Here we are at the end of May. The Phillies just beat the juggernaut Braves 2-1 after a gem pitched by our ace Wheeler. Nice to see his velocity up and him hopefully molding into midseason form, as a top 10 pitcher in the league.

Anyway, I am getting off topic. The Phillies were 2 wins away, and maybe even 1 if Topper didn’t give Wheeler the early hook in game 6 last year, from winning the world series. They signed the top free agent, again last year, and continued to add depth to their bullpen. There was no reason to believe this team should not be one of the top 3 teams in the National League, fighting atop the division. But despite being on the good side of the see-saw at the moment taking 2 of 3 thus far to, at worst, earn a split in Atlanta, the team sits 2 games under 500. This is not what we expected nor what a roster that, again was 2 wins from winning it all, and was upgraded was projected to do through May.

Last year I wrote an article around this time, that you can read here. The Phils made me look like a idiot. Obviously I couldn’t have been happier about that. But now I am sitting here a year later, with the team in a similar situation and wondering. Is this the team that it had been for the better part of the last decade and a half? Or was last year the new normal, and they are going to be settling in and come September and October, they will have us on the edge of our seats for another exciting run in the playoffs? With the Sixers now in a familiar spot, bounced in round 2, the Flyers mediocre at best, but maybe at least finally realizing it and having a direction, albeit years away, and the Eagles a few weeks from having our attention with training camp and preparations for the start of the season, it’s the Phillies town now, and the question I proposed on what to expect is the biggest question right now. I am torn and need all of your help on telling me which way I should lean here. I am going to stick my neck out again though and say, I think this team falls just short, sure they have Harper back now, they have a their back-up first basemen due back and also Harper slated to be able to fill in at 1st base, which helps in the field (Schwarber DHing), but I am sure there will be more injuries to overcome and while some players will get hot, others will cool off.

So maybe, if I go back to the well and again say they fall short this year, they can make me look foolish again. If them looking average at best at the end of each May, and me looking like I’m continuously using a broken crystal ball, talking about how they won’t get it done each year is what it takes to get some exciting Phillies baseball in October each year, then sign me up.