5 awards from the Phillies' series loss to the Giants

Another series recap, another series loss for the Phillies. 

Old friend Gabe Kapler, the reigning National League Manager of the Year, came to South Philly with the Giants and took two of three from the Fightins. The Phillies are seven games under .500, fan apathy is through the roof following a splashy offseason and the pitchforks are coming out in the city for Joe Girardi. 12.5 games out of first place in the National League East, the Phillies are fading faster than the food comes out at Chickie's and Pete's. 

As I do, I'll hit my lovely readers with a quick overview of the series and hand out five awards for these Phillies...

The Skinny: ❌❌✅

• On Monday afternoon, the Phils fell 5-4 in 10 innings, as a two-run home run from San Francisco's Curt Casali in the top of the 10th sealed things for the Giants.

• The game went to extras again on Tuesday, as a three-run top of the 11th for the Giants put the Phillies away in a 7-4 San Fran win.

• The Phils staved off the sweep on Wednesday with a Kyle Schwarber two-run blast in the sixth that gave the team a 6-5 lead they wouldn't relinquish. 

They Say Success Is the Best Revenge Award: Gabe Kapler 🍦

A team's issues can't entirely fall on the shoulders of a coach or manager. It's time for the Phillies to part with Girardi given the flat-line state of this team, as any change that lights a spark for this squad would be welcomed, but the organization's issues go beyond Girardi.

Kapler was a divisive figure during the 2018 and 2019 seasons in Philadelphia. He brought a wholly new-school approach to the team, experimented with funky lineups and caused a stir because he liked to lick ice cream and then spit it out to get the taste without consuming all the calories. 

After his firing, Kapler immediately caught on with the Giants and he has a .601 winning percentage in three seasons with the team. In a way, the Phillies' roster construction failed Kapler, as it's doing right now with Girardi. Kapler and Girardi aren't similar managers, of course. Kapler has the next-generation vibe. Girardi has been around for a while and has just one 90-win year (or at least a 90-win pace) in his last eight seasons as manager.

Firing Kapler hasn't fixed the franchise's woes. Perhaps it was time for him to go and he had worn himself out in the clubhouse, but he sure looks okay in the Bay. Girardi's inevitable canning won't change the trajectory of this franchise as long as a history of poor player development continues. 

This Would Never Happen for the Phillies: Mike Yastrzemski 🧤

Look at this catch given the part of the outfield and the situation on the base paths: 

Would a Phillie ever make a catch like that during their current era of futility?

This sums it up well:

Moonshot Award: Kyle Schwarber 🌙

Schwarbs went yard on Wednesday night, driving one to right-center to put the Phils ahead:

Schwarber is such a curious player. His home runs are thrilling. When he makes contact, good things are going to happen, but the issue is that he's hardly doing that.