I want to feel good about their chances. I hate to not get into the post season, at least past a wild card play in game. You can never count on next season. If you are close, you want to make it this year, even if you expect the team to get better next year.
I was counting on winning at least 2 in Miami. I wanted to win all 3. Then we have a night like Monday or like today. It makes it hard to remain hopeful. Then I think 1964. Phillies have 6.5 game lead with 12 games to play. Chico Ruiz steals home to win for the Reds, 1-0 and beat Art Mahaffey. No problem. Then another loss, then another, then another. It goes on for 10 losses in a row and the most wonderful season in my decade plus as a Phillies phan was gone. I was crushed.
This past month, I have had flashbacks to those awful days of September 1964, and I cannot help but feel that somehow the Phillies are spooked just like that team of long ago. I tell myself that it is not so. They can win and then the win a game only to lose another two. It may be the bullpen blowing a lead late in the game. It may be shoddy fielding with wild throws around the infield leading to unearned runs that lead to losing a very winnable game. It can be the offense just not getting runs. We have seen all of these ways to lose far too often in the past four or five weeks.
I continue to hope they will run a string of wins or at least win several series in a row. It can still happen.
