Phillies Preview: at San Diego Padres
By Matt Veasey
PHILLIES KEYS TO VICTORY IN SAN DIEGO
CONTROL THE LONE BIG BAT: As stated in the overall analysis at the front of this piece, the Padres’ 1st baseman is their lone surviving NL All-Star, and he is legit. There is really no reason to give him anything at all to hit this weekend. Let the other players try to beat you should be the motto of Phillies pitching. If they do have to pitch to him, keep the ball down, and out of his wheel-house.
OFFENSIVE CONSISTENCY: Over their last nine games, the Phils have scored 13 runs, and have had nine, seven, and five-run production outings from the lineup. However, they have also been shutout once, scored just a single run on three occasions, and scored just two in the other. This team needs to start scoring more consistently if they want to make a run at the .500 mark this season.
QUALITY STARTS: A dozen of Hellickson’s 22 starts have been of the Quality Start (at least six innings, no more than three earned runs allowed) variety. Eickhoff has delivered 13 in his 22. Those are not bad totals for 3rd and 4th starters in a rotation. Problem is, the Phils have no legitimate “ace” at this point. Thompson is making his big league debut, and he has legit #2 starter potential. It would be nice if he started delivering on that potential right from the get-go.
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