On the first Monday of each month* we roll out our Monthly MLB Report Card (forever to be known as MMLBRC) for the Mets, Phillies and Yankees. We’ll check in early each week from here on out with short posts to quickly take the pulse of each team, but think of the MMLBRC as an in depth physical (anal probing not included). Truthfully, a month is probably too small of a sample size to make overarching claims like we will attempt to, but dammit, you want content! So rather than write well-reasoned quarterly updates, we’ll make rash decisions based on far too little data. Next up: the Fightin’ Phils.
*Note: we know, today’s Tuesday and not Monday. But we’ve been a little busy over the past few weeks, so deal with it.
Back when I was a wee young lad in diapers — you know, about four years ago — I used to love the Sesame Street segment “One of these things is not like the others.” You know what I’m talking about. So let’s go ahead and play that game with the following…
10-11
10-14
10-14
11-14
15-13
Okay, time’s up. Did you see which one it is? If so, do you know what it means? (If not, then you need to lay off the booze).
That list of numbers is the Phillies’ record in April for each year from 2004 through the current season. It’s always a big help to start the season off on a nice run, but the Phils’ goals were much more modest this April: keep your head above water and don’t bury yourselves by the time May rolls around. With their first winning record in April since 2003, they managed to do just that.
So while we’ll now delve into the negatives and positives, remember the big picture: Phils in first in the NL East right now with a 1 game lead. A far cry, certainly, from the 6.5 game deficit that faced them last Cinco de Mayo.
The Negatives
- We don’t know if Ryan Howard spent too much time with Jared Fogle (those $5 footlongs will slow you down, after all) or spent all of his $10 million salary on booze and women or what, but we do know this: he’s been abysmal to start the year. Yes, 140 at bats is a relatively small sample size, but the numbers (.169 BA, .643 OPS, 46 K’s, a whopping 66 OPS+) are pretty gruesome nonetheless. Now the Big Guy’s traditionally been a slow starter (career .766 OPS in April), and he’s a streak hitter that can go on a 4 HR in a series tear. He just needs to do it soon.
- We heard all summer that although Brett Myers preferred to close, he’d do whatever he needed to help the team. Gee, Brett, how about listening to your pitching coach so your fastball doesn’t top out at 88? The Phils will gladly take a 4.70 ERA from many of their starting pitchers — Jamie Moyer and Adam Eaton, for instance — but they’re banking on Myers giving them better quality starts than that. Brett was much better on Saturday against the Giants (7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K), so the Phils certainly hope that’s a sign of good things to come.
- The injury bug has bitten already. The reigning NL MVP and MVHP (Most Valuable Hawaiian Player) have both spent time on the DL, meaning that So Taguchi (career .333 OBP) and Eric Bruntlett (career .318 OBP) have been getting at bats in the 1- and 2-holes in the lineup. While Shane Victorino has returned in the meantime, Jimmy Rollins is currently rehabbing in Clearwater and should be back soon.
- The offseason hitting acquisitions have pretty much failed to do anything of the sort thus far. Geoff Jenkins has proven far less reliable than Jayson Werth in right field, while this year’s version of Pedro Feliz is managing to make last year’s version look like Babe Ruth. At the very least, Feliz is playing well defensively at the hot corner, but overall there’s not a whole lot to like about the combined $19.5 million the Phils guaranteed this duo over the offseason.
The Positives
- Forgive the small sample size generalization, but Chase Utley is your early season leader for NL MVP. He currently leads the majors with 13 HRs and a 1.210 OPS, and he’s been Reason 1A why the Phils are still fourth in the NL in runs scored despite the aforementioned injuries and Ryan Howard’s suckitude. He might just be the best pure hitter the Phils have had since Mike Schmidt in his prime (and yes, I just said that).
- The bullpen has been phenomenal. Since Flash Gordon’s Opening Day implosion, check out these numbers: 10-4, 96 IP, 2.25 ERA, 1.20 WHIP. Rudy Seánez might just be this year’s J.C. Romero: a scrap heap pickup with a decent track record who gives the team another quality reliever.
- You know how we said Utley is Reason 1A why the Phils have continued to score runs? Well, Pat Burrell is Reason 1B. His walkoff homer in the bottom of the 10th on Friday night was Pat the Bat at his best — his .315 BA, 9 HR, 30 RBI and 1.100 OPS underlines his importance to this lineup. In conclusion, I would have to say that I come down decisively on the “Machine” side of the heated debate.
- Generally, there’s good news across the board in the minors (the 4-28 Lehigh Valley IronPigs excepted). Top prospect Carlos Carrasco erased memories of a tough few months in Reading last year by shining at the Phils’ AA affiliate this time around: 3-2, 3.25 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 39:14 K:BB in 36.0 IP. Greg Golson (whom the Phils took over Phil Hughes a few years ago) might finally be coming around, hitting .295 with 2 HR, 16 RBI, and 10 SB for the R-Phils. And finally, remember this name: Lou Marson, whom Phuture Phillies calls “clearly the best catching prospect we’ve had since Mike Lieberthal,” sports a .329 average and hefty .424 OBP as a 21-year old in AA.
Why, might you ask, is that last part important? For once, the Phils might just have enough decent prospects to get in on conversations for some quality players come trade deadline time. And based on the way the Phils played in April, they’ll certainly be buyers, and not sellers, when the end of July rolls around.
We’ll have the Mets inaugural MMLBRC up shortly. Enjoy the nice weather.
5 Comments
May 6, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Don’t lie, you weren’t in diapers four years ago. But, you did live in your mother’s basement.
May 7, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Thanks OB. You better not have jinx us when you pointed out how good the bullpen has been…jackass.
And how good is Chase Utley? I am about 2 weeks away from quiting my job and stalking him on a 24 hour basis….seriously. Between him and Pat the Bat, its the battle of the Kwats mancrush.
Rollins is tearing up in his rehab assignment so hopefully he comes back and doesnt miss a beat.
But let’s face it…this team is a few pieces away from making a serious run. Which is why i loved how you brought up the farm system…and how the Phils should be in a position to swing some deals come trade deadline. This is, however, the philadelphia phillies….whose owners aren’t exactly mark cuban types.
May 8, 2008 at 1:34 am
I still can’t get over how good the Phil’s bullpen has been going back to last August. Should be an interesting year in the NL East.
May 29, 2008 at 1:17 am
nonlogical says : I absolutely agree with this !
June 2, 2008 at 1:24 pm
[...] on obtaining a difference-making starting pitcher. They have the chips to do it (as we discussed in last month’s MMLBRC), and there should be some decent starters available (unlike last year), so this is a storyline [...]