On The Road With The Phils, Pt.1

I had a Phantastic opportunity to view the Phils live with tickets to 4 games; 1 in L.A. and 3 in Philly over a 2-week span from August 10th-24th.

We narrowly escaped Hurricane Irene, leaving Philly the day before major cancellations and power outages across the East Coast, but our flight was cancelled the day before due to lightning storms. The storms and rainfall in Philly were amazing! The city set an all-time record for rainfall in 1 month.

Meanwhile, the Phils marched on, seeming determined to set their own single-season record for attendance and wins. They are on pace to arrive around 105 wins, which would trump the all-time Phillies record of 101, set by both the 1976 and 1977 Mike Schmidt teams. Two big talks in Philly right now are 1) fears that the Braves will catch us for the division title (that will never happen) and 2) boisterous votes for Victorino as MVP (which hardly seems just on such a star-studded roster).

Unlikely as both scenarios are, the nervousness and pride they portray are indicative of both the scars of a losing history and a deeply felt passion for our teams, 2 things Philly fans excel at like almost no other sports town. Of course, the ever-present Eagles and their major roster moves, including signing Michael Vick to a 6-year, $100 million contract, also dominate discussions, but more prevalent than ever is an intense love affair between the Phillies and the City of Brotherly Love.

Everywhere you go, there are Phillies shirts and hats and SEPTA buses scrolling the words, "Go Phillies!" It's a heartwarming and electric atmosphere. There is a camaraderie and a pleasure in the team around town that is unprecedented.

We are the best, for a change, and we know it.

The Phils have a 6 1/2 game lead on the Braves and a 3 1/2 game lead on the rest of baseball.

ESPN has ranked them as the No. 1 team in baseball for the 8th straight week.

Victorino hit his 15th HR, a game-winner in the 8th-inning to beat the Reds Monday in Cincinnati. "He's getting a lot of extra-base hits, and it seems every one he gets is big for us at this moment," manager Charlie Manuel said.

Cole Hamels returned to the mound Monday for the 1st time since 8/12. Hamels allowed only 1 run in 6 innings. He S.O. 7 and walked none.

"He looked very sharp, very good," Victorino said. "If you'd told me he was on the DL for 15 days, I'd have said, 'No way.' I hope to keep that Cole the rest of the way. I think he's back."

The Flyin' Hawaiian is on pace for a career-high 19 HR and presently has career-bests in almost every major offensive category: .308 Ave., .381 OBP, .544 SLG %, .925 OPS and 14 triples.

Furthermore, he is likely to nab his 4th-straight Gold Glove in CF (2008-present).

After last season's disappointing performance, Victorino said, "That's not me. I'm not a .259 hitter." He has proven it, and he may be the 2011 team MVP.

Phils fans are right to champion Victorino in the NL MVP race, although it's debatable whether he deserves the honor ahead of others in the league, who are doing more with less support. It is utterly clear that Hunter Pence in the 5-hole has solidified this team and made them the premier team in baseball. With Pence, the Phils are 18-7 and have scored 133 runs, which is 5.32 per game.

Most pertinently, especially as it foreshadows the team's postseason prospects, Ryan Howard has posted dramatically better numbers since Pence's arrival, which is the result of getting better pitches to hit, now that there is a bona fide threat in the on-deck circle.

A detailed analysis of Victorino as MVP candidate can be found here:
"Shane Victorino's case for MVP"

Upcoming post:

"On The Road With The Phils, Pt.2," includes photos and stories from the games I attended this month!