They really started playing well in late June and it's continued after the Allstar break.
The two keys are guys improving their hitting, especially Franco and Herrera in July, Williams coming up, and Hernandez returning.
The hitting is now pretty solid 1-8, while Altherr is the only reliable hitter (and he goes up and down) everyone is now acceptable or better.
Given the youth of this lineup, they're more likely to improve than regress.
Nola - Velasquez - Pivetta - Eickhoff - Thompson (Leiter/Lively) have been more consistent, with Nola pitching like a true stopper.
Watching Velasquez, that was the best pitched game I've seen from him, not the best game, but one with a subpar FB (whether by design or he was just off), but using his slider and changeup on a regular basis and getting them over for strikes. He needs to sharpen both pitches, but you can see the potential. Same with Pivetta, who will take his lumps with his secondary ptiches but needs to keep using them.
Eickhoff and Thompson are the question marks, Eickhoff has lost velocity and command from last season, which worries me. Thompson wasn't sharp, but got through 5 shout innings, but he's also lost some velocity. However, when you're talking #4/#5, whether it's these two or Lively or Eshelman or Leiter, you really just need guys who can give you 6 IP on a regular basis with a 4.5 ERA/FIP or so. Over time you can upgrade, but first get five guys who give you a chance to win every time out. Which is why the departure of Hellickson was no loss. The bullpen, to be charitable, is still a work in progress, but not the black pit of despair it was early in the season.
The coaching staff has to be given some credit for patience and not panicking.
