I pondered the question long and hard over the last home stand and before last night's late inning debacle in San Diego: what is the matter with this team? I've mulled the possibilities, considered the sources, analyzed the statistics, dusted off the magic eight ball from my youth. In the end, I've come to these conclusions: they cannot hit much, pitch consistently or catch the ball well. Throw in a front office of dubious ability and you have the 2013 Phillies.
With the July trade deadline looming, it's almost laughable to think the Phillies will be anything other than sellers. If they persist in the absurd belief of their GM they can contend, the Phillies will only accelerate the slide toward bottom feeders that once glorious teams like Baltimore and Pittsburgh suffered through until they stopped trying to right their ships with castoffs, has-beens, never-weres, and free agents long in the tooth.
Yes, fans, we could see decades of mediocrity unless the Phils look in the mirror and conclude they have to start stockpiling for the future. They traded off what talent that had in their farm system to win it all a year ago. One and a half years later they are again a below .500 club with holes everywhere one looks. First base? A hole. Second base? A hole. Shortstop? Soon to be a hole. Third base? See shortstop. Outfield? One decent player. Catcher? Soon to be a hole. Starting Pitching? Swiss cheese on that? Middle Relief? Vacancy signs everywhere. Late Inning Relief? Injured and erratic.
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