5 Tweaks Philadelphia Phillies Can Make Until Chase Utley, Ryan Howard Return

It’s been said over and over again this season in many different ways for the Philadelphia Phillies: Once Chase Utley and Ryan Howard return, the offense will start hitting again and the Phillies will move up in the standings.

The good news is that we now know that Utley is returning to the Phils tomorrow and is expected to be in the lineup for tomorrow night’s game. With Freddy Galvis down with both a pars fracture in his back and out for 50 games for a PED suspension, Utley will surely be welcomed back and is automatically an all-around better option over Michael Martinez and Mike Fontenot. That goes without saying, though.

The bad news? We still don’t know for sure when Howard’s coming back.

Howard infamously ruptured his Achilles tendon in the final at-bat of last year’s NLCS against the Cardinals, which the Phils lost to the Cards in five games. The Cardinals went on to win the World Series, and Howard (nor Utley) hasn’t been back since.

Simply put, this offense needs help. And while I’ll say that Utley and Howard may not be the pieces to get the job done, anything new is a plus at this point, especially veterans of your own team who know how to get the team back into contention. They can do a few things, and I’ll make my own adjustments to Charlie Manuel’s lineup if need be. After all, it’s been an elephant in the room all season long: Charlie’s lineup is flat-out terrible and he needs to solidify the lineup positions so more guys get on base, are comfortable with their position, and ultimately, more runs are scored to win more ballgames.

Here’s a five tweaks—whether in the lineup or in approach—that the Phillies can make until both Utley and Howard return.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies’ Weekend Series vs. Rays Is Most Crucial of the Season

The Philadelphia Phillies aren’t exactly where they’d like to be right now. The team sits in dead last in the NL East with a 33-38 record and is nine games out of first place. It’s just a game over .500 on the road at 19-18 and has an abysmal 14-20 record at home.

Last night, the team had the opportunity to go for their first series sweep of the season against the Colorado Rockies. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be—the Rockies won 4-1 despite a stellar outing by Vance Worley.

Yet because the offense couldn’t get it done—it was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position last night—and because the bullpen couldn’t hold down the fort, the Phils took another loss in the City of Brotherly Love.

However, the Rockies aren’t a contending team and the Phillies did manage to win the series. But this weekend, the Tampa Bay Rays come into town for a three-game series, and it’s going to be the most important series this season—not only to date, but in the season as a whole.

Why, you ask?

Well, the Phillies are going to be facing one of the most complete teams in all of baseball. With the Rays having starting pitching depth that is the envy of the rest of baseball as well as an adequate offense, despite the fact that they sit in third in the AL East, they are pretty darn good.

Yes, the Rays’ biggest impact hitter, Evan Longoria, is hurt, and that should give the Phillies a bit of relief. But the Rays are also sending their two aces to the mound this weekend in James Shields (Friday) and David Price (Sunday) and a serviceable pitcher in Alex Cobb on Saturday, which could and likely will stifle the Phillies’ offense.

And while the Phillies are sending their own aces to face off against Tampa Bay’s on Friday with Cliff Lee and Sunday with Cole Hamels, if it comes down to a pitching duel, the Phillies are the more likely team not to score any runs.

After all, Lee has no wins almost halfway through the season, primarily for that reason. That’s just the way it’s been this year.

The Phillies also have the advantage (at least, on paper) of playing at home. Granted, their play at Citizens Bank Park has been atrocious, as is evidenced by their 14-20 record this year. But being able to play in their own ballpark against a strong team like the Rays is also advantageous for obvious reasons. Their pitchers are comfortable on the mound, and the fans are there for support.

This series will be telling for the Phillies for a number of reasons. The Rays are stacked with pitchers and have an above-average lineup, even without Longoria.

In addition, the Rays are an AL team. That means that the Phillies will need to step up their game against the Rays because AL teams are built with more offense. And even though this interleague series will take place without the use of a designated hitter, a possible World Series matchup for the Phils against any AL team will require the use of one.

Perhaps the biggest reason why the series is the most crucial is just that Tampa is a contending team all season long. Many expected them to slide with the absence of Longoria after he partially tore his hamstring in May. Although they sit in third place, they’re only three and a half games out of first place, and all it would take for them to get back to first is a very good stretch and for Longoria to return.

The Phillies’ other crucial series (in my opinion) was against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That was a four-game set and it was at home. And what happened? The Phillies lost all four games.

The Phillies are going to have a big challenge on their hands this weekend. If they can win the series, there’s still some hope that the team can bounce back. But this series will be telling for the reasons listed above.

If the Phils lose the home set or get swept, then there really isn’t much hope left if they can’t beat one of the better teams in baseball.

Read more Philadelphia Phillies news on BleacherReport.com

How the Philadelphia Phillies Have Stayed Afloat Despite Injuries

To say the Philadelphia Phillies are having an awful year is, at this point, a gross understatement.

Granted, they aren’t as bad as some of the worst teams in baseball. But based on the way they play some of their games, it sure seems like it. They did win two of three from the Minnesota Twins this week, but the game they lost was horrendous, and their win on Wednesday night that should have come easily was very close in the end.

Despite their struggles this season, the Phillies have managed to remain in striking distance in the NL East. Yes, they are dead last in the division, nine games out of first place with their 31-34 record. But even with their injuries and hitting and pitching issues, the Phils are still holding on.

With some of their most severe injuries coming to some of their biggest contributors, players like Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Roy Halladay, there’s a reason why the Phillies have struggled. In light of these injuries, though, the Phils have held their own, and they deserve credit for at least being able to do that.

Here’s how the Phillies have managed to stay afloat.

Begin Slideshow

Has Roy Halladay Fallen off MLB’s Pitching Pedestal for Good?

As baseball fans around the country know by now, Roy Halladay is hurting, both literally and figuratively. Doc currently sits on the 15-day DL with a latissimus dorsi strain that could keep him out for six to eight weeks. And when he was pitching, he posted a 4-5 record with a 3.98 ERA. Not the 2012 that Doc nor baseball and Phillies fans were envisioning.

Halladay hasn’t been on the DL since 2009, and he hasn’t been on the DL for an arm-related issue since 2004…until now. In spring training, there were concerns that Doc’s fastball velocity had been dropping, but the reason why was unclear. Possibly aging, possibly wear and tear—after all, Doc has logged just over 2600 innings throughout his career, and he’s led his league, if not all of baseball, in complete games each of the last five years. Simply put, he’s a workhorse.

In light of these recent events, is it still fair to consider Doc among the league’s elite starters? Is Roy Halladay truly an ace anymore? Or is he just falling from grace earlier than expected?

I’d say yes to those questions, but more arise just as quickly. But is Doc’s reign of supremacy over the rest of baseball coming to a close? One could argue that Halladay’s career—which was seemingly improving following his trade to Philadelphia from Toronto before the 2010 season—is now on the downturn, and that within the next couple of years, Doc could call it a day and ride off into the sunset known as retirement.

Let’s take a look at whether Doc Halladay has still got it or if his best days are behind him.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Cole Hamels Suitors If He Hits the Trade Block

To say that starting pitcher Cole Hamels of the Philadelphia Phillies is having a good season would be an understatement. He’s tied for the major league lead in wins with eight, is second in the NL with 72 strikeouts, and eighth in the NL with a 2.43 ERA. In addition, his WHIP of 1.01 is good for seventh in the NL.

To put it honestly, Hamels has been stellar this season.

However, there are a couple of interesting factors surrounding the Phillies’ best starting pitcher this year. Hamels is a free agent after the season and will likely be the most coveted pitcher on the market, if not the most treasured player hitting free agency in the coming offseason. Whether the Phillies will be willing to pay his asking price, which could be historic for pitchers, is one of the biggest questions looming for other teams potentially interested in bringing Hamels into their organizations.

The more pressing issue right now, at least, is that the Phillies are having a subpar season. Although their 27-25 record leaves them just three games out of first place, the Phils are in last in the NL East. If the Phillies don’t get to the top of the standings anytime soon, they could be sellers at the trade deadline, which could mean that Hamels would be available in a trade. And while it’d be a large deal, some teams could be able to make that deal.

Should the Phillies fall out of contention, here’s a look at five teams who have the assets to make a trade and could use the Phillies’ left-handed ace to bolster their rotation.

Begin Slideshow

Philadelphia Phillies: Why Returns of Utley, Howard Won’t Solve Problems

With the exception of the last few games, this year’s Philadelphia Phillies team has been difficult to watch.

Whether it’s injuries, poor performance, lack of fundamentals or a combination of the three, at times the Phillies’ play has left fans just shaking their heads. The offense is lackluster, the bullpen is horrendous (save Jonathan Papelbon, no closer pun intended) and the defense for some players in the field has been atrocious, too.

Not to mention—the injuries have taken their toll.

David Herndon, Michael Martinez, Laynce Nix, Michael Stutes and Jim Thome are all on the DL. Justin De Fratus, who was possibly expected to break camp with the Phillies, hurt his elbow and is now on the 60-day DL. And now, Vance Worley has some elbow soreness, resulting in a skipped start.

But what’s dragged this team down the most this year has been the injuries of Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. Howard’s rehabbing from a torn Achilles suffered in the last at-bat of the 2011 NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals, while Utley is building up strength in his shoddy knees, which was an issue at the beginning of last season as well.

When these two guys return, though, will the team necessarily get better again? Will they start to hit, to field, to have a stronger bullpen once more? Or will they continue their downward trend, and will we see the Phillies trade away one or two of their top players?

I’m here to tell you that the return of the Phillies’ three and four-hole hitters is not going to guarantee the team success at that point.

Could success happen? Sure. But is it set in stone? No. And here’s why.

Begin Slideshow

Roy Halladay Arm Issues: Is Something Wrong with the Phillies Ace?

Roy Halladay is a cyborg. That’s according to San Francisco Giants closer (and a man guilty of letting go of his 15 minutes of fame) Brian Wilson. Of anything that Wilson’s said, it’s one of his most accurate statements. Doc is like the Energizer bunny—he just keeps on going.

However, his start to the 2012 season has been a bit worrisome for some fans. During spring training, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that Halladay’s velocity had significantly decreased compared to prior years. Not only did Halladay hear about it, he fired back, calling it “poor reporting at the extreme end of poor reporting.” Go figure.

A week ago, though, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted about Halladay’s average fastball velocity from 2009 to the present, noting how it’s declined year after year. In addition, he also mentioned Halladay’s swing-and-miss percentage, which has also rapidly gone downhill over the same span. Here’s the tweet if you’d like to see it:

 

Roy Halladay avg. fastball velocity, from 2009-12: 91.7, 92.1, 91.6, 89.9. Missed swing pct. from 2009-2012: 15.7, 10.8, 11.4, 4.8.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) May 2, 2012

 

Does this call for concern? Possibly. And that’s exactly what we’ll try to determine.

After examining all the potential factors, we’ll make a decision: is there really something wrong with Roy Halladay’s arm?

Read on.

Begin Slideshow

Can Cliff Lee’s Body Hold Up for His Entire Deal with Philadelphia Phillies?

Two offseasons ago, the Philadelphia Phillies shocked the baseball world when they signed Cliff Lee to a five-year, $120 million contract. While Lee has since lived up to his billing on the mound, the question does linger about whether he’ll be worth his contract in the long run—only this time, I’m not talking monetarily.

Throughout his career, Lee has dealt with many injuries, primarily in his abdominal region. In fact, each of the last three times Lee has been placed on the DL in his career prior to his current stint, it has been for an injury pertaining to his abdominals.

So when the Phillies announced that Lee was back on the DL again after his stellar 10-inning, no-runs-allowed loss against the San Francisco Giants, it was bad news for the team. It was especially bad since Lee, who’s always had abdominal injuries on the right side of his body, tweaked his left oblique.

Per the Delaware County Daily Times, Lee stated, “I’ve had ab strains, but nothing like this.” Talk about discouraging.

As a starting pitcher, Lee has produced on the mound and has lived up to the value of his contract for the Phillies thus far. But with a lengthy injury history that seems to have another issue piled upon it each year, will Lee reach the point where he’ll sustain an injury so great that it could affect his pitching for the rest of his career?

Fortunately, Lee has only had one arm injury in the past, and that was just fatigue during spring training in 2006. But with Lee turning 34 this coming August, his body could break down as the years go by.

Will Lee be able to maintain his health for the life of his deal, or will he break down immensely year by year until he becomes a shadow of his former self? We’ll examine all avenues of Lee’s career that could affect his health in the future and give a “diagnosis” as to whether Lee will hold up for the next four or five years.

Begin Slideshow

5 Things Philadelphia Phillies Should Do If Chase Utley Is Done

Over the last eight to nine years or so, Chase Utley has become a vital member of this Philadelphia Phillies team. From his grand slam as his first major-league hit, to his outstanding offensive support to lead the Phillies back to postseason play in 2007, to the World Series in 2008 and in the World Series in 2009, Utley has truly been “The Man” that longtime broadcaster Harry Kalas dubbed him.

Unfortunately, as it’s 2012 now, things have changed. Utley is no longer the young, offensive powerhouse he used to be. He’s still more than adequate defensively, but there’s little pop in his bat as a result of his weakening legs, specifically his knees. With power coming from the legs, Utley’s just got nothing left there.

As much as we’d like to think Utley will come back to his All-Star form, the hard truth is this: Chase Utley has almost nothing left in the tank. It’s sad, but it’s also a fact we have to face. And it’s hard for me to face, too, since Utley’s always been my personal favorite on the roster.

But could it be more than this? Could Utley be at the point where he has to stop playing altogether? It may very well come to this sooner rather than later, and the Phillies need to have a plan in place in case it does. Utley is under contract through next season, but if push comes to shove and Utley isn’t capable of playing next season but doesn’t retire, a very sad ending may come with the conclusion of Utley’s Phillies tenure, whether a release or—most likely—retirement.

With this in mind, the Phillies must be looking for some options both in and outside of their organization. If the replacement for his offense comes at a different position, then the Phillies must pursue it. After all, the top two possible second basemen on next year’s free-agent market, Ian Kinsler and Brandon Phillips, have both recently signed contract extensions that will keep them on their respective teams for at least five more years. With Ryan Howard an uncertainty now as well, the need is even more pressing to find an offensive force to fill the void that Utley (and possibly Ryan Howard) has left.

Today, we’ll explore any and all options. Whether from the draft to a trade, a free-agent signing to a promotion to the major-league level, all avenues must be explored. Ready?

Begin Slideshow

Roy Halladay: Why Phillies’ Ace Will Win 20-Plus Games Even with Poor Support

Roy “Doc” Halladay has been one of baseball’s best models of consistency over the last five to 10 years. He’s won two Cy Young Awards, pitched a perfect game and postseason no-hitter, and even as he approaches his 35th birthday, he has shown no signs of slowing down.

Rumors swirled throughout spring training that Doc’s velocity was down and his control had eluded him. However, we’ve seen through Halladay’s first two starts this season—a 1-0 road win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Opening Day and a 7-1 home win over Josh Johnson and the Miami Marlins last night—that he’s looked just as good as ever. With 15 innings under his belt this season, Doc currently sports a 0.60 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, and has eight strikeouts, not to mention he’s picked up the win in both of his starts to date.

Simply put, Doc is able to compensate even when he’s given little to work with. Last night was the kind of night any pitcher dreams of, but when you take into account that the Phillies were only able to score one run on eight hits against the Bucs last week, and also that the team was on pace to score 370 runs for the entire season before last night’s game, it’s a little disconcerting, to say the least.

However, Halladay is no ordinary pitcher. As we’ve seen, he seems to improve with age and has a work ethic unlike almost anybody else in the sport. There’s a reason that San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson referred to him as a “cyborg” at the All-Star Game last year—he’s just durable and just that good.

There’s little reason to believe that Doc will struggle this year. Even with poor run support, Halladay will manage, and unless he pitches his arm off, there’s no reason why Halladay can’t win 20 games—if not more—or even place in the top three of NL Cy Young Award voting. But how, you ask? Keep reading.

Begin Slideshow

« Previous Page — Next Page »