I’m back as a representative of the most unbearable sports fans in the country. I’d personally put us somewhere in the top five. I’d definitely say we’re below the fans of the Lakers, Cowboys, Patriots, and Duke basketball before us. That being said, the world has made up its mind on this one. Either way, Phillies fans are pulling our weight more than any of the cities that seem to resent us so much.
In case you didn’t see it, Trea Turner received a standing ovation after a brutal all around stretch. The fans wanted to let him know that we had his back, for better or for worse. He has since turned a corner on the season. He has hit in every game since then, with a pair of home runs and four doubles. His OPS also leads the league in that span. What’s even more impressive, is the rest of the lineup has followed him.
In the past week, the Phillies lead the MLB in home runs, RBI’s, OPS, slugging percentage, and a handful of other essential hitting stats. I should also mention they threw a no-hitter in that stretch. Basically, Philadelphia fans have brought this team out of a slump, and have them hot. RED hot.
A lot of excuses will be made from outsiders who see the momentum happening in Philadelphia. Detractors will point to a limited sample size and try to make nothing of this stretch. It doesn’t matter. The Phillies are 39-20 in their last 59, which is a higher winning percentage than the almighty Braves have this season. This team is quietly becoming a real threat.
The energy at Citizens Bank Park along with the recent Phillies’ hot streak has Braves fans worried. They know that they will likely have to play the Phillies in the NLDS again no matter how many games they win this regular season. That didn’t work out so well for them last year. Don’t look now, but the Phillies are crawling back into shouting distance for the lead of the NL East.
The energy from Phillies fans has allowed the team to make up over two games on the Braves since the All-Star break. With seven games left to play between the teams, and Atlanta’s lead below ten games, the Phillies might do the unthinkable. I think it’s very clear that the MVP should go to Philadelphia fans if they actually pull it off.
