This might seem a terribly odd question, considering the Phillies sport the best record (22-11) in the National League. If they maintain their current pace all season, they will win 108 games. Which would obliterate the team record.
What’s Wrong With The Phillies?
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Still, the best predictor of wins and losses isn't wins and losses, but rather run differential. And the Phillies have just the third-best run differential in the league. They've outscored their opponents by 36 runs, just behind the Cardinals (+44) and the Braves (+43). No matter how you slice and dice the numbers, the Phillies do figure to wind up playing big games in October. But that doesn't mean they don't have room for improvement. And as it turns out, they do.
Philadelphia's pitching this season was supposed to be outstanding ... and of course it has been. Even with starters Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton spending some time on the Disabled List already, the Phillies rank third in the league in ERA. They're first in the league in strikeouts, second in walks allowed, and third in home runs allowed. The pitching part of the plan is working almost exactly as designed.
It’s on the other side of the ledger that some things have gone wrong, where the Phillies rank just seventh in the league in scoring; last season they finished second on their way to 97 wins.
This season the Phillies have been good (or excellent) at four positions: first base (Ryan Howard), shortstop (Jimmy Rollins), third base (Placido Polanco) and center field (Shane Victorino).
The Phillies have been less than good at the other four positions ...
Phillies catchers -- mostly Carlos Ruiz and Brian Schneider -- have combined for a 597 OPS, worst in the league.
Phillies second basemen -- mostly Wilson Valdez -- have combined for a 580 OPS, second worst in the league.
Phillies left fielders -- mostly Raul Ibanez -- have combined for a 668 OPS, 13th in the league.
Phillies right fielders -- mostly Ben Francisco -- have combined for a 708 OPS, 12th in the league.
Fortunately, help is on the way.
Carlos Ruiz is a pretty good hitter, which he’ll probably prove when he’s off the DL.
Chase Utley is a really good hitter, and while his knee issues have kept him from participating in the full range of baseball activities this season, he's hitting again and does figure to replace Wilson Valdez eventually.
Domonic Brown was supposed to be the Phillies’ right fielder this season, but a broken hamate bone knocked him out of action during spring training. He was activated from the DL last week and sent to triple-A Lehigh Valley, where in five games he’s hit like the Rookie of the Year candidate he was supposed to be. At the least, Brown and Ben Francisco could make for a lovely platoon in right field.
And then there’s Raul Ibanez, who turns 39 in a few weeks and is earning $11.5 million in this, the last season of his three-year, $31.5 million contract. Ibanez has started 29 of the Phillies’ 32 games, and has racked up a .212/.276/.336 batting line.
One way or another, help is on the way there, too. Ibanez got off to a lousy start last season, too -- not this lousy, but pretty lousy -- and wound up playing well enough in the last months of the season to push his numbers to a nearly acceptable level for an every-day left fielder. But if Ibanez does not come around, the return of Domonic Brown will give Charlie Manuel the option of shifting Francisco to left field, either as a regular or as Ibanez's platoon partner.
The Phillies might not be the best team in the National League at this exact moment. They might not be the best team in the National League in June, either. But given just normal luck, especially when it comes to injuries, the Phillies should be the best team in the National League in the second half of the season.
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