Phantastic

Greensboro, NC -- As I watched the Phillies celebrate winning the National League pennant on Wednesday night, the notion popped into my head that yet another team has made it to the Big Show, while the Orioles (often picked on here in this web space) go home with another losing record this year. I've been to three Phillies' games in Philaldelphia in my lifetime, and the last trip was completely different than my first two visits.

My first two visits in 1999 and 2003 were to Veterans Stadium, which played host to some low budget, awful teams. At the time, and since their previous trip to the World Series, the Phillies win total beginning in 1994 was 54, 69, 67, 68, 75, 77, 65 (1994-2000). What made me question Boston's "desperate" hire of Terry Francona in 2004 was that Francona managed a bulk of the Phillies' teams in the late 90's. Their modest payrolls in the $40M range didn't help either. My question was always related to payroll and city population size -- why couldn't this New York-wannabe city be the upper tier of player payroll? Were the owners just cheap?

Since the move to the sparkling Citizens Bank Ballpark in 2004, the Phillies wins' have been 86, 88, 85, 89, 92. But their secret cheese whiz hasn't been the ballpark; it's been the hiring of Pat Gillick. Gillick's trademark teams don't feature players who absorb a significant portion of payroll (goodbye Jim Thome). They also feature strong bullpens and a solid bench. Gillick's Blue Jays teams won two World Series and his Orioles teams could have won two if it weren't for Jeffrey Maier and an Armando Benitez gopher ball to the Indians' Tony Fernandez. Coupled with Gillick, the Phillies payroll rose in 2003 from $70M to $93M with the move to the new park. Since that time, their payroll has eclipsed the $88M mark in all four seasons, which is more in line with a midmarket to big market team. The owners have not changed since 1981.

One of Angelos's biggest blunders, and there's been plenty, was to let Gillick go following the 1998 season. The Orioles haven't had a winning season since. Whoever is able to capitalize on Gillick's knowledge and expertise next year -- possibly the Mariners -- is wise. Until then, there's a World Series to decide. Like last year's Rockies, I don't like the long layoff, so I'm going to take the Rays, assuming that they can win one more game at the Trop tomorrow or Sunday.