The Bat Awakens From Its Slumber

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong. Really, I am. I mean, sure, it's pretty hard to do when you're right 99 percent of the time, but I can set the ego aside, look at things rationally and admit when I've made an error in judgment.

And boy did I ever make an error in judgment in regards to everyone's favorite, then least favorite, then favorite again—well, you get the idea—Phillie Pat Burrell. Just two short days ago, I called for Pat's infinite benching. After all, he was mired in his worst slump of the season, and the stats didn't lie—in August and September, Pat had been the worst hitter in baseball.



It was hard to watch, and I couldn't take it. I wanted Pat out. For good. But good old Charlie stuck by his man. He said just yesterday he'd continue to start Pat. And last night with the game tied 2-2, even with his seemingly endless suck, Pat crushed a two-run homer to put the Phils ahead and TOTALLY REDEEMED HIMSELF. Charlie was right. I was wrong. I guess that's why he's the manager, and I'm not.

On a night where Cole didn't have his best stuff, and a night where Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard went hitless, the Phils still found a way to win. They swept the Braves and continue to be in the driver's seat for the division. It's nice to be front-running again.

All year long, people have been asking when this potent offense, which had been dormant most of the year, was going to get going. The players kept telling us it would come around, even as we all waited and waited well into August. Well folks, the bats have ignited, and they've been getting it done early. Last night, the Phils scored twice in the first, highlighted by an RBI triple double by Jayson Werth, who plated Utley and wound up on third thanks to an error. Werth then scored on a sac fly by Howard.



It was the 10th time in 16 games the Phils have scored in the first inning in September. In this final month of the regular season, they've outscored their opponents 19-12 in the opening frame, and more impressively, 12-2 during their seven-game winning streak that they're in the midst of thanks to back-to-back sweeps of the Brewers and Braves.

Suddenly, the Phillies look very, very dangerous. And with the season premier of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" last night coming about 10 minutes after the Phils ended the sweep, it was a great night in the city. Winning baseball, cannibalism, hunting, gasoline and waterboarding.

Oh, and to the Mets fans out there, I have a message from Charlie Day: "WILD CARD, BITCHES!" That's your best bet. Welcome back to not sucking, Pat.