I'm going to start this post about the Philadelphia Phillies by talking about Chicago. And even though Jake Arrieta is pictured, this anecdote isn't about the Cubs.
I was at Guaranteed Rate Field in 2005, the 10-year anniversary of the White Sox' World Series victory. I mean, yes, when you do a 25-year, or a 50-year anniversary, that's fine, it's good commemoration, but what does it say about how your team's doing now if you have to roll out a 10-year anniversary? They didn't even have the biggest guns for this commemoration, because Mark Buehrle was still playing, Ozzie Guillen was blackballed from baseball, and...come to think of it, that 2005 White Sox roster didn't have the most long-lasting stars. It was a scrappy, underdog team that took down the massive Astros. They had enlisted people like Scott Podsednik, Joe Crede, Jermaine Dye. People like that, who are big in Chicago, but nowhere else.
I mention this because, in case you've forgotten, the Philadelphia Phillies won a world series 10 years ago. It was fantastic! Yes, I realize that only 4 members of that team are still in the major leagues, and one will be retiring at the end of this season, but the amount of positive momentum that team worked up for several years after was pretty incredible. Of course, by 2012 it was mostly gone, and some of the best players of those teams started leaving, culminating in...what we have now. An entirely new team of call-ups, 'player to be named later's, and signees, capitalizing on whatever momentum they can keep going.
So in 10 years, the Philadelphia Phillies have turned into the 2005 White Sox.
I think.
The Phils have the lead on the division right now, thanks to a fantastic turn by its pitching rotation, led by All-Star Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta's better numbers, and great turns from Vince Velasquez, Nick Pivetta and Zach Elfin. Heck, Enyel de los Santos is pretty great, even if there's not really any room for him right now (though at this rate, he could be a great ace for Baltimore someday). This rotation may not look like much, but it's putting out really nice numbers behind a pair of legitimate aces...kinda like the '05 White Sox.
The lineup has rallied behind Odubel Herrera, no longer in danger of being traded, Rhys Hoskins, who's mellowed into a solid bat, and Maikel Franco, who is FINALLY hitting. Carlos Santana's hitting for average, Jorge Alfaro's finally hitting at a major league level, and Cesar Hernandez has improved vastly since taking over for Chase Utley in 2015. This team has come together, despite cries of 'they're not ready'. Well, they are, and they're currently outdoing a team that definitely IS ready, those Atlanta Braves.
I don't know how long this will last, and I don't know where it will leave this team post-season, but I like the positive momentum the Phillies are getting, and I like how we're looking heading into the break. As a Philadelphian, and as someone who's seen his football team get far this year already...I'm gonna keep an optimistic view of this team.
Coming Tomorrow- The Detroit Tigers needed one All-Star nominee. And this is who they picked.
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