By ERIC FISHER
Before we dissect the Phillies and their World Series performance, let’s take a few moments to celebrate their tremendous season.
OK. That’s long enough. (Just kidding!)
Disappointment over the ending is understandable. But we should remember that, by reaching the World Series in consecutive years, these Phillies did something that no previous team in franchise history had accomplished.
All right. Those are enough platitudes. Now it’s time to talk about what went wrong and how to fix it.
The bottom line is pitching. Perhaps you’ve heard me say this before. The importance of pitching is a theme I’ve been focusing on since the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee at the trade deadline.
How important is pitching? Think of it this way: How would the Phillies have done during the playoffs without Lee and Pedro Martinez, neither of whom was with the club the first half of the season?
The importance of pitching is also evident by looking at the Yankees. With the exception of Game 5, when the Phillies chased A.J. Burnett early, the Yankees received very good starting pitching.
Left-handers CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte kept the Phillies’ left-handed bats tied up in knots. Chase Utley had a terrific series, but Ryan Howard set a World Series record by striking out 13 times and Raul Ibanez wasn’t a major factor. Of all the Phillies’ regular starters, only Utley, Ibanez, Carlos Ruiz and Jayson Werth hit above .250 during the Series.
By contrast, with the exception of Lee’s two outings and Martinez in Game 2, the Phillies’ starters were either mediocre or poor. You’re not going to win the World Series with three quality starts in six games.
The other aspect of the pitching staff is the bullpen. Once again, the Phillies came up short.
If there was a defining moment in the World Series, it was the ninth inning of Game 4. The Phillies had just tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on Pedro Feliz’s dramatic home run. Emotions were high. The crowd was roaring. The momentum appeared to be on the Phillies’ side.
Then Brad Lidge entered the game. I’m still puzzled as to why manager Charlie Manuel didn’t leave Ryan Madson in the game, especially because the pitcher’s spot in the batting order was coming up in the bottom of the ninth, but that’s a separate issue. The problem here is that Lidge gave up three runs and the Phillies lost, 7-4.
Instead of tying the series, the Phillies fell into a 3-1 hole. That’s a difficult hole to climb out of against a team as good as the Yankees.
This isn’t meant to single out Lidge. As a whole, the Phillies bullpen didn’t consistently maintain leads or keep the Phillies in the game.
Consistency is what you need from your bullpen. Yes, there will occasionally be blown saves or bad outings. Nobody’s perfect – except Lidge last season. But there was far too much uncertainty in the Phillies bullpen this season.
Whether Lidge can return to his old form will be a key to the Phillies’ fortunes next season. If Lidge returns to his role as the anchor, the rest of the bullpen can fall into place. Madson can resume his role as the “bridge to Lidge.” Having a defined role and a reduced workload from this season should be beneficial to Madson.
The rest of the bullpen needs work. Assuming Scott Eyre recovers from his impending elbow surgery, he is a valuable left-hander. The big question is whether J.C. Romero will regain his effectiveness. If not, the Phillies need another left-hander in the bullpen.
Manuel is confident that Lidge can once again be a solid closer. He also said he’s confident that Cole Hamels can be a good pitcher once again.
Hamels, a playoff hero in 2008, became a whipping boy in 2009. He followed up an inconsistent regular season with a poor postseason. One reason for the change may have been the huge increase in innings he pitched in 2008 compared to previous years.
If Hamels returns to his 2008 form, the Phillies’ rotation could be outstanding. They’ll have Lee for a full season. Add Joe Blanton and J.A. Happ to the mix, and the Phillies have an excellent rotation.
The Phillies must improve their bench. Nobody the Phillies send up to pinch-hit scares the opposition. Along with bullpen insurance, upgrading the bench is a major offseason priority.
Otherwise, there isn’t much to fix. With Howard, Utley and Jimmy Rollins, the Phillies have a terrific nucleus. I’m not sure you can count on Jayson Werth to hit 36 home runs next year, but he’s developed into a very good player. Ibanez, Ruiz, Feliz and Shane Victorino all make solid contributions.
The Phillies are still in their prime. They could get back to the World Series again next season. Or the year after that. Or the year after that.
We can’t allow our disappointment over a World Series defeat to overshadow the fact that this may be the best Phillies team of all-time.
November 5, 2009
PITCHING HURT PHILS IN SERIES
October 22, 2009
BASEBALL & PHILLIE FANS: BORING & ANNOYING
By MOLLY DAVIS
Baseball may be America’s favorite pastime.
But it’s definitely not mine.
Not that I don’t enjoy going to a game on a gorgeous day.
To socialize, get some sun, and have a beer… or five.
What I don’t enjoy is watching the snoozefest on TV.
Yes, I know, it’s exciting, the Phillies are world champs, blah, blah, blah.
All I care about is that TBS preempts my two-hour “Family Guy” marathon in lieu of the game.
I’d much rather watch Stewie Griffin’s hijinks rather than stare at my screen for nine innings of pitch, hit, repeat.
The other annoying thing about the Phillies?
The fans.
I’m being barraged nightly on facebook by rabid followers who update their statuses every five minutes.
Examples?
“Let’s Go PHILLIES! (clap, clap, clap).”
I guess I’m supposed to “clap” along while I read…
But I don’t.
I “hide” that person so I’m not subjected to their updates in the future.
It’s very un-American of me.
Another doozy?
“These TBS announcers SUCK!”
Multiply that update by 100.
People are focused more on hating the announcers than watching the game.
Those people are all “hidden” as well.
The only thing I’m sort of looking forward to is a Yankees-Phillies World Series.
And not because of the baseball.
So I can see the adorable Miss Kate Hudson in the stands.
She’s much more interesting than the game she’s watching.
PHILS GIVE FANS BOOST OF CONFIDENCE
By ERIC FISHER
This World Series thing is becoming addictive. And it’s a habit we’d prefer not to kick.
After going 125 years with just one World Series championship, the Phillies are in position to capture their second straight World Series title.
Remember, this is a team that had only been to five World Series before last season. The franchise hadn’t even won a playoff game for 15 years. But last year changed all that.
The Phillies are no longer the losingest team in professional sports. Well, technically, they still have the most losses of any pro sports franchise in North American history. But the 10,000-plus losses no longer define the Phillies.
Now, the Phillies are winners. They know it. Their fans know it. The opposition knows it. Everybody knows it.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers entered the ninth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series with a 4-3 lead and flamethrower Jonathan Broxton on the mound, the Phillies knew they had a chance. They took advantage of their opportunity with Jimmy Rollins’ clutch two-run, walk-off double, lifting the Phillies to a 5-4 triumph and changing the complexion of the series.
When the Dodgers loaded the bases with nobody in the eighth inning of Game 5, it was the Dodgers’ opportunity to alter the series. Disaster was looming. But Ryan Madson calmly retired the next three batters, just as everyone seemingly knew he would.
It’s cool to see the Phillies play with so much confidence. It’s even cooler to see a fan base genetically ingrained with cynicism and a perennial sense of impending doom transformed into a fountain of positivity.
No longer do Phillies fans expect to lose. They expect to win. At times, they almost seem to will their team to victory.
The Phillies, of course, aren’t lacking in the will-to-win department. Nor are they lacking in ways to win.
These Phillies have numerous paths to victory. They can outslug you. They can outpitch you. They can beat you with their speed. They can beat you with their defense.
The Dodgers and Colorado Rockies can attest to the Phillies’ versatility. Both teams were shut down by ace left-hander Cliff Lee. Both teams, especially the Dodgers, were beaten by the Phillies’ bats.
If they aren’t scoring many runs, the Phillies aren’t done. Their pitching can keep them in the game.
If their starting pitcher struggles, the Phillies aren’t done, either. This team is never out of the game. If the bullpen can prevent further damage, there will be plenty of time for the Phillies’ offense to get cranked up and get them back in the ballgame.
The Phillies have Ryan Howard, who drove in a run in each of the Phillies’ first eight playoff games this year. Howard is a star. His power is scary.
The Phillies have Chase Utley, who has reached base safely in a remarkable 25 straight games. Utley shook off two errors earlier in the Dodgers series, refusing to allow those mistakes to affect him at the plate.
The Phillies have Rollins, who shook off a mediocre series at the plate with the series-changing double in Game 4.
The Phillies have Jayson Werth, whose five playoff home runs will make teams think twice about pitching around Howard.
Let’s not forget Shane Victorino, Raul Ibanez, Pedro Feliz and the overlooked Carlos Ruiz, all of whom contribute at the plate and in the field.
The offensive outbursts, however, came against average pitching. The Phillies didn’t put big offensive numbers against Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, or Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. As I wrote before the NLCS, the Dodgers’ starting rotation doesn’t scare anyone.
The Phillies will be facing a tougher task in the World Series. At press time, the Phils’ World Series opponent hadn’t been decided, although the Yankees could have wrapped up the ALCS by the time you read this column.
The Yankees’ rotation would include C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. That’s not exactly Clayton Kershaw, Vicente Padilla, Hiroki Kuroda and Randy Wolf.
On the other hand, the AL representative would be facing Lee, Cole Hamels, Pedro Martinez and either J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton. A rotation featuring two Cy Young Award winners and a World Series MVP isn’t exactly chopped liver.
The Phillies are the first team to reach the World Series in consecutive years since the Yankees ended a three-year championship run in 2000.
They are the first NL team to reach the World Series in consecutive seasons since Atlanta in 1995-96.
Their crowning achievement would be to repeat as World Series champions, which hasn’t been done by an NL team since Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine turned the trick in 1975-76.
As we wait for the World Series to begin on Wednesday, let’s remember last year’s World Series celebration, at which Hamels said, “One thing that I can not wait to do is go down that Broad Street parade again … and again … and again!”
For a fan base that suffered for so many years, it’s amazing to realize that Hamels’ words may come true.
October 8, 2009
PHILS’ STARTERS MUST GO DEEP
The playoffs are all about pitching. Pitching is how the Phillies won the World Series last year. Pitching is the path the Phillies must take if they’re going to win the World Series again this year.
Hitting isn’t irrelevant. The Phillies’ big bats, featuring four members of the 30-plus home run club, are a big factor. But over time, good pitching trumps good hitting.
The Phillies didn’t bludgeon their way through the playoffs last year. They won because of terrific starting pitching, most notably Cole Hamels, and an even better bullpen, featuring Brad Lidge.
The bullpen is obviously no longer a strength. It’s a problem. Specifically, Lidge is a problem. It seemed as if Lidge was “lit up” as often as he was “lights out” this season.
Lidge isn’t the only problem in the bullpen. Brett Myers, who had hip surgery earlier this season, was hurt for much of September. Left-hander Scott Eyre is an elbow surgery waiting to happen. Chad Durbin hasn’t been very reliable. Kyle Kendrick is insurance in case a starter gets knocked out early. Antonio Bastardo is unproven, especially coming out of the bullpen.
The only reliever you can rely on right now is Ryan Madson. But Madson has struggled when moved to the closer’s role, blowing six save opportunities. In short, the bullpen is a mess.
As I wrote two weeks ago, the solution to the bullpen problems is outstanding starting pitching. The complete game by Cliff Lee in Game 1 is a perfect example.
Lee scattered six hits during the Phillies’ 5-1 Game 1 triumph over the Colorado Rockies. He didn’t allow a run until the ninth inning. At one point, Lee retired 16 consecutive batters.
Remember, the Phillies acquired Lee for the playoffs. They didn’t need him to win the National League East, although he certainly helped. They need him for the playoffs.
Hopefully, Hamels delivered a similar performance during Game 2. I am writing this column before the start of Game 2 – those reading my column at www.myerstownherald.com may be reading this while Hamels is still on the mound – so I don’t know if he turned in a complete game victory or was shelled. But either example would provide further evidence of the value of pitching.
If Hamels matched Lee’s performance, the Phillies should have a 2-0 series lead. The bullpen issues will have been rendered irrelevant – at least for the moment.
If, however, Hamels struggled, the bullpen issues will have reared their ugly head once again. Even if Hamels made it through six or seven innings and left with a lead, the bullpen issues will have returned to center stage.
If the series is tied as you read this, the pressure will be on right-hander Joe Blanton. Yes, the Phillies offense may score a ton of runs at Coors Field. But a more likely path to victory is good starting pitching.
Teams generally don’t score eight, nine or 10 runs during the playoffs. Those totals are usually piled up at the expense of bad pitchers on bad teams.
There aren’t any bad teams in the playoffs. Furthermore, teams don’t use their No. 5 starters during the playoffs. Sometimes they don’t even use their No. 4 starters.
The likelihood of scoring tons of runs against a top starter on a good team is slim. That’s why the key to playoff success is good pitching.
As we’ve discussed, the Phillies can’t rely on their bullpen. That doesn’t mean they won’t receive any good outings from their relievers. It means they can’t count on it.
The uncertainty in the bullpen makes it imperative that the starters pitch deep into games during the playoffs.
So, as the playoffs shift to Colorado this weekend, the pressure will be on Blanton and the Game 4 starter. Presumably, the Game 4 starter will be Pedro Martinez, although there’s the possibility it could be J.A. Happ or even Lee, pitching on short rest.
Martinez has not been able to pitch deep into games. At least he hasn’t been able to do that since manager Charlie Manuel let him throw 130 pitches in a decision that created short-term excitement but may have led to long-term problems.
If Martinez starts Game 4, it is likely that the bullpen will be needed. Even if Lee pitches Game 4, it’s asking a lot to have him pitch a complete game without his normal rest in between starts.
That’s why Blanton’s performance in Game 3 is so crucial. He must pitch deep into the game. Even if the Phillies lose Game 3, they can’t afford to use up their bullpen, which likely would be needed for Game 4.
The playoffs are about pitching. In the case of the Phillies, the playoffs are about starting pitching.
The performance of the Phillies’ starters is the key to their series with the Rockies. If they survive, it will be the key to the NLCS and, hopefully, the World Series.
If there is going to be another parade down Broad Street this year, the starting pitchers will have to lead the way.
September 24, 2009
NO SAVING GRACE IN PHILS’ PEN
By ERIC FISHER
Paging Gene Garber! Paging Gene Garber! Please report to the Phillies bullpen.
If Garber, the sidearm-tossing farmer from Elizabethtown is too busy preparing for the fall harvest or fulfilling his duties as chairman of the Lancaster County Agricultural Preservation Board, we’ll check on Ron Reed’s availability.
Is Steve Bedrosian available? Al Holland? I know Mitch “Wild Thing” Williams would love to put his MLB Network microphone down for one final playoff experience.
The Phillies may be cruising to the playoffs – they could clinch the National League East crown this weekend – but their bullpen is in shambles.
The biggest problem is closer Brad Lidge. Lidge was Mr. Perfect in 2008, converting every save opportunity as the Phillies marched to a World Series title. This year, however, Lidge has been anything but automatic. Entering the Milwaukee series, Lidge was 0-8 with 11 blown saves and a 7.48 ERA.
To say that Lidge is having a confidence problem is akin to saying that O.J. Simpson has an image problem. Lidge professes that he’s still confident and manager Charlie Manuel is keeping the faith (barely), but when Lidge enters a game, everyone else is searching for the towel that grandstanding pitcher Curt Schilling put over his head during the 1993 playoffs when Williams starting putting men on base.
Manuel has taken great pains to rebuild Lidge’s confidence. He rarely puts him in a one-run game. Manuel’s reluctance to put Lidge in a one-run game was reinforced Wednesday when Lidge blew a one-run lead in a 7-6 loss to Florida. The perfect save situation for Lidge is preserving a three-run lead in the ninth inning against the hapless Washington Nationals.
Any save by Lidge is considered a success, even though many of these “successes” involve Lidge giving up a run or two. At this point, that’s an improvement.
It seems ludicrous to enter the postseason with Lidge as the closer. But what are Manuel’s other options?
The best option would be Ryan Madson. The ninth inning, however, hasn’t been Madson’s best companion. He excels in his eighth-inning role, but has had difficulty in the ninth. If you move Madson into the closer’s role, you risk ruining the eighth inning as well as the ninth.
There were suggestions that Brett Myers would be a possible option. After all, Myers worked as the closer in 2007. Like fine wine, memories of Myers’ performance as a closer seem to grow finer with age. The truth is Myers was a decent closer. Given a choice, you certainly would prefer not to have Myers closing out playoff games.
The Myers option may be a moot point. After returning quickly from hip surgery earlier this season, Myers suffered a strain of his right latissimus dorsi muscle below his right shoulder. He is scheduled to throw bullpen sessions on Tuesday and Thursday. He may not be able to pitch in the playoffs, let alone be the closer.
J.C. Romero, who missed the first 50 games due to a banned substance allegedly contained in a supplement he took, is hoping to return to action soon after missing most of the season with a strained left forearm. Scott Eyre, the other left-hander in the bullpen (aside from Jamie Moyer), has bone chips in his elbow and has received a cortisone shot. Eyre hasn’t pitched since Sept. 7.
Not having a left-hander in the bullpen could be a problem in the playoffs. One other candidate to fill that void is J.A. Happ. Then again, Happ missed two starts with an oblique injury, then had to leave his “return” start after three innings.
Happ, of course, may be the No. 4 starter in the rotation if Pedro Martinez doesn’t sufficiently recover from the stiff neck that caused him to leave his last start after three innings.
Who else is in the bullpen? Clay Condrey recently returned from the injured list. Chan Ho Park is recovering from a hamstring injury. It seems unlikely that Park will pitch again before the playoffs.
The good news is that Chad Durbin is healthy. The bad news is that his ERA (4.81) is not.
Perhaps this column is a little too gloomy. The Phillies still have the best lineup in the National League, if not all of baseball. The middle of their lineup, with Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez all having hit more than 30 home runs, is fearsome.
In the playoffs, though, runs are sometimes difficult to generate. Teams don’t get to fatten up on No. 5 pitchers. Sometimes they don’t even get to face the No. 4 pitcher.
Pitching is at a premium during the postseason. That’s why the Phillies acquired Cliff Lee. With Lee, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton and probably Martinez as their top four, the Phillies have a formidable playoff rotation.
The rotation may be the answer to many of the Phillies’ bullpen woes. If the starters pitch deep into games, there will be less work for the relievers.
If that doesn’t work, someone may have to drive out to Elizabethtown and drag Gene Garber off his farm.
