philadelphia &sports 26 Oct 2008 05:30 am
World Series: It’s Time to Bench Werth
Jayson Werth made two costly mistakes in Game 2. His fielding error in the first inning put two Tampa runners in scoring position. Later, Werth strayed too far from first base during a shallow fly ball to center field and was doubled off. On top of that, Werth leads the Phillies in strikeouts this postseason.
As I write this, it is the 8th inning of game 3. The score is tied 4-4. Werth just got picked off of second base.
I would have benched him for this game and put Jenkins in right field against right-handed Matt Garza. Charlie Manuel has the option again tomorrow with the Rays sending right-handed Andy Sonnanstine to the hill. It’s one thing for a manager to have a player’s back, but it’s quite another to keep sending a guy out there whose head is in the wrong place.
Let’s hope the Phillies can pull this one out tonight after the gutty start they got from Jamie Moyer tonight. Let’s hope as well that Geoff Jenkins name is on the lineup card at right field tomorrow night (er, make that tonight).