It’s the law of gravity. Something that must be very delicately handled and respected. The question remained are we going up? Or is this the law of science forcing us to accept, there is no other way to go?
What goes up, must come down.
After too many years without a championship in Philadelphia, 2008 brought the end of a drought. 2009 assured us that we had something special on our hands.
Sure Shane Victorino doesn’t make too good of mistakes sometimes but, they’ll make it through—they always do. Yeah, Chase Utley slumps but someone will come through. Yeah Ryan Howard strikes out but he always seems to hit one when we need it.
It’s ok to have faith, but, at some point, you’ve got to look at everything and decide, something needs to be fixed.
Shane Victorino’s over-eager base running did us no favors in the bottom of the eighth, Utley’s careless mistakes cost us this time. And Ryan Howard—those strikeouts, really, really did cost us this time.
It’s not something Phillies fans should look at as a terrible thing, though. The Phillies now know, they are not wizards. They need to work on that stuff.
Granted, injuries, clearly, have plagued this team from the first week of the season on. This was the first game the Phillies played all season as their true line-up. It all looked good, to begin, but after the Giants played, as they have all series and battled it out.
Taking advantage of the opportunities was key, and it’s something the Phillies have become known to do. It just wasn’t working for them—this whole postseason to be honest.
The Phillies left 11 men on base. They were 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position, no at-bat more painful than when Howard was struck out looking to end the 2010 season.
Matt Gelb, of Philly.com reports that some of the Phillies remained at the top step of the home dugout as many fans didn’t move from their seats.
Everyone was stone cold. It was like watching your father get beat up by a neighbor… yeah, that was exactly the feel.
Nails bitten, hair pulled, kids crying…but really, it’s not that bad. Your fightin’ Phils will be back next year. Until then—thanks.
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