..to kick off Blogger Beat for the 2008 season, I did a quick Q & A with Jason Weitzel, who writes about the Phillies at Beerleaguer…

D.J. Short…

Carlos Beltran made some uncharacteristic remarks about the Mets being the “team to beat” this Spring. Do Phils fans get wrapped up in that kind of thing or do you feel this is more of a media creation?

Jason Weitzel…

Some fans get caught up in it, certainly. The media feeds it by talking up the series, detailing the budding rivalry and recounting the important building blocks (Wagner, Burrell, ‘Team to Beat’), and certain players like Beltran and Rollins fuel the fire, which rages until the first pitch, when it becomes just a normal baseball game. I’m all for it, though. It adds excitement and anticipation.

D.J. Short…

With the first week of the season in the books, tell me the biggest concern that you have noticed with the Phils.

Jason Weitzel…

Their defense. They’ve committed 11 errors so far, including botched plays from players who were supposed to be silky smooth (Pedro Feliz, So Taguchi). Rollins threw to first instead of home the other day, and the winning run scored uncontested. I don’t know that there would have been a play, but you have to try. Runner up to poor defense has been Brett Myers, who had a very good spring but hasn’t lasted more than five innings yet. On Sunday, he wasn’t making smart pitches and was missing high with his fastball. Pitching is always the main concern, but with the addition of Rudy Seanez, and Brad Lidge’s return, the bullpen looks a little deeper.

D.J. Short…

Will the Phillies ever have a winning April?

Jason Weitzel…

I used to think firing off the line was the key to everything, a view adopted in 1993 when the Phils stormed through April and never looked back. It’s a different game now. Ten teams will be in the hunt until September, and the Phils and Mets will be among them. If you make it through April with a .500 mark or your head just above water, you’re in good shape. For years, that’s what Atlanta seemed to do: just hover around in the beginning and turn on the jets in July. Right now, the Phils are 3-4, which doesn’t bother me.

D.J. Short…

Do you feel the club will miss the departed Aaron Rowand?

Jason Weitzel…

They will, because everyone connected to the team and clubhouse says they will. That’s not a popular notion in the striped-down world Beerleaguer, where intangibles are immediately shot down, but there’s something to be said about Rowand’s lost leadership when everyone connected to the team talks about it. They say Rowand taught them to be winners and kept the team going. For once in ’07, they didn’t fold in the end. Now, it’s up to someone else to provide the spark.

D.J. Short…

Lastly, do you feel that the Mets have put themselves in position to reclaim the division? What do you feel are their weaknesses?

Jason Weitzel…

Absolutely. You don’t add someone like Johan Santana to finish second in your division. As for their weaknesses, you’d know better than I would, but I suppose health would be the main concern. There’s a lot of quality sitting on your sidelines only a week into the season – Pedro, El Duque. Wise is day-to-day. Head-to-head, I’d still say the Mets have the edge in the rotation thanks to Maine and Perez.

…thanks, Jason…by the way, i also asked the over/under on brawls between the clubs this season, but he wouldn’t take the bait…oh well…