The Phillies 2010 Pitching Rotation and Bull Pen

As we all know pitching is the key for success in winning a ball game and the Phillies have had it in the past. For the past 2 years the Phillies have made it to the World Series back to back years. Besides them having one of the most powerful line ups in baseball the pitching is what has got them to both the 2008 and the 2009 World Series appearances. The 2010 rotation is going to be a question for some and not a problem for others. The number one questions that are going to be asked come opening day in D.C. just 67 days away is... will Cole Hamels have a bounce back year? Was it a mistake to get rid of Cliff Lee? How will Roy Halladay fair off in the National League? Who will be their number 5 starter Kyle Kendrick or Jamie Moyer? Also how good will the Phillies bull pen be this year after the nightmare they had last year? With Lidge being hurt, Madson not being on top of his game, and J.C. Romero being hurt as well the pen wasn’t as strong as they once were. Remember in 2008 the bull pen is what won us a World Series and in 2009 Cliff Lee is what got us to the World Series.

1. The Cole Hamels issue is what I think will help us get back to the World Series only because he's our number 2 starter and we need him to be the pitcher he once was and feed off of Roy Halladay. This is all folds on Hamels, if he has a good year with about 15 wins the Phillies will have themselves another World Series title and if he doesn't well things are just going to get a little bit harder and more questions will be asked. With Blanton who just signed a three-year contract worth 24 million and making 8 million per year and the young J.A. Happ behind him he should have no problem. Hamels is playing with one the best teams and best line ups in baseball, but it’s known in the past that when Hamels pitches he doesn't get much run support witch needs to turn around for him this year.

2. Getting rid of Cliff Lee might be a mistake, I only say this because will still have no idea how good Cole Hamels will be this year. Lee was your go to guy last year and he was what we needed at the time and I think we should have held on to him but then again we probably wouldn't have gotten Halladay. But there was more ways of keeping Lee and adding Halladay. The Royals were very interested in Joe Blanton and wanted to take him off our hands but the problem with that was the Royals had no prospects we wanted. So there for Lee went and Halladay came. I still think we should have worked out a deal but the old saying is - Should of, Could of, Would of but it just didn't happen.


3. Halladay in the National League just scares me thinking about it makes me nervous. But it doesn't matter to me because he’s on my team! I think Halladay playing with Phillies and in the National League will fear teams in the NL only because he knows how to pitch and with this team he is almost likely to have a “W” in each start and at least 20-25 wins this year with an ERA of 2.19. So I think Halladay in the NL will be great..... if you’re a Phillies fan that is.


4. Who will be the Phillies number 5 starter come opening day? That's the biggest question of all. With no more Pedro who will fill his spot? Will it be the young Kyle Kendrick who had a pretty good year at the end of last season or will it be the old Jamie Moyer who has been around this game for very very long time? To be honest I really can't tell you who is better. Kendrick yeah he did good last year but he didn't play a full season and has a lot to prove and we still don't know if he's ready. Moyer on the other hand who knows how to pitch and has what it takes to be a starter will he be healthy enough to play a full 162 game season? If you were to ask me I think the Phillies should have gone after Ben Sheets who the A's just signed for 1 year, $8 million. I say this because Ben Sheets is a great pitcher and yes he has had a few problems over the years but being in a rotation with Halladay, Blanton, Hamels and so for could only help him. But we know the Phillies aren't like the Yankees who just buy their team, they like to build upon their team. In the past it has helped them, so will just have to find out what will happen.

5. Will the bull pen be as good as it once was? Considering last year’s nightmare that’s another question I can't answer. With Lidge who was hurt from the start, to Madson not being the same pitcher he was in 2008, to Romero being hurt and not 100%. But people wonder will Lidge be that closer who helped win us a World Series in 2008 or will he be that same bum he was in 2009 that blew 11 blown saves and had an ERA of 7.21? Something to look into in 2010 and that's what the Phillies need to get in line. Madson on the other hand wasn't that good either being a pitcher who would give people the chills when he came in who also did a half way decent job and would have his on and off days. With 6 blown save in his book didn't make him the closer or the set up guy we needed with a 3.26 ERA. Between Lidge and Madson they combine 17 blown save not to mansion other pitchers who had blown saves as well. Then there's J.C. Romero who for the first 50 game was suspended for using steroids and being hurt for most of the year is very questionable how good he will be in 2010. Romero finished the season off with a 2.70 ERA.

So there it is how good will the Phillies 2010 pitching rotation and bull pen will be? I think the Phillies will again win the NL East Division, win the NL Championship Series, and win the World Series? I don't know, I guess will find out next October.

This is Beyond a questionable pitching staff, this is Beyond Baseball.


2010 Philadelphia Phillies Pitching Rotation at the moment.

1. Roy Halladay - 2009
ERA-2.79
W-17
L-10
SO-208

2. Cole Hamels - 2009
ERA-4.32
W-10
L-11
SO-168

3. Joe Blanton - 2009
ERA-4.05
W-12
L-8
SO-163

4. J.A. Happ - 2009
ERA-2.93
W-12
L-4
SO-119

5. Kyle Kendrick - 2009
ERA-3.42
W-3
L-1
SO-15

5. Jamie Moyer - 2009
ERA-4.94
W-12
L-10
SO-94