2009 Phillies Preview

How the 2009 stars stack up against the team's best ever.
Ryan Howard holds the World Series trophy on the night of Oct. 29.
Repeat? Phils look like '08 champs
By DAVID MURPHY, dmurphy@phillynews.com
Posted 04/02/2009
The Phils are not only battling the normal on-the-field difficulties presented by a 162-game season, but history as well.
 
Repeat? Phils look like '08 champs
 
Phils' best slugger: The case for Howard
 
Phils' best shortstop: The case for Rollins
Fans' guide to the 2009 season - 04/02/2009
By JEN REARDON, reardoj@phillynews.com
TELEVISION * Game broadcasts: Comcast SportsNet will air 107 games (all in high definition). All games that air at 7 p.m. will be replayed at 10:30. Myphl17 replaces CW57 as a Phillies affiliate and will air 45 games.
The best Phils team ever? - 04/02/2009
Bill Conlin: Thanks to last year's postseason, it is now politically correct to ask if this team is the best in franchise history.
Phils' best shortstop: The case for Rollins - 04/02/2009
By PAUL HAGEN, hagenp@phillynews.com
Hanging on the wall of the Phillies' staff lunch room at Bright House Field is a slightly faded poster commemorating the franchise's all-centennial team that was selected in 1983. The shortstop: Larry Bowa.
Is Hamels the Phils' best lefty starter ever? - 04/02/2009
By PAUL HAGEN, hagenp@phillynews.com
Cole Hamels is just 25 years old with just two full big-league seasons and 38 wins to his credit and maybe in some organizations that would be enough to get some consideration at the best lefthanded starter in franchise history. Not with the Phillies.
Phils' best defensive OF: The case for Victorino - 04/02/2009
By PAUL HAGEN, hagenp@phillynews.com
Shane Victorino might have the best arm of any centerfielder in Phillies history. Give him that. Still, it's tough to make the argument that he's a better overall defensive player than Garry Maddox. Or Rich Ashburn, for that matter. Not after just 1 year as the Phillies regular centerfielder, even if he did win a Gold Glove.
Phils' best closer: The case for Lidge - 04/02/2009
By PAUL HAGEN , hagenp@phillynews.com
Brad Lidge had the best season a Phillies closer ever had. Period. End of discussion. Case closed.
Phils' best second baseman: The case for Utley - 04/02/2009
By PAUL HAGEN, hagenp@phillynews.com
There are 32 players who have worn a Phillies uniform who were later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Five of them were second basemen.
New GM Amaro is man with the plan - 04/02/2009
By DAVID MURPHY, dmurphy@phillynews.com
CLEARWATER, Fla. — It is often said that, in football, a backup quarterback is the most popular man in town...until he actually gets a few games under his belt. In baseball, a parallel can be drawn to the assistant general manager, an observation that Ruben Amaro Jr. noted while in Bradenton to watch a Grapefruit League game between the Phillies and Pirates last week.
Five non-baseball questions with Ruben Amaro Jr. - 04/02/2009
Q: Still a soccer fan? A: Yes, very much. My two daughters are involved in YMS — Yardley-Makefield soccer — and even during the [NCAA Tournament] basketball games I was watching the U.S. play El Salvador.
The AL's top storylines - 04/02/2009
By ED BARKOWITZ, barkowe@phillynews.com
A quick look at some developments around the American League, including why Joe Maddon is feeling like Ray Kinsella.
MORE STORIES
The NL's top storylines - 04/02/2009
By ED BARKOWITZ, barkowe@phillynews.com
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