Spring is Over

After finishing 11-16 in Florida, the Phillies have returned home for a couple of exhibition games against the Red Sox.  I really think the Phillies need to win at least 1 of these 2 games if they hope to start the season hot.  We can only say "it’s just spring training" for so long.  These two limbo games will be taken seriously by the players and managers so I hope to see the Phillies competitive against a playoff-caliber team.  I especially would like to see a good game tomorrow against Daisuke Matsuzaka since I will be in attendance.  (That of course means free Howard-Utley t-shirts if you happen to find me in the parking lot).

So there are high expectations for the weekend and there are high expectations for the seasons.  It’s Playoffs or Bust in 2007.  For what it’s worth, Baseball Prospectus has the Phillies’ chances

of winning the World Series at 34% – the highest in the National League.  Their 42% chance of making the playoffs also tops the NL.  However, BP only projects them winning 88 games.  That might not be enough for the playoffs, it wasn’t in 2005.  So with that, I ask the question, how many games do you think the Phillies will win this season?