Ok now we are really struggling and the bullpen seems to be a weakness along with the defense on this slide. You can look back at a bunch of things like the hanley error, treanors popup, and the poor pitch selection by miller to olivo. All in all we are playing very poorly and something needs to turn around fast becuase all of a sudden that 3.5 game lead that we had is gone.

These fight back to lose by 1 run games are frustrating. It does show the team doesn't quit but it's definitely more frustrating losing like that.

We've lost 4 games by a total of 5 runs. I'm not worried. They'll work on the D....and to all of a sudden call the bullpen a weakness, i think, is silly.

i never said it was a weakness i said it was a weakness on this particular slide. Either way miller and pinto did not do their job. yet neither did hanley.

Our problem is pitching and defense.Enough said.

We've lost 4 games by a total of 5 runs. I'm not worried. They'll work on the D....and to all of a sudden call the bullpen a weakness, i think, is silly.

i agree enough with this "back to earth" garbage, let espn continue worrying about the yankees and muts, we have to deal with this ourselves.

Stinking defense, and except for Tankersly, not terrible bullpen play. Pinto was victimized by Wes Helms.

a win tomorrow is essential

I'm not sure if anything can be considered essential in May

I keep telling myself that this will get better, but on the other hand its possible that this is just what we have to work with here. A lot of players can either play defense or they can't. A lot of players are either baseball smart or they are not. I mean, I really hope these guys stop this madness, but it seems like as soon as one guy has an error less game, someone else steps in for them and does something stupid. Absolutely frustrating. Sunday is Zach Greinke so you better win tomorrow or we're looking at the strong possibility of another sweep.

Also, Hanley is not hitting like a number 3 hitter. You need guys to hit home runs and doubles there. He's still not much of an RBI guy. If he doesn't start some sort of rampage soon, you should move him back to the lead off spot where he is more productive.

I'm not sure if anything can be considered essential in May

Actually, at this point, it might be. Not for a run, obviously, but for their confidence. Losing 5 games can really kill a team, especially with all these close loses that were due to blunders. Hopefully Scotty-Ace will come strong tomorrow.

Also, Hanley is not hitting like a number 3 hitter. You need guys to hit home runs and doubles there. He's still not much of an RBI guy. If he doesn't start some sort of rampage soon, you should move him back to the lead off spot where he is more productive.

He's in what seems to be a mini SLG slump. I wouldn't say that he isn't a "RBI" seeing as he got 81 last season while hitting in a leadoff spot.

 

Also, while it seems that he isn't doing as good, I just check out his splits this year"

 

In the 1 spot: .322/.395 /.591

 

In the 3 spot: .341/.453/.463

 

Funnily enough, he is hitting more like a leadoff hitter, higher BA and OBP, than when he was in the 1 spot. I say we just wait it out.

Also, Hanley is not hitting like a number 3 hitter. You need guys to hit home runs and doubles there. He's still not much of an RBI guy. If he doesn't start some sort of rampage soon, you should move him back to the lead off spot where he is more productive.

It is a given Ramirez is more comfortable leading-off I would put Hermida in the 3 spot and Gonzo 4th til Jake gets back in the lineup

Not only did we lose, this game was just about as depressing and boring as they get.

great to give up 2 runs there in the 4th with some crap defense. Way to support that young pitcher!

Not sure if it is just a funk or the team playing as originally expected. But the blunders are adding up. And w/ the shoddy defense, there is no way our pitching staff can keep us in games if the rest of the team gives baserunners free passes. Hopefully, we can go back to how we were playing.... as a winning ballclub.

 

The Phils are not backing down, and yesterday's barrage tells me they will be making their push to take over and solidify their hold on first. Fish gotta get it together.

The defense has to come up, but the attention on the ups and downs of the season is getting a bit absurd.

 

As for the bullpen, only Tankersly had a truly bad day. Pinto was hurt last night by bad play behind him. We certainly want Jacobs and Willingham back, but it isn't like we aren't scoring runs. Lets see what happens if we actually catch the ball.