The 2009 Philadelphia Phillies Midseason Report Card

The Phillies went through some tough and some good times this year. With the season at their midway point, it’s time break down the Philadelphia Phillies this year. Here is the Philadelphia Phillies mid-season report card.

Philadelphia Phillies: 36-31 (as of June 22, 2009), 13-22 at home and 23-9 on road, first in NL East, interleague play: 3-9, streak: lost six.

Strengths: The Phillies have been doing great on the road this year, being number one in the MLB with a 23-9 record. Also, you have Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard who keep flying dingers with Ibanez having 22 and Howard having 20.

Chase Utley and Jayson Werth are right behind with 15 homers and twelve homers for Werth. I think all the Phils batters are doing excellent and Jimmy Rollins is actually improving as well.

Also, Shane Victorino has been excellent as well with his .304 batting average. And Cole Hamels leads the Phils with strikeouts with 72. It’s been pretty good in strengths, and it looks to improve further as the Phillies are reaching their peak.

The Phillies bullpen has been doing pretty good lately, with their ERA being eighth in the league at the time, now at eleventh though. The bullpen has been doing well and let’s see if they can get much better after mid-season.

Weaknesses: The Phillies are right now the enemies in Citizens Bank Park as they have 13-22 at home. It hasn’t been good at all for the Phillies at home and they are also are on a six-game losing streak which may affect them to keep their title in the NL East. The Phils also haven’t done good at all in interleague play as they are 3-9, worst in the NL East.

Other weaknesses. Yes and this may happen all year after what I have seen. It’s the performance of the pitchers the Phillies have. Cole Hamels has the lowest ERA with 4.24 for the Phils, which is not good in the MLB overall.

Jamie Moyer has been struggling as well with his 6.35 ERA and a record of 4-6 this year. And also, don’t forget what happened to Brad Lidge (injury) which made him fall to minors as well as Brett Myers’ season-ending injury.

But Lidge has been struggling as well, too, and let’s hope he improves after his knee is all better.

Nothing good has been happening with the pitchers in Philly. They have some good moments but most of it is not positive.

Questions Coming In After Midseason:

Can Brad Lidge’s knee heal?

Can Raul Ibanez and Ryan Howard keep hitting like they have been and continue this tandem throughout the season?

Can Philadelphia’s pitchers rebound after midseason after not doing very well?

 

That’s it. This is the Philadelphia Phillies midseason report card. Are there any questions you’d like to add, any other weaknesses and strengths you would like to include? Why don’t you share your opinion by commenting below!

Done by request from the assignment desk.

Josh Dhani is a writer for the Phanatic Phollow Up and The Batter’s Eye.