The Fightin’s embark on a seven game road trip to points west, namely Phoenix and San Francisco, with a six and one half game lead in N.L. East in tow. West coast trips for east coast teams are historically challenging as is watching the games live on TV for us fans and now is not the time for the team or us fans to start feeling our oats in regards to being comfortable with the present lead. The Braves have won seven of the last ten games themselves, almost matching the Phillies string of 8 of 10. One bad string of losses coupled with an offsetting win run by either the Braves or Marlins and this is a race again! Don’t forget those pesky Mets either.
The offense continues to excel for the team as different hitters step up when others are in slow spells. Jimmy Rollins has gotten into a groove again and Shane Victorino is on pace to collect 200 hits this season, as long as those offensive catalysts continue to set the table this team will score runs. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez each have hit over 20 home runs already this season giving the team a real chance at four guys with 30 or more. Pedro Feliz has had a very consistent season and has made the bottom of the order a tough task to face as well.
Bottom line is the pitching will make or break the team, the starters have been very good during the last month and the bullpen albeit banged up with recurring injuries, Clay Condrey, J.C. Romero and Chad Durbin are all presently on the disabled list has more than held their own thus far inclusive of being TV stars of their own shown on MLB TV…….. “The Bullpen”. We can use reinforcements on the pitching staff and Roy Halladay would be a sweet addition to say the least. I think that Pedro Martinez will be a surprise as well and be more help than some may think, perhaps even out of the Pen!
Chatter
Pennants are won or lost in the last months of the season and as August and September rapidly approach we will see what this year’s version is made of, personally I would like to see a closer race for the N.L. East as I think that teams that win big have tougher times ramping up in the playoffs, witness last season and the Chicago Cubs for example. As we go thru this week and a trade is either realized or not for another pitcher the end goal is the same, another “freakin title”! I am a bit concerned that our second baseman may have tweaked that hip injury, our announcers noticed some doubtful movements this past weekend during his play…….. hope not but the man is tough as nails so he will play thru it one way or another it would seem.
