Highs and Lows

Phillies are 13-11 in May and back to their old ways on offense



With the Phillies' 15-6 win yesterday in Houston, it marked the second time in the past 6 games in which they scored over 12 runs, but it also marked the second time they scored more than 12 runs after consecutive games of failing to score more than 3.

In the Washington series, they scored 1 run total in two games and then exploded for 12. And, yesterday they put up 15 after two frustrating losses in which they lost 4-3 both times.

Pictured is a graph of the Phillies' offensive output since May 1st. As you can see it moves up and down like an EKG. They played every game this month with exception to the 12th, which is why it's empty on that date.

All told they are 13-11 in the month of May and they have averaged 7.15 runs a game in their losses and just 3.09 runs a game in their losses.

Talk about a disparity. And, while they have scored a total of 93 runs in their thirteen wins, 48 of those runs came in four of those games.

Looks like the Fightins are back to their old ways which have marred this franchise for much of the 2001-2007 era, with the exception of last summer of course when they consistently scored runs. Basically what you see is mediocrity when you score runs in this fashion. They can't seem to get Utley, Howard, Rollins, and Burrell going consistently at the same time. It might be two of the foursome one night, or the other two on another night, but rarely all four go at the same time and when they do; it's an offensive explosion like yesterday.

Don't get me wrong, it's great to see them score 15 runs in a romp especially over a team who stole a couple wins this weekend, but I want to see more consistency out of them. When you have a disparity like that of 4 runs a game in wins and losses it's not a good thing. This lineup is capable of consistently producing, but they are also capable of getting into those 3-game funks where they strike out a lot, fail to manufacture runs, and struggle to put up 3 runs. And, then they explode with homerun after homerun.

That's not winning baseball. And, on the flip-side the starting pitching hasn't been getting it done either. Myers deserves another few chances, but if he can't get it together by mid-June maybe they should consider moving him to a team in need of a closer for an effective starting pitcher.

The Fightins take on the Rockies tonight at 7:05.