Phillies Pitching Report Card: June

The Phillies' pitching and defense continued to dominate the National League in June, while the offense put up passable, but not spectacular, run support. Many Fans have expressed dismay over the offense's lack of hitting, power, and run production, but the truth of the matter is that the Phillies are no longer an offensive team. While offense primarily carried the Phillies in their 2008 and 2009 seasons, since the 2010 season the team has begun taking a pitching-first approach towards their style of play.

The results, however, have been the same. The Phils are still winning games consistently, and they still remain the heavy favorite to win the NL Pennant. The team went 17-10 in the month of June, and as of July 2nd they had the best record in baseball at 53-31. The month of June also saw Cliff Lee's season go from being just solid to potentially being a Cy Young year thanks to some phenomenal and historic pitching performances. Here is how the starting rotation fared for the month of June.

NOTE: This month I used a more accurate and appropriate method to calculate the pitchers' monthly ERA. The ERA's noted in the past two months are probably off by a little (or a lot, *gulp!*) so I hope to go back and edit them in the coming days.

Roy Halladay: It really goes without saying that Roy once again dominated the lineups he faced in the month of June. In five starts, he went 3-0 with two no decisions and a 2.48 ERA. However, in all five games that he started, the Phillies ended up winning. His best starts included a 3-1, complete game victory over the Oakland A's on June 26th and a 7 scoreless inning victory against the Cubs on June 10th. There's not much else to say really. Roy has been dominant, and will continue to be dominant, so long as he stays healthy

Grade: A

Cliff Lee: Last month I criticized Cliff Lee for not pitching like an ace. Boy, did he ever shut me up this month. Lee pitched perhaps the greatest month of June in Phillies history, going 5-0 for the month. In those five victories, he gave up only ONE run, resulting in a measly .026 ERA. Lee also pitched three consecutive complete game shutouts, a feat that has not been accomplished by a Phillie since Robin Roberts did it in 1950. Those three shutouts included two two-hitters against the Florida Marlins and the formidable Boston Red Sox. Make no mistake, Cliff Lee is no longer the Jack of Clubs. Cliff Lee is now an Ace of the highest order who will be a Cy Young candidate if he can continue to pitch at a level anywhere close to what he did in June

Grade: A+

Roy Oswalt: Roy Oswalt had one of his weakest months in recent memory in June, but it was probably the result of a nagging back injury that finally did him in at the end of the month. He went 1-4 with a 5.86 ERA, hardly ace-caliber numbers. That's not to suggest that the month was a total disaster for him, though. His one win was a strong 7 inning, 4-3 victory over the Cubs on June 12th. Oswalt has had constant trouble with his back throughout his career, and this season has been no exception. He has been bugged by back troubles for most of the season, and on June 23rd he aggravated that injury and left the game after only two so-so innings on the mound. He will reportedly be on the DL until August. Here's hoping he makes a swift recovery so that he can pitch at the level we all know he is capable of.

Grade: C

Cole Hamels: Cole put together another set of fine performances in June, but an old demon from 2010 came back to haunt his W-L stat: A glaring lack of offensive production. For some reason, when Cole is the mound, offensive production tends to dip. Although Hamels had a 1.31 ERA over six starts, but only had a 2-2 record with two indecsions. Those two indecsions ended in losses for the Phils. The most heartbreaking of those indecisons came in a game in which Hamels pitched 8 innings and only gave up one hit. The Phillies still managed to lose the game 2-1 to the pedestrian Pittsburgh Pirates because the offense was dead on that particular night. Hamels may be a victim of bad luck, but his personal performance still shines through the offense's inability to score.

Grade: B+

Vance Worley: Vance Worley returned to the Phillies starting rotation towards the middle of June after injuries to Joe Blanton and Roy Oswalt. Once again, Worley showed real flashes of potential on the mound. In three starts, he went 1-0 with a excellent 1.00 ERA. The Phillies ended up winning all three of those games too. At times, Worley looked like a bona fide ace, particularly in a start against the Boston Red Sox on June 29th in which he went 7 innings, gave up 5 hits and only allowed for one run to score in a 2-1 victory. Worley still has some stamina issues, but he is building a positive reputation for himself, one that could result in a job as the 4th or 5th starter by the end of this year, at the earliest.

Grade: A-