Phils Offer Nothing to Care About
I was asked the other day if I was ripping the Phillies on my blog. Putting aside the fact that the same person clearly didn’t bother to read my blog, I decided my recent attempt to ignore the team doesn’t cut it.
Did you know there’s only 12 days til training camp?
Ok, ok, . . . the Phillies. It was obvious this team was going to be crushed in inter-league play, but to follow-up with losing a series at home to a mediocre Padre team and an opening game of the series the lowly Pirates is just sad. Throw in the series loss to the one American League team they had a chance against, and you would think it’s as ugly as it gets.
But, no, this is Philly. We get the added bonus of possibly our best pitcher Brett Myers assaulting his wife . . . in public. I’m not suggesting the act is any less reprehensible if it’s in private, but the level of stupidity goes up a few notches when a professional athlete thinks he can get away with it on the street. Then, of course, the Phillies, apparently wanting to prove things can always get worse, let Myers pitch the next day.
If Myers uses alcohol as part of his defense, remember that he was pitching the next day by 1:20 PM.
The funny part (about the Phils) is that there’s some in the media who debate whether or not this team should be blown up. The question should be: can it be blown up?
The Phillies are so inept that this morning WIP’s Glen Macnow was talking about a report that they were working with Ryan Howard to adjust his swing for the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break. Most teams fear a player’s swing will get screwed up by the Derby. In fact, some think Bobby Abreu’s participation in last year’s contest is contributing to his now year-long struggle (i.e., he sucks). Yet the Phils are so hard-up for good news, they’re paving the way for Howard’s swing to get messed up in the hopes he’ll win the Derby.
This is an organization that can find something to blow up in the midst of this drek? Pat Gillick should get a medal if he manages to trade any of the oft-mentioned trade bait of Pat Burrell, Abreu, Mike Lieberthal, etc.
Fox’s weekly broadcast talked about how the Florida Marlins are playing the most rookies in baseball and are the hottest team in the league. Injuries have already shown us that the Phillies don’t have much in the minors.
The fact is Gillick must show that he’s not like every other general manager in Philly, and do something that makes a difference. Even if he’s forced to move Chase Utley or Howard, the only Phillies that should conjure up thoughts of being untouchable, he must do it.
The city is so apathetic that an auction for firecharliemanuel.com apparently brought so little interest the original owner seems to have kept it. I don’t even blame Manuel at this point, but he needs to be put out of his misery.
In case anyone’s interested, I think the first realistic step back from oblivion is coaching third base for the Yankees. Larry Bowa clearly never should have been fired, and the whiners that wanted him out need to go, anyway.
It won’t happen, but, worse, if Gillick let’s this mess play out all summer, I see no reason to believe it will ever change. He’s “the baseball guy” everybody wanted. If he does nothing, you have to believe ownership wouldn’t allow it. And being that most people don’t even know who owns the Phils, there’s no one guy feeling the heat to change anything.
Did I mention the Eagles open camp in 12 days?
Did you know there’s only 12 days til training camp?
Ok, ok, . . . the Phillies. It was obvious this team was going to be crushed in inter-league play, but to follow-up with losing a series at home to a mediocre Padre team and an opening game of the series the lowly Pirates is just sad. Throw in the series loss to the one American League team they had a chance against, and you would think it’s as ugly as it gets.
But, no, this is Philly. We get the added bonus of possibly our best pitcher Brett Myers assaulting his wife . . . in public. I’m not suggesting the act is any less reprehensible if it’s in private, but the level of stupidity goes up a few notches when a professional athlete thinks he can get away with it on the street. Then, of course, the Phillies, apparently wanting to prove things can always get worse, let Myers pitch the next day.
If Myers uses alcohol as part of his defense, remember that he was pitching the next day by 1:20 PM.
The funny part (about the Phils) is that there’s some in the media who debate whether or not this team should be blown up. The question should be: can it be blown up?
The Phillies are so inept that this morning WIP’s Glen Macnow was talking about a report that they were working with Ryan Howard to adjust his swing for the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break. Most teams fear a player’s swing will get screwed up by the Derby. In fact, some think Bobby Abreu’s participation in last year’s contest is contributing to his now year-long struggle (i.e., he sucks). Yet the Phils are so hard-up for good news, they’re paving the way for Howard’s swing to get messed up in the hopes he’ll win the Derby.
This is an organization that can find something to blow up in the midst of this drek? Pat Gillick should get a medal if he manages to trade any of the oft-mentioned trade bait of Pat Burrell, Abreu, Mike Lieberthal, etc.
Fox’s weekly broadcast talked about how the Florida Marlins are playing the most rookies in baseball and are the hottest team in the league. Injuries have already shown us that the Phillies don’t have much in the minors.
The fact is Gillick must show that he’s not like every other general manager in Philly, and do something that makes a difference. Even if he’s forced to move Chase Utley or Howard, the only Phillies that should conjure up thoughts of being untouchable, he must do it.
The city is so apathetic that an auction for firecharliemanuel.com apparently brought so little interest the original owner seems to have kept it. I don’t even blame Manuel at this point, but he needs to be put out of his misery.
In case anyone’s interested, I think the first realistic step back from oblivion is coaching third base for the Yankees. Larry Bowa clearly never should have been fired, and the whiners that wanted him out need to go, anyway.
It won’t happen, but, worse, if Gillick let’s this mess play out all summer, I see no reason to believe it will ever change. He’s “the baseball guy” everybody wanted. If he does nothing, you have to believe ownership wouldn’t allow it. And being that most people don’t even know who owns the Phils, there’s no one guy feeling the heat to change anything.
Did I mention the Eagles open camp in 12 days?
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