Philadelphia Phillies Fans Should Ignore the Atlanta Media

The Phillies are one game away from a return trip to the NLCS. A couple of wise men once told me “Don’t take the cheese!” Don’t get baited into overconfidence or efforts from the Atlanta media trying to distract you from what’s really going on. Here’s “the cheese” you might want to avoid!

I don’t know Spencer Strider. I do know that I respect the hell out of his talents. Mark me down as a voter who does NOT believe that Strider will melt under the crowd noise. You are free to do so. I’d resist pulling an Orlando Arcia on this one.

I was floored that yesterday, instead of just reporting the story, I saw many Atlanta media members attempting to spin a tale that the Arcia chirping about Bryce Harper never happened.

There were many media members in attendance, not just the one who reported it. Not only does denying it attack the credibility of a fellow media member, but it’s clearly butt-kissing. Stop trying to gain favor with your home fans.

I respect that Arcia owned it afterward. I chuckle at how the team started clutching their pearls that his mocking got out to the public. If you’re going to trash talk, be prepared to back it up and stop acting wounded like you’re in a Lifetime movie.

I also have heard things in my career in locker rooms I have not shared, so I’m not very respectful of that. Bottom line: Harper found out and took the Braves behind the gym and kicked their asses on one night. Will it carry over? I wouldn’t doubt him, but this will be tough.

This one is highly humorous. In fact, living in the Philadelphia area, you have MANY more things to do. The options for culture and activities is far more than you have in Atlanta. It's is a more landlocked city that doesn’t have two of the greatest cities in the country within less than a two-hour drive.

Atlanta is a great city with great people, but lashing out about people hin Philadelphia is an old, tired tale. It may go back to a butt-kicking they took from the North generations ago.

Both cities are great, and the fans of both teams are too. Don’t act like those who trash people and communities they know nothing about. I’ve lived in both places. They shouldn’t throw stones as we shouldn’t.

MLB has to change this unfair format. This is the second year that the system has been in place. Last year, the best MLB team somehow overcame the incredible hurdle of rest and won the World Series. It’s such a weak response. The series isn’t over, but people are already forming the narrative.

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The Phillies are back in the NLDS. After beating the Marlins in the Wild Card Round, they are moving on to face the Braves. This exact matchup went very well for the Phillies last year. It started with them winning game 1 in Atlanta. Then they got to Spencer Strider in game 3, with an unforgettable bat spike by Rhys Hoskins. And closed it out in game 4 with another HR Derby, including an inside-the-parker by JT Realmuto. But both teams look a bit different than last year, even if the core for each side still looks the same. And there are lots of new faces on the 26-man Roster this time around.

Game 1- Saturday- Oct 7th- TBD In Atlanta

Game 2- Monday- Oct 9th- TBD- In Atlanta

Game 3- Wednesday- Oct 11th- TBD- In Philly

Game 4 (if needed)- Thursday- Oct 12- TBD- In Philly

Game 5-(if needed)- Saturday- Oct 14th- TBD- In Atlanta

In the Wild Card Series, the Phillies elected to keep fewer pitchers, to add another righty, Weston Wilson, onto the 26-man roster. Mostly because the Marlins are capable of throwing a lot of tough lefty pitchers at you. The Braves do have Max Fried, but their rotation and bullpen are more righty-heavy than the Marlins are. So the approach in constructing the 26-man roster for the NLDS is a bit different. It starts with Weston Wilson being less likely to be there for this series.

So who will make it? And how have each of those guys performed this season? Here are the 26 guys who will be on the roster for the series against the Braves. Along with each of their season stats, and their stats vs. the Braves this year.

Season Stats

.252/.310/.452/.762

20 HRs, 28 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 63 RBIs, 70 Runs, 16 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.194/.250/.333/.583

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 2RBIs, 4 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.293/.401/.499/.900

21 HRs, 29 2Bs, 1 3B, 72 RBIs, 84 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.244/.397/.578/.974

5 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 9 RBIs, 10 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.280/.329/.419/.747

15 HRs, 32 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 62 RBIs, 78 Runs, 31 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.220/.273/.380/.653

1 HR, 5 2Bs, 0 3B, 8 RBIs, 5 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.266/.320/.459/.778

26 HRs, 35 2Bs, 5 3Bs, 76 RBIs, 102 Runs, 30 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.204/.272/.370/.642

2 HRs, 3 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 7 Runs, 4 SBs

Season Stats

.274/.327/.437/.765

20 HRs, 31 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 97 RBIs, 74 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.262/.319/.381/.700

1 HR, 2 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 7 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SB

Season Stats

.277/.372/.458/.829

12 HRs, 25 2Bs, 6 3Bs, 60 RBIs, 58 Runs, 10 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.362/.452/.814

2 HRs, 1 2B. 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 7 Runs, 1 SB

Season Stats

.302/.342/.430/.771

2 HRs, 9 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 23 RBIs, 24 Runs, 14 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.286/.333/.571/.905

1 HR, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 4 Runs, 2 SBs

Season Stats

.272/.311/.476/.788

29 HRs, 37 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 106 RBIs, 79 Runs, 11 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.294/.345/.608/.953

4 HRs, 2 2Bs, 1 3B, 9 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.197/.343/.474/.817

47 HRs, 19 2Bs, 1 3B, 104 RBIs, 108 Runs, 0 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.184/.344/.327/.671

2 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 5 RBIs, 8 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

.251/.293/.427/.719

10 HRs, 15 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 30 RBIs, 34 Runs, 4 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.154/.154/.231/.385

0 HRs, 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 RBIs, 1 Run, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.238/.319/.417/.736

2 HRs, 7 2Bs, 1 3B, 11 RBIs, 12 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.143/.000/.143

0 HRs, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SBs

Season Stats

.204/.274/.283/.557

1 HR, 4 2Bs, 1 3B, 12 RBIs, 15 Runs, 2 SBs

Stats vs Braves

.000/.000/.000/.000

0 HRs, 0 2Bs, 0 3Bs, 0 RBIs, 0 Runs, 0 SB

Season Stats

3.61 ERA, 13-6, 212 Ks, 192 IPs, 1,08 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

3.32 ERA, 2-0, 21 Ks, 19 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats 

4.46 ERA, 12-9, 202 Ks, 193.2 IPs, 1.15 WHIP 

Stats vs Braves 

3.50 ERA, 0-0, 20 Ks, 18 IPs, 1.11 WHIP 

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 4-6, 119 Ks, 125 IPs, 1.42 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.5 ERA, 0-0, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 1.00 WHIP

Season Stats

4.38 ERA, 15-6, 138 Ks, 172.2 IPs, 1.31 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

6.00 ERA, 1-0, 6Ks, 12 IPs, 1.67 WHIP

Season Stats

3.44 ERA, 3-5, 96 Ks, 99.1 IPs, 1.05 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

5.56 ERA, 0-2, 12 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 1.94 WHIP

Season Stats

4.18 ERA, 9-9, 111 Ks, 153 IPs, 1.21 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

11.12 ERA, 1-1, 6 Ks, 11.1 IPs, 2.12 WHIP

Season Stats

3.26 ERA, 23 Saves, 94 Ks, 69 IPs, 1.04 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.50 ERA, 3 Saves, 7 Ks, 6 IPs, 0.83 WHIP

Season Stats

1.74 ERA, 10 Saves, 64 Ks, 41.1 IPs, 1.16 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

2.25 ERA, 0 Saves, 5Ks, 4 IPS, 1.25 WHIP

Season Stats

4.62 ERA, 3 Saves, 65Ks, 60.1 IPs, 1.14 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

8.31 ERA*, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 4.1 Innings, 1.84 WHIP

*Most of that 8.31 came off one bad out in May, Soto has given up 1 run over his last 3 outings vs the Braves*

Season Stats

2.41 ERA, 1 Save, 69 Ks, 52.1 IPs, 0.92 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

7.2 ERA, 0 Saves, 5 Ks, 5 IPs, 1.80 WHIP

Season Stats

3.29 ERA, 2 Saves, 108 Ks, 87.2 IPs, 1.02 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

1.69 ERA, 1 Save, 3 Ks, 5.1 IPs, 0.94 WHIP

Season Stats

3.78 ERA, 2 Saves, 48 Ks, 50 Ks, 50 IPs, 1.40 WHIP

Stats vs. Braves

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 3Ks, 3.2 IPs, 0.30 WHIP

Season Stats

0.00 ERA, 0 Saves, 6 Ks, 3.0 IPs, 1.33 WHIP

Stats vs Braves

Has Not Faced the Braves