8 Things the Phillies should do to get back to the World Series.

8 things the Phillies need to do in order to get back to the World Series.

Before I get into all of this I wanted to first congratulate the Yankees. They paid opps I mean played well and got the job done. Now on to the matters at hand:

1) The Phillies need to get another starting pitcher.

The Phillies need a legit number 2 pitcher and with Lackey available it may be a good idea to offer him a great contract to bring him here. They could also reconsider a move for Halliday or some other guy available. I know some people will ask “What about Cole?” Well I will address him down the list.

2) Let Moyer, Myers, and Pedro go!

I know many people are into Pedro right now, but the guy is just too old. Moyer as well, so I think it is time to get younger at the position. Myers is a good pitcher, but he is unreliable and und unhealthy. Myers is also a bad apple with all of his antics of hitting women and challenging players in the locker room. The starting five should be Lee, Lackey (or someone like him), Blanton, Happ, and Drabek or Martinez (if you want to give him another shot). Don’t worry I have forgotten about Cole.

3) Upgrade the bull pen. (but not how you may think)

This seems easy enough, but I don’t think the Phillies need to go outside the organization to do this. Once Romero gets healthy I think many of the problems will start to work themselves out. I also believe Lidge needs to be removed from the closer position and inserted into the bullpen. He has too many pitches to be a closer and his slider is better suited for getting one or two batters out rather than pitching an entire inning. Think about it. How many closer have there been over the years with multiple pitchers that were successful? I think he is more of a situational bullpen pitcher.

4) Upgrade the bench.

The Phillies got to the World Series with some guys on the bench who did not help out as much as needed. The team could use another legit outfielder and a guy who is better than Bruntlett. The team needs another bat or two off the bench. Dobbs, Stairs, and Bruntlett are not as good as the used to be and need to be upgraded.

5) Tinker with the lineup.

I may be the only person who thinks this way, but I think Utley should bat 2nd and Werth or Ibanez (Depending on the pitcher) should bat third. I think Victorino would help the team out more if her were to break up the righty combo of Feliz and Ruiz. Victorino would also add some speed to the back end of the line up giving the possibility of Rollins batting with a guy in scoring position when the lineup turns over. Utley would do great in the two slot and the teams would still have to pitch to him since Werth or Ibanez would be next. The lineup would become more balanced than it is today.

6) Don’t be afraid to spend the money!

It is easy for me to say this about another person’s money, but the proof is in the pudding. The Yankees beat the Phillies because they were willing to spend more than the rest. This does not mean the Phillies should over spend, but they should spend wisely. In other word, don’t spend money on guys like Andy Ashby anymore and hope he makes a contribution. Spend the money on proven commodities in their prime. If you can’t beat them, buy them.

7) Don’t bet the farm.

I know I said to try and get Roy Halliday, but it is not wise to give up all of the young talent to do so. This team could compete for the next 10 years if some of the young guys pan out to become great talents. Perhaps Toronto would be willing to take less than they asked before for Halliday. Just don’t give them everything like they were asking for. Perhaps there is another Cliff Lee like deal out there ready for the making. I trust Ruben Amaro Jr. is smart enough to find one.

8) Get a closer!

Now I know this idea might sound crazy, but I think the Phillies already have this guy on the roster. No it’s not Myers, Happ, Madsen, or Lidge. The answer is Cole Hamels. Cole is a pitcher with two pitches and after about 4 to 5 innings teams begin to understand his tendencies. I think if he only has to pitch for an inning a game he would be lights out. I would love to see it happen, but I doubt the Phillies would do it.