Anyway They Can
The Phillies didn't hit the ball well this weekend against the Giants, but they still won the series.
Anyway They Can
Todd Zolecki
The Phillies continue to roll without Jimmy Rollins in the lineup and with Ryan Howard still in a slump -- Howard looked better at the plate early last week, but that didn't translate into more production later in the week -- but it almost caught up to them this weekend.
They averaged just six hits per game in their series victory against the San Francisco Giants. Five of their runs in yesterday's 6-5 victory yesterday at Citizens Bank Park were unearned, and the eight runs they scored in the first two games came via home runs. Fortunately for them, Pat Burrell came through big in Friday's dramatic comeback victory and the Giants booted the ball everywhere yesterday.
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In the Phillies Notebook, the Phillies open a four-game series tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. It's not a good time to be struggling with the bats, so the Phillies will have to snap out of their funk fast or it could be a looooong week.
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Mike's Baseball Rants looks at the Diamondbacks.
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The Phillies are still hoping Rollins can be back later this week. I'm sure Rollins wants to be back in time for this weekend's series in San Francisco. Rollins, who is from Oakland, always has a big family turnout when the Phillies play the Giants.
"Almost caught up to them this weekend." Almost? I'd say it did catch up to them on Saturday night. The Burrell/Utley powerhouse did its part on Friday night. Burrell and some others (nice to see) came through on Sunday. But the opportunity was there Saturday night for Ryan Howard to contribute and he did not. 0 for 4 (3 K's). When teams talk about different guys chipping in on different nights, that's what they are talking about. With Ryan Howard MVP, this team would be several games in first. As is, they are still leading the division. But how long can this go on?— bobby
OK people stop with the Howarrd stuff. He'll come around. The more I read this blog,the more I think it's (ground hog day). This blog has good baseball minds, use them...— pat h- Keep us posted on the Thursday night starter for the Snakes, Todd. Right now it's TBD. Also, as it stands now, the Phils miss Brandon Webb.— Mike H.
- Hey, I'm not slamming Ryan Howard. But it's hard not to comment on what, next to Jimmy Rollins' injury and the fact that the Phils are doing so well, is the biggest story of the Phils season so far. Let's be clear, this is not just a slow start. Howard is hitting .167 with 6 HR. That's a far sight less than his career 1st month average of .230/13. You won't find me bashing the guy, but I prefer not to stick my head in the sand and pretend there's not a problem.— bobby
- Sorry but with Howard struggling to an ugly ugly level there is no other we should talk about. He stinks right now and if he continues past this month i would send him down. 10 mil or not the guys head is not in the game. everyone stuggles but he cant hit the ball with a tree trunk let a lone a bat right now.— geektothecorenj
- I concur. Howard's our Albatros -- swinging back and forth from our neck!— dksurf
- EASY TO SEE WHY UR GEEK TO THE CORE, LEMME SEE YOU PLAY BALL, HOWARD SET THE RECORD QUICKEST TO HIT 100 HR;S IN A CAREER? NEONE REMEMBER? ALL GREATS HAVE THEIR SLUMPS— Will.i.Am
- A slump is different than a miserable start to the season. He has nothing to slump from. And......APRIL COUNTS!— Norma
Comment removed.- Jim Thome was a notorious slow starter. Everyone seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt though. Ryan will be fine. The worse he starts off, the better he'll play in the second half of the year. If you think he won't hit 40+ Hrs and knock in 140+ rbi, you're kidding yourself.— Leron
- Howard has never "slumped" like this before, so there is no precedent to suggest he will recover and have a monster year. He has less than 3 full years in the majors, so he doesn't have enough history for anyone to say with any confidence that this is just a temporary slump.— Gary Varsho
- Let's get something straight: Ryan Howard is loved in this town. He has not been "viciously attacked." To say so is just ridiculous. Phillies fans want him to return to form almost as much as he does himself. We're on his side. Pat Burrell is cheered today because he hung in there and is now kicking butt. But the attacks he withstood during his down times were truly brutal. (Anyone who has ever sat in the vicinity of left field during those times can testify to that.) And Brett Myers, beloved? Tolerated is more like it. If anyone's been "barred" on this board, it's for spewing hateful, uncivil, unfriendly garbage. That's not what we're here for so please stop it.— bobby
- Empty your drool cup. Open Momma's basement door and let some fresh air in...you're spewing BS babble to even consider this a race card issue...— dksurf
- Show him some respect for what he has done... I've never heard of Howadr hanging out in bars womanizing smoking cigs. He's never beaten his wife. He has never been drunk at spring training(Worrell). Never had an altercation with police(Michaels). All he has done is win noteworthy acheivements.... Free Howard from this Hellhole of a city.. Even Cupcake in LA had enough sense to leave these ignoramuses behind...— Truth
- Truth.....Again, you're just babbling! Burrell has NOT had 5 bad years. Check your stats. He had a couple of *bad* years with his foot injury. Now that his foot has finally healed, he's back to his formidable self. He wasn't nicknamed "Pat the Bat" for nothing! And would you PLEASE get over the wife beating crap! It's getting REALLY, REALLY old!— Norma
