How have recent Phillies teams straddled a season’s first and second halves?
The beginning: a joyous time when fans turn to each, smiling and nodding in solidarity with their team. The ending: A period of stunned sputtering and the filling of snot rags. Baseball is a sport that loves to make you ask, “Why am I still watching this?” and the Phillies have become especially adept at it. But the truth is, beginnings and endings of baseball season are quite the same: Opening Day, we’re all remembering what time the game is on and who is pitching and by the end of September most of us have pawned our televisions for firewood.