Sloppy play, tight scores and sluggish bats are the symptoms, and they aren’t unique to Philadelphia.
In a way, April shares similarities to September as they both test the mettle of a club, but the comparison ends there. Physically, most players aren’t in sync and the adjustment to the climate and speed of play has only just begun. The challenge, then, is to get a team that reached the finish line in late October 2008 to seize opportunities in early April 2009, and since the physical part is prohibitive, the mental side becomes key. What are the expectations in April? For this particular club, .500 or just under might be an acceptable goal.
Notes: The R-Phils topped the IronPigs 7-5 in last night's exhibition at FirstEnergy Stadium and Mike Drago was all over it in today’s Reading Eagle. Unlike the players, Drago, freed from his winter scholastic duties, is already in full stride, contributing several pieces for today’s print and online editions. The veteran beat writer, who’s at the park daily monitoring the club’s most crucial level of the minors, sets himself apart as the leading journalist covering the Phillies farm system. Don't settle for the second-hand story. Get the real scoop, only in the Reading Eagle [Link]. ... Speaking of print editions, for readers checking in from Philadelphia, be sure to look for my column on Pat Burrell and the ring ceremony in today’s Metro. [Link]
JW: Is their a website/link to your Metro story?
Posted by: Bedrosian's Beard | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 11:33 AM
I'm not really worried about the Phils first 2 games, history (past 2 seasons) has taught me a good lesson in that you cant' flip out because of sluggish start. However, a win today would be very nice.
Posted by: GM-Carson | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 11:38 AM
After the last couple games I begin to wonder about the supposition that the Phils' major problem is their inability to score apart from home runs. It's a nice theory. But take away all home runs from the last two games and their record is 1-1. Six of Atlanta's eight runs have scored on long balls. It's easy to blame the offense's difficulties on trying to knock it out; but I think the bad approach comes from something else. I'm not sure what that is; but I'm not convinced it's "Bull-emia."
Posted by: Andy | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 11:39 AM
I wrote in a long essay last year how I was introduced to the Phillies at Connie Mack stadium when they were woefull. I like most comntributors to this blog am thrilled that the Phils took it all last year but there is really no excuse for blowing April just because its a tradition.
Posted by: RK | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 11:46 AM
Here's the link to JW's Metro story:
http://www.metro.us/us/article/2009/04/08/08/0653-82/index.xml
Posted by: Jim | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Clout:
Re: Feliz
There was one revolutionary in the game thread posting his angst for Feliz(in a very sarcastic manner):
Feliz has been OUTSTANDING in the field today. His automatic outs vs RHP is well worth the defense he puts out.
Posted by: illuminati | Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 08:47 PM
Posted by: khaiokien | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Reading Eagle sports page added to my bookmarks. Thanks, J..
Posted by: Sophist | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Oh (bleep)! We're losing in April because it is a Phillies tradition? Their no. 1 beats our no. 2 and their no. 2 beats our no. 3. This must all be Cole Hamels fault!
Posted by: Lake Fred | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Are we really going to be worried about our offense? Really?
The only significant change has been Burrell to Ibanez. Now, I'm as big a Burrell fan as there is on Beerleaguer, but not even I believe this change will have a significant negative impact on our offense.
It's two games. And it's two games remarkably similar to recent Aprils. Let's not get out of hand.
Posted by: CJ | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:43 PM
I don't think it's unreasonable to make critical observations on a game to game basis regardless of whether its the 2nd game of the season or the 70th. Another W or two in April in 2005 or 2006 really would have been nice!
Posted by: Gaze | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:44 PM
MG: You’re criticizing people for getting upset after 2 games, yet in your comments on last thread you treated 0-4 as if it were a disastrous road.
Look- everyone needs to settle down and accept these two losses as what they were; 2 games of a 162 game season. This team never plays well in April and there are an abundance of reasons why, most of which have already been covered. If we’ve learned anything though over the past few years it’s that this team finds stride in late April or early May. From there they are in the race. I’m as disappointed as the next fan, but to act like a 2 game deficit in the division is insurmountable is ridiculous. On the positive side our bullpen has picked up where they left off last year and I think both starters did ok except for a few mistakes here and there. Once this offense tunes up though we won’t be viewing 3 and 4 run leads as a big deal. Right now with our offensive deficiencies those early runs look much worse.
On Howard and the shift- it’s encouraging that he is starting to hit more ground balls to the middle of the field when they do it. It’s at least something, and is not him trying to prove some point.
The other way to beat the shift though is for the 1-3 hitters to get on base which they’ve sporadically done so far. Once Rollins, Werth/Victorino, and Utley start getting on base then the shift can’t be as pronounced which opens holes for the big man
Posted by: The Truth Injection | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Thanks, Jim. They must have just posted it.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:45 PM
This is slightly OT, but I figured people here would enjoy this a bit. Having grown up as both a Phillies and Orioles fan, and now live near DC, I spent the past hour trying to find out when our buddy, Adam Eaton was pitching. Here is what I learned.
Mr. Eaton apparently signed a minor league deal with the O's. It appears being a minor league pitcher for the O's is better than being a minor league pitcher for the Phils.
Mr. Eaton is not on the active roster, but hasn't exactly been cut from the major league team either. The Baltimore media seem to think Eaton will be added to the roster as the fifth starter just prior to their April 12 game against the Rays.
Here's the rub, though. Mr. Eaton isn't on the O's 40-man roster, either. Doesn't it sound strange that your projected 5th starter isn't even on the 40-man roster yet?
Maybe the O's are smarter than I thought, and are trying to ship him out.
Posted by: Squonk1964 | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 12:58 PM
How about giving us a link to reaing eagle/mike drago?
Posted by: erich | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:00 PM
In case anyone wants to click over there, Cerrone over at Metsblog is posting up NL East bloggers opinions on various topics, including your own J-Dubs.
Posted by: drew | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:11 PM
JW: Say it ain't so! Did George Steinbrenner taker over the Reading Eagle??? What happened to the long hair, man?
Posted by: MPN | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:12 PM
MPN: You meant George Clooney, right?
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:14 PM
Oops. Misread that. Thought you wrote that I looked like George Steinbrenner.
Posted by: J. Weitzel | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:19 PM
saw your article in the metro this morning as i was walking into work. good stuff, jw.
Posted by: zp | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:19 PM
I thought The Big Stein had a hair length policy, but I could be wrong... esp. considering some of the bad hair that Lou Pineilla, et al, ran out there in the `70s and `80s. So, yeah, Clooney then! This is like when Metallica cut their hair, the music was still great, but it just seems different...
Posted by: MPN | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:21 PM
I think Metallica's issue was being "sober".
Posted by: Bedrosian's Beard | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:25 PM
question - does anyone know if the ring ceremony will be on mlb.com for those of us out of the area?
Posted by: Dukes | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:44 PM
got my answer - if anyone else is interested, go to the phillies site and it says, "watch the ring ceremony live." just click on it.
Posted by: Dukes | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:52 PM
Phillies website has a link to it.
Posted by: Bubba | Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 01:53 PM