In just about every bar, coffee house and other places of gathering where Philadelphia Phillies games are on the television in the background, one question can be heard above the drone: Why are Ryan Howard and Domonic Brown still playing?

Phillies rookie pitcher Aaron Nola is probably secretly asking that question today after pitching brilliantly for six innings in a 1-0 loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. The lineup card manager Pete Mackanin made out was ill-advised at best and insane at worst. Howard and Brown long ago forfeited their right to play any more games for the Phillies as they — along with injured second baseman Chase Utley — are chiefly responsible for the Phillies’ worst-in-baseball record.

By all measurable standards, Darin Ruf should have been at first and Jeff Francoeur in right, not Howard at first and Brown in right. But because this messy house has not been cleaned out quite yet, the opposite was true on Tuesday night. In 31 games, Brown is batting a lusty .212 in 31 games this season, while Howard is hitting .224 in 86 games a year after hitting .223 in 153 games. Both have played about 100 more games than they should have with that kind of production, but the Phillies suffer fools gladly.

Conversely, Francoeur is hitting .262 in 73 games and Ruf .231 in 57 games. Both played key roles in the four-game winning streak the Phillies took into Nola’s first-ever MLB start. They deserved a chance to make it five straight, but Mackanin had a brain cramp while making out the lineup card.

Nola was the victim of not only poor hitting support, but worse managing. When and if this organization finally cleans house, Mackanin has proven he deserves to be put in a proverbial box on the curb.

Mike Gibson is a MLB Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @papreps , “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.