Philling in the Blanks

A third sport in three weeks! This week's topic... Baseball! Namely, the Philadelphia Sillies.

As everyone reading this already knows, the Phillies have an all-time great, holy-crap-your-pants quality pitching staff. And this guy. As a result most experts, including the usually reliable Las Vegas odds makers, picked the Phillies as a shoe-in for WS champions in this upcoming season. Reasonable choice.
However, recently, there has been a growing concern over the actual ability of these Phillies to win the WS. Why, you ask? Let's discuss.

A criticism of the Phillies last year, by the 'experts,' was that the Phillies failed because of a lack of A) health, and B) solid right handed hitting. With the injury to Chase Utley this spring training (I am going to go out on a limb here and say that Mr. Utley has probably played his last meaningful game in a Phillies uniform, although I know I am alone on that branch) and the release of Jayson Wereworth, the experts are not only jumping back on the injury/norightyhitter bangwagon, they are slapping rims on it and throwing their PS3s in it like Xzibit was running ESPN. Here's the thing; if you were building a team for the long run, the experts would be right. You obviously don't want elderly players who break down every 5 games and a one-handed batting lineup gets destroyed by a certain type of pitcher, for a dynasty run. But the Phillies aren't looking to win the next 5 WS. They are looking to win one, right now, this year, and luckily for them, they have a key aspect to do just that, which everyone is overlooking.

'But, how can the Phillies win if Chase Utley's knees are more worn out than a Dane Cook joke, and their best right handed hitter has a name oddly similar to Exxon Valdez?' asks the rational sports fan (I know he's not, but I wanted to point that out about his name, so deal with it). The crazed Philly fan will answer with, 'and I'm going to let you finish, but the Phillies have the greatest pitching staff of all time!' He'll probably even have those stupid sunglasses on. But that's okay, what sports fan isn't biased?

Well, yes, the pitching is good, but that's not why they are going to shock everyone down the stretch with how they win. They will surprise the 'experts,' the fans, and the baseball world when players such as Valdez, Ruiz, Francisco, Brown, and eventually whoever they put in to replace Rollins when he inevitably gets hurt, start hitting like they are Murder's Row. What?! Yes, the replacement, backup, role-players of the Phillies are going to not only help the Phillies survive, but actually thrive as an offensive unit.

How? With heart. The most underrated attribute in baseball is heart. Even after a team that won a WS solely on heart (with a little pitching help, of course), people are unwilling to recognize its importance. If you will recall, some guy named Cody Ross carried the Giants offense through the whole post season. If you say you saw that coming, then I think your real name is Hotdog Mcbeerfarts. Anyway, the Giants were nothing more than a collection of journeymen, backups, and role-players. Outside of Buster Posey (who was a rookie himself) and geriatric Edgar 'I don't even know how old I actually am' Renteria, the Giants lacked any true stars. Yet, they won anyway, and it was all because they wanted it more than anyone else.

The Phillies of 2008 were the same. A little more star-studded, perhaps, but nothing like they were seen last year. In fact, the Phillies last season were a much more talented team, top to bottom, yet couldn't win it all. Both of the last two seasons, the Phillies have traded the grit, desire, and heart that won them the 2008 WS, and replaced it with contentment, cockiness, and swagger. In essence, the Phillies went from being the Phillies (stealing bases, spikes up, plowing catchers, doing what it takes to win) to what the Yankees are always accused of being (arrogant and expecting teams to roll over for them). Obviously, teams didn't roll over.

I truly believe that with the stars of the last few years going down with injuries (I'm looking at you Raul, and Jimmy, and Chutley), and being replaced with the Cody Rosses of the world, this team will return to the gritty, hard running, hard playing, scrappy team that can win a WS. Need evidence? Look no further than their record with their 'critical' players out of the lineup. The stretch where JRoll was out? 16-12. When Utley, Victorino, and Howard were out at the same time? 11-4. Why? Because Mike Sweeney knew that it might be his only shot. Every time a guy like that steps on the field, they must know that it might be their big shot. Because of that, they play their hearts out. Its a sure as taxes.

The Phillies are going to be taking the field this year, maybe as favorites. They have an all-time great pitching staff. But their position players, the guys that need to show up every day and get it done, are going to be bench guys. They are going to be role-players, backups, journeymen. But they are going to play hard, everyday, they are going to steal bases, break up double plays, dive, run into walls, and do what it takes. Ultimately, they will carry the Phillies stars, they will find ways to win for their 4- headed Monster of the Mound, and they will earn a playoff spot. And as the Giants showed us all, a little pitching, a little crazy, and a lot of heart can get you past anyone, regardless of their payroll.

The Phillies will be seeing the Red Sox in the WS this fall. I just hope the Philly fans don't burn the city down when they win it again.


Also, for those of you out there who actually like reading this, check back on wednesday for a special March Madness post. Tis the most wonderful time of the year :)