Same As It Ever Was

This season was supposed to be different. This was going to be the year that the playoff drought ended. Spending all that money on guys like Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos was going to transform this team. 

Doesn't look like it. The Phillies are 3-5, having lost four straight, including the last two to the Marlins. They're already 3 games behind the Mets in the NL East in last place. It all seems so familiar. 

Schwarber has been a big disappointment so far. Sure, he began his Phillies career with a homer on Opening Day. Since then, he has one hit in 28 at bats. One. He's hitting .094. MVP Bryce Harper is 4 for 35 with an OPS that's half of what it was last season. Matt Vierling is 1 for 16. Shane Victorino visited the broadcast booth the other night and I'm pretty sure he'd be a substantial upgrade over Vierling. He's only 41.

This team was supposed to be an offensive juggernaut. Instead, they've scored just 29 runs in eight games. They've already been shut out once, and been held to one run two other times. I know the season is just eight games old, but it can get late early. They need to start hitting or else this season is going to look like every other one over the last 10 years.