Phillies: Striking karma gold in 2020 for 1981’s pain
Phillies fans could refer to a successful 2020 as fate, destiny or payback for a strike denying the good guys from properly defending their 1980 World Series crown.
Destiny’s darlings:
During these uncertain times, the Philadelphia Phillies faithful aren’t expecting the baseball gods to pay them back for the cruel event of 39 seasons ago when the strike stopped the first-place Fightins in their tracks for two months. And they never recovered the momentum. Karma gold 2.0?
IN OTHER WORDS: “Like gravity, karma is so basic we often don’t even notice it.” – Sakyong Mipham
Reading this, you might doubt anything positive coming to the Phils, unless it occurred before your birth. However, you could be wrong on at least the equation’s second part (the sweet) if you aren’t a teenager yet. But seniors do remember the sour from their youth.
In 1964, the Fightins picked the worse time for a 10-game losing streak with a 6.5-game lead, while the faithful died a little more after each defeat. But the ending is comparable to 2018’s finish with nine consecutive losses followed by two victories. Fortunately, this similarity reveals only a slight resemblance.
What goes around comes around: The 2007 Phils captured the NL East pennant against our hated rivals from Queens, who are arguably atop the list of loathsome foes. But the team to beat struck karma gold despite trailing the New York Mets by seven games with 17 to play.
Following their first Fall Classic triumph, the ’81 squad had set their sights on winning their second World Series in franchise history. But the strike from June 12 through Aug. 9 foiled those plans and evaporated the magic of the aging hometown nine.
For the upcoming campaign, contests will begin closer to the second half than the present. And this wrinkle could change some things like a temporary 29-man roster and/or an extended playoff schedule. But although basic strategy like pitch counts may not be different, skippers will make some unorthodox moves.
For fearful fans, doubting Thomases, detractors, and critics, negative assumptions can ruin potential enjoyment. In fact, the evidence to the contrary is so overwhelming I don’t need additional research to cover the next page. And some of it already involves the abbreviated ’20 schedule.
Distorted expectations:
Because the Phillies have questionable pitching, some feel they have no shot for even the Wild Card Game. So, who was the number two starter behind Cole Hamels for the 2008 champions? Jamie Moyer! Yeah, his record was 16-7 with a 3.71 ERA: He was a two-slot arm that 162, but Brett Myers had opened ’08 behind Hamels.
Myers had produced two years like Moyer’s 2008 success before closing in 2007; unfortunately, Myers had a dreadful first half in 2008: 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA. To his credit, though, he accepted a one-month demotion requiring his approval to fix his problems at Triple-A. And he came back to go 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA.
For the ’80 Fightins, a similar occurrence happened with Dick Ruthven putting up stats like a two-slot hurler, and many consider him as the two behind Steve Carlton. Fortunately, he was in 1980 with a 17-10 mark and a 3.55 ERA, but prior to that campaign he had recorded only one season with an ERA under his 4.02 of 1974.
Entering ’80, Larry Christenson was the number two. But he went 3-0 with a 6.31 ERA through May before a two-month stint on the IL (injured list). However, he returned with a 2-1 record and a 2.81 ERA for August and September. Outcome: Four preseason assumptions were wrong.
For 2020, the Mets will be without “co-ace” Noah Syndergaard who went 10-8 with a 4.28 ERA. But although many opposing fans expected a healthy, dominate starter, his 2019 statistics and his Tommy John surgery indicate otherwise. Again, two assumptions are incorrect. Do some still believe this rival has superior pitching?
Sour and sweet:
Beginning with the bitter, the ’64 Phillies were finally in first place when September arrived. And Johnny Callison even hammered a three-run souvenir to the paying customers in the right field stands with two ninth-inning outs: a walk-off victory in the All-Star Game! Yes, he was the MVP!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “That homer was the greatest thrill of my life, but I remember thinking that it was only the beginning. It was going to be the Phillies year. We had everything going our way. Everything.” – Johnny Callison
For the first five months, the red pinstripes had just three four-game losing streaks, but only rare clubs avoid a prolonged rough patch. And this gang of Phils wasn’t among them. So, the bill came due with 12 contests remaining: a 10-game losing streak.
Manager Gene Mauch was so desperate he started Jim Bunning and Chris Short in eight of the final 12 opportunities. Yes, it could have been worse! They beat the Cincinnati Reds twice to tie them for second instead of losing both to share third place with the San Francisco Giants.
WORDS OF WISDOM: “Losing streaks are funny. If you lose at the beginning, you got off to a bad start. If you lose in the middle of the season, you’re in a slump. If you lose at the end, you’re choking” – Gene Mauch
While the ’07 Fightins had started at 3-9, they had an 86-64 mark afterward. By contrast, the Metropolitans had produced a 34-18 record by May’s end but went 54-56 through game 162. And although their 1-6 mark highlighted their finish, it was their second five-game schneid for a 5-12 collapse.
In a twist of fate, Tom Glavine, who had signed with the Mets over the Phils in 2003, was on the mound for the final contest with both teams tied at 88-73. But the then Florida Marlins scored seven runs (all earned) to Glavine’s only out.
To the south of Queens, cheers echoed through the Bank before game time. Basically, the team to beat was 26-27 at May’s end and eight games out. But they had two six-game winning streaks from Aug. 26 to the last battle. In fact, four home victories came against New York during the August run.
Then and now:
While many fans today don’t remember the 1981 Phillies, they lived up to their World Series laurels by being atop the NL East through June 11’s stoppage. Regrettably, this was due to free-agent compensation: The owners wanted equal value for lost players. Translation: The two-month layoff finished the aging champs.
The 1980 squad had nosed out the then Montreal Expos by one game but were up by four over them when play stopped in 1981. Unfortunately, the Fightins went 25-27 after the stoppage to finish behind Montreal. And the run beginning in 1976 ended on June 10 despite their record of 59-48 to the Expos’ 60-48.
Like the ’81 strike had ended those glory days, Ryan Howard’s injury on 2012’s final pitch was the finale to their triumphant run. As for beginnings, the 1975 Phillies revealed their upcoming excellence by finishing 86-76: the first time over .500 since 1967 (seven summers). And J-Roll’s club initiated their run in 2007.
For ’19, the Fightins were in the middle of the pack in most categories despite major injuries and most of the bullpen on the IL, and they still finished at 81-81. Now, they’ve added Zack Wheeler and Didi Gregorius to stars who will probably exceed 2019’s stats.
Phillies to watch:
- Aaron Nola is a bounce-back candidate.
- Andrew McCutchen will again lead by batting first.
- J.T. Realmuto will produce more like his second half after initially learning the pitchers.
- Rhys Hoskins has something to prove after his second-half struggles.
- Scott Kingery will improve his hitting by only being at the keystone.
- Healthy relievers: Adam Morgan, Tommy Hunter and Victor Arano.
- David Robertson could return for the final two months.
- Jake Arrieta will only play for a half season.
- Joe Girardi will be at the helm with stats and old-school baseball.
Because of the 1964 Phillies collapse, things evened out in 2007 when they were on the pleasurable end. And, perhaps, the 1981 squad’s abbreviated campaign (107 games) and this delayed schedule could have a connection. So, you may believe it’ll be destiny, payback or fate, but what will I call it? Karma gold!
Next. Phillies: Solving the Zach Eflin mystery for 2020. dark
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