Montreal Gazette - October 1, 1980

Phils triumph as Bystrom stymies Cubs

By Michael Farber of The Gazette

PHILADELPHIA – After a day of a little internal blood-letting, the Philadelphia Phillies dripped all ever Chicago, 14-2, last night.

Marty Bystrom completed his first month in the majors leagues with a 5-0 record as he allowed the Cubs two runs and four hits in seven innings.

And the Phillie offence – which had been about as productive as the Canadian constitutional talks – exploded for 15 hits against the worst team in the National League as Philadelphia remained one-half game behind the Expos, who whipped the Cards at Olympic Stadium.

But look at it this way: the Phillies could have exploded all over themselves. Manager Dallas Green publicly had questioned their collective will to win after their 15-inning win Monday, and the so-called Boys of Glummer were in a blue-er funk than usual before the game.

"I think we should be past all that," Green said after the victory. "We should be past all these problems, these kinds of frustrations. There are enough guys out there to make it a team effort. I feel good about the team.

'Let's go win'

"It's time we tuck all our petty problems into bed. As individuals and a team, there's only one thing to go for with five games left in the season. Everybody says he wants to win. So let's just go out and win."

And so they had against Lynn McGlothen (11-14), the Cub righthander who defeated them three times last season. The Phillies jumped on him for four runs in the first – their best inning in 16 days – and they matched that twice in rolling to their second highest run total of the season.

Considering they had scored just 23 runs in their past eight games, the outburst against Chicago was a welcome breather. The Phillies were four-for-seven with runners in scoring position in the first six innings, and if you count three sacrifice flys and a groundball to the right side, Philadelphia hitters did their job eight of 11 times.

Larry Bowa, the shortstop with Charles Manson intensity who had criticized Green and called Philadelphia fans "the worst," singled home a run in first, had a two-out infield single and scored in the third... and was booed every time he breathed by the 24,349 at Veterans Stadium. He responded by giving the crowd some clenched fists, but that was the extent of his communication.

"The only words we had," Green said, "was when I told him, 'Nice game.'"

But it was Bystrom who had the nicest game as he remained unbeaten in his five starts since being summoned from Oklahoma City.

Impressive ERA

The Phillies have helped, scoring 36 runs in those five games, but he has allowed runs in just five of the 37 innings he has started, keeping his earned run average at 1.50.

"We knew the kid could pitch when we called him up," said Green, the former Phillie farm director. "He's done exactly what he could do, although you never figure someone for 5-0. But we did look for him to pitch the way he's been pitching. If he minds his P's and Q's and takes care of himself, he could be a great major league pitcher some day."

Even with his five victories, Bystrom still hasn't been sorely tested. Only one came against a good-hitting team – St. Louis – while he has two wins each against Chicago and New York.

But he may get a chance to prove himself yet this season.

May face Expos

Larry Christenson – who pitched six strong innings before running into trouble in the seventh Monday – is the scheduled starter at Olympic Stadium Saturday, but Bystrom could pitch Sunday against the Expos if the Phillies have a one game lead. Steve Carlton (23-9), who pitches tonight against Dennis Lamp, would be held back either to pitch a one-game playoff against the Expos Monday or start the National League Championship Series the following day.

Bystrom had a no-hitter for 4⅓ innings last night before Steve Dillard hit an 0-1 change for a single. Mike O'Berry followed with an opposite field hit, and Bystrom walked pinch-hitter Jesus Figueroa to load the bases.

Ivan DeJesus singled softly to centre for the first Cub run, but with the bases loaded, the 6'5" righthander with the good heater and even better curve struck out Mike Tyson and retired the .322-hitting Bill Buckner on a foul pop to end the threat.

"The big difference between Marty at Oklahoma City and here is his consistency," said rookie catcher Keith Moreland, who played for the second straight night as part of Green's lineup change. Del Unser also started for Garry Maddox in centre and Lonnie Smith for Greg Luzinski in left, again. "Plus, he's learned how to pitch from the stretch. He's eliminated his big leg kick, and he keeps getting better."

Philadelphia finishes its four game series with the Cubs tomorrow before starting the three-game weekend series in Montreal Friday.

NOTES – If there is a one-game playoff between the Expos and Phillies to decide the National League East, it will start at 2 p.m. Monday in Veterans Stadium...

The Phillie victory last night was their 19th of the month, tying their record for most wins in September. Philadelphia was 11-3 in one run games for the month...

Bake McBride's first inning single extended his hitting streak to eight games.

Bowa blasts Green for disrupting Phils

"I get the feeling we're not all together in this thing. I wouldn't be surprised there aren't a few guys out there (in the clubhouse) who aren't rooting against us... not to win this thing." – Dallas Green, Phils' manager

PHILADELPHIA (Gazette) – The intra-mural sniping on the Philadelphia Phillies – other than baseball, the favorite sport of this team – broke into civil war yesterday in the wake of manager Dallas Green's public suggestion there are some players who are not interested in winning.

Larry Bowa, of whom Green was openly critical after the Phillies' 5-4, 15 inning victory against Chicago Monday night, blasted the manager for disrupting the team.

"I've never seen anybody just go through the motions since I've been here," said Bowa, the Phillie shortstop. "His statement has no meaning, was just thrown out with no thought behind it.

"He doesn't know what he's talking about. After 11 years in the league, his mouth shouldn't hurt my reputation.

'Same old thing’

"This has got to be a plus for Montreal. If I were an Expo, I'd be glad to hear about it, a team fighting its manager at this time of year. Imagine how our guys feel when they hear the manager making statements like that."

Green went on: "The last two weeks, I've been checking up on some things. I've watched these guys very closely. I've watched how they attend to their business, and it's almost back to the same old thing, the we're-gonna-do-it-our-way type of thing. And we've just missed some serious breakdowns.

"It's all the little things they do to tick me off. Hell, we're fighting for a pennant. This is a time when you have to put everything aside. I don't care if it's at home, if it's the clubhouse, if it's he manager. You just got to put it all aside and say, 'it's we, not I.'

"I'm not talking about every guy on this team. I'm not making any blanket statements. I'd say 90 per cent of these guys care, they want to win. The rest... well, they can look in the mirror. They know if they care or not."

Green, the former farm director who may become the general manager next season, also said the Phillies will be shaken-up next season.

"What will straighten this out," Green said, "is if we win the whole damn thing and then we (the front office) are allowed to do what we want to do."

Green, who replaced Danny Ozark as manager in August, 1979, has said the Phillies needed a purge ever since April.

"He's entitled to his opinion," said Bowa, "but talk about this Oct. 6, not in the final week of the season when we're poing for the division. Anytime you point the finger, say that you have players who don't want to win, you better be damn sure you know what you're talking about."

The catalyst for this latest bout of dirty laundry apparently was Green's decision to bench the slumping Bob Boone, Greg Luzinskl and Garry Maddox, who lost Chris Speier's two-run triple in the sun Sunday, against the Cubs.

Bowa, who does a nightly commentary for WWDB-FM locally, second-guessed Green even before the start of the Chicago series Monday.

"Dallas said he's gonna let the veterans go to the hilt," Bowa told his radio audience. "To me, this is not letting them go to the hilt. He can't sit Boone and Luzinski for four days, then when we go to Montreal, say: 'Okay, go get them' again.

"In order for them to find their batting strokes, their batting eye, they have to play every day. If they're not going to play everyday, then don't just throw them in against the Expos.

"Dallas is trying to shake things up, which is very understandable. But, on the other hand, he's talking out of the side of his mouth when he says he wants to stay with the veterans."

Green went with his new lineup again last night, using Keith Moreland as catcher instead of Bone, Lonnie Smith in left feld in place of Luzinski and Del Unser in centre instead of Maddox.

The manager said all the changes were for increased offensive production, but Maddox believes he was benched because of the botched tfly ball.

"That's what got me benched, no question," said Maddox, a late inning replacement who scored the winning run in Monday's game. "I'm upset. I'm an everyday player, and when I don't play, I get hacked off."

Green has had problems with the Phillies all season, culminating in his dressing down of the Phillies between games of a doubleheader in Pittsburgh in August when he questioned their desire. He also has assailed other players, prompting Luzinski to label Green, "the damn Gestapo."

"It's okay for him to be critical," said rightfielder Bake McBride, "but when somebody is critical back, he has trouble with it."

Annoyed by comments

Green was especially annoyed by Bowa's radio commentary, but had him in the lineup again last night.

"I won't get into a hissing contest with Larry Bowa," Green said. "If I were ever to open up on Larry Bowa, he'd never play another inning of baseball in Philadelphia and that's official.

"I feel deep down Larry really, sincerely wants to win. But I think he tries to be more than what Larry Bowa can be. I feel he tries to handle more than Larry Bowa can handle.

"I couldn't quit. That's what Danny (Ozark) did after seven years. He just quit, he threw it (authority) over to them. He said, 'Here, do it your way.' Now I can see why."