It’s August. It’s stretch time. Division races are heating up. It may seem obvious, but just in case some of the Phillies hitters are also ADD Show fans (which carries about the same probability as me one day suiting up for the Phils myself), I figured someone should let them know.

Phillies starting pitching has been surprisingly stellar recently, including two phenomenal starts from Joe Blanton and Brett Myers, who each have had their share of struggles since joining, or in Myers case re-joining, the Phillies. The fact that the starting picthing, which has long been seen as the Phillies biggest achellies heel, has turned it up should send a message to the rest of the team.

Pat Burrell has struggled the most out of the Phillies inconsistent lineup (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images).

But if the Phillies have any hope of getting to the playoffs, whether it be via another division title or wild card berth, they will have to show up with their bats. Entering the series with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Phils were in the midst of a 20-inning scoreless drought which included another wasted performance by Cole Hamels.

One of the struggling Phils has been Pat Burrell who got the day off Sunday. He is currently riding a two-for-20 streak which probably played a role in his absense from the lineup. For a guy in a contract year, albeit he’s had a good year thus far, he should be turning it up to help his team repeat what they did to end the season last year.

Chase Utley was also slumping going into Sunday’s matchup, but his confidence had to have risen when his two-run homer contributed to the Phillies comeback over the Pirates. Utley is another player who is seen as a leader in the Phillies organization and should also pick up the pace at the plate. Although everyone was anemic last year once the Phillies hit the post-season, Utley is the kind of player who studies film daily and prides himself on the homework he does on the opposition to put up the numbers he has.

Especially as the Mets and Marlins are beating eachother up for second place in the NL East, it’s important that the Phillies start to turn it up as the home stretch is coming around. We now know that the Marlins are not going to go away, and the Mets (as long as their starter is still in) are always a legitimate threat. Phillies pitching is ready (even Adam Eaton is doing his part by being so abysmal in the minors that the Phillies wouldn’t dare put him on the active roster), at least in the starting rotation. Now if the Phillies can put the two together and start hitting consistently, they can be a big National League force like the Cubs and Brewers.