Liberty Ball

In a week that saw the team lose two important hurlers to the disabled list, Philadelphia Phillies RH Roy  Halladay(10-3,2.40,123 Ks) stepped up Sunday(June 26th) and showed why he is the man. Earning his NL leading 10th victory(Tied with Atlanta Braves RH  Jair Jurrjens), he allowed 1 run on 8 hits and no walks  in a 3-1 victory. More importantly, with the team down two key bullpen components(more on this later), he gave the relievers a day off with his NL leading 5th complete game.  Striking out 4 while throwing 113 pitches, Halladay improved to 30-3 in 35 starts  when the Phillies give him a lead.

As good as Halladay has been, his mound counterparts LHs Cliff Lee(4-0,0.27 ERA in 4 June starts including 2 straight complete game shutouts)  and Cole Hamels(2-2,1.45 ERA in 5 June starts)  have also stepped up big time in June. These three have to really perform now with the news on the other members of the pitching staff not being as promising medical wise. Phillies 4th ace, Roy Oswalt, was placed on the DL June 24th with back inflammation, his 2nd DL stint due to this problem. An MRI revealed mild bulging discs in his back. Team doctors are suggesting a series of injections and rest as treatment. This plan should strengthen his back, sidelining him for 3 to 5 weeks.  Phillies Team physician Dr. Michael Ciccotti believes this program will not end Oswalt’s season(and possible career).

The injury bug has suddenly hit closer Ryan Madson(3-1,2.03,15 saves in 16 opportunities)  as well. The right hander  injured his hand May 20th when he was hit by a line drive and has pitches thru the pain until June 18th. The team shut him down and he received a cortisone shot Friday June 24th with a throwing session scheduled for Monday or Tuesday(June 27,28th). LH Antonio Bastardo and rookie RH Michael Stutes will share closer duties in Madson’s absence.  RH Jose Conteras, who opened the season as the Philly closer, was placed on the DL Thursday June 23rd with a strain in his right forearm. The 39 year old converted all of his 5 save opportunities in April but missed a month with an elbow strain(April 25-May 26).

The 4 defending NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies lost an interleague series over the the weekend to the surprising Seattle Mariners(June 17-June 19th) in the Pacific Northwest. The Phillies drew the two top pitchers on the Seattle staff(Rookie phenom RH Michael Pineda and 2010 AL CY Young winner Felix Herandez) but they split with the Mariners studs,defeating Hernandez June 18th. Underrated Seattle  LH Jason Vargas(5-4,3.75) got the win Sunday with a dominant complete game 3 hitter.  Relax, Phillies fans. First of all, this team has won 9 of 12 and is 45-28(As 0f June 19th). Secondly, Seattle is no joke. They pitch and catch the ball and have added some young talent to the line-up with the recent call up of super prospect 2B Dustin Ackley joining 1B Justin Smoak on the right side of the infield. The Phillies are fine and you are going to lose some games(and series!) during the marathon known as the baseball season. What separates this team and any team that has great starting pitching is those streaks should be short because you go to the ball park knowing each and everyday you have a great shot to win.

PHILLIES NOTES: LHSP Cole Hamels lost the game Sunday(June 19th) but became the 3rd fastest active pitcher to reach 1000 career strikeouts. Hamels did it in 5 years, 38 days while Hernandez(5 years,21 days) and San Francisco Giants RH Tim Lincecum(4 years,3q days) the only current major leaguers to do so faster….. CF Shane Victorino is known as clutch player and he showed why on Saturday June 18th. He hit a two run double in the 7th and added a two run homer in the 9th to become only the 2nd Phillies player in 8 years to have two multi-rbi hits in the 7th inning or later in the same game.  The last time it happened? April 2009 and the player to accomplish the feat? Victorino!!!!… Manager Charlie Manuels gave 3B Placido Polanco the day off Sunday June 19th ….Philadelphia drops to 15-6 vs lefthanded starting pitchers….  Hamels appeared to have no issues after leaving his last start(June 14th) early with tightness in his back… Phillies bullpen had not allowed a run in 15 and two third innings (span of 7 games) through the June 19th contest. This is the 3rd streak of 10 or more scoreless  innings this season…. INF-OF Ross Gload served as the team’s DH Saturday June 18th, starting for the first time in over a month. The veteran is dealing with a hp injury that will bother him for the remainder of the season…. RH Vance Worley continues to pitch well out of the 5th spot in the rotation, allowing a run and 5 hits in his spot start Saturday June 18th vs the Mariners.  The 23 year old is now 2-1 with a 3.41 ERA in 7 games(5 starts) with 22 Ks in 29 innings.

The 2011 Philadelphia Phillies recipe for success: dominant pitching,led by an elite top four rotation, followed by a mix and match bullpen and just enough offense has them at 40-26, 1st in the NL East as of June 12th. Staff ace RH Roy Halladay(9-3,2.39 ERA ) leads the way with 9 wins while LH Cole Hamels is 8-2 with a 2.58 ERA. Top free agent prize LH Cliff Lee is 6-5 with a 3.41 ERA but leads the NL in strikeouts with 107.(1 more than Halladay’s 106) Closer Ryan Madson, moved up from the top 8th inning set up role. has been dominant closing games, converting 15 out of 16 opportunities. Offensively, the two headed monster of 3B Placido Polanco(Team leader in batting average,on base and hits) and 1B Ryan Howard(Tops in home runs and rbi) lead the way. A key to the 2nd half? A return to form for 2B Chase Utley(Knee) and settling on an everyday right fielder(or straight up platoon situation with rookie Domonic Brown and veteran Ben Francisco).

MAD MANUEL: Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the Sunday June 12th game vs the Cubs. Phillies starting pitcher Roy Oswalt was called out on strikes on an obvious ball and Manuel was ejected by home-plate umpire Alan Porter after he heard something from the Philadelphia dugout.  The ejection was the 2nd of the season for Manuel.

BLANTON UPDATE: The Phillies injured 5th starter Joe Blanton(Right elbow inflammation) threw from 60 feet with the medical staff June 12th and reported no issues. He has been on the DL since May 23rd and the team has no specific timetable on when Blanton will return.

PHILLIES NOTES: Back up C Brian Schneider(Strained left hamstring) was meeting with team doctors June 12th to determine where he is rehab wise…. RHSP Roy Oswalt reached 1700 career strikeouts in Sunday’s game(June 12th) joining Javier Vasquez, Tim Wakefield, Livan Hernandez, Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia and Halladay as active pitchers who have totaled at least 1700 Ks…. Pitching coach Rich Dubee has manipulated the staff so the team will not need  a spot starter for Wednesday’s double header. Instead, the club will need one the for the weekend series in Seattle. … Amazing stat: Team won 23 of their first 26 games when they scored more than four runs!!!

Someone once said the more things change the more they stay the same, apparently they have watched this group of Philadelphia Phillies! The 4 time defending NL East champions continue to play excellent baseball(35-24 as of June 5th), mixing and matching some parts but the constants remain strong pitching and timely offense from their star players. The rotation led by the big four or as some call them R2 C2(RHs Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt,LHs Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee) has been as good as adverised while skipper Charlie Manuel and pitching coach Rich Dubee have had to deal with some major injuries in the bullpen but this group has carried the franchise flag from day 1.  I believe this team will hit and produce over the final 2 thirds of the season for 2  major reasons: The return of star 2B Chase Utley from a knee injury and the call up of top prospect Domonic Brown should help stabilize the team’s right field situation. Not exactly good news for the rest of the division or major league baseball for that matter.

HERO HALLADAY: When someone asks me for a definition of an ace, I tell them someone who stops losing streaks. Roy Halladay is an ace and he showed why June 5th. With the Phils in a rare 4 game losing skid, the big righty tossed 7 innings of 6  hit ball to up his record to 8-3 with a 2.56 ERA in 13 starts.  This outing was also huge for another reason: Co-staff ace Lee was hit hard in his last outing(6 runs, 7  hits in 5 and a third ,at the Washington Nationals May 31st). Rare as that was, Halladay’s performance cancelled that out and put the team back on “schedule.”

PHILLIES NOTES: Brown lost an rbi in the 4th when his single hit 2B umpire Chad Fairchild  and was correctly ruled a dead ball. The rally was then killed after a double play ended the inning. However,behind Halladay the team rallied to post a 7-3 win… SS Jimmy Rollins(Right knee contusion) left Saturday’s game after fouling a  ball of his knee in the 1st inning. The all star and former MVP lasted a few more innings but came out. He was seen limping noticeably Sunday and did not play. Rollins thinks 3-4  days of rest will help and a DL stint will not be needed at this time but stay tuned… LF Raul Ibanez reached 1000 career rbi June 5th at the Pirates