So I wake up this morning and listen to several sports and news readers discussing the Phillies' current 5-game winning streak, having taken the last two in a series from the Pittsburgh Pirates and sweeping a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The question being debated is this...
Have the Phils gone over the loser hump, or is this winning streak a fluke? My answer might surprise you - especially those who know that I am a die-hard NY Mets fan and probably don't have the right to comment on anything involving a Philadelphia team.
To me, a winning streak is never a fluke. True, there may be situations where your opponents' best players are unavailable and you can take advantage of their weaknesses. But this is Major League Baseball, where even the worst players in the league are still in the top 1000 in the world.
Let's look at the Phillies' roster and how they played so far during the streak:
Ryan Howard went 7-for-17, despite hitting just .230 on the season.
Chase Utley, whose name might just become the new Mendoza Line, went 2-for-3 on Saturday.
The pitching staff surrendered just two home runs over the five games - both in game 2 vs. D-Backs.
Shortstop Freddy Galvis is hitting .347 on the season - and Ryno gave him Sunday off!
Little-used Jeff Francoeur hit his third HR of the season, and now has 11 RBI.
As for the rest of the team? Guys like Maikel Franco, Odubel Herrera, Cesar Hernandez, and Ken Giles are youngsters whom are the future beloved in the City of Brotherly Love
This is how a TEAM should play. Everyone contributes, whether making smart plays in the field, running hard on the bases, or swatting the ball the opposite way. I'll admit it; I've been talking about firing Ryne Sandberg and his coaches and replacing them with the staff at Taney Little League but, right now, the club is playing like a TEAM should play, and that's no fluke.
Comments anyone?
Dave E.
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