Despite playoff defeat,
it’s been a great season

In the Batter’s Box
By Matt Godfrey

Bums!
Losers!!
Trade ’em all!!!
That’s the sort of response I was expecting to hear after the Phillies’ swift exit from the playoffs over the weekend.
It’s the common response of most Philly fans whenever their sports teams don’t fulfill the expectations of these armchair coaches.
And, true, our teams have left a lot of expectations unfulfilled over the years. But hissing and booing aren’t what I’ve been hearing. Things seem different this time.
Fans are dismayed that a Phils team that delivered such season-ending thrills went out so meekly against the Rockies, and that’s a justified feeling. Others are still unhappy with some of the managerial moves during the three-game series.
But it’s also hard to stay mad until spring training at a team that gave us the first glimpse of October baseball in such a long, long time.
It was the way they did it that made them fun to watch for most of the season. They had to overcome a 4-11 start. They had to overcome two huge off-season "acquisitions" ("busts" is more appropriate) in Freddy Garcia and Adam Eaton. They maneuvered through a minefield of a bullpen, capable of exploding at any moment, to win 89 games and finish 16 games over .500.
Most of all, they kept working. And at the forefront was the mouthpiece of the team, Jimmy Rollins. If he doesn’t win the National League’s MVP trophy, something is wrong.
He walked the walk by pairing another Gold Glove-worthy season (only 11 errors while starting all 162 games) with an explosive year at the plate (38 doubles, 20 triples, 30 homers and 41 stolen bases). He backed up his pronouncement last spring that the Phils were the team to beat in the NL East.
Then there was the tale of two lefties, one at the end of his career and hoping for a grand exit, the other at the beginning of his career and fortunate to be in the playoffs so fast.
The veteran is 44-year-old Jamie Moyer. He gave the team everything that could have been asked of him, for the most part delivering solid outings whenever they were needed.
The young guy is 23-year-old Cole Hamels. The rising ace led the team with 15 wins and 177 strikeouts while showcasing his much-touted potential. He also made the first of what should be many all-star teams in his future.
Then there were Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, the Phillies’ other two MVP candidates. And Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell, who both proved to be so important down the stretch.
There also were some surprises. Like Kyle Kendrick, JC Romero, Kyle Lohse, Greg Dobbs and Jayson Werth.
Kendrick will be back, and very well could be the No. 2 starter behind Hamels.
Romero and Lohse are free agents, while Dobbs and Werth are arbitration-eligible, meaning the Phils have the option to re-sign them or cut ties and let them go to free agency.
Romero was lights-out down the stretch, while Dobbs and Werth did their parts to contribute throughout the season.
Lohse was solid in most of his starts for the Phils, but he’s also represented by agent Scott Boras, meaning he could be seeking a ridiculous contract.
One scout was quoted as saying that Lohse was going to be this year’s Adam Eaton. We all know how that worked out for the Phils.
The biggest potential loss for the Phillies is Rowand, who also is a free agent. With his top-notch season, he is likely to make somewhere in the range of $10 million next season, and he deserves every penny.
However, for the Phillies, that’s money they’d probably be better off throwing at a pitcher or two. Let’s hope it turns out to be better than Freddy Garcia.
In the end, this nucleus of players did it the hard way this season, and this city appreciates that even more. They won more than half of their 89 games in come-from-behind fashion.
There certainly is promise for next season. Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 14 years to see the Phils in the playoffs. ••
Columnist Matt Godfrey can be reached at 215-354-3113 or mgodfrey@phillynews.com