Next Up: the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies are looking really good this year so it should be an interesting series of games.

The pitcher scheduled for tomorrow is Cole Hamels. Hamels throws a lively low-nineties fastball, a fabulous change-up, and a good curveball. He's a strike out pitcher, so he is susceptible to giving up home runs but he has done a pretty decent job of keeping them in the park this year. He gets a lot of strike outs (a season high of thirteen in his last start) and he doesn't walk many batters. Although injuries have been an issue for him in the past, he's a sturdy guy who will go deep into a game (he's thrown two complete games so far this year.) He's good but if he has a weakness it's right-handed batters. Lefties and righties hit him about evenly (which is not particularly well) but most of his walks have been to righties, most of the hits he's given up have been to righties, most of the home runs he's given up have been to righties, but most of his strikeouts have also come off righties.

Going on Tuesday is Jamie Moyer. Moyer is a crafty old guy, a Curt Schilling type. He gets people out with pinpoint location, late-breaking movement, and just having been around so long that he knows how to completely fool batters. He's not a big strike out guy and he's not a big walk guy. He does give up a fair number of hits. Righties do have an easier time against him.

Wednesday afternoon's pitcher is Kyle Kendrick. Kendrick can be wild at times but he has a lot of confidence and it shows on the mound. He throws a low-nineties sinking fastball, a change-up, and a slider. He doesn't strike many people out, he doesn't give up too many home runs, but he does get a lot of ground ball outs. He gives up a lot of hits and teams score runs against him. He struggles against lefties but righties hit him pretty well, as well. He was also the victim of the being traded to Japan prank that was all over the internet earlier this year.

It may be a function of playing most of their games at Philadelphia but the Phillies lineup is nothing to sneeze at-with the likes of Chase Utley and Pat Burrell out there how could it be? Jimmy Rollins, Pedro Feliz, and Ryan Howard aren't easy batters either. Even their backup catcher (Coste) has good numbers. They do strike out quite a bit, though.

Their major threat for stealing a base is Shane Victorino (he's got fourteen this season having been caught three times.) They're also somewhat of an error prone team. Their starting first, second, and third baseman each have six errors so far this season.