The Kids Are All Right

The Phillies are seeing return on their monumental trade of homegrown all-star Cole Hamels last August.  Tonight at Citizens Bank Park 25 year-old starter Jerad Eickhoff resembled Hamels in his prime.  Even the inferior offense of the Padres couldn't rain on Eickhoff's gem: 7 innings, 4 hits, 9 S.O. and no walks in a 2-1 win over S.D.

It would be one thing if today was the best game of his young career.  However, truth be told this was Eickhoff's 10th professional game, and he is steadily building a resume of consistently dynamic performance and stellar control.  In 2015 he S.O. 49 while walking 13.  His 2.65 ERA was accentuated by his 7th and 8th career outings to finish last season vs. the division leading Nationals and Mets when he S.O. 10 and walked 1 in each back-to-back start.  This season he has S.O. 12 and walked 2 while posting a 1.50 ERA (16th in MLB).

Hamels, 32 years-old for Texas, has pitched 2 games this season and has posted a 2.08 ERA with 12 S.O. and 6 BB with a slightly higher WHIP than Eickhoff.  There's no question who you'd rather hold the ball opening a playoff series in October-- at this point, but Eickhoff is making premier look mundane under the big lights of MLB.  Not bad from the 4-spot of the rotation.

Nola is on fire and opening eyes across baseball.

When you pair his knockout performances with 22 year-old Aaron Nola (#2 in rotation, a control-and-command pitcher featuring a fastball that averages just 90.5 mph), who has 17 S.O. (4th in MLB), no walks and a 0.71 WHIP (6th in MLB) it's undeniable that the Phillies organization took something out of alignment and quickly put it on track for success.  Those seeds are already beginning to blossom.

According to Baseball America, the Phillies farm system ranked between 22nd and 27th in baseball from 2011-2015.  All that win-now trading had taken its toll down the line.  Now?  After the past couple seasons of shedding old snakes and retooling with an eye down the line, Baseball America ranks the Phillies organizational talent #8 in baseball.  MLB does them one better, placing them at #7.  It is very encouraging, if not exciting and a not so modest achievement of altitude in such a short time.

Franco is most exciting Phils 3rd baseman since Rolen.

Wednesday, it was 23 year-old 3B Maikel Franco's hot-hitting again that staked a lead for Eickhoff and the Phils.  Maikel hit his 2nd HR, a solo shot to left (400 feet) with 2-out in the 1st to put the Phils up for good.

When X-rays revealed a small fracture in his left wrist in August of last year, Franco's bid for Rookie-of-the-Year was cut short.

His mark made, Franco is out of the shoot running in 2016.  He has 2 HR and 5 RBI in his first 8 games, an OBP of .455 and an OPS of 1.110.

In the bottom of the 3rd Wednesday, again with 2-out, Franco doubled to deep left center to drive in the only other run the Phils would get or need to win the game.  Franco is batting .379 and looks like he's enjoying every minute of every game with mounting comfort in the big leagues.

Franco and homegrown Nola are more fun to watch and more exciting to route for than any players who have blossomed with the Phils in a long time.  The kids are not only all right, they're a breath of fresh air.

The 2nd-place Phillies have won 4-out-of-5, including beating the NL-defending Mets 2-out-of-3 this past weekend at Citi Field in N.Y.  They go for the sweep with an afternoon game Thursday 1:05pm EST vs. S.D., then host the division leading Nationals (6-1) for a weekend series.  Aaron Nola pitches Saturday night vs. former Cy Young Max Scherzer.