I’m not taking the blame for this one. I’ll take the hit for Red Sox losses when I’m present because the coincidence rate is entirely too high to think anything other than some cosmic confluence of bad luck is at play. But I’m not taking the lumps for a Phillies loss at Citizen’s Bank Park. Not when I haven’t seen them lose a game at home the entirety of the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Not when I was wearing the lucky hat that hadn’t seen them lose at all – home or away – from Spring Training 2006 through yesterday. No sir, I’m not taking the lumps for this one.
The question for today is: What the hell happened? Let me tell you, the Rockies ain’t that good. They play good defense and capitalize on pitching mistakes but I saw nothing to convince me that they are a special team or a team of destiny or any of that other bollocks. The real question is: just how much does it cost to buy off two officiating staffs – Monday night and Wednesday afternoon – so all the calls go your way? Like several people pointed out yesterday – we’re all still waiting for Matt Holliday to touch home plate at Coors Field.
I think the Phillies just got beat. Pure and simple. They didn’t even beat themselves, they just flat out lost the game. When the top of your order goes 0-fer through nine, you’re going to lose the game, regardless of Rowand/Burrell/Hamels heroics. When your pitcher (King Cole!) gets the very first hit of the game, that’s a sign things ain’t going so well.
They lost. But you know what? I have no fear. This year is different. Maybe I’m just a more mellow guy. Maybe things that seemed life and death seem very insignificant in the light of real life and death. Maybe I just have more faith. This year I believe. I know the Phillies are good enough to beat the Rockies. I know that they won’t beat themselves. If they lose, they lose.
But I don’t expect it.
And that’s the oddest attitude for a Phillies fan there is.