Glum times in Philadelphia, and it has very little to do with baseball.
The Phillies are in a freefall - understandable since this is a a team no one really figured to be around in October.
What is troubling is the club's reaction, or lack thereof, to the arrest of pitcher Brett Myers for alledgedly beating his wife in the early morning hours of June 25 in Boston.
What was reported to Boston police by witnesses who placed multiple 911 calls sounded like a brutal beatdown, something that demanded immediate, forceful action by Myers' employers regarding a) the pitcher's immediate status, b) steps to be taken to send a message of zero-tolerance for violent perpetrators within the organization and c) something, anything that suggested that Kim Myers had as much support from the Phillies' "family" as did the staff ace.
To date, the Phillies have chosen not to lend their public voice to the first two categories and as for Kim Myers, well ... She didn't get anything in the way of a public apology let alone a show of contriteness from her husband. What did he get? The ball and his regular start in the rotation one day after he was bailed out of jail.
In other words, it was business as usual as far as the Phillies are concerned. No time for outreach to the community to explain the organization's stance on domestic violence. No time to say, "hey, we get it. We understand that kids are watching our players, seeking to be like our big-leaguers, learning about actions, consequences, the law and what is right or just flatout wrong."
No time to do the right thing.
The perceived lack of sensitivity to this alleged savage act unleashed a fury among fans.
Good.
It is simply not acceptable in this day and age that the Phillies think it is good enough that they pretty much limited their responses to Myers' arrest whether he had the wherewithal to take the mound hours after being arrested, or whether his legal troubles might prove to be a distraction to the team.
No sensible soul cared about the so-called distraction any more than they cared to see Myers on the mound ever again until he shows some remorse about what happened on that grim evening in Boston.
