Phillies Get Hosed Too
By: mbohn
Keeping with the theme of me whining about bad calls by umpires, the Philadelphia Phillies got absolutely hosed yesterday. In the bottom of the eighth inning, with one out on the board, Jimmy Rollins made a fantastic slide on his way to first base, eluded the tag of Baltimore Orioles’ one bagger Ty Wigginton. Only blue did not see it that way, and called him out. The next batter, Shane Victorino, doubled to left and that hit could have possibly sent Rollins from first to home tying the game. Unfortunately, Rollins was busy pacing back and forth in anger in the dugout.When Rollins was called out, Phils Manager Charlie Manuel went ballistic. Okay, Charlie does not go ballistic, but he came out and argued the call, thus getting the gate from first-base umpire Larry Vanover. Vanover should have released the call to another ump, but refused to do so because he has an ego the size of Hasim Rahman’s swollen forehead.
So instead of being in position to tie the game with one out and Rollins on base, the Phils had two outs when Victorino laced his double. Instead of Chase Utley entering the batter’s box with one out and either runners on second and third down by one, or a tie game with Victorino on second and still only one out, he stepped up to the plate with two outs. Chase then hit the ball to O’s reliever Jim Johnson to end the inning. The Phillies then got sat down in order in the ninth for O’s closer George Sherrill’s 15th save of the season, thus wasting a 10 strikeout effore from Cole Hamels.