Philadelphia Phillies: Opening Day is all about setting a championship tone
It’s time for the Philadelphia Phillies to go from a title contender on paper to becoming a title contender in real life.
The Phils have brought (and bought) excitement to the diamond with the signing of Bryce Harper, David Robertson, and Andrew McCutchen. Of course, we can’t forget about the trade for catcher JT Realmuto, which could be the biggest move Philly made all offseason.
Not only that, but going under the radar is the potential growth shown by Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez, and Nick Pivetta.
It’s important for Philly to burst onto the scene this year with some flair and consistency.
Whether it’s playing smarter, better defense, the Phitins have to set the tone of how they want their season to be.
Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta, and Pivetta can mow down an opposing lineup every night, but Zach Eflin and Vince Velasquez did not impress during spring training.
It’s intriguing to see the resurgence of right-handed starter Jerad Eickhoff.
The flame thrower has good stuff and has shown maturity with how he’s handled injury and stayed focused during his recovery.
Gabe Kapler has made it a priority to be a better manager in 2019 and, luckily has the backing from sluggers Rhys Hoskins and Harper.
Kapler will try to keep everyone healthy and he doesn’t want his younger arms to get gassed early in the season.
Philly looks better than the Atlanta Braves, who are currently dealing with injuries to members of its pitching staff and the New York Mets, who have a lot of holes to fill in the lineup and need to find depth in the bullpen.
The Miami Marlins are in full rebuild mode, meanwhile, the Washington Nationals are loaded, but will need their younger players to fill shoes Harper once had.
Without the former MVP (Harper) around to draw in all the attention, Juan Soto and Trea Turner will need to get used to criticism that comes their way if they underperform.
Philly has worked too hard for this moment — the moment where fans can say there’s light in a dark tunnel that was once ruled by the despair of watching another 96 loss season.
Over the past four years, the Phillies have acquired the services of Andy MacPhail (team president), Matt Klentak (general manager) and Kapler.
Philly grew its farm system and spent money wisely. They didn’t tie themselves down to free agents and they made trades that fit their vision. On top of that, they dug their heels into the dirt and spent money this offseason.
The time is now. The Phils are on a mission just like teams who have spent many years rebuilding for a chance to be considered Fall Classic worthy.
Rick ODonnell aka Caveman Rick has many years covering the Miami Dolphins, Sports, and all sorts of movies and television.
