Take A Pitch Jimmy

Could these back-to-back losses to the Milwaukee Brewers might actually kind of necessary for the Phillies? Losing is never “good”- which is why I wrote "necessary". And yes, with Boston and the Mets coming up- a lot of good work could be undone in a little more than week if they keep playing stupid defense and pitch poorly. But the Phillies are plainly not a 95-win team. They need fixes- not just adjustments. Another of three weeks of 65% baseball may have hidden or postponed them.

To me, these past two close losses, versus a not-so-bad Brewers outfit, are more indicative of what the Phillies are against a competent ballclub- than say, the past two weeks. The Phillies can score with anyone in their division- and a lot of nights will score north of four, five runs. But the bottom of the order has some holes- particularly with the centerfielder out. Ultimately, we’ll find the rotation, as constructed, is not something you can hang your hat on week after week. And there are guys clearly pitching over their heads in the ‘pen right now.

One more thing. Is it just me- or is Jimmy Rollins an increasingly overrated baseball player?

Honestly, I increasingly ruminate- and while Rollins is normally not exactly a complete cancer at the top of the order- he isn’t helping either. And frankly, he is a cancer right now. Jimmy is a lead-off hitter that can't get on base anywhere near enough to be a plus at that spot. He strikes out way too much- over 500 for his career. How can the "franchise" lead-off hitter carry 500 punch-outs in less than five seasons?

Gillick has to know this is too many by half- and yet, no one seems to care. There was never any public thought of bringing in a capable top-of-the-order hitter in here. It was the one glaring need the team had in the off-season that no one official cared about. The fact that Rollins swung a real hot bat for six weeks seemed to obscure the fact the guy is 26 years old: he ain’t ever walked, he ain’t ever gotten on regularly, and he ain’t ever gonna learn.