Despite Injuries, Philadelphia Phillies Are Potentially the Best Yet

Thus far, the 2010 season has been a ride of misfortune for the Philadelphia Phillies. It has been the baseball equivalent of getting out on the wrong side of bed in the morning.  

With a seemingly unending stream of injuries that have depleted the team from opening day, this season surely has not played out as the team’s brain trust intended or baseball pundits projected. 

 

Only two of the Phillies’ five starting pitchers at season’s outset have taken their turn all season long— Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and now Jamie Moyer all have resided on the Disabled List for extended periods of time. 

 

Every member of the National League’s most formidable infield have done the same, with All-Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard currently nursing injuries. Earlier in the year, of course, Gold Glove shortstop and offensive catalyst Jimmy Rollins made dual tours of duty on the DL. 

 

And, that’s not all.

 

Regular catcher Carlos Ruiz and center fielder Shane Victorino, along with relievers Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, and Chad Durbin have all been shut down. Also, based on performance trends, it seems probable that Raul Ibanez played his way back to full health after offseason surgery. 

 

It has all transpired like a heart pounding anxiety attack that might awaken Ruben Amaro or Charlie Manuel in the middle of the night, except it’s not a nightmare— it’s real.  

 

What’s a Manager to do? What’s a General Manager to do? 

 

Perhaps exactly what they have done through this challenging, Rubik’s Cube of a season. 

 

Both Amaro and Manuel have kept a sense of calm that spills over to the players in the clubhouse. 

 

Although many questioned whether the team possessed a false sense of security or even a general malaise induced by previous success, players and their leaders refrained from tossing out lifeboats. All maintained an outward sense of confidence and optimism that things would turn, especially as key players returned to the field.  

 

To his credit, Manuel acknowledged the injury situation, but never bemoaned it. Instead, he used the full roster and whatever reinforcements could be pulled from the farm system below. 

 

The skipper’s patience and belief in his entire roster is now paying dividends. 

 

Supporting role players such as Kyle Kendrick, Wilson Valdez, Ben Francisco, Ross Gload, Brian Schneider and Jose Contreras have performed admirably in the absence of their higher profile teammates. 

 

And let’s not forget Ibanez, who just may not be over the hill after all. The 38-year old left fielder has seemed to find his stroke—better late than never—and is currently playing a starring role in the middle of the lineup. The rejuvenated player even seems a couple steps faster. 

 

Most importantly, it’s all now translating into wins. Suddenly the Atlanta Braves feel the figurative hot breath of the Phillies on the back of their necks—a two game lead with two months to go is not the same comfort zone they experienced just a couple weeks prior. 

 

As for Amaro, and the rest of the Phillies brass, they have stepped up as well rather than bale on the season. They have also responded admirably to the adversity that has been dealt (and perhaps somewhat induced with the now infamous winter trade) through a series of moves that seem to put the team in position for another World Series run. 

 

First, the team’s resolve to hang onto prized prospect Dominic Brown is paying rewards. The five tool right fielder has helped provide a much needed boost to the lineup—and frozen ropes to nail runners at the plate never hurt either. 

 

Then, against odds, Amaro landed baseball’s other ace righty hurler named Roy to give the Phillies book ends around locked-in lefty Cole Hamels. With Kendrick and Blanton trending well, the rotation looks poised to lead the way, especially with a patchwork lineup for the foreseeable future.

 

Although his rocky debut dropped his record to 6-13, “I Gotta Feeling” that Oswalt isn’t going to end the season with a losing record. He has a made a career out of being a strong closer, and the adrenaline of a pennant race will provide a wondrous boost.  

 

And it is no small thing that Oswalt joins a club with Werth still wearing the same red pinstripes. 

 

Wednesday, Amaro may have pulled off another much quieter, but substantial coup when he acquired first baseman Mike Sweeney from the Seattle Mariners. If he can remain healthy, the veteran slugger will definitely add juice to the lineup while Howard mends. 

 

When the “Big Piece” returns, Sweeney will cast the type of strategy altering shadow out of the dugout like that provided by Matt Stairs in 2008. And all reports suggest that he is the type of upbeat personality to perfectly mesh with the team’s already great clubhouse chemistry.  

 

The fact that he swings from the right side of the plate provides some additional leeway to play Brown. Sweeney’s presence should also serve to diffuse some the pressure that Jayson Werth could be feeling to make up for the brown-out associated with the loss of Howard, Utley, and Victorino. 

 

Amaro and key adviser Pat Gillick are aptly proving that it pays to maintain friends around the league. 

 

The main area of concern revolves around the bullpen—and specifically closer Brad Lidge. Almost two years of adventure tends to do that to even the most optimistic managers and fans. 

 

Surely the concerns are valid with Lidge’s diminished fastball, sporadic command, and high wire finishes. On the plus side, the former “Lights Out” hurler has put together three solid outings after his well publicized meltdown in Washington. 

 

Should Lidge fail to find his mojo, Contreras is still flashing closer stuff with his heavy fastball. And, who knows, maybe Madson can finally get over the hump to become a viable closer option? Or, there’s always Scott Mathieson down on the farm dealing high heat. 

 

Where this all leads is to a potentially very rosy picture for this troubled season to date. Oddly enough, this club has the potential of being the best yet when the games increase in urgency and importance. 

 

The return of Howard, Utley, and Victorino along with the addition of new cast mates such as Oswalt, Brown, and Sweeney creates the very real potential to provide more high drama when the leaves turn colors in the “City of Brotherly Love.” 

 

The challenges that come with a rash of injuries can often turn into advantages. Players such as Greg Dobbs, Francisco, Gload, Schneider, and Valdez have gained the opportunity to hone their skills while the regulars sit on the sidelines—which translates into a stronger, more productive bench down the road. 

 

The team needs to keep grinding out wins while not at full force to stay within striking distance, but this team has all the makings of being a beast down the stretch and in the postseason. 

 

And considering the tremendous struggle this season has been, it could possibly be the most satisfying as well. 

 

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Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia Phillies is Like a Do Over for Ruben Amaro

Exactly one year from his first blockbuster trade, Philadelphia Phillies GM Ruben Amaro pulled off another high profile trade to acquire an ace hurler. And, like a year ago, the acquisition of Roy Oswalt seems to push the team to the front of the contending pack in the National League and possibly all of baseball.

Despite being under fire at times, the young executive has demonstrated a clear willingness to make bold moves in the quest of bringing another World Series Championship to Philadelphia. It might be best summed up—no regrets, no fear. 

Last July’s acquisition of Cliff Lee propelled the Phillies to a second straight National League Pennant and brought them to the brink of a repeat of winning it all. This year’s deal could prove to be exactly what the current team needs to overcome the NL Eastern Division deficit. 

And, perhaps even more importantly, a pair of righty Roy’s split up by lefty Cole Hamels would make the Phillies a highly daunting postseason opponent for anyone. 

It also stands to reason that the best starting pitching trio in the “Bigs” will be like a non-narcotic Valium for hitters who have been pressing a bit for a couple months. Last season’s team seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when Lee displayed his dominating presence and the team took off. 

Just like last year’s trade, Amaro seemed to come away with the better end of the deal and a huge boost for the Phillies’ lofty aspirations. Short of re-acquiring Lee or getting a do-over on the December deal that sent him to the Pacific Northwest, landing Oswalt was the next best thing. 

And, what makes it especially impressive is that RAJ was able to get his old boss Ed Wade to pay more than half of the salary owed to the hard-throwing right-hander over the balance of this season and next year. 

Parting with 2009 Sporting News Rookie-of-the-Year pitcher J.A. Happ is difficult considering his fine performance thus far and his low price tag, but otherwise Amaro did not have to part with any of the team’s most prized prospects. 

The team had been very high on young speedster Anthony Gose, but concerns started to surface about his plate discipline. The ability to retain top prospects such as Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, Trevor May, and of course, Dominic Brown make this a coup. 

Besides the psychological boost that the acquisition of Oswalt provides throughout the Phillies clubhouse, it may also have an equally deflating effect on the competition—specifically the Atlanta Braves. 

At the end of yesterday’s action, the Braves find their once commanding lead narrowed down to 2.5 games. Oh, and by the way, the team breathing down their necks featured a splashy debut of baseball’s number one prospect on Wednesday and then added one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past 10 years yesterday. 

Thursday’s deal goes a long way towards erasing the lingering unrest associated with the trade of last year’s postseason hero for three prospects rather than taking a shot at greatness in 2010. 

The consensus still tilts heavily towards the opinion that the Phillies would have been better off hanging onto Lee, but Amaro deserves a lot of credit for swinging this deal to corner the market on stud starters named Roy while having the Astros foot half the bill. 

Besides the unknown of how young players will fare in coming seasons, the only concerns center around Oswalt’s health and the financial implications going forward. The All-Star hurler has had some history of back problems and some believe that Oswalt’s additional salary burden will negate any chances of the team resigning Jayson Werth. 

Apparently, Amaro and the Phillies’ medical consultants are confident that Oswalt’s back will be fine and all will get a chance to render their own assessment when he takes the mound tonight in Washington. As far as Werth goes, it appears the club will have the rebounding slugger’s services for the balance of this season, so all will defer that issue until this chapter is closed. 

 

This all comes at a time when Phillies hitters seem to be catching their stride. Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and Jimmy Rollins have all elevated their performances in the second half, which has played a big part in the team’s current eight-game winning streak.  

Just a week ago, hopes for the 2010 season seemed to be fading quickly. One stellar home stand and one masterful trade later has the Phillies suddenly looking like the team to beat again. 

Surely, they still have work to do as they currently sit behind the Braves in the NL East and others in the Wild Card race. With Chase Utley and Shane Victorino still on the DL and Jimmy Rollins nursing a foot injury, they will not be at full strength for the foreseeable future. 

Although the fear factor may have jumped up a bit around the league, other teams will certainly not rollover for them. But injuries and current record notwithstanding, the Phillies now certainly appear to have the fire power to surge ahead. 

The Oswalt deal would seem to signal acknowledgement that both Amaro and organization executives realize that the thought process behind last winter’s transaction might have been flawed. Another bold, masterful move on July 29th once again is about as close to a “do over” as it gets, though. 

Props to RAJ.

 

 

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Trading Jayson Werth Is the Wrong Answer for the Philadelphia Phillies

Last November, the Philadelphia Phillies had found themselves in one of the most enviable positions in all of sports. 

They had just won a World Series Championship and followed it up with a repeat, albeit unsuccessful, trip to the Fall Classic. The organization possessed a tremendous nucleus of talent just entering their prime. 

For years, Citizen’s Bank Park has continued to be filled to capacity with energetic, passionate fans. And, despite trading away a handful of prospects to acquire one of the very best pitchers in the game the previous summer, the Phillies organization was still loaded with top notch prospects.

The future seemed bright. The present seemed even brighter. 

Then the Phillies brain trust, with General Manager Ruben Amaro in the public forefront, began making decisions that seemed more rooted in economics than athletic acumen. 

Surely, economics are a large part of modern day professional sports, but it can be argued that it’s better to take some one time financial hits than to lose prime-aged, winning talent. The latter is much harder to come by and contributes to earning back the lost dollars associated with writing off some ill-advised decisions.

With injuries, and those previous decisions, the Phillies find themselves currently in a much less enviable situation. The 2010 season seems to be unwinding around them as losses mount and the deficit grows— while everyone anxiously awaits for the team’s annual second half surge to kick in. 

Unfortunately, the vibrant, winning baseball that punctuated the previous three seasons post-All-Star performances seems nowhere to be found. At this point, the Phillies appear to be a team headed nowhere but home to watch the postseason.

Yes, there is still time to catch fire and capture a playoff spot, but the overall aura of the club increasingly suggests that it is unlikely. Manager Charlie Manuel has continued to talk about the team needing a spark, yet new box scores come and go with no ignition in sight.

The minor league pipeline is no longer bulging with the prospects to acquire another Cliff Lee to light the fires of hope and propel the team on a victory run through the pennant stretch. 

And, importantly, Amaro and the Phillies seem poised to compound previous questionable decisions with another questionable decision—once again rooted in economics.

One way or another, last December’s trade of Lee was prompted by economics. The Phillies were wary of giving him a large, long-term contract and/or felt they could not afford the luxury of carrying his $9 million 2010 salary on an already bloated payroll.

Of course, previous questionable economic decisions such as the lucrative contracts handed to Jamie Moyer, Raul Ibanez, and Joe Blanton were key contributors to the expanded payroll and ultimately the decisions around Lee.

The Phillies find themselves in a similar situation now as 2009 All-Star right fielder Jayson Werth nears free agency. Because of the predictable void left by dealing Lee last winter, rumors abound that Amaro might be looking to trade Werth to get prospects to acquire a quality starting pitcher. 

The line of thinking goes that the Phillies have a future star in Dominic Brown waiting in the wings to take Werth’s spot. 

This is flawed thinking and is driven once again by economics.

Brown should clearly be taking Ibanez’s place in the everyday lineup—not Werth’s. Anyone would be hard pressed to find an argument otherwise and here are the main reasons why:

1. Werth is a better player than Ibanez in every aspect of the game— hitting, power, fielding, throwing, and running. 

2. Replacing Werth with the left-handed hitting Brown makes an already left leaning lineup further imbalanced. The lack of a slugging righty in the middle of lineup would almost surely be a fatal flaw easily exposed by the opposition. 

3. Werth is just entering his prime, whereas Ibanez is nearing the end of his career. 

4. Werth is much more versatile than the left-field only Ibanez as he can play all three outfield positions and even catch in a pinch.

5. Werth has been in a funk for a couple months, but the probability of him breaking out are tremendously greater than Ibanez, who’s “slump” has now reached a year. 

6. Werth has been money in the postseason—Ibanez not so much.

The best scenario for this season and the next few years would be to sign Werth to an extension and form a talented young trio of outfielders. The dilemma that Amaro and the Phillies organization have is that they are hamstrung by the aforementioned large contracts. 

The thought of landing Roy Oswalt sounds enticing, but it also would seem to suggest that the Phillies are willing to raise their salary budget. If so, the Phillies could afford to re-sign Werth and take on Oswalt’s salary if they were to find a way to trade Ibanez, Blanton, and fore go next year’s option on JC Romero. 

About the only way that happens is if the Phillies would agree to absorb salary expense on each player. It would be worth doing that rather than head down the slippery slope of tearing up a team built to win over the next few years. 

It remains to be seen what it would take to pry Oswalt away from the Houston Astros. Perhaps Blanton could be packaged in the deal along with a couple existing prospects to land the veteran right-hander. 

If not, the Phillies would be better off passing on Oswalt and concentrating on setting themselves up with a dynamic, balanced everyday lineup for the next few seasons. If that means taking some near-term financial hits, as painful as it might be, the Phillies should do it.

 

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Can Philadelphia Phillies Use Walk-Off Weekend To Propel Second Half?

The Philadelphia Phillies‘ first-half struggles are well-documented. A disappointing road trip and three-game matchup against the division-leading Atlanta Braves left them with a 43-40 record and six games out of first heading into the final weekend before the All-Star break. 

To make matters worse, the Phillies were staring at a four-game series against the surging, Central Division-leading Cincinnati Reds. The potential existed to be deeply buried at the figurative midseason breaking point.

But then something unlikely and uncharacteristic for the challenging 2010 season occurred—the Phillies found a way to pull off a series sweep and restore their hope for the second half. 

And, as big as it was to string together four victories, it was even more amazing considering the manner in which it was done. 

All four games could have gone either way. The first three were won on walk-off hits in extra innings—two of which landed in the outfield seats.

On Thursday night, the game seemed headed for the same recurring nightmare of the past two seasons when Brad Lidge blew a save opportunity in the ninth, allowing the Reds to knot the score at 3-3 with two outs.

But, rather than allow the game to turn into another frustrating defeat, they hung in until backup catcher Brian Schneider ended the game in the 12th with a home plate victory dance after depositing a ball well into the right field stands. 

The next night, the Reds jumped out to an early lead and appeared headed to an easy victory, sporting a 7-1 lead after adding an insurance run in the top of the ninth. What followed was something even the most optimistic Phillies fans could not conjure in their minds with late-game heroics a fading memory. 

A small rally blossomed into an eruption when “below-the-Mendoza” Gregg Dobbs jacked a 434-foot, three-run bomb to cut the lead to 7-5. An out and a walk later, minor league fill-in Cody Ransom smacked another home run to stave off defeat. 

This time, after holding the Reds scoreless in the 10th, a Raul Ibanez double was followed by Ryan Howard’s big fly into the left field seats. For the second consecutive night, the hometown heroes finished the evening with a team-wide celebratory scrum at home plate. 

Fast forward to game three on Saturday night. Ace Roy Halladay demonstrated his considerable pitching skills once again, shutting out the league-leading offense through nine innings. 

Unfortunately, as has often been the case this year, the Phillies could muster very little offense themselves. In fact, rookie Travis Wood was shockingly heading toward baseball immortality by firing a perfect game before Carlos Ruiz led off the ninth with a double. 

Wood escaped trouble, and the teams traded bagels until the bottom half of the 11th. Ruiz smacked another double and scored on Jimmy Rollins’ clutch two-out single to kick off the now familiar nightly celebration. 

The series finale on Sunday was not a walk-off, but was definitely another nail-biter. This time, the Phillies used the same Ruiz double, Rollins single combination to plate a run in the third inning and rode a brilliant Cole Hamels pitching performance to a 1-0 lead heading into the ninth. 

Of course, some drama ensued when Brad Lidge was called upon to nail down the save. This day, he was up to the task, demonstrating better command and his signature slider. 

For the weekend’s work, the Phillies crept a little closer to the Braves and are now breathing down the necks of the second place New York Mets. Just half a game out of second, the Phillies start the second half four-and-a-half games behind the Braves. 

Besides the psychological lift of feeling that they are within striking distance, the manner in which the Phillies were able to sweep the Reds could provide the necessary boost they need to make another divisional run. 

As skipper Charlie Manuel noted, the team seemed to be missing a spark. Neither fans nor players seemed to possess the confidence that this year’s team had its customary late-inning heroics in its figurative DNA. 

Perhaps this past weekend’s events will restore that former feeling of invincibility and swagger that has permeated the team over the previous three seasons. 

And, make no mistake about it, that missing mojo will be instrumental to realizing the lofty goals set forth before this injury-riddled season. 

The Phillies find themselves in the uncustomary position of playing catch-up, but a little mojo—and the return of the walking wounded—will go a long way toward recapturing the NL East. The Braves are good and will keep the pressure on, but perhaps players and fans will look back at “Walk-off Weekend” as this year’s turning point.

 

Gary Suess is the founder of the Philadelphia Sports blog I’m Just Saying, Philly

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Latest Cliff Lee Deal Validates the Philadelphia Phillies’ Blunder

Yesterday’s trade of Cliff Lee confirmed what a majority of Philadelphia Phillies and their fans suspected to be true all along—last winter’s deal was a terrible blunder. 

 

On one hand, the team might take solace in the fact that Lee was shipped to the Texas Rangers rather than their divisional arch rivals, other National League contenders, or the World Champion New York Yankees—in that order. 

 

On the other hand, Ruben Amaro and the entire Phillies organization have to be consumed with the sinking feeling of what could have been. 

 

The first lament is that Lee could have helped form the best starting rotation in baseball—one capable of carrying an injury-riddled club through a challenging 2010 season. Perhaps they might not be in first place at this juncture, but they would be considerably better positioned for a fourth consecutive NL East title. 

 

The second lament is that today’s deal offered proof positive that the Phillies essentially gave away one of baseball’s best pitchers when his stock was probably at an all-time high. 

 

Lee has widely been considered the crown jewel of this year’s annual midsummer swap meet. Several teams had been rumored interested to highly covetous of the Cy Young lefty for a simple reason. 

 

Lee could instantly take them to the next level, whether it be legitimate playoff contender or World Series favorite. 

 

The Rangers deal validated his worth, as did the “imminent” trade to the New York Yankees that fell through earlier in the day. Both clubs offered a top 15 prospect (as rated by Baseball America and many other scouting pundits) along with other talent in exchange for the all-star hurler. 

 

The Yankees were willing to part with baseball’s top catching prospect, and preseason fourth rated prospect overall, Jesus Montero as the headliner with two other players. Speculation was that an injury to one of the prospects caused the Mariners to back away from the deal. 

 

Instead, Seattle opted for switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak from the Rangers (the 13th rated prospect heading into the season) along with Blake Beavan and two other players. Smoak was the team’s  top draft pick in 2008, and Beavan was the first rounder a year earlier. 

 

In contrast, the Phillies received the 93rd rated prospect according to Baseball America heading into both this season and last season—along with Tyson Gillies and JC Ramirez. 

 

Amaro spun the trade of Lee as a necessity to replenish the farm system that had been severely depleted in the trade to land the pitcher the previous July and the deal to obtain Roy Halladay. Finances were also cited as big contracts to Halladay, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, Raul Ibanez, and arbitration pressures helped push the team’s payroll toward $140 million. 

 

Those debates aside, the Mariners-Rangers deal highlights how badly the Phillies missed the mark in extracting value in return for the toast of last year’s postseason. Just weeks removed from the Yankees World Series triumph over the Phillies, all of baseball was still abuzz about Lee’s fabulous performances. 

 

Lee had used the game’s biggest stage, along with a fabulous 22-3 Cy Young campaign the previous season, to cement his place as one of baseball’s very best pitchers. With free agency pending after the 2011 season, pundits anticipated a mega-deal on the horizon. 

 

Somehow, though, Amaro and the Phillies parted with the highly impressive hurler for considerably less than what the Mariners were able to get a half year later. And, it stands to reason that Lee’s value would have only decreased between then and now as he has half the shelf life. 

 

Philadelpia accepted the 93rd ranked prospect versus the 13th ranked prospect that Seattle received—after turning down the 4th ranked prospect. 

 

To put this into a Phillies fan’s perspective, that is roughly the equivalent of accepting Lou Marson or Jason Donald in lieu of Dominic Brown.  

 

Considering that the Rangers also included another highly touted No. 1 selection, it becomes even more lopsided.  The cumulative value of the other players involved in each deal can be debated, but the disparity in headliners is dramatic. 

 

As further evidence of the Phillies blunder in trading Lee, one needs to look no further than the Halladay deal itself. In order to obtain the big right-hander, the team shipped out the 25th, 29th, and 81st rated prospects.

 

Although many might argue that Halladay had the superior resume to Lee and is a notch above, most would agree that the separation between the two is very slight. 

 

It does not take a math whiz to figure out that the Phillies paid dramatically more for Halladay than they accepted for Lee—and that the differential is tremendously greater than that between the two all-star pitchers. 

 

Surely, signability of each player factored into the equation and clouded the comparison, but the latest deal now gives us additional backdrop to assess the move that shocked the Phillies fanbase last winter. 

 

The purpose here is not to pile on, but rather provide some additional objective analysis of a trade that was widely panned at the time and could go down as one of the worst in team history. 

 

Amaro rightfully received ample praise for his 2009 seasonal body of work that helped the team make a second straight World Series appearance. Specifically, his refusal to give away his prized prospects for Halladay and instead acquire Lee with second-tier players was the type of genius that earns you “MLB Executive of the Year.”

 

Regrettably, he followed that up with the tandem ace swaps shortly after the season-ending defeat to the Yankees that seemingly reversed that genius and has weakened the team’s chances for this season and beyond. 

 

Amaro’s rationale in acquiring Halladay can be understood as he was willing to sign a long-term contract. Making it an either/or situation with Lee is much harder to understand. 

 

But, if is was absolutely necessary to part with him, it seems abundantly clear that the rushed, lightly negotiated manor in which it was done yielded far less than true market value. It seemed that few teams even knew that the Phillies might be willing to trade their ace. 

 

Of course, the actual performances of the three players acquired by the Phillies last December has done nothing to dissuade this notion. Since being demoted to Single-A, Aumont has improved his record to 2-6 with a 6.53 ERA. Gillies is hitting .238 in Double-A. And Ramirez is a so-so 6-4 with a 4.22 ERA between Single-A and Double-A. 

 

Perhaps RAJ will pull off another brilliant move that will propel the current teetering club to a successful year? Or, perhaps he will figure out a way to clear payroll, re-sign Lee in free agency, and/or maneuver the team back to another championship in the near future?

 

But, in the meantime, the Philadelphia faithful are left with a sick feeling that another triumphant trip down Broad Street may have been foolishly given away. And, hearing about yesterday’s trade was like eating some spoiled sushi on top of an already upset stomach. 

 

The Phillies have done many, many things right over the past several years—and in many ways have been the model organization. Unfortunately, last December’s trade of Cliff Lee was one very big blunder.      

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Philadelphia Phillies: Four Desperate Measures for Desperate Times

In just a matter of days, things have gone from bad to worse for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Injuries and losses continue to mount, all the while the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets have increased their lead in the NL East.  And, division aside, the Phillies currently sit fifth in the Wild Card standings.

After a brief revival from the offense, it has seemingly gone back in the tank. Heck, pitchers must be starting to feel like they need to hurl a perfect game to win—although that almost didn’t work for Roy Halladay.

When the team does manage to get a lead, the pitchers seem to squander it away. Although it would be  premature to conclude, the back-end of the bullpen scenario is starting to evoke memories of 2009—which, if you were vacationing out the country last year, is not a good thing.  

The prevailing sentiment amongst the Phillies organization is that there is no need to panic, but these are quickly becoming desperate times for them.

Over the past few days, the team learned that they would be without baseball’s best second baseman for a minimum of eight weeks. And, that only speaks to time off the field rather than a return to Chase Utley’s normal standard of play—which may not happen at all this season.

They also learned that their regular third baseman (and best option to replace Utley) will be out for at least another four weeks. It adds insult to injury that Placido Polanco is the one player who has hit consistently for them all year and currently sits second in the National League batting leaders.

Additionally, the news on the rehabilitation of its other injured players hasn’t been particularly encouraging, either.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ 10 Item Checklist to Take NL East Lead

The Philadelphia Phillies began 2010 with lofty goals. Their first objective was to secure a fourth consecutive NL Eastern Division crown.

Now that the Philadelphia Phillies have finished interleague play and turned their attention back to the National League, they find themselves behind both the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the NL East.

They currently sit 2.5 games behind the Braves, who turned a disappointing April into a promising season, and a game behind the Mets.

After a strong start and enviable lead in May, the Phillies fell upon hard times while their two rivals caught fire. The result has been a slide from a comfortable lead to a middle-of-the-pack chase position.

Although this is not where they hoped to be as June heads to a close, the Phillies surely are within striking distance.

Since it appears that the Braves and Mets will not fade, securing another division title will most likely require the Phillies to improve in several areas.

In other words, nobody is going to hand them the division; they will need to take it.

In order to make that happen, many, if not all, of the following 10 things need to happen over the balance of the year.

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Philadelphia Phillies’ Struggles Prove Jimmy Rollins’ Importance

So, let’s do the math. Heading into tonight’s game, the Philadelphia Phillies were 9-3 with Jimmy Rollins in the game, and 23-27 without him. 

Additionally, the hometown team has outscored opponents 74-35 with him, but have been outscored 226-201 with him idle. 

That’s a 290-point differential in winning percentage.

Breaking it down a little further, that represents a 3.75 swing in run differential per game. With Rollins, the Phillies recorded 3.25 runs more than their opponent, but have scored .50 runs less than their opponent without him. 

The numbers seem to serve testimony to the importance of Rollins in the Phillies formula for success. 

The Gold Glove shortstop has had a difficult time living up to expectations after his phenomenal 2007 MVP season. He set the bar at such a high level with a campaign that hit on all cylinders, magnificently displaying his five-tool skills, that perhaps his value to this Phillies ball club has been underestimated ever since. 

That season, J-Roll did everything but sing “God Bless America” during the seventh inning stretch, and handle the tarp during rain storms. Oh, yeah, he did that too, on one excessively windy day in Colorado.

Because his batting average and OBP have been down the past two seasons, it might be easy for critics to overlook all the other ways Rollins contributes to the team’s success. 

When J-Roll is swinging the bat well his value to the team is highly apparent. A leadoff man capable of spraying line drives around the yard, racing to take extra bases, swiping bags at a near perfect success rate, and going yard 30 times in a season will surely jump start any offense. 

When you layer on the fact that the same player grabs his glove to assume the most important position in the field and has been recognized as the best glove man in the business three years running—it becomes even easier to see why he is so sorely missed. 

But perhaps the Phillies recent slide points out that despite how talented Rollins is offensively and defensively, his greatest contribution might lie elsewhere. As much as players look up to Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and now Roy Halladay, none of them provides the spark supplied by Rollins. 

For much of his absence, the team has looked lifeless and listless. Levity throughout the ranks seems clearly AWOL without J-Roll’s infectious smile. A suffocating tightness seems to envelop the team.  

It is unclear when Rollins will be fit enough to return. Considering his premature return the first time around, the organization is rightfully taking a cautious approach. 

What is clear, though, is that Rollins is the type of difference-maker who could jolt a moribund team. The Phillies and their fans can only hope that comes sooner rather than later.

 

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Philadelphia Phillies: When Murphy’s Law Meets High Anxiety

 

The Philadelphia Phillies slide and offensive meltdown continues as the team heads into the final game of a nine game NL East road trip. With easy victories the past two games, the Atlanta Braves have ensured that they will be in first place when the Phillies leave town this evening. 

 

The current hitting woes have extended beyond the label “slump” to outright “embarrassment” for a team that fancies itself as an offensive powerhouse. 

 

To review, the Phillies have scored a paltry 13 runs in the last 10 games.  

 

They posted a bagel against the New York Mets on the Citi Field scoreboard— for a three game series! This feat seems particularly incomprehensible since no one named Seaver, Gooden, Cone, or Santana was involved. 

 

Taking into account their body of work before and after their trip to the Big Apple, the Phils were shut out an incredible five times in eight contests. And, in one of those goose egg games, they came within an eighth inning bloop single of being no-hit by a pitcher sporting a 7.52 ERA against the rest of baseball. 

 

Perhaps the most telling testimony is that pitcher Roy Halladay was actually lucky to win a perfect game on Saturday night. The masterpiece would have fallen into baseball infamy had it not been for an unearned run donated by the Florida Marlins. 

 

With the aid of Halladay’s perfect game, the Phillies are 2-8 over their past 10 games. This is particularly troublesome since the Braves have won seven straight and 17 of the past 21 games. 

 

It has gotten so bad that the three spots posted by the Braves in the first inning the past two days created the sinking sense of “game over.” 

 

That feeling proved to be untrue in that the Phillies “exploded” for three runs in each of those games. Of course, the Braves did not stop there, scoring nine and seven respectively to record easy “bring in the rookie hurler to get some work” type victories. 

 

To be fair, the Fightin’s are missing the left-side of their infield— Jimmy Rollins and Placido Polanco. Both players were instrumental in the team’s fast offensive start. 

 

Although there have been many factors, perhaps the current situation highlights Rollins’ overall importance to the team as an offensive catalyst, defensive anchor, and leader? The Phillies are a robust 9-3 with him—and 19-20 without him. 

 

As far as the players who are in uniform and on the field, it appears to be a case of Murphy’s Law meeting high anxiety. 

 

Hitters are pressing so much that CSI forensic scientists would likely find hints of saw dust on every player’s batting gloves. Needless to say, it is a very difficult way to make a living as a major league hitter—at least if you want to exceed the Mendoza line. 

 

And, when the Phillies do show promise of some much needed prosperity, Murphy’s Law seems to always kick in. 

 

Long drives find a way of crashing against the top of the outfield fence—and always seemingly with two outs. 

 

Runners in scoring position always seem to have to hold at third on base hits. 

 

And, batters inevitably seem to whiff or pop out with runners at third and less than two outs. If not, they smack a hard one hopper that turns into an inning ending twin killing.

 

Some of this is obviously operator error, but some of it is just the “bad luck” that follows athletes around who are simply pressing to make each at bat the offensive renaissance. 

 

It’s a bit of a “Catch-22”, but rest assured that Murphy will keep stalking the Phils until the players shed the weights they are carrying on their shoulders. 

 

Let’s hope they do it soon because they are dragging an entire Philly fanbase down with them. 

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Marlins Mastery: Phillies’ Roy Halladay Fires Perfect Game!

Coming off his worst outing of the season and surrounded by a team struggling to score runs, Roy Halladay was determined to get things righted tonight with a strong performance against the Florida Marlins. 

Although his Phillies teammates could scratch out only one run, Halladay etched his name in the  baseball annals by hurling the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history. 

27 up, 27 down! 

The big right-hander added his name to the prestigious list in convincing fashion. Halladay pounded the strike zone, relying heavily on a 93-94 mph fastball with heavy action from start to finish. 

Marlins’ hitters were largely over-matched throughout the contest, with very few balls even having a chance to be a hit. On the few occasions they were, Halladay’s defense was up to the challenge.  

Phillies’ shortstop Wilson Valdez ranged deep into the hole in the bottom of the sixth inning and gunned out speedster Cameron Maybin at first by half a step. In the eighth inning, it was third baseman Juan Castro stabbing a sharp one hopper with a dive to his left and spinning to nail Jorge Cantu to end the frame. 

Then, with two outs in the ninth, Marlins’ pinch-hitter, former Phil and reigning Phillies killer Ronnie Paulino struck a bouncer that initially appeared that it might be headed through the hole on the left-side of the infield. Again, Castro ranged far to his left to make the grab, wheeled and fired to Ryan Howard for the final out. 

Interestingly, the biggest plays on defense were made by two offseason free agent pick-ups filling in for two reigning Gold Glovers shelved by injuries. 

Castro was making his first start of the season at third with regular Placido Polanco sidelined with a sore elbow. Valdez was making his second consecutive start at shortstop for the injured Jimmy Rollins. 

Overall, Halladay retired eight Marlins on ground balls and the same number on fly balls. The other eleven he set down via strikes, primarily by painting the corners with hard, sinking fastballs.

After the game, Halladay proved himself to be almost as eloquent off the field as he was elegant on the field.

He praised catcher Carlos Ruiz for a superb job behind the plate and indicated that he followed his lead on pitch selection. Halladay also credited Castro, Valdez, and Chase Utley with making fine plays behind him. 

He even passed credit to Jamie Moyer for helping him right his mechanics in a bullpen session yesterday.   

As much as he wanted to share the credit, make no mistake about it though— this night belonged to Halladay. With the aid of one unearned run and a few nice plays, arguably baseball’s best pitcher further cemented his legacy with a truly masterful game for the ages. 

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