A 19-10 finish over September and October proved to be not quite good enough for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies were all but dead in the water entering September, having dropped well out of the National League East race. But some hot bats -- especially those of rookie slugger Logan Morrison, Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Ludwick -- and strong pitching down the stretch revived their hopes of catching the Chicago Cubs for the NL's Wild Card spot.
Perhaps, had the Phillies been willing to part with another prospect or two at the trade deadline, they may have secured a spot in October. But management had deemed starter Vance Worley and outfielder Nat Mitchell untouchable as July 31 loomed, and both received ample playing time down the stretch and project to be in the Phillies' 2012 plans.
Here are the Phillies awards as voted on by staff members of the Philadelphia Tribune:
MVP -- 1B Logan Morrison. Morrison, a contender for NL Rookie of the Year, lived up to the hype as the centerpiece of the 2010 Cole Hamels deal with Florida, part of the Phillies' June 2 purge of veterans that also included Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino. Morrison hit .283 with 28 HRs and 90 RBI, OPS'd .878, showed solid plate discipline (94 walks) and will likely man first base for Philadelphia for a long time. The best part -- he's only 23 and isn't even eligible for arbitration until after the 2013 season, giving the Phillies some salary flexibility until then.
Pitcher of the Year -- Roy Halladay. Doc was lights-out in 2011, leading the National League in ERA (2.38) while going 18-7, capping his season with a no-hitter of the Cubs on Oct. 1. The 14-year veteran threw a team-high 230 1/3 innings and proved to be a capable mentor to youngsters Vance Worley (2-6, 4.30) and Michael Stutes (12-9, 3.62). Halladay should be a top contender for the Cy Young, along with San Francisco's Tim Lincecum and the Cubs' Justin Verlander.
Top Rookie -- Morrison, hands down. Worley pitched well in 13 starts (62 strikeouts vs. just eight walks) despite his poor record. No other rookies made significant contributions.
Unsung Hero -- (tie) SS Jimmy Rollins and OF Ryan Ludwick. Rollins was the spark at the top of the lineup, bouncing back from a slow start to finish at .273 with a .773 OPS (his highest since 2008), 108 runs, 22 HRs (his most since '07) and 23 steals, all while playing stellar shortstop with just five errors. Ludwick quietly put together a solid power season for Philadelphia with 32 HRs, 96 RBI and a .795 OPS.
The Phillies promise to be active in the offseason. Management feels pretty confident in much of the current lineup, with Tyler Flowers and Ryan Doumit handling catching responsibilities, and Morrison, Aaron Hill, Rollins and Brent Morel manning the infield. The outfield may see some upheaval, as all three projected starters, barring any moves -- Ludwick, Werth and Mitchell -- are best-suited for left field. If a top-tier center fielder becomes available in free agency, the Phillies will be hard-pressed not to make a sizeable offer.
The rotation is expected to consist of Halladay, Stutes, Worley, Joe Blanton and the disappointing Anibal Sanchez. The biggest area of need is the bullpen, with only Ryan Madson assured of returning.
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