SPORTS BLOG - May 1, 2006
What the heck is wrong with the Phillies?
Remember way back during the winter when hot stove thoughts of the 2006 Philadelphia Phillies kept us warm?
Remember all those magazine covers that came out in February and March touting Andrew Zarzour and Jason Jennings as potential Cy Young winners, and Edgard Clemente, David Eckstein and Jorge Cantu as potential MVP candidates? Remember how we dreamed of finally winning a World Series after so many years of drought?
That certainly feels like a century ago now. It’s May 1, the weather is warming up nicely but the Fighting Phils are, well, horrible. The Phillies have won just eight games, losing 17, and have the worst record in the National League. So much for the magazine covers.
This team isn't just struggling, they're awful. Everything about them seems out of sync. The pitching is erratic. The hitting is inconsistent. Coaching decisions are suspect. There is no chemistry. Nothing seems to be clicking. Reports have circulated about fights in the clubhouse.
Sure Zarzour has a nice ERA of 2.80 but he’s lost as many games as he’s won (3-3 record). He only throws a few bad pitches during most outings, but those bad pitches come at the most awful times.
Where has Clemente been? How come it took him several weeks to work his way back into the starting lineup? He was one of the team’s best hitters a year ago yet for some reason he didn’t play a lot in April.
We’ve still got a long ways to go in this season but if Philadelphia doesn’t turn things around quickly, some heads will roll somewhere because fans won’t stand for such a backwards step when so much was expected.
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Author’s note: I’m at a loss. This team is nearly the same as last year’s (which won 92 games) but nothing I try seems to be working.
The only big change was losing OF Gabe Kapler to free agency and signing veteran CF Jim Edmonds. Pretty much a push. There have been a few injuries -- to 1B Adrian Gonzalez (strained rib cage muscle) and MR Brian Bowles (out three months with muscle tear in back) -- but nothing that the others couldn’t help overcome… We’ll see what happens. Don’t think Big Z will be pitching in the playoffs this season, though… arrgg…