Almost Ready For The Second Half

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

Phillies enjoyed a final day off before resuming play tonight against the Mets.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Left-hander Daniel Stumpf returned to the Phillies July 10 after serving an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Philadelphia acquired Stumpf from Kansas City last December in the Rule 5 Draft. He pitched in three games before being suspended.
• Active members of the Mets have hit a combined .307 against Hellickson, with Jose Reyes having recorded a .381 batting average to go along with one homer and four RBIs.
• Mets manager Terry Collins has expressed hope that Yoenis Cespedes would be ready to play by the end of the All-Star break. Cespedes, who sustained a right quad strain July 8, leads the Mets with 21 homers and 52 RBIs. In 26 at-bats against the Phillies in the first half of the year, Cespedes hit .269 with three homers and six RBIs.

NEXT GAME:

After limping into the All-Star break with a slew of injuries to key players, the Mets turn to Jacob deGrom (5-4, 2.61 ERA) to set the tone for the second half of the season July 15 against the Phillies, who counter with Jeremy Hellickson (6-6, 3.92 ERA). deGrom and Bartolo Colon have been the only regular members of the Mets' starting rotation to avoid injury issues in recent weeks. Matt Harvey opted for season-ending surgery to repair his thoracic outlet syndrome, while Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard have both been pitching through bone spurs; Syndergaard left his start July 8 with a "dead arm." Hellickson has provided a veteran presence in a young Phillies pitching staff, but his name has floated around in trade rumors. The Mets could be in the market for a starter given all their issues, but there's been no indication Hellickson could be an option for them.

PHILS PHACTS:

Trade Possibilities – The Phillies will be on a 10-game road trip before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, traveling through Pittsburgh, Miami and Atlanta. The front office, meanwhile, will be back at Citizens Bank Park, meeting and talking with teams about potential trades that could benefit its rebuild. But while the Phillies have players to trade, they are highly unlikely to put together anything resembling the blockbuster deal they made with the Rangers for Cole Hamels last July. Still, the Phils could make things interesting. The Phillies have players who could interest contending teams. It starts with right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, but others -- like Peter Bourjos, Jeanmar Gomez, Cody Asche,Carlos Ruiz and Andres Blanco -- could be had at the right price. Philadelphia has prospects at Triple-A Lehigh Valley who could see promotions soon, like outfielder Nick Williams and top prospect J.P. Crawford. That could put other Phils on the trade block as the organization tries to make room for them. Here is a look at what the second half could hold for the Phillies and the upcoming Trade Deadline: TRADE SCENARIO: It is important to remember that without a talent like Hamels, the Phillies should expect more modest returns. That holds true with Hellickson. While he certainly could help the back end of a rotation, remember what the Marlins got last season for Dan Haren and what the Mariners got for J.A. Happ: a couple Minor Leaguers not ranked among Miami's Top 30 Prospects and Triple-A pitcher Adrian Sampson, respectively. If the Phils could get one projectable piece for Hellickson, it probably would be good enough. WHAT ARE THEY PLAYING FOR? Like the first half, the second half is about the future. Players have shown flashes of their potential in the first half, some more than others. But if they want to be part of the Phillies' future, they will need to prove it before the offseason. That holds especially true for players like Tommy Joseph, Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Asche. THE ROAD AHEAD: Phillies president Andy MacPhail said late last month that he would expect some prospects to be promoted at some point, provided they earn it. It would not be a surprise to see Williams and Crawford up at some point. Jake Thompson is pitching well, but the Phils will need to make room for him in the rotation. KEY PLAYER: It would be easy to mention Hellickson here because he seems to be the focus anytime anybody mentions potential trades involving the Phillies. But Bourjos suddenly has become very interesting. He is brilliant defensively, he runs the bases very well and he has been hitting at a ridiculous pace of late. If Bourjos stays hot through the rest of the month, he could be an attractive piece to a team looking for outfield help. PROSPECTS TO WATCH: It starts with Williams, Crawford and Thompson. Catcher Andrew Knapp could see some time in September. Ben Lively has pitched well this season, but would he earn a promotion over Thompson?

Today In Phils History – Steve O’Neill was fired as manager on this day in 1954 and replaced with Terry Moore. In 1968, with a win over the Mets, the Phillies set a team record for the longest undefeated road trip at 7 games. 10 years later, Jose Cardenal hit into an around the horn triple play against the Braves. This Phillies set a MLB record druing their 16 inning, 3-2, loss to the Astros in 1984 when they issued 7 intentional walks. It was on this day in 2009, when the Phillies signed future Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez who would go on to help them reach a second consecutive World Series. The following season, the Cubs Starlin Castro, the 1^st MLB player born in the 90’s hit a triple off of Jamie Moyer who was 17 years and 8 months his senior.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 45-58-0 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.

Would We Have The Same Matchup Had One Move Not Happened?

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

There have been a couple interesting article posted on MLB.com lately about the top 5 moves that lead the Royals and Mets, respectively, to the World Series. Below are those lists:

Mets:

1. The R.A. Dickey trade – After Dickey won the 2012 NL Cy Young Award, the Mets, knowing that they had pitching depth in their organization, smartly decided to trade the ace at his peak value rather than sign him to an extension. They found a buyer in the Blue Jays, and in return, they extracted two potential premium players from them. At 23 years old, Noah Syndergaard has been as impressive as any rookie starting pitcher, leading all first-year starters with 166 strikeouts while posting a 3.24 ERA. Meanwhile, catcher Travis d'Arnaud is finally healthy after dealing with a variety of ailments, and put up a .268/.355/.487 line over 268 plate appearances. That slugging percentage would have led all catchers had he qualified. Both guys are key pieces for the Mets this season and years to come.
2. Re-signing David Wright – When Wright was a year away from free agency following the 2012 season, he and the organization both had to take a leap of faith. The front office had to decide on whether it should invest $138 million over eight years to arguably the best position player in franchise history. Conversely, Wright had to decide if this was the organization that was going to take the steps necessary to win. Wright believed in the plan, and the front office showed incredible discipline and decision-making in the Draft and internationally over the past several seasons (15 players on the roster are homegrown, the most of any playoff club). Wright isn't the player he once was, but he still posted an .814 OPS this year, is a consummate leader, and was integral in convincing the likes of Curtis Granderson and Michael Cuddyer to buy in and sign with the club.
3. Signing Curtis Granderson – In a move to infuse more offense, the Mets signed Granderson to a four-year deal during the 2013 Winter Meetings. They hoped he would be a middle-of-the-order bat and run producer. But after a slow 2014 season, manager Terry Collins and new hitting coach Kevin Long felt his best place in the lineup this year was batting leadoff. After making a couple of mechanical adjustments under Long's observation, Granderson became one of the best leadoff men in the NL, leading the Mets with a .364 OBP. Granderson's productivity has gone under the radar in the postseason due to Daniel Murphy's torrid October, but he has set the table for the Mets, posting a .385 OBP while driving in seven runs and even stealing four bases in five attempts.
4. Trading Ike Davis – This was less about trading Davis and more about the fact that it opened up the door for Lucas Duda to take over as the everyday first baseman. It seems like an obvious move now, but when the 2014 season began it was unclear who the Mets would choose as their long-term answer at first. Davis, the Mets' first-round pick in the 2008 Draft, hit 32 homers in 2012, and was considered a better defender. The organization tried to keep both, playing Duda in the outfield (he played 100 games in 2012 and another 58 in '13), but as Davis' struggles continued beyond '13, the Mets decided it was time to cut ties with him and make Duda the full-time first baseman. He responded by hitting 30 home runs in '14 and another 27 this past year, with an impressive .838 OPS while playing solid defense.
5. Acquiring Yoenis Cespedes – OK, so there was one move from 2015 that had to be on this list. No player moved at the non-waiver Trade Deadline made a bigger impact for a team this year than Cespedes. His numbers as a Met are gaudy: In only 230 at bats, he hit 17 home runs, had 44 RBIs, a .942 OPS and a 157 OPS+, while playing mostly center field for the Mets (starting 39 of his 53 games in CF), a position that evaluators were convinced he was not comfortable playing anymore. Over the course of the summer, the Mets acquired two other veteran bats in Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, promoted rookie Michael Conforto from Double-A to the Majors, and welcomed Wright's return from a long disabled list stint, and all of those moves helped create a deeper and more dynamic lineup. But the Cespedes acquisition almost single-handedly allowed the Mets' offense to come alive, as it averaged more than five runs per game in the final two months of the regular season.

Royals:

1. The Zack Greinke trade – In December 2009, one year after he won the American League Cy Young Award, Greinke was traded along with Yuniesky Betancourt to the Brewers for Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress. Kansas City was coming off a 67-win season and desperately needed an influx of young talent. What's amazing is that this trade almost didn't happen. The Royals made a lot of progress on a trade with the Nationals, but Greinke made it clear he would not waive his no-trade clause to go there. At the time of the trade, it was unclear who the best piece was coming back to Kansas City, but general manager Dayton Moore took a chance on athletes, and in doing so he acquired Cain, the 2014 AL Championship Series MVP, Escobar, the 2015 ALCS MVP, as well as Odorizzi, who was used in the trade with the Rays that brought back Wade Davis and James Shields. That one trade laid the foundation for this great Royals team.
2. Hiring Dayton Moore – That Greinke trade wouldn't have happened without Moore at the helm. He was hired in 2006 to bring some of the scouting and player development acumen he picked up while working in the Braves' front office. With a philosophy built around relationships, loyalty and a team approach, Moore built one of the deepest farm systems in history, and then parlayed that into the juggernaut you see now. This is a team that can beat you with pitching depth, defense, speed, contact hitting and even power. It does not have a glaring weakness, and Moore is the man responsible for putting this group together.
3. Drafting Alex Gordon – If you're going to pick in the top five of the Draft, you have to make it count, and the Royals had an impressive run of top-three picks that began with Gordon, the No. 2 overall pick in 2005. In the subsequent three years, they drafted Luke Hochevar No. 1 overall in 2006, Mike Moustakas No. 2 overall in 2007 and Eric Hosmer No. 3 in 2008. And one common thread among all of these guys is that none of them was an instant sensation. Kansas City had the patience to stick with these guys as they struggled in the Minor Leagues and early on in the Majors. Gordon had to switch from third base to left field, Hochevar moved from the rotation to the bullpen, Moustakas struggled to hit lefties and Hosmer dealt with vision issues in the low Minors. Many in the game doubted that these guys would pan out, but the only people who didn't waver were the folks who were developing them and the front office who drafted them. Their patience has been rewarded.
4. The Salvador Perez extension – In today's game, every organization needs a productive Latin American program, one that consistently adds impactful talent to the organization. No player represents the Royals' Latin American program better than Perez, who they signed out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old for $65,000 in 2006. After a solid debut in 2011, hitting .331 in 39 games, Kansas City gave Perez a five-year, $7 million extension with three club options that might be the best bargain in baseball. Other products of that Latin American pipeline are Yordano Ventura and Kelvin Herrera, both signed out of the Dominican Republic. Like Perez, Ventura was signed for a bargain bonus ($28,000), and he also received a club-friendly contract after his rookie campaign. He signed a five-year, $23 million deal before last season that includes club options for 2020-21.
5. Hiring Ned Yost – Yost was hired in 2010 to replace Trey Hillman, and he spent the next four years slowly nurturing a young core of players. His patience, belief and humility eventually showed itself in 2014, and again this season. With Yost and Moore paired together, the Royals have an outstanding combination that has been able to adapt consistently to the ever-changing challenges of the game. As you can see, Kansas City is a complete organization where each area of the baseball-operations department impacts its current roster. It is an organization that is blessed with continuity, and it is led by humble quality people who truly understand what an organization should represent.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Plenty of rumors floating around but no news yet!

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, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Trout Leads AL To Victory

GAME RECAP: AL Defeats NL 6-3

An unquestionably successful All-Star experience in Cincinnati saw some its most memorable moments delivered by two guys from New Jersey. Third baseman Todd Frazier of the host Reds, with an assist from a new format, provided the drama and energy while winning the Gillette Home Run Derby sponsored by Head and Shoulders on Monday. Then, Angels superstar Mike Trout added his own sizzle on Tuesday to the 86th All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile. Trout hit a leadoff home run and scored two runs, setting the tone for the American League in a 6-3 victory over the National League before 43,656 fans at Great American Ball Park. It was the third straight All-Star win for the AL, which will have home-field advantage once again in the World Series. Trout became the first back-to-back winner of the All-Star Game MVP Award presented by Chevrolet. "It means a lot," Trout said. "Obviously, [we] came out with a 'W.' That's the biggest thing. When I go out there, I play my hardest every day. … It's just an incredible honor to be a part of the All-Star Game and win the MVP twice. It's something special, for sure." It was two AL runs in the top of the fifth inning against Clayton Kershaw that snapped a 1-1 tie. Pinch-hitting, Prince Fielder hit an RBI single with one out and was followed by Lorenzo Cain, who laced an RBI double. Andrew McCutchen hit a homer for the NL to lead off the sixth, but the AL added on with two runs in the seventh on Manny Machado's RBI double off the wall in right-center field and Fielder's sacrifice fly off Francisco Rodriguez. Brian Dozier provided an eighth-inning homer to give the AL insurance. The winning pitcher was David Price, who threw a perfect fourth inning with two strikeouts, while Kershaw was the losing pitcher. Unforgettable moments began even before the first pitch, when the "Franchise Four" players from all 30 teams were announced. The Reds were saved for last and introduced on the field, with the fans erupting for Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Barry Larkin and, especially, Pete Rose. It was followed by the introduction of the four greatest living players -- Henry Aaron, Bench, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays. "It was awesome to see guys like that," Trout said. With a strong All-Star week behind it, Cincinnati passes the baton to San Diego, the host for the 2016 Midsummer Classic.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The AL jumped out to a lead immediately when Trout led off the game by hitting NL starter Zack Greinke's 1-2 pitch into the first row of right-field seats. The ball had an exit velocity of 100.2 mph, according to Statcast™. It was only the fourth time in All-Star Game history that there has been a homer to begin the top of the first inning, and it was the first time since the Reds' Joe Morgan did it in 1977. The last first-inning leadoff homer in the All-Star Game was by Bo Jackson of the Royals in the bottom of the first in 1989. Trout finished the game 1-for-3 with two runs scored and improved to 5-for-10 in his All-Star career. "It was a lot of fun," AL manager Ned Yost said. "We've been really working on our game plan for the last week. We tried to punch holes in it every which way we could, and we worked it to perfection. We wanted to put power at the top of the lineup and hopefully get a quick strike. Mike Trout took care of that for us."
• The AL starter, Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, allowed just one ball out of the infield in his two innings but surrendered an unearned run in the second. He recorded one strikeout, inducing four ground-ball outs. Keuchel became the fourth Astros pitcher to start an All-Star Game and the first since Roger Clemens in 2004 (Mike Scott in 1987 and J.R. Richard in '80 were the others). "The best experience I've ever had in my life," Keuchel said. "I'm just thankful I was able to get the nod and I guess throw strikes. I was worried about being too amped up and being all over the place, but I was able to calm down after that first pitch and able to settle in." 
• Following the Trout homer, Greinke did not give up another hit. His line was one earned run with one hit, one walk and four strikeouts. His four K's were the most by an All-Star pitcher since Boston's Pedro Martinez struck out five at Fenway Park in 1999, and the most by an NL pitcher since Lee Smith in 1987. Greinke hadn't allowed a run in 35 2/3 innings entering the Midsummer Classic.
• After Paul Goldschmidt reached on an infield single and a throwing error by third baseman Josh Donaldson, the NL evened the game in the second with an unearned run. Jhonny Peralta blooped a two-out RBI single to short right field that scored Goldschmidt to make it a 1-1 game. The NL did not have another baserunner until Peralta walked with one out in the fifth, and it lacked another hit until McCutchen's homer to begin the sixth.
• Price struck out NL sluggers Bryce Harper and Goldschmidt during a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth inning. Price has been on five All-Star teams and has pitched in three All-Star Games, allowing just one hit and no runs over four innings. He started for the AL in 2010 and pitched two innings, then tossed another perfect frame for the AL in '12.  
• Madison Bumgarner retired Salvador Perez to end Game 7 of the 2014 World Series and also struck out Perez in the top of the fourth, his lone inning in the All-Star Game. The Bumgarner-Perez rematch was an entertaining battle in which Perez worked a full count, but eventually Bumgarner got the Royals' catcher to strike out swinging. However, strike three was a wild pitch, allowing Perez to reach first base. In Bumgarner's scoreless fourth, he did allow a single to Cain. The Royals outfielder added an RBI double in the fifth, becoming the first Royals player to have a multihit All-Star Game since Jackson in 1989. George Brett did it three times. 
• With two outs and a runner on second in the top of the fifth, Kershaw had a 1-2 count on Albert Pujols before walking him with three straight balls. That opened the door for the AL, and Fielder snapped a tied game with a single to left field that scored Trout. Cain followed with an RBI double scorched down the left-field line to score Pujols and make it a 3-1 game. "Not great," Kershaw said. "I gave up a couple of runs, so it's never the best."  
• Right-hander Jacob deGrom, the Mets' lone All-Star, represented his team well in the top of the sixth inning by striking out the side -- Stephen Vogt, Jason Kipnis and Jose Iglesias -- on only 10 pitches, including nine strikes. Eight of his pitches were clocked at 96 mph or faster, including a 97-mph heater that fanned Vogt for the inning's first out. deGrom is the first pitcher in All-Star Game history with three strikeouts in an inning while using 10 pitches or fewer. Brad Lidge used 11 pitches in 2005. "That was unreal," deGrom said. "I was looking forward to getting a chance to throw, and I was pretty nervous in the bullpen, but when I got out there the nerves kind of went away, it was an awesome experience." 
• Trout's speed on the basepaths was a huge factor in a two-run fifth inning for the AL off Kershaw. Trout reached a top speed of 21.3 mph in beating out a forceout after Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar led off with a single. Following a walk by Angels teammate Pujols, Trout scored the go-ahead run on a single by Fielder, topping out at 20.4 mph as he raced home from second base to beat a throw from Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson that was clocked at 92.5 mph.
• In the bottom of the sixth inning on the first pitch he saw from Chris Archer, McCutchen led off with a home run into the left-field seats that cut the NL's deficit at the time to one run. According to Statcast™, McCutchen's drive left the bat at 107 mph and was projected to land 406 feet away. McCutchen's homer, coupled with Trout's, marked the first time since 1965 that both starting leadoff batters had homered in an All-Star Game. In '65, Mays (NL) and Dick McAuliffe (AL) both homered. 
• Playing in his first All-Star Game, Tigers shortstop Jose Iglesias helped cut short a potential rally by the NL with a great play in the hole to end the eighth inning. With a runner on second and two outs, Iglesias ranged to his right to scoop a sharp ground ball off the bat of Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal. With his momentum carrying him away from first base, Iglesias then threw across his body, firing a strike to Mark Teixeira for the out.
• The home fans weren't disappointed when Reds closer Aroldis Chapman entered for the top of the ninth and struck out the side, getting Brock Holt, Mike Moustakas and Teixeira. Chapman threw 14 pitches, 12 of which were clocked at 100 mph or faster. He twice reached 103 mph facing Moustakas, including his K for the second out. "I feel really happy," Chapman said via translator Tomas Vera. "I can't describe it, but I feel like I had so much fun. I want to do this. I'm happy I threw the ninth. I had a chance to show the fans and everybody else what they're used to seeing every night, pitching the way I do."
• Trout's first All-Star Game at-bats keep improving each year. His first at-bat in 2012 was a single. In 2013? A double. Last year? A triple. And now the homer to start his 2015 Midsummer Classic. Trout became the ninth player to hit for a career cycle in the All-Star Game, and Fielder became the 10th with his single in the fifth. The other eight: Lou Whitaker, Brett, Mike Schmidt, Steve Garvey, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, Mays and Ted Williams.
• The National League's edge over the American League in All-Star Games continued to shrink. The NL leads the all-time series, 43-41-2. The AL is 21-5-1 over the last 27 All-Star Games.
• "That was good. That was fun. Obviously, when you spend 12 years coming to Cincinnati and you beat them so many times, they're going to boo you. It was a great time. I was enjoying it." -- Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, on fans of the NL Central-rival Reds booing him and his teammates.

• The Phillies don't have much history facing Fernandez, but one player who has enjoyed success off him is Freddy Galvis, who is 3-for-6. Chase Utley, who's on the DL, is 2-for-9.
• The Marlins and Phillies will meet for their third series this year, and second in Philadelphia. Miami holds a 4-2 advantage in the season series.
• Dee Gordon, Miami's All-Star second baseman, is not expected to go on the disabled list. The Marlins are aiming to reinstate third baseman Martin Prado (right shoulder) from the DL, and he's a candidate to be a short-term option at second beginning Friday.

NEXT GAME:

After the All-Star break, the club returns home to open a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Friday night. Left-hander Adam Morgan makes his fourth career start as he squares off against the Marlins' Jose Fernandez. Morgan is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA in his rookie season. The Marlins' ace, who made both of his first-half starts in Miami, will open the second half against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Fernandez already has regained his old form, notching wins in each of his first two starts back from Tommy John surgery. While the hard-throwing right-hander has dominated at Marlins Park (14-0, 1.17 ERA) in his career, he has been vulnerable on the road, where he is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA. He is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his career in Philadelphia. The Phillies are starting the series off with rookie Adam Morgan, who is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA in three starts. The lefty has 12 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings, and this will be his second home start. He's lost back-to-back decisions on the road after opening his career with a 5 2/3-innings win over the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on June 21.

PHILS PHACTS:

Enjoying The Experience – Earlier in his career, during several of his initial All-Star experiences in the mid-2000s, Jonathan Papelbon recalls huddling with Mariano Rivera and some of the game's other top closers. He picked their brains, eager to extract any nuggets of wisdom he could find. "Speak of the devil," Papelbon said Tuesday, nodding to a clubhouse television. Replays of Rivera were flashing across the screen. These days, Rivera is retired, his presence in big league clubhouses confined to such video reels. But Papelbon is still kicking as one of the game's best closers, despite going unused in the National League's 6-3 loss to the American League in the All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile at Great American Ball Park. Papelbon may not wish to continue playing for the Phillies, as he stated in no uncertain terms during Monday's All-Star media day. But his 1.60 ERA and 14-for-14 record in save situations prove he still has plenty left to give at age 34 -- in Philadelphia or elsewhere. He's one of the old guys now, one of the Riveras, older than all but six of the 76 players on this year's All-Star rosters. Papelbon's six All-Star appearances matched Francisco Rodriguez and Ryan Braun for the second-most of anyone in the NL clubhouse, so he felt like he had something to offer. "Of course you want to come in to pitch, make it feel worthwhile, you know?" Papelbon said. Yet not pitching, Papelbon said, hardly ruined his experience, considering he had appeared in four of his previous five All-Star Games, striking out five batters over 3 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run. He considered this week in Cincinnati just as worthwhile. If Papelbon is indeed traded and this winds up being his last All-Star Game as a Phillie, he'll remember it for the conversations he had and the wisdom he imparted to those younger than he -- so much of it garnered from the Riveras of the world over a career's worth of All-Star Games. "Those are some of the top experiences that I'll remember the most," Papelbon said of his talks with the NL's other top relievers. "I give them the best advice I can give, whatever the subject or topic may be."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 29-62. 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 45-58-0 on this day.