No Place Like Home, Except For Phillies

There’s no place like home. That was true for Dorothy and Toto, but not so much for the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies.

Heading into action tonight the National League East leading Phils have a record of 66–49 for a .574 winning percentage, which ranks them fourth overall in Major League Baseball. But the Phils might want to trade a few remaining home series for road trips to finish out the regular season.

Incredibly, the Phillies have just a .500 (29 – 29) record at home, worst of all MLB division leading teams, and an outstanding 37 – 20 record (.649 winning pct.) on the road!

Either the City of Brotherly Love must be getting soft when hosting opposing teams, or the Phillies are not eating the prescribed amount of cheese-steaks for pre-game meals—maybe a little of both. Where’s the crudeness, the raucous crowd, the only city that ever booed Santa Claus, for God’s sake? You folks have to pick it up and make it tougher for visiting teams coming in to play at Citizens Bank Park.

The talk of road records is a sore subject for two teams contending in the AL East. While the first-place Yankees are a respectable 6 games over .500 on the road, the second-place Red Sox and third-place Rays are struggling, and it may lead to one or both of their undoing as a Wild Card entry. Boston is 5 games under water while Tampa Bay could be drowning in their 10 games under road record.

The only MLB division leading team with a losing road record is Detroit. The Tigers have managed to stay atop the AL Central with the lowest winning percentage overall (.530) and very pedestrian 24 – 36 record away from Comerica Park.

With a precious 40 games to go, as pennant chasing teams come around the clubhouse turn and begin to head for home, the wins will count just as big whether they come at home or away.