Reaching Base is Bad, Publicly Criticizing Players is Good: A Tough Series for Bad Takes
You know, this is exactly what happens.
When the Phillies lost on Sunday to drop two out of three games over the weekend to San Diego, Gabe Kapler didn’t blow his stack at his postgame news conference.
He had a chance to set the tone by publicly blasting his players. It could’ve gone something like this:
Four hits? Four goddamn hits? Two runs? Two goddamn runs? I’m sick of it. Jobs are on the line starting today.
He could’ve let his team know what’s up. Let them know that he was tired of it. That it was bullshit.
And he didn’t do it.
He instead supported his players by expressing confidence and appreciation for their work ethic. He did this, of course, because he very obviously accepts failure and cultivates a clubhouse absent of accountability.
And, well, this is what happens.
You get a two-game sweep of the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Rhys Hoskins, who I’ve been told numerous times this week has no business being in the leadoff spot, did the very thing a leadoff hitter is supposed to do by reaching base three times last night and six times total in two games. He also scored three of the Phillies’ eight total runs in Boston.
Terrible.
He also added a double, which should temporarily appease those frustrated that he’s reaching base via the walk as he works his way through a brutal second-half slump.
Charlie clapping it up from the dugout for Rhys. Love it. pic.twitter.com/iViczqqJXx
— Bob Wankel (@Bob_Wankel) August 22, 2019
Love Charlie clapping it up, by the way. Love him.
Anyway, the bullpen also rolled over and quit with 5.1 IP of shutout baseball.
Makes you wonder if Kapler should have gotten pissed off and singled out Jared Hughes after the newly-acquired reliever allowed the go-ahead homer in Sunday’s game.
You know, to let him know that bullshit won’t fly in his clubhouse. Not on his watch.
Had Kapler done that, perhaps Hughes wouldn’t have taken so many pitches (five) to retire Mookie Betts with the bases loaded and with the game essentially hanging in the balance to end the fourth inning.
Bryce Harper, too, man. He has clearly checked out:
Monster Mash#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/7LI2cviH0u
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) August 22, 2019
Only nine homers and a 1.029 OPS this month for the overrated bust. Hate to see it. Just a total lack of accountability everywhere this week.
A true shame. Had only Kapler lit them up on Sunday afternoon and put the fear of God in them like a true leader would have done.