Starring Bobby Abreu as “Tin Man”

I was so mad watching last night’s game that I almost picked up my television and threw it through the window. The Phillies were down 9-5 in the top of the fourth inning. The Giants had two outs, runners on first and second and Marquis Grissom at the plate. He had two strikes and fouled a ball down the right field line that was coming down right at the corner of the stands where the ballgirl sits. Bobby Abreu, right fielder extraordinaire, came hustling over to make the play. As he got close to the railing, you could see him look down at the railing, look back up at the ball, slow down a little, and then -- again, dammit! -- short-arm the ball. Grissom was still alive. Two pitches later he hit a three run homer to make the score 12-5 and put the game out of reach. Larry Anderson, whose color commentary I generally enjoy since he will call players out if they make mistakes, had this to say: “You can’t go full tilt into that railing down there or you’re in trouble.” Are you insane L.A.? I seem to remember a ballplayer -- and is that the perfect term for him or what? -- named Derek Jeter doing exactly that on a play in the stands in extra innings of a game against Boston. Yes, Jeter got hurt on the play. But you know what? He made the damn play and his team won. Because that’s what ballplayers do. He wanted to make that play and he made it. And that’s what it all boils down to, doesn’t it? Throw away Larry Bowa’s attitude and Ed Wade’s Tom Hagen act and all the injuries they’ve had. Throw it all out and you’re left with one simple fact. The Phillies don’t have any heart. They have no will to win. On paper, they have the most talent of any team in the National League East, yet they remain seven games behind the Atlanta Braves. Why? They don’t want it bad enough. And until that changes, they have no chance.