Phillies’ success predictably sends angry Braves fans into meltdown mode

The Philadelphia Phillies are finally gaining the recognition they deserve from baseball writers and national media outlets who have started to include them at the top of a growing list of weekly power rankings. With a record of 34-14, the Phillies hold a 5.5-game lead over the rival Atlanta Braves for sole possession of first place in the NL East.

The Phillies are on a historic pace through 48 games. Following an 11-5 bludgeoning of the Washington Nationals on Sunday, they remain tied with the 1976 and 1993 teams for the best record in team history through the same number of games. We could see this edition of the Phillies enter historic territory if the winning ways continue well into June.

While Phillies fans continue to celebrate a team that's shown a knack for beating teams in a variety of different ways, some critics feel the Phillies' recent run of success is a product of a weak schedule. While no one will claim with a straight face that the Phillies have faced the best teams that MLB can offer, it's clear many of these detractors are failing to recognize that the Phillies have one of the most balanced rosters in the league.

Atlanta Braves fans can't seem to handle the fact their ballclub is currently playing second fiddle in the NL East standings. Last year, after getting bounced out of the playoffs by the Phillies for the second consecutive postseason, Braves fans whined about how it was unfair that the Braves had clinched a first-round bye and had to wait five days while the Wild Card Series played out.

This season, Braves fans think the Phillies' success is a product of a weak schedule and that this team is not as good as the power rankings and sole possession of first place currently suggest.

And it might come as little shock that many of them have taken their gripes to social media to blow off a little steam. So much for Southern hospitality.

Phillies’ success predictably sends angry Braves fans into mindless meltdown

It's a tough time to be a Braves fan. We all know how the last two Octobers have played out for a team that has won the NL East division six seasons in a row and has only one World Series to show for it. To add insult to injury, the Braves lost ace pitcher Spencer Strider for the season. To make matters worse, third baseman Austin Riley has been sidelined since May 12, while 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and first baseman Matt Olson are scuffling at the plate.

That didn't stop X user @ATLhoe12345 who goes by the name of Max Fried Enthusiast — is that an actual hobby? — of accusing the Phillies of being the first team to win 30 games due to a weak schedule.

The Phillies can only play the schedule that's written for them, Max Fried Enthusiast. With two of the last three series on the Braves’ schedule featuring the 21-25 New York Mets and the San Diego Padres (who were 22-24 before taking the first three over Atlanta this weekend), the schedule hasn't exactly been tough on the second-place Braves recently either.

X user @ccw342, who goes by Cory, unfortunately got his math confused when he made the claim that all of the, "Teams they’ve [Phillies] played haven’t won 30 combined." We all know that's impossible, and we should take the opportunity to suggest to Corey that most phones have a calculator app these days. Adding and subtracting with your fingers could be another option. Best of luck.

Mother Nature is plotting against the Braves

The Braves have also had a tough go of it with weather so far in 2024. Thanks to rainouts, the Braves have played five fewer games than the Phillies before the second game of their Monday doubleheader. While that is unfortunate, X user @gpphipps10 who goes by the handle Greg (Always #BravesCountry), thinks the Phillies have made a deal with Mother Nature to gain an unfair advantage this season.

Not only have the Phillies received a gift from MLB schedule writers, but the weather is conspiring against the Braves' playoff hopes as well? Is it possible you might be taking the TV show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia a bit too literally? "Atta boy" Greg.

The postseason is not important for this Braves fan

A lot has been made in the last two seasons about the Phillies embarrassing the Braves in the playoffs as a Wild Card team. The aforementioned whining about clinching a five-day bye is the most common excuse used by Braves fans for their two most recent quick exits in October.

But for X user and Braves fan @CondorYT_Gaming, postseason performance is inexplicably less important than the regular season in his view. Yes, you read that correctly.

That's a rough take that certainly won't age well. Be sure to circle July 5-7 on your calendar when the Phillies will take on the Braves for a three-game series in Atlanta.