A failed approach
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A failed approach
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
Juan Pierre wore a T-shirt and shorts after the Phillies' latest loss, and his voice was all that could be heard in a silent clubhouse.
He was attempting to find some silver lining to another series loss, clinched by a 7-4 defeat to New York.
"Better than before when we weren't scoring any runs at all," Pierre said. "Pick your poison. Once you score, you want to keep scoring. But we're starting to move the ball better. A couple days got out of hand late and we couldn't bounce back. We're starting to move the ball throughout the lineup. That's a good sign."
True, but the Phillies once again scored early only to fold later. And there are concerning trends to an offense Charlie Manuel believes is pressing.
"I think we're tight," Manuel said. "I think we try too hard. That's why we chase bad balls out of the strike zone when we're ahead in the count. I think that's why we swing at first-pitch bad balls and so on. I think when we have to do something, that's how they feel - we have to do something, and we have to do it right now."
The numbers support that statement.
When ahead in the count, Phillies hitters have an .845 OPS. That is the worst in baseball; the league average is .960. Incredibly, in the 395 plate appearances in which a Phillies batter is ahead in the count, he has drawn a walk only 69 times. Those 395 plate appearances are more than 11 other teams. But their 69 walks are the second-fewest in baseball. Only the Pirates (66) have fewer.
With a three-ball count, the Phillies have an OPS of .780. That is the worst in baseball; the league average is .975.
With a full count, the Phillies have an OPS of .552. That is the worst in baseball; the league average is .815.
What we're talking about is a systematic failure to succeed even when the situation favors the hitter. The Phillies actually rank 18th in the majors with a .476 OPS when the pitcher is ahead in the count.
When last winter began, the Phillies talked about their hitters adopting a smarter approach at the plate: Play situational baseball; see more pitches; lay off the breaking balls when the count is in your favor.
To even tread water, they must improve their offensive thinking.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
what about the terrible pen on this team. they suck as bad as the hitting.— foment3- This is a last place team who will struggle to play 500 ball.— farley
- is anybody really surprised by these stats?!? i'm not... i am however constantly amazed at the pitches which are swung-at, and the counts in which it happens. as a collective bunch they are clueless...
no more calling charlie the "manager" of the team...from this day forward he is to be called "the guy who fills in the lineup and sits in the dugout". THAT is a more appropriate title, because that is the extent of his managing...— nyphilliephan 
Comment removed.- This has been coming for sometime. The mistakes he made in the '09 series to start. Out managed in consecutive playoff series by Bouchy & LaRussa.......winning when it counts - not the regular season when talent rules- he has been an abject failure the last 3 playoff series. Now that the talent this year is back to average - he is incapable - as many of us have thought for some time...........— Northcountry
- Anyone who bought into that "batters will change their approach" bull should keep their money in their mattress and never answer the phone or open junk mail because they'll believe anything. Give the Tonner a break.— hunglikeaton
- Yes Northcountry. This started to show it's ugly side in the WS vs the Yankees. Then continued through the 2010 and 11 playoff series. The hitting just got worse and worse and was never addressed by Amaro. And I can't take Manuel anymore.— RobertB
- LF Pierre and 1B Mayberry combination accounted for 4 hits and two runs, Joe looked good through six. Relief pitching just not up to last year's performance and hurting this team bad. Bring up the kids.
— escapedcamden4monterey - the real "failed approach" is the "clueless rube method" of spending all your money on some big names to make yourself look good, losing all your prospects and not acquiring anyone under age 35, and then filling your roster with bargain basement garbage - compare how much money Mets spent this past off-season and how much Phils spent and compare their bullpens, bench, offense, etc...notice their g.m. filled needs intelligently and how much superior their bullpen, bench and offense is at a fraction of the cost (not even counting Amaro's wasted contracts prior to this past off-season) ... indeed one can compare money spent by any and all of the other 29 baseball teams and can readily see that Amaro does less with more than anyone in baseball, if not baseball history.. in other businesses that generally gets the incompetent executives throwing money away fired (unless they're President or running the Phillies, in which case it just get a lot of journalists making absurd excuses --see Smallwood's "gee, Amaro had to spend the over $300 million he gave in contracts these past 3 1/2 years exactly as they occurred")...
— warbiscuit - One more comment.........the failure from Amaro in addition to the wasteful spending was his (and those above him) failure to turn the team over when anyone w/baseball IQ above 90 could see what was coming. Utley should be moved to the AL - where he still may have some appeal as a DH. Rollins was a complete waste of resources- Galvis is every bit his equal at the plate and in the field + 11 years younger!! I'm not going to lament Howard as his extension came at a time when he was still explosive. This team should have been turned over. They misread the fans- Rollins and Utley being moved along was a must - neither are in Carlton's class and he left. They are more Bowa like and Larry was moved too. They are a far cry from Micheal Jack - the greatest 3B in the game's history- whether it was Montgomery or Middleton or Amaro on his own - there was a massive failure to be bold and decisive.— Northcountry
- Amaro put all his eggs in a few baskets: Howard, Halladay, Lee, Papelbon, Rollins, and Polanco --how'd that all work out? among the minimal job qualifications for being g.m. of a baseball teaam is to be able to evaluate talent in both majors and minors and to be able to put together a 25-man roster (not a 5-man roster) and be able to build a farm system (not dismantle it)....the rube is so clearly unqualified and overmatched for the job that it's a joke that some writers are still confused long after his ponzi scheme to try to cover his incometence is bared for all to see— warbiscuit
- Good, but disturbing stats. I think Charlie is overmanaging with his line-up. There is little variation in talent and skill between the players he has available (until Utley and Howard return). He should stick with his best 9 for most nights and ride it out. Can the left/right match-ups and let players get comfortable in the batting order seeing pitches from both sides of the mound. They may become more patient and team-oriented by coming to the park knowing they are going to play with the same guys.— kmillerwdc
- These numbers should surprise absolutely no one. Say I was playing pickup basketball with my buddies, I could talk all I want about dunking the ball when I'm under the hoop. Unfortunately, I'm a 5'8" white guy, that's just who I am, so all that talk means about as much as Kim Kardashian saying I Do. When RAJ made that ridiculous speech about the whole team magically changing their approach at the plate, and then neglected to bring in hitters that actually fit that mold, he took the whole fan base for idiots. 6 weeks into the season all we have to show for is a last-place team with a bunch of 5'8" white guys who can't dunk. It's a pretty expensive way to learn what you should already know: that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He might as well have sat up there at that press conference and said "We need to hit more 3-run homers" or "We should try and pitch shutouts every game."
- This is all BS semantics. When it works, it's known as "bearing down". When it fails, it's known as "pressing". The only difference is obviously the failure.— Rudykizuty
- Ruben will give Charley the rest of the reason and if they don't make the playoffs, he's gone. Debatable whether the Rollins signing was worth it - decent field, no hit shortstop for this plus two more years. LIke 37 years straight loser Ed Snider, the Phils can get sentimental. Thome only cost $1m but even at that price is a waste of a roster spot and should be cut immediately. Bringing back Polanco was a mistake. They should have put up the cash for Cudeyer.
Hand over the cash to Hamels and start preparing for post-Doc/Chase/Jimmy era. Decent core with Howard, if he comes back, Pence, Shane (if they re-sign) and Ruiz - any other position player is as good as done.— boomartin
