Phillies off to best 50-game start in franchise history

With an 11-4 win over the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, the Phillies improved to 36-14 this season. That record stands alone as the best 50-game start in the franchise’s 142-year history.

The 102-win 2011 Phils and their collection of aces didn’t win 36 of their first 50. None of Mike Schmidt’s late-1970s powerhouse teams matched this year’s start. The beloved 1993 squad, the 1950 Whiz Kids, the 1915 pennant-winning Phillies, the 2008 and 1980 World Series champions… well, you get it.

Winning 36 of the first 50 is an incredible feat, last accomplished by the ’01 Mariners (who happened to win 116 games, tied for the most in MLB history). But if you’re worried that the Phils will get complacent, rest assured that manager Rob Thomson knows it’s how you finish that matters, not how you start.

“What’d they do?” asked Thomson when a reporter mentioned the ’01 Mariners.

“They won 116 games, they were pretty good.”

“But what’d they do at the end?”

“They did not win the championship.”

“That’s right,” continued Thomson. “So you gotta keep going. You just gotta keep grinding, keep pushing, all the way through.”

One of Thomson’s best attributes as a manager is that he always takes a long-term view. He didn’t panic and cancel scheduled rest days for key players after the Phils lost the first two games of the season, for example. He has been careful to manage Spencer Turnbull’s innings despite Turnbull’s incredible start to the season. He is patient with players working through slumps. He shows up to press conferences with the same demeanor after a 10-0 win or a 10-0 loss.

If anyone’s going to keep the Phillies in the right mindset, it’s Topper.

That’s the necessary attitude for Thomson and his players. They know these wins will be nothing but a historical footnote if the Phillies fail to capture the ultimate prize. So they will keep their heads down and grind. It’s clear that this team is a professional group with exactly one goal in mind.

The rest of us, however, have the fortunate ability to sit back and enjoy the ride. In that spirit, let’s check in on some of this team’s early accomplishments:

– The Phillies are 28-6 in their last 34 games. No other Phils team has ever won 28 games over any 34-game span.

– The starting rotation has the best ERA in baseball (2.64) and the lineup has scored the most runs in baseball (272). Sources tell me that’s a good combination.

– Matt Strahm has an active 20-game/20.1-inning scoreless streak.

– Alec Bohm leads major league baseball in both doubles (20) and RBI (46).

– Ranger Suarez is 9-0 with a 1.36 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP through 10 starts, and he might be the Phillies’ number three starter in a postseason series.

– Bryce Harper is slashing .359/.455/.656 thus far in May, with five home runs and 18 RBI.

– Three Phillies relief pitchers have a season ERA under 2.00: Orion Kerkering (1.84), Jeff Hoffman (1.31), and Strahm (0.87).

Are there any concerns or weaknesses with this squad? Maybe a few. Nick Castellanos has a .565 OPS, but he’s historically streaky and the Phillies have weathered his cold spell without a problem. Wednesday’s starting pitcher, Taijuan Walker, lasted just 4.2 innings and has a 5.06 ERA. But he’s fighting his way back from some injuries and the Phils have rotation depth if needed. Other than that… uh… the backup catcher isn’t hitting particularly well? That’s where we are with this Phillies team, friends.

In Wednesday’s game, the Phils spotted the defending World Series champs two runs before winning by a touchdown. Walker’s early exit gave the bullpen some work, and they allowed just one run over the remainder of the game. Harper, Realmuto, and Edmundo Sosa hit home runs.

Someone asked me on twitter today whether we’re witnessing the best Phillies team in history. It’s too early to make that call, of course. But it could be. This team may be as dominant in the regular season as the 2011 Phils and as fun and goofy throughout the summer as the 1993 group. Then, if they bring home a World Series championship like the 2008 or 1980 Phils? In the words of R. Clayton Davis, one of history’s greatest fictional philosophers:

On Thursday, Zack Wheeler (5-3, 2.52 ERA) will face Rangers LHP Andrew Heaney (0-5, 4.43 ERA) as the Phillies look to complete another series sweep.