5 PHILLIES

OVERALL RANK 12

ENEMY LINES

A RIVAL SCOUT SIZES UP PHILADELPHIA

I see a good energy with this group of kids. They're going to move toward .500 and continue growing.... Maikel Franco has incredible raw power. He needs to stop getting himself out. Pitchers get him to chase balls out of the zone.... Freddy Galvis is a solid defender, but when you're taking the same swing 1--2 that you're taking 3--1, you're going to make outs.... Odubel Herrera is a very, very solid hitter. He has speed, he's got some power, he can steal some bases.... Howie Kendrick should have an impact, a veteran who's willing to take some pitches.... I see a lot of holes in Aaron Altherr's swing. He's vulnerable to breaking balls.... I love Roman Quinn. He's one of my favorite guys. His makeup is off the charts, his strength, his athleticism. The sky is the limit.... [Shortstop prospect] J.P. Crawford needs to stop reading about how good he is and start working to show everyone how good he is. He has to become more disciplined.... Aaron Nola's got a well-above-average curveball. His fastball is average, but he has tremendous feel for making a big pitch when he needs to.... Jerad Eickhoff is one of the more underrated pitchers in the game.... It's nice to know you've got that veteran guy—Jeremy Hellickson—who's going to get into the seventh inning.... Clay Buchholz is going to win 11 or 12 games. He lets Jake Thompson go to Triple A and figure stuff out.... Jeanmar Gómez has just average stuff. He would be better off in the seventh or eighth inning, and let Joaquín Benoit take over the closer's role.

MANAGER PETE MACKANIN

3RD SEASON WITH PHILADELPHIA

B-T BA OBP SLG WAR

2B CÉSAR HERNÁNDEZ

S-R .294 .371 .393 3.3

LF HOWIE KENDRICK [NEW ACQUISITION] [DECLINING]

R-R .255 .326 .366 0.5

CF ODUBEL HERRERA [TEAM MVP] [DEFENSIVE STAR] [BARGAIN]

L-R .286 .361 .420 4.2

3B MAIKEL FRANCO [BARGAIN] [RISING]

R-R .255 .306 .427 1.2

RF MICHAEL SAUNDERS [NEW ACQUISITION]

L-R .253 .338 .478 1.3

1B TOMMY JOSEPH

R-R .257 .308 .505 0.5

SS FREDDY GALVIS

S-R .241 .274 .399 1.3

C CAMERON RUPP [INJURY RISK]

R-R .252 .303 .447 1.3

BENCH

B-T BA OBP SLG WAR

IF ANDRÉS BLANCO

S-R .253 .316 .405 -0.2

OF CHRIS COGHLAN [NEW ACQUISITION]

L-R .188 .290 .318 -0.6

OF AARON ALTHERR

R-R .197 .300 .288 -0.2

W--L ERA K/9 WAR

RH JEREMY HELLICKSON [DEFENSIVE STAR] [DECLINING]

12--10 3.71 7.3 3.0

RH CLAY BUCHHOLZ [NEW ACQUISITION] [DECLINING]

8--10 4.78 6.0 0.2

RH AARON NOLA [INJURY RISK] [BARGAIN] [RISING]

6--9 4.78 9.8 0.0

RH JERAD EICKHOFF [BARGAIN] [RISING]

11--14 3.65 7.6 3.5

RH VINCE VELASQUEZ [INJURY RISK] [BARGAIN] [RISING]

8--6 4.12 10.4 1.9

SV ERA K/9 WAR

RH JEANMAR GÓMEZ

37 4.85 6.2 -0.2

RH JOAQUÍN BENOIT [NEW ACQUISITION] [DECLINING]

1 2.81 9.8 1.0

NEW ACQUISITION

2016 STATS

(R) ROOKIE

TEAM MVP

DEFENSIVE STAR

INJURY RISK

BARGAIN

RISING

DECLINING

MODEST PROPOSAL

The Phillies brought in veteran infielders-turned-almost-outfielders Howie Kendrick and Chris Coghlan to bolster the corners beside Odubel Herrera. Their future rightfielder, though, was already in house. Converted shortstop Roman Quinn brings leadoff skills (.353 career OBP and 159 steals in the minors) and a rightfielder's arm. Health is the major concern; a slew of injuries have kept Quinn from playing a full season in any of his five pro years. But with Philadelphia bringing along a number of young starters who give up fly balls, there is every reason to maximize outfield defense. Quinn does that better than Kendrick or Coghlan.

BOTTOM LINE

The club is trending upward toward .500 this season, with better days ahead.