MLB Baseball Betting - Philadelphia Phillies

Manager: Charlie Manuel (fourth season).

2007: 89-73, first place, NL East

Training: Bright House Networks Field, Clearwater, Fla.

Home Park: Citizens Bank Park, Cap. 43, 647, Grass, Opened April 12, 2004

World Series Titles: (1) 1980

Acquisitions: LHP Travis Blackley, LHP Vic Darensbourg, RHP Chad Durbin, 3B Pedro Feliz, RHP Lincoln Holdzkom, LF Geoff Jenkins, RHP Brad Lidge, SS Ray Olmedo, OF Valentino Pascucci, OF Chris Snelling, OF So Taguchi, 1B Andy Tracy, OF Brandon Watson, RHP Kris Wilson, LHP Shane Youman.

Departures: C Rod Barajas, LF Michael Bourn, RHP Geoff Geary, 2B Tadahito Iguchi, RHP Jon Lieber, RHP Kyle Lohse, 3B Abraham Nunez, OF Chris Roberson, CF Aaron Rowand.

Outlook: The Philadelphia Phillies will once again have an absolutely powerful batting order, led by back-to-back MVP’s Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard. With one of the best shortstops in all of baseball in Chase Utley, Philadelphia has three MVP candidates going into 2008 and possibly four if outfielder Pat Burrell can maintain the consistency he showed over the season’s second half.

The Phillies will play former backup Shane Victorino in centerfield after watching Aaron Rowand bolt via free agency. Victorino, along with right fielder Geoff Jenkins and Carlos Ruiz are the question marks in the lineup and will need to produce in order to stay in the starting lineup. New third baseman Pedro Feliz is solid if not spectacular.

Pitching-wise, the Phillies have more questions than answers after they get past starters Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, and Jamie Moyer. The team’s fourth and fifth starters, Kyle Kendrick and Adam Eaton could best be described as mediocre and new closer Brad Lidge was run out of Houston after coming down with a case of ‘confidence-itis’.

If Philadelphia’s mediocre pitching surprises, they could be looking at back-to-back division titles.

The Phillies began the season listed at +1600 to win the 2008 World Series in the futures section of the BetUS Sportsbook. Check out all the latest MLB odds in the BetUS Sportsbook.

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Official Website: www.phillies.com