Phillies Overpowered By Los Angeles

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Down Phillies 9-4

The Dodgers slugged four home runs, including two by rookie Corey Seager and one from Chase Utley in his first game against his former club, in a 9-4 win over the Phillies Monday night. "It was cool," Utley said of playing against his team of 12 1/2 seasons. "You're still trying to go out there and compete and win. Obviously I know lot of faces in that dugout, but the main goal is to win a game and we did. It was definitely different. Wasn't sure what to expect, but it was exciting to see those guys for sure." Seager set a Los Angeles Dodgers single-season mark for home runs by a shortstop with 21. The franchise record is 22 by Glenn Wright in 1930. "When you don't think he can do any more, he continually exceeds that," manager Dave Roberts said of Seager. "Every time he comes up to bat, something special can happen. His defense has been consistent all year long. He's done so many things for us, obviously he's a special player." Yasmani Grandal also homered with his career-best 17th in support of rookie Julio Urias (2-2), who allowed three runs in five innings while making his final start as a teenager (he turns 20 on Friday)and notching his first win at Dodger Stadium. Two of the Phillies' runs were unearned, scoring on Urias' throwing error. Phillies starter Zach Eflin (3-5) allowed three homers and seven runs in three innings. Joc Pederson had two doubles and three RBIs for the Dodgers. Tommy Joseph hit his 15th homer for the Phillies. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eflin. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Things got ugly quickly for Eflin, which continued a troubling trend. He allowed five runs in the first inning and has a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, becoming just the third Phillies starter since 2000 to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts. Sean O'Sullivan (2015) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that."
• The Phillies need a first baseman next season and the rookie Joseph is making his case. His 15 homers are the most by a Phillies rookie since Ryan Howard hit 22 in '05. Joseph is hitting .325 (26-for-80) with four doubles, seven home runs and 15 RBIs in 26 games since July 3.
• Velasquez has seen the Dodgers before, but much has changed in his career since that relief appearance on Aug. 23, 2015, when he was still with Houston. The two Dodgers he faced have also seen some changes, with Yasiel Puig recently demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City and Carl Crawford getting designated for assignment in June.
• Howie Kendrick had a rare day off against a left-handed starter on Monday, but he should be back in the lineup against Velasquez.
• The Dodgers will be watching a pair of rehabbing starters before Tuesday's game. Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy are scheduled to throw bullpen sessions to determine if they will make their respective starts on Friday and Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies and Dodgers will each have one of their best starters on the mound as Vince Velasquez faces off with Kenta Maeda on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. Maeda leads the Dodgers in innings pitched with 125 2/3, while also sporting a 3.22 ERA and 125 strikeouts. He is one of just two starting pitchers who have been in the Dodgers' rotation all season, the other being Wednesday starter Scott Kazmir. Since being activated from the disabled list on June 27, Velasquez holds a 2.85 ERA and has been striking out a batter per inning. His 3.33 ERA leads all Phillies who have thrown at least 60 innings in 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

The Slump Continues – Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin has remained calm throughout his recent three-start skid. Turning red is not his style. But he knows he must improve. He allowed seven hits, seven runs, two walks and three home runs in just three innings Monday night in a 9-4 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Chase Utley accounted for one of those runs when he hit a solo home run to right field in the second inning. Eflin is 0-2 with a 13.85 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 22 hits, 20 earned runs, nine walks, six home runs and striking out five in 13 innings. He is the third Phillies starter to allow six or more earned runs in three consecutive starts since 2000. Sean O'Sullivan ('15) and Joe Blanton ('12) are the others. "It could be mechanical, it could be mentally," Eflin said about recently leaving pitches in the middle of the plate. "I've got to bear down and really execute the pitch. I haven't been doing that and I've got to do a lot better job doing that." Eflin was 3-2 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts before his recent slump, so his struggles have been a bit surprising. "When he's got it, he's good," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "When he doesn't have command, he's very hittable." Mackanin mentioned Eflin has been recently battling knee soreness. "There's a little soreness," Eflin said. "Kind of gone through it every single season. You kind of just wake up and see how you feel. Sometimes you get out there and you just don't feel like yourself. Today was one of those days, but no I don't think it's affected me the past three outings." Eflin's struggles and injuries this season to Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez are reasons why the Phillies probably want at least one veteran starter in their rotation next season. (There is a good chance they make a qualifying offer after the season to Jeremy Hellickson.) Not that veteran pitchers cannot struggle or get hurt, but the Phillies need more depth in their rotation as they enter Spring Training. "A lot of young guys," Mackanin said. "They're going to have their ups and downs. I remember when Greg Maddux went to the big leagues for the first time, he wasn't as good as he turned out to be. There's a lot of learning to do and a lot of hard work ahead of them." Eflin knows he needs to get back on track. "We're looking for guys who are mentally tough and can overcome their struggles," Mackanin said. "When a pitcher is not pitching well, we want guys who are going to fight and battle their way out of it. We think he has that kind of makeup." Said Eflin: "I've remained mentally tough throughout my whole career. I was brought up in a really good way by my father, realizing and looking at and analyzing situations and stuff. I'm pretty good on that. I really don't get too down on myself. I think about a loving family at home that are all healthy and safe, so I kind of look at it that way. I really kind of thank God more that I'm here and I kind of stay away from being upset or disappointed or being mad."

Nearing Return – Peter Bourjos could rejoin the Phillies as early as Friday when they open a series against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. "Then we'll make a move on somebody," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said before Monday's series opener against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "I don't know who yet. We've talked about some guys." Regardless of what happens, it seems like Bourjos' role will change upon his return. He had been playing nearly every day in right field before he injured his right shoulder in Miami late last month. Aaron Altherr took his place on the 25-man roster, and he is expected to remain an everyday player the rest of the season. That means there is a numbers crunch and a time crunch with Bourjos, Cody Asche, Tyler Goeddel and Jimmy Paredes in the outfield. "I don't know if [Triple-A outfielder Nick] Williams is in the picture," Mackanin said. "I haven't talked about it. It depends on who we send out. But it would be nice to have [Bourjos] in the outfield with his speed." Mackanin said there are no plans to have center fielder Odubel Herrera practice as a corner outfielder the remainder of the season. Herrera has been struggling lately. He has hit .222 with a .641 OPS in 27 games since July 7, although he had three hits Sunday in San Diego. But Herrera has been bothered by an infection in his right foot, which he said has bothered him on the field. "To run, to swing the bat," Herrera told the Phillies' interpreter. "Then I started treatment for it, so it feels much better." Herrera said his foot has been bothering him since the team's last homestand. Does he have any other theories why he has been struggling for longer than that? "I don't know, I don't know," he said. "Who am I to know?"

Looking Back – It is a little ironic that one of the most tightlipped players in Phillies history made one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history. Phillies fans remember the speech well. Specifically, they remember three words Utley uttered at the 2008 World Series championship celebration at Citizens Bank Park. He announced to the crowd that the Phillies were "world champions," only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fanbase that had not enjoyed a championship from one of its professional sports teams in 25 years. Utley still hears the famous line from that famous speech -- a Phillies fan sported a T-shirt with those three words this weekend at Petco Park -- even after the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said before Monday night's series opener between the Phillies and Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. "There are Phillies fans all over the country. I see at last one or two Phillies jerseys every game to be honest and occasionally they say that statement. That was a good time back in 2008 for sure." Utley faced the Phillies Monday for the first time since they traded him, hitting a solo home run in helping hand his former team a 9-4 loss. The Dodgers visit Philadelphia next week. "Probably on the flight I'll think about it a little more," he said about his return to Philadelphia. "I'm excited to go back, say hi to the fans, play in a great stadium. It should be a lot of fun." Phillies broadcaster Larry Andersen kidded Utley and asked if he was worried about being booed. "I hope not," Utley said. He need not worry. The Man will be treated like a prince. His return should include a highlight video and plenty of tips of the cap and standing ovations. (By the way, the Phillies have to play Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" during Utley's first at-bat Aug. 16, don't they?) "It might be a bit emotional," Utley said. Utley never got a proper sendoff last August. The Phillies and Dodgers completed the trade Aug. 19, but the Dodgers could not contact one of the players involved in the trade, so both teams waited to make the official announcement. So Utley never got the opportunity to tip his cap to the fans during the game as the Phillies planned. "If I had to write it up all over again, it would have gone down a little differently, but you can't change what happened," he said. Utley played for the Phillies from 2003-'15, leaving as the greatest second baseman in franchise history. He entered Monday hitting .250 with 18 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 32 RBIs and .700 OPS in 94 games. e said he hopes to play next season. There are only seven active players remaining from the '08 team: Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Cole Hamels, Jayson Werth, Ryan Madson and Joe Blanton. Jimmy Rollins played for the White Sox earlier this season before being released. But Utley is not wistful for the past. He does not think about the end being near for the '08 team. "I'm trying to focus on me personally and what I need to do on a daily basis to help the Dodgers win," he said. "I think when it's all said and done there will be a lot more memories to look back on but right now it's status quo, get ready for a game." The Phillies got criticized for hanging onto the core of that '08 team too long, something the organization finally acknowledged late in the '14 season. Utley sees it a little differently. "I'm a little biased because obviously I was one of those players," he said. "From an organizational standpoint there's some difficult decisions that you have to make over the course of the years. I'm happy that we kind of hung on and tried to give it another shot. We obviously didn't win, but I enjoyed my time battling to try to win." Fans won't be reminiscing about the past few years next week in Philadelphia. They will be looking back an incredible run from 2007-'11, which included one World Series championship, two National League pennants, five consecutive National League East titles and one heck of a speech that summed everything up perfectly.

Today In Phils History – In 1887 the Phillies beat the White Stockings by a 17-4 score despite only giving up 1 hit. “Wild Bill” Donovan was fired and replaced by Irving “Kaiser” Wilhlem as manager in 1921 because Club President William Baker didn’t believe that Donovan was enough of a disciplinarian. In 1953 battery mates Bob Miller and Smokey Burgess set a MLB record for hits in a game with Miller collecting 4 and Burgess recording 5 including a homerun. Robin Roberts, with Houston at the time, threw a 4 hit shutout against the Phillies in 1965. 11 years later, Roberts was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. The hastily organized (thanks to a players’ strike) 1981 All Star Game in Cleveland saw Mike Schmidt hit a homerun to put the NL ahead for good. 2 years later, Pete Rose collected 2 hits bringing his season total to 100 for the 21^st consecutive season making him the first player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. In 1990, the Phillies received Tommy Greene from the Braves in order to complete the Dale Murphy trade. Following Greg Luzinski’s induction into the Phillies Wall of Fame in 1999, Billy Brewer surrendered a grand slam to Fernando Tatis of the Cardinals as 1 of a record 5 grand slams hit in the majors that day. 2 years later the Phillies played through excessive heat at the Vet with the temperature on the playing field being measured as 118 degrees as the start of the game and 148.7 by the time the last out was made.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 52-62 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 34-70-0 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.

Pirates Steal Series As Injuries Mount For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Pirates Finish Phillies 5-4

Rookie Adam Frazier couldn't have picked a better time to knock his first Major League home run that nearly reached the Allegheny River. His pinch-hit solo shot to the top of the right-field bleachers broke a tie in the bottom of the seventh inning, leading the Pirates to a 5-4 series win over the Phillies on Sunday at PNC Park. "I figured [right-hander Edubray Ramos] was coming back with a fastball after just missing with two off-speed pitches," Fraizer said. "I got my hands to it and got the barrel out in front." The Pirates overcame a 4-2 Phillies lead in the sixth, courtesy of Matt Joyce's two-run shot to center field, tying it 4. The Bucs have now won four straight series at PNC Park, while the Phillies have gone 4-11 against the Pirates at PNC Park since 2012. Jameson Taillon gave up four runs on eight hits in his six innings with a career-high seven strikeouts. He has gone three straight starts without registering a walk. "He made some mistakes and he paid for them, but he kept us in the game and he really didn't fold or go away," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "He stayed on the aggression throughout the outing." Pittsburgh's bullpen worked a scoreless three innings to preserve the one-run lead and eventual win. "We had opportunities the whole series. Especially today's game included, we need some big hits to score," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. With runners on the corners in the seventh, Neftali Feliz whiffed Odubel Herrera with a 97-mph fastball to keep the score tied. Herrera, who went 7-for-13 in the series, tacked on two RBIs on a groundout in the third inning and a solo shot in the sixth.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• In the bottom of the eighth inning, the game was delayed for one hour, 32 minutes, due to rain.
• Phillies third baseman Andres Blanco homered to center field in the first inning, giving the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He later broke his left index finger and is likely headed to the disabled list, so Maikel Franco replaced him at third base, batting third. Franco sat out Saturday's game after being hit in the wrist by Gerrit Cole's pitch on Friday. He hit a single in the eighth inning.
• "It's just a matter of finishing at-bats. You've gotta finish 0-2 counts." -- Phillies starter Vince Velasquez, on giving up the lead in the sixth inning.
• In the third inning, the Phillies claimed Gregory Polanco had interfered while sliding into second base to break up a double play on David Freese's grounder to third base. The Phillies challenged, and the call was overturned, with the Phillies getting the double play.
• In the eighth inning, the Pirates challenged the call ruling Tommy Joseph safe at first base. The call on the field was confirmed: Joseph reached base safely, though Franco was out at second.
• Hellickson (7-7, 3.84) was excellent against the Marlins on Wednesday, allowing just one run on five hits and no walks while striking out eight in a 4-1 Phillies win. He has allowed one earned run in four of his past five starts, going 3-1 in that time.
• The 2.40 ERA Cosart has in his career against the Phillies is his best versus any team against which he has made at least three starts.
• Despite sitting well over .500 for the season, the Marlins have struggled playing against their own division. Miami is a combined 29-11 against the National League Central and West divisions but was only 20-27 against East teams. The Marlins have split 10 games with the Phillies so far in 2016.

NEXT GAME:

After a three-day reprieve away from each other, the Phillies and Marlins reconvene Monday at Marlins Park. The National League East division rivals will play for the fifth, sixth and seventh times over a 10-day span -- and for the 11th, 12th and 13th times over the first four months of the regular season. The familiarity, though, won't be as heightened as it would have been if Wei-Yin Chen wasn't a day-before scratch as the Marlins starter. After Chen missed his regular bullpen session on Saturday because of an undisclosed issue, Jarred Cosart will be called up as the fill-in starter. Chen faced Jeremy Hellickson five days prior in Philadelphia, and a rematch was supposed to occur Monday. Cosart had a 4.09 ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A New Orleans after an early-season demotion from the Majors. Cosart (0-1, 7.98 ERA) allowed 13 earned runs on 16 hits in 14 2/3 innings upon making the Marlins' Opening Day roster.

PHILS PHACTS:

Blanco Out – Exacerbating a 5-4 loss to the Pirates on Sunday, third baseman Andres Blanco fractured his left index finger and is likely headed to the disabled list. As Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, Blanco took a throw from catcher Carlos Ruiz and made a move to tag Polanco with his left glove hand. Blanco's hand was crunched between the spikes of Polanco's left cleat and the bag. Manager Pete Mackanin said Blanco's finger took four stitches and will be re-examined before they determine if surgery is needed to further clean up the wound. Not only do the Phillies lose a quality player, but the injury comes at a bad time, with the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline looming. "That's gonna hurt us, because we always could rely on him to play solid defense, come up with big hits for us," Mackanin said. "Plays anywhere, anywhere we put him he plays solid defense. Great guy to have around. "Hopefully it will be shorter than we think it might be. It's definitely a blow," Mackanin said. Maikel Franco, who took a pitch off his left wrist on Friday and sat out Saturday, took Blanco's place in the fifth inning. Third baseman Taylor Featherston, who is already on the 40-man roster, was not in Triple-A Lehigh Valley's lineup on Sunday against Louisville, and is a potential callup to replace Blanco. Before his injury, Blanco sent a solo shot to center field off Jameson Taillon in the first inning, putting the Phillies ahead, 1-0. Blanco has hit .271 this season with 21 RBIs.

Precautionary Day Off – Getting hit by pitches has limited two Phillies players in their series with the Pirates. Maikel Franco was hit on the left wrist by Gerrit Cole on Friday, and did not play Saturday as a precaution, though X-rays came back negative. He entered Sunday's game in the fifth inning, replacing Andres Blanco at third base and batting third. Cameron Rupp was hit in the head with a pitch by Tyler Glasnow on Saturday, with the ball hitting the flap of his helmet and impacting his cheek. Rupp avoided any broken bones or a concussion, but both were out of Sunday's lineup as a precautionary measure. Franco fractured his wrist in the same place last season, but has been icing and wrapping the wrist to ease any soreness. "It's probably just precaution, because I think I'm available to play if needed," Rupp said. "You get hit in the head, you want to take a little more precaution than if it was another part of your body." Blanco was also hit in the sixth inning of Friday's game by Cole, and Arquimedes Caminero pegged Tommy Joseph in the seventh. Pitcher Aaron Nola was hit on his left knuckles by a Glasnow fastball on Saturday, but he continued to pitch. With so many Phillies players getting hit by pitches in the series, there's a question about whether the Phillies feel the need to retaliate -- though Zach Eflin did pop Andrew McCutchen in the lower back after Franco was hit Friday. "That's not for me to say," Rupp said. "[It's not good] to have two guys out of the lineup that are normally in there. But that's just something that whatever happens, happens." Rupp doesn't believe Glasnow did anything on purpose, as the ball can get away from everyone sometimes. But the Pirates are known for pitching inside, which can be dangerous if not done properly. "You play against these guys all during Spring Training," Rupp said. "They do the same thing there. They preach about pitching inside, which, like I said, is fine. But like I said, you've gotta be able to pitch inside. You've got to throw it in there and not hit guys."

Texas Pursuing A Phillies Pitcher (Again!) – The Rangers' search for a young controllable starter continues, leading up to the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Texas was linked Monday to Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez and Royals righty Edinson Volquez. MLB.com's Jon Morosi reported the Rangers' interest in Velasquez, while the Dallas Morning News reported the club's front-office inner circle watched Volquez on Sunday. Morosi reported the price to acquire Velasquez would be high. The Rangers have not commented on the reports. The 24-year-old is 8-2 with a 3.34 ERA in 17 starts for the Phils this season, striking out 103 batters in 91 2/3 innings. Velasquez is under team control through the 2021 season and was one of several pieces acquired by Philadelphia from Houston this offseason in the Ken Giles trade. The Rangers and Phillies are familiar with each other, as they pulled off a blockbuster before last season's deadline. Texas acquired left-hander Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and cash considerations from Philadelphia for Jorge Alfaro, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Alec Asher, Jerad Eickhoff and Matt Harrison. Volquez, 33, is 8-8 with a 4.56 ERA in 21 starts this season, but he has a 2.84 ERA in his last five starts. He has a $10 million mutual option for next season or a $3 million buyout. Volquez began his career with Texas before being traded to Cincinnati in 2007 for Josh Hamilton. He made his lone All-Star appearance the following season and has a 4.32 ERA in 12 years with the Rangers, Reds, Padres, Dodgers, Pirates and Royals. The Rangers have reportedly shown interest in several young controllable pitchers, including the White Sox Chris Sale and the Rays' trio of Chris Archer, Matt Moore and Jake Odorizzi. Although they'd be open to a rental, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said they'd prefer a longer-term option. "I think the only real change is I was hoping we wouldn't consider a rental," Daniels said Sunday. "In my mind, we are open to longterm controllable acquisitions like Cole [Hamels] and down the line. It's still not my preference, but I'd be open to it." 

Congratulations Piazza and Griffey! – To punctuate close to an hour of combined speeches by this year's pair of inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Ken Griffey Jr. turned around his cap to end the Sunday proceedings. Mike Piazza spoke to his Italian immigrant father, Vince, in his native language, thanking him and Italy for giving him his dad. There were more than 50,000 people sprawled out on the lawns far and away beyond the tented stage behind the Clark Sports Center decked out in Mets blue and Mariners teal, tying the second-largest turnout in induction history. And there were enough tears from the participants to easily fill a bucket. "The actual thing about talking in front of 50,000 wasn't bad," said Griffey, the son of Ken Griffey Sr., a two-time World Series winner with the Reds in 1975-76. "The thing is I made the mistake of looking down at my kids in the front row. I remember everybody saying, 'Don't look at your kids, don't look at your kids until you have to.' "Nope, not me. You know what they say when you're a kid? 'Don't do that, don't do that.' What do you do? You do it anyway." Griffey also said it wasn't his idea to don a cap in the style that was his signature during a 22-year career when he hit 630 homers for the Mariners, Reds and White Sox. He gave the credit (or blame) to now Hall of Fame contemporary Frank Thomas. Thomas had the inspiration when the group arrived at the grounds just before the ceremony began. Griffey acquiesced and said he had to get a Hall of Fame fitted model that belonged to one of his sons. "That really wasn't my idea," said Junior, the first No. 1 Draft pick ever inducted into the Hall. "That was from a guy who happened to play for Chicago and Oakland and cried the entire time through his speech. So him being a veteran of the Hall of Fame, I took his veteran leadership and decided to do it." As far as Piazza was concerned, he paced his speech accordingly and decided to leave loving thoughts to his family for last. Piazza praised Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, the man who urged the Dodgers to pick him in the 62nd round -- 1,390th overall -- in the 1988 Draft when he managed that ballclub. He sent his best wishes to Bobby Valentine, a Lasorda acolyte, who managed the Mets into a five-game loss to the Yankees in the 2000 Subway World Series. Piazza, who is the lowest-drafted player enshrined in Cooperstown, said he was moved by the fact that the current baseball team from Phoenixville High School -- where the right-handed slugger played as a teen -- made the four-hour trek from Pennsylvania for the festivities. He also showed a lot of love to Mets fans. "Any time I come to New York and see the fans, it's like coming home," Piazza said. "Their energy and the way they receive me has always given me adrenaline." Piazza's father may not have been as famous as the elder Griffey, but he was no less influential. To his father, whose friendship with Lasorda paved the way to Piazza hitting 427 homers in the Majors -- a record 396 of them as a catcher -- and into the Hall of Fame, Piazza translated the Italian: "I said, basically, 'Many thanks to Italy for giving me the gift of my father. Infinite thanks.' As I've said many times before, that was the one thing when I was a kid my father instilled in me." A love of baseball and Italy. "As a kid you don't think much of it," he added. "But when you get older you reconnect. He was a big fan of [Joe] DiMaggio. I was obviously paying my respects to Yogi [Berra] today. He was on my mind as well. One thing I'm very proud of is the great Italian-American ballplayers and Hall of Famers that are here." Griffey, of course, came from a different place and time. His father was a 29th-round selection by the Reds in the 1969 Draft and went on to play 19 seasons. His was a baseball family and that fact alone gave Griffey a foot up with his new team of Hall of Famers as far as any hazing might be concerned. "I had time to do some research and I have some information about these guys that they probably don't want out," he said with a glint in his eyes. Griffey's speech was heavily directed toward his family and many of the Mariners, whom he played with during his initial iteration from 1989-99. Griffey returned to Seattle to finish his career in 2009-10. Edgar Martinez, the Mariners' current hitting coach and a top designated hitter during the Griffey era, took the day off from the ballpark and was in the audience. Griffey gave him a shout out for election to the Hall. Martinez remains on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. The Mariners had a huge contingent of past and present executives at the ceremony and staged a private party for Griffey at the Fenimore Art Museum in town on Saturday night. Mets owners Fred Wilpon and his son, Jeff, were also at the festivities to honor Piazza. Griffey said he didn't get to spend too much time with his father this weekend. "This is the first time I saw him today," Griffey said. "He's been ripping and running around town just like everybody else in my family. When I saw him is when I got on the stage. We had a chance to talk [on the phone]. He just said, 'Just go out, have fun and enjoy yourself. I'm here for you.' And then he hung up. A typical dad thing." The crowd was not so atypical. It matched the 1999 induction of Robin Yount, George Brett and Nolan Ryan, but fell far short of the 80,000 that flooded the town for the 2007 deliverance of Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. Each induction has its own tone and flavor. Last year, there was a decided Dominican feel to the throng of 45,000 as Pedro Martinez was among the four inductees. Montreal natives once waded out on these same fields, waving the white and red Canadian flag the years when Gary Carter and Andre Dawson were the only members of the now-defunct Expos to be inducted. But an element of all this is certain. It's one thing to play in front of a crowd of 50,000 and quite another to look out from the stage on that kind of assemblage and have to address it. "It was absolutely nerve-wracking," Piazza said. "It's not easy, but as a player you have to find a way to focus and get into your game mode. I was joking with Ken a little bit before we got on stage: 'Come on, we've got this, we've got this.' We were talking like we were going out to play. But nothing can prepare you for the emotions that you feel."

Today In Phils History – In 1924, George Harper hit an inside the park homerun at the Baker Bowl to seal the victory against Chicago. In the first game of a double header in 1948, Richie Ashburn hit into his only double play of the season setting a franchise record for fewest by a regular position player. 2 years later, the Phillies swept a double header in Chicago to take 1^st place in the league which they would hold on to for the remainder of the season. 30 years later, in 1980, Mike Schmidt hit 2 homeruns in the 1^st game of a double header against the Dodgers to set a new franchise record for career homeruns (261) passing Del Ennis. Ryan Madson had an interesting start I 2006 as in the 3^rd inning against Arizona he tied a MLB record by throwing 4 wild pitches (on top of hitting 2 batters and walking 5) but still only allowed 2 runs over 4 innings in the extra inning loss. It was on this day last year, in his final start as a Phillie, when Cole Hamels threw a no hitter against the Cubs. Finally, Happy 45^th Birthday to former Phillies closer Billy Wagner!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 45-55 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 43-59-0 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.

A Retraction And An Endorsement

PHILS PHACTS:

Retraction Request – The lawyer for Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard and Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman is demanding an immediate and complete retraction to the Al Jazeera report that linked both to performance enhancing drugs. Multiple reports said William Burck, who represents both Howard and Zimmerman, sent a letter to Al Jazeera requesting the retraction. Al Jazeera issued a correction to its written report online, saying, "An earlier version of this article reported on an allegation about possible links between Ryan Zimmerman and Ryan Howard and human growth hormone. The substance alleged was Delta 2, not HGH." That does not go far enough, according to Howard's and Zimmerman's representation. "Al Jazeera tried sneaking out a correction which acknowledges major errors in their story about our clients Ryan Zimmerman and Ryan Howard," Burck said in a statement. "The original defamatory 'report' connected our clients to the use of HGH, but Al Jazeera has now admitted this defamatory accusation was wholly false and unsubstantiated. Al Jazeera's acknowledgment confirms their unforgivable sloppiness and the recklessness of its publication of this false story. Al Jazeera must retract the remaining false allegations against our clients immediately." Earlier this week, Burck called the claims in the report "outright lies" and vowed to fight them in court. "We will go to court to hold Al Jazeera and other responsible parties accountable for smearing our clients' good names," Burck said. Major League Baseball said it will conduct a thorough investigation of the report, whose source has already recanted his comments.

A Strong Candidate For Enshrinement – Even though seven players have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame over the past two years, many strong candidates remain on the ballot. With Baseball Writers' Association of America voters able to pick a maximum of 10 players apiece, and 75 percent of the vote required for enshrinement, several worthy candidates must travel a difficult road. Results of this year's BBWAA vote will be revealed on MLB Network on Jan. 6, with a news conference involving any electees to be held the following day. It's unlikely Curt Schilling, in his fourth year on the ballot, will be part of that group. The right-hander, who received 39.2 percent of the vote last time around, has a long ways to go. Schilling no doubt has suffered from his relatively low total of wins (216) and lack of a Cy Young Award, perhaps getting overshadowed by his brilliant contemporaries -- and in some cases teammates -- such as Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez. But when it comes to the most relevant numbers, there is a strong case for the six-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young runner-up as a clear Hall of Famer. Here is a look at that argument: • Schilling's career value stacks up quite favorably. His 80.7 pitching wins above replacement (WAR) ranks 26th all time, according to Baseball-Reference.com, including 14th in the expansion era (since 1961). He comes in just behind Bob Gibson and ahead of numerous Hall of Famers, including Don Sutton, Jim Palmer, Bob Feller, Juan Marichal and Don Drysdale. • Baseball-Reference's wins above average (WAA) compares a player's performance to the league average instead of to a theoretical replacement player, as in WAR. By that standard, Schilling's 54.1 ranks 10th among pitchers since 1901, ahead of such names as Gibson, Steve Carlton and Warren Spahn. • In 1968, baseball witnessed the Year of the Pitcher and responded by lowering the mound. Over the 47 seasons since then, here is where Schilling's career numbers fall in several important categories (a minimum of 2,500 innings was used for rate stats): Strikeout-to-walk ratio: 1st (4.38); Strikeouts per 9 innings: 4th (8.6); WHIP: 4th (1.137); Walks per 9 innings: 6th (1.96); WAA: 6th (54.1); ERA+: 7th (127); Strikeouts: 9th (3,116); WAR: 10th (80.7); Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP): 11th (3.23). • Schilling started slowly, but over his final 12 years (1996-2007), during an era of extreme offense, he went 173-104 (a .625 winning percentage) with a 3.43 ERA (134 ERA+), averaging more than 200 innings and 200 strikeouts per season. From 2001-04, at the advanced ages of 34-37, he led all pitchers in WAR, with an average of 7.8. Schilling also was first in strikeout-to-walk ratio, second in strikeouts, third in innings and FIP and fourth in ERA+. For good measure, he won seven postseason games and two World Series rings. • When it comes to racking up strikeouts and limiting walks -- a crucial part of a pitcher's job -- few have been better than Schilling. The righty is one of four pitchers to record at least three 300-strikeout seasons, along with Johnson, Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax. Excluding the 1800s, no pitcher with even 1,000 career innings can match Schilling's 4.38 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Only one other pitcher with 2,000-plus innings, Martinez, is above 3.78. At his best, from 2001-06, Schilling posted a 6.75 ratio, putting him way ahead of his closest challenger, Johnson (4.70). Schilling was responsible for five of the top 11 single-season marks during that span, and his 9.58 in 2002 was the second-best in history up until 2010. It still ranks fourth. • For perspective on Schilling, examine Tom Glavine, who sailed into the Hall with 91.9 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot, in 2014. The two pitchers operated during almost the exact same period. Glavine does hold huge advantages in starts, innings pitched and victories (cracking the esteemed 300 mark), and longevity certainly is important. Still, here is how the two compare in some other areas. Pitching WAR: Schilling 80.7 | Glavine 74.0; Total WAR: Glavine 81.5 | Schilling 79.9; WAA: Schilling 54.1 | Glavine 39.1; ERA+: Schilling 127 | Glavine 118; FIP: Schilling 3.23 | Glavine 3.95; K/BB: Schilling 4.4 | Glavine 1.7. • Still on the fence about Schilling? Consider that the three-time World Series champion is one of the best postseason performers in baseball history. In 19 career postseason starts, he went 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA, including a 2.06 ERA over seven Fall Classic outings. Schilling was the MVP of the 1993 National League Championship Series for the Phillies, threw a shutout in that year's World Series against Toronto, and he set a single-postseason record for strikeouts (56) for the 2001 D-backs. That year, he produced a 1.12 ERA, and Arizona won five of his six outings, which included three complete games and a shutout.

THE BEGINNING:

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

What Will 2016 Hold For The Phillies?

PHILS PHACTS:

Taking Steps Forward In 2016 – The Phillies will begin 2016 with a clean slate. There will be no speculation about their president, general manager or manager entering Spring Training. They have those people in place. There will be no speculation about the futures of Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Jonathan Papelbon. They were traded last summer. Next year should have little less drama off the field, but it should be more interesting on the field as the rebuilding Phillies look for their young players and prospects to take another step forward. Here are the top five questions entering next season: 1. How can 2016 be judged as a success? That's easy. They need big leaguers like Maikel Franco, Aaron Nola, Odubel Herrera and Jerad Eickhoff to establish themselves and show everybody they should be part of the core going forward. They also need their top prospects to take another step forward. While it is unrealistic to expect J.P. Crawford, Mark Appel, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp to make the Phillies out of Spring Training, it is realistic to think some of them could be in the big leagues before the end of the season. But the best thing that could happen to Philadelphia next year would be if its young talents in the Major League and Minor League levels look more and more like the real deal entering 2017. 2. Who will be the first prospect promoted? That's a tough one. Crawford is the No. 5 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline. There may be a scenario in which he plays very well in Triple-A Lehigh Valley and almost forces the Phillies to promote him. But that only will happen if the organization believes he is ready to play every day. He will not join the Phillies as a part-time player. It's not a stretch to think he could be in the big leagues by the middle of the summer. What happens to Freddy Galvis at that point? If he is playing well, he could move to second base, depending on how Cesar Hernandez is playing. Or Galvis could move into a utility role. But again, all of this depends on Crawford's performance in Triple-A. 3. Who will be in the Opening Day rotation? There are so many options at this point, but we know Jeremy Hellickson and Charlie Morton are locks. The Phillies traded for them for a reason; they need some veteran stability in the rotation. Nola and Eickhoff have to be considered favorites based on their performances last season. And then one has to think one of the pitchers they acquired in the Ken Giles trade -- Vincent Velasquez or Brett Oberholtzer -- will be a favorite for a job. But the good thing about what the Phillies accomplished this offseason is almost nobody (maybe other than Hellickson, Morton and Nola) will be handed a job. If somebody really struggles this spring and somebody really pitches well, one of those favorites could be bumped out. But Hellickson, Morton, Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez have to be considered the early frontrunners. 4. Who will be the closer? There will be a Spring Training competition, but the early favorites are David Hernandez and Ernesto Frieri. Luis Garcia could be a candidate because of his stuff, but the smart bet is on the veterans with experience. 5. Will Ryan Howard be the first baseman on Opening Day? It seems like it. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak met with Howard and Howard's agent at Citizens Bank Park before Thanksgiving. Klentak described the discussion as positive. Everybody knows the Phillies have tried hard to trade Howard, but they have found no takers. If nothing happens before Spring Training, the hope is Howard can produce against right-handed hitters and possibly improve against left-handers. If he can, he will play more often. If not, Darin Ruf should see more time against lefties.

The Case For Billy Wagner – Billy Wagner has taken a slight backseat to Trevor Hoffman in this year's Hall of Fame discussion, but given what Wagner did during his 16 years in the big leagues, there is room for debate that the spotlight throughout the voting season has been focused on the wrong guy. Maybe "wrong" is too strong a word. After all, Wagner, Hoffman and the third closer on the ballot -- Lee Smith, who's back for a 14th try -- have all done plenty to merit consideration. But when the topic of relievers comes up, Hoffman is always mentioned first, as the most likely of the three to gain entry in 2016. This really is for one main reason: saves. Hoffman has 601 of them, second most in history and 179 ahead of Wagner's 422, fifth-highest. While there never was a magic number for closers to guarantee entry to the Hall -- to date, only five closers have been elected -- it's been widely assumed in general circles that Hoffman's total in that lone category is enough to push him through. And it may be. But there is an argument to be made that Wagner might just be the best closer on the ballot. It depends on the voters' criteria, which, thanks to modern-day metrics, largely debunk the importance of the more traditional stats -- especially saves. This isn't some outside-the-box thinking. The save, while useful, is also understood to be flawed -- and not just among numbers-minded analysts. It's pretty much a universal theory. "The numbers that stand out to me are not just saves," Wagner said the day the ballot was announced. "It's the big numbers: ERA, strikeouts, batting average against. How do they show dominance? Those are dominant numbers. Saves are just tied along with it." And that's one of the main reasons why Hall of Fame voting in this particular area has become so murky. The main knock on Wagner is his innings pitched -- 903, the lowest among all elite closers in history by a significant margin. In fact, no reliever has ever been elected to the Hall with fewer than 1,000 career innings pitched. But what made Wagner so elite is what he did while pitching those 903 innings. He had more strikeouts than either of his two contemporaries. His 1,196 K's are just a tick better than Mariano Rivera's 1,173 (Rivera also pitched three more years than Wagner). Hoffman, who pitched four years longer than Wagner, had 1,133 strikeouts. Wagner's career ERA is 2.31, second-lowest to only Rivera (2.21) among pitchers with that many innings from 1920 to present. Dating back to 1900, Wagner has the highest strikeout-per-nine-innings ratio (11.92) among pitchers with at least 900 innings. Wagner's WHIP of 1.00 is tied with Eckersley for the lowest among all elite closers, including the other two on the ballot, Hoffman and Smith. Plenty of evidence exists to support the theory that Wagner was a far more dominant closer than Hoffman, but while Wagner acknowledges that saves don't tell the whole story, they're still a big part of it. And when it comes to Hoffman, Wagner has few doubts about where he fits into history. "It's hard to believe he isn't looked at as a shoo-in as a Hall of Famer, with 600 saves," Wagner said. "His numbers alone speak volumes. I think he has an 88, 89 save percentage. He had a different way of how he dominated a team." Wagner has a point. While Wagner blew hitters away with a 100-mph fastball, Hoffman earned his paychecks by confusing them with a changeup that hitters could not decipher. In addition to saves, Hoffman also has longevity as an ally, something Hall voters will have to take into account as they weigh his candidacy. He pitched 18 years and lasted until age 42. That goes a long way in Hall consideration. For Wagner, his philosophy about the importance of closers is simple: take them out of the equation and see how good your team is without them. "There's only a few people that have demonstrated that they can go out there night in and night out and handle the stress of getting the last three outs," Wagner said. "Doing it on a nightly basis and having the longevity to prove it counts for a lot."

THE BEGINNING:

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