{"id":576,"date":"2010-08-23T08:12:38","date_gmt":"2010-08-23T13:12:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=576"},"modified":"2010-08-23T08:12:38","modified_gmt":"2010-08-23T13:12:38","slug":"phillies-third-quarter-report-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=576","title":{"rendered":"Phillies Third Quarter Report Card"},"content":{"rendered":"

Record Since All-Star Break:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>23-13<\/p>\n

Overall Record: <\/strong>70-53 (2.5 behind Atlanta, 2 game lead in Wild Card)<\/p>\n

\"oswaltThe Third Quarter of the Phillie season was one of constant roster turnover.\u00a0 Besides the injuries (Utley, Howard, Victorino), there was also the addition of Roy Oswalt to the rotation, and one of the top prospects in baseball, Dominic Brown, joining the team.\u00a0 Through it all, the team found a way to get back to playing winning baseball and again have themselves in position for a playoff berth.<\/p>\n

Though they’ve come a long since their abysmal play in June, there is still plenty of work left to get back to the Fall Classic for a third straight year.\u00a0 There are 39 games left in the regular season, and with the way the Braves are playing, the Phils will need to keep building on this quarter if they’re going to take the division title.\u00a0 With all of their key players healthy (at long last), including the very recent returns of the big bats in the middle of the order, it doesn’t seem out of the question.<\/p>\n

Catcher:\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, it was probably the best quarter-season of Carlos Ruiz’s career.\u00a0 He hit .309 and slugged .491.\u00a0 In his 19 starts since July 27th, he’s hit .367 (29-79)\u00a0with 21 RBI.\u00a0 But those numbers don’t even tell the whole story, because many of those RBI\u00a0came at the most crucial times.\u00a0 He hit a 10th-inning homer to beat the Marlins on August 5th.\u00a0 The next night he knocked in the go-ahead run in the 8th inning to beat the Mets.\u00a0 Then, he finished off the Phils’ amazing comeback against the Dodgers on August 12th, with a two-run double in the bottom of the 9th, to win the game 10-9.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

First Base<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0Ryan\u00a0Howard missed half of the 3rd Quarter with a sprained ankle, which is a shame,\u00a0because he was en route to his typical monster 2nd-half before\u00a0the injury.\u00a0 He had 6 homers in 67 AB’s, good for a .612 SLG, and was knocking in a run a game.\u00a0 Ross Gload and Mike Sweeney platooned in Howard’s absence.\u00a0 Gload made a huge contribution, hitting .341, with a .449 OBP and .610 SLG.\u00a0 Of course, he’s now on the DL with a groin strain.\u00a0 Sweeney hasn’t done much since being acquired.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0\u00a0B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Second Base<\/strong>:\u00a0 This spot was manned by Wilson Valdez for the vast majority of the quarter.\u00a0 He didn’t really hit at all, but hey, it’s Wilson Valdez.\u00a0 What can you really expect?\u00a0 He played\u00a0excellently in the field, and he did deliver a game-winning hit to beat the Diamondbacks on July 29th.\u00a0 Not that it’s saying much, but Valdez looks like the most valuable backup middle infielder that the Phils have had in a while.\u00a0\u00a0Let’s just hope he stays a backup.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0C<\/strong><\/p>\n

Third Base<\/strong>:\u00a0 It’s a pleasure watching Placido Polanco hit.\u00a0 He has amazing bat control, and always goes up with a plan.\u00a0 He\u00a0was briefly leading the league in hitting this week, at .325, but actually had his first 3-game\u00a0hitless stretch of the season and has dropped back to 5th in the league.\u00a0 Not that\u00a0Placido is expected to hit the long ball, but it is\u00a0a little disappointing that he\u00a0has only one homer since May 9th.\u00a0 His .984 fielding percentage leads all ML thirdbasemen.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shortstop<\/strong>:\u00a0 You can’t help but wonder what Jimmy Rollins’s season would have been like had\u00a0he not strained his calf muscle in a pre-game warmup before the home opener in April.\u00a0\u00a0It’s a small sample size, but over the first six games of the year, he hit .391, with 7 walks and\u00a05 extra-base hits.\u00a0 After missing the better part of two months, he’s just never been able to find his stroke.\u00a0 In the 3rd Quarter, he hit .239 with 1 home run.\u00a0 If there’s a silver lining, it looks like his legs are fully healthy, as he was 12 for 12 in stolen base attempts in the quarter.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0 D+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Left Field<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0In July, we saw the renaissance of Raul Ibanez.\u00a0 After a calendar year’s worth of struggles, Ibanez came\"ibanez\" through\u00a0when the team really needed him, with Utley and other key players out with injuries.\u00a0 For the quarter, Raul hit .311 BA\/.403\u00a0OBP\/.479 SLG.\u00a0 He had an 18-game hitting streak that stretched from July 22nd-August 11th.\u00a0 In the ten days since that streak\u00a0ended, he’s struggled, though he did pick up a 2-run homer on Sunday.\u00a0 With everyone finally healthy, the 38-year-old could maybe use\u00a0a couple days off to re-charge for the stretch run.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0 A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Center Field<\/strong>:\u00a0Shane Victorino missed a sizable chunk of the quarter with an injury, and when he’s been playing he hasn’t been very productive.\u00a0 His OBP for the quarter was just .294, and the\u00a0surprising power he showed in the first half of the season has disappeared, with\u00a0his last homer coming on July 16th.\u00a0 He’s showed some signs of heating up since coming back from the DL ten days ago, but he needs to get back to getting on-base and using his speed.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>: C-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Right Field<\/strong>:\u00a0 Jayson Werth saw a lot of time in center during the quarter, but we’ll just consider him here for grading purposes.\u00a0 It’s impossible to say\u00a0if Werth was affected by the trade rumors earlier in the season (and he made that very clear in a Sports Illustrated article<\/a>), but he definitely broke out of his lengthy slump\u00a0right around the time that the rumors died down.\u00a0 After a monster 1st quarter and sluggish 2nd, Werth has been raking again since the All-Star break.\u00a0 The big-time power hasn’t been there (3 homers), but he hit .350 with a .456 OBP in the 3rd Quarter.\u00a0 His 14 doubles\u00a0in that stretch have him leading the majors, with 41 on the season.<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>: A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bench<\/strong>:\u00a0 The big story on the Phils bench has been Dom Brown, who has stayed in the bigs even after the return of\u00a0the injured starters.\u00a0 He’s definitely showed flashes of his talent (a LONG home run, gunning a runner down at the plate, every time he runs)\u00a0but, all in all,\u00a0he hasn’t really produced much.\u00a0 Maybe the biggest indication of the seasoning he still needs: just one walk in 45 plate appearances.\u00a0 We already mentioned the positive contribution of Gload, and Ben Francisco also had a solid quarter, with a .356 OBP and .538 SLG in 52 AB’s.\u00a0 Brian Schneider really struggled (4-24), and Greg Dobbs and Cody Ransom, with their averages below the\u00a0Mendoza Line on the season, are now in AAA.\u00a0 Assuming the Phils make the playoffs,\u00a0there’s still a\u00a0bench spot or two up for grabs, as Sweeney and Brown haven’t locked up their spots.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0 C<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starting Pitchers<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0With all the issues the team has had with run-scoring droughts and bullpen blowups, the starters have really been the foundation of this team.\u00a0 They’ve definitely had their fair share of poor outings but, all in all, the team has gotten consistently excellent starting pitching all season.\u00a0 Thanks to the addition of\u00a0Oswalt, this is now (arguably) the best starting rotation in Phillie history, and they continued to show why in the\u00a0season’s 3rd Quarter.<\/p>\n

Oswalt <\/strong>has settled in nicely since his rough debut, and he’s now 3-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 5 starts for the club.\u00a0 Anyone out there that thought he was over-the-hill when the Phils traded for him has been proven wrong.\u00a0 The other Roy, Mr. Halladay<\/strong>, continues to carve up the National League.\u00a0 Doc was 6-1 with a 2.08 ERA in the quarter.\u00a0 He allowed 5 earned runs twice, but in his other five starts he gave up 1 run or less.<\/p>\n

Cole Hamels <\/strong>threw really well throughout the quarter.\u00a0 He gave up 1 run or less in four of his seven starts, for an ERA of 2.87.\u00a0 Amazingly though, he didn’t get a single win, going 0-3.\u00a0 Cole’s strike-out rate on the season is the best he’s had since his rookie year in ’06, which is a reflection of the increased velocity he’s had since last year, and also the cutter he’s developed.<\/p>\n

The back of the rotation, Joe Blanton <\/strong>and Kyle Kendrick<\/strong>, couldn’t stack up to the other three guys, but\u00a0not many pitchers in the game could.\u00a0 Kendrick had a bunch of really good starts, but also a few where he couldn’t get anybody out.\u00a0 He ended up 3-3 with a 4.83 ERA.\u00a0 Blanton, on the other hand, was really consistent, but consistently mediocre.\u00a0 To his credit, he gave the team a chance to win every time out, which is why he still has a leg up on Kendrick if the Phils use a 4th starter in the post-season.\u00a0 He was 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA in the quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grade: <\/em>B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bullpen:\u00a0 <\/strong>If there’s one aspect of this team that will keep them from winning a championship, we all know it is the bullpen.\u00a0 So how are things shaping up, and how will Charlie use these guys the rest of the way?\u00a0 First off, David Herndon <\/strong>and Danys Baez<\/strong> are basically just there\u00a0to eat meaningless innings when possible.\u00a0 Herndon is staying because he was a Rule 5 pick, and Baez is staying because he’s still owed\u00a0$2-3 million next year.\u00a0 It’s very possible that both would be left off the post-season roster.<\/p>\n

The 6th and 7th inning guys are Jose Contreras <\/strong>and Chad Durbin<\/strong>.\u00a0 Contreras imploded in his first game after the All-Star break, giving up 5 runs in less than an inning.\u00a0 But since then he’s been excellent, with a 1.46 ERA in 14\u00a0games.\u00a0 He’s ready to step into an even more important role, if needed.\u00a0 Durbin is hitting his first rough patch of the season.\u00a0 He is what he is.\u00a0 A useful and stellar relief pitcher, but not overpowering in any way and he will give up hits.<\/p>\n

And, of course, the 8th and 9th innings belong to Ryan Madson <\/strong>and Brad Lidge<\/strong>.\u00a0 Madson had a brilliant Third Quarter, posting a 1.37 ERA in 20 games.\u00a0 He struck out 26, walked just 3, and currently has a streak of 12 straight\u00a0scoreless appearances.\u00a0 Lidge will most likely continue to be an adventure.\u00a0 He was 11 for 12 in save opportunities in the quarter, but 7 walks in 12.2 innings doesn’t exactly put managers and fans at ease in the late innings of tight games.\u00a0 Unfortunately, we know what would happen if Madson were put in the closer role, so we’ll live and die with Lidge.<\/p>\n

Finally,\u00a0an area of concern is the left-handed options.\u00a0 J.C. Romero<\/strong> had a brutal stretch recently, though he looked pretty good in two outings this past weekend.\u00a0 Antonio Bastardo will be back at some point, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll gain Charlie’s trust enough to be used in key spots in October.\u00a0 I haven’t heard any rumors, but Ruben Amaro still has a week or so to\u00a0trade for a lefty reliever.\u00a0\u00a0Other names to keep in mind are Mike Zagurski and Scott Mathieson (not a lefty, but potentially useful), who are in AAA at the moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grade<\/em>:\u00a0C<\/strong><\/p>\n

Overall Team Grade:\u00a0 <\/strong>A TON of credit has to go to Charlie Manuel for this successful quarter.\u00a0 They won over 60% of their games with no contribution from Utley, and Howard missing half the games.\u00a0 Charlie was really patching his line-up together with some slim pickings a lot of nights.\u00a0 Of course, when your starting pitchers are getting the job done, that makes the job of the manager a whole lot easier.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Phils 4th Quarter schedule is strange.\u00a0 They have 14 games coming against teams in the Central and West division, then their final 25 GAMES are all against the NL East.\u00a0 Six of the last twelve games are against the Braves, including the final three games of the year in Atlanta.\u00a0 It’s hard to imagine the division race won’t come down to the final week.<\/p>\n

Third Quarter Grade:\u00a0 <\/em>A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Record Since All-Star Break:\u00a0\u00a023-13 Overall Record: 70-53 (2.5 behind Atlanta, 2 game lead in Wild Card) The Third Quarter of the Phillie season was one of constant roster turnover.\u00a0 Besides the injuries (Utley, Howard, Victorino), there was also the addition … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,1028],"tags":[23,377,382,222,807,210,14,308,1031,367,16,788,408,1044,309,322,218,213,369,1043],"class_list":["post-576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mlb","category-phils-weekly-report","tag-brad-lidge","tag-carlos-ruiz","tag-charlie-manuel","tag-cole-hamels","tag-domonic-brown","tag-jayson-werth","tag-jimmy-rollins","tag-joe-blanton","tag-jose-contreras","tag-kyle-kendrick","tag-phillies","tag-placido-polanco","tag-raul-ibanez","tag-ross-gload","tag-roy-halladay","tag-roy-oswalt","tag-ryan-howard","tag-ryan-madson","tag-shane-victorino","tag-wilson-valdez"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}