What happens now?

My friends and family will tell you that I'm just about the most optimistic person around. Lebron James and Dwayne Wade challenge me and a friend to a game of back yard two-on-two, winners get Scarlett Johannson and Megan Fox's undying love. Losers are exciled to Alcatraz. I'll come up with a plan of how if we play in our back yard, we can use our home court advantage and take them. So it pains me that the overriding turn of our opening week of blog posts has been somewhat negative. Anti-wave, questions about the draft, the Bullpen game..... and now on the heels of trading Jim Thome for slightly more than a bucket of tobacco spit, the Phillies have lost five games in a row, are now a season's worst nine games under .500 and sit eight games back from the second wild card. So we are left with the questions "Is the firesale about to begin? Have we seen the end of the current crop of Phillies run of success?"

I want to say no, want to believe that hope remains. But with each week that goes by without a turn around, with each lost series, with every blown lead and man left in scoring position, my resolve weakens. I don't believe Ruben Amaro is yet ready to wave the white flag and sell Cole Hamels, Shane Victorino, and other veterans to the highest bidder. I do, however, think he might be taking bids. What about you? Is the fire sale on the way? Can the calvary of Utley, Howard, and Halladay find a way to lead the Phillies back to contention? Stay tuned....