Lidge Implodes, Offense Stalls Again In Loss
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Sat, July 26, 2008 10:10 AM | Comments: 17
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Brad Lidge surrendered his first meaningful runs of the season, as a close game became a blowout, an 8-2 loss to the Braves. The Phillies are now two games back of the Mets in the NL East, tied with the Marlins for second place.
Ryan Howard hit his 30th home run of the season in the bottom of the ninth inning. By that time it was way too late. And it was, in a way, a cruel joke. As if the offense said, “Oh, we had enough to win this game, it just came too late.” Please. The offense was putrid yet again, and a combination of their play and Jair Jurrjens pitching made it another bad showing for the Phils.
The Phils manufactured just four hits off the Braves, all singles, sans the Howard homer.
Kyle Kendrick was the unfair loser. He sprayed seven Brave hits, the unfortunate one being a Brian McCann home run to give the Braves the lead, 1-0. That’s how the score stayed until Lidge entered and the game blew open. Suddenly his ERA is at an unfathomable 2.36. But he was destined to have one of these games. The rest of ‘em? They’ve been having ‘em for a while now.
Associated Press photo
Posts: 0 Doug
Wow! Phils’ offense is pitiful. Nobody is hitting with any consistency. And clutch hitting? forget it! All these guys need a wake-up call! Pitching IS NOT the problem right now. Seems like this team believed it could walk through this division after last season. Wrong!! Time for Rollins, Utley, et al, to get off their butts, start working harder, and bring this tream out of this funk. Phillies are just so hard to watch right now.
Posted: 10:37 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Nationals#1
this team is getting so hard to watch… remember in the beginning of the season when everyone was saying the starting pitching’s weak, the bullpen is our biggest trouble spot and that the offense was too potent to ever be a problem?
Posted: 10:46 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
This team is facing these problems because of the hubris and arrogance with which the front office approached much of the offseason. That hubris eventually found its way into the clubhouse and turned jimmy into a total piece of shit and the rest of them into lazy bums.
Whats really disturbing is that Charlie called a team meeting before the game and they STILL came out flat and got humiliated. Thats bad.
Posted: 11:28 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 James K.
It’s a long season Phils fans… there was no way THAT bullpen would keep pitching great all season.
Where are the M-V-P chants for Chase Smutley now?
Posted: 11:46 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
There are two months left. no more well its this or well its that. this is the time right now
Posted: 11:51 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Bear Mike
This season is suddenly getting very ugly! Our offensive is non existent, our bull pen is becoming iffy, but our starting pitching has been, for the most part, very good. Who would have thought that we would be in this situation as we approach August? Too me, two of the biggest problems on our offense disappearance of Chase and the non-existence of Jimmie. Jimmie has gone from a phenomenal MVP to an entitled MVPimp! Get off of your throne Jimmie because you have been nothing but an embarrassment to the Phillies this year. At this point, I would shake up the line-up big time!
1. Jayson Werth
2. Shane
3. Chase
4. Pat the Bat
5. Ryno
6.Feliz/Dobbs
7. Ruiz (as I hold my nose)
8. Rollins (MVPimp! – let him battle his way back up to the top)
9. Pitcher
If Jenkins must play because of RHPing, he would bat in the 6 hole and Chase or Shane would lead off.
The Mets are really playing some great ball right now, but I still feel the Phillies are the best team in the NL East. Come on Phillies get your act together, there is only about 60 games remaining.
A die hard Phillies fan to the core – GO PHILLIES!!!!!
Posted: 11:55 AM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Joshua
How can you EVER think of batting Ruiz before Rollins?
Posted: 12:05 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 griffin
This team is lifeless right now. If the offense doesn’t produce, it doesn’t matter what the pitching does.
Hopefully this will deter Gillick from trading the farm for Sherrill or another mediocre “solution”.
I’m 0-7 at Phillies game I attended this year. Yay for me.
Posted: 12:11 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
THis team is done. Totally done unless they make another set of moves. mike hampton starts today and they better light him up. they need a big, shocking move. shipping an established player out of town for example. something has to eventually wake them up. too much talent and money spent to be this bad. unacceptable. not really charlies fault though because these guys dont care about managers, its baseball.
Posted: 01:24 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
Two days ago I said unless the bats show some life every bad outing by a pitcher will be magnified…
Unfortunately it’ll be Milt that walks the plank as nothing improves. Changes have to be made, real fundemental changes to how this team goes about their business.
Posted: 02:00 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Geoff
exactty
Posted: 02:18 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Milt’s not the problem. Milt doesn’t tell them to swing at bad pitches, swing at the 1st pitch, and I’m sure he tells them how to pop fly balls to the outfield to hit in a sac fly or to hit the ball on the ground to 2nd base to move up a runner, etc. It’s the hitters faults for playing like shit, not Milt’s.
Posted: 02:54 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
as just said by Geoff… Exactly.
Three things for sure: Rollin’s won’t be put in his place, Howard won’t be told there’s more to baseball than homers and RBI’s and the pitching will be blamed for losses.
Posted: 02:59 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Phil
Something tells me that Manny is going to the Mets. I already threw in the towel, but if they get Manny then that just means they stuck a knife into our hearts.
Posted: 03:12 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Bear Mike
Joshua: “How can you EVER think of batting Ruiz before Rollins?
Very easily. I am completely disgusted with Rollins right now. Rollins is having a horrible season this year. I would bat Ruiz before Rollins because Rollins has done absolutely nothing at the plate IMO. I think he is playing like he is entitled to be the lead off hitter. Well, IMO, that is a crucial spot in the line up that must be earned and sustained with a high level of play and leadership. It would be temporary switch of course. When Rollins is playing at his true capability, with fire in his eyes, he is arguably the best lead off batter in MLB. How else would you motivate the former MVP? That is a serious question.
Posted: 03:20 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 NJ
That made me chuckle, Boston won’t trade Manny in the middle of a pennant race. He might surface with the Mets or Angels in the off-season but we don’t need to worry any time soon.
Nady going to the Yanks is good news, unless the Mets plan on ponying up for Dunn their options will be limited.
Posted: 03:23 PM on July 26, 2008
Posts: 0 Phillies
Phils should trade to the Giants for Bengie Molina. It wouldn’t take much to get him and he’d be a huge upgrade over Ruiz. He’s currently batting .288 with 8 home runs.
@NJ
I’m pretty sure the Sox are shopping Manny. Apparently their finally fed up with his antics.
Posted: 09:10 PM on July 26, 2008