Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

UPDATED: No holding back -- discuss the Phillies

    by Will Bunch | Columnist
    Published 

10:59: We lose, 7-2, which means the Phillies have the Dodgers right where we want them -- we're mad as hell, as demonstrated by Shane Victorino above, and ready to strike back in Game 4 as Ryan Howard begins to get his bat untracked. Next project: A revitalized J-Roll, and hopefully JoBla carries them to victory against a pooped out Derek Lowe tomorrow night.

10:29: If you can't beat 'em, fight 'em - the highlight of this 7-2 blowout so far has been a bench-clearing brawl. The Phillies are at least using this game to air out their greivances and air out their bullpen, including J.A. Happ. The obligatory 7th inning comeback is afoot, but they're still a couple of batters short of bringing the tying run to the plate.

8:49: As Jack Buck said quite famously: "And we'll see you....tomorrow night!" Well, this one appears to be over long before the sun sets over the Pacific, 5-0 with the 1st inning not over. At least I can get a few other things done tonight. I did predict the Phillies winning the series in six games, which would mean losing 2 of 3 in Los Angeles. They are on their way there!

Two thoughts before I hibernate and wait for the quite-frequent Phillies comeback. One is that Jamie Moyer is kinda of like the John McCain of baseball in one narrow sense, that it's politically incorrect to say something went wrong because of his age. But after such a long season and two bad starts now, could his age (45 going on 46) be a factor.

Other thought: The Eagles-Phillies Reversal Theory is indeed in effect. Ugh.

8:32: Utley was safe there on that caught-stealing at 2nd, could be a bad harbinger of a long night.

8:10: Any way to extend this Phillies' thing past Nov. 4? We need baseball to take our mind off everything else.

Discuss the big game here -- I'll be editing (or better put, "editing") but I'll weigh in if and when I can. Kind of like Game 1, I have no gut feeling on this one, other than that Jamie Moyer may be poised to rebound from his disappointing start in Milwaukee last week, contingent on the right home plate umpire. Play ball.