Sports

Philadelphia Phillies: Swept Away by the Fever!

After winning the World Series last year the Phillies have had an up and down 2009 season to say the least. After an emphatic sweep of the Choking Mets, maybe all that is about to change.

The Phillies 42-37 record should be your first clue that the defending Champs are not exactly a juggernaut this season. Then there is that unsightly 16-22 record at home. And that was before the sweep of Mets. Did I mention that the Phillies swept the Mets in convincing fashion? OK, just checking.

The Phillies struggled through June with an 11-14 record and lost 14 of their last 18 games before sweeping the Mets. They lost opening day starter Brett Myers for the season and they have been without their best offensive weapon, Raul Ibanez, for the last three weeks. Despite being out of the lineup since June 18th, Ibanez is tied for 4th in the NL in homers (22) and RBIs (59). The starting pitching has been terrible for most of the season. And the bullpen that led the NL in ERA last year was near the bottom in 2009. Brad Lidge was perfect in 2008, but struggled with his control like Michael Jackson struggled with his control around little boys.

2007 NL MVP, Jimmy Rollins has his average up to .217 average after lighting up the Mets. After a 0-28 drought, he went 5-11 with 2 runs, 3 doubles, 1 homerun, 3 walks, and 5 RBIs in the sweep of the Mets over the weekend. Rollins has been so bad this year that his on-base percentage is lower than the number nine spot in the Phillies batting order. That’s pathetic.

But all that might just be changing now. I just told you how Rollins did over the weekend, but he had plenty of company. The Phillies got three Quality starts from their starting pitchers, Rodrigo Lopez, Jamie Moyer and Joe Blanton. Lopez, who might be the answer to the Phillies search for a #5 starter, came in with a 65-65 record and 4.80 ERA in 188 games. He pitched 6.1 innings and gave up 2 runs on 6 hits and a walk, with 4 strikeouts. How much worse could he be than someone the team would get in a trade to be the #5 starter? Hell, the Phillies are going to watch Pedro Martinez throw on Monday or Tuesday, so they’re open to anything. Me, I’ll take my chances with Lopez for now unless Cliff Lee or Roy Halladay becomes available.

The starters aren’t the only ones turning it around. JC Romero is back from his 50-game suspension. Ryan Madson is back in his more comfortable 8th inning set-up role (Thank God). And Brad Lidge is back from a stint on the disabled list and throwing like the player who was a perfect 48-48 in save opportunities in 2009. He even struck out the side in the 9th on Sunday to complete the sweep of the Mets.

Raul Ibanez is scheduled to begin a quick minor league rehab on Monday night, so he should be back in the five hole providing protection for Ryan Howard. Chase Utley is still, without question, the best second baseman in MLB. OFs Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth are on their way to career years. And the Phillies have the best fielding percentage of any team in MLB.

There are still some problems, such as the poor home record, but that’s offset by the Phillies having the best road record in MLB at 26-15. We’re still waiting for the Cole Hamels who was the NLCS and World Series MVP to show up, but at least he’s healthy. And the Phillies do sometimes fall into the trap of acting like an American League team by waiting for the big three-run homerun to win a game.

In spite of all their troubles so far this year, the Phillies are still in first place in the NL East. They fell into a tie with the 2nd place Florida Marlins before the weekend, but the three-game sweep of the Mets has given them back a one-game lead. It doesn’t matter how many games you win the division by, as long as you win the division. The Phillies have weathered some injuries and prolonged slumps and it hasn’t hurt them. The good news is that they seem to be turning it around before it gets too late.

Let see: Good pitching? Check. Good defense? Check. Potent lineup? Check.

All of this adds up to the Phillies being poised to run away with the NL East in the second half of the year. It’s the same exact route that the Phillies took to winning the World Series last year. All you need to do is make the playoffs, then anything can happen. Just look at the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays last year right?

When the Phillies are celebrating their second consecutive Championship in October, we can point to the turning point of the season being this past weekend. You know, when the Phillies swept the Mets.

(And that 22-run explosion against the Reds last night was simply unreal!)

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