The People's Phillies Blog

Romero Returns

2010-12-27T08:26:00.000-08:00

After declining his $4.5 million option for next year, and having a deal with Dennys Reyes fall through, the Phillies have resigned left-handed reliever J.C. Romero. The contract details have not yet been made public, but knowing that the Phillies are now extremely tight for money after signing Cliff Lee, it stands to reason that Romero's contract is similar to the $1.1 million deal that they were prepared to give Reyes.

With Romero, the bullpen is all but set for next year: Brad Lidge as the closer, Ryan Madson setting him up, Romero from the left side, Jose Contreras, Danys Baez, David Herndon, and the final slot (assuming they keep seven pitchers in the bullpen) will likely be kept for a spring training prize. If for some reason Joe Blanton isn't traded, the slot will probably go to Kyle Kendrick, who would serve as the long reliever/slot starter. If Blanton is traded, which seems likely, the likes of Sergio Escalona, Mike Zagurski, Vance Worley, Drew Carpenter, and Scott Matheison will battle it out. Unless the Phillies shock everyone by signing a right fielder, their major offseason moves are probably done. resigning Romero and Contreras takes care of their bullpen needs, they feel comfortable trying some combination of Ben Francisco/Ross Gload/Domonic Brown/John Mayberry Jr. in right field, and then that whole Cliff Lee thing happened. It's possible that they would still resign Chad Durbin, and that would pretty much set the bullpen for the year, unless they're not actually committed to Herndon. At this point, the Phillies will probably make some minor league signings, and those guys will have opportunities to get a bench or bullpen slot, or maybe even the final rotation slot.

Romero struggled with his control last year, issuing 29 walks in 36 2/3 innings, but that may have been related to his injury filled 2009. He still managed a 3.68 ERA. Even with his control issues, left-handed hitters hit .217 against him, in comparison to Reyes against whom they hit .307. Even with his mediocre 2010, Romero has a career 2.60 ERA with the Phillies, and as long as they're signing a left-handed reliever of his caliber, such as Reyes, Joe Biemel, Ron Mahay, Randy Flores, and so on, it may as well be a guy who has been successful for them in the past. Best case scenario, he can bounce back and put up the kinds of numbers he's had for Philly in the past. Worst case scenario, he battles injury, though that wasn't an issue last year, and someone like Escalona has to step up, a possibility the Phillies were apparently considering anyway.

Actually, the ultimate best-case scenario is the reincarnation of three-headed monster at the end of the Phillies bullpen formed by Lidge, Madson, and Romero that happened in 2008.

O, Ho-Lee Night

2010-12-13T21:53:00.000-08:00

This time last year, Ruben Amaro claimed that it wasn't possible to keep Cliff Lee and acquire Roy Halladay. Apparently it is possible to keep Roy Halladay and acquire Cliff Lee.

Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels reported that Cliff Lee contacted him and told him that he was going to sign a contract with the Phillies. Apparently, he's going to sign a five year contract, with an option for a sixth year, that could amount to a total of $120 million. Both the Rangers and the New York Yankees, who were widely expected to land the stud pitcher when the offseason began, were offering more years and more money. However, in the end, the Phillies swooped in and Lee decided to return to a place he had never wanted to leave in the first place.

This is what the Phillies rotation will look like next year:

Roy Halladay

Cliff Lee

Roy Oswalt

Cole Hamels

Joe Blanton/Kyle Kendrick/who really cares at this point?

I can honestly say, I don't think I have ever seen a rotation as potentially dominant and intimidating as that in my life. I have to imagine there are people twice my age who could say the same thing. The fifth spot in the rotation aside, these aren't just four outstanding pitchers. These are four pitchers that have been stud aces in their careers. These are four pitchers who would unquestionably be Opening Day starters for most teams in the league (with the possible exception of Hamels). These are also four pitchers that have already had fantastic success in Philadelphia. In one season...

- Halladay: 21-10, 2.44 ERA, 219 K in 33 starts (plus a Cy Young Award)

- Lee: 7-4, 3.39 ERA, 74 K in 12 starts (plus, remember what he did when he first came to Philly, and how dominant he was in the playoffs for them)

- Oswalt: 7-1, 1.74 ERA, 73 K in 13 starts

- Hamels: 14-10, 3.53 ERA, 205 K in 34 starts (this is a 162-game estimate from Baseball-Reference.com)

These are also guys who will be around for more than one year, with the possible exception of Oswalt, who has an option for 2012. If all goes well next year, I'd be stunned if he didn't take it. With this signing, the Phillies have set the tone of the franchise for years to come. They are committed to winning with starting pitching.

What are the ramifications of Lee's return? The Phillies have been shopping Joe Blanton and Raul Ibanez in the hope of lowering the payroll. Odds are, Blanton will be traded and Kyle Kendrick will be the fifth starter. Whether or not they should trade Ibanez, I don't know. Even though they've already lost Jayson Werth, it might not be a bad idea since it would allow top prospect Domonic Brown to start without making the lineup any more left-handed than it would have been. Ibanez has also been erratic in the past couple years and isn't getting any younger. Either way, his contract expires after this year, and the Phillies would do well to get something for him while they still can. If he isn't traded in the offseason, I wouldn't be surprised if Ibanez were shopped at the trade deadline unless he proves to be an invaluable asset to the offense. If Ibanez goes, it is very possible that they would start an outfield of Domonic Brown, Shane Victorino, and Ben Francisco. Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing that.

Hard to say who would be in the market for guys like Blanton or Ibanez. Ibanez might have value to a team looking to compete next year, knowing that they're only bound to him for one year. Having missed out on Lee and Carl Crawford, I could see the Yankees being interested, or maybe a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers. Blanton is a harder sell. He's making a lot of money, and he simply hasn't been that good. The Phillies might have to take on some of his contract in order to trade him. But clearly, Blanton is the more expendable of the two players, and it's sounding like he's the one who will be dealt.

Who knows: maybe this plan of rotation-domination will blow up in the Phillies' face. Having four players used to being the top dog of the pitching staff could result in a clashing of egos, though it seems like these four guys are as level-headed as they come. When it was Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt last year, everyone did extremely well, and Cliff Lee has never been one to make a fuss about anything. In fact, last year the three aces benefitted from playing with each other. They inspired each other to go out and conquer their opponents. Lee had better offers from a team he went to the World Series with last year, and the most dominant franchise in all of sports, and yet he chose to take less to come back to the Phillies.

I remember the Phillies in the late 90's, when they were the pits of the National League. I remember when Scott Rolen demanded to be traded because he hated what was expected of him from Larry Bowa and from the Philadelphia fans (Honestly, I don't blame him; I would welcome him back to Philadelphia with open arms). I remember when J.D. Drew wouldn't sign with the Phillies when we drafted him because he didn't want to play in Philly (Drew I would not welcome back. Have fun sitting on the DL.). Maybe it's the way Charlie Manuel manages the team, maybe it's the rest of the management, maybe it's the gratitude in the clubhouse after taveling a long road in the past ten years to rebuild the team and establish themselves as a dominant team in the league. Whatever it is, in the past two years, two of the best pitchers in baseball, possibly the best two pitchers in baseball, have committed to play for this franchise for far less money than they could be making. That says a lot about what this franchise has become and the people who are in it.

Welcome home, Cliff Lee.

It's the Offseason, Charlie Brown!

2010-12-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

The season ended with Ryan Howard looking as Brian Wilson saved the National League Pennant. Wilson then helped to lead the Giants to a World Championship. Not exactly the ending the Phillies were hoping for after acquiring Roy 1 and Roy 2, Halladay and Oswalt, bringing back Placido Polanco, and winning 97 games to have the best record in the Major Leagues. The first set of Winter Meetings are already over, and here is a recap of what happened so far (in no particular order):

- GM Ruben Amaro Jr. announced his top priorities for the offseason: Improve the bullpen and find a right-handed option for right field. Sounds about right, though I would add starting pitching depth, including another high-level starter if available and if they want to intimidate the rest of the league.

- First base coach Davey Lopes and the Phillies could not reach a contract agreement, so Lopes is now with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lopes has a reputation as one of the best first base coaches in the league, and in his four years with the team, the Phillies have been among the top four teams in the NL in both stolen bases and fewest times caught stealing. However, the Phillies filled his position with former Phillie All-Star Juan Samuel who will become the third base coach, while Sam Perlozzo moves from third to first base.

- The Washington Nationals surprised pretty much everyone by signing Jayson Werth to a 7-year , $126 million dollar deal. People knew that Werth was one of the top free agents on the market, but no one expected a contract of that size. While Ruben Amaro Jr. claimed that they intended to pursue Werth, it seemed evident that they knew resigning him was a longshot. Pat Gillick brought Werth into the franchise in 2007 as a bench player, and over time he became a platoon player with Geoff Jenkins and then a key member of the offense. Now, Werth will be making bank with the Nationals until he's 38. As important as Werth was to the offense, attempting to top that contract would probably not have made much sense. Not surprised to see him go, but he will be missed.

- Both Ben Francisco and Kyle Kendrick had their contracts tendered. Also not surprising, as Francisco seems to be a main reason the team is okay with losing Werth. Kendrick has never become a permanent force in the rotation, but starting pitching depth is always valuable, so while the Phillies can control Kendrick, he's still reasonably young, and he isn't too expensive, they're probably better off keeping him. Kendrick could become a long reliever/backup starter if the Phillies sign another starter for the rotation (as I think they should... more on that later).

- Jose Contreras resigned with the Phillies for two years. Contreras filled every bullpen role last year the Phillies threw at him: long reliever, setup man, and closer. He wound up with a 6-4 record, 4 saves, and a 3.34 ERA in 67 games. Sounds lovely, except that he's 39 years old. But Charlie Manuel seems to like Contreras a lot, and if Ruben Amaro's plan is indeed to make the bullpen younger, presumably using some of the young guys in the system who have made appearances in the past couple years, having an elder statesman like Contreras is probably good.

Players who probably won't be back in 2011: Greg Dobbs, Chad Durbin, Paul Hoover, Jamie Moyer, Nate Robertson, J.C. Romero, Mike Sweeney.

- Dobbs had a lovely stint as a good pinch-hitter and part time third baseman, however once his playing time decreased, so did his effectiveness. Besides, having him and Ross Gload on the same team is a bit silly. Only thing Dobbs does that Gload doesn't is play third base.

- Durbin may actually resign. The Phillies are currently in negotiations with him. Durbin has been an effective member of the bullpen for quite a few years, and hopefully the Phillies can bring him back.

- Moyer is having surgery and may attempt a comeback in 2012, but it may be the end for the 48 year old anomaly. Then again, if he can pitch this long, who's to say that he can't find a way to keep going. If he does retire, the Phillies would be wise to snag him as a pitching coach somewhere in the system before someone else does.

- Once upon a time, Nate Robertson was a regular starting pitcher in the Detroit Tigers' rotation. In 2006, he had an ERA under 4.00. He did have over 100 strikeouts in five straight seasons, but that's about all I can say for him. Philly took a shot on him, it didn't seem to work. Oh well.

- Philly got three great years out of J.C. Romero, but after a season marked by inconsistency and injury, he's gone. Though, he had a 3.68 ERA. One could certainly do worse, and he's only 34. But he may command a larger contract than the Phillies would like to give him and he's been injured during the last two seasons. I wouldn't be surprised if they brought him back to a smaller contract if he goes unsigned, but most likely they'll look elsewhere for a lefty reliever.

- I liked the idea of having Mike Sweeney on the team, but he was basically a left-handed hitter for down the stretch who could spell Ryan Howard while he was recovering. Having him take a bench spot for an entire season makes no sense.

Players already brought in for 2011: Eddie Bonine, Kevin Cash, Erik Kratz, Jeff Larish, Michael Martinez, Dan Meyer, Brandon Moss.

- Who?

- Martinez was taken from the Nationals in the Rule 5 Draft. Not exactly a fair trade for Werth, but they'll also get a couple draft picks. Martinez is a solid defensive infielder who can play multiple positions. At best, he's another versatile, cheap player on the bench that will take the slot vacated by Dobbs. At worst, he goes back to the Nationals.

- The rest of the players were signed to minor league deals. Cash is a veteran backup catcher who probably becomes the third or fourth option at catcher. Larish looks like a younger version of Dobbs who looked okay with Oakland last year. Meyer was a solid left-handed reliever for Florida in 2009, but struggled and was injured last year. Moss started in right field for Pittsburgh in 2009, but he wasn't much of a factor then, and only played in 17 games for the Pirates last year.

- In other words, these guys are role players at best.

So where do the Phillies stand in accomplishing their goals:

Bullpen:

The only player the Phillies did come out of the Winter Meetings with was left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes. Well... sort of. They agreed to terms with him: 1.1 million with an option for 1.35 million in 2012. Once he passes a physical, the deal will be completed. He wasn't much better last year than Romero, and lefties hit him really well, so I'm not exactly sure what the appeal is. Apparently, they were in the running for George Sherrill, but Atlanta outbid them.

At the moment, they have Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, Contreras, Danys Baez, and David Herndon, so there will be either two or three spots open. Most likely, one spot will be a lefty reliever (which Reyes would cover), and another will be a long reliever/spot starter. If the Phillies do want to make the bullpen younger, they'll probably start committing to guys like Sergio Escalona, Antonio Bastardo, Drew Carpenter, Vance Worley, and Mike Zagurski. They may also bring Durbin back. There are quite a number of intriguing relievers on the market, including Miguel Batista, Brian Fuentes, Matt Guerrier, Bobby Jenks, Chad Qualls, Jon Rauch, Arthur Rhodes, and Kerry Wood just to name a few. I'm not saying all of these guys would be great fits, but there's a lot of available talent, so they should have no problem shoring up the bullpen with top notch talent.

Right Field:

Amaro keeps saying that he would be comfortable with the platoon of Francisco and Brown/Gload taking over for Werth, but he has also been exploring other options. He's said he would only make a move if it would truly upgrade what they already have. The Phillies liked Matt Diaz and Jeff Franceour, but they signed with Pittsburgh and Kansas City respectfully. Personally, I don't think they missed much losing out on either of them. There has also been talk of Scott Hairston, who I think has more upside than Diaz or Franceour.

There was also talk of trading with the Giants for Aaron Rowand. Rowand was a great fit while he was in Philly, and while he wouldn't supply the power that Werth had, he would be a welcome re-addition to the lineup. His ethic and clubhouse manner would be worth it. Giants GM Brian Sabean squashed rumors about a Rowand deal, but the Giants have a bunch of outfielders and Rowand didn't have a great year for them last year. Sabean claims Rowand is part of their plan next year, but I would imagine he could be had in a deal.

Other outfielders on the market that could be worth pursuing if they don't cost too much: Bill Hall (more as a utility bench player than a starter in right field), Brad Hawpe, Gary Matthews (would be great for the bench if Francisco becomes a starter), Xavier Nady. I might even suggest Magglio Ordonez, if he could be had for a short contract, and maybe, just maybe, Manny Ramirez would be worth it. He does have a history with Charlie Manuel, and it doesn't appear that many teams are interested in signing him. If he could be had for cheap, it could be a low-risk, high-reward situation.

Starting Pitching:

While there hasn't been an enormous amount of talk regarding getting another starter, there should be. If this is a team that expects to dominate the league, Joe Blanton and (most likely) Kyle Kendrick just isn't going to cut it for the bottom of the rotation. There is no reason the Phillies can't go out and find an excellent player for the fourth slot in the rotation. The Boston Red Sox (who after acquiring Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez may be the team to beat in the majors) have Josh Beckett, John Lackey, Jon Lester, Clay Bucholtz, and Daisuke Matsuzaka, with Tim Wakefield waiting in the wings. There is a major drop-off after the Phillies' top three pitchers and that is something that should be addressed.

The one name I have read about is Kansas City ace Zack Greinke. Greinke won the Cy Young in 2009, but is coming off an off year in 2010 where he went 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA. Greinke is 27, has two years left on his contract, and he and the Royals management both know that the team is probably a couple years away from competing, which is what makes him attractive to a contender now, while he's entering his prime. However, since he's under contract, the management feels no need to hastily trade him away, so they will require a lot of talent in return for him. I'm not sure whether or not the Phillies do in fact have the kind of talent the Royals are looking for, since they depleted the top levels of their minor league system in trading for Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay. I have never been completely sold on Greinke, but then again I wasn't completely sold on Lee when they acquired him. Amaro seems to be interested in acquiring long term options, so for that reason Greinke might be a great move. If they have the talent to land him. If the Rangers lose Cliff Lee to the Yankees or another team, they might swoop in to get Greinke. The Marlins are another potential destination, and their farm system is typically stocked with talent.

Other than Greinke, there are some extremely intriguing free agents that the Phillies could pursue. First of all, Brandon Webb. Yes, he was injured last year, but has everyone really forgotten how good this guy used to be? The highest ERA he has ever had in a full season is 3.59. The lowest number of strikeouts he has ever had in a full season was 164. Both of those lows came in the 2004 season. If Webb can pass a physical and be signed to an incentive heavy deal, he could make the Phillies rotation one of the scariest in baseball. Most of the more intriguing names on the market have some kind of injury history attached, but this is for the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation. Why not take a chance on a guy like Webb, Jeff Francis, Rich Harden, Brad Penny, Ben Sheets, or Chris Young? Worse comes to worse, they get injured, no one will be surprised, and they'll be left with the same rotation they would have had anyway. Best case scenario, they add yet another ace-caliber pitcher to the rotation. Who knows - maybe the Roy Halladay conditioning method will wear off and the Phillies can revive someone's career.

With the first set of Winter Meetings over, it still remains to be seen how the Phillies will spend this offseason improving. This is a team that is built to win in the present. If they do nothing to improve on what they already have, the cracks will show and their pseudo-dynasty will begin its downfall. But there's still plenty of time to make a few moves and create another monster team going into 2011.

Welcome to Doctober!

2010-10-06T23:38:00.000-07:00

Roy Halladay waited a long time to pitch in the postseason. Now that he's in, he's sure making the most of it.

Halladay made baseball history, throwing a no-hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, who just happened to have the highest-scoring offense in the National League. That put Doc on a very select list: he and Don Larsen are the only pitchers ever to throw a no-hitter in the playoffs (Larsen, of course, threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series). On top of that Halladay got an two-out RBI single in the second inning, which allowed Shane Victorino to drive in two more runs and give the Phillies a 4-0 lead. (In other words, Halladay had one more hit and RBI than the entire Reds offense, not to mention Don Larsen, who went hitless in his perfect game.)

They wouldn't score again, but they wouldn't need to, as Halladay thoroughly dominated a dangerous Reds lineup, his only blemish being a walk to Jay Bruce. Usually in a no-hitter, there are a few plays where the pitcher gets some help from the defense. A diving catch, ball dug out of the dirt at first, etc. Dewayne Wise's catch to preserve Mark Buerhle's perfect game last year comes to mind. But Halladay didn't need anything extraordinary from his defense.

Reds pitcher Travis Wood had a sharp line drive to right field in the third, but it was right at Jayson Werth, and in the sixth Juan Francisco had a fairly hard hit grounder up the middle that was slowed by the mound and fielded easily by Rollins. And then there was the final out - a dribbler in front of the plate that Carlos Ruiz dug out and fired to first about a step ahead of Brandon Phillips. But that was as close as the Reds got. Halladay made it look as easy as a pitcher can. All in all, just an incredible performance.

The offense did its part as well, though it was not exactly dominant. They made Edinson Volquez throw a lot of pitches early. Victorino hit a one-out double in the first inning, stole third, and scored on a Chase Utley sacrifice fly, then he struck again in the second inning for two RBI. That was enough to chase Volquez but the Reds bullpen shut the Phillies down for the rest of the game. It may have been a simple lack of urgency from the position players, who may have been watching Halladay throw a game for the ages, just like the rest of us. And it is worth noting that Utley and Howard hit back-to-back deep fly balls that might have gone out had it not been for a hard wind blowing in, but still, not the most encouraging performance.

But in the end of the day, no one will remember that. They'll just remember Roy Halladay and the debut of a lifetime. Welcome to October, Roy.

Phillies Close to Landing Oswalt

2010-07-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

According to ESPN, the Phillies are on the verge of landing Roy Oswalt, giving their rotation a major boost for the stretch run. Supposedly the Phillies and Astros have agreed on terms and it's just a matter of Oswalt waiving his no-trade clause. Thus far the players involved have not been announced, save that J.A. Happ would likely be dealt. One has to think he will jump at the chance to leave the cellar-dwelling Astros and join a team who, with him, has to be back in the conversation as elite title contenders.

Even without Oswalt, the Phillies have made a strong push lately. They current sit just 2.5 games out of the wildcard and 3.5 out of the division. And this run has come without Chase Utley. Just getting Utley back in September (assuming he's at full strength by then) could give the Phillies the spark they need to win their fourth straight division title, but adding Oswalt greatly increases their chances to make the playoffs yet again.

Oswalt's 6-12 record this season is certainly underwhelming, but that has more to do with the Astros' poor record than anything else, as he's posted a very respectable 3.42 ERA. What's more impressive is his 1.11 WHIP; his best since his rookie year in 2001, when he went 14-3 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP.

He may not be as good as the Phillies' other Roy, but he is an established ace and a workhorse. He has no injury history to speak of and, despite his poor records in the last two years, has shown no signs of slowing down. What's more, he shouldn't have any trouble pitching in Citizen's Bank Park because he's already in a hitter's park. He has fared significantly better on the road this season than at home (Home - 2-9, 3.96 ERA/Road - 4-3, 2.61 ERA). Even if he posted an ERA around 4.00, that would still be an upgrade over the back of the Phillies' rotation.

Should the Phillies complete the trade and continue on to the postseason, one would have to like their chances even better than last year's. In 2009, the Phillies rotation consisted of Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez, and Joe Blanton. The projected 2010 rotation would have Roy Halladay, Hamels, Oswalt, and Blanton or Jamie Moyer (or Happ, if it turns out he's not part of the trade). Switching Lee for Halladay is effectively an even deal. Halladay is a slightly better pitcher, but he'll be hard-pressed to match Lee's postseason mastery in 2009. Oswalt should be an upgrade over Pedro, though Pedro did perform fairly well last year. In addition, Hamels has shown far more poise this season than last and it would not be a surprise to see him return to his 2008 postseason form (or close to it, anyway). The 1-2-3 punch of Halladay-Hamels-Oswalt should make the Phillies extremely tough to beat in any series.

Of course, it must be pointed out that the Phillies had the opportunity for a Halladay-Lee-Hamels rotation. If the Phillies have to give up top-level prospects for Oswalt, it will not reflect well on Ruben Amaro's abilities as GM. It would be yet another short-sighted move. But if they can do it by giving up only Happ and some decent prospects than it's hard to complain. It is actually a wise move (and an impressive sell job on Amaro's part) to make Happ the centerpiece of the deal, selling high on the young lefty. Happ had a great rookie season, but didn't show much in the playoffs (albeit in relatively few chances) and has missed the majority of this season due to injury. If they can turn one good season into Roy Oswalt, it would be a coup, especially considering that according to every sabermetrician out there, Happ was extremely lucky to perform so well in 2009.

We'll see what the terms of the trade end up being (provided Oswalt signs off on it) but things are certainly looking up for the Phillies right now.

Domonic Brown Shines in Debut

2010-07-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

We all knew this day would come sooner or later. Domonic Brown has been tearing up the minor leagues while his Major League counterparts have been struggling to score runs. We just didn't think he'd get to play alongside Jayson Werth, who supposedly had one foot out the door as the Phillies shopped the soon-to-be free agent. But with Shane Victorino's injury, Brown gets the call and Werth can rest assured that he's staying put for the rest of the year.

It could be argued that Brown should've been called up sooner. The Phillies offense could've used the help and he's been nothing short of dominant in both AA and AAA. His combined minor league numbers in 93 games this year consist of a .327 BA, .391 OBP, .589 SLG (combining for a .980 OPS), 20 HR, 68 RBI, and 17 SB. In other words, about as complete an offensive performance as you could ask for. But with the Phillies outfield returning three All-Stars, it was a tough sell to get him in the lineup, even with the struggles of Raul Ibanez.

But Victorino's trip to the DL opened up a lineup spot, so here we are. Brown made his debut tonight against Arizona's Edwin Jackson, batting sixth, behind Werth (the man he was supposed to replace). And give Brown this, he knows how to make an entrance. In his first Major League at-bat, he ripped an RBI double off the right field wall, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He'd later hit a single and then a sacrifice fly. His line score was 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI. Not bad at all.

Meanwhile the Phillies are on quite the roll right now, having won a season-high seven in a row. Roy Halladay dominated once more, throwing his eighth complete game of the season as the Phillies cruised to a 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks. In case you're wondering, the last Phillie to throw 8 complete games in a season was (not surprisingly) Curt Schilling in 1999. One more complete game for Halladay and he'll be the first Phillie to throw 9+ complete games since...Schilling in 1998...who threw 15. Okay, so he's not catching Curt in that regard (though it is worth nothing that Schilling's ERA that year was 3.25, while Halladay's is 2.21), but it's still quite an impressive feat.

Tomorrow night the Phillies will look to extend their streak to eight games, as Kyle Kendrick faces off against Arizona's newly acquired Joe Saunders. We'll see how Brown fares against a left-handed pitcher. Whatever happens, the Phillies have to be pleased with what they're seen so far.

ROY HALLADAY RETIRES -- 27 straight batters

2010-05-30T08:55:00.001-07:00

If there were still any lingering doubts among Phillies fans about whether it was a good idea to give up all those prospects and spend all that money on Roy Halladay, it's a pretty safe bet that they've disappeared, at least for today. That's because in the middle of a slump as the team was struggling to hold on to its divisional lead, "Doc" gave Phillies fans one day of pure unadulterated joy, reserving himself a place in baseball by pitching a perfect game against the Florida Marlins.

If you're not already aware, that's pretty rare. You'll hear these statistics quite a bit, but that's because they're pretty remarkable: It was only the twentieth perfect game in the history of Major League Baseball, and only the sixth pitched with the added pressure of a 1-0 score. The fact that Dallas Braden threw one for the A's earlier this season makes only the second time and the first since 1880 that two have occurred in a season. And the Phillies' only other perfect game was thrown by current Hall of Famer and Kentucky senator Jim Bunning during the otherwise infamous year of 1964.

In a sense it was almost surprising that Halladay, one of baseball's best pitchers and a Major Leaguer for twelve years, had not yet notched a no-hitter into his belt (he came only an out away from a perfect game during only his second start back in 1998), given his remarkable consistency and propensity to be efficient and go deep into games. Needless to say, he looked amazing today, hitting all corners with great variety and accuracy. Although he ran several three-ball count, he was unafraid to get out of them by throwing his big curve for a strike. He notched an impressive eleven strike outs along the way and needed fewer exceptional plays in the field than other perfect game pitchers have, though Shane Victorino's fine backtracking catch in centre, a good grab by Chase Utley in the hole, and especially an excellent stop and throw by Juan Castro at third -- retiring pinch hitter Ronnie Paulino for the final out -- were indispensable help.

The game looked like a close pitchers' duel from the start, with Halladay facing the Marlins' excellent Josh Johnson. Johnson was excellent for his own part, and the Phillies scored their only run, all they would need when a misplayed ball in the outfield allowed Chase Utley to take three bases and drive home Wilson Valdez, who had singled.

As early as the fifth or six inning, this game began to feel like something special as Halladay breezed through one one-two-three inning after another, and the late innings began to take on some of the greatest tension possible in baseball as the developing perfect game rode on every hitter he faced. The Miami crowd of over 25,000 got into rooting for Halladay -- no surprise when a perfect game is in the works, but last night they seemed especially eager and early to do so. The mystery was explained when TV shots showed almost all fans wearing red with Ps on their hats in the Phillies' spring training home state.

Halladay stayed true to his humble, serious, and stoic personality, looking all business until after Paulino was retired, then hugging Carloz Ruiz and his teammates with a relieved grin after it was all over. In postgame interviews he gave as much credit to "Chooch" Ruiz as to himself, which was a fitting tribute to an excellent defensive catcher and game calling, and some admirable humility.

This game will be a lifetime good memory -- not only for those involved or at the stadium, but for those of us who had the still rare opportunity to watch it unfold live. For Phillies fans this first perfect game since 1964 -- and first no-hitter since Kevin Millwood highlighted Veterans' Stadium's farewell season by no-hitting the Giants in 2003 -- is another extraordinary highlight from an amazing past few years. For the team, this game could be a catalyst to an extraordinary season. But even if it isn't, it's still something to be savored even on its own.

Rollins Returns, Phillies Blast Bucs

2010-05-18T11:55:00.000-07:00

The Phillies lineup got a boost last night as Jimmy Rollins returned from injury. He picked up where he left off, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and the Phillies coasted to a 12-2 win over Pittsburgh.

Missing from the lineup was Chase Utley, who got the day off with flu-like symptoms, but the offense performed well in his absence. Rollins took Utley's spot in the lineup and the middle of the order provided plenty of power. Ryan Howard hit a grand slam and drove in 6 RBI and Jayson Werth hit a three-run homer and finished with 4 RBI on the day.

It was a strong all-around performance as every position starter recorded at least one hit and Kyle Kendrick went eight strong innings, allowing just two runs. Recently called up Antonio Bastardo pitched a perfect ninth inning, striking out two of the three batters, to finish off the Pirates.

Rollins' return forces Charlie Manuel to make a decision regarding the leadoff spot. He can put Rollins back in his customary role or he can leave Victorino there, who has a .920 OPS while batting first this season, compared to a .470 OPS in seven games batting seventh. Of course, the difference could just be a matter of Victorino getting off to a slow start. Or maybe it's something about hitting ahead of Polanco, as Rollins was dominant from the leadoff spot as well before his injury.

Most likely Rollins will reclaim his place at the top of the order and Victorino will bat seventh, which may be better for the lineup anyway as Victorino has done an excellent job of driving in runs and his presence at the bottom half of the lineup should create more opportunities for the hot-hitting Carlos Ruiz.

However the lineup looks today, the offense should be fine. The pitching is not in question today as Roy Halladay takes the hill, but on the whole is still a bit suspect. However, Kendrick delivered an impressive start last night and has looked markedly improved in his last three starts. He has a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings pitched in May, compared to a 7.61 ERA in April. Much of this can be attributed to an improved ground ball-fly ball ratio. In May he has generated 39 ground ball outs compared to 32 fly ball outs. In April the ratio was 40:45, and it would have been a lot worse without the eight scoreless innings he threw against Atlanta on April 20th, in which he had 16 ground balls and 8 fly balls.

The bottom line with Kendrick (which should not come as a surprise) is when he keeps the ball on the ground, he wins. In his three starts when he had more ground balls than fly balls, he is 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA. In four starts where he had more fly balls, he is 0-1 with a 8.70 ERA. (He had one start in which he had the same number of ground balls and fly balls. He allowed four runs in six innings.) Again, this shouldn't come as a surprise, but in the last few starts, it seems he has figured it out which is a promising sign.

The Phillies will need lengthy starts like Kendrick's if they are to survive their bullpen troubles. The team is effectively closer-less, with both Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson on the DL. Jose Contreras is the closer for now, but it seems that they will go to a closer-by-committee system to some degree. J.C. Romero notched the save two nights ago against the Brewers, but that may have had more to do with Contreras needing a day off than anything else. The Phillies have leaned heavily upon the trio of Contreras, Danys Baez, and Chad Durbin and one has to hope that Romero, Daniel Herndon, and Bastardo can provide some solid innings as well, as not to overwork Contreras/Baez/Durbin.

Either way, the team is looking very strong right now. If Manuel can continue to piece an effective bullpen together and Rollins makes his presence felt in the lineup, they should be able to further their lead in the division and not look back.

Just for Starters...

2010-05-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

This week featured a string of successes from the Phillies' rotation.

Monday: The Return of Joe Blanton. That alone is a success for the rotation, especially having lost J.A. Happ to the DL. Blanton looked like his normal self - he threw 6 2/3 innings, allowed 4 runs, and struck out 4. Normally, the Phillies would be able to outscore 4 runs, but the St. Louis Cardinals staff, led by the impressive 23-year old Jaime Garcia (3-1 with a 1.13 ERA on the season) held them to only 3. Nelson Figueroa also allowed 2 runs, and Brad Lidge pitched a scoreless ninth. The only loss of this week for the Phillies: 6-3, Cardinals.

Tuesday: A fantastic pitchers' duel between Cole Hamels and Adam Wainwright. Both threw 8 innings, allowed 1 run each, and Hamels struck out 8 while Wainwright struck out 6. Hamels started to pitch the ninth, but allowed 2 doubles and was removed for Lidge. 1 run scored, but Lidge finished out the inning. Jose Contreras pitched the 10th, and in the bottom of the 10th, on the fourth pitch of the inning, the Phillies hit a home run to win the game. The batter? None other than Carlos Ruiz. By the way, Ruiz is hitting .315 on the year. 2-1, Phillies.

Wednesday: Kyle Kendrick lives to see another day. With the return of Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ not far behind, Kendrick's struggles in his past few starts seemed to suggest that he would not have it for much longer. Wednesday night, he was spectacular, throwing seven scoreless innings, striking out 3. Between Kendrick and Cardinals starter Brad Penny, it seemed like if someone was going to dominate, it would be Penny. Penny struck out 6 in 6 innings, but allowed 3 runs. All three runs came on home runs by Placido Polanco and Shane Victorino. By the way, Chase Utley is leading the team with 8 home runs right now, but tied for second are Victorino and Jayson Werth with 6 apiece. Also, Juan Castro removed himself from the game in the bottom of the seventh and he now is day to day with a mild calf strain. Danys Baez and Contreras followed Kendrick with one scoreless inning each as the Phillies shut out the Cardinals. 4-0, Phillies.

Thursday: Roy Halladay keeps on doing what Roy Halladay does. Halladay pitched 7 innings, struck out 9, and allowed 2 runs, only 1 earned. Former Phillie Kyle Lohse was only able to get through 4 innings, allowing 5 runs, 3 earned. The 3 earned runs came from a home run by Jayson Werth. Halladay is now 6-1 with a 1.45 ERA. Chad Durbin and Baez pitched scoreless innings to finish the game. Not a whole lot to say about this one except that so far, Halladay has been everything this team could have hoped for. 7-2, Phillies.

Friday: If I were to predict one complete game shutout this week, I would have expected it to be Halladay. Instead, it was Jamie Moyer, who made history last night as the oldest player to pitch a complete game shutout. He allowed only 2 hits, struck out 5, and walked none. He was facing a depleted Braves lineup that was without stud rookie Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, and Yunel Escobar, but remember Moyer is 47 years old. He had thrown two other two-hit shutouts, 1 in 1986 (before I was born!) and then another 20 years later in 2006. The Phillies offense backed him up plenty, scoring 7 runs with the 2-6 hitters in the lineup all having multi-hit games. By the way, Charlie Manuel announced that Brad Lidge would be moving back into the closer role. But Lidge wasn't needed Friday night. 7-0, Phillies.

All five starting pitchers this week threw at least 6 innings and allowed a total of 7 earned runs. I wouldn't expect Moyer to dominate in this way every time he goes, but to see Kendrick and Hamels turn around and have such big successes bodes really well for the rotation going forward. Especially Hamels, who the Phillies would like to see regain ace status, forming that great 1-2 punch with Halladay. Also, if they can keep the bullpen from being overworked, that will lessen the blow of losing Ryan Madson for a spell. What a great start to the month of May.

Non-Phillies Pick of the Week: Week 5

2010-05-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

Last week's was a tough game to call and it turned out to be a good one, as Cliff Lee and Colby Lewis pitched to a standstill, before the Rangers took it in extra innings. Charles kept up his undefeated season, as he was the only one of us who could predict that outcome. Here are the results so far:

This week we're picking Wednesday night's Angels-Red Sox game, in which John Lackey faces his former team.

Los Angeles Angels (12-15) at Boston Red Sox (12-14)
Joel Pineiro (2-3, 5.76) vs. John Lackey (2-1, 4.50)

Brian

Tough to pick against the Red Sox at home, but Lackey has been mediocre so far and has never pitched well at Fenway Park (5.82 ERA in 12 starts). The Red Sox won the series opener against LA, but were coming off a sweep at the hands of the lowly Orioles. That, and Kevin Youkilis is battling a nagging groin injury and is day-to-day. Both teams are playing below expectations, but I like the Angels' chances here.

Jeff

Lackey has been off to a slow start this season, but he always gets off to a slow start. His career ERA is below 4.00 from May on, compared to 4.79 in March/April. The Red Sox are at home, they'll be facing Joel Pineiro who hasn't been successful on the road, and they'll be hungry coming off a 3-game sweep in Baltimore.

Charles

Lackey and Pineiro have both and up-and-down starts, but Pineiro has had more down than Lackey has, who will be likely to dial it up for a home start against the team he's had so much success with in the past.

Phantasy Pick: Week 5

2010-05-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

Ryan Howard

I know, it's not like Howard is riding your bench anyway, but the Phillies take on the Cardinals and the Braves this week, and Howard has fare extremely well against both ballclubs in his career. His success against his hometown Cardinals (1.318 OPS in 30 games) is well-documented, but his 1.126 OPS vs. the Braves isn't too bad either. Add in the fact that he just went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run, all against lefties, in Sunday's game against the Mets, and there's reason to believe he could be in line for an exceptionally big week.

Aces Wild for Mets as Phillies Take Series

2010-05-02T23:53:00.000-07:00

On paper, this looked like a very winnable series for the Mets, despite having to play in Philadelphia. In the latter two games, they had their twin aces, Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana, so after they defeated the Phillies 9-1 on Friday night, Mets fans had to consider the possibility of sweeping the two-time NL Champions at their own park.

But it wouldn't play out that way. On Saturday, the Phillies sent Roy Halladay to the mound to face Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey, to that point, had been doing a Halladay impression of his own, with a 4-0 record and 0.69 ERA. He was one of the few starters who could boast an ERA better than Halladay's. But it wouldn't last. The Phillies lit him up for six runs in four innings, highlighted by a Shane Victorino three-run shot.

That offense was more than enough for Halladay, who introduced himself to his new division rivals by throwing a complete game shutout and improving his record to 5-1. It was an impressive showing by Halladay (though one that's getting more and more familiar) but it was even more important that the offense got going again, especially against a pitcher as hot as Pelfrey. Victorino and Chase Utley both broke out of slumps and it was particularly important for Victorino who had struggled mightily since taking Rollins' place in the leadoff spot.

Heading into the rubber game, the Phillies chances of winning the series looked bleak. They faced the Mets true ace, in Santana, and sent the struggling Jamie Moyer to the hill. The concerns proved well-founded, as Moyer surrendered a three-run homer to David Wright (who has a career 1.174 OPS vs. Moyer) in the first inning.

However, the Phillies bounced back quickly. Placido Polanco broke out of a slump with a solo shot off Santana and Ryan Howard tacked on a two-out solo homer to bring the score to 3-2. Of cousre, in the fourth Rod Barajas hit a two-run shot to bring the Mets lead back to three runs.

Then came the bottom of the fourth. Utley led off the inning with a double, but Howard and Jayson Werth were retired, though advancing Utley to third base. But then things got ugly for the Mets and Santana. Raul Ibanez singled to drive in Utley and Juan Castro followed with a single of his own. With Moyer on deck, the Mets opted to pitch around Carlos Ruiz, who drew the walk, loading the bases for Moyer. Santana fell behind and when the count reached 3-1, the Phillies went ballistic. Moyer took a called strike two, fouled off a potential strike three, and finally drew the bases-loaded walk, making it a 5-4 game and causing the Philles fans to erupt.

The at-bat brought up memories of when Brett Myers' battled his way to a walk against C.C. Sabathia in the 2008 NLDS. On cue, Victorino cranked a grand slam over the left field wall (just like he did against Sabathia), giving the Phillies a 8-5 lead and all of the sudden it sounded like October again. As if that wasn't enough, Polanco then singled and Utley drove him in with a two-run blast. Howard followed with a single and Werth drove him in all the way from first with a double in the gap in right-center. Finally Ibanez, the man who started the rally, grounded out to end the inning, but the Phillies had taken the momentum, and the lead, 11-5.

That would be all for Santana, who seemed off the entire game. Every pitcher, no matter how great, is entitled to a bad start now and again, so there's no sense reading too much into this one, but one has to think this will be fresh in Santana's mind the next time he faces the Phillies. And Moyer, to his credit, settled down and got through six innings. It wasn't a great start for him, but he really only made two mistakes and drawing that walk seemingly made up for the five runs he surrendered. The Phillies bullpen handled the Mets with relative ease. Chad Durbin and Danys Baez combined to pitch three scoreless innings, finishing off the game and giving the Phillies the series.

This week will be a challenging one for the Phillies, as they face St. Louis and Atlanta, but they should get a boost from Joe Blanton's return (making his season debut tomorrow night) and the way the offense came to life over the weekend should inspire confidence going forward.

Non-Phillies Pick of the Week: Week 4

2010-04-28T23:29:00.000-07:00

Last week we predicted the outcome of last Friday's Giants-Cardinals game. We all were right, but then again picking Tim Lincecum was kind of a no-brainer. Here are the results through three weeks:

Charles is undefeated thus far, but at least I managed to get a win. This week we're picking Friday night's Rangers-Mariners game. Doesn't seem like a great game on paper, but...it's Cliff Lee's debut!

Texas Rangers (8-10) at Seattle Mariners (9-10)
Colby Lewis (3-0, 3.80) vs. Cliff Lee

Brian

Lewis is off to a good start and Lee's career numbers against Texas are pretty bad, but this is a home game and the Mariners should be energized to have their new ace on the hill.

Jeff

Texas took a major hit this week when they lost Nelson Cruz to injury.They were already without Ian Kinsler (though Joaquin Arias has filledin admirably), and so without Cruz, the offense is now carried by an aging Vladimir Guerrero. The next highest batting average is catcher Matt Treanor at .265 and, of the teams 15 home runs this season, 7 came from Cruz, and no other player has more than 2. Michael Young and Josh Hamilton have suffered so far. It shouldn't be terribly hard for Cliff Lee, whatever condition he may be in, to keep the offense in check.

Charles

Tough to tell with this matchup since there' no telling how Cliff Lee will do coming off his injury, but I'm going with Colby Lewis and the Rangers. He's been great in his starts so far this year, many Major Leaguers will not be used to seeing his pitches after his two years in Japan, and Lee is likely to be rusty after his layoff, and miss some of what he would have got from a full Spring Training.

Phantasy Pick: Week 4

2010-04-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

Phantasy Pick: Placido Polanco.

Polanco has been rock solid for the Phillies so far this season, and may be in position to step up against the Mets as the Phillies offense looks to get back on track this weekend. The Phillies are facing two left-handed starters, Jon Niese and Oliver Perez, who are the third and fifth pitchers in the Phillies rotation (between them, the Mets send Mike Pelfrey to the mound). Polanco has a .310 career average against the Mets, not that he's played them in a while. He's hit .313 against lefties so far this season, and when he faces Pelfrey, he'll bring with him a .323 average against righties.

Halladay Shuts Out Braves to Halt Skid

2010-04-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Coming of a disheartening loss to the Braves, their third straight, the Phillies needed a strong performance. And that is why they got Roy Halladay, who threw a complete game shutout to give the Phillies a 2-0 win.

Halladay was his usual dominant self, mowing down the Braves with the help of some superb defensive play. The Phillies gave him an early 1-0 lead thanks to back-to-back doubles from Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. And that was all Halladay needed. He cruised through the first few innings, though he nearly got burned by a deep drive off the bat of Troy Glaus. However, Shane Victorino made an outstanding catch at the wall, robbing a home run and preserving the lead.

The offense didn't do much damage at the plate, but they consistently worked counts on Braves starter Tim Hudson. Through five innings they only managed one run, but in the sixth Howard got things going. He hit a lead-off single and Werth followed with a double in the gap. Howard motored around the bases and scored all the way from first, allowing Werth to take third and putting the Phillies ahead 2-0.

However, the Braves would threaten later. In the seventh inning, the Braves started off with consecutive singles from Chipper Jones and Brian McCann. Halladay then struck Glaus out swinging, but walked Jason Heyward to load the bases. It looked like Halladay might finally prove himself to be human. In a way, he did. Yunel Escobar hit a sharp grounder up the middle, but Chase Utley made an excellent diving snare and flipped the ball to Juan Castro for an inning ending double play.

From there on out everything was under control. Halladay allowed a double in the eighth inning to no consequence, then retired the heart of the Braves lineup in order in the ninth, aided by a superb diving stop by Howard. And with that the Phillies snapped their losing streak and Halladay got his fourth win in as many starts. What more can we say about the guy? He's 4-0 with two complete games, one complete game shutout, and a 0.82 ERA.

The only blemish on the game was an injury to Placido Polanco. He was hit by a pitch in the first inning and would leave in the seventh, replaced by Wilson Valdez. The fact that he was able to play so much of the game before leaving means it can't be too serious, but still, with Rollins already out, it has to be a concern.

Regardless, it was another impressive showing by Halladay. Hopefully the rest of the pitching staff was taking notes.

Bullpen Gives Up Homers to Give Up a Win

2010-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

After nearly beating out Jamie Moyer for the final spot in the rotation, Kyle Kendrick has had a rough start to the season. This time, however it wasn't his fault. He pitched superbly - throwing eight shutout innings. Chase Utley had two RBI and Ryan Howard added a third, so when Ryan Madson came in to pitch the ninth inning, he was working with a three-run lead. That's exactly how many runs he gave up. With Chipper Jones on base, Troy Glaus hit a home run to make it 3-2, and Jason Heyward immediately followed with a home run to tie the game. Of course, the very next pitch to Yunel Escobar was a ground ball to Juan Castro at shortstop, but the damage had been done.

The top of the 10th inning looked like a great chance for the Phillies to do some damage, with the red-hot trio of Placido Polanco, Utley, and Howard coming to the plate, all of whom had hits earlier in the night. But Braves closer Billy Wagner made it a 1-2-3 inning. Either way the Phillies were going to have to go back to their bullpen, and so they went to Jose Contreras. Contreras made it a quick inning, though not in the same way as Wagner. Five pitches into facing Nate McLouth, McLouth launched a home run to right field, giving the Braves a 4-3 walk-off win.
What looked like a promising bullpen during the first few games of the year is beginning to show its cracks. On many of each pitcher's last appearance, they've given up multiple runs. Madson gave up 3 runs in his blown save last night, Danys Baez gave up three runs last time we saw him, David Herndon gave up four runs and nearly blew a six run lead last time we saw him, and Jose Contreras gave up the home run to end the game. The alarming thing isn't that the bullpen is giving up runs, it's that they're giving up multiple runs in a single inning. Perhaps this is just a passing phase, but if neither Madson nor Baez can be a reliable closer until Brad Lidge returns (and it's possible that Lidge won't fit the bill either), it could be a long season.

However, seeing Kyle Kendrick pitch as well as he did is very promising. As the bullpen appears to be on a bit of a decline, the rotation has actually pitched better recently. Halladay has pitched well all year, but Cole Hamels and Kendrick each threw at least eight innings in their last outing. Kendrick seems to be getting back to what it was that made him successful in his first couple years in the majors, when he simply got guys out by getting them to make poor contact. Roy Halladay apparently told Kendrick to be more aggressive after his last start, and that seemed to work for him. Now he needs the offense and the bullpen to back him up by doing the same.

Non-Phillies Pick of the Week: Week 3

2010-04-19T16:06:00.000-07:00

Here are the results after two weeks. I clearly have some work to do...

This week we're picking Friday night's Cardinals-Giants game.

St. Louis Cardinals (8-4) at San Francisco Giants (8-4)
Jaime Garcia (1-0, 0.69 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (3-0, 0.90 ERA)

Brian

The Giants have Tim Linecum and homefield advantage. That should be enough for the win. Not to mention, the last time the Cardinals faced a staff ace, they went 18 innings without plating a run. Hard to see them faring any better in this one (then again, they certainly are due).

Jeff

Both of these teams have gotten off to great starts, but as good a start as Jaime Garcia has had this season, Tim Lincecum is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Neither Albert Pujols nor Matt Holliday have ever had major success against Lincecum. They've fared better than most, but for every hit they have against him, they have at least that many strikeouts (3H, 3K for Pujols, 9H, 10K for Holliday). Lincecum is also in top form at the start of the season, having allowed only 2 earned runs and striking out 24 in 3 starts. Their offense is also off to a nice start thanks to Pablo Sandoval, Aaron Rowand, and Edgar Renteria. They won't need to do much to back up Lincecum.

Charles

Going with the Giants. They've been just as hot as the Cardinals lately and they have their Cy Young-winning ace on the mound against an untested St Louis pitcher. In a battle of teams on a roll, I think the San Francisco starter gives them the edge.

Injuries? What Injuries?

2010-04-14T04:33:00.001-07:00

On Monday night, Jimmy Rollins and Jayson Werth were announced in the starting lineup. Neither player finished the game in the field due to injuries. Werth made it through five innings, and was replaced by Ben Francisco at the top of the sixth after feeling soreness in his left hip. Rollins was taken out before the first inning. He suffered a left calf strain at some point during the pre-game warmups. The whole team was surprised when backup infielder Juan Castro made his first appearance this season by starting at shortstop.

In the end, it didn't matter that night. The rest of the offense backed up Cole Hamels with a five run fifth inning, and the Phillies won their home opener against the Washington Nationals 7-4. Hamels allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out six. Once the Phillies got the lead, Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, Danys Baez, and Ryan Madson didn't allow another hit for the rest of the game, continuing the bullpen's strong start to the season. Chase Utley had a two-run home run, and Placido Polanco and Ryan Howard each had two hits.

The entire offense is off to a red-hot start this season, but it remains to been seen how serious these injuries are and how that will affect the team. Werth's removal seemed more precautionary than anything else, and it's likely that the team was a little more wary of it having lost Rollins earlier that evening. Though, if I were to lose one of the two I'd rather have to lose Werth, simply because Ben Francisco is a starter-caliber player. Rollins' injury appears more serious, though we probably won't know how serious until some point Wednesday.

Last season, the Phillies lost Jimmy Rollins for a month and wound up doing reasonably well without him. They went 16-12 and still scored 4.9 runs per game. Eric Bruntlett played shortstop in his stead and hit .245 with his OBP and SLG both over .300. Juan Castro has never been a great hitter, but he's a veteran player with a solid glove. If Rollins goes to the DL, the Phillies should be in solid hands with Castro; If Rollins needs any time to recover from this injury, the team should take the safe route and put him there. Better to be safe and have Rollins miss two-three weeks than to take a chance and risk losing him for more time. Shane Victorino is a great replacement in the leadoff spot, and while Bruntlett put up solid numbers last year, Castro is a much more reliable player.

Other options to replace Rollins (or fill the utility infielder spot on the bench) would be Wilson Valdez, who did a nice job playing shortstop for the Mets last season when their entire team apparently suffered the plague, Cody Ransom, who doesn't have much of a glove but had a very impressive spring for the Phillies, or Brian Bocock, who doesn't have much of a bat but is the only other shortstop on the Phillies' 40-man roster. Most likely it would be Bocock, since he has minor league options and the Phillies would risk losing Valdez or Ransom.

The loss of Rollins would be a big blow, but the team has proven to have plenty of firepower this season, and having Shane Victorino move to the leadoff spot would not be something to cry about. They would be down to only six All-Stars in the starting lineup, but somehow I think they would manage. Better to play it safe than be sorry.

Non-Phillies Pick of the Week: Week 2

2010-04-12T20:29:00.000-07:00

Last week we predicted the results of the season opening Yankees-Red Sox game. The Red Sox took the game and only Charles had the foresight to pick them. Here's a look at the results so far:

This week we're picking Friday night's Royals-Twins game (because, let's face it, how many more chances will we have to pick a Royals game before they become irrelevant?).

Royals (3-4) at Twins (5-2)
Zach Greinke (0-1, 3.55 ERA) vs. Scott Baker (1-1, 3.86 ERA)

Brian

I like the Royals here. Yes, Minnesota has the better team, but this is just one game and the pitching matchup favors Kansas City. While Greinke's overall numbers against the Twins are nothing to write home about, he has fared extremely well against Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. Mauer's career OPS against Greinke is a lowly .582 and Morneau has fared even worse at .417.

Jeff

Minnesota is off to a hot 6-2 start compared to the Royals at 3-4. Both Greinke and Baker have solid career numbers against the opposing team, but Minnesota's bullpen has been fantastic and Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau are off to hot starts. Kansas City's bullpen has not been so good, and while Rick Ankiel and Scott Podsednik are hitting .333 and .444, respectively, they don't exactly strike fear in the hearts of their opponents the way Mauer and Morneau do when they're hot.

Charles

I'm picking the Twins in this matchup. Both teams have talented starters off to decent starts this season, and Greinke has the edge as a pure pitcher (though how much of an aberration his Cy Young season was still remains to be seen). However, the defending AL Central champions still have a lineup that can score off an ace like Greinke, but the Royals' lineup doesn't guarantee that they'll give that ace much of any run support.

Phantasy Pick of the Week: Week 2

2010-04-11T20:18:00.001-07:00

Week 2 pick: Placido Polanco

Polanco couldn't be any hotter than he is right now and this week he makes his return to Citizen's Bank Park, where he's posted a .871 OPS in 87 career games. That's the best OPS he has at any ballpark where he's played 25 or more games.

Halladay Goes Nine Innings in Pitcher's Duel

2010-04-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Roy Halladay once again dominated the opposition, throwing a complete game as the Phillies downed the Astros 2-1. For the first time this season, the Phillies offense stalled. Not surprising, as they were facing Astros ace Roy Oswalt.

Oswalt pitched a good game, allowing just two runs in six innings, which is no mean feat considering how the Phillies have been hitting. Jimmy Rollins led off the game with a home run, as he continued his strong start. Then, in the second inning, Carlos Ruiz hit an RBI ground-out to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. That would be all the offense the Phillies would muster, but it was enough.

Halladay blew through the Houston lineup, allowing a stray single here and there, but nothing of consequence until the sixth inning. There he got into a bit of trouble as Chris Johnson singled to left, Michael Bourn reached on a bunt single, and Halladay and Placido Polanco couldn't execute a force out at third off a Jeff Keppinger bunt. That left the bases loaded with no outs. But Halladay worked out of the jam. Corey Sullivan grounded into a 6-3 double play, which plated a run, and Carlos Lee popped out to end the inning, with the Phillies still holding a 2-1 lead.

In the seventh, Halladay got into more trouble, allowing consecutive singles to Geoff Blum and Pedro Feliz, then watched both runners advance on a Kaz Matsui sacrifice bunt. But he escaped with relative ease. J.R. Towles grounded to Halladay who checked the runner and threw Towles out at first, then Jason Michaels went down swinging to end the threat.

The rest was easy for Halladay, as he pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings, securing his second win of the season in as many starts. He also recorded a few milestones, notching his 150th career win and pitching his 50th career complete game. In doing so, the Phillies swept the Astros and improved their record to 5-1. They'll head home to take on the Nationals next, as Cole Hamels takes on Jason Marquis Monday afternoon.

Moyer Falters But Offense Lifts Off

2010-04-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

The hits just keep on coming for Ryan Howard and the Phillies, who dispatched the Astros in a 9-6 win.

Tonight's game was our first look at Jamie Moyer in 2010 and the results were mixed. Moyer dominated out of the gate, retiring the first eight Houston batters. While he was making the Houston hitters look bad, the Phillies offense was doing its thing. Howard tripled to start the second inning and scored on a Jayson Werth fly out, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead.

Then, in the third, Moyer sparked the offense with his bat, hitting a single to left with one out. Jimmy Rollins followed with a fielder's choice and it seemed as if Moyer's hit might go to waste. But, as it happened, two-out RBI would be the theme of the night. Placido Polanco followed with a single, Chase Utley walked to load the bases, and Howard walked in a run. Werth then doubled, driving in two more runs. Raul Ibanez flied out to end the inning but the Phillies were looking good, ahead 4-0.

It looked like the Phillies would cruise to an easy win, like the 8-0 win that opened the series. But with two outs in the bottom of the third, things got interesting. Astros starter Felipe Paulino ripped a double over Werth's head in right field and Jason Michaels hammered the next pitch over the left field wall for a two-run homer. Moyer then walked Jeff Keppinger and Hunter Pence delivered a two-run shot of his own, tying the game at 4-4. Later, after three straight singles, the Astros took a 5-4 lead on a Tommy Manzella infield single. Finally, Moyer got Humberto Quintero to ground into a fielder's choice, ending a long inning.

After Houston's third inning rally, both pitchers settled down. Paulino got through the fifth inning without any further harm and Moyer recovered his poise and finished the day with six innings pitched and just the five runs he allowed in the third. But in the seventh, the Phillies offense got going, once again with two outs. After Rollins and Polanco were retired, Utley walked, putting the tying run on base. Howard didn't waste the opportunity, crushing a Brandon Lyon pitch to put the Phillies back on top, 6-5. Three straight singles by Werth, Ibanez, and Victorino extended the lead to 7-5.

The Phillies bullpen had no trouble holding the lead. Chad Durbin and Danys Baez each logged a perfect inning. Then, in the ninth, Victorino, who was one of the few Phillies hitters not to get off to a torrid start thus far in the season, joined the offensive onslaught with a two-run shot off Matt Lindstrom. That gave the Phillies a nice four-run cushion for Ryan Madson, who took the ball in the bottom of the ninth to finish the game off. Madson gave up a lead-off double to (who else?) Michael Bourn, who later scored on a one-out Michaels single. However, Madson locked in after that, retiring Keppinger on a fielder's choice and striking out Pence to end the game.

Moyer's season debut was a bit troubling. He looked very sharp for the most part, but that third inning would be enough to lose the game on many days, as we can't realistically expect to score 5+ runs every night. Still, he was able to regain his control after the third and he managed to work through six innings. Suffice it to say he currently holds the upper hand over Kyle Kendrick to stay in the rotation once Joe Blanton returns, but that's not saying much.

As for the offense, what's not to like? Polanco continued his incredible start with another two-hit performance and currently sports a .542 batting average. It was good to see Victorino get going with a home run, a single, and a couple hard hit outs. But the story thus far has been Howard, who cranked out his third home run in five games.

It's too early to read into it too much, but it is worth noting that Howard has only struck out once in 26 plate appearances this season. If he continued at this pace, he would record just 32 strike outs in 162 games. Obviously it's way too early to start projections, as he's also on pace for 97 home runs and 324 RBI, but it's still worth mentioning.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Phillies will go for the sweep, as Roy Halladay takes on Roy Oswalt. Halladay is Halladay, but he could be in for a test, as Oswalt is also an established ace and has fared well against the Phillies (6-1, 3.23 in 11 games).

Astros Blown Sky-High

2010-04-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

Fresh on the heels of some high-scoring matches in Washington, the Phillies continued their opening road trip in Houston last night with their third high-scoring victory in four games, defeating the Astros by a lopsided tally of 8-0. The poor Astros were coming off being swept by the San Francisco Giants and at times looked apathetic as starter Bud Norris couldn't get through three innings and his replacements couldn't stop the bleeding.

The offense is understandably the big story coming out of this game, being on a shocking hot streak to start the season, but worthy of more than a little attention was the fact that this was J. A. Happ's first start of the year. Although he never worked quickly or efficiently -- working only five innings in his allotment of a hundred or so pitches -- and he allowed some hits, he spread those hits out and kept the Astros batters off base. It's very hard to argue with the scoreless line he delivered and the win he picked up, and he looked confident and poised on the mound. It was a feel-good sign for one member of the Phillies' rotation after underwhelming performances from Cole Hamels and Kyle Kendrick.

Young reliever David Herndon made a promising appearance with a nice lead to work with, throwing two scoreless innings. Lower-pressure situations are a nice place for inexperienced relievers to gain confidence.

This early series against the Astros is also notable for the fact that it provides the Phillies with a reunion with their former third baseman, Pedro Feliz, who signed with Houston after the Phillies let him walk in the off-season. Based on today, we got the much better deal. Placido Polanco, despite allowing a runner to reach base on a grounder that took a nasty hop off his finger, went a stunning 4-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI. Feliz was held hitless. In case you were wondering, Polanco's batting average in his first five games back in Phillies red is .579. If nothing else he is sure making Ruben Amaro look like a genius.

Having a better night than Feliz was People's Phillies Blog favorite Michael Bourn, who went 2 for 5 and had some nice plays in center. But even the superhuman power of a Michael Bourn could not stop the Phillies' offense. Only Shane Victorino failed to get a hit, and Raul Ibanez, one of the only Phillies not off to a very hot offensive start against the Nats, seemed to get things going with two doubles on a 3-for-4 night.

The Phillies have been displaying a phenomenal ability to get on base in their first few games, and that will lead to runs. This time they combined it with pitching that shut the Astros down for another blowout. The Phillies can't necessarily score eight runs every game, but if they keep up the practices that led them there tonight we can expect good things from this year. Tomorrow night the Phillies' Jamie Moyer and the Astros' Felipe Paulino face off in their first starts of the season. Unfortunately the Phillies are not expected to face former teammate Brett Myers in this series.

Nelson's defeat at Washington

2010-04-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

In their first close game of the year, the Phillies ultimately failed to catch up to the Washington Nationals tonight and dropped the game 6-5, though still managing to take the series. This was Kyle Kendrick's big opportunity to show that he deserved to be starting games, after the injury to Joe Blanton opened a rotation slot for him. No doubt he will get more chances, but he didn't exactly make the best of this one. Kendrick labored, going only four innings and allowing five earned runs. He struggled out of the gate, allowing a lead-off triple that led to three first inning runs, then gave up a two-run homer in the third.

A still-hot Phillies offense managed to keep pace and make up for the damage up to a point, and by the sixth inning the Phillies' persistence in getting men on base against Nationals rookie starter Craig Stammen, timely sacrifices, and the ability to take advantage of an error and a hit-batsman delivered to Ben Francisco meant that the Phillies had manufactured enough to runs to tie the score at 5-5. Ryan Howard was caught in a rundown between third and home in the fifth inning, though, and that wasted opportunity ended up being crucial.
Newly acquired long-reliever and potential spot-starter Nelson Figueroa came in to pitch in the sixth and in the seventh he allowed a run on a bloop double off the bat of Ryan Zimmerman. That was the tipping point. The Phillies couldn't score again despite threatening a couple of times, and Figueroa took the loss in his first game as a Phillie since 2001.
Good signs from the Phillie offense can be taken away from today's game, as the team battled back to tie after an early deficit and never stopped getting men on base. Jose Contreras looked fine in an inning of work, and Nelson Figueroa will have outings without the mistake or two that pegged him with the loss tonight. There were fewer hopeful signs for Kyle Kendrick and unless he improves significantly in his next appearance, fans will quickly be wishing for Joe Blanton to return and push him back to the bullpen.

Figueroa Rejoins Phillies

2010-04-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

Former Phillie and, more importantly, Brandeis alum (as am I), Nelson Figueroa will return to the team where he first made his mark, as the Phillies claimed him off waivers from the Mets. Figueroa has yet to pitch this season, but has done solid work for the Mets over the last two years as a reliever and a spot-starter. Last year he was particularly strong, posting a 4.10 ERA and throwing a complete game shutout against the Astros (who are conveniently the Phillies' next opponent).

He came to the Phillies in 2000 as part of the trade that sent Curt Schilling to the D-backs, in exchange for Figueroa, Omar Daal, Vicente Padilla, and Travis Lee. (Remember when Travis Lee was a hot prospect?) Figueroa got the call-up in 2001 and joined the rotation on June 26th. He faced the Braves in his debut, allowing one run in 7 1/3 innings but getting the loss. He pitched quite well over his first nine starts, going 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, but struggled late in the season. His next four starts saw him go 0-4 with a 5.87 ERA, after which he was moved to the bullpen.

In April 2002, the Brewers claimed him off waivers and since then he has bounced around, pitching for the Brewers, Pirates, the Nationals' AAA affiliate, then going abroad for a few years. He pitched in the Mexican, Chinese, and Venezuelan leagues, before making a triumphant return to the Majors as part of the Mets.

While Figueroa's career numbers are not overly impressive (4.54 ERA, 1.45 WHIP), a lot of the innings he's logged have been as a starter. He's fared considerably better as a reliever, posting a 3.44 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. He's not likely to be a crucial member of the team, but he's good enough to log some quality innings out of the bullpen and can provide a start or two if needed.

Hamels Solid in Victory

2010-04-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

Opening Day came and went with much fanfare, but mostly went as expected. Roy Halladay dominated and the Phillies won with ease. Then the spotlight fell on Cole Hamels. After a hard luck 2009 that can only have left his confidence shaken, how would he fare in 2010 with a blank slate?

We still don't know the answer, but today's start was somewhat encouraging. Hamels was by no means dominant, allowing two earned runs over five innings, but he showed flashes of brilliance and an ability to battle through some hard luck without blowing the game.

It helped that the Phillies' offense got to work early and often, putting up two runs in the first inning and eventually chasing Washington starter Jason Marquis after tagging him for a total of six runs in four innings. Ryan Howard had the big hit with a monster two-run homer and Hamels even got in on the action with an RBI single in the third.

For his part, Hamels did alright. He started the game with a seemingly ominous four-pitch walk to Washington speedster Nyjer Morgan, but no harm came of it as Hamels recorded three straight easy outs. In the third, he ran into a little trouble, surrendering a solo shot to Ian Desmond, which seemed to unnerve him a bit. After the homer, he walked two straight batters, then allowed an RBI single to Josh Willingham that tied the game at 2-2. Ivan Rodriguez then reached on an infield single, loading the bases, but Hamels was able to escape further harm, when Mike Morse grounded out to end the inning.

Hamels took the lead back in the fourth with his RBI single, but then allowed the Nationals to tie it up again when Morgan (who reached on a Ryan Howard error) scored on a double from Desmond. But the offense had his back, scoring three runs in the fifth (capped by Howard's home run) and Hamels took care of business in the bottom of the inning. By that point he had thrown 103 pitches, so his night was over, but all in all it was a respectable showing.

The bullpen did its share as well. Chad Durbin pitched two scoreless innings, but Danys Baez struggled a bit, allowing a lead-off triple and a sacrifice fly, then a double, before being pulled for Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo recorded an out and was lifted for Ryan Madson, who struck out Desmond to end the eighth. The Phillies held a 7-4 lead at that point, so the plan was for Madson to pitch the ninth as well.

In the top of the ninth, Howard extended the lead to 8-4 with a double, giving him 3 RBI on the day (five in two games). Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz walked with two outs, leaving Charlie Manuel with a difficult decision: go with a pinch hitter with two outs and the bases loaded, or leave your closer in to hit. Manuel's chose to let Madson hit for himself. Not surprisingly, Madson struck out, but given the circumstances (and the fact that Greg Dobbs and Ross Gload had already been expended), this was probably the right call.

Madson followed his own strikeout by striking out Ryan Zimmerman. But then he ran into a little trouble, surrendering back-to-back singles to Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. However, before Phillies fans had the chance to get too nervous, Ivan Rodriguez grounded into a game-ending double play, giving the Phillies an 8-4 win.

This was not the dominant outing fans would have liked to see from Hamels, but there are some positive signs. This was exactly the type of game that Hamels would have lost last year, as a few walks or sloppy plays in the field put him in a position to potentially fail. Last year, he often buckled in these situations, but today he was able to work out of them and, while his stats on the day won't blow anyone away, he got the job done and started the season on the right foot.

Meanwhile the offense continued its torrid pace from yesterday, working pitch counts and getting on base frequently. The Phillies walked eight times today (17 walks in two games), which is a great sign. It's obviously still very early, but this looks to be an extremely well-constructed and balanced lineup and it's been especially encouraging to see traditionally slow-starters Rollins and Howard getting off to red-hot starts.

It's only the Nationals so it's hard to get too worked up, but thus far Phillies fans have to like what they see.

Opening Day: Our New Favorite Halladay

2010-04-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Opening day 2010 was one of the most anticipated in recent memory for Phillies fan's; we're coming off a pennant year, have just acquired the most popular pick for Best Pitcher in Baseball, and we wanted to see him herald a year of uninterrupted success by blowing away the perennial losers who play in Washington. The uninterrupted success is yet to be proven, but we did get to see the Nationals very convincingly blown away by an 11-1 tally.

We began with the traditional first pitch from President Obama, wearing a bright red Nationals bench jacket, and no sooner had I mockingly asked "Isn't he a White Sox fan?" did he top it with a White Sox cap pulled from his pocket, grinning broadly while the crowd booed it. Political resonances of Barack Obama grinning while being roundly booed aside, the game began.

The first inning was full of bad omens. In the top half, Jimmy Rollins ended it by trying to stretch a run and getting thrown out at the plate. In the bottom half, the bad signs seemed to come directly from the Phillies' two shiny new acquisitions: Placido Polanco played Nyjer Morgan too close, allowing him a cheap infield hit, and then Ryan Zimmerman doubled off Halladay to drive Morgan in.

After that, though, Washington wouldn't score, and the Phillies would have nothing but glowingly positive signs for the year to come -- those and one early tick in the win column. After the first inning pitches, Roy Halladay settled into excellence. He was extraordinarily efficient, throwing only 88 pitches and combining speed with great control and unpredictable location to keep the Nationals stymied. He struck out nine in seven innings -- many looking -- and could have probably pitched the final two if the Phillies hadn't blown the game open.

About the Phillies blowing the game open -- it started in a very lengthy five-run fourth that blasted Washington starter John Lannan out of the game, then kept building. Highlights included an incredibly distant two-run home run courtesy of Ryan Howard that signaled the power hitter's return as well as anything else could, and an infield RBI hit for Roy Halladay in his debut as a National League pitcher.

Placido Polanco couldn't have had much of a better re-introduction either. After his first-inning fielding misjudgment he redeemed himself with an impressive double play. But it was really his bat that made him stand out. The Phillies new (and old) third baseman took home six RBI on the day, four of which came on a dramatic grand slam to left center in the seventh.

As a matter of fact, no Phillies position player was left out of the party. If we're looking for omen, then everything, both pitching- and hitting-wise was perfect. It can't stay that way forever, but for Phillies fans opening day was really a cause for celebration this year. Not so much for the ever-luckless fans of the Washington Nationals. The loss demoralized the Nationals to the point that, when asked about President Obama's attendance, manager Jim Riggleman could only reply, "That is like asking Mrs. Lincoln how she liked the play."

Tune in on Wednesday when the Phillies will attempt to further dishearten the Nationals behind Cole Hamels.

2010 Phillies Season Preview

2010-04-03T18:27:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow night the 2010 season gets underway. There are huge expectations for the Phillies this year, as they attempt to win a third straight pennant (in the third year of PPB's existence). What should you expect from the team this year? Here are our prominent questions and answers:

1. What is your reaction to the Cliff Lee/Roy Halladay trades?

Jeff
I understand why they made the two deals, and in his brief time in Seattle, Cliff Lee has already gotten injured, so it’s hard to argue against the two deals. The presence of Roy Halladay atop the rotation legitimizes the team as a true power in the National League. I’m not terribly intrigued by the prospects they got for Lee. It really seems like they could have gotten more – a major league ready young bullpen pitcher would have been nice. Ultimately, as much as I appreciate what Lee did in the World Series, I almost wish they would have bit the bullet and made Drabek available at the deadline so that they could have acquired Halladay then.

Charles
A rotation that started with Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee could have been one of the most devastating things a baseball team ever employed. I would have loved to have kept them both. That said, I can understand the reasoning for letting Lee go, considering the resources available to the Phillies and how much, comparatively, Lee was going to want (to say nothing of the legitimate demands that were being made on the farm system). Would I have jumped for joy at a situation that left us with both Halladay and Lee? Obviously. So would any other Phillies fan. But I'm still happy with the situation we finally ended up with.

If it's a question of Roy Halladay locked down for a number of years, versus Cliff Lee – potentially as devastating but less established and about as old – for only one season after which we'd be unlikely to be able to re-sign him, you have to go with Halladay. Amaro doesn't want to deplete the farm system too much, and that's not a bad thing considering the Phillies are a team that's built to win now.

Brian
It's a tough call. On the one hand, I'm thrilled to have Roy Halladay. He's arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now and by making the switch from the AL East to the NL East, his already incredible numbers stand to improve. I'm disappointed to lose Cliff Lee, who was brilliant in the regular season for the Phillies and otherworldly in the playoffs, but there was a good chance we would have lost him in a bidding war after this season anyway. The trades allowed us to be assured that we'll have an elite pitcher (at a bit of a discount) for several years. It would have been great to have both Lee and Halladay, but it's also nice to have some semblance of a farm system. Personally, I would have gone for broke and tried to win a World Series this year with Halladay/Lee/Hamels/[who cares] as my playoff rotation, but I can understand the long-term concerns that led Ruben Amaro to make these deals.

2. How has Ruben Amaro done so far as the GM?

Jeff
Amaro seems committed to making this team older by signing veterans to long-term deals. I understand why they signed Polanco and Ibanez, but in a couple years they could be in trouble, having to start players who may not be able to produce anymore. Jamie Moyer’s performance last year is an example of this. The Halladay/Lee situation could have been handled better – Kyle Drabek suddenly moving out of untouchable status was kind of strange, and it begs the question of why he was completely unavailable at the deadline. Now that Amaro has depleted the farm system, in a year or two we’ll see how good a GM Amaro really is when it comes time to use it to fill in the gaps.

Charles
Overall, I give him a thumbs up. He has curiously tended towards going almost uniformly with moves that have brought older players to the Phillies, and that is odd and a little questionable. However, most of these moves to bring in older players have worked out so far, so it's hard to pick at them individually. As has been pointed out by others, it is rare for a team to make it to a second World Series in a row, but even rarer for it to do so with an almost entirely different front-end of the rotation. Amaro deserves some credit for making that happen. Cliff Lee was possibly one of the most successful mid-season acquisitions of all time last year. Amaro simply seemed to have pulled one of the best pitchers in the game out of a hat, and the way he's been semi-swapped for Roy Halladay this year is controversial, but, I think, ultimately wise. The signing of Pedro Martinez last year did just what it needed to, just when it was needed to provide late-season help from an experienced hand, and so far having Ibanez in left field instead of Pat Burrell is something most Phillie fans seem to agree is a good thing. I also see Polanco over Feliz as an upgrade, but the results of that do still remain to be seen.

My main criticism of Amaro would be in the seemingly illogical ways that he let guys like Brett Myers and Chan Ho Park go after last season. I think a little more patience in dealing with Park would have been rewarding, considering his current role with the Yankees. Overall, though, with some reservations over a couple off choices and the trend towards age, I approve of the largely effective moves Amaro has made, and the pennant they helped get us.

Brian
It's hard to argue with the results, as the Phillies won the pennant in his first season and are considered favorites to win a fourth straight division title (if not more). That said, I haven't been overwhelmed by his performance. There has been a clear contrast in style from Pat Gillick, who never seemed to make splashy moves, but had a good enough eye for talent that he was able to acquire role players who could get the job done without commanding huge salaries or egos. For example, in 2008 Gillick's big late-season acquisitions were Joe Blanton and Matt Stairs. In 2009, Amaro added Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez. Both were valuable additions, and yet the Phillies were stymied in the World Series. Was this due to bad luck or playing a superior World Series opponent? Or did these acquisitions have a negative impact on the psyche of Cole Hamels and others? Who knows, but it's a question that warrants asking.

The bottom line with Amaro is that his moves have seemed fairly short-sighted. Case in point, the Cliff Lee trade. At the time, it looked like a great move. The Phillies acquired an elite pitcher without giving up their most prized prospects. And it worked out, as Lee was phenomenal. Only one problem...Amaro then turned around and traded his previously "untouchable" prospects for Halladay, while swapping Lee for some prospects who are widely considered to be inferior to the ones the Phillies gave up. If we were going to have to trade Kyle Drabek/Michael Taylor/etc for Halladay anyway...why not just do it at the deadline last year, lock him up, and be done with it? Was it really that unpredictable that Lee would want to test the free agent market in his one true chance for a massive payday?

And then there's his handling of arbitration...or lack thereof. Rather than take good-but-replaceable players such as Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, and Carlos Ruiz to court, he simply awarded them 3-year deals. Maybe that's great for morale (Mrs. Ruiz can finally afford those new kitchen cabinets!), but it won't sound so good next year when we can't afford to re-up Jayson Werth. If the team can win another pennant then no one will be complaining, but these sorts of decisions (and his strange fascination with making the team older) have to make you question the team's long-term prospects.

3. Who was the most important off-season acquisition, aside from Roy Halladay?

Jeff
Danys Baez. The bullpen was the biggest issue last year and coming into this off-season. Brad Lidge struggled last year, and when he got injured, Ryan Madson was erratic. Baez gives them another veteran option at the closer position, he can be a setup man, and he can be an extremely valuable seventh inning guy. The bullpen may still be an issue this year, but Baez should be a big help.

Charles
I know I'm not going to shock anybody with this answer, but it's Placido Polanco. The one change in the Phillies' regular starting nine is a big deal, and to my mind it's an upgrade. He'll hit for a better average than the man he's replacing, and he's much more of a contact hitter who will try to fight his way onto first base. That's key in the Phillies' lineup of power hitters, and if he plays up to potential Polanco could very well change the tenor and strategy of the whole lineup. His presence and the kind of hitter he is necessitates some awkward and controversial changes to the batting order. These may or may not work out, but either way Polanco's presence will be felt in a big way.

Brian
Placido Polanco seems like the obvious answer here, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say Jose Contreras. Chan Ho Park did a tremendous job last year out of the bullpen as a versatile middle reliever. To win a championship, you need a guy like that. Last year it was Park, the year before it was Chad Durbin (and, yes, I know we still have Durbin, but 2008 seems to have been a career year for him as he fell off considerably in 2009). The primary concern about Contreras should be that his groundball-to-flyball ratio isn't great, but the same could be said of Park last year, who fared well. Not to mention, Contreras has been in the AL for virtually his entire career.

4. How much of an upgrade is Placido Polanco at third base?

Jeff
I think he’ll be a big upgrade offensively. He’ll provide consistency at the top of the batting order; something that we haven't gotten from the combination of Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino. I also thing moving Victorino lower in the lineup will help Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez. Adding Polanco gives them almost undoubtedly one of the scariest lineups in the Major Leagues. On the field I’ll miss Pedro Feliz’ glove, but I don’t think Polanco will have a huge problem shifting from second back to third base. Polanco is a good fit for the ballclub in general.

Charles
I expect him to do well, although there is no way to be sure. Placido played a good third for us in the past, he's played a good second since. He's a versatile fielder, and he's spent all Spring Training working on the new position rather than jumping into it mid-season. His arm looks strong. I really doubt he will be much a downgrade from Feliz who seemed to be losing a step, and was mostly in there for his glove at that. I for one will still be thanking my lucky stars that at least we don't have to endure any more of Abraham Nunez.

Maybe the Phillies have been affected by the Curse of Mike Schmidt. We've had the best third baseman ever, but the Phillies' only two other star-quality third basemen (Dick Allen and Scott Rolen) have left fantastically unpopular after asking to be traded.

Brian
Feliz was a superb fielder and delivered some clutch hits, but let's face it: he basically morphed into Abraham Nunez. What happened to all that power we were supposed to get? And just when it seemed like he was turning things around at the plate last season, he goes and posts a .625 OPS in the 2nd half of the season. His 82 RBI were impressive, but his poor foot-speed and lack of power made the bottom of the order a double play waiting to happen. Polanco probably won't be as good in the field, but he should be a major upgrade offensively. His ability to make contact and move runners should be a huge asset, especially for such a strikeout-prone lineup. More importantly, Polanco will bat 2nd, which moves Victorino to the 7-spot. Here he'll provide Raul Ibanez with some protection and should form an excellent hit-and-run combination with Carlos Ruiz, who, like Polanco, does an excellent job of putting the ball in play.

5. Which Cole Hamels should we expect this year?

Jeff
I think he’s going to be good, but it may take him some time for him to get into a groove. He’s been working on his secondary pitches this spring and coaches have been impressed. Some of those adjustments may take time for him to get comfortable with during the season, but as long as he stays healthy he’ll have breathing room pitching behind Halladay. He also has Halladay as an influence, not to mention Jamie Moyer is still there. As long as he stays healthy, I think he’ll have a successful season.

Charles
I see him being somewhere in between his 2008 and 2009 campaigns. I do buy that psychology and stress were issues that weighed on Hamels last season and affected his performance on the mound. I buy that he'll be able to work on these and regain the poise that helped him so much in 2008. However, hitters will now be more confident against him and he won't be surprising anybody with his stuff. I look forward to a productive, helpful year from Hamels, but until he fully develops another pitch and can throw all his pitches with pinpoint control, he won't regain the total dominance he had in 2008. That's not to say he won't get those, but I don't think he'll be there yet. That said, I think the lowered pressure from having Halladay there and not having just won the World Series -- as well as hopefully some hard work -- should help him keep it together after he gives up a run or two. And that should make a huge difference considering the particular ways he tended to become unravelled last year.

Brian
Not quite the 2008 edition, but close. Hamels has got to have a chip on his shoulder coming into this year, as he was effectively blamed for the Phillies' loss in the World Series. Last year was the perfect storm of awfulness for him. He pitched far more innings than ever before in 2008, came into the season out of shape and saw limited Spring Training action, as the Phillies coddled him. Then he had to deal with being replaced as the staff ace by Lee and even being bumped down to #3 starter by Martinez. So it's no surprise that he struggled. Now he has to prove once more that he can be an elite pitcher...and I think he will. He's still very young, still has tremendous stuff, and will have had the benefit of learning from the likes of Jamie Moyer, Pedro Martinez, Cliff Lee, and now Roy Halladay.

6. Who should be the fifth starter?

Jeff
With Joe Blanton’s injury, both Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick will start the season in the rotation, and both of them deserve it. However, had Blanton not been injured, I would have said that Moyer should be the fifth starter. Halfway through spring training, I would have said Kendrick. Kendrick had a fantastic spring training and Moyer had some rough starts in the Minor League camp. I was surprised to see Moyer almost dominate when he started pitching in the Major League camp, but he did and earned his spot back from Kyle Kendrick. Now the two pitchers get to continue battling for the spot during the season.

Charles
I think with Blanton now out of commission for some time, the Phillies are going to have to use both Moyer and Kendrick. The silver lining on that cloud is that, with a chance to see both of them starting in real-game situations this year, the Phillies will get a chance to pick out who has the hotter arm and use him. And that's really the way to go. At this point, though, I'm leaning towards Kendrick for one simple reason. Moyer may do as well as ever as a starter this year, but last year when he was placed in the bullpen he actually improved and became quite successful. The Phils have a questionable bullpen this year, and it would be helped out a lot by having somebody there pitching like Moyer did out of the bullpen in 2009. We already know that as a soft-thrower he doesn't tire as quickly as his age would suggest so he can eat innings, and we well know from 2008's World Series that he can sit around (in his locker if need be) and then pick up and pitch when needed. He might want to start, but we have to use Moyer where he'll have the best chance to help the team most.

Brian
Jamie Moyer. I know Kendrick has looked great and Moyer [insert old-age joke here], but bear with me. Moyer's value to the team goes beyond wins and losses and ERA. He's been a tremendous asset to the young pitchers on the team (and next to him, everyone is a young pitcher). Nothing made me feel better about Cole Hamels' future than having him chatting with Moyer constantly on the bench. Having him is like having a second pitching coach and, much as I'd like to see if he work his magic on Brad Lidge, I'd much rather have him imparting his wisdom on Hamels and J.A. Happ and anyone else willing to listen.

7. What can we expect from the bullpen this year?

Jeff
I think Lidge will be much better than last year once he returns from the DL, though that’s not saying much. I love the addition of Baez and I think it makes the absence of Lidge a little more bearable, and as long as J.C. Romero takes the time he needs to truly come back healthy, I think they’ll be fine. I’m not sold on Jose Contreras. He’s supposed to fill the role Chan Ho Park did last year, and I doubt he’ll be as successful. He hasn’t been terribly successful in a while, and he hasn’t looked great so far as a Phillie. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a bullpen addition around the trade deadline.

Charles
Some trouble, unfortunately. The bullpen was an issue last year, and the main difference this year is that the more reliable guys are gone. Scott Eyre has retired. Chan Ho Park is a Yankee. Condrey is a Twin. The Phillies wanted nothing to do with Brett Myers, who was arguably a better bullpen pitcher than starter. There are going to be a lot of young question marks out there, and a couple of old question marks in Jose Contreras and Danys Baez. Lidge is coming on a year and injuries that make him a question mark. Some of those guys will work out fine, but if you go with all question marks you are going to run into problems.

Brian
It's difficult to say until we know how it's going to shape out, but I would expect it to be slightly better in the long run. Brad Lidge isn't going to repeat his 2008 season, but he can't be as bad as he was last year. And if he is, he'll be replaced by Ryan Madson or Danys Baez. The man can only get so many chances. The bullpen lost Scott Eyre and Chan Ho Park, but a healthy J.C. Romero can replace Eyre and Contreras can take over for Park. Baez should also be a nice addition. The wildcard for me is Antonio Bastardo. He had a couple impressive outings last year and seems to be destined for a relief role, as he basically has two pitches. I see him as the next J.C. Romero. Of course, all that changes if Romero and Lidge battle injuries all year.

8. How does the bench compare to last year?

Jeff
They’re a lot better. They have the same kinds of players, but they’re all upgrades. Juan Castro replaces Eric Bruntlett, Brian Schneider replaces Paul Bako and Chris Coste (Schneider isn’t great, but he’s certainly better than Bako and Coste), and as much as I’m going to miss Matt Stairs, Ross Gload is younger and more versatile. I’d still like to see them deal Greg Dobbs if they can and fill his slot with a speedster since Dobbs and Gload are very similar and the Phillies could use a pinch runner. Also, Ben Francisco was a fantastic pick up in the Cliff Lee deal, and having him as a fourth outfielder for the full year should be big.

Charles
Bit of a step up. Ross Gload was an acquisition I liked; he looks to provide a strong bat off the bench. Brian Schneider is no superstar to be sure, and Mets fans got tired enough of him, but he looks to provide stable backup to Ruiz and is an upgrade over Paul Bako. There are emerging prospects like Domonic Brown who may do well as bench support this year, and I think John Mayberry will improve after some seasoning. The Phillies' bench wasn't actually as big an issue last year as it would have been with many other teams, since the regulars played so often. There was very little variation in the starting position players, and since the Phillies' core is starting to settle into its collective thirties, it might be a good thing to rest them a bit – especially since some attributed a drop-off in Utley's performance to an unwillingness to take a rest. If the bench can take some of the pressure off this season, that might be a big deal.

Brian
The bench should be an improvement over last year's, as it appears that everyone on it provides considerable value. We'll miss Matt Stairs, but Ross Gload should be an adequate replacement for him, while also having the ability to play in the field now and again. Juan Castro should easily replace Eric Bruntlett, and might even be able to get a hit once in a while. Brian Schneider is basically Paul Bako plus a little offense, so he's a slight upgrade. Greg Dobbs is still a competent pinch-hitter and can start an occasional game. And Ben Francisco is a great right-handed bat and a very good fielder. The bench was a strength the last two years, but this year it's deeper than ever.

9. What is the biggest flaw in the current Phillies team?

Jeff
The biggest flaw is the bullpen, especially with Lidge and Romero starting the season on the DL. I doubt that Lidge will have as bad a year as last year, and hopefully he and Romero will take as much time as they need to get completely healthy, but they and Ryan Madson need to anchor the bullpen the way they did in 2008. The presence of Baez should help, and hopefully Chad Durbin won’t be overworked. The last two slots belong to Jose Contreras, who has quite a lot to prove, and (until Kyle Kendrick goes back to the bullpen) David Herndon, a Rule 5 Draft Pick from the Angels. Herndon has had a good spring, but that’s all we know about the 25-year old. Antonio Bastardo will be the sole left-handed reliever until Romero returns.

Charles
All-around lack of pitching depth. The top of the rotation has the potential to be phenomenal, but the temporary sidelining of Blanton has eliminated a lot of margin for error with Kendrick and Moyer probably both starting, and has laid bare the lack of depth. That also takes an arm away from an already uncertain bullpen. There are a lot of mound factors that are big unknowns right now – including whether the number two starter and the closer will be effective at all, and there doesn't really seem to be an iron-clad backup plan for a lot of these contingencies. There are not a whole lot of Major League-ready arms hanging around in the farm system at the moment either.

Brian
Rotation depth. We know (or have been told, anyway) that Halladay will be a Cy Young contender and there's reason to believe that Hamels will bounce back. But after that? Joe Blanton is alright, but little more than an inning-eater. J.A. Happ was superb last year, but it seems like every five minutes a sabermetrician writes about how bad his 2010 projections are. And our fifth starter is either a 47-year old or a guy who barely outperformed Adam Eaton the last time he was a fixture in our rotation. I don't feel too bad about our postseason rotation of Halladay/Hamels/Happ/Blanton, but what if there's an injury? We don't have any stud pitchers waiting in the wings (cough, Kyle Drabek, cough), so an injury to even a guy like Blanton can prove costly.

10. Will the depletion of the farm system last year be an issue in the long run?

Jeff
The farm system needs time to restock. As long as Amaro doesn’t need to use it to make more trades, the farm system should be in decent shape by the time veterans like Ibanez, Polanco, and Contreras are at the end of their contracts. Domonic Brown is nearly ready to take one of the outfield positions. But if one of the Phillies’ key players gets injured this season, they may have a hard time finding a suitable replacement. If Utley or Rollins get injured, they don’t have anyone ready to step in and they don’t have the depth to justify trading for a short-term solution.

Charles
Hard to tell for sure, since the fact is that prospects are always a crap shoot to some degree or another. It's entirely possible that every player the Phillies have had to trade away will turn out to be a wash. The Phillies have a solid system, though, and by and large Amaro has made sure to replenish the system with prospects of a value in a league somewhere in the vicinity of what he's traded away. That was a large portion of the reason why Cliff Lee was traded away – and that demonstrates a certain amount of dedication to the farm system. That said, though, and not to rehash answers, but it's possible that with 2010's particular pitching situation, some of the young pitching phenoms formerly in the system might have come in handy this season.

Brian
It's hard to see how it won't be. Maybe Amaro has a great eye for talent and the Seattle prospects will develop nicely. But aside from Domonic Brown, who do we have to look forward to? (Admittedly I am excited about Tyson Gillies, who strikes me as a Michael Bourn clone.) Most concerning is that we managed to trade both stud catcher prospects (Lou Marson and Travis D'Arnaud) in the past year, so who's going to replace Ruiz in a few years? And if we're going to lose Werth (which seems likely), then why trade our best right-handed outfield prospect (Michael Taylor)? Maybe Domonic Brown (left-handed) is just that much better but you'd have a difficult time proving it. Time will tell, but I'm concerned.

11. Which Phillies prospect might emerge this season?

Jeff
Not many Phillies prospects will have the chance to emerge this season. Most of the top prospects in the system aren’t ready to contribute at the Major League level, and even if they were, there aren’t roster spots for them to fill. Antonio Bastardo and Sergio Escalona could emerge as second left-handed options in the bullpen, and Bastardo or Drew Carpenter could find their way into the rotation should injuries arise. However, for this question I’m going to pick outfielder Quintin Berry. If the Phillies decide they need a pinch runner type, Berry could get the call. He stole 48 bases last year, over 50 in 2008 and 2007, and he might get the chance to become the new Michael Bourn. There may be a Berry Pickers fan group soon enough.

Charles
Well, if we are still counting Antonio Bastardo as a prospect, then it's pretty certain that he will be seeing a lot of playing time out of the bullpen, since Ruben Amaro has told us so. Aside from Bastardo, OF Domonic Brown looks likely to make an impact. He's got a lot of potential with his speed, size, and bat, and he's been essentially designated the heir apparent in right field if the Phillies can't re-sign Jayson Werth for 2011 or beyond. Since that is a definite possibility, it's likely the Phillies will want to prepare Brown by working him into some Major League games. Brown tore up in Spring Training, and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Brown in the Majors and playing a fourth-outfielder type of role by the end of the season.

Brian
Tough call because, barring injuries, no prospects are expected to get major playing time. Domonic Brown is our most impressive prospect, but a couple of guys would have to go down for him to crack the lineup. My money is on Bastardo, who I mentioned earlier. I think he has a bright future as a middle reliever or at least a left-handed specialist, and has a good chance to get into the bullpen this season, especially if J.C. Romero isn't 100%.

12. Which NL East rival is the biggest threat?

Jeff
The Marlins could be in position for another big year. Josh Johnson established himself as one of the best young arms in the game last year, Ricky Nolasco has looked good this spring, and Hanley Ramirez remains one of the best players in the game. The Marlins have a lot of question marks, but if more of their young pitchers emerge and young position players are able to support Ramirez and Dan Uggla offensively, they could be a nuisance this year.

Charles
The Braves are the popular pick in this category and I won't try to deny they are a dangerous team going into 2010. However, I want to use this space to point out that I think it would be a big mistake to write off the Mets too easily. Yes, we beat heavily-favored Mets teams in the division races of 2007 and 2008. And yes, the Mets were miserable last year. However, there were reasons they were so favored in 2007 and 2008, and they were so miserable in 2009 because of a rash of injuries. They're left with a lot of problems to address, but they also still have some very strong core players and they still have Johan Santana. Jason Bay may not be the Mets' all-time savior, but he is still a dangerous offensive player. So are Jose Reyes and David Wright. I don't think the Mets have a great shot at the division, but I also think most people have grossly underestimated them.

Brian
The Braves. Atlanta looks the most dangerous on paper, given their deep lineup and some outstanding prospects in Tommy Hanson and Jason Heyward. Plus the team will have extra motivation to make the playoffs in Bobby Cox's last season as manager. The Marlins are also a young and dangerous team, but I don't think they're quite there yet.

13. Which NL team has the biggest chance of keeping them from their third World Series appearance?

Jeff
The Rockies have been very good in the past few years, and they seem to keep getting better, finding out what works, who to keep, and having fewer and fewer holes to fill. They have great pitching, headed by Ubaldo Jiminez, and they’re developing a great young offensive core with Troy Tulowitski, Carlos Gonzalez, and Ian Stewart. The rest of the NL West could also be trouble. The Giants have a stellar pitching staff and solidified their offense, the Diamondbacks made some great moves in the off-season and could be dangerous if Brandon Webb is healthy (big if), and the Dodgers field more or less the same team as last year. The Padres may appear so helpless that teams have no choice but to take pity on them. But the Rockies are establishing themselves as one of the top NL teams in recent years and this year they look even better.

Charles
The Division Series is always a little like Russian roulette. Last year the St. Louis Cardinals had the misfortune to pull the trigger on the wrong chamber, but this year they will once again have a strong, balanced team and a very good shot at winning the NL Central. If the Phillies have to face them in either round of the playoffs, they could present more well-rounded opposition than the Dodgers have for the past two years.

Brian
The Dodgers. LA has played us well in the postseason for the past two years and they feature a strong, balanced lineup, a solid rotation, and a deep bullpen. It doesn't hurt that they're got one of the best managers in the game and some rising stars in Jonathan Broxton, Clayton Kershaw, Andre Ethier, and Matt Kemp.

14. Which player is most likely to improve/bounce back?

Jeff
Brad Lidge. He just can’t be that bad again. Last year I picked Lidge to regress only because he couldn’t possibly be perfect again. Regress would be an understatement for what happened last year. Now I’m saying he’ll be better, secretly hoping he’ll improve as much as he regressed last year.

Charles
Brad Lidge, when he gets back on the mound. He had a much publicized uncharacteristically bad year last year, but has proven his ability to bounce back in the past (after a little-known home run incident rattled him when he was with the Astros). It has emerged that he was playing injured for much of last year, which I for one strongly suspect contributed to his troubles. I'm upset he didn't reveal these injuries sooner so Charlie Manuel could manage with them in mind, but I think that once they're dealt with we're likely to see a Brad Lidge who actually pitches like an effective closer (even if he isn't the 100% perfect Lidge we saw in 2008) which would be a big step up.

Brian
Jimmy Rollins. Cole Hamels and even Brad Lidge are also candidates but Rollins was able to put together a strong 2nd half of the season, after struggling before the All-Star break. Having Polanco hitting behind him should help, plus with the revamped bottom of the order, he'll have a few more RBI chances than usual. He's never going to hit like he did in his MVP season again, but he could easily hit in the .270-.280 range with another 20 home runs.

15. Which player is most likely to regress?

Jeff
J.A. Happ. While Happ was great last year, there were a lot of mixed reviews as to whether he would be able to sustain his success. Some people compared him to a young Andy Pettitte, while others thought he was mostly lucky. Last year’s success was so unexpected and I wouldn’t be surprised if some teams are able to figure him out this year. He seems primed for a sophomore slump, though I still think he’ll be good

Charles
Raul Ibanez. I expect a productive year from Ibanez, but the left fielder is aging and his abilities may start to decline. He virtually carried the Phillies on his shoulders during the first half of last year, then evened out to produce season stats that were about average for him because his second half was relatively poor. While I'd love a repeat of that first half performance (and there's some indication that the drop-off may have been contributed to by injury), there's a strong possibility that was an aberration.

Brian
Raul Ibanez. Most would probably say J.A. Happ, but it's hard to argue with Ibanez, who tailed off in the 2nd half after playing like an MVP in the first few months. Oh, and did I mention he'll turn 38 this year? The one thing going in his favor is that he should be hitting in front of Victorino, instead of Feliz, so he should see some better pitches to hit.

16. Who will be the team MVP?

Jeff
While Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard will be the heart and soul of the team as they have been for the past few years, Roy Halladay will be their MVP. Halladay gives them a presence at the top of the rotation that they haven’t had since Curt Schilling was their ace. Halladay legitimizes the team as an MLB power, and he should also be a positive influence to the rest of the rotation – young starters like Hamels, Happ, and Kendrick.

Charles
Unless somebody really clears ahead of the field with his bat, I think it has a strong chance of being Roy Halladay. If he pitches as consistently as he has for the Blue Jays (or maybe even moreso, considering he is moving to the National League), that's one really good shot at a win in every start. In short, he could be even bigger for the Phillies than Hamels was in 2008. Quite simply, starting pitchers have a bigger shot at impacting games than offensive players on a given day, and Halladay is a proven ace.

Brian
The early pick has got to be Ryan Howard. He was superb again last season and showed improvement in the field and on the basepaths due to his slimming down in the previous off-season. Now we're told that he's continued to work on his svelte figure and has also retooled his swing to improve his plate coverage. Does that mean he won't strike out 150+ times? Probably not, but it could push his average and OBP up a few points. Every little bit helps.

17. With Matt Stairs out of the picture and Michael Bourn long gone (we still miss him), which normally underappreciated player will become the new People’s Phillies Blog favorite?

Jeff
Ben Francisco. He’s the best fourth outfielder we’ve had in a while (Michael Bourn and Matt Stairs were really fifth outfielders) and we will get excited every time he comes into the game. If we ever see Dewayne Wise or Quintin Berry in the majors, they’ve also got a major shot to become the new favorite.

Charles
Based purely on their names, I would say that Antonio Bastardo and Brian Bocock are the top candidates right now. Since I'm not sure Bastardo will stay underappreciated enough, and I like Bocock's underdog biography (he was a regular with the Giants for two weeks in 2008, hit under .200, then was later claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays and the Phillies). So I am going for Brian Bocock at the moment.

Brian
Always difficult to predict, but there are some strong candidates. Antonio Bastardo has a good shot, if only because of the name. We've already kicked around the idea of the fan group name "Bastardo's Children Born Out of Wedlock" (no offense, Antonio). My sleeper for this honor is Tyson Gillies, who, if given a chance, could be Michael Bourn-lite (I can't bring myself to call anyone the next Michael Bourn. Blasphemy!) But my pick is going to be Dewayne Wise. He has a good shot to be our token 'pinch-runner/defensive replacement in a tight game which sorta makes sense at the time until he comes up with two on and two out in the bottom of the 12th'. But mostly, he's that guy who saved Mark Buerhle's perfect game. What's not to like?

Non-Phillies Pick of the Week: Week 1

2010-04-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

Here at The People's Phillies Blog, we are all about the Phillies. But that's by choice and not necessity. To (attempt to) prove this, every week we'll select a non-Phillies game and each of our analysts will pick the winner. We'll keep track of our records (and hope they don't get embarrassing), posting them with each week's edition. The winner will get a prize...maybe. (Really I just want to put that out there in the event that I win.)

Not surprisingly, this week's game is the season-opener: Yankees-Red Sox on Sunday night. Here's how we picked:

Yankees at Red Sox
C.C. Sabathia vs Josh Beckett

Brian

Great pitching match-up, but Sabathia gives the Yankees the edge. The Yankees have hit Beckett reasonably well, especially Robinson Cano, who has a 1.055 OPS against Beckett in 48 at-bats.

Jeff

Sabathia had a lot of success against the Red Sox last year, while Beckett had mixed results against the Yankees. Neither of each team's big offensive addition (Curtis Granderson for the Yankees, Adrian Beltre for the Red Sox) have had great success against the opposing pitcher.

Charles

Going to have to go with Boston for this game. It's a battle of aces, but while C.C. Sabathia has always thrived most when overworked and pressured at the end of the season and into the playoffs, a big opener like this in front of a home crowd seems like it would be right up Josh Beckett's alley. Both teams have had some changes over the offseason, but going into real-game action, it seems likely that losses like Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon will be challenges the Yankees have to find ways to overcome, even with the addition of Curtis Granderson, while the Sox may be energized by some of their new pickups.

Phantasy Pick of the Week

2010-04-03T12:08:00.001-07:00

Each week we're going to be giving you our expert fantasy baseball advice with regard to which Phillies players are the best picks for your fantasy team. These will tend to either be guys who you wouldn't expect big things from (I don't need to tell you to start Chase Utley every week) or established stars who can be expected to have exceptionally big weeks. Generally, we'll post these picks Sunday nights.

This week's pick: Roy Halladay

Welcome to the National League, Roy. Your first two assignments will be facing John Lannan and the Washington Nationals to open the season and then to face (most likely) Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros. Most of these players have never faced Halladay or haven't faced him recently. While the Nationals are improved, they're still likely to dwell in the basement of the NL East, and the Astros are currently missing Lance Berkman. Halladay has a chance this week to start the season off on a good foot.

Three Pitchers to Start Season on the DL

2010-04-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

Not a great way to start the year. It's been announced that Joe Blanton, Brad Lidge, and J.C. Romero will start the season on the 15-day DL. No surprise in the cases of Lidge and Romero, but Blanton's status is a new development. All three pitchers are expected to be ready to go by the end of April, if not sooner.

The Blanton injury shouldn't majorly impact the start of the season. Blanton projected as the 3 or 4 starter, but the Phillies had a surplus of starters as it is. The opening in the rotation allows both Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick to start the season in the rotation, though it still remains to be seen who will head to the bullpen for the long haul.

The absences of Lidge and Romero will have a greater impact. Ryan Madson should be able to handle the closer's role (though he was a bit shaky there last season), but the Phillies lack an experienced lefty arm in the bullpen. Options include Sergio Escalona, Mike Zagurski, and Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo might be the best choice, as he has the best potential to be a mainstay in the bullpen and showed promise in that role last year. Regardless of who gets the call-up, extra pressure will be put on Chad Durbin, Jose Contreras, and Danys Baez.

None of the injuries should hurt the team's long term chances of success, but it will be interesting to see how they handle the loss of three key members of the pitching staff.

Are Two Aces Really Better Than One?

2009-12-16T13:34:00.001-08:00

Well, it's official. Cliff Lee is leaving town and Roy Halladay is taking his place. The jury is still out on this trade, but the consensus among Phillies fans is that the Phillies should have dealt their prospects for Halladay and retained Lee, at least for 2010, The idea being that Halladay and Lee would form an unstoppable duo (and having Cole Hamels are the 3rd starter wouldn't hurt either) and would virtually guarantee, barring injuries of course, that the Phillies take home the 2010 crown.

That all sounds great on paper, but is it really true? Does having two legitimate "aces" really lock down anything? Common sense would say that it does. After all, what team would want to face two elite starters in a playoff series, especially a best-of-five? And yet, thinking about it, it seems like almost every year there is a team with a couple elite starting pitchers who supposedly no one wants to face in October...but not many of those teams actually won anything.

That got me thinking today and I have done some research on the subject. Obviously it's a bit tricky because, after all, what defines an "ace"? Cole Hamels was considered the ace of the 2008 Phillies but there's no doubt that Cliff Lee was the ace in '09 and that Roy Halladay will be the ace of the 2010 team, despite Hamels' continued presence. It generally means the team's best pitcher, but clearly a team can be considered to have two aces, as would have been the case if Halladay and Lee were paired. There's no surefire answer, but it seemed to me that the best way to pick out teams with multiple aces was to find teams that had two or more pitchers finish in the top five of the Cy Young Award voting. It's not a perfect system, but it at least provided a basis for the discussion.

Since 1995, the first year when the wildcard was implemented and the playoffs had three rounds, there have been eighteen teams with two or more "aces", by my definition. Four of these teams won the World Series: the 1995 Braves, 1998 Yankees, 2001 Diamondbacks, and 2004 Red Sox. So of the teams that sported multiple aces, 22 percent won it all. That doesn't sound too good on its own, but it doesn't tell the whole story.

For starters, only one of these eighteen teams did not make the playoffs. The lone exception was the 2002 Red Sox, who finished 2nd in the AL East and missed the wildcard, despite getting brilliant seasons from Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe. That team won 93 games (the same number as the 2009 Phillies) so it's not like they were a terrible team, but then again it's a bit hard to say they were simply unlucky as their record would not have won them any division or wildcard in either league that season (though perhaps not having to play the 103-win Yankees so many times would have helped). Based on that it is fairly safe to say that having twin aces gets you into the playoffs.

But making the playoffs is not really the point. First, the Cy Young voting often comes down to who has the best win-loss record (or that at least plays a major role), so the pitchers in contention for the award are going to be on good teams the vast majority of the time. Second, making the playoffs has to be considered a given for this study. Had the Phillies ran out Halladay and Lee in 2010, missing the playoffs would not have been a valid option. Besides, the purpose of that deal would have been to lock up a World Series, not another division title. It is worth noting, however, that if you are of the persuasion that the MLB playoffs are basically random, due to the small number of postseason games in comparison to the 162-game regular season, then you could argue that just getting there is good enough, that the titles will happen, given enough opportunities. But try telling that to the Braves, who won fourteen straight division titles and just one World Championship.

As for the teams that did make the playoffs, as mentioned, only four out of seventeen won the Series. However, it's not entirely fair to say that the remaining thirteen teams blew it. If the argument to be made is that teams with one ace (or perhaps no ace) are better than those with two, then the two-ace teams that lost to other two-ace teams cannot be counted. There are only two examples: the 2001 Mariners and the 2001 Yankees. The Mariners lost to the Yankees, who went on to lose to the Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson. So they don't count.

All of the sudden, we're down to eleven two-ace teams that were unable to defeat teams with fewer aces in the postseason. That would mean that 36 percent of the playoff teams that employ two aces and don't run into other two-ace teams, win the World Series. Sounds pretty good, right? Well, not so fast. If look more closely, a lot of these teams really did have an ace, even if they had more than one great pitcher.

The 2004 Red Sox had Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez, who finished 2nd and 4th, respectively, in the Cy Young voting. However, this was Schilling's team. He had the more impressive stats, took a bigger role as a team leader, and was the unquestioned choice as the #1 starter in October. Martinez actually had a down year (by his standards) with a 3.90 ERA.

The 1998 Yankees had David Wells and David Cone and it is hard to argue with their two-ace credentials. However, this was the Yankees at their finest, a team that won 114 games and was dominant in all aspects. They were in no way carried by two starting pitchers. In fact, Andy Pettitte started Game 2 of the ALDS that year, ahead of Cone. This was one of the greatest teams of all time and it's difficult to attribute that success to having multiple aces.

The 1995 Braves are a more interesting case. They won behind stellar pitching from Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz. They would be among the first teams that come to mind when supporting the theory that multiple aces equals playoff success. However, this is, in a way, the exception that proves the rule. True, the Braves won in '95, but that was the only time they won despite fourteen straight division titles.

And then there's the most obvious example, the 2001 Diamondbacks, who sported Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, forming one of the best 1-2 punches in history. But this example is also a bit flawed. First of all, Arizona beat the Yankees in the series, who, as previously mentioned, also had two aces (Roger Clemens and Mike Mussina). And second, this is in a way similar to the Braves issue, in that if this was such a successful formula, then why weren't they able to win a single playoff game outside of 2001? Johnson and Schilling teamed up from mid-2000 through 2003 and they only made the playoffs one other time (2002), at which point they got swept in the NLDS.

But why is it that these multiple-ace teams don't seem to dominate the playoffs the way logic suggests they should? That was always the question with the Braves of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz or the A's of Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito. I can't definitively answer that question, but if I had to guess, I would say it's psychological.

A baseball team functions on routine, on structure. When that is disrupted, teams can collapse. Why is it that teams need to have specific pitchers assigned to the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings? Wouldn't it make more logical sense to use the pitcher who has the most favorable matchups than to use a guy just because he has the label of "closer"? For example, utilizing a left-handed specialist when two of the three batters due up are left-handed, instead of a right-handed pitcher who happens to have more saves. It sounds good, but it doesn't always work that well. Just look at the 2009 Phillies bullpen. Brad Lidge had a terrible season, but it wasn't until he hit the disabled list and Charlie Manuel started leaning on Ryan Madson to close out games did Madson really start to struggle. Does that mean that Madson doesn't have the "closer's mentality" or does it just mean that he was well-adjusted to his 8th inning role?

Just as a bullpen lacking a closer can fall into disarray, so can a rotation without a defined ace, at least in October. During the regular season, the "ace" status isn't as big a deal. Everyone is pitching regularly and, over the course of the season, pitching matchups get mixed to the point where it's little more than coincidence when two ace pitchers face off. It's just as likely that Cole Hamels will face Tim Lincecum as it is that Joe Blanton faces him. And whoever faces him, it's because it's his turn, not because the manager selected him for that matchup. In the regular season, a team can't lean on its ace too heavily. Having one supposed virtual lock for a win every five games is nice, but a team can't think that way over 162 games.

The playoffs, however, are a very different story. When the ace pitches, it becomes a must-win game. The expectation is that whoever has the better ace will take it, regardless of the offenses involved. The offense doesn't feel added pressure because they are confident the ace will keep the opposing offense in check. Obviously this doesn't always happen, but for the great teams it usually does. That's what the Yankees had this year with C.C. Sabathia and what the Phillies had with Hamels last year. Having the best pitcher in a series is a tremendous advantage because, although no pitcher can win a series by himself, the idea that one team has a win practically guaranteed every three or four games presents a tremendous psychological advantage.

One would think this advantage would be built upon for teams with multiple aces, but that doesn't seem to be the case. From a psychological standpoint, it seems to be a classic case of having too much of a good thing. If one kid gets ice cream every day and another gets ice cream once a week, obviously the once-a-week kid is going to be much more excited about ice cream. It's much easier to rally around the idea that your ace is pitching and you have to win for him than it is to do that for two or three guys. Likewise, it waters down the intimidation on the opponent. Instead of having one guy in the rotation that they dread facing, there are now two or three and unless the team is going to throw in the towel and give up, they can't be that greatly intimidated by both pitchers.

Not to mention the effect this can have on the pitchers themselves. As mentioned, baseball players (pitchers especially) thrive on routine and structure. So is it any wonder that Cole Hamels struggled last October after having effectively been demoted to #2 starter? Or that the rest of the Phillies rotation was spotty when they didn't even announce who would start Game 3 of the NLDS until after Game 2 had been played? Another example would be Pedro Martinez in 2004, who was supplanted by Schilling as staff ace and saw his ERA jump for 2.22 in '03 to 3.90 in '04.

So there you have it. Is this indisputable evidence that teams with multiple aces are worse in October? Not really, it's too small a sample size. But it is interesting to look at it in a different light and try to get a handle on the psychological implications that these kinds of roster decisions have on a team.

For the record, I'm still not thrilled about the Roy Halladay trade and would love to have taken a chance on the Halladay-Lee-Hamels tandem, despite my research. But if there's any truth to my theory, than perhaps Ruben Amaro made the correct decision in effectively swapping Lee for Halladay...even if it may not have been for the right reasons.

Halladay Shopping

2009-12-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

It looks like the 4-team mega-trade is finally complete and Roy Halladay will be a Phillie. Yesterday's write-up was premature, but now the pieces seem to be in place. So here's the breakdown:

Phillies get:
Roy Halladay (from Toronto)
Phillippe Aumont, RHP (from Seattle)
Tyson Gillies, OF (from Seattle)
Juan Ramirez, RHP (from Seattle)
$6 million cash (from Toronto)

Mariners get:
Cliff Lee (from Philadelphia)

Blue Jays get:
Travis D'Arnaud, C (from Philadelphia)
Kyle Drabek, RHP (from Philadelphia)
Brett Wallace, 1B/3B (from Oakland)

A's get:
Michael Taylor (from Philadelphia via Toronto)

So there it is. The Phillies give up Lee and three of their top prospects in return for Halladay and three of the Mariners' top prospects. It's an interesting trade. Getting rid of Lee is a tough sell after he was so dominant in a Phillies uniform; especially considering that the Phillies could have conceivably dealt prospects to Toronto and kept Lee, perhaps dealing Blanton to save some money. But the goal was to maintain the present and secure the future.

By making this trade the way they did, the Phillies will have an elite pitcher through 2013, as Halladay agreed to a 3-year extension, and they will do so without depleting their farm system. The general consensus seems to be that the prospects the Phillies acquired are not quite as good as the ones they gave up, but they are still legitimate prospects. (I would like to point out this quote from ESPN's Keith Law in his breakdown of the deal: "Tyson Gillies is among the fastest men in baseball and has a decent approach at the plate." Hmm, does that scouting report remind you of anyone? Oh, perhaps, PPB favorite Michael Bourn? Just saying...) So instead of depleting their farm system they may have just downgraded it slightly. And they did manage to keep Dominic Brown, their top hitting prospect.

The one thing I don't get is that I kept reading that the Phillies' refusal to keep Brown out of the trade was the primary stumbling block in keeping the Phillies from trading for Halladay straight out, without dealing Lee or involving other teams...but all Toronto got was three Phillies prospects not named 'Dominic Brown.' Maybe that trade could have been worked out once the Blue Jays agreed to send Taylor to the A's, but the Phillies stuck with this plan as not to devastate the team down the road.

I also find it very interesting that the Phillies were suddenly willing to include Drabek in the deal. Wasn't this the guy the Phillies outright refused to trade last summer? Considering that they had no problem giving him away now, that Brown had gained the status of #1 prospect, and considering Drabek's injury history, it makes me wonder whether the Phillies brass knows something about Drabek that we don't. Just putting that out there...

In the short term, it's hard to say what kind of impact the trade will have. Halladay is a great pitcher, but so is Lee. It's certainly safe to say the team is shaping up to be better than last year, as a full season out of Halladay/Lee should make the rotation much more daunting. And one would hope that Halladay can have a positive impact on Cole Hamels (and that Hamels' psyche isn't damaged by the constant 'ace' talk that he hasn't been a part of).

Overall I'm not thrilled with the trade. It seems like a waffling sort of move for a team that can't decide whether to go for it all now or to stay competitive for longer. I'm all for multiple division titles a la the '90s Atlanta Braves, but being consistently 'very good' doesn't tend to win you as many titles as having a couple years of being 'great'. Just ask the Eagles. Personally, I would've gone for broke while the team's core is still in its prime.

However, if nothing else, the trade maintains the status quo for 2010 and allows the team to retain a proven ace through 2013. It may not make us a virtual lock for the World Series this year, but then again, in October there really is no such thing as a 'lock.' It's pretty much a crapshot. So if this helps us get to the playoffs for the next 3-4 years, perhaps that's the best we can hope for.

Trading Aces: Phils To Swap Lee For Halladay

2009-12-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

According to a report from SI.com, the Phillies are close to acquiring Roy Halladay in a 3-team trade that will send Cliff Lee to Seattle. It's unclear at the moment who else will be involved in the trade; presumably Seattle will be sending prospects to Toronto and possibly to the Phillies as well, but all that's come out so far is Lee is heading to the Mariners and Halladay to the Phillies.

This comes as an initial shock, as the Phillies seem to be accomplishing little by swapping aces, especially after Lee was so dominant in October. But the deal is contingent upon Halladay signing a contract extension, so this is not merely a rental. The Phillies had tried to work out an extension with Lee but had not made any headway, so after the 2010 season they would have either lost him to free agency, or had his price driven up in a bidding war.

It's difficult to see Lee go after witnessing his brilliance in a Phillies uniform, but ultimately Ruben Amaro has to be commended for this trade. Halladay, after all, was the Phillies' initial target when they sought an ace to bolster their rotation last season, but the price was too high. There's no question that if they could have gotten Halladay for the package that landed them Lee, they would have done so in a heartbeat. And now, several months later, they have effectively done just that.

As good as Lee was, Halladay should be a better fit. He is an excellent groundball pitcher and he also generates more strikeouts than Lee; both of which make him a better fit in Citizens Bank Park. He's also a right-handed pitcher, which should help balance out the rotation a bit. Not to mention his superior track record to Lee, who has had a few outstanding seasons, but his overall resume pales in comparison to that of Halladay. Based on last season's stats there appears to be minimal difference between the two, but on a career level, Halladay is clearly superior.

Just look at their pages on baseballreference.com. Cliff Lee's Hall of Fame statistics give him a Hall of Fame monitor score of 39 (the average Hall of Famer finishes with a score of about 100). Meanwhile Roy Halladay's Hall of Fame monitor score is 80, meaning that he's got a legitimate shot at the Hall if he finishes his career strong. The similarity scores are also worth noting. Out of the top ten pitchers who compare the best to Lee through age 30, there are some quality names: Denny Neagle, Mark Mulder, Chris Carpenter. But Halladay's top comparisons through age 32 are a bit more impressive: Mike Mussina, Dizzy Dean, Don Newcombe, Andy Pettitte, Jim Bunning. So debate all you want who was better last year, but Halladay's track record is far superior, and thus a better indicator of future success.

The ultimate question, however, is just how much better (if at all) does this make the Phillies? Halladay is a slightly better pitcher right now, but he'll have even more pressure on him than Lee did, seeing as he'll be expected to mirror or even top Lee's 2009 output. We'll have to see how the trade shakes out before making final analysis; if the Phillies score a nice prospect or two in the deal, for example, that would solidify this as a wise decision. Ultimately, however, this move wasn't made for 2010 as much as it was for the next several years. The Phillies are in win-now mode, but that doesn't mean they are sacrificing the future.

While this seems like an intelligent trade on the whole, the Phillies still have some work to be done. The bullpen needs upgrading (John Smoltz wouldn't be a terrible option if they are looking for a bargain) and another quality starter would be nice. As it stands, our rotation will feature Halladay, Hamels, Happ, Blanton, and an unknown fifth starter (probably either Kendrick, Moyer, or perhaps even Kyle Drabek). Hamels and Blanton weren't able to get the job done last October (though one has to hope Hamels can turn things around in 2010), but perhaps having Happ in there over Pedro will improve things.

There is still tweaking to be done, but the 2010 Phillies have a chance to be even better than the 2009 edition. Of course, that was the case before this trade, figuring that a full season of Lee would be a major upgrade, but now things are looking up for the 2011 Phillies as well; something we could not have said yesterday.

Gloading over our acquisitions

2009-12-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

The Phillies have picked up another acquisition to strengthen their bench: 33-year-old veteran of eight Major League seasons Ross Gload, who signed a two-year contract as a free agent after declining an offer from his team of last year, the Florida Marlins. He was a small contributor to the White Sox's championship season in 2005, but did not play in the postseason.

Gload has played first base more than anything in his career, but with Ryan Howard rarely missing a game at his position its more likely that if the Phillies ever use to start it will be in the outfield, where he can play all three positions. However, there has been talk of increased rest for members of the Phillies' core -- now mainly composed of players past thirty -- and Gload will be a good option to play first if Howard needs to be rested for a day.

Gload has a strong career batting average of .283 and OPS of .736. He has a reputation as a very strong pinch hitter, and that's why I like this acquisition. Greg Dobbs couldn't repeat his pinch-hitting success from 2008 in 2009, and the Phillies will want somebody to fill that role. That is most likely how he will be used by the Phillies, especially since he has a reputation as a below average defensive outfielder.

This is a good pickup that should give the Phillies a strong bat to go to off the bench. GM Ruben Amaro says his next priorities are to pick up a starter to compete for the fifth spot and some relief pitching, so we'll keep up on further developments.

Welcome Back, Placido!

2009-12-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

The Phillies have signed free agent Placido Polanco to replace Pedro Feliz at third base next season. Polanco played for the team from 2002-2005. Polanco has primary been a second baseman in his career, but he's been a very slick and adaptable fielder, and has also started 267 games at third base. Many of those were with the Phillies in 2002 after the tumultuous departure of the disgruntled Scott Rolen left a hole at the position, and he played very well. Especially since some analysts have shown a decline in Pedro Feliz's range at third, Polanco should not represent a downgrade defensively.

He's also a solid and reliable hitter for average -- batting over .300 for his career and in three of the last five years -- steadily hits a good number of doubles, and doesn't strike out much. Polanco has been signed for three years - until he is 37 - so it is good that he seems like the kind of player who would age well. The fact that he's already been a Phillie starter for a considerable amount of time means that the fans will already know and like him, and that he will know important, longer-serving Phillies such as Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard, as well a lot of people in the organization, and this should help the transition go smoothly.

Overall, I like the signing a lot; it brings back a welcome familiar face who should keep up our high standard of defense at third and add a bat to the lineup that hits for high average and works pitchers.

Unknown as yet is whether beloved fan group Lake Placido will make a reappearance, but the People's Phillies Blog will strive to keep you updated.

Lee Takes Center Stage, Phils lead Series 1-0

2009-10-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

This was supposed to be a hitter's series. Cliff Lee was supposed to come back to Earth against the highest scoring offense in baseball. He was supposed to feel the pressure.

Well, re-write the scripts. Heck we might have to re-write the history books at this rate. Lee, once again, was absolutely brilliant in a 6-1 Phillies win, stealing homefield advantage from the Yankees.

Lee took on oneC.C. Sabathia in a match-up of former AL Cy Young Award winners, which could only be dubbed as the Thank You Cleveland game. Sabathia, of course, struggled against the Phillies last October as a member of the Brewers, but for the most part he looked solid against the Phillies tonight. He basically made two mistakes the whole night. Unfortunately for him, both were to Chase Utley, who would've been the player of the game if Lee hadn't gone Jack Morris on the Yankees. Utley belted a pair of homers, which gave the Phillies their only runs off Sabathia.

While the rest of the Phillies' bats didn't contribute on the scoreboard during Sabathia's 7-inning stint, they did their part at the plate, working counts and driving up Sabathia's pitch totals. That allowed the Phillies to get to the Yankees bullpen and add four insurance runs in the last two innings.

The insurance was certainly appreciated, but the way Lee was pitching, it wasn't necessary. He mowed down the Yankees, allowing zero earned runs in a complete game, the only Yankees run coming on a Jimmy Rollins error in the 9th. Lee's final statline: 9 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, 10 K. Not too shabby. Especially when five of those strikeouts came against Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixiera. And while Sabathia appeared to labor at times, Lee made it all look so easy. Perhaps the play that summed up the game came in the sixth inning. Johnny Damon popped up to the mound and Lee made a ridiculously nonchalant basket catch. Nice and easy, just like every pitch he's thrown this October.

In the ninth inning, one of Lee's pitches showed up on the radar gun as 99 mph, at which point Joe Buck commented that the gun probably malfunctioned. Frankly, at this point Lee hitting triple digits wouldn't surprise me. In fact, forget the radar gun, let's get Lee's pulse up on screen.

Suffice it to say, it's an excellent start for the Phillies. They won the battle of the aces and have wrested homefield advantage from New York. The offense did what it always does, wearing down the starter and taking advantage of mistakes. The Phillies have a chance to take control of the series with a win tomorrow night.

The pitching match-up in Game 2 makes it fairly unpredictable. Pedro Martinez was brilliant against the Dodgers, but this is a more dangerous lineup and this isn't pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. Meanwhile A.J. Burnett is erratic from start to start. The Phillies roughed up Burnett in May, scoring five runs on him in six innings in a 7-3 win, so hopefully history repeats itself.

Whatever happens tomorrow, the win tonight is a great start for the Phillies' bid to make history as the first NL team to repeat as World Champions since the Big Red Machine.

Behind Enemy Lines

2009-10-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Just like every other Phillies fan, we here at The People's Phillies Blog are gearing up for the Fall Classic. And what better way to prepare than to get a look inside the mind of a Yankees blogger. We did a Q&A session with Brandon of The Pinstriper (who you can follow on Twitter) where we each answered several questions about our respective teams.

Okay, pencils down! Here are the results:

Brandon to Brian - Scouting the Phillies

1. What would you say the Phillies vulnerabilities are?

The bullpen. Their bullpen struggles have been well-documented, particularly those of Brad Lidge. And Ryan Madson hasn't exactly lit it up this October. However, they've gotten the job done thus far and are more than capable of stepping up. That said, no Phillies fan will feel completely safe with a slender lead and the game in the bullpen's hands.

2. What player on the Phillies will be the X-Factor for whether they win or lose the series?

Cole Hamels. The 2008 World Series MVP hasn't looked like himself for much of the season, but everyone knows he's capable of dominating a game. He had a solid start against the Yankees this year allowing 2 runs in 6 innings at Yankee Stadium. He'll have an easier time in Game 3, since he won't have to face a DH. It's also worth noting that Hamels has had difficulty with left-handed hitting this October and the Yankees are a better right-handed hitting team.

3. Jimmy Rollins has begun the trash talking process. Do you feel that this will help or hurt the team in the longrun?

Rollins has a history of trash-talking a certain other New York team and it's worked out pretty well for them. Will it help or hurt? Ultimately I think it's irrelevant. Rollins and the Phillies have earned the right to talk trash, as the reigning World Champions. They are extremely confident, as they should be, and know how to win in hostile environments.

4. If you had a big game situation, who would you want on the mound?

Adam Eaton. Oh wait, I thought you meant who I want on the mound for the OTHER team. Yeah, I'm gonna have to go with Cliff Lee. He's the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and has been nothing short of brilliant in the postseason. Upon further review, it's a question worth considering. Not because I have any doubts about Lee (though his history against the Yankees is mediocre) but because the Phillies also have the Hamels and a future Hall of Famer in Pedro Martinez at their disposal. I'd still have to go with Lee, but I wouldn't feel terrible about going into a Game 7 with Hamels or Pedro taking the hill.

5. At the Plate?

This is a much tougher choice. But again, it's because the Phillies have so many proven clutch performers. I'll have to go with Chase Utley, since he's our best all-around hitter, but you really can't go wrong. Ryan Howard has been a hitting machine this October, just as good (if not better) than A-Rod. Jayson Werth has had a great year and slays left-handed pitching. Victorino, Feliz, and Ruiz have all had their share of clutch hits this year and last. Ibanez hasn't gotten much press, but he has 9 RBI and 9 games. Two weeks ago I would have left Rollins off the list, but after witnessing his NLCS Game 4 heroics in person, I'll never doubt him again. As I said, I'll take Utley, as he's the best overall player, but lucky for me and Phillies fans everywhere, I don't really have to choose.

6. Do you think the Phillies bullpen will step up or step down? Why?

I wouldn't be much of a fan if I said "step down," would I? Seriously though, the Phillies bullpen has been impressive this October and there's reason to believe it could step up and be even better in the World Series. Brad Lidge appears to have his confidence back. Chan Ho Park is well-rested and got some good work in during the NLCS. Brett Myers, who had an impressive start against the Yankees in May, is back and (hopefully) healthy. Madson hasn't looked good lately, but there's no questioning his talent or his track record. The question with this bullpen all year has not been ability, it's been composure, and they look plenty composed right now.

7. Summarize the Phillies lineup? Strengths? Weaknesses?

American League-esque. This is a lineup that has no real weaknesses, up and down the order. The Phillies' 2 through 6 hitters made the All-Star team, and deservedly so. Rollins was left off but he's improved in the second half and is a former MVP. Feliz and Ruiz don't scare anyone, but Feliz has been good in the clutch (.879 OPS with 2 outs and runners in scoring position). Meanwhile, check out Ruiz's postseason numbers. His career playoff OPS is .838. His OPS in last year's Fall Classic was 1.188 and in this year's NLCS he posted a 1.271 OPS. And it doesn't hurt that he's a career 6-for-8 with a home run and 3 RBI against the Yankees. And then there's Ben Francisco, who will almost certainly get some at-bats, either as a pinch hitter, or as left fielder while Ibanez starts at DH. Francisco is great against left-handed pitching and he has a .928 OPS in 10 games against the Yankees.

As far as weaknesses, the one thing the Phillies have going against them is their tendency to leave runners on base. The Phillies have a lot of big hitters who take big cuts, and that can lead to strikeouts and pop-ups, so it's not altogether uncommon to see the Phillies come up empty, despite having 1st and 3rd and no outs. That said, they can just as easily crank a 3-run home run. Critics lambasted the Phillies last year as well for leaving runners on, but the important thing to remember is that if you're leaving runners on, that means you're getting runners on to begin with. It means you're working counts, tiring the starting pitching, and giving yourself the opportunity to blast those 3-run shots.

8. How about the Phillies bench?

The bench is one of the Phillies' great strengths. As mentioned, Ben Francisco is a very good right-handed bat and he's also a good baserunner and strong fielder. When the Phillies employ him in their outfield, they've essentially got 3 center fielders. Matt Stairs finished the regular season below the Mendoza line, but he posted a .357 OBP and cranked 5 home runs. As any Phillies (or Dodgers) fan can tell you, he's a home run threat every time he's at the plate. Greg Dobbs was arguably the best pinch hitter in the league in 2008. Eric Bruntlett isn't great, but he's a solid utility player and a good baserunner, with good playoff experience. Paul Bako is nothing special, but he's a veteran catcher with good defensive ability. If he had to step in for Ruiz at some point, the Phillies could do worse.

QUICK QUESTIONS:

World Series winner
Phillies in 6

MVP
Jayson Werth - Let's face it, this is going to be a hitter's series. And with the Yankees' left-handed starting pitching, the Phils may not get the kind of production from Howard as they did in the first two rounds. Werth can hit with the best of them, and even when he's not mashing home runs, he works counts better than anyone in baseball.

Most Valuable Pitcher
Cliff Lee - If the Phillies are going to win it, it will have a lot to do with Lee. If his 0.74 ERA against the NL's 2nd and 4th best offenses was any indication, he can win a game or two for the Phillies against the Yankees.

Hitter
Werth - Like I said, Werth will need to have a good series to neutralize the Yankees' left-handed starters, but frankly there's so many good players on this Phillies offense, there's no wrong answer here. Rollins, Utley, Howard, and Ibanez have shown they are capable of carrying the offense for stretches. Victorino is no slouch either and I already talked about Ruiz's playoff resume. I'm fairly confident Feliz, Bruntlett, and Bako won't be tearing it up, but otherwise, all bets are off.

Bullpen pitcher
Chan Ho Park - the obvious answer is Lidge, but the truth is, the Phillies already know who they're going to in the 9th inning. The 7th and 8th innings, however, are a tougher call. Park was the Phillies' best reliever this season and will be looked upon to get big outs, especially if Madson continues to look shaky.

Brian to Brandon - Scouting the Yankees

1. What would you say the Yankees vulnerabilities are?

I say the bullpen. The Yankees bullpen has the capability to be amazing or terrible, depending on the day. We've seen Alfredo Aceves pitch like an ace, but we've also seen him pitch like a AAA pitcher. David Robertson has been great getting out of jams, but he also got himself into those jams. Then theres Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes. Can you trust them in the 7th or 8th innings? It's becoming questionable with their rocky ALDS and ALCS performances.

2. What player on the Yankees will be the X-Factor for whether they win or lose the series?

I wanted to say Phil Hughes and even originally typed that as my answer, but I'm going with A.J. Burnett. The all-important Game 2 is a must-win game if the Yankees lose game one. Which Burnett will show up? Game 2 of the ALDS (which I was at) or Game 2 of the ALCS? He is a rocky pitcher that when he is on, hes ON, but when he is off, he is OFF.

3. Does C.C. Sabathia's 2008 struggles against the Phillies in the playoffs concern you?

No. I am biased in saying that, but I truly do believe it. When CC Sabathia pitched against the Phillies last year he was coming off a streak of many, many 3 days rest starts. This season he has only started on three days rest once. He can be the workhorse that they need, but they haven't needed that yet.

4. If you had a big game situation, who would you want on the mound?

Easy, Mariano Rivera. Rivera is the only pitcher in the MLB that I would trust in this situation. If you give me a bases loaded nobody out tie game in World Series Game 7 situation I would not even hesitate to pick Rivera. Not only is he the all-time postseason saves leader, but he has also had a very good postseason this year.

5. At the Plate?

Hmmm I'm going to go with Nick Swisher and his .125 Batting Average. Actually, never mind I think I'm going to pick Alex Rodriguez and his .438 Batting Average, 5 HR and 12 RBI this postseason. The fact that he has tied two games in the 9th inning or later this postseason just shows on its own how dependable in the clutch situations he has been.

6. Do you think the Yankees bullpen will step up or step down? Why?

This was a very hard question for me. I think that Phil Hughes will step down and Joba Chamberlain will step up. I think in at least one of the games Hughes will blow the lead in the 7th or 8th innings and then Joba Chamberlain will come in, shut the Phillies down and then the Yankees will go on to win that game. They will win that game because the rest of the bullpen will step up as well. Watch out for David Robertson. He could even take over the set-up role if he pitches well enough.

7. Summarize the Yankees lineup? Strengths? Weaknesses?

Top to bottom I would not take any lineup in baseball over it. There have been struggles with Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher, but I am confident that Teixeira at least can break ouy of it. Otherwise you have Mr. November (Derek Jeter), Mr. October of this year (Alex Rodrgiuez) and other proven postseason players (Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada) within the lineup.

8. How about the Yankees bench?

If the rumors are true, Eric Hinske and Brian Bruney (pitcher) will be added to the roster over Freddy Guzman and Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli was used as the third catcher this postseason and came in handy when needed. If Posada gets hurt now in game 2 (if Molina catches that game) then Jerry Hairston Jr. will be the 3rd catcher. Hairston hasn't ever played catcher in his career. Hairston himself can be used to pinch-run or even pinch-hit if neccessary. Hairston had never played a postseason game in his career going into this year. Of course there is Hinske who Phillies fans know for making the last out of last years World Series. He has been on the AL Champions three years in a row now and can provide some pop off the bench. Brett Gardner rounds off the bench as the big speedy guy. Fans enjoy calling him Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner (or GGBG for short) because of his instincts and base-running abilities.

QUICK QUESTIONS:

World Series winner
Yankees in 6. I tell you though, if this series was in Philadelphia I would probably pick the Phillies in 7. I think home-field advantage will be the deciding factor in this series.

MVP
Alex Rodriguez

Most Valuable Pitcher
C.C. Sabathia

Hitter
Alex Rodriguez

Bullpen pitcher
David Robertson. Watch out for him.

Phillies Links - The Gift That Keeps On Giving

2009-10-28T08:21:00.000-07:00

If you're not already psyched up for the World Series, here are some links to get you going:

Vintage 1980 Phillies "Comeback Kids" shirt

Philly Phaithful - Original Philadelphia Sports Apparel
-and this fantastic Cliff Lee shirt, which is especially apt for tonight's game

Use Stairs in Case of Emergency
-we already put this link up, but it's just too great not to put up again

Fightin Phils 2009 Song (Repeat Mix) by Philly Pop Artist Richie Rosati

If you haven't already seen this...

And in case you're suffering from amnesia and can't remember 2008, here's a little reminder.

Phils Power Themselves Back to the World Series

2009-10-21T20:54:00.000-07:00

The last time an NL team got to their second consecutive World Series, Tom Glavine was leading the way as the Atlanta Braves destroyed the St. Louis Cardinals pitching staff in a 15-0 rout. One of those Cardinals pitchers: L.A. Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt. Tonight his pitching staff followed suit, giving up four home runs in a 10-4 win for the Phillies, which advances them to the World Series for the second consecutive year.

The Phillies countered with their own homegrown left-hander, Cole Hamels. Hamels didn't give quite the performance Glavine gave; Hamels went 4 1/3 innings and allowed 3 solo home runs to Andre Ethier, James Loney, and Orlando Hudson. But Hamels was supported early on by a three-run home run in the first by Jayson Werth, and a solo shot in the second from Pedro Feliz. Shane Victorino added a two-run home run in the sixth and Werth added another solo home run in the seventh.

Hamels didn't give quite the performance one would have hoped for. He hasn't returned to the dominant form he assumed in the playoffs last year, but he did show flashes of dominance, retiring eight straight batters at one point. After the Hudson home run and Rafael Furcal hitting a subsequent double, Charlie Manuel began to go through his bullpen, looking to ensure that the game would be won tonight. Hamels was followed by J.A. Happ, Chad Durbin, Chan Ho Park. In the last two innings, there was a refreshing flashback to last year, with Ryan Madson getting out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth and Brad Lidge having a 1-2-3 ninth inning. The entire offense continued to be productive. The only player in the starting eight not to score a run was Carlos Ruiz, who despite posting monster numbers in the playoffs, is still the number eight hitter.

Much like last year, the Phillies' powerful offense and solid late-inning pitchers have brought them to the World Series.

Now it remains to be seen who they'll be facing. Tomorrow, the Yankees will look to pull off the same feat as the Phils, winning the Championship Series in 5 games. Aside from the 10-1 rout of the Angels on Tuesday, the series has been fairly close, with the Angels being unable to over-power the Yankees. The Angels' one win in the series was in extra innings at home. My guess is that the Yankees will win the series in six games, it all depends on which A.J. Burnett shows up at the ballpark.

But whoever it is, they will be facing the defending champions as they defend their championship.

Phillies Try to Finish Dodgers Tonight

2009-10-21T14:47:00.001-07:00

Coming off one of the most dramatic wins in franchise history (if not THE most), the Phillies take on the Dodgers tonight in Game 5 of the NLCS, looking for their second straight trip to the World Series.

There will no doubt be a tremendous energy in the dugout and in the stands, after Game 4's incredible finish. This blogger was lucky enough to be in attendance and witness Jimmy Rollins' heroics, and after seeing the crowd erupt like that, I do not envy the Dodgers, who have to endure that crowd once again just two days later.

With a 3-1 series lead, the odds are in Philadelphia's favor, but this is still a pivotal game. A win here would allow the team to rest and get its rotation in order for the World Series (where they would most likely face the Yankees). A loss would hardly be devastating, as the Phillies would have two more chances to win the series, would it could potentially swing the momentum, as the final two games of the series would be played in LA.

This is also an important game for Cole Hamels, who has hardly been the pitcher who dominated last October. Pitching at home with a chance to close out the series, Hamels has a good opportunity to bounce back and get himself on track for the World Series.

The Phillies will have to hope he can do so because, aside from Cliff Lee, there are question mark in the Philadelphia rotation right now. Pedro Martinez was fantastic in his Game 2 start, but is he going to be able to do that against a more potent Yankees/Angels offense? Can he do it against an AL lineup, DH and all? Meanwhile, neither Blanton nor Happ were dominant in their starts, not that they were terrible either.

The Phillies have the offensive firepower to beat any team on a given night, but a dominant Cole Hamels could make the team a shoo-in to repeat as World Champions. We'll see if Hamels can get back to form tonight.

NLCS Tied 1-1, Phils Head Home

2009-10-16T16:45:00.001-07:00

Rough game for the Phils tonight (at least by their standards). After seven brilliant innings from Pedro Martinez, the team turned to its biggest question mark -- the bullpen. Sadly a combination of Chan Ho Park, Scott Eyre, Ryan Madson, and J.A. Happ, couldn't preserve the Phillies' 1-0 lead in the eighth inning and the team fell to the Dodgers, 2-1.

It was a surprising pitcher's duel, as Pedro took on former Phillie Vicente Padilla. Padilla, after bombing as a Texas Rangers starter, has rebounded as a key member of the Dodgers' rotation. This afternoon he was nearly flawless, making only one mistake, which resulted in a Ryan Howard solo shot. Other than that he was fantastic, allowing just the one run in 7 1/3 innings.

Pedro, however, was dominant in his own right, allowing just two hits over 7 innings. He threw just 87 pitches and one has to wonder why Charlie Manuel made the decision to remove him for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth, as it looked like he should have been able to go at least one more inning. Well...at least no one can accuse him of having a Grady Little moment.

The Phillies also suffered from a bit of bad luck, as a Chase Utley throwing error allowed Juan Pierre to score in the eighth, tying the game. Maybe it's wrong to call it luck, as it was a poor throw, but it feels weird to blame Utley for a loss, considering what he's meant to this team. Either way, it's just one throw and one game and the Phillies head home, having wrested home-field advantage from the Dodgers' grasp. With Cliff Lee going in Game 3, one has to like their chances to at least take a 2-1 series lead.

Phillies-Rockies: NLDS Game 1

2009-10-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

The Phillies begin their quest to repeat as World Champions tomorrow afternoon, taking on the Colorado Rockies in the National League Division Series. This is, of course, a rematch of the 2007 NLDS, in which the Rockies swept the Phillies before advancing to the World Series. Since then the Phillies are 9-2 against Colorado.

For Game 1, the Phillies will send out Cliff Lee and the Rockies will counter with Ubaldo Jiminez. Jiminez, as fans may remember, started Game 3 in 2007 against the Phils and pitched 6 1/3 innings, while allowing only one run. He dueled Jamie Moyer to a standstill, but eventually the Rockies won 4-2, completing the 3-game sweep.

While his postseason history against the Phillies is impressive (though it was only one start), he has had less success in the regular season. He last faced the Phillies in May 2008, in Citizens Bank Park, and was lit up for 7 runs in 4 innings. His one other regular season start was in September 2007, in which he allowed 2 runs over 6 innings. So in three career starts against the Phillies, he has a 0-1 record with a 4.91 ERA. Not all that impressive, but then again it's a very small sample size.

Cliff Lee has no significant history against Colorado. His only start against them came this year and it was a good one. Lee allowed 1 run over 7 innings while striking out 9 in a 3-1 Phillies win. This certainly bodes well, but then again it's only one start.

The Phillies should have a clear advantage in starting pitching, but the bullpens are more evenly matched. Huston Street has been good, though not dominant, for the Rockies, with a 3.02 ERA and 35 saves. Rafael Betancourt has been a valuable mid-season acquisition for the Colorado bullpen, but after that there isn't a whole lot.

Not that the Phillies bullpen is scaring anyone right now. Brad Lidge's abysmal play has been well-documented so there's no need to go into it here. Ryan Madson has been the team's best reliever, but he has looked shaky when asked to close and moving him to the ninth inning just opens another hole in the seventh and eighth innings. Scott Eyre has been effective when healthy, but that's very much in question right now, so the Phillies may have to rely on J.A. Happ to be the primary left-handed reliever. Brett Myers is expected to be available but he may not be fully healthy and hasn't looked especially good in relief. The Phillies might want to look to Kyle Kendrick, who has looked good in his five September appearances.

On paper it's not a good bullpen, but it is something of a wildcard. While Eyre may not be able to pitch and the Phillies will miss J.C. Romero, this is largely the same bullpen that was lights-out a year ago. It's not inconceivable that the pitchers, Lidge in particular, could return to form. It's not as if Lidge doesn't have his stuff anymore, he's just struggled with confidence. Perhaps Charlie Manuel's continued support will pay off and Lidge will get his act together for some more October magic.

On the offensive side, the Phillies should have a slight advantage. They led the NL in runs, but the Rockies were 2nd. The Phillies are loaded with left-handed bats and switch-hitters, which should help against right-handed starters such as Jiminez. The Rockies' offense also relies heavily on left-handed hitters, highlighted by Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe, though the best offensive performance came from right-handed Troy Tulowitski.

However, left-handed pitching can clearly exploit this team, as evidenced by their 27-26 record vs left-handed starters (compared to 65-44 vs RHP). The Phillies have played about equally well against both left and right-handed starters. Homefield advantage should also be key. The Phillies' home record (45-36) isn't overwhelming, but CBP should be an intimidating place to play in October, especially considering the Phillies didn't lose a single home game in the '08 playoffs, and the Rockies aren't a great road team (41-40). The Rockies have played extremely well at home (51-30) but the Phillies have been great on the road (48-33).

Going into October, these Phillies don't seem to have the same swagger as last year's team, but, aside from the bullpen, they are a decidedly better team than last year. Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino have improved, Raul Ibanez is a clear upgrade (on offense and defense) from Pat Burrell, and Cole Hamels-Cliff Lee (in any order) is a much better 1-2 punch than Hamels-Myers, not to mention the back of the rotation where the Phillies have rookie sensation J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton, and Pedro Martinez to use as they see fit. The bench also looks improved. Matt Stairs remains an intimidating presence, Greg Dobbs is still a solid left-handed bat, and Ben Francisco is the best right-handed pinch hitter the Phillies have had in a few years.

This is a tough series to call, but I like the Phillies' chances. I think their surplus of left-handed starters and homefield advantage should make the difference, which is why I'm picking the Phillies in 4.

I'll be at the game tomorrow and will make an effort to post updates via Twitter.

Phils Clinch NL East!

2009-09-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

The Phillies are you National League East Champions for the third straight year. This year's clincher lacked the drama of the last two, but it feels pretty sweet all the same.

The game itself didn't start out that well, as Pedro was tagged for three runs in just four innings of work. But Kyle Kendrick pitched three scoreless innings and the offense did the rest, highlighted by a four-run fourth inning, back-to-back triples in the fifth by Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, and a towering two-run shot by Raul Ibanez.

Chad Durbin and Scott Eyre combined for 1.2 innings but when it came time to get the last out, Charlie Manuel went with a symbolic move, bringing in Brad Lidge. This decision was purely symbolic, as the Phillies had a comfortable 10-3 lead, but it was a very nice gesture to the much-maligned closer. Lidge made the most of it, using just one pitch to retire Lance Berkman, who grounded to first to end the game.

Ironically, just before Lidge sealed the win, the Braves lost in dramatic fashion, as Matt Diaz was picked off third to end the game; a 5-4 Marlins win. So the Phillies actually had already clinched by the time Ryan Howard stepped on the bag to end tonight's Phillies game.

So now the Phillies have secured a playoff spot with four games remaining, a nice improvement from the last two years when they took the division on the last (2007) and second-to-last day (2008). However, there's still motivation to win the last few games. The Phillies are two games ahead of the Cardinals and one game behind the Dodgers. If all goes well, they could get homefield advantage through the NLCS. If things go poorly, they could have to face the Dodgers or Cardinals on the road in the first round.

Most likely, whether they have the best record in the league or not, they'll wind up facing the Colorado Rockies in the first round. The Rockies, of course, swept the Phillies in 2007 in their run to the World Series. However, since then the Phillies have posted a 9-2 record against Colorado in the regular season, including a sweep in 2008.

The main question for the Phillies now is how they'll set up their postseason rotation. Obviously Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee are the 1-2, probably in that order, but after that it gets tricky. Joe Blanton has been solid for the Phillies all year and was a key part of the rotation last October, but doesn't overwhelm anyone with his 3.95 ERA. J.A. Happ has been arguably the best Phillies starter all year, with a 12-4 record and a 2.95 ERA, but he is still a 26-year old rookie. And then there's Pedro Martinez, who gave the Phillies a lift with some strong outings (most notably throwing 8 shutout innings against the Mets), but has pitched just 7 innings in his last two starts.

In my opinion, the best bet is to make Happ and Blanton the 3 and 4, since we have a good idea of what we can get out of them, and move Pedro to the bullpen. There has been talk of making Happ the closer, which is not a terrible idea, since he'd probably do better than Lidge and Ryan Madson has been shaky in the role, but Happ is too valuable as a starter and an innings-eater to relegate him to the 'pen. One has to think he would give the Phillies a considerable advantage as he is better than most team's 3rd or 4th starter.

All in all, it's a good problem to have, and one that the Phillies will have some time to think about for a change. Here's hoping this is just the start of another World Series run!

The Greatest Shirt in History

2009-08-31T14:39:00.000-07:00

We here at The People's Phillies Blog felt we had to share with you the fact that we've recently discovered the greatest of all possible shirts. We'll let it speak for itself:

http://www.david-hinkle.com/blog/2009/05/use-stairs-in-case-of-emergency/

Needless to say, this is a must for every true Phillies fan, or at least every true Phillies fan who wants to own this shirt.

Pedro Wins Debut with Plenty of Help

2009-08-12T23:38:00.000-07:00

It wasn't vintage Pedro Martinez, but with the Phillies offense backing him, it didn't need to be. Pedro won his Phillies debut handily, defeating the Cubs 12-5.

It's always nice to start out with a lead and Pedro had that in his favor. The Phillies scored two runs in the top of the 1st, as Chase Utley and Ryan Howard each drove in a run. Shane Victorino hit a two-run homer in the 3rd to give the Phillies four runs.

Then came the 4th inning. Carlos Ruiz drove in a run and, after Pedro grounded out, Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija was pulled for Sean Marshall. Jimmy Rollins greeted Marshall with a three-run shot, then got to coaching. After Rollins gave Raul Ibanez some sage advice, Ibanez hit a three-run homer of his own. Pedro Feliz drove in the Phillies' final run of the inning (and the game), giving the Phillies 12 runs.

For his part, Pedro was solid. He only had one 1-2-3 inning (the 4th) and got into trouble a couple of times; most notably in the 5th inning, when he gave up two runs. He showed impressive breaking stuff and his fastball, while typically hovering in the high-80's, touched 92 mph once or twice. All in all, he allowed 3 runs in 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 5 batters.

After one start, it's unclear whether or not Pedro is any better than Jamie Moyer. However, for his first major league start of the season, it was somewhat encouraging. Both his control and his stuff is better than that of Moyer and one has to think he'll have similar success against the teams Moyer typically fared well against, while standing a better chance against the more disciplined teams that hammerred Moyer.

It's unfair to grade Pedro on one start, but, if nothing else, he seemed to fire up the Phillies, who backed him up with one of their better offensive performances of the season. We'll see how it lasts, but at the end of the day, Pedro is 1-0 as a Phillie.

Pedro to Rotation, Moyer to Pen

2009-08-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

After weeks of intrigue, the Phillies finally decided on how to deal with their excess of starting pitching. The team announced today that Jamie Moyer would move to the bullpen to make room for Pedro Martinez.

On the surface, this is the most sensible move for the Phillies to make. Moyer, despite his 10 wins, has been the Phillies worst starter all season, with a 5.47 ERA. The only reason he has a winning record (10-9) is that he's gotten excellent run support.

Not that there's any guarantee Pedro will be any better. He posted a 5.61 ERA last year with the Mets and he's gone 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA in three minor league starts this year. However, one has to think he'll be at least as good as Moyer, if not better. He'll most likely be a replacement-level player (in other words, a Rodrigo Lopez), statistically, but that would still be better than Moyer.

In a way this is a unique opportunity for this Phillies team because they get to upgrade the rotation by replacing their worst starter, and doing so in a way that won't rile up the fan base. The only way the team could justify pulling Moyer (to the fans AND the clubhouse) is by replacing him with a future Hall of Famer.

While this move shouldn't upset the clubhouse, one does have to wonder what it means for Moyer. Do the Phillies honestly think he can be an effective bullpen pitcher? Unless they think his 82 mph "fastball" can serve as a super-changeup of sorts, to throw off opposing hitters' timing (which is a possibility, especially if he follows or is followed by a guy like Lidge or Madson), it's hard to see his value as a reliever. He doesn't have swing-and-miss stuff anymore (if he ever did).

One has to hope the team at least has the sense to keep him in the dugout when he's not being called to warm up so he can continue to impart his knowledge on the younger pitchers (i.e. everyone). It's hard to see Moyer getting much use out of the bullpen, but now perhaps the Phillies can start to seriously groom him as a pitching coach.

We'll see how it plays out, but for now it seems like the right decision, if a difficult one. Kudos to Moyer for having the professionalism to handle this move. Few in his position would take it so well in stride.

Pedro Belongs in the Pen

2009-08-06T07:22:00.001-07:00

While neither of them would ever admit to thinking of it this way, Pedro Martinez and J.A. Happ were dueling last night. With Pedro about ready to complete his rehab and return to the big leagues, the Phillies can't stall much longer in making a decision about how the back-end of the rotation will look.

On paper, it's a duel that Happ clearly won. He dominated the Colorado Rockies last night, pitching a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts in a 7-0 victory. Martinez, meanwhile, had a solid outing of his own. He struck out 11 in six innings against the Yankees AA affiliate. However, he did give up three runs.

That clearly seems to favor Happ. He had the better game and did so against better competition. But this is not an even playing field. For Happ is but a 26 year-old rookie and Martinez is a three-time Cy Young Award winner who will have a plaque in Cooperstown in the next ten years.

Despite Martinez's credentials, this start should convince the Phillies that Happ needs to stay in the rotation. Happ is now 8-2 with a 2.74 ERA. He is a NL Rookie of the Year candidate and has been the Phillies' most effective starter this year. Martinez, on the other hand, struggled in the majors last year and has not been overly dominant in the minors. This last start was encouraging, but aside from the strikeouts, it's no more than a quality start.

But the Phillies signed Martinez to be a starter and it's hard to imagine him accepting a spot in the bullpen. The real problem may be Jamie Moyer, who is complicating this decision with his continued struggles. In most cases, the worst starter in the rotation would be jettisoned -- end of story. But that's not a viable option with Moyer, who is a fan favorite and an essential part of the locker room. Not to mention that it's hard to picture him pitching effectively out of the bullpen.

With that in mind, the best option for the Phillies would be to try and coax Pedro into the bullpen. He's not the dominant ace he used to be, but he still has the stuff to get hitters out. If he could strike out 11 in six innings yesterday, why can't he dominate for an inning or two of relief? Better to experiment with that than to remove a starter who ranks 6th in the NL in ERA and 7th in WHIP and who has pitched 6+ innings in each of his last nine starts.

Unfortunately, it's hard to see Pedro putting his ego aside and taking a seat in the bullpen, which means we may have seen the last of Happ in the rotation this season. If that's the case, it would be a bit of an outrage. It's one thing to pull a solid fifth starter, but in this case, Happ figures heavily into the Phillies' postseason plans. Not just in helping them make the playoffs, but if the playoffs started today, Happ would have to be the fourth starter, or maybe even the third starter. I don't think there's any question that everyone, from the fans to the front office, would feel more comfortable with Happ pitching Game 4 of the NLCS than Martinez or Moyer.

Here's hoping all involved come to their senses and send Pedro to the bullpen. Hell, let him close if that's what it takes. Just don't pull the likely Rookie of the Year for an aging starter who hasn't pitched a complete game since 2005.

UPDATE

This afternoon, Ruben Amaro announced that Happ will not be removed from the rotation. It's unclear what will happen, but there was mention of trying out a six-man rotation. Not sure how I feel about that, as it takes starts away from Hamels and Lee during the stretch run, but maybe it's a good move. They can get a good look at Pedro and, who knows, maybe he'll light it up and beat out Happ/Moyer to be the fourth starter in the playoffs. Plus it ought to ease the burden on the rest of the rotation, and Hamels could probably use the rest. Not to mention it would simplify matters in the event of a doubleheader (i.e. no more Andrew Carpenter spot-starts), and the Phillies already have two doubleheaders scheduled for September (9/13 vs Mets, 9/22 vs Marlins).

Lee Dominates in Phillies Debut

2009-08-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Phillies wanted an ace and, after last night's start, it's clear they got him. Cliff Lee was brilliant in his first start as a Phillie, pitching a complete game against the Giants while allowing just one run and four hits.

Lee struck out Randy Winn for his first out with his new team, and it got better from there as he carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning. He looked sharp the entire night, both on the mound and at the plate. Entering the game batting a career 2-for-32, Lee doubled his career hit total with a pair of hits. That included his first career extra-base hit and run scored, as Lee doubled to lead off the top of the 8th, then scored on a sacrifice fly from, rather fittingly, Ben Francisco.

For a while it looked like the Phillies were content to sit around and watch their new ace perform, without providing much offensive help. Through six innings, the only run scored by either team came by way of a Jayson Werth solo homer. However, the Phillies tacked on some insurance in the seventh. Rollins and Utley walked and Howard was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ibanez then drew a walk and Werth followed with a single to center that scored two runs. That put the Phillies up 4-0. Lee's run in the eighth made it 5-0 and, though the Giants would score on a sac fly in the bottom of that inning, the outcome of the game was never in doubt.

Coming into the game there were questions regarding whether this trade would be enough to put the Phillies over the top as favorites to win a second straight NL pennant. Now the only question that remains is "Roy who?"

Phils Trade Successful-Lee

2009-07-29T12:52:00.000-07:00

After talks to acquire Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays fizzled in the past week, the Phillies went out and made a deal with the Cleveland Indians to acquire reigning Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee. They sent Carlos Carrasco, Jason Knapp, Lou Marson, and Jason Donald in exchange for Lee and outfielder Ben Francisco.

The fact that they were able to acquire Lee without giving up any of the three players Toronto insisted on is impressive, especially since Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro was taking a similar stance on his approach to trading Lee as Toronto did with Halladay. The biggest difference between the two situations is that Toronto is looking to compete much sooner than Cleveland. The Indians are entering a rebuilding stage and so they are willing to take players that still need time to develop.

Knapp was, along with Kyle Drabek and Dominic Brown, an untouchable player in the Phillies' system. He's 18 years old, six-foot five, and already throws a fastball in the upper nineties. In two or three years, it's very possible that he would have been as highly sought as Drabek was this year. Carlos Carrasco has been a highly touted prospect in the organization for a while, he's still only 22, and while he's struggling in AAA at the moment, he still has the potential to put it together and be an effective major league pitcher.

I would have liked to see the Phillies hang on to Marson, especially since good, young catchers are hard to come by and while Carlos Ruiz and Paul Bako handle the pitching staff well, Marson could have been a great final addition to that lineup. Also, back in spring training Jamie Moyer was complementary of how Marson handled the pitchers. Coming from Moyer, that means a lot. I think he should have been in the Phillies lineup this year.

Jason Donald came at an unfortunate time for the Phillies, with a middle infield set in stone with Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Donald has also struggled this year and fought injury problems, but he's a great fielder, and the Phillies were somewhat lucky to have a really good prospect at a position they didn't need. If we had a good young catcher, I'd feel less attached to Marson. But the Phillies making this deal without having to give up J.A. Happ or Drabek (or Brown, but he's a few years away) is great.

First of all, the Phillies were looking for a right-handed bat off the bench and they got one in Cleveland's starting left fielder, Francisco. Having Francisco allows the team to send John Mayberry Jr. back to the minors where he can continue to work on the holes in his game.

Lee has had an erratic career, but last year he was nothing short of superb and very deserving of his Cy Young Award. This year, he is 7-9 with a 3.14 ERA, but wins/losses can be deceiving. He should benefit from having the Phillies lineup and he can throw a lot of innings. I'm not a huge fan of Lee, but in this deal the Phillies filled two holes that they were looking to fill, and they didn't have to give up Drabek or even Happ.

However, since they didn't give up Happ, what happens with the rotation? For now, Lee takes over the Rodrigo Lopez slot (Thanks Rodrigo, your service is appreciated), however that's the same slot that was being saved for Pedro Martinez. Also, they have Lee through 2010, so what happens if Kyle Drabek is deemed ready for the majors next year? The Phillies may now have too much starting pitching.

It's possible that Happ is on his way out in a deal for a reliever (George Sherrill?), but getting a reliever would only clog up the bullpen when Clay Condrey, J.C. Romero, and Chad Durbin return. If they do keep Happ, the Phillies now have a rotation of Cole Hamels, Lee, Joe Blanton, Happ, and Moyer, with poor Pedro Martinez, who signed with a spot in the rotation in sight, waiting in the wings. Happ could go back to the bullpen, if the Phillies are indeed looking for bullpen help. I'd actually rather see that than them make a trade. They may also have bullpen help on the way in the form of Brett Myers, who is recovering quicker than the team thought he could (apparently it's a miraculously speedy recovery, the trainers are astounded).

For now, the best solution may be to keep Pedro in the minors in case of injury. J.A. Happ is probably now worth more than any reliever they could acquire, and he's been fantastic in the rotation. For that matter, Blanton and Hamels have both pitched remarkably well in recent games, and even Moyer has looked good, not to mention that Moyer belongs in the rotation as a beloved clubhouse figure, unofficial player-coach, and elder statesman, so to speak. While Steven Register may not be the most exciting name to see on a major-league roster, I'd rather let him be the garbage man until the rest of the DL denizens return than go out and make trades simply because the team can. Lee and Francisco were good pieces to acquire. Beyond that, they already have what they need in spades to go after another championship.

Halladay Watch Continues

2009-07-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

After the Phillies rejected the Blue Jays' initial trade offer for Roy Halladay (Halladay for J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, and Dominic Brown), the Phillies countered with an offer that the Blue Jays rejected. The Phillies offered Happ, Carlos Carrasco, Michael Taylor, and Jason Donald. The Blue Jays seem to really want Drabek, and the Phillies don't want to give up both Drabek and Happ. The Blue Jays may be waiting to see if another team is willing to go all in and give them the monster deal they're looking for before they choose a winner, if they do at all. The Angels rejected their first offer from the Blue Jays, the Dodgers won't trade Clayton Kershaw, the Yankees don't want to trade both Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, and the Brewers and Red Sox are also supposedly in the mix. Two more days...

ESPN reported that the Phillies are also looking into Cliff Lee, Zach Duke, and Jarrod Washburn. Lee will probably be overpriced and Washburn is an interesting option if they can get him cheap, but perhaps they should think more about trading for Zach Duke. Duke is 26, he's been an ace, even if it's been for a struggling franchise, he can throw a fair number of innings, and what a fantastic young rotation the Phillies would be developing if they can make the deal without giving up Happ. Hamels, Duke, Blanton (who looked stellar in the Phillies' 9-2 victory today against St. Louis - eight innings, and six strikeouts, including striking out Lugo-Pujols-Holliday in the eighth), Happ, and whoever in the back, at this point Moyer/Pedro. There would probably be a pretty sizable price tag for Duke, but it can't be as much as Halladay. I would trade two top prospects (Not Drabek or Brown, but the next tier) and maybe another player for Duke. Getting Duke would be similar to the smaller scale deals that Philadelphia has made in the past few years - Blanton, Kyle Lohse, Cory Lidle, etc., most of which turned out well. We could have King Cole and The Duke. And we could have them for years to come.

Roster Shuffling

2009-07-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

Just as soon as it looked like the Phils' bullpen was back in place, in the past few days it has collapsed all over again:

1) On Thursday, J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin were both placed on the 15-Day DL. Durbin strained his right latissimus while Romero strained his left forearm. This is Durbin's first trip to the DL this year, I suppose all his bullpen mates recommended getting some time off, and it came the day after a poor outing against the Chicago Cubs in which he couldn't record an out, allowed two hits, three walks, and three earned runs. In his defense, two days before he pitched three scoreless innings. Durbin has been a workhorse for the bullpen this year and last year, though this year he's had the luxury of handing off some of the long-relief duties to Chan Ho Park. Still, with a rotation that typically doesn't eat a lot of innings, Durbin has pitched 48 2/3 innings. by this time last year, he had pitched 55 innings. Romero has already missed time this year, though not from injury. He missed 50 games due to a suspension for substance abuse. He's been good in his time back, with a 2.87 ERA in 20 games. He's also taken pressure off Ryan Madson. Romero missing time could be a huge blow if it results in added pressure for Madson, Scott Eyre, and Brad Lidge.

1a) The first question I had was what about Sergio Escalona and Jack Taschner. Supposedly, neither had been pitching that well. Apparently, the Phillies are going back to the one lefty in the 'pen philosophy that they employed in 2007 and most of 2008.

2) Romero and Durbin were replaced on the roster by Tyler Walker and Andrew Carpenter. Both have been on the major league roster already this season. Walker came up in June replacing Sergio Escalona who had replaced Kyle Kendrick who had replaced Scott Eyre when he hit the DL. Walker has done well in limited innings with the Phillies. He now has a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings. He allowed two earned runs in his first outing since being recalled, but it's possible that the 33 year-old veteran will step up with more outings. Carpenter had an unsuccessful start in May, in which he allowed 5 runs in 4 1/3 innings. This time, they were hoping he could eat up a lot of innings. Also, if he did well, the 24 year-old prospect might become trade bait for a deadline deal. Not Roy Halladay caliber, but perhaps a lesser-scale deal.

3) Today, Clay Condrey was placed back on the 15-Day DL with a left oblique strain, and Carpenter, after allowing runs in both games he appeared in, was optioned back to Lehigh Valley. They were replaced with former rotation member Kyle Kendrick and 26-year old Steven Register. Kendrick had a couple unsuccessful outings as a member of the major league bullpen earlier this year. However, he's been more successful in the minors of late, bringing his ERA below 4.00. All of his time in the minors has been as a starter, but the logic is probably similar to that of bringing up Carpenter. One of Kendrick's problems was a smaller arsenal of pitches, which might make him better suited to the bullpen. Steven Register was acquired off waivers from the Colorado Rockies organization back in May. He appeared briefly with the Rockies in 2008, and this year for the IronPigs, he's been 1-2 with a 2.88 ERA. I'm skeptical, but with those kind of numbers, it's understandable why they would give him a shot.

So, as of now, the Phillies bullpen consists of:

Brad Lidge

Ryan Madson

Scott Eyre

Chan Ho Park

Tyler Walker

Kyle Kendrick

Steven Register

...Greeeeaaaaaat...

While up until now, it seemed silly for the Phillies to look into acquiring bullpen pitchers, now they may need to consider it more seriously. The team scouted Arizona closer Chad Qualls recently, and could also look into Baltimore's George Sherrill and Danys Baez among others. However, it might give them more incentive to deal for an ace starting pitcher in the hope that he would take some of the load off the bullpen.

On the starting pitching front, the primary option appears to be Roy Halladay. The Phillies recently turned down the Blue Jays' first formal trade proposal, in which the Phillies would send J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek, and Dominic Brown for Halladay. The Phillies don't want to trade both Happ and Drabek and are reportedly hoping to keep Drabek and send another player or two, perhaps Carlos Carrasco. While Ricciardi doesn't seem to think a deal will get done, with this as the first proposal it seems like the teams aren't that far off from an agreement. My guess is that a deal gets done in the next couple days. The Phillies are also looking into Cleveland's Cliff Lee, who GM Mark Shapiro is asking the same price for as the Jays are for Halladay. Lee is good, but if I don't pull the trigger on a Halladay deal, I certainly don't make a similar one for Lee. Personally, I wonder about Cincinnati's Aaron Harang. Recently, it's looked like the Reds may be thinking of becoming sellers, since they're seven games back in the NL Central. The Reds have a good young pitching core and are developing a young offensive core, and so they might be interested in dealing away some of their veterans. While Harang is not of the caliber of Halladay or Lee, he has been able to provide a lot of innings, and he might benefit from the run support that the Phillies offense could provide. He also wouldn't cost as much as Lee or Halladay. There have also been rumblings about Erik Bedard and Jarrod Washburn. I'm skeptical of both, but Washburn has actually been fantastic this season, and appears to get better as it goes. If Seattle decides to sell, Washburn could be another cheap solution.

At least by July 28th, we should have an idea of whether Roy Halladay will be a Phillie.

Bullpen Takes Another Hit - But Phils Keep Winning

2009-07-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Phillies bullpen suffered a 2-for-1 special yesterday, as both J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin were placed on the 15-day DL. Both pitchers were intrical in last year's playoff run and they won't be easy to replace.

Romero has had a tough year, missing the first 50 games of the season due to a banned substance suspension, but had been a solid contributor since, with a 2.87 ER7. Losing Romero means that Scott Eyre will be the only left-handed reliever on the team. Fortunately for the Phillies, Eyre has been brilliant this season, with a 1.77 ERA. However, some of that has to be attributed to luck, as his WHIP is 1.32, compared to last year's 0.77 in his Phillies' stint.

Durbin has struggled this year, after a breakout year in 2008 (though really just a dominant first half), posting a 4.62 ERA in 48.2 innings pitched. He got shelled on Wednseday against the Cubs, surrendering 3 earned runs without getting a single out, effectively ending the Phillies' chance of coming back and earning their 11th straight win.

With Durbin out, Chan Ho Park figures to see a lot more action in middle and long relief. This would have made Phillies fas cringe earlier in the season, but it may not be a bad thing at this point. After bombing as a starter, Park has lit it up in the bullpen, posting a 2.78 ERA. He's been on fire this month, with a 0.75 ERA in 12 innings. One just has to hope he doesn't wear down from the extra innings he'll be asked to pitch. Clay Condrey also ought to get some more run. He's been improved this season, but still seems best-suited to be used sparingly or in a mop-up role.

Replacing Romero and Durbin on the roster are Tyler Walker and Andrew Carpenter. Carpenter got into last night's game, but only recorded one out (giving up a run in the process) before he was pulled for Park. He probably won't be good for much more than garbage innings. Walker, however, could be an asset. He looked good in his first stint with the Phillies, posting a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings. It's a small sample size to go on, but as a veteran reliever, at least he's a known commodity.

At least more help could be on the way, as Brett Myers is expected to return in a bullpen role in mid-August. It's hard to know what to expect from Myers, but he excelled in his relief role in 2007, so he should prove to be an asset.

Despite their ailing arms, the Phillies put together a strong win yesterday, beating the Padres 9-4. Cole Hamels had a solid start, allowing 3 runs and 7 innings and the offense looked good once again. Jayson Werth and Pedro Feliz each had 3 hits and Carlos Ruiz hit his 5th home run of the season. The win was the Phillies' 15th in 17 games and they'll hope to carry that success into their next series, as they take on the Cardinals.

The brilliant play really brings into question whether or not the Phillies need to make a deal for Roy Halladay or another starter. Halladay would undoubtedly help the Phillies, as he'd give them a true ace. Much as I love Hamels, he's been very erratic this year. I certainly trust him to get the job done in the playoffs, but he has not been the dominant starter that the Phillies had hoped for (most likely due to the high volume of innings he pitched last year).

But is it really worth giving up Happ, who has been arguably the Phillies' best starter this year and is a strong Rookie of the Year candidate? The question is whether Happ is legit or whether he's the next Kyle Kendrick. However, from what I've seen I think Happ has a chance to become a very good major league starter. He's not the next Cole Hamels, but there's reason to believe he can be a good #3 starter for years to come.

Trading Happ for Halladay would be beneficial, but not nearly as beneficial as trading for Halladay would seem on paper. Yes, they'd be adding a bonafide ace, but the pitcher he'd be replacing was already giving them dominant outings. It would make much more sense to try and hang onto Happ, thus giving the Phillies a rotation that includes Hamels, Halladay, and Happ. (Would we call it the Triple H Club?)

Of course, that's not to say they couldn't try to make a deal for Halladay that doesn't involve Happ. They could instead trade Kyle Drabek. This is where things get tricky. Drabek is the Phillies' top pitching prospect and looks like he could be a great top-of-the-rotation pitcher down the road. BUT this Phillies team is built to win now...or in the next few years. If the Phillies think that Drabek will be ready to contribute in the next year or two, then they should hang onto him and see if he can help them to another title. If not, they should deal him for Halladay and get a title while the window is still open.

Sell, Sell, Sell!

2009-07-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

While this isn't directly related to the Phillies, as the power balance in the NL East shapes out, here are my thoughts on the Phillies' main rival, the New York Mets.

As the trade deadline approaches, the Mets haven't given any indication about whether they will be buyers or sellers at the deadline. Being a New York franchise, selling doesn't seem like much of an option for the Mets, but this year, they should seriously consider it. First of all, nearing the trade deadline, the Mets are ten games back of the division leading Phillies and they would have to overcome the Braves, Marlins, and Phillies in order to win the division. While I don't think much will come of the Braves this year, the Marlins are due for one of their unexplained second-half surges, and if the Phillies can solidify their rotation with the likes of Pedro Martinez or Roy Halladay, the division title this year could become a dogfight between Florida and Philadelphia. Also, the Phillies may run away with the division, especially if they get a pitching boost. My point is, the Mets probably don't stand much of a chance this year.

The smartest thing for the Mets would be to start building toward 2010, when they might actually be able to compete. For that to happen, everyone on their DL needs to get healthy - Beltran, Reyes, Wagner, Putz, Maine, Delgado, and so on - and they might need a couple other pieces. However, their minor league system is kind of depleted as a lot of their major prospects have been called up due to all those injuries. The ones who have performed well will probably remain with the Mets and the others who have been busts now have less value. If there are any veterans that they can trade this year in the hope of getting someone better on the free agent market or the trade market next year or to restock their minors, it would be a good idea to do so. They don't need to have a firesale - Santana or Wright shouldn't go on the market or anything like that - but if they give their injured players ample time to get better, and shed some age in preparation to try to dominate next year, they'll have a much better chance of doing so. If they can find a trade partner for Luis Castillo, it would be a good idea to move him. They can sign someone like Felipe Lopez in the offseason. Even someone like Elmer Dessens or Fernando Tatis might be appealing to a playoff contender looking for the last pieces of the puzzle. For the Mets to add at this point would be silly. Let their guys heal, come back next year strong and in position to make a big deadline deal with prospects, and they'll have a much better chance of winning.

Or at least of winning the wildcard - No reason the Phillies can't take the division next year.

Pedro Signs with Phils; Halladay to Follow?

2009-07-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

The Phillies' season just got a little more interesting. While five Phillies were taking part in another disheartening NL loss in the All-Star Game, Ruben Amaro and the front office were hard at work. The result of that work is a new addition to the Phillies rotation: Pedro Martinez.

Pedro will head to the 15-day DL with a mild shoulder strain (not a promising start) but this may be primarily so the Phillies can get him a few warm-up starts before he joins the rotation.

On the surface, it's a questionable move. The Phillies are asking a 37-year-old pitcher who hasn't thrown 200+ innings since 2005 to shore up the back end of their rotation. Based on that there is little reason to believe he'll be any better than the Phillies' in-house options (Rodrigo Lopez, Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco, maybe Antonio Bastardo again). Especially considering Pedro's unimpressive 5.61 ERA in 2008.

But the thing to remember is that the Phillies' expectations for Pedro are low. They know they're not getting the Pedro Martinez that was, in his prime, the most dominant pitcher on the planet. They don't need him to pitch 200 innings and amass 200 Ks. They just need him to go out every five days for the next three months and give them quality starts. If Pedro gives the Phillies six innings and allows three runs (the definition of a quality start) in every start for the rest of the season, this will have been a rousing success. If, in addition, he can summon some of his old magic and provide a few dominant outings, even better.

So all in all this has to be considered a good move. The Phillies aren't paying much, in fact it's only a $1 million contract (with up to $1.5 million in incentives), so there's very little risk involved. If Pedro struggles and/or gets injured, the Phillies can cut him loose and continue to shuffle in the Rodrigo Lopez's of the world into the fifth rotation slot. But if he is good (and based on this season, a Phillies starter posting a 4.50 ERA would, in fact, be pretty good), the Phillies will get a huge lift to their postseason aspirations.

In all likelihood, this move in itself will not have a huge impact on the season, seeing as most projections suggest Pedro will be about a league-average pitcher. Even if he exceeds that, we're most likely talking about a Joe Blanton-style acquisition, where we add a solid 4th or 5th starter, not an ace.

That said, this could greatly impact the Phillies' ability to trade for an ace. One of the stumbling blocks in the Phillies quest to pry Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays is that it might require giving up J.A. Happ. Happ is a very valuable asset, and not just because he's a promising 26-year-old pitcher, but because he's become a key member of the rotation. Frankly, either Happ or Blanton has been the Phillies' best starter this season (depending on whether or not you want to give Blanton credit for getting a lot more starts), as Hamels has been fairly erratic.

A few days ago, trading Happ (and others) for Halladay meant mortgaging the team's future AND its present, to a degree. While Halladay would surely be an upgrade over Happ, the Phillies would still have been left with a hole in the 5th slot in the rotation. But now, with Pedro in place, the Phillies can seriously consider trading Happ and trying to ride a rotation of Hamels, Halladay, Blanton, Moyer, and Martinez to the World Series. With that group, I would like their chances.

Of course, given the choice, I would still opt to deal prospects from the minors (even the great Kyle Drabek) and retain Happ, if for no other reason than he's proven that he can be effective for the Phillies and they are already a very old team. The Phillies will need starters next season too and, as it stands, they can only be sure about having Hamels and Happ. Myers is a free agent and Blanton is arbitration-eligible. Moyer has another year under contract, but he has really struggled this year and one has to think he'll consider retirement. Even if Pedro fares well in the second half, he'd half to really dominate for the Phillies to consider bringing him back at age 38. And then there's Halladay, who will be a free agent in 2011 and may or may not be interested in signing an extension with the Phillies. So trading for Halladay but retaining Happ would give the Phillies an excellent 3rd or 4th starter this year and a guy they can count on for the next few years as well.

There is one catch to making such a deal. Trading for Halladay and keeping Happ would crowd the Phillies' rotation and one has to think that would force Moyer out. They certainly won't send Pedro to the bullpen after all that work to sign him and Moyer's 5.99 ERA does not exactly inspire confidence for the stretch run. So Moyer would have to head for the 'pen, where it's unclear whether or not he could be of any use. Moyer has appeared in 654 games and 601 of them have been starts, with only one relief outing since 1997 (and that outing came in the 16th inning of an 18-inning Mariners loss to the Rangers in 2004, so it wasn't exactly by design).

Frankly it's just hard to see the Phillies doing that to one of the best-liked players on the team and the premier elder statesman of the game. It just seems like bad karma. But most likely it will not be an issue, as trading Happ for Halladay makes a lot more sense now than it did a week ago. We'll see if it happens, but at least for now we can be pleased that the Phillies revolving door of #5 starters has come to a halt.

Live from (Watching) the 2009 All-Star Game

2009-07-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

Following the rousing success of last year's inaugural People's Phillies Blog All-Star Game coverage, we're back once more. Last year we were treated to a thrilling (and at times embarrassing) game that seemed like it would never end. Of course, the result was familiar with the American League winning yet again. Not that it saved them in the World Series. (Eat it, AL elitists!) Still, it's safe to say it would be considered an upset if the NL won, even in a National League ballpark.

8:12: As we go through the introductions, there's a horrifying shot of Ryan Franklin's beard/goatee/whatever. Can we censor that or something?
8:15: Josh Hamilton is introduced. I'm still mad at him for skipping the Home Run Derby. Seriously, how boring was that yesterday? No exciting storylines (even if Hamilton's story was WAY overdone) and Prince Fielder was the only one worth watching at the plate.
8:18: I still can't believe Shane Victorino is an All-Star. Not that he hasn't had a great season, but would anyone really have predicted that? And now he's starting. Crazy world.
8:20: Now the "all-stars among us" are trotted out. I'm sure they're all great people and it's a nice gesture, but I'm none of their moms so I don't really care.
8:27: And now all the players close in on the "all-stars among us" for some kind of super group hug. That just looks awkward. Okay, now that that's done with, can we have some baseball please?
8:31: The Jurassic Park-style theme music! It's back! Oh, how I missed it.
8:47: Is it just me or is there something really weird about the All-Star Game being sponsored by that Orphan movie.
8:48: Apparently Tim Lincecum is sporting a "bionic arm." Sweet, we've got a cyborg on our team. Who knew?
8:52: Not a great start for Lincecum. Ichiro nearly homers on the first pitch, before it goes foul, then he lashes a single to right. Derek Jeter steps in next and gets hit by a pitch. Now Joe Mauer comes up looking to give the AL an early lead.
8:56: Mauer hits the ball less than a foot, as it lands directly in front of the plate. Molina fires to third for one out and David Wright's throw to first was off the mark, so Mauer is safe.
8:57: Teixiera grounds one to Pujols, but he can't handle it. Utley gets to the ball but not in time to stop a run from scoring. AL leads 1-0. Isn't Pujols supposed to be the best fielder on earth? That's what ESPN told me. The error is unacceptable.
8:59: Lincecum finally gets out of the inning, but not before the AL adds another run, making it 2-0. Not a good start if the NL wants to break their all-star slump.
9:05: Halladay faces Utley in a matchup of potential future teammates. However the result is fairly mundane as Utley grounds to first. Now Pujols steps in, hoping to make up for his error.
9:07: Pujols smokes a grounder to third, but Michael Young picks it and throws to first, giving Halladay a 1-2-3 inning. Take notes, young Lincecum.
9:12: Nice battle by Halladay at the plate, but Lincecum strikes him out looking.
9:21: The NL finally gets a hit off Halladay, as Wright gets a broken bat bloop single to center field.
9:22: And Victorino follows with a "real" hit, lining a single to right. Great scoring chance for the NL here, with Molina up now and likely a pinch hitter on deck.
9:23: Molina hits a single up the middle. Wright comes around to score and the throw from Hamilton goes to third, but the throw ricochets off Victorino and he'll also score. Tie game, 2-2. Now Fielder steps in to pinch hit with a runner on second. Fielder slices a ball just barely fair and it bounces into the crowd for a ground rule double. Good thing too because Molina is no guarantee to score from second on a base hit. And with that the NL takes a 3-2 lead.
9:32: Ryan Franklin gets through a scoreless inning and America survives his brutal facial hair...somehow.
9:38: Easy inning for Buerhle, as we're through three innings.
9:52: The pitchers have dominated the last few innings. Zach Greinke just finished off Victorino in a perfect bottom of the fourth inning.
9:59: Crawford singles off Chad Billingsley and Ichiro slaps on to the right side of the infield. Rather than take the easy out at first, Utley turns and fires to second to JUST get Crawford. Heck of a play.
10:01: Now Pujols flashes the leather. He makes a diving stop of a Jeter ground ball and then fires to second for the second out of the inning. Jeter is in safely at first so now Mauer comes up with two outs and one on.
10:04: Mauer rips a double down the left field line and Jeter comes all the way from first to score. Tie game, 3-3.
10:05: Another diving stop by Pujols gets the NL out of the inning, as Teixiera is retired. Great defense by the NL in this half-inning, but it wasn't enough to hold the lead.
10:14: Another inning and another double switch by the NL. It just occurred to me that Charlie Manuel is the perfect manager for the All-Star Game since wasting an entire bench by the ninth inning is a specialty of his.
10:25: Pujols gets a nice ovation as he's pulled for Adrian Gonzalez. After all the hype, Pujols really did nothing at the plate, but at least he made some great plays in the field.
10:35: Brad Hawpe nearly gives the NL a 4-3 lead, ripping Papelbon's first pitch to left, but Crawford snares it, preserving the tie. Great catch. Tejada follows with another first-pitch deep fly ball that is caught at the warning track. Now Jayson Werth steps in for his first action of the day.
10:39: Werth battles but strikes out swinging on a full count, ending the inning.
10:44: Curtis Granderson hits a deep fly ball over Justin Upton's head that bounces off the base of the wall and past Upton, into center field. Werth fields it and fires to third, but not in time, as Granderson slides into third with a one-out triple. Heath Bell is then ordered to intentionally walk Victor Martinez, setting up the double play. However, it won't be an easy one to turn with Adam Jones at the plate.
10:48: Jones hits a long fly ball to right and it's more than deep enough to bring Granderson home, giving the AL a 4-3 lead.
10:52: Heath Bell strikes out Ben Zobrist to finally get out of the inning. We'll see if the NL can rally.
11:01: After Gonzalez draws a 2-out walk off Joe Nathan, Hudson grounds a single up the middle. It skips off Bartlett's glove and Gonzalez makes his way to third. And that brings up St. Louis' own Ryan Howard with a chance to tie the game or give the NL the lead.
11:06: Howard works a 2-2 count but goes down swinging to end the inning. Lame.
11:12: K-Rod gets a 1-2-3 inning thanks to a tremendous running catch from Werth. How about a Phillie and Met teaming up. Doesn't feel right, but I'll take it.
11:20: Tejada pops out to end the game and Rivera gets his record-setting 4th All-Star Game save. Another disappointing performance from the NL, but clearly we don't need homefield advantage to win the World Series, so it's no big loss.

Coste Sets Sail as Ibanez Returns

2009-07-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

After a lengthy DL stint, Raul Ibanez is back. He didn't play in last night's game, a 3-2 Phillies victory over the Pirates, but he is expected to start tonight and tomorrow, before heading to St. Louis for the All-Star Game.

To make room for Ibanez, the Phillies placed Chris Coste on waivers. Coste was picked up by the Houston Astros, ending his short but memorable tenure with the Phillies. Statistically Coste was never a great player, except perhaps in his rookie season (at the tender age of 33) when he batted .328. However, Coste still managed to become a fan favorite, serving more than adequately as a backup catcher and pinch hitter. For the last few years he had served as a useful foil to Carlos Ruiz, as his offensive ability made up for his so-so defense, but this year his offensive numbers suffered and Ruiz's improved, making Coste somewhat expendable.

I have no problem conceding that Ruiz is a better catcher and should get the bulk of the playing time, but what was the harm in keeping Coste the backup? By ridding themselves of Coste, the Phillies just made Paul Bako their backup catcher. This is a very confusing decision. It can't be about age because Bako is 37, one year older than Coste. It's not about hitting because Bako is batting just .174 and has a career OPS of .620, compared to Coste's .724 OPS this year.

The only thing it could be is Bako's defense and perhaps some leadership qualities. It's hard to argue with Coste's intangibles, considering his incredible backstory and the fact that he earned a World Series ring last year. It seems especially odd to get rid of Coste within a week of the franchise choosing him to read Lou Gehrig's speech.

For the record, I found that whole Gehrig speech thing to be extremely strange. Don't get me wrong, it was a great speech made by one of the best to ever play the game, but no matter how noble a speech it was...it was about his terminal illness. Okay, so they were trying to raise ALS awareness, but wouldn't it have made much more sense to just play the speech on the big screen rather than pick out individual players to recite a 70-year old speech about Gehrig's personal experience?

Anyway, back to the Phillies. The only logical justification for replacing Coste with Bako is that Bako's defense and game-calling abilities are significantly better than Coste's. That may well be true, but was Coste really that bad? One has to think his offense more than makes up for it, at least when compared to Bako. If they wanted an improved backup catcher, it would have made more sense to call up Lou Marson, though perhaps they'd rather him get more at-bats than he would be allowed as a Phillies backup.

To Bako's credit, he has called some good games recently. He called both of Rodrigo Lopez's starts as well as strong outings from Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton. The Phillies are 4-2 in games he's started, with the only poor start coming from Cole Hamels in the Phillies' 11-1 loss to the Braves. In fact, they've won the last 4 games that Bako has started, so perhaps he's doing something right.

However, the most confusing thing about this decision is that the Phillies didn't just do the obvious thing and send John Mayberry back to the minors. While the Phillies are certainly a better team with Mayberry on the bench as an extra outfielder than with three catchers, one has to think Mayberry would be much better served by starting in the minors than he will be as a pinch-hitter for the Phillies. Theoretically he gives them flexibility as far as giving the Phillies a potential defensive replacement and pinch runner, but would the Phillies really use him to replace any of their starting outfielders (all of them All-Stars)?

The only logic I can see to keeping Mayberry up is that the Phillies may not be so confident that Ibanez is fully healthy. That would make it a very curious decision to take him off the DL, but keep in mind that Ibanez is a few days away from playing in his first All-Star game (as a starter, no less) at age 37. There's no way to know if he'll ever make another All-Star team and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Phillies knowingly brought him back a little early so that he could get some major league at-bats in before his All-Star debut. If they had not brought him back for this series, many eyebrows would have been raised if he took the field in the All-Star game, potentially jeopardizing his Phillies season, or at least that's how it would've been perceived.

The Phillies surely know better than to do anything that would put his season at risk, but it would not be at all surprising to me if they deliberately brought him back a little early to get him prepared for the game, while at the same time avoiding a media firestorm. If this is indeed the reason, it would explain why Mayberry is still on the roster: He may yet receive considerable playing time due to Ibanez's incomplete recovery. I mean, if Ibanez really was 100% right now, why wouldn't he have started last night's game?

All in all, handling Ibanez this way is a very nice gesture, facilitating his first All-Star appearance, so I'm not entirely against it. (And keep in mind, the idea that he's being brought back early is pure speculation on my part and could be entirely untrue.) I just hope it doesn't hurt the Phillies down the road, whether because of Ibanez's injury flaring up or due to the loss of Coste.

Beggar's Halladay?

2009-07-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

J.P. Ricciardi, the GM of the Toronto Blue Jays has said that their ace, Roy Halladay, could be available in a trade. With that in mind, Halladay could easily become the CC Sabathia of this year. It's a smart move by Ricciardi to let teams know that he could be had. There is a noticeable lack of quality starting pitching available and there are many teams, including the Phillies, who are desperately seeking pitching, so Ricciardi can put out a high price tag.

However, the difference between Halladay's situation and Sabathia's situation last year is that the Blue Jays still have Halladay under contract for another year for a reasonable price, and the Blue Jays are much closer to being a contender than the Indians were at this time last year. Now, the Blue Jays are only 8 games out of first place in the division, though still behind Tampa Bay, Boston, and New York. Last year, on July 9th, Cleveland was 15 games out of first place and at the bottom of their division. The Blue Jays also have many more pieces in place for a potential playoff run, while Cleveland has been in a rebuilding phase and had little hope of resigning Sabathia. Essentially, Toronto has much less of a reason to trade Halladay than Cleveland had to trade Sabathia.

Therefore, it will be a lot harder to pry Halladay away and it will cost a lot more. It will also cost players that are major-league ready. Last year, the Phillies fell short in the Sabathia sweepstakes. This year, they have more prospects of interest in their system. The Blue Jays could be interested in J.A. Happ, Lou Marson, Jason Donald, Carlos Carrasco, and their three "untouchable" prospects: Kyle Drabek, Dominic Brown, and Jason Knapp. The question is whether or not the price is too steep for Philadelphia. The Phillies would have to give up multiple top prospects for a 32-year old pitcher who they would only be guaranteed to have for another year and a half. Halladay also has a bit of an injury history. Once again, comparing Sabathia and Halladay, Sabathia was younger and has been far more durable throughout his career. If Halladay isn't traded this year, the Blue Jays don't extend his contract beyond 2010, and they decide to trade him next year, he probably won't be able to command as high a price tag as Sabathia.

For Ricciardi to get the most value from trading Halladay, now is the time to make a deal. As for the Phillies, Halladay would be a great immediate fit for them, but the starting pitching has been better lately, since Hamels, Blanton, and Moyer have been more effective of late, J.A. Happ has been successful as a starter, and it might be worth giving Rodrigo Lopez (assuming his injury last night doesn't cost him DL-time) and Carlos Carrasco a shot at securing the last rotation spot before they trade away their entire prospect corps for Halladay.

Phils Hands Reds Worst Loss Ever

2009-07-07T13:34:00.001-07:00

As big as the Phillies sweep of the Mets was in terms of the standings, fans hoped it would serve as an even bigger momentum builder. Well, they may have been right. The Phillies absolutely devastated the Cincinnati Reds last night, scoring 10 runs in the first inning on the way to a 22-1 win.

Shane Victorino, Greg Dobbs, and Chase Utley all homered in the first, and Cole Hamels had an RBI double. Jimmy Rollins continued to show signs of breaking out of his season-long slump, going 3-for-4 with a double and 2 walks. In doing so, the Phillies knocked out Johnny Cueto with 2 outs in the first inning. Cueto's ERA jumped from 2.69 to 3.45, by virtue of allowing 9 earned runs in 0.2 innings.

The Reds did manage a run in the second, as Jonny Gomes hit a solo shot off Hamels, but the Phillies continued to pile it on, leading 16-1 after four innings. The game was so out of hand that Charle Manuel brought in pinch runners for Utley and Howard in the bottom of the fourth.

Cincinnati turned to backup shortstop Paul Janish to pitch the bottom of the eighth...and the Phillies noticed. They tacked on two more runs on hits from Victorino and Eric Bruntlett, and then Jayson Werth hit an opposite field grand slam, to make it 22-1. To Janish's credit, he did manage to strike out Pedro Feliz to end the inning.

Scott Eyre pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the Reds and give them their most lopsided loss in franchise history. Eyre wasn't exactly dominant in his first appearance since returning from the 15-Day DL, putting runners on second and third with no outs. However, he managed to get out of it, on a shallow fly ball, and a pair of strike outs.

While it would be great if the Phillies could have saved a few of those runs for the rest of the series, a win like that is a major statement and should strike fear into the hearts of National League pitchers everywhere.

Independence Week Recap

2009-07-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

1) Rodrigo Lopez was called up to take Antonio Bastardo’s spot in the rotation. Lopez hadn’t made a start since 2007 when he was with the Colorado Rockies and went down with arm trouble. The Phillies signed him to a minor league contract in the off-season, knowing that they might have rotation problems, and Lopez was doing extremely well in the minors. The Phillies chose to bring up Lopez over prospects Carlos Carrasco, Andrew Carpenter, and former rotation member Kyle Kendrick, among others. He looked good in his first start, pitching six shutout innings and then allowing two runs in the seventh inning before being removed with one out. With slim pickings for starting pitching on the trade market, Lopez would be a convenient answer to the hole in the rotation.

2) When Rodrigo Lopez was brought up, he took the roster spot of…none other than…Jack Taschner (admit it, you were expecting me to say "Sergio Escalona."). Taschner was acquired from the San Francisco Giants this past off-season for Ronny Paulino, in order to have another veteran lefty in the pen, knowing that J.C. Romero would be serving his suspension for 50 games. Not long after Romero returned, lefty Scott Eyre got injured. In 21 games, Taschner was 1-1 with a 5.20 ERA. He started off being fairly effective, having a 3.92 ERA in April and May. But with Escalona having been more effective recently, and Romero back, the Phillies decided to get rid of Taschner, giving him the opportunity to find a chance on another major league roster.

3) However, Escalona didn’t get to stay too much longer. Scott Eyre was activated from the DL and Escalona in turn was sent down. Now, the only bullpen pitcher left on the DL is Clay Condrey; besides him, the core of our bullpen is back. However, this will surely not be the last we see of Escalona. Eyre has said that this is going to be his last year, so come next year, the Phillies may be perfectly happy to have Escalona in the bullpen.

4) The Phillies are scouting Pedro Martinez as a possibility for the rotation. Before, the team had said that it wasn’t interested in Pedro, but with so few available options for pitching, they’ve decided to at least look into the possibility. Scouts didn’t seem too impressed the last time they watched Pedro worked out, the main diagnosis being that he had lost his speed. Pedro was most effective as a power pitcher, and now that he’s older, it’s not surprising that he’s lost velocity and is less effective. I would like to see how Rodrigo Lopez does for a few starts before the Phillies panic and seriously consider signing Pedro. Frankly, if Pedro were worth signing, he would have been signed already. Freddy Garcia was signed this off-season and Pedro remained on the open market. What does that say?

5) The Phillies are sending three players to St. Louis for the All-Star game. Chase Utley will be starting at second base (surprise, surprise), Raul Ibanez will start in the outfield (it is indeed a country for old men – Ibanez got the most votes for the NL outfield), and Ryan Howard will be a backup. Utley was expected, Ibanez deserves it, but sending Howard is kind of curious. He’s batting .252 and has 20 HR, which is obviously very good, but there are other first basemen with better numbers. My first reaction, not having seen the entire All-Star roster was, ‘Seriously? Howard over Adrian Gonzalez?’ Well, it wasn’t Howard over Gonzalez. In fact, the NL roster has four first basemen: Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Gonzalez, and Howard. This would make a lot of sense if the game was in an American League park and the DH rule was in effect. But, it’s not. Not really sure what Charlie, Joe, and Tony were thinking. It’s probably Charlie’s way of thanking Howard for last year. Shane Victorino is an option for the final roster spot, and a worthy candidate, though Mark Reynolds has been fantastic for Arizona.

6) The biggest news of the weekend, however, was the Phillies sweep of the rival Mets in Philadelphia. After being swept by the Braves on the road, the Phillies came home tied for first place in the division with Florida, with Atlanta and New York breathing down their necks. Friday featured the promising Phillies debut of Rodrigo Lopez, in which the Phillies pounced on Livan Hernandez for seven runs and the Mets could only get three innings out of him. Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Chase Utley all had multiple hits and Jayson Werth hit a home run as the Phillies went on to win 7-2. The second game, Jamie Moyer pitched into the seventh inning and only allowed one run, Victorino and Pedro Feliz each had three hits and Brad Lidge got his 15^th save of the year as the Phillies won 4-1. Lidge looked like the Lidge that was so successful last year for the Phillies. Apparently, sending him on a trip to the DL did him some good. If Lidge is able to hold down the bullpen, the Phillies will have one less inning of a game to worry about. On Sunday, Joe Blanton outdueled Johan Santana as the Phillies swept the Mets in a 2-0 game. The only two runs in the game came from solo home runs by Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. Blanton pitched into the eighth inning and Lidge came in to strike out the side in the ninth. It was an extremely important and extremely promising looking series for the Phillies. All three starting pitchers looked great; Lopez’ debut looked good, Moyer was effective, and Blanton has continued his recent success. If Blanton can be a more productive member of the rotation, he is as good a candidate as any to assume the vacancy atop the rotation left by Brett Myers. It would take a huge deal of pressure off the Phillies and they could look into getting a bottom of the rotation type starter – a Jarrod Washburn or Bronson Arroyo. Also, it looks like Brad Lidge is back. Lidge looked dominant in the second two games of the weekend, and he was a huge part of the team’s success last year. To have a healthy Lidge for the second half of the year will make a huge difference and they’ll have a much easier time staying on top of the division. Also, Jimmy Rollins is warming up. He had hits and RBIs in all three games. Hopefully the team’s performance this weekend is a sign of good things to come.

Another Arm Ailing

2009-06-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

Continuing a season-long trend of Phillies pitching injuries, rookie Antonio Bastardo made his way to the 15-day DL on Monday night with a strained shoulder. He sustained the injury in the fourth inning of his last start on Thursday against Tampa Bay. Bastardo was brought up when Brett Myers was injured, and his first two starts were very successful. His last three starts, however, have not been as good, and so in five starts, Bastardo was 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA. To occupy his roster spot, the Phillies called up none other than Sergio Escalona.

With the Phillies rotation already suffering, the question is who will be the next pitcher to attempt to fill Brett Myers' spot? They do have a few in-house options. They could call up Kyle Kendrick, though they tried that once this year and it didn't work out so well. They also have former Oriole and Rockie Rodrigo Lopez in AAA, and he has been pretty solid: 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA. They also have stud prospect Carlos Carrasco, who is rumored to be the favorite to come up and take the start. Carrasco was the darkhorse candidate for the last rotation slot this year, but in AAA, he has gone 4-7 with a 4.92 ERA. Kendrick actually has better numbers than Carrasco at this point. Also in the mix could be Gustavo Chacin, a bright spot for the Blue Jays a few years ago, who is 3-3 with a 3.40 ERA between AA and AAA. The organization doesn’t feel that Kyle Drabek is ready for the majors. If they have to make an in-house decision, the odds are they'll go with Carrasco.

However, they called up Escalona and they've announced that Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels, and J.A. Happ will be moved up in the rotation for the upcoming series against the Braves. This gives the Phillies a little bit of time to make a decision, which brings up the question of whether or not they can acquire a pitcher by the end of the week. For a while, the Phillies have been known to be in need of starting pitching, a need that got much greater when Myers went down and they had that recent extremely painful stretch of home games. Many names have been tossed around as to who is going to solve the problem…

Jake Peavy – Not going to happen – Peavy has a no-trade clause and already rejected a trade to the Chicago White Sox. Supposedly he doesn’t want to leave the West Coast, so if he’s not going to Chicago, he’s not going to Philadelphia. He is also injured and will not be back until probably a month from now, if he comes back at all. However, Chris Young might be a name to watch if he becomes available, which he might, considering the Padres are 15 games back in the NL West.

Roy Oswalt – Not going to happen – Oswalt also has a no-trade clause, and even if he would waive it, the Astros may not be inclined to deal him. They recently committed a lot of money and many years to him. The Astros are also only four games back in the NL Central, and last year, when they were further back than that, they became buyers at the deadline, for example, acquiring Randy Wolf. They’re not ready to sell yet, and even if the Astros would and Oswalt would, the Phillies will probably need to make a deal before Houston can get far enough back in the standings to decide to sell.

Roy Halladay – Not going to happen – The Blue Jays aren’t looking to trade their ace. They’re only four games back in the AL Wildcard race and while they’re in possibly the toughest division in baseball this year, they still have a lot going for them. Young pitchers Scott Richmond and Ricky Romero have been good and many of their hitters have been effective this year. The Blue Jays are quite solid at every position, so there’s no reason to believe they’re going to trade Halladay, especially since as good as their other starters may be, none of them can provide what Halladay does. The Blue Jays won’t be giving him up.

Cliff Lee – Not likely – Lee could only come to the Phillies at a very high price. He’s a cheap Cy Young Award winner, which is not easy to come by. He is also the only positive thing the Indians can say about their rotation, and they don’t seem to have anyone who could come close to anchoring the rotation, especially with the demise of Fausto Carmona. If the Indians do decide to trade him, he would almost certainly become the most coveted pitcher on the market, not unlike CC Sabathia last year (though obviously Lee isn’t Sabathia). Unless the Phillies have a prospect that Cleveland really likes, they might not be able to get him if he hits the market.

Erik Bedard – Not likely – Bedard is currently on the DL, so that may not be such a good idea anyway. But many people on the Phillies staff have experience with Bedard, including third base coach Sam Perlozzo who managed him in Baltimore and Asst. GM Benny Looper who knew him in Seattle, and they’ve implied that Bedard’s character wouldn’t work well in Philadelphia. Philadelphia is a notoriously hard town to play in, and neither Seattle nor Baltimore can really compare, so if people who know him have concerns, it might be a good idea to avoid him.

Brad Penny – Not likely – Penny seemed like a possibility a few weeks ago, but with Daisuke Matsuzaka headed for the DL, and Penny’s performance improving, the Red Sox have no incentive to deal him. When the Phillies inquired about Penny, they were told it would take prospect shortstop Jason Donald. Donald is now injured, making a deal even less likely. The Red Sox seem keen on maintaining a deep pitching staff, especially if their pitchers are injury prone. If the Phillies thought he was the answer, they would have made the deal with Donald.

Jason Marquis – Possibility – Marquis almost became a Phillie in a deal that would have sent J.A. Happ and prospects to the Rockies for him and outfielder Ryan Spilborghs. However, the Rockies went 21-7 in June and might not be ready to consider themselves sellers. Also, Marquis has been successful as a Rockie, and Colorado might not be keen on giving up a pitcher who can actually pitch well at Coors Field. If the Rockies still feel they have a chance, Marquis might be harder to get from them. Marquis has only had a couple truly impressive seasons, most notably in 2004 with St. Louis, when he went 15-7 with a 3.71 ERA and career high 138 strikeouts. Since then, he’s never had an ERA under 4.00. In my opinion, Marquis is overrated. The best thing for him would be to remain in Colorado where he’s been effective.

Aaron Harang – Not likely – Cincinnati is competing as well as any other team for the NL Central, so they may not be game on trading their workhorse pitcher. Harang has also been much better than last year. He’s already up to 98 innings and has maintained an ERA under 4.00. If the Reds have playoff aspirations this year, and at this point in the season, most teams do, they will need Harang for many of the same reasons the Blue Jays need Halladay. Harang would be exactly what the Phillies need, but it’s unlikely that Cincinnati will make him available.

Bronson Arroyo – Possibly – Arroyo, on the other hand, has already been the subject of trade rumors. Arroyo is not as good as Harang, but he does get a lot of strikeouts and he can throw a lot of innings. He has the same number of innings pitched this year that Harang does. Arroyo is sort of like a poor man’s A.J. Burnett. Some games he looks like an ace, going deep into games and getting a lot of strikeouts. Other games he can’t even get through six innings. Perhaps being backed by the Phillies offense would help him, but he might be one of the better pitchers on the market and could command a decent price. Trading for Arroyo would be similar to when the Phillies dealt for Cory Lidle and Kyle Lohse (not just because both were acquired from Cincinnati). It wouldn’t be the worst deal in the world, but it’s not the heavy impact pitcher the Phillies really need.

Doug Davis/Jon Garland – Possibly – With an up and coming young core of players, being stuck in the basement of the NL West, and especially with Brandon Webb injured, the Diamondbacks will almost certainly become sellers this year. Davis and Garland could both become available since they are veteran pitchers and Arizona can use them to acquire more youth. Neither pitcher has a good record (3-8, 4-7 respectively), but Davis has a 3.28 ERA and Garland has thrown at least 6 innings in most of his starts. However, neither of these pitchers would be much more than a placeholder for the rotation spot, and certainly neither of them are anywhere near that impact pitcher the Phillies are looking for. Arroyo or Marquis would probably be better acquisitions than Davis or Garland, though of the two I would take Davis.

Jarrod Washburn – Possibly – The Mariners know that there is interest in Bedard, or at least there was before he was injured, but they would much rather deal Washburn while his numbers look good. He is currently 4-5 with a 3.22 ERA in 14 starts, but Seattle doesn’t have the most impressive offense (excluding, of course People’s Phillies Blog favorite Russell Branyan). Still, Washburn has never been particularly impressive since his 18-6 year in 2002. He has, however been consistent this year, going either 6 or 7 innings in all but three starts, and only allowing more than two earned runs in four of his starts. He also doesn’t allow too many walks. But he is more of a fly ball pitcher, and that’s never good for Citizens Bank Park. I would put Washburn on the same tier as Arroyo, but Arroyo has more potential for greatness. Washburn’s consistency is appealing, but beyond that acquiring him would simply make me nervous.

Chien-Ming Wang - Possibly - The Yankees currently have a logjam in their rotation, with Sabathia, Pettite, and Burnett locks, Joba Chamberlain a lock for the future with some fans clamoring for him to the bullpen, and the Phil Hughes and Wang. Wang is currently occupying the spot, but he has not been good this year. He had three rotten games in April, spent some time on the DL, and then didn't get back to starting until June. He hasn't exactly been terrible in June, but he hasn't been particularly effective. He's only thrown more than five innings once, in his most recent start. Frankly, he's never thrown a lot of innings anyway. Hughes hasn't been much better as a starter, but he's a lot younger and has shown flashes of his much greater upside. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Wang became available, and the Phillies would surely inquire about him. To be blunt, he's been so bad this year that I can't imagine the Phillies actually justifying this deal. He was great in 2006 and 2007, but last year and this year he's been injured. At least last year he was good and injured. This year he's been bad and injured. The Yankees probably aren't in a rush to deal him, so they can probably command a higher price than would be truly worth it. Will he available? My guess is probably. Would he be worth it? I doubt it.

Dan Haren - Not likely - Haren would be a fantastic fit for the Phillies, giving them a true right-handed compliment to Cole Hamels, but if he becomes available, and I'm not convinced that even the basement dwelling Diamondbacks would be willing to trade him, he would come a huge price. That being said, he could actually be worth it. He's probably got a few good years left in him (he's only 28) and he would certainly help the Phillies immediately, filling that impact pitcher void. He can eat up innings, he strikes guys out, and he's only gotten better as this year has gone on. If both of them become available, Haren would be more coveted than Cliff Lee. But, the Diamondbacks would much rather deal Davis or Garland, and Haren is still young enough that he could help them in the next couple years as they develop their young core, including Chris Young and Justin Upton. I don't think Haren becomes available, but if he does, the Phillies should make a huge push for him.

Accentuate the Positive

2009-06-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Phillies are currently mired in a six game losing streak. It's been fairly pitiful: the offense is more or less absent, the depleted bullpen has been abysmal, and it is now evident more than ever how much they need to add another starting pitcher. However, rather than wallow in the shame that has been Phillies baseball over the past week, there are some positive elements that are worth noting.

1) It's now very clear that we need a starting pitcher - In the offseason, the team was all excited to have four potential candidates for the fifth slot in the rotation. It's not as if they didn't figure that injuries would be a problem, they just figured they could solve it from within the club. But, once again, those four pitchers were Chan Ho Park, J. A. Happ, Kyle Kendrick, and Carlos Carrasco. Of those four, Happ is in the rotation, Park (who won the spot) has since been sent to the bullpen (where he's been effective), Kendrick has struggled in the minors and made one appearance in the majors this year where he was completely ineffective, and Carrasco, a long shot to win the spot in the first place, is in need of and getting more seasoning in the minors. In fact, the fifth spot is now occupied by none of those four players, but rather by Antonio Bastardo, who was effective in his first two starts, but not so effective in his last two. For this team to be a true playoff contender, they need another arm if not two. Cole Hamels is and will be fine, and Joe Blanton is a fine number three or four starter, but Jamie Moyer has not been effective all season and Happ and Bastardo have been inconsistent. This is not a rotation built for a deep playoff run, and the front office will now be pressed more than ever to make a move.

2) However, there have been signs of promise in the rotation we have - Both of Hamels' games have been quality starts and his last game was stellar - two runs in eight innings with ten strikeouts. J. A. Happ had a quality start as well, and Antonio Bastardo pitched seven innings, which is the most he's thrown in a start since coming to the majors. Blanton has been much better of late, disregarding his last game, but Moyer remains the sore spot in the rotation, sad to say.

3) Shane Victorino has been on fire - Victorino has been the one bright spot in the lineup. He's currently on a ten game hitting streak, and he's hit .526 in the past six games. His batting average for the season is now up t0 .304. Unfortunately, he hasn't produced many runs (no HR and only one RBI in that span), but that probably has more to do with his place in the batting order, and the fact that no one has been on base for Victorino to score. Well, at least someone is doing well.

4) They should get their bullpen back soon - They may lose Clay Condrey, but Brad Lidge should return this week and Scott Eyre may not be far behind.

5) On the road again - The Phillies are 23-9 on the road and 13-22 at home. They head out to finish interleague play against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Toronto Blue Jays and then they go to Atlanta for the first time (both previous series against the Braves were in Philadelphia).

Yet Another Bullpen Blow - Condrey to DL

2009-06-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, the Phillies bullpen may take yet another hit as RHP Clay Condrey is rumored to be headed to the 15-Day DL. Rumor also has it that Condrey's roster spot will now be taken, at least for the time being, by none other than LHP Sergio Escalona. How long Escalona would remain in the majors (this time) may depend on when RHP Brad Lidge returns. Lidge is scheduled to make another rehab appearance for the AAA IronPigs (Pigs... made of Iron... ) on Tuesday, and depending how that goes, he'll probably be back with the Phillies by the end of the week. Lidge said he felt great about his last outing with AA-Reading, in which he threw a scoreless inning and struck out two in fifteen pitches. Lidge's return could mean a very short stay in the majors for Escalona, but with a depleted bullpen, they could also keep Escalona in the majors and send down C Paul Bako. Condrey is able to throw multiple innings, and with their starters proving unable to go deep into games, they may want all the arms they can get. Neither Escalona or Lidge are multiple innings guys, though getting Lidge back does take RHP Ryan Madson out of the closer position and back into regular bullpen duty. Madson is capable of pitching multiple innings need be.

The bright side (potentially) in all of these injuries is that if none of the injuries linger, Lidge, Raul Ibanez, Scott Eyre, Condrey, and Ryan Howard (who will most likely be back on Tuesday after his battle with the flu) will all be fresh and at the top of their games. This doesn't solve the problem of the lack of starting pitching (Brett Myers won't be coming back anytime soon), but they could focus on trading for a starting pitcher and not have to worry about patching up their bullpen.

Roster Update

2009-06-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since we've posted and in the effort to improve a 1-7 homestand and an exhausted pitching staff, there have been quite a few roster changes.

1) When last we left our celebrity bullpen, RHP Kyle Kendrick had come up after Scott Eyre was sent to the DL. That didn't last long. He had one outing and blew a game against the Red Sox. He was sent down and LHP Sergio Escalona was called up. I told you, Ruben Amaro.

2) Actually, not such a good call on my part. Escalona allowed two runs in two innings the next day. The next day, he was sent down for RHP Tyler Walker. Walker, a 33-year old reliever has spent most of his career with the San Francisco Giants, with whom he had one particularly good year (2007). He also had stints with the New York Mets and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (before they were exorcised). So far, Walker has been good. No runs allowed in three appearances. They need him to keep that up.

3) Ryan Howard will not be playing on Sunday. He has been hospitalized with the flu. Replacing him in the lineup is Matt Stairs, playing left field and occupying Howard's cleanup spot. Replacing him in the field is Greg Dobbs, who in 2007 had to fill in for Howard at first base and during his starts there did really well in the lineup. It doesn't sound like Howard will be out long, but hopefully the Phillies won't find themselves in too much trouble with an even thinner bench.

4) Brad Lidge may be coming back as early as Tuesday. If he's healthy, that is huge for this bullpen. It takes a huge amount of pressure off of Ryan Madson as he gets to return to sharing setup duties with J.C. Romero. Also, as we saw last year, healthy Brad Lidge is as good as they come. Any stabilization this pitching staff can get will be very welcome. It will be a good way to see if the Phillies need to seek bullpen help at the deadline. Personally, I don't think they do. What they need is a starter who can go deep into games so that the bullpen doesn't get overused. None of Antonio Bastardo, J.A. Happ, or Jamie Moyer appear capable of pitching more than 6 innings a game. Joe Blanton has been better of late, and Cole Hamels is Cole Hamels, but Hamels has already had injury trouble this year and the thought of giving him more pressure is worrisome. Hopefully getting Brad Lidge back healthy can lessen the pitching woes.

5) We still have Paul Bako on the roster. Very nice of Charlie Manuel to give him the start on his birthday. My guess is that he gets sent down when Lidge returns.

6) Raul Ibanez' groin injury has no additional damage on his latest MRI. It sounds like they got him onto the DL in time. He should be back in the Phillies lineup when he is eligible to come off the DL: July 3rd, against the Mets. Hopefully the time off will allow him to come back with the same kind of offensive prowess he's shown for most of the season. For all of those who think he's on PEDs, his injury is probably more a result of his age, not because he uses PEDs.

We're nearing the end of June... soon it'll be time to start talking trades... keep an eye on every starting pitcher that could go onto the trading block; that's probably who we'll be talking about.

Ibanez Hits DL with Strained Groin

2009-06-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Already struggling a bit, losing 4 of their past 5, the Phillies took another hit today as Raul Ibanez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin.

This is obviously a tough loss for the Phillies, as Ibanez is in the midst of a fantastic season, but they should be reasonably well-equipped to weather the storm. They recalled John Mayberry to take Ibanez's roster spot. Mayberry showed flashes of being a productive major league hitter in his debut earlier this year, when he went 2-for-3 with a 3-run homer and a double against the Yankees on May 23rd. Of course, he went 0-for-6 in the 2 games after the debut, before he was sent back down to AAA. Mayberry may not give the Phillies that much at the plate, but he is an exceptional athlete and should improve the Phillies' outfield defense.

Matt Stairs figures to get some starts in the outfield now, as well. He will most likely platoon with Mayberry, unless Charlie Manuel decides that Stairs is too valuable as a pinch hitter and opts to either platoon Greg Dobbs or start Mayberry every day. If the Phillies were losing their #7 hitter, than I would be all for saving Stairs for clutch situations, but they will need another offensive boost with Ibanez out and Stairs has been too good for them to limit his at-bats in this situation.

As for Ibanez, hopefully the injury is nothing serious and the time on the DL will allow him to make a full recovery. He will certainly be missed, but the Phillies have enough offense that they should not be seriously derailed by his absence.

Eyre to the DL, Kyle Kendrick Returns

2009-06-12T14:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Phillies placed left-handed reliever Scott Eyre on the 15-Day DL with a calf strain. He injured himself while getting the win on Thursday facing one batter at the end of the ninth and only throwing two pitches. The 37-year old reliever has been fantastic in his first full year with the Phillies, with a 1-1 record and a 2.57 ERA in 25 appearances. While J.C. Romero was serving his 50 game suspension, Eyre became the primary lefty in the bullpen. Luckily Romero is back, so the Phillies will have two lefties between him and Jack Taschner. But the veteran presence of Eyre will certainly be missed. Surely the team will be glad to get both Eyre and closer Brad Lidge back in a couple weeks.

The curious thing is that they filled Eyre's roster spot by promoting right-handed starter Kyle Kendrick to the majors. The logical thing would have been to call up left-handed reliever Sergio Escalona, who hasn't done any damage pitching for them in three games this year. He has 2 strikeouts in 2.1 innings and a 0.00 ERA. There are other pitchers on the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs (I just like pointing out that there is a team called the IronPigs - I find it confusing and entertaining at the same time) that might make more sense to call up, including relievers Gary Majewski, who was a possibility for the bullpen during Spring Training, or John Ennis, who appeared with the Phillies very briefly last year. Escalona would still have made the most sense, but instead they called up Kendrick.

One possibility is that the Phillies would like to try Antonio Bastardo in the bullpen and give Kendrick another shot in the rotation. But first of all, Kendrick's numbers on the IronPigs (that's right. Pigs... made of Iron) haven't been particularly impressive. In 12 starts, he went 4-4 and had an ERA of 4.03. Also, Bastardo has been solid for the Phillies. He's currently 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA, and in his last outing he allowed only two runs in 5+ innings against the Dodgers. However, in his start against the Dodgers, it appeared that they were starting to figure him out as they faced him. After zipping through the first six batters in the first two innings, averaging four pitches per batter, he allowed the leadoff man to get on base in the third, fourth, and sixth inning, and couldn't even get an out in the sixth. He had thrown over 100 pitches by that point and was relieved by Chan Ho Park (who, by the way, has been pretty good so far as the long reliever). So it's possible that they'd like to move Bastardo to the 'pen to work on some specifics and then return him to the rotation when Eyre returns. In that situation, why not call up Kendrick, who has been a solid member of the rotation in recent years.

The other possibility is that Kendrick is in the majors to be showcased as trade bait. The Phillies are looking to acquire an impact pitcher to replace Brett Myers. There have been rumors of their interest in Boston starter Brad Penny, so it would make sense to call up Kendrick as the Phillies face Boston this weekend. Brad Penny seems like a much better idea that it would actually be. He is injury-prone and has only had a couple really good years. He was great in 2006 and 2007 with the Dodgers, both years he was an All-Star, but in 2008 he only pitched in 19 games. Boston was able to get him because people were wary of his injury history, so they signed him fairly cheaply. He's been decent with Boston, though he's gotten off to a slow start. He's 5-2 in 12 games, but he has an ERA over 5.00 and 44 strikeouts in 66 innings (just over 5 innings per game). Supposedly, the original asking price for Penny would have had to include prospect Jason Donald (not an IronPig... yet). Donald could be an important trading chip for a bigger deal. The Phillies might do better to wait and see who else gets put on the trading block. If the Phillies are really looking for an injury-prone pitcher, they'd be better to go sign free agent Ben Sheets. The biggest issue with that is the fact that the team is already over budget, but when Sheets is healthy, he is a better pitcher than Penny. Given the choice, I'd take the chance on Sheets. But it's still possible they could get a better pitcher via a trade. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Kendrick is used in the majors. Who knows - maybe he'll reclaim his spot in the Phillies rotation.

Ibanez Downs Mets in Rubber Game

2009-06-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

While it wasn't the most vaunted pitching matchup, coming into tonight's game, pretty much everyone knew the rubber game would go down to the wire. Both Jamie Moyer and Tim Redding managed to lower their ERA's. Moyer fell behind early, surrendering three runs and the Phillies trailed 3-1 after five innings. But the Phillies would get to Redding in the sixth and seventh. A Matt Stairs RBI groundout in the seventh tied the game 3-3.

So the game, once more, would come down to the bullpens. The Phillies bullpen faltered in Game 1 and barely kept things under control in Game 2, but tonight they were lights-out. Clay Condrey pitched two perfect innings, then Chad Durbin and Scott Eyre combined for a perfect ninth inning.

The Mets had a little more trouble. Pedro Feliciano got through the eighth unscathed, despite walking a batter. Bobby Parnell allowed a single to Pedro Feliz, but otherwise got through the ninth, but he ran into trouble in the tenth.

After Jimmy Rollins fouled out, Shane Victorino singled to center. That would be all for Parnell, as Jerry Manuel did not want him to face Utley, who belted the game-winning home run off of Parnell last night. With Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez coming up, the Mets turned to their only remaining lefty pitcher, Ken Takahashi. Takahashi started poorly, walking Utley, but then struck out Howard and got ahead of Ibanez, 0-1.

But that was as good as it got for Takahashi and for the Mets. Ibanez belted the 1-1 pitch over the wall in right center and the Phillies took a 6-3 lead. Jayson Werth, last night's hero, struck out to end the inning, but the three runs would be more than enough, as Ryan Madson allowed an Omir Santos single, then recovered to retire the next three Mets, sealing a Phillies victory.

After the Phillies had struggled with the Mets early this season (and throughout last season), it was very encouraging to see the Phillies win this series. However, they will have their hands full when they face Boston this weekend.

Utley's Heroics Cap Rally Against Mets

2009-06-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

One day after the Phillies knocked around the Mets' ace to no avail, the Phillies countered with their own ace...and to similar effect. Cole Hamels labored through five innings, giving up 11 hits and 4 runs, and was outpitched for most of the game by Mike Pelfrey.

Hamels performed respectably in the early going, but the Mets tagged him for three runs in the fourth inning, with three consecutive bases-loaded singles. Fortunately, Carlos Beltran hit into an inning-ending double play, leaving the game still within reach as the Phillies trailed 4-1.

Things looked bleak through six innings, as the Phillies only run came off a Chase Utley solo home run. Then in the seventh, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, and Jayson Werth each singled, loading the bases for Pedro Feliz. Werth was awarded a single, but could have easily been out, as his fly ball to deep center bounced off the heel of Beltran's glove, giving him a very long single and spelling the end of the night for Pelfrey. Sean Green took his place and Feliz greeted him with a single to left, scoring a run, then Carlos Ruiz chopped a grounder to David Wright. Wright could have had a routine force out at home, but he couldn't handle the ball and all runners were safe, making it a 4-3 game.

Next, Charlie Manuel made the suspect decision of bringing in Paul Bako to pinch hit for Jack Taschner. Considering Bako's career .231 batting average, it's a bit difficult to justify. Matt Stairs would have been the best option, but Manuel probably wanted to save him for later, especially since he had already used Greg Dobbs. Still, with the bases loaded and not outs, trailing by one run, Stairs should have been at the plate. Regardless, Bako stepped in and struck out, without looking especially competent. Fortunately, Jimmy Rollins came through in the next at-bat, grounding into a fielder's choice that plated the tying run. Shane Victorino then grounded out to end the inning, but the Phillies had tied the game at 4-4.

And so it would come down to the bullpens. Last year this would have easily favored the Phillies, but this year it's much closer. Chad Durbin entered in the bottom of the seventh, and the Phillies were probably hoping to get at least two innings out of him. However, he did not have his best stuff. He let the first two batters reach base and got the first out on a Fernando Tatis sacrifice bunt (his first since 2002). Durbin then intentionally walked Ryan Church to pitch to Omir Santos with one out. Santos couldn't deliver for the Mets, popping out to Utley. Manuel then turned to Scott Eyre to get the lefty pinch hitter Daniel Murphy and Eyre got the job done, getting Murphy swinging to end a trying inning.

Pedro Feliciano did his part for the Mets in the eighth, setting Utley, Howard, and Ibanez down in order, then the Phillies responded with their own lefty setup man, J.C. Romero. Romero struggled with his command, walking Alex Cora and allowing a Beltran single, but he retired Sheffield and Wright to escape the inning.

For the ninth, the Mets turned to Francisco Rodriguez, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and the Phillies responded with (gulp) Chan Ho Park. Park looked sharp early on, retiring Tatis and Church, but then he gave up back-to-back singles to Santos and Jeremy Reed. However, Park got out of trouble when Luis Castillo grounded to the mound, sending the game to extra innings.

In the top of the tenth, Chris Coste, in for Ruiz on a double switch, led off with a single. Rollins then followed with a rip to the right side, but it wouldn't get far. Tatis made an impressive snare of the line drive and trotted back to first for the double play. Victorino then grounded out to end the inning.

It seemed unlikely that the Phillies could get one, let alone two, scoreless innings from Park, but once again he looked good, getting Cora to ground out and then striking out Beltran. But then Fernando Martinez, pinch hitting, singled, which brought Wright to the plate. Wright hit a line drive to right-center that looked like a sure hit, and maybe even extra bases. But it was not meant to be. Jayson Werth made a spectacular diving catch to end the inning. It was a ballsy move by Werth, since, had the ball evaded him, Wright would have had extra bases and Martinez could well have scored. (Then again, was it any more risky than letting Park face another batter with runners in scoring position?)

With K-Rod done for the night, Bobby Parnell took the mound for the Mets. Parnell was greeted by Utley, who was responsible for the Phillies first run of the game, which seemed to be eons ago. Utley provided an encore, blasting the 1-0 pitch over the right field wall and giving the Phillies a 5-4 lead. Howard nearly made it 6-4 in the next at-bat, lofting a deep fly ball to the wall in left field, only to be denied extra bases as Reed made a leaping catch against the wall. Parnell would escape the inning without further harm, but the damage was done.

Fill-in closer Ryan Madson came in for the bottom of the 11th, in his first save opportunity since Lidge hit the DL, and he looked every part the dominant closer that Lidge was supposed to be this year, retiring the Mets in order, all on routine groundouts, and sealing a thrilling 5-4 Phillies victory.

As exciting as last night's game was, despite the Phillies 6-5 loss, this one managed to top it. It had a little bit of everything. Home runs, acrobatic plays in the field, and the fire that we have come to expect from this rivalry, which some would argue is currently the best in baseball.

The rubber game is tomorrow night, as Jamie Moyer takes on Tim Redding. The pitching matchup is not the best, but with these two rivals, you know it will be exciting.

Lidge Hits DL with Knee Sprain

2009-06-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

Just a few days removed from blowing saves on consecutive days against the Dodgers, Brad Lidge was placed on the 15-day DL with a sprained right knee. Lidge was brilliant for the Phillies in 2008, but he has had a terrible 2009 season, with a 7.27 ERA, a 1.81 WHIP, and 6 blown saves.

Presumably Ryan Madson will take over the closer duties, making this DL stint a potential blessing in disguise. Madson has been superb in the setup role, and has two saves to his name already this year. On the season, he's got a 2.22 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP, plus 13 holds. He's been especially dominant of late, not having allowed a run in 10 straight appearances.

So there's little doubt Madson can handle the closer's role. The question becomes, who will take his place as the setup man? J.C. Romero is the most obvious choice, given his track record. But Romero is far better suited to be a lefty-specialist. In his career, left-handed batters have hit just .212 against him with a .591 OPS, wheras right-handed batters have hit .272 with a .814 OPS.

Romero will undoubtedly take some of the eighth inning duties, but he won't go at it alone. Clay Condrey, who served as a long reliever and mop-up man for much of last season, is probably the best candidate to share the seventh and eighth inning duties with Romero. Condrey is having a career-year, with a 2.17 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, but relying on him in the eighth inning is a little scary, considering that his WHIP has hovered around 1.50 in virtually every other season, so a lapse in his performance could be around the corner.

Another option would be Chad Durbin, but neither his 2009 stats nor his track record suggest he would be the best fit. However, he is now in line to get more work in the sixth and seventh innings than he was before, so we'll see what kind of impact that has.

Scott Eyre should also be expected to get a few more opportunities, especially when the Phillies need him to get one or two big left-handers out. Normally this task would have fallen on Romero more often, but with Romero taking on a more generic setup role, Eyre is now officially the lefty specialist.

One thing the Phillies have going for them is bullpen depth. Durbin, Chan Ho Park, and Jack Taschner make up the back-end of the bullpen, and both Durbin and Taschner have been solid this year. Park has been a huge disappointment this year as a starter, but has shown some decent promise as a reliever and, if nothing else, he should be able to eat a few innings as a mop-up pitcher.

When placing Lidge on the DL, the Phillies made the curious decision of calling up Paul Bako to take his roster spot. This gives the Phillies three catchers, which is all well and good if Manuel wants to have the freedom to use one of them as a pinch hitter, but in this case there isn't much logic to it. Carlos Ruiz has put up superb offensive numbers of late, whereas Chris Coste has not hit very well this year. And it's not as if Bako is going to rake. He's a 36-year old career-backup with a .231 batting average and 21 HR to his name. He's mostly known as a good defensive catcher and game-caller, so there could be some value there, but isn't that what Ruiz was supposed to be even before he become a competent hitter?

This is a situation when calling up Lou Marson would've made sense, since he can hit and the Phillies would have actually wanted to use him as a pinch hitter. John Mayberry would also have been a good fit, especially with Shane Victorino a little nicked up from the Dodgers series. The only reason I can think of for bringing up Bako is that this way the Phillies can avoid wasting options on Marson and Mayberry, while allowing them to play everyday in the minor leagues. Not a terrible decision, but wouldn't any of Andy Tracy, Miguel Cairo, or David Newhan made more sense?

That said, while you never want to have your closer go down, because of the Phillies' bullpen depth and Lidge's struggles, the team may actually get better while he's out. Besides, Lidge has not been himself this year and perhaps the time off will get him healthy and mentally prepared to return to dominance.

Carlos Ruiz is a Hitting Machine. You're Welcome

2009-06-08T08:03:00.000-07:00

Carlos Ruiz was named the player of the game in last night's 7-2 win over the Dodgers, after going 2-for-3 with a home run that effectively put the game away. Ruiz's batting average is now up to .309 - not bad for a career .250 hitter. Even more impressive is his OPS of .945, which currently ranks third-best on the team, ahead of Ryan Howard (.915). Granted, Ruiz has played in just 32 games this season, due to a trip to the 15-day DL and to receiving the typical days off given to catchers, but still, the numbers are very impressive.

The numbers particularly stand out when they are compared to his early-season performance. After the Phillies beat the Reds on May 21st, Ruiz's stats were as follows: .236 BA, .373 OBP, and a .327 SLG, combining for a .700 OPS.

But then Ruiz made a trip to the new Yankee Stadium and everything changed. In that game, Ruiz went 3-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBI and led the Phillies to a 7-3 win. The Phillies would lose the second game of the series, as Ruiz sat in favor of Chris Coste, but then in the rubber match, Ruiz went 3-for-4 again and the Phillies won 4-3.

And that wasn't all. Ruiz has been on a tear since then. Here are his numbers from that May 22nd game onward: .410 BA, .521 OBP, .769 SLG. Pretty ridiculous, especially considering Ruiz bats 8th in the lineup, so teams don't even have a good reason to throw him strikes. What's more, his offensive surge is paying dividends for the Phillies. From that first win over the Yankees through last night, the Phillies are 9-2 with Ruiz starting and 1-2 with Coste starting.

One of the two losses with Ruiz in the starting lineup, the Phillies 12-inning loss to the Dodgers on Saturday, featured Charlie Manuel pulling Ruiz for a pinch hitter (Greg Dobbs) in the 7th inning, with the Phillies trailing 1-0. This would have been a good move last year, when Dobbs was tearing it up as a pinch hitter and Ruiz was hitting in the low .200's, but Ruiz has looked better than Dobbs this season.

This was also an exceptionally poor decision because Ruiz was up with runners on second and third and one out, so a good solid piece of hitting would probably have tied the game. Ruiz would have most likely put the ball in play or drawn a walk, being a far more disciplined hitter than Dobbs. Consider that Ruiz has walked 110 times, with only 106 strikeouts in his career (19 BB, 11 K this year), while Dobbs has walked 56 times with 159 strikeouts. Lo and behold, Dobbs popped out on the second pitch of the at-bat. Of course, the next batter, Matt Stairs, delivered with two outs, ripping a double that put the Phillies ahead 2-1. The Phillies eventually lost in extra innings after Brad Lidge blew the save and Chad Durbin let in a run in the 12th.

Since the Phillies took the lead anyway, it's debatable whether or not keeping Ruiz in the game would've made a difference, but there would've been a better chance of tying the game in the first place and then perhaps building on the lead, with Stairs coming to the plate in a tie game, or maybe with the bases loaded (had Ruiz walked). But it's also worth noting that this move used up a pinch hitter needlessly; Dobbs could have been saved for later (perhaps the top of the 12th, when Durbin was forced to bat), the Phillies defense and game-calling would have been better with Ruiz, AND Ruiz would have had the two at-bats in which Coste went 0-for-2 (well technically not because Coste was batting 9th due to a double switch, but you get the idea). So, yes, pulling Ruiz might well have cost the Phillies a game.

Okay, that was an exceptionally long tangent on one game, I admit. But it further hammers home the point that Ruiz has been brilliant and yet has received no recognition for it, even from his own manager. Anyway, back to the original point.

Why, you might ask, has Ruiz transformed into a brilliant hitter? Could it be that Ruiz just loves facing the American League? He was brilliant against Tampa Bay in the 2008 World Series, going .375/.500/.688. So maybe the return to an AL ballpark sparked this.

We, here at The People's Phillies Blog, have a far more enticing theory. We did it. That's right. We are responsible for Carlos Ruiz's hitting prowess.

Let me explain. On May 22nd, for the first time this year, two of the founding members of the blog, Jeff and I, attended the Phillies-Yankees game. And wouldn't you know it, Ruiz homers and starts off his incredible streak. (This is not unprecedented. A similar phenomenon occurred last year when we attended the June 3rd Phillies-Reds game. Ruiz got hot in the next 5 games he started, going 6-for-18 with a home run and 5 RBI and the Phillies won 4 of them...and yes, I cherry-picked the hell out of that.)

So now here's the real question. Since we clearly have a profound impact on how Ruiz swings the bat, do we dare make an appearance at this week's Phillies-Mets series? (In case this isn't clear to readers by this point, we are operating out of New York.) Will this ruin his hot streak, or will it propel him further to an MVP-level?

Perhaps our readers can decide. Let us know what kind of impact you think we will have on Ruiz, or any other player (for example, Russell Branyan's career took off not long after we appeared at CBP as Branyan's Companions, and then of course the Phillies won the World Series in the first year of this blog's existence). We are looking out for the best interests of the team and will act accordingly. Just know that powerful forces are at work.

Bastardo Wins Debut...with a Lot of Help

2009-06-03T01:36:00.000-07:00

For one night, Antonio Bastardo made Phillies fans (well, those who stayed up for the game) forget about Brett Myers. Facing Jake Peavy, who many fans would love to see take Myers' former (and Bastardo's current) spot in the rotation, Bastardo had an impressive debut...and Peavy got shelled.

Wins do not get much easier than they did for Bastardo tonight, as the Phillies took advantage of the flu-ridden Peavy in the top of the first, jumping out to a 4-0 lead on RBI doubles by Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, plus a Greg Dobbs sacrifice fly.

Bastardo had a little trouble finding the strike zone in the bottom of the first, throwing 13 balls out of 23 pitches, but no real harm came of it. He walked Adrian Gonzalez (not a bad strategy, frankly) and struck out two. He would run into some trouble later in the game, but nothing that would come back to haunt him. He looked impressive, sporting a live fastball that reached 95 mph and some decent off-speed stuff. The only run he surrendered was a solo homer to Gonzalez in the fifth.

It didn't hurt that Raul Ibanez had a huge day (though not unusual for him this season), going 3 for 5 with 2 HR, a double, and 5 RBI. Dobbs also homered and Bastardo left the game after six innings with an 8-1 lead.

It would, however, get a little interesting, thanks to one Chan Ho Park. Park entered in the seventh and gave up four runs, including a bases-loaded walk. The Phillies then turned to the more-reliable Chad Durbin to finish off the game. He got through an uneventful eighth inning, but loaded the bases in the ninth with two outs. Ryan Madson took Durbin's place and finished off the game in one pitch, inducing a Kevin Kouzmanoff groundout to give the Phillies their fifth straight win and a 2.5 game cushion over the Mets in the NL East.

While it was only one game, Bastardo was impressive and seemingly lessened the need to make a trade for a big name starter. Still, it's a long season and it will take a few more starts to judge if he really belongs in the majors.

Myers Likely Done for the Year

2009-05-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

A few days after leaving a start early due to hip trouble, it's been reported that Brett Myers will require hip surgery that will most likely end his season. Myers' numbers have not been overly impressive on the whole, but when you consider the performance of the rest of the starting rotation, losing Myers and his 4.66 ERA could be quite problematic for the Phillies.

The Phillies already appeared to need to make a trade to bolster the starting rotation, but now it becomes paramount. However, there are no easy solutions. Jake Peavy supposedly doesn't want to pitch in Philadelphia, and besides he's not really an inning-eater, so he's out. Roy Oswalt is available, but he's having a down year and he would probably cost a little more of the farm system than the Phillies would like to give up.

Erik Bedard ought to be available, but it's hard to see the Mariners giving him up for much less than they got him for...and they gave up one of the top prospects in the game (Adam Jones). The Phillies could always sign Pedro Martinez, but it's hard to imagine that would accomplish much. The last thing they need is another guy who can't get out of the sixth inning.

The name I keep hearing is Brad Penny, but is he really much of an upgrade? Penny has been terrible this year and last. And while he's had past success, before this year he had only pitched with the Marlins and Dodgers, both of whom play in pitcher's parks. His career ERA at home is 3.72, while on the road it's 4.51. Not an absurd, Chan Ho Park-ish difference, but it's still notable. In addition, Penny's career ground ball-fly ball ratio is not overly impressive, at 0.86, especially this year (0.65).

The best option might be to replace Myers from within, which appears to be the immediate solution. The three main candidates, according to the Phillies' website, are Kyle Kendrick, Andrew Carpenter, and Anthony Bastardo. Kendrick has been solid at AAA Lehigh Valley, with a 4.23 ERA in 10 starts and one might think he has the inside track because of his major league experience. Then again, he pitched his way out of the rotation last year so it's hard to imagine the Phillies being overly eager to go back to him, especially with such average numbers. Carpenter has fared a little better, with a 3.61 ERA in 8 starts, but he had one start in the big leagues already this year and the results were not pretty (5 ER in 4 1/3 IP).

So the best option might be the one with the least experience: Antonio Bastardo. Bastardo was dominant in AA Reading, with a 1.82 ERA and 0.81 WHIP in 9 games (5 starts) and, since being called up to AAA, has posted a 2.08 ERA in 2 starts.

It's worth noting that Carlos Carrasco, despite being in the running to be the fifth starter during spring training, does not seem to be an option, due to the fact that he's struggled mightily in AAA this year, going 0-6 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 starts.

So the Phillies face a tough decision. Bastardo seems like he would give the Phillies the best chance to win, but do they want to risk derailing his minor league progress? This isn't a month-long stint, whoever they bring up will have the job until the end of the year or until they lose it, and that's a lot of pressure for a young pitcher. For most teams the smart move would be to go with Kendrick or Carpenter, but the Phillies are trying to defend their World Championship, so why not take a shot with Bastardo?

Phillies Finish 4-Game Sweep of Nats

2009-05-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

The Phillies concluded a four-game sweep of the Nationals today, getting offensive production from virtually everyone BUT Raul Ibanez. It was good to see the Phillies pull out a win without Ibanez having a big day, but more than anything else it was surprising to see him go hitless, as he was flat-out dominant in the previous three games, hitting 9 for 14 with 3 HR and 9 RBI.

While the rest of the offense showed positive signs in today's game, the Phillies got an abysmal pitching performance from Chan Ho Park. It seemed as if perhaps Park had turned his season around in his last two outings, but whatever confidence he had gained was surely lost after he surrendered 5 runs in just 1 1/3 innings.

Though Park wasn't the only Phillies starter to struggle against the Nationals. The Phillies also had poor outings from Joe Blanton and Andrew Carpenter. Brett Myers was the only Phillies starter with an impressive performance in the series (7 IP, 2 ER, 8 K).

The Phillies relied on their hitting and the bullpen to bail out the rotation and, this time, it worked. The offense, led by Ibanez, put up 33 runs in the series. While it was encouraging to see the team hit so well, it's worth noting that they were facing the worst pitching staff in the league.

We'll see if this can propel the Phillies to a hot streak, as they prepare for road series against the Reds and the Yankees. There were certainly some good signs that this offensive performance was not a fluke. Namely, the new lineup that Charlie Manuel unveiled, which features Ibanez batting third. Here's the lineup that the Phillies used in yesterday's game:

1. Rollins
2. Utley
3. Ibanez
4. Howard
5. Werth
6. Victorino
7. Feliz
8. Ruiz

This is an upgrade over the more traditional Phillies lineup (Rollins-Victorino-Utley-Howard-Werth-Ibanez-Feliz-Ruiz) for a couple of reasons. For one, it takes advantage of the fact that Ibanez has been the Phillies' best hitter this season. He's been hitting superbly for over a month now and it's ridiculous to bat him sixth.

And while it appears to be unbalanced, with three lefties in a row, the fact is that Utley and Ibanez have hit left-handed pitching just fine this season. In fact, Utley has hit lefties better than righties, with a 1.096 vs LHP and a .999 vs RHP and Ibanez's splits are fairly even (though his BB/K ratio vs LHP is considerably worse than vs RHP).

What this might also do is get Rollins going. He's had a very poor start to the season, but his bat showed signs of life in this series. With Utley hitting behind him, he'll get some pitches to hit. Howard, and the offense in general, will benefit from the top 2 OBPs on the team in front of him.

Much of the reason for the Phillies' occasional offensive lapses was the fact that Rollins and Victorino have hit poorly and generally done a terrible job of getting on base for the Phillies' sluggers. Rollins OBP is only .268 and Victorino's isn't that much better at .304. With those guys as your 1 and 2 hitters, it's no wonder the Phillies offense has stalled. Hopefully the new lineup will get Rollins going and perhaps Victorino will benefit from the reduced pressure of hitting lower in the order.

It's entirely possible that the recent offensive explosion was a result of facing the Nationals' horrible pitching, but it does make a lot of sense and should give the team a lift. Hopefully one that lasts until their pitchers get it together.

Pedro Feliz: Walk This Way

2009-05-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

An interesting happening that did not get any attention in last night's game was Pedro Feliz's performance. Feliz walked in all four of his plate appearances today (none were intentional), which marked a career high. On its own this is not that interesting, but it is worth noting considering Feliz's career history.

In his career, Feliz has never been much for drawing walks. In fact, the 33 he drew last year were the most he's ever had in a season, with the exception of 2005 (38 walks) and 2006 (33). However, he played over 150 games in '05 and '06, while he only played 133 last year. So while he had 0.24 walks per game in '05 and 0.21 in '06, he increased that average to 0.25 last year. Not a huge increase, but this year he is up to 0.43.

Going on the walk totals alone, it's difficult to establish a clear trend. However, what has been notable is the drop in Feliz's strikeouts since joining the Phillies. Feliz struck out an average of 0.57 times per game as a member of the Giants (500 times in 874 games). However, in 163 games with the Phillies, his average has dropped to 0.4 strikeouts per game.

In addition, his BB/K ratio improved from 0.3 (as a Giant) to 0.7 (as a Phillie). In fact, thus far this season he has 13 walks to only 12 strikeouts. If he keeps this pace, he will have more walks than strikeouts for the first time in his career.

As a result, his OBP is a whopping .377, which would be a career-high, and by a lot. His previous career-high in that category is .305...in a season in which he batted .276. His second-best OBP season came last year (.302), when he hit .249, which is far more typical, as Feliz is a career .253 hitter.

These stats make it very clear that the Phillies have altered his hitting style, seemingly for the better. It was evident last year that Feliz was making more of an effort to display more patience at the plate, just from watching him. While it did not seem to pay dividends last year, these adjustments can take a while to sink in and we are seeing it this season. (This comes as no surprise to us at The People's Phillies Blog. In fact, our own Jeff Raab called this in our season preview.)

The unfortunate thing is that Feliz has rarely been able to benefit from getting on base so often, as he typically hits 7th and the Phillies have batted .198 out of the 8th spot this season. However, you would obviously rather have him getting on base for the 8 hitter and not being driven in than not getting on, so it's hard to complain about that.

One more potential downside to Feliz's resurgence is the effect it may be having on Greg Dobbs. Dobbs was arguably the best pinch hitter in the league last season, but he's really struggled in 2009, hitting a paltry .143. While Dobbs showed a very strong ability to deliver hits off the bench last season, it's generally accepted that most hitters need to get at-bats with some regularity to be effective.

So it stands to reason that Dobbs was better off last year, when he started eight games in March and April (and hit .333), than this year, when he started just one. Feliz's strong performance, along with his defensive prowess, has given the Phillies little reason to start Dobbs with any regularity and that may be the cause of his struggles at the plate. Of course that's not to say that the Phillies are better off with Feliz hitting poorly, but rather that they might do well do try to squeeze Dobbs into the lineup more often anyway, just to keep him in rhythym.

We'll see if Feliz's transformation to a patient hitter holds up over the course of the season, but thus far it's looking like he's really bought into the Phillies hitting philosophy and has made himself much more valuable at the plate.

Werth Steals Home in Phillies Win

2009-05-12T23:05:00.000-07:00

Fans certainly got their money's worth in tonight's game, which was a rematch of last year's NLCS (albeit with the Dodgers missing a certain Manny Ramirez). While Manny awas absent, fans did get to see an entertaining Phillies win, primarily due to the play of a pair of ex-Dodgers.

Chan Ho Park followed up his tough loss to the Mets with another fine outing, allowing two runs over six innings and recording his first win of the season (and his first since July 1, 2008). Park was not dominant, allowing seven hits, but he got the job done, and left the game with a 4-2 lead.

That score held until the 7th inning when Werth, who played for the Dodgers in 2005 and 2006, singled to left field. He then proceeded to steal second base, then third, and then home, effectively turning his single into a home run. Not too shabby. He became the first Phillie to steal home since Carlos Ruiz in 2007, who did it as part of a double steal with PPB favorite Michael Borun. Werth had also stolen third in the 4th inning, so this gave him a total of four steals on the day; a career high. The four stolen bases also tied a franchise record for a single game, shared by Sherry Magee and Gary Maddox.

Of course the story coming into the game was the alteration in the lineup that had Jimmy Rollins batting fifth, in an attempt to get him out of his season-long funk. It's too early to tell if it worked, but Rollins did have a solid day at the plate, going 1 for 3 with an RBI single and a walk. Batting between Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez could be great for Rollins. With Shane Victorino, Chase Utley, Werth, and Howard in front him, Rollins should be up with runners on much of the time, and with Ibanez behind him, he's sure to get more pitches to hit.

Hitting Werth third and Utley second could also pay dividends, as it breaks up the lefties in the lineup. It ought to look even better when Utley is on his game (unlike tonight when he went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts).

Meanwhile, Pedro Feliz had an interesting day with four walks in four plate appearances. (More on that)

The Phillies bullpen did its part to finish the game and Brad Lidge notched his fifth save of the year, despite giving up a run. He got the job done, but Lidge has been very poor so far this year, and one has to hope he gets his act together.

Regardless, the Phillies got a very entertaining win and were able to keep pace with the Mets in the race for the division. We'll see if Charlie Manuel sticks with this lineup, but so far, so good.

Ibanez, Howard Make a Grand Statement

2009-04-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Coming off a sweep of the division-leading Florida Marlins, one would've thought that the Phillies would handle the hapless Nationals with relative ease. Instead they'd find themselves trailing early and late, due to poor pitching. However it wouldn't matter, thanks to an outstanding offensive performance that included grand slams from Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez. Ibanez's two-out slam in the eighth inning put the Phillies ahead for good and Ryan Madson closed out a 13-11 win.

The Phillies suffered from another poor outing from Joe Blanton. Blanton lasted just 4 1/3 innings, and gave up six runs, four of the runs coming on homers. Ryan Zimmerman's home run in the fifth inning, his second of the day, put Washington up 6-2, but the Phillies fought back in the bottom of the inning. Philadelphia loaded the bases on three straight singles, then Ryan Howard brought them all home with a grand slam to center field.

The Nats took the lead back in the sixth, with a bases loaded walk, then the Phillies countered with Jimmy Rollins' RBI double. Then in the eighth inning, Charlie Manuel turned to left-specialist Scott Eyre, presumably to handle lefties Nick Johnson and Adam Dunn. However, this plan backfired. Johnson and Dunn would each hit two-run homers and Eyre would leave the game without recording a single out. J.A. Happ replaced him and got through the inning without further harm.

Philadelphia entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing 11-7, but with their offense the game proved to be far from over. The Phillies quickly cut the lead to two runs on a Shane Victorino sac fly and a Chase Utley single. With two outs and Howard coming up representing the tying run, the Nationals turned to Joel Hanrahan. Hanrahan's season stats were not overwhelming, but Howard came into the game 0 for 7 against him with 6 Ks. However, the past success did not hold up and Howard reached on a walk. Hanrahan's control problems continued and he walked Jayson Werth as well.

That loaded the bases for, you guessed it, Raul Ibanez. Ibanez has become a fan favorite in a hurry, especially with his walk-off home run against San Diego last Sunday. He has been excellent this season, so it was too much to ask for him to deliver here, right?

Wrong. Ibanez crushed a fastball just fair over the right field wall and sent the Phillies phaithful into pandemonium with the team's second grand slam of the day. The grand slam gave the Phillies a 13-11 lead, putting them ahead for good. Madson got through the ninth with relative ease, striking out Justin Maxwell (who was brought in to replace Dunn when the Nationals felt they had a comfortable lead) to end the game. It was a weird sort of poetic justice to have the Phillies new left fielder take the lead and then have the Nationals defensive replacement in left field make the last out.

What an end to a thrilling game.

Chance to Win World Series Tickets

2009-04-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Want to see the Phillies in the 2009 World Series? So do we. Well, we can't promise that, but we can help you have a chance to get World Series tickets, regardless of who's playing. Go to the Krylon's Save Our Saturday Contest and participate in their monthly trivia challenge.

Phils Rout First-Place Marlins to Complete Sweep

2009-04-26T23:33:00.000-07:00

After a pair of comeback wins against the division-leading Florida Marlins, the Phillies were able to get ahead early on Sunday, then put the game away late. Jamie Moyer pitched his best game of the young season, as he continued his dominance of the Marlins. Of course the Marlins have been relatively easy to dominate in the past week, losing their sixth straight game, 13-2.

Moyer limited Florida to one run in six innings, while striking out six. He earned his third win of the season and improved his record to 7-0 at Dolphin Stadium. He had some help from the Phillies offense. The Phillies scored two runs in the first inning, off an RBI single from Ryan Howard and a Raul Ibanez sac fly. Later, in the fourth, Utley extended the lead to four runs with a single that scored Moyer and Eric Bruntlett. (Bruntlett started the game for the struggling Jimmy Rollins.)

The Marlins scored a run in the fifth, keeping the game within reach, but in the seventh, the Phillies pulled away for good. The Phillies scored four runs in that inning, highlighted by Shane Victorino's two-run bases-loaded double. That made it an 8-1 game, but the Phillies weren't done yet. They scored another five runs in the eighth inning, which was again capped off by a Victorino double, which scored three runs this time. The Phillies left that inning with a 13-1 lead, leaving the Marlins so hopeless that outfielder Cody Ross pitched the ninth inning.

Florida would add one run in the ninth off J.A. Happ, but it wouldn't matter, as the Phillies closed out the 13-2 victory. The win put their record one game above .500, at 9-8 and put the team just 1.5 games out of first place. Facing the last-place Nationals next, the Phillies have a good chance to further close the gap. We'll see what happens tomorrow, as Joe Blanton attempts to get his season on track.

Ibanez Hits Walk-Off, Snaps Losing Streak

2009-04-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

The day after the Padres gave Brad Lidge his first blown save as a Phillie, the Phillies exacted some revenge. They entered the bottom of the ninth behind by a run and left the inning winners, thanks to some clutch hitting by Raul Ibanez. Ibanez's walk-off home run snapped a three-game losing streak for the Phils.

Today's game was a showcase of sorts for the Phillies marquee off-season additions, as Chan Ho Park started his first home game for the Phillies. Park fared better than in his first outing, but ran into some trouble in the third, giving up three runs.

Of course two of those runs came courtesy of a triple by Edgar Gonzalez that could arguably have been called an error. Gonzalez hit a liner to left field which Ibanez attempted to play. Ibanez went for a sliding catch, but appeared to misjudge it slightly and the ball landed beneath his glove and past him, rolling to the wall. That drove in a run and then in the next at-bat, Gonzalez scored on a groundout by Brian Giles. Had Ibanez made the catch, the Padres would most likely have only scored one run in that inning. Park gave up a fourth run in the fifth inning on a solo homer from Adrian Gonzalez.

Park only last five innings and was replaced by J.A. Happ. However, in the sixth inning, the Phillies offense woke up. Eric Bruntlett, starting for the struggling Jimmy Rollins, reached on an error with one out and Chase Utley made the most of it with a two-run shot to right. Meanwhile, Happ kept the Phillies in the game, pitching three scoreless innings in relief of Park.

Rollins didn't get the start, but he made his presence felt. Pinch-hitting for Happ in the eighth, Rollins hit a solo home run, his first of the season, making it a one-run game. However, the next three Phillies went down in order. Condrey pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, setting up the bottom of the inning.

Ryan Howard started it with a single to center field; his third hit of the day. Then Ibanez followed with a moonshot to right, giving the Phillies the 5-4 win in dramatic fashion.

Ibanez has been brilliant so far for the Phillies. He currently is batting .386 with 5 HR and 10 RBI. He's slugging an absurd .864, due to his 10 extra-base hits. He's on pace for 74 home runs and, while we know that pace will not hold up for 162 games, it's certainly looking like he is a more than adequate replacement for Pat Burrell. (Burrell, for the record, is batting .225 with 1 HR and 4 RBI.)

The Phillies record now stands at 5-6, so there is still plenty of work to do, but this was the type of come-from-behind win that was typical of last year's team and winning in such a dramatic fashion could light a fire under this ballclub. Let's hope so, anyway.

Phun Phact: (Low) Quality Starts: Part II

2009-04-19T13:45:00.000-07:00

As we reported almost a week ago, the Phillies were on the verge of making some dubious history, as they had not had a quality start through six games. That made them the first defending champions to go that many games without a quality start since the 1984 Orioles, who didn't get one until their eighth game.

Well the Phillies finally got a quality start, courtesy of Joe Blanton, in Thursday night's game. Sadly, it wasn't enough to get them a win, as the bullpen collapsed and the Phillies lost 8-2, but it did keep them from making dubious history and passing the '84 Orioles in post-championship quality start futility. Rather, they tied the O's, doing it in their eighth game.

Again, this stat doesn't tell us much except what we already know: the Phillies rotation has been dreadful so far this year. But it is interesting to note just how historically bad it's been, especially considering they have returned 4/5 of a rotation that was considered a strength last season.

Phils Win Game But Lose Legend

2009-04-13T15:16:00.001-07:00

Coming into this series, the Phillies had a lot to think about. The early struggles of the starting rotation, the slow start of Jimmy Rollins, the absence of starting catcher Carlos Ruiz were all foremost in the minds of the Phillies and their fans. But not anymore.

The Phillies lost a legend today in Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas, who collapsed in the broadcast booth just hours before he was scheduled to call today's Phillies-Nationals game. Kalas was a Phillies icon just as much, perhaps even more so, than the greats who made their difference on the field. He was present for all of Michael Jack Schmidt's home runs and all of Steve Carlton's Phillies starts. I could go on about Kalas (and you can read more here), but there's little I can say that hasn't already been expressed many times over.

Needless to say, the Phillies entered this game with heavy hearts and, while it wasn't easy, they left with a win over the hapless Washington Nationals (0-7).

Jamie Moyer took the hill against Daniel Cabrera. Both fared poorly in their first starts of the season. Moyer got off to a slow start again in this one, allowing Elijah Dukes to double in Christian Guzman to give Washington an early 1-0 lead. However, Moyer was able to regain his composure and get out of a bases loaded jam.

Cabrera, on the other hand, looked dominant early, setting the Phillies down in order in the 1st inning, then striking out Ryan Howard to start the 2nd. However, he'd soon run into some hard luck. First, Jayson Werth reached on an infield single to short, then Raul Ibanez chopped a grounder to second baseman Anderson Hernandez. It looked like a potential double play ball, but Hernandez bobbled it and both runners were safe.

This seemed to rattle Cabrera, as his control (which is always a major question mark) escaped him. He walked Pedro Feliz to load the bases, then walked Chris Coste to tie the game. Moyer then followed with a sac fly, as Ibanez barely scored ahead of the tag and the Phillies took a 2-1 lead.

However, the game would not be won so easily. The Nationals tied it up in the bottom of the 2nd, then, after the Phillies had taken a two-run lead, the Nats tied it again at 4-4 on a Dukes homer in the 5th.

Despite not having a particularly strong outing, Moyer did pitch six innings and was put in position for the win in the 7th inning, when Howard followed a pair of hit batsmen with a three-run shot to center. Shortly thereafter, Ibanez homered to left and the Phillies held an 8-4 lead. The Nationals fought back in the bottom of the 7th, as Adam Dunn hit a two-run homer off Clay Condrey, but the Phillies tacked on an insurance run in the 8th with a Shane Victorino sac fly.

With a 9-6 lead and Brad Lidge entering the game, it seemed to be over, but on a day like today, nothing would come easy. Guzman led off the inning with a single, making him 5 for 5 on the day, and Ryan Zimmerman followed with a home run to center, making it a one-run game. However, after that Lidge regained his form, striking out Dunn and Dukes, then inducing a Nick Johnson groundout to end the game.

It was a tough day to be a Phillie or a Phillies fan, but at least the team came away with the win. It certainly won't make up for the loss of the franchise's voice but it's about all you could ask for after what transpired.

RIP Harry Kalas - 1936-2009

2009-04-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

It was announced today that before today's Phillies-Nationals game Harry Kalas collapsed in the broadcast booth of Washington's Nationals Park. He was taken to the hospital where he then died. For those of you who don't know, Harry had been the Phillies main radio and TV announcer since 1971.

It's no exaggeration to say that Harry Kalas' death will affect virtually every Phillies fan, and each in a different way. Our memories of watching the Phillies's most memorable moments over the years are inseparable from our memories of the voice that was describing them to us. Quite apart from his naturally wonderful voice, Harry's genuine, entertaining, and friendly personality showed through in every broadcast. His easy phraseology has imprinted itself on how generations talk about baseball. He was always fair to our opponants, but always sympathetic, with an unforgettable "Oh, brother!" whenever the Phillies really let one get away.

As a Phillies fan who grew up in New York, my only chance to follow the Phillies live was the pull out the most powerful AM receiver I could find, wait until sundown, and hope weather conditions allowed the crackling signal to come through intelligibly that night. Harry Kalas, calling the middle three innings, was the distinctive, reliable voice I could always hook into for the play before the fading signal merged in and out of another station.

Harry called no-hitters by Rick Wise, Tommy Greene, Terry Mulholland, and Kevin Millwood, Michael Jack Schmidt's 500th home run as well as almost all of his others, nine Phillies division-clinchers, and four pennant wins -- but network deals prevented him from broadcasting the 1980 World Series. It is appropriate that before his death he was able to be in the booth for a World Series victory by his and our beloved Phillies.

It is an understatement to say that he will be missed: perhaps the greatest tribute is that it is absolutely true when we say it will not be the same without him.

Phun Phact: (Low) Quality Starts: Part I

2009-04-13T07:08:00.000-07:00

We're through six games in the 2009 season and the Phillies have a respectable 3-3 record. Considering the team's tendency in recent years to start off slow, this comes as no surprise. What has been a bit surprising is the poor performance of the Phillies starting rotation, which was a major strength in '08.

Through the first six games, the Phillies have had zero quality starts. (For those of you not familiar with the term 'quality start', it signifies a start in which a pitcher allows 3 or fewer earned runs in 6 or more innings.) That makes the Phillies one of three teams in the majors without a single quality start at this point in the season.

Cleveland and Washington are the other teams without a quality start, which is unimpressive, but then again they aren't the defending World Champions. The Phillies are the first defending World Champions to go six games without a quality start since the 1984 Baltimore Orioles (who coincidentally beat the Phillies in the 1983 Series).

The '84 Orioles went 1-5 in those games and would not get their first quality start until the 8th game of the season, a 6-5 win over Cleveland, the quality start coming courtesy of Storm Davis.

The Orioles didn't end up having a terrible year, finishing 85-77, but that put them in 5th place in the East Division (remember, back then there were only two divisions in each league, so they were 5th out of 8). Oddly enough, the AL West was so poor that year that the Orioles would have actually finished first, ahead of the 84-78 Kansas City Royals.

What does this say about the Phillies? Probably not too much, but it does seem to drive home the point that pitching wins championships and, thus far, the 2009 Phillies rotation has looked nothing like the pitchers that won it all last year.

Stairs, Bullpen Propel Phils to Victory

2009-04-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's early, but the Phillies are establishing a trend. Falling behind in the first inning. Of course, the Phillies had to rally from their fare share of deficits last year, so it came as no surprise when the Phillies rallied to beat the Rockies 7-5, bringing their record to 3-3.

Chan Ho Park's first start in a Phillies uniform didn't exactly go as planned. After retiring the first batter, Dexter Fowler, Park allowed four straight hits and two runs. A walk to Troy Tulowitzki loaded the bases, setting up a two-out Clint Barmes single that drove in a pair. The Phillies have already had Brett Myers, Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton allow two-run first innings, but Park's four-run, 40+pitch first inning was the worst start of a season that has, thus far, been full of poor starts.

Of course, the Phillies got to hit as well. They got on the board in the 2nd inning as Ryan Howard scored from second on a Raul Ibanez double that ricochetted off Rockies pitcher Aaron Cook. That cut the deficit to three runs, but that didn't last as Fowler led off the bottom of the 2nd with a solo home run, making it a 5-1 game.

Park settled down a bit after that, but due to his high pitch count, he only lasted 3 1/3 innings, before being pulled for Chad Durbin. Durbin did his part admirably, pitching two scoreless innings and even recording a single (his 2nd career hit) in a rare at-bat.

Meanwhile, the Phillies offense worked to chip away at the lead. In the 4th, Jayson Werth singled home Chase Utley to get the Phils back within three runs. Werth followed with another RBI single in the 6th, again scoring Utley, bringing the score to 5-3.

That lead held until the 8th inning, when Utley apparently tired of waiting for Werth and instead opted to drive himself in. Utley launched a two-run, game-tying homer off Manny Corpas and, just like that, the Phillies had climbed out of the hole Park dug.

Madson handled the Rockies in the bottom of the 8th and so it came to the 9th. The Rockies brought in their new closer, Huston Street, hoping to keep it a tie game. However, Pedro Feliz led off the inning with a double to left that landed just fair and Chris Coste sacrificed him to third base. With one out and the potential winning run 90 feet away, Charlie Manuel turned to postseason hero Matt Stairs. All Stairs needed was a deep fly ball. He more than achieved that, blasting a home run over the wall in right center and putting the Phillies on top, 7-5.

Brad Lidge entered to close out the game and managed to retire the first two batters before things got interesting. Jeff Baker singled and Ian Stewart walked, putting the winning run at the plate, in the form of Troy Tulowitzki. However, Lidge took care of business, inducing a Tulowitski groundout to second, preserving the Phillies victory.

It was an impressive win for the Phillies, who had excellent performances from the offense and from the bullpen. However, Park's struggles put a damper on the win. The bullpen excelled today, pitching 5 2/3 scoreless innings, but they cannot be expected to do that too often. The Phillies rotation has pitched poorly thus far and, at least based on his first start, it doesn't look like Park will be an innings eater.

The frustrating thing about Park's start is that his difficulty didn't seem to have much to do with pitching in a hitter's park. Only one of his four runs came via the long ball. Instead most of the Rockies' hits were well-struck line drives that would have been hits in any ballpark. He also suffered from a lack of command, inflating his pitch count and forcing him to throw strikes in hitter's counts. Maybe the poor command can be corrected easily enough (as it was in spring training), but this was a very discouraging outing, to say the least.

Of course, in the end all that counts is the W and, while Park had to settle for a ND, at least he avoided the L, thanks in part to Utley, Stairs, and the Phillies 'pen.

On further review:

A likely cause for Park's poor outing is the absence of Carlos Ruiz. Park won his spot in the rotation with a strong performance in spring training. However, during the spring he was caught exclusively by Ruiz. As a result, this start was his first time pitching to Chris Coste, and it showed. The two got their signals crossed a few times, leading to a passed ball in the first inning and probably had a lot to do with Park's poor command. It's hard to say what the Phillies can do about this; whether they can hope that Park adjusts to Coste, or whether they should have Park pitch to Lou Marson until Ruiz returns from the DL, but really it's just worth noting that this unfamiliarity with his catcher probably was a significant cause in Park's difficulty in his first start as a Phillie.

Hamels Rocked in Season Debut

2009-04-10T16:23:00.000-07:00

With the early struggles of the Phillies starting rotation, fans had to be relieved when Cole Hamels took the mound and bucked an early trend by NOT allowing 2 runs in the first inning. The Phillies even took an early lead, as in the 2nd inning a Pedro Feliz sacrifice fly put the Phils up 1-0 in Colorado.

However, just as Hamels arrival to the rotation was delayed, so was his implosion on the hill. Hamels surrendered 5 runs in the 3rd inning, sparked by a game-tying RBI single from Rockies pitcher Jason Marquis. Later in the inning Garrett Atkins would hit a two-run homer to pad the Rockies lead.

Then in the 4th inning, after Feliz scored Jayson Werth for the second time, with an RBI groundout, the Rockies struck for two more runs. This knocked Hamels out of the game and sent the Phillies to the bullpen far earlier than expected. J.A. Happ and Clay Condrey combined for 3 1/3 innings to keep the game competitive, then Chad Durbin aborted that mission, allowing 3 runs in the 8th inning.

Werth hit a solo shot in the 9th, capping off an impressive individual performance (4 for 4, 3 R, HR), but it was entirely meaningless (except for anyone with Matt Belisle on his or her fantasy team. Sorry Mrs. Belisle, tough break).

The Phillies were expecting a dominant outing from their ace, but did not get it. One has to think that Hamels was a little rusty due to his injury-shortened spring training and that he will get his act together soon. That said, the Phillies have sent out 4/5 of their rotation and the results have been appalling.

Perhaps Brett Myers will get straightened out tomorrow night and perhaps Chan Ho Park will deliver a solid outing. But who knows? The simple fact is that 1-3 is nothing to get alarmed about, but it's the way the Phillies have lost (and even the way they got their one win) that merits concern. The Phillies will right themselves, but let's hope it happens sooner rather than later.

Braves Get Base-on-Ballbusting

2009-04-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

The first few innings of today's game were somehow very familiar. The sight of a somnolent Phillies offense seeming to take very little interest in scoring against an Atlanta Braves team that was battering its starter couldn't help but remind one of, well, the previous -- and only -- two other games of the 2009 season. The opening innings, following Philadelphia's last two dismal games were depressing -- but they were followed by an improbable and thrilling comeback. The bats in the Phillies' potent lineup sprang to life as if trying to make up for every scoreless inning these last two games, and if a win like today's doe snot galvanize the team, nothing can.

Before the game, everything bodes well. A ring ceremony for 2008's world champions (with Pat Burrell's presence graciously welcome) has to auger well, and the pitching match-up pits the Phillies' late-2008 hero and hot spring picther Joe Blanton against Atlanta's perennially unreliable Javier Vazquez. Moreover, the Braves' best hitter -- Chipper Jones -- has been scratched from the lineup on account of a sore thumb and replaced at third by Omar Infante.

The Phillies begin another game by generously allowing the Braves their customary two-run handicap today, as Joe Blanton surrenders a two-run home run with two outs in the first that was very nearly a foul ball. He gets through the next inning 1-2-3, however, with an uncomfortably long fly ball the only potentially worrying sign.

In the second we take back our handicap when Ryan Howard doubles to deep center with a misplayed ball that a better-practiced Howard or some warmer weather would have sent over the fence, and Raul Ibanez homers him in with a very deep shot to right field. Welcome to Philadelphia, Raul. We hope that impressive shot can be remembered as the moment a key piece really arrived. He has to make himself a key piece though. Next Feliz and Ruiz walk -- showing some important sometimes much-missed patience at the plate -- and Joe Blanton shows off his baseball fundamentals by bunting the runners over the second and third.

Omar Infante singles to left in the top of the third and is pushed to second on a walk drawn by Kelly Johnson. A sinle almost draws him home but a good throw from Jayson Werth keeps the run from scoring. For naught, though, as Brian McCann moves everyone over one base with an RBI single, and after Blanton manages one strikeout, Jeff Francour bests him with a two-run single to center.It is now 5-2 Atlanta. From here on Philly's game seems to disintegrate. Matt Diaz wins himself two RBIs with another double. 7-2 Braves. Joe Blanton has officially been hung out to dry.

In the third Shane Victorino gets his offensive season started with a triple, and is scored by Chase Utley, but the rest of the Phillies cannot bring Chase home from second.

From here Joe Blanton seems to have settled down seven runs too late, and manages a couple of scoreless innings before J. A. Happ entered the game to relieve him in the fifth. The perfect timing of Charlie Manuel's use of the bullpen is demonstrated once again when Happ walks Diaz and gives up a two-run homer to the brand-new hero of all Atlantans, rookie Justin Schafer. 9-3 Braves.

Happ remains fine until the seventh while Phillie bats remained futile until he is replaced by Chad Durbin, who allows a double and two walks before walking a a run in when he faces Omar Infante. This causes him to be pulled for Clay Condrey. 10-3 Braves.

Just as Phillie-fan heads may be dropping into Phillie-fan hands at the sight of a forced-in run, that particular humiliating play is about to be their salvation. Eric O'Flaherty, first in a carousel of pitchers in the Philadelphia seventh, gets Victorino out, then allows Utley to get his second hit -- a solid single to center field. When he walks Ryan Howard, Pete Moylan replaces him. He too is infected by a similar loss of control, and walks Werth. Ibanez, looking better and better as a new acquisition raps a very solid RBI single which propels his team to a paltry six runs behind. Pedro Feliz, getting hot lately, keeps the rally going with a single of his own. Phillie fans can hope a little bit now. Five runs is a little bit less insurmountable.

Moylan has no control. Matt Stairs pinch hits for Carlos Ruiz and draws a bases-loaded walk. 10-6 Braves. Also walking is Bobby Cox, who approaches the mound and pulls Moylan for Blaine Boyer. Boyer has been drinking the same water as Moylan. He walks Chris Coste, hitting for the pitcher. 10-7 Braves. Fans laugh and cheer with equal enthusiasm. Then Jimmy Rollins comes to bat and things get really absurd: Rollins draws a walk. 10-8 Braves.

Here Bobby Cox walks again to send Jorge Campillo to the mound. Campillo has his work cut out for him following up Boyer's performance and, just as required of him, does not walk the next batter. Instead, he gives up a clean single to Shane Victorino, scoring the slow Stairs. 10-9 Braves. Still one out. Chase Utley up. Wait for it -- he draws a walk. Tied 10-10. Jubilation.

Ryan Howard bats next, and joins the RBI party by grounding a run in. By the time Jayson Werth, who has already batted in the inning, flies out, the Phillies are inconceivably in the lead 11-10.

An amazing diving grab by Ryan Howard with a stunning flip to Ryan Madson starts the eighth inning with a play that will live on in the highlight reels of the future, and in the Philly half of the eighth they add an insurance run on -- by now hysterically -- a walk to Raul Ibanez, a double by Pedro Feliz, and sac fly by the Phillies' only remaining bench player, Eric Bruntlett.

Lights-out Lidge was not quite lights-out today, giving up a solo home run to Matt Diaz, but it didn't matter. The Phillies won 12-11 after trailing 10-3 in the seventh. It was a spectacular comeback, assisted by a spectacular collapse of the Braves' bullpen with a surrender of four bases-loaded walks. There were a lot of welcome good signs from the Phillies' bats today, and it is to be hoped that they stay this alive consistently, but it is equally to be hoped that, as much as this victory electrifies the team, the starting pitching settles into a better rhythm. Though eight-run innings can't bail them out of every game, this one was a thrill to watch on its own -- for those who hadn't already turned it off.