Is Just Making the Post Season a Phillies Success Story?
by John Kincade
I rolled into the Rally House in Exton to a crowd earlier this week. The Phillies post season gear was flying off the shelves. The excitement level obviously very high. When you do this job you get a good idea of the pulse of the fan base. I’ve been highly critical at the lack of energy and fan support this 2022 received. Maybe this post season berth will be the paddles to help the fan base resuscitate.
Nothing annoys me more than fans demanding more before they “buy in” to a team and then moving the goal posts so expectations can’t ever be met. Here are the excuses I’m presented most often;
1) The team has been awful for a decade.
OK, I’m going to cede this point to the critics as I’ve lived it along with you. This team has ripped your hearts out and even in good seasons has been just around .500
2)The owner needs to spend.
I’ve heard this one before this season and it wasn’t valid then but it’s certainly not valid now. John Middleton spent $85M more than the Cardinals who they face this weekend. He spent $55M more than the Braves who won the division. The Phillies are 4th in payroll. They have done all the spending they should be expected to.
3)This team doesn’t connect with the city.
That is also valid critique. The Phillies team doesn’t go out of their way to endear themselves to the fan base. Bryce Harper wears his Phanatic lined suits and shoes but really isn’t out and about. If you heard just the voices of the players most wouldn’t know who was talking. This is far different than the Phillies post season clubs of the past.
Its time for folks to lay down their swords. The arguments against supporting the Phillies aren’t valid. The owner spends, the team won 87 games and they have brought post season baseball back. If they can win a road series in St. Louis they will bring at least one game back to Philadelphia in the NLDS. So I ask you if just getting to the post season matters enough? Will just making it create a buzz that builds towards crowds returning in 2023? Does it make you confident that this is the launching off point?
I’ll go on the record now so that I’m not moving the goalposts myself. Getting to the post season as a third wildcard isn’t good enough for me. What I now need to see is that you truly belong. You have to show me that you are ready for this stage and don’t get swallowed up by the moment. If you compete and look like you deserve to be there, I’m good with 2022 being stamped a success.
My Pick? The Phillies have the pitching advantage in the first 2 games. It gives me great confidence. The Phillies will win the series and advance to the NLDS. I congratulate them on a good season, win or lose, as long as they make us proud.
