These last two postseasons have been a total blur - a haze of great plays and thrilling games. I was so busy watching all that unfold that I sort of took it for granted that the Phils were in the Fall Classic for a second straight year. I had to stop and remind myself how rare and wonderful that was.
The fact the Phils made me forget that reaching the World Series isn't automatic is pretty incredible. The more I think about what the Fightin's have done over the last two years, the more unbelievable it seems. Because before this club came along, fans in this city expected the worst. We braced for it. Not anymore. Now we expect success because the Phils made achievement part of their regular routine.
The World Series used to be an abstraction - something you watched on TV, something that felt no more real than Lost or any other television fantasy. At some point - maybe after the Phils won the championship last year, maybe after they reached it again this season - that changed. The World Series is no longer some exclusive resort that wouldn't accept Philly's reservation. Rather, it's become an attainable destination - the logical conclusion to the season, something you consider booking in advance.
Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but it's really remarkable that in two years' time the Phils managed to end the drought and alter the way the fans think about sports. The reflexive pessimism that crushed so many souls for so many years has been replaced by genuine optimism - and for good reason. When you look at this team, there's no reason to think the Phils can't continue their astonishing run next season. Sure, the core group of players is getting a little older, and they could always use more pitching. But everything is relative. When you compare the Phils with the rest of the National League, you have to like their chances to push into the playoffs again.
