Phillies' Outfield - Review and Preview

It's a bit premature to discuss the outlook for the outfield pending the resolution of the left field situation. But here goes. The odds of Pat Burrell returning are slim. But if he is not as sought after by the American League as is generally believed, it is not inconceivable that he would be re-signed as Charlie Manuel has been very supportive of him.

If Burrell is not signed, the Phils need to acquire a right-handed hitting outfielder. Rotating three lefty hitters - Jenkins, Stairs, Dobbs - is unthinkable. In any case, the team needs additional right-sided swingers, both starting and off the bench.

Shane Victorino and Jason Werth are set in the other outfield slots. The defensive prowess of these two is one of the Phillies' enduring strengths - Shane and Jason have terrific range and strong, accurate arms, probably as good a defensive outfield combination as there is in the big leagues. Offensively, the two are coming off very solid years but they are not without issues. Victorino's playoff heroics not withstanding, he was unsuccessful in clutch situations too often in the regular season. Werth has a strikeout problem, 144 in '08 in a less-than-full season. To justify that kind of number, he needs to hit at least 30 hr next year. He also has a history of struggling against right-handed pitchers. The guess here is that both Victorino and Werth will endure extended dry spells at the plate from time to time requiring Manuel to spell them. But for the time being, all eyes are on left field.