Before the season, many of us said that we’d be happy if the Phillies could merely remain in contention for most of the season. With less than two weeks left to play, the Phillies have yet to be eliminated from the playoffs, so they have certainly attained that goal.
However, along the way, something changed. The Phillies outperformed initial expectations, and perhaps more importantly, the rest of the division didn’t assert itself. The heavily favored Washington Nationals stumbled, and while the Braves have played well, they certainly haven’t put a stranglehold on the division either.