I believe in the "Baseball Gods." No kidding, I really do.
There is just too much baseball karmic history to deny the existence of the baseball higher power, so to speak.
Having said that, I do not believe that the Philadelphia Phillies or their fans have done anything so terribly wrong so as to anger said Gods.
What did we do? Seriously. We signed a top of the line starting pitcher in the offseason, who wanted to come to Philly.
This is a close-knit, tight team, with a generally strong baseball attitude and confidence, but not arrogance.
I'm getting just a little bit sick of hearing about the Phillies Spring Training curse.
Yes, Chase Utley is out for, well, what we'll call indefinitely with his knee ailment. Sure, Lidge will start the season on the DL. Sure, Oswalt got hit by a line drive, Dominic Brown broke a slump while breaking his hand and yes, we've had some other minor problems with Polanco and Victorino.
Remember, folks, this is Spring Training! It is, admittedly, important to start the season successfully, as many a mid 2000's Phillies teams will attest.
However, it is paramount to finish the season strongly, and when I say paramount, I mean that it is much more important than the beginning of the season, let alone Spring Training tribulations.
We still have the best starting rotation in baseball. We still have a strong lineup that, in this writer's opinion, will benefit from huge comeback years from Howard, Rollins, Victorino and Ibanez. We still have a strong bullpen, even without Lidge.
Phillies fans, listen up! We do not have a hex out on us. We are not remotely cursed. These are things that happen in baseball.
If we do get to a point in the postseason in which a play that makes a difference is so outlandish that we cannot possibly explain it any other way, then we'll call it Baseball God interference.
This Spring Training is what we'd call growing pains, nothing else. Any of you that thought we'd even get though the preseason with no injuries do not know how baseball works. Injuries are part of the game, and I'd like to think that many of us would have learned that last year.
This Phillies team, even without Utley and Lidge, is still the class of the National League East, if not the National League, if not the entire Major Leagues!
Phils Phans, do not jump ship! This is going to be the most exciting season that they've had since, well, ever! This pitching staff will win many a game 1-0 or 2-1. Be excited for the season. A couple of speed bumps are not going to make the difference in this season that we've all been anticipating for months!
We've done nothing to anger the baseball gods. It's a top-notch organization that does almost everything the right way, and the Phillies will show everyone in the end. That much I can almost guarantee!
Thanks for reading!
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