Philadelphia Phillies 2012: Can This Roster Contend for a World Series?
February 4, 2012 by Ben Ringel
Filed under Fan News
Boy have the expectations changed around here.
Who would have thought 10 years ago that a season where the Phillies won a franchise-record 102 games could leave fans with a bittersweet taste in their mouths?
The reality is that ever since the Phils reached “team to beat” status in 2007, expectations have been steadily climbing. That’s not to say the Phillies haven’t been meeting them, though. After being World Champions in 2008, we could deal with a loss in the 2009 World Series.
The 2010 NLCS loss hurt a bit more, but it was understandable.
Last year, though, was not OK. Losing in the first round of the playoffs after having the best regular-season record? Cliff Lee blowing a four-run lead and the offense wasting Doc Halladay’s gem were incredibly agonizing to watch.
No amount of Philly Phanatic belly-shaking could cheer me up after those performances.
Needless to say, anything less than a title this year will fail to fully satisfy many of us. So, is this roster good enough for the Phillies to get back to the top?
Before making my verdict, let’s take a quick glance at each facet of the 2012 Phillies. We’ll discuss the Phils’ projected lineup, bench, rotation and bullpen.