Phillies Week in Review, 6/19-6/25

With the start of my new full-time job, I am now in a position where I will need to regiment my lifestyle effectively in order to make sure I get the things done that I want to.  Since this blog is included in that collection of tasks, I will try to make sure to write at least once per week.  How better to ensure that than by having a weekly piece about the only thing that is consistently going on during the summer, the baseball season?  As a Philly guy, I have unique interest in the Phillies, so y'all are just going to live with me blabbering on about a sub-.500 team that many people are ignoring out of disappointment.

Let's see where this goes.

Team Performance

Record: 4-3 (35-40 overall)
Streak: W1
Division: Gained 1 game, 8 GB
Avg Opponents' Record*: 35-38
* Weighted average of current records of opponents during the week

As an average team, it's not altogether surprising to see the Phillies play about even with average teams.  They were just 5-10 against AL teams during interleague play, which is business as usual for them.  With 9 out of 12 remaining pre-All-Star games against division rivals, they have a real opportunity to make hay and get some momentum for the back end of the schedule.  With Chase Utley set to return quite soon, they might just get that boost.

Most Outstanding Hitters

Jimmy Rollins -- 31 PA, .393 AVG, .452 OBP, .929 SLG, 4 HR, 9 R, 7 RBI, 1 SB

He's on a J-Roll right now (yeah I said it), posting half of his home runs for the season this week and putting together an OPS of almost double his season average.  Everyone always says that he's the catalyst of the lineup, and perhaps that is the case, with the team scoring at least 7 runs 4 times this week.

Carlos Ruiz -- 28 PA, .348 AVG, .464 OBP, .522 SLG, 1 HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB

His season averages are .354 AVG, .421 OBP, .561 SLG, and he just keeps on trucking.  The home run rate has slowed down after five jacks in May, but he's on pace for just about 20, which would more than double his career high of 9.  Not to mention that he stole as many bases as Rollins this week.  The man's got wheels.  Kinda.

Michael Martinez -- 20 PA, .050 AVG, .050 OBP, .200 SLG, 1 HR, 1 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB

Not only was he the worst Phillie at the plate this week, but he was the worst Phillie in the field as well (per FanGraphs), which naturally begs the question: why is he on the field?  Ever?  I know Mike Fontenot is boring (he has 20 hits, 18 of which are singles), but he is hitting over .340.

Most Outstanding Pitchers

Cole Hamels -- 15 IP, 1.20 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 14 K, 6 BB

The price for Hamels' services next year and beyond continues to stay at about $25 million per year as he continues a solid year surrounded by inconsistency and injury in the rotation.  The 6 walks are slightly bothersome by his standards, but they are his standards.

Raul Valdes -- 2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 4 K, 0 BB

Not exactly a big name or even a guy that pitched a lot, but it's worth acknowledging that he has struck out 17 of 52 batters faced this season while only walking one and allowing a .157 opponents' batting average.

BJ Rosenberg -- 0.2 IP, 27.00 ERA, 6.00 WHIP, 0 K, 4 BB

I'm as much a fan of Rosenbergs as the next guy, but definitely not in the athletic domain.  Mah Jongg, maybe.  There is a  silver lining -- he didn't allow a hit -- but that's simply because it would be imprudent for anyone to even swing at a pitch if he's walking 2/3 of the batters he faces.