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Need Relief? Don't watch the Phills.

By kevinrmcguire, Section MLB
Posted on Sun Apr 10 2005 at 8:51 PM EST
More on: (all tags)

It used to be one of the strengths of the team.  It used to be one of the only aspects of the team that one could count on.  So why is the relief pitching such a dreadful experience in Philadelphia lately?

The recent turn in Philly is the fact that getting to the closer is proving to be a struggle.  Last season may have been the most frustrating yet as the Phillies had expectations to make a run at Atlanta for the division.  There were numerous times when the starters pitched some good games and left the game with the lead, another facet of baseball I have yet to completely understand.  The middle relievers would come in and falter and suurender the lead, often quickly.  Wagner, when not injured, found himself warming up sometimes, only to be told to sit back down.

With a new manager in Charlie Manuel and a new pitching coach in Rich Dubee, and the lack of excuses to blame the hot-headed managerial style of Larry Bowa, and the pitching coaching of Joe Kerrigan (who by the way, helped mold Pedro Martinez into what he is today), there are no excuses for this year's team all around, including middle relief.

I could tell there was going to be a problem on opening day when the Phillies built a 7-1 lead going into the sixth inning.  Middle relief comes in, final score is 8-4.  Ok, not too bad.  They held off a rally.  Not so the next game two days later.  Pat Burrell slammed a two run shot to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead.  things looked like they would go their way and Wagner would be able to make an appearance to get the save, but as the eighth inning started, so did the Washington Nationals' run production.  The Nationals scored four times in the eighth inning, building a 6-3 lead with time running out.  They would add one more in the nineth to win the game 7-3.  The set-up men failed once again.

The next day proved no better.  The relievers gave up two late inning runs.  One in the eighth inning which tied the game at four, and one in the tenth inning which wound up winning the game.

So, after three games should the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia be worried?  Starting the season 1-2 against the Nationals isn't exactly a stellar start.  With a weekend trip to St. Louis up next, followed by a trip to Florida, and then facing the Braves at home, they better hope things turn around fast.  Getting off to a slow start killed the Phillies last year as they finished behind the Braves by ten games.  The rest of the team should be set to win some games, especially if Burrell continues to play as well as he has in the first few games.

Don't push the Panic button quite yet.  But get that button-pushing finger warmed up.