Decisions, Decisions for Phillies Post Season

With two off days and a Wednesday morning roster submission deadline, the Phillies brass are mulling over their options. They are likely studying match-up statistics, reviewing medical information and considering game scenarios. The key decisions include the pitching rotation, the number of bench players versus relief pitchers and who to keep in the bullpen.

The Phillies starting line-up is set and will likely only vary in order according to whether they are facing a righty or lefty starter. If Carlos Ruiz has any lingering soreness, it is possible that Paul Bako could get a start. Charlie Manuel could go a variety of different ways with his starting pitching. Considering the statistical splits and previous performances of his own pitchers, it would seem likely that J.A. Happ would join Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels in the rotation.

The most vulnerable area and biggest question mark is surely the bullpen. The loss of Chan Ho Park and J.C. Romero are big blows to an already tenuous situation. If healthy, both pitchers would have played very important roles and been called upon in critical situations due to their strikeout capabilities. The team desperately wanted Romero's left arm in the pen, especially with the Rockies left-handed line-up and the uncertainty created by Scott Eyre's elbow injury.

Brett Myers is just returning from a shoulder strain. Although Manuel's remarks seemed to suggest that he was tepid on Myers, it would be a large mistake to leave him off the roster. His closing experience, competitive spirit and ability to work out of jams with strikeouts could turn out to be a necessity in the late innings. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge appear to be closers 1a and 1b, but in the heat of tense situation, there is a lot to be said for calling on a pitcher with Myers' demeanor.

Although first innings have been treacherous for him, Pedro Martinez may be the best choice to move to the pen. With adrenaline pumping in a tense situation, Martinez would probably have more velocity from the outset to complement his movement and other pitches. Pedro's pitch repertoire, guile and tough minded approach would seem to make him more well suited for a pressure packed situation.

Happ has been the Phillies best performing starter all season long. Considering his shut-out earlier this season against the Rockies, and their lessened effectiveness against left-handers, Happ is likely to start game 3 or 4. Blanton threw well in last year's post season, and would be better suited as a starter due to his durability and pitch to contact style.

Rather than name game 3 and 4 starters now, it would make more sense to see what happens in the first two games. If Lee and Hamels pitch games 1 and 2, they would both be available to pitch in game 5, if necessary. With the lack of lefties in the pen, and after throwing only two innings yesterday, Happ could be called upon on Wednesday for a key out or inning. Accordingly, Manuel could decide who to start Saturday and Sunday.

Here is how I would project things:

Line-up 8

1. Rollins-SS
2. Victorino-CF
3. Utley-2B
4. Howard-1B
5. Ibanez-LF
6. Werth-RF
7. Feliz-3B
8. Ruiz-C

Rotation 4

1. Lee
2. Hamels
3. Blanton
4. Happ

Bench 5

1. Francisco
2. Stairs
3. Dobbs
4. Bako
5. Cairo

Bullpen 8

1. Lidge
2. Madson
3. Myers
4. Eyre
5. Blanton
6. Durbin
7. Walker
8. Condrey

Phillies End the Regular Season on a High Note

Yesterday's regular season finale ended on a high note for the Phillies. Back-up catcher and September call-up Paul Hoover lined a ball down the third base line that ticked off the glove of Wes Helms for a single, plating John Mayberry to give the Phils a 7-6, 10th inning victory over the Florida Marlins. Teammates bounded onto the field and happily peppered him after he rounded first base and sent the team into post season in style.

On a day that Charlie Manuel chose to rest all his regulars, except for Jayson Werth and starting pitcher J.A. Happ, the Phillies fought from behind all day. Manuel pulled Happ after two innings and used an array of relievers who may have been auditioning for a playoff roster spot. Although the game had little relevance and the regulars mostly remained on the bench, heading to the post season fresh off a walk-off victory provided somewhat of a psychological lift for the team.

Werth was in the line-up as a gesture of appreciation for his excellent season. He came into the game with a career high 99 RBI, but unfortunately was not able to push the total to the milestone century mark. He missed his last opportunity when he was intentionally walked (to a jeering crowd) with Mayberry on second base to get to Hoover in the tenth.

Despite the mild disappointment, Werth was a large contributor throughout the 2009 season, providing critical right handed pop amongst the team's left handed power hitters. He built upon last year's break out season as he became the full-time right fielder, clubbing 36 home runs to finish 7th in the National League. Werth finished with a .268 batting average, but more indicative of his contribution was his lofty .373 On Base Percentage, which was second highest on the team.

Happ yielded a couple runs in the first, before tossing a scoreless second inning. He also has played a large role in the Phillies NL East title, emerging as a highly dependable and effective starter. Happ ends the season with a 12-4 record, the league's 8th best ERA at 2.93, and consideration for a playoff start against the Colorado Rockies. He remains a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate, but may have been passed as the favorite by Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan, who turned in a huge second half to finish 6th in the NL batting race with a .321 average.

Sunday's victory pushed the Phillies overall record to 93-69, one win better than a season ago. This also secured the second best record in the National League behind the Dodgers. Attention now turns to preparing for Wednesday's National League Division Series against the Rockies at Citizen Bank Park, including important decisions about their playoff roster and starting rotation. Overall, the Phillies enjoyed another excellent regular season, but now the excitement rises to another level as they launch into the next phase of their World Series Championship defense.