Phillies Management Forfeits Game

Phillies are abusing Morgan as much as opposing batters.

The Phillies did not get a HR from Mikail Franco today, which ended his consecutive game HR streak at 4, 1 shy of tying the Phils all-time team record.  Nonetheless he continued his torrid hitting streak with 2 hits, including a double to deep right to lead off the 4th inning.  The Phillies, however, lost the contest 11-2, and this one was on management.

Phillies management conceded the 1st of 4 in Colorado Thursday, although the reasons why remain a mystery.  To take a young squad like this and offer them zero support at starting pitcher is a true puzzle.  Furthermore, to ask starter Adam Morgan to continue to pitch at the big league level in the condition he is in appears downright cruel.

Morgan went 5 innings, allowed 9 hits and 6 runs.  His ERA for the game was 10.80 and his WHIP was 1.80.  He fell to 1-7.

Morgan is the worst pitcher in baseball.  While it's clear he possesses some abilities and is likely a perfectly nice person, his performance this season has been a cataclysmic, epic meltdown.  What management seeks to gain by continuing to put him on the mound, a nightmarish place for him at present, cannot be understood.  At best, they are damaging his psychological state, at worst his mechanical and physical one.

Morgan is now 1-7 with a 6.65 ERA.  His ERA is worst in MLB by an entire run. In 66 innings, he has allowed a staggering 90 hits.  Batters have a collective .320 average against him.  His WHIP is 1.60.  Only the Pirates Francisco Liriano has a worse WHIP-- and only by a slight fraction: 1.64.  The difference is that Liriano won 16 games 2 1/2 years ago and went 12-7 with a 3.38 ERA and 200 S.O. just last year, so the veteran is being given an understandable chance to work through it.  Plus, his ERA is 1 run better.

While Aaron Nola "clears head," Morgan has clock cleaned.

What is the 26 year-old Morgan "working through?"  Why isn't he in the minors being given a chance to develop and improve.  What use and benefit can his becoming a laughing stock offering batting practice to opponents truly be?  Phillies management is abusing Morgan as much as opposing batters.

Understood, they wished to give rising star Aaron Nola a "chance to clear his head" with extended time off by missing a start heading into the All-Star break.  However, could the Phillies have not given a start to a deserving AAA pitcher or claimed someone off waivers or perhaps re-signed Pedro Martinez or given Chase and Jen Utley's favorite dog a chance on the mound?

There must have been an alternative to the cruel and unusual punishment of putting Adam Morgan on the mound in Colorado Thursday.  It's simply not right: to him, to his teammates, to fans or to the fielders who have to chase the balls opponents are hitting during his major league batting practice routines.