Phillies complete an 8 - 2 homestand

What a difference a year makes. On June 5th 2007, the Phillies beat the Mets 4-2 in the 11th inning to bring the team to a .500 record (29-29) and to within 7 games of the first place Mets. After today's afternoon game against the Cincinnati Reds, the Phillies record stands at 36-26. They also have a 2 game lead on Fla, as well as a 4 game cushion over both the Braves and the Mets in the NL East.

Last year, the Phillies were still trying to claw their way back in the race after a terrible start to the season amid a rash of injuries to their pitching staff. They were also trying to figure out exactly how to play winning baseball on a consistent basis. Somewhere around the time they called Kyle Kendrick up from AA, and found out what kind of a pitcher they had in J. C. Romero, they figured it out. Their offense started piling up the runs, and their pitching staff kept them in games. Time and time again, they erased an early deficit with a late rally. All of this coincided nicely with the Mets' historical collapse in September and concluded with the team winning their first division title since 1993.

This year, the team is again among the league leaders in come-from-behind victories (they led the league in 2007). The reason for this is twofold. Their bullpen leads the league in ERA and their bench players are lights out. What a luxury it is for Charlie Manuel to be able to call on Greg Dobbs, either Jayson Werth or Geoff Jenkins, and Chris Coste during the late innings of most games. A great bench and a great bullpen = late inning wins, it's really that simple. The Phillies have found their winning formula after all those years of near misses.

They also have this guy named Chase Utley, who is apparently ok at this whole baseball thing. If their starting pitching continues to play the way they have the last couple of weeks, we are in for one hell of a summer and, just maybe, a fall to remember. In a city where there hasn't been too much to cheer about in the last 25 years, this team just feels different. They expect to win and they usually do. So sit back and enjoy the ride, 'cause there's no telling where it might lead.

- Murdock