This Should Never Happen

The Phillies lost 4-3 last night not because of one specific player or because of pitching. They lost because they stranded approximately 584 base-runners one night after putting up 22 runs. Fine. That's baseball. Things like that happen.

But one thing that should never, ever happen with this Phillies team: Putting the game on Eric Bruntlett's shoulders. Or more specifically, his putrid bat.



I know Bruntlett has shut me up before, but come on folks, the joke is over. This guy has absolutely no business on a major league roster. He can't hit. He's an average fielder. And while he often makes pinch-running appearances, he's not all that fast either.

But there he was last night, at the dish in the bottom of the ninth with Ryan Howard on first, two outs and the Phils down by a run. Eric Bruntlett. Who was hitting .143 on the season before he grounded out to end the game (now hitting .141). His numbers make Jimmy Rollins look like Ted freakin Williams.

And for the record, I'd rather have Greg Dobbs hit off a lefty than have Eric Bruntlett pinch-hit against a little leaguer 100 times out of 100. Dobbs can hit. Bruntlett can't. Pinch-hitting him there for Dobbs in the 7th, who has actually been hot of late, is just a horrible, horrible move no matter how you look at it, Charlie.

This whole Eric Bruntlett joke has gotten so old. Just cut him loose and call up someone. Anyone. Because Brunlett and his stupid beard are doing nothing but wasting space on that bench.

This message has been brought to you by the Rid the World of Eric Bruntlett Foundation. That guy sucks.