Too bad the Philies weren’t playing ManU last night. They might still be playing.
Once again the Phils’ feeble bats managed only one run in another 5-1 humbling at the hands of the Cards. That run was provided by a solo home run by Ryan Howard, the one player in the lineup who seems to have come to play this year.
Legendary Manchester United also managed to put up one goal in posting a 1-0 “friendly” win over the Union in front of 44,000 soccer fanatics at Lincoln Financial Field.
There is nothing “friendly” surrounding the Phils these days. Fans are getting restless. The team is sinking like a stone in the NL East, seven games behind the Atlanta Braves and now slipping out of contention in the wild-card race as well.
They have won exactly one game since the All-Star break, and that one was handed to them on Saturday by the Cubs when it appeared that the tying run was dead at the plate, only to have the Chicago catcher drop the throw. With that bit of life, the Phils went on to win that game, but since have lost four straight.
Phils fans this morning are no doubt still scratching their heads at the managerial moves of Charlie Manuel last night. With the bases loaded in the seventh, starter Joe Blanton was due up with two outs and the score tied, 1-1. Manuel decided to let him hit. Blanton struck out on three pitches. His first offering in the bottom of the seventh landed in the bleachers, courtesy of Matt Holliday.
Now all eyes once again turn to GM Ruben Amaro Jr. He needs to make a move, most likely for a pitcher, and most likely involving Jayson Werth.
The candidates at the top of the list are Roy Oswalt of the Astros and Dan Haren of the D-Backs. Oswalt may have taken himself out of the picture with a demand yesterday that whatever team he is deal to honor the option year of his deal, for 2012, which would pay him $16 million.
In the meantime, the somnambulent Phils get an early wake-up call with an afternoon game today in St. Louis.
They need a wake-up call all right. But it’s one only Amaro can deliver.
Any time you’re ready, Ruben.
Once again the Phils’ feeble bats managed only one run in another 5-1 humbling at the hands of the Cards. That run was provided by a solo home run by Ryan Howard, the one player in the lineup who seems to have come to play this year.
Legendary Manchester United also managed to put up one goal in posting a 1-0 “friendly” win over the Union in front of 44,000 soccer fanatics at Lincoln Financial Field.
There is nothing “friendly” surrounding the Phils these days. Fans are getting restless. The team is sinking like a stone in the NL East, seven games behind the Atlanta Braves and now slipping out of contention in the wild-card race as well.
They have won exactly one game since the All-Star break, and that one was handed to them on Saturday by the Cubs when it appeared that the tying run was dead at the plate, only to have the Chicago catcher drop the throw. With that bit of life, the Phils went on to win that game, but since have lost four straight.
Phils fans this morning are no doubt still scratching their heads at the managerial moves of Charlie Manuel last night. With the bases loaded in the seventh, starter Joe Blanton was due up with two outs and the score tied, 1-1. Manuel decided to let him hit. Blanton struck out on three pitches. His first offering in the bottom of the seventh landed in the bleachers, courtesy of Matt Holliday.
Now all eyes once again turn to GM Ruben Amaro Jr. He needs to make a move, most likely for a pitcher, and most likely involving Jayson Werth.
The candidates at the top of the list are Roy Oswalt of the Astros and Dan Haren of the D-Backs. Oswalt may have taken himself out of the picture with a demand yesterday that whatever team he is deal to honor the option year of his deal, for 2012, which would pay him $16 million.
In the meantime, the somnambulent Phils get an early wake-up call with an afternoon game today in St. Louis.
They need a wake-up call all right. But it’s one only Amaro can deliver.
Any time you’re ready, Ruben.
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