Philadelphia Phillies: History says club can contend in 2021

Jim Thome helped transition the Phillies into a new ballpark and era of success.

The Phillies signed first baseman Jim Thome entering the 2003 season, an acquisition that was supposed to bring the team back into contention and end the Atlanta Braves’ division domination.

The additional acquisitions of pitcher Kevin Millwood, third baseman David Bell, and closer Billy Wagner during the following offseason stocked the Phillies roster entering the inaugural season of Citizens Bank Park in 2004.

Fans sported T-shirts with “Now is the time!” written across their chests as optimism swirled in Philadelphia in anticipation of a new era.

The team, however, did not initially live up to the hype. The Phillies finished in second place in the NL East in 2004, 2005, and 2006 — narrowly missing out on Wild Card berths in each of the three seasons.

Former manager Charlie Manuel withstood harsh criticism during the 2005 and 2006 seasons, while the postseason drought stretched to 14 years. The fanbase was wholly unsatisfied.

While the 2007 Phillies are now heralded as a part of the golden era of Phillies baseball, the regular season was not a smooth ride. The Phillies were considered a middling team once again for most of the season, before a memorable September earned them the division crown at a record of 89-73.

The imperfect trajectory eventually resulted in the Phillies’ second-ever World Series championship in 2008.

It’s not as bad as it seemed.

The Phillies finished 28-32 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, their first under manager Joe Girardi. They were marred by the worst bullpen in baseball and a 1-7 record in their final eight games with a postseason berth on the line.

The outlook appeared even worse given the financial uncertainty surrounding Realmuto’s impending free-agency and the success of Marlins rookie Sixto Sanchez, the centerpiece of the trade to land Realmuto.

The J.T. Realmuto saga ultimately benefited the overall landscape of the organization. The root of the problem in contract negotiations was purely financial for the Phils and Realmuto. Although the uncertainty of the situation put Phillies fans on edge, it also drove the star catcher’s price tag down to a more reasonable number. All indications from Realmuto have been positive since the signing, as he will still receive the highest average annual value of any catcher in MLB history.

While the NL East appears to be the best division in baseball on paper, competition within the division should not be a reason for an organization to hold a bleak outlook. This is especially prevalent given the possibility of an expanded postseason field in the coming years.

The Phillies can contend this year.

Dombrowski has brought additional, credible major-league talent into the organization, most notably reliever Archie Bradley to lead the charge in fixing the disastrous bullpen woes.

Key pieces on the roster, like Harper, Realmuto, pitchers Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler, and even first baseman Rhys Hoskins, have legitimate track records of big-league success that can’t be found on just any MLB roster.

Manager Joe Girardi brings undeniable clout as a former World Series champion manager, and the collection of talent on the roster is suitable enough to make fans believe he can recreate the success of Charlie Manuel after a slow start to his tenure.

Rising star Alec Bohm holds the talent to join the current franchise centerpieces during the potential rise of the Phils in a similar way that Chase Utley and Ryan Howard joined Jimmy Rollins during Manuel’s tenure.

Fans have plenty of reason to be optimistic about their team hanging with the competition in the National League East. The return to prominence as an elite MLB team might be closer than many people think.