Turns out that if you want to win games without scoring many runs, it helps a lot to have some great pitchers.

The start log for 2010 is done. One of the things it shows is that the Phillies won 13 games in 2010 when they scored less than three runs. That’s more games than the Phils won when scoring less than three runs in 2007 (0), 2008 (5) and 2009 (4) combined and the most games they’ve won in a season when scoring less than three runs since 1982. The Phils won 16 in 1982 in games where they scored less than three runs — if you know how to get Steve Carlton back to win 23 games and a Cy Young, I wouldn’t dawdle about letting someone in the front office know.

Scoring was down this year and 13 wins in games in which your team scored less than three runs wasn’t even enough to lead the league. The Dodgers won 14.

Still, if you can win 13 times when you score two runs or one run, it sure helps your chances. And the guys who were on the hill in the those games the Phillies won are probably the ones you would guess: Halladay five, Hamels five, Oswalt two and Moyer one.

Sadly for the Phils, some guys got a whole lot more chances to pitch in games where the team didn’t score a lot of runs than they should have.

Pitcher Starts
in which the Phils scored < 3		 Total
starts		 %
of starts the Phils scored < 3		 Team
W in starts where Phils scored < 3		 Team
L in starts where Phils scored < 3		 WPCT
Halladay 11 33 33.3 5 6 .455
Hamels 14 33 42.4 5 9 .357
Moyer 9 19 47.4 1 8 .111
Kendrick 7 31 22.6 0 7 .000
Blanton 5 28 17.9 0 5 .000
Oswalt 4 12 33.3 2 2 .500
Worley 1 2 50.0 0 1 .000
Total 51 158 32.3 13 38 .255

The Phils scored less than three runs in 51 of 162 games (they scored at least three in the four games started by Happ or Figueroa). Halladay or Hamels started 25 of those 51 and the Phils went 10-15 in those games. In the other 26, they went 3-23. In the 22 games started by Moyer, Kendrick, Blanton or Worley in which they scored less than three runs, they went 1-21.

They played 29 games when they scored less than three runs and Halladay, Hamels or Oswalt started. 12-17 in those games, for a .414 winning percentage. That .414 winning percentage is better than the overall winning percentage for the season for four MLB teams last year — the Orioles, Mariners, Pirates and Diamondbacks (the Royals played to a .414 winning percentage).

Finally, the Phils sure failed to put up runs a lot of the time when Moyer or Hamels started in 2010. That pair combined to make 52 starts and in 23 of them, about 44.2%, the Phillies scored less than three runs.

Jamie Moyer will have Tommy John surgery, but may not retire.

Jayson Werth declined arbitration.