Phillies Five: The Numbers Don't Lie

It is hard to believe we are already a little over three weeks into the 2014 regular season already. It felt just like yesterday the Fightins' took their first swings, and threw their pitches, down in Clearwater at Spring Training. 20 games into the season, it is a little over 12% complete already!

This week on Phillies Five, as we did a few weeks past, we will look at some of the positives we recently seen out of the Phillies, and will look at statistics that have helped lead the team to their recent success.

5. Carlos Ruiz

It took Carlos 15 games to get his first runs batted in for the 2014 season, but he surely made up for lost time in the Phillies' convincing 7-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night.

Batting cleanup, Chooch went 3-4 with two runs scored, four runs batted in, a home run, and a walk. His average climbed from .204 to .245, and his on-base-percentage rose from .328 to .365 after his first offensively productive game of the season.

Ruiz's production continued on, with him tripling last night and scoring one of the three runs en-route to an extra-innings victory over the Dodgers late Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

Rk	Gcar	Gtm	Date	Tm		Opp	Rslt	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BOP	Pos
1	826	1	Mar 31	PHI	@	TEX	W,14-10	5	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	.333	.600	.333	.933	7	C
2	827	2	Apr 1	PHI	@	TEX	L,2-3	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.143	.333	.143	.476	6	C
3	828	3	Apr 2	PHI	@	TEX	L,3-4	5	4	2	2	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.273	.429	.364	.792	2	C
4	829	4	Apr 4	PHI	@	CHC	W,7-2	5	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	.308	.526	.385	.911	2	C
5	830	6 (1)	Apr 6	PHI	@	CHC	L,3-8	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.235	.435	.294	.729	7	C
6	831	7	Apr 8	PHI		MIL	L,4-10	5	4	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	.190	.393	.238	.631	3	C
7	832	8	Apr 9	PHI		MIL	L,4-9	5	5	2	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.231	.394	.346	.740	3	C
8	833	9	Apr 10	PHI		MIL	L,2-6	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	.233	.378	.333	.712	7	C
9	834	10	Apr 11	PHI		MIA	W,6-3	4	4	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.235	.366	.353	.719	7	C
10	835	11	Apr 12	PHI		MIA	W,5-4	4	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.243	.378	.351	.729	7	C
11	836	13 (1)	Apr 14	PHI		ATL	L,6-9	4	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	.225	.367	.325	.692	7	C
12	837	14	Apr 16	PHI		ATL	L,0-1	3	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.233	.365	.326	.691	7	C
13	838	16 (1)	Apr 18	PHI	@	COL	L,1-12	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.217	.345	.304	.650	7	C
14	839	17	Apr 19	PHI	@	COL	L,1-3	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.204	.328	.286	.613	7	C
15	840	19 (1)	Apr 21	PHI	@	LAD	W,7-0	5	4	2	3	2	0	1	4	1	0	0	0	.245	.365	.415	.780	4	C
16	841	20	Apr 22	PHI	@	LAD	W,3-2	5	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	.246	.368	.439	.806	5	C
				PHI				68	57	13	14	6	1	1	4	10	1	8	1	.246	.368	.439	.806

4. Cliff Lee

Lee is putting up another one of his stellar months, which he almost always seems to do without notice. This April in four starts, Lee has a 1.20 ERA, allowing just four runs in 30.0 innings pitched.

While Lee struggling on Opening Day allowing eight runs, he still somehow ended up with the victory as the Phillies "out-powered" the Rangers' potent lineup, 14-10.

Lee's next start on April 5 ended in seven shutout innings, and the subsequent start thereafter he suffered his first loss of the season in a 2-6 defeat at home against the Milwaukee Brewers.

He rebounded in his next appearance on April 16 at home against the Braves, throwing a complete game and allowing just one run. His performance proved to not be enough, however, as the Phillies were blanked by Julio Teheran for his first career shutout. This was the first time since 2012 that both starting pitchers in a game went the distance.

His most recent start, April 21 against the Dodgers, was arguably his best of the season so far. He threw eight shutout innings, striking out ten Dodgers to earn his third victory of the season.

Cliff has 13 career games with double-digit strikeouts and no walks, as tweeted by ‏@BRefPlayIndex. This is fifth best all-time in MLB history, behind Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, and former Phillies Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez.

Rk	Gcar	Gtm	Date	Tm		Opp	Rslt	Inngs	Dec	DR	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA	BF	Pit	Str	StL	StS	GB	FB	LD	SB	CS	AB	2B	3B	Exited
1	316	1	Mar 31	PHI	@	TEX	W,14-10	GS-5	W(1-0)	99	5.0	11	8	8	1	1	1	14.40	27	101	71	21	2	10	15	6	0	0	26	3	0	5b 3 out a1
2	317	5	Apr 5	PHI	@	CHC	W,2-0	GS-7	W(2-0)	4	7.0	10	0	0	0	6	0	6.00	30	104	74	26	5	14	10	5	0	0	30	1	0	7b 3 out a2
3	318	9	Apr 10	PHI		MIL	L,2-6	GS-6	L(2-1)	4	6.0	8	3	3	0	8	0	5.50	25	96	70	20	16	10	7	5	0	0	25	3	1	6t 3 out d2
4	319	14	Apr 16	PHI		ATL	L,0-1	CG	L(2-2)	5	9.0	11	1	1	1	13	1	4.00	38	128	85	21	21	14	10	7	1	0	36	0	0	9t 3 out d1
5	320	19	Apr 21	PHI	@	LAD	W,7-0	GS-8	W(3-2)	4	8.0	4	0	0	0	10	0	3.09	27	113	83	26	12	11	6	2	0	0	27	0	0	8b 3 out a5
				PHI							35.0	44	12	12	2	38	2	3.09	147

3. Chase Utley

Utley's bat has been quiet recently, however you cannot ignore his among-the-league leading numbers he has put up so far. For instance, he is second in batting average (.391) to Colorado's Charlie Blackmon (.411).

Utley has 27 hits in 69 total at-bats with three home runs, 12 runs batted in and five walks. Nine of his 17 games played were multi-hit games, three of them being three-hit performances.

One pace for 27 home runs and 99 runs batted in, it would be Utley's best season since 2009 where he had 31 home runs and 93 runs batted in.

Rk	Gcar	Gtm	Date	Tm		Opp	Rslt	Inngs	PA	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	HBP	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	1324	1	Mar 31	PHI	@	TEX	W,14-10	CG	6	6	0	3	1	0	1	0	0	0	.500	.500	.667	1.167	2B
2	1325	2	Apr 1	PHI	@	TEX	L,2-3	CG	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.400	.400	.500	.900	DH
3	1326	3	Apr 2	PHI	@	TEX	L,3-4	CG	4	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.385	.429	.462	.890	2B
4	1327	4	Apr 4	PHI	@	CHC	W,7-2	CG	5	5	1	2	0	1	3	0	0	0	.389	.421	.611	1.032	2B
5	1328	5	Apr 5	PHI	@	CHC	W,2-0	CG	4	3	2	3	1	1	1	1	0	0	.476	.522	.857	1.379	2B
6	1329	6	Apr 6	PHI	@	CHC	L,3-8	CG	5	3	0	1	1	0	1	1	1	1	.458	.536	.833	1.369	2B
7	1330	9 (2)	Apr 10	PHI		MIL	L,2-6	CG	4	4	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.464	.531	.786	1.317	2B
8	1331	10	Apr 11	PHI		MIA	W,6-3	CG	5	4	2	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	.469	.541	.750	1.291	2B
9	1332	11	Apr 12	PHI		MIA	W,5-4	CG(10)	4	4	1	2	2	0	2	0	0	0	.472	.537	.778	1.314	2B
10	1333	12	Apr 13	PHI		MIA	W,4-3	CG	5	4	2	3	1	1	1	1	0	0	.500	.565	.875	1.440	2B
11	1334	13	Apr 14	PHI		ATL	L,6-9	CG	5	5	1	2	1	0	0	0	2	0	.489	.549	.844	1.393	2B
12	1335	14	Apr 16	PHI		ATL	L,0-1	CG	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	.449	.509	.776	1.285	2B
13	1336	15	Apr 17	PHI		ATL	W,1-0	CG	3	3	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.462	.517	.769	1.286	2B
14	1337	16	Apr 18	PHI	@	COL	L,1-12	CG	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.429	.484	.714	1.198	2B
15	1338	17	Apr 19	PHI	@	COL	L,1-3	CG	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.417	.470	.683	1.153	2B
16	1339	18	Apr 20	PHI	@	COL	W,10-9	CG	5	4	1	1	1	0	2	0	2	0	.406	.451	.672	1.123	2B
17	1340	19	Apr 21	PHI	@	LAD	W,7-0	CG	5	5	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.391	.434	.652	1.086	2B
				PHI					76	69	11	27	9	3	12	5	9	1	.391	.434	.652	1.086

2. Ryan Howard

Similar to Ruiz, Howard has also recently clicked offensively after struggling many games into the season.

On Sunday Howard surely put on a show as fans were eating their Easter dinners. Homering to left-center field, tripling nearly in the same direction as the home run, and singling twice, Howard was a double shy of being the first Phillie to hit for the cycle since David Bell in 2004 against the San Diego Padres. His average rose from .217 prior to that game to .262.

A healthy, productive Ryan Howard will do wonders for the Phillies lineup, even if he isn't quite the home run-hitting powerhouse we saw him as during his MVP season in 2006.

Currently, Howard has five home runs and 13 runs batted in this season, and is on pace for 43 home runs and 132 runs batted in. If that season comes to fruition, it would be his best season since the 2009 World Series run where he had 45 home runs and 141 runs batted in.

Rk	Gcar	Gtm	Date	Tm		Opp	Rslt	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SF	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos
1	1179	1	Mar 31	PHI	@	TEX	W,14-10	6	5	1	2	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	.400	.500	.400	.900	1B
2	1180	2	Apr 1	PHI	@	TEX	L,2-3	4	4	0	1	1	0	0	1	0	2	0	.333	.400	.444	.844	1B
3	1181	3	Apr 2	PHI	@	TEX	L,3-4	4	4	1	1	0	0	1	2	0	2	0	.308	.357	.615	.973	DH
4	1182	4	Apr 4	PHI	@	CHC	W,7-2	5	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	.294	.368	.529	.898	1B
5	1183	5	Apr 5	PHI	@	CHC	W,2-0	4	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	.300	.391	.500	.891	1B
6	1184	6	Apr 6	PHI	@	CHC	L,3-8	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.240	.321	.400	.721	1B
7	1185	7	Apr 8	PHI		MIL	L,4-10	5	5	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	.233	.303	.400	.703	1B
8	1186	8	Apr 9	PHI		MIL	L,4-9	4	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	.212	.297	.364	.661	1B
9	1187	9	Apr 10	PHI		MIL	L,2-6	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	.200	.317	.343	.660	1B
10	1188	10	Apr 11	PHI		MIA	W,6-3	4	2	2	1	0	0	0	1	2	0	0	.216	.356	.351	.707	1B
11	1189	11	Apr 12	PHI		MIA	W,5-4	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	.220	.347	.341	.688	1B
12	1190	12	Apr 13	PHI		MIA	W,4-3	5	4	1	1	0	0	1	1	1	1	0	.222	.352	.400	.752	1B
13	1191	13	Apr 14	PHI		ATL	L,6-9	4	4	1	1	0	0	1	1	0	3	0	.224	.345	.449	.794	1B
14	1192	14	Apr 16	PHI		ATL	L,0-1	3	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.231	.344	.442	.787	1B
15	1193	15	Apr 17	PHI		ATL	W,1-0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	.231	.355	.442	.797	PH
16	1194	16	Apr 18	PHI	@	COL	L,1-12	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	.214	.333	.411	.744	1B
17	1195	17	Apr 19	PHI	@	COL	L,1-3	4	4	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.217	.329	.400	.729	1B
18	1196	18	Apr 20	PHI	@	COL	W,10-9	5	5	3	4	0	1	1	3	0	0	0	.262	.360	.508	.868	1B
19	1197	19	Apr 21	PHI	@	LAD	W,7-0	5	5	1	2	0	0	1	2	0	2	0	.271	.363	.543	.905	1B
20	1198	20	Apr 22	PHI	@	LAD	W,3-2	5	4	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	.270	.353	.527	.880	1B
				PHI				85	74	12	20	2	1	5	13	10	24	1	.270	.353	.527	.880

1. Jonathan Papelbon

You might hate the guy, but you have to admit he is one of the most effective pitchers in the Phillies' bullpen right now. Despite his blown save on April 2nd against the Texas Rangers, where he allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in just a tenth of an inning, Jonathan Papelbon has been lights-out since.

Rk	Gcar	Gtm	Date	Tm		Opp	Rslt	Inngs	Dec	DR	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HBP	ERA	BF	Pit	Str	StL	StS	GB	FB	LD	PU	AB	2B	3B	RE24	Entered	Exited
1	528	1	Mar 31	PHI	@	TEX	W,14-10	9-GF		99	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00	3	12	9	3	3	2	0	0	0	3	0	0	0.50	9b — 0 out a4	9b end a 4
2	529	3	Apr 2	PHI	@	TEX	L,3-4	9-GF	BL(0-1)	1	0.1	4	3	3	2	1	0	20.25	7	21	12	2	2	2	2	2	0	5	1	0	-4.07	9b — 0 out a2	9b end d 1
3	530	5	Apr 5	PHI	@	CHC	W,2-0	9-GF	S(1)	2	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	11.57	3	18	13	2	3	1	1	0	1	3	0	0	0.46	9b — 0 out a2	9b end a 2
4	531	10	Apr 11	PHI		MIA	W,6-3	9-GF	S(2)	5	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	8.10	3	9	7	2	3	0	2	0	1	3	0	0	0.45	9t — 0 out a3	9t end a 3
5	532	11	Apr 12	PHI		MIA	W,5-4	9-9		0	1.0	1	0	0	1	1	0	6.23	5	22	13	3	3	1	2	0	2	4	0	0	0.45	9t — 0 out tie	9t 3 out tie
6	533	12	Apr 13	PHI		MIA	W,4-3	9-GF	S(3)	0	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5.06	3	14	9	2	2	2	1	0	0	3	0	0	0.45	9t — 0 out a1	9t end a 1
7	534	15	Apr 17	PHI		ATL	W,1-0	9-GF	S(4)	3	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	4.26	3	14	9	2	4	0	1	0	0	3	0	0	0.45	9t — 0 out a1	9t end a 1
8	535	18	Apr 20	PHI	@	COL	W,10-9	9-GF	S(5)	2	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	1	3.68	5	17	12	1	1	2	2	1	1	3	0	0	0.52	9b — 0 out a1	9b end a 1
9	536	20	Apr 22	PHI	@	LAD	W,3-2	10-GF(10)	S(6)	1	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	3.24	4	7	7	2	0	1	3	0	1	4	0	0	0.42	10b — 0 out a1	10b end a 1
				PHI							8.1	7	3	3	3	7	1	3.24	36

After his save last night in the tenth inning, his sixth of the season and 292nd of his career, Papelbon has now thrown seven consecutive scoreless innings (seven game appearances, 7.0 innings pitched).

His ERA has plummeted, from what climbed to a staggering 20.25 after that Rangers blown save, to last night falling to as low as 3.24.

In case you are keeping track, Papelbon (73) is only 39 saves away from tying the Phillies' all-time leader, Jose Mesa (112). Let's hope he reaches that plateau in 2014, because if he does, that would mean him having an excellent, all-star caliber season.

—

Consider the fact that Carlos Ruiz, Cliff Lee, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jonathan Papelbon were all mentioned in this post for recently having success this season. Arguably, these are among the five most important players on the Phillies roster that will lead the team to either their first playoff appearance since 2011, or their third consecutive, non-Red October season.

Having won three straight games, two against one of the most talented team in the National League in the Dodgers, things are looking bright for the Phils.

—

Matt Rappa is a contributor to Philliedelphia.

Phillies Five: The Numbers Don’t Lie

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