Inbox: Are Phils’ young bats as strong as arms?

I like what I see from the Phillies’ young starting pitchers, but what do you think about the offense? — Brendan C., Harleysville, Pa.

Pat Gillick said a couple years ago that it might be at least 2018 before the Phillies are contenders again, and he might be right, based on the Phillies’ offense.

There are players who are likely to be in that 2018 lineup based on their age, potential and current production, but do they have the next Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley or Ryan Howard? True, the Phillies had four infielders (Howard, Maikel Franco, Tommy Joseph and Freddy Galvis) hit 20-plus home runs in a season for the first time in franchise history, but there are also more home runs in baseball this year than at any point since 2000. What the Phillies need more than homers are hitters who get on base. They are last in the Majors with a .297 on-base percentage, six points worse than they were last season. It also is the sixth-worst on-base percentage of any team in a non-strike season in the past 40 years.

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Finding players who know how to get on base is the front office’s biggest challenge.

Now, can some of the Phillies’ players make strides next season in that area? Sure, but can enough of them? Top Phillies prospect J.P. Crawford is perhaps the …

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