Is there anyone else out there besides me who can't fathom the following items?:
1. Can't remember which game, but when Phils had a man on and were losing by two runs, Charlie Manual sent up Bruntlett and left Francisco on the bench. Francisco didn't play or pinch hit at all in that game, as I recall.
2. Having just - by a miracle - tied the game in the eighth with a Pedro Feliz home run, with Madsen pitching his usual lights out, bobble-head Charlie brings in Lidge - IN A NON-SAVE SITUATION - who stands watching the play instead of covering third, which Johnny Damen - a player who isn't frozen in fear like Lidge - quickly takes?????????
3. And this one REALLY KILLS ME: Why was the possible/probable Rookie of the Year and best starting pitcher on the Phillies, namely Happ, riding the pine in games 2 and 6, while broken down loser Pedro Martinez got the starts?????????
I honestly think that sometimes Charlie is SO loyal to his players that he's stupid-loyal.
If a manager was trying to throw away three games, I don't think anyone could have done it any better.
I love the man - but his judgement stinks a whole lot of the time. I'm sure the Yankees were salivating when they saw Mr.-one-mistake-and-I'm-a-blubbering-idiot-Lidge take the mound. I'm sure they remembered well how he blew the game at Yankee stadium that prevented a Phillies three game sweep.
And if the other team has a lefty with a HUGE sweeping curve like Marte did, pinch hit a righty for Howard, 'cause he isn't gone hit it with a ten foot bat.
The Phillies need to ditch Lidge - he isn't closer material. Chan Ho Park is amazing. Durbin is pretty bad. DEFINITELY KEEP Ayer. He was lights out. Martinez stinks. Hamels stinks. But with Lee, Happ and Blanton, they have the core for a good starting five. In fact, if Charlie Manual had gone Lee, Happ, Blanton, Lee, Happ - I think they would have had it in five or six. God - what a disgustng and frustrating loss. The Yankees were not the better team. That's what hurts the most.
Ken from Williamsport.

Riddle me this:
J. Happ had 23 starts. (Only Hamels, Moyers(?) and Blanton had more). He had a 2.93 ERA. A 12-4 record and gave up 20 HR's in 166 innings. Blanton gave up 30.
P. Martinez had 9 starts. He pitched a paltry 44 innings. Gave up 18 runs for an ERA of 3.63. Most importantly, he gave up 7 HR's, which, if he had pitched 166 innings could be extrapolated out to him giving up 26 HR's.
So - on the basis of 9 games, Martinez gets the ball over Happ, who pitched in a total of 35 games, and excelled in almost all of his starts.
Seriously - AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN'T FATHOM THIS!!!!????????????

Pinch hit for Howard, now that's agood idea - especially in a WS game. We could have sent up one of our power hitting RH's off the bench. And then figured out who to put at first.

Lidge def isn't closer material, when have you ever seen a relief pitcher be lights out one year...and bad the next? Maybe they'll just eat his contract.

AYER was lights out?

Hamels stinks, disregard the 1.8 era in the '08 post season. Again, have you ever seen a young LHP have a bad year?

Yeah - Ayer pitched excellent in the Series. Hamels is a cry-baby. Lidge panics when things go wrong. I would definitely rather have Francisco bat and stick him at first than have Howard strike out, what, 12 times? But you still didn't answer the BIG QUESTION: On the basis of 9 starts vs. 23, on the basis of a 3.63 era and 44 innings vs. 2.93 in 166 innings, what the (((*(&^8 was Happ sitting on the bench for? Why did we fight so hard to keep him? And he's a starter, not a reliever anymore, so when he came in in relief it took him time to adjust, by which time he'd already given up hits. Martinez' 82 MPH fastball wasn't fooling anybody. J. Happ may very well be the only Rookie of the Year who was not allowed to play in a World Series.

***I would definitely rather have Francisco bat and stick him at first than have Howard strike out, what, 12 times?***

....Please stop, honestly.

...And did you see how impressive Francisco looked in his WS at bats?

As for Haap, I can't answer that question. But the Howard 'discussion' is absolutely ridiculous.

You're right. I don't think Francisco may be much of a pinch hitter. But when he starts, he is pretty f****n decent. But, yeah, I know: Sometimes Howard just gets into that staring at his shoes mode and you know he's a wasted at bat. Too often. He was so confident in the playoffs. Don't know exactly when he decided he was gonna' start chasing those sweeping garbage curves.
Yeah - Happ. What the h***l was Charlie thinking there?

Agree.... he should have been the starter ahead of Pedro and Blanton.... he didnt deserve to be put in the pen.... ESPN Jayson Starks said the same... he was befuddled by Charlie's move.....Happ was their best pitcher most of the year and got shafted in the playoffs

"The Phillies need to ditch Lidge - he isn't closer material"

Anyone remember 2008?

THANK YOU. FINALLY, SOMEONE ELSE NOTICED! THANKS, MAN, I CAN SLEEP NOW. I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK I WAS NUTS.

No: I was thinking more about 2009.

Sorry - can't spell. Eyre WAS lights out, yes. Try: In the World Series, 2 IP, no hits, no runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, ERA 0.00. In the LCS, 0.1 IP, 1 S.O., ERA 0.

But most importantly, for the whole 2009 season, in 42 games, 30 IP, 22 hits, 5 ER, 2 HR, 13 BB, 12 SO, ERA 1.50, and (I think) 13 "holds".

That's about as lights out as a pitcher can be, wouldn't you say? And all that with 5 bone chips in his pitching elbow. I'm glad he'll be back.

I'm really sad about Pedro Feliz. Does the Phillies manangement know that Chone Figgins absolutely stunk in the postseason? I hope so, and act on that basis. Just buy Pedro back. The amount of runs he saves with that glove are not in any stats, but I imagine they are quite a few each year.

And can we get rid of Eric Bruntlett yet???? I can't believe Charlie Manuel put him up to pinch hit against a lefty in the WS when the Phils were down by two runs, one man on, two outs, and Francisco wasn't DH'ing or in the game. What goes through that guys head? Not starting Happ in games 2 and 6 is unforgiveable. I hope Happ gets named Rookie of t he Year.

If I'm a betting man, my money is on Eyre to retire. Once you start to entertain the thought, it's usually the beginning of the end.

Just ask Brett Favre.