In a season full of surprises the Phillies have had plenty of disappointments
Few expected the Phillies to come anywhere close to competing for the National League East crown, let alone be seven games over .500 in September.
ESPN “experts” unanimously chose the Nationals to win the division back in March, though the Phillies were the only other team mentioned in the National League East blip.
Many players have played above expectations this year, namely Cy Young candidate Aaron Nola. Rhy Hoskins, Vince Velasquez, and Nick Williams have also taken steps forward and look like pieces of the major league club going forward.
Rookies Seranthony Dominguez and Roman Quinn have impressed in moderation, and Victor Arano has quietly been one of the better relievers in baseball. Dominguez was almost perfect to start his career, but after, arguably, being overworked his production has slipped.
Dominguez’s first 12 games were historic as he held batters to a 044 average and allowed zero earned runs. In the month of August his ERA was over seven, a sign that the former starter is struggling to sustain himself through a long major league season. Regardless, the Phillies look to have
However, a handful of players are responsible for this team not playing to it’s full potential. It’s unfair to pinpoint one player for a team’s lack of sustained success but the Phillies have several players not living up to expectations this year.