What have We Learned?

Many baseball pundits say Memorial Day is really the first point during the season you can sit back and accurately review the season. So let’s do just that. What have we learned about the Phillies this year?

• The staff is good. The lineup is not. We knew this coming in and the fact that Utley missed almost all of the first 2 months didn’t help. The pitching staff has more than held its own especially since the bullpen has been better than expected. Bastartdo and Stutes have been valuable pieces. The types of pieces than earn you banners and rings.

• Wilson Valdez had a career year….last year. His bat hasn’t been as good as last season but he is a wizard with the glove and has a cannon for an arm even if it’s on the mound.

• No matter how you slice it this team needs (at least) another solid right handed bat. I won’t even go as far to say a power bat which would be ideal, but too many lefties in the heart of the order is a recipe for disaster.

• Vance Worley can be a very good MLB pitcher, at times. We haven’t learned if he can keep his mouth shut which is why he’s in Lehigh Valley.

• While his season was delayed due to injury, Dom Brown may actually be for REAL! In his last 7 games, Brown is 10 for 20 with a homer and 5 RBI’s. Not to mention, he was robbed of an extra base hit with the bases loaded by Lance Nix, which brings me to my next point.

• Teams get up to play the Phillies. Danny Espinoza and Jason Giambi put up monster games with the stick. Both Dan Uggla and Lance Nix’s only hopes of a gold glove involve finding one CJ Hood’s spray-paint cans, yet each made spectacular and game saving plays in the field.

• Chase Utley is a warrior and would do anything to help this team win, but I think his quick recovery as much to do with getting out of Philadelphia and as far away from DiamondGirl as possible.

• Michael Martinez blows.

• If you didn’t know this one I’m telling you now. Placido Polanco is, by far, the most under-rated and over-looked player on this team, if not the entire NL.

• If you have trouble getting Phillies tickets, you can just go to the nearest minor league affiliate as I’m sure someone will be there on a rehab assignment.

• Phillies fans are ridiculous. The world is not ending. The “rapture” was a farce. No matter how much you complain, you can’t do better than having the MOST wins in the MLB, which is where the Phillies are currently in the standings.

See ya at the ballpark!

Jay Wrizight

jaywrizight@yahoo.com