Middle of the Phillies order is whiffing

SAN DIEGO - The Phillies have spent six days in the last two seasons over .500, a status that reinforces that the franchise's current problems extend well beyond one player. The numbers tell a narrative, as do the eyes.

"Really," Ryne Sandberg said, "spending a whole year with a team, you get a real good feel on the guys who have been here."

Sandberg sees a need for better starting pitching. He wants improved defense. And, for the middle of his lineup, he craves a consistent contact presence to alleviate the bundles of men left on base.

One winter is not enough to fix every issue, not when the Phillies have few major-league ready prospects and free agency is a difficult arena in which to procure value.

"Everybody needs the same thing," Sandberg said.

When interim team president Pat Gillick said earlier this month the Phillies must be "creative" and "a little imaginative" to fill holes, the international market appeared to be one avenue. Phillies officials will attend a showcase for Cuban outfielder Yasmani Tomas this weekend in the Dominican Republic.

Tomas, 23, could be the young power bat the team has failed to develop. But he may fetch $100 million as a free agent this winter. Jay Alou, Tomas' agent, expects his client to top Rusney Castillo's recent $72.5 million contract with Boston as the highest for a Cuban import. And, as Sandberg alluded, just about every team in the run-deprived modern game could find a spot for Tomas.

Sandberg is aware of Tomas and his showcase.

"I can't really comment on that," Gillick said Wednesday. "I know that as far as any talent that's available comes on the market, our international and scouting people take a look at it. If the player has the talent as advertised, then we could probably have interest."

Tomas' presence could change the middle of the Phillies' lineup, which has failed to make enough consistent contact, in Sandberg's opinion. Strikeouts are not ideal, but a team can live with them if the sluggers are hitting for enough power to justify their presence.

Chase Utley's slugging percentage is just .352 since June 1. Ryan Howard's .374 slugging percentage this season is 171 points below his career average. Marlon Byrd leads the team in homers with 25, but his bat has slowed in the last six weeks.

Howard and Byrd are just the third pair of teammates in baseball history to each amass 170 strikeouts. Arizona's Adam La Roche (172 strikeouts) and Mark Reynolds (211) did it in 2010. Richie Sexson (178) and Jose Hernandez (185), teammates on the 2001 Brewers, were the others. Neither of those teams cracked 70 wins.

No set of teammates has ever reached 180 strikeouts; both Howard and Byrd are on pace to eclipse that mark.

"Just an approach of overall contact and making things happen [is needed]," Sandberg said. "Putting the ball in play. Looking back, it seems like we've been able to get some guys on base and get them in position. But to come up with a crooked number or situational hitting with a ball in play is something we can improve on."

Howard and Byrd have occupied the fourth and fifth spots in the lineup for much of the season. They are the two Phillies with the most RBIs this year, but that is because both players have batted with a great deal of RBI chances. Neither has scored them at an elite rate. Howard's 15.9 percent rate of driving runners in ranks 51st and Byrd's 13.3 percent rate is 120th among 185 players with at least 400 plate appearances.

The team, as a whole, struck out 1,223 times entering Wednesday's game. That is a franchise record, even with 11 games to play. Just three National League teams had fanned more times in 2014.

"I'd like to see that come down," Sandberg said.

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