Can the Phillies do it again this year?
COLIN GERRITY
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: Sports
with shortstop Jimmy Rollins
and centerfielder Shane
Victorino getting on base and
being aggressive on the base
pads. This should set up nicely
for the big three of Howard,
Utley and Ibanez, the meat of the
order, to have big RBI seasons.
Sprinkle in the steady bats of
third baseman Pedro Feliz, catcher
Carlos Ruiz, and right fielder
JasonWerth, and the Phils lineup
is as good as any in MLB.
The bench should be solid
again with the addition of second
baseman Marcus Giles joining
infielders Greg Dobbs, Eric
Bruntlett, and Matt Stairs. Geoff
Jenkins, who signed last year to a
two-year deal worth $8 million a
year, was released to give the
Phillies another right-handed
option off the bench. But as with
every team the bottom line
toward making the playoffs and
ultimately winning a championship
is pitching.
The offseason indicated how
much pitching was in demand
by the mega deals that CC
Sabathia (signed by the Yankees
for seven years and $ 161 million)
and A.J Burnett ( signed by
the Yankees for five years and
$82.5 million) both starting pitchers,
received.
The Phillies consistency last
year was directly mirrored by
the success of their pitching staff
and bullpen, front lined by staff
ace Cole Hamels, (14-10, 3.09
ERA, 227 innings) and star closer
Brad Lidge (41 saves).
Hamels will be followed in the
rotation again by Brett Myers, a
solid no. 2 starter, and late season
acquisition Joe Blanton.
Blanton pitched superbly last
season after coming over from
Oakland at the trade deadline,
going 4-0, and pitching solidly in
the playoffs. All indications are
that Blanton will be the team's
third starter, followed by Moyer.
Rounding out the rotation in
the fifth spot will be Chan Ho
Park, who the club signed from
the L.A. Dodgers.
The bullpen should continue to
be strength of the team. A major
blow this offseason was the news
that late inning gem J.C. Romero
will be out for the first 50 games
of the season due to testing positive
for performance enhancing
drugs.
If they can remain healthy, the
Phillies look to be a strong contender
again.
and centerfielder Shane
Victorino getting on base and
being aggressive on the base
pads. This should set up nicely
for the big three of Howard,
Utley and Ibanez, the meat of the
order, to have big RBI seasons.
Sprinkle in the steady bats of
third baseman Pedro Feliz, catcher
Carlos Ruiz, and right fielder
JasonWerth, and the Phils lineup
is as good as any in MLB.
The bench should be solid
again with the addition of second
baseman Marcus Giles joining
infielders Greg Dobbs, Eric
Bruntlett, and Matt Stairs. Geoff
Jenkins, who signed last year to a
two-year deal worth $8 million a
year, was released to give the
Phillies another right-handed
option off the bench. But as with
every team the bottom line
toward making the playoffs and
ultimately winning a championship
is pitching.
The offseason indicated how
much pitching was in demand
by the mega deals that CC
Sabathia (signed by the Yankees
for seven years and $ 161 million)
and A.J Burnett ( signed by
the Yankees for five years and
$82.5 million) both starting pitchers,
received.
The Phillies consistency last
year was directly mirrored by
the success of their pitching staff
and bullpen, front lined by staff
ace Cole Hamels, (14-10, 3.09
ERA, 227 innings) and star closer
Brad Lidge (41 saves).
Hamels will be followed in the
rotation again by Brett Myers, a
solid no. 2 starter, and late season
acquisition Joe Blanton.
Blanton pitched superbly last
season after coming over from
Oakland at the trade deadline,
going 4-0, and pitching solidly in
the playoffs. All indications are
that Blanton will be the team's
third starter, followed by Moyer.
Rounding out the rotation in
the fifth spot will be Chan Ho
Park, who the club signed from
the L.A. Dodgers.
The bullpen should continue to
be strength of the team. A major
blow this offseason was the news
that late inning gem J.C. Romero
will be out for the first 50 games
of the season due to testing positive
for performance enhancing
drugs.
If they can remain healthy, the
Phillies look to be a strong contender
again.
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