Back To Basics

Written by Gino Ferretti | 15 July 2010

All Star Week makes me miss baseball.

True. Competitive. Baseball.

When batters aren't smiling at pitchers as duels play out at the plate.  When right fielders yell at greedy fans for ruining a chance to make the last out in an inning of a must win game.

This week, I can do without the rock and jock game. I can do without hearing "back back back back" more than a Kim Kardashian photo shoot.

Besides, when its all said and done, does anyone really care about how good Evan Meek's four seam fastball is?

Who the hell is Evan Meek anyway?

On top of that, my own all star team is hot right now. Winning four straight games entering the all star break, this little interlude could cause a shift in momentum. For a team that sits 4.5 games out of first place in the NL East, these are hopeful times that need no interruption. But who am I to argue with baseball history.

So as I watch that band, that sings that annoying song about calling on angels, I will be saying my own prayers as the day dies down. Please please please keep the Phillies hot!

After an up and down first half of the 2010 season, the Phillies entered the All Star break coming off of a sweep of the sizzling Cincinnati Reds in four games. Three of those games were won in extra innings, and the last two games of the serties were won 1-0. With a lineup full of hefty hitters, you expect to see this team outscore opponents massively. But they haven't been doing too much of that. In fact, they're manufacturing wins.

And that's something new for Phillies fans to witness. But something well needed for the better of the team.

The usual suspects have become victims to their unusual injuries and surprisingly inconsistent plate appearances. The Phillies so far have relied on stellar pitching and sometimes sheer luck since starting off the season rather hot winning 8 out of their first 10 games.

At times the team has been frustrating for the fans. And the fans have been frustrating for the team. Between Shane Victorino's disdain for booing and Jayson Werth's fondness for the F bomb, its been a trying first half of the season for those preserving the current Phillies legacy and those who pay to witness it. We as fans are not use to the clean up hitter hitting .294 and in the top 20 in both doubles and triples. When he's suppose to be hitting home runs. Damn sure not used to Shane Victorino having 14 home runs at the break when he only hit 10 all of last season. When he's suppose to be getting on base with singles and doubles.

But even with Chase Utley on the disabled list until Labor Day and Placido Polanco expected to return this weekend, the big dogs like Werth, Rollins and Ibanez have lost all their bark and bite. These are weird times for those in the line up with roles.

Jimmy singles. Chase doubles. Howard homers 'em all in. That's how it goes. But that just hasn't been the case.

But you know what? They're winning again. And right now, they're hot. With those extra inning game heroics, the Phillies are starting to show flashes of a team determined to win by any means necessary.

Hard working miracle workers grinding through steel tight games, stringing together wins and weaving their way through the ranks of the division. And in a division where the competition is now more firm than in the past three years, the time is now to start pulling rabbits out of their batting helmets. 

Even if the fireworks and ass kicking isn't there.

As a true Phillies fan, you know this team is more capable of winning by owning the opponent opposed to squeaking by rigidly. Hell, they've done it before.

But right now, for a team trying to piece together some inspiration, a win is a win.  By 1 run or 10 runs. In 9 innings or 19. Just win baby.

And come hell, high water, or 17 games down and out, this Phillies team has the second half domination to run away from the playground with the competitions ball.

So as the four game series at Wrigley begins vs. The Cubs tonight, I'm reminded why at least the All Star Game may have not been so bad after all. Especially since now the Phillies own home field advantage for this years World Series.

Wink, Wink.