The shift was subtle until it became glaringly obvious. Once expected to slug their way to the playoffs, the Phillies quietly transformed last summer into a pitching- and defense-oriented team. Then, in October, they won the World Series with shutdown pitching, getting solid postseason outings from each member of the rotation. And with four starters returning, pitching figured to be a major strength in 2009. But through April 19, the Phillies had allowed 26 home runs in 11 games. The starters had yielded 18. "It's definitely location," manager Charlie Manuel said. "If you're going to throw high changeups, well, there's a good chance that you're going to give up a lot of home runs. The changeup can be a tremendous pitch, and a lot of our pitchers throw it. But it's also a ball you have to throw down in the strike zone. You just cannot throw belt-high changeups and expect to get away with it."
PLAYER NEWS: --LF Raul Ibanez spent the past five seasons in Seattle, far from the glare of the East Coast-oriented spotlight. But, through 11 games, he's showing Philadelphia just how good he is. Ibanez hit a walk-off, two-run homer Sunday to beat the Padres, but it's the little things that have impressed manager Charlie Manuel. In the eighth inning Saturday night, Ibanez went from first to third on Jayson Werth's single to center field. The base-running play allowed Ibanez to score the go-ahead run on Pedro Feliz's sacrifice fly. "From what I've seen so far, he plays the game hard, and he wants to play it right," Manuel said.
--RHP Chan Ho Park narrowly edged LHP J.A. Happ in a tight spring training competition for the Phillies' No. 5 starter spot. On Sunday, Park allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings before Happ tossed three scoreless innings of relief. So, is the fifth-starter job open again? "Two starts, in my mind, that's not a big chance," manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's still early. We don't want to lose games, but at the same time, when you commit to somebody, I feel like you've got to give them the right chance."
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Carlos Ruiz (strained right oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 11. He might not be ready to return when he's first eligible.
LHP Mike Zagurski (Tommy John elbow surgery in April 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He resumed pitching in late March and could be ready to join the team by mid-April.
ROTATION:
LHP Cole Hamels
RHP Brett Myers
LHP Jamie Moyer
RHP Joe Blanton
RHP Chan Ho Park
BULLPEN:
RHP Brad Lidge (closer)
RHP Ryan Madson
RHP Chad Durbin
LHP Scott Eyre
RHP Clay Condrey
LHP J.A. Happ
LHP Jack Taschner
CATCHERS:
Chris Coste
Lou Marson
INFIELDERS:
1B Ryan Howard
2B Chase Utley
SS Jimmy Rollins
3B Pedro Feliz
INF Eric Bruntlett
INF Miguel Cairo
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Raul Ibanez
CF Shane Victorino
RF Jayson Werth
OF/INF Greg Dobbs
OF Matt Stairs
