At 26-11, the Phillies are Major League Baseball’s best team. They’ve won 11 of 12 to jump the Braves in the NL East and are the only team with a winning percentage above .700.

Bryce Harper is hitting bombs, Kody Clemens is looking like prime Ken Griffey Jr., and the pitching staff is statistically MLB’s best. There’s very little to complain about, eight days into May with plenty of baseball left to play.

Are we to… just enjoy the team? Try to live in the moment? A foreign concept, perhaps, which makes you think about the 10-1 Eagles and all of the consternation surrounding a team that was obviously flawed, but winning close games nonetheless. I don’t see these Phillies as an apt comparison, but you get the sense that people will inherently try to find some sort of Negadelphia anyway. It took some crowd sourcing, but we came up with the following:

too many strikeouts

With 322 strikeouts, the Phillies are 10th in MLB.

Counterpoint – they’re top three in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. They’ve got the 5th most stolen bases and fourth most walks. Only the Dodgers and Padres have scored more runs.

weak schedule

Series wins over the Giants, Angels, Padres, White Sox, Cardinals, Nationals, and Rockies. Splits with the Reds and Pirates. These teams aren’t exactly title contenders, but the Phils are taking out the trash and winning the games they’re supposed to win. Looking ahead, they’ve got the Mets, Nats, and Rangers coming up in consecutive series, and while NY and Washington aren’t world beaters, they’re right around .500 and pesky division rivals. You get through those games and the defending champs are on deck at CBP. Maybe a good run through that stretch changes the narrative.

need to save it for October

Are they doing too much winning? Do they need to slow it down?

One of the best complaints. They’re “peaking too early.”

Kyle Schwarber isn’t a lead off hitter

Maybe, maybe not, but he’s third on the team in RBI,  second in walks, and tied for the home run lead. June is right around the corner, and we all know what happens then.

Johan Rojas can’t hit

Well, the good thing is that he doesn’t have to hit if the rest of the team is playing this way.

Trea Turner is injured

Yeah, but he’ll be back.

Seranthony Dominguez is not himself

A legitimate gripe. Probably the biggest one. Seranthony has a 10.97 ERA. He’s pitched 12.1 innings this season and given up 16 hits and three home runs. His numbers are concerning across the board. There’s not much of an option here besides hoping that the guy finds his confidence and figures it out.

Spencer Turnbull shouldn’t have gone to the bullpen

Regardless, it’s worked out so far. Taijuan Walker did just fine in his last outing, and this is the best problem a manager will ever have.

concerns about the bullpen

This is probably fair. Matt Strahm, Jeff Hoffman? Reliable and sturdy. Orion Kerkering has been solid since coming back. Gregory Soto? Eh. Jose Alvarado? Keep an eye on the velocity. And then Dominguez. The bullpen could certainly be better.

Nick Castellanos still hitting under .200

Yes this is true. But it’s better than mid-April, when he was hitting .153. He does have five hits and 3 RBI in his last four games, so if he keeps it up he’s pushing .200 as we approach hittin’ season.

 

For real though, there’s not much to complain about. I guess we have no choice but to watch and enjoy the Phillies.