Spring Break
Phillies reeling as they welcome Bonds, Giants
By: Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 6/1/07 Section: Sports
Originally published: 6/1/07 at 2:33 AM EST
Last update: 6/1/07 at 2:33 AM EST
Originally published: 6/1/07 at 2:33 AM EST
Last update: 6/1/07 at 2:33 AM EST
Just when you thought the Phillies were finally over the hump, they went out and blew it.
After sweeping the second place Atlanta Braves on the road to bump their record to 26-24, two games above .500, the Phillies were swept at home by a young Arizona Diamondbacks team.
The Phillies now find themselves with a record of 26-27 as they welcome Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants for a four game series June 1-4. The Giants, like the Phillies, have struggled lately, losing five of their last six games.
If the Phils wish to get back over the .500 mark again, they should revert to the way they played against Atlanta, getting consistent offensive output and timely hitting from not only the top but also the bottom half of their lineup.
Ryan Howard will need to be a major contributor with his bat. Since coming off the disabled list, a healthier Howard has looked more comfortable at the plate. He has belted three homeruns since coming back, the most recent of which was to left field. A good sign considering one of Howard's greatest strengths is hitting the ball to the opposite field. It is important that Howard continues to use all fields, instead of pulling off the ball, like he was doing while he was injured.
With Howard back, the top four in the lineup will feature stability with Jimmy Rollins returning to his familiar position at the top of the order, followed by Shane Victorino and Chase Utley.
All three have been major catalysts during the season, having to often overachieve to fill the void left by Howard. Victorino is currently fifth in the league in steals with 16 while Utley's 41 RBIs are good for eighth in the league. Rollins, while playing a steady shortstop, provided the Phillies with early power and has since been using his speed to create havoc on the base paths.
Protection for Howard is still an issue. Pat Burrell is still struggling, what else is new? Burrell did not have a hit on the last Phillies Roadtrip (0-15) and found himself riding the Phillies bench for a few games. Burrell did have a multi-hit game against Arizona, so maybe that is something to build on, but probably not.
After sweeping the second place Atlanta Braves on the road to bump their record to 26-24, two games above .500, the Phillies were swept at home by a young Arizona Diamondbacks team.
The Phillies now find themselves with a record of 26-27 as they welcome Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants for a four game series June 1-4. The Giants, like the Phillies, have struggled lately, losing five of their last six games.
If the Phils wish to get back over the .500 mark again, they should revert to the way they played against Atlanta, getting consistent offensive output and timely hitting from not only the top but also the bottom half of their lineup.
Ryan Howard will need to be a major contributor with his bat. Since coming off the disabled list, a healthier Howard has looked more comfortable at the plate. He has belted three homeruns since coming back, the most recent of which was to left field. A good sign considering one of Howard's greatest strengths is hitting the ball to the opposite field. It is important that Howard continues to use all fields, instead of pulling off the ball, like he was doing while he was injured.
With Howard back, the top four in the lineup will feature stability with Jimmy Rollins returning to his familiar position at the top of the order, followed by Shane Victorino and Chase Utley.
All three have been major catalysts during the season, having to often overachieve to fill the void left by Howard. Victorino is currently fifth in the league in steals with 16 while Utley's 41 RBIs are good for eighth in the league. Rollins, while playing a steady shortstop, provided the Phillies with early power and has since been using his speed to create havoc on the base paths.
Protection for Howard is still an issue. Pat Burrell is still struggling, what else is new? Burrell did not have a hit on the last Phillies Roadtrip (0-15) and found himself riding the Phillies bench for a few games. Burrell did have a multi-hit game against Arizona, so maybe that is something to build on, but probably not.
jimbo jones
posted 6/05/07 @ 2:29 PM EST
well done article.
it's just annoying if you are a phillies fan ya know?
every year we keep saying 'we need clutch hitting, timely hitting, consistency and fundametal and sound baseball' and we never get it. (Continued…)