GaryMrMets
06-01-2004, 03:18 PM
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/8806355.htm
Posted on Tue, Jun. 01, 2004
As drops fall, so do Phils
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
Inside the clubhouse yesterday afternoon, the Phillies killed time.
They watched TV.
They played cards.
They emerged from their clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park after two rain delays lasting a combined 3 hours, 40 minutes, only to have the New York Mets leave with a 5-3 victory.
"We didn't have any hits the first three innings, so I don't think [the delay] affected our offense," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said, referring to the 2 hours, 27 minutes of downtime after the third inning.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, which held until play resumed what seemed like an eternity later. Of course, the delay meant an early exit for Phillies starter Brett Myers and Mets starter Matt Ginter.
"That's not fun to do," Bowa said. "Your bullpen is in trouble, but that's just the way it is when you have bad weather."
Phillies righthander Amaury Telemaco took over in the fourth and allowed a solo home run to catcher Jason Phillips - the second batter after the delay - to make it 2-0. The Mets scored another run in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
Ginter's early exit seemed to be a bonus for the Phillies. In New York last week, Ginter allowed just four hits in six shutout innings before the Phillies rallied for a 7-4 victory at Shea Stadium.
It looked as if they would rally again.
The Phillies made it 3-2 in the fifth against reliever Orber Moreno. Second baseman Chase Utley reached on an error and shortstop Tomas Perez singled to right to put runners on first and second with two outs.
Outfielder Jason Michaels pinch-hit for Telemaco and worked a walk to load the bases after an 11-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off six pitches.
Centerfielder Marlon Byrd struck out swinging to continue his struggles. Byrd has just two hits in his last 31 at-bats and is hitting .220 for the season. He entered last June hitting just .193 before he hit .364 that month to raise his average to .268. He finished the season hitting .303.
But third baseman David Bell, who struggled through back and hip problems last season, followed Byrd with a single to right field to score Utley and Perez. Bell hit .195 last season, but is hitting .289 this season with six home runs and 24 RBIs, on pace to hit 19 home runs and 79 RBIs.
First baseman Jim Thome then stepped up with the bases loaded, but grounded out to end the inning.
The Mets scored twice in the eighth to make it 5-2 before leftfielder Pat Burrell hit a solo home run to left field.
It wasn't enough.
Byrd expressed his frustrations afterward.
"I'm hoping to find my swing - that's it," Byrd said. "I want to go up there and not be an easy out like I was today."
Byrd remembered looking up at the scoreboard last season and seeing his low batting average.
It wasn't exactly a confidence booster.
But at least this time he knows he can come out of it.
"I feel like I'm close," he said. "It's easy knowing that I'm able to go from here and get right. Last year was different because I hadn't played at the big-league level, and you start doubting yourself a little bit. I haven't done that yet."
Last year at this time, Phillies fans wondered if Byrd might be headed to triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Instead, he turned out to be the answer at the top of the lineup.
"We're not there yet, so we'll wait till it happens," Bowa said of Byrd.
General manager Ed Wade expressed confidence in Byrd, whom Bowa had planned to drop to eighth in the lineup before Jimmy Rollins bruised his right ankle Saturday. After Byrd struck out in the seventh, he left the game. Doug Glanville, who pinch-hit in the seventh, replaced Byrd in center field in the eighth inning.
Byrd "is working hard to try to get himself straightened out," Wade said. "I also know how much he struggled a year ago, and how these types of conversations were taking place last spring and a year ago at this time, and how he rewarded us for our patience over the last four-plus months of the season.
"As long as he continues to work and try to be aggressive in the outfield defensively, and when he is struggling, to be able to use Glanville and do some other things at the top of the order, I think we're covered."
Posted on Tue, Jun. 01, 2004
As drops fall, so do Phils
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
Inside the clubhouse yesterday afternoon, the Phillies killed time.
They watched TV.
They played cards.
They emerged from their clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park after two rain delays lasting a combined 3 hours, 40 minutes, only to have the New York Mets leave with a 5-3 victory.
"We didn't have any hits the first three innings, so I don't think [the delay] affected our offense," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said, referring to the 2 hours, 27 minutes of downtime after the third inning.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, which held until play resumed what seemed like an eternity later. Of course, the delay meant an early exit for Phillies starter Brett Myers and Mets starter Matt Ginter.
"That's not fun to do," Bowa said. "Your bullpen is in trouble, but that's just the way it is when you have bad weather."
Phillies righthander Amaury Telemaco took over in the fourth and allowed a solo home run to catcher Jason Phillips - the second batter after the delay - to make it 2-0. The Mets scored another run in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
Ginter's early exit seemed to be a bonus for the Phillies. In New York last week, Ginter allowed just four hits in six shutout innings before the Phillies rallied for a 7-4 victory at Shea Stadium.
It looked as if they would rally again.
The Phillies made it 3-2 in the fifth against reliever Orber Moreno. Second baseman Chase Utley reached on an error and shortstop Tomas Perez singled to right to put runners on first and second with two outs.
Outfielder Jason Michaels pinch-hit for Telemaco and worked a walk to load the bases after an 11-pitch at-bat in which he fouled off six pitches.
Centerfielder Marlon Byrd struck out swinging to continue his struggles. Byrd has just two hits in his last 31 at-bats and is hitting .220 for the season. He entered last June hitting just .193 before he hit .364 that month to raise his average to .268. He finished the season hitting .303.
But third baseman David Bell, who struggled through back and hip problems last season, followed Byrd with a single to right field to score Utley and Perez. Bell hit .195 last season, but is hitting .289 this season with six home runs and 24 RBIs, on pace to hit 19 home runs and 79 RBIs.
First baseman Jim Thome then stepped up with the bases loaded, but grounded out to end the inning.
The Mets scored twice in the eighth to make it 5-2 before leftfielder Pat Burrell hit a solo home run to left field.
It wasn't enough.
Byrd expressed his frustrations afterward.
"I'm hoping to find my swing - that's it," Byrd said. "I want to go up there and not be an easy out like I was today."
Byrd remembered looking up at the scoreboard last season and seeing his low batting average.
It wasn't exactly a confidence booster.
But at least this time he knows he can come out of it.
"I feel like I'm close," he said. "It's easy knowing that I'm able to go from here and get right. Last year was different because I hadn't played at the big-league level, and you start doubting yourself a little bit. I haven't done that yet."
Last year at this time, Phillies fans wondered if Byrd might be headed to triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Instead, he turned out to be the answer at the top of the lineup.
"We're not there yet, so we'll wait till it happens," Bowa said of Byrd.
General manager Ed Wade expressed confidence in Byrd, whom Bowa had planned to drop to eighth in the lineup before Jimmy Rollins bruised his right ankle Saturday. After Byrd struck out in the seventh, he left the game. Doug Glanville, who pinch-hit in the seventh, replaced Byrd in center field in the eighth inning.
Byrd "is working hard to try to get himself straightened out," Wade said. "I also know how much he struggled a year ago, and how these types of conversations were taking place last spring and a year ago at this time, and how he rewarded us for our patience over the last four-plus months of the season.
"As long as he continues to work and try to be aggressive in the outfield defensively, and when he is struggling, to be able to use Glanville and do some other things at the top of the order, I think we're covered."