The Phillies Have Imploded And John Kruk Is One Of The Few Who Seems To Give A Damn
NBCSports - The Phillies committed three errors Monday night and two more in the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader. Three of those errors came in the outfield — two by Mickey Moniak and one by Bryce Harper. The Phils controlled their own destiny heading into the doubleheader. Then they got swept in the doubleheader. They lost by a walk-off home run from Yadiel Hernandez in Game 2. "When they were playing National League baseball, taking extra bases, stealing bases, moving runners, being aggressive, that was baseball. What we're watching now is closer to Little League with errors and senseless errors," Kruk said on Phillies Postgame Live between games. "This is not a playoff team the way they're playing right now. This is not a team that deserves to be in the playoffs the way they're playing."
And the Kruker ain't wrong. Backs up against the wall with the playoffs on the line, the $200 million payroll Phillies drop a lackluster 4 straight, the last 3 to the even more lackluster Nationals. Of which included two uninspired 5-1 losses with Wheeler and Nola on the bumb and then the final leg a must-win double header 8-7. A confirmed zero asses were on fire. None.
The Phillies are currently out of the playoff spot at 27-29, but does it really matter? Do you actually want to see them squeak into the 8th or 7th spot only to get bushwhacked by the Dodgers or Cubs? If anything missing the playoffs with this payroll means GM Klentak is on the way out, but who knows. But at least John freaking Kruk gives a damn and tells it how it is on the broadcast. It's almost the least anyone can ask for around here.
PS - Related: 27 years ago today, John Kruk goes on Letterman to discuss how he lost his number 28 and two cases of beer to Mitch Williams. Sad story, indeed.
PSS - More Kruk on Letterman in '92. What a specimen.