DO THE PHILLIES HAVE ENOUGH TO REPEAT?

The answer is....at this moment no. The magic that was present just a year ago is missing like a bad spark plug. There are holes and they are starting to reveal themselves and make no mistake, they are glaring.

The starting pitching has been atrocious at worst and mediocre at best. The starting five has already had a replacement as Chan Ho "Must Go" Park has been bumped by J.A. Happ. Not a bad choice but he certainly isn't the answer, especially when you're talking about a number 5 hurler.. Cole Hamels is beginning to shake off the banquet circuit hype to pitch like the ace he is. Brett Myers has the stuff to crank up 15 wins, but after that, the holes are bigger than a Manhattan pot hole.

Jamie Moyer is a victim of newer umpires that don't know what the black on the plate looks like and without that, he's no more than a batting practice pitcher. Joe Blanton was great after the trade from Oakland last season and still has the stuff to be a 12-15 game winner and eats innings, but he has not been sharp. We've already discussed the fifth starter.

Offensively, no problems, in fact, they are stronger with the addition of Raul Ibanez. Always a solid player, he was buried on a Seattle team that no one saw nationally. As loyal as fans are to Pat Burrell, Ibanez is definitely an upgrade and right now is getting serious consideration for an All-Star berth. After a slow start Jimmy Rollins is beginning to get going and that relieves all the pressure on the lineup.

Thew wild card here may be if the Phillies have the cujones to pull a deal for Jake Peavy. They have the cash to pay him, they have the prospects to give and they NEED him! The question is will they take a shot or watch as the Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox or Yankees steal him?

Time to step up guys, because this may be the shot in the lineup that can push them into The Series again.

They can get there again but not as they are construction on Memorial Day. Time for an adjustment.