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| "Crahuhjahheuh!" Love the cracker jacks, and the dude is a cool dude. |
So, the Phillies had a losing opening 20 games. The last time they opened 8-11 didn't end so bad though- it was 2007. The real difference in that team and this one is two-fold:
- That team could hit anyone they faced.
- That team couldn't pitch to save it's life.
This year is the polar opposite. They can pitch, but they can't hit. They also have had managerial issues. They also have had roster issues. What can I say, they have issues.
This is not a sub-.500 team, or a .500 team even. They are 9-11 right now though, and they are looking up in the standings. The question is, where are they going?
My guess is that the starting pitching will continue to be good, and probably even improve. The bullpen will continue to stabilize and give them more too. The bench has been effective. The problem will be the line-up, and a lack of consistency. I don't think they will be good enough to get much beyond 90 games, or win the division. If health holds up, I still think they can be a Wild Card team. I just don't think this team will be good enough offensively, as they currently fill in the line-up card, to win the NL East. Charlie is not showing enough creativity to change the offensive personality of this group. He's also leaving a lot to be desired in the bullpen.
That's just my take at 20 games.
