Posted: Monday, July 7, 2008, 10:48 AM | 69 comments |
 

A Looooooooooong Day Lost
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Jayson Werth watches his two-run homer leave the park in the bottom of the ninth inning. His clutch two-out blast tied the game and sent it into extra innings, but the Phillies still lost.

The Phillies spent 7 1/2 hours at the ballpark yesterday only to lose in 12 innings to the Mets, 4-2.

Yeah, that pretty much sucks.

"It was a long day and it didn't end well," manager Charlie Manuel said.

"It was kind of like a day-night doubleheader," Jayson Werth said. "It was a tough loss, being out there as long as we were."

Manuel acknowledged afterward that he is concerned about his team's hitting. The Phillies have lost 13 of their last 20 games, a stretch in which they have averaged just 3.75 runs per game. That shouldn't happen to an offense that includes Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Pat Burrell. A week or two is one thing, but the Phillies' offensive struggles have lasted three weeks. The sooner the better, obviously, because the Phillies' NL East rivals are just begging to be buried in the standings.

*

Jim Salisbury breaks down Brad Lidge's contract extension.

*

Bob Ford points out two messages that came from yesterday's extension:

  • Lidge is the closer.
  • Brett Myers is in the rotation.

*

Tom Gordon has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with elbow soreness. He missed more than a week last month because of shoulder soreness, so everything seems out of whack. But it sounds like Gordon's health issues have no bearing on Myers' future in the rotation. Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. made it perfectly clear they expect Myers, who pitches tonight for triple-A Lehigh Valley, to return to the rotation this season.

*

In the Phillies Notebook, Chase Utley and Lidge make the all-star team, while Pat Burrell is looking for help from Phillies fans.
Posted by Todd Zolecki @ 10:48 AM  Permalink | 69 comments
69
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:49 AM, 07/07/2008
    I've justed stuffed the ballot box for the Burrell. Hard loss yesterday however our offense definitely is a bit of a concern. It seems many are grounding out/flying out which is frustrating since they're at least getting wood on the ball. It's a shame they can't play the Braves all season :-)
    — KarenA
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:21 PM, 07/07/2008
    Id fire Milt Thompson today. Sorry i know these guys are professionals but that first pitch swinging has to stop. Milt was not a great hitter when he played time to make a change there!!!
    — mondonj
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:05 PM, 07/07/2008
    Here is the lineup that will work every day against any opposing pitcher: Rollins-Victorino-Utley-Burrell-Howard-Werth-Feliz-catcher-pitcher. Somehow I get the feeling this is more about not hurting Ryan Howard's feelings (hitting him 5th) than the betterment of the team. As soon as Charley gets over that, then he can honestly say he's worried about the hitting. He's more concerned about NOT ticking off Ryan Howard. Not good.
    — RAS
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:16 PM, 07/07/2008
    If the Phillies are going to make another run this year: Myers - GONE!; Gordon - GONE!; Taguchi - GONE!; Ruiz - GONE! Howard needs a right hand batting platoon and defensive replacement and Charlie Manuel needs to grow an IQ. (Can you do that?)
    — jrquixote
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:28 PM, 07/07/2008
    jrquixote - I think Coste can play first, maybe use him against "tough lefties" instead of having Howard go 0-6 with 4 K's.
    — Gary Varsho
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:59 PM, 07/07/2008
    RAS.....I like your line-up a lot! CHARLIE????? Pay attention!
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:06 PM, 07/07/2008
    I agree, putting Burrell between Utley and Howard amkes a lot of sense. I guess you can forget about it then. This is the Phillies after all.
    — James TL
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:07 PM, 07/07/2008
    YOU phantics are hilarious. Don't forget your parachutes as you jump out of the airplanes.....
    — Truth
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:10 PM, 07/07/2008
    As for the *message* the team sent Myers yesterday.....If they're not willing to have him set-up for Lidge, then let him go, and suck up some of the $12 mil. we owe him for next year. Not sure how much we still owe him for this year. I thought Gillick's comment about "there's a lot of things in life people don't want to do" was a little condescending. True. But, if it pertains to your job (and you're that unhappy or unproductive), you usually look for a new job. Maybe management has thrown the gauntlett down.
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:12 PM, 07/07/2008
    Noboday's jumping out of airplanes, Truth. But something has to change. The old, "It's early in the season", excuse doesn't stand anymore.
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:15 PM, 07/07/2008
    From the previous topic.....Totally agree with everyone's points about Burrell, Coste and Ruiz! brettg......REALLY agree with your point about leaving Pat in if we're trailing (by a couple of runs), or tied. I bet Charlie was kicking himself for pulling Pat early. Once we tied it up, we really could have used his bat. Like we all know, he's been the only consistant hitter lately. Wonder, if Pat doesn't make the final All Star vote, if Hurdle can name him DH? As far as I know, it's still TBD.
    — Norma
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:17 PM, 07/07/2008
    Truth (I know better than to pay attention to what is said by this person), but I don't think anyone here is bailing on the Phillies. We love this team and what them to succeed. Frustration at this team's potential is at the heart of what most of us "complain" about.
    — KarenA
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:18 PM, 07/07/2008
    Truth (I know better than to pay attention to what is said by this person), but I don't think anyone here is bailing on the Phillies. We love this team and what them to succeed. Frustration at this team's potential is at the heart of what most of us "complain" about.
    — KarenA
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:21 PM, 07/07/2008
    Pulling Pat has to stop...it's come back to bite Cholly in the ___ too many times
    — Reggie Noble
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:22 PM, 07/07/2008
    Rumor has it Sabathia will be part of the Brew-crew.
    — KarenA


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