There’s nothing wrong with being lucky. Just ask Ryan Madson.
The lanky right-hander appears to be the closer of the moment for Charlie Manuel and the Phillies.
The Phils’ skipper called on Madson again last night – not normal closer Brad Lidge – after having to pull Lidge during another ninth-inning meltdown the night before.
Last night Madson was helped by Chase Utley, who speared a line drive and turned it into a game-ending doubleplay. A few feet in either direction and the game is tied.
It gave the Phils a 6-5 win and preserved their six-game cushion over the Marlins.
Manuel isn’t saying if Madson is now his guy, as opposed to Lidge, or even Brett Myers, who was not available after pitching two straight nights coming off hip surgery.
“We’ll just wait and see,” Manuel said. “I don’t want that to be a big thing.”
Uh, Charlie, it already IS a big thing. Suddenly the Phils home-run parade (they hit two more last night, with Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz going back-to-back in the seventh to provide the margin of victory) is no longer a big deal.
Everybody is on the edge of their seat in the ninth inning to see who walks out of the Phillies’ bullpen, and how they will fare in trying to slam the door.
Has anyone else noticed that the Phils have not exactly gotten a breather against the lowly Nats, easily the worst team in baseball?
These games have been close. And that means closer.
Right now the Phils appear to be settling into closer-by-committee mode.
That does not usually turn out well. Maybe the Phils will prove differently.
The lanky right-hander appears to be the closer of the moment for Charlie Manuel and the Phillies.
The Phils’ skipper called on Madson again last night – not normal closer Brad Lidge – after having to pull Lidge during another ninth-inning meltdown the night before.
Last night Madson was helped by Chase Utley, who speared a line drive and turned it into a game-ending doubleplay. A few feet in either direction and the game is tied.
It gave the Phils a 6-5 win and preserved their six-game cushion over the Marlins.
Manuel isn’t saying if Madson is now his guy, as opposed to Lidge, or even Brett Myers, who was not available after pitching two straight nights coming off hip surgery.
“We’ll just wait and see,” Manuel said. “I don’t want that to be a big thing.”
Uh, Charlie, it already IS a big thing. Suddenly the Phils home-run parade (they hit two more last night, with Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz going back-to-back in the seventh to provide the margin of victory) is no longer a big deal.
Everybody is on the edge of their seat in the ninth inning to see who walks out of the Phillies’ bullpen, and how they will fare in trying to slam the door.
Has anyone else noticed that the Phils have not exactly gotten a breather against the lowly Nats, easily the worst team in baseball?
These games have been close. And that means closer.
Right now the Phils appear to be settling into closer-by-committee mode.
That does not usually turn out well. Maybe the Phils will prove differently.
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