August 22, 2022
Step right up and get beaten by the Mets! The Phillies, in back-to-back weekends, lost a series to the Mets. The last few days at Citizens Bank Park have been marked by injuries, bullpen meltdowns and a weird first pitch situation that the organization has yet to address, as New York took three of four from the Phillies.
Given the recent poor play of both the Padres and Brewers, the Fightins have lucked out when it comes to the National League Wild Card standings. As of this writing, the Phils are 66-55, a half-game back of the Padres for the second Wild Card spot and 1.5 games ahead of the Brewers for that final playoff spot. They've been saved from their own incompetence.
Here are some notes on the squad...
A positive mention! Yes, the Phillies lost three of four, but Alec Bohm's performance on Sunday was worthy of a series split before the bullpen imploded. The Phils collapsed and lost 10-9 on Sunday and Bohm was responsible for six of those nine runs, crushing not one, but two three-run home runs:
Yes, we 100% deserve Alec Bohm#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/powG8oKdbH
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 21, 2022
Tie game in a high-leverage situation against a divisional rival and Bohm is doing that? Major props. Since the beginning of July, Bohm is hitting .333 with an OPS of .872.
The 'pen has held relatively tough during the Phillies post-May resurgence, but the wheels are starting to come off. Corey Knebel is out for the season. Seranthony Dominguez is on the IL. That Dominguez loss was huge. He has a 1.64 ERA in 46 appearances in 2022. Things went from bad to worse when the Mets shelled David Robertson on Sunday and then reliever Tyler Cyr allowed a home run to the first batter he ever faced in the majors. An 8-7 lead that could've split the series gave way to that 10-9 loss in the most Phillies of ways possible.
I can't stop thinking about this. On Saturday, a Mets fan threw out the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park:
How do the @Phillies let a guy in a @Mets jersey throw out the first pitch? Luckily the Phanatic chose not to catch it. #ringthebell pic.twitter.com/YptYdahW4t
— Etan Horowitz (@etanowitz) August 20, 2022
No one thought that might be bad optics? Can someone press the organization on this? It was more embarrassing than the team's inept play on the field.
Why don't we get Michael Irvin to do the coin toss at the Eagles-Cowboys Sunday Night Football game in October? Will the Sixers invite Bill Simmons to ring the bell before a home game against the Celtics this season? Maybe the Flyers are planning a "Scott Stevens Appreciation Night" too.
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