NL East Up For Grabs, Phils Add Pitcher

The NL East appeared to be one of the strongest divisions in baseball this year.  Instead, it's turned out to be "Survival of the Least Bad."  After a 12-1 start, the Braves have gone 10-17, dropping like bricks and falling to near .500 (22-18), which is what they do in recent years, but usually in September.  Meanwhile, Washington has failed to step into control in the division, puttering about at around .500 (22-19) from the start with Stephen Strasburg just 2-5.

So where does that leave the Phils (19-22)?  A shell of the team they hoped to be, but very much in contention for the division crown, a mere winning streak of, say, 8-out-of-10 from leading the pitiful pack.

The Phillies are 12-4 when Pettibone, Kyle Kendrick or John Lannan start. They're 7-17 in games started by the $64.5 million trio of Hamels, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.

Defeat has marked Hamels' starts this year.

Cole Hamels, the Phils 7-year, $144-million star is 1-6.  Worse, the team is 1-8 in his starts. 

Hamels' 4.61 ERA ranks 79th out of 110.  He is issuing 1.6 more walks per 9 innings, while striking out 1.5 less per 9.  His changeup has been fine (batters vs.: .077 average, no HR); however, hitters have been pounding his fastball: 6 of his 9 HR-allowed have come off the pitch compared to 10 in '12.

There is every reason to believe Hamels will come around, as there is no indication he has "lost his stuff" or is plagued by any ill-health.  In fact, entering Wednesday's blowout loss to Cleveland, Hamels was lately the victim of poor run support, having recorded 6-straight quality starts with a 2.41 ERA.

Nonetheless, his troubling numbers and lack of Ace consistency is just one major piece that has not fallen into place for the Phils this season. The regular season is 1/4 done.  Carlos Ruiz, returning All-Star catcher, isn't leading the team.  Rather, after a career year in '12 in Ave. (.325), HR (16) and RBI (68) in just 114 games, Chooch has 0 HR and only 1 RBI with a .234 Ave. through 14 GP, hardly quieting concerns after serving a PED suspension.

Desperation acquisition Delmon Young (OF) has hit 1 HR, Ryan Howard is on-pace to hit just 24 this year (although he traditionally starts slow) and Roy Halladay is out indefinitely with shoulder surgery.

This was definitely not how Amaro & co. imagined it this past winter.

There's no way they expected to be pinning summer rotation hopes on Right-hander Carlos Zambrano, who just agreed to a minor league contract with the Phils.

 

Zambrano 3/9/13 World Baseball Classic

Zambrano will report this week to Clearwater, Fla., for extended spring training. The three-time All-Star hasn't pitched in the majors since last September with Miami.

Zambrano, 31, is 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA in 12 seasons, including 11 with the Chicago Cubs, averaging 14 wins with a 3.43 ERA from 2003-10. He was 16-17 with a 4.66 ERA in the past two seasons.

"We're just looking to add some starting pitching depth and some experience," said Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock. "No promises were made. It's low-risk and hopefully high-reward."  The Phillies signed Zambrano with ample knowledge of his history of combustibility and controversial incidents with the Cubs.  Sounds exactly like the Delmon Young signing, which has yet to pan out.

Zambrano feuded with teammates, management and umpires in a number of high-profiles blowups.

Chicago placed Zambrano on the disqualified list with no pay and no part in team activities for 30 days in 2011. He then told team personnel he might retire.

Zambrano was placed on the restricted list for six weeks and sent to anger management in 2010 after a verbal altercation with then-teammate Derrek Lee.

In 2009, he was suspended following a tirade against an umpire in which he threw a baseball into the outfield and slammed his glove against the dugout fence.

The Phils will be tested starting Friday.  They will play 10 of their next 13 games against top-tier teams: Cincinnati,Washington and Boston (featuring Shane Victorino's return to Philly, May 29th-30th.)     

The Phils are 13th out of 15 NL teams in pitching.  They are 12th out of 15 in offense.  They have not been successful this season.  Aside from individual efforts, i.e., Chase Utley, Michael Young and Kyle Kendrick, this team has failed.  Still, they're not out of it, and that means everything.

If they can come out of the next 13 winning more than losing, they can hang on.  If they crumble under this challenge, well, its only a matter of time until someone makes a push forward in the division.  If the Phils are going to be that team, they have an opportunity to show their life and punch now against some formidable opponents.

7:05 PM ET, Friday, May 17, 2013

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Reds (25-16, 9-10 away) Cingrani (2-0, 2.89 ERA)
at
Phillies (19-22, 9-11 home) Lee (4-2, 2.86 ERA)