R.I.P. Phillies 2007 Season

August 28, 2007 | By Mike Santa Barbara | Discuss

The Philadelphia Phillies’ 2007 Season died Saturday night at home. The Phillies’ 2007 Season is survived by the most loyal and faithful fans in Major League Baseball. In lieu of flowers the fans have asked mourners to send GM Pat Gillick a clue, sending a new owner would also be greatly appreciated.

For Phillies fans this is ground hog day. We’ve seen this before and we all knew it was coming. Now this isn’t about ripping the Phils or saying the season was a complete wash. This isn’t about jumping off the bandwagon this is about being in touch with reality. Something a Phillies fan has to get in touch with much too often. After losing 2 of 3 to the Nationals, Pirates, and Dodgers the writing was on the wall. We all know it’s over, Chase Utley or no Chase Utley, Shane Victorino or no Shane Victorino, it’s over. Was it a good ride? Yes. Although, we all go through “the ride” every season and it always ends in disappointment. We’ve all been on “the ride” before and we know how it ends but yet we buy tickets and jump aboard every season anyway. Are we stupid or just gluttons for punishment?

In some circles of fans when their team isn’t performing they just don’t show up to games in hopes that management and ownership sees how displeased the fans are. In Philadelphia we don’t have to do that, we have voices and the Phillies hear them believe me. However, the Phillies are smarter then you, they know that no matter what kind of product they put out their that you the faithful fan will show up to the ball park every night all summer long. They are playing us for fools and we all know it, which makes us, even bigger fools. What can be done to solve this? Sadly, it looks like nothing can be done in the near future. It looks like everything is falling into place for Bill Giles and David Montgomery. In our greatest nightmares the Phils will keep Manager Charlie Manuel and get rid of Pat Gillick replacing him with Ed Wade Jr., oops I mean Ruben Amaro Jr. The Phils will tell us Charlie didn’t get a fair shake with all the injuries and bad breaks, and that he deserves another shot. And Gillick will leave finding out that his hands are tied by Phils ownership and he can’t bring in the players he wants whether it be because of money or because a certain player is seen as a “trouble maker.”(i.e. Curt Schilling) Everything will slide into place and the Phils ownership will have exactly what they want no drama and total control. And the fans will have exactly what they don’t want; lackluster teams with no sense of urgency and with no signs of a turnaround anytime soon.

The Phillies had injuries true, but this time of year every team does. And what separates the real deal teams from the frauds is real deal teams fight through it and find was to win. Frauds like the Phils find ways to lose in new and exciting ways every night especially in big games. Bottom line however, you can’t blame it all on the players or Charlie. They all played hard no one will debate that, and Charlie did all he could, he tried his best. In the end who’s shoveling the last bit of dirt on the Phils grave? Unfortunately, Only a few faces are familiar, Bill Giles and David Montgomery, and the rest of the ownership who continue to give us all a raw deal. Hopefully one day they will all realize how badly they hurt all of us each and every season because they have their own agenda’s. And hopefully one day we find a way to get through to them that being “competitive” isn’t going to cut it any longer. That this town, these fans deserve a winner, now.

You can contact Mike Santa Barbara at MikeSBPhillyPurge@yahoo.com