Baseball can be tricky. On paper, you can have all the right names with all the talent taking the diamond every day. What has been proven game after game with the excitement and friendship of this year's Philadelphia Phillies is that the work has to be put in.
The Phillies finally digested the ruts they found themselves in early on in seasons past. Once the days grew longer and warmer, the team rallied and quickly stacked wins, ultimately grasping a playoff spot. Fans wondered what if that slow start never happened? What if they started stronger out of the gate?
So far, 2024 is the season fans have been hoping for. The team that has had to settle for Wild Card berths the last couple of years has now taken center stage as baseball's most complete team. They've beaten the teams they've needed to and have stayed consistent, even with major pieces hitting the IL in the process.
How is anyone still questioning if the Phillies are the best team in baseball?
How could anyone doubt that the Phillies are the team to beat in MLB? Sure, every team has flaws, and teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers get a second glance due to their organizational depth. Mind you, the Phillies just finished off a clean sweep of the Dodgers on Thursday night.
But the team that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has built is flat out terrorizing baseball. One thing pointed out early on was the Phillies' opponents' losing records. Even that has flipped now, as they own the best record in the sport against teams playing better than .500 baseball at 25-14 (.641).
The pitching has been out of this world, on top of an offense that has mercilessly bludgeoned the opposition. Heading into the final game of the first half, the Phillies are 56-11 in games where they score 4+ runs in a game and have a stellar 33-7 record at Citizens Bank Park in those games.
Are the Phillies the best team in baseball?
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 10, 2024
"I think they're the most complete team with the least amount of flaws." - @markdero7 @RoFlo | #RingTheBell | #MLBCentral pic.twitter.com/0ghq9DTgpl
As fans know, clubhouse culture doesn't always translate to championships. The difference with Philadelphia is that they've shown that there is another tier to a championship-caliber franchise. Nothing wavers them. They are electric, with a flare for the dramatic and have franchise-altering pieces scatted throughout the roster, including MVP candidate Bryce Harper.
The Phillies currently sit at an MLB-best 62-33, and 9.5 games separate them from the second-place Atlanta Braves. There is no end to their winning ways in sight. They have won night in and night out while players and fans alike continue to soak in every moment. Phillies manager Rob Thomson's sentiment also rings true when he says there is still work that needs to be done.
It sends chills down your spine because this could be the magical World Series-winning team with an October sendoff for which Phillies fans have been clamoring. They could win it all and finally be on the right side of history. Who can doubt them, then?