What do you want out of final 44 games?
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.
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.
The difference is that the average Phillies fan wants to complain - so they will pick the side that lets them complain the most.— Phillyfan425- Good article.
Meh, it is what it is at this point. No big deal...just a retooling phase. All good times go through it.
Gotta weather the storms brothas.— Kempatsu - times = teams*— Kempatsu
- I do not want to complain and love my Philly teams, all of them. However, I spend much money to go to the games and truly support the players with positive reinforcement. I remember paying to watch the Eagles and Doug Peterson, the Phillies and Lance Parish, the Sixers and Jeff Hornacek, and the Flyers and Peter Zezel. These teams were awful but, for the most part, they tried to earn as many wins as possible given their abilities. They were not legitimate perennial playoff teams in any sense. Players like Jimmy have all the talent in the world. Is it wrong to ask him to run or break-up a double play? Is it so awful to ask Chase to be honest? Sure, I am just complaining without merit, right?— Stilldiesel11
- Well, Matt, since you asked here's what I'd like to see in these final 44.
First, I'd like to read an article about Chase Utley calling for a team meeting and reading this team the riot act.
Secondly, I'd like Cholly to quit pretending he's making moves for the sake of 2013 while at the same time doing counter-productive things like starting Schneider the other night because the book says that's what you do. Don't we need to find out if Kratz can handle right handed pitching ?
I'd like to see Howard shut down for the final 44 and come back as strong as possible in 2013. What's the point in continuing to run him out there ?
I'd like to see more of our kids on the farm called up and given a chance to prove themselves ? What's to gain by continuing to march KK and Worley out there every 5 days ? We know what we have there and doesn't Worley need season ending surgery ?
I'd like to see Rollins benched for at least one series starting immediately. No need to elaborate on that !
Then, at season's end, I'd like to see Charlie allowed to retire with dignity and given a position within the organization. I think he deerves that.
And finally, I'd like to see the reporters in this town call Amaro out for the fraud he is leading to his firing. There's no way this man's judgement can be trusted going forward. This team needs a complete rebuild.— rockinginthefreeworld - And btw, I do agree with Charlie' s move tonight to bring in Lindblom. We needed to find out if we could count on him in a crucial stuation. We got our answer. — rockinginthefreeworld
- Chase will never be the vocal leader everyone wants him to be. People need to call HIM out on the way he sabotaged the Phils season earlier this year.
Play Kratz the majority of the way, he will be the backup next year so it makes sense.
Good point, but if he can get to 300 HRs this year, it would be a bright spot in an otherwise dull season. Still, would like to see what Ruf can do at 1st and in LF.
Cloyd should be up and maybe even Pettibone. VW is going through the same problem Hamels went through last year, which isn't a career threatening problem just more so of an annoyance.
Rollins wont be benched because he is Charlie's boy.
Charlie's contract is up after 2013 and he has no desire to keep going, hence why they want to get Sandberg up here. They are not going to fire the all-time wins leader after a down year with one year left on his contract. I just hope this move doesn't bit them in the rear-end.
I would love if the reporters did that but I am pretty sure they love their jobs and want to keep them. If they all did it then its a different story.— ESFjellin - I think Cholly came down too tough on J-Stroll last night. Ease up on him please. Used to be Jimmy Poppins, but I think he has cemented J-Stoll into Philly lore. He doesn't deserve to wear the uniform.— LI PhilPhan
- @rockin. agree with everything cept the last paragraph. a lot of the things he does , he has input from bubblegum man. so the jury's still out on him for me. but i do think you're right they need a rebuild not a retool. there's too many positions to address not only next year but the one after that also.— Ryne Duren
- Put John Mayberry out of my misery, he's a atiff. Let Worley get his surgery now. Find a way to put Schnider on the DL and see if Kratz is next years backup. Sit Rollins for a week, embarrass him, as he has to the team for his lack of hustle. Find a way to Charlie to leave gracefully at end of year. Call up every "prospect" we have and play them, let's find out what we have. Give Larry Anderson a raise for being the only one to call out J-Roll.— jimmymack
- what do i want to see out of the last 44 games? nothing...i've seen enough! i do agree with most of rockin's points...— nyphilliephan
- Man, there are a lot of prospective GMs and coaches in Philly - just read all of the insightful comments!— damageboy
- Please keep Rollins away from Domonic Brown. His little lesson last night on how to catch a fly ball at the wall was rediculous. How soon before Brown is jogging to first base? Rollins is a cancer on this team. The young guys need a better mentor. Sandberg will not be afraid to bench guys next year and he'll have no loyalty to guys like Rollins. Love Cholly but its time to go.— dfc5632
- You know what I want? Amaro to keep retooling the team, dumping payroll where it makes sense (Blanton, Victorino -- made sense), adding prospects, making off-season acquisitions of ballplayers, hustlers, grinders. When you look at the 1993 club, there really wasn't a superstar on the team, although Schilling eventually became one. Guys like Kruk, Eisenreich, Daulton, Milt Thompson -- all played hard, though.— eman
- spring training is the time for tryouts, not with 50 games left in the season when your $24 million pitcher had pitched his guts out with 12 strikeouts, managed to finally get the 2 guys who had hurt him previoulsy (he had struck out Braun and Ramirez the last time he faced them) and was looking to get a win on his record to better reflect how he's actually pitched this season (and to enhance his trade value if it comes to that)— warbiscuit
