Phillies end first half on a high note

July 13, 10:04 AMPhiladelphia Phillies ExaminerPatrick Gallen

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Jimmy Rollins has turned it on recently.(AP Photo/H. Rumph Jr.)

For a time, the Phillies and their fans were down in the dumps.  After losing 11 out of 13 during mid-to-late June, talks of a repeat were put on the backburner.  

Then, summer hit and the team began to heat up.  A sweep of the Mets at Citizens Bank Park killed two birds with one stone; the Phils dismantled a division foe, and got the faithful back on the bus.

The second series during the 10-game home stand featured the Cincinnati Reds.  It started with a bang, and the Phils haven’t looked back since.

A 22-run explosion in game one of the four-game set helped open the floodgates to where they now sit.  In that game, a 10-run first inning was just about all they needed.  But, for good measure, they tacked on 12 more for the one of the most lopsided victories in team history.  And all was right with the world.

Fast-forward to today, one day removed from a sweep of the Pirates.  With a 48-38 record, Phillies fans have to be scratching their heads on how they got to this point.

Wasn’t it just a few short weeks ago that the play was so agonizing, so dreadful, that questions were being asked about the psyche of this ball club.  It was during that awful losing streak that we begged for Jimmy Rollins to be dropped in the order.  We shouted for another starting pitcher.  We begged for a spark.  

It seems the All-Star break has come at the worst time possible.  We can’t get enough of our boys in pinstripes; everyone wants more Phillies baseball. But are the they out of the woods just yet?

Don’t forget about that mid-season swoon.  It was an ugly one, and it showed the troubles this team has when trying to hang with the American League.  That interleague meltdown proved our need for more starting pitching, a little bit of bullpen help, and more intensity as a unit.  

There will be highs, there will be lows, but one thing is for certain – this Phillies team is fun to watch. So what’s next?  Pedro Martinez?  Roy Halladay?  Kyle Drabek or Carlos Carrasco? The second half starts Thursday, so be prepared for anything.