"There's no sense in me sugarcoating it. It's kind of a 'show me' time. It's kind of like, 'Let's go. If we have it, let's see it.' That's kind of how I look at it. We've got 17 games left. That's what it's come down to. It's no time to talk. Let's do it." -- Charlie Manuel, after last night's 12-0 loss to Colorado at Citizens Bank Park.
Charlie Manuel said it's Show Me time.
Show Me, like, Show Me the Phillies can rip off a six, seven or eight game winning streak. Like now. Because while it's understandable everybody is concerned Kyle Kendrick could miss his next start after he suffered a right lateral knee contusion (bruise) in the fourth inning last night, one missed start from Kendrick isn't going to cost this team a trip to the playoffs. And three starts from Cole Hamels -- he said he hopes to start next Tuesday in St. Louis -- isn't going to get them there, either.
The Phillies have lost seven of their last 11 games. They have a 6.42 ERA in that stretch.
They have lost 13 of their last 24. They have a 6.05 ERA in that stretch.
If the Phillies are going to make the playoffs -- they're in a three-way tie, 2 1/2 games behind the Padres in the National League wild-card race -- they're simply going to have to pitch their best baseball of the season in their final 17 games. I'm thinking they need to play at leat 12-5 (.706) to even have a sniff. Because not only are the Phillies chasing the Padres, they now have to outplay the Rockies and the Dodgers. You would think one of those four teams are going to get hot. And like I wrote in today's paper, if the Padres finish 9-9, the Phillies would have to play 11-6 (.647) just to tie them.
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The Phillies trailed by 1 1/2 games in the wild card with 17 games to play last season. They finished 11-6 (.647), which tied them for the second-best record in the league. Unfortunately for them, the Padres went 13-5 (.722) and the Dodgers went 11-5 (.688) to knock them out.
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The Phillies trailed by 1 game in the wild card with 17 games to play in 2005. They again finished 11-6. But the Astros finished 13-5 to win the wild card by one game.
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Jim Salisbury writes that last night's loss sure sounded like a death knell on 2007.
Salisbury wrote:
The Phils have been beaten by a combined score of 20-2 the last two nights, getting only nine hits in 18 innings. They have heard boos, and have deserved them - especially last night, after loading the bases with no outs in the first inning and getting nothing from the meat of their order.
"That can't happen with the highest-scoring team in the league. Offense is the Phillies' sustenance because they don't have the quality pitching ordinarily required to stay in a playoff chase as long as they have. But even a dump truck full of runs wouldn't have saved the Phillies last night. That's how shaggy the pitching was, and, with 17 games to play, it's probably not going to get much better, no matter how many challenges manager Charlie Manuel issues.
"I think they've got to step up," Manuel said about the team's pitchers. "If we have it, let's see it."
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Here's more on Hamels' potential return Tuesday, and how Shane Victorino can't seem to stay healthy.
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Photos from last night's debacle.
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Some sobering numbers from Mike's Baseball Rants. A Citizen's Blog looks at Jimmy Rollins' MVP candidacy. Balls, Sticks, & Stuff has written the Phillies' 2007 obituary. Phillies Nation returns with a new and improved look. The 700 Level writes about Jim Thome hitting his 499th home run.
Comments (11)
i admire some others' optimism, but after last night i think i agree with jim salisbury. the phils showed great fight this year, will just be a little short. aside from that mets sweep (as fun as it was), you'd have to go back to the series before the one in pittsburgh to find one where they played consistent in all facets. the good news (hopefully) is they can't possibly have as many injuries next year- 28 pitchers used, and 12 starters? pat has his work cut out for him this off-season.
Posted by mike | September 13, 2007 11:04 AM
Posted on September 13, 2007 11:04
Todd- Can you tell us what the Phillies record is against each of the teams in the wild card race?
It seems to be that in the end it will come down to lost opportunities in head to head competition.
In 2005, the Phillies had a late season home series against the Astros where they had the chance to cement their wild card lead and did not. Sound familiar? (Padres, Dodgers, Rockies this year)
What is it about the Phillies that keeps them from steping up in the clutch?
Also, has anybody seen the player formerly known as Aaron Rowand? We could really use that guy. I think he's the one that was in the All Star game.
Posted by Josh | September 13, 2007 11:24 AM
Posted on September 13, 2007 11:24
Josh, I don't think Rowand has had a day off since who knows when, he looks worn down, I'm cutting him some slack. I suspect he's gone next year, so I'll just cheer him on the rest of this season and thank him for a great year.
Last night was depressing. I know that our bats run hot and cold, but for the first time, I saw a team that looks like it's packing it in for the season (especially after Kendrick had to leave). A fan sitting behind us had the theory that we were looking past the Rockies to the Mets. Yeah, that's the ticket. I just hope they don't roll over for NY (metsfan would be in nirvana if that happens).
The fun of following the 2007 edition is/was the hustle and determination they showed all year. As Todd says, the math isn't looking too good, but if it isn't to be, finish strong boys.
Posted by jimmymack | September 13, 2007 11:47 AM
Posted on September 13, 2007 11:47
Why didn't we have "Show Me" time at the begining of the season?
The Phillies are the poster-team for "Groundhog Day."
Posted by Civil Negligence | September 13, 2007 11:51 AM
Posted on September 13, 2007 11:51
Hard for me to get mad at Rowand; he's had a career year. We'll miss him. But as for Myers and Howard...
17 games left. Things can't get much worse, can they? How many days 'til spring training?
Posted by John in LA | September 13, 2007 12:09 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 12:09
since victorino has shown he can't stay healthy, and bourne hasn't really established himself, will the Phils make an effort to bring back Rowand.
Posted by timm | September 13, 2007 12:23 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 12:23
Howard's swinging K in the first set the tone for the entire evening.
With the exception of Monday, it looks like he has mailed it in for the season. On the bright side, there will be no MVP tour and maybe he can spend some time with a personal trainer in the off season.
It would be interesting to see our records against SD, COL and LA.
I think at the end, the Dodgers will sneak in and win the WC.
Then again, I still don't want to give up on this team. But we need some offense tonight.
Let's head to NY on a positive note.
Posted by Murph | September 13, 2007 1:38 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 13:38
The Phillies are 8-11 against the Padres (4-3), Dodgers (2-4) and Rockies (2-4). Of course, there's still one game to play against the Rockies. Three under .500. Three behind the Padres in the loss column. Interesting, huh?
Posted by Todd Zolecki | September 13, 2007 1:56 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 13:56
I think we are only a game or two over .500 against the Marlins and Nationals. Good teams beat bad teams like a rented mule, and we didn't do it.
No excuses for the boys.
My major complaint with Manual (who I like) is he doesn't squash the players mindset of what we hear in spring and into the late summer "..we still have time, it's a long season, we can get right back into this", etc. All true but yet another season proves it ain't happening here. 5 more wins in April and May and the wild card pretenders are chasing us. Still a glimmer of hope, but like a sunset, fading fast.
Posted by jimmymack | September 13, 2007 2:42 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 14:42
San Diego's Last 18 Games
@ LA (1)
SF (3)
PIT (4)
COL (3)
@ SF (3)
@ MIL (4)
Anyone see nine losses in there? I sure don't. At least Pittsburgh is still playing hard. And Milwaukee should still be in a race for the Central.
That being said, we need to start hitting tonight.
Posted by Murph | September 13, 2007 3:07 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 15:07
It seems the Phils are always behind and trying to play catch up. When was the last time they had a lead, kept the lead, and won? It's been awhile. It has to be frustrating for the hitters to always pick-up the pitching staff. They need a strong game from a starter who can go far into the game and keep the lead. If not, they can kiss their chances goodbye again.
Posted by Anonymous | September 13, 2007 3:45 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 15:45