The Phillies are doing things the hard way, again. They could have made it easy on themselves, but nope, here they are fighting for their playoff lives, potentially needing to win two games against the American League’s best team on the final weekend. It’s classic Phillies stuff, honestly, they haven’t done anything the easy way all season, so why start now? Good news, I guess, is the Rays don’t actually *need* these wins, and might be looking to rest some key players or give lesser-used relief pitchers some work. But for the Phillies, every pitch matters.
Junior Caminero Is CRUSHING and a Magnet for Baseballs
You gotta hand it to the Rays, they develop talent like nobody else. While some teams struggle to see prospects pan out, the Rays just keep churning them out. Look at Junior Caminero. This dude was a top-five prospect in baseball just a few years ago, and now, at only 23 years old, he’s completing his *second straight* season with over 40 home runs. That’s insane production! It really looked like his season might get ruined after getting hit by pitches at both the All-Star Game and the WBC. I mean, is the guy a magnet for baseballs in exhibition games or what? Caminero has “only” put up an .818 OPS with 13 home runs in the second half, compared to a ridiculous .929 OPS and 28 dingers in the first. If the Rays want to give him a couple days off this weekend, I wouldn’t complain one bit.
Florida Baseball Just Doesn’t Work
Look, I can’t completely hate the Rays. One of my favorite Phillies memories ever came in a game against them. But I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: Major League Baseball in Florida just does not work. You can point fingers at crappy stadiums or even crappier ownership, but the fan support just isn’t there, even in their best years. Think about it: this season, the Rays have the best record in the American League, yet they boast the third-worst attendance in all of baseball. And get this, *this is one of their better years attendance-wise*! They’re building a new stadium, but honestly, I can’t see it turning out any differently than when the Marlins got their new digs in 2012. Fans show up for a season or two, then attendance drops right back to the bottom. Maybe the Phillies should really focus on building up their minor league system so they’re ready when Caminero inevitably hits the trade block.
The weather could play havoc with the games this weekend, which probably isn’t ideal for a team fighting for their playoff spot. But hey, when you’re scrapping for a spot on the final weekend, you gotta deal with whatever comes at you. The Phillies have to find a way, starting now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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