Philadelphia Phillies Philes Vol 1.8: At the quarter mark

What to make of Nola, praising some defense, criticizing others’ defense, and evaluating the first quarter in today’s Philadelphia Phillies Philes.

Leading off

We have passed the quarter mark of the baseball season, and the Philadelphia Phillies remain atop the NL East rankings with a 26-19 record. Through 45 games played a season ago, the Phillies held a 27-18 record and sat a half game behind the Atlanta Braves for first place. The Braves would go on to win the division.

So what have we learned from the first quarter?

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The Phillies are good. That may come across a bit underwhelming, but it’s actually meant as high praise. A year ago the team had a better record while receiving exceptional pitching – including a tremendous year from Aaron Nola – and inconsistent hitting before eventually fading down the stretch.

This year, the Phillies haven’t gotten spectacular play from any one group, yet they’re leading the division. This bodes well moving forward.

Nola has certainly been less than spectacular. Zach Eflin has pitched great of late, much like he did in June of last year, and has also had some clunkers. Same can be said for the entire starting staff. The bullpen has been mostly reliable, and that includes being without the services of Tommy Hunter and David Robertson who are both expected back in the coming months.

The offense is much more balanced – and talented – than last year’s group. Aside from the first week, Bryce Harper‘s bat has spent more time swinging through pitches than connecting for hits. Is it likely he’ll struggle this mightily throughout the next four and a half months? My bet is he’ll at least go on a couple stretches in the coming months that will boost his stat line, adding to the Phillies win column in the process.

And remember, it’s not even Memorial Day yet. The summer months are looming, and that ball will soon be jumping off the bats in Citizens Bank Park.

At worst, the Phillies continue playing sporadically and remain in a battle for the division all year. At best, the pitching stabilizes, the bats come to life, and they run off to a commanding lead in the division. Either way, the defense is much improved (even with recent mental blunders), and there’s no way I see this team faltering like last year.

What to make of Nola

Aaron Nola came in third in NL Cy Young voting one year ago. This season, I have no clue what to make of the LSU product. He has had downright awful innings and then seemed to gather himself. He’s had decent appearances where he looks like he’s figured it out, then gets lit up the next. Yet despite his struggles, his record includes zero losses (4-0).

This week is a microcosm of his season. On Monday, he can’t find the plate giving up three earned runs, five hits, and three walks in three innings pitched. Yet the Phillies fought back and beat the Brewers. Then yesterday against the Rockies, he goes six innings of one-run ball, tallying 12 K’s en route to the win.

Has he figured it out?

Really, your guess is as good as mine.

Maybe not so Clutch?

Entering this afternoon’s contest, outfielder Andrew McCutchen has stranded 68 of 78 base runners during his plate appearances. (Courtesy: Corey Seidman, NBC Sports Philadelphia)

On the season, Cutch is batting .242 with six homers, 31 runs, and 17 RBI. Despite what the odd stat line would suggest, he’s provided timely hits and has done a relatively nice job from the leadoff spot.

Flashing some leather

Bryce Harper’s offensive woes are well documented, so let’s take a moment to praise his defense.

During Monday’s affair with the Brewers, Harper made a potentially game-saving catch as he laid out for a sinking fly ball off the bat of Mike Moustakas. The game was tied 4-4 at the time, and the Brewers were threatening with the bases loaded and two outs. Harper’s catch ended the inning, and the Phillies would go on to secure a 7-4 win.

Harper would go on to make two more nice catches the next night in a Phillies loss:

Maybe the nifty glove-work can help awaken his bat. His 466-foot homer yesterday is hopefully an indication it has.

History repeats

With pitcher Vince Velasquez on the IL with a forearm strain, 25-year-old Cole Irvin was called up by the Phillies to make the start. In his Major League debut last Sunday, the lefty went seven innings strong, giving up just one run on five hits and one walk verse the Royals en route to the W.

The outing also happened to mark the 13-year anniversary of another left-handed throwing Cole making his big-league debut. On May 12, 2006, Cole Hamels pitched five scoreless innings against the Reds in Cincinnati, picking up his first career win in the process.

No fear

In the bottom of the first in Wednesday’s affair, Jean Segura drilled a ball onto the concourse of Ashburn Alley for his third homer on the year. Salute to the fan who bravely tried bear-handing the bomb in the aisle:

Albeit unsuccessful, this type of valiant effort earns you props in my book!

Most Valuable Phillie Power Rankings – Top 15 (through 5/18/2019):

1. Jean Segura (SS) – Previous Rank: 2 (↑ 1)
2. Rhys Hoskins (1B) – Previous Rank: 1 (↓ 1)
3. J.T. Realmuto (C) – Previous Rank: 4 (↑ 1)
4. Zach Eflin (SP) – Previous Rank: 3 (↓ 1)
5. Hector Neris (RP) – Previous Rank: 6 (↑ 1)
6. Aaron Nola (SP) – Previous Rank: 5 (↓ 1)
7. Cesar Hernandez (2B) – Previous Rank: 8 (↑ 1)
8. Maikel Franco (3B) – Previous Rank: 7 (↓ 1)
9. Jake Arrieta (SP) – Previous Rank: 9 (↔)
10. Bryce Harper (OF) – Previous Rank: 13 (↑ 3)
11. Andrew McCutchen (OF) – Previous Rank:  10 (↓ 1)
12. Odubel Herrera (OF) – Previous Rank: 15 (↑ 3)
13. Adam Morgan (RP) – Previous Rank: 12 (↓ 1)
14. Jerad Eickhoff (SP) – Previous Rank: 10 (↓ 4)
15. Pat Neshek (RP) – Previous Rank: 14 (↓ 1)

“Ring the Bell” Award Winner of the Week

Cole Irvin won his MLB debut last Sunday and then picked up his second win on Friday night, going six innings against the Rockies in an exciting game. As impressive was his first career plate appearance, where the rookie worked a walk in a 10-pitch at-bat. Andrew McCutchen up next then smashed a two-run homer into the left-field seats, tying the game at two.

What a first week for the former fifth-round pick in 2016. The type of week that earns you the right to ring that bell!

Phillie Pholly of the Week

This week’s distinction goes to Jake Arrieta, Cesar Hernandez and Sean Rodriguez from Wednesday’s game against the Brewers.

In the top of the third inning with the game tied 1-1, Arrieta would surrender a leadoff walk to Brewers’ pitcher Gio Gonzalez, then give up another to Lorenzo Cain. That setup Christian Yelich, who hit the ball to second. While not an error, Hernandez misplayed the ball, which should have resulted in an out, allowing the bases to be loaded with nobody out.

That set up Phillie-killer Ryan Braun, who hit a grounder to Rodriguez at third. Both Gio Gonzalez on third base and Rodriguez lost track of the situation, and after a brief hesitation, Rodriguez threw home for the force out. While not an error, Rodriguez’s mental blunder cost the Phillies two outs. The Brewers would go on to score three in the inning and never look back as they picked up the 5-2 win.

Nothing good ever comes from walking the leadoff hitter. The fact that it was a pitcher and that Arrieta would then walk the next hitter, too, only compounded the problem.

Bad baseball like this earns all three of you Phillie Pholly of the Week. (Try not to take it too hard.)

Phillies Phlashback

May 23, 1991: Tommy Greene and the Phillies were visiting the Expos at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Greene, 24-years-old at the time, threw 130 pitches against the talented Expos lineup en route to the first and only no-hitter of his career. Surrendering seven walks while striking out 10, Greene would field the final out of the game on a hard hit grounder off the bat of Tim Wallach.

John Kruk scored the first run of the game on a triple hit by Ricky Jordan in the first inning. Von Hayes would score an insurance run in the eighth, as Greene and the Phillies won 2-0.

On Deck

The Phillies go on a midwest swing as they open a four-game set with the Chicago Cubs tomorrow night, with former Phillie Cole Hamels slated to get the ball on Wednesday. This will be the first time facing his former team.

Next, the Philadelphia Phillies head to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for a weekend set. The Phillies just lost three of four from the Brew Crew this past week.