For Phillies, Theoretical Phinally Becomes Reality
It’s been 114 days since Ryan Howard’s bat was frozen to his left shoulder and the Phillies’ 2010 season came to an abrupt end. Fifty-two days later, to the shock of the baseball world and sporting public, the club announced it had reached a deal with Cliff Lee. Let the most anticipated offseason in club history commence.
Now, mercifully with the arrival of pitchers and catchers to the complex in Clearwater, the theoretical becomes reality.
The bar is rightfully set at the vertex. Nothing short of a championship is acceptable. It’s not an easy way to operate with such bottom-line, all-or-nothing expectations, but when your resume and payroll is such – that’s life, baby.
The Lee signing was a clear shot over the bow that they are going for it now. Bleep the future. That’s exactly the right play considering the core of this group is in its early 30s.
They are not old, but they’re on about the 10th hole. And when you have a World Series ring, three consecutive NLCS appearances and four straight division championships in your back pocket, you operate with a different agenda.
The starting pitching on paper is right there with any foursome all-time. Phils fans who have had shock therapy in attempt to forget the names Joe Roa and Matt Beech should marinate in those words.
For a long stretch they didn’t have even one legit ace; to have a quartet of studs like this is almost too much to fathom. But if health holds up they will win a ton of games and have opponents intimidated before series begin.
If Brad Lidge can break the every-other-year-clunker routine he has been on lately and pitches the way he did the last few months in 2010, it could be a deadly combination.
The bats let them down last season. There’s no way around it. Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino all had down years by their lofty standards.
Couple that with the departure of Jayson Werth, and this could be cause for concern.
But Rollins is a free agent, and for the first time in his career he took a different approach in the offseason to try to ensure his valuable wheels won’t need any realignment during this season. Utley and Howard are prideful men who know they are capable of more. Victorino is a tougher read, but if he plays to his strength, which is speed, he could be a perfect complement for the “big three.”
Right-field/No. 5 hole and middle relief, specifically from the left side, are legit concerns – but ones that can work themselves out with players they have on the roster or through an in-season deal. Also don’t overlook the exit of first-base coach Davey Lopes; he was a master at the running game and will be missed.
Their chief competition in the east will come from the Braves. In the National League it arrives in the form of the world champion Giants. They too throw a staff out there that is deep and proven. But the Phils have more all-around talent.
All a fan of a team can ask is that his or her team goes for it. The Phillies have rewarded their faithful followers by bucking up. The message was clear from Ruben Amaro, Jr. when he said they would not be making the Lee move if not for the support they’ve gotten in this city – a refreshingly honest approach considering how their neighbors across Pattison Avenue do business.
It’s now time for the players, manager and coaches to do their part and live up to the hype. There will be 81 home-game sellouts and each will feel like a playoff game, especially the ones pitched by Lee, Halladay, Hamels and Oswalt.
The Phils will also be the draw on the road and the ones with the giant red bull’s-eye on them again. Not an easy way to spend your summer. But would they or you want it any other way?
Play ball!
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