The Philadelphia Phillies are sitting at the bottom of the cellar in the N.L. East and time is quickly running out for them to make a postseason appearance. I can't believe I am uttering these words, because many sports fans are just as stunned as I am. If I told you in the beginning of the year, that the Philadelphia Phillies would be in last place by season's end. You would-of laughed in my face and probably told me to get lost.

However, with the all-star break behind us now and the Phillies feature a pathetic record of (43-54). This was the team with supposedly the best pitching staff in the major leagues. The last few years Cliff Lee has dominated hitters throughout the season and this year he has just earned his first win, after the all-star break. I can tell you this, that every sports analyst in the world could not of predicted his short-comings.

In the first half of the season, the Phillies struggles could-of-been validated. Considering, they sustained pivotal injuries to Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Their offense was an embarrassment and that was their main concerns last year. Nevertheless, now that their pitching aces hold losing records, it seems they have more issues than they realized.

Roy Halladay is one of the best pitchers in MLB and he has only acquired 4 wins on the year, so far. Of course, he spent some time on the disabled list, but he has still not performed to his full potential. With an earned run average above four, there are suspicions that he is not 100% healthy. In fact, the only pitcher that has performed well has been Cole Hamels. Hamels has really been the only bright spot on this team, with an (11-4) record and 3.23 ERA. With talk about trading him before the trade deadline, he might be wearing a different uniform in the not to distant future.

Currently, the Washington Nationals are in first place in the N.L. East with a 14 game lead over the Phillies. There is still plenty of baseball left in the season, but if the Phillies are going to compete, they better start now. Last year, there were monumental collapses in both leagues and right-now Phillies fans are praying for another one. Although, the Nationals are proving they are here to stay and plan on making their own postseason achievements.

In conclusion, it's almost hard to fathom with the talent the Phillies have that they are in last place in their division. If they do not turn this team around, it will be one of the most discouraging seasons in franchise history. The question still-remains, can the Philadelphia Phillies bounce back from this horrific start? With the odds stacked heavily against them, it will take nothing short of a miracle for them to make the postseason.