Philadelphia Phillies: The third wild card spot is best for a deep playoff run

The Philadelphia Phillies still have to worry about even making it to the postseason before we can start picking and choosing opponents. It looks like they have only two options. They can either finish with the second wild card and play the Atlanta Braves or New York Mets (if Atlanta catches them for the division) while on the road or finish dead-last in the National League playoff spot and get a much better first-round opponent.

Regardless of the situation, the Phillies would need a miracle of their own plus a collapse from someone else to be anything more than a road playoff team. Preferably, the last wild card spot would set them up far better than an opening series versus one of their more elite division rivals.

Why the Philadelphia Phillies are best off making the third Wild Card spot.

Barring a major change, the last wild card team in the National League plays the St. Louis Cardinals to open things up. They could possibly go up against the Brewers if Milwaukee figures things out. More likely, it’s the Cardinals hosting the Phillies, Brewers, or San Diego Padres to start things off.

The Cardinals look much different from when the Phillies last played them. They actually have deep starting pitching, and Albert Pujols is annihilating baseballs in his quest to get to 700. As good as they may be, there isn’t the same fear factor as there would be against the Mets or Braves.

The Mets, especially, have the Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer duo at the top. Atlanta is worth fearing because of their bats more than the pitching. Maybe it’s not giving the Phillies enough credit to think they have no shot against either of those clubs to begin things, or maybe the bad taste of losing to the Mets so often this year has found a permanent place in our nostrils.

The Philadelphia Phillies could beat the Cardinals in round one. In a three-game series all taking place in St. Louis, anything can happen.

After that, they’d go on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers in a more traditional five-game series. The Dodgers might be the last club anyone wants to face. However, following a layoff due to the bye handed to the top two seeds, one has to wonder if this new MLB playoff format will give the warmer clubs an edge.

There is no easy path to the World Series. Recent Phillies teams have struggled enough just to get to a 163rd game that matters. Given all of the choices, feed me a playoff clincher on the last day of the season and hope our hearts survive it.