The Philadelphia Phillies lost their third straight game on Sunday afternoon, falling 9-1 to the Brewers. Their record drops to 31-33.
- It was a rough outing for starter Jonathan Pettibone. Pettibone allowed six runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. Pettibone put the team behind by four runs after the second inning, an he received no help from his teammates, who put together just five hits and committed a costly error in the field.
- The team’s lone run came on a solo home run from Humberto Quintero in the eighth inning when the game was well out of reach.
- Michael Young had two of the team’s hits with a couple of singles. He’s continuing to hit well at the top of the order.
- Ben Revere got the start in centerfield and went 1-4.
- Domonic Brown went 0-3.
- Laynce Nix got a rare start in right field for Delmon Young, but went 0-3.
- Jeremy Horst came in first to relieve Pettibone, and gave up two runs.
- Justin De Fratus pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
- Jonathan Papelbon came in to get some work in the eighth, and allowed a solo home run.
Final Thoughts
It’s very disappointing to see the Phillies lose three of their four games to a bad team like the Brewers.
They had fought for weeks to get over the .500 mark, and after taking the first game of the series behind Tyler Cloyd, it seemed as though that momentum was going to keep on rolling. But instead, the team fell flat on their faces. While they were never in today’s game, they blew two winnable games on Friday and Saturday, and now are once again below the .500 mark.
I’m starting to get a little concerned about Jonathan Pettibone. I think teams may be starting to figure him out a little bit. He’s gotten hit around a lot in his last couple of starts, and his ERA is beginning to approach the 4.00’s. It’s not a shock to see teams catch up to him, and he may continue to have games like this for his next couple of starts, but he’s got to keep his head up and make his own adjustments.
Another concern for the Phillies is the catcher position. Carlos Ruiz is already out, and now the team has lost Erik Kratz to a knee injury. Kratz was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and Steven Lerud was called up to take his spot. Kratz wasn’t great at the beginning of the year, but he’s been exceptionally productive over the last 15 games and has eight home runs and 22 RBI’s on the year. His production at the bottom of the order was one of the reasons why the Phillies were able to play better and get themselves above the .500 mark. He had 13 RBI’s in his last 14 games. You can’t understate what it means to lose a productive, consistent bat like that and replace him with Humberto Quntinero, who can’t be counted on to do much more than handle the staff.
Losing Kratz is a blow to the Offense, he’s had key hits, big RBI’s over the last few weeks..
This Horst needs to go down and why Papelbon wasn’t used in tied games
On Fri or Sat when they had a chance to win important games is beyond me, then they had to get him some work today in a meaningless outing once the game was decided..
Papelbon has been doing a good job…Cliches like ‘the league may be catching up to him’ are in the same category as the football cliches ‘he has a rocket/cannon for an arm’…In any case, what league?…The Brewers play in the American League.
Problem is that the Phillies didn’t hit, and didn’t even look like they came to play a game today.
One real and overlooked problem with the Phils has been their steady decline in defense over the past few years…Phils infield has lost much mobility, and seem to be out of position in the case of many ground balls that go ‘through the hole’…Some of this may be the lack of coaching emphasis on aspects of playing defensive ball.
I don’t even want to see any trades right now, just a new coaching staff.
As far as catcher: Yes, Kratz is really good and underrated, and his loss a blow but you have Quintero, who is sound defensively and hit a home run, and Joseph with the Iron Pigs, even though he wasn’t called up…Ruiz should be back soon.
Hopefully, the team will be interested enough to get some hits for Hamels in the next series.
One thing I should add: There can’t be any ‘change of the coaching staff’ in the middle of a season: Meaning, you can’t change everybody, but you can shake things up…Charlie is gone after this season in any case: I think most would agree…So, by promoting Sandberg, you jolt the team out of any complacency, and you see what he can do.
My only hesitation is that there have been a number of questionable calls as far as sending runners home, trying to score a run, this year, but this may be the players fault, miscommunication, or simply the opposing team made a better play.
I just think a new look in the dugout might be a refreshing change.
If Sandberg is the long term remacement for Manuel and by all accounts he is, then why not switch to him now, There is a lot of Seadon left,
But looking at 2014 and beyond, there are a good 5-6 Core Veterans that probably won’t be here (Utley, Ruiz, both Young’s and Rollins has 1 year at most left with the Phils) so why not find out what you have, see who us committed to the long term success of the Phils and Sandberg’s specialty was smart hitting and fielding and can get with the youngsters on the right track..
I stated before this Season that this was perhaps the worst Defensive steam that the Phiks have fielded since the late 80’s and that it would cost them a share of games and again, you just can’t go by the amount of Errors made, it’s the balks thru the infield that the older players just simply can’t get to anymore,
It’s the weak outfield with below average arms and have to play very deep so as not to have balls hit over their heads (D Young/Nix) but allow a lot of balks fa in front of them..Teams are stealing vases off the Cathers and young Pitchers easier, etc, etc.. And with a punchkess hitting line-up
(besides D Brown) the Phils don’t gave the Offensive Firepower to overcome..
paulman
June 9, 2013 – 11:22 pm
“I stated before this Season that this was perhaps the worst defensive team that the Phils have fielded since the late 80′s and that it would cost them a share of games and again, you just can’t go by the amount of Errors made, it’s the balks thru the infield that the older players just simply can’t get to anymore…
It’s the weak outfield with below average arms and have to play very deep so as not to have balls hit over their heads (D Young/Nix) but allow a lot of balls fall in front of them…”
All of that’s right, and, to me, Charlie doesn’t seem to give a shit, or he is unwilling to criticize his vets in order to correct these things.
Phils have good starting pitching, but lack clutch hitting for the most part, and so the lack of defense becomes more apparent…It will also screw with the pitchers heads, because they try to be too perfect, instead of trusting that their team mates will step up if the ball is put into play.
Please get horst the fuck out of here. Dude is a gas can
Notes from Phillies 3-2 loss to Minnesota Twins:
No hitting for Hamels, again…Charlie Manuel, replaced by Ryne Sandberg as of now.