Phillies News Update: Is age the issue for the Phillies' lineup?

In today's Phillies news update, one Philadelphia Phillies sportswriter believes that the combined age of the Phillies starting lineup could end up costing them huge as the season wears on.

According to Rich Hoffman of Philly.com, "to play the veteran guys every day offers the only realistic chance of winning most nights. Even then, there is realistic and then there is realistic; the Phillies are 24-31 so far while playing the veterans a lot. To play them too much, though, invites a complete implosion in the second half of the season. Yes, even worse than this."

The Phillies bench is hitting under .200 as a unit, leaving the Phillies very little room to shuffle the deck if they want to keep the lineup productive.

"We had a number of days off through April and through the first half of May, almost too many days off," Sandberg said, via Hoffman's article on Monday. "So with the stretch of games we're in now, I'll try to pick my spots as needed, and conversations with the players as needed."

However, if those conversations lead to extended time off for players like Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, Hoffman argues that an inconsistent spring could lead to a very tough summer.

 

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