Can Phils climb out of first-half hole?

The second half of the season beckons.

But will the Phillies – at least the team we have come to know and love – show up? Or will it be the same group of guys who on too many nights in the first half seemed to be merely going through the motions?

Thanks to their brutal 36-45 first half, the Phillies face a tall order if they hope to continue to their streak of playoff appearances. Their miserable start puts them on a pace to lose 90 games one year after winning 102. They need binoculars to see the Nationals, 11 games back in the National League East.

Of course, the faithful point to injuries that kept Chase Utley out of the lineup for all but the last week, that have kept Ryan Howard out of the lineup altogether, and put ace Roy Halladay on the shelf.

But it’s more than that. This fundamentally is just not a good team.

I seem to remember a press conference where Ruban Amaro Jr. and Charlie Manuel, in the rubble of that disappointing playoff loss to the Cardinals last season, talking about how the Phils’ batters needed to change their philosophy. There was talk of working counts, being more selective and playing “small ball.”

What happened to that?

Then there’s the defense. This team too often can't catch the ball. Or throw it.

The bullpen, outside of closer Jonathan Papelbon, has been a disaster.

So what to do?

One thing you don’t do is trade Cole Hamels. That would be like waving a white flag of surrender.

Of course by the trade deadline, that just may be the Phils’ only option.

It starts tonight in New York.

This team no longer has any margin for error.

And they way they play in the field, that is not a good thing.

For Ryan Lawrence's take on the Phils' second half, CLICK HERE.