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Part 6 of 7 Phillies Championship Advantages

Professional sports teams have been known to win championships without it. 

Sometimes sheer talent and fortuitous circumstance converge together to achieve a successful outcome. 

Sometimes a team simply catches fire and makes an unlikely championship run. 

But, oftentimes, it is the presence of certain intangible qualities that melds a collection of players into winners. And, for an organization to achieve sustained success, the presence of these intangible qualities is almost essential. 

Team chemistry can be an elusive concept with imprecise definition, but it becomes readily apparent to all when it does in fact exist. Such is the case with the current era Philadelphia Phillies.

The organization deserves a great deal of credit for assembling the best collection of talent in its 127-year history. It deserves even greater kudos for the aggregate personality and make-up of that group.

The origin of the Phillies’ winning chemistry traces to the nucleus that the organization chose to build around. Specifically, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and Ryan Howard have been the foundation and clear leaders of the ball club through the current period of prosperity.

Utley is intense, driven, and stoically focused. Many players and pundits have viewed him as the consummate gamer. 

Rollins and Howard are more free-spirited and complement similar determination with a little levity. “J Roll” also brings a touch of swagger that tends to instill confidence in the players around him. 

As Jim Sheridan so aptly detailed in his article last week, Howard demonstrated one of the special qualities that makes him such an admired role model amongst his teammates. After the Phillies clinched their fourth consecutive NL East title, Howard paused the victory celebration to allow three veterans who had never reached the postseason to pop the first champagne corks.

Despite possessing different personalities, all three also share many traits that have been fundamental to the team’s winning chemistry. The trio leads by example, demonstrating such qualities as resiliency, tenacity, mental toughness, and professionalism.

And, importantly, despite their substantial talents and accomplishments, all remain personable, team oriented, and humble. The focus always remains on winning and the team as a whole. 

The organization proceeded to build out the team with a collection of veteran players possessing similar qualities such as Roy Halladay, Raul Ibanez, Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt, Jamie Moyer, and Placido Polanco. Or, they mixed in ready

to mold young talent such as Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino, Carlos Ruiz, Cole Hamels, and Ryan Madson that flourished under this tutelage. 

On top of this, the organization chose perhaps an unconventional, yet ideal manager to lead the group. Charlie Manuel may not be the most eloquent speaker amongst his peers, but his understated style and instinctual finesse enable this group to thrive. 

The net result is a team with a superior culture and a winning attitude. Players want to be a part of it—and stay a part of it. 

Veterans such as Halladay, Oswalt,  Ibanez, Mike Sweeney, Brian Schneider, Cliff Lee, Matt Stairs, and Pedro Martinez immediately recognized the obvious chemistry and highly appealing environment in Philly. 

After a seeming lifetime of characterization as one of the least desirable destinations for players, Philadelphia is now arguably the “it” city of Major League Baseball. 

The tremendous fan support and electric atmosphere at “The Bank” surely contribute heavily, but the team chemistry and overall culture are central to this reputation. The club’s professionalism, work ethic, selfless approach, upbeat collegiality, and overall winning attitude are both infectious and inviting. 

Despite the Phillies’ obvious talent, four straight division titles, two consecutive National League Pennants, and one World Series Championship over the past four years almost certainly would not have been possible without these undeniable intangibles. 

They are also a key reason that the Phillies are the favorite to be the last team standing this postseason. 

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Part 4 of 7 Phillies Championship Advantages

As they say, timing is everything. After a highly challenging 2010 season wrought with unending obstacles, that little bit of wisdom might particularly ring true for the Philadelphia Phillies. 

The primary hurdles related to the non-stop stream of injuries that proliferated throughout the season. Perhaps the others involved a sense of confidence that spilled over to become a lack of urgency. 

As the season edged toward late July, to say the Phillies were a disappointment is putting it mildly. Losing six out of seven games after the All-Star break left the team just two games over .500 with a 48-46 record. 

The Phils found themselves staring up at both the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, a full seven games off the pace. Additionally, they had four teams ahead of them in the wild-card race. 

The next day, Cole Hamels locked into a pitcher’s duel with Adam Wainwright in an attempt to avert a four-game sweep at the hands of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies finally broke through to score a pair of runs in the 11th inning to secure a gut-check victory. 

Something seemed to kick in on that day. Or perhaps it was the next day. 

Upon returning to Philly, the club announced a changing of the guard in its coaching staff. Hitting coach Milt Thompson was out, Triple-A instructor Greg Gross was back in. 

With all due respect to his abilities, surely Gross didn’t immediately bring pearls of wisdom that caused the club’s dormant bats to awake, but in fact they did. 

The Phillies proceeded to sweep the seven-game home stand against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks to draw back into contention. 

The impact could be felt in both the clubhouse and the front office. Any notions that maybe this just wasn’t the Phillies year quickly evaporated in favor of a renewed conviction to succeed. 

General manager Ruben Amaro and the organization responded by taking a couple risks. First, they summoned prized prospect Domonic Brown to the big leagues to replace disabled Shane Victorino. 

And, then on July 29th with the trade deadline looming, Amaro pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal to land Houston Astros ace hurler Roy Oswalt. The Phillies now had matching “Roys” to wrap around a resurgent Hamels. 

Surprise that the second-year GM was able to land yet another premier starter was exceeded only by the Phillies ownership’s willingness to take on another big salary. 

Like the uncharacteristic in-season coaching change, the move signaled that the front office was “all in” for 2010. The preseason aspirations of attaining another championship were still clearly in their sights. 

After a somewhat disoriented Oswalt struggled in his Phillies debut and a Brad Lidge meltdown led to a pair of losses in the nation’s capital, the team quickly shook off any disappointment. 

A stretch run to remember resumed. 

The Phillies needed just 66 games to double up their 48-win total. A 48-46 record was followed up with their current 48-18 run. 

Doing the math, that’s a 216-point jump in winning percentage to a spectacular .727 mark. 

As they say, the Phillies truly are peaking at the right time. 

Beyond the empirical evidence, lie the more subjective assessments that further support this to be true. 

The overall team is currently healthier than it has been all season, particularly the starting eight and the back-end of the bullpen. Additionally, each of the “Big Three” has a history of pitching their best when the stakes are the highest. 

In the case of Halladay, his “big-game” reputation has been built with superior work down the stretch in pursuit of a playoff spot. He is 28-11 with a 2.47 ERA over his career in September and October.

Oswalt has done the same. The other Roy sports a 32-9 lifetime record with a 2.59 ERA in those two months—plus a 4-0 postseason record. 

Hamels simply has a pair of 2008 postseason MVP trophies as a testimonial.  

All in all, the timing appears right for the Phillies’ best work of the season just as the fall tourney begins. Yes, timing really can be everything. 

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Part 3 of 7

Although the Phillies have a league-wide reputation as an offensive powerhouse, their numbers were down across the board this season. Appearances can be deceiving. 

A peek at the rankings suggests that the Phillies might take a back seat to other playoff teams in terms of offensive output.  

The Cincinnati Reds lead the National League in runs, batting average (.270), home runs (181), and slugging percentage (.434.)

Although in-season acquisitions have bolstered their run production, both the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres are built around pitching. Similarly, the Atlanta Braves rely more on pitching than offense to win games. 

Although the presence of the designated hitter makes comparisons between the two leagues difficult, all four American League clubs have posted impressive offensive statistics this season. The AL contenders have varying formulas, but each of them ranks in the top five in runs scored. 

When it comes to the 2010 Philadelphia Phillies, though, the stat sheets don’t tell the true story. Sometimes there is truth in the old adage “figures lie and liars figure” and this is a prime example.  

For the past several seasons, the Phillies reigned at the top of league rankings with their high octane offense. 

The previous two seasons placed them first in home runs. Last year, they captured that distinction by a large margin, clubbing 34 more than the next National League  team. 

As further validation that the Phillies have been built for the long ball, they ranked one or two in slugging percentage over the past four campaigns. 

And, in the true measure of offensive prowess, the Phils ranked first or second in runs scored each of the previous five seasons. 

In 2010, Philadelphia’s home run production currently sits 61 dingers behind that of a year ago. It is safe to say, regardless of any further exploits by Ben Francisco, John Mayberry, or Mike Sweeney in the regular season’s last three games, the final tally will be a very large drop-off. 

After a strong stretch run, they have climbed the rankings a bit in runs scored, but will likely finish third. 

Statistics and rankings aside, though, this is probably the team’s most dangerous lineup in the current era of prosperity. 

The recorded numbers mask the lineup’s true offensive potential as well as the level of anxiety it stirs amongst opposing hurlers. 

Just ask Jonathan Broxton.

The reason that the numbers seem not to align, of course, is simple—Phillies regulars logged an inordinate amount of time in the training room this year. 

The injury impact on the statistics has been two-fold. The most obvious has been the lost production associated with the roughly 200 games that regulars have not stepped on the playing field due to physical ailments.   

And, then, when players returned to action, their productivity suffered from inactivity and an often compromised physical state. This was most notable with Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins as they struggled to regain their swings. 

And, I would be remiss not to mention that Howard’s stint on the DL and subsequent recovery non-fortuitously coincided with the stretch of season that has historically been his own personal fireworks display. 

The way this season has gone, it would be foolish to rule out anymore physical setbacks. That notwithstanding, though, it is the Phillies’ good fortune— and opponents’ ill fortune—that the lineup is set to be intact for the postseason.  

And, as good as the Reds hit all year, this Phillies lineup as it was conceived in the offseason is the gold standard. 

It possesses the rare combination of game changing speed and power capable of alternately intimidating opposing hurlers while instilling confidence in its own. 

Count this Phillies potent offense as another key October advantage. It appears poised to do some postseason damage. 

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Part 2 of 7

The Philadelphia Phillies current era of success has been built around a nucleus of talented players. Some players have come and gone, but that core has been present through the team’s rise and current reign as one of baseball’s elite teams. 

Players such as Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Cole Hamels are at the center of the core and have served as the key catalysts to the organization’s ascension from an “also-ran” to an elite ball club. 

Other young talents such as Shane Victorino, Jayson Werth, Ryan Madson, Carlos Ruiz, Greg Dobbs, JC Romero and Kyle Kendrick were layered onto the nucleus. Oh, and a not-so-young pitcher named Jamie Moyer. 

The first four in that group have been key elements of the team’s success over the past four seasons, while the latter four have played important parts at various times. 

Since the team’s first trip to the postseason in this era, the club has added seasoned veterans such as Brad Lidge, Raul Ibanez, Joe Blanton, Roy Halladay, Placido Polanco, and Roy Oswalt to the mix.  

Overall, the result is a Phillies team tested by the rigors of postseason play and grounded by the experience of having previously visited the fall tourney. 

It could be argued that the team’s top pitcher is not playoff-tested, as last night’s clinching win landed Halladay there for the first time in his 14-year career. Of course, anyone who has witnessed his chip-on-the-shoulder intensity and unwavering tenacity understands that he is made for the big stage. 

As far as the Roy at the other end of “The Big Three,” Oswalt’s resume sports five postseason series, including a World Series appearance in 2005. Importantly, the hard throwing right-hander also brings an unblemished 4-0 postseason record and an overall reputation as a money pitcher.

The other key 2010 newbie on the team is Polanco. But, unlike Halladay, he brings the accumulated experience of six postseason series, including a World Series appearance with the Detroit Tigers in 2006.

Playing in a short series with an entire season’s body of work and often years of anticipation on the line can be very daunting. The game can suddenly speed up, and nerves can kick in even for the most accomplished players. 

For evidence, you need to look no further than these same current era Phillies. After overtaking the New York Mets to capture their first division crown in 2007, the club ran a quick three-and-out like an NFL practice squad quarterback.

The same lineup that tore up National League pitching all season long seemed suddenly hesitant and lackluster. The Phillies hit just .172 and pushed but eight runs across the plate over three losing contests against the Colorado Rockies. 

There is nothing like having previously “been there, done that.”

Looking at the other potential NL playoff participants, all seem to be green in terms of postseason experience.  The Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, and San Diego Padres are all relative upstarts in terms of recent playoff experience.  

The last time any of those clubs participated in the fall tourney was 2006 when the Padres made a quick exit in the NLDS. The only holdovers from that team in 2010 are first baseman Adrien Gonzalez and pitcher Chris Young. 

The Braves last participated in the postseason in 2005, also making a first round exit. Similarly, the current squad represents an almost total transformation with pitcher Tim Hudson and then back-up catcher Brian McCann being the only common denominators. 

The current San Francisco Giants roster has zero resemblance to the 2003 squad that last made the playoffs. That team, of course, was anchored by a controversial slugger known for posting statistics that seemed to exceed normal human limits. 

And, lastly, Cincinnati has mostly been a bottom-dweller since the new millennium. The Reds’ last trip to the postseason was a four-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves way back in 1995. Needless to say, there are no holdovers. 

Conversely, since the Phillies “just-happy-to-be-there” 2007 cameo, the same core of players has participated in six postseason series— winning five of them. Only a stacked New York Yankees team in 2009 stood in the way of two consecutive World Series Championships. 

During that period, the Phillies have compiled a 20-9 postseason record. Doing the math, this represents an other-worldly .690 winning percentage against the best teams baseball had to offer. 

Speaking of the Bronx Bombers, only the Cliff Lee-led Texas Rangers lack recent playoff experience in the American League. The Minnesota Twins enjoyed a “cup of coffee” last season, exiting after three games. The Tampa Bay Rays, of course, were the victims of the Phillies in the 2008 Fall Classic. 

For the Phillies, the 2010 path to the World Series will not entail playoff tested teams unless the Rockies were to pull a rabbit out of a hat in the season’s final week. Actually, that scenario might require pulling a T-Rex out of a hat.

The World Series might be a different matter, but short of a 2009 rematch, three consecutive trips to the fall classic are likely to provide an edge over other opponents. 

As they prepare to make an appearance for the fourth consecutive year, it seems safe to count the cumulative postseason experience of this Phillies ball club as a key advantage. 

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Part 1 of 7

With the Philadelphia Phillies standing on the precipice of a fourth consecutive postseason berth, the focus of the team and fan base is two-fold. 

First, take care of business and nail down a fourth straight NL East crown. 

Second, take a look towards the end of year championship tourney to see how the Phillies stack up and are positioned for success. 

Should they do the expected and wind the magic number to zero, the Phillies appear better positioned for postseason success than anytime in their 127-year history. 

This assessment traces to seven key advantages that at this point appear to make them the favorites to be the last team standing— each of which will be detailed leading into the playoffs.  

Advantage 1: “The Big Three” Starting Pitchers

The most obvious and likely largest advantage is the Phillies top three starting pitchers. “The Big Three” or “H2O” as they have been billed present a formidable challenge for any opponent. 

Last year, with Hamels seemingly suffering from a season-long championship hangover, a mid-season trade brought a new ace in the form of Cliff Lee. The former Cy Young winner quickly won the hearts and minds of fans and teammates alike with a spectacular three month stint.  

Lee demonstrated pitching mastery as well as role model leadership qualities. Tremendous intensity, laser-like focus, and a fearless demeanor accompanied him to the mound every time he appeared on the lineup card. 

Fast forward to 2010. A much debated tandem of trades sent Lee to Seattle while netting a new ace in Roy Halladay in the offseason. 

Then, somewhat surprisingly, GM Ruben Amaro swung a huge deal prior to the mid-year trade deadline that brought Houston Astros stopper Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia. Despite a misleading 6-12 record at the time, scouts still believed the newest Roy still possessed dominating stuff. 

Meanwhile, after a slow start that resembled 2009, Hamels found his fastball, command, and Mojo. He also added a cutter to his repertoire that started to pay dividends. 

Not surprisingly, the heat of the pennant chase motivated Oswalt to offer up his best work of the season. His pre-trade losing record now stands at 13-13 after going 7-1 with a 1.76 ERA in a Phillies uniform. 

From day one, Halladay has pitched as advertised, racking up a 20-10 record with a 2.53 ERA. For good measure, Halladay threw in Major League Baseball’s 20th perfect game. 

Perhaps even more importantly, he has exhibited the same leadership qualities embodied by Lee that has a way of motivating an entire staff. 

And, clearly, each of “The Big Three” invokes a subtle challenge to one another through their own work.  

The five and seven-game formats of the postseason allow teams to go with a four or even three-man rotation. Obviously, this only serves to enhance the advantage of possessing three top tier starters. 

Another benefit is that as good as each pitcher is individually, they are arguably better together.  Rather than bearing the weight of “ace” status, the pressure is disbursed amongst the trio. 

In the postseason, that could bring a psychological lift to both pitcher and teammates by eliminating the  “must win” pressure.  The three should be “locked, loaded, and relaxed” knowing another ace is waiting in the wings. 

This season’s National League contenders will surely bring some good pitching, whether it’s the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, or Colorado Rockies. Matt Latos, Jon Garland, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe, Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, and Ubaldo Jiminez— all can be good to great. 

That being said, no trio tops that of the 2010 Phillies. Exactly what Ruben Amaro had in mind.    

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The Philadelphia Phillies obstacle course of a season currently finds them one game up in the National League Eastern Division. The club’s 2010 campaign has been akin to a season of The Amazing Race in terms of duration, complexity, and challenge. 

An ongoing spate of injuries has kept the National League’s best team on paper at less than full strength all season long. Key players revolved on the disabled list and often when back on the field, found themselves still compromised by inactivity and less than full physical function. 

The team’s fortunes had taken such a nose dive that many were debating whether the Phillies should be “buyers” or “sellers” in the annual July swap meet. Some argued that it was time to concede to the injuries and team’s diminished record, write the season off, and look towards next season. 

To the Phillies players’, coaches’, and entire organization’s credit— that did not happen. Everyone maintained a sense of calm, found a way to stay afloat, and even threw in a bold trade to acquire another marquee pitcher. 

The payoff has been a slow, steady climb back to the top spot in the NL East after spending almost three months looking up at the Atlanta Braves. But just as the team was making the swap in standings, a few more warning flares appeared. 

First, Brad Lidge’s balky elbow caused the team to shut him down for a few days. Although he is just months removed from surgery to clean it up, both Lidge and the team remain optimistic that it is only a minor ailment that will not derail the Phillies closer. 

Lidge has been a key cog in the team’s resurgence and is being counted on as an important element for the team’s success. Since an ugly blown save against the Washington Nationals in late August, Lidge has done his best work since the 2008 World Series run. 

Next, Gold Glove shortstop and team heartbeat Jimmy Rollins pulled up lame running the bases. Two previous stints on the DL already this season with a calf injury caused manager Charlie Manuel to immediately sit him down and is now listed as day-to-day. 

The injury was indicated to be a hamstring strain. Both player and team remain optimistic that a short rest will nip the problem in the bud. 

Other players such as Ryan Howard, Placido Polanco, and Chase Utley may not be 100 percent over the balance of the year, but that is the reality of the marathon that is Major League Baseball. 

Continuing brushes with the injury bug highlight that a successful conclusion to the season is not all within the team’s control. And, surely the other team’s fighting for a postseason berth are not going to fade away easily. 

The Braves lead baseball in comeback and walk-off wins. 

The San Francisco Giants have the pitching and a bolstered offense to maintain their charge. 

After a recent tailspin, the San Diego Padres are showing signs of a rebound. Strong pitching had produced the best record in the NL before their 10-game losing streak, and surely is capable of producing many wins down the stretch. 

The Colorado Rockies have launched their annual September surge. They are playing with the same strong sense of confidence that has propelled them past other teams in recent years when the games became more urgent.  

Despite the keen competition, the Phillies are well positioned and poised to make another run to glory. 

The Phillies offense has started to heat up as the original starting cast now populates the lineup and returning players continue to find their groove. Hitting can be contagious and Howard appears to have his normal September offensive bug. 

With an effective Lidge, a rested and sharp Ryan Madson, and an overall good supporting cast, the bullpen has moved from weakness to strength. 

And, importantly, the starting staff  is imposing— at least three out of five days. 

Joe Blanton brought back memories of Adam Eaton through July, but has been 6-1 with a 3.37 ERA since. The remaining schedule may allow the team to bypass inconsistent fifth starter Kyle Kendrick. 

The biggest source of optimism for the pennant stretch and postseason, should they advance, derives from the fact that Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt can out-duel anyone. 

Surely the games need to be won on the field, and a one game lead and a pack of hungry teams in pursuit of the playoffs will keep the heat on— but this Phillies team has the elements to win it all. 

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Thus far, the 2010 season has been a ride of misfortune for the Philadelphia Phillies. It has been the baseball equivalent of getting out on the wrong side of bed in the morning.  

With a seemingly unending stream of injuries that have depleted the team from opening day, this season surely has not played out as the team’s brain trust intended or baseball pundits projected. 

Only two of the Phillies’ five starting pitchers at season’s outset have taken their turn all season long— Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels. Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and now Jamie Moyer all have resided on the Disabled List for extended periods of time. 

Every member of the National League’s most formidable infield have done the same, with All-Stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard currently nursing injuries. Earlier in the year, of course, Gold Glove shortstop and offensive catalyst Jimmy Rollins made dual tours of duty on the DL. 

And, that’s not all.

Regular catcher Carlos Ruiz and center fielder Shane Victorino, along with relievers Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson, and Chad Durbin have all been shut down. Also, based on performance trends, it seems probable that Raul Ibanez played his way back to full health after offseason surgery. 

It has all transpired like a heart pounding anxiety attack that might awaken Ruben Amaro or Charlie Manuel in the middle of the night, except it’s not a nightmare— it’s real.  

What’s a Manager to do? What’s a General Manager to do? 

Perhaps exactly what they have done through this challenging, Rubik’s Cube of a season. 

Both Amaro and Manuel have kept a sense of calm that spills over to the players in the clubhouse. 

Although many questioned whether the team possessed a false sense of security or even a general malaise induced by previous success, players and their leaders refrained from tossing out lifeboats. All maintained an outward sense of confidence and optimism that things would turn, especially as key players returned to the field.  

To his credit, Manuel acknowledged the injury situation, but never bemoaned it. Instead, he used the full roster and whatever reinforcements could be pulled from the farm system below. 

The skipper’s patience and belief in his entire roster is now paying dividends. 

Supporting role players such as Kyle Kendrick, Wilson Valdez, Ben Francisco, Ross Gload, Brian Schneider and Jose Contreras have performed admirably in the absence of their higher profile teammates. 

And let’s not forget Ibanez, who just may not be over the hill after all. The 38-year old left fielder has seemed to find his stroke—better late than never—and is currently playing a starring role in the middle of the lineup. The rejuvenated player even seems a couple steps faster. 

Most importantly, it’s all now translating into wins. Suddenly the Atlanta Braves feel the figurative hot breath of the Phillies on the back of their necks—a two game lead with two months to go is not the same comfort zone they experienced just a couple weeks prior. 

As for Amaro, and the rest of the Phillies brass, they have stepped up as well rather than bale on the season. They have also responded admirably to the adversity that has been dealt (and perhaps somewhat induced with the now infamous winter trade) through a series of moves that seem to put the team in position for another World Series run. 

First, the team’s resolve to hang onto prized prospect Dominic Brown is paying rewards. The five tool right fielder has helped provide a much needed boost to the lineup—and frozen ropes to nail runners at the plate never hurt either. 

Then, against odds, Amaro landed baseball’s other ace righty hurler named Roy to give the Phillies book ends around locked-in lefty Cole Hamels. With Kendrick and Blanton trending well, the rotation looks poised to lead the way, especially with a patchwork lineup for the foreseeable future.

Although his rocky debut dropped his record to 6-13, “I Gotta Feeling” that Oswalt isn’t going to end the season with a losing record. He has a made a career out of being a strong closer, and the adrenaline of a pennant race will provide a wondrous boost.  

And it is no small thing that Oswalt joins a club with Werth still wearing the same red pinstripes. 

Wednesday, Amaro may have pulled off another much quieter, but substantial coup when he acquired first baseman Mike Sweeney from the Seattle Mariners. If he can remain healthy, the veteran slugger will definitely add juice to the lineup while Howard mends. 

When the “Big Piece” returns, Sweeney will cast the type of strategy altering shadow out of the dugout like that provided by Matt Stairs in 2008. And all reports suggest that he is the type of upbeat personality to perfectly mesh with the team’s already great clubhouse chemistry.  

The fact that he swings from the right side of the plate provides some additional leeway to play Brown. Sweeney’s presence should also serve to diffuse some the pressure that Jayson Werth could be feeling to make up for the brown-out associated with the loss of Howard, Utley, and Victorino. 

Amaro and key adviser Pat Gillick are aptly proving that it pays to maintain friends around the league. 

The main area of concern revolves around the bullpen—and specifically closer Brad Lidge. Almost two years of adventure tends to do that to even the most optimistic managers and fans. 

Surely the concerns are valid with Lidge’s diminished fastball, sporadic command, and high wire finishes. On the plus side, the former “Lights Out” hurler has put together three solid outings after his well publicized meltdown in Washington. 

Should Lidge fail to find his mojo, Contreras is still flashing closer stuff with his heavy fastball. And, who knows, maybe Madson can finally get over the hump to become a viable closer option? Or, there’s always Scott Mathieson down on the farm dealing high heat. 

Where this all leads is to a potentially very rosy picture for this troubled season to date. Oddly enough, this club has the potential of being the best yet when the games increase in urgency and importance. 

The return of Howard, Utley, and Victorino along with the addition of new cast mates such as Oswalt, Brown, and Sweeney creates the very real potential to provide more high drama when the leaves turn colors in the “City of Brotherly Love.” 

The challenges that come with a rash of injuries can often turn into advantages. Players such as Greg Dobbs, Francisco, Gload, Schneider, and Valdez have gained the opportunity to hone their skills while the regulars sit on the sidelines—which translates into a stronger, more productive bench down the road. 

The team needs to keep grinding out wins while not at full force to stay within striking distance, but this team has all the makings of being a beast down the stretch and in the postseason. 

And considering the tremendous struggle this season has been, it could possibly be the most satisfying as well. 

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Last November, the Philadelphia Phillies had found themselves in one of the most enviable positions in all of sports. 

They had just won a World Series Championship and followed it up with a repeat, albeit unsuccessful, trip to the Fall Classic. The organization possessed a tremendous nucleus of talent just entering their prime. 

For years, Citizen’s Bank Park has continued to be filled to capacity with energetic, passionate fans. And, despite trading away a handful of prospects to acquire one of the very best pitchers in the game the previous summer, the Phillies organization was still loaded with top notch prospects.

The future seemed bright. The present seemed even brighter. 

Then the Phillies brain trust, with General Manager Ruben Amaro in the public forefront, began making decisions that seemed more rooted in economics than athletic acumen. 

Surely, economics are a large part of modern day professional sports, but it can be argued that it’s better to take some one time financial hits than to lose prime-aged, winning talent. The latter is much harder to come by and contributes to earning back the lost dollars associated with writing off some ill-advised decisions.

With injuries, and those previous decisions, the Phillies find themselves currently in a much less enviable situation. The 2010 season seems to be unwinding around them as losses mount and the deficit grows— while everyone anxiously awaits for the team’s annual second half surge to kick in. 

Unfortunately, the vibrant, winning baseball that punctuated the previous three seasons post-All-Star performances seems nowhere to be found. At this point, the Phillies appear to be a team headed nowhere but home to watch the postseason.

Yes, there is still time to catch fire and capture a playoff spot, but the overall aura of the club increasingly suggests that it is unlikely. Manager Charlie Manuel has continued to talk about the team needing a spark, yet new box scores come and go with no ignition in sight.

The minor league pipeline is no longer bulging with the prospects to acquire another Cliff Lee to light the fires of hope and propel the team on a victory run through the pennant stretch. 

And, importantly, Amaro and the Phillies seem poised to compound previous questionable decisions with another questionable decision—once again rooted in economics.

One way or another, last December’s trade of Lee was prompted by economics. The Phillies were wary of giving him a large, long-term contract and/or felt they could not afford the luxury of carrying his $9 million 2010 salary on an already bloated payroll.

Of course, previous questionable economic decisions such as the lucrative contracts handed to Jamie Moyer, Raul Ibanez, and Joe Blanton were key contributors to the expanded payroll and ultimately the decisions around Lee.

The Phillies find themselves in a similar situation now as 2009 All-Star right fielder Jayson Werth nears free agency. Because of the predictable void left by dealing Lee last winter, rumors abound that Amaro might be looking to trade Werth to get prospects to acquire a quality starting pitcher. 

The line of thinking goes that the Phillies have a future star in Dominic Brown waiting in the wings to take Werth’s spot. 

This is flawed thinking and is driven once again by economics.

Brown should clearly be taking Ibanez’s place in the everyday lineup—not Werth’s. Anyone would be hard pressed to find an argument otherwise and here are the main reasons why:

1. Werth is a better player than Ibanez in every aspect of the game— hitting, power, fielding, throwing, and running. 

2. Replacing Werth with the left-handed hitting Brown makes an already left leaning lineup further imbalanced. The lack of a slugging righty in the middle of lineup would almost surely be a fatal flaw easily exposed by the opposition. 

3. Werth is just entering his prime, whereas Ibanez is nearing the end of his career. 

4. Werth is much more versatile than the left-field only Ibanez as he can play all three outfield positions and even catch in a pinch.

5. Werth has been in a funk for a couple months, but the probability of him breaking out are tremendously greater than Ibanez, who’s “slump” has now reached a year. 

6. Werth has been money in the postseason—Ibanez not so much.

The best scenario for this season and the next few years would be to sign Werth to an extension and form a talented young trio of outfielders. The dilemma that Amaro and the Phillies organization have is that they are hamstrung by the aforementioned large contracts. 

The thought of landing Roy Oswalt sounds enticing, but it also would seem to suggest that the Phillies are willing to raise their salary budget. If so, the Phillies could afford to re-sign Werth and take on Oswalt’s salary if they were to find a way to trade Ibanez, Blanton, and fore go next year’s option on JC Romero. 

About the only way that happens is if the Phillies would agree to absorb salary expense on each player. It would be worth doing that rather than head down the slippery slope of tearing up a team built to win over the next few years. 

It remains to be seen what it would take to pry Oswalt away from the Houston Astros. Perhaps Blanton could be packaged in the deal along with a couple existing prospects to land the veteran right-hander. 

If not, the Phillies would be better off passing on Oswalt and concentrating on setting themselves up with a dynamic, balanced everyday lineup for the next few seasons. If that means taking some near-term financial hits, as painful as it might be, the Phillies should do it.

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The Philadelphia Phillies’ first half struggles are well-documented. A disappointing road trip and three-game matchup against the division-leading Atlanta Braves left them with a 43-40 record and six games out of first heading into the final weekend before the All-Star break. 

To make matters worse, the Phillies were staring at a four-game series against the surging, Central Division-leading Cincinnati Reds. The potential existed to be deeply buried at the figurative midseason breaking point.

But then something unlikely and uncharacteristic for the challenging 2010 season occurred—the Phillies found a way to pull off a series sweep and restore their hope for the second half. 

And, as big as it was to string together four victories, it was even more amazing considering the manner in which it was done. 

All four games could have gone either way. The first three were won on walk-off hits in extra innings—two of which landed in the outfield seats.

On Thursday night, the game seemed headed for the same recurring nightmare of the past two seasons when Brad Lidge blew a save opportunity in the ninth, allowing the Reds to knot the score at 3-3 with two outs.

But, rather than allow the game to turn into another frustrating defeat, they hung in until backup catcher Brian Schneider ended the game in the 12th with a home plate victory dance after depositing a ball well into the right field stands. 

The next night, the Reds jumped out to an early lead and appeared headed to an easy victory, sporting a 7-1 lead after adding an insurance run in the top of the ninth. What followed was something even the most optimistic Phillies fans could not conjure in their minds with late game heroics a fading memory. 

A small rally blossomed into an eruption when “below-the-Mendoza” Gregg Dobbs jacked a 434-foot, three-run bomb to cut the lead to 7-5. An out and a walk later, minor league fill-in Cody Ransom smacked another home run to stave off defeat. 

This time, after holding the Reds scoreless in the 10th, a Raul Ibanez double was followed by Ryan Howard’s big fly into the left field seats. For the second consecutive night, the hometown heroes finished the evening with a team-wide celebratory scrum at home plate. 

Fast forward to game three on Saturday night. Ace Roy Halladay demonstrated his considerable pitching skills once again, shutting out the league-leading offense through nine innings. 

Unfortunately, as has often been the case this year, the Phillies could muster very little offense themselves. In fact, rookie Travis Wood was shockingly heading towards baseball immortality by firing a perfect game, before Carlos Ruiz led off the ninth with a double. 

Wood escaped trouble, and the teams traded bagels until the bottom half of the 11th. Ruiz smacked another double and scored on Jimmy Rollins’s clutch two-out single to kick off the now familiar nightly celebration. 

The series finale on Sunday was not a walk-off, but was definitely another nail-biter. This time, the Phillies used the same Ruiz double, Rollins single combination to plate a run in the third inning and rode a brilliant Cole Hamels pitching performance to a 1-0 lead heading into the ninth. 

Of course, some drama ensued when Brad Lidge was called upon to nail down the save. This day, he was up to the task, demonstrating better command and his signature slider. 

For the weekend’s work, the Phillies crept a little closer to the Braves and are now breathing down the necks of the second place New York Mets. Just half a game out of second, the Phillies start the second half four-and-a-half games in back of the Braves. 

Besides the psychological lift of feeling that they are within striking distance, the manner in which the Phillies were able to sweep the Reds could provide the necessary boost they need to make another divisional run. 

As skipper Charlie Manuel noted, the team seemed to be missing a spark. Neither fans or players seemed to possess the confidence that this year’s team had its customary late inning heroics in its figurative DNA. 

Perhaps this past weekend’s events will restore that former feeling of invincibility and swagger that has permeated the team over the previous three seasons. 

And, make no mistake about it, that missing mojo will be instrumental to realizing the lofty goals set forth before this injury riddled season. 

The Phillies find themselves in the uncustomary position of playing catch-up, but a little mojo—and the return of the walking wounded—will go a long way towards recapturing the NL East. The Braves are good and will keep the pressure on, but perhaps players and fans will look back at “Walk-off Weekend” as this year’s turning point.

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Yesterday’s trade of Cliff Lee confirmed what a majority of Philadelphia Phillies and their fans suspected to be true all along—last winter’s deal was a terrible blunder. 

On one hand, the team might take solace in the fact that Lee was shipped to the Texas Rangers rather than their divisional arch rivals, other National League contenders, or the World Champion New York Yankees—in that order. 

On the other hand, Ruben Amaro and the entire Phillies organization have to be consumed with the sinking feeling of what could have been. 

The first lament is that Lee could have helped form the best starting rotation in baseball—one capable of carrying an injury-riddled club through a challenging 2010 season. Perhaps they might not be in first place at this juncture, but they would be considerably better positioned for a fourth consecutive NL East title. 

The second lament is that today’s deal offered proof positive that the Phillies essentially gave away one of baseball’s best pitchers when his stock was probably at an all-time high. 

Lee has widely been considered the crown jewel of this year’s annual midsummer swap meet. Several teams had been rumored interested to highly covetous of the Cy Young lefty for a simple reason. 

Lee could instantly take them to the next level, whether it be legitimate playoff contender or World Series favorite. 

The Rangers deal validated his worth, as did the “imminent” trade to the New York Yankees that fell through earlier in the day. Both clubs offered a top 15 prospect (as rated by Baseball America and many other scouting pundits) along with other talent in exchange for the all-star hurler. 

The Yankees were willing to part with baseball’s top catching prospect, and preseason fourth rated prospect overall, Jesus Montero as the headliner with two other players. Speculation was that an injury to one of the prospects caused the Mariners to back away from the deal. 

Instead, Seattle opted for switch-hitting first baseman Justin Smoak from the Rangers (the 13th rated prospect heading into the season) along with Blake Beavan and two other players. Smoak was the team’s  top draft pick in 2008, and Beavan was the first rounder a year earlier. 

In contrast, the Phillies received the 93rd rated prospect according to Baseball America heading into both this season and last season—along with Tyson Gillies and JC Ramirez. 

Amaro spun the trade of Lee as a necessity to replenish the farm system that had been severely depleted in the trade to land the pitcher the previous July and the deal to obtain Roy Halladay. Finances were also cited as big contracts to Halladay, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, Raul Ibanez, and arbitration pressures helped push the team’s payroll toward $140 million. 

Those debates aside, the Mariners-Rangers deal highlights how badly the Phillies missed the mark in extracting value in return for the toast of last year’s postseason. Just weeks removed from the Yankees World Series triumph over the Phillies, all of baseball was still abuzz about Lee’s fabulous performances. 

Lee had used the game’s biggest stage, along with a fabulous 22-3 Cy Young campaign the previous season, to cement his place as one of baseball’s very best pitchers. With free agency pending after the 2011 season, pundits anticipated a mega-deal on the horizon. 

Somehow, though, Amaro and the Phillies parted with the highly impressive hurler for considerably less than what the Mariners were able to get a half year later. And, it stands to reason that Lee’s value would have only decreased between then and now as he has half the shelf life. 

Philadelpia accepted the 93rd ranked prospect versus the 13th ranked prospect that Seattle received—after turning down the 4th ranked prospect. 

To put this into a Phillies fan’s perspective, that is roughly the equivalent of accepting Lou Marson or Jason Donald in lieu of Dominic Brown.  

Considering that the Rangers also included another highly touted No. 1 selection, it becomes even more lopsided.  The cumulative value of the other players involved in each deal can be debated, but the disparity in headliners is dramatic. 

As further evidence of the Phillies blunder in trading Lee, one needs to look no further than the Halladay deal itself. In order to obtain the big right-hander, the team shipped out the 25th, 29th, and 81st rated prospects.

Although many might argue that Halladay had the superior resume to Lee and is a notch above, most would agree that the separation between the two is very slight. 

It does not take a math whiz to figure out that the Phillies paid dramatically more for Halladay than they accepted for Lee—and that the differential is tremendously greater than that between the two all-star pitchers. 

Surely, signability of each player factored into the equation and clouded the comparison, but the latest deal now gives us additional backdrop to assess the move that shocked the Phillies fanbase last winter. 

The purpose here is not to pile on, but rather provide some additional objective analysis of a trade that was widely panned at the time and could go down as one of the worst in team history. 

Amaro rightfully received ample praise for his 2009 seasonal body of work that helped the team make a second straight World Series appearance. Specifically, his refusal to give away his prized prospects for Halladay and instead acquire Lee with second-tier players was the type of genius that earns you “MLB Executive of the Year.”

Regrettably, he followed that up with the tandem ace swaps shortly after the season-ending defeat to the Yankees that seemingly reversed that genius and has weakened the team’s chances for this season and beyond. 

Amaro’s rationale in acquiring Halladay can be understood as he was willing to sign a long-term contract. Making it an either/or situation with Lee is much harder to understand. 

But, if is was absolutely necessary to part with him, it seems abundantly clear that the rushed, lightly negotiated manor in which it was done yielded far less than true market value. It seemed that few teams even knew that the Phillies might be willing to trade their ace. 

Of course, the actual performances of the three players acquired by the Phillies last December has done nothing to dissuade this notion. Since being demoted to Single-A, Aumont has improved his record to 2-6 with a 6.53 ERA. Gillies is hitting .238 in Double-A. And Ramirez is a so-so 6-4 with a 4.22 ERA between Single-A and Double-A. 

Perhaps RAJ will pull off another brilliant move that will propel the current teetering club to a successful year? Or, perhaps he will figure out a way to clear payroll, re-sign Lee in free agency, and/or maneuver the team back to another championship in the near future?

But, in the meantime, the Philadelphia faithful are left with a sick feeling that another triumphant trip down Broad Street may have been foolishly given away. And, hearing about yesterday’s trade was like eating some spoiled sushi on top of an already upset stomach. 

The Phillies have done many, many things right over the past several years—and in many ways have been the model organization. Unfortunately, last December’s trade of Cliff Lee was one very big blunder.      

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