26-year old lefty starting pitcher Cole Hamels had a rough go of it in 2009 working in 32 games (all starts) in which he was 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. But he looks like his old self this year. He has started 14 games for the Phillies this year and he is 6-5 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Hamels has whiffed 85 batters in 86 1/3 for the Phillies as he seems to be all the way back for the Phillies. He should start getting more wins soon as the offense and bullpen are both going to get better at some point this year.

The Phillies have designated 26-year old righty reliever/starter Scott Mathieson for assignment. He pitched in 1 game for the Phillies this year working 2/3 of an inning and allowing 3 hits and 2 earned runs. Mathieson also has pitched in 25 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball this year in which he is 2-2 with 12 saves, a 2.43 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He just never seemed to have it going whenever the Phillies have called him up. He has pitched in 10 games (8 starts) in his career with the Phillies and he is 1-4 with a 7.82 ERA and a 1.76 WHIP. I think some team will be willing to give something up for Mathieson.

It looked like the Phillies were planning on batting Victorino pretty low in the batting order this season but the injuries to Jimmy Rollins have changed all of that. The 29-year old switch hitting CF has played in 60 games this season and he is 63 of 247 (.255 avg, .779 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 10 homers, 36 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He has been doing a solid job of leading off for the Phillies this season but they would like to see him up his average a tad but that’s nitpicking as Victorino always gives it his all every time he puts his uniform on.

29-year old righty starting pitcher Joe Blanton got off to a late start this season after a D.L. stint. But he has been awful since getting healthy. He has started 7 games for the Phillies this year and he is 1-4 with a 6.07 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Blanton has given up 51 hits already this season in 43 innings and 9 of them have left the yard. The Phillies don’t have many other options so they hope that Blanton turns things around soon.

Lefty reliever Tug McGraw was one of the better relievers in Phillies’ team history. But in 1980 he was the king of the Baseball World. He finished 5th for the Cy Young Award working in 57 games (0 starts) in which he was 5-4 with 20 saves, a 1.46 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP. McGraw only allowed 62 hits in 92 1/3 innings pitched that year for the Phillies showing just how dominant he was in 1980. McGraw was also on the mound in Game #6 of the World Series that year in which he sealed a World Championship for the Phillies saving the game. McGraw pitched in 4 games in the 1980 World Series for the Phillies in which he was 1-1 with 2 saves, a 1.17 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP. McGraw pitched in 463 games (3 starts) in his 10 years with the Phillies and he was 49-37 with 94 saves, a 3.10 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. McGraw is #3 in Phillies’ history in games pitched (463) and he is #4 in saves with 94. McGraw’s son is the famous country singer Tim McGraw. Tug McGraw died on January 5th, 2004 at the age of 59. He is gone but will never be forgotten in Philly.