Here’s part three of our guest blogger series. If you want to participate, feel free! Just email me at ggiombarrese@blueclaws.com with your favorite BlueClaws story. Whether it be your favorite game, your favorite player(s), your thoughts on the 2009 Phillies, the World Baseball Classic, or anything else. Submit an entry, and we’ll give you a free three-month subscription to PhillyBaseballNews.com (a $24.95 value), a great Phillies fan site. Here’s our third entry, thanks to Phil of Toms River.

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The World Series trophy has been the most difficult sports championship to defend. The last repeat Super Bowl winner? The New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005. The last NBA team to win back-to-back titles? The Los Angeles Lakers in 2001 and 2002. The last baseball team to successfully defend its title? The New York Yankees all the way back in 1999 and 2000. The Phillies won the 2008 World Series and have their work cut out for them in their attempt to be the first team to repeat as champions in nine years. 

It starts with the health of one of the team’s leaders, Chase Utley. Utley underwent hip surgery in November and the worst-case scenario return wasn’t until June. Currently, Utley insists he’ll be ready for Opening Day, but should the team rush back its star player and jeopardize his future? Even if he is healthy enough to return, how will his play be affected? He played the entire season and was clutch in the playoffs, but it was obvious he was hurt in the second half, he wasn’t himself. 

Joining Utley on the road to recovery in the offseason was third baseman Pedro Feliz. Feliz went in for back surgery and should be ready for the season opener, but again, the team is being cautious. Feliz’s hit in Game 5 of the World Series proved to be the game, and series, winner. 

Another player that won’t be joining the team for the first game of the season is reliever J.C. Romero. Romero was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a banned substance. He was one of the key pieces in the Major League’s best bullpen. 

However, if there is any team that is best prepared to battle through these setbacks, it is the Philadelphia Phillies. This team has shown that it never quits, that it’s never over. They followed up 2007’s late season surge by passing the Mets once again, down three and a half games with 17 left to play. The Phillies came from behind against the Mets twice during the season, scoring six runs in the ninth to beat them in a July game, and overcoming a 7-0 deficit to win 8-7 in 13 innings in an August game. It’s the same grit that helped the Phillies score 4 runs in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS to beat the Dodgers 7-5. 

No matter what happens to the Phillies, they won’t quit. They’re a resilient bunch. The team is nicknamed the “Fightin’ Phils” for a reason.

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This entry was posted on Monday, March 9th, 2009 at 6:23 pm and is filed under Guest Blogger, Phillies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.