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Maybe he just ran out of things to say. Maybe he truly believes an 8.5 game deficit is surmountable in the season's final weeks. Maybe his ego has ballooned, ever since that second home run.
But Ben Revere isn't giving up yet.
@Phillies CF Ben Revere tells @6abc that the team is trying to "make history" and "trying to bust their tails to get last wildcard spot".
— mark meany (@markmeany) September 9, 2014
Yes, your instinctive response is to pat him on the head and go, "Aww, Benny. You're like that precocious kitten that doesn't know that it's been rejected by its mother yet."
But, look. He said "make history," so clearly he knows the impossible work it would take to get into a playoff spot. He must also know how bad this team would be in the playoffs. Who would start behind A.J. Burnett? Jerome Williams?
Jimmy Rollins just strained his hamstring, and though he says he'll be back in like a week and a half, this team of oldsters has probably been repressing a lot of physical pain. Revere himself can't step out of the batter's box without wincing like his tibia's been impaled by a harpoon.
And what is our outfield, exactly? Is Dom Brown in it or has Grady Sizemore completely taken over at this point? Grady Sizemore, on a playoff roster in 2014. Imagine the blood pouring out of people's mouths. Imagine somebody like Craig Calcaterra, seeing this Phillies team reach the playoffs. He may blog a passive aggressive hole into his computer.
Anyway, Revere is probably not checking the standings, and while single digits are an uplifting thing to see in a "GB" column for a last place team, there are still five teams between them and a Wild Card spot, and also, the Padres are tied with them. The Padres. The god damn Cubs are only 2.5 games behind them.
Look, I don't have to write a thing here describing just how unlikely it is that the Phillies make the playoffs. It's not going to happen. I'd say it's cool to think the Phillies were going to be playing as if these last few games actually mattered until the season is over - maybe some spirit arrived with the September call-ups - but that just makes me sad to think about all the time they spent losing, back when it could have mattered. I can't remember where it was, but wasn't there a report from some scout saying the Phillies tend to just "give up" when they fall behind in a game?
It's likely that Revere didn't run this "we're gonna make history" announcement by the rest of his teammates, most of whom are likely exhausted and just want him to get back in his playpen and take a nap.
I was wondering if we were going to hear any blips of "Hey, we're still trying out there" from the Phillies, especially after that scout's comment (which I don't think I'm making up, but who cares, I'm so complacent right now). I don't really remember anything in particular. Now the statement just seems way overdue; mere fodder for a blog post about nothing.
In the end, what this statement does is make me smile, and think Ben Revere is cool, and how hilarious it would be to see him winning a freaking batting title.