Rollins' Injury Is Not Cause of Slump

My Fellow Phans,

The Phillies were shut out again today by the Florida Marlins. This marks the 5^th time in 8 games that the Phillies have been shut out. The only game in the last 6 where the Phillies had scored an earned run was Friday night when they came through with a 3-2 victory. Saturday’s perfect game by Roy Halladay ended in a 1-0 Phillies victory while the only run being scored on an error by the Marlins making it over 18 innings since the Phillies have scored an earned run.

This recent slide has had nearly every Phillies fan shaking their head in confusion. How could a team with this much talent on paper in their lineup possibly go into a slump this horrible. How could every player in their lineup seem to struggle at the exact same time? If anyone can answer this, then you are a smarter man then I.

Some have suggested the loss of Jimmy Rollins in the cause for the Phillies’ struggles. Listen, I know the Phillies are missing Jimmy Rollins, but it’s not like they have not done successfully without him in the lineup in the past. Placido Polanco has also missed games this series which means the Phillies regular top two lineup hitters are missing. This could be a bump in the road to some teams, but you cannot blame all the struggles on injuries. Besides, what does Rollins missing have to do with Chase Utley’s uncharacteristic weak outs at bat to at bat recent or Jayson Werth looking completely lost at the plate striking out in bunches over this past week? Do injuries contribute to Ryan Howard or Carlos Ruiz’s recent loss of patience at the plate?

I think the answers to those questions is no. While it is hard missing the most dynamic player in your lineup, this Phillies lineup has too many stars to go into such a slump. I cannot pinpoint the exact reason for this slump, but the injury to Rollins plays only a small role in it. The Phillies have not been hitting, at all. In the rare occasion when the Phillies get a runner or two on base, they fail to score.

The problem is not so much injuries as the low confidence level. Hitters are trying to do too much at the plate and that is causing a high strikeout total and the over swinging at the plate. Everyone needs to take a step back, clear their heads and understand that there are other players in the lineup willing to pick them up on a day to day basis. Until this happens, Phillies fans could be looking at an even longer drought that is getting increasingly harder and harder to deal with as the games roll along.

  

Until we meet again Phillies Fans; Happy Readings and Go Phillies!!