”

“We like playing here,” catcher Darren Daulton said. “It’s a great place to hit. The ball really flies. Offense has been our game all season. We’d like to get some knocks of our own in.”

Mitch Williams is ready for the challenge of the Tomahawk Choppers.

“I actually enjoy pitching here,” Williams said. “I don’t have a problem with it at all. The ball flies out, but it will go out anywhere if you get it up in the strike zone and someone hits it good.”

These two teams have played 14 games this season. Each has captured seven.

Today’s pivotal Game 3 between what Curt Schilling calls “America’s Team versus America’s Most Wanted” underscores Atlanta’s main strength -- starting pitching.

The Braves will trot out former Cy Young Award winner Tommy Glavine, a 22-game winner this season. Philadelphia counters with Terry Mulholland (12-9, 3.25 ERA).

Mulholland’s second half has been as forgettable as Barbarella or Game 2. The veteran left-hander won only three times after starting the All-Star Game for the National League. He strained a hip flexor on Sept. 6 and has hurled only five innings since.

A healthy Mulholland was 1-1 with a bloated 9.00 ERA against the Braves this season.

Glavine was quick to point out none of the Brave starters have been trash talking this season, claiming to be what one publica tion dubbed “the best rotation ever.”

“None of that has come from us,” Glavine insisted. “We have the utmost respect for Philadelphia’s staff. Curt Schilling, Tommy Greene, Terry Mulholland and Danny Jackson are all superb pitchers in their own right. Any one of them is capable of matching us on any given night. That’s the beauty of this game.

“Our staff has proven to be the most consistent over the entire season. In that regard, I think the numbers speak for themselves that we are the best. I’m proud of the job we’ve done. But, talking won’t get it done. You have to perform between the white lines, and what you did last time doesn’t mean a thing.”

Glavine owns a glittering 11-3 lifetime mark against Philadelphia.

“I wish I knew why I have such success against them,” Glavine said. “If I did, I’d use it against teams like Montreal and Houston, whom I can’t beat.

“I had a lot of success against them earlier in my career. Obviously, the past two years it’s been harder and harder to beat them with that lineup. They are a chal lenge from top to bottom.”

What makes the Phillies so difficult to muzzle is their amazing patience at the plate.

“Most hitters like to go up there and hack at the first pitch they see,” Glavine said. “Pitchers love to see guys like that because we’ll throw something a little off the plate and they’ll pop it up. You never have an easy at bat against Philadelphia.

“The Phillies force you to bring the ball back into the hitting zone. They aren’t going to help you out. They very seldom get themselves out the way most hitters do,” Glavine said.

Philadelphia flourishes against southpaws. They are 31-18 for two simple reasons. a) Pete Incaviglia, whose had a career year; and b) strange as it seems, Philadelphia’s left-handed bats blunt Glavine and Avery.

“Our left-handed batters take away their changeup, which may be their best pitch,” Fregosi said.

“Our four main guys me, Kruk, Daulton and Dave Hollins, have accepted that we’ll see left- handers and we’ve always hit them well,” Lenny Dykstra said. “I think in my case, I’ve actually hit higher against lefties in two of the last three years.

“I think that lefty versus lefty thing is blown way out of proportion. No matter who is pitching, they still have to put the ball over the plate.”

Mulholland hasn’t been able to get many hitters out in the past month, simply because he’s been idled by injury.

He tossed four innings of one- hit shutout ball against St. Louis last Sunday.

Whether it’s his frustration over the injury or the pressure of the Championship Series, Mulholland wanted no parts of the pre-game hoopla.

He refused to sit still yesterday for any interviews. He told team officials that it interfered with his preparation. It was a distraction.

“I’ll talk to everybody after the game, do whatever you want,” he told Phillies’ communications director Larry Shenk.

Some 50 members of the media reluctantly accepted Mulholland’s stand until they spotted him an swering questions for a television reporter.

Shortly thereafter, Mulholland made a command performance, command in the sense that Phillies’ officials virtually dragged him into the interview room.

Mulholland didn’t give in completely. He still refused to talk about today’s pivotal game.

“I feel fine, physically ready to go,” Mulholland said. “My arm feels strong. My body is well- rested. My arm is well-rested. I’ve gotten a lot of quality work in on the side.

“My biggest concern is to throw strikes and I’m confident I can do that. I’m not insecure or worried about how I’ll do.”

“He excited the entire team with that performance last Sun day,” Fregosi said. “We know that if we’re going to do anything in the postseason, Terry has to be a big part of it.

“Terry wanted to go more last week, but I didn’t want him to overdo it.”

“There’s nothing tricky about Terry,” noted red-hot Braves leadoff man Otis Nixon, who’s bat ting .625 over the first two games. “He comes right at you with that fastball of his. He’s no-nonsense. Either he gets you, or you get him.”

Mulholland’s lethal pickoff move arguably the best in the game today should deter Atlanta’s speed merchants.

“I’ve always said that no one can throw me out,” Nixon said. “But Terry is able to stop me with that move of his. He really freezes with you with his leg kick and he’s something with that step-off-and- throw move. I think I’ve only had one stolen base against him in my career, and that came on a busted hit-and-run play.”

Glavine said the Braves will be buoyed by the fanatical hometown folks.