Annual Philadelphia Phillies call-out by Jake Arrieta

Although Jake Arrieta has sparked a modest day-after debate about his call-out of the Phillies following a loss to the Mets, he was probably right to do so.

As is often the case, a sports talk radio host put his finger not-so-squarely on the latest Philadelphia Phillies kerfuffle, which followed their 5-1 loss Apr. 22 to the New York Mets. Joe Giglio, a talk specialist on Philly’s WIP radio, tweeted, “Ah, the annual ‘Jake Arrieta rips everyone but himself in a loss’ postgame press conference has arrived,” shortly after the Phillies righthander threw a very modest temper tantrum following the loss.

This was eerily reminiscent of a tantrum Arrieta threw last season in San Francisco when he chose to pointedly pick on a young infielder who’d made an error and other teammates. However, there was a difference: Last year Arrieta partly blamed himself for a loss against the Giants. This year, he skipped criticizing himself.

Or to be more accurate, the closest he came to criticizing himself on a night when he gave up three earned runs in six innings was: “Didn’t throw the ball well as a staff overall.”

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

For the most part, the Philadelphia Phillies expensive free agent was upset with Bryce Harper for being thrown out of the game for chirping about balls and strikes from the visitors’ dugout:

“Look, I mean, [Harper’s] got to understand we need him in right field. I don’t care how bad the umpire is. He wasn’t great for either side. I’m out there trying to make pitches, and he misses some calls. So what? We need him out there. We were flat from start to finish. Two-hour delay, it doesn’t matter. We have to be ready to play. We weren’t and it showed.”

On a night when the Phillies mustered only three hits, that only goes so far.  No one can say for sure, including Arrieta, that Harper would have caught up with one of Steven Matz’ fastballs Monday night. On the other hand, it’s not as though Matz was throwing 105 mph fastballs. He seemed to vary from his previous start against the Phillies by simply throwing more fastballs more quickly. Therefore, he got outs. The last time he didn’t. None.

And to be fair to Giglio, we have to say, “OK, he forgot Arrieta said last June, ‘I’m part of it, too. There’s no way I should have given up five runs in that inning.’” Giglio mostly recalled the pitcher calling out a rookie playing shortstop by name, but that sort of thing shouldn’t bother Philadelphians as long as such criticism is accurate and doesn’t become a mean-spirited habit.

Anyone who has ever seen Jake Arrieta stare down a hitter or umpire can tell he wants to win, and his assessment that the Phillies were “flat” Apr. 22 was accurate. The Mets are certainly good enough that, generally, an opponent needs more than three hits to beat them.

Bryce Harper seemed to take his criticism appropriately, judging by his remarks after the game. It is hoped he meant what he said and understands he should have been around to take another couple cuts at Matz’ fastballs. They don’t move like Arrieta’s pitches.