Rise and Phight: 8/9/2021

Can you believe this is happening?

Sure this team is flawed and sure this run isn’t going to last, but by golly this has been an amazing start to August. Winning eight straight games is not something that we necessarily expected, but beating the woeful Nationals in a series should be. Taking two of three from the Mets at home should be something that doesn’t seem so out of place, but it’s the manner in which this team is doing this that is surprising. The comebacks, the power, the bullpen (!) have all contributed to show that maybe we aren’t crazy after all for thinking this team can still go on a run to win.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The Phillies do their ceremonies right, and the one for Roy Halladay’s number retirement was no different.
• Even with all the euphoria over this winning streak, there is still the reminder that this team still is pretty injured.
• It wasn’t long ago that Kyle Gibson was almost a Phillie, but a health issue sent him to Texas instead.

MLB news:

• When you think of strikes, you might think of overpowering pitchers blowing smoke past hitters. Have you ever considered that maybe slower is better?
• The site of “Field of Dreams” has received a needed injection of interest thanks to MLB playing its game there next week.
• Omar Vizquel can go rot straight in hell.
• In case you missed it, the A’s will be without Ramon Laureano for the rest of the season.
• The Tigers like Jonathan Schoop enough that they gave him a two year extension.