The Phillies signed Wes Helms as a free agent to handle thirdbase for them and he has been awful so far this season.  He has played in 46 games this season and he’s 36 for 141 (.255 avg, .617 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 0 homers and 16 RBIs.  If Helms isn’t hitting, he isn’t helping because he’s a poor defensive thirdbaseman.  In fact, Helms has been losing playing time to a couple of other players on the Phillies.  Abraham Nunez is has resurfaced after his horrible first season for the Phillies last year.  He has been playing some third base and he’s been a little bit better than Helms has.  In 42 games this season, he is 29 for 107 (.271 avg, .674 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 0 homers and 10 RBIs.  The Phillies didn’t think much of Greg Dobbs when they signed him but he’s put himself in a great position to earn more playing time.  In 47 games this season he is 27 for 97 (.278 avg, .832 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 5 homers and 22 RBIs.  Look for Dobbs to emerge as the starting thirdbaseman unless Helms finds a groove at the plate soon.

Wes Helms has been cold of late with the bat as he’s only 1 for his last 8 with 1 run scored and 1 RBI in his last 4 games.  The problem for Helms is that Abraham Nunez has got red-hot and the Phillies are riding the hot hand.  The Phillies have been very disappointed in the play of Helms as they gave him a nice contract in the off-season as a free agent.

Ryan Howard is off to a slow start for the Phillies this season and the whole lineup has suffered because of it.  In 15 games so far this season Howard is only 12 of 55 (.218 avg, .800 OPS) but he has scored 8 runs, whacked 2 homers and driven in 10 runs already.  Look for the NL MVP of last season to turn it on soon and watch the Phillies record improve immediately as Howard will make the whole lineup better when he starts to hit.

Rod Barajas started out the season 0 for 8 with a .111 OPS and seems to have lost his starting job to Carlos Ruiz.  He can get it back if he starts swinging a good bat which is possible considering his past performance as a starting catcher.