Fans had reason to be excited last week when the Phillies swept the Mets at Citizens Bank Park.
I tried to tell people to relax, which shouldn't be a problem after yesterday's 7-6 loss to the Marlins.
The Phillies pitching staff remained a concern for me. Before their six-game winning streak in which they had a 3.27 ERA, the Phillies had a 7.97 ERA in their previous seven games in which they went 1-6. The Phillies wake up today with a 4.85 ERA, the second-worst ERA in the National League.
That's a problem.
Consider the 48 teams that have made the playoffs in the National League since 1994:
Thirty-four teams (70.8 percent) finished in the top four in the league in ERA.
Only one team (2.1 percent) finished in the bottom four in the league in ERA, which is where the Phillies currently sit. The Colorado Rockies had a league-worst 4.97 ERA in 1995, but they also averaged a league-leading 5.45 runs per game.
Just six teams (12.5 percent) finished in the bottom half of the league in ERA.
In 11 of those 12 seasons, the team with the best ERA has made the playoffs. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a league-best 3.16 ERA in 2003, but also had the worst offense in the league to miss the postseason. Only three teams (6.3 percent) finished the season with a 4.50 ERA or higher: the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 (4.54), the Chicago Cubs in 1998 (4.50) and the Rockies in 1995.
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Charlie Manuel is desperately looking for somebody to pitch the sixth and seventh innings with Antonio Alfonseca and Jose Mesa almost out of gas.
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Jimmy Rollins had every right to complain about the umpiring in the ninth inning yesterday.
The 2-0 pitch that home umpire Rob Drake called for a strike clearly was high. At best, it might have been letter high. But no umpire calls that pitch a strike. None. So to have Drake call that pitch a strike in the ninth inning with the game on the line was terrible.
"It was called on me once, like the first pitch of a game, but the umpire came back and was like, ‘I won’t call that on you ever again,’" Rollins said of the letter-high strike. "My gosh. Like I said, all he had to do was hit the glove. He decided he was going to call it a strike. It was obvious."
Comments (4)
Ok Charlie, Im taking my gloves off now..I've defended you through all these turbulent times.. Im saying this, ,hoping your listening.Your probably not, but I can release some steam...1st) Dont you ever, sit Utley again...2nd) No more saving pitchers, for another day,its September. Let them rest, when season is over.. 3rd) Romero, why take him out? he deserves a shot..4th)Ruiz,should've been pinch run for when he got to first, not second, he was the go ahead run...5th)Pitchers , have them pound that outside corner. Who's calling these pitches anyway ? Charlie, your doing a great job keeping this team together, but I'm not a coach and I seem to be a step ahead of you. Delegate your decisions, to other qualified baseball people in dugout. You have Williams there, use him .
Posted by Pat H | September 3, 2007 12:40 PM
Posted on September 3, 2007 12:40
Bats silent today for Moyer who pitched well enough to win.
But either way (ARI/SD win or loss), we are still 3 back of the wild card.
Sounds like Charlie has to have another team meeting and soon.
Let's go guys...we can still take the wild card
Posted by Brian | September 3, 2007 3:48 PM
Posted on September 3, 2007 15:48
Hi guys,
Charlie and team.....Keep it up. I know it's a long season. I know it was a letdown going into Florida. But please try and take the next 2 from the Braves. It's tough now, but you can do it. Pat the Bat.....You are the reason that the Phils are still in this thing. Don't hear the negatives.....Come out and smoke it brother! You are the man!
Pithing Staff....much maligned....Don't prove that....you all are in the big show.....Show some frikkin' guts boys. It's your time NOW to make it to the post-season. If most of you don't get it together....you will be remembered for NOTHING. It starts now.....Don't let yourselves down!
Posted by Gene Toz | September 3, 2007 9:37 PM
Posted on September 3, 2007 21:37
wow,philly fans thought they were going to the world series after sweeping the mets,ha,you were just kidding yourselves.you guys looked very much like minor leaguers against the marlins and now the braves.you guys were flying high last week and now have been shot back down to earth...how a weekend can turn things around.you wont be in the playoffs...again....and you aren't the team to beat in the east(j-roll).will you please tell him to stop crying for getting a strike called on him that is letter high.take it from a die hard mets fan...philly will never win or even make it to the playoffs for the next few years.LETS GO METS
Posted by macho man | September 4, 2007 7:16 AM
Posted on September 4, 2007 07:16