It's a classic story. One team, perennial losers, builds slowly
through the draft. The losses mount, but, then, so do the draft picks.
The
other, perennial winners (in recent times, at least), reaches the top
largely through its productive farm system at first but in order to stay at the
top largely via trades and free agency.
The
perennial losers slowly improve over the years, adding a piece here and
a piece there, primarily through their own farm system. The perennial
winners get old rather suddenly, their decline compounded by
serious injuries to key players. Unfortunately, there aren't many
replacements down on the farm; many of their top prospects having been traded.
The losers were built to win later. The winners were built to win now.
It's a story often repeated. It's a story being repeated right now in the NL East.
The Washington Nationals are arriving; the Philadelphia Phillies are departing. If not this season, then next will see a complete role reversal
And, oh yes, by the way.....
The Phils were stomped today by the Nationals 7-1, the second straight victory for the ascending Nats. The pitcher for Washington was former Phillies farmhand and phenom Gio Gonzalez.
