How a suspended Phillies season may have sparked a new rivalry

Frustration has been setting in for each and every Phillies fan. They opened their season a week ago. Now, they have to sit around and do nothing, through no fault of their own. The Phillies season is on hold for the time being and it may just spark a new rivalry

For years, the Phillies had a rotating door of NL East rivals. The Braves, Nationals, and, especially, Mets all got under the Phillies’ skins during different periods of time.

From 1995 to 2005, the Atlanta Braves and their fans shoved their powerhouse down our throats. The 2010s saw the rise of “Nattitude”. Do I need to say more about that? The New York Mets just were the Mets and were like a buzzing fly. They’d annoy you, go away, and come back, repeatedly.

Meet the new Mets

If you didn’t know, 2020 has been plagued by…well, a plague. After the Phillies had a minor outbreak while in Florida, they did their best to keep everyone safe. For all intents and purposes, Joe Girardi and Phillies’s leadership seemed to be running a tight and very clean ship.

But, everything changed when the Marlins team arrived.

Going into Sunday’s game against the Phillies, the Marlins knew they had a problem. Three players had tested positive. Soon after, a full-on outbreak occurred. So far, there have been 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Marlins.

Another Marlins player has tested positive for COVID-19, but the team anticipated this result from its contact tracing, a source tells The Athletic. Latest positive case brings team totals to 17 players and two coaches, though one of the coaches has since tested negative.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2020

Because the Marlins made a reckless decision, the Phillies aren’t going to be playing a game until at least Monday. More importantly, the Marlins put Phillies’ players and their families’ lives at risk.

So far, no Phillies player has tested positive, but a coach and clubhouse attendant have.

The Phillies have canceled all workouts today at Citizens Bank Park after a coach and home clubhouse staffer tested COVID-19 positive.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) July 30, 2020

The worst of it all is the Marlins’ outbreak came from an alleged “night on the town” while in Atlanta.

The players who went to that club should be sent home until 2021, and the organization should be fined. Multiple teams thrown into disarray because a couple Marlins couldn’t control themselves. Brutal. https://t.co/wPGAO9S5Dr
— Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB) July 29, 2020

#MLB internal investigation found the #Marlins were very lapse in following protocols during Atlanta trip last weekend, players going out, players in hotel bar, etc. Lots of MLB people very unhappy with Miami

— Scott Miller (@ScottMillerBbl) July 31, 2020

This most likely wasn’t a freak accident, but more so sheer stupidity on the Marlins’ behalf. Let me reiterate. THEY KNEW THEY HAD A PROBLEM AND THE PLAYERS DECIDED “OH, IT’S NO BIG DEAL”.

The Marlins flouted MLB procedure and decided to play anyway when they knew members of their team had COVID-19.https://t.co/qvUIFJThtj
— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) July 27, 2020

The Marlins are now public enemy number 1 for the Phillies. If there are no punishments for the Marlins’ manager Don Mattingly or for any of the players if they did go out, the Phillies must start taking it to the Marlins. Forget last years’ 9-10 record against them. Forget the start to this Phillies season.

It’s time to get some good old stone-cold revenge by beat the crap out of the Marlins on the field. Hungry dogs run faster and the Phillies are hungry to play baseball.

Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports