There Is No Fate in Sports

The Eagles can't keep the fans' feelings of invincibility, from the Phillies' title, alive.

Fate. Destiny. Meant to be. These, along with countless other cliches, seem to be used to describe at least one team's success every year in every sport. Unfortunately none of it exists. As was proven in the NFC Championship on Sunday, the better team that day will win. Period.

Philadelphia fans saw something extraordinary this fall. By now the Phillies' story is well known. Throughout the month of October, fans invested more and more emotion into their sports team. And for the first time in 25 years, they weren't let down. First the first time in my life (Coincidentally, I'm 25 years old), I now knew I wasn't always going to be doomed to the "Close, but no cigar."

And then when everything line up perfectly for the Eagles on the final day of the regular season, in order for them to make the playoffs, things seemed destined. Things seemed even more destined when we found out that the only thing between the Birds and the Super Bowl were the Arizona Cardinals; the same Cardinals the Eagles crushed on Thanksgiving Night; the same Cardinals who's championship drought dwarfs that of the Eagles.

Before the Phillies' breaking through in October, I'd view this past Eagles game with a certain degree of trepidation. But things are different now. I went all out, emotionally, on this one. Because of the Phillies, this Eagles team appeared destined to do something special as well. Lesson learned; games, and championships especially, are won on the field (or ice or court), not in the "heavens."

Magical season comes to Rockie end

They say that all good things must come to an end. Phillies' fans found out over the past week that that is all too true; unless of course your a Colorado Rockies' fan. Late Saturday night, the Rockies finished off their sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, bringing the Phils' season to a screeching halt. One week ago, we were all celebrating the first division championship, and playoff appearance, in 14 years. Now, we're wondering what, if anything, the Phillies will do to improve this offseason. But, despite the complete 180 in the past week, the Phillies, and their fans, should really be proud of the season they had.

First off, it is quite clear now, that the Phillies simply ran into a buzzsaw, in the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies finished the regular season, and tie breaker game, winning 14 of their last 15 games. They have now won 17 of their last 18, and storm into Arizona, playing perhaps the best baseball in the Majors right now. The Phils finished their regular season on fire, but they ran into the one team that was playing better. The Rockies were simply not going to be stopped, and they deserve all the credit in the world.

No matter how you view the playoff series against Colorado, the Phillies had a historic season. Coming back from 7 games behind the Mets with 17 to go will go down as one of, if not the biggest, comebacks/collapses in baseball history. But it was how they did it, more than what they did.

The Phillies overcame poor pitching and injuries, in addition to the large deficits, all season. With a team ERA over five, and an explosive offensive, the Phillies came from behind to win 48 times this season. That means that in more than half of their wins, they were trailing and one, or more, points. You never wanted to turn off a Phillies game this season; no matter what the score was. That alone is enough to make this season one of the most memorable in the history of this team.

The city of Philadelphia hadn't experienced October baseball in 14 years, and this year was just the second time in 24 years that the Phillies were in the postseason. So it's natural to want to the team to go far, and to get there fast, because in this city, you never know when you will get there again. But the core of this team is young and talented, so there is no reason to expect that this team won't be in the running for more division titles in the years to come. So, I can honestly say that I am not that upset at the quick exit of my team from October. In my opinion, we got beat by the best, and perhaps more importantly, there is plenty of hope for the future.

Turns out, the Phillies ARE the team to beat

It took them 162 games to do it, but the Phillies finally proved Jimmy Rollins right. Jimmy Rollins started Spring training by declaring his team the "team to beat" despite their 14 year absence from postseason play. But after defeating the Washington Nationals 6-1 on Sunday, combined with a 8-1 Mets loss at the hands of the Florida Marlins, the Phillies clinched their first N.L. East division crown since 1993 - the only time the team reached the playoffs since 1983. In doing so, the Phillies completed an amazing comeback - being down seven games with just 17 games to play - and became one of the most beloved teams this city has ever seen.

The pitching problems are well documented, the injury list is long, and the number of times this team has been written off is multiple, but none of that matters now. This particular version of the Philadelphia Phillies will go down as a team that never gave up; no matter what happens in October.

No team, even remotely close to the playoffs, has the poor pitching stats that the Phillies have. Their team ERA, 4.76, is good for 13th out of 15 N.L. teams. Their key free agent acquisition, Adam Eaton has an ERA of 6.29. Their bullpen was so bad that they moved their opening day starter, Brett Meyers - who also threw the final clinching pitch of the season on Sunday - into the closer's role. And they have overcame it all.

Injuries are a part of baseball, but I'm not sure anyone had as many key players on the D.L. at some point this season as the Phillies have had. Previous closer, Tom Gordon, missed about a month. Brett Meyers, after moving into the bullpen, missed a month or more. Reigning MVP, Ryan Howard, missed a few weeks and was slowed for a few more before the trip to the D.L. Chase Utley missed a month with a broken hand, and shortly after his injury, Shane Victorino and Michael Bourn also went down - in the same game. And then to cap it off, the Phillies lost their ace, Cole Hamels for a month, and a key middle reliever, Ryan Madsen, still has yet to return. And they have overcome it all.

Combining the injuries with the pitching woes, it miracle this team didn't just pack it in, and say that this just wasn't their year. In fact, just about everyone in Philadelphia counted them out numerous times. After a 4-11 start, the season was done, right? Nope. When their best hitter, Utley, went out, at a time when they really need offense to make up for the poor pitching, their season was done, right? Nope, newcomer Tad Iguchi, came in and kept the team afloat. When they lost Cole Hamels right before a huge 10 game homestand at the end of August, the season was finished, right? Nope, guys like Kyle Kendrick and Kyle Lohse came out of nowhere to keep the team afloat. Then they lost 4 of the first 6 games in that homestand, heading into a 4 game series with the Mets, trailing by 7 games. Season over? Nope, they go on to sweep the Mets, and overall, gain 5 games on the Mets in 5 days. Then the Phillies struggled immediately following that sweep, and the Mets increased their lead back up to 7 games with 17 games to go. The season was definitely over now. Except, the Phillies went into New York and swept the Mets again. Then the Mets collapsed, and here we are. Division champs.

The 1993 Philadelphia Phillies are not one of the most beloved teams in this city's history just because they made one of the franchise's few World Series appearances. They were fun. They were exciting. They were a bunch of blue collar guys who the city just identified with. While this team is not so much a blue collar team, the city has fallen in love with their never-say-die attitude. They have fallen in love with their attitude - the attitude that was created when Jimmy Rollins made those much criticized statements in Spring training. Unless this team performs miserably in the postseason - which I can't see happening - the city of Philadelphia will never forget this remarkable season.

How sweep it is

Five days ago the Philadelphia Phillies were seven games behind the New York Mets for first place in the N.L. East. They were coming off of their fourth straight loss, and had lost three series in a row. If they were getting by with smoke and mirrors, as has been suggested, the jig was evidently up. My oh my, how things can change in that span. Thanks to a five game winning streak, including a four game sweep of the Mets, the Phillies are now just two games back. And smoke and mirrors has given way to a view of a legitimate contender for the division title.

Thursday afternoon, the Phillies completed the rare sweep with a simply exhilirating 11-10 walk-off victory. After staking the Phillies a 5-0 lead, the Mets were able to battle back and tie the game in the fourth and fifth inning. Then, the Phils answered right back, making the game 8-5 in the bottom of the inning. The Mets battled back again and took the lead with a five run inning of their own in the eighth. Philadelphia cut the lead to one in the bottom of the inning, shut down New York in the top of the ninth, then scored two off Billy Wagner in the last frame to take the league, win, and sweep.

Ten games ago, the Phils were entering a hugely important ten game homestand. And as mentioned above, things did not start out two nice, going 2-4 in the first six. Now with this sweep, they finish the homestand with a 6-4 mark; nothing to sneeze at, but certainly not what they could have been looking for (except maybe for GM Pat Gillick) at the start. But considering four of those wins came against the Mets - their ultimate competition - they have to happy with where they stand now.

Even more important than the quantity of the wins, was the quality of them. The Phillies beat the Mets in just about every way possible in a four game series. A convincing 9-2 victory; a 4-2 come from behind victory in 10 innings; a 3-2 nail biter that ended on a fielder interference call for the last out in the ninth; and now a wild come from behind win today. They have shrunk the distance between them and New York by five games in five days, and they now lead the season series 9-6 with just three more to play.

The Mets still have the lead in the division, but you have to wonder if the Phillies now have the psychological edge. There is practically nothing that the Mets can take positive out of this series. And now they have to face the Atlanta Braves, who are also trying to make up ground on the Mets. So, it is conceivable that the Phillies could pick up even more ground over the weekend. Of course, that is if the Phillies take care of business against the Florida Marlins; which can prove to be more difficult than the numbers would suggest.

The upcoming series against the Fish is perhaps as important as the previous series was. It will be very difficult to bring the same kind of emotion that they brought to this past psuedo-playoff series. But if they don't they could lose all the momentum they have gained this week. And if that gets combined with the Mets turning it around against the Braves, then this amazing sweep will go all for not. Only time will tell if this series was a sign of things to come, or just another crest in a wavy season.

The Straw that Broke the Hamels Back?

It's never a good idea when you analyze a team's injury problems by stating who has not been on the disabled list. And the number of Phillies on that ever decreasing list is down to nine with the addition of Cole Hamels to the 15 day D.L. And so far, the Phillies have shown more resilience than a Brawny paper towel commercial. But now they have lost two straight series to the N.L. worst Pirates and the rapidly slumping - or I should say, previously rapidly slumping - Dodgers. They are now 5 1/2 games behind the Mets and 1 1/2 behind the Padres for the Wild Card, and without their best remaining player, Hamels, for the next week and a half, it looks entirely possible that the Phils will not be able to fight off this latest injury.

Take a look at the Phils current rotation: Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, J.D. Durbin, Fabio Castro. What do you notice? Well, besides the fact that they currently only have four starting pitchers, it's blindingly clear that a team with this group of arms should be no where near a playoff birth. Jimmy Rollins stated during spring training that the Phillies were the team to beat in the N.L. East. Bold words, yes. But if J-Roll made that statement knowing who would be pitching in mid-August, the Phillies would need a new shortstop because Rollins would have been checked into Belleview.

But Rollins was looking at a much different rotation. One that actually had six arms. Only Moyer remains. Forget the injuries that the Phillies offense has endured this season. Going from a staff of Brett Meyers, Freddy Garcia, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Adam Eaton, and Jon Leiber to what we see now, really is incredible. But through it all, the Phillies remained in contention.

While they are still very much in it, the loss of Cole Hamels during the most important stretch of the year, the odds are becoming very long against the Phils. There is only so much a team can take. And over the last two series, we might have seen this team cross that line. This is not a "Stick a fork in them" article (even though maybe it should be) because the Phillies have already gotten through so much, maybe they can keep it together for two more weeks. Why two weeks? Because Cole Hamels, Chase Utely, and even Michael Bourn should all be back to help the Phillies make one final push toward their first playoff appearance since 1993.

For the Phils, the Time is Now

For four and a half months, you've heard one statement coming out of Philadelphia more than any other: "The season is still young; we gotta take it one game at a time." Well, that mantra no longer applies. Granted, they still must take things one game at a time, but the season is no longer young. With 39 games remaining, and the team trailing the first place Mets by five games, the Phillies need to make a move. And what better time to start than with the upcoming 10-game homestand against 3 playoff contenders; two of which they are currently chasing (Padres and Mets).
A lot of people don't want to here it, but the Phillies have done a tremendous job just being in this position considering all of the injuries they have suffered. Whoever you want to blame for lack of quality pitching and depth in the field, it can't be denied that the players have played to their utmost potential. Unfortunately there comes a time when "close but no cigar," doesn't work anymore.
The Phillies have been in this position before. Last season, they hung around in August and September only to miss the playoff by three games. Two season ago, they missed the playoffs by just one game. If the season ended today, they'd miss the playoffs by one game again. Thankfully, it does not end today.
The next three games are against the LA Dodgers. The Dodgers are really struggling right now, but with a staff capable of shutting teams down at any moment, the Phillies need to bring their A-game. Especially considering the next two opponents: three against the Padres and four against the Mets. There is not much of a bigger opportunity than facing the team you're trailing by one game at home for a three game series. As for the Mets, if you can't get up for this series, you are not a fan of baseball. The only way this four game series could be any more important (short of the playoffs) is if it took place in mid-September. So what is "acceptable," to put it in the words of Phil's GM Pat Gillick, for this homestand? Normally, I think you'd be happy with a 6-4 record against these three teams. But considering the ground the Phils have to make up, and the amount of time they have to do it, 7-3 needs to be the minimum goal. And those three losses can't come at the hands of the Mets or the Phils can pretty much kiss the division goodbye.
7-3 will be difficult without Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, and Michael Bourn, to name three D.L. residents. But, it is time to put those injuries aside if the Phillies want to make the playoffs. It is time to stop patting their backs for hanging in there despite the adversity they've faced. If you're looking for the perfect time to make a move, the time is now.

Phils Find Another Way to Win

Whatever you think of the Phillies this year, there is one thing no one can deny: this team has never given up trying to find new ways to win. Tuesday night, they won for only the second time all year when scoring three or fewer runs. And a large contributer to that victory was new guy, Russell Branyan. Branyan came on to pinch-hit in the top of the eighth inning - his first at bat as a Phillie - and proceeded to drive a 1-0 pitch well over the wall in right field. The homer gave the Phils a 3-2 lead which they did not relinquish.

In a playoff race, it's critical to beat the teams you're supposed; like the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates (their current and next opponents). But for whatever reason, the Phillies have struggled against teams with worse records this season, particulary the Nationals. So it becomes even more critical to pull out wins that you probably shouldn't have had any right winning. Again, look at the series opener against the Nats. Shawn Hill, coming off the disabled list and making his first start since May 11, held the Phillies to just one hit and no runs over 6 innings of dominating ball. Luckily for the Phillies, Hill was on an 80 pitch count. He was pulled, and the Phillies eventually pulled out the game with Branyan's blast.
Kyle Lochse was almost as good, pitching 6 2/3 shutout innings before giving up 2 runs in the bottoms of the seventh. But the Phillies bullpen (yes, that bullpen) closed the door the rest of the way; highlighted by Brett Meyers striking out the side in the final frame for the save after the Phils took the lead.

The win was important for a number of reasons: First, the Mets and Padres, whom they are chasing in the division and wild card races respectively, both won. As mentioned before, you have to beat the teams you're supposed to beat. But also, teams in a pennant race can not afford to let quality pitching performances go to waste. Especially when those performances have been few and far between for the Phils this season. Branyan may never repeat his first at bat with the Phillies, but he'll take it. And the Phillies will too.

Culture of complacency has got to end

As anyone who reads my blog knows, I've haven't been out for Pat Gillick's blood by any stretch of the imagination. Many around here want to blame him every time the Phils lose a game. While I still feel the guy deserves a little more time before the hammer can come down, he said something today that really dropped him down in my book; to paraphrase:

I would be happy if we finished this homestand with a 4-2 record, but 3-3 would be acceptable.

This statement, I've come to realize, epitomizes the main problem with the Phillies organization for the last 124 years (aside from being very bad for much of that time). This Phillies ownership in particular does not seem to want a championship. They seem to be content with being OK. This is NOT ok.
Since Gillick was given the general manager job almost two years ago, I have been patiently waiting for him to work his magic like he has done in other cities. And I thought we were getting there. There were a number of mistakes made by previous management that he had to fix/work around before he could really turn this team into a contender. And, let's face it: the Phils have a fun, exciting young team that is 5 games out of first in the East (just two out of the wild card). And they've done this with enough talent on the DL at some point to field a team that could probably beat the Pittsburgh Pirates...ok, bad example. Anyway, my point is that they don't need that much more to make the playoffs.
And that is where the culture of complacency comes in. What indications have the people in charge down in Philly given us that they won't stop there? Judging by Gillick's comments (in addition to a long history of "penny pinching"), they will stop there. 3-3 is acceptable?! No championship caliber team should EVER accept mediocrity. And that is exactly what Gillick is doing. Now I know Gillick is an honest guy who speaks his mind. And, quite frankly I like him for it. He is a straight shooter. Last season, after trading away Bobby Abreu and Corey Lidle, among others, he stated that he did not think the Phils would be true contenders until the 2008 season. And what did the team do? They caught fire, and made another run at the playoffs. Eventhough they came up short, there was a lot of hope for this season.
There are some who believe that Gillick's comments, both then and now, were meant to inspire and motivate the team; a little bit of reverse psychology I guess. However, like I said earlier, Gillick is a guy who speaks his mind. He generally doesn't play those types of mind games. So when he says that a .500 homestand is acceptable, I have to believe that is what he truly feels.
This is clearly a problem in a city starved for a championship. Take a look at the Flyers and Eagles, the two teams that have had the most success over the last decade. They don't talk about making the playoffs the same way the Phillies do. To those two teams, making the playoffs is just the start, not the destination. The Phillies organization, while they won't flat out say this, have made it clear that their goal is simply to make the playoffs. The Flyers, even coming off a league worst, and franchise worst, season, are talking about making the playoffs....and doing some damage once they get there. And the Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie, just today, mentioned how he expects playoffs, and the main goal is to win the Super Bowl. For both of these teams, anything short of a championship is a disappointment. Unfortunately, the Phillies' management doesn't live in that culture. Hopefully when/if they make the tranisition to a championship-based goal system, it won't be a case of culture shock.

Time for Phillies to turn it on

So, once again, the Phillies continue to play tug of war with our emotions. Whenever we think they're done and finished, they go on a little tear. And whenever we think they are on easy street toward their first playoff birth since 1993, they lose a few games, having all of their weaknesses exposed in the process. Thursday afternoon was another pivot point for the Phils. Their bullpen lost them a game in all too familiar fashion, and their best player was lost for a month due to a broken hand (I still haven't heard a straight answer on how long Chase is expected to be out. I've heard 3, 4, 6 weeks, and everything in between). But now, in the two games since, they have closed the gap on the division leading Mets, and are 3 1/2 games out. And now Brett Meyers is back. Saturday night, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in a 10-5 victory. And if the Phils can close out the series with a sweep, they will be 10-4 since coming back from the All Star break; and 3-0 since losing Utley. No matter how you look at this team, they are right there in the hunt, and, now, the pitching staff appears to be solidifying.
Let's look at the pitching staff optimistically for a minute. Cole Hamels is the ace. And that is all there is to say about that. Jamie Moyer has been pretty consistent most of the year, and Adam Eaton looks to be a solid number three starter. Four and five in the rotation is where the optimism is really needed. Right now, its rookies Kyle Kendrick and JD Durbin. Kendrick has surpassed any and all expectations, and Durbin has won three in a row after a rough start, including a complete game shutout. Now, are these two guys going to continue to surpass expectations? My heart tells me they can at least continue to keep their team in ballgames. And with this lineup (even with Utley out), and the way the bullpen is shaping up, that is all the Phillies need from their young starters. And that brings us to the bullpen. While it has been the Achilles heel of this team all year, getting Gordon and Meyers back from injury provides an extreme upgrade. If those two can consistently pitch in big situations, like they've shown they can, the Phils bullpen could go from liability to strength. Being able to shorten a game to 7, or maybe even 6, innings with this offense is a winning formula.
So, by most accounts, Utley should be back to start September. And if all goes right, Gordon and Meyers should back to full form by mid-august. And that timing couldn't be better, as the Phils close out the month of August with a ten game home stand against the LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and the NY Mets; a four game series. This stretch could very well determine the Phils fate. Obviously they are chasing the Mets for the division. But they also would most likely be chasing on of the other two teams for the wild card, as whoever doesn't win the NL West has a good shot at the wild card. A successful home stand there, and Utley should come back to a first place team, or at least a team within very close striking distance of a playoff spot with a month to go in the season.

Not Fair

It's just not fair. The Phillies lost the final game of their three-game series against the Nationals today, failing to finish the sweep. However, the loss could prove to be the least impactive part of the day. Chase Utley, after being hit on the hand by a pitch, broke a bone in his hand and was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game. Granted, it is a "mild" break and is expected back in a few weeks, even if elects surgery. But Utley, in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, can not be afford to miss any games for the sake of his team. With a weak pitching staff, the Phils have needed to win a number of their games this season with offense alone. And trying to make a run at the playoffs (just 5 out of the division and 3 out of the wildcard), means that they can't afford to lose any offense; let alone their best offensive weapon. But perhaps the most infuriating part of all of this is that he was hit intentionally.
Here's the run down of what happened:

It's the bottom of the 3rd and the Phils are down 2-1. With two straight groundouts to the rookie pitcher, John Lannan, by Rollins and Victorino, it looked like a 1-2-3 inning in the making. But then Utley, like he so often does, keeps the inning alive and drives a 2-out single up the middle. The next batter, Ryan Howard, another MVP candidate, did what he does so often: hits a homerun to give the Phillies the lead. Their next time around the batting order, Utley and Howard both get beaned by Lannan, leading to his and his manager's ejections. Utley, while in obvious discomfort, stayed in the game and went on to go 0-2 in a heart-breaking 7-6 loss.

The loss hurts, especially since the Phils had a comfortable lead until the bullpen took over, but the fact that some rookie pitcher, making his first career start no less, lost his cool, taking the team's MVP down with him makes my blood boil. The Phillies, despite all the pitching problems this season, are still in striking distance of the playoffs, and they were just beginning to catch fire. They were on their way to winning their 6th straight. Utley was playing about as good as he ever has. Ryan Howard had regained his MVP form of last year. And bullpen help was coming with Tom Gordon getting re-acclimated to his role and Brett Meyers due back from injury this weekend. Everything was clicking. Then this happens.
Outsiders wonder why Philadelphians are so frustrated. Well, this is one item of the long, Santa Claus-esque, list of things that have gone wrong. And put an asterisk next to this one on that list because of the depressingly ironic and maddening way it happened. Even with the pitching help coming, it is hard to see this team making up 5 games in two months with Utley missing a third of those games. And on a personal note that makes this even worse, I was talking about the lack of depth behind Utley (and Rollins) and how few games they miss. Here is the online conversation I had not more than a day ago:

ME(7:03:25 PM): we have no depth at any posistion
MIKEY(7:03:31 PM): yeah
ME (7:03:48 PM): think about what happens if anyone in the infield gets hurt
ME (7:04:13 PM): when was the last time you saw utley or rollins out of the lineup
MIKEY (7:04:25 PM): never
ME (7:05:36 PM): scary thought if one of them goes down
MIKEY (7:05:43 PM): yeah
ME (7:05:46 PM): i literally can't picture anyone else there

I hate it when I'm right.

Enjoy the Ride

Ok, so there's still not a whole lot going on. But how 'bout those Phillies. Yeah I know they lost two of three from the Dodgers after dropping the final game of the series 5-4 today. But, they continue to prove that they are an exciting young team who is fun to watch.
Granted, I didn't actually watch them during this series; it's much too late for me to really get into these games, but just seeing the highlights and box scores is enough. First, I want to go on record as saying I have come to terms with the fact that the Phillies will not make the post season. And, if they do, it will be one hell of a ride. And even if they don't it should still be fun.
This team never gives up. In just six games after the break they are 3-3. And the scores for those games:
W 13-3, W 10-4, L 2-10, L 3-10, W 15-3, L 4-5.
Those scores tell me one thing: that these games, at the very least have been exciting. And really what can you expect, in terms of wins and losses, when you're trotting names like Durbin, Kendrick, and Eaton up to the mound. And that's just to start the games. But this offense has sure done it's part to keep the Phils in the race. Without going into what they need to do in order to make the playoffs, because that's been thoroughly discussed, I plead with the fans of Philadelphia to just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Look at some of the names on this roster, and how they are contributing to the highest scoring offense in the league:
Jimmy Rollins: While not your prototypical lead-off man, J-Roll is a stud. He leads the league in runs scored (and isn't that what you want you're lead-off man to do); is tied for 4th in hits; leads the league in total bases, and his 18 HRs and 57 RBIs are good for top 10 and top 20 status respectively.
Shane Victorino: The Flying Hawaiian gets it done no matter where he is in the lineup. He simply makes things happen when he gets on base. His 28 stolen bases are good for 3rd in the league, and he has only been caught three times (the third time being today).
Chase Utley: Not enough can be said about Utley. But I'll try. He's third in the league in runs; second in the league in hits; third in the league in batting average; Leads the league in doubles and RBIs; and his slugging percentage is good for fifth in the league.
Ryan Howard: The reigning MVP is really beginning to pick up his old form after a slow, injured start to the season. His .264 batting average isn't too impressive, but his 25 HRs, 74 RBIs, 55 BBs and .586 slugging percentage have him right near the top of the league for power hitters, despite the slow start. And he is beginning to hit the ball the other way again.
Aaron Rowand: Not the flashiest of the bunch, but Rowand has certainly done his part. His .333 batting average is impressive, but his average with runners in scoring position, .356 (especially with two outs, .405) is what's been key.
Then there are the other players (even Burrell), who while no having the numbers like above, have had their key hits and big games, and all fill the important roles that every good lineup needs.
When you realize that, with the pitching staff in the shape it is in, this team can not realistically make the postseason, and just sit back enjoy the good times with this team, things go so much better. And the past few Augusts and Septembers, when all seemed hopeless, we've all seen what they can do when the pressure is off.

Give Gillick a Break

Many people around Philadelphia are calling for Phillie's GM, Pat Gillick. I, on the other hand, am calling for patience. And I think I'm alone in doing this. Pat Gillick was brought in to replace Ed Wade in November of 2005; whose tenure as GM of the Phils could only be described as a failure; or some synonym thereof. And the bottom line on Gillick so far is that he has not improved this team; wins and losses have not improved and the team has still not made the playoffs. But by taking a closer look what Gillick inherited shows that, at the very least, it's too early to call the jury for a verdict.
When Gillick came to Philly, the team he inherited had a decent amount of talent, but they still hadn't made the playoffs since 1993. And Ed Wade was the chief scapegoat, whether rightfully so or not. It's pretty much consensus around the league, that today, the Phillies have one of the best lineups in baseball. It didn't get like that by accident. Pat Gillick put a lot of the key pieces into a position to succeed. Lets take a look at a few of the big moves Gillick had to make in order to get the lineup to where it is today:

Jim Thome - Thome was a beloved player in Philly, that everyone wanted to see go. I only say that because Ryan Howard was charging from behind, begging to replace the aging Thome and his contract. So Gillick sent Thome and his huge contract (some of it) to Chicago for Aaron Rowand. And I don't think there is a person in Philadelphia that doesn't like how that turned out; Rowand an All-star this year and Ryan Howard winning MVP to follow up his Rookie of the Year campaign.

Bobby Abreu - Abreu had oodles of talent, but the fans and management became tired of his lazy approach toward the game and his bloated salary. So Gillick sent him and Corey Lidle (RIP) to the Yanks for a bunch of players. Result: Shane Victorino has been a HUGE upgrade in the field and can make plenty of things happen with the bat. And he has become a fan favorite.

Jamie Moyer - The next biggest thing to come out of Souderton High School other than me....Moyer has been a nice addition to the staff and a huge influence on the progression of Cole Hamels

Greg Dobbs, Cole Hamels, Brett Meyers, Ryan Howard - All these players were given either bonuses, extensions, or new contracts by Gillick. Anybody have any problems with any of that? Speak now or forever hold your peace.

All of that was done in about a year and a half. The team went from old and slow and basically boring to a young exciting team that can beat you in a number of ways. The biggest problems that plague the Phillies right now are Pat Burrell and pitching. The former can not be attributed to Pat Gillick. The previous management group can be thanked for over-valuing Burrell and signing him to the financial equivalent of a mortgage. With the rest of this year, and still another year left on the deal, what is Gillick realistically supposed to do with the guy. While Burrell is as hard a worker as anyone, he simply doesn't have enough to offer another team to warrant anywhere near the contract they'd have to take on. For the time being, I think we have to accept that Burrell will continue to be an anchor in the field and the lineup until his contract runs out.
As far as the pitching staff goes, it's a little more gray here. I'm not an expert on baseball and all the prospects that are out there (or even in the Phil's farm system), but I know there is only so much a guy can do to transform a pitching staff that hasn't been good for years. Going into this season, there was a lot of confidence with the starting rotation. Brett Meyers was the young ace, Cole Hamels was the younger ace, Jamie Moyer was the crafty veteran, Adam Eaton was a decent (if overpaid) addition, and Freddy Garcia was supposed to be the crown jewel acquisition. Then throw in Jon Leiber, and you have a good to great rotation. What happened? Meyers had to turn into a closer due to bullpen injuries, only to subsequently also get hurt. Adam Eaton has been what we should have expected, especially when not relied on as a 4th or 5th starter. Freddy Garcia was damaged goods and quickly went on the DL. And Jon Leiber, who was supposed to be trade bait to get bullpen help, also was injured and lost for the season after becoming a starter again. Any team with that many key injuries is going have trouble staying afloat above .500. Critics will say Gillick should have never entered the season with a such a thin bullpen. While they have been proven right, Gillick's hands appeared to have been tied this offseason. No one wanted Leiber, the biggest trade chip he had. And he has to overpay to get any pitcher to come pitch half their games in the defensively challenged Citizens Bank Park (exhibit A: Adam Eaton). And he is already weighed down by immovable contracts like Burrell's. What we wanted to see happen, and what could realistically happen are two different things. What is realistic is that without those injuries, the Phillies could very well be in first place right now.
But they are not. And as we approach the trade deadline, fans are once again clamoring for Gillick to make a move. However, there problems, in addition to the ones that plagued Gillick in the offseason, with making a move. There simply isn't that much out there to help the bullpen. And I strongly urge anyone out there who will listen to consider the consequences of overpaying, either in money or prospects, for some overrated pitching help. Let's face it: this staff is in such disarray that a little help here and there isn't going to make a difference. They need to get healthy and they need real significant additions that you can only make in the offseason. I guess what I am saying is to not abandon ship, and start sending off the few prospect you have (i.e. Michael Bourn, Carlos Ruiz) in order to get some pitching help that will turn out to be nothing more than an mirage. Hopefully Meyers and Gordon can come back soon and stabilize things, wherever they are placed. Because it is not fair to vilify Pat Gillick for things largely out of his hands. At least that is until he has a few more years to show that it has just been bad luck and logistics, and not incompetence.

Try telling the fans that 10,000 is meaningless

Well, 10,000 finally came, after all these years. Despite a very abbreviated stay of execution following the 9,999th loss, the Phillies couldn't hold off the inevitable anymore; losing badly in the process. St. Louis unleashed 6 HRs in a 10-2 thrashing to salvage one game of the three game set. I noticed one thing in this game, aside from constant reassurance that this team is in serious need of pitching help. And that is that the fans of Philadelphia has come to embrace this whole story of 10,000 losses.
Both sides of the story have been pretty fairly represented in the days and weeks leading up to this moment. While it is a symbol of futility, it has also been shown how it is a symbol of longevity as well. But it's one to accept the milestone as the diachotomy that it is, and it's something entirely different to embrace it as something to cheer and celebrate; which is what I saw Sunday night.
Citizens Bank Park was packed with fans; many of them holding signs for ESPN. And just as many, if not more, were holding signs referring to the infamous loss that was upon them. These people, while hoping to see a win and a sweep of the defending World Series champs, were hoping to see history. I don't know how many people will admit it, but Phillies fans were hoping to see the 10,000th loss. This became clear as glass in the ninth inning with two outs. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded, anticipating a final out; much like you would normally see - that is if the Phillies were on the road. The fans there wanted to be a part of history.
And it is not just the history of the team. Over the past few weeks, when all the lows that went into this all-time low were added up and discussed, I think the city and its fans began to take ownership in this milestone; along with the team. While it is mostly a negative for the team, it is a testament to the loyalty the fans have shown through the years. And if there is one thing Philly fans like more than seeing their team win (aside from New York teams losing), its being considered the best fans in sports.
It is not just the Phillies fans who have remained loyal though so many low points. All of the Philadelphia sports teams have done their fair share of disapointing fans. Whether it is three consecutive NFC championship losses, getting swept in the Stanley Cups Finals, being the worst team in the league, losing in the NBA finals, or consistently not making the playoffs, Philly fans don't just discuss these memories; they seem to, in a bizarre way, reminisce about them. I don't know when it happened, but we have become so accustomed to coming up short (or not coming up at all) that we take pride in the agony our teams go through. It's gotten to the point where I honestly don't know what we would do when one of our teams finally does break through and win it all. I won't go so far as to say we don't want it to happen, but think about for a second. If we have embraced being great fans of great losers, what will we be when they are no longer losers. I don't know, but I am willing to risk my identity as a Philly sports fan to figure it out.

Instant Replay in Baseball?!

It's time that people in baseball stop letting tradition ruin the game. Now, I'm all for recognizing baseball traditions; even more so in baseball than any other sport. But there's no sense in keeping out technological advancements because they didn't have it 120 years ago. Last night alone, there were two plays that cleary showed the need for instant replay in baseball; or at least some level of video review. In Detroit, a huge divisional match up between the Tigers and Cleveland Indians saw the Indians win by one run in extra innings. But the big play was in the 5th. Carlos Guillen singled with the bases loaded and Placido Polanco scored easily, but Gary Sheffield was called out sliding home. Now the play was very close, but why make the umpire make such a difficult call in a close game without the aid of any replay; replay which the rest of the world watching the game on TV has the benefit of seeing. Would the Tigers have won the game if they had been credited with that extra run in the fifth? Nobody can answer that, but why should the game be left with that question when the technology is readily available to assist in eliminating those questions.
While the game in Detroit is only left in question because of a tough call by the umpire, the game between the Phillies and Astros in Houston was simply blown because of a tough call. The situation: The Phils were winning by run in the bottom of the ninth, but the Astros had the bases loaded with only one out. The Phils desperately need a double play. What happens next? Nothing other than a ground ball to shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Right from the beginning it looked like a textbook double play. However, first base umpire Lance Barksdale ruled that Chase Utley's throw relay to first was not in time and the run scored, tying the game at four. Now, yes, it was a close call at first, but not nearly as close as, say, the play in Detroit. And replay cleary showed the ball arriving with in Ryan Howard's glove with "plenty" of time to spare. Simply put, the game should have been over right there; the Phils being 4-3 winners. However, instead, the game heads to extra innings, and the 'Stros win it with a walk-off homer by Hunter Pence in the bottom of the thirteenth.
Now, baseball does not need replay to review every close play and every close ball and strike, but there are numerous close plays every night that could, or do, have an impact on the outcome of the game. How do they determine which are the "big" plays that require replay? Beats me, I'm not smart enough to firgure that one out. But I am smart enough to see that too many games are decided by a human being judging differences of fractions of a second with nothing but the naked eye and ear. These ball players work too hard to see the game turn on a single play all because the league, and traditional fans, feel that instant replay would somehow damage the purity of the game. And I'm not even going to go into how steroids have done nothing to damage the purity of the game