Philadelphia Phillies Philes Vol 1.14: The power of bamboo

At the mid-point of the season, we’re talking inconsistency, evaluating the skipper, and more in this botanical edition of Philadelphia Phillies Philes.

Leading off

This is baseball, folks. It’s a long season; certainly not a sprint. After a week where the Philadelphia Phillies couldn’t buy a win, they turned it around with a four-game sweep of the plunging New York Mets and looked fantastic in the process. Now they fly into Miami to face the even lower Marlins and have lost the first two.

Really, I’m a bit perplexed.

Thursday’s win marked the halfway point of the season. The team’s record was 43-38, one win off of last year’s pace. Yet, we all know what happened last year during the August collapse. Will the same happen to this year’s edition?

I doubt it. I just can’t believe a lineup with better overall talent will succumb to the pressure. Bullpen pieces are slated to return, and in about 32 days we’ll have a better sense of which pieces Gabe Kapler will have to work with for the remainder of the year.

As it stands, the Phillies are 6.0 games back of the first-place Braves, whom they face in a crucial three-game set beginning Tuesday in Atlanta.

Blame It On the Bamboo

With just six wins in their previous 22 games entering this past Monday night, the Phillies needed a spark. And by spark, evidently, I meant bamboo.

Veteran utility infielder Brad Miller, who joined the team just two weeks ago, once relied on the plant to turn the tides of a minor league losing streak years ago. It worked then, and it’s working now.

Well, at least for home games.

Anyhow, Miller picked up a small bundle of the plant before the Mets opener, and the Phillies bats came alive. Scoring 13 runs en route to the team’s first victory in eight games, Miller would pick up an even bigger bunch the next day.

And the bats bamboo powered the team for its second straight win. Miller even joined the fray, absolutely CRUSHING a pinch-hit home run after Franco had just given the team the lead with a two-run shot of his own.

And his reaction was awesome:

Leading off

Again…as in literally, “leading off.”

Ever since Andrew McCutchen went down with his season-ending ACL tear, the Phillies have lacked consistency at the top of the order. That seems to be changing as Scott Kingery makes his claim for the top-spot.

After debuting at leadoff for Monday’s game against the Mets, Kingery went 3 for 6 with two runs scored and an RBI. He followed that performance up with a leadoff home run the next night as the Phillies beat the Mets, 7-5.

He’s cooled down a bit since, but Kingery has proven himself to be the most versatile player in the Phillies lineup. Whether batting sixth, seventh, third, or now first – or playing center, left, shortstop or third base – his ability to perform at a high level from seemingly anywhere has been one of the most pleasant surprises on this Phillies team.

As he continues to develop confidence and grow as a ballplayer, the future appears very bright for the 25-year-old. On the year he’s batting .322/.370/.596 with 10 homers, 26 RBI and 27 runs in only 51 games played.

Be Like Maik

When Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is on, the team is just better. After a hot start to the season followed by a painstakingly frigid two-month stretch, Franco appears to have righted the ship. With huge home runs against the Mets earlier this week, the 26-year-old is batting .409 with three HR, seven RBI and six runs scored over the past week.

Always a streaky hitter, the Phillies simply need better consistency at the dish from Franco. His glovework at third is deceptively good, and the lineup is more balanced with his presence. That can make all the difference between losing seven in a row versus salvaging series’ wins, which is what the team needs.

In case I haven’t said it enough…

Jimmy Rollins is absolutely fantastic in the broadcast booth. If there’s a way to make that happen regularly in the coming years, the Phillies need to make that happen.

Fiery Gabe

Gabe Kapler’s first ejection as Phillies manager took 238 games. His second ejection took three:

Fish Fry

After today’s finale, the Phillies don’t play the Marlins again until August 23. Thank goodness! The Phillies are just 4-7 versus the lowly Marlins on the year.

Most Valuable Phillie Power Rankings – Top 15 (through 6/29/2019):

1. Zach Eflin (SP) – Previous Rank: 1 (↔)
2. Rhys Hoskins (1B) – Previous Rank: 2 (↔)
3. J.T. Realmuto (C) – Previous Rank: 4 (↑ 1)
4. Hector Neris (RP) – Previous Rank: 3 (↓ 1)
5. Scott Kingery (OF/INF) – Previous Rank: 6 (↑ 1)
6. Cesar Hernandez (2B) – Previous Rank: 7 (↑ 1)
7. Jean Segura (SS) – Previous Rank: 5 (↓ 2)
8. Aaron Nola (SP) – Previous Rank: 9 (↑ 1)
9. Jake Arrieta (SP) – Previous Rank: 8 (↓ 1)
10. Bryce Harper (OF) – Previous Rank: 10 (↔)
11. Nick Pivetta (SP) – Previous Rank: 11 (↔)
12. Maikel Franco (3B) – Previous Rank: 14 (↑ 2)
13. Jay Bruce (OF) – Previous Rank: 12 (↓ 1)
14. Adam Morgan (RP) – Previous Rank: 13 (↓ 1)
15. Juan Nicasio (RP) – Previous Rank: 15 (↔)

“Ring the Bell” Award Winner of the Week

This week’s honor goes to Maikel Franco. What an incredible week full of clutch home runs, steady defensive plays, and picking teammates up. As mentioned before, the team is so much more balanced when Franco is in the lineup and at least contributing a little.

This week’s contributions, however, were paramount.

Ring it, Maik; you earned it!

Phillie Pholly of the Week

More from Philadelphia Phillies

• The Real Reason Behind Trea Turner’s Recent Hot Streak
• VIDEO: Bryce Harper Hustles for Inside-the-Park Home Run vs. Giants
• Phillies Fans Let Ex-Manager Gabe Kapler Hear It in First Inning
• Andrew Knapp Finds New MLB Home With AL Contender
• VIDEO: Phillies Send Touching Message to Media Little League Team Before World Series

Last week there was some backlash over the lack of reprimand facing Jean Segura and Cesar Hernandez after each failed to run out a ball on separate occasions. Gabe Kapler said he’d address the issue privately with each.

Then before the Phillies returned to their winning ways earlier this week, GM Matt Klentak came out and defended his manager amid an uproar of certain media figures and fans alike calling for Kapler’s firing. Instead, Klentak spoke about his “team-centric” philosophy that included rallying together in support of one another rather than getting rid of someone it what would inevitably be a rash decision.

And Klentak is absolutely, 100-percent right!

Firing Gabe Kapler – or anyone from his staff – would prove nothing and only hinder progress at this point, and be a mistake. Through a season and a half as Phillies skipper, Kapler has managed the team to a 123-122 record, largely with reserves and players not in the team’s long-term plans. Yet despite all that, including significant losses to injury this year, the team remains just a few games back of the first-place Braves and certainly well in contention for the playoffs.

Kapler has experienced some learning curves, and in this new era of baseball where taking plays off is essentially expected, he has performed beyond sufficient.

Yes, there’s room for improvement, but Kapler is not the problem; he’s part of the solution. For any clamoring for his exit now or in the past, you are this week’s Phollies.

As I alluded to at the beginning, baseball’s a marathon, not sprint. Kapler deserves the chance to work through this year entirely. If at this point next season issues haven’t been corrected, then it’s time to reexamine his fit. For now though and with the pieces he’s had, he’s not the problem.

Give him time to prove his worth. At least more than a season and a half.

Phillies Phlashback

On Friday, July 2, 1993, your Philadelphia Phillies were set to host the San Diego Padres for a twilight doubleheader at rainy Veterans Stadium. After multiple delays, the first game ended after midnight with the Phillies losing, 5-2.

The second game still needed to be played, however, and would have a start time of 1:28 AM, now Saturday, July 3rd.

Down 5-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Phillies began their climb back, eventually tying the game in the eighth off a Darren Daulton pinch-hit single scoring Dave Hollins. The game would be tied 5-5 and headed for extras…just after four o’clock in the morning!

After Mitch Williams pitched a scoreless top of the tenth, Pete Incaviglia led off the bottom frame with a walk. He’d advance to second on a Jim Eisenreich single. Daulton would strike out, setting the stage for this memorable moment, Mitch Williams’ first and only at-bat of the year: (see here).

As Richie Ashburn proclaimed, the man can flat-out hit! The game officially ended at 4:40 AM.

On Deck

Another pivotal stretch awaits the Phillies as they’re set to take on the Braves for three down in Atlanta before traveling back up north for a weekend series against the Mets at Citi Field.