Which Team Should Phillies Fans Root for in the ALCS?

The Philadelphia Phillies are looking at an opportunity to close out the Arizona Diamondbacks to win their second consecutive National League pennant. Should Phillies fans root for a potential World Series matchup against the Houston Astros or against the Texas Rangers?

One of the interesting things you encounter doing a sports radio show are fans telling you “Don’t jinx it.”

It’s the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard. To think a singular host could speak something into existence is absurd. Now, if the PLAYERS fall into a trap thinking they’ve already won the NLCS, it could be a problem. Here are some points worth considering if you want to look ahead to the World Series.

12 games is a quality sample size. Going 0-12 in those games is hardly quality. The Phillies have had a very poor record when they face the Texas Rangers.

It’s been almost a decade since the Phillies have beaten the Rangers. It was 2014 to be exact. Since then the 12 straight Texas victories are the most dominant streak of ANY team vs the Phillies. Zealots will tell you it means nothing, I won’t be that arrogant.

It took the Astros until the final day of the season to clinch their division and the bye. Up until then, they scuffled and allowed the Rangers and Mariners to stay in the mix.

Since joining the American League in 2013, the defending World Champions are 5-7 against the Phillies during the regular season. By those metrics, the Astros are a much better draw….BUT

The Phillies grabbed the first game in Houston in extra innings and lost the next night. When they returned home to Philadelphia, they clubbed five homers and won 7-0 in Game 3. People started seriously believing a parade was coming.

Game 4 was the infamous World Series no-hitter. Poor defense by Brandon Marsh and Rhys Hoskins gave the Astros a win in Game 5. The Phillies hitters either ran out of gas in the World Series or were just dominated by a superior staff. So, we want Texas right?

The Rangers have little postseason experience, so a trip to Philly for three straight games might be intimidating. I think I’d prefer grabbing one of the first two games on the road and having the Rangers feel the heat up here! But wait…

Despite the Astros feeling no intimidation factor at Citizens Bank Park last year, having home field advantage is more advantageous.

Do you want to face the less experienced team or the veteran champions? Do you want to have home field advantage? We can all agree: let the Astros and the Rangers go seven games and burn their bullpens and lose the chance to set up their rotations. I’ll take a rematch with the Astros and home field advantage.

Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.

The Philadelphia Phillies kicked the Atlanta Braves right out of Citizens Bank Park with 11 home runs in an NLDS victory. Their power outburst ignited the Red October crowd on the way to the NLCS for the second consecutive year.

Chicks dig the long ball. The Phillies lived by it during a memorable series victory. Nick Castellanos led the way with four home runs. He became the first player in MLB history to homer twice in back-to-back playoff games. His son Liam stole the show with a heartwarming reaction in front of the Philadelphia crowd.

It’s impossible to ignore the superstar performance of Bryce Harper. He went deep three times in the series, including two home runs in Game 3. Phillies fans will never forget the fearless attitude he showed by staring down Orlando Arcia as he rounded the bases after both of them.

The Braves dominated the conversation entering the series. They tied a major league record with 307 home runs during the regular season, but Phillies pitchers held them to three in the series.

The “feared” Atlanta offense scored only eight runs in four games and three runs in their three losses. They didn't exactly resemble the 1927 New York Yankees like some people suggested.

Trea Turner, Brandon Marsh, and J.T. Realmuto also joined the party. Even with the outburst, the Phillies still have potential breakout candidates to get hot offensively in the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks or in the World Series.

Kyle Schwarber belted 47 home runs in 2023 and 46 home runs in 2022. He stayed in the ballpark during the NLDS, but his long ball in Game 1 of the NLCS in 2022 sets an incredible precedent. Alec Bohm also had a tough series, but he hit a career high 20 home runs during the regular season.

The best clutch performer in Phillies history got things started in Game 1. Harper went deep off Spencer Strider to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead in the 6th inning. They stunned Atlanta with a 3-0 victory.

Game 2 certainly won’t go down as a great memory in Phillies history, but in the moment, fans thought a 2-0 series lead was on the horizon. The veteran catcher hit a two-run homer off Max Fried in the 3rd inning to build a lead that eventually reached 4-0.

Bryce Elder didn’t stand a chance at Citizens Bank Park in Game 3. The Braves went up 1-0, but their pitching just wasn’t going to shut down the Phillies. Nick Castellanos went deep for his first home run of the playoffs in the 3rd inning to tie the game.

Everyone knew that Bryce Harper was due for a superstar performance in Game 3. Orlando Arcia poked the bear, and he paid for it. Harper’s three-run shot broke the game open for a blowout win.

The two-time MVP wasn’t finished. Harper smacked one to dead center field in the bottom of the 5th off Brad Hand to put the Phillies up 7-1. He stared Arcia down for the second time as he rounded the bases.

The standing ovation turned the season around for Trea Turner, and he probably never would’ve recovered from a brutal Game 2 performance in the field without that sense of positivity. Turner shook off the mistakes with a solo shot off AJ Smith-Shawver.

Castellanos kept the floodgates open with his second home run of the evening. His son Liam stole the attention on the TBS broadcast, however.

Marsh has become a huge part of the team’s incredible confidence. He proved it by going back-to-back with Castellanos.

The Citizens Bank Park crowd lost momentum in Game 4 when Austin Riley put the Braves ahead with a solo shot of his own in the top of the 4th. It only set up for Nick Castellanos to set the crowd on fire with a solo shot that tied the game.

Turner had four hits in Game 4, including a solo home run that ultimately turned out to be the game-winner.

Castellanos became the first player in major league history with consecutive multi-home run games in the playoffs. The insurance run helped the Phillies bullpen close out the high-powered Braves to clinch a spot in the NLCS.

Watch The John Kincade Show live on the 97.5 The Fanatic YouTube page on weekday mornings from 6am-10am.