The Philadelphia Phillies entered the last series of the season in a precarious position. Having already sealed their division title and playoff ticket, they faced the rival Atlanta Braves, a team in the midst of an historic collapse, with two competing conventional wisdoms. The Phillies had the option of tanking against the Braves, ensuring their division rivals the wild card and earning themselves a matchup with what would likely be the Arizona Diamondbacks, the consensus weak leak of the playoff contenders. On the other hand, the Phils could have gone full strength, save setting a playoff rotation, attempting to demoralize and humiliate their hated rival. In the process, the Phillies would help the St. Louis Cardinals win the wild card, pitting themselves against the hottest team in baseball, always a dangerous opponent in a short series.
The Phillies chose to play the Braves in a pre-playoff series, pulling out all stops to eliminate Atlanta. It worked, Atlanta fell to the Cardinals, and karma came around. The Phillies and Braves now both sit on the outside, as the Cards make their way to the NLCS. Hope it was worth it, boys.
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