2008 Woodie Awards
Phils face tough battle to retain NL East crown
Brian Lapp '08
Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Sports
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In reality, however, that was five months ago, and the team has had the entire offseason to rehash the memories. That brief taste of the postseason should serve as fuel this year as the team gears up again to go though the marathon 162-game season and possibly beyond. The team has been working out in Clearwater, Fla. the past several weeks for Spring Training, with the season a little over a month away. Questions abound, as usual, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic that this team has what it takes to build upon the success of last season.
Heading the list of things Phillies' fans have to be excited about is the core nucleus of the roster: first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley, shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and starting pitchers Cole Hamels and Brett Myers. Most MLB teams would consider themselves fortunate to have one Most Valuable Player in their lineup, but the Phillies have two, with Howard and Rollins taking the award the last two seasons respectively.
Many pundits consider Utley the most indispensable of the three since he is a classic baseball player: hard-working, gritty, relentless, and tenacious. He also has one of the sweetest left-handed swings in the game and looks to be on the way to a batting title and an MVP in the near future.
Rollins is the straw that stirs the proverbial drink. Always getting on base and setting the table for the rest of the lineup allows the thunder that follows to drive him in.
As for Howard, what can one really say? His first two seasons brought him Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. For an encore he hit 47 home runs and had 136 RBIs in just 144 games. Watching him hit one of his trademark long, opposite-field home runs is one of the most impressive sights in sports and is just raw power at its finest.
Hamels and Myers, the latter back in the rotation after serving as closer, will look to anchor the starting rotation, which has been the team's weakness in recent years. Both have the talent to win 20 games if healthy. Behind them, there are plenty of question marks however. Can Jamie Moyer survive yet another season not that he is 45 years old? Will Adam Eaton realize the potential that garnered him a $24 million contract? Can Kyle Kendrick build upon the surprise success of his rookie season? These questions all must be answered if the team is to live up to the increased expectations that a division title brings.
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