There's something wrong with the 2021 Phillies, and it's the same type of problem that's been persistent for years.
It's the kind of problem we all feel when watching this team, even if the standings try to tell us otherwise. It shows itself in big moments, like a flubbed Sunday Night Baseball game against the Mets, or an extra-innings disaster in Atlanta, or a sloppy weekend in Dunedin, Florida. And it certainly is now being shown in the visible and vocal frustration by manager Joe Girardi.
The problem is mutli-facted and difficult to remedy, but it's become quite clear: The Phillies aren't winners.
The collection of players put together by a combination of Matt Klentak, Andy MacPhail and Dave Dombrowski may be talented and capable of winning games, going on a random five-game winning streak here or there and competing in a mediocre division. But the "something just feels off" thing you feel when watching them is exactly this. There's no one in that clubhouse that has won anything of significance, and many were raised through an organization that has known nothing but losing for a decade.
Think about it for a minute and start going through the players of significance on the roster.
Bryce Harper: Never won a playoff series. In fact, the Nationals won the whole thing the minute he left the clubhouse.
J.T. Realmuto: Often thought of as a "winning player" because of his style of play and brooding demeanor, but he's never been on a team that went above .500.
Andrew McCutchen: Never won a playoff series.
Jean Segura: Five franchises, 10 seasons, nearly 5,000 plate appearances, yet not a single one in a postseason game. Bad luck? Bad timing? Perhaps. But this weekend's nonsensical defensive performance coupled with the dugout tiff with Girardi reminded us what other organizations have likely thought of this player over the years: Nice hitter, but not a winning player.
Zack Wheeler: Injured during the only successful run the Mets have had in years.
Jose Alvarado: Remove from the Rays postseason roster last October because he couldn't be trusted in the World Series, then given away in a trade.
Didi Gregorius: Actually won a playoff series with Girardi in 2017, but the Yankees made no attempt to bring him back when their win-curve went from "on the upswing" to "championship ready."
Harper watched manager after manager take the blame for his team's inability to get over the hump. Segura has made every manager he's played for blow up at him or take the blame for him. McCutchen, red-hot right now, has shown more personality on social media than leadership and fire when it comes to winning baseball games in Philadelphia.
And those are just the mercenaries that have been purchased or traded for in recent years. None came from championship cultures. They are supposed to be the veteran leaders here.
The core group of home grown guys? Please. From Rhys Hoskins looking like a butcher (and moping about it) in the field, to Aaron Nola melting down late in seasons, to Alec Bohm struggling in his second year to Scott Kingery becoming unplayable, there's nothing close to a rock to count on. Some good players? Sure. Talent? Yes. But all those guys have known nothing but losing or mediocrity since entering the franchise. It's rubbed off, and all of their collective body language shows it in crucial moments.
Girardi has not been a good Phillies manager thus far. His tactical decisions have left much to be desired. But a blowup in the dugout on Sunday (and subsequent post game back-and-forth with the media) wasn't a moment to criticize the Phillies manager. It was one that should be eye opening to us all. After 101 games with the Phillies, Girardi finally realized the (largely impossible) task at hand: Trying to win with a team that has no idea how to do it, consisting of a core that's never experienced winning.
Something tells me the Girardi-Segura incident won't be lost in the flow of the season. It's a tipping point. A new general manager, a new manager, and new hope can't change the missing "it" factor this roster has carried for what's going on three seasons of supposed contention.
Maybe Dombrowski shakes the team up with a major trade. Maybe he looks for a bullpen arm, starter or bat that comes from a winning culture (Kris Bryant?) before the July 30 trade deadline. Maybe Girardi continues to have blow ups during and after games.
But the time for pretending this Phillies team will just magically learn to win ended when Girardi went at Segura on Sunday. Now it's time for the franchise to face the music about the group they created.
