We Need A Hot Start

Opening Day is beautiful. Opening Day brings a new season, a clean slate, and an opportunity for every club to win the World Series. Every team has a spotless record and there is a sense of hope and optimism in the hearts of every baseball fan. But for some odd reason, every year in April, it seems that I am let down and any optimism I may have had before the season began is replaced by a sense of confusion. Why? Because I am a Phillies fan, and the Phillies for aslong as I can remember, have always been notorious for getting off to an extremely slow start. Now when I say extremely slow, I am being generous. I remember rushing home from school one year on Opening Day only to watch my beloved Phillies lose to the lowly Pirates. And who can forget 2004 when the Fightins lost the Inaugural Game at Citizens Bank Park to the Reds. Talk about dissapointments. Lets take a look back at the team's records in the month of April in the past 6 seasons. In 2004 the Phils went in 10-11, in 05 they followed by going 10-14, and in 06 they repeated that performance by going 10-14 once again. Should I even go on? In 2007 they improved to 11-14 during the month of April and finally in 2008 they had a decent record of 15-12. Last season they did OK going just 11-9 in April. And in Opening Days in the past 6 seasons the Phils have a record of 1-5 winning only in 2005. I could go into batting averages and pitching stats but I think you get the picture. Basically the Phils suck in the month of April. The slow starts that the Phillies have put together in the past few seasons have resulted in big holes that can take practically the whole season to dig out of. In 2007, after starting the season 11-14, the Phillies were working all the way into the last weekend to secure a playoff spot. Thats why to save us fans from any anxiety in September, the Phils need to get it going from the very first pitch. A hot start is imperative for the Phils because they are already looking ahead to October. A hot start not only helps in the win column, but it also helps boost the morale of the players and fans. I think that this is a veteran team and they realize the importance of winning early on. I also think this team is capable of starting hot its just a matter of executing now. Now what todo about the 1-5 record in Opening Days. It is a pathetic and ugly record and it has to improve. Lets make the first steps at improving it this Monday when Roy Halladay will go for the Phils their first contest of 2010. Opening Day is just days away, and this year its time to get excited!

High Expectations For 2010

As opening day quickly approaches, the goal for the upcoming 2010 season is simple, win another world series. In years past, the Phillies just wanted to be competitive and possibly win the division. Now, with strong veteran leadership and the sour taste of 2009 still in their mouths, the Phillies set out to be world champions once again. Even with spring training almost over there are still many unanswered questions surrounding this team. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season is who will be awarded the fifth spot in the starting rotation. So far both Kyle Kendrick and Jamie Moyer have both proven that they can handle the 5th spot, but I think the advantage has to go to Kendrick. Kendrick has looked extremely strong in all of his outings this spring. And while Moyer has done good, he has had some rocky starts in which he didn't look too hot. I think that when the season begins Moyer will be in the bullpen. Moyer, in this position is extremely versatile for the Phils and he can do many things. He can come in as a long reliever, he can act as a mentor for the younger pitchers, and he can step in as a starter if anyone gets injured. As for Kendrick I expect great things from him. When he first came up from Double A in 2008 he was a solid pitcher for the Phils and after a rocky last season I think Kendrick is back for good and ready to be a full time MLB pitcher. He has been working on some different pitches and after some time in the minors, I think he has learned alot and now knows what it takes to pitch in the big leagues. I expect him to win anywhere from 10-15 games this season. Another question surrounding the team this season is the state of the bullpen. As of right now, it looks like both Romero and Lidge are gonna be a no go for opening day. Look for them to both be on the disabled list when the season begins. As for the other pitchers in the bullpen, look for Madson to be the closer and guys like Moyer, Baez, Contreras and Durbin to contribute. The injuries and of Romero and Lidge could make it difficult for this team to win early on, but I believe that the Phillies have enough guys who can come in and contribute. Another unknown heading into the season is what to do with John Mayberry Jr. The Phillies already have their three starting outfielders in Werth, Victorino and Ibanez. They also have reserve guys that can step in like Ross Gload, aquired during the off season, and Gregg Dobbs and Ben Francisco. I think the Phils will move Mayberry down to Triple A where he will be able to strut his stuff, and be a prospect that the Phils can deal if need be at mid season. It is clear at this point that Domonic Brown is here to stay, so look for Mayberry Jr. to spend some time in Triple A and possibly be dealt at the trade deadline if necessary. Expectations for this team are extremely high this season. Fans and players alike both expect to win the world series once again. I think that the high expectations that have been set are a good thing for this team, and will motivate the players to work hard throughout the whole season.

The Truth About Cole Hamels

In 2008 Cole Hamels was living large. He went 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA, he went to the all star game, and he went 4-0 in the playoffs. Oh yeah, he also won World Series MVP. Hamels played a major role when the Phillies won the World Series, and he also played a major role when they lost last year to the New York Yankees. Last year did not go as Cole Hamels wanted. He had some freak injuries early on and it just seemed like he never got into a groove. In the playoffs, it was especially frustrating to see the young left-hander struggling night after night. In the regular season last year, Hamels went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA. In the playoffs he went 1-2 and he just wasn't the same dominant pitcher that he was in 2008. When Cole Hamels came to the mound during the playoffs in 2008, it was a done deal. Cole Hamels is one of the most talented pitchers in the MLB. When he has his stuff, he is next to impossible to hit. With his changeup, he makes batters look foolish. He has other great pitches as well like his fastball, curve ball, and possibly a new cutter. So with all of this talent, and skills why did Cole Hamels struggle last year? Because Cole Hamels is his own worst enemy. Think about it. How many times last year, after Cole gave up a home run or even a hit, did he snatch the ball back from the catcher? Or how many times did he smack his glove or have a disgusted look on his face? The answer: way too many times. Basically Cole Hamels is a headjob and the reason for this is he expects to be perfect. He expects to go out every night and try throw a shut out or a no hitter. There is nothing wrong with that part, an athlete who has high standards for himself is no problem at all. A problem arises however when Cole Hamels gives up that run or gives up that hit and can't let it go. He lets whatever mistake that happened on one pitch carry over onto his next 10 pitches. There is no doubt that Cole Hamels has the talent and skills to be a successful pitcher once again. Whether or not Cole Hamels has the mental toughness remains to be seen. In order for Hamels to be successful this season he needs to be mentally tough, and take every game, one pitch at a time.

The Return of Placido

In my opinion, the biggest move the Phillies made this off season was bringing back Placido Polanco. Polanco played second base for the Phils from 2002 to 2004 when he had to make room for a guy named Chase Utley. Now Polanco is returning to the Phils to play third base and also bat in the coveted two hole. The reason I like the addition of Polanco so much is he is a tremendous offensive player and can really help this team produce more runs. In years past, Polanco has proven he can get it done offensively, especially in 2007 when he hit .341 for the Detroit Tigers. The Phillies lineup is daunting to any pitcher. Rollins leads off followed by Polanco, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Victorino and Chooch. It was frustrating at times last year because let's be honest Feliz wasn't a very good hitter. Defensively, he amazed me every night throwing strikes over to first in an effortless manner. But his numbers were not very impressive. In 2008, when Feliz first signed with the Phils he hit just .249 with only 14 hrs. And last year he hit .266 with only 12 hrs. Feliz was without a doubt a great player for the Phils and a vital part to their championship in 2008. All I'm saying is Polanco is definitely an upgrade. There has been a lot of speculation this spring as to how Polanco will adjust to the switch to third. My answer to that is he is a professional baseball player, fielding ground balls on the left side of the diamond is no different than fielding them on the right, and he will do just fine. Polanco, at age 35, brings a great deal of leadership and like Halladay, he also brings a strong hunger to win a World Series.

Simply The Best

Let's stop and dream for a second. Imagine for me if you can, a pitching rotation with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels. Imagine this trio in a playoff series, an ace on the mound every night. Imagine this trio hoisting the World Series trophy on a float down Broad Street, bringing Philadelphia it's second championship in 3 years. Now stop dreaming, and come back to reality. Cliff Lee is not here. He is never going to be here so stop dreaming and forget about him. Who is here you ask? A guy by the name of Roy Halladay, better known as the best pitcher in the MLB. Roy Halladay's stats in the past few years are breath taking to say the least. In his last 4 seasons Halladay has won at least 16 , winning 20 in 2008. His era in the past 2 seasons has been hovering around 2.8. Roy has recorded 18 complete games in the past two seasons and he has done all of this in the AL. In general, when pitchers make the transition from the AL to the NL, their numbers improve, and Roy Halladay will be no different. Roy Halladay, as a Phillie, has a lot of things going for him in this upcoming season. Not only are the Phillies in the NL, but the Phillies are also a high power offensive machine and will be able to help Halladay win more games. The fact that Halladay was able to win 17 games last year on a struggling Blue Jays team in the tough AL East, proves just how great a pitcher Roy Halladay is. His work ethic is vigorous, his pitch repitoire is plentiful, and his hunger to win a championship is enormous. It's time to get excited about this pitcher, he brings so much more to this ball club then just balls and strikes. He is a leader who is going to lead this team to another World Series.

Brad Lidge, Key To Bullpen

When Brad Lidge came into games in 2008, you could kick back and relax knowing that the game was in the bag. Brad Lidge was perfect in the regular season saving 41 games in 41 opportunities. He even carried it through to the post-season where he went 7 for 7 in save opportunites. 2009, different story. In the regular season last year Brad Lidge went 31 for 42 in save opportunities blowing a career high 11 games for the Phils. He went from being one of the most dominant pitchers in the game to one of the worst. The Phillies in 2010, if they want to win another World Series, need the 2008 Brad Lidge to return. The fact of the matter is that in baseball, no matter how good your starting pitching is, there comes a time when you need to turn it over to your bullpen. Roy Halladay, as good as he is, will not be able to throw a complete game shut-out every night. There are gonna be times in the regular season and especially the playoffs when the Phils are gonna need someone to come in and close a game. Brad Lidge is that guy. In 2008 he showed that he was capable of being a dominant lights out closer. So what can Brad Lidge do to return to his 2008 form? Well first off he needs to be healthy. If you recall, Brad missed all of June last season dealing with a nagging knee injury. When he returned he was never fully at 100%. He dealt with the injury as best he could, but he was never fully healthy. During the off season Brad had surgeries on his elbow and knee. These surgeries should help Lidge and enable him to perform at the highest level possible. The second thing Brad Lidge needs to do in order to be successful in 2010 is forget about last year. He needs to throw 2009 away and pretend like it never happened. The final thing that Lidge needs to do is focus on just being a solid MLB pitcher. We don't need him to be perfect like in 2008, but we also can't have him blowing 11 games. If he can settle somewhere right in between the glory of 2008 and the disaster of 2009, I think Brad and the Phillies will be just fine.

For Phillies, The Time To Win Is Now

When a baseball team wins a World Series, players and especially fans will begin to talk about the team's window of opportunity to win another championship. For the Phillies their window of opportunity is now. The Phillies have been successful in the past few seasons thanks in part to a tremendous nucleus of players. This nucleus consists of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth. The question that arrises from fans is how long will this core group of players be around to make another championship run? Lets go through each player's age and contract. Let's start with slugger first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard, at age 30, is locked in through 2011. Next is Utley who at age 31, is locked in all the way through 2013. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins, at 31, is signed through 2011. The Flyin Hawaiin, who is 29, is locked in through 2012. And if you haven't heard yet, this year is the final year in Jayson Werth's contract. So what does this all mean? Basically it means that this core group, excluding Werth, has a two year window of opportunity to win another championship. This group is extremely special. They have won three consecutive NL East titles, two consecutive NL pennants, and oh yeah a World Series title in 2008. But for a championship deprived city like Philadelphia, one title in the past 27 years certainly is not enough. The Phillies realize how important winning is in this city. The Phillies realize how close they came to winning the World Series last year. The Phillies also most importantly realize that they have the talent to win the World Series in 2010. When you think about it the only changes from the 2008 championship team is Raul Ibanez in left, and Polanco at third. The pitching has changed but this is still the same group of guys that finally brought a championship to Philadelphia. This team has the talent, the coaching, and certainly the fans to make another World Series Run. All that's left now is to execute through out the season and in to the post season, and bring this city yet another parade.

Don't Forget About Happ

Last year, it was all about Cliff Lee. Cliff Lee this and Cliff Lee that. Don't get me wrong, Cliff Lee deserved the attention. The way he pitched in September and through out the playoffs for the Phils was incredible to say the least. He went deep into games and was a real "horse" for the team when they needed him most. But as Lee smiled under the lime light and Cole Hamels struggled to make it out of the first inning, we forgot about a sensational rookie pitcher who was pitching gems left and right. Whats his name again? J.A. Happ. J.A. Happ coasted under the radar, quietly becoming a sensational rookie talent. Let's look at some of Happ's stats from last year. Happ, in 35 games with the Phils went 12-4 and had an ERA of 2.93. He finished in second in the NL Rookie of the year award, just 11 points out of first place. You didn't know that? Probably because you were too focused on wanting to keep Cliff Lee when we potentialy have a pitcher who is just as good if not better than Cliff Lee. With a sparkling record of 12-4, and an excellent ERA of 2.93 it should have been a no brainer to start Happ in the playoffs. The Phils didn't. The four starters in last year's postseason were Lee, Hamels, Blanton, and Martinez. Start Happ in place of Hamels, and I would be sitting here writing an article about a possible three-peat. Instead Uncle Charlie chose to use him out of the bullpen where Happ struggled greatly. The starting rotation this year is Blanton, Kendrick, and the Killer H's, Happ, Halladay, and Hamels. I see three aces in that rotation, and it will be exciting to see if Happ will be able to follow a tremendous rookie year. Through out the course of this season, when Halladay throws his complete game shut-outs, and Hamels throws his 9 inning one hitters, don't forget about Happ. Happ will quietly put together a flawless record and ERA and possibly earn the title of ace. DON'T FORGET ABOUT HAPP!!!

Unfinished Business

Remember that terrible feeling last year after Shane Victorino grounded out to end the World Series? You know that absolute horrible gut wrenching feeling? Lets face the facts, last season did not end the way the Phillies and us the fans wanted it to. They did not win the World Series. No rings, no parade, no celebrating just a terrible feeling of unfinished business. Thats why, with the first spring training game scheduled against Florida State just hours away, it is reassuring to know the theme of this year's camp is "Unfinished Business". The guys in this clubhouse have one goal, and that is to win the world series. Anything short of that will be considered failure for just about everyone on this team. Ryan Howard, who reported to camp lighter and in great shape had this to say about the end of last season,“Last year didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” Howard said. “Hopefully we all come in with the mindset that we have unfinished business and we all get locked in and have a good spring training and carry it throughout the season.” Howard and other veterans realize that the time to win is now. That's why guys like Roy Halladay, Chase Utley, and Cole Hamels are pouring in extra hours of practice to prepare for the upcoming season. When J.A. Happ throws that first pitch tomorrow, last season will be washed away and 2010 will be underway with high expectations for our Phils.