With the Michael Vick situation dominating the headlines and causing headaches throughout the Delaware Valley, this seems like a good time to reflect on the Phillies current situation.  The 2010 season, although still a long way from being completed, may be seen as a season of a change in identity for the Phillies.  It began in the offseason when Ruben believed this was a team whose offense would carry them through the season as it had in recent years.  Out of this confidence, and various other factors, he elected to trade away Cliff Lee after acquiring Roy Halladay.  Whether or not it was the right move is another discussion. The point is Ruben ultimately decided that if he had 1 guy to match up with the Sabathias, Lincecums, and Wainwrights of the baseball world for the next few years, then his offense would carry them through the rest of the year and to the World Series given Hamels and Lidge had bounce back years.  Who would blame his reasoning there?  This team has been known for its offense the past few seasons and they had just added Placido Polanco 2 weeks earlier to ideally become the 2 hole hitter to make this great offense even better. 

            As most people remember, the season started great for the Phillies as they uncharacteristically well for the first month and a half with a 24-13 record through May 17th.  However, injuries and inconsistency began to doom this team throughout the season, which frustrated the fans, media, players, and management.  People couldn’t understand how a team that has had such a prolific offense could all of a sudden lose their hitting ability.  Many articles were written trying to explain the reasons this team was struggling and when/if they would turn it around.  Maybe it was age to star players, constant injuries, complacency, Milt Thompson, the weather, Dubee’s binoculars, or just plain bad luck.  Either way, it didn’t matter.  The real lesson that was learned during this time was this wasn’t the team we’ve seen in years past.  A team who had previously relied on a prolific offense and sub-par pitching to win them games, now had been relying on their above average pitching to provide them with great outings every night to allow a sub-par offense (by the Phillies usual standards) to provide enough run support to squeak out victories.  The Phillies were by no means out of the playoff picture, but many people had written this team off by mid-July. 

            Then the All Star break passed.  How did a team, who has been known for its second half resurgence, do for the first week after the All Star game?  They went 1-6 before providing Cole Hamels with enough run support (in the 11th inning) to avoid a 4 game sweep in St. Louis.  Also, my fellow avid Phillies phans know I wouldn’t be telling the full story if I didn’t mention that the 1 game they won before that was the result of a 4 run ninth inning comeback against the Cubs and Carlos Marmol.  That’s not exactly the way most people envisioned this team coming out of the gate in the second half.  Tensions began to rise with the trade deadline coming up.  Should the Phillies look for another bat, bullpen piece, or starting pitcher?  If so, how big or a move should they look to make?  Should the Phillies just sell Werth to the highest bidder, virtually raise the white flag on the season, and ride out the rest of the season with Brown patrolling RF?  That question was answered when Ruben traded for Roy Oswalt after an amazing 7-0 homestand. 

Those 2 series against the Rockies and Diamondbacks may prove to be the turning point of the whole season.  I wrote in my article regarding the Oswalt trade that: “I believe Amaro wouldn’t have made this deal if not for the recent winning streak the Phils have had.  With the division in his cross hairs, Ruben is looking for his Game 3 starter.”  Despite the significance and gravity of the trade, most people weren’t 100% confident with the move.  Also, they saw Ruben admitting a mistake and trying to correct it with someone who wasn’t as good as the amazing Clifton Phifer Lee (who some fans still pray to every night before going to bed).  However, it wasn’t that… well not exactly.  It was Ruben admitting that this team’s identity had changed.  This all of a sudden wasn’t your typical Phillies team with a rotation of players like Lieber, Lohse, Eaton, and Moyer backed by an, at times, unbeatable offense.  Halladay, a rejuvenated Hamels, and Oswalt have morphed this team into one of the best pitching teams in baseball.

The best part about now is how electrifying this team has become after it has finally been able to hit over the past month or so.  Halladay is 4-0 his last 6 starts with a 4.32 ERA.  Compare that to earlier this year when it took an unearned run to give Halladay the win during his perfect game, and you can appreciate how far the offense has come this season.  Now Halladay can “struggle” by his standards and still win.  Oswalt, meanwhile, has been one of the center pieces of this resurgence.  Since he has been a Phillie, Oswalt is 7-0 with a 1.55 ERA after his disappointing debut (Cliff Lee is 3-4 with 4.99 ERA over that same span by the way).  The effects of his addition to the rotation have had has been historic.  Going into Wednesday night’s game against Atlanta, Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt are a combined 12-0 with a 2.22 ERA in September.  That’s flat out ridiculous.  Not even the great Braves trio of Glavine, Maddux, and Smoltz did that well. (Brad Lidge, meanwhile, has been pitching out of his mind lately with a 0.96 ERA and 7 saves his last 10 appearances.) 

With a playoff birth virtually clinched, fans can finally begin to get excited about October 2010.  Even if the Phillies lose against the Braves on Wednesday, they would have a 4 game lead with 9 to go with the next series against the Braves being pitched by the H₂0 combination.  Not even the 2007 Mets could blow that lead.  What most Phillies fans should be concerned about is the #1 seed in the NL.  If the Phillies are the #1 seed, they can elect to have an 8 day divisional series, instead of 7, which would mean the only players that would have to pitch are the H₂O combination.  In fact, out of the possible 19 playoff games, 17 would be started by either Halladay, Hamels, or Oswalt.  These are the type of seasons you’ll tell your grandchildren about.  As the Eagles continue to confuse and surprise us as fans, enjoy the pleasure the Phillies are providing for us, Philadelphia.  There’s only one word that could describe this team right now: scary.