Kyle Kendrick, You Are The Weakest Link ... Goodbye!

September 26:  New York 7, PHILLIES 3 (Magic Number is still 2)
September 25:  New York 5, PHILLIES 2 (Magic Number is 2)
Record since "Houston Massacre":  23-6
Record in September: 19-5

There's an old saw, with many variations based on the situation, that goes like this:

"If you're sitting at a table, trying to figure out who the idiot is at the table, and you don't recognize anyone else as being the idiot, the idiot is you."

In the "table" known as the Phillies rotation, it appears that Kyle Kendrick still doesn't realize that he's gonna be the odd man out come playoff time.  Pitching six innings as if he's auditioning to replace one of the Big Three, Kyle reverted back to his old ways in the seventh, proving once again that he's the weak link in an otherwise stellar run this past month.

I suppose it's not a surprise to Phillies fans, really.  After all, we've watched this kid pitch inconsistently all season, so why would we be even remotely fooled into thinking that the performances of Messrs. Halladay, Hamels, Oswalt, and (lately) Blanton would inspire the young Kendrick to greatness?  I think, in part, it's because we'd love for this September storming of the NL East Bastille to include a flashback to another September of years past, when another young pitcher helped drive the Phils to a title.

Alas, much like Connor McLeod (of the Clan McLeod), there can be only one Marty Bystrom.

And so, all of Phille fandom must wait another day for the Fightins to have a chance to clinch the NL East.