From an abundance of experience, we as Phillies fans have grown quite accustomed to a sluggish season that is only given the proverbial kick in the ass with the looming post-season playoffs. Both as individual players and a team, our Phightin’s decide hastily to coast on a hot streak into chilly October. Ryan Howard has come to be known as Mr. September, earning that heavily arbitrated extra 3 million in a matter of weeks.
Because the division/wildcard race is exciting, the fans watch and rally. Still, the procrastination strategy sometimes disappoints, when every game is a maker or breaker.
Last night, the Phillies ended a 7-game winning streak. It was a pitching performance that reminded us eerily of pre-minor-league-demotion Brett Myers, who seemed to be buckling under the pressure of having to win. Understandable. Unfortunate. Although I still believe him to be a piece of wife-beating trash, I’ve been applauding his status as most improved pitcher in the MLB.
Meanwhile, the Mets took a victory and first place in the division.
Does this mean it’s over for the Phils? No way. A mere half-game lead is not enough to throw in the towel for our boys.
But if and when it ends, the commentators and fans alike will be referring back to that “one game in Florida that lost us the season.” In reality, it was a series of unremarkable losses in earlier months that prevented a commanding lead from the beginning.
That being said, however slacking the Phillies may be, we all know that the division and subsequent world series victory is long overdue for such an all-star group.
