GaryMrMets
08-04-2004, 05:42 PM
http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/sports/s080304e.htm
Phillies hope for better results as road trip continues in San Diego
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
By EDWARD de la FUENTE
Gannett News Service
SAN DIEGO
The Phillies are a changed team from the one that left Citizens Bank Park more than a week ago riding high after Eric Milton's near no-hitter.
If the second week of their season-long 13-game road trip progresses as roughly as the first one did, more upheaval may be in store.
Six losses in seven games has manager Larry Bowa seemingly precariously close to losing his job.
Meanwhile, the Phillies let the nonwaiver trading deadline pass without addressing glaring needs in their starting rotation and in center field, even if newly acquired relievers Todd Jones and Felix Rodriguez will shore up a bullpen decimated by injuries.
If six games on the West Coast, starting tonight with the first of a three-game series at the San Diego Padres' new Petco Park, don't yield much improvement, the changes could happen in the manager's office or on the roster.
What will almost certainly happen, though, is the widening of a 5 1/2-game chasm between the Phillies and first-place Atlanta in the National League East, and a precious 53 games remaining to close it.
"The only thing that can help us now are wins," left-hander Randy Wolf said. "That's it. That's all that matters now. The fact is that we haven't had too many of them lately. We've just got to do a better job of doing that."
Said first baseman Jim Thome: "There are teams now getting some distance in front of us. And it's not May, it's August.
We need to do anything we can to get a win."
In the face of swirling rumors about his job status, Bowa has tried his best to stay assertive. When faced with questions about his job, as he has been often during this road trip, he projects an air of confidence.
"I always have a good peace of mind," Bowa said Sunday, before the Phillies' 6-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, "because I give 100 percent every time I sit behind (the manager's) desk."
Through all the adversity the Phillies have faced in the last week - like a maddening inability to beat division-rival Florida - the players have been able to agree on one thing: that this team, regardless of who is managing, whom general manager Ed Wade acquires to help them, and whom their opponents are, should be better than its position in the standings show.
"The bottom line is, we have the talent to get it done, and we haven't done it," Thome said.
Certainly injuries have played a role in the Phillies stumbling to a 53-52 record.
But the offense's struggles with runners in scoring position remain a glaring weakness - as witnessed Sunday when, trailing the Cubs by three runs in the eighth inning, they loaded the bases with nobody out and failed to score.
And Bowa is left to play Marlon Byrd, who struggled so mightily that he was sent to the minors in June, in center field, and he must wait for Vicente Padilla's expected return to the starting rotation later this month.
After Sunday's game, Bowa disagreed with the idea that the Phillies had reached a desperate state.
"Desperation is when you're on your deathbed and they're reading you your last rites," Bowa said. "We're not there yet."
They will be if they are unable to make something of the remainder of this road trip.
And turning it around will be no easy task. Both of this week's opponents, the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Phillies would not be.
"Everyone knows the situation," left fielder Pat Burrell said. "We just can't seem to click right now. . . . It's desperate, period, regardless of where we're going."
Judging by their opponents, the Phillies are headed right into the path of a tornado.
How they weather the storm will determine what kind of a team they are when they finally return home.
Phillies hope for better results as road trip continues in San Diego
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
By EDWARD de la FUENTE
Gannett News Service
SAN DIEGO
The Phillies are a changed team from the one that left Citizens Bank Park more than a week ago riding high after Eric Milton's near no-hitter.
If the second week of their season-long 13-game road trip progresses as roughly as the first one did, more upheaval may be in store.
Six losses in seven games has manager Larry Bowa seemingly precariously close to losing his job.
Meanwhile, the Phillies let the nonwaiver trading deadline pass without addressing glaring needs in their starting rotation and in center field, even if newly acquired relievers Todd Jones and Felix Rodriguez will shore up a bullpen decimated by injuries.
If six games on the West Coast, starting tonight with the first of a three-game series at the San Diego Padres' new Petco Park, don't yield much improvement, the changes could happen in the manager's office or on the roster.
What will almost certainly happen, though, is the widening of a 5 1/2-game chasm between the Phillies and first-place Atlanta in the National League East, and a precious 53 games remaining to close it.
"The only thing that can help us now are wins," left-hander Randy Wolf said. "That's it. That's all that matters now. The fact is that we haven't had too many of them lately. We've just got to do a better job of doing that."
Said first baseman Jim Thome: "There are teams now getting some distance in front of us. And it's not May, it's August.
We need to do anything we can to get a win."
In the face of swirling rumors about his job status, Bowa has tried his best to stay assertive. When faced with questions about his job, as he has been often during this road trip, he projects an air of confidence.
"I always have a good peace of mind," Bowa said Sunday, before the Phillies' 6-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, "because I give 100 percent every time I sit behind (the manager's) desk."
Through all the adversity the Phillies have faced in the last week - like a maddening inability to beat division-rival Florida - the players have been able to agree on one thing: that this team, regardless of who is managing, whom general manager Ed Wade acquires to help them, and whom their opponents are, should be better than its position in the standings show.
"The bottom line is, we have the talent to get it done, and we haven't done it," Thome said.
Certainly injuries have played a role in the Phillies stumbling to a 53-52 record.
But the offense's struggles with runners in scoring position remain a glaring weakness - as witnessed Sunday when, trailing the Cubs by three runs in the eighth inning, they loaded the bases with nobody out and failed to score.
And Bowa is left to play Marlon Byrd, who struggled so mightily that he was sent to the minors in June, in center field, and he must wait for Vicente Padilla's expected return to the starting rotation later this month.
After Sunday's game, Bowa disagreed with the idea that the Phillies had reached a desperate state.
"Desperation is when you're on your deathbed and they're reading you your last rites," Bowa said. "We're not there yet."
They will be if they are unable to make something of the remainder of this road trip.
And turning it around will be no easy task. Both of this week's opponents, the Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. The Phillies would not be.
"Everyone knows the situation," left fielder Pat Burrell said. "We just can't seem to click right now. . . . It's desperate, period, regardless of where we're going."
Judging by their opponents, the Phillies are headed right into the path of a tornado.
How they weather the storm will determine what kind of a team they are when they finally return home.