The Philadelphia Phillies began what will probably be their hardest road trip of the season last night with a win against the Padres. Their trip includes three games in San Diego, four in Los Angeles, then three in New York against their biggest rivals the Mets. They follow this brutal road trip with a homestand that features the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays before facing their first opponent with a sub .500 record, the Baltimore Orioles.
Although the Phillies record is an impressive 29-20, they are 10-2 against the lowly Washington Nationals meaning they are only 1 game above .500 against all other opponents. This is the stretch where they will have to prove that they are again contenders and not pretenders. The Dodgers have been nearly unbeatable at home and the 2008 Phillies were swept in a four game series at Dodgers Stadium last season. Heading into New York after that series, the Phillies really need to stay ahead of the Mets in the standings to take some of the pressure off. 2-2 in L.A. is a must.
Then there is the series with the Mets. After owning them in 2007, the Phillies have had a rough go at their biggest rivals. They need to turn that around and take two out of three in that series.
The good news for the Phillies has been their major league leading 17-6 record on the road. The bad news is they return home to a place they have had a hard time winning and play interleague ball, something they have also had a tough time with.
The Red Sox will test the Phillies fortitude. They have won 2 World Championships this decade and will probably face the Phillies like they are trying to win a third attempting to make a statement against the champs. The Phillies will need to really step up their game if they hope to win this series.
The Blue Jays have fallen off a bit since their hot start, but again will be a formidable opponent for the Phillies. If they have to face Roy Halliday, things get all the more difficult. The Phillies will end interleague play with the Orioles. Hopefully that will be an easier series if they are not too drained from the previous series.
While the Phillies face the Padres and Dodgers, the Mets are facing two of the worst teams in the game, the Pirates and Nationals. While they then face the Phillies then Yankees, they too get another breather as they face the Orioles before hosting the American League Champion Rays. Compare the schedules and the Mets have the advantage.
The Phillies need to buckle down over the next few weeks and find ways to win games they probably should not win. Tonight's game is a fine example. Jake Peavy vs. Antonio Bastardo is certainly a match up in the Padres favor. Over the next two weeks, these are the games the Phillies need to find a way to win. If they can, they could take a nice lead in the N.L. East and send themselves on their way to three peating as N.L. East Champions.
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