23-year old righty starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick doesn’t have great stuff but he knows how to pitch. He throws strikes and works fast which helps keep the Phillies’ defense on their toes. Kendrick has stated 17 games this season for the Phillies and he is 8-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Kendrick also benefits from a lot of run support from the awesome offense of the Phillies. He has now started 37 games for the Phillies in his major league career and he is 18-7 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. Kendrick has only allowed 2.28 walks per 9 innings in his major league career which helps minimize the damage.

Cole Hamels is proving that last season was just the beginning of a very productive career. He has started 10 games this season for the Phillies and he is 5-3 with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. He has only allowed 53 hits while striking out 65 batters in 72.1 innings which shows what kind of stuff he has. Hamels will be a contender for the Cy Young Award as long as he can stay healthy with the Phillies’ offense backing him up.

New closer Brad Lidge has been flawless so far this season. He has pitched in 15 games this season for the Phillies and he is 1-0 with 7 saves, a 0.00 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP. Lidge has also whiffed 15 batters in only 13 innings this season which shows that his stuff is coming back. If Lidge can keep focused and aggressive this season the Phillies are going to have a nice season again in 2008.

When the Phillies acquired Kyle Lohse from the Reds most experts didn’t think he would help the Phillies.  But he has pitched well enough to keep the Phillies in his starts.  He has started 9 games for the Phillies and he is 2-0 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP.  In 48.2 innings for the Phillies, Lohse has allowed 50 hits, walked 21 batters and whiffed 33.  The Phillies have gotten really hot as they have won 8 of their last 10 games including six in a row.  The Phillies are now only 1.5 games behind the Mets in the National League East and 1.5 games behind the Padres for the National League Wild Card.

Lefty starter Cole Hamels has been the only pitcher on the Phillies having an outstanding season.  He has electric stuff and he has been pounding the strike zone this season which has led to big time success.  Hamels is 10-4 with a 2.71 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP so far this season.  He will likely make a run at a Cy Young Award if he keeps pitching like he is right now in the 2nd half of the season.  He has whiffed 124 batters and only has walked 29 in 118.2 innings this season.  Ryan Madson had a rough season in 2006 but he has rebounded and it has helped the Phillies bullpen big time.  Madson is 1-2 with 1 save, a 3.66 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP so far this season.  The Phillies need him to keep up the good work in the 2nd half of the season.