Taking a look at the Philadelphia Phillies’ 2014 season and ahead to 2015.
Introduction/2014 Capsule
Oh how die-hard Philadelphia Phillies fans (which I’m almost certain every Phillies fan is die-hard) must currently be longing to go back in time to 2008 when the Phillies won the World Series and looked like a potential dynasty in the making.
Oh how the tires have fallen off, the ship has sailed and to add one more cliché, there is seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. The Phillies, under the leadership of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., are a complete mess.
The 2014 season was the final act, or at least the climax in this Greek tragedy, of the absolute dumpster fire which has become the Phillies franchise.
2014 Record: 73-89 (.451); last in NL East
2014 Run Differential: -68
Other Key Stats:
-23rd in runs scored with 619
-24th in Batting Average at .242
-25th in on-base percentage at .302
-28th in slugging percentage at .363
Despite some big names offensively—Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and the biggest, Ryan Howard—the Phillies’ offense was rather mediocre in 2014. There is absolutely no way a team playing 81 games in Citizen’s Bank Park should ever rank 28th (out 30) in slugging percentage.
Of course the greater sin is scoring 619 runs or 3.8 per game. Their 24th ranked batting average and 25th ranked on-base percentage undoubtedly led to their lack of scoring.
Lasting Memory from 2014 season:
Once the Phillies’ first pitch was thrown in 2014, it was all downhill from there.
Next: Who'd the Phillies add/lose in the offseason?