Phillies-Dodgers: Jayson Werth’s Been a Bad Boy

I was in NYC yesterday.  I know…how could I possibly visit the city of the Phil’s arch-rival so fresh off our losing series with them. 

 

But if it’s any consolation, I wore my Phillies World Series jacket—the one with the big “P” over my left fully padded breast.  And when a woman approached me and pointed to it, I was sure she wasn’t impressed with my cup size, but I thought maybe she’d compliment me on my team’s banner 2008 season.  Instead she thought I played in the World Poker Tour.  Oddly enough I didn’t know that existed.  Can you tell there’s only one game for me?

 

And did I call it or what!  Just as I whined that the Phillies lacked spirit, Jayson Werth ran the bases like the ghost of Phillies present.  My dad tells me it was eerily familiar to the baserunning of the ghost of baseball past: Jackie Robinson.  In 1954, he was the first player to steal his way around the bases in the NL in 26 years and he stole home 19 times in his career.  One theft of the plate is tough, but I wonder why no one caught on during his stint?  Answer: he’s a ghost, too.

 

Please don’t post that I think Jayson Werth is anywhere near the caliber of Jackie.  But you can compare him to Garry Maddox who had four searing steals in a hot game against the Pirates 31 years ago. 

 

And you can compare the two double steals he and his cohorts Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins executed to the awesomeness of the Michael Bourn-Carlos Ruiz double steal two years ago that sent Carlos sliding across the plate like a penguin on an toboggan run. 

 

Old Charlie shook up the lineup, and now that it worked, the speed-racer trio might just stick like a stuck accelerator pedal.  And furthermore, I dub Davey Lopes the “Mr. Miyagi of base coaches.”

 

Now, a straight up steal of home plate is just freaking cool.  Although it’s never been done to me, it goes on my top 10 list of all time coolest plays ever.  And Charlie Manuel said Jayson did that all by himself. 

 

Last night J Dub was back having the time of his life.  Business was a little slow in right field so he thought he’d run a special on baserunning.  And he was having a good time being a bad boy.  I’ve been a bad girl—I forgot to redeem my coupons at the checkout—please punish me.  Forget my Jayson Werth blanket; I’ll wear out my Tivo footage of his rant around the bases by the weekend. 

 

And I want to congratulate the cameraman at third base who caught that steal.  He had the lens focused directly on Jayson’s backside.  That’s my favorite view.  If I was a camerawoman, my producer would have eventually said, “Why’s that camera still aimed at Jayson’s arse?”

 

Answer: “Because I’ve got a problem.”

 

But the game didn’t start out so well.  I was hoping Chan Ho Park would take the mound like the first Korean pitcher in the majors who intended to put his country on the map.  Instead, it felt like he was haunted by games passed when that 3-2 fastball soared right down the middle and was hit off the wall by Dodgers lead-off man, Juan Pierre. 

 

Then Park pitched a 3-0 count to the second batter, and by the end of the inning had allowed two doubles and a run on 26 pitches.  I could almost hear Dolly Parton singing, “Here we go again…,” but that’s not the type of singing that conjures Philly spirit. 

 

That’s what I call a Seoul-crusher.

 

And that’s not a good omen when playing the Dodgers.  They’ve been busy lately.  The LAD flew in like the LAPD, ready to enforce what we already knew: a record 13 straight wins at home (losing only after Manny’s suspension) and they’re the most successful team in the National League in like…everything. 

 

We started last night with a four-game losing streak with our leadoff hitters last in batting average and on base percentage, and second to last in runs scored in the league.  But we, umm, have some really good-looking fielders?

 

Then Park came back in the second and struck out two in a one-two-three inning.  But then they continued to hit him.  The upside is, he didn’t hand out free passes to first like the Dodgers who’d been dealt a rotten deck in Monopoly.  And the fact that we lead the league in bases-loaded walks proves we’re the best at monopolizing on misfortune. 

 

And how about that pickle?  Tom McCarthy told us Garry Maddox once started in center field and ended up closing a play at the plate.  Last night Jayson Werth started the 9-2-6-4-7 rundown at second that was capped with a tag by Raul Ibanez.  Did I say how much I love this game?

 

The other piece of good news is last night was dollar dog night—and I missed it.  Need I say more?

 

The only thing I didn’t like about our victory was there was no Mitch Williams commentary after the game.  Mitch and I are a lot alike.  He likes to get inside the guys’ heads after the game and I’d like to get inside their pants.  I’m sorry, was I thinking out loud?

 

The moral of the story is, Jayson Werth is now Casper’s mischievous sidekick on the base path, Jimmy Rollins got to contribute in a stirred up lineup, Shane Victorino started another hitting streak, and the fat lady sang her way to a 5-3 Phils victory.  Only Turkey Hill Grand Slam ice cream is sweeter than that.

 

See you at the ballpark.

Jayson Werth is a Thieving Base-stard

Jayson Werth, who rode my fantasy bench all week to make room for my awesome outfield—who did nothing but suck on Tuesday, I might add—stole bags yesterday like Dane Cook steals jokes.

The Philadelphia Phillies outfielder’s first steal of the night against the Los Angeles Dodgers came in the form of a double steal between him and Ryan Howard, with Werth snagging third in the fourth inning. He ended up scoring on a Jimmy Rollins single, so good job there.

Let me walk you through the rest of these shenanigans. It’s the seventh inning, and Werth singles on a liner to left. Then, he takes the five-finger discount on second base, again with Rollins at the plate. Left-hander Will Ohman then ends up walking J-Roll intentionally anyhow, which obviously irritates Werth. With Raul Ibanez batting, another double steal goes down to open up first base (steal No. 3 on the day for the sneaky guy, yay math)…and another walk.

So the baggies are juiced and Ohman is flipping out. Dodgers manager Joe Torre realizes this, and replaces him with heavy-duty righty Ronald Belisario to face Pedro Feliz. And what does Werth do? He has the balls to swipe home for his fourth steal of the game and seventh of the year.

And Belisario has the balls to walk Feliz.

Werth’s last three steals were exciting and exhilarating, but it’s pretty funny (to me) that he worked so damn hard to get them, when he would’ve been awarded the bases anyway on all three occasions, thanks to some terrible pitching.

In any case, Werth ties a Phillies record set twice by Sherry Magee (awesome old-timey baseball name) in 1906, and another time by Garry Maddox in 1978. Pete Rose was the last one to come close, stealing three bases in one inning in 1980, an MLB record.

“I guess he was feeling frisky,” said skipper Charlie Manuel.

Can we start calling him “Frisky” please?

-100 points for having to mention Pete Rose’s name two posts in a row.

 

[Babes Love Baseball]

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Dropping Jimmy Rollins Out of the Leadoff Spot is the Right Move

Prior to the first game of their series with the Dodgers on Tuesday night, I had seen enough of Jimmy Rollins as the Phillies’ leadoff hitter.

After watching him struggle to get on base all season, it was a relief to see him hitting fifth in the lineup. I applaud Charlie Manuel for making the switch, but hope it will not be a temporary move.

I have nothing against Rollins; he’s a very good player. He did, after all, win the NL MVP award in 2007 and was a key member of the 2008 World Series championship squad, something that will give him eternal love from Philadelphia fans.

But these things do not give him a pass on his poor performance at the plate this season, and they certainly do not give him the right to decide where he hits in the lineup.

Rollins announced before the game that it did not really matter what the lineup card said.

“I’m a leadoff hitter,” he said. “That’s what I do?”

That might be what he does, but the problem is how well he does it. And this season, it has not been very well. Entering the game against the Dodgers, he was hitting only .195 and his .218 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter was the worst in baseball.

The idea that he is one of the elite players in the league is also a generalization that needs to stop. His MVP season should be thrown out the window at this point as an anomaly.

The 139 runs, 30 home runs, and 20 triples are totals that he never approached before that season and is never going to be near again. Expectations for his future production have to be lower than this.

He has also never been the ideal leadoff hitter. He has yet to finish a season with an on-base percentage over .350, not even in 2007 when he hit .296. He might have speed, and the switch-hitting ability gives Manuel a lot of flexibility at the top of the lineup, but this lack of ability to get on base is what is concerning for a leadoff hitter.

Whether it’s not running out a pop-up or struggles at the plate, Rollins also seems to need a little nip in the bud every now and then to get going. Look what happened after he was moved to fifth: he broke out of an 0-for-13 slump.

Shane Victorino did a great job leading off against the Dodgers, but I feel the best option at the top of the lineup is Jayson Werth.

He shouldn’t be expected to repeat Tuesday’s four stolen-base performance, and he probably won’t be stealing home again any time soon, but he has the speed that you look for in a leadoff hitter.

He has also been getting on base this season. Entering Tuesday, he was batting .287 with a .392 on-base percentage. He also led the team in runs (25) while hitting in the five or six hole most games. The strikeouts are a concern (23 in 28 games), but that would be helped by a different approach at the plate in the leadoff role.

Rollins hitting in the fifth spot also makes sense. Having someone with speed hitting ahead of the red-hot Raul Ibanez certainly is not a bad thing, as Rollins showed when he scored from first base on the game-winning double by Ibanez.

Is Jimmy Rollins the Phillies’ biggest concern? Absolutely not. The starting pitching has to get better before the Phillies can start thinking about a third-straight division crown. But there is not much that can be done to fix that problem.

Other than Chan Ho Park, there is no one in the rotation that is going to be taken out any time soon. The Phillies just need to hope that problem corrects itself.

The Rollins issue, on the other hand, is something that can be fixed.

And while the Phillies’ offense is towards the top in the NL in runs scored, they can use every run they can get while the rotation and Brad Lidge struggle to find themselves.

If Rollins is a leader of this team, he should do whatever it takes for them to put the best possible team on the field. What that means now is accepting this new role hitting lower in the lineup.

Philadelphia Phillies Need Pitching To Step Up Against LA Dodgers

In October of last year, the Phillies defeated the Dodgers to win their first National League title in 15 years. You know the rest of the story.

Tonight, the Dodgers will begin a three-game visit to Citizens Bank Park, their first trip to Philadelphia since last year’s NLCS.

Obviously, it’s not the playoffs, but for the Phillies, it might as well be. Los Angeles comes to Philadelphia sporting a 22-11 record, good enough for the best in baseball. Meanwhile, the Phillies are mired at a game over .500 with a 15-14 record.

It’s no secret that the Phillies have been inconsistent in all facets of their game so far this season, but this is a chance for them to show that they can compete against a strong team. A playoff mentality sometimes brings out the best in players, and it’s that kind of attitude that they will need to be successful against the Dodgers.

Not to be overlooked is the absence of the Dodgers’ superstar slugger Manny Ramirez, which is no doubt an advantage the Phillies will look to exploit. That topic will be explored ad-nauseum by everyone else, so let’s look at the other side of things.

As far as hitting is concerned, this is really anyone’s series to take. Both teams are in the NL top 10 in batting average, RBI, and runs scored. The bigger story will probably be pitching, as it usually is.

In this area, the teams couldn’t be more different. The Dodgers are tops in the NL with a 3.77 ERA. The Phillies, well, they’re second-to-last with 5.39.

The Dodgers pitchers have earned a complete game and three shutouts. The Phillies have yet to accomplish either feat.

The Dodgers have given up a stingy 22 home runs, also best in the NL. The Phillies are the worst in this category, having allowed an incredible 53 long balls. That’s 15 more than the next closest team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Obviously without Manny in the lineup, pitching becomes a little bit easier. However, the Phillies can’t take anything for granted. LA has the ability to counter great pitching with great pitching.

As of right now, the matchups are as follows:

• Game One: Clayton Kershaw (LAD, 1-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Chan Ho Park (PHI, 0-1, 6.67 ERA)
• Game Two: Randy Wolf (LAD, 1-1, 2.95) vs. Jamie Moyer (PHI, 3-2, 7.26)
• Game Three: Chad Billingsley (LAD, 5-1, 2.45) vs. Cole Hamels (PHI, 1-2, 6.17)

As the numbers suggest, Los Angeles is in the drivers seat on the pitching mound. Here’s a closer look at the projected starters:

The youngster Clayton Kershaw will take the hill for Los Angeles in the series opener. After a rocky start to his season, it appears he has found his game, having allowed just one run combined in his last two starts. He finally earned his first win of the season in his last outing.

Kershaw will be opposed by Chan Ho Park, who is still looking for his first win this year. Park is coming off an unfortunate start in which he allowed no earned runs and struck out five in six innings against the rival New York Mets, only to see that performance squandered by the bullpen and the Phillies’ lack of offensive production. They lost 1-0.

Game two will see Randy Wolf return to face the Phillies for just the second time in his career. Wolf spent parts of eight seasons in Philadelphia early in his career. He has also been pitching well lately, having allowed only two runs combined in his last three starts.

On the other end of the spectrum is the veteran Jamie Moyer, who has allowed 12 runs in just eight innings of combined work in his last two starts. Believe it or not, Moyer is tied for the Phillies lead in wins with three, a mark equalled by reliever Clay Condrey.

The series finale will be a betting man’s affair, as a pair of aces will take to the hill in Chad Billingsley and Cole Hamels.

Billingsley has been lights out this year, and hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of his seven starts this season. His first loss came in his last outing, where he still gave up just three runs on eight hits. He has come into his own this year, and is absolutely Cy Young material.

Hamels has been making a comeback after an atrocious start to 2009. After allowing 12 runs total in his first two starts, he’s let in just four in his last three. He picked up the Phillies’ only victory in a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves last weekend.

On paper, the Dodgers obviously have the big advantage. But that’s why they play the games. You can’t win on paper. The Phillies have shown that they get up to play in big series, and there is no time like the present for that to happen.

Everything I Know About Baseball, I Learned From “Elf”

My dad visited the cemetery today and he’s happy to report that no one’s missing. 

That includes Brad Lidge’s adrenalin, Jimmy Rollins’ batting average, JC Romero’s permission to pitch, Shane Victorino’s bat, Greg Dobbs pinch-hitting skills, and Brett Myers mojo.

They’re all still gone.

Heck, Chase Utley hasn’t smiled since his last error.  And I love smiling; smiling’s my favorite.

So after four straight losses, I think the Clausometer says it all.  We’ve got no spirit.  And everyone knows the best way to spread Phillies cheer is singing loud for all to hear. 

That’s why, no matter what happens in this series, on Thursday I’ll be the loudest fan in section 145, singing Take Me Out To The Ballgame.

Go Phils!

Philadelphia Phils vs. Atlanta Braves Recap: Un-Happy Mothers Day

It had the makin’s of an off day. 

 

First, my son made me a custom card for Mother’s Day so on the way to the game I read it: 

 

To Mom

Roses are red

Violence is blue

I can’t wait to hit you.

 

One thing’s for certain: he’s acquired my skills as a poet.

 

Then while driving down interstate 95, the pre-game show reported that Jayson Werth wasn’t playing today. 

 

What!  He’s on the blanket!  He can’t “not play”!  I think that’s illegal.  Can I get instant replay on that?

 

Then, just inside the gate, my world fell apart.  The boxes of blankets were empty and they were handing out fliers to use for redemption at a later date.  Say it ain’t so! 

 

The blankets wouldn’t be available until July 24 because the manufacturer screwed up Jayson’s lips.  That’s okay!  I’ll just suck them off anyway! Doesn’t Phillies management understand there are no rain checks on sex appeal?  This isn’t K-Mart Park.  Gesh!  

 

So the only things I had available to me today were my binoculars and my memories until late in the game when Jayson emerged from the dugout to go on deck.  I thought all the world was right again, but alas, it got even worse.  I was denied a hit and a blanket.  Jayson struck out and so did I.

 

But Jayson must have tagged in Ryan Howard to have the most fun in a game.  He hit two doubles and scored both our runs.  And he doesn’t just field balls anymore, he pounces on them—like a cat. 

And cats only succeed in one of three leaps; Ryan’s still error-less.  That guy’s worth his weight in gold.  And that’s some serious cash these days. 

 

They said Brett Myer’s outing wasn’t half bad.  Well, except the half that couldn’t get ahead in the count and used the batters as a ball return.  Seriously though, it wasn’t bad.  He just walked a few and sent a guy to first with a beating.  It was Taschner who took home the loss.

 

How about Brad Lidge?  He seemed like he was trying to throw first pitch fastballs for strikes but it was his slider that got him out of trouble again.  It’s his landmark pitch and the one that won the World Series.  Sooner or later, he’ll find his roots.  I know this because my stylist has to address mine every six weeks. 

 

And who is Casey Kotchman?  Today he stepped up to bat like he’d been cloned.  I swear there was two of him, and he hit like it too.  Just as we were celebrating Chipper Jones’ elbow misfortune, Casey took the plate like the feel good sequel to Casey at Bat and hammered us three times.  Curse him. 

 

Everything else was pretty in pink.  The sun was shining, Scott Eyre’s mom was interviewed to honor mommy’s everywhere, the Phanatic’s old woman was on hand to party, and the bats were garnished in red mellowed by white.  Even Matt stepped off his stairs and slid into third like he’d forgotten he could get hurt.

 

But the most annoying thing about having so many women at the ball park is they don’t understand that it’s common courtesy to wait until the batter is through before you interrupt everyone in your row with your exit.  Whether you need to empty your bladder, perk your girls, or fluff your do, remember there are other people than you.

 

Even while we were trying to watch Code Orange Moments on Phanavision a party of girls sauntered by with the velocity of tree sloths, each one of their Phillies-adorned noggins blocking out the punch line of each subsequent clip.  No wonder American productivity is suffering. 

 

So, we gave up two of three games in this series and now we’ve lost four in a row.  Hmmm.  The good news is we’re off Monday.  It’s always good to have Monday off.  Maybe I’ll take it off too. 

Oh, that’s right, I’m a mom, I only get today off (she says as the “poet” yells, “What’s for dinner?”).  Well, it was a brief stint, as brief as our stint as No. 1 in the NL East.  Whoops, did I just say that?  That was so mean.

 

For me it could be a long stretch until next May, but the good news is I’ll get a reprieve on July 24 when my blanket comes in.  Unless the Phils make the playoffs.  Then October will be Mother’s Month.  But we have some winning to do.

 

Phillies are red

The series is done

Watch out Dodgers

Here we come

 

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

 

See you at the ballpark.

2008 Matched in About Five Weeks for the Atlanta Braves

Futility against the Phils appears to be in the rear-view mirror.

In only about five weeks, the Atlanta Braves have matched their 2008 win total against the Phillies with their 4-2 win on Sunday.

Despite two debacles, one from Jo-Joke Reyes and another from the (at the time) “suckpen”, the Braves have performed admirably against the World Champions.

Perhaps the key to these performances has been the presence of the true four and five hitters on the Braves, McCann and Anderson.

In their series Opening Week and the most recent one, the Bravos have had proven run-producers anchoring the center of their lineup, and with overall solid starting pitching, this is all the Braves need.

With a record of 8-2 with B-Mac and Anderson (7-14 without them), the Braves have shown why, when healthy, they are in the upper echelon of NL teams.

The repercussions of having these two goes much deeper than W-L numbers; it takes pressure off of Chipper, Francoeur, and Kotchman (who has had a monster road trip with these guys back).

Provided these guys can stay in the line up, look for the Bravos to continue this torrid stretch throughout the season.

Now, all we have to do is keep hitting Johan like we did last year and how we’re hiting the Phillies’ staff (6, 6, and 4 runs in each game)…

 

Meet the Mets Parody

Meet the Mets! Meet the Mets!
Step right up and beat the Mets!
Bring your kiddies, and bring your wife!
They’ll beat the Mets to within an inch of their life!
Because the Mets are really dropping the ball!
They’ve got their backs up against the wall!

East Side, West Side
everyone’s watching them go down!
‘Cause they’re the M-E-T-S, Mets
the New York clowns!

Oh, the Braves and the Marlins and the Washington team?
What can they do? They’ll beat the Mets!
Oh, the Phils and Yankees are ready to scream!
Why will they scream? They’ll beat the Mets!

All the fans, it’s true, the Mets are leaving them blue,
so hurry up and come on down!
You’ll say, “You call this a ball club?”
The Mets of New York clowns!

Give me a break! Give them a hand!
They’re making everyone cry in the stands!

Come on and…
Meet the Mets! Meet the Mets!
Step right up and beat the Mets!
Bring your kiddies, and bring your wife!
They’ll beat the Mets to within an inch of their life!
Because the Mets are really dropping the ball!
They’ve got their backs up against the wall!

East Side, West Side
everyone’s watching them go down!
‘Cause they’re the M-E-T-S, Mets
the New York clowns!
The New… York… clowns!

Lyrics from Parody Song Lyrics (and slightly edited by me)

Forget Flowers for Mother’s Day, Jayson Werth’s Coming Home with Me

What’s the over-under on my husband forgetting Mother’s Day?

 

I’m just kidding. The only problem is he’ll do something nice and, in return, I’ll have to acknowledge Father’s Day. The hardest thing about that holiday is I can’t think of anything to do for him that will also benefit me. 

 

Wait, here’s an idea: If I sat naked on a Phillies rally towel, would the emblem emboss in my flesh? 

 

I’d sit on it like an old mother hen. It’ll be like laying my own Philly…oh, I’m sorry, was I thinking out loud?

 

Actually, it doesn’t matter what my old man gets me, because we have tickets to today’s game, and they’re handing out Jayson Werth blankets to every mother 15 years of age and older. It’s kind of creepy how they have to qualify that, but I digress.

 

Anyway, I can’t wait to drape myself in him when I admire my Phils on TV, and I—and only I—will know that I’m really fantasizing about being wrapped in the arms of my favorite right fielder.

 

Speaking of Jayson: I don’t think I’ve shown Pat Gillick enough graciousness for bringing that sprawling 6’5″ athletic piece of eye candy into Citizens Bank Park. Thank you, Pat.  I’m sure he did it simply for the girls. Why else would they put him on a Mother’s Day blanket?

 

So women everywhere can fantasize about getting him in…well, their house.

 

The only problem is, he’s not naked. 

 

Happy Mother’s Day.

Phillies Win Behind King Cole’s Return

BEHIND COLE HAMELS, THE PHILLIES DEFEATED THE BRAVES LAST NIGHT, 10-6, GETTING HAMELS HIS FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

PHILADELPHIA—After a season of freak accidents and frustrating outings for Cole Hamels, the Phillies ace got back on track last night at Citizens Bank Park.  Hamels pitched six innings, surrendering two runs. The lefthander had thrown 95 pitches, 64 for strikes, and allowed three hits while striking out seven, when he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.

In his last two starts, Hamels was plagued by injuries, forcing him to, twice in a row, leave the game early.

“I’m glad nothing came down and hit me or something,” Hamels said.  “It was almost abnormal, getting out there in the fifth inning and the sixth inning, like where am I? Because I haven’t been out there in a really long time.”

The next question was, what type of pitcher would Hamels be tonight.  Hamels has struggled so far this year, posting an ERA over 7.00 going into the game.  That question was quickly put to rest. Hamels was on top of his game, demonstrating his nasty changeup for the Braves hitters.

Hamels sped through the Braves’ line-up, not allowing a base-runner.  Five of those nine outs were recorded on strikeouts.  Many of those strikeouts ended with off-balance Braves hit flailing his early bat through the strike-zone.

Hamels continued to roll, hitting a few minor bumps, and surrendering a pair of two-out walks in the sixth, bringing Charlie Manuel out to the mound, with the intention of taking his ace out of the game.  But catcher Chris Coste and second baseman Chase Utley lobbied for Hamels to stay, and Manuel changed his mind.

“That was great,” Hamels said. “Having my team’s confidence is the best. The ultimate goal is to have your team count on you.”

And it’s very relieving to see the Phils finally having a reason to have confidence in a member of their starting rotation.  If they want to make any attempt at getting anywhere near where they were last fall, they’ll need Hamels to rely on.

Round One to the Metropolitians

Saturday, May 9: The New York Mets, by virtue of their 10-1 win over the Pirates, coupled with the Phillies 6-2 loss to the Braves, captured first place in the National League East for the first time this season.

News flash: It won’t be the last time.

Round one goes to the New York Mets as they vaulted over the Phillies for first place. Buoyed by their mini-sweep of the Phillies and wins against the Pirates, the Mets won their sixth game in a row. Jose Reyes, David Wright, and Carlos Beltran led the 17-hit barrage to pace the Mets on Saturday.

If I sound pro-Met, I ain’t. I am a lifelong Phillies fan, but a baseball realist. The Phillies will get back into first in the near future and this race will last the season long, with the Phillies and Mets battling it out.

Sorry Braves and Marlins, move aside. The Big Boys are movin’ in.

The Mets’ problem this year has not been the back end of the bullpen. That is solid with the addition of Francisco Rodriguez and J.J. Putz. No, it is their inability to come back from significant leads by the opposing team.

With Johan Santana pitching every fourth day, they won’t need to come back as often as the Phillies.

The Phillies? In their first 10 wins, nine were come from behind. This is a potent offense. Their problem has been the starting pitching and giving up the long ball.

The Phillies, some nights, should be an American League team. There was an April 27th game against the Washington Nationals where Phillies pitching gave up five home runs in the game and they still won, with the Phils hitting two home runs. The score was 13-11. Huh? How is that? Most of the Nats’ home runs were solo shots, while the Phillies pounded two grand slams. That’s eight runs on two swings.

The Phillies offense will keep them in games.

But if the starting pitching does not turn around, it will be a very short race in the National League East.

The Mets will be National League East champs.

Cole Hamels pitched six good inning against the Braves on Friday, giving up two runs. It’s a start. The Phils are going to need at least three good starting pitchers to make a race of this thing.

And I don’t wanna be wearing a David Wright jersey in front of the Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City come October.

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