The Phillies offense had a disappointing season.
The Phillies identity for the last five years has been their offense. However, since the middle of May this year, the offense has been a huge issue. Though they scored runs over course the season, they also went through long slumps of very poor offensive production, and at times they struggled just to get base hits.
In spite of these problems, the Phillies managed to turn their season around, and win the N.L. East. But ultimately their offensive shortcomings caught up with them.
In the first inning of Game 6, it looked like the Phillies were on their way to their best offensive performance of the post-season. They got to Giants starter Jonathan Sanchez for two runs early, and delivered patient at-bats in the first inning. They started the third inning by getting runners on first and second with no outs. However, after Jonathan Sanchez was removed from the game, the Phillies offense shut down.
In what was ultimately their elimination game, the Phillies hit just 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position. The Phillies had plenty of opportunities to break the game wide open, but the big hit never came. And this time, there wasn’t a critical error by the Giants to bail them out.
Incredibly, Ryan Howard failed to drive in a single run in the entire post season. Chase Utley drove in a run in Game 6, but he was also invisible for most of the post season. Raul Ibanez wasn’t much of a factor either; he did not get a hit until Game 5. Jayson Werth was the only middle-of-the-lineup player that had a decent post-season, but he’s set to sell his soul to the highest bidder in the offseason.
This year the Phillies learned that having the best team on paper doesn’t guarantee you a spot in the World Series. The Phillies had an attitude all season long, even when struggling, that they would be able to turn their offensive problems around when they needed to. While they did save their regular season, they didn’t live up to those standards in the playoffs. Hopefully they’ve learned that they can’t just flip the switch on and expect everything to work just fine. And hopefully next season they will come back hungry, and determined to prove that this season’s problems were an aberration.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.
Very dissapointing end to the Season.
The lost fair and Square to the Better all-around team who Out-Hustled,Out-Hit,Out-Pitched and
were Out-Managed big-time Bochy and Co…. 3 Mistakes I thought C Manuel made last evening
#1) Not attempting to steal some bases early in the game to keep the Pressure on the GIants,
Their Catcher (Posey) does not posess a strong arm and hasn’t thrown a runner out all Series.
#2) Brought in Madson an Inning too soon, Madson has been lights out for the last month but he is used to coming in the 8th inning for 1 Inning and not for 2. You could tell even in the 7th inning that he was laboring a bit and did not have his “A” stuff. Should have brought in Contreras and or Romero
to face that part of the line-up in the 7th
#3) Using B Francisco as pinch hitter in the 8th with 1 out and Ibanez at 3rd Base..
Why not use Sweeney, all that was needed is a fly-ball to get the run in, Francisco strikes out too much and is not as good as a contact hitter
Charlie did not use his bench that well at all, D Brown, Valdez,Sweeney could have contributed if used on occassion. Giants used their entire 25 Man-Roster, while the Phils continue to stick with their regulars (which is Charlie’s style) even though many of them were not hitting,seeing the ball well.. How many Strike-outs in the NLDS by the Team… (Probably 40% of their total outs by the K which is unacceptable for Major Leaguers and especially this Phillie Roster)
Why is it that whenever a Philadelphia Sports Team is the Favorite, that they cannont come thru and play up to all the hype and expectations… I can think of 1 Team going into the Playoffs as Favorites that lived up to their ability and that the 1983 Sixers team who just steam rolled everyone in their path to a Championship.. But the Eagles (1980 Super Bowl, NFC Championship games to Bucs,Panthers & Cardinals). The Flyers in numerous Playoff Seasons where they fell flat and were eliminated and now the Phils..
Moving Forward, The Phils still have a solid core (but are getting a little older in some spots)
The Big decision or action is whether they can Sign RF Werth who will command a 4-5 Deal worth
at least $15-$18 million per season which would come out to $70-$80 Million Deal total.
The Phils can afford it, but would have to move a couple of players to free-up some $$$.
Victorino and Blanton can be moved for they are players who make a reasonable salary who still have value out in the market.. Ibanez makes $13 Million and is not an option to trade unless PHils eat at least $8 Million of it. Ibanez is a good player but needs to play in the AL where he can DH and not play the field, he just can’t get to many balls and his arm is below average and he is 39 years old.. If he went to team just to DH and maybe play the field occasionaly,he could probably play another 2-3 years.. Look for the Tigers,White Sox, or the Oiroles to be interested but only a cut rate of $5 million or less for Ibanez. I ahve a feeling we may be talking about this same thing about
Polanco in 2011, a good player, but not worth $12-$13 Million at their ages and therefore hard to trade
Pitching Wise, they have H2O Returning as well as Blanton,Kendrick,Durbin,Baes,Romero, Madson & Lidge all under contract. I believe Moyer, Contreras are Free-Agents. The definitely need to add to the bullpen and specifically some LHP who specialize in getting LH Batters out..
The Biggest area to address is the Lead-off spot, Is J-Ro at 32 still a Lead-off type of batter..
I am not so sure, 32 is not old but has pllayed in a lot games over the years and I believe his body,legs are starting to breakdown just a little bit which is what happen when you play middle infield and you get older..The need to upgrade their Bench for Francisco,Gload,Sweeney,Dobbs are not going to put any fear to any opposing Pitcher when they come up to bat.. Good Guys in all, but no game changers out of the group, not real speed, no real defensive prowess, just average players..
The offense went south after the sign stealing episode. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.
I heard Charlie and Bill Belichek have Condo’s right next to each other in Boca Raton too…
Right before the trade deadline,I would trade HOWARD if he is having a great year or bad one. If he is having a great year, u do it cause we know he has nice numbers during the regular season but will stink against good great pitching like he did against the Giants and Yankees in last year’s WS. If he is having an ok or bad year, then u say enough is enough. The money this man makes, unbelievable.IF he is so great then some team will take him, his salary, and give a good hitter that hits above 300 and plays a different position than 1st base plus a great prospect.
There is no longer a Market for Howard at his current Salary level..
3 teams can afford that $20 Million Salary (Yankees,Red Sox, Anaheim ) and all 3 don’t have the need and are not interested in a $20 Million per year Salary player. He should play in the AL where he can Dh for though he has improved as a First Basemen, there are so many balls hit that he flat just can’t get to that go as hits but where you see other 1B making plays on the ball, but not Howard…
howard also delivered us a championship
im upset with him but he single handedly put us in the playoffs the last 2 yrs down the stretch
he’s a former mvp and he’s still young as a player
who cares how much a player makes so shut up about salary
i dont give a f what djax makes nor ryan howard
wtf is wrong with u ppl in philly sometimes yall do the same thing to every fing superstar here man my God
how bout roy halladay getting cody ross out or not making the same fing pitch to him again in game 1
how bout chase learning how to fing field and throw to 1st base
how about oswalt comes in in relief and walks the fing leadoff
how bout we had no leadoff hitter whatsoever in the playoffs or reg season for that matter
how about we fing bunt wit 2 on no1 and out and jroll at the plate no he pops up advances no1
look howard should have swung but in no means should we have even been in this perdicament
and everything is fine when we win we were fing cellar dwelers forever
now we r losing in nlcs after a ws and a ws trip and ppl have he nerve to bash the 1s that won it come on man we won the ws as a team and we stunk in nlcs as a team
and j roll please get it together
it was to the point id rather had watched valdez
jroll had a miserable season just awful season and he supposed to be our leader
freakin lead then wtf
Binoculargate anyone ?
Like Tech Triumph posted –hard to believe in coincidence