Will The Real Johnny Cueto Please Stand Up!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

When the Royals traded for Johnny Cueto just before the deadline in July, this is the pitcher that they were hoping to see take the mound. After a close contest on Tuesday night, the Mets looked out of place in game 2 heading back to Queens in a 2-0 deficit. However, Mets fans should take note that their team has been here before having lost game 1 by one run and game 2 by six runs back in 1986 before eventually capturing the title. With that said, Cueto looks to be performing like Bret Saberhagen did in the 1985 World Series and Royals fans know what that means. So, basically, while the Royals have the advantage the series is still up in the air.  

Royals Dominate Mets 7-1

Now that's the Johnny Cueto who Royals fans have come to love, at least the one who pitches like an unhittable demon at Kauffman Stadium. Cueto certainly was Johnny B. Goode, two-hitting the Mets over nine innings as the Royals roared to a 7-1 win on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series. His complete game was the first by an American League pitcher in the Fall Classic since Jack Morris went 10 innings for the Twins in Game 7 in 1991, and the first by a Royal in the World Series since Bret Saberhagen in Game 7 in '85. Much like Cueto overwhelmed the Astros at Kauffman Stadium in Game 5 of the AL Division Series, when he retired the last 19 batters he faced, the right-hander dominated the Mets while retiring 16 of the last 17. "I want to thank God for this opportunity and this outcome," said Cueto, the first pitcher from the Dominican Republic to throw a complete game in the World Series. "And it's a lot of pride being able to do what I did out there today and to do it for all of the Dominican." "Tonight was everything we expected Johnny to be," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He was on the attack. He kept the ball down. He changed speeds. It was just a spectacular performance by him." Cueto gave up two softly hit singles to Lucas Duda while going the distance, walking three and striking out four. Kansas City is just two wins from its first World Series title in 30 years. "He's been good here at home, but you could tell he was locked in those first couple innings," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said of Cueto. "When he was missing spots, he wasn't out over over the plate. It was either a hair off in or out. He was electric tonight." Hosmer, who won Tuesday's 14-inning Game 1 showdown with a sacrifice fly, again delivered the knockout punch, a two-run single in the fifth that put the Royals up for good at 3-1. Red-hot Alcides Escobar, who had an inside-the-park-homer in Game 1, had two more hits, including an RBI triple. "He wasn't going to go back out there in the ninth until we got three runs in the eighth," said Yost of Cueto. "We were glad we put up those runs so he could back and finish the job." The Series now shifts to New York for three games starting Friday. Teams up 2-0 in the World Series have gone on to win it 42 of 53 times (79.2 percent). Teams that have won the first two games of a World Series at home have gone on to win 31 of 38 times (81.6 percent). Of the 13 teams (20.8 percent) that overcame a 2-0 deficit to win the Series, 10 lost Games 1 and 2 on the road. "We know it's going to be loud in New York," Royals outfielder Alex Rios said. "But it was loud in Toronto, and it was loud in Houston. It's going to be loud no matter where we go." Jacob deGrom started for the Mets and breezed through three no-hit innings. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but got hit around in Kansas City's four-run fifth. The right-hander exited after five innings having given up four runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two. "They did exactly what people said, and they put the ball in play," Mets manager Terry Collins said of the Royals, who finished with 10 hits. "I told Jake, 'Not everything has to be a strike. You've got to move it around. You've got to change speeds, give them something to look at. If you continue to pound the strike zone, they're going to put it in play.' And that's what they did." "He's a great pitcher," Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas said of deGrom. "We're putting the ball in play all night and just weren't catching any breaks. We kept battling throughout the game, and then caught a break."

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-0

Kansas City at New York

Game 3: Friday, October 30, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Was There Even A Question? – After an epic, 14-inning Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, to say that the Mets and Royals are evenly matched would be an understatement. Both teams notched 11 hits and committed one error in the game, which the Royals won, 5-4, on Eric Hosmer's walk-off sacrifice fly. And if that wasn't enough to prove just how perfectly these teams match up, here comes a report that mascots representing both franchises were named to "Good Morning America's" list of the best mascots in baseball. Host Lara Spencer and Co. braved the cold in New York on Tuesday to reveal the list of baseball's best mascots on Tuesday. Holding down the No. 5 spot was Mrs. Met, who was on hand for the presentation of the list. Royals' mascot Sluggerrr came in at No. 4, but the top mascot in all the land according to "Good Morning America" is... The Phillie Phanatic. And it's easy to see why when all the Phanatic does is dress like he's in GQ, dance like no one's watching, and give back to the community. On Tuesday afternoon, the Phanatic got all dressed up and made an appearance at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to host a Halloween party for kids battling cancer and other serious illnesses. 

Giving Back In The Off Season – Not all children have the opportunity to dress up and go trick-or-treating on Halloween, especially those receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. For the past 23 years, the Phillies and Embassy Suites Hotel have been teaming up to bring an early Halloween treat to the patients and, this year, a new meaning to Halloween for one of their families. On Oct. 25, nearly 160 CHOP patients and their families were treated to a special Phillie Phanatic Ghostbusters-themed Halloween Bash. For mother Jaclyn Savery, who was waiting in line for balloon creations with her sons Grayson, 5, and Aydan, 6, this event was extra special. "Grayson was actually diagnosed on Halloween 2012," Savery said. "So Halloween for us, historically, isn't a very good date, and something like this, where we can add fun and excitement, adds a positive twist to a very dark day for us." Fun for the kids could be found all around the room. As families entered the Liberty Ballroom at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport, they were greeted with music and dancing, clowns, face painting, arts and crafts, and later in the afternoon, a special Ghostbusters dance performance. Former Phillies pitcher Tommy Greene and broadcaster Scott Franzke attended the party, signing autographs and taking pictures with young fans, while the Phillie Phanatic, along with his mom Phoebe and Phillies Ballgirls, danced the day away with the kids. Sweet treats were available everywhere the children went, including fully-stocked candy for trick-or-treating, mini cakes and assorted goodies, and a life-like Phanatic cake, complete with a Ghostbusters suit and proton pack. Also available were kid-friendly snacks like chicken fingers, pizza, and smiley fries. Grayson and Aydan, dressed as green and red ninjas, respectively, enjoyed all of the perks of the party. They decorated pumpkins, raided the candy table, made balloon creations (a skeleton for Grayson and ninja swords for Aydan), and loved the Phanatic. "This is the first year he is not in treatment, so we were like, 'Let's live again, let's make Halloween fun,'" Savery added. "This event means so much for these kids. There's no chemo, no treatment, no hospital; they can just be a normal, typical child, and that's priceless." Maureen Mason, director of event fundraising and community partnerships at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, shared a similar sentiment on the Halloween Bash. "The whole family gets to come and do something that doesn't have to do with getting chemotherapy or radiation," Mason said. "When cancer affects a child, it really affects the entire family. It's great for the family to do something where the main focus is fun." Mason has been a part of planning this event for a long time alongside Phillies community outreach coordinator Kelly Yurgin, who has been involved with the Halloween Bash since 1994. The event, which originated as a player initiative with former Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini called "Mickey's MVPs," has since grown tremendously. "No matter what, it has always been such a great party in the end," Yurgin said. "Whether it is for 80 people or close to 200, when it's all said and done, all that matters is seeing the patients in treatment have a day of normalcy -- to just have fun and be kids."

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.

Blue Jays Bats Bounce Back

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

In one of the biggest slugfests of the post season, the Blue Jays bats prevailed pulling them within one game of the Royals in the ALCS. Of course, it helps that Johnny Cueto returned to his post trade mediocrity. And we can only wonder what the game would have been like had the umpire focused on the job at hand rather than throwing a hissy fit toward the end of the game. I am curious to see if the power display will continue in game 4 or if the bats will once again slumber amidst their indulgent hangover.  

Blue Jays Blast Royals 11-8

The Blue Jays showed once again why they should never be written off in the postseason, as the league's top offense erupted in an 11-8 victory over the Royals in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Monday night at Rogers Centre. Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson and Ryan Goins each homered as Toronto cut its deficit in the best-of-seven ALCS series to 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for this afternoon. It was the third time in Blue Jays history they scored at least 10 runs in a postseason game. "We desperately needed that breakout," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "You look at how the game finished up, those runs really came in handy. It wasn't an easy game, even though we had a big lead." The Royals' loss snapped their nine-game ALCS winning streak. The record is 10, held by the Orioles, who had three straight 3-0 sweeps in 1969, '70 and '71 and won Game 1 of the '73 ALCS, when it was a best-of-five series. Toronto is the fifth team to face a pair of 2-0 deficits in the same postseason, and two of the previous four came back to win both (1981 Dodgers, National League Division Series, World Series; and the 1985 Royals, ALCS, World Series). Tulowitzki led the way for the Blue Jays with a 2-for-4 night that included the home run and three RBIs, but he was ejected by home-plate umpire John Hirschbeck as the team warmed up for the top of the eighth for arguing a called third strike the last half-inning. Goins, whose memorable seventh-inning mishap jump-started Kansas City's game-turning rally in Toronto's Game 2 loss Saturday, redeemed himself with two hits, three RBIs and some slick defense. Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion also had two hits, and every member of the Blue Jays' starting lineup reached base at least once. It was the highest offensive output during the postseason for Toronto, which scored in double digits a franchise-record 26 times this season. Kansas City's Johnny Cueto had a chance to give his team a commanding lead in the series, but instead he became the first starting pitcher in postseason history to allow eight or more runs while recording six outs or fewer. He pitched a scoreless first inning, but the right-hander surrendered three in the second and then was not able to record an out in the third. Cueto allowed six hits and walked four with two strikeouts in the sixth start of his postseason career. "The mound in the bullpen was higher than the real one," Cueto said through interpreter Pedro Grifol. "And I couldn't get my pitches down. It's no excuse. They just beat me." Right-hander Marcus Stroman picked up the win for the Blue Jays, even though he wasn't in top form. Stroman surrendered a lot of hard contact early, but he survived one run in the first and another run in the third before Toronto's offense gave him some breathing room. The 24-year-old induced 48 swings, but only three were of the swing-and-miss variety. He was charged with four runs on 11 hits and one walk over 6 1/3 innings before handing things over to the bullpen. Kansas City rallied for four runs in the ninth inning, but it was too little, too late. Kendrys Morales hit a two-run homer, while Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly and Eric Hosmer had an RBI single. Prior to the ninth, the Royals went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight men on base. "It shows you that we never quit," Hosmer said. "But it was just too big a hole. We know our pitchers won't have another game like that, so we're fine. It's 2-1, and we'll come back tomorrow."

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

National League Championship Series

New York leads series 2-0

Game 3: Tuesday, October 20, at 8:00 PM

American League Championship Series

Kansas City leads series 2-1

Game 4: Tuesday, October 20, at 4:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Phillies Cut Four – Domonic Brown's time with the Phillies is up. The Phillies outrighted Brown from their 40-man roster on Monday, effectively ending his nine-year career with the organization. Brown, 28, made the 2013 National League All-Star team, three years after he had been considered one of the top prospects in baseball, but he had struggled since. Brown had a .650 OPS from the 2013 All-Star break through this season, which ranked 289th out of 339 qualified hitters in baseball, and 16th lowest among 133 outfielders. That, combined with the emergence of other outfielders in the system and his second year of salary-arbitration eligibility, made his departure a certainty. Brown has the right to decline an assignment to the Minor Leagues and become a free agent, which is expected. "It just didn't work out," Phillies interim general manager Scott Proefrock said. "We've decided we've got players who deserve the playing time more than Domonic does." The Phillies also outrighted prospects Tommy Joseph and Kelly Dugan and outfielder Brian Bogusevic. The Phillies acquired Joseph in July 2012 from the Giants in the Hunter Pence trade, but concussions derailed a promising catching career. Joseph, who remains under the Phillies' control next season, moved to first base this year, and the Phillies remain hopeful he can produce enough offensively to become an option at first base in the future. "There's an opportunity here, if he can swing the bat and play the position," Proefrock said. "We don't really have a first baseman at the upper levels." Dugan, the Phillies' top pick in the 2009 Draft, had been saddled with injuries and was passed on the depth chart by other outfielders. He can become a Minor League free agent five days after the World Series. Bogusevic, like Brown, can immediately become a free agent. Brown's exodus is the most notable of the Phillies' latest roster purge. Just a few years ago, the Phillies believed they had a superstar in the making in the 20th-round selection in the 2006 Draft. But other than a strong first half in 2013, Brown never lived up to the hype. He was ranked No. 4 among all prospects in 2011. Two of the three players ranked ahead of him were the Angels' Mike Trout (No. 1) and the Nationals' Bryce Harper (No. 3). Monday's announcement follows another two weeks ago when they outrighted right-hander Justin De Fratus, infielder Chase d'Arnaud, outfielder Jordan Danks, catcher Erik Kratz and left-handers Adam Loewen and Ken Roberts. Right-hander Jonathan Pettibone also was outrighted after being activated from the 60-day disabled list.

The Search Continues – Phillies president Andy MacPhail is keeping quiet about his search for the Phillies' next general manager, but he is making progress. MacPhail has said it would be ambitious to hire somebody before the Phillies' organizational meetings, which begin next Monday, but the idea that an announcement could come next week should not be dismissed. Sources have told MLB.com that the Phillies have interviewed the following candidates: Angels assistant general manager Matt Klentak, Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo, Cardinals director of player personnel Matt Slater and former Marlins general manager Larry Beinfest. CBSSports.com reported Indians vice president of player personnel Ross Atkins also has interviewed. It is likely MacPhail has interviewed others. MLB.com identified Klentak in June as a favorite to replace former general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., when reports first surfaced about MacPhail's arrival. MacPhail hired Klentak as director of baseball operations in Baltimore in March 2008, making him one of the youngest executives in baseball. Klentak worked with MacPhail in scouting, player development, contract negotiations and the construction of the 40-man roster. Klentak also handled much of the Angels' heavy lifting when Jerry Dipoto resigned as Angels GM on July 1. Klentak, 34, graduated from Dartmouth with an economics degree in 2002. There have been reports Picollo is the front runner, although an ESPN.com report Monday disputed that. Picollo has played a role in the Royals' resurgence as one of the top teams in the American League, despite working with a small-market payroll. The Royals won the AL pennant in 2014, and entering Monday, they need two more victories in this year's AL Championship Series to play in their second consecutive World Series. Picollo also grew up in Cherry Hill, N.J., which means he has more than cursory knowledge of the Philadelphia area, its fans and media. Despite reports, sources have said that MLB vice president of baseball operations Kim Ng and former Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington are not among MacPhail's top list of candidates.

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 tis season, 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.

Only The Blue Survive This Postseason

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The ALCS is now set with the Blue Jays and Royals overcoming some determined opposition in their

respective five game series. For Toronto it all came down to a pivotal 7^th inning when the Rangers defense went to sleep, the Blue Jays bats came alive, and Cole Hamels post season magic began to fade. For the Royals it was all about stringing hits together and hoping that Jonny Cueto could find his early season form in October. Both came to fruition as they eliminated the Astros making the Minute Maid orange look more like a pumpkin. And now there is only one division series remaining as the Mets and Dodgers determine who will host the Cubs in the NLCS in one of the best pitching matchups of the postseason.   

Blue Jays Eliminate Rangers 6-3

The Blue Jays are heading to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 1993, and it was one of the biggest home runs in franchise history that got them there. Jose Bautista's three-run homer capped a frenzied seventh inning and allowed Toronto to dispose of the Texas Rangers with a 6-3 victory in Game 5 of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on Wednesday evening. The Rangers had a 2-0 series lead, but the Blue Jays became just the third team in history to win a best-of-five postseason series after losing the first two games at home, joining the 2001 Yankees and the 2012 Giants. Both of them advanced to the World Series, and the Giants won it all. The Blue Jays will face the Royals in Game 1 of the best-of-seven ALCS on Friday night at 7:30 ET (FOX/Sportsnet) in Kansas City. The whole series boiled down to a 53-minute, insane seventh inning with the highest of highs in one dugout and the polar opposite across the diamond. The dramatic twists and turns of events in that span were unlike any other in postseason memory. Toronto tied the game, 2-2, on Edwin Encarnacion's home run in the sixth, but Texas reclaimed a 3-2 lead on a fluke play that started the seventh inning on a bizarre path that would define the series. "I've never seen anything like that in 19 years in baseball," said Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey. "It was like a novel that you don't want to put down." Rougned Odor was on third base with two outs when Shin-Soo Choo took a fastball for ball two. Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin tried to throw the ball back to relief pitcher Aaron Sanchez, but it hit Choo's hand, holding the bat, and ricocheted toward third base. Odor broke home and scored. Umpire Dale Scott called a dead ball and sent Odor back to third, but Rangers manager Jeff Banister asked Scott to convene with the other umpires to discuss the play. They reversed the decision and allowed Odor's run to count, calling a crew-chief review for a rule check in a sequence that prompted Blue Jays manager John Gibbons to initiate an official protest, which Toronto withdrew after its victory. "I really didn't see his hand out there," Martin said of Choo. "I just caught the ball and threw it back very casually and it hit his bat, and next thing you know a run scores.” "It never happened in my life before. I don't really know what the rule is. He was in the box. I mean, it's just one of those moments and it created an opportunity for us to do something special. Jose, the hero. My college teammate picking me up right there. Unbelievable man." The Blue Jays didn't waste time grabbing back the momentum, however, thanks to a series of miscues in the bottom half of the inning. Before recording an out, the Rangers became the first team in postseason history to make three errors in a single inning of a sudden-death game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, loading the bases. Two batters later, the tying run scored on a little blooper off the bat of Josh Donaldson that barely went over the head of Odor at second. Bautista then followed with Toronto's biggest home run since Joe Carter hit a walk-off shot in Game 6 to win the 1993 World Series. It was a no-doubter that Bautista admired as it hit off the facing of the second deck, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd, but it led to the first of two bench-clearing scenes in the inning after Bautista flung his bat high into the air. "I was looking for something up," Bautista said. "He throws hard with a sinker. He threw the first one down and I just said tee it up, and I put a great swing on it and it felt great." The loss went to Texas ace Cole Hamels, who began the seventh inning but was pulled after Toronto tied the game at 3-3. He allowed five runs (two earned) on four hits, two walks and eight strikeouts. Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman took the no-decision after he came through with six strong innings that saw him allow two runs on six hits and a walk. "I'm not ready to go home," third baseman Adrian Beltre said. "I can't process it. I'm not ready for it to be over. It's not supposed to happen but it did."

Royals Eliminate Astros 7-2

In the biggest game of his career, right-hander Johnny Cueto delivered, holding down the Astros for eight innings on two hits and two runs while helping the Royals secure a 7-2 victory in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night, sending them on to face the Blue Jays in the AL Championship Series. The Royals, the defending AL champions, open the ALCS on Friday (7:30 p.m. ET on FOX/Sportsnet) against the Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. It's a rematch of the 1985 ALCS, won by Kansas City in seven games. The victory likely helped boost the mood of the local community in the wake of the heartbreaking news of the two Kansas City Fire Department firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty on Monday night. The Royals honored their memories in pregame ceremonies. A performance like Wednesday's is what the Royals had in mind when they traded with the Reds to acquire Cueto, who struggled during an awful late-season five-game stretch in which he carried a 9.57 ERA. But Cueto was nails when it mattered most, setting down the last 19 hitters he faced Wednesday, as he became the first to retire the last 19 he faced in a postseason game since Phillies ace Roy Halladay set down 21 Cardinals in a row in 2011. The 19 consecutive batters retired were the most by an AL pitcher in the postseason since Don Larsen's perfect game for the Yankees in the 1956 World Series. "Games like this is where you see Johnny Cueto, the real Johnny Cueto come out," Cueto said. "I told my teammates I was going to show up today and get this 'W' for them. I woke up today on the right foot. As soon as I woke up, I felt something magic that this was Game 5 and I had to show up for everybody, for my team and the fans." "He was unbelievably good," Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't make a bad pitch all night. That pitch that [Luis] Valbuena hit was a good pitch. He came in after the eighth inning and was lobbying to go back out in the ninth. And I'm like, 'Look, I got the best reliever [Wade Davis] in the game down there; he's going to come in and close it out.'" The Astros' storybook season ended after winning the AL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser over the Yankees and having a 2-1 lead in this series over the Royals. Valbuena had given Houston a 2-0 lead on Wednesday with a two-run jack in the second inning. "It's very tough. There's not a man in that room that wanted the season to end," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "There's going to be 29 teams that go through what we're going through today. There's going to be one champion. So it hurts. It hurts to know that we put everything that we could into this season and it ends abruptly. Seasons like this end really quickly, and you're never ready for it. It never feels good." Alex Rios put the Royals ahead with a two-run double to left in the fifth inning. And Kendrys Morales, who homered twice in Game 1, sealed it with a three-run homer in the eighth off Astros ace Dallas Keuchel, who came on in relief. "This is a big step for us," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said in a postgame interview on FOX Sports 1. "We worked real hard to get back to this point. You've got to tip your cap to Houston right there, they played a heck of a series. It seemed like we were coming back or we were behind with our backs against the wall pretty much every single game. So just a great series overall. I'm glad we could come out on top."

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

American League Division Series

Kansas City Eliminated Houston 3-2

ALCS Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

Toronto Eliminated Texas 3-2

ALCS Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

National League Division Series

Chicago Eliminated St. Louis 3-1

NLCS Game 1: Tuesday, October 13, at 4:30 PM

New York and Los Angeles tied 2-2

Game 5: Thursday, October 15, at 8:00 PM

National League Championship Series

Chicago at TBD

Game 1: Saturday, October 17, at TBD

American League Championship Series

Toronto at Kansas City

Game 1: Friday, October 16, at 7:30 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

MacPhail Takes The Reigns – A new era of leadership has officially begun. The Phillies announced Wednesday morning that Andy MacPhail has officially replaced Pat Gillick as team president. He had been introduced as the incoming president at a news conference in June, but with the caveat that Gillick would remain at the helm through the end of the season. "As the Phillies begin this new chapter in the club's history, we are confident that Andy is the right person to lead the organization," Phillies partner John Middleton said in a statement. "Speaking on behalf of the ownership group, we are pleased with the input Andy has provided over the past few months. His years of baseball knowledge, combined with his passion for the game, are important as he moves forward with his primary objective of developing a championship-caliber team." But MacPhail, 62, clearly has not been sitting and waiting for Wednesday to begin making changes. He was very involved before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He decided Ruben Amaro Jr. would not return as general manager. He also decided Pete Mackanin would remain manager. MacPhail has been interviewing candidates to replace Amaro, a group that reportedly includes Larry Beinfest, Kim Ng and Ross Atkins. Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo and Angels assistant Matt Klentak, among others, also could be candidates. MacPhail has said he hopes to announce Amaro's replacement before the end of the month. Gillick, who replaced David Montgomery as president in August 2014, said last month he did not know about his future with the organization, but Middleton said Gillick will remain. "I would also like to thank Pat Gillick for, once again, providing invaluable leadership to the Phillies for the past 14 months," Middleton said. "He will continue to assist the front office in an advisory role." Gillick, 78, has a small ownership stake in the Phillies, so if he wanted to join a different organization, he would have to sell his share.

Phils Officially In Rebuild Mode – The Phillies just finished their worst season since 1972, but they hope history repeats itself. The '72 Phillies hit rock bottom, but the organization had a talented farm system and talented young players already in the big leagues when it happened. They eventually formed a core that made the postseason six times from 1976-83, including winning the 1980 World Series championship. The Phillies hope they hit the floor in 2015, but they expect improvement in '16, with the idea they can compete for the postseason as early as '17. But first things first. The Phillies finished their season without a general manager. President Andy MacPhail said he would like to find somebody before the end of the month. Ruben Amaro Jr.'s replacement has plenty of work to do. Here is a look at what the team might look like when Spring Training opens in February: Arbitration eligible: infielders Andres Blanco and Freddy Galvis; outfielder Domonic Brown; right-hander Jeanmar Gomez. Free agents: right-handers Chad Billingsley, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams; left-hander Cliff Lee (club option); and outfielder Jeff Francoeur. Rotation: The Phillies need some serious rotation help. Free agents Billingsley, Harang and Williams are not expected to return and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez might not pitch again for the Phillies, considering his checkered health history. It means the Phillies will need to find at least a couple veteran starters to fill out the rotation. Do not expect the Phillies to commit to big-money contracts. It is too early for that. Instead expect them to sign starters like J.A. Happ or Doug Fister, potential placeholders until the team knows it truly has a core to reach the postseason. Of course, the Phillies will fill the rotation with internal pieces, too. Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff are heavy favorites to win jobs. Adam Morgan has a line on one. Matt Harrison, Alec Asher, David Buchanan and others will have the opportunity to win jobs, too. Bullpen: The bullpen struggled at times this season, with the exception of Jonathan Papelbon (traded in July) and Ken Giles. Gomez, Luis Garcia, Elvis Araujo and Dalier Hinojosa put together solid performances. It seems likely the Phillies will sign a few veteran relievers to stabilize the bullpen. But once again, do not expect them to pursue the highest-priced free agents on the market. Catcher: It would not be a surprise to see both Carlos Ruiz and Cameron Rupp back. If so, Rupp is the likely candidate to start Opening Day as Ruiz suffered the worst season of his career. Ruiz turns 37 in January, but he has value as a backup. (Not to mention he will be paid $8.5 million.) Chooch can continue to work with the team's young pitchers as well as mentor catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp in Spring Training. Don't rule out the possibility that Knapp, who the Phillies named their Minor League Player of the Year, sees time with the Phillies at some point. Teams rarely use only two catchers over the course of a season, and if Knapp is playing well he could get a shot. Alfaro is promising, but he missed much of the season with an ankle injury. He needs more seasoning in the Minors. First base: Will Ryan Howard return? He will make $35 million next season, which includes a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. Howard performed well against right-handed pitchers this year, but he struggled terribly against lefties. He essentially is a platoon player at this point. If Howard and Darin Ruf return they could form a pretty respectable duo as Ruf hit left-handers very well. Second base: Cesar Hernandez is expected to open next season at second base. The Phillies saw enough potential offensively to give him a longer look. But Hernandez is going to have to perform because there are prospects coming through the system that could force the Phillies to make some position changes. Shortstop: Galvis will open the season as the team's shortstop, but top prospect J.P. Crawford is breathing down his neck. Crawford finished the season in Double-A Reading, but he is expected to open next season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. If Crawford continues to progress, it will be difficult to keep him in the Minors. And if Crawford is promoted at some point next season he will be promoted to play shortstop and play every day. If that happens, Galvis could move to second base if Hernandez is not performing. Or he could fall into a super utility role. Third base: Maikel Franco has this job locked up, assuming he is healthy. He showed he can be a productive bat in the middle of the lineup, which the Phillies desperately need. Of all the positions on the roster, this is the easiest one to predict. Outfield: Odubel Herrera is expected to be the Opening Day center fielder. He earned it. But who plays the corners? It is unlikely Brown returns. Aaron Altherr has earned a longer look. Cody Asche will get another look, although he really must pick up his production. The Phillies see Asche as somebody who could hit 15-20 home runs with 75-90 RBIs. He fell woefully short in RBIs this year. The Phillies could bring back Francoeur, which makes sense. (If Francoeur is not brought back, the Phillies are likely to pursue another veteran outfielder.) The Phillies need a vocal veteran to show the team's young players how to act during a long season and how to react to adversity. Top outfield prospect Nick Williams finished his season in Double-A. Like Crawford, he is expected to open the season in Triple-A. He could join the team at some point.

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 season, 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.