There was something about last night's Phillies game that bothered me.
No, not necessarily the fact that the Phils lost, 3-1, thus blowing a chance to take over first place in the National League East from Atlanta.
Not even the fact that they again played very sloppy baseball, with fielding miscues leading to the Atlanta runs and wasting another solid outing from starter Vince Velasquez. The right-hander gave up just two runs - only one of them earned - and struck out nine Braves in four and two-thirds innings of work.
Carlos Santana committed another throwing error, sailing a throw to the plate over the head of catcher Jorge Alfaro to allow another run to score.
Granted, I wasn't thrilled about any of those developments. Instead of taking over first place, the Phils instead fell one and a half games back.
But it was something else that leaped out at me when I flipped the game on before lapsing into my nightly coma.
There was a shot of a Phillie batting that was taken from the first-base side of the plate.
That's when I noticed it.
There was no one there.
I mean, these are the best seats in the house. There were a few rows filled, but beyond that was rows of uninhabited blue seats.
The announced attendance was 18,545. Citizens Bank Park's capacity is 43,647.
Anyone remember the glory days when the Bank first opened and the Rollins-Utley-Howard Phillies were packing the place every night.
Beginning on July 6, 2009, the Phils sold out 257 games. It remains the longest sellout streak in National League history and the third-longest in Major League Baseball history.
That seems a quaint memory now.
I guess I should not complain. After all, I was not at the park last night either.
But this team is competing for the NL East lead. They are playing very good baseball, built on solid starting pitching.
And yet the people are staying away in droves.
Geez, you'd think they were holding a Primary Election at Citizens Bank Park, not playing major league baseball.
We're on the cusp of Memorial Day weekend.
Summer beckons.
Maybe the crowds will start to swell.
I certainly hope so.
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