Why the Phillies' next seven games are crucial

It’s not time to push the panic button on this 2014 Phillies season.

But depending on how the team fares over its next seven games, it soon could be.

After the next seven at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils head west for what sure looks like a difficult 10-game road trip. If the Phillies go limping into those 10 games, it will spell trouble — and not just for the trip, but the season.

The Phils — especially the bullpen — just got done showing their vulnerability against deep and powerful offenses.

Here’s what they’ll get on this 10-game road trip:

· The Rockies, who lead baseball in batting average (.320), on-base percentage (.371), slugging percentage (.494), and feature MVP candidate Carlos Gonzalez (.389 avg.), Troy Tulowitzki (.407 avg.), Michael Cuddyer (.415 avg.) and Justin Morneau (.387 avg.)

· The Dodgers, the defending NL West champions with names such as Hanley Ramirez, Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier sprayed throughout their order, not to mention quality starting pitching to go with it

· And the Diamondbacks, who have an MVP candidate of their own in Paul Goldschmidt (.370 avg.) and one of baseball’s early home run leaders, Mark Trumbo (5 HRs, 13 RBIs)

That’s power, power and more power on tap for the Phillies’ leaky, questionable and inexperienced bullpen.

One nightmare road swing can crush a season. Entering July 20 last year, the Phils were 49-48, in second place and 6½ games out of first. They then lost eight straight to finish their nine-game trip away from home and the season was gone.

Given the circumstances, the Phillies can’t afford a bad April. They need to play well enough before the July trade deadline approaches to convince management to keep this going.

And that brings us back to these seven upcoming games. If the Phils don't stem the tide before going west, April could be disastrous and the season unsavable.

Comments

[NEPP]

Now, now, we've got 1 ER against Fernandez in 18 total innings against him. I'm sure we'll be fine tonight. That's 1 run on 8 hits in 3 starts against him. Yeah, we're gonna be fine.

Our current players that have faced Fernandez are a combined 2 for 43 with 2 BB with a .135 OPS (yes OPS). Ironically, 1 of those 2 hits was by Ben Revere.

[Curt]

Fully expecting a no hitter.

[NEPP]

Watch out if Dobbs is used as a PH against Burnett: 7 for 11 with a 1.394 OPS for his career against AJ.

[NEPP]

"Welcome to Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park! Tonight's theme is 'Dress up as an empty blue seat and get in free' night!"

[Cyclic]

This batter looks about 16

[NEPP]

Stanton is another guy that just owns us...should be "interesting" tonight.

[Cyclic]

Impressive first inning for Burnett.

I expect the Phillies to go down in similar fashion

[NEPP]

Retract that last statement...for whatever reason, I was thinking he did but Stanton doesnt actually have good splits against us.

Good deal!

[Cyclic]

Bye bye, no no

[MG]

Phils at +125. I'll played a hunch tonight.

[Cyclic]

Howard costs another run on the bases. Pathetic.

[NEPP]

BYRD BYRD BYRD, THE BYRD IS THE WORD!!!

[bay_area_phan]

Oh brother. That looked like 3 runs and turned into 1. Something tells me that Howard's appalling lack of speed will come back to haunt us.

[Cyclic]

Anyone keeping track of that? It's at least the 2nd time I've seen

[bay_area_phan]

Alright. Scratch that 7:23 post. He scored anyhow.

[bittel]

Two runs ought to be enough for Burnett tonight.

It better be.

[MG]

Howard healthy my a$$. Just a matter when he ends up on the DL due to his balky knee.

[Cyclic]

Defense!

That surely won't cost a run

[Cyclic]

Of course.

[Curt]

Sad.

[NEPP]

Hey, we gave the runs right back. What a shock.

[Cyclic]

Baseball is so fun.

[bay_area_phan]

If Burnett had fielded that DP throw, he would have been out of the inning. Has anyone noticed that our pitchers, save for Lee, are absolutely wretched at fielding their position?

[Curt]

Burnett had a real tough throw to handle. The one out walk was the bigger problem. And Fernandez is done with being wild high.

[NEPP]

The 1st was our chance...Fernandez has settled in.

[bay_area_phan]

It wasn't really that tough a throw. It was a short hop, but I would expect a major leaguer to make that play. But, yeah, the walk was problematic too.

[Curt]

Short hop, behind him, while he was running away. Most guys don't catch that.

[bay_area_phan]

I only saw it once, so I could be blaming the wrong guy. Maybe the problem was with the throw.

[Reality]

MG has the tin foil hat on early tonight.

[Curt]

The throw was bad but Jimmy has the base runner in his face. No error I'd say.

[If the Schu fits]

Nice play by Byrd to cut off that ball before it got by him.

[bay_area_phan]

Burnett's completely all over the place. This will be in the hands of our trusty bullpen by the 6th inning.

[Cyclic]

This feels like a chance...

[Allen Thornberg]

Two men on, nobody out, Fernandez having trouble finding the strike zone again--but what you wanna bet we get zero runs this inning?

[bay_area_phan]

"Two men on, nobody out, Fernandez having trouble finding the strike zone again--but what you wanna bet we get zero runs this inning?"

I was about to take the bet, but now that it's bases loaded, nobody out, there's no way they'll score.

[If the Schu fits]

Phils are doing well against Fernandez. Did not expect that.

[HammRadio]

That's a heckuva at bat by Howard... seriously... he would have struck out 3 times over last year.

[Curt]

The Phil's should be taking two strikes.

[Curt]

Byrd terrible AB.

[Cyclic]

Thanks, Byrd.

[Meyer]

Up the ladder fastballs to Byrd.

[Allen Thornberg]

Well, someone had to show Howard how he should have done it; the Big Piece has been taking too many Unproductive walks this game.

[Curt]

Fernandez would have walked 2 more Phil's if they would have allowed him.

[Cyclic]

Amazing. Great job by Byrd and Brown.

[Cyclic]

Pick 'em up, Chooch!

[HammRadio]

Brutal.

[Allen Thornberg]

Damn.

[Curt]

Well that was bad. Fernandez wanted to implode, but the Phil's wouldn't allow it.

[Cyclic]

Pathetic.

[bay_area_phan]

Fail.

[Cyclic]

2-0.

Why was he not sitting dead fastball. It was right over the heart of the plate.

He knew that's where he had to come, or else go down 3-0. And he just watched it go by.

AB was over at that point.

[If the Schu fits]

If the Phillies lose this game, that last inning, bases loaded, no outs, only one run in, will be remembered/cursed.

[bay_area_phan]

From 0-2 to a walk. Both these pitchers are pathetic tonight.

[Allen Thornberg]

If the Phillies lose this game, that last inning, bases loaded, no outs, only one run in, will be remembered/cursed.

Posted by: If the Schu fits | Friday, April 11, 2014 at 08:26 PM

By everyone but clout, who will blame the loss entirely on whatever reliever gives up the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and call us all idiots for criticizing the offense.

[NEPP]

If and when the Phillies lose 4-3, it will 100% be on the bullpen.

[Geraldo]

If the Phillies lose, I'll blame Bjork.

[Curt]

Fernandez can barely find the strike zone but somehow now has 6 straight Ks. Good work team.

[Geraldo]

My Bjork comments always bring the game discussion to an end. Won't do it again. My apologies.

[Geraldo]

Burnett is battling. You have to give him that.

[If the Schu fits]

The battle may be coming to an end.

[bay_area_phan]

"Burnett is battling. You have to give him that."

If, by "battling," you mean stinking the joint up something fierce, then I would wholeheartedly agree with you.

[NEPP]

Impressive effort by our 5th starter.

Oh wait, its Burnett.

[Cyclic]

This will end well.

[HammRadio]

Burnett hurt... Good thing the Phillies have all that starting pitching depth...

[If the Schu fits]

No I just meant he didn't have it tonight but despite this he had only given up 2 runs until this inning at least.

[bay_area_phan]

I lost my MLB.tv. Is he injured?

[Allen Thornberg]

Why do I think that the Marlins will do much better with the bases loaded and one out than the Phillies did with the bases loaded and nobody out?

[NEPP]

Yes, Burnett is apparently hurt.

[ramsey]

What happened to Burnett?

[Allen Thornberg]

Well, I'll be. Diekman the Fireman.

[MG]

Any word on what Burnett's injury is?

[bay_area_phan]

Definitely did not see that coming.

[ramsey]

Jake for closer.

[NEPP]

***Any word on what Burnett's injury is?***

His arm fell off at the elbow...it was pretty grisly actually.

Seriously though, not sure. Didnt seem major.

[HammRadio]

JIMMY!

[bittel]

You're inappropriately down on Diekman, BAP. He's not great, but there's more there than you acknowledge.

Having said that I wouldn't be using him like Sandberg is.

[BobbyD]

Actually, if the bullpen scatters 2 runs in 4 2/3, and the Phils lose 4-3. That really wouldn't be all on the bullpen.

[NEPP]

The Man.

[bay_area_phan]

bittel: He's got great stuff. I'm down on him because of that grisly walk rate, and terrible numbers against RH hitters. If he's able to improve in those area, he can certainly be a very effective reliever. But he's already 27 so time is not exactly on his side.

[BobbyD]

Now a loss would be the BP's fault.

[NEPP]

Yes, we are officially in "Loss attributable to Bullpen" range now.

If we were to lose that is.

[NEPP]

"Soreness to his groin" is the word on Burnett.

[Allen Thornberg]

Howard taking his iron boot for a run again...ouch.

[NEPP]

Something interesting brewing deep in the heart of Texas:

Darvish: 5 IP, 7 SO, 0 BB, 0 Hits.

[bay_area_phan]

I give the bullpen a 50-50 chance of preserving this lead.

[Unikruk]

This has actually been an interesting game. Not convinced the bullpen can hold given everybody's pitching tonight, but at least we'll get some good looks.

Really happy that Sandberg has been willing to experiment with his lineup and calls to the pen. Could you imagine Cholly bringing in Madson in the 5th to put out a fire?

[bay_area_phan]

So much for the theory that we kept Nix because Galvis can't play 3rd. I never bought into that theory anyhow.

[MG]

Injured groin for Burnett? Ugh.

[NEPP]

At least the offense looks good this year...

[bittel]

Howard's improved pitch recognition by itself is worth a small parade.

[bittel]

Feldman is going to come in under Lee, LorecorE.

WOuld love to have gotten him for $8M.

[bittel]

And Houston has a hit.

[NEPP]

Small ball!!!

[clout]

If the bullpen blows this lead, Allen Thornberg will blame it on the offense.

[NEPP]

No, we officially crossed into "loss on the bullpen" when it got to be 5-2.

[NEPP]

Bastardo's looking rough so far.

[bay_area_phan]

Bastardo very skillfully guided that 400-foot fly ball into Tony Gwynn's glove, rather than over the fence.

[mainerob]

Bastardo needs to go back to LH and get himself some confidence sans the drugs. It must be a difficult adjustment just to rely on God-given...

[MG]

Nice grab by Gwynn. Bailed out Bastardo that a ball that would have likely bounced off the wall or gone out earlier.

[NEPP]

Smart of him to do that.