The Philadelphia Phillies are headed to the World Series for the first time since 2009. They entered the postseason for the first time in 11 years as the 6th and final seed in the National League. A few years back, a World Series berth seemed like eons away. A mere fantasy for Phillie fans, but owner John Middleton had a plan. He grew tired of countless seasons without a playoff berth. His plan started with Bryce Harper. Even though the plan took a few years to materialize, it has worked. The Phillies’ recent success should be a blueprint for a Flyers organization that lacks direction.
In 2018, the Phillies finished the season at 80-82 and in third place in the NL East. It was their 7th straight year of missing the playoffs. Between 2012-2018 they finished no higher than third in the division and never captured a winning record. Then, in March 2019, they signed Bryce Harper. In Harper’s first season, the Phillies finished 81-81, only one game better. Although it may have been discouraging, the Harper signing was the first in a long line of transactions. The first blocking block to a contender. A move the Flyers ignored.
The superstar free agent wasn’t an automatic fix for the Phillies. They still lacked high-end pitching and bullpen help, but the rebuild for the Phillies wasn’t complete. Harper was added with long-term success in mind. In comparison, this is why the missed signing of Johnny Gaudreau for the Flyers is so disheartening. Johnny Hockey may not have been the savior that the Flyers needed, but he would have been a precursor to a larger plan.
For example, after Harper was signed, the Phillies spent the next few years on big-name acquisitions. The Phillies traded for JT Realmuto and Jean Segura to bolster their lineup. Even with those players, the Phillies missed the playoffs. So, they added more. They signed Zack Wheeler and followed by adding Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos. It was a long wait, but the Phillies’ plan came to fruition.
The Flyers are in a similar situation as the Phillies were in 2018. Instead of improving the team, the Flyers were content to toe the line of mediocrity this offseason. Their plan is shortsighted, with no endgame in mind. Johnny Gaudreau should have been the first step in becoming a contender. Gaudreau wouldn’t have made them much better in 2022. They likely would still have a long shot of making the playoffs, but it wasn’t about 2022. It was about the years beyond that. In the 2023 and 2024 offseasons, they could have furthered their rebuild with more additions. Their farm system, although mediocre, could have been used as building blocks to fill holes.
It’s rare a player like Gaudreau considers a franchise with so many issues. A franchise that is closer to the first overall pick than a Stanley Cup. The Flyers caught a break when Gaudreau wanted to play for his childhood team, yet somehow they missed their chance.
The Flyers have their first core player in place, Carter Hart. The young goaltender is only 24 years old and should allow the Flyers to build from the net out. The Flyers lack scoring, which could have been resolved by the addition of Johnny Gaudreau. Younger players, such as Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost, could accompany Hart as foundational players. Similar to the Phillies with Rhys Hoskins and Alec Bohm. The Phillies allowed those players to blossom while adding high-quality players around them. Within a few years, the mixture of players coming into their prime and big-name free agents has been proven successful.
This is why so many Flyers fans have jumped ship over the past few years. Even though the Flyers have been to the playoffs multiple times, the fans have grown weary. On the other hand, Phillies fans have been excited while not making the playoffs at all. This had to do with the plan in place. When the Phillies struggled, whether it was hitting, bullpen, or defensively, ownership found a way to improve. The Flyers did not. They decided to roll out the same lineup, year in and year out, and expect a different outcome.
Perhaps, this offseason, the Flyers will get their chance at another superstar player. It is unlikely that another player of Gaudreau’s caliber will want to come to a rebuilding franchise. The Flyers need direction. They need someone like John Middleton and Dave Dombrowski calling the shots. They do not need a GM that believes a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in two years is somehow a contender. While the Flyers live in a world of delusion, the Phillies are realistic. They addressed their issues and are now reaping the rewards. The Flyers should have paid attention. Instead, the Flyers enter another season of hopeless dreams and dead-end direction.
Good luck to the Phillies in the World Series!
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