While I tend to be something of an optimist (and fatalist) around these parts, let's assume the worst, in which case I ask:
If the Phillies miss the playoffs after putting up a losing record in September, is keeping Thomson, who has been here for every single bad September of this era, really a no-brainer?
If Dave Dombrowki's CBT-busting free agents, marquee bullpen additions and trade deadline moves ultimately didn't improve last year's 82-win team more than three or four games, was that actually all we could really ask, or did he fail?
And if you do keep both of them (obviously Dombrowski isn't going anywhere and Thomson is still the frontrunner), what changes do you make? Just replacing Segura with Trea Turner or upgrading one spot in the rotation (while still bumbling around trying to construct a bullpen) just seems like another version of the same thing they've tried every year, with modest improvement but no chance of winning the NL East before not only Hoskins and Nola but also JT and Wheeler are done.
Even cranky Ricky Bo is saying he expected them to play well on this road trip.
