Go ahead, comfort yourself. Keep repeating: It's only one game.
Only it's not.
It's opening day. And the Phillies, who have won the NL East five consecutive years, start this campaign this afternoon in Pittsburgh with some serious questions swirling around them.
Luckily, they also have something else. They have the luxury of sending the best pitcher in baseball to the hill today.
That would be Roy Halladay. It would be silly to say this is a must game. After all, it will be followed by 161 more, regardless of who is manning the Phillies lineup.
But a strong effort from Halladay and a win for the Phils would go a long way to ease a lot uneasy stomachs across Phillies Nation. Fans could exhale, then look forward to seeing Cliff Lee, Vance Worley and Cole Hamels follow Halladay to the mound.
Should Halladay get knocked around and the Phils' patchwork lineup struggle, however? Uh, let's not go there. It's opening day. Hope springs eternal.
Even, in the Phillies case, if it's not Ryan (Howard's) hope.
I still think this team wins another NL East title. But it is going to require a completely different approach by both their lineup and their manager. The Phils likely will not bludgeon anyone, at least until - or if - Howard and Chase Utley come back.
This will be all about "small ball," and Charlie Manuel pulling the strings as the maestro behind the scenes.
Manuel labor? You bet.
The Phils will need a new "manual" for wins this year. It's up to Charlie to enforce this new way of thinking, working counts, bunting, hitting behind runners. It's called manufacturing runs.
It's something most of these Phillies have never done, and something their offensive style of going up there hacking has chafed at over the years.
How well the players buy into the program will decide just how successful this team will be.
And it all starts today.
Looking for a sign? Juan Pierre walks to lead off the game, steals second, gets bunted over to third and scores on a fly ball by No. 3 hole hitter Jimmy Rollins.
That's the new "manual." Let's see if they follow it.
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