No Phillies Game For You!

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies actually earned this summer respite!

PHILS PHACTS:

• One of the hottest hitters in baseball, Bourjos scored the game-winning run and finished 2-for-5 in the series finale at Chase Field. He racked up six hits in the series, including the crucial one-out single in the 10th inning and a two-run home run in the first inning. 
• Hellickson is 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in six starts -- a span of 33 innings -- against the Royals in his career. He's struck out 25 and walked nine.
• Kennedy is seeking back-to-back wins for the third time this year.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies' record only tells part of the story of their season. Yes, the club is coming off its first series win since May, but the pitching staff has thrown nine shutouts this season, the most in the Major Leagues this season. Peter Bourjos has been the hottest hitter in baseball during the last few weeks, and the team's offense ranks among Major League leaders in extra-base hits, average, slugging, OPS and runs since it went on the road on June 21. Now, the Phillies are coming home after nine games on the road. After Thursday's day off, the Philllies will send Jeremy Hellickson, who allowed just one earned run in six innings Saturday at AT&T Park, to the mound against Ian Kennedy and the Royals in the first of three games at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Kennedy struck out 11 while giving up three hits, one walk and one run against the Astros in his last outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – What many people don’t realize is that one of the greatest managers of all time was once a member of the Phillies… on this day in 1921 Casey Stengel was traded away as part of a 6 payer swap with the New York Giants. 10 years later, the Phillies shined on offense and defense as for the first and only time in MLB history a team turned a triple play and a player, Chuck Klein, hit for the cycle. 7 years later saw the end of an era as the Phillies reached an agreement with Connie Mack to share Shibe Park putting an end to baseball at the Baker Bowl. In 1951 Russ Meyer and Jim Konstanty combined to hold the Dodgers to 1 hit but still lost the game 2-1 to the Dodgers. 7 years later, 1B Ed Bouchee was reinstated following a suspension issued in the spring due to a sex charge conviction. In 1965 Johnny Callison appeared on the cover of Sport magazine. 2 years later, Dick Allen and Jim Ryun shared the same honor.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 35-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 56-57-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Herrera Hits And Rupp Drives Them In

GAME RECAP: Phillies Outlast Braves 7-4

Cameron Rupp's three-run double proved to be the decisive blow the Phillies needed to fight off a Braves comeback attempt and claim a 7-4, 10-inning win on Thursday night at Turner Field. "They're better than their record, and I'm glad we kind of got them while they're down right now, because they're going to be better than their record right now," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of the 8-25 Braves. Odubel Herrera capped his four-hit night by leading off the 10th inning with a triple against Braves reliever Jason Grilli, who exited with runners at the corners and one out. Ian Krol entered the game and struck out Darin Ruf before walking Freddy Galvis to load the bases ahead of Rupp's three-run double. The Phillies chased Aaron Blair during a three-run fourth inning and seemed to be in prime position with Vince Velasquez entering the seventh with a 4-0 lead. But after surrendering just two hits through the first six innings, Velasquez surrendered three hits and a walk, including a three-run double by Gordon Beckham, before exiting the game with no outs in Atlanta's game-tying four-run inning. Atlanta has now lost 17 of its first 19 home games. The Phillies went 13-6 while playing 16 of their past 19 games on the road. "It would be great if we'd win the game," Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "Comebacks are great, but if you don't win the game, it doesn't much matter."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Jeff Francoeur resurrected his career last year in Philadelphia, and he took advantage of the chance to damage his former team when he capped the Braves' four-run seventh with a game-tying single off right-hander David Hernandez, who replaced Velasquez. Freddie Freeman and Pierzynski notched singles ahead of Beckham's three-run double, while Kelly Johnson walked in between them.
• With his leadoff triple to start the Phillies' 10th-inning rally, Herrera tied his career high with four hits. He also drew a walk in his first plate appearance. Herrera scored what would be the decisive run on Rupp's bases-clearing double in the 10th, and he scored on Maikel Franco's first-inning sacrifice fly. The center fielder also produced a two-out fourth-inning infield single that enabled Velasquez to score from second base when Johnson made an errant flip over Freeman. "I'm gonna go out on a limb: He's a good hitter," Mackanin said. "This guy, he's a potential batting champion at some point. He just has a knack for it."
• Pierzynski played in his 2,000th game, becoming the eighth active player and 10th catcher to reach this milestone.
• Velasquez did not tally a plate appearance at the Minor League level. With a pair of singles on Thursday night, he is now 4-for-14 at the plate this season.

NEXT GAME:

After playing 16 of their past 19 games on the road, the Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park on Friday to begin a nine-game homestand with a three-game set against the Reds. Jeremy Hellickson is scheduled to throw the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET.

PHILS PHACTS:

What Happened During The 7^th Inning Stretch? – For the first six innings of the Phillies' 7-4, 10-inning win over the Braves, Vince Velasquez was in complete control. After pounding the zone with his fastball for six scoreless innings, Velasquez stumbled in the seventh when he shied away from throwing his fastball. "He just changed his whole approach," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Earlier, he started throwing some soft, off-speed secondary stuff. I would have rather he went right after the hitters in that seventh inning, and he just threw too many off-speed pitches. But he's going through a learning experience. This is pitching in the big leagues, and he's going to make mistakes." The Phillies gave Velasquez a 4-0 cushion heading into the seventh. After Freddie Freeman led off the frame with a single to center, Velasquez walked Kelly Johnson and gave up another single to A.J. Pierzynski to load the bases with no outs for Gordon Beckham. "I just started slipping," Velasquez said. Velasquez decided he wanted to throw a curveball to Beckham, who was 0-for-2 up to that point. The result: a bases-clearing double to left-center to make it a 4-3 contest. "Beckham was pretty much late on all my fastballs, and I don't know why I threw that pitch in the first place," Velasquez said. "... I always challenge guys, and why I was passive and threw that off-speed was my doing, and I take full responsibility for that." The Braves tied the game at 4 after Jeff Francoeur's RBI single off David Hernandez, who relieved Velasquez after the three-run double. But the Phillies rallied back in extra innings as Cameron Rupp put them back on top, 7-4, with a bases-clearing double.

A Little Superstition – Superstitious or not, every Friday the 13th, we're probably all a little wary of any black cat that decides to cross our path. Naturally, though, if you want to know more about the holiday, Vin Scully will break it down for you. And while most people probably look at Friday the 13th as a silly superstition, don't say that to a ballplayer. After all, since the game of baseball began there have been bizarre tricks and routines players have been obsessively following in hopes of gaining an edge. Jack Glasscock, who played from 1879 to 1895, was nicknamed "Pebbly" for his habit of fastidiously inspecting the infield dirt. Jim Leyland famously refused to change his underwear during a Tigers winning streak in 2011. Mike Hargrove became known as the Human Rain Delay for his intricate pre at-bat routine. Richie Ashburn would sleep with his bat during a hot streak, while R.A. Dickey names them things like Orcrist the Goblin Cleaver. But while the utility of each of those beliefs is suspect, they still have nothing on these five truly superstitious Major Leaguers. Kevin Rhomberg: How Rhomberg ever appeared in 41 Major League games is a mystery. Not only would Rhomberg refuse to make right-handed turns because there are no right-handed turns on a baseball field, but should someone ever touch him, he would have to touch them back. It's how he earned the nickname "Touch Me, Touch Me" from teammate Mike Hargrove. It wouldn't end there though. Once others learned of his superstition, they were relentless: Rick Sutcliffe once reached under a bathroom stall to touch Rhomberg on the toe. Not knowing whom the culprit was, Rhomberg went around the clubhouse and touched each player. Brook Jacoby once told of tagging Rhomberg with a ball in the minors, then throwing it out of the stadium. Jacoby said that Rhomberg spent two hours looking for the ball before finding it. An umpire once halted play during a game in New York to tell Yankees players to stop touching Rhomberg. Rohn and Rhomberg were teammates in Venezuela for winter ball, and Rohn touched him one night, then ran off to the clubhouse to hide after his last at-bat. "He looked for me for two hours," Rohn recalled. "I was hiding under desks, in the shower, the bathroom. He couldn't find me." Of course, despite all this, Rhomberg was pretty successful at the plate. In 47 career at-bats, the left fielder hit .383/.423/.447. Mark Fidrych: No one represents superstition to fans quite like Fidrych. Coming up at the age of 21 with a lean, wiry body and long, wild hair that led to his nickname "Bird," Fidrych looked the part of the quirky Major Leaguer. And he lived up to it. While capturing the attention of baseball fans everywhere during a rookie campaign that saw him lead the league in ERA and shutouts (with a shocking 24), collecting the Rookie of the Year Award along the way, Fidrych also fascinated people with his on-field habits. He would smooth over the cleat marks on the mound, talk to the ball and ask the umpire for a new baseball after every hit. The starter explained: "That ball has a hit in it. I want that ball to get back in the ball bag and goof around with the other balls. I want him to talk to the other balls. I want the other balls to beat him up. Maybe that'll smarten him up so when he comes out the next time, he'll pop up." Fidrych would also shake the hands of every teammate and umpire following his start, just as he did after his nationally televised outing against the Yankees on June 28, 1976. Unfortunately, injuries would spell doom for Fidrych. After pitching 250 1/3 innings in 1976, the Bird would throw only 162 more over parts of the next four seasons. Derek Holland: The man who will happily dress like he's in Dumb and Dumber. And grow the wispiest mustache this side of Snoopy's brother Spike. Is also a man with quite a few superstitions. Though he no longer drops $30 on fast food on the night before his starts, he does have a few other rituals. Namely: "Every night before I pitch, I have to play Nintendo hockey. Every night before I pitch, I have to watch the movie 'For The Love Of The Game,' the Kevin Costner movie. I watch the same part every time but never the whole movie. I've never seen the whole movie, and I never will until I retire. People tell me how it ends, but I don't care. I won't watch it until I retire. But I have to watch it every night before I pitch. It's what helps get me ready to pitch." Honestly, out of all the superstitions on this list, these sound like the most fun. Wade Boggs: While plenty of ballplayers have a favorite meal they like to have before a game, with Justin Verlander eating tacos before every start, no one was as fastidious as Wade Boggs. On his way to 3,010 hits and a Hall of Fame career, Boggs became known as the "Chicken Man" by eating up to one-and-a-half birds every day. As for how he got his start: "It started in '77. I had a Minor League budget and a growing family to feed. Chicken was cheap and I really felt better eating lighter food rather than a lot of heavy meat and gravy. Then I noticed my batting average going up. Ever since I've been a `chicketarian.'" It even led to Boggs getting his own chicken recipe book, "Fowl Tips," which is sadly and shockingly out of print. But Boggs' routine didn't end there. He would write the Hebrew symbol for life, "Chai," in the batter's box before every at-bat and made sure to take 117 ground balls during every infield practice. Which, hey, that strict regimen lead to five batting titles, 12 All-Star Games and a Hall of Fame plaque, so perhaps we should all start eating chicken. Turk Wendell: Of course, like Candyland, this list leads only one place: Turk Wendell. With the amount of free time that relievers have to develop new and ever-stranger habits, it's odd that there aren't more pitchers like him. During an 11-year career with the Cubs, Mets, Phillies and Rockies, Wendell was known for: Not just stepping over the foul lines, but leaping them; Wearing a necklace featuring the teeth from animals he had hunted; Never wearing socks. Because they were a waste of money; Chewing licorice on the mound; Brushing his teeth in the dugout between innings. (Which, given all the licorice, was probably a good idea); Signing a contract with the Mets worth a total of $9,999,999.99 in honor of his number: 99. Of course, it turns out that the real secret to Wendell's success wasn't any of this. It was honey.

Today In Phils History – Today is about wins but, unfortunately, more about losses. In 1902, the Phillies gave up a team record of 28 hits losing to Cincinnati by a score of 24-2. But at least they weren’t shut out. For that record we look at this day in 1960 when the Phillies tied the major league record by losing by a score of 1-0 for the third consecutive game. On that same day the Phillies traded away Ed Bouchee to the Cubs for Tony Taylor. Larry Anderson was also released on this day in 1986… he would return to the team later in his career. Despite the losses, today is also known for wins as in 1954 Robin Roberts followed a leadoff homerun by the Reds by shutting down the next 27 batters. Four years later, Roberts would beat Milwaukee 5-2 setting the franchise record for career wins (191).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 20-15 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 44-53-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Looks Like The Phillies Aren’t Made Of Tin

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Yankees 6-5

Making his 2016 Grapefruit League debut, Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka fought through a long second inning but came out unscathed for a successful start against the Phillies. The same couldn't be said of the New York bullpen as Philadelphia scored six runs in the sixth inning en route to a 6-5 win on Sunday in front of a capacity crowd of 9,877 at Bright House Field. Tanaka retired all three batters he faced in the first but then allowed back-to-back singles to Maikel Franco and Brock Stassi to open the second. Rob Refsnyder made a slick pick at third base to start a 5-4-3 double play, putting a runner on third with two outs. Tanaka then walked Cedric Hunter before striking out David Lough to end his day. It was Tanaka's first game action since undergoing surgery in mid-October to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. For the Phillies, Charlie Morton pitched a solid 2 1/3 innings. He retired the first six batters he faced but allowed a single to Refsnyder and a walk to Lane Adams to start the third. After striking out Slade Heathcott, Morton's day was done. Daniel Stumpf surrendered a one-out single to Starlin Castro for the game's first run, charged to Morton. Philadelphia responded in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff single by Freddy Galvis off Chad Green. Odubel Herrera also knocked a single before Franco walked to load the bases. Stassi hit a sacrifice fly to make it 1-1. Gabriel Lino walked to reload the bases and Hunter hit a fly ball to left. Ben Gamel fired home but Herrera slid under the tag. Lough's single made it 3-1. Andrew Knapp then crushed a three-run homer to right field off Branden Pinder for the five-run advantage. "He's got a great swing from both sides of the plate," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Knapp. "He looks like a hitter, like he knows what he's doing. He's got some size, he's got some power, nice swing." In the seventh, New York scored runs on an Austin Romine double and Tyler Wade infield single to pull within three. Romine doubled home two more runs in the eighth to make it 6-5.

NEXT GAME:

Vincent Velasquez will take the bump for the Phillies on the road against the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla., on Monday at 1:05 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV and an exclusive mlb.com audio webcast. A key piece in this offseason's Ken Giles trade, Velasquez will look to rebound from a shaky spring debut, which saw him give up three runs but strike out three in two innings against the Blue Jays.

PHILS PHACTS:

Location Is Key – On a warm day, balls can fly out of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, so it was an encouraging sign that of the seven outs Charlie Morton earned on Sunday, four were ground balls. The right-handed starter gave up just one earned run on a hit and a walk in 2 1/3 innings while also striking out a pair of Yankees in the Phillies' 6-5 victory. But the groundouts were the most pleasant sight, and he credits that to location. "I'll pitch lefties up and in a lot, trying to get under their hands, and down and in to righties," Morton said. "I try to keep the ball off the barrel with weak contact -- either cut it, sink it in or stay on the corners." While the location was undoubtedly a factor, Morton also credited the lowering of his arm slot -- which he began in 2011 -- for his evolution into a stronger ground-ball pitcher. In particular, it has given much greater movement to his sinker. "My arm started to work a lot better, and I was able to repeat pitches," Morton said. "That's kind of when I started to come into my own in terms of an identity in pitching. I found I was making a lot of mistakes, but I was getting away with mistakes. That's a huge weight off your back when you miss and not get hit real hard." Sunday was Morton's 2016 Grapefruit League debut after facing batters nine days before in batting practice. Morton said that getting the competitive juices flowing was a boost. "To be able to go up and down and keep the ball in the zone until the third inning, I'm really encouraged," Morton said. "I just wanted to pitch, to get outs." Morton retired the first six batters he faced -- the first four via grounders. The third inning was a little trickier, as Rob Refsnyder singled -- on a grounder -- to start the inning. Morton then surrendered a walk to Lane Adams but sent down Slade Heathcott on strikes. Daniel Stumpf came on in relief and gave up an RBI single to Starlin Castro. "He was a little bit up in the zone with his sinker," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Morton. "He's got an outstanding sinker, just a little bit up with it. He said he got a little tired. We were pushing him to go three innings. He just got tired late." The 2016 season is Morton's first with the Phillies after spending the last seven with the Pirates. He was acquired in a trade for prospect David Whitehead. Morton went 9-9 last year with a 4.81 ERA in 129 innings.

On His Way Back – Barring any setbacks, Phillies pitcher Jerad Eickhoff hopes to make his Grapefruit League debut later this week. The 25-year-old right-hander threw live batting practice on Sunday morning as he continues to recover from a non-displaced fracture on the outside of his right thumb. "It seems to be doing really well," Eickhoff said. Eickhoff said the session, working with catcher J.P. Arencibia, consisted of about 40 pitches. He threw mostly fastballs but also worked in some changeups and "flipped some curveballs out of the stretch." "It was good to get those back into the mix there," Eickhoff said of his offspeed pitches. Eickhoff hopes to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday, meaning he could be available for game action as soon as Friday afternoon's game against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista. Otherwise, Eickhoff may attempt to pitch on Saturday against the Blue Jays, though Charlie Morton figures to be on schedule for that game. "I was really happy about the progress we've made and everything," Eickhoff said. "It's right on schedule like we've discussed, and I couldn't be more excited." Eickhoff was one piece of a huge trade haul that saw Philadelphia also acquire prospects Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson and Nick Williams from the Rangers in exchange for Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman. A bunting drill on Feb. 11 originally sidelined Eickhoff when he couldn't get out of the way of a pitch. In eight starts for the Phillies last year, Eickhoff went 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA. He struck out 49 and walked just 13 in 51 innings.

A Unique Groundout – A reminder, on this Sunday filled with Spring Training games, that the world has no care for our expectations. Not for our expectations as fans, nor for the expectations of players. In fact, it's best just not to expect anything, and let that which comes wash over you simply as it will. Case in point: In the fifth inning of the Phillies' Grapefruit League matchup against the Yankees, outfielder Cedric Hunter grounded out ... to the catcher. See? You could be Yankees pitcher James Pazos trying to throw it past the batter, and the ball will bounce a foot in front. You could be Hunter, who sees the ball bounce in the dirt, check your swing accordingly and the ball will find its way to your bat nonetheless. You could be all of us at home, expecting the ball to bounce in the box or land foul, and instead watch it roll fair down the third-base line. These expectations matter naught to reality. Kudos to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez for persevering through his shattered expectations and looping around to tag Hunter for the out. That's called embracing the chaos. Of course, none of this applies if you're Vladimir Guerrero. But so few of us are. 

Today In Phils History - Team President William Baker was expecting a different outcome in 1914 when he traveled to New York to deliver a contract to team captain Mike Doolan who had already signed with the Baltimore Federal League club. In 1978, the Phillies signed minor league free agent George Bell who would never amount to much with the Phillies but would prove his power in Toronto. 5 years later, the Wheeze Kids (Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Tony Perez) appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. And, after a long wait, Richie Ashburn was finally elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans' Committee on this day in 1995. Today is also the Birthday of Ed Bouchee who was born on this day in 1933. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 3-3-1 record (4-3-1 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phils Fall Short Behind Nola’s Shaky Start

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Jays Jack Phils 9-6

Michael Saunders hit a pair of home runs and Troy Tulowitzki added one of his own in the Blue Jays' 9-6 victory over the Phillies on Saturday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Saunders hit a three-run shot in the first inning off Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola and later added a two-run shot in the third off reliever Elvis Araujo. Toronto's veteran outfielder also added a single in the fifth to finish his day 3-for-3 with five RBIs. "To tell you the truth, I was happier with my third at-bat," Saunders said. "I was able to hit the ball hard the other day, and I think that's when I start going good, when I start driving the ball the other way, letting the ball travel and staying on it. I'm just getting more and more comfortable with every at-bat." Tulowitzki, who started the game out of the leadoff spot to get extra at-bats, recorded his first home run of the spring with a solo shot deep over the wall in left. It was his first hit of the spring, and he finished the afternoon 1-for-3. The other standout on offense included Chris Colabello, who went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored. Nola was charged with four runs on four hits and a walk over his two innings of work. Araujo allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning, while right-hander Reinier Roibal surrendered three runs -- none earned -- on four hits and a strikeout in two innings. "I wasn't really commanding the baseball. My pitches were pretty much over the plate, and they made me pay for them. I was getting behind in the count," Nola said. "My first-pitch strikes [4 of 10] weren't too good today." Right-hander Drew Hutchison got the start for Toronto, and he pitched a clean first inning before loading the bases in the second. He allowed one run, which scored on a hit batter, while also walking one and allowing one hit over his two innings. Catcher Logan Moore doubled in the fourth inning for Philadelphia, and third baseman Taylor Featherston hit a solo shot in the fifth. The Phillies also added back-to-back two-out doubles in the ninth to bring the final score to 9-6. With the win, Toronto improved to 4-0-1 in the Grapefruit League season, while the Phillies dropped to 2-3-1.

NEXT GAME:

Charlie Morton will make his first appearance of the spring -- and first in a Phillies uniform -- when he takes the ball at Bright House Field on Sunday in a 1:05 p.m. ET matchup with the Yankees, live on MLB.TV. The veteran right-hander, whom the Phillies obtained from the Pirates in December for Minor League righty David Whitehead, went 9-9 with a 4.81 ERA in 23 starts for Pittsburgh last year. The Yankees will counter with Masahiro Tanaka.

PHILS PHACTS:

A Bipolar Outing – Aaron Nola's 29-pitch effort in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Blue Jays proved to be a tale of two outings, with the young right-hander recovering from a rocky first inning to record an easy 1-2-3 second. Blue Jays designated hitter Troy Tulowitzki lined a 2-1 fastball into the pine trees beyond the left-field wall to lead things off, and after a walk to Josh Donaldson and a swinging bunt single by Chris Colabello, Michael Saunders launched a towering drive into the Toronto bullpen in right-center to make the score 4-0. Junior Lake followed with a groundout to short, and after an infield single by Darwin Barney, Nola got Josh Thole to ground into an inning-ending double play. "I wasn't really commanding the baseball. I was getting behind on the count. My pitches were pretty much over the plate, and they made me pay for them," said Nola. Nola settled down nicely in the second inning, sandwiching groundouts to short by Ezequiel Carrera and Tulowitzki around a soft comebacker by Jio Mier to retire the Blue Jays in order. "It went a little smoother. I made adjustments, and I got a feel for my pitches a little more," said Nola, whose fastball topped out at 93 mph while sitting consistently in the 90-91 range. Nola reported that there was nothing in his pregame preparation to suggest he would struggle in the early going. "My arm felt good, and my body felt good all day and then in warmups, and I felt good on the field. It's just about executing pitches. I missed a couple of spots over the plate that were supposed to be away," said Nola, who is projected to be the Phillies' Opening Day starter on April 4 in Cincinnati. It was Nola's powerful command of his entire pitching repertoire that helped convince the Phillies to make him the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft, so is it difficult for him to struggle with location, as he did on Saturday? "I run into outings like that every now and then, but I'm going to continue to work on those areas and try not to make those mistakes as much -- try not to make them again," said Nola, who went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts for the Phillies last year after being called up in late July. And that big league experience has proved invaluable to the 22-year-old Nola as he navigates through his first Grapefruit League competition. "Getting the callup in July, I know how it is, and I know what I have to do. It involves a lot of work, and I'm going to continue trying to compete and work through everything on my side sessions and during my throwing sessions," said Nola.

Altherr Out Of The Lineup – Phillies right fielder Aaron Altherr, who injured his left wrist in the first inning of Friday's 12-11 win over the Braves, was held out of Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla. Altherr is day to day, according to Phillies skipper Pete Mackanin. He has yet to undergo X-rays, but he is wearing a splint on the wrist. Altherr described the injury, which he sustained while diving for a line drive off the bat of Braves leadoff hitter Ender Inciarte, as "not even close" to the right wrist injury that he sustained in the Arizona Fall League two years ago that required surgery. Despite feeling sore, Altherr remained in Friday's game for the balance of the first inning -- he was forced to chase down a double by Erick Aybar on the following at-bat -- but he exited after the Phillies returned to the dugout. "I wasn't real comfortable playing on it, and it's still early in Spring Training. I didn't want to risk anything," said Altherr.

Today In Phils History - Former Pittsburgh catcher Charles "Chief" Zimmer finally got a chance to manage when the Phillies hired him on this day in 1903. 7 years later, the Phillies got quite the scare when lightening ripped through the team hotel in Southern Pines, NC causing significant damage to many of the player's rooms including a 3 foot hole in the ceiling. Thankfully no one was injured. In 1938, the Phillies parted ways with Dolph Camilli and received Eddie Morgan and $45,000 in return from Brooklyn. 20 years later, first baseman Ed Bouchee was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent exposure involving minors. In a turning point for the franchise (and for baseball), Ruly Carpenter announced that he would entertain offers on the franchise following the recent trend in spending practices spearheaded by owners such as George Steinbrenner and Ted Turner. 10 years ago, what a difference a decade makes, a record crowd of nearly 10,000 fans packed into Bright House Networks Field to see the Phillie and Red Sox face off (and they were subsequently treated to a brawl following a confrontation between Ryan Howard and Josh Beckett). Today is also the birthday of old timer John Coleman (1863), middle infielder Cookie Rojas (1939), and injury prone Terry Adams (1973). 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 2-3-1 record (3-3-1 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

New GM Excited To Be #1!

PHILS PHACTS:

Topics Of Discussion – Phillies general manager Matt Klentak spoke Thursday at Citizens Bank Park about the organization's offseason plans as well as the futures of Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz, who remain under contract through next season. Klentak also discussed other topics: 1. We're No. 1: The Phillies have the first pick in the 2016 Draft. It is believed they will select a pitcher, possibly Florida left-hander A.J. Puk. Fans also should keep an eye on Oklahoma right-hander Alec Hansen, IMG Academy (Lakeland, Fla.) left-hander Jason Groome and St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.) right-hander Riley Pint. "We will take the best player," Klentak said. "High school, college, position player, pitcher. I think the history of the Draft suggests that the drop-off in value from pick No. 1 to pick No. 2 is the largest delta among any picks in the Draft." 2. Cody Asche: Asche struggled offensively this past season and moved defensively from third base to left field. He will need to produce in 2016 to remain a part of the organization's future. "He knows this and we know this, it's a performance league and he's going to have to perform," Klentak said. "But I've liked Cody from 3,000 miles away for several years now. I've always thought highly of him and I don't see why he wouldn't have every chance to establish himself on this club. But having said that, and this is the case for all players, this is a performance-based league and he, like everybody else, is going to have to perform to sort of hold down a role." 3. Dan Otero: The Phils claimed the former A's reliever off waivers on Wednesday. "I have probably seen Otero more than most people in the organization, just from being in the American League West," Klentak said. "We all talked about it and we viewed it as a guy that had a really tough year in 2015. But prior to that, [he] had been a really reliable bullpen piece, ground-ball guy on a really good team. And as a bounce-back candidate and a guy that throws strikes and keeps the ball on the ground, we felt that that was a worthwhile claim for us." 4. Jake Thompson: Thompson is ranked No. 51 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list. He pitched well with Double-A Reading. Knowing that the Phillies need pitching, is it possible Thompson could skip Triple-A in 2016? "The players will dictate their own timelines," Klentak said. "When they are ready, we will allow them to reach the big leagues and achieve whatever their ceilings may be. But I do believe that we want players to be ready to stick here. I don't know if developmentally, it does any player a service to flip them up and down throughout the course of a year, if it can be avoided. If it can be avoided, we want the player to be ready the moment he gets started."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phillies Can’t Complete Comeback Against Braves

GAME RECAP: Braves Edge Phillies 2-1

Cameron Maybin delivered a go-ahead single in the fourth inning and some solid bullpen work preserved the effort Williams Perez provided while helping the Braves claim a 2-1 win over the Phillies on Friday night at Turner Field. Adonis Garcia's first-inning double and Maybin's two-out single accounted for the only runs Phillies starter Adam Morgan surrendered over six innings. But the production was enough for the Braves, who have won just five of their past 31 games. Three of those victories have been recorded against the Phillies. "It's been a rough year for all of us," Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "It's nice to see the positive side of things. The whole pitching staff had a great game tonight. Hopefully they can carry that into tomorrow and we'll get a series win." Perez scattered six hits over 5 2/3 innings and limited the Phillies to just one run, which came courtesy of Cameron Rupp's two-out solo homer in the second inning. The Braves bullpen stranded eight runners while completing 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Arodys Vizcaino notched three strikeouts during a scoreless ninth inning that was marred by Hector Olivera error. Vizcaino notched three strikeouts, the last of which resulted in a wild pitch that landed in the stands and loaded the bases before Darin Ruf lined out to end the game. "They gave us, what, six outs in that ninth inning? And we couldn't capitalize," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Just an overall disappointing night. Just a bad night."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies had a chance to break open the game in the sixth -- or at least get even, considering they were trailing 2-1 at the time -- but couldn't come through with two outs and the bases loaded. After knocking out Perez, and going through reliever Brandon Cunniff, Mackanin sent veteran Jeff Francoeur up against McKirahan. Six pitches later, every one of them a strike, Francoeur, the ex-Brave, struck out on an 84-mph slider.
• After Garcia hit an RBI double in the first, he strayed off second base and was tagged by an alert Ruf. Second-base umpire Jim Joyce's original safe call was overturned after the Phillies issued their first challenge of the game.
• Pinch-hitter Chase d'Arnaud, stepping in for Morgan, led off the seventh inning with a bouncer to short. Andrelton Simmons fielded it and made a long-bounce throw to first, where first-base umpire Pat Hoberg called d'Arnaud out. The Phillies challenged, the call was overturned, and d'Arnaud was awarded an infield single.
• Later in the seventh, d'Arnaud was tagged out at the plate when McKirahan fielded Odubel Herrera's comebacker and flipped the ball out of his glove to Bethancourt. The Phillies were unsuccessful with their challenge that Bethancourt violated the plate-blocking rule.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (1-3, 3.90 ERA) is scheduled to make his sixth start of the season Saturday night at 7:10 ET when the Phillies and Braves square off in the second game of this three-game set. Eickhoff has made it to the sixth inning in all but one of his starts. Atlanta will counter with Ryan Weber, who will be making his third career start. Weber surrendered two runs over six innings while making his Major League debut against the Phillies on Sept. 9.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rookie Making Progress – Adam Morgan put together one of those starts Friday that was good enough for a win. But, in a year of tough losses for the Phillies, the outcome did not go his way. The Braves hung a loss on the Phillies' left-hander in a hard-luck 2-1 decision despite six better-than-good innings in which Morgan gave up only the two runs, didn't walk anyone and was so efficient that he needed just 70 pitches to get through his start. He threw only 18 balls in his six innings, and zipped first-pitch strikes to the final 15 batters he faced. Over his last seven starts, he's struck out 24 hitters and walked only three. He's 2-4 in those games. "He's been pitching very well. He could have a few more wins than he does," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We just got to drive some runs in." Morgan (5-7, 4.48 ERA) wasn't perfect Friday, but he made maybe three mistakes that cost him: He left a pitch over the plate that Adonis Garcia reached down and poked off the wall in right-center in the first inning, driving in a run. In the fourth, he hung a changeup to Freddie Freeman, who held back on it just long enough to pull a soft double down the right-field line. And, two pitches later, he hung a first-pitch slider to Cameron Maybin, who lined it into center to score Freeman. Two or three mistakes in six innings of work, for almost anyone, is not too shabby. "It's not bad," Morgan said, "but I can do better." Morgan clearly could have gone at least another inning, and maybe more than that, the way he was dealing. But in the seventh, trying to score a run, Mackanin chose to pinch-hit for his starter to lead off the inning. And that was Morgan's night. "I always want to finish what I started. I still felt good," Morgan said. "But, you know, the manager pinch-hit for me at a good time and a time he felt was right. I can't argue with that." After his 28th start of the season -- including 13 at Triple-A Lehigh Valley -- Morgan looks as if he has plenty left to give the Phillies as they head toward the finish line. He has thrown 152 2/3 innings between the Phils and the Minors in his first full season since coming back from Jan. 2014 left shoulder surgery. He said Friday he expects the ball a couple more times before the end of the season. "I'm happy with where I'm at," said Morgan, "but I'm not where I want to be at. I'm not exactly where I want to be."

Continuing To Recover – Ryan Howard was out of the Phillies' lineup again on Friday, still nursing a sore left knee that he bruised in Monday's 8-7 loss against the Nationals. But Philadelphia continues to be hopeful that it hasn't seen the last of its slugging first baseman this year. "If 7-10 days go by and he hasn't seen live pitching, then it becomes an issue there. And is it worth [it] to run him out there? So we'll just go day to day there," interim manager Pete Mackanin said Friday before the Phillies took on the Braves in the first of a three game series at Turner Field. "I'd like to get him back in there. He's a very good presence in that lineup. Without [Maikel] Franco and Cesar [Hernandez] in there, it's a lot different lineup." Franco broke his left wrist when he was hit by a pitch on Aug. 11. Hernandez dislocated his thumb during a play at first base on Sunday against the Cubs. Howard, who took a one-hop throw off his knee in the game against the Nationals, was walking around in the clubhouse before Friday's game with his left knee wrapped. He made it out to batting practice, limping slightly, but he didn't participate. He had an MRI on Tuesday which showed no structural damage. "For me, I don't care if the guy takes a driver's license test. All I want to know is if he can play or not. Whatever bone or muscle hurts … I don't care. I just want to know if he can play," Mackanin said. "It's better than expected, I think. He's going to start moving around a little bit, and then we'll just play it by ear and see how he adjusts or how he reacts."

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 56-92. 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 44-62-2 on this day.

Bullpen Gives Up Lead, Loses Game In Unique Way

GAME RECAP: Brewers Top Phillies 4-3

The Brewers found an interesting way to win, 4-3, Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Or it could be said the Phillies found an interesting way to lose. Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz called time on a 0-2 pitch to Carlos Gomez with two outs in the eighth inning, which Gomez swung at and missed. Ruiz's call for time extended Gomez's plate appearance against Phillies right-hander Ken Giles. Gomez singled and the inning continued from there as the Brewers scored twice to take a one-run lead, then stranded a slew of Phillies runners to complete Milwaukee's sixth victory in eight games. "It's a good win," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a win you feel like you kind of snatched from them a little bit." The Phillies' eighth-inning meltdown wasted another fine start from Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels, who allowed just two runs in seven innings. "It's tough," Hamels said about Ruiz calling time and Giles' subsequent struggles. "Sometimes it works to your advantage. Sometimes it doesn't. It's part of the game. You know you have to get the next guy. I think that's what I've had to learn. Bad situations where you think you have the guy, but you have another pitch and you have to get the job done. It just teaches guys in general that you just have to bear down a little bit more sometimes."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Giles appeared to have the eighth inning over when he threw a 0-2 pitch to Gomez, who swung and missed. But Ruiz's call for time kept the Brewers alive. Gomez followed with a single to left field to put runners on first and second. Aramis Ramirez then singled to score Ryan Braun to tie the game. Giles imploded at that point, walking Gerardo Parra in an 11-pitch at-bat and pinch-hitter Adam Lind to force in the go-ahead run. "I think he knows what he did," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about Giles. "He made a couple of bad pitches after that. But Kenny has done so well for us. He's going to be part of the future."
• Lind stayed in the game to play first base and saved the Brewers' lead with his glove. Milwaukee reliever Jeremy Jeffress inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam and induced a double-play grounder to third base off the bat of Darin Ruf, with Lind making a terrific scoop of second baseman Scooter Gennett's one-hop relay throw. "We made plays at the end," Counsell said. "The double play was huge. It was good all the way around, all three guys. Scooter with a nice turn, Adam with a nice pick, [Jeffress] getting the ground ball."
• If Hamels wants contending teams to step up to the plate to acquire him, he will need more nights like this before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He allowed five hits, two runs, one walk and struck out seven in seven innings, putting a disappointing start last week against the Yankees (five runs in five innings) behind him. But once again, he did not get the win. He is winless since May 23.
• Ruiz homered for the first time since Sept. 5, 2014, in the sixth inning to give the Phillies a 3-2 lead. It snapped a run of 244 plate appearances without a home run.
• Braun collected four more hits and boosted his lifetime average at Citizens Bank Park to .438 (42-for-96). The only player with a higher average in 40-plus at-bats here is Brewers teammate Lucroy, at .479 (23-for-48).
• Brewers manager Craig Counsell is among the many who have taken notice of the month Phillies rookie third baseman Maikel Franco has been having. Counsell said that though Franco might have "flown under the radar" compared to other hyped rookies such as Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant or Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson, he thinks Franco has "played as well as any of them so far."
• Just as Lohse has struggled in recent weeks, so too has Phillies slugger Ryan Howard. That being said, their matchup will be an interesting one. Howard has batted below .200 since June 10, but is a lifetime 12-for-31 with three home runs and 11 RBIs vs. Lohse. The only players who have more RBIs off Lohse than Howard are Carlos Beltran, Magglio Ordonez and Alfonso Soriano, each of whom have at least 25 more plate appearances against Lohse than Howard.
• Outfielder Khris Davis, who the Brewers placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 31, will begin a rehab assignment at Class A Wisconsin Wednesday. He has been sidelined with a right knee injury.

NEXT GAME:

Two veteran right-handers who endured forgettable Junes will look to reset on July 1, as the Phillies' Aaron Harang and Brewers' Kyle Lohse will start Wednesday's third game of a four-game series in Philadelphia. Over five June starts, Lohse allowed 19 earned runs in 29 1/3 innings for an ERA of 5.83. Harang's month was even rockier. The 37-year-old allowed 24 earned runs in 29 2/3 innings (a 7.28 June ERA), raising his 2015 ERA more than 1.50 points. Both pitchers have losing records, with Lohse at 4-9 and Harang at 4-10, but Harang has been more of a hard-luck loser -- his 3.56 ERA is almost half of Lohse's 6.28.

PHILS PHACTS:

Finding New Ways To Lose – The Phillies found a unique way to lose, 4-3, Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, and the Brewers could not have been happier about it. Phillies right-hander Ken Giles had not allowed a run since May 30, striking out 18 in 12 scoreless innings, when Carlos Gomez stepped into the batter's box with a runner on first and two outs in the eighth inning. The Phillies had a one-run lead, but a series of missteps turned a win into an improbable loss. "It's a win you feel like you kind of snatched from them a little bit," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. That is because the comeback started with Giles appearing to strike out Gomez swinging on an inning-ending 0-2 pitch. Except … wait a minute. Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz called time before the pitch, which meant the strikeout never happened. Gomez had a second life and he took advantage. He fouled off the next pitch before singling to left field to put runners on first and second. "I don't know if I heard 'timeout' or 'balk,' so that's the reason that I swung. I didn't lose anything," Gomez said. "If it's a timeout, it's a free swing. If it's a balk, maybe I put on contact. The big thing is we won the game." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Ruiz called time because he was concerned about Ryan Braun at first base. "Part of holding a runner is varying your delivery to the plate," Mackanin said. "Braun is the kind of guy that will try to time the pitcher so he can get a jump. Sometimes you come set, you pitch. Sometimes you count to two and you pitch. Sometimes you hold it a little longer. [Giles] just held it longer than Chooch wanted to, basically." Braun has nine stolen bases this season, but shouldn't have Ruiz just forgotten about him, considering Giles has been almost unhittable for a month? "You might say he should have done that, but I don't have a problem with it," Mackanin said. "Because if you don't pay attention to that runner and he gets a jump and steals and gets in scoring position, you don't want that, either. It happens." Aramis Ramirez followed Gomez and stroked a 0-1 fastball to center field to score Braun to tie the game. Giles punched his glove behind the plate as Braun crossed home. He had the inning in hand, but suddenly everything seemed to spiral out of control. Did the 0-2 pitch to Gomez affect Giles? Nobody could say. Not even him. He left the clubhouse almost immediately. Ruiz left almost immediately, too. "Regardless of whether he did or not, I still have a lot of confidence in him," Mackanin said, asked if Giles let the sequence with Gomez unravel him. But the inning got worse for Giles. He walked Gerardo Parra in an 11-pitch at-bat to the load the bases. Giles thought he had Parra struck out on a 3-2 slider, which hit the top of the strike zone, according to MLB Gameday. Home-plate umpire Mike DiMuro thought differently. Giles then walked pinch-hitter Adam Lind on four pitches to score Gomez to give the Brewers the one-run lead. "It was kind of a crazy inning with a lot of possibilities," Counsell said. "Aramis had the big hit, and then we made plays at the end."

Hamels Continues To Be Solid – As the frustration mounts, Cole Hamels knows the only way to stay sane is to stay optimistic. "It's something I've learned to control and learned to get over," Hamels said after the Phillies' 4-3 loss to the Brewers Tuesday night. "Just try to focus and be positive for the guys." Hamels tossed seven innings and allowed two runs, striking out seven Brewers in an effort where his name was left off the win column. It was the 10th time this year Hamels threw at least seven innings and allowed two or fewer runs. It was also the fifth time he had done that and didn't get a win to show for it. Hamels, who is 5-6 with a 3.22 ERA and a WHIP of 1.15, was in line to earn the win at one point as he left the game with a one-run lead, but that lead and the Phillies' chances for victory slipped away in the eighth inning. Since he threw 111 pitches and he'll have to make his next two starts with no built-in rest day, Hamels said he didn't think he could've trotted back to the mound for the eighth. And with the game out of control, Hamels said all that was left for him was to root for his teammates and hope for the best. As small of a cushion as one run may have been, three runs of support is still more than he's been accustomed to this season, especially as of late. Coming into Tuesday, the Phillies had scored three runs in the last 33 innings he had thrown and just 27 runs in all of his starts combined. That averages out to 1.8 runs per start, and that is without factoring out the outlier of when the Phillies scored eight runs in one game. That number rose to 1.875 runs per start after Tuesday. The runs Hamels did allow came early. The 31-year-old gave up two runs on two singles and a walk in the first inning. Both of the RBIs came off one swing, as Aramis Ramirez took advantage of a poorly placed 2-2 cutter to plate Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun. "The cutter just stayed straight and Aramis hit it," Hamels said. "It's probably more of a frustration pitch because I know I've been able to throw that pitch successfully nine out of 10 times. That was the one time it didn't work out, and with two guys on it makes it tough, especially to put your team down early." One of the logical assumptions to make is that Hamels' early struggles were a result of the one-hour, 19-minute rain delay that preceded the game and the fact that it messed with his warmup schedule. Hamels didn't think so, however, because of the entertainment on the team's video board. "I thought it was awesome," Hamels said. "I got to watch the [U.S. Women's National Team] soccer game. So at least I got to watch some soccer with the fans. That was kind of enjoyable."

Mackanin To Remain For Remainder – General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. announced Tuesday that the Phillies will retain Pete Mackanin as interim manager through the rest of the season. Mackanin took over as interim manager Friday after former manager Ryne Sandberg resigned from his post. At the time, Amaro and team president Pat Gillick said that Mackanin would hold the post at least through the homestand before a decision on the rest of the season was made. Now, with the security of 83 more games to manage, Mackanin said he will be able to do what he and Amaro feel is best for the organization. "Because I have priority players that are young players that we want to try to develop, I'm just going to continue to try to develop them as much as possible and try to get them to where we think they can be and move on to the future," Mackanin said. But despite Mackanin pledging to make future-minded moves, Amaro said that this job does not guarantee Mackanin a managerial job any later than October. "I think it's pretty clear, this does not necessarily mean that he's a candidate to take the job beyond the year by any stretch of the imagination," Amaro said. "I think we're going to have basically a clean slate to make that decision. Pete may or may not be part of that decision-making process, and Pete understands that." Amaro said that though there were some internal candidates to take over aside from Mackanin, he did not believe this was the time to interview outside candidates for any jobs. The factors that differentiated Mackanin from other Phillies coaches with managerial experience, such as Larry Bowa and Juan Samuel, was Mackanin's history as an interim manager -- this is his third time doing so -- and his overall demeanor. To offset the gap on the coaching staff Sandberg left, special assistant director of player personnel Jorge Velandia will take over as a coach. Mackanin said that he will not be given a specific position but will use his rapport with the players to aid Samuel, Bowa and the rest of the staff.

Will Utley Be The Next Pipp? Now that Pete Mackanin is the Phillies' interim manager the remainder of the season, he will be making some important decisions the rest of the way. Like, who plays second base once Chase Utley returns from the disabled list? Mackanin had no update Tuesday afternoon on Utley, who was scheduled to have a cortisone injection in his right ankle last week. But he said Cesar Hernandez is earning the right to play more the rest of the season. "I would like to think that Cesar has proven that he deserves a chance to be the everyday second baseman," Mackanin said. "That remains to be seen. I don't know. I don't want to get ahead of myself. Let's just wait to see when Chase is healthy and how he feels and we'll go from there." Hernandez has hit .436 (17-for-39) with four doubles, seven RBIs and a 1.016 OPS in his last 10 games. He was hitting .277 with 10 doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs and a .730 OPS in 172 plate appearances entering Tuesday. Utley is hitting .179 with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, 25 RBIs and a .532 OPS in 249 plate appearances. Utley also has a $15 million club option for 2016 that automatically vests if he reaches 500 plate appearances. But depending on how much time he misses, the option might no longer be an issue upon his return. "When you see part-time players and perhaps at times they're not doing as well as you'd like them to do, you can see now the benefit, obviously, of playing on a daily basis," Mackanin said about Hernandez. "Cesar has been fantastic. We always felt he had it in him. It's been a long process. I think he's making a good statement for himself in the future." Said Hernandez: "When you play every day, you kind of get used to seeing things. Now that I am playing every day, I am staying comfortable."

Changing The Business Model – The Phillies formally introduced Andy MacPhail, who has had success as an executive with three franchises, as their next club president Monday. At first glance, it looked like a safe, conservative decision. A tee shot down the middle rather than trying for the green with a more risky drive over a water hazard. A second glance, to MacPhail's immediate right on the dais at Citizens Bank Park, disproved that assumption. There sat John Middleton, a member of the ownership group. That's a big deal. It was the first outward and visible sign that the way the Phillies now conduct their business has changed significantly. And it's not just that Middleton revealed that the Phils will jump headfirst into advanced analytics for the first time when their own proprietary computer program -- to be called PHIL -- comes on line in September. For the last 34 years, the Phillies' partnership agreement gave new meaning to the concept of silent partners. The team president, first Bill Giles and later Dave Montgomery, had the final say on all decisions and spoke for the group. The investors remained unseen and unheard, and that's just the way it was. No more. Middleton said he believes it's important that the president represent the organization for baseball-related issues after Pat Gillick steps aside and MacPhail ascends at the end of the regular season. But the 60-year-old billionaire also made it perfectly clear that he isn't going to be content to passively sit in the shadows and root, root, root for the home team. "I foresee it being more of a public role when it deals with more significant ownership-level kinds of decisions," Middleton said. Middleton owns just under half of the Phillies' stock, as do cousins Pete and Jim Buck. He certainly can't be faulted for wanting to have a more active role in looking after his investment. Middleton has been exerting more influence for a while now, attending the quarterly Owners Meetings, for example. Now that involvement is out in the open. Monday's unveiling of MacPhail was his coming-out party as well. This isn't to say that the Phils didn't want to win before. The fact that they've had one of the highest payrolls in baseball for years demonstrates that. Still, the emphasis being placed on success has never been stated quite this bluntly and specifically. "When we were interviewing Andy, we made it clear to him that we expected him to devote the majority of his time to the baseball side of the business," Middleton said early in his preamble. "To improve the farm system and ultimately the Major League team. Every other consideration was secondary to that goal." Turning to MacPhail: "The pledge Jim, Pete and I made to you when we extended the offer is that you will have access to whatever resources you need to succeed." During the question-and-answer portion of the news conference, Middleton was asked directly if his presence signaled a change in approach from ownership. "I think the single most important thing an ownership group does is hire the person in charge of the business," he said. "And I think when you made a decision of that magnitude, the ownership group has to come forward and make sure that people understand that they are the ones who made the decision. Jim, Pete and I had the conversations. Jim, Pete and I had the deliberations privately. Jim, Pete and I reached out to different people. "This is not a decision that we delegated, much less abdicated. We own this decision. That's an important part of the accountability that we think we had." Middleton went on to dispute any notion that his goal is to gain a majority ownership stake in the team. "I'm very happy where I am now," he said. Where Middleton is now is front and center, although he joked that he hopes he doesn't have to appear about hiring a new president any time soon. But he conceded that there's been a significant change in the way the Phillies do business, partly because many of the original owners have sold their shares. "There's been an evolution within the franchise over the last several years," Middleton said. "As the ownership group has shrunk, the Bucks and my family have had an increasingly larger position. And with that comes a responsibility that's a little different from what it was 25 years ago, and you have to kind of step up. "Pete, Jim and I have been much more involved with the issues at an earlier stage than we were five years ago, for example. And that's not going to change. We're going to be there asking questions. You don't want us making baseball decisions, trust me. But I think we need to be asking hard questions of the people who are involved in that process. We need to be comfortable that they're crossing all their T's and dotting all their I's." And, if need be, nudging the organization along. It's not just a coincidence that there will be more of an emphasis on sabermetric analysis in the future. Middleton shook his head when asked if he was surprised at how the Phils have lagged in that area. "No, because I was aware enough with what was going on in previous years to kind of know where we are," he said. And why has that changed? "Because I'm in the position to make a hiring decision and make that happen," Middleton said without hesitation. Make no mistake. Hiring MacPhail is hugely significant with possible longlasting repercussions. But it only begins to suggest the way the Phillies are now a different operation than they've been.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-52. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 56-57-0 on this day.