How much will the Bryce Harper injury affect the Phillies chances/odds of making the playoffs?

Unless you've been stranded in the boonies with no interweb, you've likely heard about the Blake Snell heater that struck a bailing Bryce Harper in the left thumb. The end result was a nasty break that will effectively cost him and the Phillies around 40 games (1/4 of the season) of the reigning MVP anchoring the Philly lineup at Designated Hitter.   Although initially it was hoped surgery could be avoided, it became apparent this was the only course of action. The docs at Sports Injury Central characterize the situation with the following update: The surgery decision confirms that Harper's ...

Read more