Posted: Tuesday, August 31, 2010, 1:24 AM | 23 comments |
 

Offense still struggling
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A quick note before we pack it up here at Dodgers Stadium, where the Phillies managed one hit in a 3-0 loss to Hiroki Kuroda and the Dodgers (they are three games behind the Braves in the NL East, but still lead the Giants by 1.5 games in the Wild Card).

The Phillies have been shut-out 11 times this season, their most since 1998. The Dodgers lead the NL with 14 shutouts, followed by the Pirates (13), Giants (12), Astros (12) and Reds (12).

Last night's loss was their 44th game scoring fewer than three runs, which ties them with the Dodgers and Giants for fourth-most in the NL. They scored fewer than three runs in 38 games all of last season.

More tomorrow.
Posted by David Murphy @ 1:24 AM  Permalink | 23 comments
23
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:10 AM, 08/31/2010
    This was very close to being a no-hitter.
    — wylies99
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:11 AM, 08/31/2010
    Pathetic! WOW - enough already! Yep - must have been the batting coach! [I still feel bad for Mr. Thompson. What a nice guy to become the escape goat.] How many times have actually they produced a first inning run from a clutch hit? How many times have they had more than 3 hits in an inning this year? (too busy to check) Go Phillies!
    — MooseBreathMints
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:19 AM, 08/31/2010
    These shananaghans by Roy "FrontRunner" Halladay needs to end now. How come he didn't volunteer to come into the game when they needed extra bodies last week? So Halladay could get smacked around today, that's why he didn't want to be a true teammate? He left his team out to dry last week just so he could get the stuffing knocked out of him this week. Mr. FrontRunner himself owes this team, this city and David Herndon an apology. If no apology is given then David Herndon should draw a line in the sand and tell management that its either him or Halladay
    — lonewolf 10
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:28 AM, 08/31/2010
    Lonewolf--it's Herndon. Back to you.
    — Richie Allen
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:02 AM, 08/31/2010
    I'm beginning to wonder if MLB isn't rigged in some way. The pieces are falling just right for Bobby Cox to win in his final year in Atlanta. The timing of the games between the Phils and Braves lately has given us the chance to see what we have to do to keep pace with them. The players look dazed and confused all too often and sleep walk thru games as if they don't even care to beout on the field.....as if they already know, that no matter what they do, they aren't allowed to win it this year. Something seems very amiss.....for goodness sakes even Placido Polanco struck out twice last night! I watched one at bat and verified it on MLB gameday as to pitch location within the box. Polly saw five pitches and swung at/fouled off a few before striking out. All 5 pitches were outside the plate and not even in the strike zone! All 5! It just looked to me like the whole team was making outs on purpose last night. Anybody else see that?
    — Mark1npt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:23 AM, 08/31/2010
    Lonewolf What the hell are you talking about?
    — jmagee1202
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:32 AM, 08/31/2010
    lonewolf = disgruntled blue jay fan ,,,lol what a dope.
    — jcool90901
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:33 AM, 08/31/2010
    lonewolf: The loss was not Halladay's fault. He did not have his best stuff but they only gave up three runs. Phils' offense stinks right now because Utley and Howard can't find their timing. Interesting thing is that the Phils were playing better with guys like Sweeney/Gload and Valdez batting than compared to a struggling Utley and Howard. You just have to hope they snap out of it because if they don't, even if they make the playoffs(?)(think Jim Mora) they won't get out of the NLDS hitting under .250 as a team.
    — Philalawyer
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:40 AM, 08/31/2010
    They are just not that good at the plate. They are undisciplined guessers. Maybe there is some truth to the assertion that their hitting stopped after the sign stealing fiasco was unearthed. Yo
    — Bob Fries
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:02 AM, 08/31/2010
    Everyone, I think lonewolf might be playing with you all. Just a hunch. Please stop reacting to his comment as if he was serious. As for this offense, Its only being exposed as the overrated offense that it is. Do they have individual start players? yes. But when have they all been on a tear at the same time that lasted more than a week or 2? Never! Its been worse this year but the fact is that this team would slump like this 4 or 5 times every year and we all make the same comments every year. No small ball, too many strikeouts, they only swing for the fences, yadda yadda yadda. Then at the end of the year people look at the total # of runs scored and think this must be agreat offense. Its not!! They used to get 10 runs here, then 2 runs the next night...on and on, but the total runs would always be a high number, but the consistency was never there. Why is it even worse this year? Who knows. Remember, this is exactly the reason that Ibanez and Polanco were brought in, to add consistency to the rest of the neanderthal offense and when the few times have occured where Ibanez has been hot the offense suddenly comes to life doesnt it? The problem as we all know is that Ibanez has been ice cold much more than he's been hot so we are back to square one. People need tos top waiting for Victorino and Rollins to bat like Rod Carew. They never have and never will. They are just as inconsistent as the dumb lumberjacks Howard and Werth. Ohh, and throw in everyone's golden boy Chase Utley. If Charlie had the stones and wasnt worried about being the "players guy" then he would either sit the sulking and pouting Utley for a few games or at least move him much farther down in the lineup. His miserable demeanor has to be wearing on the other players. The Macho hard-nosed routine doesnt work so well when your hitting weak grounder after weak pop-up. They may catch fire for a week or 2 as they usually do at some point, but it may be too late.Its getting late really early asthey say
    — Sewellmatt
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:58 AM, 08/31/2010
    @lonewolf 10 is writing satire (which seems to have been missed by @jmagee1202 and @jcool90901) the target of which seems to me to be potential fan comments, and not Halladay himself. As to whether @lonewolf 10 write effective satire is a different question. It's not my style of satire/humor, but I would not think he's anti-Halladay.
    — smel4727
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:02 AM, 08/31/2010
    It seems almost every game they are no-hit through at least the fourth or fifth inning. Kuroda's stuff last night did not look like "no-hit stuff." He kept many of his breaking pitches up in the zone and was not overpowering. This is just a bad offensive season. Really, it started somewhat last year, but a few homeruns and big run games clouded the true problem: consistency. The Phils have not been a consistently great offensive team and, this year, they have been consistently poor. Too bad they continue to waste quality starts and superb pitching performances. If the Phils offense was as good as they think they are, they would have a five game lead on the Braves. The hitters need to look in the mirror and accept the blame.
    — MrPhillie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:05 PM, 08/31/2010
    Is Ibanez injured? He doesn't appear to be running well. Please give him a day off for chrissake.
    — JayW
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:12 PM, 08/31/2010
    So it's getting late? Therefore the fact that the phil's, despite all these issues which we all know they have, are in the drivers seat in the WC doesnt mean anything? The pitching has been great not good great and the saying is that Pitching wins championships. Let's all take a chill pill and let the hitters gel. Chase "The Golden Boy" which he still is will find his swing and carry this team through some games along with Howard and J Roll. Let's go Kendrick give us a Jekel performance tonight.
    — Phillyphan26
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:14 PM, 08/31/2010
    Relax. The odds are good that either Howard or Utley will eventually hit another home run. Maybe both. Worth waiting for, like a total solar eclipse or Halley's Comet. You can tell your grandchildren about it.
    — dasher


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About David Murphy
David Murphy joined the Daily News as its Phillies beat writer in February of 2008. Born in Upper Merion and raised in the Poconos, he attended college at La Salle University before taking jobs with the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun-News and the St. Petersburg ( Fla. ) Times. E-mail Dave at dmurphy@phillynews.com.

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