Slices of a Season Part 2 and 3: 2013 Phillies

Featured Card: 1993 Topps Gold Ruben Amaro, Jr, the architect of whatever this team was, is, and will be in 2013.

Here's the second and third slices of the 2013 season, which brings us to the end of April....what's the saying about April?  April showers bring May flowers....does that mean an under .500 April means a blazing, blooming May?  Let's hope there's no such thing as past results do not predict the future....1/6 of the way through this season, and this feels like a flawed, mediocre team that needs help or improvement from somewhere:

Record after 3 slices: 12-15
Record during these slices: 8-10
Teams that did damage: Pirates, Reds, Cardinals, Indians
Teams that crawled away: Mets, Marlins
Welcome to the Team, may your reputation be wrong: Delmon Young made his debut and hit a home run in his first at-bat.  Hopefully, that sets a trend.
Welcome to the team, young grasshopper: Jonathan Pettibone, has a respectable debut with 6 K and then earns his first MLB win in the next start.
Happy Trails:  To Humberto Quintero and Ezequiel Carrera, we hardly knew ye both, and they will join a long line of briefly tenured Phillies.
Is there a doctor in the house? John Lannan joins the walking wounded and goes on the DL; this is accounted for the curse of Chase Utley that he started three years ago.  Retribution occurs when he's on the team, of course.
Ask for a sinker, and I'll give you a boat with a hole: To Kyle Kendrick, who's succeeding by upping his GB% and K%, including a complete game shutout against the Mets.
Please don't be the start of a trend because that would cause panic: To Roy Halladay and the pitching staff for allowing 7 HRs in a loss to Cleveland 14-2 on 4/30
Worst Day of the Season So far: To April 17th: the game the day before was suspended due to rain, they lost in 9 pitches, and then got blown out 11-2 in the nightcap against those Reds.
Welcome Back, Chooch! : To Carlos Ruiz, who comes back from his suspension just in time, with Erik Kratz sporting a 44 OPS+, an improvement would be nigh impossible to secure from that batting spot.
Can I Get some 7th inning stretch support? To Mike Adams and Phillippe Aumont....and well, almost everyone else in the bullpen....sample size caveats aside....that's a lot of runs given up in the late stage of games, especially against the Pirates.
Remarkable Pitching Stat Negative Edition: Chad Durbin allowed his first seven inherited runners to score, and has now allowed 9 of 11 last I checked.  Is there anyone else in the league allowing greater than 50%.  Chad Durbin, I give you the Baez/Qualls Award for April.
Hitting for Average is a Skill: To Michael Young, had a 16 game hitting streak and is hitting .341, though has no power, at least it's a start.
Game of the Slice: Scoring 1 in the 7th and 4 in the 8th to defeat the Cardinals 7-3 on 4/21.
Pinch-hitting is like sleepwalking except with a bat: To Laynce Nix, who's hitting 7 for 13 with a 2 HR and a 1.615 OPS as a pinch-hitter, pretty clutch.
Chase Utley is still the best hitting 2nd baseman in the NL: I don't know if this is a fact, but he has a 134 OPS+ so far and has a team-high 5 HR
Positive Prediction for May: Ryan Howard hits more than 7 HR this month...write it down.
Negative Prediction for May: Roy Halladay goes on the DL.
Realistic Prediction for May: The Phillies go .500.

Phillies Slice of a Season 2013, Part 1

Featured Card: 2012 Bowman Silver Ice Chase Utley: Was this the parallel set of the year in 2012? Discuss.

Here I go, back to my roots.  I need to write about the Phillies because I have a feeling that this can be either an entirely satisfying or extremely frustrating season....and at times, it will be both.

Here's the first slice of the 2013 season:

Record after 1 slice: 4-5
Teams that did damage: Braves, Royals
Teams that crawled away: Mets
Aces Aplenty....from the past: Cole Hamels allowed a career high 8 runs in his 2nd start. Roy Halladay has not yet lasted 5 innings in either start.  Both have ERAs in double digits.
Remarkable Pitching Stat Positive Edition: Cliff Lee has not walked a batter since Sept 17, 2012.  At least 37 innings ago.
Remarkable Pitching Stat Negative Edition: Chad Durbin allowed his first seven inherited runners to score.
Moment of the Slice: Kevin Frandsen hits a 3 run double in the bottom of the 9th to defeat the Royals on 4/6/13.
Most Frustrating Game to Watch: Losing to the Royals 9-8 on April 7....they rough up their ace, James Shields, in the first inning, and then allow 9 unanswered runs before storming back to fall just short in the 9th.
Game that made me feel like it was the golden age reborn: Beating the Mets 7-3 on April 10.  All runs scored on home runs. Kyle Kendrick continues to pitch in the rotation.
At least they can say they beat the Braves: Took a game from the 8-1 team in the division because of the mastery of Cliff Lee, shutting them out over 8 innings of work.
Davey Lopes would be proud: 10 for 11 in stolen bases so far this season.
Who's that? Where did he come from player of the slice? Ezequiel Carrera, joining the team pretty much on Opening Day.  Ironically, I pulled a card of him from a Heritage pack this week.
Most hopeful sign for the season: Chase Utley legging out a triple.
Most predictable sign for the season: Ryan Howard flailing at pitches low and outside
Most discouraging sign for the season : Roy Halladay explaining at press conferences how to improve his 2.45 WHIP instead of just buckling batters' knees with his cutter and sinker array.
Next fake controversy: Make Papelbon a starter and create a 6 man rotation?

SuperSlice of a Season Slices 13-16: Reflectives and Perspectives For the Stretch Run

Because I was incommunicative with the world for most of this time period, it's time to both ruminate and pontificate on times past and times future.

After 16 slices or (144 games), the Phillies are in a strong position for the postseason. At this point, it's simple math. They are 7 games up on the Marlins and 7.5 games up on the Braves with 18 games remaining. This is a large lead entering the stretch run of the season, but it is not insurmountable as recent history suggests. Let's take a look at what pieces are working and what pieces aren't as September brings shorter days and longer nights.

Positives
Chase Utley: He is the glue of the team. His steady bat production sometimes is overlooked, but with his continued .400+ OBP, it shouldn't be. Also, he's spectacular at 2nd base.
Cliff Lee: 7 wins, but more importantly 5 quality starts. He was hit around a bit, being a location and speed mixing pitcher, but his groove will continue to deepen.
Cole Hamels: Feeling comfortable as a second banana, 3-1 in September with a less than 2.5 ERA is stellar.
Carlos Ruiz: Great pitch caller and handler of pitchers. He has also upped his OPS+ to above 100.
Joe Blanton: The so-called innings eater of the rotation still has a greater than 7 K/IP. Only one non-quality start since the beginning of July.
Unassisted Triple Plays: Eric Bruntlett, send your uniform to the Hall of Fame!
Jimmy Rollin's Fielding: Only 5 errors as a SS all year with some heads-up play. One DP he turned with going to third base for the second out was indicative of his field awareness.
Jamie Moyer as a Reliever and Spot Starter: It rains, he appears, he dominates.
Selling Out the Ballpark: 3.2 million fans and counting and I can sense them all screaming with excitement.
Power and More Power: 205 HR and .450 SLG as a team.
Ben Francisco: The right handed spark off the bench that was lacking earlier. Not a great player, but has a .520 SLG.
Pedro Martinez: Quite a change-up he has! 5-0 in 7 starts.
The Prodigal Son Returns: Brett Myers is a bullpen ace? He may take over the closer's role before all is said and done.


Negatives
Raul Ibanez: very streaky player needs to turn around when the stretch run and postseason arrive
Brad Lidge: he has a 7.18 ERA and 30 Saves, how can this be?
Ryan Madson: Great set-up man, but wilts under the 9th inning spotlight
Offensive cohesiveness: There are days when the hits are scattered, and there are other days when they are not. Crooked numbers are good to see. Starting with the Giants series earlier, there were few games in which the Phillies scored more than 4 runs over a 15 game stretch or so.
Pedro Feliz: He is playing at his career average, but he needs to show more.
Matt Stairs: one grand slam not withstanding, he had been horrific with 26 straight hitless ABs
Jayson Werth's Fielding: This guy is a threat at the plate. 34 HRs is an amazing total. Plus he has patience and can work a count. Sometimes it seems he loses focus in the field, letting a groundball go through him or being indecisive about where to throw the ball. It's laser focus time.
Losing Trap Series: They got swept by Houston 4 straight. This is a below .500 team, there is no reason for this to happen except shoddy play and a leaky bullpen. These issues must be resolved before October anyway. These are not the 2005 Astros.
Situational hitting: Runner on third, less than two outs, get the run anyway you can. All players have heard this a million times.
Injuries: Romero, Condrey, Eyre, Park, Happ: All fill roles that could be considered integral. Luckily, the team has some pitching depth this year.



The remaining schedule will allow the Phillies to thrive if they allow they play their game, bludgeon the opponents with power and use the starting pitching to put them to sleep before the bullpen sets everyone's teeth on edge.



Here are the keys to each of the series.

@ATL-First, hope that Chipper Jones remains slumpy and/or injured. He enjoys a little too much ripping the Phils. They have to solve Derek Lowe and win a pitching duel against Jair Jurrjens or Javier Vazquez. The Braves' strength is their pitching; don't let the hitting beat you, especially the new Mark Lemke (Martin Prado).

@FLA-Neutralize the potential start that Josh Johnson makes. Tuesday's a doubleheader day. The starting pitching depth of the Phillies should be the difference. Kendrick should thrive in the spacious Marlins stadium. Speaking of stadiums, do not complain if a HR is taken away by dimensions! Adjust and run with it.

@MIL: Take advantage of the weak starting pitching (Parra, Bush, Suppan, all righties) in the first few innings and then hold on.

HOU: Don't make it a revenge series. Win 2 of 3 with some Ben Francisco help against Wandy Rodriguez.

FLA: I hope this series is unnecessary in the scheme of things.

Slice of a Season: Part 12 of 18, Abbreviated

This is abbreviated due to vacation. Posts will be sporadic for the next 10 days.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 12
Slice Record: 3-6

Cumulative Record: 61-47

Standing at Slice's End: 5.0 games ahead of the Marlins

Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Giants, Marlins

Opponents that helped the Phillies: Rockies

Wins to Remember:: Cliff Lee's debut, beating the Giants 5-1 on July 31
Losses to spill milk over: Losing 7-3 to the Giants on August 2nd (I was there, it was ugly, at some point I'll post some photos), losing 3-2 to the Marlins on August 7 (because the Phillies should win on my birthday)
Bats do help in general: When facing Jason Hammel
But bats do not help, only luck does : When facing Tim Lincecum
New Nemesis Alert:
In your face HR of the year so far:Chase Utley hitting one off Jonathan Sanchez after a few pitches after a pitch went over his head

Hitting Heroes: Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino,

Need Adjustments: bench, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley

Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, Cole Hamels

Holding the Fort Down: Cliff Lee,Joe Blanton, JA Happ, Scott Eyre

Slice of a Season: Part 11 of 18 and the trade

The trade deadline has loomed large, almost larger than the sizzling team performance through this month of July.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 11
Slice Record: 6-3
Cumulative Record: 58-41
Standing at Slice's End: 6.0 games ahead of the Marlins
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: NONE
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Diamondpacks, Padres, Cardinals
Wins to Remember: Beating St. Louis 14-6 on July 25th (the full awakening of Rollins), beating Arizona 4-3 on July 28th (wearing down the ace)
Loss to spill milk over: losing 10-5 vs. the Cubs on July 22 (the end of the winning streak,nothing lasts forever
Bats do help in general: When facing Yusmeiro Petit
New Nemesis Alert:Matt Holliday, he must like the NL and Mark Reynolds
Sent back to DL heaven: Chad Durbin, JC Romero, Clay Condrey: all relief pitchers, it's a good thing they've added depth.
I'm worth more than Roy Halladay if salaries and age are included: the combined worth of JA Happ, Kyle Drabek, and Dominic Brown
There's no place like outside Philly: Still 31-15 on the road
Hitting Heroes: Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley
Need Adjustments: Carlos Ruiz, Eric Bruntlett,
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, JA Happ
Holding the Fort Down: Cole Hamels,Joe Blanton

The Phillies continued their winning ways without a day off during this time period, finishing off the Cubs, Cardinals, and Diamondbacks with series wins. The good thing about their setbacks is that there were no heartbreaking losses. They deserved the three losses they got. And their most impressive offensive performance (though it wasn't reflected in the number of runs) was limiting Dan Haren to 5 innings with 117 pitches, tying his season low appearance length.

The big news, of course, is the TRADE. Roy Halladay slipped through their grasp, but they did pick up the reigning 2008 Cy Young award winner. Let's break it down.

Coming to the Phillies:

Cliff Lee (LHP, formerly of the Indians): An above average pitcher from 2005-2006, he fell apart in 2007, earning a trip to the minor leagues. This is the risk the Phillies are taking with Lee. Hopefully, this 2007 version of Lee doesn't make an appearance for the rest of this year or 2010. On the plus side, they're paying him no more than they paid Adam Eaton during his horrific stint in Philly.

Since his return, Lee has turned into one of five best pitchers in baseball. In 2008, he led the AL in wins, ERA+ (175, 75% better than league average),HR/9 (0.5), and BB/9 (1.4). In 2009, though his record (7-9)has been a victim of the Indian's poor run support for him, he still has sported a 143 ERA+.

He has 4 pitches he controls: fastball, cutter, curve, and change all with varying speeds and movements. I expect he will succeed in Philly, with a slightly elevated HR rate and better won-loss record.

Ben Francisco: OF (formerly of the Indians): Francisco is a versatile outfielder who can play CF or the corners. His bat translates well, especially as a fill-in/4th outfielder role he will be having with the Phillies. He will replace John Mayberry, Jr in this role, representing an upgrade. Francisco is a league-average hitter (96 OPS+ this year) with plus power and speed, capable of hitting 15+ HRs and having 15+ SBs with regular at-bats. None of his skills are extraordinary, but a right-handed bat off the bench who can make strong contact is welcome.

More on the prospects the Phillies gave up later.

Slice of a Season: Part 10 of 18

One Worth Remembering!

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 10
Slice Record: 9-0
Cumulative Record: 52-38
Standing at Slice's End: 6.5 games ahead of the Braves
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: NONE
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Reds, Pirates, Marlins, Cubs
Wins to Remember: Beating Pittsburgh 8-7 with a 5 run rally in the 9th, the day before the All-Star Break (Ryan Howard ties it with a 3run HR, Paul Bako hits the GW single),JA Happ shutting out the Marlins on July 19th
Losses to spill milk over: NONE
Bats do help in general: And they are potent: over .790 team OPS for the season, first in HRs and runs, there are very few complaints about the lineup
New Nemesis Alert:Garrett Jones
Phillies All-Star Report: Contributed to yet another NL loss, the only blemish of the slice...who needs home-field advantage anyway?
Welcome back from DL heaven: Scott Eyre, Clay Condrey
You have not earned a rose, go to Lehigh Valley: Tyler Walker
Team Domination: Jamie Moyer is now 13-2 in his career against Florida with a 2.83 ERA
The new K prince: Joe Blanton, now up to 7.8 K/9
Here's a random point: Raul Ibanez is diminished by no platoon advantage, showing a reverse split with 1.066 OPS against lefties, creating a false sense of security for those LOOGYs.
Welcome to the club of saves that should not be: Chad Durbin with a save in a 10-1 win
Who was that at a press conference?: That looked like Pedro Martinez to rehab back to the rotation, good move?
Hitting Heroes: Ryan Howard Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins
Need Adjustments: Jayson Werth, John Mayberry, Eric Bruntlett
Fire Starters on the Mound: Ryan Madson (against Florida), Brad Lidge (still hard to coax a perfect inning from him)...this is only quibbling this time.
Holding the Fort Down: J.A Happ, Joe Blanton , Scott Eyre, Rodrigo Lopez

9 games in a row! (Update: streak expanded to 10 as of this writing). The offense may have been fueling this streak, but it is the pitching which has really given it direction, with 6 of the games having given up less than 2 runs. This is what the team is like hitting on all cylinders, resilient, lively, and pretty bloody good. Also, kudos to Jimmy Rollins for raising his .OPS 35 points this stretch to an almost not terrible level. But seriously, he needs to get on base and score, there's a direct correlation between his success and team success. There's a tough stretch of schedule ahead (Cardinals, Giants), so let's not get too excited as the baseballs and the Roy Halladay rumors fly. Should they trade for Mr. Halladay? or not?

Slice of a Season: Part 9 of 18 and Mid-Season Summary

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 9
Slice Record: 5-4
Cumulative Record: 43-38
Standing at Slice's End: 2 games ahead of the Marlins
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Braves
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Mets
Wins to Remember: Beating Cincinnati 22-1 on July 6th, beating the Mets and Santana 2-0 on July 5th
Losses to spill milk over: Losing to Atlanta
Bats do help in general: When facing Jair Jurrjens
New Nemesis Alert, i.e. the new Mark Lemke?: Martin Prado
Welcome to the team: Rodrigo Lopez
Hitting Heroes: Jayson Werth, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins (his first appearance, all he needed was NY pitching)
Charlie Manuel needs to re-define contact sometimes: Is Eric Bruntlett the best right-handed contact hitter on the bench? If so, a search must be conducted.
Need Adjustments: Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz
Fire Starters on the Mound: Ryan Madson
Holding the Fort Down: J.A Happ, Joe Blanton

Midseason Grades

Phillies as a team: B-; all hitting for the most part, a starting pitching staff that has worn out the bullpen, and a bullpen whose anchor is not reliable, amazingly they are in first place.

Charlie Manuel as a manager: B+; he has managed hitting slumps pretty well and tends to give his players confidence even when they don't always succeed. Sometimes loyal to a fault. He doesn't have many head-scratching moves that I can recall (please enlighten me if you can)

Ruben Amaro Jr as a GM: B; still needs to replenish the bench on the right side, needs to stop listening to his players with how they would like to be used (case in point, Chan Ho Park). If the possibility is there for a blockbuster, he should jump on it. Raul Ibanez, when healthy, has been the signing of the offseason.

Player Review

There are only 5 categories: exceeded expectations, met expectations, below expectations, newcomers, no longer around to criticize because we always think we know who will and should do well and there are always surprises in both directions. If the surprises outnumber the disappointments, the team will usually be on their way up.

Exceeded Expectations

Chase Utley: Has returned from hip injury to post strongest numbers of his career thus far.
Pedro Feliz: He can walk! and his fielding has been steadily great.
Raul Ibanez: Before his injury, second to Pujols on the NL MVP charts.
Jayson Werth: July power surge has lent his numbers all-star oomph.
Shane Victorino: Team leader in runs and doubles, not just a fast singles hitter.
Matt Stairs: has turned into main option off bench, exhibiting power and patience.
JA Happ: Thrust into starting rotation and has been stellar in most starts.
Scott Eyre: More than a LOOGY, replaced Romero as a set-up guy nicely.
Clay Condrey: Everyday Clay held the fort down in April and May

Met Expectations
Carlos Ruiz: Good fielding, not great hitting catcher as his career suggests, has a hot streak in him somewhere.
Greg Dobbs: Not a top of the world pinch hitter like last year, but still a worthy one.
Chad Durbin: middle reliever who serviceably eats innings.
Ryan Madson: Settled into set-up role...not perfect, but who is?
Chan Ho Park: Expected to have +5 ERA, but not this way, another reliever ace?
Joe Blanton: league average, but his Ks portend more success
JC Romero: Back in his role after his suspension.

Below Expectations

Ryan Howard: His stats are trending the wrong direction. Should be .OPSing above .950
Jimmy Rollins: Worst leadoff hitter in the league so far, showed signs of snapping back to life
Eric Bruntlett: less than .150...not good enough to hit.
Jaime Moyer: sometimes time catches up, but he can be a 5th starter.
Cole Hamels: where's the backbreaking changeup? Inconsistent this year
Brad Lidge: 7+ ERA, >5 BB/9...closing is not easy



Newcomers (or too soon to have expectations)

John Mayberry: will be a good 4th outfielder with Ibanez back
Paul Bako: good fielding, no hit, veteran catcher
Antonio Bastardo:pleasant surprise before getting hurt
Rodrigo Lopez: can be a serviceable spot starter.
Tyler Walker: back of the pen guy, no more
Sergio Escalona: he rides the Lehigh Valley express too often to get a good read on him.

No longer around to criticize

Chris Coste (sadly)
Lou Marson:waiting for an opportunity
Miguel Cairo: didn;t offer enough
Kyle Kendrick
Andrew Carpenter
Brett Myers: injured and missed, but so mercurial he drove me nuts.
Jack Taschner: cut for better options

Here's to a successful 2nd half!

Abbreviated Slice of a Season: Part 8 of 18

No images for this entry/It was a dark time/And I swear it was all a dream

I have been out of the country, so I did not get to witness firsthand the carnage that the Phillies' record has undergone this past week. Home or away, the Phillies results suggested an undisciplined, broken down kind of baseball with very few bright spots. Let's review the wasteland known as slice 8.

Slice Record: 2-7
Cumulative Record: 38-34
Standing at Slice's End: Miraculously, still 1.5 games ahead of the Mets, can we say war of attrition?
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays
Opponents that helped the Phillies: None
Gut-wrenching sequence heard play-by-play over the phone while on the way to the airport: Ryan Madson with one out allows a HR to Greg Zaun, then with two outs allows a single to Oscar Salazar and a HR to Brian Roberts to blow a 5-3 lead in the 9th on June 20th
Most spirited loss ruined by an ex-Phillie back-up catcher:Rod Barajas wrecking hopes and dreams as he did when he was on the Phillies (Rod Barajas hitting a HR? Really??)
Bats would help when facing:Jeremy Guthrie...Jeremy Guthrie?? Really?????
Ex-Phillies haunting:Besides Barajas, Pat Burrell showed up just in time this year to beat the Phillies.
Overlooked positive pitching performance:Joe Blanton, 7 IP, 2 R, 10 K against Tampa
Nice bullpen breather:JA Happ with a dominant complete game shutout
On the shelf:Condrey, Bastardo, maybe Park?
I hope you're back for real:Brad Lidge
Isn't shortstop supposed to be a strong position?:Jimmy Rollins needs to hit or walk or something, replacing him with Eric Bruntlet for 3 days or so won't right anything.
The bullpen is not a retirement home:but it will make your arm fall off before your time.

I don't have much to add since I only saw parts of 3 games this time. The lineup needs shuffling (Rollins needs to be dropped to 7th or 8th in the order), but the struggling is a team-wide affliction from game to game. Poor starting pitching has worn out the effecive relievers and overexposed the ineffective ones. Reinforcements are needed for the dog days of summer. Ruben Amaro? Are you there? I know you've been searching for someone out there.

5-12 in Interleague (with one game remaining)...again, they were 4-11 last year. The end of June can't come soon enough.

Slice of a Season: Part 7 of 18

Home field advantage??
Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 7
Slice Record: 4-5
Cumulative Record: 36-27
Standing at Slice's End: 3 games ahead of the Mets
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Red Sox, Blue Jays
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Mets
Wins to Remember: Defeating the Dodgers and ex-Phillie Randy Wold 7-2 on June 7,Defeating the Mets 5-4 in 11 on June 10th and again in extra innings 6-3 on June 12th.
Losses to spill milk over: extra inning losses abound:5-2 against Boston on June 12th and 8-3 against Toronto on June 16th
Interesting stat: The Phillies have a .249 Avg at home and only 41 HR compared to .273 AVG away with 51 HRs.
Bats do help in general: When facing Scott Richmond and Jon Lester
Old Nemesis Sighting: Mike Lowell
Ex-Phillie Haunting Spotted: Was that the ghost of Scott Rolen, circa 2001? and Rod Barajas...really?
Johan Santana is not invincible, the Phillies showed the world: 4 HR in Citi Field says so
For want of a lefty the inning was lost, for lack of a consistent bullpen, the game was lost: To Scott Eyre and Brad Lidge...come back and pitch well.
Welcome to the team: Paul Bako and Tyler Walker
A low outside breaking ball is not the ideal pitch to swing at: Ryan Howard
The team needs an infusion of: The Bull's BBQ at home; they need some fire.
Suprising success story with a small sample size:: Chan Ho Park
Hitting Heroes: Jayson Werth, Pedro Feliz, Chase Utley
Need Adjustments: Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Greg Dobbs and other benchmates
Fire Starters on the Mound: Jack Taschner,Clay Condrey, Chad Durbin, Jaime Moyer
Holding the Fort Down: Ryan Madson (mostly), Joe Blanton, Cole Hamels

I'm too frustrated right now to write a full summary (this is why I should write these on time, when it doesn't look as bad for the Phillies). They may be in first place, but there is something intangible missing beyond the statistics. It's not complacency or a lack of resilience...more a lack of focus that causes errors of omission rather than commission. The prime example was when Marco Scutaro of the Blue Jays ended up on second after a walk....no one paid attention to him running? Not even the dugout?

The hitting is robust, but not sustainable unless there is a change in execution. They have a less than .200 AVG with runners in scoring position over the last 10 days. Losing Raul Ibanez has left the outfield short both a great hitter (so far) and a decent glove. Even if Ibanez regressed to his career averages for the remainder of the season, he would be an improvement over John Mayberry (too inexperienced) or Matt Stairs (can't handle everyday in his age and condition). Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins need to re-think their approaches; that's the only nice way to say it.

In the long run, the lack of viable starters can be the downfall. Antonio Bastardo is nice as a stop gap, but probably can only throw 120-140 innings before wearing down. The summer heat may also affect J.A. Happ. Joe Blanton continues to improve upon his numbers. The bullpen is useless right now, can't hold leads or deficits even. Losing Scott Eyre was worse than losing Brad Lidge. It's clear Clay Condrey and Chad Durbin are starting to wear out. Jack Taschner has not been a net positive addition, and JC Romero is still working out the post-suspension kinks.... Oh, and in general, stop walking lead off hitters everyone.

Ok, deep breath, still in first, it's time to regroup...the rest of the Toronto series, followed by Baltimore and more interleague intrigue. Let's look forward now.

Slice of a Season: Part 6 of 18

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 6
Slice Record: 7-2
Cumulative Record: 32-22
Standing at Slice's End: 3 games ahead of the Mets
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Dodgers
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Nationals and Padres
Wins to Remember: Defeating the Nationals 4-2 on May 31st, Moyer lives! Winning 10-5 agains the Padres on June 2nd, Bastardo debuts with a 96 mph fastball!
Loss to spill milk over: Brad Lidge blowing the 9th inning against the Dodgers on June 5th, losing 5-4.
Interesting stat: Jamie Moyer has a higher OBP than Rollins, Howard,or Victorino
Bats do help in general: When facing Hiroki Kuroda
Nemesis Alert: Andre Ethier
9 innings in the same game? Do pitchers still do that?:Cole Hamels throwing a complete game shutout against the Dodgers
A right knee can get injured: To Brad Lidge

Maybe it's better if I don't pitch to contact: Joe Blanton

Welcome to the big leagues: Antonio Bastardo
Hitting Heroes: Raul Ibanez, Carlos Ruiz, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley
Need Adjustments: Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins, Greg Dobbs and other benchmates
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin, Brad Lidge...again
Holding the Fort Down: Ryan Madson, J.A. Happ, Jamie Moyer, Antonio Bastardo, Joe Blanton

This was definitely a feel-good part of the season. With a season-high 7 wins in a row, dispatching of the Nationals and Padres with a flick of the bats and flashing of the leather, the Phillies are starting to come into their own. All pistons aren't working together yet to drive this engine, but at least the season is moving forward and not backward.

The hitters we know about. There is only so many superlatives to be given to a lineup with a greater than .800 OPS after 1/3 of the season has passed. Raul Ibanez (again!) has continued to be incredible, he's probably been the 2nd most valuable player in the NL thus far. Carlos Ruiz has a .410 OBP and everyone has an OPS above 100 except Jimmy Rollins. He must not hit lead off until he learns not to pop up the first pitch,

The pitching has a new face and it is a 23 year old lefty by the name of Antonio Bastardo, the newest addition to the "Lefty Court"
Cole Hamels: The King
Jaime Moyer: The Wise Counselor
JA Happ: The Jousting Knight
Antonio Bastardo: The Heir
Scott Eyre: The Master of Coin
Jack Tashner: The Forgotten Lord
JC Romero: The Prodigal Prince

Brad Lidge still has a 7.27 ERA and went to the DL after his last appearance, but Joe Blanton is now averaging 8.1 K/9,the same as Hamels. That's some swinging and missing. The team ERA has finally edged below 5.

Let's continue on the positive side by getting the split with the Dodgers (which has already happened as of this writing), facing down the Mets, and then heading to the dark side (the American League) for most of the rest of the month.

Slice of a Season: Part 5 of 18

JA Happ

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 5
Slice Record: 5-4
Cumulative Record: 25-20
Standing at Slice's End: 0.5 games behind the aching Metropolitans
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Marlins
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Reds, Yankees
Wins to Remember: Defeating the Yankees 7-3 on May 22, Defeating the Reds 4-3 on May 19
Loss to spill milk over: Losing to the Yankees 5-4 on May 23, blowing a 4-2 9th inning lead.
New York doesn't scare me: JA Happ
Bats do help in general: When facing Burke Badenhop
Nemesis Alert: Chris Volstad
My throne is waiting for me:Cole Hamels
First base, first base...that sounds familiar: Jimmy Rollins
The ex-Phils haunting continues: Wes Helms
Don't you miss the NL?: A.J. Burnett, not enjoying the old divisional rivalry rematch
Welcome to the big leagues: John Mayberry Jr, if only Fox Sports could find your father to react in time.
Promises, Promises: Chan Ho Park reneged on his promise to do well as the 5th starter. Shame on Ruben Amaro for listening to him.
The 9th inning is a call for action: unless you're down by 2 with a runner on 1st base; Matt Stairs, swing away: Shane Victorino, don't run
It had to happen sometime: Ryan Howard committed an error
Hitting Heroes: Raul Ibanez, Carlos Ruiz, Ryan Howard
Need Adjustments: Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, Jack Taschner, Brad Lidge...again
Holding the Fort Down: Ryan Madson, J.A. Happ, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers

It was yet another uneven slice of the season with really few performances to take note. Cole Hamels is back (long live King Cole!), pitching 6 innings in both starts with a 6:1 K:B ratio and less than 1.2 WHIP. Ibanez is hitting better than Albert Pujols; his OPS is still a stratospheric value of 1.109, now with more home run goodness. JA Happ pitched remarkably well in the pressure cooker of Yankee Stadium 3; allowing only 2 runs (with no walks) in 6 innings to that lineup. And most surprisingly of all, Joe Blanton struck out 11 in 7 innings in one start.

The hitting is still keeping pace overall with an .OPS of .790 during this time period, but it seems there are cracks in the aura. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino need to get on base more, period. They both have .OBP below .330 (with Rollins closer to .280). This is unacceptable in the long run; move them down in the order to maximize the power of Utley, Howard, and Ibanez: the lefty brigade. Jayson Werth has slumped, flailing at breaking stuff outside and bailing on fastballs inside; he's like Burrell when he was slumping. Does he need a temporary platoon partner? Pedro Feliz has been the most pleasant surprise of the season so far, upping his walk rate by 50% and hitting over .400 with RISP.

Brad Lidge is worrisome still. The home runs, the high walk rate, the higher contact % (over 1.000 OPS against) all hint at a deeper problem. His velocity is there, but he can;t get the fastball over and his slider can be avoided if there are less than two strikes. It's kind of Manuel to show loyalty, but give him a mental break for a couple weeks; Ryan Madson is a viable alternative. And Clay Condrey is...'nobody expects Everyday Clay Condrey'...he is the stealth good reliever so far.

It was just reported that Brett Myers might have hip surgery (just as the good Brett Myers decided to start pitching). Time to bring on the trade rumors or welcome Kyle Kendrick, Chan Ho Park, Andrew Carpenter, or Carlos Carrasco to the rotation.

They won two series on the road against over .500 teams and lost a series at home against an under .500 team. They're batting stats are also significantly worse at CBP; this does not trend with previous years. There's something intangible that is missing for the home struggles.

The Mets are hurt, the Braves continue to annoy, it's the time of the year to make a move. There is no try,there is only play ball.

Slice of a Season: Part 4 of 18

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 4
Slice Record: 5-4
Cumulative Record: 20-16
Standing at Slice's End: 0.5 games behind the surged Metropolitans
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Dodgers, Braves
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Nationals (mostly their pitching staff and fielders)
Wins to Remember: Sweeping the doubleheader against the Nationals on May 16. Beating the Dodgers 5-3 on May 12 with Werth's gutsy baserunning.
Loss to spill milk over: Losing 4-2 to the Braves on May 10 both outplayed and outmanaged in that game.
Lord, I was born a walking man (I swear): Pedro Feliz
I will run for Congress because Washington has been good to me: Raul Ibanez
It's a good thing train tickets are usually round trip: Andrew Carpenter
One appearance, one win in the books, undefeated forever?: Sergio Escalona
Every hitter's best friend: The lost Daniel Cabrera of Washington
Look who's coming soon: J.C. Romero now in the minors on rehab assignment
Bats do help in general: When facing Kenshin Kawakami
Nemesis Alert: Brian McCann and the ex, Randy Wolf
Most Notable Feat: Jayson Werth stealing 2nd, 3rd, and home in the same inning against the Dodgers
Hitting Heroes: Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth
Need Adjustments: Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, the bench
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton, Chan Ho Park
Holding the Fort Down: Ryan Madson, Scott Eyre, J.A. Happ, Cole Hamels, Brett Myers

This was a trying part of the season. 4 wins in a row at the conclusion of it sure look nice and pretty, but they were really ugly wins. I mean, the games themselves were aesthetically ugly. The good news is that they beat a team that they were supposed to in the Nationals. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to play up to the other competition, losing series to the similarly mediocre Braves and first-place Dodgers.

There are signs for optimism heading into the quarter pole of the season.

• Jayson Werth has turned into a legitimate right handed force, complementing the left handed hitting lineup nicely.
• Raul Ibanez has played like an MVP candidate so far this season, leading the league in total bases and OPS.
• Ryan Howard is striking out less, making less errors, has decent stats, and is primed for a mid-summer power surge.
• Brett Myers and Cole Hamels have both pitched two quality starts in a row.
• Ryan Madson's changeup is whiff-magnetic.
• Clay Condrey, 7th inning man...what a revelation.

Unfortunately, the team still has a balance of negativity to draw upon; this only means more opportunities for improvement.

• Jimmy Rollins has a lower OPS from the leadoff spot than the Phillies' ninth position in the lineup.
• This is grievously poor because the pinch hitters and bench for the Phillies have been especially feeble this year. (Small Sample Size Alert!) Greg Dobbs has a negative OPS+ relative to the league, which I didn't think was mathematically possible (an OPS+ of 100 is considered average).
• Brad Lidge needs to stop giving up runs and baserunners; a WHIP of 1.89 and a BB/9 of over 4 will not cut it as a closer.
• Jaime Moyer and Joe Blanton need to stop runners from getting on base. For Moyer, he is allowing nearly 3 HR/9 IP. It's nearly a 17% HR/FB percentage, which is way above normal.
• Chase Utley looks hurt; I don't want to think about it or dream about it. He needs to play at 100%.

The foundation is there, it would be nice to beat the Mets and Braves head-to-head to establish ultimate authority over the division. It would be nicer to start winning at home and give the fans what they always want to see, a winner. We are now at the point of the season where slumps are not fluky anymore. The Phillies are well-positioned to remain in the race and bash opposing pitching staffs back to the bullpen purgatory.

Slice of a Season: Part 3 of 18

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 3
Slice Record: 5-4
Cumulative Record: 15-12
Standing at Slice's End: 0.5 games ahead the surging Metropolitans
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Mets, weather
Opponents that helped the Phillies: Cardinals, Nationals (every loss hurts though)
Wins to Remember: Beating the Braves 10-6 on May 8 (Hamels goes more than 5 innings!). Beating the Cardinals 6-1 on May 4 (Quality start from Blanton!)
Loss to spill milk over: Losing 1-0 against the Mets on May 6. (the defense lost the game
It helps when they say your job is on the line: Chan Ho Park with 6 consecutive scoreless innings
Bats do help in general: When facing Scott Olsen
If only the Phillies traded 4 non-star prospects for him, then we wouldn't have to dread games against him: Johan Santana
Nemesis Alert: Mike Pelfrey
Return from the houses in the boondocks: Cole Hamels, pitching a total start
Sometimes it's better to act than to think: Jayson Werth (though the rest of the slice was brilliant)
Hitting Heroes: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth
Need Adjustments: Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, the catchers, the bench
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brad Lidge, Jamie Moyer, Joe Blanton
Holding the Fort Down: Clay Condrey, Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin, J.A. Happ


Brett Myers is an apt picture for this slice, because like their mercurial, temperamental pitcher, they don't yet have a recipe for sustained success this season. Starting pitching with an ERA above 7, a bullpen with an aching, struggling closer, and a lineup lacking production from both the top and bottom is a mix of mediocrity.

Jimmy Rollins will not hit .400 this month as he claimed once; I'm hoping his OPS surpasses that mark. Something seems wrong with his swing, especially from the right side; his approach at the plate when he leads off an inning is also lacking. Victorino has not been much better, though he at least shows flashes of good contact. The middle of the lineup is holding the fort down. Kudos to Werth for raising his OPS above .950. Power and patience with contact is a strong combination for success. The bench has not done anything positive in awhile.

There is definitely something physically wrong with Lidge; it seems like the same knee that plagued him in 2006-2007, and that is worrisome. Without drive there is no bite on the slider. Madson, Happ, Condrey, and Durbin are thriving, though they are not helped by having to pitch 3-4 innings per night. Happ should probably replace Park in the rotation, one great start from Park not withstanding. Control and HRs allowed, as always, are the problems of struggling pitching staff. Hamels at least has shown some signs of turning it around. The league, unfortunately, is hitting Moyer. A 5.41 ERA is still not acceptable at this point of the season.

They also need to take advantage of their homepark. The fans love them. Crashburn Alley loves them. Play loose, but don't play without mental focus. Standings are still fluid, so let's ride that river raft.

Slice of a Season: Part 2 of 18

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 2

Slice Record: 6-3

Cumulative Record: 10-8
Standing at Slice's End: 0.5 games behind suddenly reeling Marlins
Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Brewers, Padres

Opponents that helped the Phillies: Marlins, Nationals
Wins to Remember: Scoring 7 runs in the 9th to defeat the Braves 7-3 on April 24, 2009. Recovering from 2 different 4 run deficits with 2 grand slams to win 13-11 against the Nationals on April 27, 2009.
Loss to spill milk over: Giving up 4 runs in the 9th to lose to Padres 8-5 on April 18, 2009.

Nobody's perfect: But Brad Lidge was close for awhile

Bats do help: When facing Dave Bush (no-hit the Phillies until the 8th inning) and Braden Looper

New favorite opposing pitcher: Cody Ross, outfielder, Marlins

Nemesis Alert: Josh Johnson

Needs a 4 leaf clover and a rabbit's foot: Cole Hamels

Hitting Heroes: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard, Pedro Feliz, Shane Victorino
Need Adjustments: Jimmy Rollins, Chris Coste, Greg Dobbs
Fire Starters on the Mound: Brett Myers, Joe Blanton, Scott Eyre
Holding the Fort Down: Clay Condrey, Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin, Jaimie Moyer

Let's call them the April comeback kids. The wins at Florida and against Washington were especially noteworthy, showing all you need is a decent bullpen and really potent bats to compete in the NL East. Ibanez and Utley are tearing up the league right now with Ibanez leading the league in .SLG and total bases. Feliz is drawing walks and flashing power and Howard's strikeout rate has declined since last year. On top of that production, Matt Stairs is the man, and I won't hear anyone else say otherwise. The team still has an .OPS above .800; that is really, really good. J-Roll...where hast thou gone?.....first base is but 90 feet away for you to tend to.

The pitching has improved enough to not be a complete liability. Hamels has shown flashes of returning to form, but a Prince Fielder line drive to the shoulder probably is not one of the top 100 feelings in the world. Myers is volatile like an organic solvent, and Blanton has shown himself to be hittable (14.6 H/9 IP). The middle bullpen has been solid with Condrey, "Everyday" Durbin, and Madson holding the opponents down until the offense decides to score after inning 7. It would be nice if the team ERA dropped below 5 at some point this season.

Overall, sweeping the Marlins in Florida was a great way to punctuate April, and allows them to clinch a winning April record for the second straight year. Game on, division rivals, game on. The race has truly begun.

A peek ahead: The conclusion of the Nationals series, the first and second series against the Mets, and an encounter with the Cardinals

Slice of a Season: Part 1 of 18

Since the baseball season is long (a marathon, not a sprint they always say). Let's keep track of the Phillies 2009 season in digestible bites. A weekly wrap-up doesn't give justice to the ups and downs that a team goes through because it's so uneven.
Therefore, I've decided to summarize the season in 9 game swaths, the equivalent of 3 series, barring rainouts and schedule unevenness. Plus, 9*18=162...I like even numbers. I'm behind on this one because of being out of town this weekend.

Slice of a Season: 2009, Slice 1
Slice Record: 4-5
Cumulative Record: 4-5

Standing at Slice's End: 4 games behind 8-1 Marlins

Opponents that hurt the Phillies: Braves, Padres, weather

Opponents that helped the Phillies: Rockies

Ignominious First: Allowing Washington to win their first game of the season

Nemesis Alert: Derek Lowe

Win to Remember: Scoring 8 runs in the 7th and one in the 8th to defeat the Braves 12-11 on April 8, 2009

Loss to spill milk over: Losing 8-7 to the Padres on April 17, blowing 7-1 lead after 4 innings

Hitting Heroes: Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez, Ryan Howard

Need Adjustments: Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chris Coste

Fire Starters on the Mound: Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Chan Ho Park

Holding the Fort Down: Clay Condrey, Scott Eyre, J.A. Happ

The first slice of the season breaks down simply. When the hitting was on, the pitching was not. And the pitching was never really on during this time period. When your team ERA is approaching 7 and the opponent's BA allowed is .300, it is difficult to consistently win ballgames. Three straight games of allowing exactly 8 runs marked the end of the time period (Update: The streak was extended to 4 straight games). The offense has shown flashes of power and capability. They have performed with an .OPS of nearly .800. However, the top of the lineup is not getting on base enough to take advantage of the healed Utley, slimmer Howard, and focused Ibanez. Jayson Werth also needs to perform well to avoid having three lefties in a row in the middle of the lineup for late-game situations.

A peek ahead: The rest of the series with the Padres, a series with Milwaukee, a series with the 1st place Marlins

Please let me know how to improve this feature and make it more comprehensive. Also, please suggest categories to add.