The Phillies have no intention of making this easy on Ruben Amaro Jr.
Good for them.
The Phils spent much of the early part of this season asleep at the wheel, in particular at a place where they once excelled. That would be Citizens Bank Park. The were well south of the .500 mark.
Most people had them ticketed for "sellers" as the trade deadline loomed out there at the end of July.
They somehow managed to lose two of three at home to the lowly Cubs.
Then they went on the road for a trip that most people believed would merely seal their fate.
They started in Atlanta.
Three days - and three wins later - they are riding high after a sweep of the Braves and storming into St. Louis for a four-game set in "baseball heaven," as Scott Rolen would call it.
So what does Amaro do? Can this team squeeze a serious run out of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels and a bullpen that looks like it is starting to get its act together.
Utley has been cooling off after his torrid start, but he's still hitting .302, and Howard is beginning to show the power stroke that earned him that mega-contract.
Rookie Ken Giles is throwing serious heat - and strikes - out of the bullpen.
Dennis Deitch has the details on yesterday's big win, as the Phils bats hammered the Braves. And our beat writer has a conclusion about the Phil's chances. Don't write them off just yet.
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