(originally posted 8/22/07)
That Monday off-day sure came at the right time for the Phillies. Though I am fairly certain that their embattled relief corps was still allowing runs to the Pirates on Monday. The six uninjured Phillies were able to rest up a bit, and there was time to determine who would be the latest Phillies to be added to the DL. (If you had Yoel Hernandez for Monday in The Pool, congratulations! I had The Big Zagurski- missed by one day!)
The only reason the Phillies have as many healthy players left right now is the brilliance of one Charles Fuqua Manuel. His progressive theories of player substitution have kept his starters refreshed, and he has revolutionized the position of Manager. Now, some purists disagree with his methods. They watch him replace his whole starting lineup, for defensive purposes, after taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning, and respond derisively. They argue that depleting the bench of position players so early in the game leaves too few pinch-hitting options. But, seriously, would you want Abraham O. Nunez pinch-hitting? No one wants that.
Sure, it is sometimes difficult for the Phillies to come back from any sort of deficit with defensive stalwarts named Roberson and Nunez coming to the plate in key situations. But how often does Phillies pitching falter and allow the opposing team to actually score? Besides, consider the positives. The starting lineup plays, at maximum, one inning in the field. The backups, besides fielding, don't have to do anything more than walking to and from home plate. None of that pesky running on the bases. That can be wicked draining. With this strategy, everyone wins! (Well, not necessarily the Phillies AS A TEAM. But, AS INDIVIDUALS, they do well, as their careers are extended. Who doesn't want Abraham Orlando Nunez to be batting .158 for the Phillies decades from now? You won't have to tell your grandkids about The Great Nunez, because he'll still be playing!) Scoff, if you will, but the Phillies are, once again, ahead of the curve. (Just like with the color barrier, international scouting, the list goes on...) Phillies fans are seeing the future of baseball today. And, as soon as Charlie Manuel figures out how to respond to e-mail, we will be collaborating on the strategy book that will change the world. (Not just the BASEBALL world, the world as a whole.) Pre-order at amazon.com now!
After blowing four run leads in losing the last two games of their three-game series in Pittsburgh, the Phillies switched tactics. They allowed the Dodgers to jump to an early 3-0 lead, and then came back to win 5-4. Kyle Kendrick won his sixth game in nine decisions, and Ryan Howard had his first stolen base since the creation of stolen bases. (He also had his 443rd strikeout since the creation of strikeouts, but we will focus on the stolen base for now. He even kept the actual base he stole! Plus, he stole the base off All-Star Catcher Russell Martin!) Aaron Rowand hit his 21st home run in the victory, and closer Brett Myers, fueled by his new entrance song, recorded his 12th save. (If you want, you can check my stats! The word on the streets is that the boy is back!) The Phillies moved into a tie with San Diego for the Wild Card lead with the win.
The win also improved the Phillies record to 7-5, since I acquired a Cole Hamels Bobblehead. Unfortunately, those seven wins, apparently, came at a price. Cole Hamels became the 117th Phillie to be placed on the disabled list today. This leaves Kyle Kendrick and J.D. "The Real Deal" Durbin as the Phillies' top two starters. But Kendrick is, without a doubt, the best #1 starter on a contending team who was in AA on June 12th. Durbin is the best starting pitcher who was waived by 27 MLB teams before the All-Star break. The situation kind of reminds me of the famous 1964 World Series Champion Phillie team that rode the arms of Jim Bunning and Chris Short the franchise's first championship. That team lead by six and a half games with twelve to play, and never lost another game! Surely, you remember that famous quote by Reds catcher Chico Ruiz, after being caught trying to steal home. "There was no other way we were going to score against those guys!", the frustrated backstop complained. You'll be hearing many similar complaints from Phillies' opponents in the next few months. The Blue Snow has returned...
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