Bullpen spoils game, maybe more

Ugueth Urbina ruins an outstanding game from starter Brett Myers, as the Mets steal the first game of the series 6-5.

With the loss, the Phils fall 1.5 games back of the idle Astros in the National League Wild Card race.

Game points
I haven’t had coffee yet, I sat in traffic on the bypass and I’m dog tired from staying up for most of this game. So forget about a nice, clean recap. You get bulleted points. Bullets somehow seem appropriate.

• How crazy has this season been? A month ago, the Phils had the inside track to the postseason because their bullpen was better than the rest of the Wild Card contenders. Instead, they've completely cracked.
• The Urbina deal probably tipped into bust territory with last night’s meltdown. That’s his sixth blown save since joining the Phillies. Charlie Manuel made the right call by lifting Brett Myers and going with the veteran setup man. Urbina just couldn’t get it done. However, there's no excuse why Billy Wagner was not ready to make his most important save as a Phillie when things got dicey. He's paid $9 million to pitch in spots when the game is in jeopardy. Unbelievable.
• Chase Utley has held his own defensively this season, but next year, I’d like to see the Phils add a top-flight infield specialist to sub Utley off the bench in the ninth. Teams use defensive subs all the time, and it would be a nice option to insert a very good fielder to protect a lead in your home park in the ninth.
• Danny Graves’ chin music to Jimmy Rollins swung the momentum in Mets favor. It changed everything. Until then, the Phils were cruising.
• Former Phillie Roberto Hernandez worked two innings for his third save. That’s just perfect.
• What happens to the Phillies bullpen next season? Look for Eude Brito and Robinson Tejeda to move back into reliever spots, and for Urbina to exit stage right. We could see Hamburg, Pa. native Nick Evangelista next season if things get desperate. Evangelista is being groomed as a closer and is slated for Double-A Reading next season. Why the team doesn't draft more college closers, who knows? It would make life a little easier, and cheaper. As for Billy Wagner, I wouldn't give him the money he's asking. It's not a smart investment, not when other teams are getting by with pitchers like Derek Turnbow, and the Phils can't even lean on their veteran corp - or use it properly.
• Look for the Mets to win this series and essentially end the Phils' playoff hopes. The momentum has swung drastically in the Mets’ favor.

Comments

[Matt]

Jason--I agree with you on some points, but not on others. I think you're dead wrong on Utley--you do not replace him in late innings in a close game for a lesser hitter who may make or may not make a better play on a ball than Utley. Utley's isn't the best fielder in the league, but he has the same number of errors as Biggio with a better fielding pct. Other than Marcus Giles and maybe Grudzielanek, Utley is having one of the better combo hitting/fielding years for a 2nd baseman in the league.

Wagner himself thought he should have been in there to pitch, and so do I. Neither Manuel nor Urbina should be with this club next year. Period. Manuel cannot in-game manage to save his life, and Urbina is a stiff.

I agree with you about Wagner. Fuck this guy anyway. I am sick of his attitude about the fans. He has no clue what makes this city tick. We are waiting for them to srew up so we can boo? Like Bob Ford said in the Inq today---we're waiting for them to win so we can cheer. He can take his redneck mentality somewhere else. Let Tejeda handle the closing responsibilities.

[J. Weitzel]

Matt:
To clarify on Utley: Ninth-inning sub, not late inning like I said - and I agree 100 percent he's too valuable to replace in most situations. Can't argue there. Teams sub out players in the ninth all the time at home. It would just be nice to have a very good fielder to insert to protect a lead.

[Matt]

I see your point. Ninth inning---right there with you.

[Tom Goodman]

Chase has struggled in the field lately. For every diving stop he makes, he has had his problems turning some double plays and throwing. I think part of it is just fatigue, but part of it is that his reputation as an average fielder is not far off the mark. He plays very hard and always gives 100%, but he has his defensive deficiencies including an average arm at best and some difficulty on the pivot. It isn't an insult to take someone out in the ninth inning at home to provide a little more defense. Of course, in the Phillies' case, who, exactly would that be?

[Ken]

the whole affair was soooo sad and so predictable...staying up till one to see that crap.

I'm not there on utley. i leave him in no matter what. despite that play last night he's more average than below average.

but not bring in wags for 2 innings???
does anyone think joe torre wouldnt have brought in rivera after urbina walked reyes???? it was obvious that urbina wasnt on his best stuff (at least on tv)

the thing that kills me is how they lost..PREVENTABLE STUFF>..a blown grounder in the 7th, leaving the bases loaded, getting thrown out at 2nd on sac fly(utley)..should not have been even a 3 run game in 8th..

a shame..its down to last hope now..in this compressed time frame maybe phillies pull together and win 4or5 and put pressure on astros.

[J. Weitzel]

Thanks for reminding me of one point I forgot to mention, Ken. Kenny Lofton popped up the first pitch from new pitcher Kaz Ishii with the bases loads, two outs. How boneheaded was that? Ishii is a walk machine.

The Phils have beaten themselves all season against the Mets.

[theragtopguy]

Isn't Tomas Perez supposed to be that great late inning defensive replacement?

The team may play better under CM's relaxed regime, but I still think that he alone has cost the team at least 3 wins with his poor gamesmanship.

Agreed, that Urbina and Wagner have got to go. Wagner's caustic tongue sucks.

[Matt]

"but I still think that he alone has cost the team at least 3 wins with his poor gamesmanship."

well said--although I would venture its twice that.

[J. Weitzel]

Yeah .. I'd agree, too, and I've tried to remain pretty objective. April, May ... he probably cost them three wins just in those early months.

[Tom G]

Manuel is a horrible tactician, no doubt about it, but I think he is a net gain overall because of his clubhouse style. Sam Donnelon had a great article about just that in the DN.

[J. Weitzel]

I'd strongly agree on that point, too, Tom G.

This team actually overachieved when you consider where many people thought they'd be at this stage of the season. Look at the number of career years or breakout seasons they've had, and also look at how they performed on the last road trip.

I have a feeling the majority of print guys will want Cholly to stay. If he does, they MUST start hot next season and build on this hot September. Aside from last night, this has been an incredible month.

[Tom Goodman]

How many career years did they have? Maybe Jimmy's, pending the next five games? Chase and Ryan certainly had breakout seasons. Pat made a fabulous recovery. Lofton-Michaels were very good as a tandem but neither breakout or career. Other than that, not much on the career or breakout front. Bell, Lieberthal, Abreu all played as expected. Pitching: Lieber came through pretty much as expected. Myers certainly did not. Lidle in line with career figures. Wagner was his usual self. Madson a down year on balance. Cormier from hunger. Tejeda a work in progress. Brito an uncertainty. Urbina hardly impressive since arriving. Fultz a welcome surprise/breakout of sorts. Geary up and down. Pratt about as expected except he played more than anticipated. Perez a disappointment. Martinez almost invisible. Endy should have been invisible. Wolf a lost season. Padilla abolutely maddening.

Boy, when I look at that list I think they overachieved and gave us lots of pleasures and an equal amount of frurstration.

[Ken m]

here's the followup to the critique of ""good ole cholly"

How many stinking times has he put wagner in in non-save games, easily more than 6 times i can remember, including 2 recently...

so last nite, when we need a hero, its aaron fultz who gives up a smash double..

madson actually did pretty well but couldnt get the 2nd K or popup he needed...where was wagner???? unavailable till ninth , he's been in 4 of the last 5 games!!!!!!!!!!

sorry to obsess, but i'm a phillies fan so all i have is resignation and next year

[J. Weitzel]

Of the veterans, I'd say Burrell, Myers, Wagner (possibly) and Fultz had career years.

As for Lofton and Michaels, they're batting .328 and .303 in part-time duty.

The big breakouts are massive breakouts: Utley and Howard - 25 and 20 homers from players playing their first full season. That's really good.

I look at the list you wrote and I'm pretty satisfied actually. Don't forget: there was no gigantic surprise collapse, either, like there was with Pat Burrell and Marlon Byrd under Larry Bowa, unless you count Thome, but he's injured. Cormier isn't a surprise. Terry Adams and Tim Worrell aren't really surprises.

First and foremost, these achievements are a credit to the players themselves, but it's also a plus for Manuel to oversee so many good seasons.

[Tom Goodman]

Myers, a career year? He has been a huge disappointment, last night notwithstanding. I cannot believe you wrote that, Jason.

[J. Weitzel]

Alas, I must have mistaken 2005 with the other season Myers was almost voted to the all-star team, Good sir Goodman!

I'll give you inconsistent second half for sure. I haven't been happy with his attitude, either.

But you can't take away the fact that he was the best pitcher on the staff in the first half and was among the best in the NL for the first few months. His record should be better than 12-8, but they didn't score any runs for him early on.

I believe 2005 still counts as a step forward for Myers, even though he hasn't given us much to write home about lately. He lowered his ERA from 5.52 last season to 3.72, and he added or improved a few pitches in his arsenal.

Based on his very solid first half, and a handful of nice starts in the second half, I maintain it was a career year for Myers.