Phillies Pitching Staff Getting It Done

The Philadelphia Phillies started the season with the best pitching staff in Major League Baseball. The four-headed monster of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels would be any manager’s dream.

Four dominant All-Star pitchers could start the game, and then a one-two punch in the bullpen to close it out. Questions about their offense could easily be answered with a roll call of their starting rotation.

Ouch

It did not take long for Manager Charlie Manuel’s dream to become a nightmare.

Injuries have become a reoccurring theme with the Phillies. They currently have five players on the D
L (Disabled List), and all of them are pitchers. Starter Joe Blanton is on the 15-day DL with elbow soreness and has not started since May 14. Starter Roy Oswalt is on the 15-day DL with a bulging disc in his lower back, an injury that pulled him from his June 23 start after only two innings. Reliever Jose Contreras was placed on the 15-day DL with a forearm stain on June 23.

Closer Ryan Madson was placed on the 15-day DL on June 28 with inflammation in his hand. Brad Lidge, who has not appeared on the hill this year, is on the 60-day DL with rotator cuff issues. It remains to be seen if he will be able to play at all this year. The names from this dominant pitching staff now fill up DL reports instead of daily lineup cards.

Starter Cliff Lee, who has managed to avoid the injury bug, has recently been playing at an almost superhuman level. His complete-game shutout on June 27 was the third in a row, a feat not accomplished by a lefty since Randy Johnson back in 1994. He went 5–0 in the month of June with a .21 ERA, which set a Phillies record for lowest ERA in a month.

Not only Lee, but the entire pitching staff is producing league-leading numbers. This pieced-together bunch leads Major League Baseball with an ERA of 2.01. They have only allowed 257 runs, the fewest in baseball.

Phillies pitchers are keeping the ball in the park, allowing only 49 home runs, good for 27th (with 30 being the best) on the season. They also lead the league in walks allowed, with only 209, compared to the MLB-worst Cubs with 311.

Lee may be coming up aces and grabbing all the headlines, but these numbers are a collective total. It’s a testament to outstanding pitching from guys filling in their roles no matter what that role may be.

We Got Your Back

Vance Worley, in his sophomore year at the show, has provided solid pitching night after night, something his 2–1 record doesn’t tell. The Phils are 10–3 when he pitches and his ERA for the month of June is Lee-like at .82.

The closing job has been a game of musical chairs, especially of late. Andrew Carpenter was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 28 to replaced Madson on the 25-man roster and will partially assume closing duties. Carpenter, once a top starting prospect, shifted to the bullpen, a move that will allow him more opportunity to play. On June 29, skipper Charlie Manuel announced Antonio Bastardo will be given a shot at closing duties as well. Bastardo has never closed before, but, just like his fellow teammates, will take on the task that is needed.

Assuming no new injuries occur over the next month, the Phillies should have most of their pitchers back in time for a playoff surge in early August. If the Phillies can manage to be this dominant with a staff in constant flux, there might be no stopping them when they finally get healthy.

Follow Kristen on Twitter @Call2theBullpen