Joe Girardi has seen enough bad defense this weekend to last him a lifetime. On Saturday, after dropping game two of the three-game set 4-0, the Phillies’ skipper asked his team to “Just Catch the ball that’s all we need to do.” On Sunday his team ignored their Manager’s pleas. The Phillies have a fielding percentage of .986 which places them in the upper tier of the majors, per ESPN. In 41 games, they have made 21 errors, ranking them seventh in the majors.
Well, that number isn’t good enough for Joe – Joe Girardio.
Maybe Sacrificing a Live Rooster?
Phillies’ second baseman Jean Segura seemed to have had a curse on his glove this weekend and had made three errors in the last two games vs the Blue Jays. Giardi being Giardi had a few choice words for the middle infielder as he came off the field and a bit of a “squabble “ ensued in the dugout after Segura made his first of two errors in the game.
A flub on a routine hopper that should have started a double-play and would have ended the inning.
Next Question
After Sunday’s 10-8 loss, the Phillies Manager had nothing for the Philadelphia Media simply stating, “It was a conversation of the bench that should stay on the bench,” when he was pressed on the matter by another reporter. “They can ask all they want,” Girardi continued. “You have everything I’m going to say about this, okay? I do not say more. I know they are doing their job, but that’s it. Next Question”
Asked how the public disagreement looked, the Phillies skipper said: “Next question. I’m not going to talk about it. I’m not going to talk about it. Next question. If you have a baseball question, ask me a baseball question. ”
Jean Segura booted another ball. It should have been an inning-ending double play. pic.twitter.com/lrl0Nku59y — Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) May 16, 2021
Seeing the Forrest for the Trees
While you can look at stats and the standings and wonder why Giardi was so short with a team whose defense ranks so high, well, if you peel back that onion you, will also see a team that leads the National League in defensive runs given up with ELEVEN.
What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room, what happens in the dugout? Yeah, not so much. The Philly media is like a dog with a bone and will be hanging onto this storyline like a dropped T-Bone for the foreseeable future.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207
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