Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Series Recap: Phils - Blue Jays

Hey! Guess what! Jimmy Rollins sat for this whole series, mainly because Uncle Chuck finally figured out that having your leadoff hitter batting .211 with a .254 on base percentage is generally bad for business. And the Phillies' business is scoring runs.

For those of you new to this team, the Phillies do NOT win when they score less than four runs. It does not happen. If, in some bizarre future, you turn on the tube and the phillies are up 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth, turn off the television. Because they will lose.

The phils last five wins: 5-4, 10-0, 10-1, 11-6, 6-3. We need to score runs, people.

Series Recap: Whoo! we finally take a series! Despite choking on it all through interleague play, the phils are now three games up on the Mets.

The Good: J.A. Happ. I love it when a guy comes up does well his first several games, and he's crowned the next great Phillies Pitcher. There was only one great Phillies Pitcher-Steve Carlton. And he's dead. (Ed. Note - Steve Carlton not actually dead.)

I wish you well, Happ, but you'll find that Major Leaguers pick up that 91 mph fastball a little better the second time around.

The Bad: Brad Lidge. I know he got the save, but that knee is not all the way back. If it's not back by now, folks, it's not coming back. Not this season.

The Hero: Jamie Moyer. He only gave up four runs in five innings! What progress! Did you guys know we get to watch him next year, too? Jamie Moyer also tied Bob Gibson for career victories, which is the last time the two of them will be mentioned in the same sentence.

The Goat: John McDonald. He was put in as a pinch runner, then somehow got caught in a rundown off second base, practically awarding Lidge the save when he had looked very shaky. John Mcdonald, the manager would like to see you. No, change out of your uniform first.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Uncle. We'll Start Writing Again.

I hope you're happy, Phillies.

The authors of this little escapade started writing because we were so fed up with the Philadelphia sports scene. We started writing in baseball season, and although I fancy myself a football fan first and foremost, the frequency and depth of our posts followed the Phillies' season. Simply put, if they're not losing, we're not writing.

Then a funny thing happened. The Phils started winning. All the time. There's no need for the cathartic angst spray of a blog post after a World Championship. We were satiated. We were...happy.

Happy = no writing. A remarkable Eagles season came. I wrote about how Dawkins was washed up, then he had one of the best and most inspiring seasons of his career. McNabb played ok, got benched, then played out of his mind. DeSean Jackson is the first legit WR we've had since Fred Barnett. The Flyers made the playoffs. The Sixers made the playoffs. This has been a great season for Philly sports. Our collective reaction: eh. We were still in the fuzzy afterglow, all fattened up on winning.

However, the Phils' recent slide, and lacksadaisical play, has reignited some of the embers in my cold heart. Jimmy Rollins is two years removed from his BS MVP year, and refuses to hit line drives-but the man still plays the best SS in the National League. Jason Werth is batting .250, and looking worse. The whole team plays like a bunch a wimps all the sudden. And it's despicable.

It's horrendous. It's an affront to the best fans in the world, who pay good money to watch them suck. And I, well, I just can't take this anymore.

We're back, bitches.