Joe Blanton, eating innings in addition to fried chicken. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

It is extremely encouraging to watch the Phillies walk.  I don’t mean in a literal locomotive sense, but more in the making the opposing pitcher throw four pitches out of the strike zone thus being awarded first base without having to make contact with the baseball sort of sense.  The only members of the Phillies that can work a count are a 40 year old part time first baseman and an exceedingly handsome second baseman with a chronic knee condition/death sentence.  The combination of Thome playing and the Godawful Randy Wells on the mound signaled that the team would get at least one base on balls in this one.  They got four.

Wells is really terrible.  He managed to hit Joe Blanton with a pitch and walked him to load the bases.  He absolutely fell apart in the fourth inning allowing four runs, three walks (including Blanton) and three hits.  This start will probably signal a return to AAA for Wells because it is readily apparent that he can not get major league hitters out.  The surprising part about his absolute awfulness is the promise that he showed following a strong rookie year.  Wells was 12-10 with an ERA just about 3.00 in 2009 and has regressed significantly since then.  Here’s to hoping that our own Vance Worley doesn’t suffer the same fate. (more…)