5 Reasons This Run Isn't OVER YET!

The Future is STILL BRIGHT!

Ok Philly Sports Fans, I know these past 48 hours have been of the roughest 48 hours we've seen since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Flyers and Blackhawks. You had the Eagles thinking it was already the beginning of the BYE week in the 4th quarter of yesterday's game in Tennessee, leaving them at 4-3 before welcoming Peyton Manning to his first visit to the Linc in two weeks. Then of course the heartbreak of watching Ryan Howard look at the final pitch of what was supposed to be a special season.  But it happens! Which is why although this core group is getting older, that doesn't mean this run we've been in isn't over yet. As a matter of fact it isn't over by any means! I've got five reasons why this run isn't over yet!

1. A Full Season of H20: Let's face it folks, we slugged our way to winning the World Series in 2008 and almost another in 2009. If the next couple of years left we have with the "Phightin Core" offensively is what we've seen all season in terms of dry spells in scoring runs,then it's going to have all start with pitching from here on out. We're no longer going to win games 7-2 or 9-3, the bats are getting older so expect alot more 1-0 to 4-3 games. That's where a full season of H20 comes in, they're going to always give us what we need to win ballgames everytime they step up to the mound. They're going to always give us a chance to win, and with an entire season of Roy Oswalt combined with the resurgence of Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay being Roy Halladay; they're going to be one of the main reasons we contend come next October.
2. Domonic Brown: Say what you want about wanting to keep Jayson Werth, but he's a goner folks and it's time to move on. Domonic Brown is on his way to Winter Ball in the Dominican Republic to get in the at-bats he needs since he became a member of the Phillies bench after his call-up earlier this season; which is good considering he had trouble against lefties. Now I know the argument could be made in having Brown stay in Triple-A without calling him up the entire season to polish him up for the big move to the roster in 2011, but it just had to be done. I have faith in the kid and he will take the steps neccessary to succeed in the big leagues. He's the first of many top prospects who will be ready to take over when this current Core reaches it's peak. The one thing I will say about his callup: in joining the team during this playoff run, he now knows what it will take to win and the experience will come in handy when he helps usher in the next era of Phillies baseball.
3. The Farm System: Jon Singleton, Matt Rizzotti, Brody Colvin, Jarred Cosart: don't know them? Well start to get to know them now because the Phillies are ranked in the top 5 in terms of prospects from Single to Double A. The future of the team is so bright, I mean did I even mention Sebastian Valle, Trevor May or Jonathan Villar? Most of the guys listed played together for the back to back SAL champion Lakewood Blueclaws, the Single A affiliate of the Phillies; so they're rising up the ranks together much like the core group did as well and winning at that. Did I even mention 2010 top pick Jesse Biddle or Tyson Gillies (cue the crack jokes)? We replenished the minor league system in trading Cliff Lee, and it's paying dividends right now especially considering more compensatory picks we'll get if Jayson Werth signs with another team in the offseason.  
4. Finding the Hunger: This is a team we know that when motivated, they're a dangerous team. But the fact of the matter is, Shawn Brown made a good point in saying they were beat by a Giants team that was hungier than them to win the pennant. That drive to win in having won it all in 2008, to the bitter defeats of losing in the 2009 World Series and now the 2010 NLCS; this core group will no doubt be determined to win next season. You have Jimmy Rollins saying he will get back into the swing of things physically earlier than he has in the past, to Ryan Howard hopefully hitting the cages right now as we speak; plus you can expect Charlie Manuel to light the fire under their asses come March in the 1st team meeting of 2011 in Clearwater for Spring Training. They'll still be the best team in National League no question and will be looking to reclaim the throne. It's UNFINISHED BUSINESS!
5. Ruben Amaro: Ruben Amaro is no doubt one of the best GMs in the game today. He proved he was a worthy successor to Pat Gillick in trading for Cliff Lee in 2009, trading Lee for Halladay in 2010 AND aquiring Roy Oswalt midseason to signing a godsend in Wilson Valdez to a minor league contract this past offseason...all this in a span of a year and a half! Sure, there have been some bumps along the way (giving Blanton the 9 million they could've used on keeping Lee to re-signing Moyer) but all in all; Ruben knows what he's doing. Ruben is going to make any move he can make for the better of the team and at all costs, AND that's all we can ask from a GM for our team (so TAKE NOTE STEFANSKI AND ROSEMAN!). And he'll make moves and take the backlash for it. See Cliff Lee for example. So guys like Raul Ibanez and Joe Blanton better watch out, because their spots on this roster next season isn't a lock. Not with a GM like Ruben Amaro at the helm. IN RUBEN I TRUST!

So that's FIVE good reasons why you have to be optimistic that this run isn't over yet. The best is yet to come folks. Gotta have HIGH HOPES!

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~Philly Sports Guys~