Another Series, Another Loss

GAME RECAP: Braves Bash Phillies 8-4

Freddie Freeman and Matt Kemp came up big Friday night in an 8-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. They went a combined 5-for-8 with five RBIs, which included Kemp's three-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game and a couple of clutch hits in the ninth against Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez to give the Braves the lead for good. After Ender Inciarte and Adonis Garcia started the ninth with singles, Freeman doubled to score Inciarte to give the Braves the lead. Kemp followed with a single to score Garcia for an insurance run before Atlanta tacked on two more for good measure. "Those guys, they're hitting, man," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "They're getting good at-bats, too. Matt, he hit the homer, but that add-on run was just a good piece of hitting. He's just an RBI guy. Some guys have a knack for driving runs in. He and Freddy drive runs in. They love those situations. Ender, big hit leading an inning off. The top of the lineup guys just keep doing it." Gomez has been one of the Phillies' better stories this season, transitioning from middle reliever to closer. But he has an 11.57 ERA (nine earned runs in seven innings) in eight appearances since August 14. "I feel really good," Gomez said. "My velocity is the same and my pitches are moving. I threw a lot of good pitches." "You don't really think you're gonna score four in the ninth off of one of the best closers in the game," Freeman added. "It was nice for us to do that." Joel De La Cruz allowed four runs over five innings for the Braves while Jeremy Hellickson went six innings and also allowed four runs. "The guys give me a four-run lead, that's got to stand," Hellickson said. "For me to make that mistake in that situation definitely overshadows the rest of the game. It doesn't really matter what I did in the other 17 outs. Guys give me a 4-0 lead we have to win that game."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Howard and manager Pete Mackanin talked before the game about comments Mackanin made earlier this week about Howard's playing time. Howard said they cleared the air and then continued his strong second half with a 2-for-4 performance. He doubled to score the team's first run in the first inning.
• A.J. Ellis hit a three-run home run to right field in the second inning to hand the Phillies an early 4-0 lead. It was Ellis' first homer since joining the Phillies last week in a trade with the Dodgers. Ellis, who had two RBIs in his Phillies' debut last weekend against the Mets, has five RBIs in three games. He later doubled in the ninth inning. "It felt good to get us a lead there, some separation," Ellis said. "Felt good about our team there with Helli going. Give the Braves credit. They battled back."
• "We've got to bunch hits together. When we jump out quick like that and score four runs, it looks like a good sign, but we just didn't add on. We couldn't bunch hits together. The offense is an issue. We've got to improve." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on the team's offensive struggles.
• Howard's .957 OPS is the 11th best among National League players since June 22 (minimum 100 plate appearances).
• The Phillies challenged a play at first base in the seventh inning. They thought David Hernandez might have picked off Inciarte, but replay quickly showed Inciarte beat the throw. The replay official in New York confirmed the call.
• Franco ventured so far away from the second base bag in the eighth that Galvis motioned at him to get back even as he was taking a 99-mph fastball in the dirt. Braves catcher Tyler Flowers saw the same and fired to second. Franco barely skedaddled back in time. The Braves challenged and the call was upheld.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.21 ERA) pitches the second game of a three-game series. The Phillies are monitoring Velasquez's innings, so it is unclear how many more starts he will make in 2016. But he certainly hopes to build upon last weekend's start against the Mets at Citi Field, when he allowed one run in five innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Howard Stay Hot – Ryan Howard said everything is cool with Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I don't think we were ever not cool," Howard told MLB.com on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Howard and Mackanin felt the need to clear the air in a meeting before an 8-4 loss to the Braves. Howard then went 2-for-4 with a double in the first inning that scored the game's first run. A potential issue between Howard and Mackanin first surfaced Wednesday, when Howard expressed his frustrations after Mackanin said he planned to play Howard less in the final month of the season, which is expected to be Howard's last in a Phillies' uniform. The Phillies have a $23 million club option for Howard for 2017, but they are expected to take a $10 million buyout instead. Howard told the Philadelphia Inquirer: "I think there comes a time when there needs to be more dialogue and more of an understanding of, 'Why now?' Now, when you've got three weeks left in the season? Why now? I'm going out and hitting and playing better and all of sudden it's another wrinkle." Howard seemed particularly perturbed that Mackanin addressed his playing time with the media before talking to him. Plus, he is hitting .304 (28-for-92) with five doubles, nine home runs, 21 RBIs and a .992 OPS in 32 games since July 3. "I wouldn't say I was frustrated," Howard said on Friday. "I was just speaking my truth." Said Mackanin: "He's going to get more playing time than he thinks. It's a matter of getting [Tommy] Joseph a few more at-bats against right-handers down the stretch." There is a delicate balance to be struck here. On one hand, Howard is not returning in 2017 so the Phillies prefer to play Joseph more because he is expected to be the team's first baseman in 2017. But on the other hand, Howard is the greatest first baseman in franchise history and the only remaining member from the 2008 World Series championship team. It could be bad form to have an iconic player like Howard leave the organization with a bad taste in his mouth. "I don't want him to leave here on a bad note," Mackanin said. "He deserves respect."

Ruf Future – Nobody hit left-handed pitchers better in baseball last season than Nelson Cruz and Darin Ruf. Both posted a 1.107 OPS against lefties. The Phillies often mentioned Ruf's prowess against them, but after he hit just .158 in 31 games this season they optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he remained until the Phillies recalled him Friday. "That was tough," Ruf said before the team's series opener against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. "It kind of opens your mind. I told myself some days, 'Man, I led Major League Baseball in OPS against left-handed pitching last year and I can't find a job.' I'm thinking to myself, 'Why is that?' You just have to remind yourself it's a long process. Hopefully if I take care of business [in Triple-A] I'll be back and maybe in an expanded role beyond that. You've just got to stay positive and take advantage of the at-bats you're getting there." Ruf hit .294 with 18 doubles, two triples, 20 home runs, 65 RBIs and an .885 OPS with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, so he earned the promotion. But Ruf also could have wondered if he had fallen out of favor with some people in the organization, which is why the offense-starved Phillies never recalled him earlier. Ruf's future with the Phillies should be interesting to watch. He posted a combined .946 OPS against lefties from 2012-15, but became a forgotten man as Tommy Joseph flourished as his replacement at first base. Joseph figures to be the team's first baseman next season. Ruf is out of options. The Phillies could choose to keep him on the 40-man roster, but if they put him on outright waivers and he clears before the Dec. 2 tender date he can elect to become a Minor League free agent. If that happened it would not be surprising to see Ruf move on. But if the Phillies tender him a contract and later decide to put him on outright waivers and he clears, they can keep him in the organization. Of course, he could not be optioned to the Minor Leagues once the season starts. "No idea," Ruf said, asked if he knows where he'll be in six months. "You never know in this game. Find a fit with a good team and hopefully things will work out.” Japan could be an option, but Ruf prefers to play in the big leagues. "I think I can help this team in some sort of role," he said. "It's just if they have a role that they see me succeeding in and helping them in." The Phillies also recalled right-hander Colton Murray and left-hander Patrick Schuster from Triple-A. They also activated infielder Andres Blanco from the disabled list. He had been sidelined with a broken left index finger.

Phillies Stand Up – It's harder for him to watch baseball now. It reminds him of how good he used to be. How fast he used to throw. "Now my fastball is my offspeed pitch," Colby Atkinson said from a suite overlooking Friday's Phillies-Braves game at Citizens Bank Park before cracking a smile. Atkinson, now 17, was diagnosed with leukemia in December 2013. A patient at Nemours Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, Atkinson was one of about a dozen pediatric cancer patients from the Philadelphia area invited to take part in the Phillies' contribution to Major League Baseball's Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. It's part of MLB's partnership with Stand Up To Cancer, for which it has raised nearly $40 million. Atkinson instead now prefers to watch football. He's the only student on the coaching staff at Smyrna (Del.) High School. Baseball, however, is Atkinson's passion. It's what he grew up playing. And it was part of his coping method when he first got his diagnosis and began undergoing treatment. That, and poking fun at his mom. "How he deals with stress is through humor," said Virginia Atkinson, his mother and the donor who provided his bone marrow transplant. "A lot of time at my expense." "I'm a momma's boy," Colby jokes. Part of Atkinson's physical therapy routine was playing catch at the hospital. Exactly one year and one day after receiving his bone marrow transplant, he was back on the diamond, showing off a nasty curveball. On Friday, he stepped foot onto a bigger diamond -- the one at Citizens Bank Park. Atkinson greeted Phillies players and participated in pregame ceremonies to raise awareness of pediatric cancer. Although Atkinson was the recipient of these awareness events, he and his mother have also used baseball as a tool to raise awareness. Only four percent of cancer research funding, Virginia points out, goes to treating childhood cancers. Cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States for children 15 and under. An estimated 250,000 people 20 or under are newly diagnosed each year. So now Smyrna-Clayton Little League sells "Go Gold" shirts. It also hosts a hit-a-thon every June to raise money, and every player, coach and umpire wears a gold ribbon either on their hat or jersey. Gold was displayed prominently at Citizens Bank Park and around the league on Friday. Where breast cancer has pink and prostate cancer has blue, pediatric cancer's color is gold. One fan was doused in metallic gold body paint, holding a sign supporting childhood cancer victims. Dozens of players across the game sported gold wristbands. Every jersey was accented with a gold ribbon. Just like at Smyrna-Clayton games.

Today In Phils History – Grover Cleveland Alexander won both ends of a double header against the Dodgers on this day in 1917 only walking 1 on the day. 3 years later, George Smith loses for the 1^st of what would be 14 consecutive losses against the Dodgers tying a MLB record. In 1957, the Phillies beat the Dodgers in what would be the last MLB game to be played in Jersey City, NJ. Steve Carlton threw his 8^th shutout of the year in 1972 tying a team record. 5 years later, the Phillies extended their home winning streak to a franchise record of 16 games. In 2002, following a Marlon Anderson strikeout, the Expos turned a triple play against the Phillies for the final such play in Montreal history. Notable debuts on this day include Dick Allen (1963), Grant Jackson (1965), Gavin Floyd (2004), Shane Victorino (2005), and Miguel Gonzalez (2014). Finally, happy 29^th birthday to Domonic Brown.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-74 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 52-64-0 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.

At Some Point You Just Can’t Watch…

GAME RECAP: Marlins Mash Phillies 11-1

Giancarlo Stanton sparked a big day for the Marlins with a spectacular catch and his 22nd home run as Adam Conley continued his dominance at home in the Marlins' 11-1 win over the Phillies on Wednesday afternoon at Marlins Park. Stanton robbed Tommy Joseph to end the top of the first with a leaping grab at the wall in right field, then capped a three-run bottom of the first with a homer to left-center. The Marlins cruised from there, collecting 16 hits, including three from Don Kelly, who had two triples and two RBIs. "It was awesome," Kelly said of his first three-hit game since August 2014. "This game is tough when you're struggling a little bit at the plate and you're up there grinding it out. You feel that potentially it's going to bust open for you." The Marlins, who lead the National League with 954 hits, put their leadoff hitter on base in every inning and had four players collect three hits each. Conley worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering eight hits. He struck out six, walked three, and helped his cause with two RBIs. The lefty escaped bases-loaded, one-out jams in both the third and sixth innings while improving to 3-0 in his last five starts at home with a 1.41 ERA (32 IP, 5 ER) over that span. "There was great defense behind me and I was able to execute pitches," Conley said. "Even though we found ourselves in some jams, we were able to pitch out of those." Phils starter Zach Eflin pitched into the sixth inning and was touched up for seven runs on nine hits as the Phillies are 4-9 since the All-Star break. They entered the break hoping to make a run at .500, but they would have to play 35-24 (.593) the rest of the way to accomplish that. "It's disappointing because we haven't gotten there yet," Joseph said about hitting the .500 mark, "but we've got just over two months to play. That's easily an attainable goal for this team."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Eflin had a 2.08 ERA in his last seven starts, which included a shutout Friday against the Pirates and a complete game earlier this month against the Braves. But the Marlins jumped on Eflin early. His ERA jumped from 3.40 to 4.23. "You can't go out there and dominate every outing," Eflin said. "I just think it's a mindset thing. I always have a positive mindset, not really ever negative. I think it's a big thing as a starting pitcher, especially when you have four days off between starts. I'm going to work my tail off the next four days and really focus on the next outing."
• The top three hitters in the Phillies' lineup (Cesar Hernandez, Odubel Herrera and Maikel Franco) combined to reach base nine times, but they never scored. Hernandez's two-out double in the ninth prevented the Phillies from suffering back-to-back shutout losses for the first time since July 8-9, 2015, when Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw pitched in shutouts at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. "What do you think?" manager Pete Mackanin said, when asked if the Phillies' lineup needs a shakeup.
• "You have to stay even-keeled. You have to stay consistent. At least I have to. I have to try to stay consistent, emotionally." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' recent struggles.
• Home-plate umpire Pat Hoberg ejected Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa in the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes after Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp was called out on strikes. It was Bowa's first ejection of the season. "He was mad at the umpire," Mackanin said. "He couldn't control himself. He had to let it out."
• The win clinched the Marlins' fourth consecutive winning month for the first time in franchise history.
• Three hits shy of reaching 3,000 career Major League hits, Ichiro Suzuki did not play on Wednesday. "It's a little uncomfortable as you get this close with [Ichiro] because you don't want to just put him in there to try to do this," Mattingly said. "We've been playing with him in the context of the team the whole year long; it's worked out perfectly. I know people want to see it and see it at home but I don't want to force it. [He'll play] when it's best for the team."

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a four-game series Thursday against the Braves at Turner Field at 7:10 p.m. ET. Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola hopes to turnaround his recent struggles. He went 5-4 with a 2.65 ERA in his first 12 starts this season, looking like a potential National League All-Star, but is 0-5 with a 10.61 ERA in his last seven starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Just A Bump – The further Phillies rookie Zach Eflin distanced himself from his big league debut in Toronto in June, the more people marveled at how well he had pitched since. He entered Wednesday's 11-1 loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts since allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays on June 14. His recent success included a shutout Friday against the Pirates and a complete game earlier this month against the Braves. But Eflin struggled against the Marlins, allowing nine hits, seven runs and four walks in five-plus innings as the Phillies dropped to 4-9 since the All-Star break. "You can't go out there and dominate every outing," Eflin said. "I just think it's a mindset thing. I always have a positive mindset, not really ever negative. I think it's a big thing as a starting pitcher, especially when you have four days off between starts. I'm going to work my tail off the next four days and really focus on the next outing." Eflin, whose ERA jumped from 3.40 to 4.23, allowed a leadoff double to J.T. Realmuto in the first inning. He scored on a fielder's choice to make it 1-0, but Giancarlo Stanton followed and crushed a two-run home run to left field to make it 3-0. Stanton hit a 1-0 fastball, which left his bat at 112 mph and traveled a projected 435 feet, according to Statcast™. "He hit it pretty well," Eflin said. Eflin allowed another run in the fourth and three more runs in the sixth before leaving the game. "Eflin wasn't the same pitcher he was in Pittsburgh," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He just left the ball up. I didn't like the mix of pitches he used. We were hoping he'd use his curveball a little bit more. I thought he made some good pitches that the umpire missed. But that wasn't the reason. He just wasn't the same guy." It was a disappointment that Eflin could not replicate his success in Pittsburgh, particularly because he grew up in Orlando, Fla. He had family and at least 20 friends in attendance. "It's just the experience they got to have," Eflin said. "It's really cool knowing where I came from, all my friends being able to be here and supporting me." But the early returns for Eflin are encouraging, especially considering he was one of the first pieces acquired in the Phillies' rebuild. He joined the Phillies in December 2014, as part of the Jimmy Rollins trade with the Dodgers. He makes his next start Tuesday against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies acquired Chuck Klein on this day in 1928. Russ Meyer continued the Phillies shutout streak (4^th in a row) against the Cubs in 1951. Harry Kalas was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame on this day in 2002 as the recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award. 5 years later, Tadihiro Iguchi became the 1^st player born in Japan to start for the Phillies when he was put in the lineup at 2B. Dominic Brown made his MLB debut in 2010. The Phillies lost 2 straight games on this day in 2011 for the first time in 46 contests. Finally, happy 30^th birthday to Darin Ruf.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 46-57 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-65-0 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.

Phillies Show Some Heart In Tie

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Tie Jays 4-4

The spring rematch between the Phillies and the Blue Jays ended in a 4-4 tie after nine innings on Wednesday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Philadelphia's Emmanuel Burriss led off the ninth with a double to left, and Andrew Knapp drove him home with another two-bagger to take the lead. In the bottom of the frame, however, the Blue Jays notched back-to-back two-out singles, and Dwight Smith Jr. scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Toronto had jumped out to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with a rally that started when Josh Donaldson was hit by a pitch and Michael Saunders reached base on an error. Ryan Goins followed later in the frame with a triple off the wall in right-center field, and he scored during the next at-bat on former Phillie Domonic Brown's single. Three of Toronto's runs were scored off Phillies right-hander Vincent Velasquez, but only two of them were earned. Velasquez surrendered three hits and added three strikeouts during his two innings of work. Right-hander David Buchanan got the start for Philadelphia, and he tossed two scoreless innings while allowing one hit and striking out one. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey made his first start of the spring for Toronto and allowed one run on two hits with a strikeout. Right-hander Aaron Sanchez, who is competing for the final spot in the starting rotation, then came on in relief and also allowed one run over two innings while surrendering three hits and striking out three. "Right now, it's not at all about results. It's much more about getting your body ready for the grind of a long season," said Dickey. "Today was a big step forward in that regard. "I felt very comfortable out there, trying to fill up the strike zone as much as I can. I feel like that's the one thing I can identify during my tenure as a Blue Jay that's really significant, when I don't walk people I usually have good results." The big blow off Sanchez came on a 3-2 changeup that outfielder Aaron Altherr sent deep over the wall in left field. Other standout performances for Philadelphia included an RBI triple by outfielder Peter Bourjos and a double by outfielder David Lough.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies have a split squad Thursday. They host the Astros at Bright House Field at 1:05 p.m. ET, live on MLB.TV, while they play the Yankees in Tampa at the same time. Top pitching prospects Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin are scheduled to pitch against the Astros. Left-hander Adam Morgan starts against the Yankees. He is competing for the No. 5 job in the rotation. Mark Appel and Alec Asher also are scheduled to face the Yankees.

PHILS PHACTS:

Pitchers Ready For Fast Starts – Vincent Velasquez does not believe in a slow build during Spring Training. The coveted prize of the Ken Giles trade came out firing Wednesday in a 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. His fastball sat in the 95-96 mph range throughout his two innings of work. "It's just within my nature," Velasquez said. "I'm the kid that likes to get after it. I'm competitive, no matter what it is, no matter what sport. I've always been competitive growing up. So even that little kid in the neighborhood, I've always been on top. I try to keep it that way." Velasquez allowed three hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out three. He threw a scoreless third inning before he allowed three runs in the fourth. He hit Josh Donaldson with a pitch to start the frame, then allowed a two-run triple to Ryan Goins and an RBI single to former Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown. "Right out of the gate, you've got to be consistent," Velasquez said. "I lacked that a little bit, but it's a work in progress. After last year, what I've experienced, it's been getting a little bit better." But forget about Wednesday's results for a moment. Velasquez is the favorite to be the Phillies' No. 5 starter come Opening Day. Philly loves his arm. He certainly showed that life against the Blue Jays. "I get after it," Velasquez said. "You have all offseason to prepare, so I don't see why you should baby it. I've had plenty of bullpen sessions and a lot of [live batting practice sessions]. I've been kind of the same way all the way through, so I'll face myself tomorrow until my next outing and get after it again." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he expects Aaron Nola, Jeremy Hellickson, Jerad Eickhoff and Charlie Morton to be the first four pitchers in his rotation. Mackanin got a look at two more No. 5 candidates Wednesday in David Buchanan and Brett Oberholtzer. Buchanan allowed one hit and struck out one in two scoreless innings. Oberholtzer, who the Phillies also acquired in the Giles deal, allowed one walk and struck out two in two scoreless innings. Oberholtzer is out of options, so he figures to make either the rotation or bullpen. Buchanan has plenty to prove this spring. He went 2-9 with a 6.99 ERA in 15 starts last season with the Phillies. He said he battled himself mentally last year, beating himself up and focusing on the wrong things. "I refused to let that happen again," Buchanan said. It is why he connected with Jim Brogan, who has been a performance specialist for Cole Hamels for years. Brogan is from Philadelphia, but he has worked near San Diego for some time. He works with people about improving their focus, concentration and gaining that mental edge, whether it is in sports, business, etc. Buchanan met Brogan at a baseball camp run by Hamels in Philadelphia in the offseason. Buchanan and Brogan have been working together a little more than a month, speaking on the phone two to three times a week. Buchanan also just finished "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg. "Right now, I'm mentally solid," Buchanan said. "I'm very positive. I'm very confident in what I have to bring to the table, so I'm excited for the competition. It makes it fun. It's nice to come in here and have something to work for, having something to compete for." But Buchanan and everybody else know in the end that the results matter most. Velasquez, Oberholtzer, Buchanan, Adam Morgan and others will have to pitch well to earn consideration as Opening Day nears. "I don't know what's in his mind," Mackanin said about Buchanan. "All I care about is if he commands the ball, whether he's got his mental coach or not, I don't care. This is the last stop. You've got to do it, or you're not going to be here. So whatever it takes to stay here is all I care about."

Looking Into The Future – The top of the Phillies' lineup Wednesday could have been a peek into the future. Opening Day 2018, maybe? Who knows? Maybe even earlier. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had Roman Quinn, J.P. Crawford and Maikel Franco hit in the top three spots in a 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays in a Grapefruit League game at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Quinn and Crawford are two of the Top 100 Prospects in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com, and Franco's rookie season in 2015 has the Phillies thinking they have a middle-of-the-lineup hitter on their hands. "It's a good-looking combo right there," Mackanin said. Quinn went 1-for-3 with a stolen base, Crawford went 0-for-3 with a walk and Franco went 1-for-3. They opened the afternoon facing Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. "Facing Dickey," Quinn said, "that was a cool experience, man. I really enjoyed it." "That's really the first time I've seen J.P. make a play," Mackanin said. "I like what I saw. Great actions, accurate arm." Crawford said when he saw the lineup, he could not help but think about the group being in the big leagues together in the future. "I think about it all the time," Crawford said. It remains to be seen if and when that will happen. Both Quinn and Crawford are expected to open the season in the Minor Leagues, either in Double-A Reading or Triple-A Lehigh Valley. From there, their play will dictate their big league arrival. But on Wednesday, they at least got to get on the field together. It was the first time Quinn said he had faced a knuckleballer, much less a former Cy Young Award winner like Dickey. Crawford said he faced a couple last season. Mackanin said he did not consider it particularly cruel to start a couple prospects against a knuckleballer. "I want to see them," Mackanin said. "I don't care who's pitching. I'd rather have those two guys facing them than our guys -- that could set you back a little bit. But I wanted to get them at-bats as early as possible in the camp because they're probably not going to go with us, and we need to get them at-bats if and when they go down."

Breaking Down The Prospects – The time had come to rebuild and restock. The glory years of 2008-2010, when the Phillies played in two World Series -- winning one -- and a National League Championship Series, seem like a very long time ago. Perhaps they held on to some core veterans from those years a bit too long, but the Phillies did finally realize it was time to hit the reset button. And they've done so in a big way, this time trading away some players at the height of their value and getting excellent value in return. In total, trades since last July's non-waiver Trade Deadline brought in 11 new members of the team's 2016 Top 30 Prospects list. Five of the new acquisitions are in the overall Top 100, completely re-making the top of the organizational list. More good news: Nearly all of these new prospects -- 10 out of 11 -- should be ready to help out in Philly in the next two seasons, so the return on investment might start coming in soon. The biggest trade, of course, came back on last July 31, when Cole Hamels (and Jake Diekman) went to the Rangers for six players, four of whom are in Top 30 (three in the top six). New general manager Matt Klentak added to the prospect coffers by dealing Ken Giles to the Astros in December and getting two Top 30 guys in addition to some other young arms. All of these changes have greatly altered the outlook of the Phillies' farm system. The trades, along with interesting talent developing in the lower levels, thanks largely to strong efforts internationally as well as the one constant -- No. 1 prospect J.P. Crawford -- are the reasons why the Phillies are ranked No. 7 on MLBPipeline.com's rankings of the Top 10 farm systems in baseball. And they'll be able to add more, holding the No. 1 pick in the 2016 Draft, a year after the 2015 Draft yielded two players in the top half of the team's Top 30. Biggest jump/fall: Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2015 preseason list to the 2016 preseason list. Jump: Malquin Canelo (2015: NR | 2016: 12); Fall: Tom Windle (2015: 6 | 2016: NR). Best tools: Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Hit: Crawford (60); Power: Jorge Alfaro (60); Run: Roman Quinn (80); Arm: Alfaro (70); Defense: Crawford (65); Fastball: Jimmy Cordero (80); Curveball: Franklyn Kilome (50); Slider: Jake Thompson (60); Changeup: Ricardo Pinto (60); Control: Thomas Eshelman (70). How they were built: Draft: 8; International: 9; Trade: 11; Rule 5: 1; Free agent: 1. Breakdown by ETA: 2016: 11; 2017: 5; 2018: 10; 2019: 3; 2020: 1. Breakdown by position: C: 3; 1B: 1; 2B: 2; SS: 2; OF: 9; RHP: 12; LHP: 1.

Brown Trying To Rebound North Of The Border – Domonic Brown is in a new uniform with a new number that looks more at home on the back of a first-time Spring Training participant than somebody who made the 2013 National League All-Star team. But Brown had little choice after the Phillies cut ties with him in October. He could not land a Major League contract in the offseason, so he instead signed a Minor League contract with the Blue Jays late last month. He was in the Blue Jays' lineup batting sixth and playing right field in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game vs. the Phillies at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. "A little different," Brown said about his new surroundings, "but definitely it's been great." Brown is wearing No. 81 this spring, the result of signing so late. He hopes to eventually change that number, which would happen if he makes the Opening Day roster. He has a real shot to be the Blue Jays' fourth or fifth outfielder. But if everything had gone according to plan, Brown still would be with the Phillies, hitting in the middle of the lineup. A former top prospect, Brown appeared to be fulfilling his hype in 2013 when he hit .285 with 21 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .907 OPS in 300 plate appearances from April 27 through the All-Star break. But Brown hit .239 with 19 home runs, 104 RBIs and a .650 OPS in 803 plate appearances following the 2013 All-Star break through the end of '15. Brown's OPS in that span ranked 250th out of 336 qualified hitters in baseball and 117th out of 132 qualified outfielders. "Philly did me great," Brown said. "They did a great job. A lot of great memories. A lot of great times. It's just time for a fresh start." Brown said he has no regrets about his time in Philadelphia. "Not at all," he said. "I put everything on myself. Accountability for me has always been big. That's why I didn't have any bad times with the fans. It was all on me, you know what I mean?"

Today In Phils History - In 1911, the Phillies Bert Humphries collapsed (one of several players affected) due to a gas leak coming from a stove used to heat a dressing room at Rickwood Park in Birmingham, Alabama where the Phillies were holding spring training. 4 years later, the Phillies held their first spring training in Florida when they opened camp in St. Petersburg. Birthdays for today include Emil Gross (1858), John Kelly (1859), Bobby Locke (1934), and Bobby Munoz (1968).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 0-1-1 record (1-1-1 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!

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.

Phillies Rest Before The Final Push

GAME RECAP: No Game Played Yesterday!

The Phillies are teetering on the verge of history needing a winning home stand to avoid their first 100 loss season since 1961. However, recent rookie performances and a stocked minor league system bode well for the future.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

THE BEGINNING:

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