- The Phillies split their doubleheader with San Diego Sunday. They took 2 of 3 from the Padres over the weekend and move a game ahead of Atlanta in National League East. They play the Dodgers in a big three-game series starting tonight, Chase Utley's farewell to Philadelphia, while the braves visit Miami for two games this week. Atlanta plays LA four games this weekend.
- Why is the local media lecturing Phillies fans about not booing Manny Machado this week? Are we morons? I don't need a clueless bimbo like Ava Graham on WIP Radio talking to me like a child. I want Machado to sign here during the off-season and realize it wasn't his choice to go to Los Angeles. He was traded, he didn't sign as a free agent.
- I'll cheer Chase Utley on Wednesday when I'm at the Phillies-Dodgers afternoon game, but not every time he hits or touches the ball. Once the game starts, don't forget- he is an LA Dodger.
- The thing I will most remember about Utley is his work ethic, his hustle, his passion for the game, but most of all, his short, compact swing. In his day, Utley's swing was so quick, a flick of the wrist , generating power with line drives all over the ballpark. I knew age had caught up with Utley when his bat slowed down.
- Altherr and Leiter Jr. were sent down to Lehigh Valley last night. Is there a trade brewing? The Phils need a bat. Nick Castellanos of the tigers has 15 homers, a .308 average, is average defensively, but is signed thru the 2019 season. I would also love to see the team get Zach Britton, the left-handed reliever from Baltimore. Nick Pivetta hasn't been pitching well for a while now. Either J.A. Happ or Cole Hamels would be an upgrade and provide a lefty starter in the rotation. Now GM Matt Klentak needs to wake up and make the moves to help improve his first place club.
- Not only is it a key series because of Utley and Machado, but in the larger scheme of things, both the Phillies and Dodgers may meet in the post-season. Home field advantage may be in the balance. After splitting with the Dodgers in lA earlier this year, with a pair of improbable Dodger wins, time for revenge. The rotation is set up with Eflin, Nola and Arrieta among nobodys. Time to send a message to Magic Johnson and everyone in Los Angeles that we're not gonna take it anymore.
- Cesar Hernandez is a nice player. Not spectacular. Not an All-Star, but solid. He will hit .275, play average defensively. He has speed but needs encouragement to steal bases. He can bunt and has some pop. He should be hitting 2nd in the line-up, not lead-off. Ideally, Scott Kingery, or Roman Quinn, if he were healthy, would be better lead-off guys. Kingery is the long-term answer at second base. You don't sign him to a 9-year contract to be a utility player. Klentak needs to deal Hernandez in the off-season ( as he should've done last season), to open second for Kingery.
- Once again. Manager Kapler made excuses for his players, giving Hernandez a pass for not wearing sunglasses during a dropped pop fly in the fatal 6th inning of Game One yesterday. Hernandez has been around long enough to know better. So, how do you tighten up the Phillies' poor defense/ Get better players and play them at their normal positions!
- So, the Phillies strike out too much, they can't hit in the clutch, the defense sucks and the bullpen is inconsistent and shaky at times. Yet they are in first place! Credit luck, the starting pitching and the manager for keeping the young team positive. They do bounce back after a bad game. Not many long losing streaks this season so far.
- Curious move by Kapler at the end of the doubleheader. With two outs and a 5-0 lead,with no one on base, the manager lifted reliever Adam Morgan for closer Siranthony Dominguez. Siranthony needed the work, and hopefully will be fresh for the Dodger series. Nothing should surprise me about Kapler anymore, yet most of his odd moves have worked out- so far.
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