Photo: Frank Klose, Sports Talk Philly
By Theo DeRosa, Sports Talk Philly staff
The latest "NL Notes" column from FanRag Sports writer Jon Heyman showed organizational concern toward the pace of the current Phillies rebuild.
According to Heyman's story, in a response to the opinion that the Phillies were a couple years away from contending, someone in the Phillies organization replied — "honestly," according to Heyman — "maybe more than a couple."
Since the low point of the rebuild, the dismal 2015 season, it's been a common talking point to say that the team was two or three years away from contention. After an optimistic start to the 2016 campaign, the deadline was even moved up in the minds of many, with 2018 the targeted year for a wild-card race.
But with the Phillies having lost twice as many games as they've won in 2017, it's seemed like the rebuilding effort has been going in the wrong direction. As Heyman notes, even people inside the organization are souring on the idea of an early turnaround.
It's still to be seen how long it takes until this Phillies team is again in contention. Most of the club's major-league talent is underperforming, and the organization's top prospects are still at least away — and they don't come without expressed concerns. J.P. Crawford is making up ground after an abysmal start to the year in Lehigh Valley, and Mickey Moniak is still mired in a subpar season for a No. 1 overall pick (.267/.317/.386 in Lakewood).
Optimism can always be found, of course. Right now, what hope the Phillies have is tied up in a youthful core — Aarons Nola and Altherr, prospects like Rhys Hoskins and Sixto Sánchez, and yes, even underperforming but talented players like Maikel Franco and Odúbel Herrera.
With the team's current output, though, and the lack of any sure-fire fixes, it's easy to peg the Phillies where Heyman's source did. For the foreseeable future, they are indeed more than a couple years away.
