Rise and Phight: 7/8/2021

MLB schedules some weird things. The Phillies played the Braves for what felt like every week at the beginning of the season. It felt like they played a National League East team every single day for two months. And now, in another weird scheduling quirk, the Phillies are in Chicago to play the Cubs and will not play a day game. It’s an odd thing because Chicago plays so many of its home games during the day, the way the game should be played.

Personally, I wish that MLB would go back to the unbalanced schedule. People around here should be treated to players like Fernando Tatis, Jr., Kris Bryant and others of their ilk more than three times a season. If you give kids a chance to see the marquee players of the league more often, maybe you’ll see them at the ballpark more often. People sounding the death knell for baseball are exaggerating to the greatest degree, but it would help some of the sagging popularity if people got a chance to go out to Citizens Bank Park and see someone other than the Marlins 18 times a season.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• Bryson Stott is trying to make a name for himself and insert himself into the plans of the team much quicker than maybe they anticipated.
• Had Bryce Harper been chosen to go to the All-Star game, he probably would have declined.
• The team made a minor league signing that has some connections to a past Cy Young award winner.

MLB news:

• As the deadline approaches, here are some theoretical trades each team should make to get better.
• Jacob deGrom is sitting out the All-Star game, increasing the chances that Zack Wheeler gets the start.
• The Home Run Derby just got very interesting with the names added to the list.
• This was an interesting read about the Rockies and how they are “going dark” on trade talks until after the All-Star game.