Sports: The Phillies Rotation

Considering this is my first post related to sports, i figure i should inform me readers (or lack there of) of my allegiances. Growing up in the Philly area, my allegiances lie with all Philly sports team, bar none. While baseball and football are my two main loves, i also root for the Flyers and Sixers (although, i'll be the first to admit that i can be bandwagon sixers fan). That being said, let me delve into a little sports discussion regarding the Phillies.


The Phillies recently acquired Clifton Phifer Lee (Cliff Lee). Lee is a stud, Lee won the Cy Young for the AL last year, Lee is the missing piece to the phillies rotation. Lee, Lee, Lee... i only plan on buying a Lee shirt if the Phills re-sign him next year. Here is a cartoon illustrating my point. Special thanks to Kurt Snibbe and ESPN, for allowing me to use this comic. (Feel free to check out more of Kurt's daily cartoons at http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/index




As you can see this cartoon illustrates my point. The Phillies rotation has been struggling this year. Cole Hamels seems to have a mental issue... it always happens to those young guys... Don't get me wrong, i love Cole, some even claim i have a "man-crush" but whenever you get nicknamed "Hollywood" in the off season, things are prolly not gonna be as good the next year...

So Cole has been struggling and Jamie "Grampa" Moyer has an ERA hovering below 6.00. While Blanton has been up and down during the beginning of the year, he has begun to turn it on in his last 4-5 starts. I think he will continue to excel, based on the fact that he claimed he watched his delivery during the year, and realized some mistake he was making when runners were on. So with those three out the way, let's address the other "new" phillies starters.

Ciff Lee - awesome, first game with the Phills and he throws a complete game, and goes 2-4 at the plate... not bad considering he has less than 5 career hits (although he been playing in the AL)

J.A. Happ - young gunna, this young stud has been tearing it up since moving into the rotation. He's young, his ERA is under 3.00 and he wants to be a go-to pitcher. Check, Check, and Check... Happ is another exciting young player.

Rodrigo Lopez - Who? yea, he's kind of a filler, but i ended up seeing his first outing as a phillie. I was hoping to see Happ that day, but beggars can't be choosers. No other info needed... he's heading to the pen.

and last and certainly LEAST Pedro "Mangos = Steroids" Martinez. Pedro, Pedro, Pedro, where do i begin. First off, he is a tough RHP (right handed pitcher), so that alone is a reason why the Phills will need him (being lefty dominant). However, any starting pitcher the Mets dont want, always worries me... granted he wanted much more before the season, and the Phills got him dirt cheap. What concerns me the most is that with Pedro entering the rotation, he is going to squeeze Moyer or Happ to the pen... all sources i've read point to Happ... I've tossed and turned with this idea for a while... While Happ is pitching amazing, he is young, and keeping his inning count to a minimum wouldnt be a bad idea... however, i have no love for Pedro, so screw him, i love Happ.

But i think the bottom line is this: With the addition of Lee, our playoff rotation will be sufficient enough without Happ. You figure, Lee, Hamels, Blanton/Pedro, Lee, Hamels, Blanton/Pedro, Lee... That gives us two stud Leftys, then Rightys Blanton or Pedro, for games 3 and 6, then throw Lee again in game 7... Hopefully, every series ends early with a quick W for the Phills... ya know, like last year...

So there's a 3/4 through the season assessment of the Phillies rotation... i dont need to dissect their bats that much, because quite frankly, their bats are killin it.