From Promise to Disappointment
The Phillies finished their nine-game road trip with a bizarre 7-6 loss to the Cardinals in 10 innings.
From Promise to Disappointment
Todd Zolecki
It should have been better.
The Phillies opened their three-city, nine-game, 10-day road trip through Atlanta, Florida and St. Louis two weekends ago by sweeping the Braves at Turner Field. But then they lost two of three last week to the Marlins at Dolphin Stadium and two of three this weekend to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium to finish the trip 5-4. They should have been 6-3, but they lost yesterday in bizzare fashion to the Cardinals, 7-6, in 10 innings.
Knowing fan reaction to Tom Gordon when he throws a first-pitch ball at Citizens Bank Park, I'm pretty sure most people are blaming him today. He totally whiffed at the ball Chase Utley threw to him with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, which allowed the winning run to score.
But like Charlie Manuel likes to say, "Watch the game."
Consider:
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Brett Myers got hit hard again.
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The offense went 4 for 16 with runners in scoring position and left 15 runners on base. It left the bases loaded four times. It had the go-ahead run on third with one out in the ninth, but couldn't score.
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Then the poor fielding in the ninth. Before Gordon whiffed, Utley made a bad throw that allowed the winning run on base with two outs.
Blame could be spread pretty evenly throughout. Hitting, pitching and fielding.
"We didn't do some things good," Manuel said. "The game was sitting right there. It could have been our game."
It wasn't.
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If the Phillies had taken better advantage of their opportunities and won yesterday, and maybe stolen another game in Florida, they really could have distanced themselves from the Marlins, Mets and Braves in the National League East. The Marlins went 5-5 since the Phillies opened their road trip. The Mets went 3-6 and the Braves went 2-7. So instead of picking up a half-game on the Marlins, two against the Mets and three against the Braves, they really could have distanced themselves.
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In the Phillies Notebook, Eric Bruntlett feels terrible about the collision at home plate that sent Yadier Molina to the hospital. Myers also talks about his problems on the mound.
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The Red Sox open a three-game series tonight aganst the Phillies, which means Red Sox fans will be at the ballpark tonight! Yeah! Actually, Bob Ford isn't real excited about this. In fact, he kind of can't stand Red Sox Nation.
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Manny being Manny. Manuel recalls managing Manny Ramirez as a top prospect with the Cleveland Indians.
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Pitching match ups for this week's series against the Red Sox.
Truth - I can look in the mirror as a long time season ticket holder.. So no front running here.. I probably go to fewer games now than I did 10 years ago. But its not the Sox fans in Boston that are the problem, its the so-called "fans" who have never even been to Boston - much like all those Cowboys fans who have never been to Dallas..— Gary Varsho- MATT: That won't happen which is even more cause for concern. I just don't see the Phils moving Myers to the bullpen in mid-season. Also, it seems distressingly apparent that the Phils don't feel they have anyone in the minors who is a better option than Myers right now. I think that's where a good part of the quote I posted from Manuel is coming from. He sounds like he's resigned to the fact that he has no choice but to keep sending Myers to the mound every 5th day and hope he pitches better. It looks like the only way a change will happen is if we can make a deal for a starter.— bski
- Everyone says that AA is the new AAA and Carassco has pitched well at Reading. Why do the Phillies insist on leaving these guys in the minors until they're 25? He can't do any worse than Myers, and who knows, maybe Myers would pitch well in the pen. But I think it's clear he's not a consistent starter, he never has been. Adam Eaton is better than him right now.— Matt
- MATT: You know how the Phils operate. Unless it is to take the place of an injured starter, it is not very often the Phils bring up a minor leaguer and put him in the rotation during the season. They seem to settle on their rotation in spring training and that's it. If a young guy doesn't earn a spot in the spring, he pitches another year in the minors and tries to make the big club the following year. Think back over the years. We have sent our fair share of stiffs to the mound every 5th day, even during losing seasons, instead of giving a young guy a shot here and there. Now, it may be true that over the years we've had very few young guys who were ready to step into the major league rotation during the season. If that is to be believed, then it has got to be an indication of poor scouting, talent evaluating, drafting, and developing of pitchers by the entire organization over the course of many years. Whatever. I still say that, unless the Phils discover that Myers is injured, no pitcher from the minors is coming up to take his spot in the rotation.— bski
- Look at the Red Sox - they plug in young arms like Lester, Bucholz, Masterson, etc and they flourish. What are the Phils afraid of? We supposedly have a half dozen good arms down there, let's put 'em in. They can't be much worse than Myers— scotty82
- As a lifetime Philadelphian and hardcore Phils fan, I can't stand Red Sox Nation. Somehow the whole thing rings of a white supremicist group, and don't think the organization's history of having been the last to sign an African American player as well as other racial struggles for which Boston's been known don't play into it. However, I'm not naive enough to think that the Phillies organization and our own city has a spotless history in terms of racial relations. More to the point, though, every time I have the misfortune of attending a Phils game on one of those hot dog nights, with 20,000 punks tailgating into the 2nd inning and then entering the stadium to shout stuff at visiting (and hometown) players that shouldn't be shouted with kids around, it's clear we've got the yahoo contingent in place. Then, when I hear callers complain recklesly on WIP - when they can't even pronounce Burrell's name right after how many years with this team - it's clear we've got the bandwagon jumpers lined up. One championship and one sympathetic national media member, as Peter Gammons has been for the Sox, and we could easily be as arrogant and entitled as the so-called Red Sox Nation. But don't think I wouldn't welcome that opportunity. In other words, Phillies fans, we're right to want to see Red Sox Nation crumble, but we'll gladly be there to fill the spot of the newly beloved underdogs until we get too much of a good thing.— frankenslade
- I don't know how to act. We have a bad week of baseball and were still leading the division by (3) games. I could get used of this frontrunner stuff. Life is good. That's what I don't understand about Myers. He shouldn't be under pressure with this division lead. I personally would like that foo-man-chu outta here....— pat h
- SCOTTY: Yes, a lot of other teams do that. Unfortunately, like I said, that's not how the Phils do things. We always get some excuse. When we are winning we get the "It's not fair to throw a young pitcher to the wolves and bring him up in a pressure filled, pennant race type of situation." While sometimes I'm sure that's true, I'm afraid that many other times it's just a cover up. The Phils are just trying to obscure the fact that they truly do not have anyone capable of stepping into the rotation, which reflects poorly on the organization. This is not a new phenomenon. Back in the mid to late 90s, we had Schilling and not much else. If it is true that right now there is not one pitcher in the entire organization capable of pitching better than Myers, then someone has got to be held accountable.— bski
- Unfortunately, or I guess fortunately, I wasn't able to watch or record yesterday's debacle. But at least I was at CBP Sat. night, watching a much happier occurance at a ballpark. The Jimmy Buffett concert!— Norma
- "from promise to disappointment" props - good headline.— defg0003
- Maybe Carassco could be the next Kendrick?? We'll have to wait and see. I think what Manuel said about Myers was the "PC" thing and he didnt want to totally trash his player (at least in public) for pitching lousy again. The collision at the plate w/Brunlett and Molina was nasty, but Brunlett definitely didn't run too well on the play. Norma: Hope Margaritaville was fun!— KarenA
- KAREN A: No doubt what Manuel said was the "PC" way to go. Not only was he being "PC" about Myers, but I think the organization as well. When you read that quote, you can just sense how cautiously he is choosing his words. I think we all know what he'd like to say. I mean, Manuel openly lobbied for more starting pitching during the off season. I'm sure he hasn't stopped asking for it, but he's biting his tongue.— bski
- ANOTHER BAD DEFENSIVE PLAY BY UTLEY BLEW THE GAME— flash gordon
- Flash Gordon's last two appearances have been embarassments. Has his pitching and overall skills degraded to the point where he is no longer a major league ballplayer?— jrquixote
- Guys (and Norma of course), we have some talent brewing in the minors. Our hitting talent is probably a little further ahead of our pitching talent at this time. Golson, Donald, and Marson are furthest ahead at Reading, Cardenas at Clearwater, and Michael Taylor at Lakewood. Donald and Cardenas project as middle infielders, Marson behind the plate, and Golson and Taylor in the outfield. Our closest pitcher may be R.J. Swindle, a lefty reliever at AAA Iron Pigs. That might not be a bad thing. The Phils minor league pitching talent has been erratic this year and no one emerges as a quick favorite to jump up to the big club. All of these guys are going to be brought along very slooooowly because Phils brass doesn't want the clock ticking on their arbitration. That's how their minds work. In the mean time T.J. Bohn, Snelling, Harman and their other donkeys are who you will see between now and 2010. Otherwise, dream on about help from the farm.— Nick from the Northeast
