With the new year upon us, here are five New Year's resolutions that would contribute to a successful 2021 baseball season in Philadelphia.
Phillies manage to keep J.T. Realmuto in Philadelphia.
Realmuto is the best backstop on the open market and will command a massive contract, but if he signs elsewhere, it'll be a devastating loss for the Phillies and John Middleton. The Phillies have been quiet this winter but now have a restructured front office led by Dave Dombrowski and Sam Fuld. Bryce Harper has been vocal about his desire for the club to keep Realmuto, plus he's been patient. That could easily change if Middleton and Co. fail to strike a deal, meaning we could be looking at an unhappy superstar stuck on a club looking to rebuild.
La Salle keeps baseball.
The college baseball landscape has changed radically because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, it may be the death knell for La Salle baseball as the university has announced plans to eliminate the program following the 2021 season. A group of recent grads has taken up the cause, organizing fundraising opportunities and asking the university to reconsider. Hopefully, they do.
A rebuilt, competent bullpen for the Phillies.
The Phillies bullpen last year was historically bad, but that's not all Matt Klentak's fault. Dombrowski and Fuld have their work cut out to construct a reliable bullpen that edges the Phillies closer to being a postseason contender. It's hard to imagine anything but an improvement in 2021, but incrementally improving won't be enough.
Alec Bohm pushes for an All-Star nod in 2021.
Bohm joined the Phils two weeks into the season last year and looked solid. He hit .338 over 44 games and finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting. It's a small sample size, but he looks the part to be one of the better third basemen in baseball. Bohm, along with Harper and Rhys Hoskins, could equate to a formidable trio in the middle of the Phillies lineup.
Philly D-III programs earn proper recognition.
As it stands now, the only D-III program in the region earning any preseason poll votes is Haverford. Things will change as the season draws near, but it wouldn't be a surprise early on to see three or four programs from the region earning poll recognition. Of course, this hinges on conferences and programs returning to play with a schedule resembling something close to normal.
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