The 2023 Phillies Are FINALLY Good Enough To Earn Your Respect

Power Rankings Panel is still alive and well despite 50% of man strength on the ground right now in Council Bluffs, Iowa for the College World Series. 162 is no small effort and this week's panel has to work through it. So many good, comfortable teams this point in the season, and almost all of them were mediocre-at-best the last calendar week. Optimism temporarily waned, but not enough to shuffle the top 6. In a remarkable turn of events, it stays stagnant from last week to this.

You could assume easily that's a product of laziness. But if you listen to the show, then you'll see 4 guys struggling to find the rate way to work through the results.

Are the Reds deserving?

I think so but some people don't like the pitching long run.

Are the Yankees a good team?

Clearly yes, but Aaron Judge has to play.

Are the Giants actually this good?

Probably not.

But the Phillies finally woke up?

Absolutely and they look magnificent.

If you remember it was about the same time last year that the Braves kicked their asses into gear before running down the Mets for the NL East.

Rob Thompson is in his first full managerial season coming off a ridiculous World Series run. Expecting a hangover would be normal. But this hangover kept running its way deep into June as most of us waited for Bryce to return.

Even so - the Phillies have the strength and firepower to battle through Harper's absence. Or at least we thought. Slow starts to the pitching staff mixed with Trea Turner's comedown from the WBC made it slow beginnings. Rhys Hoskins injury blows. Taijuan Walker sucked but he's been sensational his last 3 starts. Schwarber could again lead the league in HR's and strikeouts.

Nola's been bad.

Ranger could be better.

Wheeler's definitely better (but still effective).

It's really a big mix of "less than average" circumstances and the Phillies are finally starting to break out.

With the Mets reeling and the Marlins taking next steps, you couldn't ask for a better time in the standings for the Phillies to start a move. You want it before the Mets get hot (that should happen even if for 2 weeks) as well as good timing on an assumed Marlins regression.

This Phillies club is well poised.

Even if the stretch down the 1st half isn't a cupcake. You have to love the momentum knowing where they've come from and what this core is capable of doing.

Did we think it would take 13 weeks for them to arrive? Absolutely not but as we learned last year. It's always better to be late than not at all.

Don't wait until October 2023 for this Phillies club to prove it again. They're hot now and it could very much get hotter.