That sweep you just witnessed (or read about every morning) marks the first time in 46 years that the Phils have dropped every game of a four-outing series to the Dodgers. LA wasn't even at .500 when the series began, but the inconsistent Phils made them look like a true contender, losing some games due to lack of hitting (like last night), and others due to a now shaky 'pen or a lackluster starting effort.
Brett Myers looked pretty good last night, as he has in each start
since returning from his tuneup in the minors. That's about the only positive on my mind as the Phillies move on to San Diego. Manny
predictably put on a show in LA, and combined with the efforts of CC
Sabathia, Rich Harden, and Mark Teixiera, he showed what a big move at the
deadline can mean for a team on the brink. The bad news, other than
looking up at the Mets in the standings, is that the Phils will host a four-game series with the Dodgers next week. Will it be a
redemption song, or more of the painful same?
The good news (we hope) is that the next two teams on the schedule are more than beatable; on paper, they should constitute a rebound bang for the Phils after getting their hearts ripped out in LA. A playoff-caliber team coming off of getting swept shouldn't lose more than two of six games against the Padres and the Nats. But we'll see.
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