Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies have not been the most successful franchise. They were the first team in MLB history to reach 10,000 losses, their all-time record is below .500 and as one of the oldest teams in baseball, they only have two World Series titles to their name.

The 2014 Philadelphia Phillies are a confounding baseball team, stuck between a successful past and a bleak future. In the present, a mediocre potential contender has emerged due to the parity engulfing the National League East.

As it stands, the Philadelphia Phillies are in a bit of a funk. After finding a way back to a game above .500 at 15-14, they lost four straight games to the Toronto Blue Jays—two at home, two on the road—to fall to 15-18. For the record, that places them dead last in the NL East.

While not nearly as flashy as past offseasons, the Philadelphia Phillies made a plethora of moves this past offseason. And as they finish up the first sixth of the season with an even 13-13 record, the Phillies are at the point where their offseason acquisitions can be graded with a relatively decent sample size.

The Philadelphia Phillies System Check video offers a quick overview of the team's farm system, addressing its strengths and weaknesses and how it can improve moving forward. The video also provides a breakdown of the Phillies' top prospects for 2014, Maikel Franco, Jesse Biddle and J.P. Crawford, including each player's ETA in the major leagues and potential long-term role within the organization.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins heads into the 2014 season needing just one home run to reach 200 for his career.

Spring training is nearly over for the Philadelphia Phillies.

It's already been a long spring for the Philadelphia Phillies, and it may be the start of an unbearably long season. While spring training usually isn't a full indication of the regular season to come, all games are taken into account by some measure.

The phrase "age before beauty" can be applied to the decision that the Philadelphia Phillies will have to make on veteran outfielder Bobby Abreu. The former All-Star has an opt-out clause in his minor league contract that allows Abreu to be granted his release if he is not placed on the Phillies' MLB roster by March 26.

The Philadelphia Phillies are dealing with some problems right now. Their lineup cannot hit, their ace is dealing with shoulder tendonitis and the team is a combined 1-8 this spring. All of those things have put Philadelphia in a state of shock and worry for the upcoming season.

There has been a bright spot, though—actually a few bright spots—for the 2014 Phillies. The Philadelphia bullpen looks like it will be the team's biggest asset after years of inconsistency.