Phillies Should Prepare For Tough Marlins Series in Wild Card
On paper, the Philadelphia Phillies appear to be a heavy favorite to oust the Miami Marlins in the National League Wild Card round.
But games aren’t played on paper.
This series is dangerous despite the perceived obvious statistical advantages in favor of the Phillies, who have six players with at least 20 home runs.
The Marlins have traditionally given Philadelphia all sorts of trouble and this Wild Card series should be no different. This season, Miami won seven of 13 regular season meetings.
Nothing is guaranteed.
Jesus Luzardo and Braxton Garrett can be just as good as Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola.
Getting solid starting pitching is vital in the postseason.
The Marlins won four of the six games at Citizens Bank Park this season.
While the atmosphere will be markedly different with 46,000-plus rabid Phillies fans, don’t expect their divisional opponent to be intimidated, even with some players making their postseason debut.
Philadelphia won 90 games and earned the top Wild Card spot. But this group on Miami shouldn’t be overlooked.
Even if the Phillies win and advance, don’t expect it to be easy by any means.
Divisional matchups are just different.
“The Marlins are a good club,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “They won the season series, so they match up well with us. We have a lot of prep to do. They can beat you in a lot of different ways. They have speed. They have great pitching. They have a couple of guys with some thump in their lineup.”
In such a short series, every pitch is even more magnified. Philadelphia must elevate their level of play.
Just because they advanced to the World Series last season doesn’t translate into another deep run for the Phillies. For that to happen, they must defeat a pesky group of Marlins.
It will be far from easy.
