Adam B. D.Here Come the Phillies
August 1st 2010 23:58
Like a bad rash, the Phillies are a team that will not go away. Just when you think they are dead, they come marching back to create an exciting pennant race for baseball fans.
It has been a very up and down year for the Phillies this season, but in typical fashion, they are making a run at their 4th consecutive NL East title, now only trailing the Atlanta Braves by 2.5 games after winning 8 of their last 10. This team has faced a ton of adversity this season, having some of their top players miss significant time due to injuries, but there is something to be said for having a deep bench, one of the best pitchers in the league, a good manager and a never say die attitude.
The Phillies have truly coasted in on fumes to their current position, and the most recent injury to Ryan Howard will not help them to continue their good play. One can only imagine where this team might be had the injury parade not marched through town all year. I'm not one to make excuses, especially when the bull pen has been responsible for many losses, but injuries have been the main cause for the roller coaster season of the Phillies.
With so many major injuries, I'm not sure they can complete the task of winning the division, but if there is one team that can pull it off, it is the Phillies. They have shown a penchant for defying the odds, and I have a hard time believing the Braves are going to run away with the division. If the Phillies had a healthy Rollins, Utley, Victorino and Howard all in the line up all at the same time, this would not even be a discussion.
Unfortunately, Brad Lidge and the bull pen are the Achilles Heel once again for this team. Unless Lidge is able to regain his form from 2008, no Phillies lead will be safe during a save situation, thus making it a very difficult task to win important games.
Why Phillies GM, Ruben Amaro, decided to trade a good young pitcher from the rotation (J.A. Happ) for Roy Oswalt is beyond me. It makes me wonder why they ever traded away Cliff Lee if they wanted to have such a dominant rotation. The real need was some major bull pen help and Amaro dropped the ball in my opinion.
No matter the outcome, baseball fans can expect an exciting August and September from the NL East.
It has been a very up and down year for the Phillies this season, but in typical fashion, they are making a run at their 4th consecutive NL East title, now only trailing the Atlanta Braves by 2.5 games after winning 8 of their last 10. This team has faced a ton of adversity this season, having some of their top players miss significant time due to injuries, but there is something to be said for having a deep bench, one of the best pitchers in the league, a good manager and a never say die attitude.
The Phillies have truly coasted in on fumes to their current position, and the most recent injury to Ryan Howard will not help them to continue their good play. One can only imagine where this team might be had the injury parade not marched through town all year. I'm not one to make excuses, especially when the bull pen has been responsible for many losses, but injuries have been the main cause for the roller coaster season of the Phillies.
With so many major injuries, I'm not sure they can complete the task of winning the division, but if there is one team that can pull it off, it is the Phillies. They have shown a penchant for defying the odds, and I have a hard time believing the Braves are going to run away with the division. If the Phillies had a healthy Rollins, Utley, Victorino and Howard all in the line up all at the same time, this would not even be a discussion.
Unfortunately, Brad Lidge and the bull pen are the Achilles Heel once again for this team. Unless Lidge is able to regain his form from 2008, no Phillies lead will be safe during a save situation, thus making it a very difficult task to win important games.
Why Phillies GM, Ruben Amaro, decided to trade a good young pitcher from the rotation (J.A. Happ) for Roy Oswalt is beyond me. It makes me wonder why they ever traded away Cliff Lee if they wanted to have such a dominant rotation. The real need was some major bull pen help and Amaro dropped the ball in my opinion.
No matter the outcome, baseball fans can expect an exciting August and September from the NL East.
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