PHILADELPHIA — When Larry Bowa is asked how to describe this 2022 Phillies team, he responds with one word: inconsistent. Bowa has spent more seasons in a Phillies uniform than anyone on earth. He’s witnessed 29 years of ups and downs, success and failure, as a player, as a manager, and as a coach. But this season — which currently has the Phillies 11 games back in the division — is particularly disappointing.
Bowa doesn’t place all of the blame for the Phillies’ lackluster first 52 games on former manager Joe Girardi alone, and he does think that interim manager Rob Thomson will help right the ship. But beyond that, Bowa feels the players could use an honest self-assessment at this point in this season.
“Joe can carry conversations with anyone,” Bowa said. “I like Joe. I like Joe a lot. But Rob is probably a little more even-keeled. I think this team needs to know — this is just me speaking now — I think guys have got to look in the mirror and say, ‘You know what, I’ve got to do a better job.’ It’s very easy to come in here and, say, get a new hitting coach, get a new bench coach, get a new pitching coach. The players have got to have some accountability.
