It's not just that the Phillies are losing at this point, it's the way they are losing. They have no life. I refuse to call them the phightins until their spark comes back.
This game was doomed from the start. How terribly imperfect it was that the Phils called up a long reliever in a game where Jamie got hurt in the first inning. My guess, is that Jamie was hurt before the game and that is the reason they sent down Kyle Kendrick knowing they would only get a few innings from Jamie. I mean, KK has been incosistent at best but with an ERA under 5 for a pitcher who doesn't have good stuff, can you really be unhappy with that? You want to talk worthless? Look at Danys Baez. He pitched one inning and gave up 3 runs on a hanging curve to Matt Holliday after walking the previous two batters. He only escaped further damage because Chris Carpenter grounded into a double play to end the inning. Baez now has an ERA of 5.09 and looks like a horrible contract being that his deal runs through next year too.
At the dish, it seems like unless Ryan Howard hits a home run, this team doesn't score. Placido Polanco continues to do his thing at the dish, now with an 11 game hitting streak after getting 2 more hits to raise his average to .319. However, I think it's time to make some major adjustments to this lineup. Enough with Rollins at the top of the lineup. He's FINALLY taking walks but his batting average of .225 just won't cut it. He had the chance to get an easy run against Chris Carpenter with a runner on third and one out only to ground into a double play. How about rewarding the guys who get on base like Carlos Ruiz. I know you don't want a slow player leading off but his .390 on base percentage is being wasted hitting in front of Valdez and the pitcher. At least as the 8th hitter he was turning the lineup over. Also, why continue to bat Raul Ibanez 3rd, the most important spot in the lineup? His slugging is .020 points higher than Wilson Valdez. At least move Werth there and maybe he'll get some better RBI chances with Polanco always getting hits.
The Phils have now fallen 7 games back of the Braves and look to be in danger of falling out of the division race completley. Tomorrow Joe Blanton takes on Jaime Garcia at 8:15. The Phils typically fare very poorly against soft tossing lefties and with the slump this team is going through, they don't figure to put up much of a fight tomorrow. I hope Cholly at least sits Ibanez for Francisco and bats Werth higher.
I know this is animal cruelty, but its really funny:
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