Getting Closer
The Phillies beat the Florida Marlins to move within 1 1/2 games of the Mets in the NL East.
Getting Closer
Todd Zolecki
We've been saying this since June, but if the Phillies offense can be a little more consistent they have an excellent shot to win the National League East.
They hit last night in an 8-6 victory over the Marlins.
Jimmy Rollins went 3 for 5. Ryan Howard had two hits. Jayson Werth hit a three-run home run. They made up for another poor showing from Joe Blanton, who is 1-0 with a 5.58 ERA in his last six starts. Blanton, who joined the team during the all-star break as an innings eater, has pitched six innings just once in those six starts. They will need better from him down the stretch. But when you have an offense that lives up to its billing, they can work around nights like last night on occassion.
So today the Phillies sit 1 1/2 games behind the Mets in the NL East. They also sit three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL wild-card race. Ned Yost's teams never seem to play well in the second half, so the Phillies could put themselves in good shape in both races with a good week.
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Werth crushed a three-run homer after he took a wrong turn to start the game. He has the seventh-best on-base percentage (.401) and seventh-best slugging percentage (.586) in the National League since the all-star break. He also ranks 10th in the league in homers (10) since the break.
"Werth's home run was definitely the big blow of the night," Charlie Manuel said. "When he hits the ball like that, he looks like an everyday player."
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In the Phillies Notebook: Pat Burrell takes a seat, Kyle Kendrick gets another chance and more.
You mean Ruly? Rudy's the ND guy who they made the movie about. I don't think he sang either.— bobby
What do you guys think of Manual's chances to stay if they don't make the post season and a new GM at the helm?— Wally 24- Based on the Phillies' track record, I'd say there's very little chance of Charlie not being back. If they do the norm, the new GM will be homegrown and they will justify that Charlie has kept them in the race. Plus, they do NOT want to pay him next year if he's not their manager.— bobby
- What no opinions? Now that's hard to believe. I think he's safe if the new GM comes from within.— Wally 24
- I hate to agree, but he'll be back. Not that he deserves it. With this team and teh natural talent on it they should have won the division easily. He is totally lost when it comes to almost everything. As we've been saying all season, the management from Owner to Gm to manager to scouts stink— jeff gross
- I think we need someone like Ozark who pushed the basics to perfection. There is no doubt about the talent on this team but the errors and mental mistakes are just hard to believe.— Wally 24
- what we need is Dallas Greene. No excuses, no Mr. Nice Guy. Could motivate everyone and if you made a mental mistake you sat until your brain worked again.— jeff gross
- When Dallas went to the mound to give instructions and they argued he set them straight that's for sure. I think he was fair but didn't feel the need to be everyone's buddy.— Wally 24
- anyone who could lead a team with Carlton, Rose, Bowa, Schmidt, Sarge, Bull, Tugger, etc and not have any issues with ego, attitude, or "me first" is a true manager and leader. Please notice, after 3 years of almost, the Carpenters (not the duet Bobby) went out and got the missing links to bring a WS to Phila. Where is that management now??— jeff gross
- Bobby, there is a difference though. When they originally made that offer Myers was still our closer. When Lohse turned them down, they pulled the trigger to get Lidge and move Myers back to the rotation. At that point in time that filled out the rotation. In the end if it came down to Lidge or Lohse we won... even with half the year Myers being terrible and him now being lights out. The problem was the Phillies were still committed to giving Adam Eaton another shot. And for a while he looked good... then he fell back to reality. They won't make that mistake again, I think they eat his contract next March when its time to head North. So it wasn't quite a PR battle. He turned them down and they moved forward without him and then found themselves without room for him later on.— Chewy59
- If you read the story about Phils management in Philadelphia Mag. (june) you know why we never go that extra step to win. They are hauling in millions at the fans expense and the only concern is the quartly bottom line. Baseball people making baseball decisions is practically non existant. An organization that is bloated with people who have lifelong jobs is the norm with a front man President to smooth over the bumps in the road for the public. There is no way the whole bunch of them will give up ownership of this team. Possibly one could buy the others out but its a real long shot. I say bring another team to town and let them deal with that.— Wally 24
- Chewy, while I agree with you in principal, I seem to recall that there was a battle for teh last pitching place. WHile it was Eaton's to loose, there were a couple of other guys in the running as well. In short, the phils made a great offer, Lohse blew them off, and they moved on with their life. Kind of a not messy divorce.— jeff gross
- do you really think Phila has the market for two baseball teams? While I understand the fustration, it's shared by all of us, we need to be realistic as well. Better to hope this bunch bails for big bucks and sells (how much profit would they make selling now?)— jeff gross
- A little late but here it goes. Jrquixote, the Brewers are a good team against lefties. That's the bad news. The good news is that they lost last night and word is they are pressing a little bit (Ken Rosenthal said that before last night's game). The bullpen is bad. They blew a game last night against the Reds. The other good news is that the three lefties we are going to pitch may have some advantages. Happ is a rookie and they may not have enough scouting on him, Moyer is a veteran and the Brewers are sort of a young team, and Hamels is just Hamels. And we won’t face Sabathia. It may turn out to be a bullpen war, and I’ll take my chances with ours.— EL Zorro
- Jeff the Phils and "A" shared this market for over 50 years. The notion that it is a small market team was started by Giles. I think they like it that way because it is easier to deal with the immediate Philadelphia area than to have to compete with the "O's" & Nats like they used to do that back in the Carpenter days. The amount of growth in the area suburbs and the number of sell outs tells you a lot about whether two teams could exist here.— Wally 24
