Phillies can't win the close ones
Phillies can't win the close ones
Sam Donnellon, Daily News Sports Columnist
They won these games once. They took advantage of a little thing here, a little thing there, reversed imminent victories for the other team into series-altering losses.
Not anymore. They are that other team now. Officially. They run themselves into outs. They muff double-play ground balls, double-clutch on throws to the plate, watch third strikes pass by with runners in scoring position.
They tie the game, get a runner on second in the eighth inning with no outs last night, have their speedy shortstop at the plate, and don't bunt the runner over.
* Jimmy Rollins picked off in the second inning with his team down by a run.
* Carlos Ruiz waved around by third base coach Sam Perlozzo and thrown out at home for the first out of a four-run fifth inning. He would have scored the inning's fifth run.
* Shane Victorino double-clutched on a throw home with two outs in the fifth. Andres Torres just beat the throw for the Giants third run.
These are the plays of the other team, the plays that haunted the Los Angeles Dodgers over the last two winters, the plays that chilled the Tampa winter of 2008.
The Phillies? They were outpitched by the Yankees last year, that's all. Runs were scored, rallies attempted, plays made. They ran into good pitching, just as they have now.
But they didn't run themselves into the ground the way they have in this series. They didn't give opportunities away. Remember all that talk about playing the game the right way. Well bunting over a runner with nobody out in the eighth inning of a tie game on the road is the right way.
The Phillies are on the brink of going home not because of what happened in the ninth inning of last night's 6-5 loss in the NLCS, but what happened what happened before. In Game 4. In Game 3. In Game 1.
"We're so focused," Giants closer Brian Wilson said after pitching a perfect ninth last night to get the victory. "From the first pitch everyone is jumping around, fists pumping, confident.
``We've put ourselves in a great position."'
GO Giants!!!!!!!— Sucka Free City
Are these Philly's the greatest Phillies of all time ,hmmm ? I'm asking you a question you idiot's, Phillys zuck, Giants end your misery tomorrow.
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- It will be nice to see the Giants in the World Series this year for a change and have these phonies without a parade in Philly!— MRD
CHOKE- I'm as discouraged as everyone else but rather than look for excuses maybe we should look at the other team...the simple truth maybe that they're just better....great starting pitching, great bullpen and scrappy as all hell offense.....remind me of the 2008 Phillies— klew
- I bleed Phillies red, but I must say the Phillies do not deserve to represent the NL in the World Series. The Giants have played with heart and drive...the Phils have gone through the motions. Insulting to fans and demeaning to themselves. Is it for this type of play Citizens Bank Park has sold out multi-times? Rube the Boob has a lot of explaining to do.— Manor2009
- That is a problem on the East Coast. You guys out here had no idea just how good SF's pitching is. In May, Cain was as dominate as anyone I have ever seen in baseball. Every Giants pitcher could have won 20 games if the Giants had any offense.
When Posey was called up, the Giants were just 1 game over .500. Since then they are 25 games over 500. The pitching has pretty much held, outside of August. Scoring 5 runs on the Giants is way above average.
You guys thought it would be a cake walk. Still one more to play. My money is on the Freak tomorrow.— SFGIANTS - hehehehehehhehehehe— suitesue
- not over yet— djack10
To be fair, Rollins was picked off on a balk. It was a balk twice, not even once. Nevertheless, all of the points you made were discussed among the crowd gathered around my TV. At the time not everyone disagreed with sending Ruiz. The Victorino double clutch was bad, but his not taking second on the high throw to the plate was worse. Polanco bailed him out for not being in position to score on Utley's single or we would be talking about that also. No attempted steals. Come on. Why doesn't Ibanez pinch hit for Francisco against the righty? Charlie over-thought, saving Ibanez to pinch hit for the pitcher. Come on. But not bunting Rollins was the WORST non-call ever. Bad baseball all around. This team has become painful to watch. Throwing away at bats, brain cramps everywhere. We are beating ourselves, it is not the Giants pitching.— jp8899- There is the matter of the wrong Ross getting robbed of the 1st out in the 9th and Rollins being safe at 2nd in the 2nd.. but alas they shrank away from opportunity and left plays wide open for the Giants. It's sad to think how good they could've been... still, they have a puncher's chance.— iggles48
- There is the matter of the wrong Ross getting robbed of the 1st out in the 9th and Rollins being safe at 2nd in the 2nd.. but alas they shrank away from opportunity and left plays wide open for the Giants. It's sad to think how good they could've been... still, they have a puncher's chance.— iggles48
- now whole world can see how completely clueless Manuel is : 1. if this is a must game that youre going to burn a starter for, why not use Halladay to begin with who is likely to have given up less than the 5 runs that they scored , 2. if starting blanton, why take him out in 4th inning and be forced to bullpen game, 3. if taking out blanton for contreras, why use him for only one batter and use worthless pinchhitter with 2 out none on, 4. if using pinchhitters , why not use Ibanez, who is still more likley to get hits against righty than Brown or gload who havent even seen much major league pithing in past 3 weeks, 5. if durbin is getting hit hard why leave him in until he blows game, 6. if going to a bullpen game, why not actually use rest of bullpen like Romero, Kendrick and Lidge,instead of starter who just pitched 2 days ago and typicaly takes an inning or 2 to get sharp, 7, why not have rollins bunt, etc etc etc - manager lost this game as much as failing players --very hard to compete when manager does so many dumb moves and gives other team 6 runs unnecessarily.. he also lost world series last year with overuse of pedro, misuse of lidge and nonuse of happ— warbiscuit
Reach Sam at donnels@phillynews.com.
