Since the next Philadelphia Phillies shutout is due any moment – after all,
it’s been hours since their last one – we’d better move quickly.

The challenge here is not to rush to declare greatness. The
challenge is to not get so caught up in the Phillies numbers, which tend to wow
you like a 480-foot homer, that we call them a surer bet for October than candy
bars on Halloween.

Things can happen. Plague, pestilence, the Milwaukee Brewers. Nothing is certain except death, taxes and
the seventh inning stretch

We have now reached September, but the Phillies have
promises to keep and miles to go before their victory parade. Still, it’s
getting harder and harder not to leap head first onto the moving bandwagon.

Look at all the high-caloric Philadelphia statistics that
must be ingested in small portions, if we are to hold down the hype. All through
Wednesday, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau.

The Phillies have lost back to-back games only six times
all season. The last team to own fewer losing streaks was the Chicago Cubs – in
1906.

They travel better than expensive luggage, not dropping
consecutive road games in their last 35. They recently made a long and arduous
trip west, and came home 9-1.

The pitchers have thrown 19 shutouts. Three of the lowest
nine earned run averages in the game come from the Philadelphia rotation — Roy Halladay, Cole Hamel and Cliff Lee.