Maybe it was just a reaction to a great Eagles pre-season contest. Maybe it was the pleasant weekend weather. Hey, maybe it was that wig that Chris Coste was wearing. Whatever it was that awoke the Phillies’ slumbering bats on Friday, came back Saturday to ensure the Phils exploded for 17 runs in two games. The previous 17 runs for the Fightin’s took five games to build up. So in a season of inconsistency at the plate, does this recent outburst suggest that the boys of summer are finally ready to take on the stretch run?

Pat Burrell was once slumping, but now appears ready to lead the Phillies to a post-season push in the last year of his contract (ADD Show Stock Photo)

It appears as though some of the Phils are ready to finish out the season and make a playoff run to take over the top spot in the NL East. Pat Burrell, who had five RBI Saturday, has turned it up recently hitting .348 in the last week. Shane Victorino has also been one of the Phillies best hitters, but he has hit well for quite a while now. He was one of the few Phils who hit well during their pseudo-slump that seemed to last an eternity.

Other Phillies have continued slumping though the team as a whole is trying to turn the ship around en route to another NL East title. Jimmy Rollins has been in a rut even before he told Chris Rose how much he appreciates the love that Phillies fans have to give. Calling the Philly fans ‘front-runners’ dug Rollins’ metaphorical grave at mach speed. His comments caused Phillies fans to align with people in the media that they may never have thought they’d have something in common with. During Saturday’s contest with the Dodgers, “analyst” Tim McCarver who is usually about as audially appealing as a cat’s nails on a chalkboard (note Group 3), came to the aid of Phillies fans saying Philly’s faithful are anything but front-runners.

Despite the controversy that has put a cloud over Rollins’ head, as the leadoff man he will have to start getting on base. In the last seven days he is only 6-for-24 making him the worst batting Phillies fielder. Pitching has been relatively consistent all-season to the shock of most Phillies fans. It’s interesting that Pat Gillick said pre-trade-deadline that he was not only looking for another left arm but another bat. Most critics and Phillies fans put more concern to getting the arm than the bat, but now we see it would perhaps have been wise to focus more on relief at the plate rather than on the mound.

Now that the team knows who they’ll be playing with for the stretch run (barring any waiver signing or trade), and having to rejoice compensate for Geoff Jenkins absence as he makes a trip to the DL, they really need to find some chemistry and continue their race to the top of the division where they look to dethrone the Mets who have sat atop the division for far too long for Phillies fans to feel comfortable.