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BY SCOTT LAUBER
ATLANTA -- So, June is finally over, and for the Phillies, that's a good thing. They went 11-15 in June, their first losing month since, well, last June, when they went 12-14. Last night's loss to the Braves was particularly deflating. They led 4-3 in the eighth inning after back-to-back homers by John Mayberry Jr. and Pedro Feliz, only to have Ryan Madson cough up the lead in the eighth and Martin Prado win it with a single in the 10th against Chan Ho Park. Yet, somehow, they're still in first place, 1-1/2 games ahead of the Marlins and three up on the free-falling Mets.Just imagine if they were actually, you know, playing well.
"We've got to turn this thing around and get back to playing the type of baseball that made us champs last year," Jayson Werth said from a quiet clubhouse. "It seems like anything we can do to lose a game right now we're doing it. Both sides of the ball. We're still really good. I still feel like we're the best team in baseball. We've just to find a way to start winning games. We'll be all right."
Are you as convinced as Werth is?
***
When Jimmy Rollins batted in the ninth inning, a chant rose from a segment of the crowd at Turner Field.
".208! .208!"
That was Rollins' batting average before he struck out on a check swing. In his highly anticipated return to the lineup after last week's four-game benching, J-Roll went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts, deepening his offensive malaise to 0-for-24 (and 7-for-61). He has the worst on-base percentage (.250) among all players who are eligible for either league's batting title. Charlie Manuel has tried just about every remedy, from individual hitting sessions and video study to dropping him in the lineup and benching him for an extended spell.
But what if, as I wrote in today's News Journal, Rollins is just having one of those years? Like, you know, when Pat Burrell batted .209 in 2003. Manuel already seems to be allowing for that possibility.
"There's been a lot of guys that have been elected to the Hall of Fame that have had terrible years," Manuel said before last night's game. "Everybody goes through that. That's a part of the game."
***
On June 16, I wrote this feature on Madson. At the time, he was 2-1 with four saves, one blown save, 13 holds, a 1.95 ERA and had allowed only 33 baserunners (24 hits, nine walks) in 32-1/3 innings. But, since June 16, Madson is 0-2 with no saves, three blown saves, one hold, a 9.52 ERA and has allowed 16 baserunners (nine hits, seven walks) in 5-2/3 innings.
If I had anything to do with that, I apologize.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- So, Jimmy Rollins went 0-for-4 again last night, leaving him hitless in his last five games (0-for-19), 7-for-56 since a three-hit game June 9 at Citi Field in New York, and batting .211 for the season.
That isn't good.
But the most costly mistake Rollins made was, uncharacteristically, a mental miscue on defense. With two outs in the eighth inning, and the Rays leading 2-1, Pat Burrell hit a slow roller to Rollins. Now, we all know how slow-footed Burrell is, and even if we didn't, you don't have to be a two-time Gold Glove shortstop to know that, with two outs, the easiest play is always to first base. But instead of merely tossing the ball to first, Rollins tried to tag second base, where speedy Carl Crawford slid in safely. It allowed a run to score and opened the door to a five-run Rays rally that put the game out of reach.
"Usually, I just pick up and go to first automatically, because the ball is hit soft toward the middle and I'm over on the pull side," Rollins said. "I don't know why I went to second. I don't know. It's an automatic play to go to first."
It was a rare lapse for Rollins, who has emerged as the best defensive shortstop in the NL. But, with Rollins in the most protracted slump of his career, it makes you wonder whether his offense is starting to affect his defense. It also makes you wonder if Charlie Manuel finally must do something different with the Phillies' lineup.
Now, I'll preface what I'm about to suggest by saying this: I believe the Phillies' lineup is designed to have Jimmy Rollins at the top, and if Rollins doesn't snap out of his funk, the offense simply will not be as productive. Also, I tend to agree with Manuel that Rollins, even when he isn't going well, is the Phillies' best option to bat leadoff. But while Shane Victorino is still hot, and while the Phillies are still playing inter-league games in American League ballparks, I'd consider putting Victorino in the leadoff spot and batting Rollins ninth. Perhaps the change will be the jumpstart he needs to finally begin hitting with some consistency.
OK, let's hear from you. What would you do about J-Roll?
***
As I noted in the game story in today's News Journal, Jayson Werth leads all NL hitters -- and ranks second in the majors -- with 4.42 pitches per plate appearance and has seen more pitches (1,303) than any NL player. He rarely swings at a first pitch, even when it's a meaty fastball down the middle.
Patience is Werth's calling card.
So, it was a head-scratcher in the fourth inning last night when Werth swung at a first-pitch fastball from Matt Garza, who had just walked the bases loaded without recording an out. Werth hit a grounder to Evan Longoria, who threw home to start a rally-killing double play. Now, ordinarily, that wouldn't be considered smart baseball, but Manuel wants Werth to be more aggressive early in the count. All the time, he tells Werth to swing at a first pitch if it's in the area of the strike zone where he wants it, and in this situation, Werth got the inside fastball that he was anticipating. Problem was, he hit it in the wrong spot.
"I have no problem with him swinging at a fastball there," Manuel said. "I'd like to see him swing at more first-pitch fastballs, if you want to know the truth. I'm sure he wasn't trying to hit a ground ball to third. There and back to the pitcher were probably the worst places he could hit it."
***
Dining guide: Three days in Clearwater have given me a chance to hit up a few of my favorite spring-training spots, like this one, and this one. Unfortunately, the famous Frenchy's Cafe is closed this week for summer cleaning, but if you like seafood, check out this place the next time you're in St. Petersburg. Highly recommend the shrimp alfredo pasta.
BY SCOTT LAUBER
In a little while, we will hear from Jamie Moyer, who had another miserable start here tonight. After cruising through three innings, he surrendered five runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, and just like that, his night was done.
Moyer's line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R/ER, 1 BB, 1 K
This comes only six days after he allowed seven runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out one in only 2-1/3 innings against the Mets. So, in his last two starts, Moyer has allowed 14 runs on 15 hits in only 6-2/3 innings for an 18.90 ERA. In his last three starts, he's 0-2 with a 13.86 ERA. It's his worst three-start stretch since May 6-18, 2005 when, against the Red Sox and Yankees, he allowed 17 earned runs on in only 10 innings for a 18.30 ERA.
Should be interesting to hear from Moyer.(Updated, 11:58 p.m.): OK, so Charlie Manuel said J.A. Happ will start the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, but don't go thinking he's going to replace Moyer in the rotation. "I don't see how [Moyer] can get right by sitting," Manuel said. "I don't think that can get him right. You can sit him down, but what's that going to do?"
And this is from Moyer: "I'm not making the pitches I'd like to be making. Every mistake I've made has gotten hit hard. That's more or less how I'm feeling. The mistakes I'm making I'm being punished for. It's got to be mistake-free."
That's a tough way to pitch. And after Moyer led the Phillies with 16 wins last season, it's reasonable to wonder if, at his age, he can still be as effective.
"If I start to doubt, then it's time for me to go home," Moyer said. "I've done this over 500 times. So, you know what, I don't really worry about what's behind me."
***
Wasn't able to squeeze this into the paper, but Manuel had this to say today about first-base coach Davey Lopes' influence on the Phillies' running game, specifically Jayson Werth's four-steal game last night that included a steal of home.
"Basically, we run when Davey gives indications or signs or kind of tells guys when to go," Manuel said. "If I don't want them to run, I can stop them. But that's the only [role] I play. When I turned the baserunning over to him, I kind of committed to him. I not only trust him, but I believe he has shown me how good he can be. He's that good. We're very fortunate to thave a guy like that."
BY SCOTT LAUBER
So, after the Phillies' 3-1 loss to Braden Looper and the Brewers last night, a few of us beat writers were chatting with Jayson Werth. Asked for his breakdown of the club's less-than-stellar 6-7 start, Werth invented his own word.
Rhythmatic.
You won't find that one in the dictionary.
But we all knew what Werth meant. We were discussing the many stops and starts in the April schedule that have prevented the Phillies from playing on more than four consecutive days. Since the season-opener April 5, there have been three scheduled off days, two rainouts, four pregame ceremonies, a memorial service for Harry Kalas and no opportunity for the Phillies to get into any sort of normal routine. The results have been as disjointed as the schedule. The Phillies win a few games, then lose a few. And just when they think they're getting things started, there's another interruption.
"I'm sure that's had an effect," Werth said. "We're pretty rhythmatic in that sense."
Uh, Jayson, don't you mean rhythmic?
"However you want to put it," he said with a smile. "You guys are the writers. Throw it in quotes, and I'll look stupid. It's fine."
Werth's point is, the Phillies aren't panicking. They have never been fast starters. Two seasons ago, they opened with a 4-11 record that was so alarming they called a team meeting before a game in Cincinnati. Last year, they were 11-11 on April 23. Both seasons, they won the National League East.
"We'll be all right," Werth said. "We're a team that hangs around and hangs around, and when it's time to kick in gear, we do. That's what we've done the past two years. I'm not saying that's the right way to do it, but it's definitely an excuse for right now."
He's right, of course, and after only 13 games, there isn't any reason to panic. That said, if they can avoid it, the Phillies would rather not have to rely on another late-season surge to win the division.
***
Within the notebook, Pedro Feliz is finally healthy (and it shows) and Carlos Ruiz will begin a rehab assignment any day now.
***
All eyes today will be on Cole Hamels, who pitched better in his second start than he did in his first. How will he do in his third? Will the real Cole Hamels finally show up? Charlie Manuel is every bit as curious as you are.
"I'm confident that I'm going to see Cole Hamels pretty soon," he said. "He's going to get better. Hopefully, it's [today]."
Stay tuned.
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