- The Phillies just can't seem to beat the rival Mets. Even with a revised lineup the new Yorkers still have it over Philly. Witness last night's -76 loss in 11 innings. The Mets won the game on defense, and the Phils lost it on defense.
The one play which turned the game was Franco's double play in the eighth inning, a great defensive play by McNeil at third base to turn the twin-killing. With a 3-1 count, two runners on base and no outs, Franco hit a scorcher to third. But instead of a hit it was a sharp double play. Three more guys were walked to force in the tying run. Then Bryce Harper swung at the first pitch and lined out to second.
The Phillies played stupid baseball all night. Their fundamentals were poor. It looked like last season.
Aaron Nola again had a poor outing. As stated several times before I think Nola is hurt. His velocity is down and he can't snap off the curve ball. He has no control of his off-speed pitches. He seems to be favoring his right arm at times.
Nola denies he has an injury . So if it's not mechanics ( if it is, wouldn't a coach fix it by now?), or if Nola isn't slacking because of his contract extension, what is it?
With the win the Mets jump over the Phils for first place in NL East, a 1/2 game ahead. The Phillies can recapture the lead with a victory tonight behind the struggling nick Pivetta. With Drew Anderson now on the roster ( he pitched two scoreless innings in relief last night), is this Pivetta's last shot at remaining in the rotation?
- The Sixers saved face by destroying the Brooklyn Nets, 145-123. After only leading by a point a halftime, coach Brett Brown tore into the lackadaisical squad in the locker room and they came out and scored 51 points in the third quarter. icing the win. The series is now tied at 1-1 heading to Brooklyn on Thursday.
- The Flyers named a new coach on a busy day for sports in the city, a nobody who couldn't cut it with Vancouver or the Rangers. Either Flyers' management are really bad at public relations or they snuck in the announcement, knowing hockey fans would be pretty underwhelmed with the choice.
- Carson Wentz admitted, via Zach Ertz, that he was playing with a broken bone in his back since early October last season. The more alarming news is that his back is "still healing' and he "hopes to be ready by late may when the team starts early training.
There has to be concern about Wentz' durability. The Birds let a Super Bowl MVP quarterback go in Nick Foles for an injury-prone, inconsistent and unproven guy form North Dakota State. Don't get me wrong, I like Wentz and still believe he is the future QB. But if he continues to be fragile Eagle fans have to ask what if..the team had kept Foles instead, signed him to a long-term deal, drafted a young quarterback to groom for the future ( Stick from North Dakota State?
The NFL schedule comes out later this week, a day to plan your activity in the fall. Next week is the NFL Draft, starting Thursday night.
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