Some of the injuries were bizarre (Ryan Madson kicking a metal chair and Jimmy Rollins hurting himself during warm-ups for a game). Others were simply unlucky (Chase Utley and Ryan Howard losing independent battles with second base). Collectively, the inordinate number of DL stints threatened to scuttle what looked to be a promising season. How could the Phils possibly get back in the fight when so many of them were occupying cots in the Citizens Bank Park infirmary?
It was just a month ago, after all, that the Phils were seven games behind the meddlesome Atlanta Braves in the NL East. And it was barely two months ago that the Fightin's were still struggling to free themselves from the quicksand of a historic teamwide hitting slump that threatened to drag the entire club under.
Things looked grim indeed. For a while, during those dark days, it was hard to envision the Phils as a championship contender this year. Just like divorced music executive Daniel Hill, I lost Faith (though not to Tim McGraw).
That's the glorious thing about the Fightin's over the last few years, though. Just when you think it might be wait-till-next-year time, just as you begin to reluctantly turn your attention to preseason football and the Birds, they remind everyone why they've been to two straight World Series. When Utley went down, the Phils were just five games over .500. And despite a season that has featured more bumps than a cobblestone Society Hill street, the Phils are a remarkable 17 games above .500.
"So far, we've been very fortunate," Charlie Manuel told The Inquirer earlier this week. "We've stayed close."
