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When All Hope Is Lost As A Phillies Fan, At Least We Have Aaron Nola

tbyrd
tbyrd8/14/2017 6:25 PM

aaron

There are not many Phillies writers who express their hate for this team as much as I do. Perhaps they are scared and prefer to be in good graces with the organization. Not me. Not when a team is 27 games under .500. And especially not when their manager has a .414 WP% over the 365 games he’s managed.

Aaron Nola though, I like him. He’s got moxie. The tear this dude is on right now has been unmatched by any Phillies pitcher before him. What do Grover Alexander, Jim Bunning, Robin Roberts. Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins, Pedro Martinez, and what the hell I’ll even throw Roy Halladay in there, all have in common? Sure, they all donned the Phillies uni. Yes, they are all Hall of Famers. But, most importantly, they never accomplished anything like what Nola has done in 10 consecutive starts.

Let’s take a look at the National League ERA leaders real quick as well.

aaron1

I would say he fits in nicely with those two aces and the former Reading Phillie we traded in exchange for Freddy Garcia. Excuse me while I side track for a second here, but how about Scherzer’s BAA. Seriously, .171 over 24 games started? Are you kidding me! Since the beginning of last season, his .186 BAA is best in baseball by a whopping 20 points. And I just read on MLB dot com he’s one of 5 RHP’s (Ryan, Seaver, Pedro, Schilling) with 1500 K’s over a six-year stretch Just give him all the Cy Youngs. Give him Cy Young’s plaque in Cooperstown while we’re at it. Fuck, I hate the Nats.

I had my doubts about Nola, especially with him going down at the end of last year and beginning this season with zero command of his changeup. However, his poise and command of every pitch in all counts over these past ten starts, has me saying Roy Halladay who? Looks like we have our ace, Phillies fans. So now what?

Watching Nola truly blossom into a special pitcher this season has been wonderful. It also has irked the fuck out of me. The Phillies struck gold with Nola, who fell to them at 7th overall in the 2014 draft. He dominated the minors that same season, rising to Reading and making 5 starts for them. One week after the 2015 draft, he was in Lehigh Valley pitching for the Iron Pigs. A month later he was in the Majors.

Nola was the first college player the Phillies had taken with their first draft pick since 2006. He was only the 4th since 2000. Why not continue to test the College waters in the next 2 upcoming drafts? Nope. Instead, it’s High School outfielder with no power, High School outfielder with no power, before drafting a college outfielder this year, who also happens to not have any power. Their commitment to losing over the next 20 years is so real, but thank God Aaron Nola has had something to say about that over these past 10 starts. Thank you, Aaron.

Let me get in my obligatory, Pete Mackanin Paragraph of Pessimism, before I sign off. Jorge Alfaro has been in the Majors since Aug 4th and he’s played in only 3, fucking, games. The top catching prospect in the system, playing on a team that is 26.5 games back of First, has rode the bench for all but 3 games over his 10 days in the Major Leagues so far this season. Pete’s argument…his game calling. Again, this ball club is 26.5 games out of First. We traded Cole Hamels for this guy. Who gives a shit how our rookie catcher calls a game. This team is going nowhere. Let him make his mistakes and learn along the way. Isn’t that coaching 101, Pete? You imbecile. Also, teach Odubel some self-control for the love of God. It’s been 2 seasons of this shit. How do you still have a job!!!

PS Congrats to Rhys Hoskins for his first Major League hit yesterday. Remember, it took Willie Mays twelve at bats to get his first hit as well.

PPS I’ve always known that any person that calls themselves a fan of the New York Met’s have the personality of a wet mop. But c’mon people. If you are going to wear a Keith Hernandez jersey in enemy territory, you have to at least expect this line to be used once on you. Have a sense of humor one time for me Mets fan’s.


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tbyrd
tbyrd8/14/2017 6:25 PM