I guess it can get uglier than this, but it's hard to imagine. What isn't particularly hard to imagine is that fan interest in the Phillies is about to start falling off. Not, it should be said, because the fans are fickle, which they aren't. Nor can it be because these Phils can't hit a lick, which they can't. No, fans are going to stop coming to the ballpark because the Phillies are so damn boring to watch these days. They might be this year's leading soporific.
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Earlier this month I wrote that Cole Hamels isn't likely to sign a long-term deal with a a fading team, especially since he will likely be the premier starting pitcher among the free agents. Why would he want to stick around and lose a lot of games 3-2 and 2-1? Ruben Amaro seriously miscalculated when he didn't push hard to sign Hamels before the season got underway. Of course, I don't really know if Amaro tried hard and failed or didn't try hard enough. I do know it won't matter now because Hamels will be gone.
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Shane Victorino could join Hamels on the train out of town next off-season. He should be in demand, too.
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Charlie Manuel gets and deserves a lot of credit for the Phillies' success over the last five seasons. Of course, the success also had something to do with the players. Now, Manuel doesn't have much beyond a good starting rotation and closer and one or two good position players. Indeed, his loyalty to veterans, a well-documented tendency, likely led Manuel to encourage the signing of players like Jim Thome, Ty Wigginton and Juan Pierre.
Thome, for one, is washed up. He'll hit a mistake out of the ballpark for old time's sake, but he cannot hit consistently any longer. The bat has slowed down to a crawl. The desperate move to start him in the field only underscores how blind his manager is when it comes to cherished veterans. One option would be to let John Mayberry play first for a couple of straight weeks. If last year was a complete aberration, let's find out once and for all. Charlie cannot pull the trigger on either player.
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Chase Utley is getting his wish. He is either recuperating or inching toward retirement in complete isolation. It's even doubtful his manager and general manager know what is really going on. Meanwhile, Ryan Howard is staying much closer to the team as he tries to recover from a devastating injury. At least we are getting progress reports with him.
