July 17, 2024
Anyone who demands action is an idiot.
Let me throw my hat in the largest of rings when it comes to the Philadelphia Phillies, I’m good. This isn’t a mandate for the team to willingly sit on their hands, quite the contrary. If they make a move, it’s a bonus.
Who in their right mind is yelling from the rooftop or basement, demanding that this team do something? It’s part of why I don’t think we should expect anything. If they best team in baseball stays quiet at the trade deadline, that's okay.
Sure, the Phillies have the best record at the All-Star Break, but how they got here is even more impressive. They own the league’s best run differential – one of just two teams in triple digits on the positive side. They are third in hits, sixth in home runs, fifth in RBI, and fourth in OPS. Not a bad start to the year with great story and drama behind the production.
That’s the thing with this deadline; the Phillies are the super-rich and could always gain more. Is it truly needed to the point where you lose your mind if they don't? It’s basically admitting you don’t think a team that is loaded with talent, has the top trio of arms, and one of the more experienced teams over the past two years will suddenly wilt.
I think we need to be honest here and admit that if the team loses early in the postseason, it’s not because they failed to trade for an outfielder. Would you want Cody Bellinger or Jazz Chizholm? Sure, load 'em up. But this team doesn’t need anything right now except good health.
I’d trade for consistent at bats from current healthy players over this demand that the team has to make a move. There’s a ton of baseball left, yet the level of disappointment will be massive if they stand pat.
Baseball is far easier to make moves during the season in than other sports we watch, but that shouldn’t feed into mass hysteria where people are actually criticizing this team for not making a move — even though there’s still time to make a move.
Exhausting.
Their pitching is collectively just as good as the team's hitting, if not better. They give up the second fewest runs across all Major League Baseball, the second fewest home runs, and have given up the fewest earned runs. They are second in the league in team ERA, strikeout more batters, and are second to just Seattle in WHIP.
This is not from only beating bad teams.
The Phillies are primed for a run that will mirror 2008 in World Series form. The second half of the season is the runway. Sure, the centerfielder situation isn’t going to look great next to Trea Turner and Bryce Harper’s seasons.
People think the trade deadline cures all when it’s more of a luxury. It’s how you use it that separates a team just making a deal versus an impact decision. The trading for Jay Ajayi fit a perfect need for the Eagles. Jimmy Butler was the same with the Sixers. There are plenty of players who would make an already dominant team even more fierce, but the team is fine if nothing is jumping out to them.
Consider this as an opinion and warning at the same time. I’m fine with the Phillies standing still and so should you. If you’re already on my side, then prepare yourself for the stupidity that comes with blaming a loss to Miami on whether they traded for Bellinger. It’s enough to drive you wild if you didn’t know it’s coming.
I can’t wait to see this Phillies team in October, but I’ll settle for just watching them on Friday. It’s going to be insanely difficult for any team to waltz in here and defeat Philadelphia. Knowing how much better this year’s team is than the previous two, how loud and crazy it gets in South Philadelphia, and how the team embraces it all – other squads already have their work cut out.
Anything more is a bonus.
Eytan Shander is a long time radio and TV personality in Philadelphia. In addition to his weekly column, you can currently listen and watch him on Fox29’s Good Day and other sports shows. He’s giving betting advice on OddsShopper. A lifetime Eagles fan, Eytan lives just outside the city with his wife.
Follow Eytan on Twitter: @shandershow
