Friday night\u2019s game against the Cleveland Guardians didn\u2019t go well for the Philadelphia Phillies, who were on the wrong end of a 6-0 final score. But can the poor showing simply be attributed to the team\u2019s less-than-ideal travel situation before the game? Phillies Postgame Live hosts Michael Barkann and Ricky Bottalico were on different sides of that argument.<\/p>\n
Before the series in Cleveland, the Phillies were in Florida for a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays. That series concluded on Thursday with a night game. So, Philadelphia traveled overnight and didn\u2019t arrive in Cleveland until early Friday morning. The Guardians, meanwhile, were well-rested, as Thursday was an off day for them. So, when Phillies Postgame Live began, Barkann \u2014 who\u2019s often reactionary<\/a> after a Philadelphia loss<\/a> \u2014 simply pinned the performance on the travel.<\/p>\n \u201cAll I can do is write this one off,\u201d he said, even acknowledging that Bottalico and fellow Ben Davis might be surprised to hear that. \u201cThey are coming in at three in the morning against a team that\u2019s off the day before, that\u2019s lying in wait. A team that\u2019s very, very good, that\u2019s got pitching, that\u2019s got hitting, as we saw\u2026Guess what, I\u2019m giving them a pass, Ricky Bottalico.\u201d<\/p>\n Bottalico disagreed, noting that tough travel isn\u2019t a new issue in MLB. He also pointed out that, while the Phillies scored no runs, they did get runners on base and played well defensively.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The conversation resumed later in the show, when Bottalico said that Barkann was \u201cwriting it off on sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd a good Cleveland team waiting for \u2019em,\u201d Barkann added.<\/p>\n Bottalico then asked Barkann how long he\u2019d been doing pregame and postgame shows for the Phillies. Barkann replied that it was roughly 40 years.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the first time I\u2019ve ever seen you give a team an excuse,\u201d Bottalico said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m as shocked as you,\u201d Barkann replied. \u201cI really am. But come on. This team won 9 out of 11 games coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not an excuse. This is baseball travel. What do you think, they flew on a chicken coop? Trust me, they had nice seats. Nice and comfortable. They could\u2019ve slept on the plane if they wanted.\u201d<\/p>\n THIS IS SENDING MEEEE pic.twitter.com\/Hs0TLYZECz<\/a><\/p>\n