According to Internet Media: The Philadelphia Phillies became instant favorites to win the National League when they added starter Cliff Lee during the offseason. However, it has now become more of who the Phils won't have when they begin the regular season this afternoon versus the Houston Astros.
The Phillies do still have the luxury of handing the ball to one of the game's best as reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay takes the hill in the opener of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park against a familiar face in the Astros' Brett Myers.
After finishing the 2010 season with the best record in baseball (97-65) for the first time in team history to earn a fourth straight NL East title, the Phillies rolled through the Cincinnati Reds in the NLDS. However, they fell short of a third straight NL Pennant after losing in six games to the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants, a series that was highlighted by the club's inability to drive in clutch runs.
That didn't stop the Phillies from adding the best pitcher in free agency this past winter, luring Lee away from the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers to join a rotation that is headed by Halladay and includes Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton.
While that rotation could be one of the best ever assembled in some time, the Phillies do have questions on offense and in the bullpen. Second baseman Chase Utley (right knee), closer Brad Lidge (right shoulder) and rookie outfielder Domonic Brown (right hand) will all open the season on the disabled list and will be replaced by Wilson Valdez, veteran Jose Contreras and Ben Francisco, respectively.
Philadelphia also lost right fielder Jayson Werth to free agency, putting added pressure on Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez in the lineup. Rollins could be the biggest question mark after he hit just .243 last season while missing a large amount of time due to nagging calf injury.
Of course, a lot of offense might not be needed today with Halladay set to make his ninth straight Opening Day start despite the acquisition of Lee.
"I'd like to hear someone argue someone else," Lee told the Phillies' website of Halladay getting the start. "It just doesn't make sense. There's no other argument that makes sense."
Halladay, 33, started the Phils' first game a season ago and picked up a win in his debut with the club, kicking off a season in which he went 21-10 with a 2.44 earned run average while leading the NL with 250 2/3 innings pitched.
That success, which also included a perfect game in April and baseball's second ever postseason no-hitter, earned Halladay a unanimous selection as the NL Cy Young as he became the fifth pitcher in league history to win the award in both leagues.
The right-hander had never before faced the Astros before splitting a pair of decisions against them last year with a 1.69 ERA, taking a loss at home to Houston on Aug. 25 after yielding three runs over seven innings.
Of course, Philadelphia also knows a lot about Houston's Opening Day starter, Myers, who did the deed with the Phillies for three straight seasons from 2007-09. Oswalt had started each of the Astros' last eight Opening Days before being traded to the Phillies during the 2010 season.
The 30-year-old Myers was a first-round pick of the Phils in 1999 and spent his first eight seasons with the club before joining the Astros as a free agent prior to last season. His first year with the club was a success as he matched a career-high with 14 wins, while his 3.14 ERA was a personal best.
Myers, who signed a new two-year deal with a club option in August, faced his former club for the first time in his career on Aug. 23 and got the victory, giving up two runs over seven innings with nine strikeouts. Howard struck out all three times he faced the right-hander.
Oswalt won't be the only usual suspect missing from the lineup after Lance Berkman was also traded in 2010 during Brad Mills' first year as manager. Houston's young core stepped up after the wheeling and dealing, posting one of the league's better second-half records, but the club still finished 10 games below .500 and missed the playoffs for a fifth year in a row.
Houston didn't add much to its core, which is led by outfielders Hunter Pence, Carlos Lee and Michael Bourn and also features youngsters Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace. The Astros signed second baseman Bill Hall and shortstop Clint Barmes, but Barmes is expected to miss the first month due to a broken bone in his left hand and will be replaced by Angel Sanchez.
Houston also won't have young catcher Jason Castro after he suffered a knee injury in the spring that is expected to sideline him for at least six months. He will be replaced by the duo of Humberto Quintero and J.R. Towles.
The Astros swept a four-game series in Philadelphia from Aug. 23-26, avenging an early three-game sweep by the Phillies in Houston back in April.
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According to Internet Media: The latest edition of GQ Magazine named Philadelphia Phillies fans the "meanest in America." The evidence? Booing Santa Claus, vomiting on innocent girls, and getting tased on the field, to name a few incidents.
