2009 MLB season in review: Philadelphia Phillies
What can we say about the 2008 World Champion and 2009 National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies. Regardless of records, regardless of who won the 2009 World Series the Phillies may just be the best team in baseball. The may have the best lineup in the MLB, and they are unafraid to go out and make moves that have the potential to make this team that much better. In 2009 they made a strong mid season trade to acquire Cliff Lee and he helped them make it all the way back to the World Series, before losing to the New York Yankees. Now the Phillies will tweak their roster and head into 2010 as the favorites to once again win the National League.
Their final record was 93-69 and they easily won the National League East by six games over the Florida Marlins. In all the Phillies spent 141 days in first place. By the beginning of September they had built an 8.5 game lead. Through the cold of the early spring the Phillies fell behind by 5.5 games but once it got warm this team came alive.
1 through 9 the Phillies have one of the toughest lineups in the game today. Of their starting nine their lowest batting average was Jimmy Howard’s .250. As a team they hit .258 which was only good enough for 9th among the 16 NL teams, but they did score 820 runs. The Phillies were very aggressive on the base paths and they stole 119 bags in 209. Phillies hitters struck out 1,155 times and worked 589 walks. The Phillies pitching staff gave up 709 runs, and featured four pitchers who earned double digit victories. Their staff ERA was 4.06 and they struck out 1,153 batters while issuing 489 walks.
In the end 3,600,693 fans came out to Citizens Bank Park to see the Phillies play. For their 81 home games they averaged 44,453 fans, good enough for third among the 30 MLB teams. In what is proof that winning sells the Phillies sold more than 100% of their 2009 ticket inventory, and made big profits for a deep playoff run.
