Phillies 2015 Report Card: Starting Pitchers

Sep 14, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nola (27) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park.

(Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

To fashion the worst Philadelphia Phillies season since 1972, a deficiency in talent and results from the 2015 starting pitching rotation was a key element. However, mixed in with those deficiencies were a few notable bright spots.

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Fifteen different pitchers took the mound at the start of a game for the Phillies this past season. Thirteen of those made at least five starts apiece, while seven received double-digit starting assignments.

Those seven who did receive at least 10 starts all received at least 13. They will receive grades on their performances, along with the next highest, who received eight starts.

If others want to waste time grading the performances of the other seven starting pitchers individually, that’s fine. Suffice it to say that both individually and as a group, they receive an ‘F’ from me.

The seven pitchers included in that ‘F’ group, with the number of starts made, are as follows: Alec Asher (7), Chad Billingsley (7), Severino Gonzalez (7), Kevin Correia (5), Dustin McGowan (1), and Phillippe Aumont (1).

That’s a total of 28 starts, or just over 17% of the Phillies regular season games, that were made by pitchers who delivered a collective 6-18 record. Billingsley’s awful 5.84 ERA was the lowest of the group.

We know that of the following eight pitchers who are receiving grades, one is already off the roster. At least two more, probably at least three, will definitely not be a part of the 2016 starting rotation. That leaves four of these pitchers with a very real shot at being a part of the rotation next season.

Next: 8 Starts: Eickhoff

Oct 1, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Eickhoff (48) in a game against the New York Mets at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won 3-0.

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

Jerad Eickhoff – B: since I don’t do the ‘plus’ thing, Eickhoff gets this grade, but his performance was ‘A’ caliber. Only the fact that the 25-year old rookie righthander made just eight starts keeps him from a higher grade. For me, you need to perform at this level over at least half the season to earn an ‘A’ grade.

Obtained as part of the Hamels deal with Texas, Eickhoff received the call to make his first big league start on August 21st. He won that outing vs the Miami Marlins with an impressive six inning stint on the road. Seven of his eight starts were of the ‘Quality Start’ variety: at least six innings, no more than three earned runs allowed.

Overall, Eickhoff went 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA and 1.039 WHIP, allowing just 40 hits in 51 innings pitched. He registered an outstanding 49/13 K:BB ratio as well. He appeared to get stronger as the year moved along, going seven innings in each of his final four starts.

In his final outing on October 1st, Eickhoff shut down the eventual NL champion New York Mets on four hits, striking out 10 batters. Undoubtedly, Eickhoff is one of just two pitchers receiving grades here who are still with the team and have fully earned a role in the 2016 starting rotation entering spring training.

Next: 13 Starts: O'Sullivan

Sean O’Sullivan – F: in order to receive 13 starting assignments, even with as poor a team as were the 2015 Phillies, a bad pitcher such as O’Sullivan was simply benefiting from being in the right place at the right time.

He received those starts largely due to timing: injuries to veteran members of the rotation, the club wanting to give more minor league seasoning time to some of the youngsters, and the Phils simply having few other options.

The oversized righty who turned 28 years old on September 1st made a pair of mid-April starts, then became a regular member of the rotation from mid-May through early July. He only reached the 6-inning mark four times, and allowed fewer hits than innings pitched that same four times.

He fashioned just a 1-6 record with a 6.08 ERA and 1.606 WHIP. O’Sullivan allowed 94 hits, including 16 home runs, over 71 innings pitched. He had a 35/20 K:BB ratio. He made his final start of the season on July 6th. Hopefully it was his final career start in a Phillies uniform.

Next: 13 Starts: Nola

Sep 14, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nola (27) reacts after allowing a home run during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park

. (Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Nola – B: the 22-year old rookie made his big league debut just 13 months after the Phillies selected him with the 7th overall pick in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. He was never expected to be an ace, but he was expected to be a valuable member of the starting rotation quickly, and for years to come.

The “quickly” part materialized, and judging by the results, so will the “valuable rotation member for years to come” part materialize. In his first outing on July 21st for a highly publicized start at Citizens Bank Park vs the Tampa Bay Rays, Nola electrified the home crowd with six strong innings over which he allowed just one earned run on five hits, with a 6/1 K:BB ratio.

Unfortunately for Nola, the Phillies themselves were shut out, and he lost his big league debut by a 1-0 score. Such are the pitfalls of playing for a bad team with one of the worst offensive lineups in the game. However, he never seemed to let anything frustrate him. Nola followed that one up with a strong outing at Wrigley Field to beat the host Chicago Cubs for his first big league win.

Three of his final five starts in the month of September were less-than-stellar, and he was possibly tiring from the experience of his first lengthy season. The club finally shut him down after an outing in Washington on September 26th, letting him leave with a good taste in his mouth. Nola shut the host Nationals out, scattering six hits across five innings in which he struck out five and walked no one.

In the end, Nola went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.197 WHIP mark. He allowed 74 hits in 77.2 innings over 13 starts, with a 68/19 K:BB ratio. Unless the club decides to shell out money for a starting pitcher in the free agent market, Nola may end up serving as the #1 starter in the Phillies 2016 rotation.

He may not be suited for that ‘Ace’ role in the long-term. However, he will be learning by competing against the best, and gaining the mental toughness that it will take to continue succeeding at this level. Nola has the talent, and now it’s just about him staying healthy, gaining experience, and continuing his development.

Next: 15 Starts: Buchanan

Sep 23, 2015; Miami, FL, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Buchanan (55) throws against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Marlins Park.

(Photo Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

David Buchanan – F: there really was nothing to distinguish the miserable season that Buchanan put up for the 2015 Phillies from that supplied by O’Sullivan. If anything, Buchanan may have even been worse, as amazing as that sounds when you consider the stats we presented already on O’Sullivan.

Buchanan began the season as a member of the Phillies starting rotation, and remained there for the entire month of April. He lost all five starts, leading to a demotion back to AAA Lehigh Valley. In those five outings he went 0-5 with an 8.76 ERA, allowing 32 hits in 24.2 innings with a horrendous 12/15 K:BB ratio.

Called up again for another five starts from just prior to the MLB All-Star break through mid-August, things seemed to be improving. Buchanan registered Quality Starts, picked up his first two victories of the season, lowered his ERA more than two points, and seemed to be gaining some equilibrium.

Then came back-to-back starts on August 6th and 11th, at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers and on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Buchanan was absolutely shelled by the two NL West opponents to the tune of 18 earned runs and 21 hits over just 5.2 innings total. He was again demoted to Lehigh Valley.

Back for a 3rd go-around in September, Buchanan received five final starts, remaining a member of the rotation as the season concluded. Shelled again in his first start back, he leveled off and recorded a pair of Quality Starts while pitching generally effectively over his final four outings.

Buchanan, who went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA over 20 starts as a rookie in the 2014 season, will come to spring training again fighting to remain with the Phillies rotation. At worst, he heads back to Lehigh Valley to begin the year, and await the inevitable injury, trade, or ineffectiveness by a member of that Phils’ rotation.

Next: 15 Starts: Morgan

Jul 22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Morgan (39) pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park.

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

Adam Morgan – C: rookie lefty Morgan will turn 26 years old at the end of February, and he is coming off an up-and-down freshman campaign that resulted in this middling grade. Battling back from injury issues that slowed his career, Morgan finally made his big league debut on June 21st with an impressive win over the always tough Saint Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park.

After following that debut up with another impressive outing in a tough 2-1 loss at Atlanta, Morgan began a see-saw pattern of good performances followed by poor outings. But unlike Buchanan or O’Sullivan, he never completely slipped, and he was able to stay in the Phillies rotation for the rest of the season.

In the end, Morgan fashioned a 5-7 record with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.245 WHIP. He allowed 88 hits in 84.1 innings over his 15 starts, with an acceptable 49/17 K:BB ratio.

It’s hard to know exactly what the Phillies have in Morgan for the long-term, but entering the 2016 season he is certainly a favorite, assuming continued health, to take a regular turn in the club’s rotation. As a lefty who could slot in between Nola and Eickhoff, the team should be able to count on him taking a regular turn, keeping them in most of his starts.

Next: 20 Starts: Hamels

Jul 31, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Hamels speaks with the media at Citizens Bank Park after being traded from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Texas Rangers.

(Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports)

Cole Hamels – A: while some might argue that Hamels pitched more closely to a ‘B’ level during his time with the Phillies in 2015, his final grade must also reflect his overall value to the team. That value included the 5-player package the Phils received in return from Texas at the trade deadline.

That package included pitchers Eickhoff and Asher, as well as three of the team’s current top prospects in pitcher Jake Thompson, outfielder Nick Williams, and catcher Jorge Alfaro. Veteran lefty Matt Harrison also came in the deal, and if he can get healthy there is a good chance that he will factor into the 2016 rotation plans.

On the mound, the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP finished his Phillies career with a 6-7 record over the 20 starts. He allowed 113 hits in 128.2 innings, with a typically excellent 137/39 K:BB ratio.

Hamels is a notoriously slow starter, and that was again the case in 2015. Three of his first half-dozen starts were poor, and he was 1-3 and scuffling after his first start of May. Then the big lefty kicked it into gear, rolling off four straight wins, and lasting at least seven innings in 10 of his next 11 outings.

In his final start in a Phillies uniform, Hamels gave the fans something both he and they will always remember. He tossed a no-hitter at Wrigley Field to beat the host and playoff-bound Chicago Cubs, striking out 13 in as dominant a performance as he ever put on over his decade-long big league career with the Phillies.

Hamels is gone now, but far from finished. He went 7-1 for Texas after the trade, helping the Rangers rally to the AL West crown. He should spend the next 3-4 seasons helping the Rangers remain a contender in the American League. Meanwhile, the Phillies hope that the return they received for him helps them contend during that same time frame, and then long after he retires.

Next: 21 Starts: Williams

Aug 27, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA;

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Harang (34) gets a new baseball after giving up a home run against the New York Mets during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park

. (Photo Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

Aaron Harang – D: the Phillies signed Harang for one reason, and one reason only – eat up innings. The 37-year old Harang was generally able to do that when healthy, but the team did lose him for nearly the entire month of July when he landed on the Disabled List due to a bout with plantar fasciitis.

He had started out strong, going 4-5 over 11 starts in April and May, allowing just 56 hits in his first 71.1 innings with a 53/15 K:BB ratio. There was talk that he was working himself into becoming a potential chip at the trade deadline. But the foot problems eventually wore him down, requiring the DL stint.

On his return, he couldn’t return to that same level of early season effectiveness. From July 30th, his first start back after being activated, through the end of the season, Harang went 2-4 with a 6.11 ERA, allowing 85 hits in 66.1 innings over a dozen starts.

In the team-high 29 starts that he was able to make, Harang delivered a team-high 172.1 innings pitched, allowing 189 hits with a 108/51 K:BB ratio. So yes, he delivered innings. But his aging, overweight body also gave out for a month. There is no way that the Phils can return Harang to the rotation for the 2016 season.