LUNENBURG — When putting together a lineup, it’s fair to think that any contributions from the bottom of the lineup are simply a bonus to what the big bats on a team will do.
It’s not taking a shot at the guy in the nine hole; it’s likely that his glove makes up for a lack of hitting prowess. These so-called easy outs provide a breather for pitchers.
Good luck catching your breath for anyone on the bump facing the Lunenburg Phillies this summer.
Already blessed with a dozen capable pitchers for the condensed CNEBA season, the Phillies have been tearing the cover off the ball, helping the team get out to a 9-0 start entering Tuesday’s game against the Shrewsbury Dirt Dogs.
“We’re batting 10 guys just to get more guys involved (across the league) and all our guys are hitting the ball,” Phillies manager Joe Ruth said following Monday’s 7-3 victory over Ronnie’s of Worcester. “So far, so good.”
“Good” might be something of an understatement.
In nine games, the Phillies have scored 61 runs and are hitting .359 as a team. Not the regular starters. Not the top five or six hitters. Top to bottom, the entire roster has compiled a .359 average.
Monday’s win saw the Phillies notch just six hits, but the team took advantage of nine walks.
Leadoff hitter Cooper Bigelow has played in every game, piling up 17 hits in 32 at bats for a .531 average. He’s stolen a pair of bases and has a .538 on-base percentage (OBP) while providing solid defense in the outfield.
“Cooper as a leadoff is huge. He’s the type of guy that if he gets on first, he’s getting to second somehow, whether its a passed ball, a steal or something,” 10-year Phillies veteran Pat Gilman said after Monday’s win at Marshall Park. “It sets the table for us.”
Jon Belliard (.522 in seven games), Hunter Weissman (.500 in eight games), Anthony Silverio (.474 in eight games), Brennan Cuddahy (.409 in nine games) and Steve LaJoie (.409 in eight games) have all put up remarkable numbers at the plate, while Alex Heroux is hitting at a .625 clip in his four games this season.
“It’s fantastic. One through 10, we’re able to produce,” Bigelow said. “If one guy’s kind of fallen off and slumping, you can lean on everyone else to pick you up. It takes some of the pressure off.”
The heart of the lineup features the switch-hitting Belliard (a seven-year veteran and the team’s leader in doubles with five), Gilman (.429 OBP in nine games) and Cuddahy (the team leader with 10 RBI and eight walks).
Nate Ginsberg, though hitting just .267 at this point, is second on the team in walks with seven and has a .500 on-base percentage. In all, 12 Phillies have OBPs over .400, giving batters plenty of opportunities to hit with the possibility of driving in a run.
“It makes the game simple,” Gilman, a 10-year Phillies veteran, said of the team’s abilities at the plate. “We’re pretty deep. Our pitching staff has been really good and at the plate, we can trust if somebody doesn’t do the job, the next guy is going to pick him up. It really makes things a lot easier.”
The hitting prowess combined with a pitching staff boasting a 1.92 ERA has the Phillies atop the CNEBA standings, six points ahead of Shrewsbury with a game in hand at the midpoint of the shortened season.
“It’s been a weird season (due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions), but we’re doing what we’re supposed to do,” Ruth said. “We’re playing some good baseball right now.”
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July 22, 2020 at 05:03AM
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Phillies getting it done at the dish - Sentinel & Enterprise
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