Little Things

The little things are becoming bigger.

At the start of the eighth inning of last night’s game, the Phils were trailing 3-1. Jason Michaels led off with a grounder to short after thinking he had walked the pitch before. The ump thought differently and as usual had the last word. Chase Utley and pinch-hitter Kenny Lofton followed with singles, leaving fans to wonder what might have been with the Michaels non-walk. Mike Lieberthal ended all the speculation by grounding into a double play.

In the bottom of the inning lefty Aaron Fultz got two quick outs. Charlie Manuel decided to bring in right-hander Terry Adams, the man no one wants except the Phillies (twice!!), who promptly gave up two singles and a walk before getting out of the inning. I kept muttering to myself, “If he gives up a home run they should hand him his unconditional release before he hits the top step of the dugout.”

In the top of the ninth the Phils went down meekly.

Charlie Manuel has been managing himself into several corners lately. Last night he started Placido Polanco again in left field for the ailing Pat Burrell. When Lofton batted for third baseman David Bell in the eight inning, Manuel was forced to bring Polanco into third base and insert Lofton in center. Lofton, less a defensive replacement than a last resort, proceeded to overrun a ground ball single in his only chance of the night. He smiled for the camera, though.

With David Bell continuing to struggle, Manuel is quoted in today’s Inquirer as saying he is thinking of giving Polanco a serious look at third base. That would mean centerfield, second base and now third are in constant flux. Add in the abbreviated Gavin Floyd bullpen experiment and a rotation that has already seen six starters and what we have is an unsettled ball club a mere 21 games into the season. Things haven’t gotten ugly yet, but with so many starters struggling and moving in and out of the lineup it will only be a matter of time.