Can the Phils get to 93-69?

Can the Phils get to 93-69?

Last week I came on here, despite praising the Phillies’ week long winning streak, and was a little dubious that the bullpen and timely hitting were really sustainable- particularly with a tough week of Mets (Pedro and Glavine) and a trip to Cincinnati on tap.

Well, the Phillies showed me. Philadelphia went out there and played an even better week- taking five of six from their first division peers. In the process, in addition to “probably unsustainable” bullpen and timely hitting, the club added a strong dose of “probably unsustainable” starting pitching: a solid, pretty complete turn through the rotation- featuring a 0.35 ERA over the past four games.

I really wanted to get excited about the Phillies- but I just can’t seem to bring myself to do it. They have two weeks of great success predicated on consistent offense, opportune hitting, great bullpen, three solid turns through the rotation and a willingness to play hard every single day for the old man in charge- a fact no doubt very galling to those calling for Manuel head a month ago.

The Phillies ought to continue to hit and play for Charlie. But I dunno about the other factors. For example, the one thing the fan categorically knows about the Phillies’ line-up is that collectively- Utley (who is a good situational hitter) and Howard (who categorically is not being asked to be) aside- they are emphatically not a good situational hitting outfit. They haven't been for five years at least. Its gonna take more than a few key hits over a dozen games to overturn that impression.

The starting rotation of Leiber, Meyers, Lidle, Floyd and Hamels has some nice components- a couple of developing young arms and some veteran ones. But outside of Myers, all of these guys would be a huge surprise to hang up fourteen wins. And I can’t see them winning the division, say 92-93 games, without a second guy having a real good, 15-8 year. The math doesn’t work.

And Flash has been super- but he’s appeared in fourteen save situations- and the Phillies have gotten every one! That can't continue, can it?

Just feels like oh-so-much still has to go right for this team to get from 85 wins (my pick) to the low 90s.