This time eight years ago, Phillies fans were gearing up for the Phillies’ second straight playoff run. Brad Lidge clinched the NL East, inducing a double play from the Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman. Excitement was in the air, and unbeknownst to us fans, the Phillies would soon become World Champions.
Now Zimmerman’s Nationals are the top dogs in the NL East with a legitimate chance to win the World Series. Meanwhile, the Phillies will finish well below .500.
The core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Cole Hamels has since split apart after numerous trades.