Farewell to Segovia & Bisenius (The Story of 9,961)

A lot of people write in and ask, "Once the Phillies achieve Milestone Loss No. 10,000, what will be left to cheer for in this 82-80 season of '07?"

Isn't it obvious?

"Dear Reader: By the time the Phils' odometer turns over to 10,000, Wheels Burrell's un-stolen base streak should be up to 368 or 372 consecutive games. It's our job to support his quest to reach to 450 by season's end."

Ain't it just like the Phils to finish the first week of the season with a 1-5 record by dropping two of three in south Fla. before traveling back up the coast to act as clay pigeons in a Shea Stadium skeet shoot?
Well, as per the "collateral damage" aspect of that 1-5 record, it's unfortunate that Zack Segovia and Joe Bisenius were cast as scapegoats.
No, Zack Segovia isn't a Phils diehard from Bryn Mawr -- and, no, Joe Bisenius is not a Phanatic from Bala Cynwyd.

It sez here that Segovia and Bisenius were rookie pitchers who were first-week casualties of the season in which Charlie Manuel was axed three weeks after the All-Star Break and Jimy Williams put on his "interim manager" gameface.

Zack Segovia barely had time to break his #73 uniform. And, to be honest, he pitched kinda, sorta, semi-adequately today in his MLB debut.
The Phils, though, they didn't figure that they'd be done in by shortstop Alfredo Amezaga (who entered the game when '06 N.L. Rookie of the Year Hanley Ramirez left the game) and center fielder Alejandro De Aza

De Aza hit the sac fly in the 2nd which pulled the Fish to within 3-2 and Amezaga hit the RBI triple in the 7th which provided an insurance run.

Probably nobody figured that Alfredo Amezaga would win that confrontation with Antonio Alfonseca.

But, because Zack Segovia couldn't protect that 3-0 lead which he was spotted in the top of the 1st, well ...
As it turned out, Zack Segovia took Joe Bisenius down with him.

Now the Phillies are Segovia-less.
Not to mention Bisenius-less.

We'll all remember how Milestone Loss No. 9,961 was painful, but the aftermath was brutal ...