The Philadelphia Phillies, an ill-constructed, iller-conceived punch line of a baseball team, are gearing up to enhance their disastrousness even further. June is nigh, which gives us the gift of trade season, that glorious intersection of truth, fiction and feverish, carpal tunnel-inducing refresh-button clicks on MLB Trade Rumors.
Starring in this summer’s show is Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies’ general manager who has overseen the systematic implosion of a franchise that won five consecutive National League East titles. A half-decade streak of dominance is impressive. The ability to turn upwards of half a billion dollars into a pair of 73-win seasons and wherever this year ends up when it’s done circling the toilet bowl is eminently tougher.