‘Strength’ Of Schedule: Should Phils Be Happy?
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Wed, May 20, 2009 10:00 AM | Comments: 60
Posts, Raising Questions
At first glance a 21-16 record is fine work; especially with all the early distractions, it’s good the Phillies have skated out to a nice record. Of course, a look closer and you’ll find the effort behind the record.
Phillies vs.
Nationals: 7-2
Braves: 2-4
Mets: 1-3
Marlins: 3-0
Rockies: 2-1
Brewers: 1-2
Padres: 1-2
Dodgers: 1-2
Cardinals: 2-0
Reds: 1-0
Take out the Nationals and the Phillies are a square 14-14 team. The nine games against the Nationals have contributed to what ESPN has determined to be the easiest schedule in the league — a collective winning percentage of .474.
So now I ask, are you happy with a 21-16 record?
Posts: 0 Don M
You can only beat who you play… The Dodgers, Brewers, and Cardinals are better than expected … we’re 4-4 against those teams..
It was nice to beat the Marlins when they were playing great baseball to start the season..
We need to pick it up against the Mets and Braves though..
Considering how inconsistent our starting pitching has been.. I’m VERY happy with a 21-16 record right now
Posted: 10:03 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Woodman
A win is a win. The 7 against the Nats still count the same. The mark of a good team is beating the teams you are supposed to beat, like Washington. A 21-16 record at this point in the season is acceptable, despite who they have come against! Let’s not turn a positive into a negative, as is so easlily done on this site!
Posted: 10:06 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Kevin
It’s hard for me not to be happy with the record right now. So what that they have beat up on the Nationals. So have the Marlins and so will the Mets. You can’t forget about the two game sweep in St. Louis. The Dodgers have accumulated a 20-8 record against the NL West, where no other team is currently above .500.
Strength of schedule is bogus in my opinion when it comes to baseball.
Posted: 10:12 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Ben from NJ
Just makes me wonder what this team will do when they hit a stretch against a bunch of playoff caliber teams.
Keep beating up the bad teams so you can afford to misstep against some of the better competition.
Posted: 10:15 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 phillies fan
The Mets, Braves, and Padres were all playing good baseball at the time we played them.
One more thing, we split with the Padres because the one game got cancelled. It’s being made up in July
Posted: 10:20 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin
Wins build momentum, no matter who you play, if that helps build momentum when we have to play teams like Atlanta, NY (Mets or Yankees), so on and so forth, at least we’ll have momentum going into those games. You’ll never hear any player or team complain about being over .500 because they beat teams like Washington or Baltimore.
Like woodman said, a win is a win. If it comes at the hands of a lesser team, which until someone holds up the World Series trophy at the end of the year, every team is lesser than the Phils because they’re still defending their Title. Teams also see us with a bullseye on their backs so they’re going to play them tougher. I expect tougher games out of those teams that have beaten the Phils. But I also expect the Phils to play harder in the games than they did in their rough stretch. At the end of the year the Phils will still be their fighting and probably with the Playoffs on the line to build the momentum come october.
Posted: 10:21 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
Youre going to play the same teams every year anyway except IL play so it doesnt matter, BUT the point should be that they havent gotten to the hard part of the schedule yet. You saw what happened last year. They got creamed in IL play and it sent them into a tailspin that they didnt really get out of until August-September.
That being said, If JA Happ does a good job and if they can find someone really good to replace Moyer (whos all but done, maybe one or two good starts left in him and nothing more) then theyll be well-suited to start to do well against better teams.
They also need to shore up teh bullpen – if Romero can do it then fine but I dont trust him and hell have to prove himself all over again. They also need to improve the bench play – which has been atrocious. Greg Dobbs has looked like a minor league player. Coste stinks. Bruntlett is solid but hes not there for his bat. Stairs is fine. Dobbs has to come around eventually – I dunno whats wrong with him but hes totally off. They need to get someone right handed in there who can drive the ball in a pinch hitting situation. I also think Sergio Escalona should staya around and that they should make Romero do a few rehab appearances in AAA to show he can still perform. Then if Romero shows hes back fine you make the switch and keep Escalona nearby in AAA
Posted: 10:27 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Chooch's Cooches
Yeah of course our records against the Mets and Braves stand out, but so should the Marlins and Cardinals. Those are two very good teams. I think if our starters come around and we get Romero back, we will have the best summer of any team in baseball.
Posted: 10:30 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
It’s not being negative, it’s being REAL. You look at that record and it’s blatantly apparent they haven’t performed well against better teams. Tim’s just telling it like it is, nothing wrong with that. Nothing in life is all cherry blossoms and pussywillows, there’s always some thorns mixed in too.
Sorry for the flower references, but I’m going greenhousing today, so that’s where my head is.
Posted: 10:32 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Phlorida
I think the strength of schedule is a moot point. All the teams play eachother anyways, maybe some more than others but it all evens out. You may have a point when talking interleague play, if you look at the win percentages of AL v. NL, but who gives a crap about that, thats why they play the WORLD SERIES. The only thing this team should be focused on is the PITCHING, or seeming lack there of. Cole has started to come around, Myers will get it done, but the wagon rolls off the cliff after that.
Even with all of the missteps so far, we have only been a Feliz dribbler away from leading the division the whole time…
Posted: 10:42 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I think Mayberry might get the call-up for this weekend vs. the Yankees…
what is his situation, how many times can he be bounced up and down this year before we would lose him?
Posted: 10:43 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
Hey, a first for me on here, “my comment is awaiting moderation”, I think I used a word that is questionable?
Anyhow, what I basically said was, it’s not being negative, it’s just being REAL. That record shows that the Phils are having a rough time against the better teams, it’s a fact, can’t dispute it. Tim is telling it like it is, you can’t call it being negative when it’s factual info he’s passing along.
Posted: 10:43 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Geoff
I think its done by years. You can bounce someone as many times as you want in a year (I think) but it uses up one fo his option years – of which there are only 4-5 i think.
Mayberry would be a great asset to have in IL play to use as the RH DH or a bench bat. It would only help his developement. Then maybe he can get some confidence out of it and play well back in Lehigh before being a September call-up.
Id actually keep escalona over taschner to offset mayberrys callup.
Posted: 10:51 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin
Mayberry’s never been called up so I think he still has the full 3 options.
Posted: 10:52 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Woodman
When it is stated that the Phils are a .500 team without the Washington wins, it may be factual, but it’s STILL negative! Let’s give this team credit for being in first with the worst starting pitching in the NL (to date)! Come on!
Posted: 10:56 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I doubt they’ll send Taschner down.. he’s actually pitched well lately. Over his last 10 games, he dropped his ERA from a 7.20 down to a 3.86
He’s still walking too many guys though..
All teams in baseball should have a tough time against the better teams… otherwise they wouldn’t be the “better teams” …
Mets got to go against Moyer twice.. They couldn’t handle Park at all. The Braves jumped on us when we had no pitching, combined with no hitting to start the year.. We took both AT the Cardinals.. The Dodgers are the best team in the NL probably, and we had a nice series with them, easily could have won the last game..
So there is more to baseball than you’re Win-Loss Record… but that being said, I’m happy with the way we’ve been able to win games this season, knowing full-well that we aren’t playing anywhere near the level we know they can!!
Posted: 10:58 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I agree with Woodman… a .500 record and 90% of PhilliesNation was looking at that as the Glass Half Empty..
I was looking at it like we were struggling in every aspect of the game, and still talented enough to be a .500 team… thinking that when everyone gets their game going.. we’ll start taking 6 or 7-of-10 on a regular basis..
Moyer earned the right to pitch longer than mid-May… so hopefully he gets back on track.. They’ll give him until the All Star Break to rebound.. Carrasco had a nice start his last time out, but they same thing.. it will take some time to see which of those guys is the best option for the 2nd half of the season
Posted: 11:03 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Chutley
Strength of schedule is crap. WE PLAY THE SAME TEAMS!!!!!!!! It’s not our fault MLB set up the schdule like this. Are we not supposed to beat the NAtionals just because they suck?? Next time we play them we should let them win?? You spank the shit teams so that you can afford to lose a game or two agianst a good team. We’ve had a lot going on. WOrld Series shit, Harry, Hamels get hhurt x2, Visiting Barack O’DRAMA, our leadoff man hitting .100. Who cares what the record is?? If we were 1-36 i wouldn’t care cause FIRST PLACE IS STILL FIRST PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted: 11:04 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
Yeah, Don, they should have a tough time against better teams, But they SHOULDN’T have a losing record against all the better teams. My God, you can’t even say one little thing that’s not sunshine and roses about them, or you get jumped on. I know they’re the WFC, but c’mon, they do have some flaws, it’s not a friggin crime to mention them.
Posted: 11:11 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 DHall
Yes, the Phillies are not really set up for a DH against lefthanders. Coste…Bruntlett? They might as well let the pitcher bat.
Posted: 11:13 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Jeff of NoVa.
Mayberry can be bounced as much as you want right now, but as of right now his service in the pros has not started so they want to wait as much as possible before they start the clock ticking
Posted: 11:16 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
We beat the Cardinals twice at their place.. Dodgers beat us here, but we played them well that series, so im not worried..
The Mets beat Moyer twice.. got gift wins.. beat us when Park was pitching, and got their run on an error from Pedro Feliz
The Braves beat us at home..
We beat the Marlins when they were the best team in baseball.. that was at their place
so we’re 6-9 against the teams I consider to be legit, 9-9 if anyone is counting the Marlins still (which Im not) .. GOOD baseball teams have winning records against bad teams, and .500 records against good teams.. giving you an overall winning record.
But the Phillies buck those trends all the time.. we’re 13-4 on the Road this year.. when its said that GOOD teams are supposed to be .500 on the road.
Basically Im rambling here, but if you play .500 against the BEST teams, and you beat the other teams.. that puts you also among the BEST teams.. and while we’ve struggled early in the year, our team is FAR from playing their best right now, so we should only improve as the season goes along.
..
Its going to take a while until we find out who the real BETTER TEAMS are.. but from what I’ve seen, its US, Mets, Braves, Cards, Cubs, Dodgers. Brewers are fake, Marlins are fake.. the rest of the NL West sucks.. The Reds could get hot because they have legit rotation and lineup.. but they are young
Posted: 11:19 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Mark B
The don’t have a losing against all the better teams, unless you define “better teams” as including ONLY the Braves-Mets-Dodgers. They’re 3-0 against the Marlins and 2-0 against the Cardinals.
But the small sample sizes of games against most of the teams the Phillies have played so far (except the Nats) make generalizations at this point pretty meaningless, in my opinion.
Posted: 11:21 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Georgie
Don, that last post was VERY close to taking up my entire screen, but because it’s you, I read the whole thing!
I am in a rare mood today, so instead of driving you all crazy, I’m heading out to the greenhouses to buy my summer flowers.
Posted: 11:27 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Bruce
Of course, I’m “happy” with the 21-16 record. Considering the team’s daily grind of dealing with slumps, injuries and disappointments with effort (starters in rotation), it’s a sigh of relief that we are in 1st place.
And as others have posted, the schedule has a way of balancing the opponents during the course of the season for all clubs. Remember..a good team should take advantage of weak opponents and get those important wins; they all count. What I find interesting, it’s the team’s road record; 13-4! And yet they are 8-12 at home. Logic doesn’t always come into play in baseball. That’s another part of baseball we so love.
Posted: 11:32 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I noticed how long it was too, and found it ironic, since i just complained about others doing that..
but see how easy it was to read thanks to the spacing, etc..
I know exactly what you’re saying though Georgie.. I think im more concerned with the record vs. Padres, Brewers, and Braves than anything else.. 4-8 just isn’t good against those clubs..
JUNE is the month that tells us how good our team is:
4 @ LA,
3 @ NYM,
3 vs. BOSTON
3 vs. TORONTO
3 vs. BALTIMORE (great offense, no pitching)
3 @ Tampy Bay
3 @ TORONTO
If we go .500 in that stretch.. I’ll be really happy, even though its not a “great” record.. its good baseball against good team.. And anthing more than 12 wins in that stretch would be awesome!
Posted: 11:33 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 From Section 113
I acutally looked at this pretty positively.
- Played the Padres when they were hot, beat up on the Cards after they were hot.
- Played tough against the Mets and Dodgers (who are the best team right now)
- Beat up on the Nats and Marlins
- We need to beat up on the Braves so it’s disappointing there
- Split between the Rockies and Brewers
Now take into consideration JRoll is just warming up and our starters are the worst in baseball and it’s actually pretty amazing we are in 1st.
Posted: 11:46 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Michael N.
Easy schedule maybe but we have more wins on the road shouldn’t they count for something.
Posted: 11:57 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 brendan
13-4 on the road. ill take it. we can def play better tho.
Posted: 11:58 AM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Evan
The Phils can win against anyone if they work out their starting pitching and aren’t suffering from major slumps in the lineup. The important thing now is to make the proper adjustments to make that happen. Wins coming as a result of a weak schedule early in the year won’t be noticable if they work towards being stronger as the season progresses.
Posted: 12:10 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Fuhs
Fun fact: after 37 games in 2008, the Phillies were at 21-16.
Posted: 12:16 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Havoc
I’m actually impressed with where the team is right now. Considering that 3 out of 5 of our starting pitchers have been pretty horrible, and that as far as offense goes we’ve been playing without Rollins (until recently) we could be in a much worse situation. With Happ moving to the rotation, and the bats & bullpen starting to get more consistent I think the Phils are going to start playing really good baseball. The only thing I want is a right handed Matt Stairs, and for Moyer or Blanton to turn it around. Are we at 100% right now, no… but I think it’s starting to come together.
Posted: 12:18 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 EastFallowfield
How does it work? Do you get credit for playing a first place team for your record vs the Marlins (in first when we played them) or a fourth place team (their standing now).?
Posted: 12:29 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 christopher
gotta agree with Havoc, especially when you also take into consideration lidge’s early season struggles and the bullpen overcoming the absence of romero.
also i’m sick of hearing “yeah but they beat the nationals” every time they win over washington. the nationals have been a thorn in the phillies’ sides previous seasons, always seeming to play them hard and pitch them well for whatever reason. let’s enjoy it when the phillies do what good teams are supposed to do: beat bad teams, and beat them soundly.
Posted: 12:31 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Mike
You only can play the teams on your schedule. It is what it is. WE ARE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD AND NOBODY WILL TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US. I SALUTE YOU
Posted: 12:44 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Matt Kwasiborski
Considering everything the team has been through in the first month of the season, this is fine by me. They have had horrendous starting pitching and had to deal with the celebration of 2008 and the passing of Harry. To me, it looks like the team is getting into a bit of a grove. Rollins looks like he is waking up and Manuel pulled Park from the rotation which is a sign that it is time to start playing like we can or you will be on the bench. Phils already 5-0 on this road trip.
Posted: 01:03 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Charlie Manuel
Phillies are the World Champions
Posted: 01:11 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 ChaseUtleyMVP
I’m very happy…VERY happy.
think about it.
Cole wasn’t ready to start the year and got shelled.
then had 2 freak injuries knock him out of games.
the rest of the rotation has been iffy at best.
considering how bad the rotation has been, they could easily be 5 games UNDER .500
I’m very happy.
I’d like to see what the Mets splits are also.
it’s been said, you can only play who you play.
If Durbin doesnt get squeezed they probably take that Dodgers series.
couldnt get on big hit against Johan and Pedros error were the difference there.
I’m happy with 21-16.
because its good enough for a 1 game lead, 2 in the loss column
Posted: 01:37 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 NateB
The Phils always start slow, so an easy schedule to start is great for them! Now they will have a higher standard to play to the rest of the season (for example: thinking “we should always be 10 games over .500″). It’s always in their heads.
Posted: 01:45 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 PedroFelizMVP
21-16 es mucho bueno!
.315, yo soy “on” fuego!!
Si juegan FELIZ NAVIDAD más, produciré muchos homeruns.
Posted: 01:48 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 mikemike
We played them good but lost? That’s what I tell my son who plays little league, I tell him that so he doesn’t feel bad. Playing good and losing is a defeatest attitude. The phillies can’t be judge yet by who they played, too many games left against the teams mention. What we should be concern about is the starting pitchers, if it doesn’t turn around. This division will be lost and there won’t be a wild card from there division. Because no matter how well you hit, pitching and defense still wins most times.
Posted: 01:49 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 ryan
this schedule thing is pure nonsense. take any good team’s record against bad teams away and they are close to .500 .. the most important thing is that you have to consistently beat the teams you are supposed to beat. losing to bad teams is what will kill you.
Posted: 01:59 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
There is more to baseball than just winning… sometimes the umps make a call that costs you.. or helps you.. sometimes a ball hooks foul, or gets caught in the wind, or helped by the wind, etc..
I say that in the sense that you take what Rollins said about how each at-bat you need to feel like you’re building yourself up and doing the right things.. well the game is like that too, but as one pitcher can make you lose a game.. you look at the rest of the team and how they performed.
Even with our horrible starting pitching so far this year, we’re at 21-16 right now..
Posted: 02:02 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 mikemike
The mets are after johnson. who is always hurt. and they are saying peavy will defintely be moved.
Posted: 02:09 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 MP
Who’s in first?
Despite all of the problems with pitching, Rollins’ offensive slump, a slow start, etc. – we’re in first. Despite our problems, I don’t feel like there is a team better than us in the NL. We are going to win our division again. I think now that Happ has been given the chance, he will do well and I think Moyer and Blanton are going to settle in. So yeah, I’m happy with our record.
Posted: 02:13 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I would not want to face the Dodgers again, with or without Manny…
Other than them, I’m not afraid of any team in the Nationl League
Posted: 02:19 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Frank
mike where you hear that???
Posted: 02:20 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 shag beta sigma delta
Just like when the Phillies were slumping, first place in May doesn’t mean anything, I am Like Pedro, always Happy when they win. And have to agree with most of the posts here, you beat teams you should beat, and play .500 ball against team that you can beat. The only team that bothers me is the stinkin Braves, who I think we should beat. But that is must me, cause I hate the braves more than the Mets, it is a personal thing I don’t want to get into. IMO the phillies in the last 3+ years almost since Charlie has been here, peak in August and September, so I am happy with the winning record, and think like magic the pitching will turn around and or they will pick up a 3/4 starter around the all star break that will pitch well down the streach. I have faith in Myers, and JB to keep the PHillies in games, And I hope Moyer can fix himself. I am really pulling for him tonight
Posted: 02:21 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Joe
There’s a logical fallacy somewhere in this post’s assumption. We beat the Natinals 7 out of 9. Nobody else has played them that many times. It’s in large part because we stomped on them that they have such a poor record and are considered a weak team.
Posted: 02:31 PM on May 20, 2009
Posts: 0 mikemike
Mlb trade rumors is saying they should move murphy to first, but won’t and have interest in johnson. And Peavy will be moved
Posted: 02:36 PM on May 20, 2009