Just Another Potent Philadelphia Offense...

Speaking of great home run feats, the Phillies joined an exclusive club last night, becoming just the second team to ever have four players hit 20 or more homers before the All-Star Break. Toronto was the other in 2000, but 2009>2000 in terms of power stats, so eat it, Blue Birds. Last night, Chase Utley and Jayson Werth each hit their 20th, with Utley's being of the stand-up, inside-the-park variety. They joined Raul Ibanez (22) and Ryan Howard (21) in the 20+ club. 

Just a few years removed from being a scrap heap player in a few organizations, Werth is becoming a bona fide MLB star, dare I say a potential All-Star? Shane Victorino's ascendence yesterday coupled with Charlie Manuel using a manager's selection on Ryan Howard could keep Werth at home next week, but that's not to say he isn't deserving—particularly lately. Werth's homer last night was his seventh in the past 12 games, and he has now gone yard in four straight. With the Phillies' HR leader on the DL for much of the past month, Werth has really stepped to make up for lost offense. And now we get Raul back too?

All the talk of the Phillies 20+ Club last night had me thinking that we've really seen some great, balanced offenses in this town lately. Last season, the Flyers had a league-leading six 20-goal scorers for the second year in a row; four of them hit the 30+ mark, and Jeff Carter finished with 46. In the NFL, it can be a little tougher for teams to have multiple offensive players with high stat totals in the same categories, but in terms of team offense, the Eagles weren't too shabby again last season, coming in sixth in total points and points per game. This year, with an influx of talented weapons joining the Birds' offense, we could be talking about a few WRs hitting mid-range milestone yardage peaks (800, 900, 1000) and even TD marks (10+...?). 

In addition to the depth the Phillies, Flyers, and Eagles exhibit offensively, the Phils' accomplishment may be even more noteworthy because their individual numbers have a handful of them sitting very high in the NL and MLB stat categories—as well as the overall team stats. Carter hung in there for the goals lead for a while, finishing second to Alex Ovechkin by 10 goals, but the next Flyer in the G column was Simon Gagne at 17th. With plenty of time left to heat up, the Phils' foursome is currently residing in the top 8 league-wide. Of course, there are no home park factors to help stats in hockey, football, or basketball. As you may have heard, Citizens Bank Park isn't the biggest around. It will also be tough for everyone to keep their current HR paces up, but anything is possible. 

Defense is obviously a major factor in winning a championship, and fortunately the Phillies excel there too (their 32 errors and .990 FPCT are best in the NL, second best in the bigs). But as fans, it's hard not to gush and appreciate a truly stellar and balanced offensive powerhouse. Sure it's fun to see Ryan Howard stroll to the plate when he's leading the majors in homers by 10, but the truly great times in Phillies' seasons lately have come when just about everyone is hitting. 

Comments

[ZJ]

got a boner at work not from the hot assistant but the thought Rauuuul is returning to the line up.

[obligatory fist-pump]

the rich get richer

[Joe26]

I am psyched for when Raul comes back. Is he supposed to start tonight?

Raul makes the lineup so much better. When he's hitting 3rd, when he's hot (always) he is such a presence that pitchers are going to pitch around him. When the lineup is..

1. Rollins
2. Utley (pitch to him!!)
3. Ibanez (walk him)
4. Howard (pitch to him)

the phils lineup is absolutely unstoppable. Even after Howard when Werth comes up with the way he's been hitting.. And the all star Hawaiian after Jayson. This lineup is like the 1927 Yankees when balanced.

[Mr. Bryan]

Philly digs the long ball.

[JayDashDog]

How bout Rauuulllll still leading the club after missing 3 weeks? I hope he picks up right where he left off.

Werth is a beast.

Peace out.

[Bud]

Anyone get a thank you call from Shane-o today?

[Scott B]

All while reading this I couldnt help but think about the 'Legion of Doom'

We need a sweet name for these four.

[Loqiel]

@Bud: Yeah I did.

I enjoy hearing Mets fans gnash their teeth while saying "we could have had him!" each time Ibanez does something awesome

[jd]

joe26:
do you put ibanez at 3? i dunno. the 1-5 spots seem to doing their jobs in the past 2 series, and werth has been too hot to move. why mess up a good thing?

i say put'em back at 6, and let's see him work his way up.

than again, i will always defer to what uncle chollie does.

[Joe26]

@JD

Just an example. Like when he's hitting 3rd he makes Howard so good and Utley great. If Charlie moves him down to 5th (which is fine with me) he will probably get a pitch to hit because Howard is hitting in front of him. And Werth will be behind him at 5 so if they pitch around Raul Jayson will crank one. 6th is just too low for Raul.

[Joe26]

And does anyone twitter with Todd Zolecki? Cause I wana know about the line up tonight. (if Charlies made it)

[jmp]

@Bud

He doesn't need to thank anyone. Voting him into the All-Star Game was US thanking HIM.

[astcter]

the Phillies don't like the long ball.

THEY LOVE IT!

[Jay]

Wow, the whole Phillies starting outfield is going to the All-Star game. Awesome.

[Andrew]

No mention of the Sixers, whose core take this concept to its very extreme by stubbornly refusing to score more than 30 points in any one game?

But yeah, as utterly miserable as the two weeks or so from the Boston series to the Braves series were to watch, that's how much fun the homestand has been this last week. Here's hoping--with relative confidence--that they can keep it through Pittsburgh and into a Phillies-dominated ASG. Plz to Manuel for us to have an all-P outfield at some point in the game, like when Flip Saunders put in all four Pistons at once in the '06 All-Star Game.