The final countdown

The Phillies loss to the Indians in Cleveland on Wednesday night put them at 9,990 losses all-time. So by my math they are just 10 losses away from becoming the first-ever franchise with 10,000 losses in any sport.

Truly an epic achievement, especially for sarcastic 20-something fans who have never seen any of Philadelphia's four pro sports teams win any sort of championship. But hey, at least the Phillies have a strong argument as the worst team ever. Who else can make that claim?

It is worth noting that the Phillies will cross the milestone while enjoying a mildly successful run (for them). They have finished above .500 for four straight years, a mighty achievement, even with no playoff appearances in that stretch.

At least current fans have a wide collection of exciting and appealing players to root for. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and even Shane Victorino are some of the most likeable Phillies since the heady days of Macho Row in 1993. It's better than the Von Hayes era, that's for sure.

One Web site is tracking the countdown to 10,000 losses and offering fans an opportunity to vent their frustrations. You can can check it out here.

Tom Hope, web editor