Phillies’ Aging Core Will See Escalating Injuries to Team

Remember the New York Mets great 2007 collapse, when they lead the National League East for most of the season, only to have the Philles over take them in the last weekend of the season? How could Phillies fans forget. Well, on the year before, the Mets were 97-65 and won the National League East. In 2000, the made it to the World Series, losing the ‘”Subway Series”, four games to one. In 2008, they finished third with a record of 89-73, one game better than the year before. In 2009, the bottom fell out. The Mets finished fourth with a record of 70-92. What happened? Aging veterans, such as Carlos Delgato, Carlos Beltran and Luis Castillo, were often injured. Snake bit? Nope. Old? Yep. And it is happening to the Phillies this year. If Chase Utley and Shane Victorino were in the starting lineup, the average age would be 32.5. In Sunday’s, 3-2 loss to the Braves, the Phillies starting lineup averaged 32.125. They year the Phillies won the World Series in 2008...