Sorry, Philadelphia Phillies, your World Series trophy is in another castle. A glorious castle built by Ryan Howard’s massive contract.
This season was all about the future in Philadelphia. While the team surprised early, the Phillies fell back to Earth as the season went on, eventually fulfilling those pessimistic preseason projections. But this was expected. Though the club’s eventual win/loss record won’t be pretty, this season was all about preparing the club for the future. The major-league club saw some talented youngsters make their debuts, while the team continued to develop its promising prospects in the minors. The Phillies may still be years away from contention, but it was a start.