Just what kind of team are the Phillies

The Phillies of 2021 seem to have two sides to them. One is a side that looks like they are going straight to the playoffs. A team that fires on all cylinders and one that is unstoppable. Offense seems like it works with ‘this’ team and everything is just one rosy appearance.

When the team is going great Bryce Harper, Cutch, Hoskins, Nola, Wheeler, Segura, look like legitimate contenders for greatness. This team does have tremendous depth. That’s looking at the team with an optimistic viewpoint. Why then do they look so bad sometimes? Great teams rarely ‘look bad.’

Take the game with the Atlanta Braves the other night, the Phillies have a chance to put the Braves away multiple times, even in extra innings, and they can’t close the door on them. This isn’t supposed to happen to ‘great’ teams, and it usually doesn’t. The Phillies though seem to show their ‘other side’ though too often. A side that makes you cringe and question what you are watching on the baseball field.

Forget the fact that the Phillies haven’t made it to the postseason in many years. This team has been adrift on the ocean of uncertainty for too long now. How do you even expect a betting public to take a chance on this Phillies team, if they are so unpredictable. Speaking of this, check out the PA Handle with a rundown of how much sports betting is contributing to Pennsylvania with taxes and how it’s dramatically increased.

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Aaron Nola has been counted upon to keep the Phillies ship upright. His last start out though saw him get roughed up by the Braves, and this wasn’t the first time that it’s happened this season. Nola is 3-2 with 3.59 ERA in 8 starts with the Phillies this season so far. Last year he was 5-5 with a 3.28 ERA, hardly a case for being the team’s ‘Ace.’

The team has looked terrible in two editions of Sunday Night Baseball now in ’21. The first time it was against the Mets. The Phils lose 8-7 behind a blown save and loss by Brandon Kintzler. Then of course this past week against the Braves, the Phils again look lackluster with an Aaron Nola start in Atlanta and lose 6-1.