Attaboy, Kendrick!

By Amy McGinnis

Thursday night began a four-game series for the Phillies in Milwaukee.  Cliff Lee struck out twelve; our bullpen effectively threw the Phils’ lead into the garbage.  Josh Lindblom, of Victorino-trade fame, let up a grand slam to Corey Hart in the eighth inning.  Thanks, Josh.  Welcome to Philadelphia.  “I haven’t really made pitches,” he said.  Again … Thanks, Josh.  In addition to Hart’s blast, Ryan Braun also homered twice.  Test.  Him.  For PEDs.  Again. After the game, my least favorite Brewer ever said, “Baseball’s such a game of confidence … when you’ve had success, you’re that much more confident.” Fine; it’s true.  Anything that comes from Ryan Braun, though, seems so … douchey.

On Friday night, Vance Worley took the hill.  I’m sure you agree with me when I say I’m not happy with Worley’s performance post-All Star Break; something I have always loved, though, is how Worley handles the media.  He doesn’t mince words, and he takes responsibility for his misgivings.  When asked about the public’s speculation that his poor outings are due to an injured arm, Worley said, “Quit crying.” He stated – adamantly – that his arm feels fine, and that he needs to do a better job with his pitches.  (That earns a few points in my book.) In the bottom of the fourth inning, on Dom Brown’s error, Nyjer Morgan ripped a two-run triple.  As if that weren’t bad enough, Worley let up two more runs in that inning, after 44 pitches (not a typo).  The fourth inning was brutal to watch; it was one of those “Please, for the love of all things holy, just end this, for shit’s sake” kinds of innings.  Domonic Brown, like his teammate Worley, took responsibility for his blunder.  “I got back there good.  I just dropped it.”  I think it would be unfair and inaccurate to blame the loss on Brown.  Thank you, Vance and Dom,  for not insulting our intelligence with bullshit excuses.  Have I mentioned how happy I am to see Dom in Philadelphia?  Phils lost, 6-2. 

Cole Hamels started Saturday night, earning his fourteenth win.  Is this a late surge for Cy Young?  I’m pretty sure you all know who gets my vote.  Offensively, Howard and Utley each went 2-4, and John Mayberry Jr. and Erik Kratz hit back to back homers.  It’s nice to see Howard and Utley hitting the way they really should be; it’s equally as nice to see Mayberry and Kratz pulling their weight.  Overall, it was a solid offensive effort by Philadelphia.  In the Phils’ 4-3 win, Cole had ten strikeouts, and Braun hit his fourth homerun of the series.  Seriously … get the man a cup to piss into.  Somebody.  Quickly.  Sure, it’s possible that he could perform like this naturally; given his past, um, indiscretions … just test him. 

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Tags: Amy McGinnis, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Domonic Brown, Erik Kratz, john mayberry jr., Jonathan Papelbon, kyle kendrick, Michael Martinez, Phillies, Roy Halladay, Ryan Braun, Ryan Howard