Gabe Kapler is starting to cost the Phillies games by making stupid moves as the manager. He has kept out of the way for most of the early season but within the last week or so, coincidentally during this current losing streak, he has made one bad, analytical move after another.
On Sunday in Los Angeles he pinch-hit for Nick Pivetta in the 6th inning. Pivetta was pitching the game of his life: Six innings, zero runs, nine strikeouts, no walks against one of the best lineups in baseball in the Dodgers. Pivetta had tossed only 82 pitches and was dominating LA. But instead of Pivetta pitching into the 7th and beyond, Kapler hit for his starting pitcher, with runners on first and second and two outs. The weak-hittingPhil Gosselin struck out looking.
I can see pinch-hitting there were none or one outs or if Jay Bruce was on the bench ( the Phillies officially traded for the powerful Seattle outfielder on Sunday).With the depleted bullpen it made no sense to remove Pivetta from the game at that point.
Speaking of the bullpen, they suck. Vince Velasquez seems lost and clueless in the 'pen. Guys like Rios can't pitch in the majors. I don't trust Neris, who blew the game Friday night. Craig Kimbrel, where are you?
The Phillies were beat 8-0 on Sunday, LA sweeping the series and going 25-7 at home. Philly as now lost a season high four straight games, now only one game ahead of Atlanta in National League East.
The offense produced a mere three hits yesterday. Bruce will help when he plays but the bottom line is, as the big guys go- Harper, Hoskins and McCuthen, so goes the Phillies. Other than Harper's home run on Saturday night, the big hitters did not step up against Los Angeles.
The club now has a measuring stick as to how they stack up vs the better teams in the national League. They held their own against Milwaukee and St. Louis, but Los Angeles is clearly the best team in the National League. Will Gm Matt Klentek make the moves required before the July 31st trade deadline to improve the club?
Kapler is on thin ice if the team languishes near the All-Star break. Ownership didn't spend all that big money on free agents only to see the team miss the playoffs because of their inept manager.
On to San Diego tonight to take on the second place Padres.The Phils would need to sweep all three games to even the road trip before coming home Friday to play Cincinnati.
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