Philadelphia Phillies

Anyone who’s followed baseball this spring knows the national sports media has been abuzz with talk about a “once in a lifetime” talent…

Who is he? Well, he’s a lefty-hitting, potential five-tool right fielder who happens to play for a club in the National League East.

Give up?

Anticipation grew as the players exited the tunnel Monday to enter Citizens Bank Park to mark the 2010 Philadelphia Phillies' home opener against the Washington Nationals.

Above, Jimmy Rollins, the longest-tenured player among the Phillies, enters among adoring fans.

Moments later, however, a hush grew among the gathered fans.

Juan Castro, not Jimmy Rollins, took the field at shortstop.

Not since Lenny Dysktra broke his wrist on Opening Day many years ago did such a key member of the team go down on Opening Day.

The two-time defending National League champions have gotten off to another fast start, going 6-1 in their first seven games.

Of course, it helps that they have started their season off against the Washington Nationals twice and the Houston Astros. They could be the two worst teams in the National League.

Regardless, the Phillies don’t make the schedule, and the way they are hitting, they probably would have beaten anyone.

Let’s see what else is going on with the team from the City of Brotherly Love.

With one week of the regular season behind us, what have we learned about the 2010 edition of the Philadelphia Phillies so far? A week is a just a week, but how a team plays and what story lines unfold once the big curtain goes up on the games that count often foreshadow the season.

The Philadelphia Phillies' 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday was a bit of an oddity for the National League's hottest team.

It was the first time all season that the Phillies have no gotten at least 10 hits.

No matter. Their ace, Roy Halladay was on the mound, giving up one unearned run in a seven-hit, no walk, eight strikeout performance. Oh, yeah, and it was Halladay's first complete game of the season.

The Phillies pounded out six hits, featuring Jimmy Rollins's home run to start the game and a Carlos Ruiz ground-out RBI in the second inning.

In the final game of the Phillies-Astros series, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, who pitched a complete game on Sunday, seems to be in mid-season form.

With offensive help coming from Jimmy Rollins, thanks to his solo home run to start the game off, and Carlos Ruiz's second-inning sacrifice ground ball that sent Raul Ibanez home, for the Phillies second and last run of the game.

For the third consecutive game in the four game Phillies-Astros series, the Philadelphia Phillies once again were triumphant in the end with the help of a few key players.

Up through the first two innings the Phillies held a one point lead over the Astros when Jason Werth hit a sacrafice pop up to center field, bringing in Ryan Howard to take the lead.

Then a spark in the top of the third after Astros pitcher Brandon Lyon walked Ryan Howard, which moved[Jimmy Rollins to home plate, Placido Polanco to third and Chase Utley to second.

Currently four games into the season, the Philadelphia Phillies are looking good, very good.

Just about everything looks great. The starting rotation seems to really have been positively affected by the presence of stud Roy Halladay. Further, Cole Hamels looks like he may be back on track, Kyle Kendrick had a decent outing, and J.A. Happ has picked up right where he left off last season. The starting rotation will only be better when Joe Blanton returns.

When the Phils lose, don’t get down. I’ve found that a really fun way to pass the time is to go to the pet shop, find a big cage of mice, and watch them fight for position on their wheel. Seriously. It’s hysterical. It doesn’t even take mind-altering drugs to enjoy a curious mouse getting damn near decapitated by an ambitious team on a wheel.

In 2008, Cole Hamels was everyone's darling. He lit the world on fire and went on to win the World Series MVP award. He was the "cat's meow" and he was only 24.

The phenom was looking for a breakout year in 2009, and many fans thought it was coming from the left-hander going into his fourth full year with the club.

The breakout year not only didn’t happen, it was Hamels' worst year as a pro and resulted in many people questioning his dedication to pitching.

No one mentioned Hamels' offseason training in 2008, and no one really cared.