The Vet during a rain delay.

Do you remember those awful 90′s teams?

Teams that you never expected to win.

Teams that had a very few bright spots.

Years of being on the bottom and the laughingstock of the National League.

Do you remember when you learned about “addition by subtraction?”

When Scott Rolen was traded,

And the entire city seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

The Phillies started to play under a lot less stress.

» Continue reading “Do You Remember?”

My seats from Friday Night 6/8

Throughout the Phillies’ “Golden Era” of baseball, the one aspect of the game that remained constant was the defense.

For the last 5 years, the Phillies have been at the top, or near the top in all of baseball with their defense.  They did not make errors.  It was so odd that when they did the fans were often taken back.

That is not the case this year.  We are 2 months in the season and they have already committed 35 errors.

Let me put that in a little bit of perspective for you, last year, they committed 74 errors, ALL SEASON LONG!  In 2010, there were 83.  2009, just 78.

That is the reason the Phillies are losing!

Stop blaming the offense.  They haven’t been as bad as people want to believe.  The pitching has been more than serviceable.  It’s the defense that has taken a nose dive.

I was at yesterday’s (and Friday’s and Sunday’s) game.  Mike Fontenot alone had 3 errors (though he was only charged for 2.)  Jimmy Rollins had an error yesterday too.  If those 3 (4) errors did not occur, the Orioles do not score, the game does not go into extras and the Phillies win in a standard game.

Today, they saved the error until the bottom of the 10th, when Ty Wigginton fumbled a grounder.  That allowed Adam Jones to reach first.  The very next batter hit a double over Hunter Pence’s head and Jones scored.  Game over.

I’m not sure if the Phillies would have won or lost today’s game.  That’s not the point.  They lost then because of an error!

I understand that they are without Placido Polanco, Chase Utley and Freddy Galvis right now, but these error should NOT be happening.

Please wake up and stop playing sloppy ball!  It’s one thing to loose because the other team out-plays you, it’s another to give the game away!

If this continues, the whole season is going to be long, heartbreaking and frustrating.  Please don’t do that to us!  Please play fundamentally sound ball!

Karilee Jeantet is Lead Contributor for A View From Section 116.  Follow her on Twitter @kjeantet and @viewfromsec116 and e-mail her AViewFromSection116@gmail.com.