It's definitely been too long since I updated this thing. Far too long, in fact. I guess the popular excuse is that I've been busy with going to Baltimore, the Myers/Phillies fiasco, regular old life as a parent of a wild 2-year-old boy, more marathon training, and all of those losing baseball games. But since we're all about debunking myths and not suffering fools, let's deconstruct those silly excuses: for starters, Baltimore is much closer to my house than Citizens Bank Park. Plus, the drive to Camden Yards is much more interesting, enjoyable, and smooth.
I have no more comments on the Schuylkill Expressway.
Better yet, the press box at Camden Yards is my favorite one of all the ballparks. Coors is pretty good, and there's something about that sky-high box at Fenway that I like, too. But as far as building ballparks go, they really did it right in Baltimore. Nevertheless, as soon as I empty out the contents of my camera onto this computer (more procrastination), I will definitely post my behind-the-scenes photos of Fenway Park.
As far as the other stuff goes, everyone is busy, lots of people have kids, tons of people run marathons, and I knew that Brett Myers was a ticking time bomb. No, no one expected this alleged crime, but most people who have been around him suspected something.
Here's a story written in my small, local paper about Myers... if the author only knew.
As far as the running stuff goes, I have come to a revelation that the Arthur Lydiard method of training should be embraced. I was kind of on board back when I was younger and faster, but in retrospect, I listened to the wrong people. Those people always told me to run fast, fast, fast, which is correct if you are a middle-distance runner. For the long distance guys, it should be long, long, long. That's where the Lydiard school of thought comes in.
Now I understand why all those guys I used to listen to were always injured.
Yep, like baseball, I could yap about running all day long.
As for the Phillies... oh my.
Yes, we all knew that the Phillies were not going to run away with the NL East and would probably have some difficulties with the pitching staff, but no one suspected that at the halfway point the team would be 37-44 and six games off the pace in the wild-card race. But aside from the 2-7 road trip and the three-week stretch where the Phils have gone just 5-17, there have been a handful of positives.
Really?
Of course. Ryan Howard is on pace to hit 56 home runs to shatter Mike Schmidt's single-season franchise record of 48 (1980). Howard should also threaten the 140-RBI plateau. The most RBIs Schmidt ever had in a season was the 121 he drove in during his MVP season in 1980.
As an aside, should Howard be talked about as an MVP candidate?
Meanwhile, Chase Utley has become a solid partner with Howard in the lineup. Should the powers that be decide to "blow up" the team, Howard and Utley will be the base (along with Cole Hamels) for the future. Then again, Utley and Howard are closer to being 30 than 20... is it possible that the Phillies waited too long before giving those two a shot?
Tom Gordon has pitched admirably, earning an All-Star bid with his 21 saves and 2.12 ERA. With 41 strikeouts in 34 innings, he has certainly made everyone forget about whatshisname.
As for the recent spate of games, David Dellucci has been a pleasant surprise. In the last five games, the lefty has three homers and is 9-for-20. While in his last 10 games he is 14-for-32. In June, Dellucci hit .388 with four homers and 1.047 OPS, but in just 47 at-bats.
Maybe it's time to showcase the veteran lefty before the trade deadline because it doesn't seem as if the Phillies will need Dellucci for the playoffs.