season with win but still need improvement

Appreciation Day at Veterans Stadium. The Phillies fell behind the Montreal Expos 5-0, but rallied and left the fans with smiles locking up a 6-5 victory to end the season.

It is very clear this team could hit this past season. They showed it all year. But, hitting alone will not get the job done. Two key elements hurt this team once again.

The first is injuries. The Phils lost Curt Schilling late in the sea- son never to return until next year. Power-hitter Bobby Abreu is scheduled to have surgery to remove loose fragments from his right elbow.

Key players on the injured list have always hurt the Phillies in the past. Perhaps the team trainer should look at new programs during the off-season for the players.

The second element that hurt this team this year was the poor pitching. With the exception of