Word of JusticeThey wanted to fire old Charlie. They said old Charlie wasn't up to it. They said a lot of things about Charlie Manuel, and now they're taking them all back. He did a terrific job leading the Phillies through a tight division race and into the playoffs for the first time in 14 years. Nice going, Charlie.
The Phillies have great chemistry and leadership, a nice pitching staff, and they've got Charlie. Now the Phillies need first baseman Ryan Howard to get back on track. His batting average declined 45 points, his strikeouts increased by 18, and he's beginning the season with something to prove.
Same goes for right-hander Adam Eaton, who had a 6.29 ERA in the first year of a three-year, $24.5 million contract.
Brad Lidge has something to prove has well. He was once one of baseball's most dominant closers but has struggled since giving up that Albert Pujols home run in the 2005 playoffs. Knee surgery will delay his start, but the Phillies are counting on a big year.
The Phillies lost one of their leaders, center fielder Aaron Rowand, to free agency. They're gambling that Pedro Feliz will fill the hole at third base. In short, the Phillies are like a lot of National League teams. They should win somewhere between 80 and 90 games.
Numbers Game641 - Walks taken by Phillies hitters in 2007. That mark led the National League and was bested only by the A's, Red Sox and Yankees. Citizens Bank Park certainly helps the Phils generate offense, but in any venue they would be among the most patient lineups in the majors.
322 - Career strikeouts by Cole Hamels in 315 2/3 innings pitched. The young southpaw with the dazzling changeup has turned into one of the best swing-and-miss pitchers in the majors in just two years.
.268 - Ryan Howard's batting average last season, down from .313 in his MVP-winning 2006 campaign. As the strikeouts mount and the average sags, it's clear contact could become an issue for the first baseman going forward. Howard's line isn't all that far off from Adam Dunn's.
-- Andrew JohnsonFantasy SpinLook, you can hate Brett Myers for his domestic issues and
pranking of youngsters (OK, that part is pretty lovable), but the guy can pitch. He's gone over 200 strikeouts before, and if he stays healthy this year, I think he'll do it again. It's tough to project his season exactly (although obviously he has the pitching skills) since he was closing last year, but a 3.03 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in the second half speak to the possibility that he could have a big year. Take into account the hefty 36 percent hit rate he gave up in the first half, and his stats from last year are a strong indicator.
Aaron Rowand didn't hang around, so it's tough to really pinpoint a horrible fantasy option on the Phils. Rollins is going to be very, very good again this year. However, he is also finally going to cost you a first-round pick. And with that first-round pick, you will probably be expecting 30 home runs, 40-50 stolen bases and a boatload of runs scored. Personally, I love Rollins. His stats were just flat out beastly across the board in 2007 and he clearly has the skills to continue his performance, but Hanley Ramirez and Jose Reyes are also sitting out there in the first round with more upside. Rollins isn't going to lay an egg, but I expect a drop-off from last year's MVP performance; we'll be talking about him as a second-round performer next year and that makes a huge difference.
Overall, the Phils are a stacked fantasy force. They offer three potential first-rounders in Howard, Utley and Rollins. Shane Victorino is constantly underrated and should be nabbed late for his ridiculous speed on the base paths. Burrell is in a contract year, so look out (last time he went absolutely bonkers, although I'm not willing). Hamels is going quite high in drafts, and while he's stupendous, he's also injury prone and a bit erratic mentally. Myers is the best value pick in the rotation. Jenkins could be a surprise in deeper leagues for platoon purposes. Gordon is a very late and ideally, very short, closer option, while Lidge could provide some really nice value if he comes back from injury and pitches well.
-- Will BrinsonFanHouse Video
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