Philadelphia Phillies: 7 Keys to the Phillies Winning the 2011 World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies have been referred to with many different names throughout the 2011 season. The best team in baseball, the best pitching rotation in history, World Series favorites, the Four Aces and my personal favorite, the Miami Heat of baseball.

Well, we all know how the Miami Heat fared when it came to the playoffs, but the Phillies expect to take a very different trip through the postseason.

As always, the goal is to win the World Series, and with the team Ruben Amaro, Jr. has assembled, this goal is very attainable. With great pitching and a stellar offense, the Phillies are only a few steps away from parading down Broad Street.

Here are the keys that the Phillies will need to do to become the World Champions once again. 

7. The Phillies Need to Get a Good Pitching Performance from Roy Oswalt

Roy Oswalt has not officially been named the fourth starter for the playoffs, but I can't see how Charlie Manuel could pick against him and his postseason experience. Oswalt has proven to be great in the last months of the season including going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA during the 2005 National League Championship Series. He has veteran savvy and is a good asset for the Phillies.

Unfortunately for Oswalt, baseball is not so much a game of past accomplishments but rather a game of "what can you do for me lately."

Oswalt has not had the best season, missing significant time due to a lingering back injury. Oswalt's pitching stats do not exactly stand out. Going 7-9 with a 3.88 ERA isn't exactly what is expected of an ace, but as the Phillies' fourth pitcher, Oswalt is right on par if not even above stats of a fourth starter.

Ever since coming off of the DL, Oswalt has been pitching better. The speed that his fastball lost has returned, and his pitch location is giving hitters trouble once again. 

If the Phillies want to win the World Series, they need Oswalt to pitch up to the caliber that he was in 2005 when the Houston Astros made it through to the World Series. At this point in his career, it is obvious that Oswalt cannot be the pitcher who blew 95 mph fastballs past opposing hitters, but so far in the season, he has been crafty enough to adapt.

In the playoffs a fourth starter is not a necessity, but Oswalt gives the Phillies options. He needs to put in at least two solid starts of six innings and three earned runs or less in the National League Championship Series and World Series combined if the Phillies want to win the World Series. 

6. Closer Ryan Madson Will Have to Record at Least 4 Saves

Ryan Madson earned the role as Phillies closer at the beginning of the 2011 season. With Brad Lidge sidelined by injury, Madson, who had closed for the Phillies in the past, took and embraced the role. Madson was perfect in save opportunities until an injury of his own forced him to miss time.

It seemed that Madson was going to lose his closing job when he came back because the Phillies' young star, Antonio Bastardo, had taken the reigns and embraced the role. Bastardo had so much closing success that it was all but certain Madson was out of a job.

Maybe it was fate, but just as Madson made his return to pitching, Bastardo began to struggle, and Madson got his job back. Even when Lidge came off of the DL, Madson still remained the closer, showing that this was indeed his job to lose.

With Madson back in the closer's role, the Phillies have had a lot of success this season when it comes to shutting down games. He is 30-32 in save opportunities with a 2.68 ERA.

Madson looks to get a few opportunities this postseason because of the pitching the Phillies could face. Each of the National League playoff teams currently in first all have at least two good pitchers. Although the Phillies pitchers are still statistically better, the pitching duels and continued year of the pitcher look to produce some close playoff games.

I expect Madson to get anywhere between four and seven save opportunities, and for the Phillies to win the World Series, he has to convert all of them.

5. Platooning John Mayberry, Jr. and Raul Ibanez Will Payoff

Charlie Manuel needs to stick with the plan that has gotten the Phillies this far already and continue to platoon John Mayberry, Jr. and Raul Ibanez in left field.

Coming into the 2011 season, the outfield was one area of the Phillies team that had everyone asking questions. With Ibanez aging and rookie Domonic Brown being thrown into the mix to replace Jayson Werth, Shane Victorino was really the only outfielder whose job was secure.

While Brown suffered early season struggles and an injury that kept him out of the line-up, Mayberry surged out of the gate as soon as he got his opportunity including a walk-off RBI in his first game. Despite a minor league demotion to make room for Brown coming off of the DL, he proved to the Phillies that he deserved the starting job, and with hard work and an amazing streak where 17 of his 26 hits were for extra bases, he eventually won the job over both Brown and the opening day LF, Ben Francisco.

Mayberry was in right, Ibanez in left and Victorino in center, but that all changed when the Phillies acquired Houston Astros superstar Hunter Pence. Pence was immediately launched into the right field spot, and Mayberry temporarily found himself out of a job until Manuel decided on the platoon.

With Mayberry facing left-handed pitchers and Ibanez going against the righties, the Phillies have compiled a pretty good outfielder. Having both of these guys starting in the playoffs will be key because not only does this allow Manuel to rest the older Ibanez, but it also allows him to have bench options which will be very important if the Phillies want to win the World Series.  

4. Cole Hamels Will Play a Vital Role in the Pitching Rotation

On most teams, Cole Hamels is the guy who would start Game 1 of the NLDS, NLCS and World Series. On the Phillies, he would pitch the third games and, depending on the rest of the rotation's success, could get as few as three postseason starts.

Hamels needs to make the most of those starts.

Cole Hamels brings something to the rotation that none of the other Phillies aces has—a World Series ring and MVP. Hamels was absolutely dominant in the 2008 World Series, and if the Phillies want to win it again, Hamels has to be at the top of his pitching game.

Most of the teams the Phillies could face to get back to the World Series all have quality one and two guys. The Arizona Diamondbacks would send Ian Kennedy (19-4) and Daniel Hudson (16-10) against Roy Halladay (18-5) and Cliff Lee (16-7). Halladay and Lee might also have to face the combination of Tim Hudson (14-10) and Tommy Hanson (11-7) of the Atlanta Braves. Then there is the possibility of facing Justin Verlander (23-5) and Max Scherzer (14-8) of the Detroit TIgers or CC Sabathia (19-8) and Ivan Nova (15-4) of the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Given all of these matchups, it is pretty certain that Halladay and Lee will not win all of their postseason starts. Because of this, Cole Hamels is extremely important.

Hamels, although really having the talent of a No. 1, will pitch after Halladay and Lee. He will pitch against team's third starters who are actually considered third starters. Hamels will most likely have the edge in all of his starts and because of this, he needs to win. How he pitches will determine if the Phillies win the World Series in 2011. 

3. Ryan Howard Needs to Have a Productive World Series

It is pretty easy to say that Ryan Howard is the offensive spark plug of this team. His RBI and HR totals are always in the top ranks of the National League, and his timely hitting has helped the Phillies in the past.

In 2008 when the Phillies won the World Series, Howard had three home runs and six RBI. He was almost non-existent in the NLDS and NLCS, but when the World Series began, Howard turned it on. His power and production were key in the Phillies beating the Tampa Bay Rays.

In 2009, Howard had a great NLDS and NLCS, but when it came to the World Series against the New York Yankees, his power numbers were just not there. On top of that his average was only .174. Needless to say but with Howard putting up lackluster numbers, the Phillies did not win the World Series. 

It is clear that if Ryan Howard goes then so does the team. His hitting success gives Chase Utley, who hits in front of Howard, and Hunter Pence, who hits behind him, much better pitches to hit and in turn helps these guys have more productive at-bats.

Ryan Howard needs to have a good World Series, both in average and in power numbers if the Phillies want to win the Championship.

2. The Phillies Must Take Advantage of Having Home Field Throughout the Playoffs

Having home field advantage is certainly something not to be taken for granted, especially when home is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Being able to play most of their NLDS, NLCS and World Series games at home will be a huge boost for the Phillies. The fans in Philadelphia are unlike any other, cheering on their team with passion, especially in the playoffs.

It will be in the Phillies' best interest to make the most of the Philly crowds. By getting leads early and keeping the crowd in it, the Phillies, who have 50 wins at home this year, will have an advantage over any team they face. As rally towels wave amongst seas of red, the Phillies ability' to keep the crowd enthused will in the end make all of the difference.

It is more than just the crowd, however. The Phillies know their ballpark better than any other team. They know the weird bounces balls take after hitting the walls or crevices. They know how to handle the caroms to manage damage, and they are familiar with how the infield and outfield play. The Phillies also play in a hitter's ballpark. They have pitchers who don't give up many home runs and hitters who can blast one at any second. Playing at home will be very important for the Phils.

Finally, and this may be the strangest reason of all, but the Phillies pitchers like to hit, and they are good at it. Cliff Lee especially loves hitting and has even hit two HR in the 2011 season. Being at home for the World Series means that the Phillies pitchers will get a chance to hit, and with their two best hitters in Lee and Cole Hamels pitching the second and third games, they will certainly get their at-bat opportunities.

1. Chase Utley Has to Be Chase Utley

Enough cannot be said about the Phillies' second baseman, Chase Utley. He is such an asset to this team in every facet of the game that without him out on the field for every game of the playoffs, the Phillies will have a hard time winning the World Series.

Simply put, Chase Utley is irreplaceable.

The Phillies have tried to find substitutes for Utley while he battled early season injury and a late season concussion, but nothing has worked. Pete Orr, Michael Martinez and Wilson Valdez all had their chances, but none of them could even come close to replicating the production of Utley.

With Utley in the lineup, the Phillies have someone who can hit for power, hit for average, steal bases and make plays. He has speed on the base paths, and when it comes to baseball IQ he is one of the smartest players to step onto a baseball diamond. On the field he is a leader, and in the clubhouse he is a presence. With Utley, the double-play combination of Utley and Jimmy Rollins is also in tact and prevents defensive errors.

That being said, in order for the Phillies to win the World Series not only do they need Utley on the field, but they also need him to be 100 percent healthy, which is something that Utley has not really been for the majority of this season.

The knee injury he suffered which caused him to miss some time at the beginning of the season is one that is not completely healed. He did rush back a little from the injury which is cause for concern in seeing the the pain linger. As a result of the injury, his production has not been what it has been in the past. In fact, his stats are the lowest they have been in his career.

In order for the Phillies to once again be crowned as the great Harry Kalas called, "World Champions of Baseball," Utley needs to have a good postseason. He needs to be the Chase Utley of past years by hitting for average, getting RBIs, scoring runs and just making plays the way that only Utley can. He is the biggest piece to the Phillies winning another World Series.