In a Lather - Monday, June 09, 2008
345 Views :: 0 Comments :: :: Michael Bradley

   Anybody who spent even a few minutes out in the sun over the weekend knows exactly what it's like to be hot and uncomfortable. Merely walking to the car could work up a sweat, to say nothing of performing any physical labor. It was nasty, but it gave us all a chance to experience what the Phillies are going through. This team is red-hot. You say it's going to be 99 degrees the next couple days? That's nothing compared to a team that has won 12 of 14.

   Whenever I talk about the Glory Years of the franchise -- 1976-83 -- I remind people what it was like to go to the ballpark or turn on the TV before a game and fully expect the Phils to win. It wasn't a hit or miss type of thing. The Phillies were favored, and if they lost, it was a big surprise. For eight seasons, the team was one of baseball's best, and fans delighted in the ability to have great expectations.

   We all know about the ensuing 20-plus years. Sure, 1993 provided a respite from the uncertainty, but there was no sense of confidence about the team. It was almost as if being a baseball fan in this town had become a chore. Things started to change last year. With each successive comeback win, the Phils built a foundation. Their improbable late charge made us believers. Now, they're demanding our confidence every day. The Phillies are playing? Well, get ready for a win.

   The sweep of the Braves may be the latest chapter in what has been an amazing season to date, but it might be the most telling. Sweeping a team that had been 25-8 at home heading into Friday's game shows just how good these Phillies can be. In each situation, the Phillies battled back from behind or tied to prevail. In the process, they gained a game on the Marlins and three on the Braves and fetid, free-falling Mets.

   It's too early to have a sense of entitlement about this team's success. We haven't won a championship in 25 years here, so overconfidence isn't an option. But the Phillies are playing great baseball and  have transported the region back to the magical days of the late '70s and early '80s, when everything seemed possible. It's early, but it's good to know that no matter how hot it gets around here, the Phillies will still be hotter.