Are "Curveball Machines" and Lineup Changes enough to save the Phillies season?

The Philadelphia Phillies have been grossly underachieving from the point of view of their fans this season. I agree with that sentiment. There was no one thinking to themselves that the Phillies were going to be a team just two games over .500 this season after acquiring Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Jean Segura, and JT Realmuto. Everyone, including myself, figured that the Phillies had it figured out this season. Especially when it was just last year, with a roster nowhere as talented as this one, the Phillies were considered to overachieve. However, overachieving aside, still not a playoff team. 2019 is the year that the Phillies were supposed to be electric and smooth sailing.

In the middle of an ugly run of losses, the heels of the Philadelphia Phillies were just coming off of a three-game losing effort sweep to the lowly Miami Marlins. If there were a time for the Phillies to come alive and take back some of those losses with wins, it was against the Marlins. Those wins never came and the Phillies were headed into action last night against their rivals, the New York Mets. Grasping for any straw of superstition or a new idea that can populate from the always positive demeanor sound bites of Gabe Kapler, the approach had to change for the Phillies to pick up a win. Kapler's idea? Curveball machine.

This new approach of using a "curveball machine" to warm up the Philadelphia Phillies batters seems like a good change of pace, but not one that Bryce Harper will be taking part in. Harper scoffed, then stated, "For me, personally I don't do that." Baseball players have always been particular about their routines and Harper has gone on record to state that he needed to improve on seeing fastballs. For the surge of hitting and runs that took place against the New York Mets on Monday night, perhaps the "curveball machine" helped the players in the dugout. On the other hand, Steven Matz is just a pitcher that the Phillies are known to knock around the ballpark.

I was at the game at Citizens Bank Park on April 16th, 2019 when the Philadelphia Phillies smashed the Mets, 14-3. Steven Matz was the pitcher that evening for the Mets against Nick Pivetta and the Phillies. That night, Matz pitched a whopping 0.0 complete innings in a start. It was the first time I've ever witnessed anything like it. A performance so poor by a starting pitcher that half of an inning wasn't completed. Of 10 first-inning runs by the Phillies, eight were earned against Matz. JT Realmuto, Scott Kingery, and Maikel Franco drove in those runs to embarrass the Mets early on. Realmuto, Kingery, and Franco are also healthy and available in today's lineup, so what is the hold up with scoring for the Phillies?

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As soon as Andrew McCutchen's season ended after getting caught up in a rundown, the leadoff hitter should have been the Philadelphia Phillies' hottest bat. That bat belongs to Scott Kingery. I've compared Kingery to another tenacious fan favorite to wear the Phillies pinstripes; Chase Utley. The reason why I see that so early on in his career is that like Utley, he gets on base. Utley had more power in his swing than Kingery, but Kingery gets the ball out of the park pretty often. He has a nose for scoring, which is what you want at the top of the order. Utley and Kingery also have their own strengths when it comes to fielding. Utley was one of the best second basemen during his playing days, but the versatility of Kingery is a big help for a team that needs to be flexible with Gabe Kapler making the lineup.

Another observation of the batting order than brought back stability against the New York Mets was the return of Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins to their normal places. Away from batting leadoff and second, putting Harper back at third and Hoskins back at clean up is the power position that the Philadelphia Phillies batting order needs. This worked earlier this season when the Phillies led the National League East standings, so some things that worked previously need to be revisited. Harper and Hoskins saw the ball well against Steven Matz and the Mets again. For Harper, it's not a "curveball machine" as much as it could be feeling comfortable in the batting order.

The defense has been a downfall for the Philadelphia Phillies as much as a lack of driving in runs has had adverse results. For all that Maikel Franco is, including his inconsistencies, he is still the best third basemen on this team. The plays he makes shows the fielding potential he has. Months like April show the kind of power he wields at the plate. However, Franco's focus has always been a huge concern, which makes Gabe Kapler audible to inserting different players at third base and benching Franco. Sean Rodriguez doesn't cut it all around and Scott Kingery isn't going to be the starting player playing the "hot corner." The Phillies show results with Franco in the game, so he has to play.

Most of all, if Gabe Kapler is going to make a lineup change for the game, he has to start making statements to get control of the locker room. Jean Segura didn't run out a fly ball that landed for a base hit, which should have been a double. It cost the Phillies a run and momentum on offense. Having a runner, not in scoring position, changes the complexion of the outcome. While Kapler keeps a positive outlook on the Phillies season as a whole, he should have benched Segura for a game. If Segura wasn't hustling and didn't get benched, the question is begged about exactly why Franco has been all this time. I am a big advocate of Segura since I think he has been a shining star this season for the Phillies, but the lack of hustling on live balls is exactly why a large percentage of Phillies fans soured on Manny Machado in the off-season.

The win on Monday night against the New York Mets snaps a seven-game losing streak for the Philadelphia Phillies. Tonight, Jake Arrieta (6-6, 4.12 ERA) takes the mound for Philadelphia against Walker Lockett (0-1, 23.14 ERA). I wouldn't change a single thing with the batting order. In fact, I think the Phillies win their second straight game against the Mets and take the first two games of this four-game series. Watch tonight on the MLB Network and listen on 94.1FM WIP. The first pitch is at 7:05 pm.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports