If you're a player or coach on the Phillies, probably the only thing you're more grateful about interleague play being over with is the fact that they have no more games to play in the month of June.
In a month that started with so much promise, following a 3-game sweep of the Braves on June 8th the Phillies have been the equivalent of an oil tanker crashing into a burning volcano since then. They are beyond a train wreck or a plane crash, but a complete atrocity.
They have gone 5-13 since June 8th and have won just two of their past eleven games and despite having offensive deficiencies, their pitching hasn't gotten the job done either.
And, there's a common theme in regards to who they've been losing to and it's not just AL teams, but winning teams. In all six straight losing series' they have lost to winning teams. The Marlins, Cardinals, Red Sox, Angels, A's, and Rangers all have winning records.
That's not only alarming, but disturbing. Sure, you can chalk this up to one of those mid-season slumps and rationalize things by saying how the Cardinals won just 83 games in 2006 and went on to win the World Series despite having two 8-game losing streaks, but the Phillies can't beat good teams right now.
The entire team is providing viewers with a blueprint on how you can lose games on a nightly basis. When they get a good start out of a starting pitcher, the bullpen coughs up homeruns. When the offense finally wakes up like it did on Friday night then Brett Myers buries the team in less than 3 innings. When they are engaged in a pitching duel, then the offense chokes like Mama Cass on a sandwich.
The solution for this team isn't just trading for Roy Oswalt (who is the pitcher I'd like to see them get). They have to get new blood in this lineup through a trade. Does that mean trading Pat Burrell to al AL team for a Chone Figgins type (someone who can do different things offensively that doesn't strike out a lot). That would certainly improve the lineup. I know Pat Burrell puts up the numbers every year and goes on hot streaks, but if this team isn't going to re-sign him and if they can get strikeouts out of that lineup and get a player in exchange for him who can steal bases, move runners, and not strike out then it could be a remedy for this lineup.
Word is that Brett Myers could be sent down or benched as early as today. And, the guy who might get called up is J.A. Happ who has been red hot in the minors. That means Tom Gordon will be the one to be DL'd while Happ is up here. Carrasco has been getting knocked around lately so it's unlikely he has a vote of confidence from the Phillies' braintrust at this point.
There are serious changes needed and this team is more than one trade away from being a serious contender.
1 comment:
u know wat i completly agree with u. But the whole problem is in the Phillies heads. The frustrating thing is this defeated attitude and slumps are so contagious with every phillie player.
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