This off-season the San Fransisco Giants were not the only team signing a 40+ year old pitcher. The Philadelphia Phillies re-signed Jamie Moyer (46), which means that the rotation that took the Phillies to the World Series will be back in 2009. Here's how it looks:
#1 Starter - Cole Hamels: 14-10 3.09 ERA 7.76 K/9 3.70 K/BB
#2 Starter - Brett Myers: 10-13 4.55 ERA 7.72 K/9 2.51 K/BB
#3 Starter - Jamie Moyer: 16-7 3.71 ERA 5.64 K/9 1.98 K/BB
#4 Starter - Joe Blanton: 9-12 4.69 ERA 5.05 K/9 1.68 K/BB
#5 Starter - Kyle Kendrick: 11-9 5.49 ERA 3.93 K/9 1.19 K/BB
Cole Hamels is one of the top pitchers in the NL and in all of baseball. His record did not do Cole Hamels any justice last year, due to the lack of run support he received. He showed in the playoffs how dominant he can be and I believe that his recent performance in the playoffs will translate into his best regular season in 2009.
Brett Myers was awful at the beginning of the 2008 season. He was giving up homeruns left and right and was not pitching as well as he has in the past. He was sent down to the minors and after spending some time at the A, AA, and AAA levels he returned to the Phillies and pitched a lot better. If he can pitch the way he did at the end 2008 in 2009, then he should have a solid year and have much better numbers than he did in 2008. The Phillies need him to be successful.
Jamie Moyer continues to surprise and impress everyone. He is 46 years old and he had one of his best years statistically last year and he won 16 games. He was re-signed in the off-season for 2 more years, which means he will be pitching in 4 different decades. The Phillies are not going to ask much of him, just keep doing what he has been doing, which is be a leader in the clubhouse, an example on the field, and be a pitching genius that he has always been.
Joe Blanton was traded to Philadelphia from Oakland in the middle of last season. Blanton pitched well and did not lose a game in a Phillies uniform. In 2007 Blanton pitched extremely well and if he can return to that form than that would be great for the Phillies rotation. He is a good pitcher and he will eat up innings and keep the Phillies in the games that he pitches.
Kyle Kendrick won 11 games, but really did not pitch too well and by the end of the year was not in the rotation. I believe that his spot in the rotation is up for grabs and that J.A. Happ or Carlos Carrasco can jump into that 5th spot if either have a good spring training.
The Phillies rotation that won them a World Series has the potential to be better in 2009 than they were in 2008. Joe Blanton will have more opportunity to pitch with the Phillies and he showed in the World Series that he is a good pitcher, the #5 starter spot might improve with the addition of J.A. Happ or Carlos Carrasco, and if Cole Hamels gets run support he could close to a 20 game winner. If that starting rotation can give turn it over to the best bullpen in baseball, which consists of J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson, and Brad Lidge, then the Phillies will definitely be in the hunt to defend their title.
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