Phillies Waste Another Strong Start

GAME RECAP: Marlins Top Phillies 2-1

The Marlins are applying a little pressure to the Nationals in the National League East. Miami beat the Phillies, 2-1, in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park to move within 4 1/2 games of the first-place Nationals. Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria doubled against Phillies right-hander David Hernandez to start the 10th. Christian Yelich then ripped a two-out single to left field against left-hander Daniel Stumpf to score the go-ahead run. "[This] is the kind of the game you have to win," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "I think as we keep doing as we've been doing, we're gonna have a lot of these games. A lot of games that are close, that are hard to win. So we're going to have to execute. We got good pitching tonight. A lot of guys did good things for us. We got some guys out and got the big hit." The Phillies, who have lost four of five games since the All-Star break, struck out looking twice to end innings with runners in scoring position. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he planned to meet with his team to discuss it. "Too many bad at-bats," Mackanin said. "We're not grinding out at-bats, and we need to do that. Too many called third strikes with runners in scoring position. That's a pet peeve of mine, and we're going to address that."

PHILS PHACTS:

• For the second straight night, it took more than the regulation nine frames to decide the victor. While the Marlins' late-inning rally on Monday was to tie the game in the ninth, it came a frame later on Tuesday -- and gave them the lead. Having used Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez in the eighth and ninth, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin turned to Hernandez and Stumpf in the 10th, with little success. Hechavarria led off with a double, and Miami almost stranded him on second, botching a sac bunt attempt and striking out before Yelich scorched a two-out RBI single into left. "Just trying to get a good pitch to hit," said Yelich, who also homered in the fourth. "I left a guy out there in the eighth, so I was trying to make up for it, and I was able to. It was a big win for us."
• Vince Velasquez battled "dead arm" before the All-Star break, but he looked refreshed against the Marlins, striking out Giancarlo Stanton on a 97-mph fastball in the first. Velasquez allowed one run on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. He has a 1.88 ERA (five earned runs in 24 innings) in four starts since returning from a strained right biceps in June. "If I'm refreshed, I would expect to at least go seven innings, at least more than five," Velasquez said. "I was pretty happy with the outcome today." 
• Phillies first baseman Joseph crushed a solo home run into the second deck in left field in the third inning for the Phillies' only run. Joseph is hitting .500 (14-for-28) with two doubles, five home runs and eight RBIs in his last nine games. He is now tied with Ryan Howard for second on the Phillies with 13 home runs. "Every game for everybody in this clubhouse is an opportunity to showcase yourself and keep your job and give yourself an opportunity to be in the lineup the next day," Joseph said. "That's the way I try to approach every day." 
• Joseph has homered 13 times in his first 49 games. Only four other Phillies have homered 11 or more times in their first 49 career games: Ron Jones (1988-90), Don Hurst (1928), Darin Ruf (2012-13) and Buzz Arlett (1931).
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco made a great diving catch on a bunt attempt in the 10th inning. He snapped his neck and face planted into the turf. He seemed dazed after the play, but he got checked out and remained in the game. Franco said afterward he felt fine.
• When J.T. Realmuto slid into second trying to break up a double play in the first inning, Cesar Hernandez dropped the ball on the transfer, hoping to double up Yelich at first. It was ruled that he had possession and Realmuto was out at second. The Marlins challenged the play but the call stood. Mattingly is now 23-for-34 on challenges this season.
• "They've got a real good team. They've got one of the best, if not the best, hitting team in the National League East." -- Mackanin, on the Marlins.
• Tommy Joseph got his first career home run off Chen, a 3-1 win over the Marlins on May 17. Joseph has since put 12 more over the wall and is hitting one every 12.54 at-bats -- the best rate among qualified Major League hitters (minimum of 150 ABs).
• Hellickson has faced the Marlins twice this season, allowing five runs in 11 1/3 combined innings for a 3.97 ERA.
• The Marlins are among the hottest teams, having won seven of their last eight games. Much of that has come from the success of Giancarlo Stanton, who is batting .451 (13-for-37) with five home runs and 12 RBIs over his last 10 games.
• Ichiro Suzuki remains at 2,994 hits, six away from 3,000.

NEXT GAME:

When Jeremy Hellickson takes the mound at 7:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday, it could well be for the last time at Citizens Bank Park as a Phillie. The Marlins are searching for rotation depth before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline and will be getting an up-close look at a leading candidate for a deal. MLB.com's Joe Frisaro reported Hellickson is on the Marlins' radar. Wednesday will be Hellickson's second-to-last start before the Deadline, but the Phillies hit the road until Aug. 2 after finishing up against Miami on Thursday. Hellickson has been a steady arm in the Phils' rotation of young arms. But he is also 29 and will be a free agent at season's end. Jake Thompson's Triple-A rotation spot is in line with Hellickson's. Hellickson will face an arm the Marlins already acquired, Wei-Yin Chen, who inked a 5-year, $80 million contract with Miami over the offseason. Chen has been hurt by the long ball this season, allowing 19 over 18 starts. His 1.63 per nine innings are the second most in the National League, though Hellickson isn't far behind. He has allowed 18 in 19 starts, and his 1.45 HR/9 is just three spots behind Chen's.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rest Pays Dividends – Vince Velasquez spent the All-Star break relaxing and hanging out with his nephews in California. He returned to Philadelphia last week feeling refreshed. Velasquez pitched like it Tuesday night in a 2-1 loss in 10 innings to the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez, who battled "dead arm" before the break, struck out Giancarlo Stanton on a 97-mph fastball in the first inning. He allowed just one run on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings, which was his longest outing since he struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres on April 14. "I got my full rest in," Velasquez said. "If I'm refreshed, I would expect to at least go seven innings, at least more than five. I was pretty happy with the outcome today." Velasquez is 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA (five earned runs in 24 innings) in four starts since he returned from the disabled list in June. His velocity had been down in those first three starts, which Velasquez attributed to fatigue. He had no such issues against the Marlins. "I didn't really have my stuff against the Royals [on July 3], but I just had to pitch to contact," Velasquez said. "That's what pitching is all about. You're not going to have your stuff every day. It's just like real estate. You've got to locate. My dad came up with that. It's so true. I pitched to my spots against the Royals and executed very well." But a little extra juice helped him Tuesday. "Don't hold anything back," Velasquez said. "It's the first start back. Why not go at it and give it all you've got? If nothing is hurting, then I don't see why not." Velasquez made one mistake: an 0-2 slider to Christian Yelich in the fourth inning that was crushed for a solo home run to right-center field. "That can't happen," Velasquez said.

Rookie Continues Providing Power – Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph has heard that these final couple of months are huge for him. He has a chance to earn a job in 2017 with a strong finish in 2016. Joseph continued to strengthen his case Tuesday night in a 2-1 loss in 10 innings to the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. He went 2-for-3, crushing a game-tying home run into the second deck in left field in the fourth. He is hitting .500 (14-for-28) with two doubles, five home runs and eight RBIs in his last nine games. "Every game for everybody in this clubhouse is an opportunity to showcase yourself and keep your job and give yourself an opportunity to be in the lineup the next day," Joseph said. "That's the way I try to approach every day." Joseph has homered 13 times in his first 49 games. Only four other Phillies have homered 11 or more times in their first 49 career games: Ron Jones (1988-90), Don Hurst (1928), Darin Ruf (2012-13) and Buzz Arlett (1931). Joseph has also walked four times in his previous eight games after walking three times in his first 41, but that is just a coincidence. "I don't ever try to walk," Joseph said. "I'm up there to hit every pitch of every at-bat. If you're up there to take and work a walk, then I don't really know why you would hit. It doesn't make any sense to me. Every time I step in the box, I want to hit. Every pitch that's thrown, I'm trying to hit it. I think I've just been better at taking those pitches that are just off the plate, those borderline pitches I haven't swung at." But whatever the reasons for his impressive performance recently, Joseph has skyrocketed to the top of the rookie stat sheet. He is tied for third among rookies in home runs. He is second behind Colorado's Trevor Story with a .546 slugging percentage (minimum 100 plate appearances). Joseph is making an argument to be the Phillies' first baseman in 2017. Philadelphia will need one. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard will not return in 2017 as the organization will exercise the $10 million buyout on his $25 million club option. The free-agent crop includes Edwin Encarnacion, who has mostly been a designated hitter this season with Toronto; Brandon Moss; Adam Lind; and James Loney. Joseph could be a good fit to a young team on the rise. "Without question," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, asked if Joseph is earning more playing time at first base.

Cashing In? – There are a few teams looking for bullpen help as the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches and one reliever that could assist is Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez. The fact Gomez is an option is surprising in itself. He entered the season as a middle reliever, capable of pitching a couple innings, often in low-stress situations, if needed. But after the bullpen struggled in a 0-4 start, the Phillies essentially elevated Gomez to closer out of desperation. Gomez, 28, responded to his new role well. He entered Tuesday night's 2-1, 10-inning loss to the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park with a 3-2 record and a 2.89 ERA with 25 saves in 28 opportunities. He pitched a scoreless ninth in the defeat. So why would the Phillies move Gomez, who does not become a free agent until after the 2017 season? Well, because if Gomez has proven anything, it is that closers can be developed or even discovered. In fact, the Phillies might have a couple of pitchers already in the bullpen ready to take his place should he be traded. Setup man Hector Neris is 3-3 with a 2.76 ERA in 48 appearances. After a rough patch from late May through mid-June, he has a 1.84 ERA in his last 14 outings. Rookie right-hander Edubray Ramos has been considered a potential closer for some time. He pitched a scoreless seventh inning in Monday's 3-2 loss in 11 innings to the Marlins. He has a 5.06 ERA in 12 appearances, but that includes one rough outing on July 7 in Colorado when he allowed five runs in 1/3 innings. He has a 0.87 ERA in his other 11 appearances. "Other than the outing in Denver, I like his breaking stuff," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He has two sharp breaking pitches. His slider bites, and his curveball bites. Real solid rotation and depth. He has the velocity. He's pretty much a strike thrower." With Neris and Ramos in the fold, it might make sense for the rebuilding Phillies to strike while Gomez's stock is at its highest. They won't be able to get a huge haul for him, but if they can get a piece that could help them in the future, it might be worth it.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies ran into a familiar adversary on the mound in 1921 when Pete Alexander threw a shutout against his former team while 2 Phillies pitchers combined to allow 23 hits and 10 runs without walking or striking out a batter. In 1970, Bill Singer of the Dodgers threw a no hitter against the Phillies and only lost the perfect game due to his own errors (one was rather debatable). 3 years later, rookie Dick Ruthven earned the only save of his career (322 career starts) thanks to Bill Robinson stealing a homerun from Dusty Baker. Tony Taylor was enshrined in the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2002. In 2007, Raul Ibanez hit his 25^th homerun of the year which was also the 207^th of his career moving him past former Phillie Pete Incaviglia on the all-time list of homeruns by a player with a last name beginning with I.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 43-52 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 53-55-0 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 Swept For Second Series In A Row

GAME RECAP: Nationals Sweep Phillies 7-2

There was nothing on the field Wednesday night hiding the fact that the Nationals' 7-2 win over the Phillies was a matchup of one team's veteran ace and the other's youthful No. 5. Max Scherzer was dominant from the outset as he led the Nats to a three-game sweep of the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. He pitched eight innings and struck out 11. The only runs he gave up came on a Tyler Goeddel two-run homer to left in the seventh. It was the 39th time in Scherzer's career he's struck out at least 10. The Nats considered removing him from the game after the seventh but Scherzer convinced them to leave him in the game for one more inning. "I know my pitch count, I know how I feel and I knew I was strong," Scherzer said. "And not only could I start the inning, but I knew I could finish the inning, too." Adam Morgan was effective early, needing only 65 pitches to get through five innings. But Washington torched him for four runs in the sixth. Home runs from Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa did the damage. The Nats tacked on one more after Daniel Murphy tripled and was driven home on a Ryan Zimmerman sac fly. Murphy couldn't be cooled off this series, reaching and scoring twice on Wednesday and finishing the series 6-for-12 with four RBIs and four extra-base hits -- just two fewer than the Phillies had as a team. "Adam Morgan, he seems like he's on the verge of getting through it, but then he makes mistakes," manager Pete Mackanin said. "Too many mistakes out over the plate, up in the zone." Philadelphia has now lost six straight and 10 of its last 12. With Wednesday's loss, the Phillies fell under .500 for the first time since they were 9-10 on April 24. They entered the series in third place in the NL East, 3 1/2 games back of Washington. The Nationals' sweep not only gives them breathing room over the Mets, but also knocked the Phillies into fourth place behind the Marlins. "We know where we need to go," Mackanin said. "We know we're not there. We'd like to be where the Cubs are with their young players."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies have put on a defensive spectacle this series, despite getting swept. Each night they turned in better plays than the last. Goeddel's throw to double off Bryce Harper on Monday. On Tuesday, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis combined to turn "one of the best double plays you're ever going to see," according to Mackanin. But the Phils put a bow on their defensive performance in the series finale. Galvis first made an impressive sliding, over-the-shoulder grab in shallow center. David Lough followed with a diving catch to rob Scherzer in the fourth, and topped that off with a tumble in right field foul territory on a Jayson Werth pop in the seventh.
• Morgan needed only 65 pitches to get through the first five innings, allowing two of six baserunners to score. But Washington blew the game wide open in the sixth, its first two batters reaching before Ramos homered them in. Espinosa followed two batters later with a solo shot to make it 6-0. Morgan left having allowed six runs on nine hits, though he did strike out six. "He's got stuff. There's a lot of guys that have stuff," Mackanin said. "But in order to be successful, you can't make mistakes. You have to keep the ball down in the zone and hit the corners." "It's keeping the ball down," Morgan said. "It's a simple fix, but it's easier said than done." 
• "He's a kind of guy where you have to go in there because if you don't, he's gonna hit it. It was not intentional. I was trying to get in there to open up the outside of the plate." -- Morgan, on Murphy's reaction to being hit with the first pitch he saw Wednesday.
• With one down in the third, Murphy poked a Morgan fastball into shallow center. Galvis and Hernandez both gave chase, and Galvis made a spectacular, sliding, over-the-shoulder catch. He quickly got up and fired the ball to first, where he came within a replay review of a highlight-reel double play. But when the Phillies challenged the safe call at first, it was upheld upon further review. The review took 2 minutes, 15 seconds. Mackanin is 10-for-19 on challenges this season.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies host Milwaukee for four games at Citizens Bank Park beginning Thursday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Jerad Eickhoff (2-7, 4.07 ERA) starts for the Phillies, opposing the Brewers' Chase Anderson (2-6, 5.00 ERA).

PHILS PHACTS:

Make Yourself Comfortable – Everybody expected this season to be Ryan Howard's last in Philadelphia. But Wednesday could have been the unofficial end of his run as the team's regular first baseman, a role he has held since his supplanted Jim Thome in July 2005. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin told Howard in a pregame meeting Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park that he will be benched the next three to four games to give Tommy Joseph an opportunity to play. Mackanin said Joseph could win the everyday job in that time. Mackanin called his meeting with Howard a "great conversation." Howard handled the news well. In fact, he approached Joseph afterward and told him to "kick some butt." "I told him, I get it," Howard said about his meeting with Mackanin. "I know where I am right now. You know, I understand. By no means am I trying to relinquish my job or anything, but you know, I've played the game long enough to know and understand." Joseph, in his first game with Howard officially benched, didn't reach base in the 7-2 loss to the Nationals. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. "You can only do so much," Joseph said. "You can only get one hit in one at bat. So I'm just going to continue to be prepared everyday. Obviously it's a good feeling when you know you're going to play." Joseph was appreciative of Howard's words of advice prior to the game. "It meant a lot. He didn't have to do that," Joseph said. "He came up to me, told me I was going to play the next three or four days. He filled me in on what Scherzer likes to do out there, then told me to go kick some butt. We've talked a little bit since then, too. He's been great. He's done so much for this team and the city. That's something he didn't have to do. For a guy like him to come up to me and tell me that, that means a lot." Howard, who is in the final season of a five-year, $125 million contract, is hitting .154 with eight home runs, 19 RBIs and a .558 OPS in 158 plate appearances. He hit .101 in May, which is the seventh lowest batting average for any hitter with 75 or more plate appearances in any month since 1981. Meanwhile, Joseph is hitting .270 with three home runs, five RBIs and an .816 OPS in 40 plate appearances. Howard had started 37 of the team's 52 games, but had seen his playing time reduced recently. He said he believes he can improve offensively and recapture his role as the team's primary first baseman. But he certainly has no plans to quit, even if his struggles continue and he finishes the season as a bench player. "No, I'm not going to quit," Howard said. "That's not in the vocabulary. That's the easiest thing to do -- quit and give up when things are hard. You really see what you're made of when those things are not going the way you want them to go." Mackanin said he received no input from the front office about the matter. "We'll just give him three or four days off and start all over," Mackanin said. "See where it leads. We'll see what Tommy does in three or four days. That very well could extend that period of time to a week. It depends on how well he looks. … It's not really so much about Ryan. It's about seeing the younger guy who tore it up in Triple-A and came up here to make a good first impression. We want to get a look at him. As we know, this season is about the future. We're in the middle of a rebuilding process." Howard's contract expires at the end of the season, although he has a $25 million club option with a $10 million buyout. Officially, nobody has said the Phillies will take the buyout, but it is fait accompli. "I mean, the organization has been wanting to see younger players for the last three years," Howard said. "So, I mean, yeah, I get it." But Howard insists he can work out the mechanical flaws in his swing and avoid finishing his season as a bench player. "I'm going to do my best to keep that from happening," he said. "I'm not even going to try to think like that. Like I said, just work on me. Just try to get things together, support my teammates out there and then when I get the opportunity to go play, try to go do what I can." The possibility exists the Phillies could release the 36-year-old Howard at some point and just move on. But for now, that does not seem imminent. For now, the Phillies seem content to let Joseph play while the greatest first baseman in franchise history sits on the bench, trying to recapture some of the form that made him the 2006 National League Most Valuable Player and allowed him to anchor an offense that won one World Series, two National League pennants and five NL East championships from 2007-11. "I don't think anybody wants to answer questions like this," Howard said. "Anybody who has played the game, you play this game long enough, you're going to have ups and downs. Being in the situation where I am, that's where I am. That's the reality of it right now. … Hey, you can either sit there and just sulk about it or you can do something about it. The only thing I can do is do something about it."

Still Learning – Adam Morgan was good in Wednesday night's 7-2 Phillies loss to the Nationals. Until he wasn't. It's like manager Pete Mackanin's favorite turn of phrase, a broken record. He's used it to describe the Phils' lackluster offense and outstanding bullpen throughout the season. Both have been about as reliable as Morgan looking strong before losing his touch. On Wednesday, Morgan needed only 65 pitches to make it through five innings. He allowed two runs and scattered a few hits, but he was in line for his third quality start had he made it through the sixth unscathed. He did not. The Nationals homered twice and tagged him for four runs in the inning. Morgan left after six, surrendering six runs on nine hits. "He looks like he's on the verge," Mackanin said. "But he just can't finish the hitters off." Morgan has a 1.71 ERA in the first three innings of his starts this season. But that number balloons to 15.81 in innings three through six. Entering Wednesday's game, opponents had been 9-for-23 in their third plate appearance in a game against Morgan. The Nationals went 4-for-9 and scored four of their runs their third time through the order. "He's got stuff. There's a lot of guys that have stuff," Mackanin said. "But in order to be successful, you can't make mistakes. You have to keep the ball down in the zone and hit the corners. "That's how you become a good Major League pitcher. He's got the stuff to do that, the instinct to do it. But this is a result-oriented business, especially here." The results have not been pretty for the 26-year-old lefty. The six runs on Wednesday raised his season ERA to 7.07. The only quality starts he's recorded have come against a Braves offense that is scoring the fewest runs in baseball. In starts against any other team, Morgan has a 9.93 ERA. Morgan has pinpointed what's going wrong. He's leaving a couple pitches up every start, and they're coming back to bite him. "It's keeping the ball down," Morgan said. "It's a simple fix, but it's easier said than done."

Another Roster Shuffle – The Phillies acquired utility man Jimmy Paredes on Wednesday from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash considerations. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays on Monday. To make room for Paredes on the 40-man roster, the Phillies transferred Charlie Morton from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list. Paredes made his Phillies debut during Wednesday night's 7-2 loss to the Nationals, striking out as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning. To clear room on the 25-man, the club designated Emmanuel Burriss for assignment. Paredes could see the field more than Burriss because of the Phillies' need for offense. "He's a better hitter than some of the guys we have," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I haven't seen him recently. He's pretty aggressive. I think he hit .275 one year for Houston. He was [Baltimore's] DH for quite a while there." Paredes hit .286 in 168 at-bats during 2011, his rookie season, with Houston. The most at-bats he has had in a season came in 2015, when he acted as the Orioles' designated hitter for much of the year. He hit .275 with 10 home runs in 363 at-bats. Toronto claimed Paredes off waivers from the Orioles earlier this season. The Phillies reportedly also put a claim in, but because Toronto is an American League team, it had priority. In 15 at-bats with Toronto, he hit .267 with a .886 on-base plus slugging percentage. Over his career, Paredes has a .667 on-base plus slugging percentage. Although Paredes can play all over the field and hit from both sides of the plate, the most likely source of playing time will come in the outfield against right-handers. In his career, Paredes has an OPS 200 points higher against righties (.705) than lefties (.511). Another potential offensive upgrade in the outfield is due back soon, too. Cody Asche's rehab is progressing and Mackanin expects him back soon, but doesn't have an exact timeline. When he returns, Mackanin said he'll likely exclusively roam left field. Burriss acted primarily as a bench bat and utility backup before being DFA'd. He collected only four hits in 33 at-bats (.121). "One of the hardest guys I've ever had to send out was Burriss," Mackanin said. "He's an outstanding teammate. Just a great guy. Always upbeat. Billingual. Pulled for everybody. Knew his role and accepted it. Just hated to see him go. But had to do it."

All Star Game Voting Update – The first National League All-Star voting update was released Wednesday and no Phillies made the cut despite a surprising 26-26 start. But come July 12, Petco Park shouldn't be void of Phillies. Prior to the season, many figured Maikel Franco to be the lone Phillies representative for the National League squad, but others have made themselves worthy of consideration. Odubel Herrera ranks near the top of many hitting leaderboards. His .425 on-base percentage ranks fifth in baseball and his 34 walks rank fourth in the National League. Herrera also leads the team in wins above replacement, with 2.2. Since being moved to the top of the order on April 20, Herrera has been a sparkplug for the offense. In that time, he's hit .341 and scored a team-high 23 runs. However, for Herrera to crack the top 15 in National League outfielders, he'll have to overtake at least the Giants' Angel Pagan, who ranks 15th with 155,507 votes. Pagan, by comparison, has a lower average (.275), on-base percentage (.338) and slugging percentage (.383). Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 30, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 times. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply, with a maximum of up to five messages and no purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. Following the announcement of the 2016 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 12, watch the 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2016 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 87th All-Star Game, in San Diego, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Today In Phils History – In many ways this is the day of the homer for the Phillies. It starts in 1928 when Cy Williams and Johnny Schulte both hit pinch-hit home runs setting a team record and tying the MLB record. In 1945, Vince DiMaggio hit a pinch his grand slam but, like in the 1928 contest, the Phillies could hold on. 4 years later, the Phillies turned things up a notch in the 8^th inning against the Reds hitting 5 bombs in the inning including 2 by catcher Andy Seminick (Del Ennis, Schoolboy Rowe, and Willie Jones accounted for the other 3) which tied the MLB record for a single inning (and the 26 total bases recorded in the inning set the new MLB standard). 40 years later, the Phillies were on the receiving end of what would be a pivotal trade when they sent Chris James to the Padres for Randy Ready and John Kruk. The homeruns continued in 2002 when pitcher Robert Person contributed 2 longballs and earned the win against the Expos. And, finally, on the same night that Antonio Bastardo made his major league debut, Rual Ibanez celebrated his 37^th birthday in style by going deep twice (the first being the 200^th of his career) in a win against the Padres.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-27 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 51-49-0 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. Let the rebuild begin!

Speaking Of Phillies Pitchers…

PHILS PHACTS:

Loaded AAA Rotation – The Phillies could have one of the most intriguing Triple-A rotations in 2016. Nobody knows what will happen in Spring Training, but on paper, the favorites to make the Phillies' rotation are Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Vincent Velasquez. That could put three of their top pitching prospects in Lehigh Valley in right-handers Mark Appel, Jake Thompson and Zach Eflin. The Phillies acquired each in a trade. Philadelphia got Appel on Saturday in the Ken Giles trade with Houston. It acquired Thompson in the Cole Hamels trade with Texas in July. And the Phils nabbed Elfin in the Jimmy Rollins trade with the Dodgers in December 2014. Appel, 24, is getting plenty of buzz in Philadelphia because he just arrived and because he is a former No. 1 pick and is ranked 43rd in MLBPipline.com's Top 100 Prospects list. He has excellent stuff, but his Minor League results have not backed that up. Appel has a 5.12 ERA in 54 appearances (53 starts) in the Minors, including a 4.48 ERA in 12 starts last season with Triple-A Fresno. But his repertoire is why some still think Appel can be a front-line starter. "We still believe in the player's talent," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said Monday. "We still believe in his makeup and his competitiveness. We believe Mark Appel is going to fit right in with what we're trying to do. I would expect he'll be in Major League camp and have the ability to showcase himself there and hopefully make a contribution in 2016 and for a long time. The biggest thing that we still believe in is that Mark Appel has great stuff. He's had great stuff since he was at Stanford, and he still does. Players develop at different rates. And there are different factors for that for everybody." Perhaps Appel leaving his hometown of Houston, where he had the pressure to succeed as the first overall pick in the 2013 Draft, will help him. "I think that's certainly a possibility," Klentak said. "I don't know the person all that well yet. I spoke with him on Saturday, and he seems like a terrific kid. I was really excited, and more importantly, he was really excited. I think there's something to that. Expectations in this game are real, and pressures in this game are real, and sometimes there are good reasons for it and sometimes not. "Sometimes, a change of scenery can really help players. Now we have to do our part [in] helping him change that scenery as well. It's not a matter of just changing uniforms. We are going to have to put him in a good environment and help him do things that will have him reach his ceiling, as we would do with any player. I do think what is encouraging to us is the physical stuff that allowed him to be drafted 1-1 is still there, and that's what's exciting to us."

Minor Staff Update – The Phillies announced their player development staff for 2016 on Tuesday. There are no significant changes, with every manager returning. That includes Dave Brundage (Triple-A Lehigh Valley), Dusty Wathan (Double-A Reading), Greg Legg (Class A Advanced Clearwater), Shawn Williams (Class A Lakewood), Pat Borders (Class A Short-Season Williamsport) and Roly deArmas (Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies). The coordinator staff also remains intact: Doug Mansolino (field), Andy Tracy (hitting/assistant field), Rafael Chaves (pitching), Chris Truby (infield), Andy Abad (outfield/baserunning), Ernie Whitt (catching), Joe Rauch (athletic training/rehab) and Jason Meredith (strength & conditioning). Ray Burris will be the rehab pitching coach, and Carlos Arroyo remains the roving pitching coach. Here is a look at the rest of the staff: Lehigh Valley: Sal Rende returns as a coach. David Lundquist is the new pitching coach. Reading: Frank Cacciatore will be Wathan's coach, while Steve Schrenk joins the staff as pitching coach. Clearwater: Rob Ducey will be a coach. Aaron Fultz is the pitching coach. Lakewood: Nelson Prada will be the coach, and Brian Sweeney will be the pitching coach. Williamsport: Hector Berrios will be the pitching coach. Former Phillies assistant hitting coach John Mizerock will be a new coach for Williamsport. Mizerock will coach at Lehigh Valley until Williamsport's season begins in June. GCL Phillies: Rafael DeLima and Eddie Dennis will coach. Hector Mercado rejoined the organization as the pitching coach. Mercado, a left-hander, pitched parts of the 2002 and '03 seasons for the Phillies.

What Could Have Been – There's no shortage of ways for friends and family members to exchange gifts during the holiday season: Secret Santa, that thing where everyone grabs a string and pulls at the same time to get a small present out of the same box... Well, back on Dec. 16, 2009, four MLB teams decided to do a Yankee Swap that ironically didn't involve the Yankees. The Phillies, Blue Jays, Mariners and A's came to terms on an epic nine-player trade that featured seven top prospects, $6 million, two AL Cy Young Award-winning pitchers and a partridge in a pear tree. Here's how it looked. Phillies got: Roy Halladay, Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies, Juan Ramirez and $6 million. Blue Jays got: Kyle Drabek, Brett Wallace and Travis d'Arnaud. Mariners got: Cliff Lee. A's got: Michael Taylor (not that Michael Taylor). The Mariners flipped Lee to the Rangers at the Trade Deadline in 2010, which meant that Lee pitched in and lost two consecutive World Series for two different teams ('09 Phillies, '10 Rangers). Halladay threw a perfect game and a postseason no-hitter for the 2010 Phillies, but the team lost to the Giants in the NLCS. Your browser does not support iframes.  After the 2010 season, Lee -- a free agent -- signed back with the Phillies to join Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in a highly touted rotation. The Phils lost the fofllowing year's NLDS to the Cardinals in five games and have not been back to the postseason since. Lee is looking to make an MLB comeback in 2016.

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.

Only The Blue Survive This Postseason

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

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

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

Blue Jays Eliminate Rangers 6-3

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

Royals Eliminate Astros 7-2

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

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

American League Division Series

Kansas City Eliminated Houston 3-2

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

Toronto Eliminated Texas 3-2

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

National League Division Series

Chicago Eliminated St. Louis 3-1

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

New York and Los Angeles tied 2-2

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

National League Championship Series

Chicago at TBD

Game 1: Saturday, October 17, at TBD

American League Championship Series

Toronto at Kansas City

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.