Phillies Start September With Rest

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies continue to slide as they enter September but are still on pace to improve on their record from last season… although that isn’t saying much.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Galvis hit seven home runs in 603 plate appearances last season, but he hit his 15th homer of the season in his 512th plate appearance in the fifth to tie the game at 1. Galvis is just the third shortstop in Phillies history to hit 20 or more doubles and 15 or more homers in a season. Jimmy Rollins (six times) and Granny Hamner are the others.
• "Not really. Actually, now I'm hungrier. I want to go back there. I know that it takes a lot of work to be there with all those star guys. I know why you would think that it made me feel comfortable because I'm not doing what I was doing before, but no, no, I'm hungry. I want to get better." -- Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, on if he has become too comfortable since making the NL All-Star team. He has a .656 OPS since he learned he made the team. He had an .833 OPS beforehand.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a three-game series against the Braves on Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (10-8, 3.80 ERA) faces Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz (0-7, 4.66 ERA) in the series opener. Hellickson is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts this season against the Braves.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – In 1925, The Phillies allowed a franchise record 30 hits to New York in a 24-9 loss at the Baker Bowl. With his 14^th of the year (of future teammate Pete Incaviglia), Terry Mulholland set the new MLB record for pickoffs in a season (the stat became official 3 years prior). Mike Lieberthal set the new single season franchise record for homeruns by a catcher with his 28^th of the season in 1999 in the Phillies last game at Candlestick Park (Randy Wolf’s brother Jim was one of the umpires making it only the 2^nd time in MLB history that such a family affair occurred during a game). With a win over Florida in 2011, the Phillies improved their record to 88-46 making it the 1^st time in franchise history that the team had 42 or more wins than losses. Some of the notable debuts that occurred on this day include Lonnie Smith (1978), Ryne Sandberg (1981), and Maikel Franco (2014).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-73 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 62-53-0 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 Still Lose Even On A Day Off

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

While there was no action on the field the Phillies there was plenty of action in the front office which had left many Phillies phans at a loss.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies and Class A Lakewood announced a four-year extension to their player development contract. The BlueClaws will remain in the South Atlantic League through the 2020 season. 

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies return to action Friday when they open a three-game series against the Mets at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. ET. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.21 ERA) faces Mets right-hander Bartolo Colon (11-7, 3.36 ERA) in the series opener.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ruiz Traded! – The Phillies got a lifetime's worth of memories on an $8,000 investment in Carlos Ruiz in 1998. Ruiz teamed up with Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels to win one World Series, two National League pennants and five consecutive NL East titles from 2007 to 2011. He was not the best player on those teams, but he was one of the most popular, both in the clubhouse and in the stands. Everybody called him Chooch, and Chooch caught the final pitch of the 2008 World Series, running into Brad Lidge's arms to celebrate. He caught Roy Halladay's perfect game and postseason no-hitter in 2010, a combined no-hitter in 2014 and Hamels' no-hitter in 2015, and made the NL All-Star team in 2012. But the Phillies traded him and cash on Thursday to the Dodgers for catcher A.J. Ellis, Class A right-hander Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named. Ruiz had full no-trade rights, so he could have rejected the move, but in the end, the pull of another World Series championship proved too strong. "My heart and everything was in Philly," Ruiz said in a telephone interview with MLB.com, just a couple hours after the Phillies announced the deal. "I'm definitely going to miss the fans, the city, my teammates, the organization. It was tough to make that decision. It's sad to leave, but another part of me is happy, because I've got an opportunity to go to the postseason and the playoffs and have a chance to go back to the World Series." Chooooooooooch! Fans yelled his nickname, not only at Citizens Bank Park but wherever the Phillies played, no matter how far from home. He served a 25-game suspension in 2013 for Adderall, but it never dimmed his popularity. Chooch hit .266 with 213 doubles, seven triples, 68 home runs and 401 RBIs in 1,069 games with the Phillies. He started eight times on Opening Day (2008-12, 2014-16). He hit .353 with four doubles, one triple, two home runs, five RBIs and a 1.194 OPS in 11 World Series games. He also delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 3 of the 2008 World Series. He hit a three-run homer odd Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the 2009 NLCS. But Ruiz, 37, said the $8,000 signing bonus he received in 1998 is his most important Phillies moment, because it started everything. "They gave me the opportunity to be a professional player," he said. "That was the biggest thing. They gave me that first step. There definitely were a lot of good memories with the Phillies. They were like a family." Ruiz said the Phillies approached him over the weekend about a possible trade. He spoke to his wife, his family and his agent, Marc Kligman, about it. "I have a lot of good people around me, so I tried to get some different opinions and information about what they think," he said. "Because I was like, I don't know what I'm going to do." Ruiz said the answer finally came to him on Wednesday, when he met with Phillies general manager Matt Klentak and manager Pete Mackanin in Mackanin's office at U.S. Cellular Field. "OK, I'm ready," he said. "Ultimately, this was about doing the right thing for Carlos Ruiz, because he has meant so much to this organization," Klentak said. Klentak said that the Phillies insisted on Ellis in the deal because "it was important as this team parts ways with Carlos, who has been such an important leader for so long, that we add a player with a tremendous reputation as a leader and worker." Ellis, like Ruiz, had spent his entire career with one organization, and he was devastated by the news. "Really, really sad day for me, for my family," Ellis said. "One thing I'm most proud of, being with the Dodgers my entire career. Drafted in '03, being the longest-tenured Dodger is something I'm extremely proud of. It's gone in a blink of the eye, without a chance to feel finality to it. Rips your heart out." Ruiz had mixed emotions, too, but unlike Ellis, he is joining a team that has a chance to win a World Series. "I feel like we made the right decision," Ruiz said. "I cannot wait to go there and do my best to help the Dodgers go to the playoffs. But I'm definitely going to miss Philly." He made a point to recognize Phillies fans before the call ended. "Oh, wow," he said. "They're a big part of my career. They were unbelievable. They were the best. They supported me and my teammates. I always tried to do my best to keep the fans happy by doing my best on the field. I think they knew that. I'm going to miss them, for sure. I'm going to miss the city. They meant a lot to me. I just want to say thank you for their support and everything. I love them, and I'm going to miss them."

A Phillies Legacy – Current and former Phillies showed their love for Carlos Ruiz on Thursday, just hours after the Phillies announced they had traded him to the Dodgers. Here is what they said: Pete Mackanin: "I met Chooch in 2009 for the first time and immediately sensed that he was a special player. But more importantly, over the years I grew to know that he is a special person. I'll miss him." Jamie Moyer: "Carlos not only was -- and is -- a good teammate, he learned how to become the leader he needed to be behind the plate running a pitching staff. As a teammate, he always had that Ruiz smile that we all have come to love!" Ruben Amaro Jr.: "Carlos was and is one of my favorite players and people in the game. His story is spectacular. Carlos grew from being a young, shy prospect to being a vital part of what should be regarded as the finest core of Phillies players ever assembled. The memory of Carlos catching the last pitch of the 2008 season and making that dramatic last play in the playoffs against Cincinnati to preserve Doc's [Roy Halladay] postseason no-hitter will forever be imprinted in my mind and in my heart. I hope he gets another chance at October baseball." Cole Hamels: "Carlos was such an important part of my growth as a pitcher. His preparation and instinct as a catcher set him apart as one of the best, and I feel fortunate to have pitched with him while we were teammates in Philadelphia. His positive clubhouse personality was infectious and he had great respect for the Phillies organization and the fans. He will leave behind a legacy for the catchers that come up through the Phillies' system on how to play 'the Phillie Way.'" Brad Lidge: "Chooch's impact on Philly will never be forgotten. He was a legendary catcher and clutch hitter. No catcher took more pride in their pitcher's performances than he did. No one worked harder, no one cared more. He's a Phillie legend and one of the best teammates I've ever had." Rich Dubee: "It is good to see that Chooch got traded to a team that he had so much playoff success against. Carlos was a real leader and backbone of those winning pitching staffs." Charlie Manuel: "Chooch came to the big leagues and worked hard to become a regular, frontline catcher, which is to be commended. He was easy to coach and fun to be around because he loves playing baseball. One of my great joys of managing the Phillies was being at the ballpark with Chooch. I hope he gets to play in the big leagues as long as he wants. We will all miss him in Philadelphia, but continue to root for him no matter what uniform he is in." Chris Coste: "During his time with the Phillies there were plenty of superstars, but you could argue that Chooch was the most valuable. He was the rock, both on the field and in the clubhouse. Those of us behind the scenes were aware of his value, and although it took a few years, it was clear that the 'Phans' also knew what he meant to Philadelphia." Roy Halladay: "Chooch was the little engine that could for a team loaded with big names, but no player was more valuable to the team as a whole then Carlos! He was so humble and grateful you couldn't help but just want to do anything for him including win! He flawlessly handled one of the greatest pitching staffs ever assembled and was just as important offensively, as well. It was nothing short of miraculous that he could handle so many different personalities and approaches on a day-to-day basis the way that he did. "He was the best catcher I've ever thrown to and, in my opinion, the best catcher in baseball in the years I was with him. It's going to be sad to see him without a Phillies uniform on and not seeing him sitting in his chair in the clubhouse with a smile. And just the way the fans treated Chase last week, Chooch is also deserving of that hero's welcome. They are my two favorite players of all time as well as favorite teammates. I was fortunate to have both of them in the clubhouse. I want to wish good luck to Carlos. Maybe one day when we're old and gray we can come back to Philly!"

Today In Phils History – Phillies manager Kaiser Wilhelm made the final appearance of his career in 1921 at the age of 45. In a doubleheader sweep of the Phillies in 1939 the Cardinals tied a MLB record with their 8^th consecutive double header sweep. Niles Jordan pitched a shutout in his MLB debut with the Phillies in 1951 during the second game of a double header. In 1988, Ron Jones hit a homerun in his 2^nd MLB at bat. Bobby Abreu became the 3^rd Phillie to hit 3 grand slams in a season in 2005 which was also the 6^th of his career. 3 years later, Chris Coste went 4 for 4 and drives in the winning run despite not entering until the 8^th inning against the Mets. Finally, happy birthday to a whole host of Phillies including Ricky Bottalico (1969), Jayson Nix (1982), Kyle Kendrick (1984), Mario Hollands (1988), and Maikel Franco (1992).   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-68 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-58-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Hard Hitters Taking A Break

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies took the day off to recover from the discomfort incurred by the Cardinals on Sunday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• After homering in 14 consecutive games, the Phillies had their streak snapped on Sunday.
• Thompson is the No. 67 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. He has struggled in his first three starts and has not thrown more than five innings in any of them.
• Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.91 ERA) faces White Sox right-hander James Shields (5-15, 5.98 ERA) on Wednesday night.

NEXT GAME:

The last time the Phillies visited U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox were a year away from winning their last World Series, while the Phillies were four years away from winning their last World Series. The teams open a two-game series Tuesday night, their first on the south side of Chicago since 2004. White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-8, 4.26 ERA) faces Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson (1-2, 8.79 ERA) in the series opener. Rodon has been on a roll this month, going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts. He has walked five and struck out 16 in 18 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hitting It Hard – The only thing Cameron Rupp knows is that he has hit the ball hard. Rupp does not know the velocity of the baseball as it leaves his bat. He does not particularly care that he is 39th out of more than 300 hitters in average exit velocity at 92.1 mph, according to Statcast™. But he likes to know that his average exit velocity confirms what he is feeling at the plate -- he is making solid contact more often than not. "There's no need to change anything if I'm hitting the ball hard," Rupp said. Major League Baseball's Statcast™ system is in its second full season, and more and more players are becoming aware of the numbers as they appear on TV and online in stories. Sports Illustrated just featured one about Statcast™, reporting that Tampa Bay Rays players are told on the first day of Spring Training that they are measured by exit velocity, not batting average. "It's a term they use exclusively, like nothing else matters," a Rays player told SI. It also reported these interesting tidbits: In 2014, the Mets' front office chose Lucas Duda over Ike Davis as the club's first baseman largely because Duda had a far better exit velocity. One front office reportedly balked at trying to acquire Royals closer Wade Davis before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline because it noticed a drop in the spin rate on his pitches. Davis landed on the disabled list with an elbow injury a short time later, although he is pitching again. Teams clearly are using the information, including the Phillies. "If there is information available to us that can help to improve our decision making, then we will absolutely incorporate it," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "Exit velocity data certainly falls into that category. Is it powerful? Yes. Are we using it? Absolutely. But is it the only thing we're looking at? Of course not." Tommy Joseph is 62nd in the Majors with an average exit velocity at 91.3 mph. "I do check on it," Joseph said. "It's not so much a number for me. It's a number that I look at for other players around the league, just to see how they're doing it to try to put the swings together -- 'OK, what makes him that good of a player?' I think that's how anybody is. Any big left-handed hitter is going to look at other big left-handed hitters. Guys like me, I'm going to look at Kris Bryant and Nolan Arenado." A friend recently told Joseph that his stats page at MLB.com broke down his hitting zone based on his average exit velocity. Naturally, he hopped online to look. "The down-and-away one was pretty low," Joseph said with a smile. "The ones out of the strike zone weren't real high, either. That stuff didn't surprise me, but it was neat to know. Like, 'OK, I handle a pitch there really well. But maybe there the contact isn't as hard.' So from that perspective it tells you, 'OK, here's an adjustment I need to make, because I'm not making as solid contact as consistently in that area.' I love those stats." Ryan Howard makes more hard contact than anybody else on the Phillies. He is 33rd in the Majors with an average exit velocity at 92.5 mph. Of course, he is hitting .198 with 19 home runs, 43 RBIs and a .697 OPS in 286 plate appearances, so hard contact has not translated into consistent success. But Howard has hit .312 with eight homers, 18 RBIs and a 1.021 OPS in 81 plate appearances since July 1. Other things might be at play for Howard's recent improvement. First, those hard-hit balls are finally falling. His batting average on balls in play was .150 before July 1. It is .348 since. Second, Howard is making more contact. His strikeout rate has dropped from 31.7 percent before July 1 to 28.4 percent after July 1. Put more hard hit balls in play and those balls have a chance to find a piece of turf in the outfield. Howard is also hitting line drives 25.9 percent of the time he puts the ball in play since July 1, compared to 21.8 percent beforehand. "If you're hitting balls hard and you don't really have a lot to show for it because balls aren't falling, yeah, I guess you're trying to find a positive out of it," Howard said. "If you're making hard outs, hopefully they start finding their way through. That's what you want to do: make solid contact. It's not like I hit it and I say, 'Hey, what's that velocity?'" Of course, no player asks that question. But they do know when they crush one. And that is when Rupp pays closer attention to the Statcast™ numbers. "When they say how far they go," he said with a laugh, "I want to know how far my homers went."

Today In Phils History – The Phillies made the mistake of hitting the ball to Pittsburgh’s Fred Clarke in 1910 as he recorded 4 OF assists in the game. Irish Meusel hit an inside the park grand slam in 1918 but it wasn’t enough as the Phillies lost to the Reds. In addition to the Cardinals turning a triple play against the Phillies in 1947, Joe Medwick also hit his final (205^th) homerun of his career after angrily yelling at the Phillies dugout that he was going to hit the next pitch out. 20 years later, the Phillies lost Dick Allen for the season when he cut his hand on the broken headlight of his car. An oddity occurred in 1992 when the Cearwater Phillies beat the Winter Haven Red Sox 1-0 without either team collecting a hit. Scott Rolen tied a team and MLB record on this day in 1999 when he struck out 5 times against the Padres. A decade later, the Phillies Eric Brunlett turned an unassisted triple play against the Mets off a Jeff Francoeur line drive. Finally, happy birthday to two players who had short tenues with the Phillies, Julio Franco (1958) and Bobby Estalella (1974).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-67 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 36-60-0 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.

Red Hot Phillies Take A Break From The Heat

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies earned their day off yesterday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies infielder Cesar Hernandez enters Tuesday's series opener with a 21-game on-base streak. He's the third Phillies player this season to reach base in 20 more straight games.
• The series win over the Phillies was the Dodgers' fifth in their last six. Combined with the Giants' recent struggles, Los Angeles has rallied from 6 1/2 games back to within one of the division lead.
• The Dodgers took two of three from the Phillies when they met in Los Angeles last week, winning the first two before losing to Jeremy Hellickson in the series finale. 

NEXT GAME:

By now, the Phillies and Dodgers should be pretty familiar with each other. At least they're about to be, with a three-game series starting in Philadelphia on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Only one series separates their three games in Los Angeles and the Dodgers' upcoming visit to Philadelphia. Vince Velasquez doesn't get a break from his hometown team. The Pomona, Calif., native pitched in front of more than 100 friends and family at Dodger Stadium in his start Tuesday. Velasquez didn't exactly put on a show, as he allowed nine runs -- a career-high -- and exited with just one out in the fifth. Tuesday's series opener is a rematch of Velasquez and Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda exactly one week later. In their last matchup, Maeda walked a batter for the first time in three starts. He walked two, giving him just three over his past six. Over that stretch, Maeda is averaging less than a walk per nine innings and has a 35:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The game will also be Chase Utley's first at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies traded him last August. He recently admitted that his return "might be a bit emotional."

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Returns – It is unlikely Chase Utley will shed a tear as he steps into the batter's box Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Expressing his feelings is not his style. In fact, standing and chatting inside the Dodgers' dugout last week at Dodger Stadium, Utley only allowed that his first trip to Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him last August "might be a bit emotional." There should be more than a few standing ovations and a few tips of the cap as the Phillies and Dodgers play a three-game series this week. In preparation for a week of Utley memories, here are eight of Utley's greatest moments with the Phils: 1. Utley's first hit: April 24, 2003: In his first career start in his second career game, Utley hit a grand slam against Colorado's Aaron Cook in the third inning at Veterans Stadium. It was the first of Utley's five grand slams with the Phillies. 2. The Streak: June 23- Aug. 3, 2006: Utley had a 35-game hitting streak, which is tied for the 11th longest in baseball history. 3. The Speech: Oct. 31, 2008: The tightlipped Utley gave one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history following the team's World Series championship parade. He announced to the crowd at Citizens Bank Park that the Phillies were "world champions" -- only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fan base 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. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said 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." 4. Beat the Mets, beat the Mets: Aug. 30, 2007: Utley tormented the Mets in his career, but this one sticks out because it contributed to the Mets' collapse as the Phillies won their first National League East title since 1993. The Phils trailed the Mets by one run in the ninth, but with the game tied, Utley ripped a single against Mets closer Billy Wagner to right field to score Tadahito Iguchi from second base. It was the fourth of Utley's five walk-off hits with Philadelphia. 5. Game 1 of 2009 World Series: Oct. 28, 2009: Many Phillies fans remember Game 1 of the 2009 World Series for Cliff Lee's excellence, but Utley hit two home runs in the 6-1 victory. Utley hit five home runs in the series, matching Reggie Jackson for the most in a single Fall Classic. 6. Game 1 of 2008 World Series: Oct. 22, 2008: Utley hit a two-run home run in the first inning against Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was the perfect start to the series for the Phils, who would win their first World Series title in 28 years. 7. "Chase Utley, you are the man!": Aug. 9, 2006: Utley made plenty of hustle plays in his Phillies career, but this one is immortalized because of Harry Kalas' call. Utley stood on second base when Ryan Howard chopped a ball into the air. Braves pitcher Macay McBride caught the ball and tossed it to first baseman Scott Thorman. Meanwhile, Utley never stopped running and scored from second on a ball that never left the infield. The best part of the play besides Utley's hustle and Kalas' call? Charlie Manuel smiling as he kept looking into the dugout as if to say, "Can you believe he just did that?" 8. Utley outsmarts the Rays: Oct. 29, 2008: In a decisive Game 5, the Phillies and Rays were tied in the seventh inning at 3. Jason Bartlett stood on second base when Akinori Iwamura hit a ground ball up the middle. Utley fielded the ball with his momentum carrying him toward left field. He had no play at first, but he pump-faked a throw there anyway. The fake convinced Rays third-base coach Tom Foley to send Bartlett home. But Utley threw a one-hopper to Carlos Ruiz, who applied the tag for the out to end the inning. It was vintage Utley, always thinking one step ahead of the action on the field.

Today In Phils History – Sherry Magee returned from his 36 game suspension on this day in 1911. Dick Allen didn’t get a chance to swing the bat on this day in 1968 as he was walked in all 5 of his plate appearances setting a team record and tying the NL record. The following season Rick Wise shutout Houston for the 4^th consecutive shutout for the Phillies. In 1977, the Phillies won the last of their 13 game winning streak. Tom Hume and Kent Tekulve combined to 1 hit the Pirates on this day in 1986. 10 years ago today, single A Clearwater pitcher Julio De La Cruz threw a no hitter against Sarasota walking only 1 during the contest. Finally, happy birthday to Willie Jones (1925) and Al Holland (1952).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 56-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-60-1 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 Get Some Rest

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies return home to face Colorado after a rocky road trip.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• It has been a bad week for the Phillies' rotation. They placed Aaron Nola on the disabled list on Aug. 3 and Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday only to watch Hellickson leave the game after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back. He had retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced before leaving the game. Hellickson said he will be OK, but if he cannot make his next start, the Phillies will need to find two new starters to pitch next week. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. 
• Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games, dating to July 23.

NEXT GAME:

The Phils do not play Thursday, but they open a three-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie right-hander Jake Thompson makes the second start of his career after getting hit hard in his big league debut over the weekend against the Padres.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – The Phillies recorded their 13^th straight win on this day in 1991 setting the team’s modern day record (post 1900). In 2009, Shane Victorino makes the routine play on a fly ball against the Cubs despite having a Wrigley fan in the bleachers throw a beer in his face. 2 years later, on the same night that John Kruk is inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame, Chase Utley sets the franchise record for games played at 2B, passing Tony Taylor. 3 years ago, with a win over the Braves, Charlie Manuel records career win number 1,000. Finally, it was on this day 120 years ago when future Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie made his MLB debut with the Phillies.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 53-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 48-49-0 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.

No Deadline Deals To Be Found

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday!

The Phillies return home from their road trip with the same roster in place and no moves on the horizon… it really was an off day off.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The Phillies went 4-6 on their road trip through Pittsburgh, Miami and Atlanta. They hit just .151 (13-for-86) with runners in scoring position.
• Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp is quietly putting up some of the better numbers among catchers in baseball. He entered Sunday with a .797 OPS, which ranked fourth among 21 qualified catchers. Giants catcher Buster Posey ranked third (.803 OPS).
• The Giants are happy to leave July behind. They entered Sunday with a 10-13 mark in July, making it their worst month of the season.
• Giants infielder Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base Saturday in his first start with his new team. Since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920, the only other Giants to drive in two runs and steal a base in their first start for the Giants are Johnny Vergez (1931 at Philadelphia) and Fran Healy (1971 vs. Cubs). 

NEXT GAME:

The last time Giants ace Madison Bumgarner faced the Phillies, he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in a loss at AT&T Park in June. Bumgarner (10-6, 2.09 ERA) hopes for better results Tuesday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, where the teams open a three-game series. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 3.27 ERA in eight career starts against the Phillies. He faces Phillies rookie Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.23 ERA). Eflin allowed seven runs in five innings last week in a loss to the Marlins in Miami, but he had a 2.08 ERA in his previous seven starts, including a shutout on July 22 against the Pirates.

PHILS PHACTS:

Holding Assets – Matt Klentak had talent to trade, but the Phillies stood pat as Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline passed. Sources indicated that the Phillies had a high asking price for Jeremy Hellickson. It is unclear if the club came close to a deal, but some teams balked at the Phillies' demands because Hellickson can become a free agent following the season. Phillies relievers Jeanmar Gomez and David Hernandez received little interest. The Phillies and Rangers seriously discussed a Vince Velasquez trade, but such a deal was never close to completion. "We were pretty focused on making sure we appropriately balanced both the present and the future," Klentak said on Monday evening. "If there was a trade to be made that made sense on both fronts, then we would have done it. We had a lot of dialogue with quite a few teams about a number of players on our club. Never once did I feel that the appropriate balance would be struck with the return in a trade." The Phillies, one of just three teams not to make a trade before the Deadline, had plenty of interest in Hellickson. The Marlins had engaged in serious talks. The Tigers, Blue Jays, Giants, Rangers and Orioles had scouted the right-hander's starts. But while 13 big league starting pitchers got moved before the Deadline, Hellickson remains with the Phillies. "Whether we have overvalued him in the trade market, I don't know," Klentak said. "But certainly, we do value what he brings to our team. The last two months of the year are as important as the prior four. We have some younger pitchers that are going to be approaching innings totals for the season that they have never approached. To me, having a veteran starter that is able and capable of giving us six or seven innings a night to continue to allow our young starters to develop the way that we want them to -- there's a huge value in that to us." Klentak also felt comfortable sticking to his demands because the Phillies are expected to make a qualifying offer to Hellickson following the season. Teams that make a qualifying offer receive a compensatory Draft pick if a player signs with another team. If history is any indication, Hellickson will reject the Phillies' qualifying offer. Only three of 20 players accepted a qualifying offer last year, and none accepted over the previous three years. Hellickson's agent is Scott Boras, who is likely to tout his client as a top pitcher in a relatively thin free-agent market for starting pitching. Expecting that Hellickson will decline the offer, the Phillies wanted a prospect commensurate in talent to a top Draft pick. If Hellickson surprises the Phillies and he accepts a qualifying offer, they can afford the one-year contract, which would be worth roughly $16.5 million, because they have almost no financial commitments beyond this season. And while Aaron Nola, Velasquez, Jerad Eickhoff, Zach Eflin and Triple-A right-hander Jake Thompson certainly look to be the makings of a talented rotation, pitchers get injured and struggle. Hellickson could be a steadying presence in the rotation for another season. "I will say that we have very supportive ownership and very few future commitments," Klentak said about possibly retaining Hellickson next season. Of course, there is risk involved. First, prospects are coveted because they have a track record in professional baseball and are projectable, whereas top Draft picks are valuable but untested in pro ball. Second, teams that sign a free agent with a qualifying offer forfeit their highest unprotected Draft pick. The teams with the top 10 selections have their first-round picks protected. Attaching a qualifying offer to Hellickson could make him less attractive to teams and potentially push him toward accepting the one-year deal. Hellickson's stock might never be higher than it is now. He is 8-7 with a 3.70 ERA in 22 starts, having posted a 2.49 ERA in his last eight starts. He had a 4.86 ERA in 71 starts over the previous three seasons with the Rays and D-backs. Next season, if Hellickson regresses to his performance from 2013-15, the Phillies will have lost an opportunity to acquire talent for a pitcher who is not expected to be part of their long-term plans. "We have to factor in the risk, the reward, what harm it does to our Major League club if a player is not here anymore and assess that in totality," Klentak said. "Once a player is in professional baseball and has a track record of facing professional competition, we have a better sense of how that player is going to develop than we do at the collegiate and high school level. I'm happy to acknowledge that. I don't think that will come as a shock to anybody. But those Draft picks have value as well." So Klentak's first non-waiver Trade Deadline was a quiet one. Of course, trades can still be made before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline, although they become more difficult. Perhaps Hellickson, Gomez, Hernandez, Peter Bourjos, Carlos Ruiz or others will be traded before then. "We're not under economic pressure to send money out the door, and we're not looking to just dump veterans for the sake of dumping veterans," Klentak said. "That's not the business we are in. We want to make sure that the kids on our team are being mentored by the right veterans and the product on the field is as good as it can be. Our position in August will be the same as it was this week. If there's a good baseball trade that provides us with the right value, then we will pursue it. If not, we will let it pass."

Williams Getting Some Attention – Here's a look at top prospects to watch in Tuesday's Minor League action: Hitter to watch: Nick Williams (Phillies' No. 3), Lehigh Valley vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Williams went 2-for-4 and hit a two-run home run on Monday to help power Triple-A Lehigh Valley past Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 22-year-old outfielder, ranked No. 60 on the Top 100, has gone deep 11 times in 97 games for the IronPigs, while the multi-hit performance improved his season average and OPS to .286 and .784, respectively.

Today In Phils History – Don Hurst hit his 6^th homerun in as many games as the Phillies shut out the Pirates in 1929. 3B Dolph Camilli made 3 errors in the 1^st inning of a game against the Dodgers in 1935. Tony Taylor hit a walk off grand slam against the Giants on this day in 1970. In 1986, the Phillies recorded a franchise record 5 triples (Gary Redus had 2) against the Cubs at the Vet. Jimmy Rollins hit his 4^th leadoff homerun of the season (he added another long ball later in the game) to tie the franchise record for the 3^rd year in a row in 2006. 3 years ago, the Phillies inducted Curt Schilling into the Wall of Fame.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 48-59 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-58-1 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.

Almost Ready For The Second Half

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 45-58-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Bring Up Some Of That Reading Offense!

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies are off until Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

1^st Half Recap – Things were always going to be different for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016. They entered Spring Training with a different president, general manager and manager than the spring before. The Phillies' clubhouse in Clearwater, Fla., had a different feel, too. Of course, that happens when veterans like Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon are replaced with youngsters like Maikel Franco, Vince Velasquez, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff. Out with the old, in with the new. And a few more victories, too. The Phils had the worst record in baseball last season, but they entered the All-Star break at 42-48, which is 11th from the bottom. While that is not good enough to make a run at the postseason, it is sign of progress. And that is what this season is about: making progress in the rebuild. Here is a look back at the Phillies' first half: WHAT WENT RIGHT: Anybody who followed the Phillies closely should have figured they would be better because their starting pitching would be better. Ten pitchers not named Hamels, Nola, Eickhoff and Adam Morgan posted a combined 6.19 ERA in 106 starts in 2015. But this season's rotation of Jeremy Hellickson, Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez has generally pitched well. The rotation's 4.32 ERA is in the top half in baseball. Pitching can overcome deficiencies elsewhere. Pitching wins. WHAT WENT WRONG: Until late June, Philadelphia's offense had been on pace to be the lowest-scoring team in a non-strike season since 1972. The lack of offense did not hurt the Phillies during their 24-17 start, but when the rotation started to struggle, the club had no chance to win. WHAT WE LEARNED: The Phils have the makings of a pretty solid rotation. They also have some intriguing arms in the bullpen. But they still need hitters. Herrera and Franco are safe bets to be part of the club's future. Cameron Rupp has been a surprise, putting him into play as well. But is there any other position where somebody would say, "That guy is probably going to be here in a couple of years"? Not really, which means the players currently in those positions still have plenty to prove. FIRST-HALF TOP POSITION PLAYER: Herrera was the Phillies' only All-Star representative, and it was because he had been consistently good since Opening Day. The guy can flat out hit. He has also dramatically improved his walk rate from his rookie season. If the Phils can find some consistent hitting behind Herrera, he will be a dangerous leadoff hitter. FIRST-HALF TOP PITCHER: Nola had the nod through May, but then he struggled in his final five starts before the break. Velasquez has dazzled at times, but Eickhoff has been the rotation's most consistent pitcher. He posted a 3.80 ERA in 18 starts and proved to be the Phillies' stopper during their grueling stretch from mid-May to late June. FIRST-HALF TOP ROOKIE: Believe it or not, but a young team like the Phils doesn't have a bunch of rookies on the roster. Tommy Joseph is the most notable. He got promoted from Triple-A in mid-May and played so well that manager Pete Mackanin formally moved Ryan Howard to the bench. Joseph struggled for a bit, but he finished the first half on a high note. It will be a big second half for him as he tries to prove he should be the team's first baseman going forward.

Future Power – You couldn't even see his face. At 6-foot-6, his 235-pound, built-like-a-lineman frame towered over you from the top step of the first-base dugout at FirstEnergy Stadium, his head cut out of sight by the dugout roof. Dylan Cozens was a day away from going in San Diego for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, during which he'd put the most balls over the wall of anyone in batting practice despite being surrounded by baseball's highest ranked prospects, despite the fact that he doesn't even crack the top 10 in MLBPipeline.com's ranking of the Phillies' system. But before he made the cross-country voyage, the Minors' most prolific power hitter had one more three-hit night in him. Single. Triple. Home run. Reading, the best team in professional baseball -- with as many wins at the All-Star break as the 116-win 2001 Mariners -- hit blackjack in the runs column last Friday. The victim? David Hess and the Bowie Baysox -- just another in a line of teams unable to quiet the bats of Cozens or his Fightin' Phils teammates, who have scored in double digits 14 times this season and average nearly six runs a game. Cozens' 24 home runs are second only in the Minors to the 25 put up by the man who hits behind him, first baseman Rhys Hoskins. At the Major League level, only three teams have hit fewer home runs than the Phillies the past two seasons. "I've always been able to hit the ball a long way," Cozens says. He's also always been the tall one. And the athletic one. But only more recently has he been the big one. His defensive tackle of a father, Randy, had him doing daily pushups since before he can remember -- he could do 100 at a time as a 10-year-old, though he hasn't tried recently. But only toward the middle of his high school career did Cozens start to fill out. During his senior season at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., he broke the school's single-season home run record, set by Paul Konerko. At 22, Randy was in his final season of a four-year career as a defensive lineman at the University of Pittsburgh. A year away from being drafted by (but never playing for) the Denver Broncos, he checked in at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Dylan, now 22, was gifted with his father's size and athleticism, but he is thankful for more than just his fortunate genealogy. "[My father] was always tough on me," Cozens said. "You try to take that same 'football tough' mentality to every sport you play, just hustle and be aggressive." About that football mentality. Cozens, rated a three-star defensive end, passed on football scholarship offers from Arizona, Washington and Boise State to sign with the Phillies out of high school. Between baseball and football seasons, Cozens played basketball, too. The trifecta onot only helped Cozens build athleticism, it is the definition of it, Cozens says: "Being able to be versatile, have different forms of hand-eye coordination, speed, power; stuff like that I feel is what athleticism is all about." Ninety games into the Double-A season, Cozens' 24 home runs are paired with 16 stolen bases. Only three times in Major League history has a player his size swiped that many bags throughout a 162-game schedule. Cozens doesn't like being asked if he has outgrown Double-A. It's not up to him, so why focus on it? Anyway, there is more to work on, despite what an initial glance at his numbers may indicate. Only four of his home runs have come against left-handers, against whom he is hitting .186. His slugging percentage at FirstEnergy Stadium, historically a hitter's park, is double what it is away from home. He also doesn't remember much of his post-Draft BP session at Citizens Bank Park, during which he reportedly parked a couple of balls in the upper deck. It prompted then-general manager Ruben Amaro to describe Cozens as having "extraordinary power." Since then he's hit 62 regular-season homers. Tommy Joseph, a fellow Arizonan, is excited for the day Cozens returns to Citizens Bank Park, this time as a big leaguer rather than a draftee. "He'll hit balls further to left than I will," the right-handed-hitting Joseph says. "He's not a very fun guy to take BP with, just a fun guy to watch."

Today In Phils History – In 1979, Mike Schmidt notched his 31^st homerun of the year becoming the first Phillie to collect more than 30 before the All Star break. The following season, Steve Carlton appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Mike Schmidt passed Mickey Mantle on the All Time homerun list on this day in 1988 with his 537^th long ball. 2006 saw two events of note when Giants fielded the 1^st outfield in MLB history with all 3 players being 40 or older: Barry Bonds (41), Steve Finley (41), and Moises Alou (40). At AAA, Phillies prospect Brennan King was having a historic night as well hitting for the cycle and driving in 8 runs.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-45-2 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.