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Porkins: Catches bullets said 06/22, 06:43 PM
Really?

Bedard is currently sporting a league average ERA of 3.97. Sabathia is worse than that at 4.06. Neither of them has been a stud this season.

At least Sabathia has shown signs of recovery, and his WHIP of 1.27 is fairly good. His K rate is holding steady and he'll probably turn it around in the second half.

Bedard however has a WHIP of 1.32 and his K rate is way down from last season. In fact, Bedard's lifetime ERA is just shy of 4 and that includes last year's career best. Don't get me wrong- he's a good pitcher, but he's not necessarily going to be a second ace for whoever gets him.

Look at the Phils. Yes, they're leading the East, but the division is deep and there's a lot of baseball left to be played.

Philly is only half a game up. They have the 2nd WORST winning % of any division leader, and Florida, NY, and Atlanta are all within 5 games. I think you should be worried about making the playoffs rather than winning the pennant.

Assuming the Phils hold on, they still have to get past the best team in baseball.

All of the other playoff bound teasm are also going to be making improvements too. It's way too early to call a pennant for Philly.

Porkins: Catches bullets said 06/22, 07:34 PM
The NL East is currently the tightest race baseball. There are 4 teams within 4 games games of first. Plus, the Phillies are on a significant skid. Yet you seem confident that the Phils will take the division.

Because the way things are shaping up, that's likely their only path to the playoffs. The Cardinals are playing with a bunch of nobodies and still have a better record. If things continue like this, St. Louis would be the Wild Card.

You say that the Phils "are playing a lot of tough teams right now". What do you think will happen in the post-season? They'll get a bunch of cupcakes? If they do make the playoffs, it only gets tougher, so the fact that they're losing to good teams really doesn't help your case. But let's say that they hit enough, and their pitching holds up and gets them there.

How many playoff games has Bedard been in?

Oh yeah...ZERO

And Sabathia?

Gee..that 7.71 post-season ERA is going to look pretty ugly when the Phils are looking down that Cards or Cubs lineup.

Or maybe they face the D-Backs. Haren and Webb in a short series? Ouch.

Neither Sabathia nor Bedard bring you jack in terms of playoff performance.

Porkins: Catches bullets said 06/22, 08:36 PM
-Neither pitcher has been stellar so far this year. I admit Sabathia is turning it around, but Bedard has done nothing to convince me he'll be a difference-maker.

-Sabathia or Bedard would have to adapt to a new league. There's no way of knowing how either would do in the NL. Whoever comes over would have less than half a season to make adjustments before the divisional races get hot.

-There's no guarantee Philly will even make the playoffs. They're in the most competitive divsion in baseball with a very shaky HALF GAME lead, and when the second half hits there's no telling how things will change.

-Neither pitcher has proven anything in the playoffs. Counting on either to be a second ace in a short series is groundless.

-Philly is .500 against the other likely NL playoff teams. They're .500 versus Florida. They have a losing record against the Mets.

-As I said, they have the 2nd worst winning % of any division leader.

-Finally, look at their roster. There's little to no playoff experience there. What evidence is there that they can win the post-season?


Bottom line, there's no way to say with confidence that the Phillies will make the NLCS.