The Phillies could have made this easier on themselves. Instead, they find themselves fighting for their playoff lives, possibly needing to win two games against the best team in the American League.
The good news is that the Rays don’t need to win these games and may be more interested in resting players and getting lesser-used relief pitchers some work. On the other hand, it’s the Phillies. They haven’t done anything the easy way all season, so why start now?
Opposition research: Junior Caminero
I understand why some Phillies fans want
to trade every prospect. It’s been a while since a Phillies’ prospect – especially a position player – has panned out and become more than a decent at best major league player. That doesn’t happen to other teams, especially it seems, the Rays. For instance, Junior Caminero was a top five prospect in baseball a few years ago, and at age 23, he’s completing his second straight 40+ home run season.
For a second, it looked like Caminero’s season might have been ruined due to his appaearance at the All-Star Game.
That comes after another hit by pitch in the WBC.
I guess the guy is a magnet for baseballs in exhibition games?
I suppose Caminero has slowed down somewhat post-injury. He “only” has an .818 OPS with 13 home runs in the second half as opposed to .929 and 28 in the first. Sounds like he could use a break, and if the Rays want to give him a couple of days off this weekend, I wouldn’t complain.
Hating on the Rays
I can’t hate the Rays too much. After all, the greatest moment I’ve experienced as a Phillies fan came in a game against them.
But I will repeat endlessly that Major League Baseball in Florida does not work. You can blame crappy stadiums or crappy ownership, but the fans rarely support the team even in the best years. For instance, this season, the Rays have the best record in the American League, but the third worst attendance in baseball. And sadly, this is one of their best years attendance-wise!
They’re going to build the team a new stadium, and I can’t see this turning out much differently than how it went for the Marlins after they got a new stadium in 2012. Fans might go the first season or two, and then attendance will return to near the bottom of baseball.
Let’s hope that the Phillies can build up their minor league system in the next few years so that when Caminero inevitably goes on the trade block, they can be in the mix.
Trivia
Last week’s answer: The two Phillies to record a six-RBI game at Citi Field are Darin Ruf(!) and Ty Wigginton(!!). SLDH was first to name one of them, and hokkoda got both, which he almost had to have looked up, because nobody should actually know that.
This week’s question: The final question of the season! The Phillies’ first ever game at Tropicana Field featured three future Hall of Fame players. Name them.
Additional thought about the series
The weather might play havoc with the games this weekend. That probably isn’t great for the Phillies, but if you’re fighting for a playoff spot on the final weekend, then that’s what you have to deal with! Had the Phillies not sucked earlier in the season or given away who knows how many winnable games, they wouldn’t be facing must win games now.
They may need to use Zack Wheeler on Sunday which would eliminate him from being used in the Wild Card series. It will be curious to see if they’ll use him and the four seed – and homefield advantage – is on the line Sunday. I would not, because I think Zack Wheeler gives them a far better chance of winning than Citizens Bank Park would.
It would be great if the Phillies could just get everything wrapped up on Friday night. Then we can sit back and watch two bullpen games with mild bemusement instead of existential dread. Will the Phillies actually make it that easy on us? Probably not!
My guess is that they put up double digit runs in one of the games and win easily, while scoring three runs combined in the others. Will that be enough to make the postseason field? Probably, but they will make us sweat it out.
