Philadelphia sports never fail to deliver drama, and this year was definitely no exception.  From the highs of playoff pushes and the frustrations of falling short, this city has felt it all. 

     At face value, the Phillies had a great year, finishing second (96-66) in the league during the regular season.  But just like how one cannot judge a book by its cover, a record does not always tell the full story.  The Phillies were inconsistent, specifically in terms of offensive production.  They started the playoffs with two straight losses, yet kept hope alive in Game 3, netting eight runs.  That hope was quickly squashed in Game 4, as the Phillies could only muster four hits in extra innings, despite a phenomenal performance from pitcher Christopher Sanchez.  Many fans placed the blame on the awful throwing error by pitcher Orion Kerkering. Yet, it is important to note that he would not have been in that stressful situation in the first place if the expensive roster had shown up.  This team’s overall payroll is extremely high, considering the recent performance of the team has not been even close to being deserving of this wealth.  As a result, this offseason is going to be pivotal for the future as impending free agents include left-fielder Kyle Schwarber, pitcher Ranger Suarez, and catcher J.T Realmuto.  Only time will tell the direction this beloved team will go in, and this offseason will be full of difficult decisions.