KISSIMMEE, Fla. — When Fredi Gonzalez heard that Philadelphia had signed a fourth ace, he couldn’t resist having a little fun.
The new manager of the Atlanta Braves called up his pitching coach, Roger McDowell, to deliver a good-natured edict.
“You better get your pitchers going,” Gonzalez told him.
Indeed, the Phillies assembled one of the greatest rotations in baseball history during the offseason, adding Cliff Lee to a lineup that already included Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt. They were quickly dubbed “The Four Aces,” a hand that everyone assumes will carry Philadelphia to a fifth straight NL East title.
Not so fast, say the Braves.