Turning Points

At first, I was going to do a Phillies “mid-term grades” piece, but it have more F’s than a Chase Utley interview. Plus everyone one and their mother were doing them. Only the 3 all-stars (and I would have made a case for Schwimer) deserve a grade higher than a “C.”

It seems like every time, I read anything on the Phillies lately, its people trying to pinpoint the season’s turning point. Guess what? It ain’t happening. Even I did it. Back on June 28^th, I went to the game the previous night and for the first time all year it was like no matter what they were going to find a way to win and they did. I thought that was “the night.” Since then, they have gotten back Chase and Ryan and have manage to go a whopping 1-10 which includes sweeps by the Braves and Marlins, who went 4-1 against the Floppins in June and 4-17 verse everyone else.

People want to point to previous years and say they can do it again or that the Cardinals made up a similar margin in just the final month. But this team has no heart, no desire to win. Victorino wants to throw a temper tantrum because he’s batting 7^th? Fuck You. Jason Pridie did more in that one game than he’s done in a month. For reals! He’s got one extra base hit in the last month. ONE! I wish MLB would edit him out of the commercial when he says he will lead the league in triples. It’s embarrassing. There are 64 more major leaguers with more triples than him including AJ Pierzynski who’s a catcher…and 35 years old and has a mind boggling career SB total of 20. You’d better start embezzling from the Nicetown Y because you ain’t getting paid this year bro.  Then there was the Vance Worley AB when he just gave up. I’ve seen Natalie Gulbis take harder practice swings. (Funbags. Don’t judge.)

The bullpen stinks. You got Papelbon then your next 2 best options are Schwimer and Raul Valdez????  

The addition from within theory wasn’t exactly panned out so far and now you just waiting on Doc, Nix and Schneider. How much can they possibly do at the trade deadline to improve? It won’t be enough. I’d much rather see the fire sale begin so the Phillies can retool the minors and reload in the offseason.

See ya at the ball park! I’ll be the one wearing the paper bag!

Jay Wrizight

jaywrizight@yahoo.com

My Bucket List

DiamondGirl's article the other day has me thinking. If had the time, the money or, most importantly, actually believed the world was ending on Saturday. What would I do these final days? After careful planning here is my itinerary before "the Rapture" hits on Saturday.

Today: I head up to Cooperstown. Sure, I've been there once before. It was a great trip with my family when I was 12. Now that I'm older many the icons that I grew up idolizing are there now like Schmidt, Carlton, Whitey and Harry. Not to mention Gwynn, Ripkin, Sandberg and Ozzie Smith. Then I'd hop on a plane to Seattle. I've always wanted to see a game at Safeco Field. The Mariners take on the Angels. Jared Weaver is pitching, but more importantly Ichiro plays for the M's. I've never seen him play live and there is no player, not currently on the Phillies, I'd rather see in a Phillies uniform. If the world does end on Saturday, he'd have his lowest batting average of his career at .302!

Thursday: Back to the East Coast and a trip to CitiField for the Mets and Nationals just to laugh at the fools who have spent the last decade getting a preview of hell. Then onto Toronto for the Blue Jays and Rays. Longoria is one of the game's best but this trip is more about visiting Canada. I'd also use one of the hotel rooms to bang Mrs Carter so I could rip out Joe's heart like he did mine on October 23, 1993.

Friday: No day baseball so I'd head to my parents house to have a catch with my Dad. He'd work on my 1989 Jeep instead, but my Mom would come out and show me the new change-up grip she saw on tv. Then, off to Milwaukee. I'd love to end existence with baseball purity (i.e. no interleague and certainly no DH) but Zack Grienke is toeing the rubber. Also, the Wriz will be crossing off the "Billy Brewer Splashdown" from the bucket list.





Saturday aka the end of mankind: It was a tough choice between the White Sox with Mark Buerle on the mound and the KC and St Louis matchup. Ultimately, I've been to Us Cellular Field before and always wanted to go to Kauffman Stadium. At least it is one of the true interleague rivalry games. Then I'll jump on a plane for Citizen's Bank Park. Sure I've been there hundreds of times but I figured I better get to heaven before the line gets too long.

See ya on the other side!
Jay Wrizight
jaywrizight@yahoo.com

p.s. Feel free to share your bucket list so I have something to read on the plane rides