Was This Really Worth Watching?: Phillies Shut Out By a Bunch of Relievers 3-0

This really was a terrible game.  After Toronto starter Drew Hutchison exploded his elbow in the first inning, the Phillies couldn’t score off of a cavalcade of middle relief pitchers included four scoreless innings from Carlos Villanueva, who happens not to be very good.  This is the kind of loss that reminds all of us that the likes of Micheal Martinez and Mike Fontentot are essentially starting for this team.  Sans the designated hitter, Ty Wigginton is the main power threat in this line-up.  The positive to take from the the season thus far is that is could be much worse.

The hallmarks of this team are supposed to be pitching and defense.  Vance Worley held up his end of the bargain against the Blue Jays, allowing one earned run in his seven innings of work.  He appears to be up to full strength after his trip to the DL with loose bodies in his elbow.  He allowed back to back doubles to Rajai Davis and Brett Lawrie in the third to give the Blue Jays a lead that they would never relinquish.  Worley’s defense on the other hand, was substandard yet again.

Mike Fontenot is supposed to be a scrappy reserve infielder that plays baseball “the right way.”  This would imply that he knows how to play defense, bunt and do all the crap that guys who are really good at baseball don’t feel like doing.  He has been terrible defensively.  He threw a pretty easy, possible double play ball into right field leading to two more Blue Jay runs.  If only the Phillies had a young, slick fielding infielder…….oh yeah, he has a broken back.

3-0 loss for Worley in a game that he didn’t deserve to lose.

The moment that defeat became imminent was Fontenot’s error.  Even with this crappy offense a one run lead is not insurmountable.  A three run lead on the other hand….

The most attractive play of the game did not exist.  I suppose Jim Thome’s walk bringing him within one of Micky Mantle…..but a walk?  This game was really gross.

The hero of the game for the Phillies was Vance Worley.  This one was so bad that reasonably effective earns you a hero of the game nod.

The villain of the game was Mike Fontenot.  This is the second time recently that a member of the Phillies was chosen for this honor after shoddy defense.  I think I would rather have Abraham Nunez.

Cliff Lee is in search of his first win of the year.  Joe Blanton has two complete games and a shutout and Lee has yet to win.  Picked a hell of a day to start smoking crystal meth.