Countdown to Opening Day: #14 Philadelphia Phillies

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#14 Philadelphia Phillies: Unfulphilled expectations

PROJECTED LINEUP
Ben Revere CF
Jimmy Rollins SS
Chase Utley 2B
Ryan Howard 1B
Michael Young 3B
Dominic Brown LF
John Mayberry Jr. RF
Erik Kratz C
Cole Hamels P

**Delmon Young out until early May
**Carlos Ruiz suspended 25 games

PROJECTED ROTATION
Cole Hamels
Roy Halladay
Cliff Lee
Kyle Kendrick
John Lannan

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon

Set-up: Mike Adams

Top Prospect: Jesse Biddle (P)

Is that a stop watch in the hands of Charlie Manuel or is it a clock counting down the time left on Charlie and the Phillies run of dominating the National League? There is no doubt that this is an aging roster, but there is strong belief in camp that they still have a year or two left to earn the team's third championship and first since 2008.

Chase Utley

The pieces of the 2008 team are still in place and if Chase Utley and Ryan Howard are on the field they are going to be productive. Maybe not at a MVP level like they once were capable of, same could be said for Jimmy Rollins, but that trio still is above average major leaguers and deserve to be hitting at the top of the order.
The World Series MVP Cole Hamels is still in the prime of his career and though the Cy Young winners behind him in Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay are aging, the starting pitchers will be a strength. Halladay has his own health concerns, but when your talking about one of the hardest working and smartest workhorses in this era of baseball, I tend to lean toward the idea that Doc will find a way to have a productive season, even if that means changing the amount of cutters he throws in the strike zone and more use of off-speed pitches.
If there is one thing that will sink the Phillies this season it will be their defense. The pitchers will get ground balls, but will Michael Young be able to play a full season at third base? Will corners outfielders Dominic Brown, Delmon Young and possibly Darin Ruf be able to take the correct path to fly balls?
If the Phils can keep it at three-outs per inning and not make the starters work harder than they have to the Phillies will be in the hunt in August.

Cole Hamels

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - The Phillies take the team form of a 1987 Andre Dawson (won MVP), meaning they prove they have one more great year in the tank and prove the doubters wrong. Just like General Manager Ruben Amaro drew it up, the trio of Aces are untouchable and Howard and the offense is clutch enough to help this team win another division title. Howard hits 40 homers, Utley hits .300, and Cole Hamels win the Cy Young Award.

REAL TALK - There are a lot of questions that need to be answered and I bet for half of them the answer is no. No, Darin Ruf cannot play outfield, no, Roy Halladay is serviceable  but no longer an ace, and no, Charlie Manuel will not be fired during the season. But yes, Cole Hamels has his bet year to date, Ryan Howard returns to form, and Dominic Brown is a serviceable every day player. If they can win 81 games in 2012 without Utley, Howard, and Halladay for large portions of the season I will take the over on that total in 2013. But I'm not sure it is many more and I'm not sure it is good enough to win a Wild Card spot.

Breakout: Ben Revere (OF)

Bust: Delmon Young (OF)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Michael Young (3B)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 81-81 (3rd in NL East)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 84-78 (3rd in NL East)

**Check back tomorrow for the Cleveland Indians **