Listening to sports talk radio on the drive to Citizens Bank Park this morning was more painful than one would hope after only the first series of the season. Sure, the offense was sluggish in their first two outings but they did put up four runs on Sunday and had the team in a position to take the series from Pittsburgh. If anything, the bullpen situation is the one to worry most about. Antonio Bastardo and Mike Stutes appear to have regressed from the point last year where they were very reliable out of the pen. But the fact of the matter is the Phillies have lost one series and it took place in Pittsburgh, a place where they're typically not very impressive playing at.
But they haven't even played a game at home yet. Let the team get a few series under their belts before you start walking over to the Walt Whitman. This team isn't perfect, we know that. But every champion goes through ups and downs throughout the season. Freddy Galvis is going to have to improve his offense, the bullpen is going to need guys to step up before the ball gets handed to Jonathan Papelbon. But all championship teams also have guys step in and fill bigger roles than you'd expect from them before they actually do it.
It's a crazy long season. Today's the first game at Citizens Bank Park.
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Cole Hamels will face Anibal Sanchez in a very windy ballpark this afternoon.
Hamels will take the mound for the first time since he earned the win in game 3 of the 2011 NLDS when he held the Cardinals scoreless for six innings and was pulled for pinch hitter Ben Francisco who bashed the biggest homer of the Phillies short postseason last year. Cole, of course, is going to be pitching all season for the most lucrative contract of his career. There seem to be no indications that a deal with the Phillies is close, so with every great outing, Hamels can see his future earnings rise.
If there is one single thing I was most looking forward to about this Phillies season, it was watching the season Cole Hamels can put together. All indications this spring pointed to Cole being the best he's ever been. He's hitting his stride and should be fun to watch all year long.
It starts today at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch scheduled for roughly 1:09 pm.
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