cLOSER???

cLOSER???

 

I’ve always said the being a MLB closer is the most misunderstood job in sports. The job definition is easy. You take the mound, get outs and your team wins. It’s not any easy proposition. Closers, for the most part, don’t get the benefit of being put in a beneficial situation like the rest of the bullpen. They face whoever’s sent to the batters box. They’re typically “a little off” but I guess it comes with wanting to be the man in a do or lose situation all the time.

It goes beyond that. Being a closer doesn’t lend itself well to statistics especially when you have a bad game or two. He comes in gives up a bloop hit and then a home run it could take weeks for his ERA and WHIP to just look pedestrian again especially this early in the season.

I had thought about writing this piece last week, but it just felt better to make CJ Hood wait. I figured I missed my opportunity. Then, Paps is given the night off after 3 straight days of work. Jake Diekman loads the bases and blows the save when he serves up a grand salami to Dan Uggla. Phillies fans torture was compounded by the fact the team scored 5 in the 8^th to take the lead. Obviously from twitter and Facebook feeds the loss is on Papelbon because he didn’t pitch. GTFO! I love people saying he makes 14 million blah blah blah. I don’t know about you but I’d rather have him on the mound come September (if Lord willing, the Phillies are still in contention) than to have to find out if Diekman or Hollands or whoever is capable then.

Papelbon looked like dog shit in the one game he blew a save verse Texas, but it was ONE game. In his other appearances, he has 5IP no earned runs, one hit and one walk. I know he blew a bunch last year. Yeah, Yeah. He had 7 blown saves last year. You know who else had 7 last year? Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time. Paps was also dealing with a hip injury. An injury he went out and battled thru until the offseason even though in reality it was over in August.

Call me a Papelbon apologist if you want, but for as goofy and as dim witted as he comes off, I don’t think there is anyone on this team except Utley who wants to win more.

 

See ya at the ballpark!

 

Jay Wrizight

jaywrizight@yahoo.com

Papelbologna

Hoodwink’d                       by cj hood

Papelbologna

 

 

MY CLOSER HAS A FIRST NAME IT’S C-R-Y-B-A-B-Y!

 

A lot of things have happened since I last blessed you with a Hoodwink’d ep.  On a personal note, former ‘Bunter, DB29 had another baby (he’s 2 shy of having his own reality show). I turned the big 4-0 (now I know how Netfather Bill felt in the 1960’s).  (Also, now that I’m older, I find that I’m using parenthesis a lot more). But more importantly, the Phillies got to .500 and 2nd place in the East…hell, they even were above .500 at one point.  Then they went on a road trip to play the ‘twin towers’ of the MLB (Twins & Brewers) and got schooled.  Next, they came home, almost swept the ‘Gnats & even copped the 2nd place spot again for 24 hours.  Some ‘Buntamaniacs claim this blogger jinx’ed the sweep cuz I made a broom reference on our Facebook page.  Get real…the Phils don’t need my help to blow a game…they got a whole cast of characters to take care of that bro!

 

We’ve also added another concern to worry about in our closer.  Papelbologna almost blew game 1 of the Gnats series, so he came back in game 3 to have at it again.  And success!  Then the cast of characters which is our bullpen paraded out and Ian Desmond clocked a granny.  At that point it was zzzz’s time cuz it would take this team 6 games to overcome a 4 run deficit.  And the icing on the cake, Papp is now playing the ‘blame game.’  He must know he’s on his way out at the end of July.  Other points of discussion include the derailment of the D*Brown hit parade, Howard’s slight progression at the dish (although he struck out thrice on Wed) but as long as we have Delmon Young to blame all is good (tongue planted firmly in cheek). 

 

 

THIS IS THE RAJ OF BOLOGNAS. #CHEAPANDGROSS

 

At this point I think we need to clean house starting with RAJ all the way down to Ryan Howard.  This team needs a facelift and I’m not even sure Sandy’s the answer cuz I’m not a fan of his skillz at 3rd base.  He’s sent more men home than Obama.  Neil Young has a better chance scoring at home than Delmon Young does.  It’s time to let go of the past and start anew.  I don’t have all the answers, but we’re downgrading while other teams make moves.  It’s been 5 years since we won it all…that’s 10 in baseball years.  The RAJ theory on ‘pitching wins games’ only works for the Phillies if those pitchers know how to hit.  Otherwise we’ll continue to lose 2-0 or 1-0.  So if you’re not going to clean house at least acquire an ace at the plate.  Bargain hunting at the MLB garage sales isn’t cutting it.

I remember when writing this blog was fun now I’m just trying to find different ways to say the same shit.  There won’t be any new news to report until the organization decides to create some.  Until then stay out of the heat….let’s get ‘bunted!