Yeah they won't be a threat to us because we won't play them. Dodgers/Cubs first round? That means we play the Cardinals. We won't get past them.
No, it'll be Cubs/Cards wildcard, winner faces NL-leader, Dodgers. We face the NL Central Champ Pirates, with us having home field advantage.
Or couldn't it be that the Phillies are protecting their best asset from getting hurt and are preemptively keeping him sidelined while they work a trade with someone?
That's what I'd do, no way I'd throw him out there every fifth day for that dismal team and chance him getting really hurt.
That would certainly work if they did have a deal in place, but if it falls apart and they come out saying "just kidding lol hamels is healthy please trade for him guys" they're going to look really fishy. He needs to be out there performing well every start to entice buyers, it's now been made clear that the guy has an injury. What are you going to get from him now? Wei-Yin Chen "general body soreness" 8IP shutout, or Strasburg "just a little tight neck" can't make it through the third without giving up 6ER?
If it's just a play it looks really messy all around, I'm pretty sure his injury is legitimate. They aren't sending him to the DL or anything (yet), but he is being bumped according to what Gary Thorne said to start the broadcast.
Also, Sean O'Sullivan hurled 5 innings of one-run ball against the vaunted, red-hot Orioles offense. So apparently we're not the only one who flail at scrub pitchers