NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
When does it stop? When will the media give the Philadelphia Phillies their proper respect for what they accomplished last season and then for the moves they made during the offseason to make sure 2022 wasn’t a fluke year? According to Bleacher Report, the Phillies are not a World Series-tier team. While they are in the top 10, no one is giving them a shot to make it back to the World Series.
After finishing last season with a record of 87-85 and 3rd in the NL East, the Philadelphia Phillies put together a remarkable playoff run that landed them in the 2022 World Series against the Houston Astros. Along the way, the underdog Phillies would defeat the St. Loius Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, and the San Diego Padres, and yet, here we are still saying the Phillies are not legit contenders.
Instead, that title in the National League goes to the Braves and New York Mets. But BR did place the Phillies in the same category as the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Tampa Bay Rays. No disrespect to the other teams, but the Philadelphia Phillies, last I checked are the reigning NL Champs.
Can The Philadelphia Phillies Repeat As NL Champs
It’s not hard to see why the Mets are up there. They still have a dangerous lineup that features Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. Plus, they added Justin Verlander to pair with Max Scherzer in the starting rotation this offseason. The Mets won 101 games in 2022 and should be expected to make more noise this season.
The Braves are another team in the NL that reached 100 wins and while they did lose Dansby Swanson, the Braves are still led by Austin Riley, Ronald Acuna Jr, and Michael Harris II. However, these are still the same Braves that went down to the Phillies in the NL Divisional Series (3-1).
The Dodgers are another team with 100 wins last season but fell short. While they do have the offensive firepower, the Phillies this offseason managed to snag one of their best players in Trea Turner. But where does it state that they’re better equipped than the Phillies?
Even with the injuries to Harper and now Ryse Hoskins, the Philadelphia Phillies have the firepower to put runs on the boars. Last I checked, they still have J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, Alec Bohm, and Turner. Let’s not forget that Harper will be returning this season.
What hurt the Phillies last season was their bullpen. However, they made major strides this offseason to remedy that glaring hole with the additions of Craig Kimbrel, Gregory Soto, and Matt Strahm. The bullpen should no longer be an issue. Now, it’s up to the starting unit to give the Phillies at least 7 solid innings. If the bullpen can keep games from getting out of hand, the Phillies will find themselves back atop the standings in the National League.
But just as much as analysts have concerns regarding the Philadelphia Phillies’ lineup, there is not a lineup in the NL that’s not flawless. So why not give the reigning NL Champs their proper respect?
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