Kuzul

“They can’t hit.” “They’re too old.” “They’re all inured.” These phrases were all uttered toward the Phillies lineup leading up to the 2011 MLB season. Now, eleven games into the season, the Phillies have been proving these critics wrong. The Phillies are 8-3 and they have scored 66 runs. Also, they have hit a remarkable .318 AVG, and have a tremendous .386 OBP which leads the MLB. They are third in the MLB and second in the NL with 64 RBI.   

So, what have the Phillies been doing so well to silence these critics? Here are the reasons why the offense has gotten production like this out of a lineup that was expected to be mediocre at best.

1) Stars Producing

With Utley injured, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins knew they had to step up. They did just that. Howard has hit .333 with three HR and 13 RBI. Howard is striking out less than his usual total, with nine strikeouts through eleven games, and has an unbelievable .643 SLG. Jimmy Rollins does not have an RBI yet this season, but he is seeing the ball great. He has 15 hits, hitting .326. Not to mention, Jimmy has stolen a team high three bases. These two veterans need to continue there great play in order for the Phillies to succeed this season.

2) Ben Francisco

Jayson Werth who? Ben Francisco has been one of the, if not the, best Phillies hitter this season so far. Ben is hitting .279 with 2 HR and 8 RBI. Not to mention he had two potential home run balls pulled back by the wind at Citizens Bank Park. He has also produced four BB, and a .354 OBP. These numbers are coming from a lifetime bench player, who has not had more than 15 HR in his career. Look to see Ben francisco have a huge season for the Phillies.

3) Production in place of Chase Utley

Whether is has been Wilson Valdez or Michael Martinez, the Phillies have gotten great production out of their fill-in second basemen, in the field and at the plate. Valdez is hitting .353 with five RBI, and Martinez even though he only has nine AB had been described as the most upbeat player on the team by Charlie Manuel. Valdez has been great in the field, turning four double pays and not committing one error this season.

4) Bench Production

John Mayberry Jr. and Pete Orr are two names nobody outside the Phillies fan base would even recognize. However, Mayberry leads the MLB in pinch hits with four, and Orr is right behind with three. Mayberry had a walk-off RBI single in the first game of the season, and Pete Orr has appeared in four games this season. Also, Brian Schneider is a very reliable backup catcher. He has one HR and two RBI this season in two games. 

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After all of the preseason hype, largely due to the return of Cliff Lee, the Philadelphia Phillies have come out red hot in early April like a fox escaping a forest fire.

The Phils’ are off to a 7-2 start, capped off by 2-1 series win over the Atlanta Braves who are thought to be their main competition in the NL East.

While their loaded pitching staff was expected to be their deadliest weapon, the Phillies offense has been the dominant force in crushing opponents in their opening three series.

They lead the league in batting average (.334), they’re second in OBP (.380) and third in slugging (.484). These impressive stats have created 59 runs in nine games, all without Jayson Werth and Chase Utley.

From the bench players to the superstar starters, everyone has been producing since Opening Day as the Phillies have taken control of the division.

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The Phillies have an early three game series against the rival Mets starting tonight (Tuesday). The Phillies have gotten off to a scorching hot start (albeit against the lowly Astros) and they look to keep the good times rolling.

The Mets won their first series as well, taking two of three from the Marlins.

This series most definitely means a lot more to Mets fragile psyche than the proven Phillies, but it is still always fun to kick a New York team while they are down right?

As expected, the Phillies have had outstanding starting pitching in their first three games. Their lineup has done their part as well (eh, Brett Myers) and the Phightin’s have again staked their claim that they are the beast of the East and the National League.

Here are the five keys to the Phillies vs. Mets series.

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The first three games of the season are now in the books, and the Phillies—thanks to three fine pitching performances, a terrific Opening Day comeback victory and other timely hitting this weekend—are 3-0 for the first time since Abe Lincoln manned the White House.

Okay, that was a slight exaggeration (Grant Administration?), but to Phillies Nation, the regular season could not have come soon enough or started much better.

What follows is the first of a (planned) weekly series wherein this columnist will feature his Phillie of the Week, evaluating games from the preceding Monday thru Sunday. In this case, there is only the three-game sweep of the Astros to evaluate, but there were still plenty of heroes to recognize.

Here are my Lucky Seven Phillies of the Week, with No. 1, of course, being the Phillie of the Week. Budgetary constraints make it impossible, for now, to make a contribution to a worthy cause in his name, although if any of you would like to do so in my stead, please contact me.

Placido Polanco (.417 BA) and Wilson Valdez (.364) just missed my Lucky Seven.

7) Roy Halladay – Doc took the ball and had his usual terrific command of those nasty pitches he throws. He pitched well enough to tally one in the win column, but his offense did not wake up until after he vacated the hill.

Halladay fanned six, while yielding five hits, no walks and a single run in six innings. His ERA is a tiny 1.50.

6) Ben Francisco – The man who replaced Jayson Werth in rightfield and as the No. 5 hitter behind Ryan Howard, had a terrific week. His series was not perfect, as he misjudged a tricky fly ball in the opener for a two-base error.

But after that one miscue, he played a solid rightfield, including a catch up against the fence on Sunday that earned him a warm ovation. At the plate, Francisco is now batting .462 (six for 13) with a homer, four RBI and five runs scored. Jayson Who?

5) Jimmy Rollins – With his usual double play partner Chase Utley sidelined, Rollins started the year in the No. 3 hole, and had a terrific series. J-Roll hit a cool .500 (six for 12), scored four runs, and stole a base. The nifty shortstop also drew two walks on Sunday. That’s a great sign for Phils fans.

4) Roy Oswalt – Following Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, and pitching in front of Cole Hamels, is not an easy task. Oswalt also had to do it against his former team. Not a problem, as Little Roy pitched six strong innings (yielding two earned runs on five hits, one walk and a hit batsman) in the 7-3 victory. Oswalt fanned six Astros.

3) John Mayberry, Jr. – Mayberry only had one hit this series (in three at-bats) but it was momentous. Mayberry lined a pinch-hit single to center off imploding reliever Brandon Lyon in the bottom of the ninth to cap a three-run rally. It was a walkoff RBI and the biggest hit of the young season.

2) Cliff Lee – The return of Cliff Lee before his once-and-present adoring fans in Game Two was an event every bit as memorable as Opening Day.

Mr. Lee did not disappoint whatsoever. He worked seven mostly dominating innings, giving up three runs on just four hits. Lee struck out 11 Astros without a walk, but did hit a batter on an offspeed pitch that grazed Chris Johnson’s foot.

Lee may have been awarded the No. 1 spot if it were not for that other Lee (Carlos) who belted a triple, a homer and all three runs batted in.

1) Ryan Howard – When you’re the biggest, most powerful hitter on a World Series favorite, one suspects that you are used to a disproportionate share of the spotlight and scrutiny. And with the departure of Werth and the injury to Utley, there has been even more attention paid to the Big Piece.

Howard has responded with a torrid star: Seven for 13 (.538 average) with three runs, a homer, a double and six RBI. Howard’s on-base percentage is a scintillating .500, and his slugging average stands at .846; his OPS is a gaudy 1.346.

Yes, it’s only been three games, but the three games have been quite remarkable.

GOLD NOTES

Roy Oswalt walked Michael Bourn with two outs in the top of the ninth. That stuff happens, and Oswalt, (only one walk against six strikeouts) exhibited impressive control.

Except when compared to Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, who did not issue any free passes. Collectively, the three starters fanned 17 and walked one in 19 innings. Your turn, Cole!

According to Todd Zolecki, of MLB.com, the Phillies opened the season with a three-game sweep at home for the first time since 1899. How is that possible? And yes, that was during the William McKinley Administration.

In case you were wondering, the Phils finished 94-59 that year, but they finished one game behind the Boston Beaneaters and eight back of the pennant-winning Brooklyn Superbas.

I will guarantee you that the Phils will not finish behind either of those juggernauts in 2011.

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, as well as writing, speaking and interview requests, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report homepage. 

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The National League East is a division that was dominated by the Braves for years, but the Phillies are now top dogs. That is not to count the Braves out, however, as they have a wealth of young talent and a solid pitching staff.

The Marlins are another young team that continues to get better each season, and could be a contender sooner rather than later, while the Nationals seem ready to open up their wallets, as they inked Jayson Werth to a huge contract in the off season and made a run at Cliff Lee. The Mets will look to begin rebuilding, as they have a ton of money coming off the books next season, so a number of young players could get a look this season.

So here is a position-by-position preview of the NL East, as we turn our sights to opening day later this week.

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The Philadelphia Phillies cured? Say it isn’t so.

But what if that figment of our imagination came true? What if the World Series favorite Philadelphia Phillies were indeed cursed from here on out?

Looking at the way this team is shaping up for the 2011 season, I’d put my money on the Phillies being cursed… here’s why.

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Opening Day is less than a week away.

Pretty soon, the Philadelphia Phillies will be on their way back to frigid PA and will start April 1st their quest for a fifth straight NL East Title.

Phillies fans are hoping for even more…perhaps a second World Series title in four years.

The Phillies, even though they are favorites to win the division, have some pretty big concerns heading into the season.

Injuries, age and recent play have put some question marks around the Phillies team.

If the Phils want to secure a fifth straight title and make it back to the World Series, these will be the five keys to them doing so.

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Despite a tough, injury-plagued spring training, today’s Philadelphia Phillies are about to break camp surrounded by the type of lofty expectations that are attached to very few ballclubs.

Yes, injuries to Chase Utley and Brad Lidge have scaled down some of the unchecked optimism about the regular season (okay, they won’t win 115 or so games), but they are still the odds-on choice to advance to the World Series for the third time in the last four years.

Charlie Manuel’s bunch has won the last four National League East pennants, and No. 5 is but a formality. The Phillies always win. Don’t they?

If you cut your baseball teeth in 2007, it’s hard to think otherwise. But it hasn’t always been this way, and one does not have to conjure up images of the horrid choke of 1964— featuring Jim Bunning, Chris Short, Chico Ruiz and Gene Mauch—to appreciate how special the last four seasons have been.

Please travel with me all the way back to the year 2006 for a reminder of the way it used to be.

The Phillies of 2006

In the early spring of 2006, the average price of a gallon of gas was $1.23, stadium hot dogs cost a dollar, and the Atlanta Braves were coming off their zillionth straight NL East title.

I’m just kidding about the price of gas, but stadium hot dogs did cost you a buck—on Dollar Dog Days.

The Phillies had finished the season with a quite respectable 88-74 record under first-year manager Charlie Manuel. Although 88 wins wasn’t bad, it was yet another season—their 12th consecutive—without a playoff berth.

For the glass-half-full fans, there was consolation to be found in finishing only two games out of first and one game behind the Astros for the wild card.

For most Phillies fans, it seemed like Groundhog Day. And who exactly was this glorified hitting coach with the strange accent who was mismanaging our team?

As the Phils geared up for Opening Day, nobody was comparing their starting rotation to the 1971 Baltimore Orioles or the 1990s Atlanta Braves. R2C2? The Four Aces? Mound Rushmore? Please.

The 2006 Phillies started the season with this rotation: Jon Lieber, Brett Myers, Cory Lidle, Gavin Floyd and Ryan Madson. Maybe they should have been called Five Guys, if a certain burger joint wouldn’t have sued. This wasn’t Mound Rushmore. It was more the case of Mount NeedMore.

By the way, the Phillies opened the 2006 season with four straight losses, and one win out of their first six. All six games were played in front of their ever-patient fans. Their first victory was earned by reliever Tom Gordon.

To reassure you that I’m not describing some alternate universe played outside of Citizens Bank Park, I will add that a certain Cardinals player named Albert Pujols left Philly with a .500 batting average, three homers and six RBI after the first three games. Some things stay the same.

The Phillies did have a pretty good hitting team back then, if in a bit of transition from an offense led by Bobby Abreu, Jim Thome, Pat Burrell and Mike Lieberthal to one sparked by the young emerging corp of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins.

In 2005, Jim Thome battled injuries, which finally gave Howard his long-awaited shot. He capitalized with 22 homers and 63 RBI in only 88 games, winning Rookie of the Year honors.

Utley got his chance to play everyday in 2005, posting a slash line of .291/28/105 and Rollins, just 26, was coming off his first All-Star season.

The Phillies cut ties with Thome prior to the 2006 season, and Manuel presented the following lineup card to home plate umpire Gerry Crawford:

1. Jimmy Rollins, SS

2. Abraham Nunez, 3B

3. Bobby Abreu, RF

4. Chase Utley, 2B

5. Pat Burrell, LF

6. Ryan Howard, 1B

7. Aaron Rowand, CF

8. Mike Liebertahal, C

9. Jon Lieber, P

Even the most fervent Phillies fans may be surprised to see that Utley was hitting hitting cleanup, and Ryan Howard (who would slug his way to the NL MVP award with 58 homers and 149 RBI) was in the six-hole.

The lineup would soon see more changes. Bobby Abreu, who always struck me as both the most overrated and most unappreciated Phillies player, was traded to the Yankees in midseason.

Shane Victorino would emerge as an important outfielder before season’s end. Mike Lieberthal (starting to show signs of wear and tear) would finish 2006 and 2007 as a Phillie, but was losing playing time to Chris Coste and Carlos Ruiz.

Even Aaron Rowand, a fan favorite just acquired in 2006, would leave after the 2007 season. Third base? Don’t ask. David Bell, never a Philly fan favorite, saw the majority of the playing time.

The 2006 Phillies, despite big years from Howard, Utley, Rollins and Burrell, dropped to 85-77 and—check the record books—12 games behind a talented New York Mets team. They did not even make it as a wild card, extending that Groundhog Day scenario to 13 seasons.

Unlike the Phils of last year and for the foreseeable future, the starting pitching was never strong enough. Lefty phenom Cole Hamels came up midseason and posted a 9-8 record with a 4.08 ERA. Only Myers (12) and Madson (11) had more wins than Cole.

In the final analysis, that long, lost season of 2006 yielded a 2007 spring training of equal parts optimistic and uncertainty. That spring training gave birth to a 2007 team that nipped a collapsing Mets team by one game at the wire.

The rest, as baseball fans and archivists alike tend to say, is history.

For more information on Matt Goldberg’s new books, other writings and public appearances, please e-mail: matt@tipofthegoldberg.com or contact him via his Bleacher Report homepage.

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In auctions, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Joey Votto are all going to cost you a pretty penny.

Pujols has averaged a price tag of $58.2 throughout the Yahoo! universe, while Cabrera and Votto have found themselves on either side of $50. 

The following are a group of players who pack a solid and consistent power punch in the middle of their respective lineups: Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Howard, Marx Teixeira and Prince Fielder.

Depending on the auction, these four go anywhere from the low $40 range, to as high as $50.

For the cost, you’re paying for some of the few players in baseball who consistently generate 35+ home run, 100+ run and 110+ RBI seasons. Batting average potential and slight counting stat variances account for their minute price differentials.

Solid production out of your first base slot is almost a necessity for winning a fantasy title.

Other than sacrificing batting average and taking Adam Dunn, going after a first baseman below the top seven is a risky proposition. 

What follows is a breakdown of these so-called “second tier” first basemen. 

Data Courtesy Of:

Ron Shandler’s 2011 Baseball Forecaster

Yahoo Fantasy Draft Analysis

Fangraphs

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Ever since last season, there have been rumors of an Albert Pujols for Ryan Howard swap between the Cardinals and the Phillies. Since Albert Pujols did not get a contract extension done with the Cardinals this offseason, St. Louis may want to get something out of their star first basemen, instead of having him walk. The Cardinals want to avoid being “Lebron’d” in other terms. The Phillies would benefit greatly from this trade, gaining the best first basement in baseball, and losing a power-hitting, strike-out machine Ryan Howard.

However, I do not see why either team would do this trade. The Phillies yet again, will probably have to give up prospects. With their depleted farm system after the many trades made, this would not be in the Phillies interest. Also, the Phillies signed a $125 Million extension through 2016. Why sign a player to a huge extension then trade him the next year? That is not logical. 

On the other hand, Albert Pujols is one of the best, if not the best player in baseball. The Cardinals still do have a great chance of resigning Pujols in the offseason. They will exercise ever single chance they get to resign Albert. No matter how many teams go after Pujols, the Cardinals will still make there push to resign him. There is no way Albert will not consider resigning with the Cardinals; after all he has spent his whole career in St. Louis. The rumor of a Howard-Pujols swap will heat up towards the trade deadline, but after all the trade will be very hard to complete.

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