Win Now

It’s the year 2020. The core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz and this fabulous pitching staff of Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, and Cliff Lee are all gone. It’s a completely different team with completely different players, management and overall personnel. The Phillies are playing a home game against the Mets in a yet another beautiful opening day at Citizens Bank Park. The sky is blue, the sun is shining and the numerous white division title flags wave in the outfield breeze. But even though it is the year 2020, there are only two lone red World Series flags waving in the soft April breeze from 1980 and 2008. The Phillies went through their glory days of 2007 on and only came away with a World championship in 2008. They put together the mega pitching staff in 2011 but were unable to get over the hump once again. After 2011 they remained competitive making the playoffs every year and even making a few World Series appearances but were never able to bring home the parade.

In my opinion, if this Phillies team only comes away with the 2008 championship it will be a failure. Don’t get me wrong, 2008 was awesome as it finally brought this city its’ long awaited and well deserved championship. But when people look back and see that they only brought one parade to this city, won’t they look at it as a failure?

As of right now the Phils are certainly on pace to win another World Series. The starting pitching is outstanding, the offense has been solid, but I think if the Phils really want to win another title they have to make a move for a reliever at the deadline.

Flash back to 2009. It’s Game 4 of the World Series at home and the Phils and Yanks are tied at 4 in the 9th inning with Brad Lidge on the mound. Instead of maintaining the tie and giving the Phils a chance to win in the bottom of the inning, Lidge gave up 3 runs. The once close game quickly turned into a 7-4 affair in favor of the Yankees. New York goes onto win the game and takes a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. If Lidge doesn’t blow that lead who knows what happens. Maybe the Phils win and the series would have then been tied 2-2. Game 4 of 2009 was not the only instance in which bullpen lost post season games for the Phils.

Last year in Game 4 of the NLCS, the Phils had a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the 6th with the Giants due up to bat. The bullpen gave up 3 runs in the final few innings and the Phils went on to lose by a final of 6-5 and the Giants went up 3-1 in the series. And in Game 6 it was all tied at 2 in the top of the 8th with Ryan Madson on the mound. Madson gave up a solo blast to Juan Uribe and the Giants won the game 3-2 and went on to win the World Series.

Flash forward to current day 2011. The relief pitching hasn’t improved much and I’m simply not sold on this bullpen. As good as Madson has been this year I don’t trust him in the clutch. Lidge is a toss-up as we could get 2008 Lights-out-Lidge or 2009 Close-your-eyes-and-start-praying-Lidge. Contreras injury leaves him as a huge question mark, Stutes and Bastardo are good but they have no experience. Who should I have confidence in, Juan Perez? Kyle Kendrick? This starting rotation is awesome but during the course of the playoffs they are going to start to wear down especially if they are going deep into games and going on 3-4 days rest.

The Phils need bullpen help. The bullpen has been good thus far, but will they be good enough in October? I had my doubts about the pen at the start of the season and I have my doubts even now. The Phils need a relief pitcher like Heath Bell who can come in and be that dominant closer or set up man. And just his presence alone will make this entire pen better. The Phillies should not hold anyone back when trying to acquire Bell or another reliever. Nobody should be labeled an “untouchable” especially when the Phils could acquire a guy who could put them over the hump.

I don’t feel that the Phils need offensive help because when everyone is healthy and September hits, the veterans on this team will flick that switch. The Phils will start putting up those huge 10 run games and everyone will forget about the Phils offensive inconsistency of the first half.

I say go for it all this year. Don’t hold back, don’t think about the future, think about winning now. Because if I’m sitting at opening Day in 2020 and there are still just two World Series Flags out in Ashbrun Alley, I’ll be pretty angry that the Phils didn’t do everything they possibly could to win another title.