The way the Sillies have been playing of late, the team and it's fans could care less how a win is achieved - they will take a win any way they can get it. Well gang, today was Christmas in June as the Phils were able to take advantage of McDonald's implosion to take a lead in an inning where they got no hits. With Halladay on the mound they were able to hold on and salvage one game from my beloved Pirates, who took the series 2-1.
I, of course, was excited when the Bucs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and was hoping to be able to bring out the broom, but winning the series was enough. The Phillies are still in first place, through no fault of their own given that the teams chasing them are not hitting either. Yes, the Phils have gotten very good pitching this season, but it's almost like if one of your guys gives up more than a couple of runs you have to figure a loss is in the cards.
Now it is time for another homestand starting with a set against the Dodgers, who aren't setting the hills on fire this year out in L.A. Your Phillies have the Marlins after that and they better not look ahead to that series or the Dodgers might just find a way to get healthy against the anemic hitting Phillies. While I have pulled my emotions away from your overpaid bums, it is almost embarrassing to watch how low this once potent offense has sunk. Yes, I am aware the offensive production is down across major league baseball this year, but the Phillies were supposed to be able to score runs in bunches and, as we all know, they haven't done so.
As a former catcher, one of my bigger disappointments has been Ruiz. Over the past couple of seasons Chooch has given the bottom of the Phillies lineup a potency that most teams can only dream of. This year, while still one of the top receivers in the league (with a great arm), his hitting is very pedestrian and he is not hitting in the clutch the way the Phillies were counting on him to do. Ruiz will never be a .300 plus hitter, but the guy needs to hit at least .280 for the team to win. A few home runs are needed from the guy as well.
If I were a Phillies fan I would be starting to show concern about Utley's struggles at the plate. I expected him to be rusty for the first few games back from the DL, but he should be hitting by now and, aside from a couple of home runs, he hasn't done jackshit. Without production from him, the Sillies will be in deep ka ka. There is no offensive replacement for him. I mean, does anybody believe that Wilson Valdez is the answer? If he hits, the Superstar sees better pitches and may be able to start hitting the long ball again - something he has not done in a while. I thought he would strike out at least six times against the mighty Pirate pitching, but he only managed five K's over the weekend. He did hit into a double play on Saturday in a critical situation so I'll give him a pass on missing my strikeout prediction. The only thing about him at the plate that looks good is that Babe Ruth pointing thing he does before every pitch, and what's with the spitting on his batting glove?
Willie, Mickey, Teddy ballgame, Hammering Hank, and The Duke never wore gloves or armor at the plate, so why does Howard? I say, take the shit off and play like a man. While he is at it, he ought to order some grown-up bats like the old guys used to use. What's with the light, hollowed out bat tops that this so called slugger uses? Mays used a 45 oz. bat and still had better bat speed than does Superstar. With his big bat he managed to hit 660 home runs playing in a park that was not a home run friendly place. Teddy ballgame must be spinning in his cryogenic tank watching Howard show such little discipline at the plate. Williams only swung at strikes, not balls about to hit the dirt. If Willie or any of the other guys I mentioned played half of their games at the Bank, they would be hitting home runs in bunches - without steroids or whatever else these assholes use today.
Speaking of Superstars, I have learned that a federal grand jury is about to hand down an indictment against Howard for Grand Theft Paycheck, a crime I have invented. This guy is hitting below .250, has but twelve home runs to date and, while near or at the top of the league in RBI's, is stealing his fucking paycheck. He is being paid $20,000,000 this year. That's right $20,000,000! That works out to be $123,456.79 for each game. I wonder how many of my readers make that in a year. The money in today's game is stupid. The LSF dreams of reverting to one year contracts, where next year's money was determined by what you did this year. Or, set up a pay scale based on performance. For instance, a .280 hitter who hits 25 home runs might get $5,000,000 for the next year. If he improves on those numbers, he gets a raise the following year. If not, he takes an automatic paycut to whatever the chart says he should be paid. Elias could come up with a fair system that would include defense and certain intangibles like clutch hitting. That way, the teams and the fans can be protected from overpaid players going in the tank - like Howard, Pujols, Jeter, and many others are doing this year. Of course, the Player's Union would never go along with it and the player agents would pass out complaining how unfair the new system is, but I like the idea - what do you think?
All is not horrific with your Phillies, however. Dom Brown seems to be improving with every plate appearance and isn't doing so bad in the outfield either. He sometimes looks like he is going to fall down when he swings, but he is making good contact with the ball and is starting to hit in clutch situations.
The road between Philly and Allentown and back continues to have lots of traffic. Michelin Man Zagurski got called up and sent down after one lousy performance, with Herndon being called up to take his place. I wonder how long it will be until Herndon gets to drive back to exit 33 on the NE Extension? Trust me, he will wear an Iron Pigs uniform again this season.
The good news is that the Candystripers are still in first place, remarkably with the best record in baseball going into today's game. How long they maintain their position on top remains to be seen, but despite their current position, I wouldn't break out the Kool-Aid just yet. Let's see where they are at the all-star break. Speaking of the all -star thing, for the first time I voted my selections on MLB.Com. The only Phillie I voted for was Polanco, since nobody else on the team deserves a spot on the NL squad. For all of my other votes I voted for all of the Pirates on the ballot. All-Star slots ought to be taken out of the hands of the fans and be decided by Elias. The way it is done now makes it a popularity contest not based on the merits. Now, I know that the Phillies will be urging me and everybody else to vote early and often for the guys in Candystripes, but the LSF will resist their pleadings. Shit it's bad enough that I have to watch Ryan Howard disgrace himself every day, I don't want to see him win the starting first base position because of ballot stuffing when there are other first basemen more deserving of that honor than he.
That's enough ranting for now, so I wish you all a pleasant evening and a great week ahead.
P.S. I may vote again so that I can select Martinez.
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