It’s gone largely unnoticed because the Phillies are leading the NL East by four games and beating teams 20-2, but there’s a big problem at the top of the lineup. Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, the Phillies 1-2 punch that is supposed to set the table for this explosive offense, have gone a combined 22-105 (.210) in the month of June. It’s kind of tough for the big guys to drive in runs if no one’s on base.

The Phils are tied for the fifth best record in baseball at the moment and are starting to pull away from their rivals in the NL East. But in the next week the Phillies will take on the top two teams in the AL (Red Sox & Angels) and how they perform is going to be important in either solidifying their place as one of the top teams in baseball or showing them to be a fraud. If the team is going to compete Rollins and Victorino are going to need to step up their game.

Yesterday’s 3-2 loss to the Cardinals is a perfect example of the problem at the top of the order right now. Rollins and Victorino both failed to reach base and went a combined 0-8 for the day. When the team blows away their opponents, like they did Friday night, the lack of production from the two goes overlooked and is perhaps not as important (they went 2-9 that night btw). But in close games, like yesterday, they need to at least get on base to give Utley, Howard and Burrell a chance to drive in runs.

So, while it’s easy to look at Howard’s .212 average and 94 strike outs and get apoplectic, a potentially bigger problem for the team going forward is Rollins and Victorino, especially if Utley starts to come to earth.