It’s concerning that the little things the Phillies and Dodgers did were quite the contrast
The Phillies lost two out of three to the Dodgers. Write that off as happenstance, except that they are less than a year removed from a playoff loss to LA, where the little things proved decisive too.
It’s time to talk about every baseball diehard’s favorite topic.
The little things.
They are often overlooked, and often deservedly so. The little things are the last bastion of managers, players, and fans when a team doesn’t do the big things very well. They are a coping mechanism. Often. But not always.
We can’t ignore the little things anymore when it comes to the Phillies. The little things cost them dearly in losing two out of three to the Dodgers. You might write that off as happenstance, except that the Phillies are less than a year removed from a playoff loss to the Dodgers where the little things proved decisive.
Last October, we saw Nick Castellanos get thrown out at third with no outs in the top of the ninth inning while representing the game-tying run. We saw Orion Kerkering react to a routine groundball like he was an iPhone that had just been dropped in a toilet.
These weren’t your average, everyday bad bounces and tough breaks. They were the kind of plays that leave you trembling at the heavens. You don’t expect to see something like that in a baseball game. You certainly don’t expect to see it again.
And yet...
The most disconcerting thing about the Phillies’ series loss to the Dodgers wasn’t the mistakes. It was that the mistakes looked remarkably similar to the ones they made while losing last year’s National League Division Series to the Dodgers.
The lasting image from October was J.T. Realmuto with his mask off pointing toward first base as Kerkering’s brain prepares to betray him.
The lasting image from this week’s series was Realmuto running from third base back to second base as everyone else stares in disbelief.
Realmuto’s game-ending gaffe on the base paths in the ninth inning on Tuesday was only the most iconic moment. Other consequential miscues included:
Bryson Stott running into a non-forceout at third base on a ground ball hit in front of him in Wednesday’s 9-5 loss.
Rafael Marchan popping up a sacrifice bunt attempt earlier in Wednesday’s game.
Trea Turner misplaying four balls in the series opener.
Turner made up for his rough defensive showing by driving in five runs during the Phillies 10-7 win on Tuesday. But even that victory ended in inglorious fashion, with closer Jhoan Duran scrambling to get warm after the Dodgers halved a six-run deficit against Chase Shugart.
» READ MORE: ‘Phillies Extra’ Q&A: John Middleton on All-Star Game highlights, firing Rob Thomson, and the trade deadline
It’s bad enough to fail at the little things. It’s devastating when your opponent does the exact opposite. For all the bellyaching about the Dodgers’ payroll and the competitive behemoth that Andrew Friedman has built, the reality is they’d be an enviable organization even without their limitless capital.
It’s true in the front office, where L.A. has made a habit of finding pitching like lefty Justin Wrobeleski and is currently paying Max Muncy the same amount as the Phillies are paying Adolis Garcia. It’s also true in between the white lines.
Baserunning? The Dodgers entered Thursday tied for second in the majors in extra bases taken and ranked fifth in efficiency. They also had the second-fewest outs on the base paths. The Phillies rank 11th in extra bases but 24th in efficiency (credit where it’s due: they have the eighth-fewest outs on the base paths).
Situational hitting? The Dodgers rank 12th in productive out percentage (Phillies: 21st). They have 19 pinch-hits compared to the Phillies’ nine.
» READ MORE: Phillies pitcher Alex McFarlane made his major league debut on Wednesday. He survived an All-Star-heavy order.
Fielding? The Dodgers have committed just 37 errors this season, tied for the fewest in the majors. Advanced metrics rank them even further as one of the better fielding teams in the majors. Not so for the Phillies. The Phillies have committed 50, which ranks 14th.
“If we play well, we’re capable of beating anybody,” manager Don Mattingly said after Wednesday’s 9-5 loss.
That’s less of a boast than it probably reads on paper. The “if” is the point.
The bigger the games, the bigger the little things become. It’s hard to blame Mattingly for a problem that predates him. That said, he is the one who needs to figure out a fix before another October arrives.
Phillies owner John Middleton spent months planning to host the city’s first All-Star Game in 30 years. Now that it’s over, he joined Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball podcast, to recap his most memorable moments from the week. He also discussed the upcoming trade deadline and Field of Dreams Game in Iowa, and the future of the top of the Phillies organizational masthead. Watch here. Watch here.
You can also subscribe to the podcast version of Phillies Extra on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Previous episodes: Ryan Howard | Dan Baker | Ricky Bottalico | Preston Mattingly | Caleb Cotham | Larry Bowa | Joe Maddon | Rhys Hoskins | Terry Francona
