68-year old Charlie Manuel might seem like a country bumpkin but he is also a pretty good manager. Manuel led the Phillies to a 97-65 (59.9%) record during the regular season and they were 5-4 (55.6%) during the post season. The Phillies are now 544-428 (56%) during the regular season in Manuel’s first six years on the job. The Phillies are also 21-16 (56.8%) during the post season and they were World Series Champs in 2008. Manuel now has a 764-619 (55.2%) record overall in his first 9 years as a major league manager during the regular season and he is 27-19 (58.7%) during the post season. I think that Manuel knows how to motivate this group of Phillies’ players, so I look for them to have a great season.

The Phillies have signed 28-year old righty swinging infielder Kevin Frandsen. Frandsen played in 54 games for the Angels last year and he was 40 for 160 (.250 avg, .613 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 0 homers, 14 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 228 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 138 of 568 (.243 avg, .636 OPS) with 65 runs scored, 7 homers, 53 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Frandsen will help the Phillies at some point off the bench this year as he can handle a lot of positions defensively and he’s a gamer so he should fit right in.

The Phillies are already having problems with the bullpen as 34-year old righty closer Brad Lidge will start the season on the D.L. Lidge pitched in 50 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-1 with 27 saves, a 2.96 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. He has now pitched in 189 games (0 starts) in his first three seasons with the Phillies and he is 3-9 with 99 saves, a 3.99 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. The Phillies hope that his stay on the D.L. isn’t too lengthy.

30-year old righty Ryan Madson is likely to replace Lidge as the closer until he’s ready to return to action. Madson pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-2 with 5 saves, a 2.55 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. He has now pitched in 429 games (18 starts) in his first 8 years with the Phillies and he is 43-28 with 20 saves, a 3.71 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Madson didn’t do too well as the closer last season when Lidge was out of action, so they might decide to leave him as the set-up man while using Jose Contreras as the closer.

39-year old righty Jose Contreras will either be the closer or the top set-up man when the 2011 season starts for the Phillies. Contreras pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-4 with 4 saves, a 3.34 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He has now pitched in 258 games (175 starts) in his first 8 years in the majors and he is 77-67 with 4 saves, a 4.55 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP. Contreras looked pretty sharp in his first year as a full time reliever and they Phillies hope that will continue in 2011.

34-year old lefty J.C. Romero will be a set-up man for the Phillies again in 2011. Romero pitched in 60 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-0 with 3 saves, a 3.68 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. He has now pitched in 213 games (0 starts) in his first four years with the Phillies and he is 6-6 with 4 saves, a 2.60 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Romero has only given up 99 hits in his first 148 2/3 innings with the Phillies, but he has also walked 105 batters which is way too many! He will still be the Phillies’ top lefty in the pen this year.

33-year old righty Danys Baez will be back in 2011, but they need him to step up. Baez pitched in 51 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 3-4 with a 5.48 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP. He has now pitched in 504 games (26 starts) in his first 9 years in the majors and he is 38-53 with 114 saves, a 4.14 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.

25-year old lefty Antonio Bastardo comes into this season as the Phillies’ #12 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 25 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 2-0 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Bastardo has now pitched in 31 games (5 starts) in his first two years with the Phillies and he is 4-3 with a 5.53 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. He has whiffed 45 batters in his first 42 1/3 innings in the majors, which is impressive…..but, he has also walked 18 batters which is way too many.

29-year old righty Eddie Bonine might win a job as the long man in the Phillies’ pen. He pitched in 47 games (1 start) for the Tigers last year and he was 4-1 with a 4.63 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. Bonine has now pitched in 62 games (10 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 7-3 with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP.

34-year old righty Jason Grilli didn’t pitch anywhere in 2010. He last pitched in the majors back in 2009 with the Rangers & Rockies. Grilli has pitched in 238 games (16 starts) in his major league career and he is 18-18 with 2 saves, a 4.74 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He’s a longshot to help the Phillies in 2011.

25-year old righty David Herndon was a Rule 5 Pick last year that stuck with the Phillies the whole year. Herndon pitched in 47 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. He didn’t miss many bats as he gave up 67 hits in only 52 1/3 innings last year. Herndon will likely start this year in AAA.

27-year old righty Scott Mathieson came into this season as the Phillies’ #13 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 2 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 0-0 with a 10.80 ERA and a 4.20 WHIP. He has now pitched in 11 games (8 starts) in his first two years in the majors and he is 1-4 with a 7.62 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP. The clock is ticking on Mathieson who is starting to lose his prospect status.

29-year old lefty Dan Meyer is a longshot to win a spot with the Phillies in 2011. Meyer pitched in 13 games (0 starts) for the Marlins last year and he was 0-1 with a 9.64 ERA and a 2.90 WHIP. He has now pitched in 103 games (7 starts) in his first five years in the majors and he is 3-9 with 2 saves, a 5.46 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP.

29-year old righty Brian Bass is also a longshot to help the Phillies in 2011. Bass pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Pirates last year and he was 0-0 with a 12.27 ERA and a 2.59 WHIP. He has now pitched in 101 games (4 starts) in his first three years in the majors and he is 9-7 with 1 save, a 5.16 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE PHILLIES BULLPEN IN 2011: C-

34-year old righty closer Brad Lidge will start the 2011 season on the disabled list due to right shoulder pain. Lidge pitched in 50 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 1-1 with 27 saves, a 2.96 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. 30-year old Ryan Madson will replace Lidge as the closer until he is ready to return to action. Madson pitched in 55 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-2 with 5 saves, a 2.55 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. 39-year old righty Jose Contreras will likely take over Madson’s old role as the set-up man. Contreras pitched in 67 games (0 starts) for the Phillies last year and he was 6-4 with 4 saves, a 3.34 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. The Phillies should be o.k. until Lidge is ready to return to action.

UPDATE: (3/29/2011) - Lidge has a partially torn rotator cuff which will keep him out at least the first half of the 2011 season. He will likely be unable to throw a baseball for at least the next two months.

The Phillies have signed 35-year old switch-hitting 2B Luis Castillo to a minor league deal. Castillo played in 86 games for the Mets last season and he was 58 of 247 (.235 avg, .604 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 17 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. He has now played in 1,720 games in his first 15 years in the majors and he is 1,889 of 6,510 (.290 avg, .719 OPS) with 1,001 runs scored, 28 homers, 443 RBIs and 370 stolen bases. Castillo will likely challenge for the starting job at 2B if Chase Utley has to start the 2011 season on the D.L. because of his bum knee.