Philadelphia Phillies do not find short term solution for their weakened offence - MLB Update
Not many times does one find a team ending up on the losing side even when their starter throws ten scoreless innings. That is exactly what happened with the Phillies in a game against San Francisco Giants. Starter Cliff Lee threw ten innings tirelessly
and yet he was disappointed to see hitters not backing up his effort.
This reignites debate about the fate of two of the most reliable hitters with the Phillies, Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. As the latter suffers from a bum knee and even if he gets fit before his most optimistic time, he cannot fancy an immediate return to
his prime.
As it is believed that he will be out for more than one month, Phillies will do better by focusing only on how to produce best from their existing offensive strength.
For this, an extra responsibility falls on Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins. If the current performance of the Phillies is anything to go by, one doubts whether they have fulfilled what is expected of them in general let alone seeing them putting up anything
out of the ordinary.
Howard carries his injury from the last year and up until now there is hardly anything indicating his chances to make the return anywhere before the All-Star game.
Howard and Utley had their part in incredible run of record Phillies registered in the last few seasons.
In an attempt to place confidence in their existing strength, Rollins believed absence of just two players cannot render the whole line-up helpless on the plate.
According to him, if every player adds something however little, it will result in much improved overall performance.
"You're not kicking a can down the road," he said. "You run your race. We'll get there. It's not like you take two guys out of the lineup and no one can hit."
Perhaps this is the only way they can do justice with an enviable rotation they possess.
Endurance of Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Lee demands support of the offence for the fruits to materialise. It is premature to make any judgment and therefore who knows with a better support from the offence in the games ahead, Phillies will be restoring
their pride, much to the surprise of everyone.
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