Now or Never

We’re reaching the breaking point for a lost season in Philadelphia. In my last post, I said that I hope the next time I write about the Phillies it will be more positive. Believe me when I say, it has only gotten worse, much worse since then. The Phillies are coming off being swept by the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend in Canada. They blew leads. They never score late. They are on the gurney flat lining as we speak.

I told my father that we did not need to worry until the Phillies got 10 games back of first place. When I said that I was hoping it would happen (if it did) by May and the Phils would begin their climb back. It is almost late June and the only reason the Phils are not 10 GB right now is that the first place Nationals have lost 3 straight to keep the Phils at a daunting 9 GB. The Phils are kicking it in the basement, it’s dark, it smells, and nobody is happy with a 31-37 record.

When the season began question marks loomed over Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. While they are both rehabbing and playing meaningless (meaningful?) games in Florida, the Phillies are floundering searching for answers.

Cliff Lee doesn’t have them. He has started 11 games and has yet to record a win. In the beginning, it was the offense’s fault, but that has been the case so much in his last two starts. Cliff has blown 3 run leads in each of them.

Cole Hamels doesn’t seem to have the answers either. Sure his record looks great at 9-3 but he hasn’t had a quality start since May. He has not been sharp in 4 consecutive starts. In fact, look at his ERA in June. It’s coming in at a whopping 6.75. He was staked a six run lead and almost blew it in Minnesota last week.

I’m working on asking Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Roy Halladay if they have any answers. They can’t be reached.

Charlie Manuel, most of all does not seem to have the answers. But I for one, am not blaming the lovable old man. Manuel has guided the Phillies to 5 consecutive division titles and by all accounts is the best manager the Phillies have ever had. Many fans have been pointing to Charlie’s patchwork lineups, questionable bullpen usage, and overall shoddy play as reasons to be upset with the Phillies record and subsequently Charlie. Other than the reprehensible usage of Chad Qualls in the 8th inning of Cliff Lee’s latest no-decision, I am on Charlie’s side.

Think about it for a minute. Since Charlie has been here he’s had the best power hitter in baseball anchoring his lineup in the 4 spot virtually every single night. The entire lineup has revolved around Howard since 2006. He is the hitter pitchers fear. He is the hitter pitcher’s don’t want to face when they have people on base. Taking that bat out of the lineup has left a gaping hole in not just the lineup, but the Phillies psyche as well. Adding to that mammoth hole is Chase Utley and everything he brings to the table being replaced by the likes of, well currently Mike Fontentot or some other journeyman. That's right, Freddie Galvis is also on the DL, so the Phillies are down to their 3rd string second baseman. Ouch. 

This Phillies team is not built to win in 2015, or 2016. It is built to win the World Series this year. And next year, and maybe the year after that as "The Wheeze Kids II." Charlie is doing everything he can to keep this team afloat while they wait for their three best players to come back, and given his track record you have to let the Phillies play this entire season out before you jump on any “Fire Charlie” bandwagon that I have heard a few grumblings about.

One thing I will fault this team for, and by extension their manager, is their lack of attention to detail. If you watch the games, and I will admit I just have been busier than years past and have not been watching to my normal full extent, but if you watch these games you are watching bad baseball. Hunter Pence is good for generally one bonehead move a game. It’s like he’s playing high school ball out there, do yourself a favor and get a clue mentally Hunter (Don't even get me started on his first pitch swinging). They don’t take extra bases when they can, which almost always leads to them not scoring when they could have. They seem to have forgotten how a sacrifice fly works, because they play dumb with a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs more often than not. They make mistakes in the infield, constantly. It doesn’t help when you have Ty Wiggonton and Hector Luna playing defense at the corners on a Major League level. Those guys are just not capable. But mental errors have plagued this team way more than they should, so Charlie better be letting these guys know about them. Jimmy Rollins needs to lead by example, and Jimmy finally going on a tear could be just the thing this team needs.

In reality, what this team needs to do is take care of business at home. Tonight marks the start of a 10 game home stand and you can use all the clichés you want for this stretch of games. It is now or never time for the Phillies over the next week and a half. They have to win 7 of these ball games (7 of which are against the Rockies and Pirates) in order to get back on track and back in contention.

It has to start tonight. Cole Hamels takes the mound against the Rockies. He needs to go out and be dominant and give this team some confidence it badly needs. The Rockies are not exactly a powerhouse team and the Phillies need to take advantage. It will happen one game at a time, so why not start tonight with their best pitcher at the start of a 10 game home stand?

Last year it seemed like the Phillies maybe lost 5 series all year. This year it seems like they lose almost every series they play. Teams are no longer afraid of them. They are no longer favored to win (almost) every single game. Their rotation has holes. Their lineup has holes. It is time for the proven guys, the guys making a lot of money, to stand up and be the reason the Phils win ball games. To win a couple series in a row. Hell maybe even get a sweep of their own?!? If they don’t play above .500 until the All-Star Break it might be time to pack it in before our big three even return to the diamond. I don’t want that. Charlie doesn’t want that. And all the fans that became fans in 2008 can go back to not being fans again if this is the case because nobody in Philadephia wants to stop loving this team.

Also, just for my sanity. Everybody needs to take Tom Hanks' point of view from the beginning of this clip the next time Cliff Lee takes the mound. Get that man a win for chrrrisssakkkeee!!!