MIAMI - For 2 hours and 57 minutes on Wednesday, the Phillies played a brand of unwatchable baseball. They could not hit. They erred on the bases and in the field. Their pitchers threw meatballs.
Another lopsided loss to the Marlins, this one 11-1, provided the latest reminder of how much this lineup must improve before it can contend with the league's better teams. There is a sense that the next wave of young players is near, but this process is so painstaking that it requires certain lessons.
Reliable position players are at such a premium in this game.