Dissecting craziness
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Dissecting craziness
Matt Gelb, Inquirer Staff Writer
ATLANTA — Begin with this: The Phillies scored 13 runs Wednesday. Sure enough, they lost, for the first time since 1969 when scoring that many. (Or 1993 if we're counting the postseason.)
But they hadn't scored at least 13 since July 10, 2011 and only twice total in the last two seasons. That, Charlie Manuel said, will be what helps motivate for a quick turnaround in Thursday's 12:10 p.m. series finale after a 15-13 loss in 11 innings Wednesday.
"It can be deflating," Manuel said, "but I look at the other side, too. We scored 13 runs and got some hits. We did some things good in the game. That just goes to show you we can score runs and we can get hits."
The Phillies fouled off 18 pitches in the first three innings. Tommy Hanson was done after 3 1/3 inning and 95 pitches. They beat up on the soft underbelly of the Braves bullpen once they forced the starter to leave.
Carlos Ruiz drove in seven runs, more than any Phillies catcher in a single game ever. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco each had three hits. John Mayberry Jr. showed some life as a pinch-hitter again and scored two runs. In the ninth, down by one run, Juan Pierre drew a leadoff walk, stole second, moved to third on a groundout, and scored on an infield single.
And that's about where the silver linings end. Just ask Roy Halladay, who was most upset when Ruiz's name was mentioned.
"He's been awesome for us," Halladay said. "That's what hurts the most when you have games like this. Your teammates are out there grinding and getting it done. And I didn't. That was the difference."
So start with Halladay. His velocity is not there, nor has it been for the entire first month of the season. But until Wednesday, it hadn't mattered. Opposing hitters were swinging and missing at 17 percent of his total strikes, which is above his average of 14 percent. He had limited his hits and home runs even as walks mounted.
His sinker velocity in April was 91.03 mph. It was 91.11 mph on Wednesday. His cutter velocity in April was 89.39 mph. It was 89.66 mph on Wednesday.
He needed just 47 pitches for the first four innings. That was not luck, he said. His stuff was working.
"It was good," he said.
Then it fell apart.
A few of the Atlanta hits were luck. Some were hit solidly. Halladay cited his pitch execution as the issue. Four of the six Braves hits were on cutters; the big blast was Brian McCann's grand slam. Halladay was trying to go in on McCann, where he had success before. The cutter caught too much of the plate.
"If we get it in there, I think we have a chance to get him out," Halladay said. "He was looking inner half and I left it middle-third, inner. That's a bad combination"
Why did he pitch the sixth? Halladay was at 82 pitches after the disastrous fifth inning. He said there was never a question he'd pitch the sixth.
"No," Halladay said. "The pitch count was down. I felt like I could go out and get us deeper and keep it right there. That was obviously the idea. If they felt like I was physically done, they would have taken me out."
Charlie Manuel echoed that idea.
"He had some left," Manuel said. "Where was his pitch count at? He still had some. We still thought he could pitch an inning or two and get us where we wanted to go."
And given the state of the Phillies' bullpen, logic says a longer leash for the team's best pitcher — even on his worst night — wasn't misguided.
Why were Michael Schwimer and Brian Sanches pitching in key moments? The short answer is: Halladay didn't go deep enough, his primary setup man was unavailable, and they never had a lead with three outs to go.
After pitching in three of four days and warming up in all four, Chad Qualls was unavailable. ("We could've probably made him pitch but we didn't want to," Manuel said. "We can't pitch him every night.") Jonathan Papelbon had also pitched in three of four days, but Manuel said his closer was sitting there had the Phillies carried the lead into the ninth inning.
Problem is, that never happened, mostly because Michael Schwimer failed to clean up Jose Contreras' mess. Atlanta scored five times in the eighth. Antonio Bastardo got them there and Ruiz extended the lead to four with his bases-clearing double.
Contreras might have escaped with only facing three batters had Jimmy Rollins executed a difficult double play feed behind the second-base bag. He should have had at least one out on the ball hit by Chipper Jones.
"Oh that was an easy double play," Rollins said. "At least I thought it was going to be an easy double play. Not necessarily easy, but for me. For me, that's an easy double play."
It was an error and two men on base instead. After another single and a walk, Contreras was done.
Manuel had a decision: Schwimer or Sanches. That was the decision, he said, and not Jonathan Papelbon for a five-out save.
"We never do that," Manuel said. "It's just not the way it is. Papelbon is in the ninth inning for a save. When we ever have a lead, when we start the ninth inning, he's gonna save."
Sanches was just recalled but he spent the last three seasons in the majors with the Marlins and posted a 2.92 ERA. Schwimer had 16 2/3 innings in the majors to his name.
"Schwimer's got a little bit better fastball and a hook," Manuel said, "and we figured Schwimer might match better at that time."
He walked the first batter he faced on four pitches. Then Schwimer allowed three more runs to score and the Braves had the lead.
Once the game carried into extra innings, it was Sanches until Papelbon could pitch for a save. The chance never came.
On Sanches' 41st pitch, Jones crushed the game-winning home run.
"In that third inning obviously I was a little fatigued," Sanches said. "I started leaving the ball up a little bit. Because of that I battled trying to get it down. But that's no excuse."
And that about sums up Wednesday night at Turner Field.
Have a question? Send it to Matt Gelb's Mailbag.
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yes Halladay was red, sweating buckets, and anyone who has observed him for past couple of years knows that when that happens he must be taken out asap regardless of score or situation---everyone apparently but Forrest Gump Manuel who is the Phils manager..other imbeciic moves are of course taking out Bastardo after only 11 pitches after 7th when chollie has a short bullpen without Qualls and taking out Qualls for Schwimmer with bases loaded when Schwimmer has not only never displayed the abilit to get out of a jam like that but has to the contrary shown consistently that he will inevitable walk batters and get shellacked -- so what was the point?— warbiscuit- above: meant "taking out Contreras for Schwimmer"— warbiscuit
- Ron --you do realize that manuel is a complete imbecile, right?— warbiscuit
- Contreras got squeezed by ump and betrayed by JStroll. Otherwise it all would have ended up well. Not sure if the Schwim is ready for primetime. Also, Wheels was at his obnoxious worst, explaining proper fielding techniques to all of us poor no-nothings. Will any of our 'expert scribes' ever address the matter of this pompous buffoon and why he is still on the air ??— NewMick314
- Yes Mick, the worse thing about a Phillies extra inning lost when they brought excitement back after rallying a few times on the road is hearing Wheels become an expert and keep repeating 'the guarding the line and no doubles defense' over and over again. If I'm TMac I would say, "Wheels, we know.''— EL Zorro
Why not use your ace reliever when the game is on the line. Last night, that was the 8th inning. It is not against the rules to bring Papelbon in to get out of the 8th and not use him to pitch the ninth if he is not up to going more than one inning. Sure, he doesn't get a save, but hey, he didn't get a save anyway last night and a win sure would have been better than a loss.— TennPhan- Hint: never let Charlie pick your lottery numbers.— 1republican
- You don't need Papelbon for a 5-out save. You need him to get out of that jam in the 8th when it's 12-9. That's when the game is on the line and the pressure is highest. If he puts out that fire, then you roll the dice, with a three run lead, with Sanches or Schwimer in the 9th, starting off the inning. Think outside the box a little. The game was lost in the 8th, when Schwimer couldn't throw a strike.— JRH13
- You don't need Papelbon for a 5-out save. You need him to get out of that jam in the 8th when it's 12-9. That's when the game is on the line and the pressure is highest. If he puts out that fire, then you roll the dice, with a three run lead, with Sanches or Schwimer in the 9th, starting off the inning. Think outside the box a little. The game was lost in the 8th, when Schwimer couldn't throw a strike.— JRH13
- Phills will have to depend on Contreas, Bastardo and Qualls for 7th and 8th inning. Have to hope they get it done. No one ever does this but why not bring Papelbom in instead of Schwimmer to defuse a tough situation in the 8th. I know that means Schwimmer in the 9th. The situation is a lot easier for Schwimmer at this point. No manager does this wanting the closer for the 9th.... I just ignore warbiscuit (dont read). His blogs suggest someone emotionly 12 years old who has been consumed by Phillies 5 year run. His agenda is to agitate. Why not just ignore him?— Don w
- One definition of insanity: repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Charlie's "hunches" are wrong too many times. First, Contreras. FUHGEDDABOUDIT. Then Schwimmer or Sanches? Do we have a 5-man bullpen? Is it that unreasonable to put Papelbon in for 5 outs? He wasn't limited to a 3-out close in Boston when they needed it.— 1republican
- How many Wins Manuel had last year is History. MIS MANAGEMENT FROM FRONT OFFICE TO TEAM MANAGEMENT. cHARLIE'S PLAYER MOVES THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN WEIRD AT BEST. IT APPEARS HE IS USING THE lOTTERY SYSTEM FOR PLAYER AND PITCHING MOVES.— tulsaphil
- Tradition, Tradition. Just accept that managers are creatures of habit. Charlie's not the only one who utilizes the closer in a traditional role. Not sure why it makes sense. I didn't have confidence in that 12-8 lead for some reason. I've always thought that a "closer" should be brought into key situations in the 8th inning. Don't remember how Papelbon was used in Boston.— retzlaff
- I overlooked the other half of the Manager's position that Dubee is responsible for pitching and Charlie is for the other players. FIRE DUBEE also.— tulsaphil
- I was watching the game through GAMECAST and what I had to say was the home plate umpire gave the game to atlanta. Many Many calls were
strikes and he called them balls which put the pitcher in a tough spot. They could of gotten out of the 5 run atlanta had. if it was not for the unpire.— lincosta05
