Pepper

This sure is a hard town on professional athletes, eh Raul? I mean these folks can be Tough with a capital T. What has it taken you to win them over, ten games? Fifteen? Nineteen?

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Back in February nearly everyone was concerned about Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz, both of whom had off-season surgery and both of whom were not expected to begin the season in the starting lineup. So, naturally, they both have played steadily from day one and both have been having marvelous seasons to date. The Phillies cannot get anything related to health matters right even when the news is good!

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Cole Hamels looked like his old self last night until he twisted an ankle fielding a bunt in the fifth inning and had to withdraw. This has been something of a snake-bitten season thus far for the Phils ace, what with too much throwing last year and too much celebrating this off-season. Last night, however, he was in mid-season form in terms of velocity and command. If he can stay healthy he is about to revert to his performance of the second half of last season. If he can stay healthy.

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Catching has been a real problem this season. Numero uno, Carlos Ruiz, has been hurt, beginning with his play for Panama in the WBC. Lou Marson looks a bit overmatched behind not necessarily at the plate though his hitting has hardly been stellar. Chris Coste just looks cooked.

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Jimmy Rollins has gotten off to an awful start. It took him nineteen games to steal his first base of the season and he is still hitting under the Mendoza line. Charlie Manuel has already given him two days off, something unheard of this early in the season. Jimmy doesn't look too comfortable from the right side of the plate; from the left side he looks like his is reaching for pitches, which means he is poppin them up or slicing them to the opposite field. He hits best when he is getting around on the ball quickly, which is why the book used to be to pound him inside to prevent him from getting his arms extended. His line drive single last night was classic J-Roll. If he can bottle that swing he will come out of his slump.