I can't take it anymore!! I'm upset, frustrated, and confused and it's all because of my beloved Fightins' or should I say Frightins'. I figured I needed an avenue to vent so I've taken to my electronic pad and pen. Please, somebody, anybody tell me what in the name of Mike Schmidt is going on with this team. My 3 time defending NL East and 2 time defending NL Champion ballclub has done a total 180 and is resembling the team playing 305 miles to the west in the Keystone state.
I get the simple facts. This is a ballclub who is flat out not hitting. Not situationally, not in spurts, not in a paper cup. They've also had inconsistent pitching from both the starters and the pen. Now, I know those of you who cheer for the Orioles, Royals, Pirates, and Diamondbacks are playing your tiny violins and asking me to understand the plights of their ballclubs and take my sorrows elsewhere. I just can't.
See I'm a big baseball card guy. You look at the players that make up their day to day lineup and you look at the back of their card and you say they'll come around. They have to. Most have long track records with minor hiccups and have shown the ability to bounce back and play to their numbers. Then tell me why I am curled up in the fetal position in the corner with the theme from the Crying Game playing in the background.
See, I'm done with the excuses. I've heard everything from they have injury issues, to contract worries, to they are in a prolonged slump, and to the fact that they are a second half team and they will bounce back. I wish I could believe at least one of these things to give me a glimmer of hope for the upcoming two months. But facts are facts. Sure they've had injury issues, what team doesn't. They've gone through periods of time in recent years where they have lost Rollins and Utley and Howard and some of their pitching staff but they've been able to at least tread water and stay in contention until the health returned. In fact, the Red Sox have lost more of their key players in both their lineup and rotation this year and have continued to play good baseball, staying in the American League East race, which is by far the most competitve division in baseball.
Also, I'm done with the adage that they will bounce back because they are a second half team and they will snap out of this funk. I'm not so sure. Three weeks, that's a season. Three months, that's a mediocre ballclub. Now, I don't proclaim to know what is going on in the heads of the players nor do I proclaim to know what could help right this ship. Here is what I see:
-Lack of discipline: Whether they are pressing or feel the need to play the role of the hero, they all seem to be trying to play above their heads. Their small ball players are swinging for the fences while their big stick guys are looking at strike 3. This lineup was built to provide speed, athleticism, and power and they aren't doing enough of the former 2 and trying to hard to utilize the latter.
-Lack of desire: It might be the fact that they have this "been there, done that" mentality or the fact that they have resigned themselves to having a bad year, but you don't see the passion and drive you usually see with this ballclub. They seem content with rolling the ball out there and seeing what happens. There are too many "heart" guys on this team for that to be the case. I just hope they aren't looking forward to football season right now as much as I am.
-Attitude: From a distance I see a club that has lost their swagger. And I also see some players who have a bad attitude.
If I had it my way, the rest of the year would play out as follows. First thing I would do is change the atmosphere and mentality of the team by shaking things up, moving some people around and possibly shipping a few out. Now, I hate to single someone out, especially one whom I have been a big fan of, but I think that Jayson Werth has to get on out. Whatever the reason, he has become surly with the media and the fans, and seems to have too much on his mind. Maybe a change of scenery would do some good for both him and the Phillies. It's hard for me not to point at his impending free agency as a major issue in his performance. Bring up Dominic Brown. Yeah, I know the lineup will look like a lefty specialists wet dream but so what. Maybe this can't miss prospect will infuse the club with some much needed enthusiasm and pep and help them break out of this stagnant state they've been in. You don't know until you try.
Another issue would be for the entire club to refocus. Get your minds back on the game. Watch a little more film, particularly when you were going good. See what you were doing right and pinpoint where you are faltering in the now. It couldn't hurt.
One more point, I would love to see Roy Oswalt in the red and white pinstripes. But I don't know if it'll change anything in the short term. You could piece together the 5 best starting pitchers in baseball right now (Jimenez, Wainwright, Price, Johnson, and Lee for example) and you would still look eerily similar to the team you have now. HIT!! Hit in your sleep, on the way to the ballpark, hit while you eat, hell hit your significant other (I'm only half kidding). Just get back to your "happy place" and go at it. Before it's too late!
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