I must admit, there are times I get a little ahead of myself with this Phillies team. I’ve been dying for the Phillies to be good again so bad, that I may be guilty of overhyping them. Can you blame me? The last five seasons of Phillies baseball have been pretty brutal to watch. I see some light, and now I have some hope. However, if the Phillies series with the Yankees showed me anything, it’s that Phillies aren’t quite on the Yankees level yet..
I love Hoskins, Kingery, and Franco. It’s just that those guys aren’t what Aaron Judge and Gleyber Torres are. I should say, at least not yet. It’s not to say the Phillies aren’t good enough to sneak into a wild card spot. They are good enough for that. They just won’t be competing for a World Series like the Yankees are this year. The Yankees have threats up and down that lineup. For the Phillies, once you get past Herrera, Hoskins, and Santana you really don’t have much. Franco is hit or miss and Alfaro is still young.
The Phillies will have a lot of money to play with in the offseason and I expect them to a land a big piece or two. It will be next year when the Phillies are where the Yankees are now. A team at the top of the league who will be amongst the other division leaders.
I am picturing Manny Machado right in the middle of that lineup between Hoskins and Santana. I am picturing a ball park packed with Phillies fans like they were from 07-11. A ball park not being taken over by Yankee fans like it was this week. Next year will be a beautiful season I assure you. Let us just take some time to appreciate this season. Much like in 2005 and 2006, we could see something special building. I believe we are seeing the same thing now. So, let’s ease up the pressure, myself included. Let everything fall where it may. If the Phillies are still two or three games out of the division lead at the trade deadline, then maybe I will get that bullpen piece that I have been begging for the last month.
So, when that times, we can reevaluate the expectations of this team.
