Rationally, I'm thinking they're dead in the water; Francis throttles them tonight, they get swept (or win one) at Shea this weekend, and by then whatever happens after is irrelevant.

In my gut, I feel like they have one charge remaining, which will get them to the brink before they fall just short like every other year.

Either way, it's hard to see how they get in.

The thing is, this offense can carry awful pitchers for 10 games or so.  That may be all that we need.

The Phillies aren't dead yet. A game and half back with 16 to go isn't outrageous. The schedule isn't awful, though it's more on the road than I'd like. The MO for the last few years is to choke painfully closer to the end.

I think we have some excitement left, plus I'm not convinced that this team won't somehow find a way to get it done. They are capable of bludgeoning their way to an 8-2 or 9-1 stretch.

Even going 1-2 vs. the Mets doesn't do 'em in. After the Mets, there isn't much on the schedule in terms of quality opponents. I'd settle for a 1-2 split. If they win 2 (or, god forbid, sweep again), it's gravy. I have a feeling that this wild card run (for the Phillies) is going at least 160 games. Could go the distance.

That win was huge:

Padres  37.3%
Phillies  18.2%
Dodgers  16.9%
DBacks  15.1%
Rockies  9.6%