PHILLIES PHODDER

The latest on the woeful Phillies..

* The team finally cut bait with OF Michael Saunders and J. Gomez. The Saunders move should've been done a long time ago, but the organization wanted to see if he could work his way out of his year-long slump. He couldn't He was a bust from day one, a $9 million bust.

I get it about putting a professional hitter in the line-up, but Saunders just wasn't the guy. Washed=up, has-been? Maybe he will hook on with another team. Regardless, his release opens a roster spot. Addition by subtraction.

Interestingly enough, it was only last week when GM Matt Klentak gave Saunders a vote of confidence, saying how the club would stick by Saunders/ "If we get him going..he could carry the team for a month."

Delusional. The only thing he was going to carry was his bags outta Philly.

Gomez, meanwhile, was a mystery. Hard to believe Gomez was the same guy who saved so many games last season. But it turns out that was smoke and mirrors. Gomez pitches to contact, not a strike out pitcher, and many of his saves were lucky.

He finally ran out of steam late in 2016, a combo of being over-used by manager Pete Mackanin and lack of talent. It continued into spring training this year, as Gomez lost his closer's job to a parade of false contenders.

I won't miss either.To Gomez' credit he never complained. He looked lost, as do a lot of the Phillies' pitchers, under the shaky guidance of pitching coach Bob McClure.

In their place, the Phils promoted OF Cam Perkins, P Hoby Milner and brought back 1B Brock Stassi from Double-A Reading.

Fans are asking, why not finally bring up Nick Williams, or Dylan Couzins or one of the young prospects?

Perkins deserves a shot. He was in the Phillies' farm system a long time. He hit well at all levels and hopefully will catch on in Philadelphia as an extra outfielder.

Milner is a left-handed reliever ( which the Phillies need),a guy who Cleveland picked in the Rule 5 draft. He couldn't cut it with the Indians so they shipped him back to the Fightins'.He showed promise in the past. Anything is better than the slop that is the current bullpen.

Stassi is back after making the team in spring training. He got caught in a numbers crunch, as we ll as a mediorce season. He gives the Phillies another left-handed bat off the bench, while spelling Tommy Joseph at first.

Hopefully these moves are just the tip of the iceberg. More releases and trades will come soon. Til then the fans endure with agony.

* The Phillies are finding new ways to lose this dreadful season. Last night they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 8-1. The Cards scored 7 runs in the 11th inning, the most runs given up in extra innings against the Phils since San Diego put up 9 runs vs. the Phillies in 1995.

The back end of the bullpen, Ramos and Fein, got pounded big-time. Well, Fein got pounded with two 2-run homers. Ramos walked the only two Cardinals he faced.

The Phillies are not just losing at a record clip- on pace to lose an astounding 110 games- but they are now embarrassing themselves. The front office let this happen. Do you know how hard it is to lose 100 games, let alone 110?

The entire front office, including manager and coaches , should be fired after the season. Cleaning house, so to speak. Nothing else will make up for a long, painful season of hopelessness.

* Jared Eichoff was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a back strain. Eichoff is 0-7 and hasn't looked the same all season.He was supposed to be the workhorse of the staff, a bright, reliable star/ He hasn't even come close.

Too soon to label Eichoff a bust. He's too young to five up on. But if his struggles continue I wouldn't be shocked to see him demoted to Lehigh Valley to get his act together. It's gotta be discouraging to a young pitcher. Maybe he's just not good enough either, and the Phillies once again over-evaluated him when making the Cole Hamels Texas deal?

Time will tell.

*  Let's have some much-needed fun and give a brutally honest,brief synopsis of the current Phillies on the roster...

T. Joseph-  Having a good year after a bad April. Am average p[layer, nothing special. I wouldn't block Rhys Hoskins for him. Trade bait in the off-season ( back to Giants?).

C. Hernandez- Hurt now, on disabled list for next six weeks. Was playing good ball before injury. Not a true lead-off man. Phils will have to make a decision - is Hernandez future second baseman for Phils, or is it Scott Kingery? Move Hernandez to another position or trade him while value is high?

F. Galvis- Probably Phillies shortstop of present and future, unless J.P. Crawford gets going in Lehigh Valley A huge disappointment and potential mis-evaluation disaster. Scouts will be fired if he isn't special soon .Galvis shines defensively, but doesn't get on base enough, and isn't really the 20-homer guy he showed in 2016.

M. Franco- Another big let-down. Franco should be starting to make the all-star team about now, not digressing, with thoughts of demotion whispered. Swings too hard, undisciplined at plate. Trade bait down the road, especially if 3B Manny Machado is snatched  in free agency after 2018 season.

O. Herrera- Not a star, never will be. Mistake signing him to contract extension. A powder keg always about to explode. Lazy player, lots of potential. Trade him and play Aaron Alterr in center field.

H. Kendricks- Solid hitter but will move on, probably in July, to contender.

'A.Altherr- Future star. Has all the tools. Hopefully all this losing doesn't jade him.

P. Kelly- a journeyman outfielder, nothing more and nothing less.Not the future.

C. Rupp- Had his chance to lock down catcher in Philly and blew it. Strike outs are way too much,  A

A. Knapp- Should be playing more, and I think he will.  Probably a solid, switch-hitting back-yp catcher in the long run.

A. Blanco-Won't be utility man  in 2018 for Phils. He is what he is, nothing more or nothing less. A pinch-hitter who has  visible flaws if he plays every day too often.

A. Nola- Too inconsistent for me. Should be winning between 10-15 games by now. Injury-prone. A big question,Doesn't have the stuff to be an ace. Nothing more than a no.3 type starting pitcher on a staff.

V. Valasquez- On disabled list. If healthy has the best arm on roster. Destined for closer's tole in future.

J. Eichoff- See above. Another young pitcher who should be blossoming by now. Instead he's hurt and hasn't won a game in 14 outings.

J. Hellickson- Trade bait in July. Another mistake by not dealing him last winter and not letting him walk in free agency.Huge disappointment this season.

N. Pivetta- Showed life last appearance vs. tough Boston. Held his own against Red Sox' star pitcher Chris Sale. Not an ace, more like middle-to-back of rotation guy,

J. Benoit- Broken-down diva. Gone soon.

E. Ramos- Young, but increasingly inconsistent.

  L/ Garcia- An enigma. Throws in high 90s but at times isn't interested. Doesn't have a role. Not a closer. Is he a set=up guy? Or a middle-innings/long man on staff?

H. Neris- Has the stuff nut doesn't have the heart to be a closer.

O. Neshak- Probably the all-star on this bad squad ( somebody has to go. Solid guy. Should be the closer. May bring back decent value at trade deadline,

A. Morgan- Only on roster because he is a left. Not good enough. A Kyle Kendrick-type.

M. Trout- The best [layer in baseball. OK< I can dream, can't I?

P. Makanin- Should be gone after season is over if team loses over 100 games. No discipline on team. No clue what is wrong and how to  fix it.

M. Mornadini, L. Bowa, J.Samrel, B. McClure and M. Stairs- All Phillies coaches must go. Team (especially young players are getting worse, not better.



* Finally, my next game is Saturday July 22 vs. the surprising Milwaukee Brewers , who are currently leading National League Central. It's Photo Night at the ballpark. But why would I want to take a picture of these bums?