RSS
Home
Phaltering Phillies set to host mangled Mets for holiday weekend pity party
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Even when effort is present, it's too little and late lately in Philsland. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Injuries at least give the Mets a semi-legitimate excuse for their recent woes, with David Wright and Gary Sheffield actually being forced to play several games completely alone recently. In all seriousness, though it's hard to blame the Mets for failing to play up to the substantial hype that surrounded them entering this season, that doesn't change the fact that, to this point in the year, they've been thoroughly mediocre.
Not even a full-on outbreak of swine flu among the ranks of the Phillies could excuse the way they've played lately. Since leaving Citi Field on June 11 wth a four game lead over the second place Mets, the Phillies have made it just about impossible to call them anything other than the defending chumps, going a pathetic 4-14, lowlighted by a pair of home series sweeps by the Blue Jays and Orioles.
Returning home from a three game sweep in Atlanta, the Phillies find themselves without sole possession of first place for the first time since May, tied with Florida and just a game up on the third place Mets. What looked like it might become a runaway just a few short weeks ago has become a four team race, with the 38-40 Braves sitting as close to first place as they are to .500.
What better time to bring the National League East's most heated rivals back together, then, than our nation's birthday? The U.S.'s first two capital cities will see their boys duel it out in the birthplace of liberty this Fourth of July weekend, as the Phillies host the Mets in a three game series starting tonight. Two time 15 game winner Rodrigo Lopez, two years removed from Tommy John surgery, makes his debut for a Phillies rotation that desperately needs him to regain his past form, in the vain hopes that they'll have a second reliable starter to go along with J.A. Happ. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll have the distinct pleasure of finally getting a chance to join my brethren in Philliedom, making the jaunt down to Citizens Bank Park for the first time in 2009, to see Jamie Moyer duel with Fernando Nieve. Chances are, given the state of things, the Phillies will give me ample opportunity to join my brethren in voicing our distinct displeasure.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
