GDT 9/29/21 Philadelphia Phillies (Nola) @ Atlanta Braves (Fried)

[zambonir]

I mean, I'm glad they made the season last another 4-5 weeks, but was this really any better or worse than 2019 or 2020? The main difference is those teams spent a lot of time in first place and blew it late, whereas this team barely got there to begin with.

The Phillies won eight in a row to take a two-game lead in the NL East on August 8. They proceeded to lose 11 of 15 and squander the lead to the Braves, who now lead the division by 4½ games.

Phillies on death's doorstep as Braves put the champagne on ice

[Philsmania]

This will probably ruffle someone's feathers but, for better or for worse, this is probably the last we'll see of the 2021 Nola.

I suspect Wheeler starts on Opening Day next year.

[Philsmania]

I mean, I'm glad they made the season last another 4-5 weeks, but was this really any better or worse than 2019 or 2020? The main difference is those teams spent a lot of time in first place and blew it late, whereas this team barely got there to begin with.

The Phillies won eight in a row to take a two-game lead in the NL East on August 8. They proceeded to lose 11 of 15 and squander the lead to the Braves, who now lead the division by 4½ games.

Phillies on death's doorstep as Braves put the champagne on ice

I will say that of all my years of following this team that this season has been the most exhausting with the constant sudden whiplash between hope and anticipation one day and frustration and despair just a few days later.

Braves have won nine of their last ten.

[Patchmk88]

I know many will underestimate it and that I have preached it various times but one of the keys to the organization as a whole is that we need to bring a winning attitude and mentality (whether that comes from the culture, the leaders, or the players). We have seen far to often the last 7-8 years a team that gets itself into a advantageous position only to immediately squander it. A lot of that has to do with talent but I also think some of it is mental. Look at the Braves. They have learned over the past few years how to deliver the killer blow. Despite injuries this year they brought in some other guys and I truly believe the winning culture helped make a difference.

Along with talent, we need to develop that mindset and culture here.

[Philsmania]

I know many will underestimate it and that I have preached it various times but one of the keys to the organization as a whole is that we need to bring a winning attitude and mentality (whether that comes from the culture, the leaders, or the players). We have seen far to often the last 7-8 years a team that gets itself into a advantageous position only to immediately squander it. A lot of that has to do with talent but I also think some of it is mental. Look at the Braves. They have learned over the past few years how to deliver the killer blow. Despite injuries this year they brought in some other guys and I truly believe the winning culture helped make a difference.

Along with talent, we need to develop that mindset and culture here.

I couldn't agree more. One hallmark of this team going back to 2018 has been that every time it looks like it is going to take a big step forward and take control of either the division or a postseason berth, it takes a big step backwards and then has to desperately scramble to barely get back into contention. There's only one guy on this roster--Alvarado--who has ever been on a team that went to the WS or even played on a team which won a Postseason series. I do believe that this is a team that doesn't know how to win, especially at crunch time. That is a big part of the reason why I want Kris Bryant this offseason. Not only could he fill one of multiple holes on this team (3B, 1B, LF, CF) but he has a championship pedigree and knows something about being a part of and creating a winning culture. Of course, at the same time, you could point to guys like Arrieta and Santana who also supposedly had that pedigree and came from that culture but couldn't bring it with them for various reasons and, instead, seemed to become clubhouse loners (Arrieta was a malcontent who criticized others while not being so hot himself, Santana blew his top and smashed a TV insted of rubbing off on is teammates). Even so, I would like to see them bring in guys who have been on teams that won and went far in the Postseason before.

[zambonir]

It's no mystery why the Braves have a better culture than the Phillies. They have better ownership and better leadership at the top, even as they shifted from Turner to corporate control. Nobody's meddling, the old guys they keep around (Schuerholtz and Cox) are worth keeping around, and they really hit the jackpot with their combination of a new-school GM and old-school manager. Nothing demonstrates this more than the fact that their last GM got banned from the baseball, and yet both their farm system and the culture was so strong that they didn't miss a beat. The same goes for the trade deadline additions fitting right in. I don't know that D'Arnaud and Freeman and Morton are better leaders than our guys, pointing the way for the young players and new players; they are just put in a better position to lead.

This will probably ruffle someone's feathers but, for better or for worse, this is probably the last we'll see of the 2021 Nola.

I suspect Wheeler starts on Opening Day next year.

Is that gonna ruffle the feathers of anyone not named Nola? He's done for the season (unless the Phillies are miraculously still not eliminated before Sat/Sun) and there's no way Wheeler doesn't get the Opening Day honor.