Is Mother Nature The Phillies Biggest Rival?

Here on a rainy Tuesday, I started wondering if the Phillies will be able to get their game in tonight. I started thinking about the problems it would cause if they couldn’t since there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow as well, and this is the last time the Dodgers are hitting up the east coast. If tonight’s game gets called it would bring up a double header and we’ve all seen how hard it is for a team to win both games of a double header. That’s bad news for both the Dodgers and the Phillies who both need as many victories as the can get.

Last September the Phillies had to make up 4 games due to rain. Their record in those make up games was 2-2, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Three of those games were played as double headers where a split is a common hope. The other was a make up game against the Houston Astros, played on what would have been an off day for the Phillies. Many people point to the September series loss in Washington last season as the series that got away, and the series that ultimately cost the Phillies their shot at the wildcard. That series came right after that make up game loss to the Astros. Is it possible that missing that off day and playing 3 double headers ultimately caused the Phillies to run out of gas?

The question remains, did Pat Gillick do enough to address the Phillies weak bullpen and bench? These were the two weakest links going into the year, and are probably still the team’s two main weak spots. If the Phillies want to make the playoffs, both the aging bullpen and thin bench have to be able to stand up to whatever the last few week’s schedule brings. A little less rain might help too.