Sandberg Looking For Phillies to Play Small Ball This Year

Even though Citizens Bank Park is a hitter’s park look for the hometown Phillies to lead the league in bunts and not homers this summer.  As the team starts to rebuild manager Ryne Sandberg is changing the offensive approach and playing more ‘small ball’.

Sandberg is looking for more bunts, hit-and-runs, and stolen bases this season.  The Phillies are going to win more games 3-2 this season then they are 7-2.

‘That’s something that I’m stressing this spring.  We’re working on it.  We’re practicing it.  If it’s not a bunt, it could be a hit and run,’ said Sandberg after a recent spring training game.  ‘Get a base runner, make something happen.  I look at our bats and our type of team, and I think we’re going to have to be good at that game.’

So far during spring training the Phillies have bunted more then any other two teams combined.

‘I look at our club and we’re going to have to be able to do some little things,’ said Sandberg.  ‘Manufacture runs, especially early, to get a lead for the starting pitchers.  That will be important for us.’

Last season the Phillies averaged 3.82 runs per game which was good for 23^rd in MLB.  They also hit only 125 home runs, which was the lowest team total since 1997.  Seeing as they traded two of their top three home run hitters (Marlon Byrd 25, Jimmy Rollins 17) in the off season, small ball might just be the way to go to raise that average up over 4 runs per game.

If the Phillies can score 4 or more runs per game the bullpen for the Phillies should be able to close the door.  The one strength for the Phillies going into the season is the bullpen consisting of Jake Deikman, Ken Giles, and Johnathan Papelbon.

To score 4 or more runs per game the Phillies will have to make contact with the ball.  Last year the team struck out over 1,300 times.

‘If we’re just thinking about solid contact and more contact and cutting down strikeouts from the type of team we had last year, I think that will go a long way with us,’ said Sandberg.  ‘Driving balls into the gaps and some of those doubles could turn into home runs.’