Philadelphia Phillies: 5 Keys for the Phillies in Postseason Run

The Phillies are well on their way to their fifth straight division title, and will likely earn home field advantage throughout the entire postseason by clinching the league's best record. As evidenced by last year's National League Championship Series, anything is possible after that.

It will no doubt be difficult for any team to beat Philadelphia, but they are not the unbeatable juggernaut that some fans have been portraying them as. The rotation is loaded with aces, but there are several unmistakable inconsistencies that have cost them regular season games.

If they are to win another World Series, the Phillies will need to key in on nearly every area of their game. They don't have to be perfect. But they have to be close.  

Roy Oswalt

Last October, Joe Blanton simply didn't cut it as the fourth starter in the rotation. In Game 4 of the NLCS, the Phillies finally got to the Giants pitching. But Blanton couldn't hold back the Giants offense, who eventually won the game on a walk off sacrifice fly. The series, then in the Giants' favor 3-1, was effectively over.

If Oswalt is able to fully recover from his injury and return to his 2010 form, the Phils will have four dominant aces that can consistently be counted on. While rookie Vance Worley has been great this year, he has no postseason experience, and is not a reliable option to pitch in a big game.

If Oswalt cannot recover from his injury, the Phillies will need to consider pitching their starters on short rest. This is something Charlie Manuel has always been reluctant to do, and ideally, it won't happen. As long as their fourth ace is in the cards, the Phils have nothing to fear regarding the pitching rotation.

Leadoff and Cleanup

In years past, the glue to the Phillies' postseason success has undoubtedly been Jimmy Rollins. In postseason games since 2008, the Phils are 15-0 when Rollins scores at least one run. The Phillies will heavily rely on their former MVP to get things rolling this October.

But if the Phillies want to thoroughly maximize their offensive abilities, Ryan Howard will need to step up his game in the postseason. Howard has been the target of numerous criticism this season. He's been knocked for his faulty RBI total, his low average, and his extended lack of power. However, since the arrival of Hunter Pence, Howard has shown several glimpses of his normal, dynamic self. If Howard can bring that type of success into October, the offense will have no trouble backing the performances of the pitching staff. 

The Bullpen

One of the greatest surprises this season has been the depth of the Phillies bullpen. Ryan Madson did a great job of filling in for the injured Brad Lidge, and will likely remain the permanent closer for the remainder of the year. Antonio Bastardo and Michael Stutes have stepped up nicely and contributed in critical late-inning situations. Even Lidge has returned nicely with an ERA of 1.93 after six games, his best start since 2008 when he had his perfect season.

However, there are a few drawbacks to the set-up of this bullpen. Stutes has no postseason experience, and Bastardo has pitched less than an inning of October baseball. Madson and Lidge have different roles this year, but with their extensive postseason work, they should have no problem adjusting.

If the bullpen can hold it together as they've done all year, the Phillies' chances at a title will be heavily improved.

The Bench

The Phillies bench players have not performed extraordinarily well, with the exception of John Mayberry Jr. Ross Gload is having an okay season, but Wilson Valdez, Brian Schneider, Michael Martinez, and Ben Francisco are proven unreliable options for pinch-hitting.

Granted, the bench has benefited from getting some key hits this season, many of which have contributed to several important victories, such as last week's ninth-inning comeback against Colorado.

With the starters pitching deeply into most games, the bench is not likely to be used extensively this postseason. But in the rare instances they are used, their success is deeply important to the team's chances of victory, especially in closely fought games. 

Hitting Good Starting Pitching

Perhaps the biggest knock against the Phillies is their inability to hit stellar starting pitching.

The most notable starting pitchers that come to mind are Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, who the Phillies failed to get to in last year's NLCS and have continued to struggle against this season. When the Phils get into an offensive hole, it gets ugly quickly. Before long, the starter has blown straight through the Phillies lineup. The game simply flashes before their eyes. 

The Phillies may continue to blow away the competition for the remainder of the regular season. But in a few months, when it's ace against ace, it's anybody's game. The offense will likely, at some point, need to hit good starting pitching. If they can manage to do that, they will be more dangerous than ever.