Three teams now worse than the Houston Astros

Philadelphia Phillies

The 2008 World Series is further in the past each day. Finally, with the Jimmy Rollins trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Philadelphia Phillies appear ready to rebuild. The 2015 Phillies project to include far too many unproductive veterans, rookies not considered top prospects, and former top prospects still performing like rookies out of their element.

A steady decline since they last made the playoffs in 2011, the Phillies have finished with 73 wins in back-to-back seasons. The 2014 season was a bit sourer as it became even more obvious that this team was no longer a very good one and not just having a bad hair day.

Trade rumors involving the one remaining star, Cole Hamels, have made this the most exciting thing to pay attention to in regards to the Phillies. Fans can eagerly wait to discover which minor league players the team can add to the 40-man roster in exchange for one of the last remaining stars from the championship team.

Competing against the rest of the National League East as often as they will is not good for the Phillies’ record either. Marked improvement from the other four in the division makes for a tougher schedule and a season which should result in their second straight at the bottom.

Meanwhile, former Phillies’ prospect Jon Singleton may be the everyday first baseman for the Astros in 2015. Far from making the Phillies regret the trade that sent Singleton to Houston, this could be one more reason people in Philadelphia can resent seeing their hometown team finish with fewer wins than the Astros.