For Phillies, the gang is all here

While nicknames continue to filter in — The Big Four, The Phantastic Phour, R2C2 — the Phillies’ starting rotation is going about business as usual.

Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels (and Joe Blanton) all took the podium yesterday in Florida and discussed the upcoming season. They didn’t seem too interested in setting records or personal accolades. For this group, the ring’s the thing.

“A big part of it for me is not having the best pitching staff in history, but having the chance to get to the postseason and the best chance to get to the World Series,” Halladay said.

Lee echoed that statement, reiterating exactly why he chose Philadelphia over the likes of New York or Texas.

“I felt like this was the best chance to win a world championship. That’s what it’s all about,” Lee said.

Halladay will get the Opening Day start, on April 1, when the Phillies host the Houston Astros. How the rest of the rotation sets up is anyone’s guess. Lee seems like the front-runner to be the No. 2 guy, with Blanton clearly penciled in at No. 5. But if the coaches know, they aren’t saying just yet.

“We might put the names in a hat and pull them out,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said.