After a 48 Hour Rain Delay....

Let's start this with a congratulations. Congratulations to the Philadelphia Phillies and the (true) Phillie fans that stuck by this team during the season and past seasons. Philly does have some of the most passionate fans....even if they are idiots (more on this later).

Now let's look at the QUESTIONABLE decisions by the Rays.

First and foremost is the pitching questions. Verb expressed his opinion yesterday on here about what they should do and the author of Vegas Watch shared his view through an email which created a minor debate.

Verb said put price in.....Vegas said leave Price out until after the pitcher's spot in the lineup.

I think EITHER of those would have been better than what the Rays ended up doing. Price was/is the best pitcher in the bullpen and he needed to be in. My opinion was that the bat was too important so you have someone else pitch the sixth and after you pinch hit for him you put Price in RIGHT AWAY!

There was no reason that Howell hit and then stayed in. It ended up costing them the game in my opinion. If you put Price in for the 7th I am not sure the Phillies score in those next few innings. But they didn't and I am certain that I know less than Joe Maddon.

The other thing I am hearing about this morning is Bartlett rounding third in the 6th and being tagged out at home. Watching it I thought Utley made a very good play and the third base coach misread the play. I am guessing that he was waving him home because he thought Utley was going to go to first with the ball. And by the time they saw that he wasn't it was too late. I don't mind that play as much as the pitching mistakes though.

Personally I think if Price comes in for the 7th that the Rays probably would have won the game.


I will have more later on this morning about this game and those (place expletive here) Philly fans.

Verb's Thoughts:

I think the play by Utley was amazing. He even faked out his own pitcher. Romero thought he was going to throw it to first thats why he almost stepped on Barlett's head. Bartlett was trying to make a play and I really don't blame him for that!

The pitching errors were huge. No matter whether you agreed with me or not, what they actually did was idiotic.

I know that Price only came up in September but I really thought that he had proven himself as the best pitcher in the pen. I felt that when the top of the Phillies lineup came up you needed your best pitcher in.

Like I said, I can see both arguements here but the one I can't understand is the one that actually happened.

Joe, I think you did an amazing job this season but last night you let me down big time!


More GMs Thoughts:

I really don't think Utley did anything special. I think he actually INTENDED to go to first base but realized he didn't have a play so he didn't throw it. And then he looked over and Bartlett wasn't stopping.

So don't go anointing Utley as a guy who made the most amazing play ever. All he did was actually NOT throw it to 1st because he DIDN'T have a play.