To get where they want to go, the Phillies know they must close the gap in the starting pitching department, an area where the Washington Nationals and New York Mets have had a significant advantage in recent seasons.
Yes, the Phillies also have other problems that must be fixed - the offense cannot get any worse, for instance - but pitching remains priority No. 1 in every spring-training camp that will open in Florida and Arizona this week. The Phillies are no different and the good news for them is that their starting pitching is the primary reason for optimism as they begin another season that appears to offer little hope of reaching the postseason.