Fire Tom McCarthy

Three things I thought after watching that fantastic game:

1 - There were many stories (Chris Coste going 4-4 off the bench, Shane Victorino's leadoff triple in the 13th, the bullpen, and Brett Myers' pinch hit at-bat), but the biggest was Jimmy Rollins. It's only two games, but it's nice to have ol' Jimmy-Legs back. If he can play like the 2007 version of Jimmy Rollins for the next five to eight weeks, the Phillies can go deep in the playoffs. If he can't, they may not make the playoffs.

2 - I hate Tom McCarthy. I'm tired of him offering those annoying mid-inning "reports" from the stands that ramble on endlessly while all I really want to do is hear Harry call the game. I've had enough of him encouraging Gary Matthews - who should also be fired - to continue with his mind-numbing comments that we are supposed to think is analysis. I really just want him to shut up. I felt my blood pressure rise when he kept referring to bad outings Scott Schoeneweis has had "here at Shea Stadium." Did he forget he was in Philly? Then I thought I felt blood coming out of my ears when he kept repeating with escalating alarm and certainty that Kyle Kendrick would be unable to start Wednesday's game because he "got all stretched out and warmed up in the bullpen." Yeah, the starting pitcher who averages about 90 pitches a game will be all worn out from that side work that he'll have to skip a start. If he had said that the extra work might limit how long he can go in his start, I would have agreed, but that's not what he said. He said Kendrick wouldn't start Wednesday because he warmed up in the bullpen. If Kendrick doesn't start, I will add an update to this post and publicly apologize to Tom McCarthy, provided that if Kendrick does start, then the Phillies agree to fire Tom McCarthy for making such a stupid comment.

3 - I hate the CW 15 (WLYH). For the second time in the past few weeks, they were not airing the Phillies game. Fortunately, tonight, it was on Channel 249 and, fortunately, that channel is included in my cable subscription. But seriously, fuck the heck CW 15, it's Phillies/Mets... in August... with first place on the line... They should be ashamed of themselves for denying those without access to that obscure channel the opportunity to watch this important game. They should be embarrassed that they haven't bothered to update their "Phillies 2008 Schedule" on their website since April 13th. And they should know that I now plan to make a note of all the local advertisers during the next Phillies broadcast and notify them that I will go out of my way to avoid giving them any of my money - and I'll be sure to tell them why.

Mrs. tmmullen says I should loosen up and just enjoy the fact that the Phillies are in first place. I should listen. She's wicked smart.

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Not bullish on this bullpen (or the starters)

As I sit here fuming at the Harrisburg CW affiliate for not televising tonight's game, it gives me the perfect opportunity to share my thoughts on the Phillies bullpen, as promised here more than five weeks ago.

Come with me now on a trip back to November 2007 - a simple time when the Patriots were still undefeated, Rudy Giuliani was still the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination, and I was still trying to get in shape for basketball season.

Not long after the Phillies completed the trade for closer Brad Lidge (commentary on what we gave away to follow another time), I explained my concerns to Mike. Hopefully, he will confirm that what follows is a close approximation of what I said back then:

I am a little annoyed about this trade. Unless the Phillies plan to re-sign Kyle Lohse and keep Brett Myers as their closer - which appears unlikely - I just don't like it. But consider what that staff would look like:

Starters: Cole Hamels, Lohse, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, and Adam Eaton - of course, a priority would need to be made to juggle the rotation to maximize Eaton's starts against the Mets, plus as the #5 starter, they can and should skip his start whenever they can if it keeps the others on their normal pitching days (unless they need the rest).

The bullpen would see Myers (9th), Lidge (8th), J.C. Romero (7th), and Tom Gordon and Ryan Madson sharing duty when needed in the 6th. That would give the Phillies one of the best bullpens in the majors. If the starters can get through five or - praise the lord - six innings, Romero/Lidge/Myers would be a frightening prospect for opponents. Clay Condrey and J.D. Durbin can be those inning eaters in games where the Phils are either winning big or losing big. Either one of them could also be used as spot starters as necessary.

I realize the thinking is that picking up Lidge is like adding a quality starter (Myers), but I'm not buying what they're selling. Myers liked being the closer. Myers excelled as the closer. It suited him and his temperament. Why move him back to the rotation? He barely has the attention span to get through a two inning save - don't get me started on two inning saves - and he has shown time and time again that he cannot maintain his concentration for five, six, or seven innings without losing his temper on the mound and having it impact his pitching. With this in mind, trading for a closer when the team already has an above average one is a bad move - unless, like I said, they keep Lohse.

Only time will tell, but right now, I'm calling it a bad move.

More than five months later, I will concede that so far, I do like the upgrade from J.D. Durbin to Chad Durbin. In fact, depending on how Lidge performs, I could be convinced to feel good about Lidge (9th), Romero (8th), Durbin (7th), and Gordon/Madson sharing the 6th (in case you missed it, my feelings on Gordon are documented in the comment section here).

But I still think keeping Lohse would have been a good idea. His contract demands - or his agent's, depending on who you believe - in both dollars and years were in a free fall before he finally signed a one-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals in mid-March for $4.25 million. He also pitched well in his first start against, ironically, the Colorado Rockies, throwing five shutout innings (with three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts), before being lifted for a pinch-hitter.

Given the addition of Chad Durbin to the bullpen, the Phillies could have still moved Myers back to the rotation. Imagine how formidable it would have looked then: Myers/Hamels/Lohse/Moyer/Kendrick. Regardless of what happens with this pitching staff as the season progresses, management's failure (or refusal) to find a way to make it work with Lohse could turn out to be the missed opportunity that defines whether or not this team makes the playoffs.

Your thoughts?

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