Another baseball season
could be headed down the drain

From the Press Box
By Bill McFarland

I’m pretty close to pressing the panic button on this year’s Phillies. The split of the weekend series with Cincinnati did little to encourage me that this season won’t be a wash by Memorial Day.
The Reds aren’t exactly setting the league on fire, and the Phils are now dealing with what should be the toughest part of the schedule with several key players still missing and other still trying to battle out of slumps. And other than closer Billy Wagner, the bullpen in particular has been a real disappointment.
It would be best to wait before passing judgment on the acquisition of outfielder Endy Chavez from the Washington Nationals. I don’t know a whole lot about him, which is something of an indication that he hasn’t done much to catch my attention. He supposedly has some speed and a good arm, which should help him on defense, but what will he bring to the table offensively that will be any different, or better, than Marlon Byrd.
Nobody asked my opinion before making this trade, but I would have kept Byrd for at least the rest of this season, although not necessarily on the 25-man major league squad.
Byrd still has a pretty good upside, and Kenny Lofton was signed as a one-year player. The Phillies could have kept Byrd at Triple A for the rest of the season and given him another opportunity to be the regular centerfielder in 2006.
Chavez will have to be more than mediocre to win me over.

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The hot streak that Bobby Abreu is enjoying is a sight to behold. The outfielder has had slow starts before, but he always managed to finish every year with good numbers. Experts on baseball talent might have a better idea of just who qualifies as a pure hitter. I’m not sure Bobby does. From what I’ve seen, he hits well because he works hard at correcting mistakes and making improvements. How nice it would be to have eight regulars with similar work habits.
Before anyone reads anything into the last sentence, I’m not saying anyone on the Phillies is lazy. Most major leaguers work hard on their craft. I’m merely saying that Abreu seems to have a knack for recognizing and fixing problems.

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I was not surprised that first baseman Ryan Howard struggled when given a chance to play every day. After a monster year last season at three different levels and a good spring training,
Howard thought he was ready for the big leagues. Everyone is disappointed at being sent out after doing well during spring training, but I interpreted Howard’s request for a trade as just a sign of impatience, which is common in young people.
The Phillies will need an insurance policy for Jim Thome for as long as his back problems hamper him, and that, unfortunately, might be forever. It possibly could shorten his career. At the same time, Howard needs more time at Triple A. He seems to be struggling with breaking balls, and the inability to hit off-speed pitches has derailed many other promising prospects in the past.
I’d rather not see Howard be a victim of his own impatience. His time will come. It’s just not now. ••
Questions and comments can be directed to Bill McFarland at 215-354-3037 or bmcfarland@phillynews.com