First And Second Chances On The Line

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Tame Tigers 4-3

Maikel Franco's sixth-inning infield single not only broke up a Tigers' Grapefruit League no-hit bid, it drove in Ryan Jackson with the go-ahead run, sending the Phillies on their way to a 4-3 win over the Tigers on a blustery Monday at Joker Marchant Stadium. Anibal Sanchez, who missed nearly a month with triceps inflammation, celebrated his first game action this spring with four hitless innings while Miguel Cabrera knocked in his eighth run. Sanchez overcame a leadoff walk in the first inning with eight groundouts -- one of them a double play -- and three strikeouts from there. Phillies starter Aaron Nola, facing the Tigers for the second time spring, countered Sanchez with six innings of two-hit ball in by far his best outing of the spring. Cabrera's third-inning RBI single comprised the only damage. Though new Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez followed Sanchez with a scoreless fifth, overcoming a two-out walk, Justin Wilson paid for back-to-back walks opening the sixth. David Lough's sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position for Tyler Goeddel's RBI groundout. And then Franco, the Grapefruit League's home run leader, hit a ground ball up the middle that left second baseman Andrew Romine with no play as Jackson crossed home plate. Cedric Hunter added a seventh-inning homer -- his third of the spring -- off Blaine Hardy, continuing the left-hander's struggles.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff makes his Grapefruit League debut Tuesday afternoon against the Twins at Bright House Field at 1:05 p.m. ET on MLB.TV. Eickhoff has been sidelined this spring after he fractured his right thumb last month. The right-hander has pitched six innings in Minor League games, so the Phillies believe he is on track to make the Opening Day roster.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hunter Hoping For Second Chance – Cedric Hunter very much remembers his first and only big league moment. It happened in the bottom of the sixth inning on April 5, 2011, at Petco Park. Hunter stepped into the batter's box as a pinch-hitter against Giants right-hander Guillermo Mota, who threw him a first-pitch sinker. Hunter laced the 92-mph pitch into center field for his first Major League hit in his third Major League game. Hunter's Padres teammates got the ball back. It was supposed to be a priceless memento from a once-in-a-lifetime moment. "I never got the ball," Hunter said after Monday's 4-3 victory over the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Joker Marchant Stadium. "They threw it in the dugout, told me they were going to do the print on it and everything, and I never got it." But the missing ball from Hunter's first and only stint in the big leagues five years ago has not become his Rosebud. "I think it's the way it should be," Hunter said. "If I get back up there again, I want it to be with a team that will be my home team. I feel like the Phillies really treat me well and I feel really comfortable in this organization with the coaches and the staff. I'm just excited for this." Because of injuries to Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche, Hunter, who signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies in January, has a chance to make the Phillies' Opening Day roster. At the moment, the Opening Day outfield could be Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel, with non-roster invitees David Lough and Hunter as the extra outfielders. Herrera has not played since March 12 because of a bruised left middle finger. He will be reexamined Tuesday, which is concerning. "It's every kid's dream," Hunter said about a spot on the roster. "I feel like this round would be a lot better than the last." The Padres selected Hunter in the third round of the 2006 Draft and his star quickly rose from there. The 28-year-old earned MVP honors in the Rookie-level Arizona League that same summer, and Baseball America named him San Diego's top prospect in 2007. But Hunter struggled in 2009 in Double-A San Antonio, and he dropped to No. 23 in the organizational rankings. He never reappeared, although he made the Padres' Opening Day roster in 2011 because of a great spring and a late injury to Eric Patterson. Hunter went 1-for-4 with one walk in six games before the Padres optioned him to Triple-A on April 9 to make room for a healthy Patterson. Hunter injured his left groin in July and missed the remainder of the season. He has jumped around since, opening Spring Training 2012 with Oakland before the A's traded him to St. Louis for cash that April. He signed Minor League contracts with the Indians, Braves and Phillies. "It's definitely something I didn't assume would happen in my life," Hunter said. "I think God just puts certain things in your life so you can grow from it. I was [23] when I got up there and I definitely shouldn't have been up there at that time. It just kind of worked out that way. I feel like now I'm a lot more mature. I've learned from a lot of veterans that I've been around in Major League camp, and I feel like it's a different feeling." But he also knows not to get wrapped up in being so close to the big leagues. The Phillies are talking to teams about acquiring another outfielder before Opening Day. If they acquire somebody, Hunter could open in Triple-A. "Obviously, we're thinking about it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "That remains to be seen. But I like both of the guys I got there [Lough and Hunter]. They've both been really good. Both of them fit right in. It's going to be a tough decision, whether we can keep one or two or whatever." Hunter went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs against the Tigers. He is hitting .302 (13-for-43) with four doubles, one triple, three home runs, 10 RBIs, three walks, seven strikeouts and a .991 OPS. Lough is hitting .310 (9-for-29) with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs, eight walks, five strikeouts and a .942 OPS. "I feel great, but in my mind I'm trying to stay content and just hear the words first than just assume," Hunter said. "We've got a week left. There's no telling what can happen in a week." Hunter knows better than anybody. He spent a week in the big leagues in 2011. He has been trying to get back ever since. "The big leagues are a big step, man," Hunter said. "I'm just glad to get a taste, but it's a little different this time."

Efficiency On Display – If Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola is not ready for the season to start, he looks close. Nola allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out three in six innings Monday afternoon in the Phillies' 4-3 victory over the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Joker Marchant Stadium. It was his best performance of the spring, which is a good thing considering Opening Day is two weeks away. "My body feels a little bit more in tune, my command feels a little bit more in tune," Nola said. "It felt good, other than the third inning when I walked the leadoff batter and he scored. I got myself in trouble that inning." Nola recorded 10 ground-ball outs, limiting him to 65 pitches. He threw his changeup more frequently later in the game, which proved effective. "I got some contact on that, some swings and misses on that, which I needed," he said. Nola has worked on his changeup throughout the spring. "I definitely feel like I've made a lot of strides with it since last year," he said. Nola is on schedule to start the second game of the season on April 6 in Cincinnati, which will allow him to start the home opener at Citizens Bank Park on April 11 against the Padres. Jeremy Hellickson is in line to start Opening Day on April 4, although the Phillies have made no official announcement. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said it could come in the next couple of days.

Futures Game Debut – The Phillies are trying something new before they open their season April 4 in Cincinnati, hosting a "Phillies Futures Game" on April 2 at Citizens Bank Park. The 2016 Phillies will play against some of the organization's top Minor League prospects, many of whom are on MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. That group is expected to include shortstop J.P. Crawford, outfielders Nick Williams and Roman Quinn and right-handers Jake Thompson, Mark Appel and Zach Eflin. Others are expected to be announced. In the past, the Phillies hosted a Major League team the weekend before the season opener. But the opportunity to see some of the best prospects in baseball could entice Phillies fans to the ballpark. "We are extremely excited to showcase some of our young talent from our Minor League roster, who will be selected to be on the Phillies Futures team," Phillies farm director Joe Jordan said. "It's going to be a fun matchup for our fans in Philadelphia as our Major League roster plays ball against the All-Stars of our farm system during the final Spring Training game of the season." Fans 14 and under will receive a PGW Phillies Futures Series Fathead, featuring the logos of the Phillies' Minor League affiliates. Fans can purchase tickets at phillies.com at the Phillies ticket windows at Citizens Bank Park. Ticket prices range from $10 to $35. Visit phillies.com/futures for further information and upcoming additions to the lineup.

Today In Phils History - Today is a simple recollection as we note that today would have been Cory Lidle's 44th birthday. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 14-5-2 record (15-5-2 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phillies Show Some Heart In Tie

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Tie Jays 4-4

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 0-1-1 record (1-1-1 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Two Young Players With Different Ambitions

PHILS PHACTS:

Not Letting The Grievance Get In The Way – If third baseman Maikel Franco becomes the player the Phillies expect him to be, the club will be delighted to have him under team control through 2021. But that's not a sure thing. Franco filed a grievance with the Phillies last year claiming they manipulated his service time to delay his eligibility for free agency. Franco opened the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and wasn't recalled until May 15, despite hitting .355 with a .923 OPS in 151 plate appearances in Triple-A. Franco accrued 170 days of service time with the Phillies, which is two days short of a full season. Those two days delayed his free agency from 2020 to '21. "Nothing has been decided at this point," Franco's agent, Ryan Royster, said in a telephone interview Monday morning. "Right now, I think what we want to focus on is Maikel getting prepared for the season. He's in camp, he's in uniform, he's with his teammates and that's where he wants to be right now." Royster declined to comment on the timeline for a potential resolution. The Mets recently awarded Ruben Tejada an extra day of service time, which allows him to become a free agent following the season. He had been short one day. "The grievance and things like that, that's not what his focus is on right now," Royster said. "All Maikel wants to do is win, and win in Philly." Phillies general manager Matt Klentak could not be reached for comment Monday. But when news first broke about the grievance during the Winter Meetings, he said he wasn't concerned about it bothering Franco. "I'm not particularly concerned with their being a carryover or on-field effect," Klentak said. MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark spoke to Phillies players Monday morning at Bright House Field. He declined to address Franco's case, but spoke generally about teams possibly keeping players in the Minor Leagues to gain an extra season of team control. "It's unfortunate to talk about why a particular player outside of his ability would find himself in a place where there appears to be some manipulation related to when he comes up," Clark said. "I don't like having the conversation. I think it's unfortunate. I think we're one of the only leagues where some can argue that the best players aren't on the field all the time. And I don't see how that's beneficial for the entire industry. It's been a topic of discussion. It's not new, unfortunately. I think if it were easy to remedy perhaps it would have been discussed in a different fashion. It is something we'll continue to have dialogue on and see where it goes." Clark said service time rules are "worthy of more discussion" as MLB and the MLBPA begin negotiations on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Setting Solid Goals For The Season – The Phillies know Roman Quinn is fast. The Phillies believe he can hit, too. Quinn hit .306 with six doubles, six triples, four home runs, 15 RBIs, 29 stolen bases and a .791 OPS in 257 plate appearances last season with Double-A Reading. Quinn's ability to hit and run with the best of them (think Dee Gordon and Billy Hamilton-type speed) is why MLBPipeline.com considers him the 99th-best prospect in baseball. But one question lingers: Can he stay healthy? "I just want to play a full season for the first time," Quinn said recently at Bright House Field. The Phillies selected Quinn, 22, in the second round of the 2011 Draft. He played just 67 games with Class A Lakewood in '13 due to a broken wrist. He ruptured his right Achilles tendon before the '14 season, which limited him to 88 games with Class A Advanced Clearwater. He appeared on his way to Eastern League MVP consideration in '15 when a hip flexor injury sidelined him from June through the end of the season. "If you project his numbers in April and May in Reading over a full season, he's the best player in the league," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said. "We've just to keep him out there." Quinn's first two months with Reading were exciting. Everybody began to think about him roaming the Phillies' outfield and causing problems for pitchers on the basepaths. "We kind of saw the type of player we have been hoping to see and waiting to see," Jordan said. "I think he got a lot of confidence out of that. He understands what he has a chance to do probably more than ever. It's within reach. He's just learned a lot about the type of player he is. He can bunt. He can put pressure on a club, more and different ways than anyone else can. I think he understands that. He knows what he needs to do." Quinn is fun to watch run. He said he got timed running 60 yards a couple years ago in Spring Training. He said he got clocked at about 6.3 seconds, which Jordan confirmed. Gordon's 60 reportedly is 6.2 seconds. Hamilton supposedly has never been timed in the 60, but one would think he would be right there with Gordon. Fellow Phillies prospect Nick Williams has talked about a head-to-head race with Quinn. Williams said he has run the 60 in 6.2 seconds. The point is Quinn has blink-and-miss-him speed, and he would like to show what he can do with that speed in the big leagues. He can take a step in that direction this season. He just needs to stay on the field. "It gets to me because I definitely need the at-bats," Quinn said about his injuries. "Not getting those 500 at-bats in a season hurts. I'm ready to go. I'm 100 percent right now. My body feels great."

Today In Phils History - The Phillies made history when they set sail for Jacksonville from New York in 1889 when they became the first National League team to hold spring training in Florida. Also largely forgotten to baseball history are the birthdays of Nick Strincevich (1915) and Ike Pearson (1917) who both sacrificed several years of their careers to serve in World War II.

THE BEGINNING:

With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Solidifying The Outfield

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera To Remain In Center – Look up and down the projected Phillies lineup for a second. Odubel Herrera proved to be one of the club's only consistent batters last year, hitting .297 with 30 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .762 OPS in 537 plate appearances as a rookie. His average dipped to .243 with a .627 OPS on May 29, but he hit .326 with an .834 OPS the rest of the way. There has been talk that Herrera could move from center to left to make room for Peter Bourjos or Aaron Altherr, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he is keeping Herrera in center. "I don't want to mess with his head," Mackanin said. In short, the Phillies want to keep Herrera comfortable after his encouraging rookie campaign, even though Bourjos might be better defensively in center. Not that Herrera is a slouch defensively. He surprised almost everybody with how well he adjusted to a new position last season, especially considering he spent most of his Minor League career at second base (411 games) and shortstop (135 games) compared to the outfield (13 games). "He accomplished so much defensively and proved he was a legitimate center fielder," Mackanin said. "He wasn't just a plug-in. I really liked him in center field." Of course, where Herrera plays in a year or two remains to be seen. Two of the Phillies' top prospects are outfielders Nick Williams and Roman Quinn. If the outfield suddenly gets too crowded with talent -- the Phillies would love to have such a problem -- they could return Herrera to second base. "We've talked about that down the road," Mackanin said. "If there's a need to move him over because one of the younger guys comes up and we need to keep his bat in the lineup, we'll worry about that then. The fact that he's played second base early in his career says to me if we have to do that next year or the year after, it's not like he's never played there." But Herrera said he has no plans to break out his infielder's glove this spring. The Phillies have no plans to work him there, either. They just want him to be comfortable and hit. "I think I did a pretty good job," Herrera said about his rookie season. "I think it's all thanks to all the work I put in last season. So I hope I can keep working hard to keep making progress. I try to work hard, just focus on the game and play any position the coach wants me to play. And at the end of the day, what I want to do is win."

Today In Phils History - In 1903, James Potter (no relation to Harry) purchased the Phillies. Ten years later, the team opened spring training in Southern Pines, NC. And just last year, former Phillie Juan Pierre announced his retirement. Today is also the birthday of some bygone Phillies including Moose McCormick (1881), Lil Stoner (1899), and Lefty Bertrand (1909). 

THE BEGINNING:

With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Prospects Looking To Make An Impression

PHILS PHACTS:

Closer Looks – Looking for a reason to follow Spring Training with the Phillies? Prospects, prospects, prospects. In the third part of a seven-part series previewing the Phillies ahead of Spring Training, with pitchers and catchers set to have their first workout on Thursday, MLB.com looks at the most notable prospects who will be at camp in Clearwater, Fla. And there will be plenty, with six of seven Phillies ranked in MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list in the Bright House Field clubhouse: RHP Mark Appel: A late addition to the Ken Giles trade with the Astros, Appel is No. 70 in MLBPipeline's Top 100. The former No. 1 pick is expected to open the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he might have the best stuff in a talented rotation. Everybody seems to hope a change of scenery will benefit Appel. He no longer will have the pressure of pitching for his hometown team, like he did in Houston. In Philly, he will be one of many top pitching prospects competing for a job. RHP Jimmy Cordero: The Phillies acquired the hard-throwing Cordero in the Ben Revere trade with the Blue Jays in July. His fastball sits pretty comfortably in the high 90s to 100 mph. He has topped 100 on more than a few occasions. Cordero posted a 2.55 ERA in 45 appearances last season with Class A Advanced Dunedin, Double-A New Hampshire and Double-A Reading. He struck out 64 and walked 24 in 67 innings, but Cordero got better as the year progressed. He posted a 1.18 WHIP with Dunedin, a 1.22 WHIP with New Hampshire and a 0.88 WHIP with Reading. His performance with Reading excited more than a few Phillies folks, who think he could be the future closer. RHP Zach Eflin: He's not in MLBPipeline's Top 100, but Eflin is considered one of the top 10 prospects in the organization. Eflin is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but he certainly is worth watching. Eflin's stuff is arguably as good as Appel's, but he needs to set up and finish hitters more consistently. The Phillies think once he gets it, his strikeout ratio (4.6 per nine innings last season with Reading) will take a jump, so keep an eye on that. RHP Jake Thompson: One of the key pieces in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers, he ranks 55th on MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. Thompson is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but he is probably the most advanced of any of the top pitching prospects in camp because he has a good feel for his abilities and how he can best attack hitters. He posted a 1.80 ERA in seven starts with Reading last year. C Jorge Alfaro: The Phillies acquired the No. 96 prospect in baseball in the Hamels trade. Alfaro is healthy following ankle surgery in 2015, so the Phillies hope to see what they got in the potential front-line catcher. He has tremendous power at the plate and a strong arm. He is expected to open the season in Double-A because he lost so much development time last year. C Andrew Knapp: The Phillies named Knapp their Minor League Player of the Year in 2015. It should be fun to watch Knapp and Alfaro compete in Spring Training. Both are expected to open the season in the Minor Leagues, but they are considered the club's catchers of the future. What happens if both live up to the hype? What a nice problem that will be. SS J.P. Crawford: He is the No. 5 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline, and it is easy to see why. Crawford has hit a combined .290 with a .790 OPS in three Minor League seasons, showing a knack for the strike zone. He has walked 160 times and struck out 163 times in his career. Many think Crawford has the offensive talent to hit .290 to .300 in the Majors. They think his power will improve, too. If he does maintain or improve offensively, Crawford could be a perennial All-Star. He is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but a strong performance there could have him in the big leagues soon. OF Roman Quinn: The No. 99 prospect in baseball, Quinn has tremendous speed and abilities in center field. He hit .306 with a .791 OPS in 232 at-bats with Reading last year before a torn hip flexor derailed his season. Health is key for Quinn. OF Nick Williams: The Phillies were excited to land Williams in the Hamels trade. He got them even more excited when they watched him play with Reading, where he hit .320 with an .876 OPS in 97 at-bats. Williams, who is the No. 64 prospect in baseball, is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but the Phillies' outfielders should feel him breathing down their necks.

Today In Phils History - The Phillies hired former player with the Philadelphia Bobbies Edith Houghton on this day in 1946 making her the 1st woman scout in professional baseball. In 1976, Bob Boone, Jim Kaat, and their wives attended a White House prayer breakfast for athletes hosted by the President and First Lady. Jerry Koosman came to town on this day in 1984. Finally, happy 42nd birthday Ugueth Urbina.

THE BEGINNING:

With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phillies Making Moves While Taking The Day Off

GAME RECAP: No Loss To Report

Phillies enjoyed the rest after being obliterated by the Mets.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Hamels went 7 1/3 innings and gave up one run on six hits in his May 18 start vs. Colorado. Hamels also recorded seven strikeouts in the outing.
• Hamels has been his best during night games this season, posting a 4-1 record and 2.09 ERA in seven starts.
• Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has a .321 batting average in 56 career at-bats at Citizens Bank Park. That includes four home runs and eight RBIs.
• When Bettis has started for Colorado, the Rockies are 3-0 on the season. That includes a 6-5 victory over Philadelphia on May 19.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will host the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday to kick off a three-game weekend series between the two National League foes. The opener will mark the fifth meeting between Colorado and Philadelphia this season, with the two splitting a four-game series last week. Cole Hamels is scheduled to get the start for the Phillies, and he has been impressive, posting a 5-1 record and 2.23 ERA in his last seven starts. Colorado will send out right-hander Chad Bettis after pushing back Jordan Lyles' scheduled start. In his previous start against the Giants on Sunday, Bettis went 8 1/3 innings and surrendered only two runs on six hits for his first win of the season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Now Is Not The Time – Ruben Amaro Jr. made the type of comments no general manager should make, embattled or otherwise. He criticized the customers. Amaro apologized this week for his harsh comments about Phillies fans in a CSNPhilly.com story, but of everything he said in a nearly 20-minute interview with beat reporters on Tuesday at Citi Field, he got this much right: Amaro's comments detracted from the fact that what he said about the organization's prospects is 100 percent correct. It makes no sense to rush them to the big leagues. "Listen, I'm as excited about seeing these guys -- the [Aaron] Nolas, the [Zach] Eflins, the [Roman] Quinns, and some of the other players who are having a lot of success right now -- as any of [the fans]," Amaro said. "But there's a process they have to go through. There's a process and a plan in place." Of course, it has been difficult to trust the Phillies' plan after the past few years. The Phils won a franchise-record 102 games in 2011, but despite one of the highest payrolls in baseball, they have trended downward since. They finished 81-81 in 2012 and 73-89 in each of the previous two seasons. This year's Phillies are on pace to finish 63-99. The Phils' plan in recent seasons was to add complementary pieces here and there and hope that Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz could turn back the clock. But the sentimentality for 2008 died last August, when Pat Gillick became team president. Gillick, who is in the Hall of Fame partially because he built the Blue Jays from the ground up as an expansion team, said the Phillies would rebuild. Gillick also said it would take time. The Phils, he said, would not compete again until 2017 at the earliest. What is happening this season is what rebuilding is. It is a lot of frustration. It is giving players extended opportunities to prove themselves because the organization has nothing to lose by letting them play. It is watching players on one-year contracts like Jerome Williams, Sean O'Sullivan and Chad Billingsley pitch in the rotation while Nola, Eflin and others learn their craft in the Minor Leagues. Amaro got heated this week probably because he has been asked incessantly about Nola, whom the team selected in the first round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. When is Nola coming up? Why don't the Phillies ever promote their prospects when they are young? Nola has made 20 starts in the Minor Leagues. Compare that to the number of Minor League starts made by other former first-round picks out of college before they became established big leaguers: 2006: Tim Lincecum (10th pick, 13 starts); Max Scherzer (11th pick, 30 starts); Ian Kennedy (21st pick, 43 starts); 2007: David Price (first pick, 27 starts); Tommy Hunter (54th pick, 36 starts); 2008: Brian Matusz (fourth pick, 19 starts); Andrew Cashner (19th pick, 39 starts); Wade Miley (43rd pick, 73 starts); 2009: Stephen Strasburg (first pick, 11 starts); Mike Minor (seventh pick, 41 starts); Mike Leake (eighth pick, zero starts); 2010: Matt Harvey (seventh pick, 46 starts); 2011: Gerrit Cole (first pick, 38 starts); Sonny Gray (18th pick, 53 starts); 2012: Michael Wacha (19th pick, 26 appearances, 17 starts). The average of that group is 32.4 Minor League starts. If you remove Leake from the equation because he is an anomaly, the average is 34.7. Sure, Strasburg made just 11 starts in the Minors before his promotion, but no scout has compared Nola to Strasburg (or other aces like Lincecum, Price or Harvey). Many scouts see Nola as a solid No. 3 starter someday. And in regard to the Phillies being slow to promote other young prospects, quite frankly, there has not been a single player in the Phils' system over the past 10-plus seasons that can compare to Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton or Bryce Harper. Besides, the Phillies do not need Nola or Quinn or J.P. Crawford right now. They are not a pitcher or player away from competing for a National League Wild Card spot. If they were, one of those prospects might have been called up already. This season is about the long term. This is about a sustained run of success. Calling up Nola, Eflin, Quinn, Crawford and others before they are ready would not help the Phils achieve that. "Aaron Nola used to pitch at LSU once a week, and he never pitched in the summertime," Amaro said. "When we first drafted him, he wasn't on a five-day rotation; we had to gradually work him in from seven days to six days to five days so he could get used to that routine. "It takes its toll. It's a process, just like anything else. There's a rhyme to the reason. That might not jibe with everybody the way that we're doing it, but I think we're doing it in the best interest of the club and the player." Amaro was right, even if nobody heard it.

Remembering Perfection – A Roy Halladay gem was unlike any other. Most of the dominant pitchers of the mid-2000s -- the Lincecums, Verlanders and Sabathias -- worked like an avalanche, but Halladay was death by 1,000 impossibly precise cuts: eight innings of called third strikes and weak dribblers and exasperated hitters. The phrase "Maddux 2.0" should not be thrown around lightly, but when he was on, Halladay came closer than anyone. And in Miami on May 29, 2010, Doc wasn't just on -- he was perfect. 2010 was Halladay's first season with the Phillies, and he wasted no time terrorizing the National League: In his first two months, he put together four complete games, including two shutouts, while pitching to a 2.22 ERA. A date with the struggling Marlins already seemed like a mismatch on paper ... and then, well, Halladay just decided to make it unfair. To demonstrate, let's play a quick game of "How often will Carlos Ruiz have to move his glove?" (Note: It is not a lot). Doc sat down 11 Marlins in all, and six of those were backwards K's. It was the Platonic ideal of a Halladay start: so ruthlessly efficient that he needed more than 12 pitches in an inning just twice, reaching only seven three-ball counts all night. "I felt like [Ruiz] was calling a great game up until the fourth or fifth, and at that point, I just felt like I'd let him take over," Halladay told MLB.com after the game. "I'd just go out, see the glove and hit it." The old saying goes that every bid for a perfect game at some point needs that one Great Defensive Play, but in Halladay's case, he was so good that his defense was the only thing that threatened to derail him. In the bottom of the third, both center fielder Shane Victorino and right fielder Jayson Werth started tracking a lazy fly ball in the gap ... and kept tracking it, kept tracking it, and LOOK OUT, GUYS. From there, Doc just put it on cruise control, missing barrel after barrel. Pinch-hitter Mike Lamb gave everybody a scare in the bottom of the ninth, driving one to deep center -- but Sun Life Stadium was a pitcher's dream, cavernous between the gaps, and Victorino tracked it down with relative ease. And at that point, it was all over but for the celebrating. Halladay tossed his perfecto just twenty days after Dallas Braden threw his in Oakland, the shortest such span since the first two in 1880 (!). Amazingly enough, though, baseball would come awfully close to another one just four days later: on June 2, when Armando Galarraga came one missed call short. For Doc, though, it was the cherry on top of a remarkable multi-year run. His time in Philly (and, ultimately, his career) came to an end far too quickly thanks to shoulder problems, but at the height of his powers, he was the very best in the game -- and one of the most uniquely gifted artists the game has seen. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 19-30. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 40-56-0 on this day.

Remembering Roy’s perfection and letting young players develop in the minors…