Monday, May 16, 2011
Posted: 9:48 p.m.Updated: 11:45 p.m.
By Jim Salisbury
CSNPhilly.com
BOX SCOREST. LOUISFor a team with the best record in the National League, the Phillies sure have a lot of concerns.
Their offense is anemic.
One of the starting pitchers has been working with a cranky elbow.
Another admits his fastball might not be back for a couple of more starts.
The third basemanand best hitter on the clubhas a stiff back.
And on top of it all, the 120 million addition to the pitching staff doesnt have a win in over a month.
MLB
How is this team 25-15?
Mostly good pitching has done it. Some weak competition, too. But the schedule is toughening now. Atlanta over the weekend. St. Louis now. Colorado, Texas and Cincinnati coming up.
The Phils have not fared well against the tougher competition. They followed up two weekend losses in Atlanta with another defeat Monday night. Their 3-1 loss to St. Louis at Busch Stadium was their season-high third in a row. In those games, Phillies hitters have been held to just 12 hits and a .135 batting average.
Thats hold-your-nose stuff.
On Monday night, the Phils had just five hits and one of them was by starting pitcher Cliff Lee, who hasnt won a game since April 14.
Lee has been victim of some poor run support and Monday night was another example. With Shane Victorino (sore hamstring) and Placido Polanco (stiff back) out of the starting lineup, the Phils pushed across just a run in the second inning in making Jake Westbrook, who entered with a 6.92 ERA, look like a Cy Young candidate.
On Tuesday night, the Phils face a legitimate Cy Young candidate in lefty Jaime Garcia (5-0, 1.89). Hes the next pitcher to get his chance to feast on a lineup that has been held to three or fewer runs 21 times in 40 games. If that math is not scary enough, consider this: Roy Oswalt is making his first big-league start in three weekshe missed time with a lower back strainand hes not sure his fastball will be back for a couple of more starts. As if Oswalts uncertain status isnt enough, Joe Blanton continues to pitch with what has been called cranky elbow.
Lee had horrible control numbers Monday night. His six walks in 6 13 innings were a career high and a third as many as he had all of last year in 212 13 innings with Seattle and Texas. Two of those walks came with no outs in the fourth and turned into runs.
Home plate umpire Gerry Davis didnt help Lees cause. Davis had such a tight strike zone you could probably hear Larry Andersen screaming about it back in Philadelphia.
I felt like I threw a lot of strikes that were called balls, Lee said. But I dont want to make excuses. Its my job to throw strikes and force the other team to swing the bats. They made me throw a lot of pitches and drew a lot of walks. Im typically not a guy who walks a lot of guys, but for whatever reason today that happened.
I could have been better. I threw a lot of pitches early. I could have had better command. Whatever. It is what it is. I kept it close and pitched into the seventh inning. Thats my job.
The Phils have scored just six runs in their last three games. Poor run support hurt Roy Halladay on Sunday and in his previous start. He has pitched complete games in his last two starts and lost both.
The offense could get a boost when Chase Utley returns, probably in the next week. Polanco could be back Tuesday and Victorino isnt far away, according to team officials. In the meantime, theres not much around Ryan Howard, who walked three times Monday night.
Lee was asked if the lack of run support is starting to wear on the starting pitchers. He gave what seemed to be a politically correct answer.
Theres nothing we can do about that, Lee said. We hit once every nine hitters. Weve got to do our job with the bats and so do the position players and everyone else. Its a complete game. Youve got to hit, play defense, and pitch. If one of those things are lacking, youre going to lose. So whatever. Its not my job to worry about runs scored. Its my job to focus on preventing other teams from scoring and Im going to keep focused on that.
The Phils were just 1 for 3 with runners in scoring position.
Thats not a lot of scoring opportunities.
We didnt have too many chances, manager Charlie Manuel lamented. We couldnt get anything going.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com