It's the Bullpen, Stupid

Amidst all the joy of obtaining another starting ace in Roy Oswalt (notwithstanding Friday's disappointing loss) and the ongoing worry concerning Brad Lidge, this NY TImes article notes that the biggest difference between the Phillies and the division leading Braves so far this season has been the bullpen. The key point:

The Braves entered this weekend's series at Cincinnati with a 3.24 bullpen earned run average, the fourth best in the majors. The Phillies ranked 17th at 4.04. A large part of the Braves' success has been the left-handerJonny Venters, who also shows how hard it can be to predict which pitchers will thrive in relief.