The
story of Marshall and his far-reaching discovery, as set in historical context,
is certainly different than the potential gold mine of a pitching staff with the
Phillies. Yet just as Marshall
stumbled upon history, Wade never could have imagined his good fortune when he
announced the acquisition of lefty Eric Milton late last year.
The
acquisition of Milton was an admission that righty Kevin Millwood, the other
King of the Mills, was destined for greener pastures as a free agent in the
winter. To Wade’s surprise, he not
only brought in one Mill, but two. Wade had inadvertently struck gold and the
potential for this Phillie staff is just now starting to take people’s
notice.
The
buzz has been slow to form. Perhaps it was the cold winter months; or the
disbelief that this could really happen. After all, Phillie fans, long
accustomed to Murphy’s Law, probably kept waiting for the other shoe to
drop. Yet, as pitchers prepare to
embark on spring training, the reality has begun to make itself known… this
starting rotation could be the deepest 5 man group in Phillie
annuals.
The advent of the five-man rotation is a fairly new thing so the
comparisons to previous groups are none too difficult. In fact, most historians
easily trace the best five-man rotation back to 1993, not coincidentally the
year of the last Phillie pennant. That rotation of Terry Mulholland, Tommy
Greene, Curt Schilling, Danny Jackson and Ben Rivera was deep, talented and
versatile.
It consisted of three right-handers and two left-handers. All five starters were entering 1993
with high hopes and great expectations and all won at least 12 games in
’93. Perhaps the keys to their
success that year lie in their health. Only Mulholland missed any time and he
was healthy when the playoffs began.
In almost eerie fashion, this year’s
group consists of three right-handers and two lefties. All five of this year’s
starters enter the season with high hopes and great expectations. If healthy, all are expected to
establish win totals in double figures.
The comparisons go even deeper. Lets take a look the earlier group and
the current one and see the similarities.
Randy Wolf reminds many people
of Terry Mulholland. Stylish, crafty, and just now entering his prime, Wolf
could easily win 15-18 games this year, just as Mulholland was projected to do
in ’93. Both have pitched in NL
All-Star games and both are quiet, unassuming lefties.
Kevin
Millwood and Tommy Greene have many similarities. A big strong right-handed
hurler, Greene suffered from periodic bouts with arm problems but when healthy,
was often overpowering. He tossed a no-hitter in 1991. He had a big year in ’93
and won 16 games.
Millwood is also a big, strong right-hander, with often
overpowering stuff. He has also had occasional arm miseries but was healthy last
year and won 14 games. He also tossed a no-hitter and is expected to take the
role of “ace” this year.
Perhaps no pitcher on the current Phillie staff
has the raw stuff of Vicente Padilla. It is often said that if he ever corrals
his rare mix of pitches he will win 20 games. He won 14 games last year and is
counted on to win even more in 2004.
The pitcher from the ’93 staff that
most closely resembles Padilla is Curt Schilling. Blessed with great natural
talent, Schilling won 14 games in 1992 and was counted on to blossom in ’93. In
fact, he did have a breakout year and was the Phil’s best pitcher in the
playoffs and World Series.
When the Phils acquired Eric Milton from the
Twins, they knew they were bringing in a solid lefty, capable of winning between
12-15 games. A veteran of big games, he is expected to do well in his first year
as a National League hurler. Although tentatively penciled in as the
5th starter, Milton could become much more to the Phils in
’04.
Milton is almost a carbon copy of lefty Danny Jackson from the ’93
staff. A veteran American League
starter, Jackson had a reputation as a big game pitcher and a guy capable of
winning between 12-15 games. He, too, was penciled in as the 5th
starter, yet was much more to the ’93 squad, even winning the crucial game four
of the playoffs against the Braves.
Brett Myers is the youngest pitcher
in this year’s rotation. As a first year starter last year, Myers won 14 games
with a great curveball, and a bulldog mentality. Although he is counted on as a solid
middle of the rotation starter this year, there are still some doubts about his
long term potential. At his best,
he should at least duplicate last year’s win total.
Ben Rivera was the
youngest starter on the ’93 rotation. Also blessed with a solid curveball, he
had burst on the scene the previous year with a sparkling 7-3 record in just
over three months of work. Much like Myers, there were some doubts about Rivera
as he entered the ’93 season. He would win 13 games for the pennant winning
Phils that year.
The
comparisons are remarkable. The talent is similar. The Phils hope that the
results will be the same. No staff in Philadelphia history has ever topped the
1993 group for top to bottom talent. In fact, few teams in Philadelphia history
ever have come close.
Perhaps the only teams in Phillie past that entered
a year with such promise of a deep and talented five man rotation was the 1964
squad and the 1987 class. Both teams seemed to enter the seasons with the
potential of having five pitchers of almost equal ability. That neither lived up
to their potential adds to the luster of Wade’s prospective gold strike in
2004.
The
ill-fated 1964 team appeared blessed with pitching riches as they entered the
season. With the mid winter trade
for Jim Bunning, Manager Gene Mauch could count six starters on his staff. Besides Bunning, that squad entered the
season with Chris Short, Dennis Bennett, Ray Culp, Art Mahaffey and veteran Cal
McLish as likely starting pitchers.
Ironically, it was a lack of
dependable starting pitching that ultimately doomed the ’64 team. McLish suffered a career ending shoulder
injury; while Bennett and Culp also saw arm woes curtail their seasons. When the
season ended, the Phils had only three dependable starters left, Bunning, Short
and Mahaffey.
The 1987 team also had high aspirations as they entered
spring training. After a solid finish to the 1986 season, the free agent signing
of catcher Lance Parrish and the addition of starter Joe Cowley to a young and
talented pitching staff buoyed this squad.
Cowley was expected to add
balance and durability to a staff top heavy in left handed pitching. Southpaws
Shane Rawley, Bruce Ruffin and Don Carmen, along with righty Kevin Gross and
Cowley looked to be a very strong five man rotation.
Unfortunately,
potential did not play out to performance as Cowley lost all semblance of
control and was gone after only four starts. His 15.43 ERA is still considered
by many as the worst performance ever by a Phillie starting pitcher.
Only
Rawley and Carmen had solid seasons, as Ruffin and Gross were inconsistent
throughout the ’87 year. By 1989,
only Ruffin remained with the club as a starting pitcher. In fact, the sudden demise of Rawley was
almost as bewildering as Cowley’s misfortune.
A quick glance throughout
major league rosters reveals in greater detail the good fortune of the Phils in
having such a deep and talented fivesome. Few teams have such depth in skill and
versatility and if all five stay healthy, the Phils can easily expect 70 wins
from the group.
James Marshall never expected to make history the day he
went working the mill and discovered gold. His discovery remains to this day a
second to none event. GM Ed Wade never expected to assemble a history making
rotation the day he went working to acquire a Mill and instead struck gold.
Although the 1964 and 1987 rotations are ample proof that talent and
potential are still fraught with uncertainties, the fact remains that the ghosts
of 1993 beckon this staff to greatness, history-making greatness.
Performance
will dictate whether or not Wade stumbled on to fool’s gold, or a gold mine that
will pay off in World Series, winning riches and a place at the top of the
Philadelphia five man rotation staffs of all time.
Columnist’s Note: I welcome
suggestions, questions and comments. Please send them to connectthedots@earthlink.net and
I will respond! CD from the Left Coast