Phillies Fall In Utley’s Grand Return

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Destroy Phillies 15-5

Chase Utley could not have scripted Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park any better than this. The Dodgers' second baseman received a nearly 90-second standing ovation from Phillies fans in the first inning before he hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and a grand slam in the seventh inning in Los Angeles' 15-5 victory. He made curtain calls after each homer, completing a special and unforgettable night -- his first game back in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. "We've had some great times here with great teams and played hard," Utley said. "Philly fans recognize the guys that play the game the right way. Like I said, they'll always have a special place in my heart for sure." The victory, and the Giants' loss to the Pirates, pushed the Dodgers into first place in the National League West, but this night was about Utley's return to Philly. "I held it together fairly well," he said. "It is a situation I've never been in before. It's something you can't describe in words. It is a special feeling to see the fans give you their support." Howie Kendrick plated two with a shot two batters before Utley's solo jack, and Yasmani Grandal's two-run homer in the sixth was Velasquez's final straw. A walk to Joc Pederson ended Velasquez's night. In a rematch of pitchers from last Tuesday's game at Dodger Stadium, Velasquez fared only slightly better. After giving up nine runs over 4 1/3 innings in Los Angeles, he allowed five over 5 2/3 on Tuesday. Kenta Maeda, however, turned in his best start in more than a month. He walked only one while striking out nine over six innings. The Phillies' only runs off Maeda came on separate solo homers from Cameron Rupp and Cesar Hernandez. Ryan Howard added solo shot in the seventh to move into 76th place on the all-time homer list with his 375th career homer. "I think it just goes to show you can change the uniform, but he's always going to be a Phillie at heart," Howard said. "He's always going to be a Phillie to everybody here. I thought it was great. I thought it was awesome. For the fans to give him a curtain call again, it shows what he was able to do here and the impact that he had here on the fans."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The most surprising thing about Utley's return to Philadelphia wasn't just his two home runs, nor even the standing ovation and curtain call that followed each dinger. Really, it was that it took him until his third at-bat of the night to hit the first. But he more than made up for the wait, coming to bat with the bases loaded in the eighth and unloading. The grand slam nicely caps Utley's career in Philadelphia. His first Major League hit was a grand slam, way back in Veterans Stadium in 2003. In all, Utley finished his first game at Citizens Bank Park in a visiting uniform 2-for-5 with five runs driven in. Utley has hardly shied away from the big moments in his career. Just last week, in his first game against his old team, Utley homered in his first at-bat. There's no doubt there's a little extra adrenaline," Utley said. "With playoff baseball, we had a little practice with that over the years. Adrenaline can be your friend at times. Definitely a lot of adrenaline flowing tonight. After that first at-bat, I was able to calm down a little."
• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin wanted Velasquez to throw more changeups in his start last week against the Dodgers, when he allowed nine runs in 4 2/3 innings at Dodger Stadium. He threw a few Tuesday, but he didn't fare much better. He struck out 10 but allowed five runs on seven hits, including three home runs, in just 5 2/3 innings. "I can't express how tough this team is," Velasquez said. "I'm glad it's the last time I'm facing them." 
• Phillies left-hander Elvis Araujo turned a three-run deficit into an 8-2 deficit. He walked Utley to start the seventh and eventually loaded the bases. He then hit Adrian Gonzalez with a pitch to force home a run and walked Grandal to force home another run. Michael Mariot took his place, but he eventually allowed the grand slam to Utley. Araujo's ERA -- which sat at 5.00 entering the night -- is now 6.91. "It is what it is," Mackanin said about the team's left-handed bullpen problems. "What you see is what we get. We just need to improve in that area."
• Utley circled the bases in just 18.59 seconds in the fifth inning, his fastest trot around the bases this season according to Statcast™. He needed 19.97 seconds to circle the bases in the seventh. He entered the game averaging 20.12 seconds on home run trots. Utley wasn't sure if it was the fastest he had run following homers this season. "It happened pretty quickly," he said. "I know my [solo] home run I hit for my first hit, I was moving pretty quickly there around the bases. But maybe you can check Statcast™."
• "It's completely overwhelming. The standing ovation my first at-bat was something that I'll never forget, to be honest with you. It was truly special. It really shows how passionate and how great the Philadelphia fan base is. It was probably one of the most nervous at-bats I've ever had, honestly, at any level. I was glad to get that first at-bat over with." -- Utley, on his reception from the Philadelphia fans.
• "I definitely think it was something bigger than the game tonight," -- Howard, on Utley's return.
• It was the 52nd time in their careers that Utley and Howard have homered in the same game. Of course, this time they played for different teams.
• Hernandez walked in the third inning to reach base in 22 consecutive games. He then got thrown out trying to steal second base.
• Cesar Hernandez extended his on-base streak to 22 games with a third-inning walk Tuesday. If he reaches safely Wednesday, he'll pass Peter Bourjos for the Phillies' longest streak of the season.
• Chase Utley on Tuesday played his first game at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies traded him in August last season. Utley led off, greeted by a standing ovation and his customary walk-up music, "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Utley went 2-for-5 with a two homers -- including a grand slam -- and five RBIs in his return to Philly.
• Both teams' rotations have been hit with injuries -- and it shows. Entering play Tuesday, the Dodgers' bullpen had thrown the second-most innings in August, while Phillies relievers were tied for the third-most.

NEXT GAME:

Jake Thompson's progression from prospect to Major League starter continues Wednesday, as he makes his third big league start against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. The 22-year-old righty got rocked in his debut, allowing seven runs (six earned) to the Padres over 4 1/3 innings. Thompson made strides in his second start, lasting five innings and allowing three runs to the Rockies in his home debut. He also struck out six, a mark he's topped only once this season, even in his dominant run at Triple-A. "A lot better than the first one, that's for sure," Thompson said after his second start. "I felt more comfortable out there. I was able to spin the ball for more strikes, which I wasn't able to do in my first outing." Thompson's next step is to improve his command. He walked three in his second start after issuing two in his first. "He was a little erratic at times," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin noted. His opponent, Scott Kazmir, should be a familiar foe for the Phillies, who faced the lefty Wednesday in Los Angeles. Kazmir was effective but picked up the loss in the Phils' lone win of the series.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley’s Grand Return – The fans had already seen what they came for. They had greeted Chase Utley upon his return to Philadelphia with a standing ovation of nearly 90 seconds. And Utley had returned the favor with a home run and subsequent curtain call in the fifth. But Utley has never settled for adequate. When he dug in with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, there was a reason jokes wafted through Citizens Bank Park that, Hey, wouldn't it be so stereotypically Utley to park a ball here? Then he did. The fans, for the fourth time on the evening, went wild. Utley finished rounding the bases and entered the dugout, only to exit seconds later for his second curtain call of the game. The clout was the punctuation on Los Angeles' 15-5 win, which pushed it past San Francisco, who lost to Pittsburgh, for first place in the National League West. "It happened pretty quickly," Utley said. "I know my [solo] home run I hit for my first hit, I was moving pretty quickly there around the bases. But maybe you can check Statcast™." Statcast™ calculated that Utley circled the bases on the first homer in 18.6 seconds, his fastest home-run trot of the season by almost a full second. Fans roared and rose to their feet before Utley's name had even been announced for his first at-bat. Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" begun playing from the loudspeakers, and Utley stepped from the on-deck circle into the batter's box. From the scheduled first pitch time of 7:05 p.m. ET until it was actually thrown at 7:08, Citizens Bank Park was stuck in time. Some were taking in the spectacle of Utley's first appearance back in the town in which he spent the first 13 seasons of his career. Others were harkening back to those years, which have been so often referred to as "the good times." The fans clapped and screamed. Utley turned and waved. He pointed to the fans and to Ryan Howard, who pointed back. Finally, Utley closed his fist, pounded his chest one last time and raised it toward the sky before taking strike one from Vince Velasquez. After a minute and a half of applause, Utley experienced a new sensation: nerves. "The standing ovation my first at-bat is something I'll never forget," Utley said. "It was probably one of the most nervous at-bats I've ever had, honestly, at any level. I was glad to get that first at-bat over with, to be honest." By his third at-bat, though, those nerves had turned into full-blown adrenaline. "We had a lot of practice with that over the years," Utley said, referencing his playoff runs with the Phillies. "Adrenaline can be your friend at times. Definitely a lot of adrenaline flowing tonight." Utley should get a full serving of adrenaline this season. The Dodgers are in the midst of a pennant chase. Meanwhile, the Phillies are two years into a rebuilding process that has seen every player from the teams that won five consecutive division titles depart except for Howard and Carlos Ruiz. "We had a lot of great times here at this stadium," Utley said before the game. "But in that five-year run, it was pretty special. When you look back on it, I just feel fortunate to have been on the team at that time. Because we had a pretty good squad." When the Phillies traded Utley last season, Howard and Ruiz became the lone remaining members of the 2008 World Series team. Their reunion has been a long time coming. The day Utley was dealt -- nearly a year ago to the day -- the Phillies held him out of the lineup as they finalized his move to Los Angeles. There were moving pieces, and the trade didn't get announced until about an hour after the last out of Utley's last game in Philadelphia. He tipped his cap to the fans afterward, but he was robbed of a proper farewell. "I didn't really have an opportunity to say goodbye," Utley said. "Everything kind of happened pretty quickly last year. If I were to write up a script it would have gone a bit differently." So in the moments leading up to Utley taking that first-pitch strike, it offered fans a chance to pay their respects to a catalyst in five division titles, two pennants and a World Series championship. The good times. They stacked five deep down the left-field line as Utley was the first Dodger on the field for pregame stretches. They piled over each other when Utley walked over and signed autographs up and down the line for 15 minutes. The first standing "O" came as his name was announced in the starting lineups (contrasted with an immediate round of boos for No. 2 hitter Corey Seager). It was the farewell that Utley never received. The treatment that Jimmy Rollins got after being traded to Los Angeles earlier last year. The same as Pat Burrell, Shane Victorino and the other 19 since-departed Phillies who hoisted the World Series trophy in the air that October 2008 night. Utley is one of the few still playing. Jayson Werth is in Washington; Cole Hamels is awaiting his return in Texas. Joe Blanton, like Rollins last season, was reunited with Utley in the Dodgers' clubhouse. But Utley, now 37, has no plans on making this his final return trip to Philly. Although he's looking to sell his Philadelphia condo, he wants to continue playing after this season. Utley, however, finds himself in the middle of another pennant chase. He hasn't had much time to think about the future. It's not because of his on-base percentage or speed that manager Dave Roberts keeps Utley in the leadoff spot. The reason, like what so often separated Utley from the pack, is what doesn't show up on the stat sheet. "The biggest thing for me why I keep him in the leadoff spot is because of his at-bat quality," Roberts said. "If there's any player that you have to dig deeper than the numbers to find his value, it's Chase."

Turning Back The Clock – Ryan Howard smiled as he recalled Chase Utley's standing ovation in the top of the first inning Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies fans stood and cheered as Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" played and Utley strode to home plate for the first time since the Phillies traded him to the Dodgers last August. They kept standing and they kept cheering for nearly 1 minute, 25 seconds. Utley stepped out of the batter's box at one point, turned and raised his blue Dodgers helmet to the crowd before he looked to Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp and home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa. "Hey, let's go," Rupp said he told them. But the roar continued. Utley stepped out of the batter's box again and acknowledged the fans one more time. Howard smiled because he knows Utley is not one for sentimental moments. But Utley had no choice this time. This was something special. "I think it was something bigger tonight," Howard said after the 15-5 loss. "I definitely think it was something bigger than the game tonight." Utley then homered in the fifth inning and hit a grand slam in the seventh inning. He got curtain calls each time. "I think it just goes to show you can change the uniform, but he's always going to be a Phillie at heart," Howard said. "He's always going to be a Phillie to everybody here. Again, I thought it was great. I thought it was awesome. For the fans to give him a curtain call again, it shows what he was able to do here and the impact that he had here on the fans." Howard hit a solo homer to center field in the eighth. It was the 375th homer of his career, which moved him into 76th place on the all-time list. It also was the 52nd time in their careers Howard and Utley homered in the same game. Of course, this was the first time they homered for different teams. "It's crazy, man," Howard said. "I'm out there, we're trying to beat him, but it's also tough because I played so many years alongside him and I always want to see him do well. I don't think you could have scripted it any better for him tonight."

The Struggles Continue – A little more than four months have passed since Vince Velasquez struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez would like to finish the season more like that pitcher than the one who faced the Dodgers in his last two starts. Velasquez struck out 10 in Wednesday night's 15-5 loss in Philadelphia, but he also allowed seven hits -- including three homers -- and five runs in 5 2/3 innings in a game that featured a solo home run, a grand slam and two curtain calls from Dodgers second baseman and Phillies icon Chase Utley. "I don't really know the guy myself, but to have an ovation like that is incredible," Velasquez said. "He's a legend here." It was a fun night for Phillies fans celebrating the greatest second baseman in franchise history, but it has not been a fun week for Velasquez. He has allowed 18 hits, 14 earned runs and six home runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two starts against the Dodgers. "I can't express how tough this team is," Velasquez said. "Their approach is difficult." Velasquez will have opportunities to turn things around in the season's final few weeks, but how many more opportunities he'll get remains to be seen. The Phillies have been monitoring his workload, and he has thrown 113 innings to this point. "As of right now, I don't know what they have planned," said Velasquez, who has a 7.24 ERA in his last five starts. "I know I don't want to stop right now. The stage that I'm at and what I'm doing right now, I kind of want to finish on a better note. This is a tough time. I'm glad it's the last time I'm facing them. "I'm not perfect. I'm not [Clayton] Kershaw. It takes years to deal with a lineup like that and to be proficient. Tomorrow I'll go back to the drawing board and watch film and just be consistent."

Starters On Schedule – Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson remains on schedule to start Saturday against the Cardinals. Hellickson's scheduled start got pushed back three days because of soreness in his back, which he first experienced last week in a start against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Hellickson is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. "We will find out for sure tomorrow," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday. "He's on track to pitch on the 20th. We'll see how he feels during his bullpen, after his bullpen." Left-hander Adam Morgan left Sunday's game because of a bruised left forearm. He is scheduled to start Friday. "Everything is negative," Mackanin said about Morgan's X-rays. "So it looks like he's going to be on track also. Unless I hear otherwise, he's still here."

Today In Phils History – In 1894 Sam Thompson recorded 6 hits including a cycle (the team recorded 36 hits) as the Phillies beat Louisville by a score of 29-4. Richie Ashburn hit the same spectator in the stand in 1957 as his first foul ball broke Alice Roth’s nose while the second struck her while she was being removed from the stand on a stretcher. Steve Carlton set a franchise record when he recorded his 15^th consecutive victory in a win over the Reds in 1972. The Phillies tied a team record in 1985 when they hit 6 homeruns including going back to back to back to back (Darren Daulton, Juan Samuel, Glenn Wilson, and Mike Schmidt) for only the second time in franchise history. Lastly, happy 36^th birthday to Brett Myers who should probably still be pitching… the Phillies do need a starter right now!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 56-64 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-64-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Displaying Healthy Amount Of Offense

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Blast Braves 12-11

Maikel Franco hit a three-run homer during a seven-run second inning before Cedric Hunter's three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth of Friday's 12-11 Grapefruit League win over the Braves at Bright House Field. Franco homered for the second straight day, and he added an RBI single in the fourth, as the Phillies built a 9-2 lead after four innings. Hunter, a non-roster invitee who was released by the Braves at the end of last season, was in the game because he replaced Aaron Altherr in the top of the second. Altherr injured his left wrist diving for a line drive to right hit by Ender Inciarte leading off the game. "You know, that was my team from last year," Hunter said. "I'm over here now and it just kind of feels good to do it the right way with the team we've got here. We put together some good at bats, battled through some tough innings and ended up with the win." The Braves collected 14 hits and drew eight walks to rally in the final two innings, the last two runs coming in on a Darnell Sweeney throwing error in the top of the ninth to give Atlanta an 11-9 lead. However, Hunter hit a towering drive over the wall in right field in the bottom half of the inning. Braves right-hander Lucas Sims, Atlanta's top Draft pick in 2012, started and pitched around a walk in a scoreless first inning. However, he walked two more and gave up three hits while facing seven batters in the second. The final two runs of the Phillies' seven-run inning were charged to right-hander Victor Mateo, who surrendered Franco's homer. Sims is likely to begin the 2016 season at Double-A Mississippi. Veteran right-hander Jeremy Hellickson had early trouble commanding his fastball and gave up back-to-back doubles to Inciarte and Erick Aybar to start the game. He then begin relying more on his changeup and retired the final six batters he faced, five on strikeouts. Hellickson, acquired from the Diamondbacks during the offseason, is in the running to be the Phillies' Opening Day starter. Aybar finished 3-for-3 and Matt Kennelly added a two-run single in the Braves' four-run eighth. "It's always good to win a game, but I'm not real pleased with a lot of things," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "We always talk about pitching and defense. That's how you win games. And the pitching and defense kind of let us down late in the game. I'm not going to be happy about that. But we won so we're going to move on and learn from our mistakes."

PHAST PHACTS:

• Rightfielder Aaron Altherr had to leave the game in the second inning when he jammed his left wrist while trying to make a diving catch of a line drive hit by Braves centerfielder Ender Inciarte leading off the game. "I can't say it looked real bad, but we'll wait and see," Mackanin said.
• First baseman Ryan Howard left the game after two at bats. He was feeling the effects of the flu bug that's been sweeping through the clubhouse this spring.
• Fans have until 5 p.m. ET on Monday to vote for which player, coach or manager will be added to the Phillies Wall of Fame. The top five choices will form the official ballot for the Wall of Fame Selection Committee. Last year, Pat Burrell became the 36th alumni member to be honored. Click here to participate.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Aaron Nola, who also is vying to be the Phillies' Opening Day starter despite having just 13 career Major League starts, will make his Grapefruit League debut in Saturday's game against the Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 1:07 p.m. ET on MLB.TV. Nola, the 23-year-old who was the Phillies' first-round Draft pick out of LSU in 2014, went 6-2 with a 3.59 earned run average as a rookie last season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Franco Heating Up – Third baseman Maikel Franco played well enough after being called up last season to start being included in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation. A broken wrist in August short-circuited his chances. He's a key piece to the Phillies' rebuilding plan, though, which is why manager Pete Mackanin is so happy to see Franco off to such a hot start this spring. Franco drove in four runs in Friday's 12-11 Grapefruit League win over the Braves at Bright House Field, including his second home run of the spring. "The success he had last year helped him gain confidence," Mackanin said. "When you're a young player and you're in big league camp all of a sudden, you have to get your feet on the ground. You have to feel good about yourself and feel like you belong in the big leagues. Now he knows he belongs in the big leagues. And he's just going to grow from there and get better and better." Said Franco: "[My confidence level is] really good, because that's what I've been working for, to feel comfortable at the plate. And now I feel comfortable and just want to keep doing that. Every day, try to do my job. [Being injured last year was] a little bit frustrating. But I'm healthy, my wrist is getting better. My wrist is 100 percent. Now I'm just trying to do my workouts and what I have to do to get better every single day." The last two years, Franco has struggled in the spring. He was determined to avoid that this year. "That's what I've been working for -- come in early, do my program, do my routine in the batting cage. Be prepared for the game. Now it happened and now I'm happy," he said. "I've gotten focused, seeing the ball pretty good and just trying to go out there and enjoy the game and win."

Hellickson Wants The Ball On Opening Day – The Phillies haven't named their Opening Day starter yet. The choice seems to boil down to Aaron Nola, who was pitching for LSU two years ago, and Jeremy Hellickson, who has more than five years of big league service time. Hellickson made his pitch against the Braves on Friday at Bright House Field. After giving up back-to-back doubles to Ender Inciarte and Erick Aybar to open the game, he retired the next six batters he faced, five of them on strikeouts as the Phillies went on to a 12-11 victory. "He knows how to pitch," said manager Pete Mackanin. "He changed speeds, he hit spots. He wasn't happy when he gave up that run, even in Spring Training, which we like to see. " The Phillies have amassed a lot of good young arms, but acquired Hellickson from the Diamondbacks (and signed Charlie Morton as a free agent) to add some veteran stability to the rotation. "After the first couple of batters, I felt sharp," Hellickson said. "My fastball command was a little shaky. But after those first couple of batters I got locked in a little bit, started pitching backwards. The off-speed stuff was pretty good today. I've just got to work on the fastball command a little more. "I think I threw all my pitches today. As I said, the fastball command was a little shaky. It just wasn't there today. So I just kind of went away from that early and worked on my off-speed stuff. Last year I tried to establish my fastball early in games. Games like this I probably would have tried to keep forcing it instead of going to my off-speed early. I'm going to try to get back to more changeups, more curveballs this year."

Goeddel Proving He Was Worth The Pick – Manager Pete Mackanin heard Tyler Goeddel was pretty good even before the Phillies took the outfielder with the first pick in the Rule 5 draft last December at the Winter Meetings. He heard good things about the two hits Goeddel got against the Yankees in a split squad game in Tampa on Thursday while he was managing the squad that stayed behind to play the Astros. He finally got to see it for himself on Friday when the 23-year-old outfielder whacked a two-run double in a 12-11 win over the Braves at Bright House Field. "At the Winter Meetings, his name came up quite a bit, and not just from our people in our room. Friends of mine on different teams mentioned how much they liked him. Scouts that I knew told me he was a pretty good-looking player," Mackanin said. "And I had heard he looked really good on [Thursday.] This was my first chance to see him, and I like him a lot." In a precautionary move, Goeddel left the game after being hit on the helmet by an off-speed pitch in the sixth. "I feel good. They checked me out and everything's fine," he said. Goeddel, who was left unprotected by Tampa Bay after batting .279 with a .783 OPS for Double-A Montgomery last season, will get a long look this spring. But he also wants to make a good first impression. "At the same time, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself. I want to show them what I can do. So I'm trying to come out every day and do something to help the team, whether it's in the batter's box or out on defense. I'm just trying to compete." And, yes, he was aware that this was the first time he was playing in front of Mackanin. "A little bit," he said. "I'm sure he reads the reports. But obviously I want to play well in front of Pete and the rest of the staff. It was nice to get a hit in front of him for sure." Goeddel also has an interesting back story. His father, David, is a legend in the biotechnology industry. While at Genentech, he successfully used genetic engineering to make bacteria create synthetic human insulin, human growth hormone for use in therapeutic medicine. Later he co-founded a company, Tularik, in 1991, that sold for $1.3 billion in 2004. "He's a pretty smart guy," Goeddel said. "Human growth hormone is a hormone [that occurs naturally] in your body. He was able to clone it so people who need more can take it. It's funny with all the baseball HGH stuff going on. It's definitely ironic, being in professional baseball with all that stuff going on." His brother also played baseball at UCLA. As a result, their father has taken more interest in the sport. "Ever since we got to high school he's been part of the baseball craze. Reads everything on it. Tries to learn as much about the game as he can so he can help us," Goeddel said. "At this point he knows as much about baseball as any dad I know. He's been a great help for me growing up with mental stuff, physical stuff. He studies swings. He helps me with everything. It's great."

Today In Phils History - The 1993 World Series could have been quite interesting if Elizabeth Crooks' letter of support (for which she was awarded a $100 War Bond on this day in 1944) persuaded more fans to adopt the teams new nickname, the Blue Jays. The 1980 season could have ended differently for the Phillies had they gained more support when the players (by a vote of 40-0) voted to call a strike against owners, the first team to approve the strike. Speaking of strikes, in 1995 the replacement Phillies won their exhibition opener thanks to former major leaguer Jeff Stone who went 2-2 with a walk an hit by pitch in the leadoff spot. The following season provided much better news for the Phillies when former pitcher (and Senator) Jim Bunning was elected (along with Orioles manager Earl Weaver) to the Hall of Fame by the veteran's committee. Another manager was honored, but in quite a different way, two years ago when the Phillies and Braves honored Jim Fregosi who had passed away the previous week.  Birthdays today include a legend from the early days of baseball, Sam Thompson, who was born on this day in 1960 and the other birthdays are coming out of the bullpen in Kent Tekulve (1947) and Ryan Franklin (1973). 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 2-2-1 record (3-2-1 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!

The Phillies Get Slammed By The Brewers

GAME RECAP: Brewers Sweep Phillies 6-1

Ryan Braun backed rookie starter Taylor Jungmann by crushing a grand slam to tie Robin Yount for the Brewers' all-time franchise record for home runs, as Milwaukee completed a series and season sweep of the Phillies with a 6-1 win on Sunday at Miller Park. Jungmann bounced back from his first poor outing in the big leagues by working a scoreless 6 1/3 innings and striking out a career-high nine batters. The tall right-hander fanned the side in the first on 11 pitches and again in the third on just 10 pitches. Jungmann allowed three hits and lowered his season ERA in 13 starts to 2.23 with the performance. "I was confident he was going to bounce back for sure," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Jungmann. "There's going to be blips in the road, and he came back and pitched a really nice game." Philadelphia's offense went quiet once again, producing seven hits with the only run coming from a solo shot off the bat of Andres Blanco. The offense went 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position during the three-game series. Starter Aaron Harang surrendered a run in the first before Braun's slam and two subsequent singles ended his day in the fifth.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Braun tied Yount for the franchise lead in home runs in grand style. With the bases loaded in the fifth against Harang, Braun launched his 251st homer to give Milwaukee a 6-0 lead. The grand slam was the fifth of his career and second this season, and it was his 21st homer this year. Braun also drove in Jonathan Lucroy with a groundout in the first, giving the right fielder five RBIs on the day. "Robin's obviously the greatest player in franchise history," Braun said. "He played here for 20 years, accomplished so many amazing things, so any time you are mentioned alongside his name, it's definitely a special accomplishment."
• Harang kept the Phillies in the game until an ugly fifth inning soured his final line. Scooter Gennett led off with a double and came in to score on a one-out single by Elian Herrera. Harang then fielded Jungmann's sacrifice bunt attempt, but second baseman Cesar Hernandez was late to cover the bag. After a walk to Lucroy, Harang surrendered Braun's grand slam. Adam Lind and Khris Davis followed with singles, causing Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin to turn to the bullpen. After allowing six runs in 4 2/3 innings Sunday, Harang has a 12.60 ERA over his last two starts and a 9.72 ERA in five starts since July 1. "I was getting guys out," Harang said. "I was getting ground balls. Guys weren't really squaring anything up. It just spiralled out of control really quick."
• Blanco broke the shutout with a solo home run to right-center field off Brewers left-hander Neal Cotts in the top of the ninth. Blanco has now homered in each of his past two starts, and he has four home runs on the season. Carlos Ruiz and Jeff Francoeur singled off Cotts, while Darin Ruf walked to put the tying run on deck with two outs. The late comeback attempt fell short, as Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez came on to retire Hernandez to end the game. "We made them a little nervous at the end, but I'd rather win the game than make them nervous," Mackanin said."
• Mackanin won his second challenge in as many days when replay overturned first-base umpire Fieldin Culbreth's safe call in the first inning. With Lucroy on third base, Braun hit a slow roller that shortstop Freddy Galvis charged and threw to first. Braun still received an RBI as Lucroy scored on the play, but the safe call at first base was overturned after a one-minute, three-second review.
• The win gave the Brewers a season sweep over the Phillies, winning all seven games in 2015. It was just the fourth time in franchise history that Milwaukee produced a season sweep over an opponent (at least six games). The Brewers outscored the Phillies, 41-23.
• Nola picked up a victory in his last outing despite allowing four runs over five innings. He has a 2.45 ERA in two starts at Citizens Bank Park in his young career.
• Dickey is 5-4 with a 2.54 ERA in 11 career starts against the Phillies. He's made one start against them in 2015, throwing eight scoreless innings while allowing two hits in a win on July 29.

NEXT GAME:

The Blue Jays begin a two-game Interleague series against the Phillies on Tuesday, with R.A. Dickey taking the hill in the opener against Philadelphia rookie Aaron Nola. Dickey is looking to extend his hot streak since the All-Star break, as the veteran right-hander has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.49 ERA in six second-half outings. He's tossed seven straight quality starts. After dropping a three-game series to the American League East-rival Yankees following a 12-game winning streak, the Blue Jays are once again setting their sights on first place.

PHILS PHACTS:

Without A Spark – The Phillies and Brewers entered their weekend series in similar situations -- well out of the postseason race and looking toward the future. Over their three days in Milwaukee, the Phillies couldn't solve the three of the young pitchers around whom the Brewers are centering their rebuild. Taylor Jungmann followed the path Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson blazed in the first two games of the series by holding Philadelphia scoreless over 6 1/3 innings in the Phils' 6-1 loss on Sunday. Playing the series without injured third baseman Maikel Franco, the Phillies left Miller Park having scored just four runs in three games, mostly due to going 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position. "In this series, we faced some pretty good pitchers," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We only scored four runs in the series. That was basically the whole story of the series." Despite collecting six hits against Peralta on Friday, the Phillies couldn't scratch a run across over seven innings. The offense squandered numerous scoring chances Saturday against Nelson, who limited the Phillies to two runs in 6 2/3 innings. The Phillies didn't put up much of a fight offensively against Jungmann on Sunday. The rookie right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters -- including seven of the first nine hitters he faced. "You don't see many curveballs consistently like that," Mackanin said. "Guys have good curveballs, but they don't throw them that often. He had us fishing for it all day long. "He had our guys looking for the curveball and sneaking fastballs by them. When we were looking for the fastball, he'd drop a hammer. I have to give him a lot of credit. I thought he pitched very well." After going 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position over the first two games of the series, the Phillies were hitless in five at-bats with RISP on Sunday. "That's the name of the game," first baseman Ryan Howard said. "Those guys were able to capitalize when they had runners in scoring position and we weren't. That's basically what the game comes down to -- being able to capitalize and take advantage of situations when you can." The Phillies threatened to break out of their offensive slump in the ninth inning by bringing the tying run to the on-deck circle. Gregor Blanco hit a one-out solo home run off left-hander Neal Cotts, while Ruiz and pinch-hitter Jeff Francoeur reached on two-out singles. After Cotts walked Darin Ruf to load the bases, Brewers manager Craig Counsell turned to closer Francisco Rodriguez. Hernandez fouled off a pair of 1-2 pitches from Rodriguez before bouncing into a fielder's choice to end the game. After beginning their nine-game road trip with a sweep of the Padres, the Phillies returned to Philadelphia unable to solve the last-place Brewers. "The series we played here is not us," Mackanin said. "We're not this team. You go through peaks and valleys during the season. I think this is one of those valleys."

Taking A Break – After starting the first two games of the series against the Brewers, second baseman Chase Utley was out of the starting lineup for the Phillies for the finale Sunday afternoon at Miller Park. Utley's absence will undoubtedly further fuel the trade speculation that's surrounded him of late. However, Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin revealed his intentions to give Utley the series finale off following Saturday night's 4-2 loss to the Brewers. "Just to be cautious," Mackanin said. "He's playing so well I don't want to take any chances." After missing 37 games due to right ankle inflammation, Utley started six (and appeared in seven) of Philadelphia's eight games entering Sunday since he was activated from the disabled list Aug. 7. The 36-year-old was batting .500 (13-for-26) with a home run, five doubles and five RBIs over that span. Utley hasn't started more than two consecutive games since his return, as he has followed the pattern of being out of the starting lineup for the third game of a series after starting the first two games. With Utley and rookie third baseman Maikel Franco out, Cesar Hernandez moved over to second base with Andres Blanco playing third base Sunday.

Maturing In The Bullpen – Despite Elvis Araujo never having thrown a pitch above the Double-A level, the Phillies took a chance on the coveted Venezuelan left-hander by signing him to a Major League contract last November. In May, Philadelphia gambled on Araujo again when it called him up despite a 7.45 ERA with Double-A Reading. The Phillies have been rewarded for their faith in the 24-year-old, especially of late. Araujo did not allow a hit over his past nine appearances entering Sunday, a span of eight innings dating back to July 19. "I'm just working hard every day and trying to keep the ball down and continue to just make my pitches work," Araujo said. "[I've had to learn] my routine, [this] being a process, continuing every day to get better." Araujo allowed just two earned runs over his first 10 innings after being recalled from Reading on May 2. He then posted a 5.52 ERA over his next 15 appearances -- 14 2/3 innings -- to raise his ERA to a season-high 4.01 on July 11. Opposing hitters are 0-for-27 with just three walks against Araujo since, as he's become a weapon in the bullpen for Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin. "He's got a good downward plane," Mackanin said of the 6-foot-7, 270-pund lefty.. "He's a big, tall guy. He's showing a good mound presence. He looks like he's in control of himself. It all boils down to him making good, quality pitches. "You can throw 98 mph, but if you are leaving it thigh-high down the middle, most likely it is going to get hit. You hit either side of the plate and keep the ball down, you've got a chance. That's what he's been doing. He's showing a better breaking ball than we saw earlier. We're going in baby steps with him and he's responding. He has a lot of confidence right now." Araujo has done so in Philadelphia's series in Milwaukee. He struck out a pair in a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Friday and struck out Shane Peterson in the seventh inning Saturday to strand a pair of inherited runners. "I just take the good things and the bad things," Araujo said. "[I'm going to] keep what I'm doing and growing from there."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies season has taken an unexpected turn for the better as they have officially climbed out of the bottom of the NL East with a record of 46-72. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 49-64-0 on this day.

Slowey And Steady Beats The Yankees

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Yankees 3-1

Phillies right-hander Kevin Slowey made a pretty routine start Wednesday afternoon against the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Slowey spent two innings working on his fastball command in Philadelphia's second Grapefruit League game of the spring. No big deal. Well, except Yankees star Alex Rodriguez played in his first game since his season-long 2014 suspension for PED use, which meant local and national media outlets live tweeted those plate appearances across the world. "Maybe I made it into some of those live tweets," Slowey said after throwing two scoreless innings in a 3-1 victory. Slowey, who allowed one hit in two at-bats against Rodriguez, actually trended nationally on Twitter. A-Rod? Not so much because folks called Rodriguez any number of things on Twitter, including Rodriguez, ARod, A-Rod, etc. Slowey is Slowey. "All right," Slowey said. "Can I get a screen grab of that from somebody?" Cord Phelps got Philadelphia on the board in the second with an RBI single and Maikel Franco made it 2-0 with a single in the fifth. After the Yankees cut the deficit in half in the sixth, Aaron Altherr rounded out the scoring with a single in the seventh. Slowey, 30, started Wednesday because Aaron Harang was scratched due to a back issue. Slowey will need to continue to pitch well to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. He is a non-roster invitee and has not pitched since the Marlins released him in June. Slowey had offers to pitch for other organizations, but he elected to stay home as his wife was pregnant with their first child. Slowey said he would start or relieve for the Phillies, but they are asking him to start. Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Harang and Jerome Williams are locks for the first four spots. Slowey will compete with David Buchanan, Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and others for the fifth spot. Buchanan is the favorite for the No. 5 spot, but there could be an opportunity for everybody. Hamels or Lee could be traded at some point, and it is a rarity for five starters to stay healthy and effective the entire season. It is why the Phillies signed Chad Billingsley before Spring Training. Billingsley is another rotation candidate, but he is not expected to be ready until late April. "In terms of breaking with the club, it's out of my hands," said Slowey, who is 43-36 with a 4.62 ERA in 137 appearances (106 starts) in seven seasons with the Twins and Marlins. "As long as I've been playing, every year you sort of realize that a little more. You go out there and you do what you can. For me, once I let go of the ball, that's it and I can prepare as best I can, and that's what I've done. The hope and the goal is to show them I can help the Phillies win and leave the decision up to them."

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

The Phillies travel to Kissimmee to play the Astros on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. ET, and fans can listen to an exclusive, free webcast on phillies.com. Lee, who finished last season on the DL because of an injured left elbow but has been healthy in camp, will make his Grapefruit League debut. Gonzalez, who is trying to reestablish himself as a starter after moving into the bullpen last season because of concerns about his health, is expected to pitch in relief of Lee.

PHILS PHACTS:

Grady Down! – Phillies left fielder Grady Sizemore left Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Yankees after getting hit on his right knee with a pitch in the fourth inning. Jordan Danks replaced Sizemore as a pinch-runner. "Just precautionary," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He got hit on the meat in the back. He felt fine."

Making His Presence Known – Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg liked what he saw Wednesday afternoon from Rule 5 Draft pick Odubel Herrera, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs scored in a 3-1 victory over the Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. "A lot stood out," Sandberg said. "A spark plug at the top [of the lineup]. Great job with the stolen bases, getting in scoring position, which was big in a 3-1 game. He did a good job of squaring balls up and staying on top of the ball, hard grounders, line drives. Real heads up play with the stolen bases." Herrera has the inside track for one of five available bench jobs, because the Phillies are thinking beyond 2015. Having him on the 25-man roster the entire season to keep him in the organization beyond this year makes sense, especially if he continues to hit. Herrera batted .321 with 16 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 48 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and a .775 OPS in Double-A Frisco (Texas), where he won the league batting title. His OPS ranked 10th among Texas League hitters with 300 or more plate appearances. Herrera then hit .372 with 14 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 27 RBIs, eight stolen bases and a .988 OPS in Venezuelan winter ball, where he also won the batting title. Herrera is expected to play all three outfield positions this spring, but he has played second base and shortstop in the past, so he has versatility defensively. Herrera, 23, has some speed. He succeeded in 128 of 178 stolen-base attempts (71.9 percent) in his career. He went 8-for-8 in winter ball. Sandberg said Herrera was given the green light to steal in certain situations, and he took advantage. "It was an on-and-off green," Sandberg said. "There were some reds in there, because there were left-handed pitchers in there. There were some reasons. He was running really well. He seems to be real fluid in center field. He seems to go to the right spot."

Filling In The Bench – The Phillies will need to be pretty creative to score runs consistently this season. A productive and versatile bench could help. The projected Opening Day lineup includes catcher Carlos Ruiz, first baseman Ryan Howard, second baseman Chase Utley, third baseman Cody Asche, shortstop Freddy Galvis, left fielder Grady Sizemore, center fielder Ben Revere and right fielder Domonic Brown, but the Phillies' projected five-man bench could go a bunch of different ways. Here are the leading candidates: OF/1B Darin Ruf: Could Ruf finally get his opportunity to play in the big leagues on a semi-regular basis? Ruiz is literally the only right-handed bat of the everyday eight, so the Phillies desperately need balance in the lineup. The fact Ruf hits for power helps his cause. He is as close to a lock as one can find for a bench job. OF Odubel Herrera: He has the inside track for a spot because he is a Rule 5 Draft pick. He won the Double-A Texas League batting title last season and the Venezuelan winter ball batting title this winter. If Herrera shows enough promise, the Phillies could stash him on the 25-man roster the entire season to keep him in the organization. INF Cesar Hernandez: The Phillies like Hernandez and he is out of options, which gives him a big edge. Hernandez plays mostly second base, but he also has shown he can play defense on the left side of the infield. C Cameron Rupp: Ruiz is 36 and has not started more than 113 games behind the plate at any point in his career. That could give Rupp enough playing time as a backup to further his development. He has the edge over non-roster invitees Koyie Hill and John Hester. In fact, it might be Rupp's job to lose. However, Rupp will have to hit this spring. He hit .183 in 64 plate appearances last season with the Phillies and .165 in 219 plate appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. OF Jeff Francoeur: He is intriguing because of his past and the fact Charlie Manuel is working with him this spring, but Francoeur will have to produce to earn a spot after posting a .511 OPS in 284 plate appearances the past two seasons in the big leagues. There is a scenario where the Phillies could carry Ruf, Herrera and Francoeur on the roster with Hernandez as the only backup infielder. INF Andres Blanco: He is a non-roster invitee, but if the Phillies want a true shortstop on the roster, Blanco is the best bet. OF Jordan Danks: If the Phillies want a defensive option in the outfield, they could turn to Danks, who would be a true backup center fielder to Revere. C Koyie Hill and C John Hester: Both are non-roster invitees with big league experience, but either one would have to outplay Rupp to earn a spot on the 25-man roster. INF Maikel Franco: The Phillies think Franco will live up to his potential, but unless something unforeseen happens, it makes little sense to have him on the Opening Day roster. Starting Franco in Triple-A allows him to play every day and continue his development. It also allows the Phillies to delay his free agency until after the 2021 season. Remember, the Phillies are not playing for 2015. They are playing for '17 and beyond. That extra year of team control could be big. Other non-roster invitees in camp include infielders Russ Canzler , Chase d'Arnaud, Chris McGuiness, Chris Nelson and Cord Phelps; and outfielders Brian Bogusevic , Darin Mastroianni and Xavier Paul. It takes a lot for a non-roster invitee to make the team out of camp. They might need a Chris Coste-type Spring Training (Coste hit .463 with three homers, 11 RBIs and a 1.305 OPS in 41 at-bats in 2006) to open eyes and enter the 25-man roster discussion.

ON THE RECORD:

The Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions either this year or next.