If you're panicking about the Phillies, you are an idiot.

Seriously. Everybody needs to calm down.

I'm writing this with the Phils losing 9-3 in the sixth inning of their third game of the season after they dropped their first two, but I'm still not too worried about it.

Message boards and columns are abuzz this week about the honeymoon being over and the Phillies falling back to the pack after their World Series win last season.

Their starters suck, their hitters aren't ready, and it's all going to shambles.

But honestly, it's only been three games, and they haven't even lost this third one yet.

People like to make a big deal about the first games of the season because they've been waiting five months for them. If a couple games like the Phils' first two happened in mid-June, nobody would think twice about it.

But because they scored one run in their first two games, people are getting ready to write the Phillies off because of another bad start.

The thing is, they haven't even played enough games to constitute a "start". If the Phils start the year 12-3, it will turn out to be a very good start.

A couple of stats to keep in mind:

The Phils started the season 4-6 in 2008, and 2-8 in 2007. They ended up winning a World Series and a division title, respectively.

The only defending champion to start a regular season by scoring fewer than one run in its first two games was the 1943 St. Louis Cardinals. They finished 105-49.