FLYguy3911
Sanheim Lover
- Oct 19, 2006
- 54,135
- 88,854
Hamels
Lee
Burnett
Kendrick
MAG (maybe?)
If healthy, that's a pretty solid rotation. If Howard can get back to/close to 30HR 100+ RBI, we may beat out the Mets for 3rd place in the East.
Too many "ifs" every year with this team. Good signing, but doesn't change the fact this team is most likely gonna be mediocre (or worse).
The bullpen stinks and the 4/5 spot stinks.
The bullpen is fine. It isn't great and it obviously could be better, but I'm comfortable with the way it has shaken out.
Paps
Bastardo
Adams
MAG/Hernandez
Lincoln
should be pretty solid (Adams really can't be any worse than he was last season). Then you have some wild cards with whomever winds up filling out the roster.
Aumont
Martin
Diekman
De Fratus
Even if these guys aren't great, the other arms will pick up the slack. Most bullpens have a couple arms that aren't ideal. This isn't the best bullpen in the league, but I don't think it will be an issue.
Same thing with the 4/5 spot. Around the league the 4/5 starter is pretty much a dime-a-dozen. Kendick isn't very good, which is why he is a #5 starter. No one is expecting anything from him, nor should they. He's going to pitch like a #5 starter. I guess the #4 starter could be an IF. Hernandez could be decent there or he could suck, same with MAG. But again, the #4/5 spot being an IF is no different than most other teams. The Phillies won the World Series with Kendrick/Blanton/Eaton on the back end of the rotation (and no Cliff Lee or AJ Burnett at the front).
The bullpen is fine. It isn't great and it obviously could be better, but I'm comfortable with the way it has shaken out.
Paps
Bastardo
Adams
MAG/Hernandez
Lincoln
should be pretty solid (Adams really can't be any worse than he was last season). Then you have some wild cards with whomever winds up filling out the roster.
Aumont
Martin
Diekman
De Fratus
Even if these guys aren't great, the other arms will pick up the slack. Most bullpens have a couple arms that aren't ideal. This isn't the best bullpen in the league, but I don't think it will be an issue.
Same thing with the 4/5 spot. Around the league the 4/5 starter is pretty much a dime-a-dozen. Kendick isn't very good, which is why he is a #5 starter. No one is expecting anything from him, nor should they. He's going to pitch like a #5 starter. I guess the #4 starter could be an IF. Hernandez could be decent there or he could suck, same with MAG. But again, the #4/5 spot being an IF is no different than most other teams. The Phillies won the World Series with Kendrick/Blanton/Eaton on the back end of the rotation (and no Cliff Lee or AJ Burnett at the front).
Did we keep Stutes or no? I liked him.
Bullpen seems to be the most volatile part of a team in terms of performance from year to year (besides the closer) anyway so the Phillies could end up having a good one. Time will tell, really.
I think really the "ifs" are all on the offensive side of the ball. The starting pitching is solid. As much as people complain about Kendrick, he's not bad for a 5th starter, so he's not really an "if" to me. MAG or whomever is the 4th starter I guess could be an "if," but not the kind of "if" that really would make me nervous. 4/5 guys are pretty interchangeable throughout the league so I'm not too worried about their performance. The bullpen is pretty much the same. Pappelbon is overpaid, but he isn't an "if." He'll put up good numbers on the back end. Bastardo should be pretty solid in the 7/8 spot as well, and the rest is pretty decent. Nothing to write home about but it isn't terrible.
The offense is really where the "ifs" come in to play. If...
Utley, Howard, and D-Brown play the way we hope
Byrd has a year similar to last year
Chooch keeps his average up
Revere can be the sparkplug
Rollins can actually take a pitch and not swing for HR every time
Asche shows improvement
and so forth and so on.
I'm starting to feel some very feint optimism about this season. Very feint but I can feel it. I'm not sure why, maybe I just don't feel like watching meaningless baseball all summer but #WorldSeriesOrBust
Burnett is an excellent signing. As a number 3, he's amazing. If we sneak in, having those 3 guys at the top of the rotation would make us a pain in the ass to play in the playoffs.
All that said, this team is going to take a ton of breaks to be healthy enough to compete.
drinking before the storm?
So Halladay is down in Clearwater wearing his full uniform.
So Halladay is down in Clearwater wearing his full uniform.
Hahah what
Matt Gelb @magelb 1h
Roy Halladay is here, in uniform. Players are teasing him. “Hey, coach!â€
Matt Gelb @magelb 1h
Larry Andersen is in uniform too. The teases for him are less playful.