Most teams would kill to be in the Philadelphia Phillies' mess. They've fired one manager, and are reportedly prepared to part ways with another as soon as the season ends. They've spent much to the season uncertain about the regular availability of Zack Wheeler.
Longtime rotational anchor Aaron Nola is mired in the worst season of his career. Bryce Harper and the front office are on precarious footing. Trea Turner can't hit, and Alec Bohm is approaching Ben Simmons levels of unpopularity among Philly fans.
Judging by the headlines this summer, the Phillies are an abject disaster -- a disaster that's among the best teams in MLB. It's difficult for even the most hardened grouch to find anything to complain about with the Fightin's at the moment, though. Jhoan Duran on Wednesday nailed down the Phillies' sixth consecutive victory, giving them a two-game cushion over the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card hunt and closing the gap with the Atlanta Braves to 4 1/2 games in the NL East.
When Duran entered the game against the Miami Marlins with Philadelphia leading 4-1, fans gleefully waved their phone flashlights per the tradition of Duran's Citizens Bank Park entrance. Not even the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast booth was immune to the moment. Color analyst John Kruk whipped out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and tapped his play-by-play partner Tom McCarthy to join in -- which he happily did.
Kruk and McCarthy remain one of the most underrated duos in sports broadcasting. Their participation in Duran's presentation followed a hilarious bit earlier in the game in which they turned Kruk inadvertently referring to themselves as "leaders of the free world" into an extended exchange about who they'd hire to tend to the White House rose garden. It's impossible to watch the Phillies without the pair drawing out incredulous chuckles several times a game.
All of which might be the best part about the Phillies playing good baseball again. When things are going well and the mood around the team is loose, Kruk and McCarthy are more free to goof around and provide more priceless moments. More MLB: Cooper Flagg Bobblehead Given Away at Minor League Game Listed for $30K
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