New Season, Same Old Story

As in years past, the Phillies opened the 2008 season with justified optimism and legitimate playoff aspirations.

And as in years past, the Phillies opened the season with a loss, this time at the hands of the Washington Nationals.

If the pundits are correct, this game could represent a microcosm of the Fightin' Phils' 2008 campaign - decent starting pitching, a powerful run-producing lineup, and a leaky bullpen that will often render both of them irrelevant.

Brett Myers started well, tossing four scoreless innings before cracking in the fifth. All in all, Myers fared well in his second consecutive Opening Day start.

Trailing 6-2, the Phils rallied behind reigning National League MVP Jimmy Rollins and future award winner Chase Utley. Utley began the comeback with a solo home run in the sixth, Rollins finished it with a two-run job in the seventh.

Tom Gordon toed the rubber to open the ninth. He faced six batters, threw only 20 pitches, and in a flash, the Phillies were down five runs.

Gordon's line, if you can stomach it: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, and an Eaton-esque 135.01 ERA.

Lefty J. R. Romero, meanwhile, retired all three hitters he faced (two on strikeouts) in a scoreless eighth.

So why not leave Romero in the game to open the ninth? Hell, Jim Fregosi thought that was a bad decision.

The good news is that there are 161 more games in the season, and the Phillies have recovered from seasons-opening losses before. The bad news is that Gordon, and not Romero, figures to get the ball in plenty of late-game situations like today's, especially with closer Brad Lidge on the shelf.