The 2009 season looks a lot different than last year for the reigning World Series Champion Phillies -- but for all the right reasons.
This time last year the Phils were still chasing the division lead, sitting half a game behind the National League East leading New York Mets.
This year, the Phillies are painting a much different picture, but hopefully one with the same motif.
As of right now, the World Champs have a seven-game lead on the Atlanta Braves and a 16.5 game lead on the Mets, who aren’t even in the picture.
For now, the Phils are sittin’ pretty, but this is no time to relax. The team needs to keep their competitive edge if they want to take home another World Series Championship.
A large part of last season’s success was the Phils’ desire to win -- they felt the heat from a city that went 25 years without a championship.
The close division race with the Mets also helped push the Phils over the edge. Going into the 2008 playoffs, the Phillies won seven of their final ten games while riding a three-game win streak.
The Phils may be comfortable right now, but they need to remain hungry if they want to bring home another title. Although the team is mostly the same as last season, we hope they’ve digested last year’s championship to make room for another meal.
It certainly seems like Cliff Lee’s tummy is grumbling.
