Phillies: 2011 World Series Champions?

All things considered, they have a chance, but, that being said, so does every other team in the Majors. The Pirates, Orioles, Royals, you name it, we're all even, all even at zero and zero.

You can say this, and you can say that, name off this stat, name off that stat, but what it all comes down to is, what's going to actually happen?

I would like to point out that 9 times out of 10 any sort of pre-season prediction for Champs is wrong. I mean, look at this year, if you had told me, December of last year that the Giants were going to win the World Series, I would have called you crazy.

Another thing, you can have the best team in the world going into the season, but if they can't stay healthy and consistant, none of that matters. The 2008 Braves, for example, were a fairly popular pick for that year's World Series, we finished below .500, injuries ruined us.

The Phillies, look at the rotation, you got Hamels, Oswalt, Halladay, Lee; fabulous, great, wonderful, amazing, unreal; use the adjective of your choice, alright. Some people insist on naming the Phillies World Champs because of their "Phabulous Phour", now, to those people I'd like to point out, that pitching alone, will only go so far. Sure you can keep it low-scoring, or even in a deadlocked zero-zero, but I can promise you, your starting pitcher, no matter how saint-like as the media make them out to be, can go super-human and pitch deep into an extra-inning game. Eventually either

a. your bullpen will take over

or

b. your offense needs to score

So you see, on either occasion your team will need another aspect of the team to win the game. Which ultimately proves there is no "I" in team, especially in baseball, and there is no "I" in pennant. So even if the Phillies staff is as unbeatable as the media makes it seem (key word there is if) if their offense isn't there and their bullpen isn't there, then they can and will get beat out by a better all-around team. I'd also like to point out that even with the adition of Cliff Lee it's not like he set the league on fire or anything last year, he was good, but he wasn't what he used to be.

And that takes you to the offensive part of the Philidelphia Phillies. Jimmy Rollins isn't exactly young or in his All-Star form. Ryan Howard has power, but his strike-out numbers are going to hurt, especially in costly situations when runs need to be scored. With Jayson Werth gone that puts away some of the offensive "kick" of the team. Chase Utley is going to have trouble carrying a team by himself, and again, there is no "I" in team.

Bullpen, I think I can safely say is falling apart. Or let's face it, it's practicaly gone.

So yes, they can, again, so can every other team in the Majors (possibly), I agree we shouldn't count our chickens before they hatch, I think it's impractiable to think a pitching rotation can win it all for them, and I think it's best to wait and see, and wait until a practiable time to start predicting World Series winners.

All in all, I'd like to say, CAN WE PLEASE PLAY SOME BASEBALL BEFORE WE CROWN A WORLD SERIES CHAMPION?

The phillies are most favorite team of any professional sports teams but i have reason to believe that they still not win a championship in 2011. Even with Oswalt, Hamels, Halladay, and Lee, you cant expect all of them to stay healthy the whole season. Also i have some doubts with the offense, Rollins is aging, Howard's numbers have decrease significantly over the past few seasons. Basically the whole team had a down year last year and let hope that doesnt continue. I see them going to the WS and i think they will play Boston. If their Big Four can do work and shut down the Red Sox lineup that i think is going to be great this year. Then yes, but the offense is going to have to do somework also

Nope, I just laugh at people like that. The best team on paper doesn't always win the World Series. They've got to go out there and prove it and who knows - some of the good players that the Phillies have could get in major slumps or suffer injuries at any time during the season. It's crazy to even predict a champion at this time. It's still 2010 and teams aren't even done making their moves yet.

Baseball is the probably the only sport that anything can happen in the main stage. That is why I laugh at the experts' predictions just before a season begins. Last year I thought (and hoped) the Phillies would sweep the Giants, but it turned out that the Giants were a much better team. To be honest with you, I hope for any other team to win the N.L. East. Go Dodgers!

It's the annual off-season game - on paper, the Phils are the team to beat in the NL, which makes them an even bet to win the WS. (Short series are always tough to call)

Baring injury, over a 162 game marathon, the best pitching will come out on top. Pitching was the major reason for the Braves run through the 90's & early 2000's.

SF won last year on the strength of pitching.

I can't remember the last great pitching team that failed to make the playoffs - I guess a case could be made for St. Louis in 2010 - their pitching was better than the Reds, yet they failed to win consistently after Carpenter/Wainwright.

All being said and done, given pitching, I still like the chances the Phils and the Rays have to make the WS.

Everybody is chirping the agent's pitch about the Phillie starting 4. We will see. The 4 managed a total of less than 65 wins last year.

I Hate Fans Like You. The Season Is So Distant And Your Already Assuming That Your Team Will Win The World Series. Then They Talk About How Pathetic Us Yankee Fans Are. THINK AGAIN.

I laugh at the people that keep saying Phillies & Redsox World Series and it isn't even Christmas yet. Haha. It looks good on paper for both teams but lets wait and see what they do on the field before predicting a year from now.

The pitching staff is deep this is true but if Howard and Rollins don't have good years they will have trouble in their division.The Braves had made a few moves and don't count the Mets out .They have the players but no coaching staff.Don't put the cart before the horse,Halliday was really the only one of the current staff to be over powering thru out the whole season.Don't get me wrong they look good but giving up just 2 to 3 runs per game don't cut it if you only score 1 run.Good luck to them they are a great organization.

Don't they have to show they can beat the Giants first? As long as that fat, overrated Ryan Howard whiffs air against Giants pitching, they ain't going nowhere. Keep in mind, lincecum, cain, bumgarner and sanchez all have rings now and are much younger than the Phils staff. Hamels is the only one with a ring over there.