I guess I am supposed to be outraged by the latest baseball scandal that has once again shrouded the game in shame.
I'm not. I'll be surprised when we are not learning that players are using any illegal substance they can to get an edge.
I penned today's editorial, in which I talk about what the steroid era has really cost the game.
Maybe we're all just becoming a bit jaded about the national pastime.
I'll tell you what does bother me. The Phillies are 17 games out of first place in the National League East. They are a distant 10 and a half games out of the wild card, at least the last time I looked.
And last night, the Phillies brass decided it was OK to charge Major League prices to see Darin Ruf play right field for the first time in his major league career.
I'm not making this up. Ruf had not played an inning - outside of winter ball - in right. As I remember that project, including some experimentation in Clearwater, did not go so well.
But Ruben Amaro Jr. had a problem yesterday. He wanted to get Dom Brown back in his lineup, but he didn't want to disrupt his young star's mojo by flipping him over to the other outfield corner. In his absence, Ruf had been handling the left field duties.
To his credit, Ruf didn't let the switch affect his hot bat. Ruf had two more hits, including a home run and 2 RBI, last night. He is now 6 for his last 17, and has reached base in every game he's played with the Phils since his callup. He's hitting .309 with four home runs in 81 at-bats.
It's hard to argue with doing whatever it takes to keep Ruf's bat in the lineup. Last night, the move did not cost the Phils in the field. Ironically, Brown dropped a ball in left field that almost cost the Phils, who held on for dear life and a 9-8 win over the equally lousy Cubs.
The boxscore says 36,841 people were in Citizens Bank Park last night. Maybe that was how many tickets were sold. No way there were actually that many people in the seats.
The fans just might be ready to send a message to the Phillies brass.
Being 17 games out in the first week of August just won't cut it.
And that is with or without Antonio Bastardo, let alone Alex Rodriguez and the rest of the Biogenesis circus.
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