Time to Panic: The Phils are in Serious Trouble
Posted by Johnny Goodtimes on July 2nd, 2009
It happened last night in the 8th inning. I was in the midst of watching the Phillies being humiliated, as they are nearly every night these days, when Eric Bruntlett who is, in all seriousness the worst baseball player in the major leagues, came to the plate. After he ran a quick two strikes, like he does every time he comes to the plate, they shot over to the bullpen, where Jack Trashner was warming up. I thought, “Eric Bruntlett and Jack Taschner, back to back. This is so indicative of everything that is wrong with the Phillies.” The World Champions are sending players like Eric Bruntlett to the plate and people like Jack Taschner to the mound. Reality came washing in at that very moment. Our ace is terrible, our closer is washed up, our leadoff hitter is an embarrassment at the plate. This isn’t late April, where all of these things are just a matter of numbers, and things will right themselves soon. We are essentially halfway through the season. Cole Hamels is simply not a good pitcher this year. Jimmy Rollins has Phillies fans pining for the days of Steve Jeltz. Brad Lidge is done. At the midway point, I have to think that the Marlins are the favorites to win the division. The Phillies are simply incapable of beating anyone except the Nationals, and the only pitcher who doesn’t humiliate himself over 50% of the time he pitches is JA Happ. What is everyone else saying?
Philliesnation points out how terrible Rollins and Victorino are against the Braves.
Beerleaguer asks: Is it time to despair?
Oh well, at least we can look at Phillies fans in personalized jerseys.
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:13 pm
June was a bad month, it’s true. Would you be surprised if I told you the Phils’ record in June was 11-15? Only 4 games under .500?
Every season the Phillies have a month like this. Usually, it’s in April. This year, it’s June.
As for the rest of the division’s records in June:
Marlins 17-11
Mets 9-18
Braves 11-15
Nationals…WTF cares
So the Marlins have a good month, the Phils have a forgettable month, and the Phils are still in first. Not time to panic yet.
July 2nd, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Yeah, but the problem with winning the World Series last year is that just winning the NL East isn’t going to cut it this year. Really, how many Phils’ fans are going to take enjoyment out of hoisting the NL East pennnant in such a shitty season for the division? That’s where the panic comes in–it’s no longer about a division title and this team looks wholly unfit to win a pennant, much less another World Championship.
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 pm
BMT: Very few. But the only thing fans should be worried about right now is getting to the playoffs, not what will happen once we’re there. Being a good regular season team doesn’t equate to playoff victories (see: 2008 Angels) and being a bad one doesn’t mean you’ll lose provided you make it in (see: 2007 Rockies).
We’re still in first, and it’s the beginning of July. Last year, we were 3.5 back in September. Why panic now?
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Three things: one, the Phillies had a chance to put the Mets away while the entire team from NY was injured. By missing that opportunity, the Mets are going to start returning their injured players and should get better, making the division race a little tighter in the second half. Also, the Marlins and Braves are closing the gap.
Two, what you say is exactly right: if the structure of the baseball playoffs shows us anything, it’s that getting in is the great equalizer.
With that said, thing three: nothing about a team that is playing like it is indicates that they’ll get hot. They may, of course, but nothing in this season has indicated that they will.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I do think that they will get hot at some point, simply because every team besides the Nationals does at some point every season. And once Ibanez returns, a middle of the lineup that includes Victorino, Werth, Utley, Howard, and Ibanez is going to cause some serious damage at some point in the season. These guys are all proven hitters (some may disagree on Victorino, but I really think he is) and will all get hot at some point. Sadly, however, I don’t foresee Rollins, Hamels, and Lidge really improving. Will Bunch had a great twitter comment the other night that sums all this up nicely: Has there ever been a more depressing first place team?
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Well, there’s always next year.