Here are the numbers from the middle of the order since May 5, the beginning of the four-game Arizona series (14 games):
Chase Utley: 10/51, HR, 5 RBI
Ryan Howard: 12/52, 4 HR, 11 RBI
Pat Burrell: 7/42, HR, RBI
Total: 29/145, 6 HR, 17 RBI
These numbers just don’t cut it for your middle of the order. Burrell’s production has been horrendous, though his on-base percentage has at least remained pretty good (from .442 to .422). It may be worth the trouble to move Burrell into the three-hole, where he hit toward the end of last season, to capitalize off his OBP better. And it may also be worth the trouble to move Howard to the six-hole.
How’s this order: Rollins/Victorino/Burrell/Utley/Werth/Howard/Feliz/Coste
Tim MalcolmTim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.
