Starters Gave Phils Chances To Win In September
When the Phillies were hitting their stride in late 2008, they were receiving pretty hefty outings from their starting pitchers.
JA Happ
Sept. 17 – 6 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Sept. 22 – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Joe Blanton
Sept. 8 – 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K
Sept. 14 – 7 IP, 3 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K
Sept. 20 – 5 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 9 K
Sept. 26 – 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Jamie Moyer
Sept. 7 – 7 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 K
Sept. 11 – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K
Sept. 16 – 5.2 IP, 6 ER, 6 H, 4 BB, 6 K
Sept. 21 – 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Sept. 27 – 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Brett Myers
Sept. 5 – 8 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 10 K
Sept. 10 – 7.1 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 9 K
Sept. 14 – 9 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K
Cole Hamels
Sept. 2 – 7.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K
Sept. 7 – 5 IP, 4 ER, 9 H, 1 BB, 6 K
Sept. 13 – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K
Sept. 18 – 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Sept. 23 – 7 IP, 2 ER, 8 H, 1 BB, 7 K
Look at the consistency of these guys, especially Moyer, who strung together four very strong starts with just one clunker. Blanton improved with each start. And Hamels, while not dominant in September, managed get wins in three of his starts.
Next season the Phils will go in knowing Hamels, Myers and Blanton are back. You know — for the most part — what you’ll get with each. Expect an ERA at 3.00 for Cole, an ERA at 4.00 for Myers and an ERA at 4.50 for Blanton. You need something in between Hamels and Myers — at least one guy. Moyer, to me, might be that guy, or he might be the guy who had an ERA over 5.00 in 2007.
I do feel comfortable in the staff’s ability to win in September, as they’ve shown it twice now. But getting there, they may need another piece or two. The current staff of five-to-nine guys is probably good for getting the team 85 wins, but they need that extra push. Who’s the push?
