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The Rotation: A Season with the Phillies and the Greatest Pitching Staff Ever Assembled
Not since 1957 has one major league team's pitching staff boasted three pitchers (Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Roy Oswalt) in the Top Ten in career winning-percentage. Plus, the Philadelphia Phillies' 2011 rotation also happens to include Cole Hamels—the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP—and an alternating fifth starter. This awe-inducing rotation has been the talk of baseball since coming together in December 2010. They were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2011 baseball- preview edition, interviewed on the MLB Network on opening day of spring training, covered in the New York Times Magazine , and mentioned in numerous newspapers and magazines nationwide. Authored by two of the most knowledgable and connected Phillies beat writers, The Rotation is a remarkably detailed day-in-the-life story of one complete season with a Major League Baseball starting-pitching staff. The authors offer deep daily access to the Phillies players, coaches, and front-office staff, as well as the players and staff of other major league teams and the national baseball media. With firsthand reporting and extensive interviews, plus two full-color photo inserts, this is a fascinating and detailed look into the day-to-day operation of what is arguably the greatest pitching rotation ever assembled. It is a must-read for Phillies fans and general baseball fans alike.
- GenresBaseballSportsNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 23, 2012
r2c2. the phantastic phour. the phour aces. the phour horsemen. the phab phour. when phillies general manager ruben amaro jr pulled off the now infamous mid-december 2010 free agent signing that brought one clifton phifer lee back to the city of brotherly love to don those gorgeous red pinstripes once again, fans throughout the delaware valley (and across the country) wiped the disbelief from their eyes and quickly set about coming up with clever nicknames for what was surmised to be one of the most formidable pitching rotations ever assembled in the history of major league baseball. spurning those loathsome new york yankees (and an extra $28 million beyond what the phillies were offering), cliff lee joined an already remarkable stable of pitchers that featured 2-time cy young winner roy halladay, world series mvp cole hamels, and 3-time all star and olympic gold medalist roy oswalt.
well before spring training or the 2011 season even began, pundits, broadcasters, sportswriters, and fans alike began salivating over the prospects of what this team, led, of course, by this enviable core of pitching talent, could be capable of achieving together. comparisons to the '71 orioles and the braves teams of the early 90s were inevitable as stats were laid out to bolster arguments that the '11 phils were destined for greatness, while those more given to caution waited with bated breath for the season's first pitch. despite a remarkable record-setting season, the dream ended in heartbreak as the phillies lost the nlds in five games to the st. louis cardinals (eventual winners of last year's world series).
the rotation, written by phillies beat writers jim salisbury and todd zolecki, is a surprisingly lively chronicle of the phillies 2011 season. beginning with somewhat lengthy biographical chapters on each of the four elite pitchers (and the oft-neglected joe blanton, in addition to briefer asides on kyle kendrick and star rookie vance worley), the story begins with anecdotes about youth, tireless work ethics, and dreams of baseball immortality. the remainder of the book devotes a chapter to each month of the season (including spring training), and recounts the memorable games, frightful injuries, and exceptional individual performances that led to the club winning a franchise record 102 games last season. the ultimately disappointing october is recalled in all its excruciating frustration, but ends on a hopeful note looking forward to an encore performance in 2012, albeit one with a slightly more elating outcome (and sans roy oswalt).
with statistics aplenty (and the hindsight afforded by a long winter), the case is made that this spectacular rotation ought to indeed be remembered as one of the finest of all time. salisbury & zolecki are clearly ardent fans, and the devotion they bring to their reporting make for a clear and impassioned narrative that would likely appeal to even modest fans of baseball (excepting bronx bombers still bitter after the signing coup that brought cliff to philly). the rotation documents more than a mere season, however, as it effectively captures the perennial aspirations of every player, and the undying hopes of every fan, that this particular year, despite whatever odds, may well be the one that ends with a mid-autumn parade of champions through downtown.
well before spring training or the 2011 season even began, pundits, broadcasters, sportswriters, and fans alike began salivating over the prospects of what this team, led, of course, by this enviable core of pitching talent, could be capable of achieving together. comparisons to the '71 orioles and the braves teams of the early 90s were inevitable as stats were laid out to bolster arguments that the '11 phils were destined for greatness, while those more given to caution waited with bated breath for the season's first pitch. despite a remarkable record-setting season, the dream ended in heartbreak as the phillies lost the nlds in five games to the st. louis cardinals (eventual winners of last year's world series).
the rotation, written by phillies beat writers jim salisbury and todd zolecki, is a surprisingly lively chronicle of the phillies 2011 season. beginning with somewhat lengthy biographical chapters on each of the four elite pitchers (and the oft-neglected joe blanton, in addition to briefer asides on kyle kendrick and star rookie vance worley), the story begins with anecdotes about youth, tireless work ethics, and dreams of baseball immortality. the remainder of the book devotes a chapter to each month of the season (including spring training), and recounts the memorable games, frightful injuries, and exceptional individual performances that led to the club winning a franchise record 102 games last season. the ultimately disappointing october is recalled in all its excruciating frustration, but ends on a hopeful note looking forward to an encore performance in 2012, albeit one with a slightly more elating outcome (and sans roy oswalt).
with statistics aplenty (and the hindsight afforded by a long winter), the case is made that this spectacular rotation ought to indeed be remembered as one of the finest of all time. salisbury & zolecki are clearly ardent fans, and the devotion they bring to their reporting make for a clear and impassioned narrative that would likely appeal to even modest fans of baseball (excepting bronx bombers still bitter after the signing coup that brought cliff to philly). the rotation documents more than a mere season, however, as it effectively captures the perennial aspirations of every player, and the undying hopes of every fan, that this particular year, despite whatever odds, may well be the one that ends with a mid-autumn parade of champions through downtown.
2012: world series or bust! go phils!
we've got "high apple pie in the sky hopes" (rip harry)
May 8, 2012
I very much enjoyed this behind-the-scenes account of the Phillies' 2011 season, which began with so much promise with the acquisition of pitcher Cliff Lee, who earned the instant adoration of the Phans by spurning more money from the Yankees to come here, making the Phillies' starting rotation one of the best ever: Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels.
The book begins with an account of Lee's signing, and rivals Le Carre in its account of spylike secrecy and behind-the-scenes manipulations. Salisbury and Zolecki no doubt would have preferred that the Fightins not have been ousted in the first round of the playoffs (hey, so would the Phans); nonetheless, they produced a thoroughly entertaining peek behind the MLB curtain.
The book begins with an account of Lee's signing, and rivals Le Carre in its account of spylike secrecy and behind-the-scenes manipulations. Salisbury and Zolecki no doubt would have preferred that the Fightins not have been ousted in the first round of the playoffs (hey, so would the Phans); nonetheless, they produced a thoroughly entertaining peek behind the MLB curtain.
April 15, 2012
Obviously not the best literature, but I enjoyed it!! Great story, wish it had a better ending!
January 17, 2022
A good book on the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies and their four great starting pitchers, Roy Halliday, Cliff Lee, Cole Hammels and Roy Oswalt. The book kind of takes a little while to get into the season as there are chapters on each of the four pitchers and how they came to the Phillies before the authors begin to talk about the season. There is then a chapter on each of the months of the season including spring training. I thought there could have been a more detailed chapter on the postseason, but it is what it is. I won't give the ending away in case people forget, but a fun read. Philly fans will enjoy (or not depending on the ending) and most baseball fans will enjoy as this "rotation" was one of the most highly touted of all time.
February 9, 2023
Well written and a fun read. Starts with a brief introduction to each of the big 4 from the rotation, then takes you through the 2011 season in real time. Really enjoyed walking through what turned out to be an amazing season, and even appreciated reliving the heartbreak at the end. Great read for any Phillies fan or fan of baseball.
April 10, 2022
Fun look at the Phillies 2011 run. I think this book would have been better if it had been written 10 years later rather than immediately following the season. Proper hindsight would have made this much more interesting. Still a worthwhile albeit quick read.
November 26, 2022
The beginning half of the book was a good read. It gave the background to each of the 2011 Phillies’ starters and how they came to Philly. The second half of the book was a rehash of a painful season. As an avid Phillies fan it wasn’t great to follow through all of it again.
May 27, 2018
Great highlights of the season. I learned a lot. Would have liked the section on the NLDS to have been a little more in depth but overall a good read.
March 20, 2021
Good review of a storied time in contemporary baseball history. Good writing by sports reporters.
June 13, 2023
Great story of the 2011 year, sad ending but loved the behind the scenes stories
December 6, 2024
You have to be a real Phillies fan to read this book and then when you get to the end and remember how depressing and disappointing 2011's team was; you wish you never started it!
May 3, 2013
The two years I spent in Philadelphia witnessed two major sports stories - Mike Vick evolving into the best football player in the world for the 1st half of the 2010 season, and the Phillies assembling the 2nd best starting rotation of the last 40 years, with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt. Neither story ended the way the city wished.
The book is pretty similar to any other sports book you've read in which a writer or two follow a team around for a full season and tell you the results, the intrigue, and the backstory. This is a 3.5 star book, but I rounded to 4 rather than 3 because the team it covers features a team and a few players for whom I have great respect and interest. All 4 pitchers are hunters, which, pairing that with stories that a disproportionately high number of race car drivers and other top pitchers are as well, leads me to believe there is a strong carryover between the ability to maintain peak levels of concentration and patience for extended periods of time when you're essentially on you're own, whether in a blind, on a mound, or in a car.
Halladay is the hardest working man in baseball, Lee the Marlboro Man - calm and cool, Hamels the young SoCal product and the favorite of most female Phillies fans, Oswalt the one in decline as his bad back takes a toll. Outside the Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz Braves, this was the best starting pitching staff I had seen, but in a small sample size of five games the hottest team in the league can take down the best.
Historically, this team will be remembered for two reasons in addition to its incredible starting staff. Ryan Howard tearing his ACL on the last play of the season for the best team the Phillies have ever fielded is the defining image for a squad that should have won it all, and that after the 2011 season will not be in contention again with its core players. Second, 9/29/11 - the greatest regular season day in baseball history, with the Braves & Red Sox epic collapse combined with the Cardinals and Rays epic comeback over the final 50 games of the year all ending within a few minutes of each other. Had the Phillies simply allowed Atlanta to win that day, St. Louis is out of the playoffs and Philadelphia may have won the crown. With the World Series decided on plays several standard deviations beyond the mean of statistical chance, it feels a bit more like destiny than luck. For The Rotation, that offers no comfort.
The book is pretty similar to any other sports book you've read in which a writer or two follow a team around for a full season and tell you the results, the intrigue, and the backstory. This is a 3.5 star book, but I rounded to 4 rather than 3 because the team it covers features a team and a few players for whom I have great respect and interest. All 4 pitchers are hunters, which, pairing that with stories that a disproportionately high number of race car drivers and other top pitchers are as well, leads me to believe there is a strong carryover between the ability to maintain peak levels of concentration and patience for extended periods of time when you're essentially on you're own, whether in a blind, on a mound, or in a car.
Halladay is the hardest working man in baseball, Lee the Marlboro Man - calm and cool, Hamels the young SoCal product and the favorite of most female Phillies fans, Oswalt the one in decline as his bad back takes a toll. Outside the Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz Braves, this was the best starting pitching staff I had seen, but in a small sample size of five games the hottest team in the league can take down the best.
Historically, this team will be remembered for two reasons in addition to its incredible starting staff. Ryan Howard tearing his ACL on the last play of the season for the best team the Phillies have ever fielded is the defining image for a squad that should have won it all, and that after the 2011 season will not be in contention again with its core players. Second, 9/29/11 - the greatest regular season day in baseball history, with the Braves & Red Sox epic collapse combined with the Cardinals and Rays epic comeback over the final 50 games of the year all ending within a few minutes of each other. Had the Phillies simply allowed Atlanta to win that day, St. Louis is out of the playoffs and Philadelphia may have won the crown. With the World Series decided on plays several standard deviations beyond the mean of statistical chance, it feels a bit more like destiny than luck. For The Rotation, that offers no comfort.
July 2, 2012
A good read for Phillies fans, although when it gets to the part of the book where they go through the season, don't count on reading much about anyone other than Halladay or Lee. They're basically what the entire book is about. It would've been nice to have a little more about Hamels and Oswalt. But overall it was a pretty decent read, with lots of fun little stories about the team.
March 6, 2023
via NYPL - strong insider's look at the 2011 Phillies, how the pitching staff was assembled, how they coped with expectation, and how they succeeded over 162 games, but couldn't avoid heartbreak in the playoffs.
++++++++
Because I am apparently a glutton for pain, I read this book again and relived the agony.
++++++++
Because I am apparently a glutton for pain, I read this book again and relived the agony.
March 5, 2016
A decent recap of the 2011 season viewed from the aspect of the phenomenal promise showed by assembling four ace pitchers. Thankfully light on details from the season-ending NLDS series, and chock full of behind the scenes details, it's a good read for any Phillies fan.
March 20, 2013
Great back stories on where each pitcher came from to reach The Show. Good stories from the season as well.
July 23, 2012
A must read for any Phillies fan!
February 22, 2019
Some good stories about some great pitchers
August 28, 2013
Great, easy read. A bit heartbreaking to re-live the end, but there are some great behind-the-scenes stories in there.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews