Labor Day Off

There was a time when everything shut down during Labor Day. It was difficult to find an open gas station let alone a clothing store, restaurant or mall. The only "working stiffs" expected to show up were ballplayers. Apparently, the Phillies didn't get that memo.

How can the same team that played inspired ball the second half of the series in Chicago sleep walk through a Labor Day game against the Nationals? Easily if you are the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies; just play in character. If there were a relatively new wrinkle to yesterday's woeful performance it was that both the starting pitching and the hitting took the holiday at the same time.

Kyle Kendrick had no command; absolutely none. In this morning's Inquirer Rich Dubee said Kendrick was pitching scared. He sure didn't look like he was pitching to contact, which is what a guy with only average stuff has to do to win. Over his last five starts he has a 9.14 ERA. The Phillies are openly saying they will skip over him for his next start, which would have been against the Mets. What they haven't said openly yet is that they might skip over him for a spot on the post-season roster, if there is a post-season for the team itself. That, of course, would do wonders for his already shaky confidence, but, then, the Phillies have always been poor handlers of players' egos. In this case, however, a bruised ego would be worth the risk if playing in October is at stake.

It didn't help matters that whenever the Phillies face Tim Redding, yesterday's Washington starter, they make him look like Cy Young. Redding had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning. The Nationals are 4-1 against Philadelphia when Redding starts. The Phils could have gotten to him right out of the gate, but they stranded two runners in the first inning and managed only four hits for the entire game.

They hardly wasted a good effort by their starting pitcher, but they did waste the good feelings that prevailed after the two straight wins in Chicago. More than one Phillie left the Windy City saying out loud they could play with any team. Washington?