- Phillies bounced back Sunday afternoon, salvaging a game in Canada by defeating the Blue Jays. They lost 4 of 6 on the road trip. They stay 3 games behind Atlanta, who won as well. Hopefully the team hangs tough to make those final 7 games vs the Braves at the end of September meaningful.
- Homer heaven! Sunday;s game was typical Phillies. They homered 4 times. That's Kapler's game- play for the 3-run home run. Sometimes it works but often using speed, bunting, stealing, playing small ball leads to rallies. Too often this Phillies team has failed in the clutch, even to put the ball in play to score runs.
Whatever happens this year the organization must address the inconsistency of the offense. Too many strike-outs. But that's analytics.
Tonight starts a key home stand. 6 games against the nationals and Cubs, including a rematch of Nola- Scherzer Tuesday night, and the return of Cole Hamels on Sunday. He has pitched brilliantly since joining Chicago. It would've been so easy for the Phillies to bring him back to Philadelphia. A lot of people were wrong about Hamels,, thinking he had nothing left in the tank. Not me. I wrote here in the blog and on Twitter how Hamels is a big-game pitcher and would benefit the Phillies in many ways. I predicted they would regret not dealing for him, not only to give the rotation an experienced lefty, but as a mentor for the young pitchers too. Plus, keep in mind these younger pitchers like Valasquez, Pivetta and Eflin are approaching their highs for innings pitched. Having a Hamels would've helped and strengthen the bullpen as well, as Pivetta could've slid into the 'pen.
I'm actually surprised because they did get Ramos, Bour and Cabrera, which added veteran depth.
Hamels goes tonight so let's see if he continues his strong performance for the Cubbies before they invade Philly this weekend.
- The WIP Morning Show posed the question: Have the Phillies had a successful season? Incomplete. Sure the club is much better. But after being in 1st place for over a month this summer it's only natural to want more.
Surprises? Nola's season, where he has a shot for both the Cy Young Award and the MVP Award. Franco , after nearly getting traded, finally woke up with the trade murmurs and the Manny Machado rumors. Williams has had a solid season after only playing part-time and pinch-hitting early in the year. Hoskins has solidified his spot as team leader and home run/RBI leader for years to come.
Disappointments? Many, especially for a team so close to 1st place. Kingery, after another tremendous spring training and signing a huge contract, hasn't been what I expected. But of course, he has played on and off as a utility guy and out of position most of the season. Trading Hernandez and putting Kingery back to his Gold Glove caliber position should help. The Phillies have invested too much in Kingery not to put him at second base. A double-play combo of Kingery and Machado in '19 and beyond works for me.
Other disappointments: Aaron Altherr. After hitting 19 home runs in 2018, Altherr finds himself back in Lehigh Valley with an uncertain future. Granted, he didn't play everyday either all the time, as the signing of Carlos Santana slowed down the development of the younger players.
Speaking of Santana, he has to be considered a disappointment. Despite his 19 homers, his average has hovered around .215 all season. He hasn't been as good defensively as advertised. He isn't aggressive enough and prefers to walk than hit. Hopefully he can be dealt during the off-season.
Another big disappointment was J.P. Crawford. He got hurt again and when he was healthy didn't hit. Not what I expected from such a highly-thought-of prospect. I wouldn't be surprised to see him dealt in a package as well.
Catcher Alfaro sucks defensively and strikes-out too much. His potential and rocket-arm save him form being a bust.
I'm not disappointed in the bullpen as they are what they are. Early in the year Siranthony Dominguez was a pleasant surprise, but he has since slacked-off.
Finally, one has to say that Odubel Herrera is a disappointment. After getting off to a hot start he has not only been an inconsistent hitter but has at times reverted back to his old days of sleeping on the base-paths and playing inconsistent center field.
If the team makes the playoffs or even comes close to Atlanta with hopes for 2019, i can't be disappointed. But if the club continues to lose series and fades in the NL East race I have to be disappointed overall. With September almost here the Phils' fate is in their own hands, not only with the 7 remaining games against the Braves, but more games vs division rivals Miami, Washington and new York. Problem is the team needs to beat those mediocre clubs, and their track record against bad teams, like San Diego, Cincinnati and Miami, where the Phillies have lost key series this summer, is not good.
- The Eagles practice for a meaningless exhibition game against the Jets Thursday night. The Falcons are the main focus, and we should know soon if Carson Wentz will play the opener on September 6. Who will give most of the reps in practice with the first team? What about Peters, Sproles or Jeffries- will they see action against Atlanta?
I wouldn't bet money on the Birds in the opener. They may be a totally different team once the season starts, feeding off the frenzied crowd after they raise the championship banner at the Linc. For the coaches and players who want to forget last season, the Super Bowl glory and move ahead, a week from Thursday night and all of the pre-game festivities will be one last celebration for the fans to savor the magical championship season before it's back to reality and facing the challenge of trying to defend the title with the new season on hand.
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