At one point in time the Philadelphia Phillies infield was a major team strength. At this point in time, it's a question mark.
Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have already earned iconic status. That's not what's up for debate. At this point in their collective careers, these three men need to re-establish the consistent production that made them famous.
Another former icon, Michael Young, will be joining the terrific trio this year. The former Texas Rangers' hero is the team's newest third base solution.
If each of these four infield men can remain healthy, the Phillies' lineup should be fine.
Howard appears to be well on his way to a full recovery from Achilles' tendon surgery that he had in the fall of 2011. Charlie Manuel needs him to be the cleanup hitter he once was. So, look for somewhere between 30 and 40 home runs and an RBI total that tops 120 this season.
If Utley's knee issues are truly contained, he should appear in over 130 games. A healthy number 26 might also be able to lift 20 balls over the fence in drive in 80+ runs.
Rollins seems likely to remain the team's leadoff man. He had a good, but not great, offensive season last year. “J-Roll” is who he is, which is still good enough for this particular group.
Young had more hits last season than any other Phillies' player. His consistent bat should help stabilize the second spot in the batting order.
Rollins, Young, Utley and Howard are four good names. We'll see if they also represent one-half of a good baseball lineup in 2013.
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