For the Philadelphia Phillies, the 2012 season marked the transition year from what was thought to be a second Big Red Machine (albeit of a different shade) to one of many questions that still potentially linger through the upcoming season.

The older infield comprised of the homegrown core of first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley and shortstop Jimmy Rollins remains intact, while Placido Polanco, once a beacon of solid defense and health took his bad back to the division-rival Miami Marlins, where he will bat cleanup.

Chase Utley will be a free agent following the 2013 season.

“I would have to say age (is a problem with this team) because with this being Utley’s final year with the Phillies I certainly think other lineups might hurt them,” said Spencer Shipley.

The certain lineups Shipley refers to come from within the Phillies division; the Washington Nationals have taken the kid gloves off ace Stephen Strasburg, who is expected to start a full season (33 games).

Scouts have raved about the raw power of young outfielder Bryce Harper while the Nationals also upgraded their outfield to include Denard Span from Minnesota, who is a contact machine and defensive wizard, posting a .342 OBP last year.

Despite the loss of their franchise leader Chipper Jones, the Braves signed outfielder B.J. Upton (28 homers and 31 stolen bases in 2012) and also traded for his brother, 25-year-old outfielder Justin Upton from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The potential of an Upton-Upton-Jason Heyward outfield has potential to be historic, but yet to be seen.

Despite the pundits picking otherwise, Bucks students don’t seem to mind a little adversary.

“I am looking forward to it (the season); I mean, I want them to go to the playoffs again and I hope they win the Championship,” said Julian Gjergji, biology major from Levittown.

To replace the steady Polanco (he hit .281 in his three years with the Phillies), the Phillies traded for Rangers infielder Michael Young, who by advanced statistics, was the second-worst full-time player in the majors last year.

The 37-year-old Young, the 2011 MLB leader in hits, who has played all over the infield in his career, was resigned to DH duties last year while posting a meager .370 slugging percentage.  For a corner infielder, certainly, there needs to be more power.

The Phillies are asking him to be their everyday third baseman, but he hasn’t played the position regularly since 2010, leading scouts to believe he may not be able to handle the rigors of the position.

The talented outfield comprised of Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth seems eons ago, and 2013’s outfield figures to be one of breakout and potential disappointment.

In early December, the Phillies acquired outfielder Ben Revere from the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Vance Worley and top prospect Trevor May to recreate the speed element lost when Victorino was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in late July.

“I’m actually excited for the season. I think we have a pretty good lineup with the new guys of Young and Revere,” said Shipley.

Despite getting “younger” in a physical sense, the Phillies also signed outfielder (and I use the term loosely) Delmon Young to a 1-year, $750,000 deal in January.

Young, 27, has been suspended for anti-semitic slurs in New York, and was a top prospect in the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays system back in 2007.

Despite being a DH for the last four years, the Phillies signed him to play right field, and he won’t be ready for the start of the season due to off-season ankle surgery.

This year also figures to be a put-up-or-shut-up year for 25-year-old outfielder Domonic Brown, who bested outfielder Darin Ruf for the left field job, hitting eight homers in Spring Training compared to Ruf—a first baseman by trade—who struck out 12 times in 19 games.

While the Phillies strength since 2010—pitching—has remained mostly intact, Vance Worely was replaced by Nationals RHP John Lannan. This is especially welcoming to Lannan since he was 3-13 against the Phillies in 19 career starts according to ESPN; against every other team, he has posted an ERA of 3.70.

Left-hander Cole Hamels will start Opening Day in Atlanta for Philadelphia while Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee will succeed him.

Halladay had the worst year of his career last year and will have to undergo a Mike Mussina-like transformation; his velocity is consistently in the mid-80s unlike a few years ago in which he won the 2010 National League Cy Young Award pitching in the mid-90s.

LHP Cliff Lee, despite a meager six wins last year, still struck out 207 in 211 innings last year.  Kyle Kendrick, a career ERA of 4.30 rounds out the rotation.

Last year, the Phillies finished at exactly .500 thanks to some early season inconsistencies of health and hitting.  “They start out good and then they start losing games,” Gjergi said.

For an older team that hinges on health to be successful, the advent of a second wildcard is likely to make them keep their players rather than trade them.

“I am sure the Phillies will at least have a chance at the Wild Card,” Shipley said.