MLB SHOWDOWN 2018 SET -- Philadelphia Phillies

Only one more NL squad to go after this one, the set is REALLY coming to a close!!! And so, the penultimate National League squad, the Philadelphia Phillies!!! The Phillies had a strong start, made some strong moves at the trade deadline, were 15 games over .500 on August 7, and were in first place on August 12... but then the bottom fell out and they finished 80-82. Consequently, the Phillies are an intriguing, potential-filled squad with some real bright spots but some obvious holes at each level. After adding Bryce Harper, who they were hoping would put together an epic, "A-Rod after going to the Rangers" card, the Phillies entered 2019 with lots of hype to build off the squad below!

Lineup:

The Phillies have a solid lineup with lots of useful hitters, although the lack of OB 10 hitters can be fatal against high Control pitchers. However, there's plenty of POP in this lineup, especially Rhys Hoskins. His lack of defense makes him an ideal DH draft pick. At the top, Cesar Hernandez is a great, cheap option for a leadoff man -- solid OB, decent speed, and on at 3. Wilson Ramos is my favorite catcher in the set with his combination of high OB, defense, and extra-base power. Carlos Santana and Justin Bour are a stellar 4/5 combo, but won't put any fear into most managers. I actually really like Nick Williams for only 230 points for all the extra-base rolls on his chart, but the OB 7 will scare off a lot of managers. The lineup ends with a trio of OB 6 hitters, which will actually be useful against low control starters thanks to how much power they all have.

As to the bench, Jose Bautista adds a really solid card off the bench. Kingery is AWFUL and Alfaro is similarly terrible, but at least has some OB 6, HR at 17 power.

Rotation: Aaron Nola is a bonafide ace and one of the best starters in the whole set. Not only does he bring a Tier 2 card with a high control, but doesn't surrender doubles -- that's going to make him a very early draft pick, so prioritize him early. Unfortunately, there's a big drop off after Nola. Arrieta is a bland Tier 4, followed up by Tier 5 Pivetta and Velasquez. Overall, not a great rotation but, compared to teams we've seen lately, Nola alone makes it average.

Bullpen: The strength of this team in 2017, it sadly took a step backwards in 2018. However, rookie Seranthony Dominguez came on the scene in a powerful way! His Tier 2 card doesn't surrender doubles and is an elite Closer card. Unfortunately, after the star rookie, the bullpen is a trio of Tier 4 pitchers. They'll be solid, but aren't overly great and there will be real struggles for this team when their Number 3 and 4 starters, with low control and IP 5, take the mound.

BONUS: Enjoy Matt's epic "throwback jersey" version of Seranthony!

Alright, so that's the Phillies!!! Only two more teams to go (Mariners and Reds) -- stay tuned!