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The Philadelphia Phillies entered the 2011 baseball season as the team to beat. They had what most experts deemed one of the greatest pitching staffs of all-time with a pair of Cy Young award winners and a World Series MVP.
The Phillies had the best record in the NL heading into the posteason and were the overwhelming favorite to run through the playoffs even though they were facing a hot St. Louis Cardinals team. Well the Cardinals had plans of their own as they won the deciding game of the five-game series with their ace Chris Carpenter defeating reigning Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay. Halladay pitched very well but Carpenter just was on top of his game going the distance and pitching a shutout in the process. Sending the Cardinals to the NLCS to face division foe the Milwaukee Brewers.
Now turning to the offseason the Phillies have a lot on their plate. The starting rotation will pretty much stay the same except for the option that has to be picked up on Roy Oswalt. The bullpen might be different as closer Brad Lidge, who has not been the same since his first year with the team has an option that needs to be excercised and set up man Ryan Madson is a free agent. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins at 33 years old is lookin for a long-term deal and Raul Ibanez sees his three-year deal come to an end. To make matters worse first baseman Ryan Howard in hs last at-bat that ended the NLDS blew out his Achillies tendon and will require surgery which will take 6-9 months to recover from.
For a season that looked so promising the Phillies ends without the rings they thought were coming to them.
From The Sports Mind Of RB:
It just goes to show that the old cliche of "That's why the games are played on the field and not on paper." still holds true. The Phillies, New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox were vying for the right to play in the World Series this year and all teams are watching from their sofas. The Phillies don't have to go far but to look across town and see how well the Philaelphia Eagles are doing. The Eagles brought in All-Pros and thought this will be the greatest team ever to grace a football field. I hope nobody bought their Eagles and New York Jets Super Bowl tickets yet.
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