The rebuilding has begun in Philadelphia, as Charlie Manuel was fired midway through last season and former Chicago Cubs legend Ryne Sandberg is the new manager for the Phillies. The team that won five straight NL East titles, two National League pennants and one World Series title from 2007-11 is on hard times. The Notebook Nine focuses in on nine key points regarding the Philadelphia Phillies as a new season and new era begins…
The window is closing, as the proverbial cliché goes for the Philadelphia Phillies. The organization has mortgaged itself to the hilt for the present and has reaped a lot of rewards—five straight NL East titles, two National League pennants and a World Series title back in 2008. But the team and the fans want at least one more of the latter and with starters up and down the roster on the wrong side of 30, time is running out. TheSportsNotebook evaluates the 2012 Phils to see if they can again make the playoffs and then come up with the big October run that’s eluded them the last two seasons. As always, TheSportsNotebook’s measuring sticks are the ability to get on base, power, starting pitching and relief pitching.