It feels like forever ago when Pete Mackanin stared at the losing lineup card on the desk inside the visiting manager's office at Citi Field and lamented his broken bullpen. Everyone, the Phillies manager said, had tried too hard. The Phillies were 0-4, and their relievers lugged a 12.66 ERA.
A rebuilding team does not prioritize its bullpen, and this was the greatest fear for those around the Phillies: The young starting pitchers would not taste winning because of an inept bullpen. Good teams have good bullpens. Bad teams, well . . .
"Hopefully," Mackanin said April 6, "we don't have one-run games the rest of the year.