Pitchers
The Phillies have used 25 different pitchers and we're only half way through the 2007 season. Injuries have decimated what originally looked to be a good starting five. The bullpen was always a question mark and has been as bad as many feared. Let's look at the individual performances by the 2007 Phillies pitchers.Antonio Alfonseca
Key Stats: Record 3-1, 6 saves (3 blown), 34.1 innings pitched, 12 walks, 12 strikeouts, 3.93 ERA
Alfonseca found himself thrust into the roll of closer after Gordon and Myers went down with injuries. He responded with a great June with five saves and a 1.86 ERA. He's off to a rough start in July with two blown saves and a lofty 9.00 ERA. He's hard to get a handle on. Grade C+
Adam Eaton
Key Stats: Record 8-5, 104.1 innings pitched, 48 walks, 67 strikeouts, 5.69 ERA
Eaton doesn't get much credit for having a pretty good season. He's on the path to have his personal best season with 16 or 17 wins. He needs to cut down on the walks. If he does that he'll pitch deeper into games and may get a few more wins. Grade B-
Freddy Garcia 15-day Disabled List
Key Stats: Record 1-5, 58 innings pitched, 19 walks, 50 strikeouts, 5.90 ERA
Garcia was supposed to be the number two or three starter. His $10 million salary, with just one win, makes him the most expensive player in baseball history per victory. He's likely out for the season which is probably a blessing. Why didn't the Phillies have him examined before the trade? Grade F
Geoff Geary minors
Key Stats: Record 1-2, 39 innings pitched, 16 walks, 24 strikeouts, 5.31 ERA
Last year's Mr. Dependable had a good April, a disappointing May and a terrible June. He's now back in the minors trying to regain his 2006 form. The Phillies miss his middle innings stability. His specialty was keeping the Phillies close when trailing in the middle innings. He failed too many times in 2007. Grade D
Tom Gordon 60-day Disabled List
Key Stats: Record 1-1, 5 saves (3 blown), 9.1 innings pitched, 4 walks, 11 strikeouts, 4.82 ERA
Many suspected that Tom Gordon was injured when he returned to Philadelphia during spring training. He never really was quite right in April. He's been on the disabled list for over two months and it's unclear when he'll return. When he does, he's likely to be the team's set-up man. Because he tried to hide his injury, he hurt the team going into the season. Grade D
Cole Hamels
Key Stats: Record 10-4, 118.2 innings pitched, 29 walks, 124 strikeouts, 3.72 ERA
Not since Steve Carlton have the Phillies had such a quality left-handed starter. He's led the league most of the season in wins and earned run average. He is a well deserving All-Star. Can you say ace? Grade A
Yoel Hernandez
Key Stats: Record 0-0, 0 saves, 14.1 innings pitched, 1 walks, 13 strikeouts, 5.02 ERA
Hernandez was brought up from the minors to be a warm body in a depleted bullpen. He started off well but got shelled in his last two appearances before being sent back to the minors. He gets the ball over the plate and get lots of strikeouts. He's still young and will be back again. Grade C
Kyle Kendrick
Key Stats: Record 3-0, 30.2 innings pitched, 10 walks, 10 strikeouts, 4.40 ERA
No one expected to see him as the Phillies number four starter. He's kept the team in each of his five starts. He walks too many batters and needs to mix up his pitches more, but he's already won two more games than Freddy Garcia did, so there's not much reason to complain. Grade B-
Jon Lieber 15-day Disabled List
Key Stats: Record 3-6, 78 innings pitched, 22 walks, 54 strikeouts, 4.73 ERA
Out for the season after foot surgery, Lieber's days as a Philly are over. He was the odd man out of the rotation at the beginning of the season and then failed to perform consistently when he returned to the rotation. Lieber was another in a long history of poor free-agent signings. Grade D
Ryan Madson
Key Stats: Record 1-3, 1 save, 46.2 innings pitched, 20 walks, 39 strikeouts, 3.66 ERA
Madson has become the Phillies seventh and eighth inning specialist and for the most part he's done a good job after a shaky start. It was good to see Charlie Manuel let him finish a game against Colorado. Of all Philly relievers he's been the most reliable. Grade B
Jose Mesa
Key Stats: Record 0-1, 13.1 innings pitched, 6 walks, 4 strikeouts, 4.73 ERA
Was there no one available who was better than this 41 year-old has-been? Mesa has already been cut by one team already this season. He's likely to be cut again soon. Grade F
Brett Myers
Key Stats: Record 1-2, 6 saves, 36 innings pitched, 18 walks, 51 strikeouts, 5.50 ERA
Why would a team take its opening day starter and put him in the bullpen? Myers apparently wanted the move and performed well as the team's closer until his injury put him on the disabled list in late May. Desperate for another starter, the Phillies still intend to keep Myers in the pen when he returns. It's hard to argue with the decision since the team has had such weak relief pitching. It looks like Myers is the closer from now on. Grade B-
Jamie Moyer
Key Stats: Record 7-7, 113.2 innings pitched, 35 walks, 66 strikeouts, 4.43 ERA
What should you expect from a 42 year old pitcher? Probably a lot less than the Phillies have gotten from Jamie Moyer. He really has pitched better than his record. He should have at least nine wins. He's the solid number two starter for the Phillies and will hopefully keep it up for the rest of the season. Grade B
Mike Zagurski
Key Stats: Record 1-0, 1 save, 15.1 innings pitched, 7 walks, 14 strikeouts, 4.70 ERA
The Phillies desperately need a quality left-handed relief pitcher and they hoped that Zagurski would be that man. He's looked good on occasion and poor other times. Until Brett Myers returns from the DL, he's all that the Phillies have from the left side. Grade C
J.D. Durbin, Anderson Garcia, J.C. Romero and Brian Sanches
Grade: incomplete
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