The Philadelphia Phillies have showed some signs of improvement this season as they're just six games under .500 nearly a quarter of the way through the season. Here are three reasons why fans should continue to be optimistic about the rest of the year:
1) Ryan Howard has improved his trade value
Philadelphia has been trying to move Howard for years now, but now he's actually starting to produce at a higher rate. He leads the Phillies in home runs (7) and RBIs (19), and several contenders will likely give him a serious look if they need a power bat in their lineup. The Phillies might not make out like bandits, but the deal would have more to do with getting rid of his contract and strikeouts.
2) Freddy Galvis' breakout season
Galvis has improved in every batting category as he's hitting .341 with 11 RBIs and a .406 on-base percentage. He was a liability with a .176 batting average last year, but his improvements have totally changed Philadelphia's lineup.
3) Good return on a Cole Hamels trade
This is the year where a contender pulls the trigger and gives Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. just what he wants for Hamels. With the difference between in the American League between division champion and sitting home for the playoffs likely to be extremely slim compared to other years, so expect an AL team to mortgage house to feed the trophy case.
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