Process still more important than standings for Phillies

We'll offer the same disclaimer as last time: If your ability to enjoy the Phillies' current run is tenuous enough to be threatened by a few facts, then you might be better off finding something else to read.

For those of you able to enjoy the present moment without sticking your fingers in your ears and yelling "la la la la la, I can't hear you" whenever someone offers an observation that conflicts with your preferred reality, let's do this.

In a way, the Phillies' start reminds me of the Braves' start a couple of years ago. In 2014, Atlanta was 24-19 on the morning of May 20 after most experts pegged the Braves to compete for last place in the NL East. They went 55-64 the rest of the way, finishing 79-83.

For the Phillies, that would constitute a tremendous season. And it's not out of the question. It's just a long way from playoff contention, which, I think most people would agree, is where the Phillies still are.

Several other teams got off to surprisingly hot starts that season, including the Brewers (27-18), Rockies (25-20), and Marlins (23-22). None of them made the playoffs, and only the Brewers finished with 80+ wins (Rockies, 66; Marlins, 77; Brewers, 82).

Why is this worth mentioning? It depends on how you define "worth." It isn't meant as a word of warning. I haven't heard many people suggest that the Phillies should start looking to flip one of their young arms for a bat that can help them immediately.

More than anything, it's just kind of interesting how much the Phillies have outperformed their meager offense. At the moment, only one of their top seven regulars has an OPS+ above the league average (Odubel Herrera at 143). Five of the remaining six are at least 25 percent below the league average. Besides Herrera, the only two players on the roster with an OPS+ of 100+ are Carlos Ruiz (112 in 75 plate appearances) and Andres Blanco (146 in 52 PAs).

This whole season has been a paradox thus far: While the Phillies are winning games, outside of Herrera, they haven't seen much from some of the young players they are hoping will use this season to establish themselves as legitimate pieces of a future contender.

Herrera's success alone would make this season a win. But what if that's offset by a severe regression by Maikel Franco (.243/.285/.428 in 165 PAs)? At 26 years old and with more than enough flight hours to have proven people wrong, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis are right on the verge of the are-what-they-are designation. Same goes for Peter Bourjos, though that wasn't necessarily a big question heading into the season. Ryan Howard hasn't done anything to keep the faint hope alive that the Phillies might spin him off for a shot-in-the-dark prospect.

The funny thing is that this reminder that it's still quite early in the baseball season might contain more promise than pessimism. Franco has shown throughout his career that he can get hot quickly. His power numbers are still there, and he isn't striking out at an obscene rate. The Phillies are certainly hoping for more than .243/.285/.428, but Herrera has shown us that the big leagues are a feeling-out process; Perhaps some of his new approach will end up rubbing off on Franco.

Same goes for Tyler Goeddel. He has a lot more to prove than Franco, and a lot more reasons to doubt whether he will ever end up doing it. But he was one of the potential payoffs of this season, and through 65 plate appearances, it is far too early to render any judgments. He has picked it up as he has gotten into the lineup more regularly, so there's that.

It's just a weird time to be following this team. A .500 season would be great, but it is still the process that matters more. The wins and losses that will matter most in terms of getting this team back to legitimate contention are those individual ones: Can Goeddel become a piece of the puzzle? How much better of a big-league hitter will Franco be heading into 2017? Can Herrera really play like an MVP candidate at a premium position all season?

The standings are great. But even after a fun 24-17 start, they aren't close to the most interesting thing to watch about this team.