필리스가 직면한 5가지 의문점 - Five Questions The Phillies Are Facing

Five Questions The Phillies Are Facing 라는 제목으로 필라델피아 지역 웹사이트에 실린 기사이다. 

필리스가 직면한 5가지 의문점 중 가장 첫번째가 박찬호에 관련된 질문이다. 박찬호는 투수 친화적인 구장에서 좋은 성적을 기록했기 때문에 타자 친화적인 필리스 구장에서 박찬호가 과연 올 시즌을 잘 견뎌낼 지 염려하고 있다. 

애틀랜타와 시즌 개막 경기에서 브렛 마이어스가 홈런 3개로 4점을 허용했듯이 필리스 구장은 투수에게는 불리한 구장임이 분명하다. 반면 싱커볼러인 데릭 로는 8이닝 2안타 무실점으로 호투 했던 것을 박찬호는 기억해야 할 것 같다.

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Five Questions The Phillies Are Facing

BY DREW SILVERMAN, THE BULLETIN

MONDAY, APRIL 06, 2009

Ryan Howard and Brad Lidge are the sure things.  Jimmy Rollins and Jamie Moyer are the known quantities.  But what about the newcomers?  What about the obvious holes in the roster?  What about the lingering questions hovering over the season?

Here are five issues to keep an eye on for the next seven months:

1. Can Chan Ho Park make it through the season as the fifth starter?  — Despite entering the spring third in a four-horse race for the final spot in the rotation, Park surprised the Phillies and earned the job.  But how will he fare over the course of a full season?  From 2002-05, he struggled mightily as a starter with the Rangers, who, like the Phillie,s have a hitter-friendly park.  His best years have come in the pitching-friendly confines of Dodger Stadium, so his long-term success is a definite question mark.

1. 박찬호가 5선발로서 올 시즌을 잘 견뎌낼 수 있을까? 박찬호는 선발로테이션의 마지막 자리를 차지하기 위한 4명의 레이스에 세번째 주자로 참여했지만 놀라운 기록으로 5선발을 차지했다. 그러나 그가 시즌 내내 잘 할 수 있을까? 2002년부터 2005년까지 그는 레인저스 선발투수로서 매우 고전했다. 레인저스는 필리스와 마찬가지로 타자 친화적인 구장을 갖고 있다. 다저스 구장과 같이 투수 친화적인 구장에서 뛸 때 박찬호의 성적은 가장 좋았다. 따라서 장기 레이스에서 성공할 지는 분명 의문스럽다.  

2. Are Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Pedro Feliz going to stay healthy? — The Phillies stayed relatively injury-free last season, but they’re already starting out this year with concerns about Utley (hip), Hamels (elbow) and Feliz (back).  All three are healthy right now, but any long-term injuries — especially to Utley or Hamels — could prove lethal to the Phillies’ hopes of repeating.

3. Can the Phils’ bullpen stay afloat while J.C. Romero is out? — Romero is suspended for the first 50 games after taking a banned substance last year.  That’s one-third of the season that the Phillies are going to have to get by with Ryan Madson, Chad Durbin and a cast of other middle relievers.  They probably will be OK, but an injury to Madson or Lidge is the last thing this team needs right now.

4. Is the Phillies’ bench too old? — Chris Coste looked cooked at times last year, while Miguel Cairo and Matt Stairs’ best days are behind them.  Greg Dobbs is still among the best in the business and Eric Bruntlett is a versatile reserve, but the Phillies’ bench may not prove to be as much of a strength as some are projecting.

5. Will the Phillies stay hungry? — Obviously, this is a good problem to have, but after the team won its first World Series in 28 years, it’s a fair point to wonder how the Phillies will respond to being the hunted.  It remains to be seen if they’re as hungry as they were last season.  Remember, no team has repeated this decade.