If you’re looking for good news this morning, you might want to skip the sports section.
There’s bad news on two fronts.
The Phillies did the one thing they could not afford to do in the nation’s capital. They lost the series to the Nationals. And of course, it was the bullpen – and the eighth inning -- that proved to be their downfall.
Not that last night’s starter, Joe Blanton, did anything to help. Blanton, Pat Gillick’s big acquisition to shore up the starting pitching for the second half, got shelled by maybe the worst team in the National League. He lasted just four innings, giving up six hits and four runs, all earned.
Only the heroics of Ryan Howard, who blasted two separate two-run homers, kept the catatonic Phils in this one. They actually had a 5-4 lead, but couldn’t hold on to it.
On to the eighth inning and Chad Durbin. Can you say disaster? Durbin lasted only two-thirds of an inning, being torched for four runs on five hits.
It might be time to consider Gillick’s role in all this. Blanton was his big move approaching the trade deadline. When setup man Tom Gordon went down, no one was brought in to replace him. Durbin was deemed able to get the job done. How has that been working out?
The Phils now find themselves three games behind the Mets in the NL East as they head for New York and a weekend series. The Phils will need to sweep just to pull even.
Anything less could be the beginning of the end. And there is word that should the leftovers of Hurricane Hanna rain out Saturday’s game, the Phils might send Jamie Moyer to the mound Sunday instead of their ace, Cole Hamels, who has yet to face the Mets this year. That would give Hamels his coveted extra day of rest. And it just might tell you everything you need to know about the Phils’ chances.
Maybe they’re saving him for next year, which could begin Monday if the Phils don’t handle the Mets this weekend.
Speaking of hurricanes, our old pal Drew Rosenhaus is back in town. In case you missed it, Rosenhaus, the one-time mouthpiece who spoke for Terrell Owens when the superstar wasn’t spouting off on his own or doing push-ups on the front lawn, now represents Lito Sheppard.
The Eagles cornerback is not happy. Which means Rosenhaus is not happy. Which, of course, can mean only one thing. That’s right, a video on YouTube in which Rosenhaus spouts about how badly the Eagles are treating his client.
Unfortunately, in the process Rosenhaus made it clear he believes Sheppard, who lost his starting job when the Birds brought in big-buck free agent Asante Samuel from the Patriots, should be starting on the other corner over Sheldon Brown.
Brown was not amused, and lobbed a few grenades of his own back at Team Rosenhaus.
Oh, and the Eagles play their season opener Sunday at the Linc against the Rams.
This one does not appear to have a chance of ending amicably. The Eagles need to stamp out this wildfire before it turns their season into ashes.
At any rate, it has all the makings of a do-or-die weekend in Philly sports.
Is there another kind?
There’s bad news on two fronts.
The Phillies did the one thing they could not afford to do in the nation’s capital. They lost the series to the Nationals. And of course, it was the bullpen – and the eighth inning -- that proved to be their downfall.
Not that last night’s starter, Joe Blanton, did anything to help. Blanton, Pat Gillick’s big acquisition to shore up the starting pitching for the second half, got shelled by maybe the worst team in the National League. He lasted just four innings, giving up six hits and four runs, all earned.
Only the heroics of Ryan Howard, who blasted two separate two-run homers, kept the catatonic Phils in this one. They actually had a 5-4 lead, but couldn’t hold on to it.
On to the eighth inning and Chad Durbin. Can you say disaster? Durbin lasted only two-thirds of an inning, being torched for four runs on five hits.
It might be time to consider Gillick’s role in all this. Blanton was his big move approaching the trade deadline. When setup man Tom Gordon went down, no one was brought in to replace him. Durbin was deemed able to get the job done. How has that been working out?
The Phils now find themselves three games behind the Mets in the NL East as they head for New York and a weekend series. The Phils will need to sweep just to pull even.
Anything less could be the beginning of the end. And there is word that should the leftovers of Hurricane Hanna rain out Saturday’s game, the Phils might send Jamie Moyer to the mound Sunday instead of their ace, Cole Hamels, who has yet to face the Mets this year. That would give Hamels his coveted extra day of rest. And it just might tell you everything you need to know about the Phils’ chances.
Maybe they’re saving him for next year, which could begin Monday if the Phils don’t handle the Mets this weekend.
Speaking of hurricanes, our old pal Drew Rosenhaus is back in town. In case you missed it, Rosenhaus, the one-time mouthpiece who spoke for Terrell Owens when the superstar wasn’t spouting off on his own or doing push-ups on the front lawn, now represents Lito Sheppard.
The Eagles cornerback is not happy. Which means Rosenhaus is not happy. Which, of course, can mean only one thing. That’s right, a video on YouTube in which Rosenhaus spouts about how badly the Eagles are treating his client.
Unfortunately, in the process Rosenhaus made it clear he believes Sheppard, who lost his starting job when the Birds brought in big-buck free agent Asante Samuel from the Patriots, should be starting on the other corner over Sheldon Brown.
Brown was not amused, and lobbed a few grenades of his own back at Team Rosenhaus.
Oh, and the Eagles play their season opener Sunday at the Linc against the Rams.
This one does not appear to have a chance of ending amicably. The Eagles need to stamp out this wildfire before it turns their season into ashes.
At any rate, it has all the makings of a do-or-die weekend in Philly sports.
Is there another kind?
Comments