Despite Mets Struggles, Some Phils Fans Still in Fear
By Mike Silva ~ June 19th, 2009. Filed under: Mike Silva.
I came across this commentary from Phils Nation (good find by the guys at Amazin Avenue). You could replace the team and players names and you would think this was a column about the New York Mets. Things may not be well in Flushing, but, despite the championship banner, paranoia and fear of failure seem to be following the citizens of Philadelphia.
To be fair, all the criticisms of the Phillies by Tim Malcolm are fair- if you are talking about the Phils at Citizen’s Bank Park. Our good friend Dr. Mark called into Sunday’s radio show and talked about how fans and their energy can determine the outcome of a ballgame. It appears that the city of Philadelphia still thinks more about those 1,000 plus losses than the four wins against Tampa in October. Remember, it wasn’t like they beat the Yankees or Red Sox to win a World Series. They beat a team that has been around for a decade and already had a name change. Remember, this is a city that focuses more on the failures of other teams than the success of their own. How they view the Mets and New York is prime proof of that statement.
Deep down you have to wonder if they really believe in this Phillies team. It’s a shame because they are a gritty bunch. I have to admit I didn’t believe in the 2007 or 2008 Phillies, but they showed me something in the playoffs. Even more, they showed me a lot on the just completed road trip. They grinded out two games at Citi Field they had no business winning. If not for Brad Lidge, they would have swept the Dodgers as well.
It remains to be seen if the Mets have enough to hang around this division race. Logic says the injuries will catch up to them and, at best, they will be shooting for a wild card come late July. However, after reading this piece, you have to wonder if the Phillies have what it takes to run away with the division. Remember, they seem to relish the role of the chaser versus running in front. Being the favorite, as the Mets can attest to, is not always what it’s cracked up to be.
If I were the Phils I would make sure not to let the Mets hang around or we might see a role reversal of the 2007 season. It appears that I might not be the only one that thinks this way.
