PHILLIES PHODDER

My take on the Phils as we enter the last week in April..

*Aaron Nola was placed on the 10-day disabled list today with a lower back strain. Nola had back problems in college. He is coning off a strained right elbow,which cut short his season last year. Nola started this season 2-0, and showed improvement in his control and velocity, however in his last start his fastball was down a bit.

Did his back affect his elbow last summer? Did Nola compensate for an injured back by hurting his arm?

Nola has a history of injuries which has to concern the organization. He may not be the ace he was projected to be when the Phillies drafted him with the overall no. 7 pick several years ago, but Nola is still young, and ideally could be a dependable and reliable 3 or 4 guy in the rotation. But not if he is hurt all the time.

I said here before spring training that I thought Nola would get hurt again this season. With his three-quarters delivery, I thought he was prone to arm problems, not taking into account his aching back.

Luckily, the team has starting pitching depth. Either Ben Lively, Nick Pivetta or Jake Thompson will temporarily take his place in the rotation. Nola may only miss one start- hopefully.

* I said that Aaron Altherr needs to play everyday, especially after a great spring training. He glides to the ball in the outfield, runs well, and has power, especially gap power. Plus he's still young. So, when Howie Kendrick comes back form the disabled list- probably in a few weeks- Kendrick and Michael Saunders should platoon in the outfield, while Alhterr gets his shot at playing every day. Altherr is one piece of the future- Kendrick and Saunders- both on one-year contracts- are not the future.  Altherr is batting second and shouldn't be moved, sandwiched between a hot Cesar Hernandez and the consistent Obdubel Herrera.

* Speaking of Hernandez, he is on pace to be an all-star second baseman this summer. Scott Kingery and Jose Valentin are waiting in the minors, so the Phillies could have an interesting problem soon. Hernandez is only 27. He plays a solid second base, runs well ( yet doesn't steal enough bases) and has hit for surprising power so far, leading the team in home runs with 4. It's a good problem that doesn't need to be addressed yet. Things have a way of working themselves out, and if Hernandez shows enough to convince the Phils he is their second baseman for the next 7-10 years, trades can be made. I know the organization really loves Kingery, a scrappy, hard-nosed player who is only 23 years old. Trade Hernandez while his ceiling is at an all-time high? Time will tell.

* The team is 9-9. They really should've won a few more games which the bullpen blew. Considering they have played a majority of their games against the tough Nationals and the slumping Mets, April is as good as can be expected. The team would be tickled to death to be around .500  come summertime. Who knows what can happen? To me, as long as the club plays hard and makes things fun and interesting, as their coveted prospects gain valuable experience in Lehigh Valley and Reading. Free agency and trades loom in the upcoming off-seasons. Hope is on the near horizon. Til then, the Phils could make things fun this summer.

* The starting pitching has been a nice surprise. Vince Valaquez still hasn't blossomed into the consistent starting pitcher who the Phillies think he will be. Jeremy Hellickson continues to be consistent. Zach Eflin has started well, now injury-free. He's a nice kid, so hopefully he succeeds. Jared Eichoff's won-loss record hasn't shown how well he has pitched so far.

* Whereas, the bullpen has been a somewhat disappointment. Hector Neris now seems to be the closer-for now. I still think he is the answer, with his strikeout ability.

* The bench, so far, has proven to be a strength, with Daniel Nava, Andres Blanco and the aforementioned Aaron Altherr all contributing. Andrew Knapp has pitched-in with catching, when he has gotten the opportunity to play. And Brock Stassi fills-in at first base and as a left-handed pinch-hitter.

The Phillies have an early tough road trip ahead, going to Los Angeles to play the always-daunting Dodgers three games, then traveling to Wrigley Field to take on the World Champion Cubs for four big games. Coming back home 4-3 from the trip would be nice. Awaiting the team will be the Seattle Mariners and again, the Washington Nationals. As long as the pitching continues to give solid efforts, and the bullpen settles into their roles, the Phils have a chance, as the offense slowly comes alive. We haven't seen the best of Franco, Joseph or Rupp yet.

* I still hope, after the all-star break, the team starts to bring up their coveted prospects and let them play. Break the logjam at Lehigh Valley. How can you proceed in free agency if you don't know if players like Alfaro, Williams, Crawford, Hoskins and Cozens can play or not in the majors?Give the loyal fans some hope and a taste of tomorrow.

* Circle Sat. August 12 on the calendar, the night Pete Rose is inducted in the teams' Wall of Fame. Like Rose or not, that night will be an electric highlight of the summer.