Phillies pitcher turns on Rob Thomson in record timing after NLCS defeat

Rob Thomson came under fire after Game 7 of the NLCS, in which the Philadelphia Phillies lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Thomson had several blunders in the Phils two defeats at home to cement their fate, and the fanbase wasn't happy.

Thomson resisted calls to change the Phillies lineup prior to Game 7. That backfired. He also failed to make necessary pitching changes in Games 6 and 7, instead relying on starters Aaron Nola and Ranger Suarez far too long. Suarez facing Corbin Carroll for a third time through the order is downright criminal.

Even a Phillies pitcher is piling on in the form of starter Taijaun Walker.

On the surface, this tweet could merely mean that the Phillies felt disrespected as a team, but Walker took matters a step further with his social media activity.

Walker went 15-6 on the season with a 4.38 ERA. He was on the team's NLCS roster, but Thomson opted against using him, even out of the bullpen. It was another curious decision by the Phils skipper which went overlooked.

Should the Phillies have used Taijuan Walker in the NLCS?

Walker struggled to end the season, which was likely Thomson's thinking in keeping him out of such a vital series. While Walker did sign a four-year, $72 million contract, it does not warrant him to pitch in a big moment any more than any other player on the Phillies roster. To speak out against his manager publicly is a bad look.

The Phillies bats came up short in a big moment, specifically in back-to-back games against Diamondbacks pitching. Nick Castellanos, a player who previously was in the early running for playoff MVP, went cold. Thomson deserves his fair share of blame, but he's not alone. The Phillies ought to start by looking at themselves in the mirror, rather than pointing fingers.