tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30179896.post115890985967930208..comments2018-03-09T15:44:30.305-05:00Comments on Claire Smith: Baseball Around the Horn: Wild for the Phils?Claire Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06698419764377521371noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30179896.post-1159387878643571792006-09-27T16:11:00.000-04:002006-09-27T16:11:00.000-04:00I continue to be amazed, though not surprised, tha...I continue to be amazed, though not surprised, that the Phils' problems at CBP remain a mystery to so many. I've written about it to most of the writers who cover the Phils, and to the public-response sites I occasionally post to (where I always get summarily "dissed"). I've only seen the reason discussed ONCE in the Inky (by Mr. Fitzpatrick). I suspect he got such a ration of negative responses, that he decided continuing on that tack would be career-limiting. I've posted to Mr. Zolecki's response column on the reason, and he's come CLOSE to agreeing with me, but I don't believe I would be inaccurate in saying he did not totally and wholeheartedly support my observation.<BR/><BR/>The biggest problem is the Phans. The Phils have by FAR the MOST VOCAL and CRITICAL fan base in all of MLB, if not all of professional sports. Consider the booing of Burrell, which has taken place not just last night but all year. TOTALLY unjustified. The man's playing hurt, and playing as good as he can possibly play. And apparently, few Phans have noticed that, until the latest slump, ALL his offensive numbers were BETTER than Abreu's! Even now, he has more HR, more RBI, and OPS only 20 points lower (it was higher the whole time Abreu was in Philly). Yet Abreu didn't get NEARLY the booing that Burrell has gotten and continues to get.<BR/><BR/>This booing is consistent throughout the Phils' history. They've tried changing EVERYTHING: players, managers, coaches, BALLPARKS, even OWNERS. There is only ONE thing that they haven't changed, and that's because they CAN'T; the PHANS.<BR/><BR/>NO one can perform at their best level when constantly being criticized, and with that level of vitriol. How well do you think YOU could do if your boss did nothing but criticize YOU? You would of course do your best, but your mood would keep that from being your highest performance level. It is the same with the Phillies' players. I think you implied as much in your column when discussing Burrell: "Increasingly targeted by boo birds waiting to jump on what goes wrong, Burrell could not respond."<BR/><BR/>I would estimate that the Phans cost the team about 5 games a year. If I'm right, then one only has to look back at the standings for the last few years to see how many divisions the Phils would have taken since 2000.<BR/><BR/>Note that the Phils were the LAST team to be eliminated last year, from both the division AND the wild card (on the last day of the season; in fact, they actually finished play for the season not knowing whether they would be in the postseason or not). They finished with the fourth-best record in the NL, acing out the winners of the parity-laden Western division. Yet they received NOTHING from the Phans but booing, obscenities, and rejection.<BR/><BR/>This year, they were again the last team eliminated in the NL East, stand to be the last team eliminated from the wild card again, and currently have the 5th-best record in the league. Those kinds of 2-year results would have all but a small handful of other MLB cities (I can only think of NY off the top of my head) thrilled at the competitiveness of the local franchise with at worst only a mild disappointment that the team couldn't have one JUST one more game. Not so in Philly. The Phans act as if the Phils should win the whole shebang every year, and anything less is no different from total failure. It is little wonder so few free-agents are willing to come to Philadelphia, that draft picks do everything possible to obtain another option than the Phils, and that players play SO much better both before coming to the team and after leaving it, than they played DURING their time in town (consider the latest example: Abreu's Philly OPS was .861; it is .924 with the Yankees!).<BR/><BR/>Phans totally tore Scott Rolen a new one for calling St. Louis "baseball heaven", and continue to do so. But from what I can see, the players only need take one look at the Phans to conclude that Rolen was incorrect. It is not that anywhere else is "baseball heaven", but that Philly is "baseball HELL".<BR/><BR/>In your article, you state "the Phillies needed to act as if they understood that there were only 12 games remaining in their season". I would suggest that could be rewritten "the Phans need to act as if they understand that there are only 12 games remaining in the season, and support the team the way it deserves". If that occurs, I think that just MIGHT be enough for the Phils to win one or two close games that they will otherwise lose, and THAT could be the difference between making the postseason and JUST missing it once again. However, this of course is a forlorn hope. Even if YOU should publish such an imploration, it is inconceivable that the Phans would stop trying to take the speck out of the team's eye long enough to pull the log from their own.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30179896.post-1158962173279447672006-09-22T17:56:00.000-04:002006-09-22T17:56:00.000-04:00We can hope, but just not believe until they actua...We can hope, but just not believe until they actually do it. Not only have the Phils not been in the playoffs since 1993, but they have been there ONLY ONCE SINCE 1983!!<BR/><BR/>One appearance in the last 22 years is a record that inspires little confidence. As a life-long Phillies fan since 1956, I have seen more than my share of mediocrity (other than the golden years of 1977-83).<BR/><BR/>So, only hope is in order until they actually get there. As a Philly sports fan, one must protect oneself from getting too excited.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com