UPDATE: Make that 53. The Marlins game has been rained out, so they stay six games back.
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UPDATE: Make that 53. The Marlins game has been rained out, so they stay six games back.
Use code “Journal” for a 5% discount.
Here’s an article where Tyler Houston rips Bowa. It’s kind of funny.
Phillies Notes | Ex-Phillie blames Bowa for team’s woes
By Todd Zolecki
Inquirer Staff Writer
CHICAGO – Larry Bowa’s week has been so bad that even ex-Phillies infielder Tyler Houston took a few shots at his former skipper.
Houston, the best pinch-hitter in the National League last season before the Phillies released him because they considered him a terrible influence in the clubhouse, is no longer playing and writes a weekly baseball column for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Yesterday’s column dissed Bowa, whose job security has been talked about for the last several days.
“I have a question for Phillies fans: Where would this talented team be if Bowa wasn’t the manager?” Houston wrote. “Bobby Cox’s Braves don’t have half the Phillies’ talent, but Atlanta has a 41/2 game lead in the National League East.”
Asked yesterday whether he cared to comment, Bowa said he didn’t. Earlier this season, Bowa said of Houston: “The only thing I’ll say is, you see he’s not playing baseball. Everybody can’t be wrong.”
The Phillies held a team meeting Thursday at Pro Player Stadium in Miami after they started a 13-game road trip 0-4, the first team meeting since Bowa’s blowup in Montreal last August, when they started a 13-game road trip 1-9.
Houston offered details of that August meeting last year.
“Bowa threw one of his tantrums, saying things many players didn’t appreciate,” Houston wrote. “Upon boarding the bus to the airport, longtime veteran Dan Plesac held a meeting. He slammed Bowa and his staff, saying it was time to win for ourselves and to forget about the coaches.
“Another player, who is still with the Phillies, suggested that if struggling Pat Burrell hit a home run, he should not shake Bowa’s hand. Indeed, Burrell homered the next day and shunned Bowa. I was the first player to greet Burrell at the top of the dugout, which in Bowa’s eyes immediately made me the mastermind of the scheme.”
Houston said the Phillies didn’t release him because he was a bad influence, but because Bowa believed he had too much influence. He said Bowa’s “little-man complex got in the way of what was best for the team… . By making an example of me, he intimidated players from speaking out.”
Houston made it clear how he thinks the Phillies can turn around their season.
“[Ed] Wade has built a team that should steamroll to the playoffs,” he wrote. “Instead, it’s limping along and will probably again watch the playoffs on TV. Everyone from announcers to clubhouse people want Bowa gone, but Wade can’t pull the trigger. Ed, if you are too afraid to do it, I’d be more than happy to fly to Philly and fire the little guy for you.”
Braves now have the third best record in the NL. 9 behind StL and 3 behind LA.
If they were not leading the East they would lead the Wildcard race by 1/2 game.
I’m all for winning this thing going away. I also think part of the post-season woes these past few years are partially caused when the Braves peak too early, then fail to smoothly transition to a productive play-off intensity.
Perhaps a closer race to make the post-season would be the difference between 2004 and 2000-2003
I hear what your saying, but I’ll still take winning going away option. I have no desire to see how much Smoltz can take before his elbow explodes. If he pitches about five times in September, that would be great.
Yeah, I’m all for winning this division running away. Let’s build up a 10-game lead and then never look back. Even I was convinced this year’s team would suck, so it would be nice for the Braves to prove us all wrong with a definitive division win.
I hope that if we do make the playoffs, we don’t have to face the frikkin’ Cubs like we did last year.
Why does it matter when Smoltz gets his elbow stressed, now or later? Either we use him now when we’re winning and run away with the division, or he gets used if there’s a pennant race down the stretch. If we win 90-100 games, and he saves 40% of them, it doesn’t really mattter when he gets the majority of them, now or later.
I can see that at the beginning of the postseason, he’s coming off appearing in a lot of games late in the regular season, and it would affect him, but that means he wouldn’t be used as much now, so it would balance out.
I would rather see them be in a pennant race until mid-September, both as a fan and as observer of the past year’s situations.
yet again, people mistake hot streaks for talent. once again, if you’re good enough to make the playoffs you’re good enough to win it all. all it takes is a couple of pitchers getting hot at the right time, or a few hitters getting ridiculously hot. the main trick is to not outthink yourself and to catch a few breaks. everyone who makes the playoffs has talent. i’m as much of a stat guy as anyone, but in a short series i’ll take luck over skill every time.