Phillies Get Crushed… Again!

GAME RECAP: Mets Murder Phillies 12-1

He had sent Citi Field into delirium once more, and Yoenis Cespedes wanted to show the 35,832 fans his appreciation. Jogging back to the dugout in the fourth inning of the Mets' 12-1 win over the Phillies on Saturday night, his 26th homer of the year in the seats, Cespedes raised both hands to his lips and blew the Mets faithful a kiss. Queens has fallen in love with Yoenis Cespedes over the past 13 months, and with his three-run laser Saturday night, Cespedes set the wheels in motion for another Mets onslaught of the Phillies. "There's some confidence in there right now. Some guys are coming through that hadn't been coming through," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "We've been talking endlessly about not getting hits with runners in scoring position; right now we are. It looks like a completely different team." While Noah Syndergaard allowed just two hits through seven innings of one-run ball, the night was less bountiful for Jeremy Hellickson, whose ERA rose from 3.60 to 3.80. He was pulled before the start of the fifth, having already been knocked around for a pair of homers. "I just lost command of pretty much all three pitches tonight," Hellickson said. "I think the two home runs were probably two of the better fastballs that I threw. It's a good lineup. It's hot right now." Philadelphia's bullpen was hardly exempt from the bludgeoning. The Mets pushed their lead to 10 with a six-run seventh inning, which was punctuated by a pinch-hit grand slam off the bat of Kelly Johnson. With the blast, the Mets' 86th at home the season, the team broke the single-season record for home runs at Citi Field, set in 2015. Neil Walker added a solo shot the next inning, giving the Mets four homers, including a grand slam, for the second straight night. "The energy's just different in the room right now," Collins said. With 18 home games remaining, the Mets are on pace for 112 dingers in Queens. Staring down a huge deficit, the Phillies couldn't mount a comeback. Odubel Herrera singled in the bottom of the ninth, the Phillies' second hit since the third inning, but they couldn't put up much of a fight. The Cardinals lost, 3-2, to Oakland on Saturday night, meaning the Mets, who have now won six of their last seven games, moved to within 2 1/2 games of the National League's second Wild Card spot.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Hellickson has been one of the Phillies' steadiest starters, pitching six or more innings in 15 of his last 18 starts entering the night. But he suffered the second-shortest start of his season Saturday, allowing seven hits and five runs in four innings. He pitched a season-low three innings April 15 against the Nationals. "It was one of those nights," Hellickson said. "I really didn't have much."
• Galvis hit his 14th homer of the season in the third, hitting a 2-2 curveball from Syndergaard over the right-field wall. Galvis is tied for 13th among big league shortstops in home runs. It was one of two hits Syndergaard allowed. "He was the same as always," Galvis said of Syndergaard's dominance.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez (8-6, 4.31 ERA) faces the Mets in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Citi Field at 1:10 p.m. ET. Velasquez has struggled recently, allowing 19 earned runs in 16 1/3 innings in his last three starts. The Phillies are monitoring his workload this season, so this might be one of his final starts of 2016.

PHILS PHACTS:

Falling Off The Mound – This is not the way the Phillies wanted to enter the final month of the season. After the Mets pounded them Saturday night at Citi Field, 12-1, they find themselves limping into September with just four more games to play in August. The Phillies have lost seven of their last 10, with their starters posting a 6.79 ERA (42 earned runs in 55 2/3 innings) in that stretch. "Tonight was embarrassing," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. But the Phillies' starting pitching problems go back further than that. The rotation has a 6.85 ERA (107 earned runs in 140 2/3 innings) in 27 games since July 27. Incredibly, the Phillies are 13-14 in that stretch. "Bad pitching," Mackanin said. "The funny thing about it is we are 11-11 in the month of August. So it's hard to figure out." Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed five runs in four innings, which was his second-shortest start of the season. Hellickson had pitched six or more innings in 15 of his previous 18 starts. But a two-run homer to Asdrubal Cabrera in the third and three-run homer to Yoenis Cespedes in the fourth helped to cut his night short. "They're an aggressive lineup," Hellickson said. "They're hot right now. They're not missing too many mistakes, just grinding out at-bats and making us work. When I got ahead I couldn't put them away. Then I fell behind. I had three walks in four innings, which can't happen. It was one of those nights. I really didn't have much. "I just lost command of pretty much all three pitches tonight. I think the two home runs were probably two of the better fastballs that I threw. It's a good lineup. It's hot right now." The Phillies' bullpen took over from there. David Hernandez pitched two scoreless innings before Michael Mariot allowed six runs in the seventh, including a pinch-hit grand slam to Kelly Johnson. Mariot allowed a grand slam to Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley last week. Severino Gonzalez then allowed a solo homer to Neil Walker in the eighth. The Phillies needed to pitch almost perfectly against Mets stud Noah Syndergaard, who allowed just one run -- Freddy Galvis' solo homer to right in the third inning, which actually gave the Phillies a 1-0 lead. "He was the same as always," Galvis said of Syndergaard's dominance. Of course, it's not all bad. At 59-70, the Phillies have the 10th-worst record in baseball, and if they finish in the bottom 10, their first-round pick in the 2017 Draft will be protected. That is important because teams with protected picks can sign a free agent that has rejected a qualifying offer without penalty. That could come in handy if the Phillies try to upgrade via free agency in the offseason.

The Shock Fades – A.J. Ellis seemed to be in better spirits Saturday than Thursday, when he learned the Dodgers traded him to the Phillies. Ellis had spent his entire career with Los Angeles, which leads the National League West and has World Series aspirations. But in a flash, Ellis learned his time in L.A. had ended as the Dodgers sent him, a Class A Advanced pitching prospect and a player to be named later to the Phillies for Carlos Ruiz. Not only did Ellis have to leave the only place he had ever played, but he had to join an organization not headed to the postseason. Ellis joined the Phillies before Saturday night's game against the Mets at Citi Field. He said he is getting acclimated to his new reality. "The first 12 hours were definitely the hardest," he said. "Really hard to say goodbye to a lot of relationships I had been blessed to forge for more than a decade. "I told someone earlier on the way in that the waves of emotion are getting farther and farther apart, which is a good thing. To arrive here and arrive in the clubhouse, meeting the staff, I'm starting to feel reenergized, refilled with a sense of purpose as to why I've been placed here, and why this is where I need to be at this time. I'm excited about that." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he totally understood Ellis' heartbreak at being traded Thursday. "You get traded off a contending team to a non-contender, you can't be happy about that," he said. "But he's over it. He's moving forward." In fact, the Phillies called a special hitters meeting before Saturday's game. The Phillies played six games earlier this month against the Dodgers, and they wanted Ellis to tell Phillies' hitters how the Dodgers attacked them. "I think it would be good for our hitters to hear that from an outside source," Mackanin said. "We were doing some of that with the pitchers out there," said Ellis, who caught a couple bullpen sessions before the game. "We can dig into those conversations and talk to the offensive side of how we wanted to attack them, and as a catcher, things that I've noticed from watching them swing the bats. Maybe shrink the gaps a little bit and create better offensive at-bats. When you have a better understanding of how the opposing team is trying to get you out, it can only be a benefit." Ellis is set to become a free agent after the season, and with Cameron Rupp establishing himself as the No. 1 catcher and catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp on the horizon, Ellis might only be with the Phillies until the end of the season. So what has him energized to play these final few weeks, especially considering the dramatic drop he took in the NL standings? "Guys [in Philadelphia] are playing for things," Ellis said. "Guys are playing for their careers. Guys are playing to make their mark in this game and building on the building blocks to create a winning franchise once again in Philadelphia. If I can in some short time here impact some wisdom on those guys, share some of the wisdom along the way that I've picked up from some great mentors I've had in my time in the game, I need to pay it back, from all that's been given to me."

Anticipated Shut Downs – The end is coming for Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez, who pitches Sunday afternoon against the Mets at Citi Field. The end is coming for rookie Jake Thompson, too. The Phillies are monitoring their workloads, and it is expected both will be shut down sometime before the end of the season. "We've talked about it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Saturday. "I haven't been involved in in-depth conversations, but I know at some point Thompson is going to be cut short, and Velasquez is going to be cut short at some point. But it's not an exact science right now. We don't have a definite date yet. Maybe another week. It depends on how many innings they give us now." Once they stop pitching, it would not be a surprise to see right-handers Alec Asher and David Buchanan take their spots in the rotation.

Today In Phils History – The Phillies started quite the streak on this day in 1901 winning the 1^st of 10 in a row which they wouldn’t accomplish again until July 1955. For the 2^nd time in his career, Rick Wise hit two homeruns in a game (including a grand slam) in 1971 supporting his own effort over the Giants for the win. Greg Golson hit for the cycle at single A Clearwater on this day in 2006. Finally, happy birthday to Tony Gonzalez (1936) and Ryan Madson (1980).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 59-70 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-67-0 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 Defeated By Thor And Captain America

GAME RECAP: Mets Silence Phillies 5-2

Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard continues to look superhuman as he cruised in a 5-2 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. Syndergaard's fastball hit 100-101 mph 18 times as he allowed five hits, one run and two walks and struck out eight in seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA. "Everything was clicking," Syndergaard said. "Mechanically, I felt great out there. It just gives you the most amount of confidence in the world." Back-to-back homers from Lucas Duda and Neil Walker in the eighth and David Wright's solo shot in the ninth -- his second dinger of the game -- gave the Mets some late breathing room. New York is looking for a little payback after dropping two of three to the Phillies earlier this month at Citi Field. "We are a team that's built on power, and when we hit homers, we win games," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Tonight, we hit homers." Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff battled Syndergaard through seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks and striking out nine. He is 1-4 in five career starts against the Mets, but he has posted a 2.81 ERA against New York as the Phillies have scored just four runs for him when he has been in those games.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin knew his team would struggle to score runs this season, so he stressed the need to manufacture as many runs as possible. The Phillies followed this approach when they scored their only run against Syndergaard in the third. Freddy Galvis doubled, stole third and scored on a soft single to left field from Herrera to tie the game, 1-1. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said of Syndergaard's slow delivery to the plate. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." 
• No visiting player has even come close to Wright's 22 career homers at Citizens Bank Park. Next on the list is Carlos Beltran, who has hit 14 homers at the ballpark, which opened in 2004.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez has been nothing short of brilliant in his first two starts this season. He makes his third Tuesday night at 7:05 ET against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez struck out 16 and walked zero in a shutout Thursday against the Padres. He pitched six scoreless innings, striking out nine, against the Mets at Citi Field on April 9.

PHILS PHACTS:

Holding His Own – Jerad Eickhoff lacks the golden locks, the comic strip nickname and the 100-mph fastball of Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, but that does not mean he cannot compete with baseball's latest superhero. Eickhoff battled "Thor" for seven innings Monday night in a 5-2 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed five hits, two runs, three walks and struck out nine on a night when he had little margin for error. While the Phillies may lack the firepower to compete with the Mets in 2016, it is not a stretch to think Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez and Aaron Nola could be battling the Mets' young stud pitchers with much more on the line in the future. "Without a doubt," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I like what I see from them. They've got a real good presence on the mound. That's one concern we don't have." Eickhoff is 1-4 in five career starts with the Mets, but throw the record out the window because the Phillies have scored just four runs when he has been on the mound in those games. He also has a 2.81 ERA in those starts, striking out 32 batters in 32 innings. "The guy is a bulldog out there," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "He's just as tough as any guy on any roster. He's going to go out there, he's going to compete. He knows how to work, he knows how to pitch. He's got No. 1 kind of stuff, and he's shown it." Eickhoff allowed a home run to David Wright in the first inning to hand the Mets a 1-0 lead. He had retired 11 consecutive batters when Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-out triple and scored on Lucas Duda's double to left field to make it 2-1 in the sixth. Phillies left fielder David Lough had a chance to catch it, but the ball deflected off the top of his glove as he dived for it. But Eickhoff showed some fight in the seventh. He allowed a leadoff single to Asdrubal Cabrera and a one-out walk to Syndergaard but settled down to strike out Curtis Granderson on a 1-2 curveball and Wright on a 2-2 curveball to end the inning. "He really gritted his teeth and went after him," Mackanin said. "That was a good test." Eickhoff punched his mitt as he walked off the mound. "I was really excited to get out of that," he said. Eickhoff has made just 11 starts in his big league career, but he is establishing himself as a key piece of the Phillies' future. Since he allowed six runs in four innings against the Red Sox in Boston on Sept. 6, 2015, Eickhoff is 3-2 with a 1.34 ERA in seven starts. He said he is not thinking about what could be in the future between the Phillies and Mets. "I'm a day-to-day guy," he said. "I try not to get too far ahead of myself, and I think a lot of us in here are [the same way]." Velasquez is another big piece of the Phillies' future. He faces the Mets on Tuesday night.

Changing Strategy – With offensive struggles looming over their heads, the Phillies needed to find an edge wherever they could -- especially against Mets 23-year-old flamethrower Noah Syndergaard on Monday night. Syndergaard doesn't have many weaknesses, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin did his best to exploit one of them, despite it coming in a 5-2 losing effort. While Syndergaard's pitches get to the plate with speeds in the triple digits, his delivery can be slow. Coming into the game, the Phillies had three stolen bases on the season. They swiped two in two attempts against Syndergaard and took one more against Antonio Bastardo in the eighth. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." David Lough, starting in left field the day he was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, reached base twice -- once by fielder's choice against Syndergaard in his first at-bat and again with a double in the ninth inning. He was the first Phillies culprit on the basepaths, taking second after his fielder's choice. "[Syndergaard is] one of the slower guys, where you can take advantage of that," Lough said. "I think we did a good job of that. [Freddy] Galvis took one to third, I took one to second, I think [Odubel Herrera] took one to second. With the speed guys on base, we're definitely taking advantage of it." After Lough's callup, there's a handful of players who could be classified as "speed guys." Cesar Hernandez swiped 19 bags last season. Herrera took 16. Galvis had 10, but showed off his quickness on his steal of third on Monday. And Mackanin called Peter Bourjos, who only had five last year for the Cardinals but 22 in 2011, the fastest guy on the team. Postgame, Mackanin continued to express frustration in the lack of offensive production. The Philies' 36 runs in their first 14 games is tied for third fewest in franchise history in that span. "We're just not scoring enough runs," he said. "They hit four home runs, and we didn't hit any. We've gotta score more runs. We're in all the games we're playing, except a few. We just need to score." Still, rather than try to run at will in an attempt to spark the offense, Mackanin said he's going to continue reading pitchers and relying on scouting reports. "You run on pitchers who are slow to the plate," he said. "When they're quick to the plate, you don't run." Even when they stole three bases, the Phillies managed only two runs. Granted, it was against Syndergaard. One steal, Galvis' of third, did help them muster one run across with Herrera's single the next play. The other runners, however, remained stranded on second. And the Phillies remain without an answer offensively.

Recent Roster Moves – The Phillies announced Monday that they optioned outfielder Cedric Hunter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and selected the contract of outfielder David Lough. Lough was in the lineup in the Phillies' 5-2 loss to the Mets on Monday night, playing left field. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Lough will assume the same role Hunter had, primarily sharing time with Tyler Goeddel and Darin Ruf in left. "We're just going to mix and match and see how David Lough looks," Mackanin said. "He's been in the big leagues before, so I know what to expect from him." Philadelphia has struggled to find production anywhere offensively, but the problems have been especially pronounced in the corner-outfield spots. Phillies left fielders have combined for a .248 OPS, with just three hits in 40 at-bats over the team's first 13 games. Phillies right fielders also are last in baseball with a .485 OPS. Hunter received 24 at-bats in left field, slashing .083/.120/.208. He hit .088 (3-for-34) overall. "I told Cedric this afternoon that I know he's a better hitter than he's shown," Mackanin said. "But I think he's pressing. We just had to make a move to get something jump-started." Lough was among the final cuts when the Phillies headed north from Spring Training. Through six games and 25 at-bats for Lehigh Valley, he hit .280 with one double. He hit .256 with one home run, five RBIs and a team-high 10 walks in 55 plate appearances during Spring Training. "There wasn't much of a debate," Mackanin said. "We thought Lough was the best option right now." Lough posted a .555 OPS in 144 plate appearances last season with the Orioles. He has a .672 OPS in 741 career plate appearances. Lough hopes a more patient approach at the plate will help him produce with the Phillies. "In the past I've always been an aggressive hitter," Lough said. "I didn't draw a lot of walks. But this offseason, it's about being what type of hitter I am. It's getting on base, it's scoring a lot of runs, it's stealing bases, playing good defense. So I went into spring with a different mindset and approach at the plate. I obviously drew some walks and felt good at the plate in the spring, and it carried into the Triple-A season." Will Venable, whom the Phillies signed near the end of Spring Training, was thought to be another option, but Mackanin said he hasn't been hitting enough at Triple-A. Venable has three hits in 24 at-bats for Lehigh Valley. Prior to Monday's game, the Phillies also acquired Minor League outfielder Alfredo Marte from the Orioles for cash or a player to be named. Marte has played parts of three seasons in the Majors, most recently getting six at-bats for the Angels last season. In his career, the 27-year-old has a .532 OPS in 170 plate appearances. He had been playing for the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, to start 2016.

Where’s Radar Man? – There have been a handful of hot topics for Phillies fans the first couple weeks of the season. There is Vince Velasquez, the corner outfielders, the closer, the leadoff hitter and that guy behind home plate with the radar gun. Yeah, what happened to that guy? That guy is Phillies' advance scouting analyst Chris Cashman, and observant Phillies fans have noticed his absence this season and wondered why he is no longer sitting behind home plate at Citizens Bank Park. From 2008-15, Cashman sat behind home plate and used a radar gun and walkie talkie to relay pitch velocity and pitch types to the folks running Phanavision. They put his report on the scoreboard in right field, so fans could see how many times Ken Giles threw his fastball 100 mph. "A lot of people have been asking me where I went," Cashman said before Monday night's game against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park, "but more people have been asking my family members. People my dad used to work with. My sister's friends and parents. It's pretty crazy how many people are concerned." Cashman, 30, is doing just fine. The Phillies simply figured Cashman could make better use of his time. Besides, everything is automated these days. "It was a good experience," Cashman said. "I read the scouting reports on the pitchers we were about to face, and then going down there and seeing them I formed my own opinions, but I also saw what the scouts were seeing. It definitely helped me learn the game and understand pitchers." The Phillies no longer employ an advance scout, but Cashman does the work of one. He puts together advance scouting reports based on video, subscription services and other in-house data. He spent Monday working on reports about the Brewers, who play the Phillies in a three-game series beginning Friday in Milwaukee. Cashman now spends his time during games at Citizens Bank Park sitting with the rest of the scouts a few rows further back. He said he still gets recognized from regulars in the Diamond Club and no wonder. From the time Cashman, an Archbishop Carroll and St. Joseph's grad, became a full-time Phillies employee in 2010, he said he missed just five games in six seasons. "I think I served my time down there," Cashman said with a laugh.

Today In Phils History – The history of the day begins in historic fashion for the Phillies who still hold the opening day record for combined runs scored in a game when they defeated the Boston Braves 19-17 in 1900. Another unique matchup occurred 56 years later when the Phillies lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first game ever played in New Jersey. Debuts have also played a big role including those of Phil Collins (long before his genesis days in 1929), Wayne LaMaster in 1937, and Emmett "Heinie" Mueller who hit a homerun in his first major league at bat in 1938. 10 years later, a pending major league debut was put in jeopardy as Richie Ashburn suffered a neck sprain in an exhibition game against Villanova. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and made his major league debut the next day. In recent history, on this day Vance Worley struck out 11 in the Phillies 12^th straight win over the Padres at Petco Park which, not surprisingly, remains the franchise record for consecutive wins at a visiting stadium.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 6-8 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 41-50-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Marvel Superheroes Prevail In Gotham

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The Mets returned to Citi Field and they looked comfortable being at home as Captain America came through at the plate and Thor dropped the hammer from the mound. The once lopsided series now looks to be a race to the finish but the questions still remain as to whether the Mets offense can have another night like they did last night or if the experience, grittiness, and textbook execution by the Royals will resurface in game 4? Seems like someone will have a trick and the other will have a treat tonight!

Mets Romp Royals 9-3

The largest Mets crowd in Citi Field history, 44,781, was already frothing, enthused by a pregame procession of Billy Joel, Mike Piazza and all the pomp and circumstance this postseason-starved borough could muster. The Mets may have been trailing at the dawn of Game 3 of the World Series, but they weren't dead. All they needed on Friday night was a spark. Noah Syndergaard provided it with a high-and-tight fastball that knocked Royals leadoff man Alcides Escobar to the ground, and over the next 3 1/2 hours, the tone of the World Series transformed. Charged by David Wright's homer and four RBIs, the Mets rolled to a 9-3 win that sliced the Royals' lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic to 2-1. And Syndergaard, in teammate Michael Cuddyer's words, was the one who "woke everyone up." "Incredible … incredible," was how Wright described the atmosphere at Citi. "We knew what to expect coming into this based on playing here throughout the postseason, but this was at a different level. To be able to fight back the way that we did, we were relentless tonight. And it seemed like every time they had an answer, we had an answer right back. That's the type of baseball that got us here." Twenty-nine teams have won Game 3 after losing the first two, and 11 of them went on to win the World Series, giving the Mets plenty of hope heading into Game 4 here on Saturday, Halloween night. "We were so looking forward to coming back here," said Mets reliever Tyler Clippard, who pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. "We didn't feel the pressure. We came in here expecting to win and got it done." Wright set the tone early with a two-run homer off Royals starter Yordano Ventura, who also gave up a third-inning homer to Curtis Granderson. Ventura allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Syndergaard outperformed Ventura, but not without resistance. The rookie appeared shaky after what he admitted was a game-opening purpose pitch to Escobar. Six of the seven hits he allowed came during the first and second innings, with Eric Hosmer and Alex Rios driving in runs, but Syndergaard found his stride in the third, reeling off a run of 12 consecutive outs before getting in and out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth. "I was able to stay locked in for the entire game," Syndergaard said. The Mets iced the game with a four-run sixth inning against Kansas City relievers Franklin Morales and Kelvin Herrera, with Wright's two-run single capping the rally. The Royals then spent their postgame hours vowing the only type of revenge that matters. "We have to forget about this," Escobar said. "The plan in here is to win."

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-1

Kansas City at New York

Game 4: Saturday, October 31, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Unique Way To Celebrate – On Tuesday, grand mascot arbiter "Good Morning America" surveyed MLB and named the Phillie Phanatic the best mascot in baseball in 2015. It was a well-deserved title, earned on the backs of countless souvenirs given and Darth Vaders trolled. But true champions never settle. They know that there's always a furry green alien or giant mustachioed brewer coming for their crown, and there's no time for resting on mascot laurels. So, just days after his coronation, the Phanatic was back at it, knowing he needed to go bigger than ever. Like, "31-foot-skyscraper" bigger. The stunt was for a good cause, too, raising funds for the Outward Bound School. And while Sixers mascot Franklin may have made it down first, he also doesn't have a hot dog cannon, so we all know who's really the winner here. 

THE BEGINNING:

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

Travel And Anticipation

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The Royals and Mets spent yesterday traveling to the east coast while the rest of the baseball world spent the day in eager anticipation of the match-up of two young, hard throwing, pitchers that are set to take the mound in game 3. This could either mean a contest dominated from the mound or we could be seeing some really long homeruns. Maybe both. These duels don’t happen too often in the World Series so sit back and enjoy a potential glimpse at future dominance.

Game 3 Preview:

These guys throw fastballs that buckle knees and test nerves and shatter bats. They challenge the body for sure, but they challenge the mind, too. Are you willing to crowd the plate when the guy out there is throwing 100 mph? OK, just checking. Take all the time you need to answer. Welcome to Game 3 of the 2015 World Series on Friday at Citi Field. This is power pitching versus power pitching -- Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard and Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura. At a time when 95-mph fastballs have become almost commonplace in baseball, these guys have power that's special even by the new normal. Syndergaard's fastball averaged 97.4 mph this season, tying him with Yankees right-hander Nathan Eovaldi for tops among Major League starting pitchers, according to Statcast™. Ventura is a tick behind, with a fastball that has averaged 96.8 mph this season, which is third among big league starters. Syndergaard's fastest pitch was clocked at 101.4 mph this season and touched 99 mph three times in the first inning of his last start. Ventura has cranked it up as high as 100.6 mph this season. They generate all that power from different body types. Syndergaard is 6-foot-6, 240 pounds and 23 years old. He's the physically imposing textbook definition of a power pitcher, with a release that looks absolutely effortless. No team in baseball has handled 95-mph (and up) fastballs better than the Royals this season. They're also quick to point out that the Mets' kid pitchers are more than hard throwers. "It should be fun," Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "I'm sure there'll be three digits up there a lot of times. Those guys over there, they don't just throw hard. In looking at Syndergaard's last start, he mixed up his stuff against the Cubs a lot. It wasn't just going out there and trying to pump heaters. I don't think you're going to see either guy doing that." Yordano is a year older than Syndergaard at 24. He's listed as 6 feet, 180 pounds and generates all that velocity with a whiplike delivery in which he drives smoothly off the mound to home plate. Part of the game inside the game on Friday will be the radar-gun readings at Citi Field. Hitters will use them to gauge how hard the pitcher is throwing in the early innings and if the velocity diminishes as the game wears on. And in a game like this, might both pitchers be glancing at their own velocity -- and also that of the other guy? Mets manager Terry Collins said it's far broader than that. "Both sides do [look at the radar-gun readings], believe me," he said. "You go to any park nowadays, and every team is looking to see how hard the guy is throwing. Because nowadays there are so many hard throwers that you kind of have to gauge. "I think it's become a huge part of the game to know how hard somebody is throwing. Because you've got to make adjustments at the plate. And all the film that you have on all these guys, you can't get a true feel until you get in the batter's box." Royals manager Ned Yost said: "Everybody looks at it. That's the first question they ask in a new stadium. Everybody up and down the dugout is asking, 'Where is the radar-gun reading?'" For his part, Ventura said there are more important things than simply throwing hard. "Right now I'm not focused on velocity," he said. "I'm simply focused on pitching deep into the game, keeping the game close and giving my team a chance to score runs. I just want to do my job." Likewise, Syndergaard said his game is to locate his pitches, mix them up and change speeds. If he does those things, he'll be effective at both 93 mph and 99 mph. Both pitchers have taken different paths to get to Game 3 of the World Series. Ventura was Kansas City's Opening Day starter, but spent a month on the disabled list at mid-season with an irritated nerve in his pitching elbow. He had some very good starts and some very bad ones after his return. He hasn't finished six innings in any of his four postseason starts, but is fresh off his best outing -- one earned run in 5 1/3 innings in the clinching Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against Toronto. Syndergaard made his Major League debut on May 12 as the latest in a string of heralded Mets prospects. He has been as good as advertised, especially in the postseason, during which he has a 2.77 ERA after two starts and a one-inning relief appearance. Collins said Syndergaard was in the conversation to start Game 1 of the World Series. "When he first got here, we saw 96 [mph]," Collins said. "What he's doing now, I have never seen that. I've never seen 98, 99 and 100. I've seen good, good power stuff. But I've seen a guy grow and learn how to pitch here, where he will go to his secondary stuff in certain counts." One of the best parts of all this is that Syndergaard and Ventura are so good and so young that they could rank among baseball's elite pitchers for years to come. But they may never pitch on a bigger stage than this one. They're both capable of delivering a World Series memory. Here's hoping.

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

Kansas City leads Series 2-0

Kansas City at New York

Game 3: Friday, October 30, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Crawford Goes Down In AFL – J.P. Crawford's time in the Arizona Fall League has come to an end after just five games. The Phillies' top prospect, ranked No. 5 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list, was the highest-ranked prospect in the Fall League this season. Crawford went 3-for-20 (.150) with three singles, two walks and six strikeouts for the Glendale Desert Dogs. Crawford sustained a mild left thumb sprain while making a tag in a Fall League game. An MRI exam revealed a partial tear of the UCL ligament, but it will not require surgery. Crawford's thumb will be in a splint for the next three to four weeks, but he is expected to be 100 percent healthy by Spring Training. The 20-year-old Crawford is a two-time Futures Gamer who spent most of the year in the Double-A Eastern League in 2015. He hit a combined .288/.380/.414 over 430 at-bats between Clearwater in the Florida State League and Reading in the Eastern League. To replace Crawford, the Phillies have sent infielder Drew Stankiewicz to Glendale. Stankiewicz was an 11th-round pick of the Phillies inn 2014 out of Arizona State who split the year between Lakewood in the South Atlantic League and Clearwater.

We Have A Dubee Sighting – Roy Halladay once said he respects few pitching coaches more than Rich Dubee. Dubee served as the Phillies' pitching coach from 2005-13, when the organization won one World Series, two National League pennants and five NL East championships. Dubee, who spent the past two seasons working in Atlanta's Minor League system, will return to the big leagues next year as the Tigers' pitching coach. Detroit announced the hiring Thursday afternoon. It is not a stretch to say Dubee has some supporters in Detroit. He is close with Tigers bench coach Gene Lamont. He worked for years in Philadelphia with bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer. He spent one season in Philly with hitting coach Wally Joyner. Dubee also served as Jim Leyland's pitching coach with the Marlins in 1998. Leyland is the Tigers' special assistant to the general manager.

THE BEGINNING:

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

Arrieta Is Human After All

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY:

The Mets should probably start playing Bryan Adams on a loop from here on out as the team is looking shocking similar to the team that won it all in 1969. The Mets continued their improbable run as they chased Jake Arrieta from the game and rallied behind the arm of Noah Syndergaard and the bat of Daniel Murphy to take a 2-0 lead in the NLCS. However, the two teams will be leaving the cold weather of New York and resuming play in the warm confines of Wrigley Field on Tuesday where the Cubs hope to rebound from their disappointing start to the series.  

Mets Cage Cubs 4-1

Lounging in the warmth of his office, Mets manager Terry Collins allowed his mind to wander after National League Championship Series Game 1. He knew what it would do for the Mets if they were able to beat Chicago's best pitcher, Jake Arrieta, in Game 2. He understood the sort of towel-waving frenzy it would create at Citi Field if the Mets could fly to Chicago sporting a 2-0 series lead. That's now reality for a Mets team perched two wins from its first pennant in 15 years. Daniel Murphy's torrid October continued with a two-run homer off Arrieta, who gave up four runs for the second straight outing in a 4-1 Mets win Sunday night over the Cubs. On a night that saw temperatures again dip into the low 40s, Murphy and pitcher Noah Syndergaard warmed a club that took full advantage of its home-field edge.

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

National League Championship Series

New York leads series 2-0

Game 3: Tuesday, October 20, at 8:00 PM

American League Championship Series

Kansas City leads series 2-0

Game 3: Monday, October 19, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

Still Nothing (i.e. the Phillies are still unable to move Ryan Howard and have yet to find a GM)!

THE BEGINNING:

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

Mets Rookie Dominates Phillies In Shutout

GAME RECAP: Mets Embarrass Phillies 7-0

The Mets' bats may be starting to warm up. New York blasted four home runs Wednesday, including two from Lucas Duda and one from rookie starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard to complete a three-game sweep of the Phillies with a 7-0 win at Citi Field. Syndergaard showed all of the potential that made him the Mets' No.1 prospect. On the mound, Syndergaard tossed 7 1/3 shutout innings and struck out six. At the plate, he tied a franchise record for pitchers with three hits, including the first homer by a Mets pitcher in almost three years. The Mets banged 11 hits and seven runs off Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan, who fell to 1-4. Syndergaard improved to 2-2, lowering his ERA to 2.55 through four starts. "When you go and have the stuff he's got and throw the ball around the plate, you're going to get a lot of outs," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "His two-seamer today -- he just learned it last week, and he got ground ball after ground ball with it." The Phillies limp back to Philadelphia, closing out a 10-game road trip with seven losses in their last nine games. "Yeah, it was really bad," Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis said. "We were playing really good. We had some tough games, like the [5-4 loss in 10 innings Tuesday]. But we're getting better, man. I think we're getting better. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll have a nice day off and come back."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• O'Sullivan had been on a little roll entering Wednesday's start. He had allowed two or fewer runs in six or more innings in consecutive starts for the first time since April 2011, when he pitched for the Royals. But the seven runs Wednesday were the most he had allowed since he allowed seven in 2 2/3 innings on June 2, 2011. "Everything felt real flat from the get-go," O'Sullivan said. "I knew it was going to be one of those days when I'd have to grind out at-bats. Our bullpen has been pretty taxed lately, so I kind of had to bite the bullet."
• Sandberg said he chose rookie left-hander Elvis Araujo to pitch in a high-leverage situation over left-hander Jake Diekman on Tuesday because Diekman was the Phillies' long man. Sandberg used Diekman in a mop-up situation Wednesday, when he pitched 1 1/3 innings. Diekman (7.00 ERA in 21 appearances) allowed one hit and struck out two. It was the third time in his last seven appearances he had not allowed a run.
• The Phillies had just three extra-base hits in the series: two doubles and one triple. The Mets had nine, including seven home runs.
• With one out in the fourth, Syndergaard launched a solo homer to deep center field off O'Sullivan for his first career big fly. Syndergaard also singled twice, making him the first pitcher with three hits and a homer in the same game since Randy Wolf in 2009. No Mets pitcher had homered in a game since Jeremy Hefner on May 29, 2012. "He's 6-foot-7, 245 [pounds]," Collins said. "We expect him to be able to hit it that far."
• "They have the possibility of seven starters over there with [Zack] Wheeler and [Dillon] Gee. They throw arms at you from the start. No doubt about it." -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, on the daunting task of facing the Mets' rotation.
• 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:

Rotation Shuffle – The Phillies tweaked their rotation for this weekend's series against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang will pitch Friday and Saturday, respectively, as scheduled, but because the Phillies do not play Thursday, they will skip Severino Gonzalez's turn in the rotation Sunday. Right-hander Jerome Williams will pitch Sunday's series finale instead. The Phillies also do not play Monday, so it is unclear if and when Gonzalez will slide back into the rotation.

Off Road Trip – It is hard to remember, but a little more than a week ago the Phillies opened a 10-game road trip with a victory in Colorado. It extended their winning streak to six games, their longest since they won seven consecutive games from Sept. 5-12, 2012. The streak gave the players in the Phillies' clubhouse a reason to feel good about themselves following an 11-23 start, which was the worst record in baseball and the organization's worst start since 1971. But the Phillies have lost seven of their last nine following Wednesday afternoon's 7-0 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. "Yeah, it was really bad," Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis said. "We were playing really good. We had some tough games, like the [5-4 loss in 10 innings Tuesday]. But we're getting better, man. I think we're getting better. Hopefully, tomorrow we'll have a nice day off and come back." But the good vibes certainly were harder to find as the Phillies cleared out the visitors' clubhouse. "Nope," Ryan Howard said, when asked for a comment about the series. Wednesday was the 19th time this season the Phillies have scored two or fewer runs. It was the fifth time they have been shut out. The Phillies are averaging 3.12 runs per game this season, which is the lowest average in baseball in a non-strike season since 1972, when the Angels (2.93), Rangers (2.99) and Indians (3.03) struggled more than these Phillies. The Phillies had trouble against the Mets' starters over the past two games. Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard allowed six hits and struck out six in 7 1/3 scoreless innings Wednesday. Jacob deGrom allowed two runs on six hits and struck out nine in 7 1/3 innings Tuesday. "They have the possibility of seven starters over there with [Zack] Wheeler and [Dillon] Gee," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "They throw arms at you from the start. No doubt about it." The Phillies have lost 20 of their last 25 games against the Mets. They open a three-game series Friday against the Rockies, whom they split a four-game series with last week in Denver. "We started off the road trip pretty well," Sandberg said. "To lose the last four is not the way I would like to end the road trip, especially today. We play good baseball at home. We've rebounded at home, too. So hopefully that's the case starting this series." "It's kind of a blessing we have an off-day tomorrow," said Sean O'Sullivan, who allowed seven runs in 5 2/3 innings. "Hopefully, we can regroup."

No Midnight Ride For Revere – For now it looks like Ben Revere is remaining with the Phillies. The Angels acquired outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis from the Mets on Wednesday. The Phillies and Angels had been talking about a Revere trade for some time, sources had told MLB.com. The Phillies wanted at least one Minor League player in return, but the sides could not reach an agreement. The Angels are expected to continue looking for ways to boost their offense, so perhaps the Phillies and Angels will keep talking. The Phillies have been trying to trade Revere because of an imminent logjam in the outfield. Cody Asche is learning to play left field at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Right fielder Domonic Brown also is in Triple-A. Both are expected to rejoin the Phillies at some point, which means other players will have to move. The Phillies have committed to Odubel Herrera in center field, which has made Revere movable. Outfielder Grady Sizemore also could be an odd man out. He hits left-handed like Herrera, Asche, Brown and Revere. Sizemore entered Wednesday hitting .191 (25-for-131) with no home runs, six RBIs and a .472 OPS since Sept. 5, 2014. Nieuwenhuis had been designated for assignment on May 19. It only took the Angels cash to acquire him.

State Of The Minors – Players of the Week: Player - C Gabriel Lino, Reading...Lino, 22, led all Reading players with a .412 average last week, collecting seven hits and five RBI in seven games. On May 22, Lino tallied a season-high three hits, including his third home run of 2015, while driving in two runs in a win over Portland. The following day, he went 2-3 with an RBI, making him 5-for-7 with a home run, three RBI, two doubles and a run in the first two games of the series. Lino recorded at least one hit in all but one of his seven games, pulling his batting average up more than 30 points over that span. The Venezuela native was acquired by the Phillies in a June 2012 trade that sent Jim Thome to Baltimore, and he was originally signed by the Orioles and Calvin Maduro. Pitcher - LHP Brandon Leibrandt, Clearwater...The 22-year-old southpaw is no stranger to awards this season, as this marks his second Minor League Player of the Week Award to go along with a Minor League Player of the Month Award for April. Leibrandt started two games last week, earning the win in both after two strong performances. On May 18, he held Brevard County to one run on five hits, striking out five and walking none in a complete-game effort. He then tossed 6.0 one-run frames against Palm Beach on May 23, giving him a 1.20 ERA (2 ER in 15.0 IP), 0.75 WHIP, 10 K, 0 BB and a .208 opponents average in the two starts combined. This season, Leibrandt has allowed two earned runs or fewer and pitched at least 6.0 innings in eight of his nine starts, and he currently ranks first in the Florida State League in innings pitched (59.0) and WHIP (0.88), third in strikeouts (52), fifth in wins (5) and 10^th in ERA (2.29). Leibrandt was selected by the Phillies in the sixth round of the 2014 draft out of Florida State University, and was signed by Aaron Jersild. Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division… 18-27, 5^th place…The IronPigs clicked on all cylinders last week, winning a season-high six straight games before dropping a close 7-5 contest to Charlotte on Sunday. The six game win streak was one game shy of the franchise record, and since starting the season 6-20 Lehigh Valley has rebounded to go 12-7. Top hitting performers - SS Chase d'Arnaud played in five games, collecting seven hits in 18 at bats (.389) while driving in five runs. He had three hits on May 24, one of which was his first home run of the season…OF Brian Bogusevic clubbed two home runs including a grand slam, and drove in a team-high six runs during the week…INF Cord Phelps hit an even .300 with a .391 OBP and five runs scored. Top pitching performers - LHP Joely Rodriguez had his best start of the season on May 21, holding Charlotte to just four hits over 7.0 scoreless frames. Rodriguez is 2-0 with a 2.13 ERA in his last two starts…RHP Seth Rosin appeared in three games out of the bullpen, and made quick work out of the opposing hitters in all of them. He pitched at least 1.2 innings in all three appearances, allowing just one hit and no runs in each…LHP Cesar Jimenez converted all three of his save opportunities, tossing a scoreless inning in each of them…RHP Dustin McGowan also was 3-for-3 in saves, striking out four in 4.1 scoreless innings. Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division … 23-19, 3^rd place… Reading did not have the best start of the week, dropping two straight to New Hampshire, but they rebounded to win four of the next five to pull four games over the .500 mark. As has been true most of the season, the Fightins' success lives and dies with its pitching. In their last five games of the week, they held opponents to only eight total runs (1.6 per game) as opposed to 10 runs allowed in their two losses to start the week. Top hitting performers - 1B Brock Stassi played in all seven games and led all Reading players with eight hits. Two of those hits were home runs, helping Stassi to a .615 slugging percentage and 16 total bases…2B Brodie Greene recorded hits in all but one game during the week, raising his average nearly 20 points in six games. He hit .389 with a double, two walks and two runs scored…C Gabriel Lino hit .412 (7-for-17) with a home run, five RBI and a 1.118 OPS, earning himself Phillies Minor League Player of the Week honors…OF Roman Quinn hit his third home run of the season and tallied 10 total bases. Top pitching performers - RHP Zach Eflin pitched a career-high 8.2 innings in his start against Portland on May 22, allowing only four hits and two unearned runs while striking out five batters…RHP Aaron Nola came within one of matching a season high eight strikeouts in his scoreless 7.0-inning, four-hit start on May 20. He is 6-3 with a 1.87 ERA this season …RHP Tyler Knigge pitched two games in relief, yielding only a hit and walk in 4.0 total innings…RHP Nefi Ogando also pitched 4.0 scoreless frames out of the bullpen, striking out three batters. Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division… 22-22,T-2^nd place…Clearwater saw positive results last week, as they began and ended the week with a pair of wins. The .500 mark has been status quo for Clearwater for the better part of the season, but it may not take much more to remain high in the divisional rankings as the Threshers sit in a tie for second place just four games back of the Daytona Tortugas. Top hitting performers - SS J.P. Crawford tallied nine base hits in 24 at bats (.375) while reaching base at a .444 clip. He has multiple hits in 10 of his 17 games this season…C Willians Astudillo hit .350 with three runs scored and an RBI…CF Aaron Brown drove in a pair of runs, doubled and hit .318 with a .423 OBP in seven games. Top pitching performers - LHP Brandon Leibrandt started two games and was brilliant in both. He put forth a complete game, one-run effort in a win on May 18 over Brevard County, and followed that with 6.0 innings of one-run ball on May 23 against Palm Beach. Leibrandt was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season, with the first coming for the week of April 20-26…RHP Colin Kleven went 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA (two ER in 12.0 IP), 0.75 WHIP and 13 strikeouts against just one walk…RHP Mark Leiter scattered six hits over 8.0 shutout innings on May 21, striking out six Palm Beach batters…RHP David Whitehead posted his sixth quality start this season with a 6.0-inning, one-run effort against Palm Beach on May 22…RHP Ulises Joaquin did not allow a run in two games and converted his lone save opportunity. Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League North Division…21-21, 5^th place… Lakewood lost twice to start the week, but then won four of the next five to climb back even at 21-21 for the season. Ranfi Casimiro set the tone for a strong finish with a seven-inning shutout in game one of a doubleheader on May 22, and the rest of the staff followed suit. The BlueClaws allowed only two runs in each of the next three games, and the team now ranks fourth in the South Atlantic League with a 3.24 team ERA. Top hitting performers - INF Damek Tomscha led Lakewood with nine hits and three extra-base hits as he hit .409 with a .985 OPS. He drove in three runs and scored another six in just seven games…INF Grenny Cumana batted .350 with three RBI, two runs, a double and a walk…1B Rhys Hoskins recorded seven hits and walked five times, helping himself to a .350 average and .462 OBP for the week. He had a double, triple, five runs scored and two driven in. Top pitching performers - RHP Ranfi Casimiro was awarded a complete-game shutout after going the distance in a 7.0 inning affair against Greensboro on May 22. He has allowed one run or fewer in four of his last five starts…RHP Alexis Rivero saved two games in two chances, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings in relief.

All Star Ballot Not Looking Good – The Phillies are going to have at least one All-Star, and it is likely to come from the pitching staff, but their position players are lagging behind on the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot. Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.98 ERA), Aaron Harang (4-4, 1.93 ERA) and Jonathan Papelbon (1.42 ERA, 11 saves) each could make cases for themselves. The case is harder to make for Phillies position players, although Freddy Galvis is sixth among National League shortstops with a .709 OPS and Ryan Howard has played better recently, raising his OPS to .817. That is Howard's best production since 2011, his season that ended with a ruptured left Achillies tendon. No Phillies player is among the highest vote-getters in the first National League All-Star voting update. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. Following the announcement of the 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

MLB.com Upgrade – Today's schedule starts with a White Sox-Orioles doubleheader that makes up the games that were postponed last month in Baltimore, and then a Corey Kluber-vs.-Nelson Cruz matchup that headlines six more games to follow. Along the way, you are about to have another one of those MLB.TV moments that make you realize how far we have come since the first live video broadcast stream by a major sports league in 2002. Major League Baseball Advanced Media is introducing its new Web-based media player (version 5.0), for those who currently subscribe or those who sign up now for MLB.TV Premium ($114.99 a year or $24.99 a month) or regular MLB.TV ($94.99/$19.99). You'll notice the difference right away as the HD media player has an in-page layout, so it all happens in your browser with no need for an additional download. Corey Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, is back on track for the Indians after allowing only two runs in his past three outings. In his 10:10 p.m. ET start at Seattle, he'll face a lineup that is led by Cruz, who has 18 home runs, and now it'll be Cruz's move because the Nationals' Bryce Harper tied him atop the MLB leaderboard on Wednesday night. Want to watch Mike Trout and the Angels at the same time? In the new MLB.TV media player, there is a new game scoreboard that will make it easier to track scores of games happening around the Majors. Simplified user controls add to the fun of following those and other games, improving the user experience. A clickable linescore lets you jump between innings or to single-game highlights. The multi-view design provides an easy way to watch multiple games at once -- a key asset for Fantasy owners. You can watch highlights in a secondary picture-in-picture window. "It's a savior," said former All-Star right-hander Carl Pavano, now a busy father of three who uses his MLB.TV Premium subscription on multiple devices in South Florida to prepare in his role as a Marlins pregame and postgame analyst on Fox Sports South. "This really frees up more time. If you want to be active, go to a park in our neighborhood, T-ball games, you try not to take your attention from those, but in my line of work and with my history in baseball, it's important to me. It's nice having that connection wherever you go." From its now technologically archaic beginnings -- a 300K live stream to 30,000 viewers in August 2002 -- MLB.TV has charted a trail of "firsts" along the path to its place as the most widely distributed sports streaming service, covering nearly 30,000 games to millions of subscribers in that timespan. Among those subsequent mileposts were: First to stream its entire season (2003); first to wire its venues for TV-quality streaming (2005); first to use adaptive bit rate streaming (2008); first to stream live 720p HD video (2009); first to stream live games/subscription product to iPhone (2009); first live video on connected devices (2009); first to stream live games/subscription product to iPad (2010); first to stream live video to a gaming console (2010); first live games embedded on Facebook & Twitter (2011); first with live audio overlay technology (U.S. Patent Nos. 8,640,181 and 8,832,768), delivering the capability to switch the live audio feed on MLB.TV broadcasts from the TV to radio announcers without disrupting the live video stream (2012); and first to make a live video stream embeddable to any site on the Internet (2013). "MLB.TV is brilliant, especially for me here in the UK, where we have limited games on our TV," said Chris Bailey, a Giants fan and native Brit in Leicester, England, who is subscribing to MLB.TV for a third consecutive year. "I play Fantasy baseball and it is great for keeping up with your teams and how you are doing. I also love the in-game highlights that flash up, so if there are runs in another game, you can watch during innings of the game you are watching."

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 52-46-0 on this day.