Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Phillies Look To Play Spoiler In Their Final Week

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Mets 4-3


For the Mets, the final week of the regular season is about resting some of their players, gleaning insights into others and -- atop the list -- doing their best to claim home-field advantage for the National League Division Series. But the Phillies prevented them from checking off all those boxes in a 4-3 win on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, where the Mets leaned on Bartolo Colon for just five innings before turning to Jon Niese for his second career relief appearance. The loss shaved the Mets' home-field advantage lead to one game over the Dodgers, who defeated the Giants on Tuesday night to win the NL West. The Mets hold the tiebreaker in that race. Watch the remaining games on MLB.TV. "We had our chances," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "It's just one of those things." Colon made just one significant mistake, allowing Darin Ruf's three-run homer in the first inning. But that plus an RBI single from Aaron Altherr in the seventh was all the Phillies needed; starter David Buchanan gave them 4 2/3 innings of one-run ball and manager Pete Mackanin pieced together another 13 outs from his bullpen. The only blemish for Buchanan was Lucas Duda's solo homer in the fourth. Duda added a two-run homer off Ken Giles in the ninth.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • The first baseman blasted a 1-2 offering from Colon over the wall of the deepest part in Citizens Bank Park to give his team an early 3-0 lead. It was Ruf's 11th homer of the season and sixth in his last 21 games. Odubel Herrera and Altherr each hit a single in the inning and scored on Ruf's homer. "Ruf's three-run homer, I think, really gave us some confidence going into the game," Mackanin said. "It was nice to see him come through. He's been swinging the bat better against right-handers."
  • Phillies reliever Adam Loewen collected his first Major League win since April 21, 2007. The lefty only faced one batter, but he struck out the red-hot Duda to end the fifth inning. Loewen's last win came when he was pitching for the Orioles against the Blue Jays. Since his last win, Loewen -- who recorded a hit to start the home half of the fifth -- had a stint as an outfielder and appeared in 14 games with Toronto in 2011.
  • In a light moment, Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud exchanged some friendly words with the Phillies' pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh, for good reason: The batter was Chase d'Arnaud, his brother and a recent callup. The two were appearing in the same big league game for the first time in their careers. With Travis calling the pitches, Chase struck out in his only plate appearance. "I still can't believe that happened," Travis d'Arnaud said. "I still vividly remember being 6 and 8 [years old], playing tape ball in the driveway and knowing that I could throw that back-door two-seam to him. Fortunately, Niese was able to execute a couple of those."
  • Andres Blanco was not available for Tuesday night's game against the Mets due to the birth of his child. Blanco's wife gave birth to a baby boy on Monday, and the infielder will return to the team Wednesday, Mackanin said.
  • Asher is coming off his best Major League start. The righty, who came to the Phillies in the Cole Hamels trade, went seven innings and allowed just one run on three hits with four strikeouts against the Marlins last Thursday. Asher lowered his ERA by more than two runs, down to 7.52, in the process.
  • Wednesday will mark the 17th Major League appearance and fourth start for Verrett. In his three starts, Verrett has allowed six runs on 12 hits in 18 innings while striking out 14 and walking three.
  • Lucas Duda is heating up at the right time for the Mets. The slugging first baseman homered twice Tuesday, and it was his third consecutive game with a home run. Duda has five homers and 15 RBIs in his last four games.
NEXT GAME:


The Mets will look to move closer to clinching home-field advantage in the National League Division Series as they continue a three-game series in Philadelphia on Wednesday. New York holds a one-game lead in the standings over the Dodgers, who clinched the NL West on Tuesday. The Mets also hold the tiebreaker in that race. New York shuffled its rotation for the game, and the club will send Logan Verrett to the mound in place of Steven Matz, who has minor discomfort in his back. Alec Asher will get the ball for the Phillies, making the sixth and final start of his rookie campaign.

PHILS PHACTS:


Returning For Final Series – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco should return to the team this weekend "if all goes well," manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday. Franco, who has not played since Aug. 11, when he got hit with a pitch and fractured his left wrist against the D-backs, appeared in his second rehab game at the Phillies' facility in Clearwater, Fla., on Tuesday, and he was slated to play again Wednesday. Mackanin noted that the 23-year-old rookie was feeling fine swinging the bat. Unless there are any complications, Mackanin anticipated Franco rejoining the team Thursday and being available for its final three-game series of the season this weekend against the Marlins. The Phillies and Mackanin view the opportunity for Franco to rejoin the club before season's end as a good way for him to tune up before he plays winter ball. Franco was hitting .277/.340/.490 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs in 77 games this season before the injury. "If he was feeling pain, we wouldn't have him swing the bat," Mackanin said. "There's obviously no pain, and I think it'd be good for him to finish up playing the last three games of the season, feeling good leaving here to go play winter ball and into next season." Mackanin added that he's been able to view video of Franco and said that he has been "swinging the bat with authority."


On Field Family Reunion – After having breakfast with their parents, the d'Arnaud brothers decided to split a cab as they headed to work. They are sharing an office together for a few days this week, after all. A few hours later they saw each other again, this time at home plate at Citizens Bank Park during the Phillies' 4-3 win against the Mets on Tuesday. For the first time in their careers, Chase d'Arnaud and Travis d'Arnaud played against each other in a Major League game. When Chase got called upon to pinch-hit for the Phillies in the seventh inning, Travis was behind the plate for the Mets. "I was smiling the whole time," Chase said. "It was special, it was cool. We've grown up next to each other our whole lives and there we were on a Major League Baseball field." Travis, the younger brother by two years, ultimately got the best of Chase in the matchup. Jon Niese struck out the elder d'Arnaud on five pitches -- and he had some advanced scouting on Chase, even if the information was a bit dated. "I still vividly remember being 6 and 8 [years old], playing tape ball in the driveway and knowing that I could throw that back-door two-seam to him," Travis said. "Fortunately, Niese was able to execute a couple of those on that front hip. In tape ball, that moved like five feet, so I had a little advantage against him. I pitched against him, so it was fun." The brothers were not in this position since they were both playing in the South Atlantic League in 2009, and they soaked in the moment with a short chat before Chase stepped in the box. Travis told Chase that if he reached base, he better try to steal. Chase jokingly asked if he could groove him a pitch. There was not quite that much brotherly love on a misty night in South Philadelphia, though. "In these circumstances where we're up by a couple runs, and they want to get home-field advantage playing the Dodgers," Chase said, "I wasn't expecting him to do me a favor." As for what Chase said after he struck out: "I'm going to keep that between me and him," Travis said with a laugh.

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 59-97. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 39-37-1 on this day.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Phillies Rest Before The Final Push

GAME RECAP: No Game Played Yesterday!
The Phillies are teetering on the verge of history needing a winning home stand to avoid their first 100 loss season since 1961. However, recent rookie performances and a stocked minor league system bode well for the future.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • First baseman Ryan Howard is expected to be available to play as early as Tuesday against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He has not played since Sept. 14 because of a bruised left knee. "He'll get back on the field at some point before the end of the year," Proefrock said. Third baseman Maikel Franco has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He is scheduled to play five innings Monday in a Florida instructional league game. If that goes well, Proefrock said, "[Franco will] be back in Philly before the end of the season as well."
  • Outfielder Domonic Brown has not played since Sept. 2 because of a concussion. He is going to play in some instructional league games before he can be cleared, but he will not rejoin the Phillies before the end of the season. It could be the end of his Phillies' career. He is eligible for salary arbitration after the season and the Phillies could non-tender him.
  • Buchanan, who posted a 9.11 ERA and nearly as many walks (24) as strikeouts (26) through his first 11 starts, is looking to close his season on a high note. Buchanan's last two outings have been his best of the year, with just three earned runs in 11 innings. He has eight strikeouts and two walks over that stretch.
  • Colon has feasted on the bottom of the NL East all summer, going 12-2 with a 2.81 ERA against the Phillies, Marlins and Braves, and just 2-10 with a 6.48 ERA against everyone else. Tuesday will mark Colon's seventh consecutive start against one of those three teams; not surprisingly, he owns a 1.65 ERA over that stretch.
  • The Mets may spend this entire series without infielder Juan Uribe, who has not played since aggravating a chest injury Friday in Cincinnati. The team is unsure if Uribe will be healthy enough to play when the NLDS begins Oct. 9.
NEXT GAME:


Even with seven bench players in their lineup on Sunday, the Mets dominated the Reds a day after clinching the National League East title on their turf. Perhaps that's a sign of things to come for a team that is hardly ignoring the challenge of attaining home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. The Mets will shift back to a more traditional lineup when they begin a three-game series Tuesday with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Though manager Terry Collins will rest plenty of players between now and the end of the regular season, he also plans on widening the small lead his team has opened over Los Angeles in the race for home-field advantage. The Phillies, meanwhile, will spend this week trying to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961. Right-hander David Buchanan will start Tuesday's opener for them opposite Bartolo Colon, who shifted forward in the rotation to accommodate Jon Niese's move to the bullpen.

PHILS PHACTS:


Time For Instruction – Please forgive Phillies farm director Joe Jordan if he sounds a bit euphoric. After a long season of overseeing the organization's future, he simply loves instructional league play. "It's one of the healthier environments in baseball," Jordan said. "They're young, they're energetic, they're very impressionable players. We have a great staff, and we have a lot of positive energy. It's my favorite four weeks of the year." It's a four-week span that started Monday spent at the Phillies' Spring Training facility in Clearwater, Fla., where many new members of the system come to learn more about what it means to be part of the organization and get some extra game action. Having someone like first-round pick Cornelius Randolph makes it an even better month for Jordan and his staff. Randolph, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 Draft and No. 5 on the Phillies' Top 30 Prospects list (No. 86 on the overall Top 100), had a strong pro debut by just about any measure. He finished eighth in the rookie-level Gulf Coast Legue with his .302 batting average, but he was second in on-base percentage (.425) and actually topped the league with his .866 OPS. "Cornelius is going to be a hitter, a good hitter," Jordan said. "I just really like what we got with our first pick. The ability to hit, he has an advanced understanding of himself for a young player. You talk hitting with him, and it's very impressive as far as some of the things he says and things he understands at that age. You look at the walks and strikeouts -- they were even. That's tremendous, and he's going to hit for power." That doesn't mean there aren't things to work on, of course. Randolph is just 18, and while the Phillies don't tinker with new draftees over the summer, now is exactly the time to drill down and help them get better. "We don't do a lot with newly drafted guys over the summer as far as changing things," Jordan said. "We let them do what they do for a certain amount of time, knowing we'll have them for these four weeks." One thing the Phillies will work on with Randolph is improving the use of his lower half. He's not your typical young hitter, in that his strength is middle and opposite field, and he shows an ability to drive the ball to left-center as a left-handed hitter. The Phillies feel he'll develop the ability to drive the ball to the pull side, and he's already showing that he can make adjustments in this regard. Randolph will also continue to learn a new position. A middle infielder in high school, he moved to the outfield immediately during his pro debut, playing 41 games in left. Instructs give him the chance to get more game-like situations under his belt. "He has a lot to learn about angles and routes," Jordan said "There are all sorts of intricacies he can learn out there. "I think moving to the outfield is going to be an easy transition. He's invested in it. I think we have a good one. I'm looking forward to watching him develop." Getting better acquainted with trade acquisitions: When the Phillies traded Cole Hamels to the Rangers at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, they got three Top 100 prospects in return. But they were sent to affiliates, with one exception, before the player development staff really got to know them. Both right-hander Jake Thompson (No. 2 on the Phillies' Top 30) and outfielder Nick Williams (No. 3) went right to Double-A Reading. Catcher Jorge Alfaro (No. 4) was recovering from left ankle surgery, or he would have surely joined his former Rangers teammates. It's not typical for players at the upper levels to go to instructs, but the Phillies wanted to get to know them a bit better and let the prospects learn a little more about what's expected of them in a new organization. For Williams, it's all about using his speed to a greater advantage. He stole 13 bases in total in 2015, but Jordan thinks there's more there to tap into. "He has a speed tool we're going to try to get him to use on the bases," Jordan said. "For me, he has the chance to steal 25-30 bags in the big leagues." Thompson will only be in instructs for a few days after throwing more than 132 2/3 innings this season. His visit will mostly be to talk about his offseason program and, as with Williams, to make sure he's ready when Spring Training rolls around. The plan for Alfaro is a bit different. With the exception of four at-bats in the Gulf Coast League in late August, he hasn't played since June. He's been at the complex in Clearwater since the trade, and the Phillies are just trying to prep him for winter ball in Venezuela. "We're getting [Alfaro] physically prepared, game ready," Jordan said. "He'll see some live pitching. He's been here the whole time, so he's been exposed a little bit more to our philosophy. For him, we're just getting him ready to play. He needs to go make up some time."

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 58-97. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 34-43-2 on this day.

Monday, September 28, 2015

Phillies Rally Against Papelbon And Nationals

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Nationals 12-5


The Phillies posted eight runs in the ninth inning to cap a rally from two runs down and take Sunday's rubber game, 12-5, from the Nationals at Nationals Park. Nats closer Jonathan Papelbon started the inning and allowed five runs (two earned) on one hit and two walks. Just a few minutes prior, Washington's television broadcast picked up Papelbon and star right fielder Bryce Harper engaging in a verbal and then physical altercation. "Well, certainly there is a lot of testosterone flowing among young men competing," Nats manager Matt Williams said. "What I can tell you is this, this is a family issue and we'll deal with it that way." Harper was removed from the game in the top half of the next inning, but Papelbon, who recorded one out in the eighth, stayed in and allowed five of the eight runs that Philadelphia scored in the frame. The final six runs of the inning were unearned. "I'm never going to say that because I went out there and gave up some runs that it's anything other than me not pitching to my capabilities," Papelbon said. "I really went out there and didn't locate my fastball and fell behind on hitters. Any time you do that, the outcome is usually not going to be good. But [the scuffle] didn't affect how I pitched, no." With the game tied at 2 in the seventh, Ian Desmond and Matt den Dekker both collected their third hits of the afternoon and scored, temporarily giving the Nationals a two-run edge. The Phils responded, though, as Aaron Altherr doubled to start the eighth inning and Jeff Francoeur tied the game two batters later with his 13th home run of the season. Gio Gonzalez and Aaron Harang started the matinee, and neither pitcher factored into the decision. Gonzalez started the sixth but couldn't record an out and Harang pitched through the inning. "I hit that one pretty good," said Phillies second baseman Andres Blanco, who hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth against Papelbon. "I didn't expect the ball to go that far. Fortunately, it did. I'm happy."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • Francoeur had been in a major slump entering the series finale, hitting .042 (1-for-24) with one walk and 15 strikeouts in his previous 11 games. But he singled and doubled against Gonzalez before hitting a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth inning. It was his first homer since Aug. 19. "It's about time Frenchy did something," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said with a laugh. "We were all over him. I asked him to try to do a little better today, and he did."
  • Phillies center fielder Altherr made a spectacular catch to end the bottom of the eighth inning. Clint Robinson lined a ball to left-center field, but Altherr pursued and got some serious hang time to make the grab. Mackanin said it could be the catch of the year, although Angels outfielder Mike Trout probably earned that title Saturday when he climbed the wall to rob a home run. "He's got me on that one," Altherr said about Trout's catch. "That's a home run. Mine would have just been a double. He gets me on that. … I started closing in on it and just tried to stretch out a little further and dive for it. It just happened to go in my glove."
  • "I don't want to go there. I'm happy we won. … I don't have any grudge about anything. I got enough to worry about with this team. I'm not allowing myself to go anywhere else."
    -- Mackanin, who stayed diplomatic when asked if it felt more special to beat Papelbon in the ninth inning.
  • The Phillies' eight runs in the ninth inning matched a season high. They scored eight runs against the Mets in the sixth inning on Sept. 1.
  • First baseman Ryan Howard is expected to be available to play as early as Tuesday against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He has not played since Sept. 14 because of a bruised left knee. "He'll get back on the field at some point before the end of the year," Proefrock said. Third baseman Maikel Franco has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He is scheduled to play five innings Monday in a Florida instructional league game. If that goes well, Proefrock said, "[Franco will] be back in Philly before the end of the season as well."
  • Outfielder Domonic Brown has not played since Sept. 2 because of a concussion. He is going to play in some instructional league games before he can be cleared, but he will not rejoin the Phillies before the end of the season. It could be the end of his Phillies' career. He is eligible for salary arbitration after the season and the Phillies could non-tender him.
  • Buchanan, who posted a 9.11 ERA and nearly as many walks (24) as strikeouts (26) through his first 11 starts, is looking to close his season on a high note. Buchanan's last two outings have been his best of the year, with just three earned runs in 11 innings. He has eight strikeouts and two walks over that stretch.
  • Colon has feasted on the bottom of the NL East all summer, going 12-2 with a 2.81 ERA against the Phillies, Marlins and Braves, and just 2-10 with a 6.48 ERA against everyone else. Tuesday will mark Colon's seventh consecutive start against one of those three teams; not surprisingly, he owns a 1.65 ERA over that stretch.
  • The Mets may spend this entire series without infielder Juan Uribe, who has not played since aggravating a chest injury Friday in Cincinnati. The team is unsure if Uribe will be healthy enough to play when the NLDS begins Oct. 9.
NEXT GAME:


Even with seven bench players in their lineup on Sunday, the Mets dominated the Reds a day after clinching the National League East title on their turf. Perhaps that's a sign of things to come for a team that is hardly ignoring the challenge of attaining home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. The Mets will shift back to a more traditional lineup when they begin a three-game series Tuesday with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Though manager Terry Collins will rest plenty of players between now and the end of the regular season, he also plans on widening the small lead his team has opened over Los Angeles in the race for home-field advantage. The Phillies, meanwhile, will spend this week trying to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961. Right-hander David Buchanan will start Tuesday's opener for them opposite Bartolo Colon, who shifted forward in the rotation to accommodate Jon Niese's move to the bullpen.

PHILS PHACTS:


Blanco Provides Spark – The Phillies left Nationals Park on Sunday afternoon positively giddy. Gee, wonder why? Second baseman Andres Blanco hit a go-ahead two-run home run against Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon in the ninth inning of an eventual 12-5 victory. The blast sparked an eight-run rally for a team that has struggled to score runs for weeks. "The ninth was pretty special, man," said right fielder Jeff Francoeur, who hit a game-tying two-run homer in the eighth. "That was a lot of fun. You dream about those innings when you just blow it wide open." But it felt a little sweeter coming against Papelbon, who got into a physical altercation with teammate Bryce Harper in the Nationals' dugout in the bottom of the eighth. The skirmish involving their former teammate and its aftermath had the Phillies' clubhouse abuzz afterward. Papelbon criticized the Phillies for more than two years before they traded him to Washington in July. His criticisms continued earlier this month in Philadelphia when he said, "I was one of the few that wanted to actually win [in Philadelphia] and I was one of the few that competed and posted up every day." The comments did not sit well with the Phillies, who signed him to a four-year, $50 million contract in November 2011. "Yeah, absolutely," Francoeur said, when asked if Papelbon's comments added to the enjoyment of the victory. "That's always nice. But not to mention he's one of the better closers in the game." Papelbon said Sunday he did not mean to disparage his teammates. "Those comments really weren't about the players," Papelbon said. "It was more along the lines about the front office creating a winning environment, and that wasn't done. That's why I was frustrated and said from top to bottom. Those players in that clubhouse did everything they could to create a winning environment. It just wasn't allowed to happen. "But I think any time you can play against an old teammate ... I know Frenchy is trying to get me every time he's out there. You want to have those bragging rights. I get that part of it." The Phillies won two of three from the Nationals. They return home for the final six games of the season with a three-game series against the Mets beginning Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. It has been a rough go lately as the Phillies have lost 23 of their last 32 games, but they hope to finish strong. Maybe a big victory against Papelbon and the Nationals can spark them. "I challenged them all: you're playing for a job next year," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "You have to show that you're competitive, that you're a positive guy, that you're high energy. I challenged them to show that even in the worst circumstances that we're under, losing night after night. These guys have responded -- a good example was today. They came alive late in the game."


Shut Down! – Phillies rookie Aaron Nola hoped to make one more start in 2015, but the club announced Sunday he will not pitch again this season. Nola threw 187 innings, including 77 2/3 with the Phillies. He threw about 172 innings last season, which included his time in college at LSU. Phillies interim general manager Scott Proefrock said next season "the governor will be off and he'll be ready to go and pitch throughout the course of the whole season, hopefully." Nola went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts, which included five scoreless innings Saturday against the Nationals. "It's time to get ready for next year," Nola said. "I agree with [the decision]. As a competitor, of course, I don't want to stop. I want to finish the year, but throwing a lot of innings was helpful for me this year. I want to add onto that next year, especially at this level. I'm going to work the hardest to do that." Nola will return to Baton Rouge, La., for the offseason. He will begin his offseason training program in a few weeks, although he will give his arm a break for the next couple of months. He wants to be ready to go in Spring Training. "It's going to be a competitive spring," Nola said. "I expect it to be a competitive spring because I know it will be. Nothing is really given to you and I want to earn it." Nola is correct to say nothing is guaranteed, but he is the safest bet to make the 2016 rotation, assuming he is healthy. He pitched well. He showed promise. He lived up to the hype following his selection with the seventh pick in the 2014 Draft. "He did everything we could've expected and more," Proefrock said. "He showed why he was drafted where he was drafted and how highly regarded he was. He's made a very favorable impression on all of us. So hopefully he can be a big part of what we want to do here in the future." "I learned a lot at this level," Nola said. "I experienced a lot that I never experienced. I learned a lot from a lot of veteran guys here." He said he will look to fine tune his changeup in the offseason to give him a more effective third pitch. "As a starter you definitely have to have more than two pitches," said Nola, who also throws a fastball and curveball. "Having a third pitch really helps and gets them thinking. Especially at this level because these guys are smart. There's a lot of veteran hitters and they've seen a lot of guys. They've had a lot of at-bats." The Phillies will use the bullpen to pitch Friday's game against the Marlins.

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 58-97. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 42-50-0 on this day.

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Once Again, Phillies Offense Can’t Support Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: Nationals Outlast Phillies 2-1


Bryce Harper's double down the right-field line in the bottom of the 12th inning scored Anthony Rendon and propelled the Nationals to a 2-1 walk-off victory over Philadelphia on Saturday, ending what turned out to be an empty win for Washington. Forty-nine minutes earlier, with the Nationals and Phillies in the top of the 11th, the Mets' win over Cincinnati went final, officially eliminating Washington from postseason contention. "We got games to play," Nationals manager Matt Williams said, when asked about the club's elimination. "We got to win tomorrow. I mean, we're here. We have to play games. We've got some remaining. We want to play well in those games. After the fact, we'll have a chance to look back at it." At Nationals Park, Stephen Strasburg was dominant for the first seven innings, striking out 11 Phillies and allowing only one hit. Given limited run support, that wasn't enough, and Philadelphia rallied for two hits and a run to tie the game in the eighth off the right-hander. Rookie Aaron Nola started opposite Strasburg and pitched well in his own right. He tossed five shutout innings, allowed six hits and struck out five in his 31st professional start of the season. "There isn't much to talk about," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "There wasn't much offense. Nola was outstanding and he worked his way out of that bases-loaded, no-out jam [in the fourth inning]. Great job. The rest of the bullpen did an outstanding job. They kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win the game, but we came up short with our bats."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • Nola pitched five scoreless innings, working out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the fourth inning. He could have pitched more, but the Phillies plan to limit his workload as the season winds down. Nola has pitched 187 innings, including 109 1/3 innings in the Minor Leagues. The Phillies originally said he would pitch about 185 innings. "I feel good," Nola said. "I want to go one more. I want to finish out the season and try to finish it out strong."
  • First baseman Ryan Howard took batting practice again Saturday, but he was not available to pinch-hit. Howard, who has been sidelined since Sept. 14 with a bruised left knee, could rejoin the Phillies next week at Citizens Bank Park.
  • Third baseman Maikel Franco played four innings in an intrasquad game in Clearwater, Fla. He tripled in one of his at-bats. Franco has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He will not play Sunday, but he will play five innings in a Florida instructional league game Monday. He will be re-evaluated then.
NEXT GAME:


The Phillies play their final road game of the season in Sunday afternoon's series finale against the Nationals. Right-hander Aaron Harang (6-15, 4.93 ERA) makes his 28th start of the season in the 1:35 p.m. ET matchup. Gio Gonzalez (11-8, 3.94) will pitch in Sunday's matinee, the last of 19 head-to-head meetings between the Nationals and Phillies this season. Gonzalez is 8-5 with a 2.99 ERA in 15 career starts against Philadelphia.

PHILS PHACTS:


Sign Of Things To Come – Does Phillies rookie Aaron Nola have one more start in him? It sure looked like it Saturday in Philadelphia's 2-1 loss to the Nationals in 12 innings at Nationals Park, in which Nola got a no-decision. Nola allowed six hits and struck out five in five scoreless innings. He could have pitched longer, but the Phillies are trying to limit his workload. A few weeks ago, the Phillies said they planned to limit Nola to about 185 innings this season, which includes the 109 1/3 innings he pitched in the Minor Leagues. Nola has 187 to this point, with the potential for one more start Friday against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Manager Pete Mackanin said the Philadelphia will make that decision Sunday. "I feel good," said Nola, who threw 67 pitches. "I want to go one more. I want to finish out the season, and try to finish it out strong." Nola has been strong. He is 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts. Nola showed something in the fourth inning when he allowed singles to Bryce Harper, Jayson Werth and Clint Robinson to load the bases with no outs. He struck out Ian Desmond looking on a 93-mph fastball for the first out. Nola fell behind Demond 2-0, but he came back with a pair of curveballs for strikes. Then, the fastball. Nola got Matt den Dekker to line out to Phillies second baseman Andres Blanco, and he got Wilson Ramos to ground out to third baseman Cody Asche to end the inning. "He's a cool customer," Mackanin said about Nola. "He has great confidence. He's pitching like a Major League pitcher. He shows no fear and he locates his pitches well. That's a sign of a great pitcher: when you get in trouble and can minimize the damage." Nola reflected on his performance: "It definitely helps to experience something like that. I've been in situations in like that before, and had success like tonight [and] got hurt in the past. I kind of know what both ways feels like. The main focus right there is to stay calm and don't over think things, and make good pitches when you need to. "Having been in situations like that and being worked up like that, and then learning from that and being calm and collected, and knowing how my body reacts to those situations helped me tonight." The Phillies fell to 58-97 with the loss. They would need to finish 5-2 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961. Whether they lose 100 games is inconsequential at this point. The Phillies are almost certain to finish the season with the worst record in baseball. The team just wants to see good signs from enough players that they have reasons to be optimistic about the future. Nola has been one of those good signs. Phillies fans might get a chance to see him one last time Friday -- if the coaching staff thinks it will not hurt him in the long run. Nola certainly would love the opportunity.

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 57-97. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 43-56-1 on this day.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Phillies Rookie Makes A Grand Statement

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Nationals 8-2


Phillies left fielder Aaron Altherr soured what was likely Jordan Zimmermann's final home start with the Nationals, knocking a pair of home runs off the right-hander, including baseball's first inside-the-park grand slam of the 21st century in an 8-2 win at Nationals Park on Friday night. Darin Ruf and Cody Asche also went deep as the Phillies clubbed a season-high-tying four home runs. Washington (78-75) fell 8 1/2 games back of the Mets in the National League East and dropped their elimination number to one. New York (87-67) beat Cincinnati, 12-5, on Friday night. When manager Matt Williams was asked how he felt about the looming elimination, his answer expressed the urgency of the situation. "Like we need to win tomorrow," he said. Meanwhile, Phillies rookie Jerad Eickhoff was impressive in his seventh Major League start, limiting the Nationals to two runs and five hits in his seven innings of work. He struck out 10. "I'm going to enjoy it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about his team's sixth win in its last 22 games. "They've been too few and far between. It was fun to see those guys go off."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • Altherr busted out of a slump in a major way, hitting an inside-the-park grand slam in the third, a solo homer in the fifth and a double in the seventh. Altherr entered the night hitting .171 (7-for-41) with a .658 OPS in his last 12 games after hitting .262 (16-for-61) with an .837 OPS in his first 18 games. "My heart stopped a little bit," Altherr said of the inside-the-park grand slam -- which got past a diving Michael Taylor in center field and rolled just short of the warning track, allowing Altherr to score with no throw to the plate. "Then I saw it go by and I was like, 'Oh, man, I might have a chance here.' I just tried to run as fast as I could. I saw Rock [third-base coach John Mizerock] still sending me home when I was about halfway to third, so I was like, 'I might have a chance here.' I tried to get there as fast as I could."
  • Eickhoff tried to match Altherr with a strong performance on the mound. He allowed five hits, two runs, one walk and struck out 10 in seven innings to improve to 2-3 with a 3.07 ERA in seven starts. His 10 strikeouts were the most by a Phillies rookie since Aug. 5, 2009, when J.A. Happ struck out 10 Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. National League MVP frontrunner Bryce Harper had three of those strikeouts. "He's a great hitter," Eickhoff said about Harper. "I was fortunate enough to get some pitches in the right location."
  • All of Washington's scoring on Friday night came off the bat of Jayson Werth. It wasn't enough to slow down the Phillies, but it was the continuation of a resurgent several weeks by the 36-year-old outfielder. After his first-inning, two-out RBI single and his sixth-inning solo home run, Werth has recorded 10 home runs and 30 RBIs since the start of August.
  • "Not that I remember. I'm sure I have over 47 years, but I can't remember. I hit into a triple play once." -- Mackanin, showing some comic timing when asked if he had ever seen an inside-the park grand slam before.
  • Altherr's inside-the-park grand slam was the Phillies' first since Aug. 8, 1956, when Ted Kazanski hit one against the New York Giants at Polo Grounds. It was the first inside-the-park grand slam in MLB since Oct. 3, 1999, when Tampa Bay's Randy Winn hit one at home against the Yankees. Altherr also became the first player to have an inside-the-park grand slam in a multi-homer game since 1987, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
  • Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco has been on the DL since Aug. 12 because of a broken left wrist, but he could be be back next week. He played three innings in an intrasquad game Friday in Clearwater, Fla, going 0-for-2 with a walk. He will play four innings Saturday and will play Monday in a Florida instructional league game. The Phillies will evaluate Franco's status at that point. Franco's wrist reportedly felt "perfect."
NEXT GAME:


Phillies rookie right-hander Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.84) faces the Nationals in the second game of the three-game series Saturday afternoon at 4:05 p.m ET. The Phillies have been monitoring Nola's workload closely, but he said he feels great so they are going to give him at least one more start before the end of the season. Stephen Strasburg (10-7, 3.81) will look to build on his phenomenal second half for the middle game against the Phillies on Saturday. He's 5-2 with a 2.24 ERA in eight starts since the All-Star break.

PHILS PHACTS:


Altherr’s Big Night – Just a couple of weeks ago, Xander Bogaerts brought us the wonders of the Little League grand slam, and the world rejoiced at the shenanigans gifted upon us. But the Phillies' Aaron Altherr was far from satisfied -- while he no doubt appreciates the Benny Hill theme as much as the next ballplayer, he couldn't help but long for the olden days of the pure inside-the-park home run. "What if we married the tension of a bases loaded situation with the thrill of a guy rounding the bases as fast as possible?" Altherr thought to himself, we're assuming. So, during Friday's Phillies-Nationals game, he set out to make that dream a reality. And when he looped a line drive that got past a diving Michael Taylor, he had his chance. Cue the merry-go-round! OK, so maybe not the most suspenseful play at the plate, but hey -- this was his first try, it's a work in progress. No doubt exhausted from all that sprinting, Altherr figured he'd take a more leisurely route to home plate in his next AB. What, Aaron, no inside-the-park cycle?


2016 Should Be Interesting – Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr had never done that before. Of course, who had? Altherr hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the third inning of Friday night's 8-2 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park. It was the Phillies' first inside-the-park grand slam since Aug. 8, 1956, when Ted Kazanski hit one against the New York Giants at Polo Grounds, according to Elias Sports Bureau. It was the first inside-the-park grand slam in MLB since Oct. 3, 1999, when Tampa Bay's Randy Winn hit one at home against the Yankees. Altherr also hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth, a double to right-center field in the seventh and a single to right in the ninth for the first four-hit game of his career. He had 11 total bases on the night. The Nationals had 11. "I don't know. It was a good day, I guess," Altherr said with a smile. "It was a lot of fun." Altherr became the first player to hit an inside-the-park grand slam in a multi-homer game since 1987. He ripped a line drive to Nationals center fielder Michael Taylor, who dove for the ball. But Taylor missed and the ball flew behind him toward the center field wall. "My heart stopped a little bit," Altherr said. "Then I saw it go by and I was like, 'Oh, man, I might have a chance here.' I just tried to run as fast as I could. I saw Rock (third base coach John Mizerock) still sending me home when I was about halfway to third, so I was like, 'I might have a chance here.' I tried to get there as fast as I could." "Sometimes it's a tough call right there," Taylor said. "Right there, I felt like I had a good bead on the ball. I thought I had a chance on it. I know in that situation you better catch the ball, and I wouldn't have gone for it if I didn't think I could. It's still a bad play once I miss it, so, it's a tough play." Altherr has good speed, so he scored without even a throw to the plate. It was the Phillies' first inside-the-park home run (any variety) since July 31, 2012, when Jimmy Rollins hit one against the Nationals in DC. Darin Ruf and Cody Asche also homered for the Phillies, who tied a season high with four homers in the win. "I had an inside-the-park homer in rookie ball or something, but it doesn't really matter," Altherr said. "Rookie ball doesn't count." Altherr entered the night hitting .171 (7-for-41) with a .658 OPS in his last 12 games after hitting .262 (16-for-61) with an .837 OPS in his first 18. He is back to .252 (27-for-107) with nine doubles, three triples, five home runs, 16 RBIs and an .866 OPS in 31 games. "I've felt pretty good the past couple days," Altherr said. "Hopefully I can keep riding that feeling the rest of the year." No matter what happens in the Phillies' final eight games, Altherr has made a strong case for more playing time in 2016. Friday night's effort drove home that point.


Lee About To Fall Off The Cliff – The Phillies will scatter across the Americas following their final game of the season Oct. 4. Cliff Lee scattered long ago. He has been home in Arkansas since March, when the Phillies announced his second attempt to rehabilitate a torn common flexor tendon in his left elbow did not work out. Lee said he planned to rehab the injury a third time, acknowledging he needed a miracle to pitch again. He never did. Lee's time with the Phillies unofficially ended in March. It officially ends no more than five days following the World Series. It is then the Phillies must inform Lee, who made $25 million this season, if they plan to exercise his $27.5 million club option for 2016. They will not. But they will pay him a $12.5 million buyout, which is due Nov. 30. "He was all about winning," said Phillies interim general manager Scott Proefrock, who helped bring back Lee to Philadelphia in Dec. 2010. "He helped us make the World Series in '09 and the postseason in '11. He pitched very well in '12 and '13. It just didn't work out. I'm sure he would have preferred things would have worked out differently because he is a great competitor." Lee, 37, went 41-30 with a 2.89 ERA in 106 starts from 2011-14. His ERA ranked fourth out of 90 qualified pitchers in that span. His 1.08 WHIP ranked fourth. His 6.48 strikeout-to-walk ratio easily ranked first. Clayton Kershaw's 4.74 placed second. But then Lee got hurt in 2014. He went on the DL in May and returned to make three starts in July before getting hurt again. "It was a situation last year where we were looking to trade him and obviously his injury short circuited that," Proefrock said. "The one thing about Cliff is, we met with him at the end of the 2013 season and he said the only thing he wanted to do is win. This was going to be his last contract. He wanted to win and he wanted to talk about what we were going to do. And in '14 we tried. Then he got hurt. We had to make an adjustment." Lee quietly visited Philadelphia a handful of times this season, essentially to meet with doctors to discuss his rehab. But his rehab never really went anywhere. Doctors recommended surgery, but Lee declined because he seemed uninterested in pitching past this contract anyway. "It was still worth pursuing because it was the only thing left to do," Proefrock said of Lee's rehab. The Phillies will recoup some of the $25 million they paid him this season because they insured his contract. How much is unclear. Regardless, Lee returned to Philadelphia in December 2010, with great fanfare. He said he hoped to win multiple World Series with the Phillies. It turns out the Phillies only made the postseason once while he was here.

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 58-96. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 49-51-0 on this day.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Phillies Offense Silent Behind Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: Marlins Blank Phillies 1-0


The Marlins made the most of the few hits they were able to get off Alec Asher on Thursday night. J.T. Realmuto's RBI triple in the seventh inning was the only production Miami needed to edge the Phillies, 1-0, at Marlins Park. Six Marlins pitchers combined for the club's 12th shutout of the season. Jarred Cosart, who threw four shutout innings, was replaced in the fifth inning. In the fourth inning, he was struck on the left forearm by a Cody Asche comeback liner. A.J. Ramos picked up his 29th save when Miguel Rojas made an over-the-shoulder catch to end the game. "We didn't have that many hits, but we had the right hits," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "The bullpen came in and picked up five innings. I thought they were outstanding all the way through. Really a fundamentally sound game." Miami was limited to one hit, a first-inning single from Christian Yelich, before they broke through in the seventh inning. Derek Dietrich reached on an infield single with one out in the seventh, and he scored on Realmuto's triple to right-center. A chance for Miami to tack on a second run was wiped out when right fielder Brian Bogusevic threw out Realmuto at the plate. Realmuto tagged on Rojas' fly ball to short right. Asher gave up just three hits in seven innings, but Miami was able to claim two of three in the series. "I think some of the guys are fatigued," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, referring to an offense that has suffered five one-run losses in the past six games. "Even though they're young … I think everybody is getting tired. The more you lose, the more beat up you feel."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:
  • Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings for the best start of his five-start career. Before Thursday, Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July in the Cole Hamels trade, had not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings or allowed fewer than four runs in a start. Asher hopes his final start of the season on Wednesday against the Mets can match this one. "I feel like with each start I've taken I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit."
  • The Marlins won a challenge in the fourth inning after Yelich initially was called out on a close play at first. Yelich tapped a routine grounder that second baseman Andres Blanco bobbled before throwing to first. It took just 36 seconds for the call to be overturned.
  • Mackanin said injured first baseman Ryan Howard could take fielding and batting practice this weekend in Washington. Howard has been sidelined for more than a week with a bruised left knee. He will need to get going if he expects to play again before the end of the season.
  • The Phillies need to finish the season 6-3 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961.
  • Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis is hitting .245 with a homer and eight RBIs against the Nationals this year.
  • Outfielder Odubel Herrera is having a great year for Philadelphia, hitting .291 with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
  • Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will likely pitch his last game at Nationals Park as a member of the Nationals. He will be a free agent after the season.
NEXT GAME:


The Nationals will try to stay alive in the National League East race as they face the Phillies in a three-game series at Nationals Park. The last time the two teams faced each other was last week in Philadelphia, with Washington sweeping the series. Bryce Harper carried the team during that series, hitting four home runs. Harper's best game came Sept. 15 in Philadelphia. Not only did he go deep twice and drive in all of Washington's runs in a 4-0 win, but he put himself in the Nats' record book, eclipsing Adam Dunn for most home runs in a season by a left-handed hitter in franchise history. Dunn hit 38 homers in 2009 and '10. Harper will face Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who is on a roll. The rookie has allowed one earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts. Remove a Sept. 6 start in Boston when he allowed four runs in six innings and Eickhoff has a 1.91 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:


Asher Shows Improvement – Phillies rookie Alec Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He put together a solid performance Thursday night in a 1-0 loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings, making it the best start of his five-start career. Oh, he also picked up two hits, including the Phillies' only extra-base hit of the game. "I feel like with each start I've taken, I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit." He entered the night with a 9.78 ERA. He left with a 7.52 ERA. Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July as part of the Cole Hamels trade, makes his final start of the season Wednesday night against the National League East-leading Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He hopes to carry Thursday night's success through that start and pack his bags for the offseason feeling better about Spring Training 2016. "You want to finish strong," Asher said. "That's the main goal. I know I've started 0-5. I don't want to start my career like that, but there's nothing I can do about those past games. But take the two here and finish strong." Asher had allowed just one hit through six innings when Marlins third baseman Derek Dietrich hit a slow roller up the third-base line for a single. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto followed with a triple to score Dietrich for the game's only run. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he thought Asher looked more confident from the first inning. "As poor as his numbers are, it shows me a lot that he came out there like he had a purpose," Mackanin said. "That's what the whole deal is about when you get to the big leagues. Either you fight and you make it, or you give up. Obviously, he's not giving up. He's going after it. That was the thing I saw tonight." Asher figures to be in the mix for a rotation job come Spring Training, with Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff favorites for two spots. It is expected the Phillies will sign at least a couple of veteran starters to fill holes, which might leave Asher battling Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and others for the No. 5 job. "Some guys it takes longer for them to feel comfortable and I'm hoping that's the case with Asher," Mackanin said. "He looked very comfortable and he looked aggressive out there, like he was in charge."


Who Wins The Leg Lamp? – For the first time in a long time it seems the Phillies had multiple candidates to win the Paul Owens Awards. The Phillies on Thursday named catcher Andrew Knapp and right-hander Ricardo Pinto as their Minor League player and pitcher of the year, respectively. Knapp, 23, hit .308 with 35 doubles, 13 home runs, 84 RBIs and an .876 OPS in 118 games with Class A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Pinto, 21, went 15-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 24 starts with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater. "We are extremely proud of these young men," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said in a statement. "They are both very deserving." It should be interesting to watch Knapp continue to develop, considering the Phillies just acquired catcher Jorge Alfaro from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. It gives the Phillies two legitimate frontline catching prospects. Alfaro is the Phillies' No. 4 prospect and No. 61 prospect nationally, according to MLBPipeline.com. Knapp ranks No. 17 in the organization. But Knapp, whom the Phillies selected in the second round of the 2013 Draft, clearly raised his game in Reading. He hit .360 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 56 RBIs and a 1.050 OPS in 55 games. He got a hit in 46 of those games, including 24 multi-hit games. "He's an aggressive hitter and the strike zone gets a little bit smaller as you move up and the umpires get better," Reading manager Dusty Wathan said Thursday, when asked about Knapp's surge in Reading. "He stopped swinging at balls down and out of the zone. I think that got him in trouble in Clearwater. He's got tremendous hand-eye coordination. You put that together with bat speed and it's a good combination." Knapp projects as an average defensive catcher, although the Phillies think he can improve. He had Tommy John surgery in 2013, so he has caught only 157 games professionally. "To be where he is in Double-A says a lot about how much he has come along," Wathan said. "His bat is in front of his defense, but I think he's improved a lot since I saw him halfway through the season. We project him as more of an offensive catcher, but you always get a little better defensively as you go." Much of the attention this season has focused on pitching prospects like Aaron Nola, Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin, Ben Lively and others. Pinto has flown under the radar a bit by everybody except the Phillies. "Coming into the year, very few people outside of our organization knew of Ricardo Pinto," Jordan said. "Based on his 2015 performance, that has certainly changed. Ricardo is one of our most talented young arms, but equally one of our most determined, competitive and driven players." Pinto signed as an amateur free agent in Dec. 2011. He has a 2.77 ERA in 62 career Minor League appearances. Dallas Green Award: The Phillies named international scouting director Sal Agostinelli their 2015 Dallas Green Award winner. The award honors an amateur or professional scout who "best exemplifies the Phillies' standard for scouting while demonstrating the same loyalty, work ethic, dedication and passion as the award's namesake." Agostinelli has been with the Phillies since 1993. He was the international scouting supervisor for 15 years before being named to his current position in 2012. He has been involved in signing players like Carlos Ruiz, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis. "I'm flattered and I can't believe it," Agostinelli said. "Dallas Green is such a special guy to me and my family."

THE BEGINNING:
The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 57-96. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 53-48-0 on this day.