So much for Chase Utley curing what ails the Phillies.
Utley smacked a home run in his first at-bat last Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Phils lost that game to the Pirates. And they haven’t won a game since. That’s right, the Phillies have not posted a victory since Utley returned to the lineup.
This weekend they got swept in Miami. You can read about yesterday's downer, their 5th straight loss, here.
Yesterday’s game marked the numerical half-way point of the 162-game marathon that is Major League Baseball. The Phils have 45 losses. Double that and you get a 90-loss season. Quite a turnaround from what we have become accustomed to in these past few glory years.
Chase Utley is not going to cure what ails these Phillies. Neither, likely, will Ryan Howard, who contines a rehab stint. Last night he was playing first base for Lehigh Valley.
Roy Halladay also is reported to be making progress as he rehabs from a sore right shoulder. He might throw from the mound this week and could be back after the All-Star Game.
I’m not sure any of that is enough to save this wretched season.
For months everyone has said, ‘don’t worry, it’s early.’
It’s now July. It’s not early anymore.
And this team is no longer young. That’s not a good combination. And that’s why I am not sure this is going to get a whole lot better this summer.
This team has had a great run. It is not out of the question that they turn this thing around with a later-summer run.
But they’re showing no signs of it. And I’m not holding my breath.
Comments