Philadelphia Phillies: 10 Reasons Team Need Not Panic After Slow Start

The Philadelphia Phillies’ season has been like a real life version of the movie The Hangover so far.  It’s featured a little bit of everything, and we’re not quite sure how we got here.

Through 50 games the Phillies are 26-24.  Not terrible, but not the same pace that saw the team win a franchise record 102 games last season.

And with a payroll over $170 million, a record that has been hovering near the .500 mark and the bottom of the National League East may not be what was expected by this point in the season.

However, with the circumstances that the team has faced this season, a record that is just over .500 through 50 games may be just what the Phils need in order to remain within striking distance in the NL East.

With Ryan Howard and Chase Utley working their way back from injuries, the Phillies have a chance to receive midseason upgrades that not only affect the right side of their infield, but are also two key pieces of their lineup.

While this season has not gotten off to the type of start that was hoped for following a 102-win season last year, reasons for optimism still exist in a season that has already featured a little bit of everything.

The Season Is Only 50 Games Old

There’s still a lot of baseball left to be played.

Through 50 games this season the Phillies are 26-24, which includes only two series wins in the month of April.

However, 50 games played means that the team still has 112 games left to improve their offense, recover from injuries, and make up ground in the NL East.

And the team may not be in as bad of a shape as their early offensive struggles suggest.

As of May 28, 2011, only three of the eventual eight playoff teams were in first place in their respective divisions.

Although the Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals owned records that were five or more games over .500, the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks were all four games or fewer over .500.

Additionally, teams such as the then-Florida Marlins, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and San Francisco Giants were either in first or second place, although they eventually missed the playoffs.

At 26-24, the Phillies are not winning at the same pace as last season.

But with the season only 50 games old, the Phils may not be in a bad position.

Injuries Throughout the Roster

A number of teams have seen key players miss time with injuries already this season.

But few teams are missing players with MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-Star and even Hall of Fame credentials on their resumes.

Yet the Phillies remain within striking distance in the NL East.

With Howard and Utley currently on the disabled list, the Phillies are missing the right side of their infield, as well as the former number three and four hitters in their lineup.

The team has also seen Jim Thome, Michael Martinez, Laynce Nix, Michael Stutes, Justin De Fratus and David Herndon land on the disabled list.

The Phillies’ starting rotation, which ranks first in the National League in strikeouts and third in ERA, has also been hit with injuries.  Vance Worley currently remains on the disabled list, while Cliff Lee missed time earlier this season.

And with Roy Halladay experiencing soreness in his shoulder, injuries seem to truly be contagious for the Phils.

However, with over half of the season still remaining, each of these players has time to return to the team and contribute.

Howard and Utley’s additions may not necessarily put the team over the top, but their presence in the lineup could significantly boost the team’s offense.  Thome’s availability as a DH during interleague play could also have an impact.  And additional pieces for an improving bullpen could also help the Phils going forward.

The Phillies, like a number of teams, have been hit hard by injuries.  But time remains in this young season for these players to still have their contributions felt.

Improvements from April to May

The Phillies ranked eighth in the National League with a .247 team batting average in the month of April.

Through 26 games in the month of May, the Phillies were batting .282, the second-highest average in the National League and third-best in all of baseball.

Not bad for a team that scored just 76 runs through the first month of the regular season.

In addition to scoring just 76 runs, the Phils also had 192 hits, 14 home runs, 72 RBI and a .293 OBP in the month of April.

In comparison, through 26 games in May, the Phils have 262 hits—the most in the National League—24 home runs, 120 RBI and a .340 OBP.

Not quite night and day, but still a number of offensive improvements across the board.

Furthermore, the Phillies walked just 48 times in April, the lowest total in the National League.

So far in May, the team has drawn 74 walks.

The Phillies still have areas that need major work, but the improvements made since the first month of the regular season could be reasons for optimism.

Still Competitive in the National League

For as slow of a start as the Phillies got off to this season, the team’s current record keeps them in the heart of competition in the National League.

Besides the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals, no team in the National League has more than 27 wins.

Which means that the Phillies, with their 26 victories to the start the season, have not only remained competitive, but could be just one win streak away from rising to the top of the National League.

The Atlanta Braves have recently gone from being in first place in the NL East and nine games over .500 a week ago to, after enduring eight consecutive losses, finding themselves tied with the Phils and four games back.

Although this shows how quickly a losing streak can affect a team, the reverse could also help a team rise in the standings.

For the Phillies, a few wins strung together could see the team not only reach closer to the top of the NL East, but the National League, as well.

Additional Wild Card Team

For a team that has won five-consecutive National League East titles, the inclusion of an extra wild card team in each league during postseason play may not have seemed like a major addition initially.

However, a slow start combined with a crowded National League may make the second wild card team that has been added in each league a welcome addition for the Phillies.

The Phillies are currently four games out of first place in the NL East, but only 1.5 games back from claiming one of two wild card births.  Although the team has its sights set on winning another NL East title, the additional opportunity for reaching the postseason could come into play.

And this season wouldn’t be the worst for claiming a wild card spot.

Although the two wild card teams in each league will have to play each other in a play-in game, the winner will then host its next two playoff games rather than travelling to face a division winner.

Winning the NL East may still be the Phils’ first goal, but the addition of a second wild card team, especially with this postseason’s unique scheduling, may provide a bit of a safety net.

Far-Reaching Effects of Injuries

The Phillies’ injured players this season have not only played a hand in the team’s slow start, but have also affected the players currently in the lineup.

Without Howard and Utley in the lineup, the Phils have had to replace the duo’s production at the plate while rearranging their lineup and batting certain players in unfamiliar spots.

Hunter Pence, who batted .325 with 22 strikeouts from the number five spot last season, had been forced to bat in the cleanup spot until recently.

From the cleanup spot this season Pence had batted .265 with 33 strikeouts.

Shane Victorino batted .308 with eight home runs and 25 RBI in 198 at-bats from the two spot in the lineup last season.

This season, in 91 at-bats from the three spot, Victorino is batting .275 with one home run and nine RBI.

The major bright spot for the Phils, however, has been Carlos Ruiz.  Ruiz has had over fifteen plate appearances from four different spots in the Phillies’ lineup this season. 

And he’s batting over .300 from all of them.

On the season, Ruiz is batting .366 with seven home runs and 29 RBI.

The Phillies have also seen rookie Jake Diekman strike out 10 batters in 5.1 innings and Raul Valdes strike out 10 in 7.1 innings, and have enjoyed recent clutch performances from Kyle Kendrick and Ty Wigginton.

Injuries have caused some Phillies to struggle in their new spots in the lineup or bullpen while others have seen success.  If the team’s injured players return and the success of current players continues, the Phillies may be able to fully rebound from their slow start.

Can NL East Teams Hold On?

The NL East is currently the only division in the National League in which every team has a winning record.

But will each one of these teams continue to find success throughout the season?

The Nationals, who are in first place with a 29-19 record, are currently led by players whose ages range from 19-27, and who have minimal pennant race experience.

The Braves are currently in the midst of an eight game losing streak and are coming off a 9-18 record during last year’s final full month of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Marlins rank 10th in the National League with a .983 fielding percentage, while the Mets’ relievers currently have the highest ERA in the league.

So far this season every team in the National League has remained competitive, but with each team, including the Phillies, having areas in need of improvement, the current standings may continue to shuffle. 

Which means the Phils may soon have their turn at the top of the division.

Cole Hamels and the Starting Rotation

Hamels’ future with the Phillies may be uncertain, but the left-hander has built off of last season’s success to lead the team’s rotation this season, a starting rotation that ranks first in the National League in strikeouts and third in ERA.

In 10 starts this season, Hamels is 8-1 with 72 strikeouts and a 2.43 ERA.  He has struck out six or more batters in eight of his 10 starts.  Hamels is also currently in the top five in the National League in wins and strikeouts and in the top 10 in ERA.

And with Worley, Lee and, most recently, Halladay, experiencing some sort of injury or injury concern, Hamels’ success has had an even greater importance for the Phils.

However, with a starter’s ERA of 3.32 to go with 280 strikeouts and a 4.38 K/BB, the Phillies’ rotation has witnessed starters besides just Hamels find some sort of success.

Lee, although winless, has an ERA of 2.82.  Halladay has 56 strikeouts in 72.1 innings.  Worley has 45 strikeouts to go with a 3.07 ERA.  Joe Blanton and Kyle Kendrick have both given the Phils complete game shutouts.

Although the rotation has hardly been intact due to injuries, Phillies’ starters have still found success as the team’s offense and bullpen have endured struggles.

If healthy, the Phils’ starting rotation, combined with improved offensive performances, could lift the team back to the top of the standings.

Home Record Can Improve

With over 220 consecutive home game sellouts, the Phillies may have one of the best home field advantages in the league.

However, that home field advantage can only be beneficial if the Phils are winning games, which hasn’t happened as consistently this season as it has in the past.

In 24 games at home so far this season, the Phillies have gone 11-13.  In 10 of those 13 losses at home the team scored two runs or fewer.

Through the team’s first 24 home games last season, the Phils went 16-8.

Only four teams in the National League have more home losses this season.

But if the team can start winning with consistency once again their home record can greatly improve, not simply as a result of more wins, but also because of a sold out stadium providing one of the best home-field advantages in baseball.

A losing record at home demonstrates the slow start that the team got off to, but few teams can still regain an advantage at home like the one the Phillies can if they continue to improve.

Too Much Experience

The Phillies have gained an advantage in recent years that no team in the NL East can match from that same stretch.

Five consecutive division titles and numerous postseason victories have given the Phils more experience in pennant races and playoff games than a majority of teams they will be competing with for playoff positioning.

Although the team has gotten off to a slow start, the experience that the team has can keep them as a legitimate contender in the NL East as long as they remain within striking distance.

And the return of injured players can only add to that experience.

Few teams in division title chases could send out players with NLCS MVP, World Series MVP and various other clutch postseason performances to their name.

Since 2007, the Phillies have played 46 postseason games.

Which means that there are more reasons for optimism following the team’s slow start than there are for panic.