Game review: Phillies vs. Nationals, Game 1

As reported yesterday, I was on location for yesterday's season opener between the Phillies and the Washington Nationals. Of course, the Phillies' pitching staff could not hold on to leads or ties, and the Phils lost, 11-6.

What we hope to do here at Mike & Mike's Phillies blog is offer you, the reader, some thought-provoking insight into what's wrong (or right) in Phillies World. The task of opening up this round of discussion has fallen to me.

The Phillies offense did its job yesterday. Sure, there were some individual disappointments, like the Phillies debuts of 3B Pedro Feliz (0-for-4, 2K), RF/PH Geoff Jenkins (0-for-1, K), and OF/PH So Taguchi (0-for-1). CF Shane Victorino (0-for-3) and late-game 3B Greg Dobbs (0-for-1, K) were also hitless. But the season is 162 games long, and it is far too early to say that these guys will be a bust in 2008.

SS Jimmy Rollins (2-for-4, double, two-run HR) was poised at the plate, not automatically swinging at the first pitch. As he showed last year, when Rollins is patient, good things will happen.

2B Chase Utley (2-for-3, solo HR, sac-fly RBI) offered the first salvos of his latest MVP campaign. 1B Ryan Howard (1-for-4, 1K) looked solid, and LF Pat Burrell (1-for-3, RBI, BB, K) reached base in half of his plate appearances. RF Jayson Werth (1-for-3, double, BB, K) showed he was worthy of his spot in the Opening Day lineup, and C Carlos Ruiz (1-for-4, double) also made good contact.

Unfortunately, some early-season rust (Rollins' fielding error), a catcher who may be trying too hard (Ruiz's throwing error), and some atrocious pitching doomed the Phils' efforts.

Starting pitcher Brett Myers seemed to start out strong, but by his own admission, he was getting lucky on bad pitches, which eventually caught up with him.

When reliever Ryan Madson took the mound, Phillies fans' minds inevitably flashed back to last year's opener, when Madson gave up a two-run home run in the Phils' loss. True to form, Madson soon turned and watched a Lastings Milledge two-run homer sail over the Citizens' Bank Park fence. Madson needs to prove he belongs in a Major League bullpen this year, because I don't feel he has done it yet. The Phillies hailed his return from the disabled list, but I'm not sold on the added value he offers over any other Minor Leaguer.

Righty Chad Durbin pitched a solid seventh inning, but had to be lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh because the Phillies were rallying.

Tied 6-6 heading into the 8th, lefty J.C. Romero trotted out to the mound. After Romero pitched a scoreless frame, manager Charlie Manuel's stubborn adherence to his self-imposed pitching "rules" took over. Manuel showed last year that he will insist on pitching his setup man in the eighth and his closer in the ninth even if the Phillies do not have the lead. But with an 11-pitcher roster, Charlie had to know he was hemmed in. Despite the prospect of extra innings and despite Romero pitching a scoreless inning, Charlie stuck to his stubborn ways and lifted Romero for interim closer Tom Gordon in the ninth.

Charlie surely didn't play matchups by putting Gordon in. Lastings Milledge, Ryan Zimmerman, and Nick Johnson are all hitless in their careers versus Romero. (Granted, the sample size is small.) I believe the evidence is there that Charlie went to Gordon because that is just how he operates. And he paid for it.

Of course, Gordon gave up five runs in the ninth, and the Phillies could not recover. The fundamental question here is: Should Charlie have gone to Gordon in the ninth? Obviously, I say no. So what should he have done instead?

I believe he should have stayed with Romero for another inning. His only other bullpen option was new acquisition and rookie Tim Lahey, so that didn't seem to be a serviceable option. By keeping Romero in, there would still be two pitchers available for potential extra innings.

(Incidentally, from the moment it was announced, I have thought going with 11 pitchers on the active roster is an inexcusable mistake. Just release Helms already. Eat the money.)

But the bigger problem is that it has become apparent that Tom Gordon cannot be relied on to pitch in high-pressure situations anymore. I take nothing away from his achievements earlier in his career, but there comes a point where everyone loses their abilities. By now, Charlie has to see the writing on the wall. Gordon cannot handle the ninth inning.

I realize that if Romero had pitched the ninth and the game had gone to extra innings, Gordon would have had to come in eventually. But the longer that option can be delayed, the better for this team.

Do you agree? Can Tom Gordon still pitch the ninth inning? What can Charlie do instead? Will Brad Lidge be any better? Is Gordon even capable of being Lidge's setup man? Am I the only one who opposes Charlie's stubborn "rules for pitchers"?