First of all, about that loss last night: It was catastrophic. There is a huge difference between being down 2 games and being down 3 games in September. Huge. The Phils go to NYC to play the Mets this weekend. It is, for the Phils, a playoff series, nothing less. It is a best of 3 series, and if the Phils don’t win two, their season is done. Period.
2ndly, Duane’s World regular and tortured Phils fan Johnnie supplied me with a list of 8 things that any casual Phils fan with half a brain knows that Charlie doesn’t. I added a couple at the end.
- Someone pitching effectively, with obviously good stuff, dosen’t have to come out of the game because the next batter hits from the opposite side.
- Pat Burrell is not the worst fielder in the starting line-up. Watch your first baseman for a while.
- A tired Brett Myers or Cole Hammels is a more effective pitcher than anyone in your bullpen, save Lidge and Romero.
- Pinch-hitting So Taguchi for a pitcher does not increase the chances of getting someone on base.
- Playing a hunch once in a while is great. It brings an element of surprise. Repeating the same move redundantly reduces the chances it will succede.
- Jason Werth hits right-handed pitching better than Jenkins or Bruntlett. He’s not perfect, but he’s earned the role of every day starting rightfielder.
- Ryan Madson can never be trusted when the game is on the line
- Replacing Pat Burrell with So Taguchi in the later innings actually worsens the outfield defense.
- Eric Bruntlett should never, under any circumstances, start a game for the Philadelphia Phillies. Never. Never. Never.
- The team needs a defensive 1st base coach to explain to Ryan Howard what to do in any situation. He is not only slow and clumsy in the field, he is dumb in the field as well. His blunder last night of throwing to 2nd with the bases loaded would have honestly been stupid if a Little Leaguer did it.
Ones I added:
Feel free to vent about last night’s devastating loss or add more things to the list below.