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It doesn't look like anyone will be knocking down my door to sign me up as their GM anytime soon. I'll admit it, my 2010 Phillies predictions were not good. OK, they were bad. But let's face it. Almost every offensive player on the Phils underproduced compared to last year, so anybody who predicted correctly is just not a fan. That's my excuse anyway.
Here we go: it is time to review my 2010 Phillies predictions. I did OK with my predictions for the Phils' starting pitchers, so let's start there.
Click here for a link to the original 2010 Phillies starting pitching predictions.
Starting Pitchers
1) Roy Halladay vs. Cliff Lee/Cole Hamels
Prediction:
BETTER
Result: BETTER
There is no question about this one. Roy Halladay was a tremendous upgrade over the top spot in the rotation last year. And yes, that includes Cliff Lee. If we take a look at the top spot in the rotation last year, there is no comparison. You don't need my analysis on this one so we will let the numbers speak for themselves.
Roy Halladay has a 10-7 record, 2.19 ERA, 148 innings, 7 complete games, 3 complete game shutouts, and oh yeah, a perfect game. Compare that to the combined number of Lee and Hamels last year. Hamels, 10-11, 4.39 ERA. Cliff Lee, 7-4 record with Phillies and a 3.39 ERA.
2. Cole Hamels vs. Cole Hamels
Prediction:
BETTER
Result: BETTER
I got this prediction right, but I had to. Cole Hamels was the biggest and most important question mark heading into this season. We needed Hamels to step up, and he most certainly did. He came up with a few new pitches in the offseason and arrived to Spring Training in great shape. To his credit, he continued to use his cutter and curveball early on, even when they weren't working. Even better, he didn't get all bent out of shape for each little thing that didn't go his way. Simply put, he started pitching like a #1 starter.
What a difference a year makes. Last year at the break, he had a 5-5 record with a 4.87 ERA in 98 innings. This year, it's a 7-7 record, 3.78 ERA in 112 innings. Quite a difference.
3. Joe Blanton vs. Joe Blanton
Prediction:
Slightly Worse
Result: Much Worse
Nobody expected all that much from Joe Blanton. You could normally figure Blanton to pitch 6 innings and give up 3 runs every outing. Not this year. Even ignoring the fact that he was out for a month (thank God), Blanton has been terrible. His numbers this year say it all: 3-5 record, 6.41 ERA, 103 hits, 18 runs, and 121 total baserunners in 80 innings. Ruben Amaro could have kept Cliff Lee for 9 million this year, but he chose instead to sign Blanton for 8 million. Can you say Adam Eaton?
4. JA Happ vs. JA Happ/Chan Ho Park
Prediction:
Worse
Result: N/A
It would have been intriguing to see how Happ would fare in his second full season. But because he has been injured pretty much all year, we will have to wait until the second half of the season to get our answer.
5. Jamie Moyer vs. Jamie Moyer
Prediction: SAME
Result: MUCH BETTER
I said before the season that Moyer is no better or worse than a 5.00 ERA. His ERA is actually fairly close at 4.51, but if you take away his outing against the Red Sox where he gave up 9 runs in just one inning, his ERA drops to 4.22. Not bad for a 47 year old guy. Furthermore, he has 2 complete games and became the oldest pitcher in history to throw a complete game shutout. Had the Phillies scored some more runs for the old guy, he had a fighting chance to make the all-star team...AT 47!
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