Countdown to Opening Day: #23 Philadelphia Phillies

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Lansdale Reporter

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

#23: Philadelphia Phillies: Place your bets on the vets

PROJECTED LINEUP
CF Ben Revere
SS Jimmy Rollins
2B Chase Utley
1B Ryan Howard
RF Marlon Byrd
LF Dominic Brown
C Carlos Ruiz
3B Cody Asche

PROJECTED ROTATION

Cliff Lee
Cole Hamels
AJ Burnett
Kyle Kendrick
Roberto Hernandez

PROJECTED BULLPEN

Closer: Jonathan Papelbon

Set-up: Brad Lincoln

Top Prospect: Maikel Franco (3B)

I think it may be time to break up the band in Philadelphia. But if you decide to rebuild right now it also means General

Ryan Howard

Manager Ruben Amaro is out the door. So in hopes to save his job, already on a tight budget because of the big deals he handed out in past seasons, Amaro went work to win in 2014. His only options were veterans on short term deals.
So joining an often injured Chase Utley and Ryan Howard is Marlon Byrd and AJ Burnett. If they can repeat their stellar campaigns that helped the Pittsburgh Pirates reach the playoffs last year, then maybe the Phils have something. But they are more likely to join Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz as players on the decline.
If things do not go well this year Amaro will be out and this team will look entirely different in 2015. We are talking about Utley, Rollins, and Howard all walking. It is an important year in Philadelphia and they doing it against two of the top teams in the National League (Atlanta and Washington) in their own division.

THEY CALL ME MR. SUNSHINE - It's actually easy to see the Phillies find a groove and make one more

AJ Burnett

run at a title. They have four MVP caliber bats in the middle of the lineup between Rollins, Utley, Howard, and Dom Brown. They have three starters with no-hit stuff in Hamels, Lee and AJ Burnett. The bridge to Papelbon is stabilized by Brad Lincoln and Antonio Bastardo and thanks to all the talent and experience, manager Ryne Sandberg wins Manager of the Year in his first full season.

REAL TALK - If you could guarantee an injury free season for the Phillies than I may pick them to win a playoff spot. But with five everyday players 34 years of age and older the body is bound to breakdown in a 162 season. The Phillies are built to win in the playoffs or a short season, but not built to win a marathon the way the regular season is currently constituted. Maybe some pop off the bench (Ruf) or in the minors (Franco) could save them is Ryan Howard or Chase Utley go down, but I would not bet on it. The core group that won the 2008 World Series is nearing it's end.

Breakout: Ben Revere (OF)

Bust: Marlon Byrd (OF)

Fantasy Baseball Sleeper: Darin Ruf (1B/OF)

LAST YEAR'S RECORD: 73-89 (4th in NL East)

PROJECTED 2013 FINISH: 77-85 (4th in NL East)

**Check back tomorrow for the Los Angeles Angels*