Improved overall team hitting
The Phillies had a new hitting coach last season in Matt Stairs, who was lured away from the broadcast booth for his first major-league coaching position. The Phillies scored just 690 runs, (27th in the league) and also ranked near the bottom in OPS.
Stairs has moved on and a new hitting coach is in place. Will this affect the team in a positive manner? Manager Gabe Kapler’s approach to hitting is working the count, which should translate to higher batting average, on-base percentage and more. The key is to whether the young players on this team respond. In any event, the Phillies must score significantly more runs to have a chance to contend.