The Philadelphia Phillies lost their fifth straight game on Sunday night, falling to the Braves 4-1. Their record drops to 50-60.
- Cliff Lee made his first start in two weeks, and didn’t fare well. Lee lasted just five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits and two walks. The lefty’s ERA rose to 3.13.
- Lee put the Phillies down right away, allowing a two-run single to Chris Johnson in the first inning. The All-Star then gave up an RBI single and an RBI double in the fourth.
- The offense loves making rookie and mediocre pitchers look like All-Stars, and tonight was Alex Wood’s time to shine. Wood made it through six relatively easy innings, allowing just one run on two hits.
- The Phillies’ only run came in the third inning on an RBI groundout from Michael Young.
- Carlos Ruiz had a home run overturned in the third inning, and became a double.
- Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Delmon Young, John Mayberry, and Kevin Frandsen went a combined 0-14.
- Raul Valdes pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
- Jonathan Papelbon got some work in the ninth, tossing a scoreless frame.
Final Thoughts
The Phillies are dead, with their cold lifeless bodies floating in the water.
Another embarrassing series has come to a close, with the Atlanta Braves coming to town and sweeping their division rivals with relative ease.
This team is now 2-13 since the All-Star break. They’re 10 games below .500, and they’re on the verge of falling into fourth place in the division. The way things are going right now, you have to wonder if its not possible that they could eventually fall even below the Marlins into last place. These are dark times for baseball in Philadelphia.
Lets resign everybody.Just because you made colossal mistakes by resigning Rollins, giving Papelbon and Hamels all that money. Lets just add Utley to the mix because he is a fan favorite. Give him a 3 year deal to. What the hell re-up Chooch while your at it. Amazing how removing the Adderall(a masking agent for Peds), makes Chooch have warning track power now.
so glad Reuben said chase was untouchable. smart …
This was my fear with Lee not being dealt this season. It appears that his performance continues to decline and wonder if his value will be that of Papelbon by seasons end and moving forward.
I’m not worried about Lee yet…he’s been a very streaky pitcher throughout his career, and he’s had a rough couple of weeks but I’m not concerned about him yet.
cliff is showing no signs of breaking down to me
It’s just amazing to me how the Phillies have completely broken down…Inconsistency is one thing, but this streak, they are playing like dogs…I guess Amaro & Montgomery are going to let the team go completely down the toilet and wait until October before pulling the plug on Charlie and his staff…If Sandberg is going to be the next manager, then give him a head start…If he’s not, let someone else manage…You can’t just let the team play like bums with no consequences at all…They are disgracing themselves right now.
Just stating the obvious, but teams usually make a move when things get this far out of hand.
To be clear, I love Lee and in a perfect world would be willing to roll the dice and explain his recent performances as streakiness, which history says your are correct in stating. I’m just speaking to what what my eyes have observed this year as he seems to be a tick less in velocity, and while he is still a strike throwing machine (too many really) , his location has been poor. Additionally, he’s not going as deep into games as he once did. At 34 or 35, absent biogenesis, the arc is likely on the downswing. My heart says he’ll be an integral part of the rotation on a competing team next year, my eyes say he’ll be a salary we’re pining about not being able to move (like Howard), on a young rebuilding team.
WOW
bastardo 50 game suspension.
This is one of the most embarrassing, frustrating, nauseating, & disgusting teams, in Philly sports history! Remember, this is the same ownership, that sent out trash truck juice on the field for 2 decades, before WE gave them a new park. This is the same ownership, that refused to spend $$$$ on FA’s for 2 decades, until we gave them a new park. This is the same ownership, that had blind loyalty, & hung onto Lee Thomas, Ed Wade (although he built the WS nucleus) & now Ruin 2morrow, for too long! They “DON’T CARE” about us fans! They just want to keep convincing the brainless lemmings & stepfords, to coming to their cash cow, by running out the big name has-beens, until they get their $4B-$7B TV contract! It’s f^#@ing disgusting, an embarrassment, & a slap in the face, to life-long fans as myself. Now, the Bastardo suspension, is just the icing, on this $#!t-cake! I’m just surprised, that we didn’t hear about PED use, for Utley, the Big POS, & Chooch. Nothing surprises me anymore! Look forward to this team sucking, for at least 2-5 years, unless Ruin 2morrow is fired, & they somehow rebuild quick. Otherwise, there is no future in this organization, anytime soon. The FA outlook, is horrid, for the next couple of years, our farm is barren, & the weasels that own, & are steering the ship, are inept, careless, clueless, worthless, arrogant, ignorant, & idiotic! It sickens me!
The only shot the Phils have in 2014 is having a Lee & Hamels (return to form) a thte Top of their Rotation next Season.. Who do they have to replace either one of these PIttchers..
Clean house and move both Young’s, let Utley & Chooch go, and Trade Papelbum out of Philly
Phils are stuck with Rollins for next Season (2014) for his Contract makes him untradeable as is Howard’s
They have been putting band-aids on this Roster for the last 2 Seasons and it has caught up with them…
The Phils in 2013 were going to win with nice consistent Seasons from their 6 Core Players (Howard,Utley,Rollins and Pitchers Hamels,Lee & Doc) with the hopes of a strong back-end of the Bullpen led by Adams & Papelbon with support from Bastardo & Stutes in the Set-Up Roles
Unfortunately none of this happend…. both Doc & Howard should have been kept down in Florida to rehab, get stronger and fully healed and came up North in June when 100% Healthy (or close to it)
I am not surprised how this Season has gone and was hoping for the best but realitiscally, they are just an average Team, little batting discipline, the worst Defensive Team the Phils have put on the Field in 15-20 Years, all things I have been stating since Feb/March.. Michael & Delmon Young are built to play in the AL and not the NL.. Just like J Thome was a wasted acquisition last off-Season, both Young’s are just too limited defensively
to play everyday in the NL..
They have NO SHOT! Period!!!!
I look at the Braves & Mets to be the Teams to beat in the NL East for the next 3-5 Years.. While the Phils are a 75-80 Win Team the next couple of Seasons
Fighting for 3rd-4th Place
it will be the same team next year, albeit maybe a few different faces of mediocrity…. they will not win with Amaro as GM… his model does not work…. stack up on starting pitching and add an overpriced, overrated closer…. oh, and ignore the outfield…. the guy is a joke….an Ed Wade disciple.