Keep The Change: Home, Sweet Home
With the Pittsburgh Pirates coming into town this weekend, the Phillies have a chance to go 10 games over .500 heading into the All-Star Break, and a realistic opportunity at a 9-1 home stand. A far cry from the last time the World Champs were at home.
But what’s changed?
Rollins is rolling
Last week, I was set to pose the question of what you would do right now with Jimmy Rollins. He responded so quick that the question never got the chance to be raised.
Rollins steamrolled through the Mets and has hit safely in every game on the homestand. His average is up 18 points since the start of last Friday’s game, and Rollins has scored seven runs during the same stretch.
We’ve heard it and seen it before: as Rollins goes, so do the Phillies. Well Rollins is “going” and the Phightins are winning. Go figure.
Werth it
While kudos go out to Shane Victorino on snagging the last All-Star spot, I’m not sure I wouldn’t have looked over to right field for the second most-deserving Phillies outfielder.
Even prior to Werth’s four-game homer streak, he is putting up numbers that deserved to be recognized. Despite his average of .268, Werth has 20 home runs to go along with 12 stolen bases 54 runs, 59 RBI and an on-base percentage of .373.
To put that in perspective, he is tracking: .268, 117 R, 40 HR, 107 RBI and 24 SB.
Werth is on track to have more homers, runs batted in and runs scored than Ryan Braun, Carlos Lee and Miguel Cabrera.
Pedro and Halladay
With the expected signing of Pedro Martinez and the nonstop Roy Halladay rumors floating throughout Citizens Bank Park, a couple fans asked me what I would do if I was the general manager.
The way I see it, Martinez is a low-risk, high reward deal. I’ll take Martinez over Rodrigo Lopez and Antonio Bastardo any day. If he doesn’t have it, then you go back to the drawing board like you have since Brett Myers went down. If he is serviceable, he might even be an upgrade over the inconsistent Jamie Moyer.
As for Halladay, I don’t care what it costs. You don’t turn any deal down. With no team wanting to step up and seize the National League, the acquisition of Roy Halladay makes the Phillies the hands-down favorite to win the senior circuit. The Dodgers may have the best record in the National League, but I’m not sold on them. The bulk of their wins came when the NL West was awful. With the Giants and Rockies turning their seasons around, the Dodgers are sure to come back down to Earth.
Inserting Doc into the rotation gives the Phillies a 1-2 punch that can’t be touched in the National League — maybe even baseball. Sadly, I think any deal bringing Halladay to Philadelphia almost guarantees the departure of J.A. Happ to Toronto. They want a Major League-ready pitcher as part of the deal. To that I say, thanks for your time Happ, but “smell ya later.”
Here’s hoping the Doctor is in … and soon.
