Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Opening Day Blues

0-1.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. That’s right, it was another less than satisfying Opening Day for the Phillies.

Raise your hand if you saw this one coming? Thought so.

The Phils lost to the Nationals, 11-6. It was a game that saw a lot of offense by the Phils, and a lot of bad pitching. Get used to it. The Phils are going to play a lot of games like this year. Just as they did last year.

Brett Myers got the start and, by his own admission, did not “have it.” He surrendered a two-run lead, eventually giving up 4 runs on five hits.

Things went downhill after he left. First up was Ryan Madson, who promptly surrendered a bomb. Then things eased a bit with Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero, who held off the Nats with a scoreless inning each.

But skipper Charlie Manuel decided to lift Romero and bring in substitute closer Tom Gordon in a tie game in the 9th. There’s been concern about Gordon all spring. Yesterday’s performance won’t help in that area.

“Flash” turned into a flash fire. He surrendered four hits and five runs while getting all of one out. He now sports a healthy ERA of 135.00.

Gordon has been forced back into the closer role because the team’s big off-season acquisition, Brad Lidge, is starting the season on the DL. He won’t be available until the weekend.

Not that Gordon likely would have been any better in the set-up role. Yesterday he got torched, in the process igniting the annual drumbeat of second-guessing of Manager Manuel, and belittling the off-season moves of G.M. Pat Gillick.

The worst thing is that the Phils have an off-day built into the schedule. That’s just in case the weather was even worse than it was yesterday. The game was played in a cold, miserable drizzle. Which matched the mood of the faithful leaving Citizens Bank Park.

Today the temperature is expected to approach the 70s, with showers.

Tomorrow it’s going to be chilly again. Which is what Manuel and the Phils can expect if they don’t find a solution to their pitching woes.

No doubt the Phils will be a very entertaining team this year. If you find losing games, 11-6, especially entertaining.

Sorry, Charlie, but we’ve seen this act before. A bad opening day, leading to a slow start, giving way to a miserable record in April.

Maybe Cole Hamels can head all this off at the pass. Hate to see the reaction should the “ace” get lit up and the Phils fall to 0-2.

Just to rub salt in the wound, it will not go unnoticed that Johan Santana recorded 8 strikeouts while leading the Mets to a win on opening day.

We’re already chasing them again. Last year it took us to the last day of the season to overtake them.

Please tell me we’re not looking at an instant replay.

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