Pfffffttttt!

Yup, that's the sound of our Phils after another late inning rally came up short and they wound up getting swept by the D Backs. What a way to follow up a rare sweep of the Braves, then to meekly drop three to the D Backs. Gotta love the sustained intensity of this group of Phils, huh?

Are the Phils setting themselves up for another June swoon? It sure seems that way. This season is already shaping up to be pretty similar to the last four years or so. Brutal start, hot May, and June slump. Take a look at this article in today's Inky. If you haven't already written off the Phils, this article will help you down that road.

The next month will tell.

If the Punxsutawney Phils are still reliving the same season over and over, as you might suspect, then they are due for their annual June plummet.

If this is the year they finally wake up on the day after Groundhog Day, they'll continue the steady rise toward a respectable record and a chance at the National League wild card.

The next month . . .

If you're having trouble being optimistic, well, that's understandable. It is truly stunning how consistent this team has been the last few years in spite of major changes. New general manager, new manager, new star first baseman, new starting rotation, a series of closers - same season, over and over.

Slow start. May surge. June plummet. Trade deadline ennui. August and September rally. Wild-card near-miss.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

This article pretty much lays out what we can expect this season. I don't know about you, but it's pretty hard to get excited about a season when you already know the ending of the story. I feel like I've just found spoilers for the ending of the Sopranos series.

Anyhow, I'm just tired of our Phils killing their phans more slowly and softly than any other team I've ever followed. It is really uncanny.