Spring Fever: 10 Keys To a Philadelphia Phillies World Series Victory
As the spring draws closer, the talk of pitchers and catchers starts circulating amongst the fans.
Philadelphia Phillies fans, and baseball fans in general, start to grow restless as thoughts of home runs and Cy Young Awards dance in their heads.
With a tumultuous offseason almost over, the Phillies roster has been altered in a big way. It will be interesting to see the effects of the big addition of pitcher Cliff Lee and the departure of right-handed hitter Jayson Werth.
The following list consists of 10 things that have to happen for the Philadelphia Phillies to have a shot at another World Series win.
The wait for spring training is on and the let the excitement grow, Enjoy!
Carlos Ruiz
1 of 10
Let me start by saying “Chooch” is one of the best defensive catchers in the league. He has a rapport with the starting pitchers and that’s what you need to be a good catcher.
With the All-Star starting rotation the Phillies have, it is important to have a good catcher to call the games.
Ruiz is the best at calling games and when Roy Halladay gives you a ton of credit for his perfect game and no-hitter, you know you're damn good.
What is underestimated is his offensive talent. He hit over .300 last year and was one of the better eight-hole hitters in the league.
In a close game when you need to turn the lineup over or push in a run, Ruiz is the best option you could find in the eight spot.
Roy Oswalt
2 of 10
The midseason addition of Roy Oswalt was a major pickup for the Phillies.
Oswalt played solid in red pinstripes, posting a record of 7-1 with an ERA of 1.74. He also held the opposition to a batting average of an abysmal .186.
If the Phillies want to contend again for a championship, they need another stellar season from Oswalt.
Ryan Howard
3 of 10
Ryan Howard had a down year, but a down year for Howard is still better than most players’ best years.
Howard had 31 home runs and 108 RBI while his batting average was just above .275. The Phillies are going to need more production from the former MVP.
For the Phillies to make up for the loss of offense that the departure of Jayson Werth brings, they will need Howard to bring his power numbers up and try to bring his batting average up a bit.
.png?w=256)
Cole Hamels
4 of 10
Cole Hamels had 12 wins last year but that does not reflect how well he pitched.
Hamels ERA was just over three and he pitched very well for most of last year. It was the lack of offensive support that cost Hamels more victories.
The Phillies would be better off sliding Hamels down to the third starter spot and letting him face the other teams' third starter.
Being the third starter would help him make up for the lack of offensive production from the Phillies in support.
Tandem Of Ben Francisco/ Dominic Brown
5 of 10
The task of replacing the production of outfielder Jayson Werth will fall on the shoulders of the tandem of Ben Francisco and Dominic Brown.
Werth had one of his best statistical years, batting just under .300 and having almost 30 homeruns.
With his success last year, he decided to cash in on it and test the free agency market. He signed a seven-year contract with the Washington Nationals worth $126 million.
Dominic Brown is one of the brightest prospects to come through Philadelphia in years and the Phillies will need him to develop into a solid player who can play on a regular basis.
Brown is left handed so Francisco would have to play sometimes to add another right handed bat to the lineup.
Roy Halladay
6 of 10
The Phillies need the defending Cy Young winner to bring his same “A” game if they want to win the division and go deep into the playoffs.
Roy Halladay is an absolute workhorse who will have no problem logging at least another 200 innings this season.
The Phillies can give their bullpen plenty of rest this season with four starters who can all go seven or eight innings every start.
I don’t think the battle for the Cy Young award will be anywhere but in the Phillies locker room.
Cliff Lee
7 of 10
Stability and certainty can make someone more comfortable in a situation. Another factor in being comfortable in a situation is familiarity with the surroundings.
Cliff Lee has got both covered.
If Cliff Lee plays as well as he has in the past few seasons with the offense the Phillies have, we might have another Cy Young candidate in the Phillies starting rotation.
Lee helps solidify the best starting pitching rotation I have ever seen. It doesn’t even matter who pitches in the five spot. I mean I’ll do it and the Phillies will still win 90 games.
Jimmy Rollins
8 of 10
Jimmy Rollins is still a vocal leader on this team but his production has gone down every year since his MVP season.
With the injuries last year, Rollins was irrelevant for most of the year and looked stale at other times.
My solution would be to put Wilson Valdez in for more games this year to keep Rollins fresh and I would cut back on his steal attempts.
The Phillies could use Francisco/Brown and their base running abilities to make up for the decreased expectations on Jimmy Rollins.
Charlie Manuel may have to calm Rollins down when he cuts his games but if Rollins can handle the change, it would be the best move for the team and Jimmy Rollins.
Chase Utley
9 of 10
Chase Utley could be the biggest factor in whether or not the Philadelphia Phillies make it back to, and win, the World Series.
Utley had his worst year in recent memory and he needs a big comeback year.
The aging second basemen still has what it takes to be a top-tier hitter but he just has to get his head back into the game.
The offense will struggle if Utley doesn’t have a good season but if Utley starts off hot, he could have an MVP type season.
Finding Their Desperation
10 of 10
I believe the biggest key to the Phillies success in 2011 will be their drive.
At times last year, I felt like the team had the idea that they were entitled to the World Series. When a hungry San Francisco Giants team came in with less talented players, they beat the Phillies because they were desperate.
I am hoping the pitching staff, which is full of studs looking for a World Series ring, makes everyone on the team more desperate.
The most dangerous teams are the most desperate and if the Phillies want to make a run at a championship, they need to find their desperation again.
Lets go Phillies!
.png?w=480)
