Phillies Nation

every team slumps, i guess thats the only way to look at this. every team has their bad breaks. Better it happen now then later in the season. Get it out of your system now! Trying to be optimistic

I can’t believe this lazy group of turds won a World Series. Jimmy Rollins needs a punch in the stomach. Utley needs to be booed once and for all. And the rest of them need to realize baseball is a 9 inning game.

The thing I have always loved about Philadelphia sports teams is they they are teams without the most talent that always work hard. 87 flyers and 93 Phils are the best examples. This team is the total opposite. Tons of talent and no hard work. They should just wear Mets uniforms.

I have faith that Cole will get us back on track tomorrow, against a team that commonly struggles against lefties. Then its a brand new week, with a healthy Lidge.

Gents, I went to this game and it was terrible. At least the fans are starting to boo when our Phils do something ridiculous. Like, say, LOSE THE GAME for us. It was a disgusting loss. I was resigned to an L after the 6 innings of 1 hit ball we were playing, but that 7th inning happened and like a stupid fool, I started to get my hopes up. Shortly thereafter I wanted to throw myself off the pavilion. Not one but two home runs in the ninth inning to give the O’s the W. Despicable pathetic stuff. The whole stadium was shocked. To go from the absolute high of Howard’s guest appearance awesome home run to the disgusting low of a loss in the ninth inning was too much. I’m still depressed about it. 1-7 on the homestand and a 5 game losing streak? These aren’t my world champion Phillies.

As long as the mets lose, I am happy…. This all-star break cant come soon enough though… The Phils are playing like they need a break….
Maybe some pickle juice might help

I agree with PGD, as does Uncle Chollie. Too many ABs given away. The AL dominates the NL because their hitters are more patient and regularly run up pitch counts. Early in the count, they focus on a certain pitch in a certain zone, laying off borderline pitches. They also shorten their swings with 2 strikes, swallowing their pride and going the opposite way for the better good. Pete Happy has adopted these concepts this year, and lo and behold, he is currently the .300 hitter that Uncle Collie said he could be…Last night, Mad Dog totally missed his location on Roberts’ homer. Chooch was set up down and away, but the pitch was middle in….and see ya’. Madson was too hyped up last night and was coming across his body all inning with his fast ball…On the almost 5-2-3 DP last night, Dobbs didn’t stretch for the throw from Bako. Instead he positioned his foot so that he ended up catching the ball off to the side of the bag, instead of in out front of it. The same thing happened with Rhyno a few games back. What’s up with that? If Dobbs had stretched properly, the batter would have been out.

Is anyone actually excited about Lidge coming back? I can’t wait for him to come back.

Tim:

When Barajas homered in the ninth inning you questioned Chris Coste for calling a bad pitch. When Zaun and Roberts connected last night, there is no mention of Ruiz calling bad pitches. I’m not saying it’s Ruiz’ fault but why do people seem to think of blaming Coste when he’s catching and the pitcher when Ruiz is catching.

All three doomed pitches in the last couple of days were thrown by Ryan Madson. He is to blame and nobody else.

Alex, for some reason this blog is anti-Coste. I never figured it out. He’ll do something clutch and everyone will hoot and holler about him like he’s Darren Daulton but the next day they are back to trashing him. He is what he is, a backup catcher. He’s streaky but he has some big moments. I’ve always been a Coste guy but then again I’m a sucker for those who paid heavy dues in the minors, as he did.

The Phillies are playing terrible. Manuuel needs to be a real manager and light a fire under their ass. We need at least two frontline pitchers, one reliever and one good bench player. Oh yea and what about Amaro Jr what a joke, he will wait until the team sinks before he makes a valuable trade! I am a life long Phillie fan and this is unexceptable

looks more and more like the Mets bullpen of last season haha!

The Phillies at best have one front line pitcher in Hamels, but let’s be realistic.
Moyer is washed up, Blanton at best is a fourth starter, Happ has proven he can pitch either as a starter or reliever in the bullpen. But really after Hamels we have no one. Bastardo is not ready. Please please please lets make a trade for a frontline player. I would love for the Phillies to trade Rollins while he still has value. To me he would be easier to replace. All Jimmy does is shoot off his mouth but yet he continues to slump. As for the bullpen I agree once Lidge comes back we might be okay but we still need one more arm. As for the bench Bako for God’s Sake ! Now that is just plain stupid. We need a better clutch hitter on that bench.

cvm and maxhole are right on….I was at the game last night, Section 142, and it was sad to see Ryan Howard’s magical home run get erased by lack of pitching preparation. Simple as that. Some blame should be directed at Dubee.

Think about it. Madson, ahead in the count, trying to end the game with a straight 96 mph fastball, right in the zone that Roberts likes. As a setup man, Ryan would set up his changeup…but now Ryan the closer is attempting to “act” like a closer…he clearly goes for the quick kill when he has two strikes, and it ain’t happening. There’s no pitch strategy, and no preparation, and for that, blame Rich Dubee as much as the pitchers and catchers. I see a formula-driven, non-scenario approach from the coaching staff…Roberts likes the fastball in, and that’s exactly where that pitch was….batting practice.

Madson’s pitch selection, and location, have cost the Phils two losses (last night and the third Toronto game). What I want to know is, now that we know that Madson doesn’t have a closer mentality yet, why doesn’t Charlie and Dubee think about Romero instead? Again, they’re following the formula. This is still a playoff team, but I question the lack of adjustment and lack of preparation from the coaching staff, particularly Dubee, who needs to do some homework. Let’s hope they make the same type of adjustments that got them a WS ring last year.

Ryan Howard is back in the hospital. Ut-oh.

I agree with Shag….bullpen by committee. Charlie was too quick to name a closer. I, like a lot of people, was completely on board with that decision. But, now, I am eating my words. It’s obvious that Madson is not ready to be in that role. Personally, I think Charlie should have let Chan Ho Park at least start the 9th and then go from there. He was great in the 8th. Maybe mix and match with Romero facing a lefty or whatever.

Bigbobster, I was about to type the very same analysis of Madson’s poor selection and location in that fateful 9th inning of yesterday’s game, when I read yours. I totally agree with you. Buy the way, Mitch Williams on Comcast’s postgame review, said the same thing. He was empathic on “expanding” the pitch location when ahead in the pitch count (pitcher’s count). You do not throw “strikes” on a pitcher’s count and try to have the hitter get himself out. Unfortunately, Madson chose to use his fastball once too often for strikes instead of changing speeds (changeup) and off the plate.

Madson’s record in last his last 3 outings reads like a pitcher’s worst nightmare: 2 blown saves, 3 HRs, 0-2 with a 15.00 ERA.

The Phillies can’t hardly wait for Lidge to come back.