What do you want out of final 44 games?
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What do you want out of final 44 games?
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
MILWAUKEE — Two days after the Phillies traded away two-thirds of their outfield and officially raised the white flag on 2012, Ryan Howard pinch-hit for Domonic Brown in the ninth inning of an eventual loss.
The tying run was at the plate, Brown's season was three games old, and fans grumbled. Why, some asked, is Charlie Manuel forcing Brown — a player the Phillies must learn about — watch this crucial situation from the bench?
Howard took strike three. The game ended, marking the Phillies' 58th defeat of the season.
So here we are, after loss No. 64, and a very similar situation presented itself. Yet the immediate reaction was the complete opposite. It has me confused.
Cliff Lee threw 111 pitches Thursday and most of them were quite good. A few, three of them to be exact, left the ballpark. Still, he pitched well enough to win, and was poised to do just that in the eighth inning until pitch No. 111 manifested a bouncer that Kevin Frandsen threw away.
Up came Ryan Braun, who had already dinged Lee for two long balls. Manuel emerged from the dugout.
"He had gone that far and pitched well," Manuel said. "I wanted him to leave on a good note. I wanted him to win the game. It didn't turn out that way."
Even Lee, who always wants to remain, agreed. "Considering Braun was 2 for 3 with two home runs [off me]," he said, "it actually made some sense."
Manuel signaled for a righty, Josh Lindblom. The Phillies traded Shane Victorino to Los Angeles and the centerpiece of the return was Lindblom, a 25-year-old middle reliever with decent numbers. This season of bullpen roulette had the Phillies desperate to add depth. Lindblom, they hope, is that guy.
But they do not yet know if he is that guy.
"When we first got him, we wanted him to be able to pitch in the seventh in the eighth innings," Manuel said. "We like his arm. We have to give him a chance to pitch. I look at it that way."
Hence, the tryout. This was the perfect scenario. The starting pitcher had done well, but his pitch count was rising and he faced an unfavorable matchup. The Phillies will need a dependable righty in 2013 to record key outs in the eighth inning. What better than to simulate it now, in a meaningless game during a lost season?
Lindblom, of course, failed Thursday. He has allowed 11 home runs this season, more than any National League reliever, and it is a disturbing statistic. In seven games with the Phillies, Lindblom has permitted six earned runs in five innings. He admitted to "nibbling" Thursday, something he said is characteristic of many of his outings with his new team.
The immediate reaction from many fans on Twitter and via email: "Where was Jonathan Papelbon?"
Isn't that like pinch-hitting Howard for Brown?
Papelbon is a known commodity. He is under contract for another three years and owed some $39 million in that span. He will close many more games for the Phillies.
He also has an injury history. The Phillies have shied away from using him in multiple-inning save chances. For who, for what?
"When I watch Papelbon sometimes, once I sit him and send him back out there, he has a little trouble," Manuel said. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have gone with him. I might have."
But the manager made decisions Thursday with 2013 in mind. The outcome was another meaningless blow in 2012. Which is more important to you?
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
DUMB RUBE AND CHARLIE .....FIRED— tobyjoe- I want 35 wins.— Seegs
- I want to see Cody Asche, who las night went 3-for-5 with a double and 4 RBI at 3B for the rest of the season. Since the All-Star break, he is hitting .338/.388/.581 with 6 HR and 29 RBI. No more Polanco. I also want to see Cesar Hernandez at second, Tyson Gillies in CF and Darrin Ruff at 1B. And either Pettibone or Cloyd in the rotation or both. Send Worley to have surgery and ask him to get in better shape during the offseason. Tell Howard and Utley to take the rest of the season off. Bring Sandberg now. DFA Sammy. Say goodbey to Dubee also, bring the Pigs pitching coach with Sandberg. Ok, I think that's it.— EL Zorro
- Mystified why anybody watches this sh.t.— Mystified
44-0— jp8899- Total Effort by everybody would be nice (even Cholly's pet)! Play like you're getting paid Millions of Dollars! Also, ask Howard to submit to an Eye Exam and ask Utley to go to Germany with Bynam and have the same procedure done on his Knees. Get rid of Juan Samuel, as he is possibly the worst 3rd base coach in the history of the game! Please release Schneider, Nix, Wiggington and Martinez 5 mins after the last game is over. The day after last game, announce Cholly's retirement and Sandberg's promotion!— cooperhawk
- I hope to Domonic Brown get a serious audition. If the Phillies are still trying to figure out whether Brown is a starting-caliber player in October, they deserve an F.— p-diddy
- Rollins is an albatross around the neck of this team. His bad attitude and apparent head issues remind me of TO. Cancer.— wo_fat
Brewers game turned into a disaster and Charlies reasoning was a joke on why He did not use his best reliever PAP for that last out in the 8th -Which was an injustice to Cliff and the team.
"I did not use him because some times he has trouble after sitting
down"--Charlie--im one of your BIGGEST FANS!!!!-BUT WHAT ARE YOU SAVING HIM FOR--THE PLAYOFFS---YOUR NOT GOING TO GET THERE BUT AT LEAST GIVE THE TEAM AND THE FANS A CHANCE.Pap will have all winter to rest while he is counting those MEGABUCKS that he was given for @50-55 innings of pitching--RIGHT NOW THAT COMES TO ABOUT 20,000 $ PER INNING.
Once the fan base realizes that you have silently given up on the season -they will start giving up in attending the rest of the games.
A LOYAL fan base deserves more then this.RANT OVER.— HO HUM- i'd like them to get above 500.
I'd like to see them finish above Mets in division and get near the conversation of wildcard (I don't think they'll get one of the spots...but I'd like to see a late season push to finish 4 or 5 back)
I'd like to see Cloyd, given a couple of starts. Shut down Worley. I want to watch more of Fransden and Kratz and see if they can keep it up for a longer period.
I think they will need to sign a stop gap at 3b for a season or two, and I'm not for breaking the bank for Hamilton or bourne for CF, so I'd like to see if someone can rise up and take these positions. (i was hoping for melky, but I'd stay away after positive test).
let these young relievers learn on the job and take their lumps...we should sign one or two solid middle relief, but we'll still need to fill a couple spots with the young guys.
I'd like to enjoy watching Pierre and the big 3 starters
Finally, I'd like them to keep winning series. Can't change the past...you can win this series.— kgood - There's not much to look forward to. They only have three young guys playing for 2013. I don't want to see them playing great because there's no pressure on them (probably unlikely) like the Eagles do at the end of every season. Maybe see more young players called up and given a real shot not just a cup of coffee. Especially the guys we hear about who are good prospects. Keeping them in the minors until they are "ready" doesn't benefit anyone especially when they're close to 30 years old.— AvoidSundanceVacations
- About my rant.Many of the so called pundits say the Phils have to many teams to climb over and that is simply not so.If they were (the last 2 games--9 out) they are/would be trying to catch 4/5 teams 4 of which will be going head to head against each other--Pitt-SL--and ARIZ -SF/LA-THEREBY -beating up on each other-all the Phils would hace to do is not give away games like the last 2 and they could be very close-even with all the injuries and adversities.
This is 2012 -play the rest of the 2012 games for the 2012 season not as a looking glass for next year.Phillies nation deserves this.— HO HUM - ho hum,
until they are eliminated, you have to try to root that they can do that...'first step' is climbing above mets and dbacks....then it is time to figure out the the teams fighting for that 2nd wild card spot (Pirates, giants, cardinals)
I said this yesterday on one of the posts: if they can get above .500, and fight near that wild card, it might be Manuel's greatest coaching accomplishment.— kgood - KGOOD--If the other series have one team thar dominates they will eliminate the other -so thats 2 down---SL has the killer schedule.
Well as i post Worley had a 1-0 lead and D BROWN just dropped a ball --running catch--right in his glove with 2 outs --they gave a triple but a flat out error--and just like that -4-1 bucks.No excuse--.Last nite Brown was to near the wall and could not extend his jump-- ball should have been caught -hit the top of the wall then hit his glove and dropped over the fence-
2 rookie mistakes-but tonite a flat out butcher job--you should have seen the look on Worleys face--priceless.— HO HUM - What do I want to see? Not this garbage. Our "stars" are getting from 70K to 800K a game (counting starts for pitchers) to "play." Is it silly of me to expect some effort?
On the plus side we're seeing again Brown has no future. Shaky defense and no power is not something in demand for a corner outfielder. If, and this is a big if, he could handle CF with his eye at the plate he could make a serviceable 2 hitter. If that is something they can work on now might as well try, if not...well he's got 43 games left, but in his first 17 or so he's shown nothing.
Next year looks bleak at best. When is Montgomery going to wake up and realize bobo the clown has killed this team for years to come? It's an old folks home out there.— lazyboy
