Partying like it's 1970...

(originally posted 7/31/07)

Greg Flipping Brady. The Phillies have overcome injury after injury over the past week, winning game after game. Nine out of ten games, to be exact. But they couldn't beat Greg Brady and the Chicago Cubs tonight.

Sure, it could be argued that the three Phillie errors were to blame. Or the 11 LOB. Perhaps the stylings of reliever Geoff Geary, who made the trip from Ottawa to pitch ineffectively (1.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 BB), and may be headed back to The Great White North in the near future. As is his way, $8 million SP Adam Eaton had a hand in the loss, with another stellar, Eaton-esque outing (5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB). Eaton brought a 5.83 ERA into the game, yet was still able to increase it to 5.87 in tonight's masterful performance.

It was a Cubs jersey-wearing Greg Brady who put the game away for the Cubs in the 7th, with an inspiring performance of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" (accompanied by his brother, Peter) and a guest appearance in the Cubs broadcast booth for the bottom of the inning. The Cubs increased their 5-3 lead to 7-3 in that half-inning. (Usually, I can use my combined MLB.TV and MLB Extra Innings powers to avoid such things, but MLB Extra Innings opted not to show the game tonight. Curses.) The Phillies wasted a 2 for 4 performance by rejuvenated slugger Pat Burrell, which included his 14th HR, and a 4 for 4 (all singles) from Ottawa call-up Chris Roberson. Ryan Howard tried to tie the game in the top of the 9th with a grand slam, but was retired on strikes. (Considering there was only one runner at the time, the whole grand slam thing might not have been viable, but that's what Howard was going for.) Aaron Rowand followed with another whiff, ending the Cubs' 7-3 win. The Phillies just aren't a good "70's Night" team. Apparently, it's not their bag. Baby.

As for the injury after injury part, this is getting out of hand. Seriously. All-Star 2B Chase Utley out for a month. Reliever Ryan Madson probably won't return until the first round of the playoffs. On Monday night, OFs Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn were lost innings apart. That seemed vaguely reminiscent of when, in 1970, the Phillies lost both of their catchers for the season IN THE SAME INNING, and were forced to use some randoms named Bates, Compton, and Hutto for most of the remainder of the year. (I wasn't actually alive in 1970, but that is the analogy the Phillies section of my brain has come up with. Obviously, all of the 70s night hoopla has affected me.) Fortunately, Bourn and Victorino should both be back by the beginning of September, so the Phils won't be stuck with randoms like Jayson Werth and Chris Roberson (he played well tonight, but his MLB performance in 2006 was quite the bad scene) in the lineup for the rest of the year. Whether they can stay in the race until their injured players can return remains to be seen. GM Pat Gillick has done reasonably well in picking up 2B Tad Iguchi, SP Kyle Lohse, and RP Julio Mateo, but it's going to be tough.