Can MacKanin and Franco Carry Spring Success Into The Regular Season?

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Tie Blue Jays 4-4

Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada is rounding into form after opening Spring Training with a lower back injury. He pitched 3 2/3 innings Friday night in a 4-4 tie with the Phillies in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. Estrada, who made his second Grapefruit League start, allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out six. He allowed the run in the third inning when Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hit his eighth home run of Spring Training. Franco leads the Majors in homers this spring. "Hurry up and get to April," Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson said about Franco's latest homer. "I don't think he'll stop, but hurry up and get here." "I felt good," Estrada said after throwing 59 pitches, 39 strikes. "I still have to catch up a little bit, my body felt pretty good, it's just a comfort level that I need to get to. It's not quite there yet, especially early on, and I felt the same way the first time out ... but the more pitches I threw, the better I felt." Blue Jays first baseman Casey Kotchman hit a two-run homer to right field in the fourth inning against Hellickson, who was recently named the Phillies' Opening Day starter. Blue Jays outfielder Darrell Ceciliani belted a solo shot -- his third home run of the spring -- off Daniel Stumpf in the sixth inning. The Phillies tied the game with a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh against left-hander Brett Cecil, with outfielder Peter Bourjos delivering a two-run homer.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Bourjos hit a two-run home run off the tiki bar in left field in the seventh. It was his second homer of the spring.
• Left-hander Daniel Stumpf allowed a solo homer to Darrell Ceciliani in the sixth. Stumpf is a Rule 5 Draft pick and is fighting for a bullpen job. He has a 4.35 ERA in eight appearances.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies are using Saturday afternoon's game against the Tigers at Bright House Field to get a longer look at some of their relief pitchers in camp. Left-hander James Russell (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will start. A slew of relievers are expected to follow. Russell is in camp as a non-roster invitee and has a chance to win one of the final jobs in the Phillies' bullpen. 

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Returns – The Phillies are breathing a little easier about their outfield situation. Odubel Herrera played Friday night in his first Grapefruit League game since March 12 because of a bruised left middle finger. He went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in a 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays at Bright House Field, but made a nice catch at the center-field wall in the first inning. Still, Herrera needs to get his timing down at the plate before Opening Day on April 4. "I felt fine," Herrera said through an interpreter. "The swings that I made were perfectly OK. They didn't hurt. I was a little behind in timing. That's the only thing I have to admit." Herrera's return to form is important. He hit .297 with 30 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .762 OPS in 537 plate appearances last season as a rookie. He hit .326 with an .834 OPS from May 29 through the end of the season. The Phillies have nobody to replace his bat in the lineup. The projected Opening Day outfield is Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel. Cedric Hunter, David Lough and Emmanuel Burriss seem to be the top candidates to take two bench jobs as outfielders. The Phillies are shorthanded following injuries to Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche. "I believe that as time goes by I'm going to get better," Herrera said. "I still have one week until the season, so I'm good." Herrera said he hopes to play in as many games as possible before Opening Day to ensure he is ready.

Hanging Around – Phillies general manager Matt Klentak first approached Pete Mackanin this week about a new contract. Negotiations, if they can be called that, moved briskly. "He wanted to give me a few days to read [the contract] and make sure everything was in there that I liked," Mackanin said Friday afternoon at Bright House Field. "I only needed about 10 seconds. I said I'm good without reading it." The Phillies announced Friday that Mackanin agreed to a two-year contract that carries him through the 2017 season. The deal includes a 2018 club option. Mackanin, 64, had been working on a one-year contract with a 2017 club option, which he signed in September after replacing Ryne Sandberg, who quit in June. "This contract rewards a manager who has been in baseball for 47 years and has earned this opportunity," Klentak said. "Pete and I have developed a very strong working relationship over the last five months, and I'm absolutely confident that he's the right person to lead this organization as we grow forward." It says something that Klentak tore up Mackanin's old deal and handed him a new one before he had the opportunity to watch him manage in the regular season. The Phillies signed Mackanin to his original contract in part because they did not want to immediately burden Klentak with a lengthy managerial search. Many believed Mackanin could be one and done. After all, GMs often like to have their own manager in the dugout. Klentak also could have simply picked up Mackanin's original option through 2017 and evaluated him from there. "We could have," Klentak said, "but I thought he earned this. We wanted to make sure it's clear that the one-year deal he signed before it's done, it's ripped up. This is a commitment we're making to the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, at least through the 2017 season. This is a clean start between Pete and I. What happened before, that is done." Mackanin got that clean start because Klentak immediately took to him. "I had never met Pete until the beginning of the [organizational] meetings my second day on the job," Klentak said. "We spent the offseason, we talked a lot. At times he was in Philadelphia we'd get together. We spent a lot of time on the phone talking baseball philosophy, baseball strategy, players we either had acquired or were considering acquiring, talking about the way Pete was going to run Spring Training and our relationship has evolved over time. ... What I wanted to see was how that played in a real life setting here in Spring Training with a camp full of players. Really, Pete couldn't have shown me anything more. He and I are very much aligned on the culture and the environment that we're trying to build. So we could have waited into April, or into May, or whenever, to make the decision, but I didn't really see any sense in waiting." Mackanin has been a good fit for a rebuilding team full of young players. He has an easygoing personality, which makes him approachable and relatable to players. He communicates well, which had been an issue with Sandberg. But Mackanin can be firm when needed, too. "I'm going to be who I am," he said. "I feel I have the right amount of discipline and the right amount of energy and the right approach to handle it, especially the younger players. So far up until this point in time I think everybody is on board. In fact, I know everybody is on board. Things have gone extremely smoothly this spring. I don't want to look at it as if I have the hammer, but there are times when you have to lay down the law. And there are times you have to encourage and pat them on the back. That's what managing is. Managing is more than X's and O's during the game." Mackanin served as an interim manager with the Pirates (2005) and Reds ('07), but he never got the full-time gig until Phillies president Andy MacPhail signed him to the deal in September. Mackanin often said he had given up the dream of being a full-time manager until the Phillies made it happen. "I couldn't be more grateful," Mackanin said. "This is a great opportunity. Now that I'm the captain of the ship, I want to keep the guys pointed in the right direction. So this is a great day, a great moment for me, and especially for my wife who has hung around with me for 40 years. I think she's very deserving of this opportunity."

Out Clauses Approaching – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has a new contract, so the only thing left this spring is, well, to finalize the 25-man roster. The biggest battle remains the No. 5 starter, which is between right-hander Vince Velasquez and left-hander Adam Morgan. But there are bullpen and bench jobs at stake, too. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak, Mackanin and others are talking regularly about how the roster could look come Opening Day on April 4. "We have some decisions coming up in the next week, and we know it," Klentak said. "We talk about communication. I think the important thing is, whichever way we end up going as we break camp, it's going to be something that's been talked about for weeks among many people. There will not be any surprises." The Phillies will have to make a few decisions within the next few days. Right-hander Edward Mujica has an out clause for Saturday. Right-hander Ernesto Frieri has an out clause for Thursday. Other veteran relievers in camp have out clauses during the season: Andrew Bailey (May 1) and James Russell (June 1). If the Phillies do not add Mujica to the 25-man roster by the end of the day Saturday, he can request his release. The Phillies have 48 hours to add him to the roster at that point, but it looks like Mujica has a strong line on a job anyway. He allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings in Friday night's 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays at Bright House Field. Mujica has a 2.45 ERA in six appearances. He has allowed four hits, two runs, two walks with five strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. "I feel pretty good, my arm, my body," Mujica said. "I don't know anything yet. There's some nerves because this is the first time in my career I'm in this situation. This spring I've tried to show them what I can do. They know what I can do, whatever situation in the bullpen. I'm healthy and ready to go." Frieri's status is not nearly as certain. He has a 7.94 ERA in five appearances. He has allowed eight hits, six runs (five earned), two walks and has struck out eight in 5 2/3 innings. "We have to submit the rosters by that Sunday, the day before the opener," Klentak said. "We'll take as long as we need to make the right decisions."

Focusing On Small Ball – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had his team successfully execute three squeezes in four games recently. He said the Phillies need to do those things to compete with more potent offensive teams. So he had to like what he saw in the seventh inning when Freddy Galvis scored from second base on an infield single from Cesar Hernandez. The run tied the game, 4-4.

Today In Phils History - Phillies manager Red Dooin had to intercept federal marshalls on this day in 1914 to convince them to serve catch Bill Killefer with a summons (stemming from a federal league case over his services) at the team hotel after the exhibition double header. 70 years later, the Phillies parted ways with the playoff hero from the previous season as Gary Matthews was sent to the Cubs. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-7-3 (15-7-3 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phillies Continue To Surprise This Spring

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Tie Tigers 6-6

Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco looks ready for Opening Day. He hit a pair of home runs Thursday afternoon in a 6-6 tie with the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. The Phillies took a one-run lead into the ninth, but Ernesto Frieri allowed a pair of runs, one on a Thomas Field homer. Phils second baseman Ryan Jackson tied the game with a solo homer of his own off Kevin Ziomek to open the bottom of the ninth. Franco hit a two-run homer in the first inning against Jordan Zimmermann and another two-run shot off the Tigers righty in the fourth. "They have a lot of young guys on that team and a lot of free swingers," said Zimmermann. "It's a little more difficult to set them up when you know they're going to be hacking." Franco has four home runs this spring. "A little bit," Franco said, asked if he feels locked in offensively. Zimmermann allowed five hits, four runs and one walk and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings. Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola allowed four hits, two runs and one walk in 2 2/3 innings. He struck out four. Nola gave up a two-run home run to Tigers catcher James McCann in the third inning. "The more at-bats you get, the more locked in you feel," McCann said. "The big thing is just seeing pitches and seeing different pitchers." Tyler Collins singled to score a run in the fourth inning against Phillies left-hander Daniel Stumpf to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. After Franco's second homer, the Tigers tied the game in the fifth when Nate Schierholtz scored, despite being caught in a rundown at third base. Darnell Sweeney put the Phils ahead in the sixth when he scored from second on an Angelys Nina single and a Tigers error.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Right-hander Ernesto Frieri allowed two runs, including a go-ahead home run, in the ninth inning to blow the save. Frieri is in camp as a non-roster invitee and as a candidate to close. He has a 9.82 ERA (four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings) in three appearances. "His velocity is down from what he used to be," Mackanin said. "We haven't ruled him out. We've all seen pitchers struggle. Even good pitchers. There is time left to make decisions."
• Non-roster invitee Ryan Jackson hit a game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth.
• The Phillies botched a rundown at third base, allowing Nate Schierholtz to score in the fifth. Third baseman Angelys Nina's throw to the plate was high. "I wasn't really happy about that," Mackanin said. "Back to the drawing board. We'll keep working on it."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander David Buchanan will start Friday afternoon against the Braves in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., at 1:05 p.m. ET. Right-hander Charlie Morton had been scheduled to start, but he is out with the flu. The bug scratched Jeremy Hellickson from his scheduled start Wednesday. Listen to the game live on an exclusive webcast.

PHILS PHACTS:

Still Some Work To Do – Aaron Nola prides himself on his tremendous control throwing a baseball. He isn't there yet. He allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and one wind-aided home run in 2 2/3 innings Thursday in a 6-6 tie with the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. He threw 65 pitches (45 strikes). He struck out four. "I feel like I should be better than I was making some pitches that I did today," Nola said. "But I'm going to continue to work in my throwing sessions and my side session as camp goes on." Nola has allowed eight hits, six runs and two walks with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings in two Spring Training starts. "I feel like there's still a lot of work that needs to be done," he said. "I'm just going to try to continue to work on all my pitches, the running game and pretty much all overall aspects of my pitching. Throwing all three of my pitches for quality strikes when I need to. The biggest thing is getting ahead of most guys. That's what I want to be better at than I was today and my last outing." "He didn't have his command," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He was all over the place. Just a matter of his command. His stuff was there. He just didn't make good pitches." Nola is expected to start Opening Day or the second game of the season, which would put him in line to pitch the homer opener on April 11 against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park.

Ready For Opening Day – Maikel Franco has looked more than capable this spring of following up his successful rookie season with another strong performance. Franco hit a pair of home runs Thursday. He is hitting .350 (7-for-20) with four home runs and 10 RBIs in eight games. "He looks so much different than he has in past springs," Mackanin said. "I think he feels like he's in for a big year, and I'm hoping he is. I'm going to have to start telling guys, 'Look, if you hit one home run you're going to have to hit two.' That seems to be the standard." Mackanin is referring to Darin Ruf and Cameron Rupp, who each hit two home runs in a split-squad on Wednesday.

Working His Way Back – Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff has not appeared in a game this spring because of a fractured right thumb, which he suffered last month. But he is scheduled to pitch three innings Saturday in a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex. The Phillies said they expect Eickhoff to be ready to join the rotation by Opening Day. "We're being optimistic about that," Mackanin said. "He has no pain. He has no problems. He's throwing his curveball, slider and changeup in his sides and live BP, so as long as he's 100 percent healthy … it's just a matter of getting him stretched out enough. I think we can do it."

Another Day, Another Injury – The Phillies are a little thin in the outfield these days. Aaron Altherr will miss four to six months following surgery Wednesday to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist. But Cody Asche also has been sidelined. A MRI on Wednesday confirmed he has a Grade 1 strained right oblique. The Phillies said Asche remains day to day. "Well, there is no timetable [for his return]," manager Pete Mackanin said. "I'm hoping tomorrow he feels better. I don't know. Those things are funny. I've had an oblique strain before, and it's one of those things that it's hard to get rid of. Rest is probably the best thing. It's a day-to-day thing." Altherr and Asche were two of the Phils' five outfielders projected to make the Opening Day roster. The others were Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel, who are healthy. The only other outfielders in camp with a chance to make the team are David Lough, Darnell Sweeney and Cedric Hunter. Top prospects Nick Williams and Roman Quinn will open the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Infielders like Emmanuel Burriss and Ryan Jackson have some outfield experience. Mackanin said he has no plans to use first basemen Darin Ruf or Brock Stassi in the outfield. "It's not too serious, but at the same time, it's enough to cause some precaution," Asche said. "I just basically have to go on how I feel. If I feel good, I can keep progressing."

A Little More Seasoning Needed – It was no coincidence that the Phillies sent righties Jake Thompson, Mark Appel and Zach Eflin to Minor League camp on Thursday. They expect big things from the trio. "I think deep down, we all kind of see that and think about that," Appel said about their collective futures. "The three of us have played against each other at different levels of the Minor Leagues and now we're all on the same team, and we see each other's talent and we get excited about it." These were the Phillies' first roster transactions of spring -- not because the pitchers didn't meet expectations, but because they are such a critical part of the club's future. Philadelphia needs them to get ready for the Triple-A season, which means building up arm strength by increasing their workload as spring progresses. That would not have happened in Phillies camp. Thompson, Appel and Eflin are the No. 2, No. 4 and No. 13 prospects in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com. Thompson and Appel are the No. 55 and No. 70 prospects in baseball. The trio will open the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, forming one of the most talented rotations in the Minor Leagues. The Phillies want them to begin their preparations for that season. What happens after that is up to them. "Hopefully, we'll all get up [to the Majors] at the same time and play for 10 years," Thompson said. "That's how it's supposed to work. Obviously, things happen and people pan out and people don't. But I think the Phillies are definitely building their team that way, not just with pitchers, but with some of the young position players, too. I think that's the idea." Thompson allowed eight hits and one unearned run in five innings in his Grapefruit League appearances. Appel allowed two hits and two runs (one unearned) in four innings. Eflin allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) in five innings. "The main goal was just to open up myself and meet as many people as I can, just learn as much as I can," Eflin said. "I learned an incredible amount, mostly pitching stuff, but also how to handle yourself off the field and in the clubhouse." They all pitched on Wednesday in a split-squad game against the Twins in Fort Myers. Phils manager Pete Mackanin made the trip to get one last look at the pitchers who could be in the rotation before the end of the season. "I think yesterday was really good for me, Jake and Zach," Appel said. "I think the three of us are going to have a lot of fun over there. We're going to get ready for the season, and we're all going to work hard and get back here soon. So I think it's a really good place to be right now. We're all working hard. Spring Training is exactly that -- Spring Training. Getting your body right for the season. If they knew that I wasn't going to start on the big league club this year, then it's a great thing for us to go over there. Instead of getting one or two innings every week, go ahead and get three to five, get extended and get ready for the season." The Phillies believe Thompson is the most well-rounded pitcher of the group and might be the closest to the big leagues. Appel probably has the best stuff. Eflin's stuff is arguably as good as Appel's, but the Phils want him to finish batters on a more consistent basis. "It's going to be fun for us to get on a little rhythm over there," Thompson said. "Hopefully we go back-to-back-to-back [in the regular season]. That would be cool to see. But, yeah, just continuing to be around each other and feeding off each other's successes. Just the internal competition should be really good." Thompson and Eflin live nearby in Clearwater, Fla., just a three-minute walk away from one another, so they see each other regularly. But it seems clear that the trio gets along well. Like Thompson said, they expect friendly competition in Triple-A. And maybe -- just maybe -- they will all pan out to become the core of the Phillies' rotation for years. "It would be incredible if that happened," Eflin said. "I know we have a lot of work to do. But it would be a lot of fun."

Called Into The Commissioner’s Office – Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has not played in a Grapefruit League game since Friday. Howard missed the first few days because of the flu, which has been running through Phillies camp this spring, but the team said he missed Thursday's game against the Tigers at Bright House Field because of personal reasons. Sources said Howard met with MLB investigators about the Al Jazeera America report from late December that linked him to performance-enhancing substances. MLB said at the time that it would investigate the claims, which Howard has vehemently denied. In fact, Howard filed a defamation lawsuit in early January against the network, which announced a short time later that it will shut down at the end of April. "I haven't spoken to anybody as of yet," Howard said last month. "I know, I guess there's an investigation underway, so I'm sure that's probably going to take place." Howard also said last month he has no idea why his name is one of the names that appeared in the report. "I haven't the faintest idea," he said. "I really can't tell you. I really don't know." Howard is expected to be back in camp Friday.

Today In Phils History - The year before the team acquired Tom Hilgendorf from Cleveland in 1975, a Phillies legend was born... Happy Birthday Bobby Abreu! I should also mention that a happy birthday is in order for Art Ruble (1903), Jack Spring (1933), and Phil Bradley (1959). 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 7-3-2 record (8-3-2 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phillies Show Some Heart In Tie

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Tie Jays 4-4

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

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

Phillies Officially Open Spring With A Tie

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Tie Yankees 5-5

The Yankees scored four runs in the ninth inning on Tuesday to tie the Phillies, 5-5, in their Grapefruit League opener at Bright House Field. Phillies left-hander Mario Hollands allowed five hits and four runs in the ninth, which included a two-out, three-run home run from Aaron Judge, the Yankees' No. 5 prospect. Yankees starter Adam Warren worked two scoreless innings. Luis Severino, the top prospect in New York's farm system and the No. 23 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, followed and allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings to hand the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Ryan Howard put Philadelphia on the board with a fourth-inning single to score Freddy Galvis, and third baseman Cody Asche later put the Phillies ahead with a sacrifice fly. "He did a lot of good things on the field," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said of Howard, who went 2-for-2. "He showed some good movement on the field, some range on some plays. He did a good job on a high throw over there at first base. He really moved around really well on the field, and he had some at-bats [in which] he squared some balls up. I liked him going to left field, opening up the field." Chris Young, Garrett Jones and Jose Pirela put together consecutive two-out singles in the first inning against Phillies right-hander David Buchanan to score the game's first run. Buchanan allowed one run in two innings. Jerome Williams followed Buchanan and worked two scoreless innings. Batting first and second, respectively, in the Yankees' lineup, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner both went 0-for-3.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Philadelphia will make the short trip to George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Wednesday to play the Yankees in a game airing at 1:05 p.m. ET on MLB.TV. Right-hander Kevin Slowey will start after right-hander Aaron Harang was scratched. Harang woke up the other morning with his back not feeling 100 percent, so the Phillies are playing it safe. Harang could make his first start on Monday against the Orioles in Sarasota, Fla.

PHILS PHACTS:

Buchanan Embraces Sneakiness – Phillies right-hander David Buchanan entered Spring Training last year as a last-minute invite to camp and a relative unknown outside the organization. But Buchanan, who allowed five hits and one run over two innings in Tuesday's 5-5 tie with the Yankees at Bright House Field, enters this camp as the favorite to be the team's No. 5 starter behind Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams. Buchanan's stiffest competition is Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Chad Billingsley, but Gonzalez must prove that his right shoulder can handle a season-long workload and Billingsley is not expected to be big league-ready until late April after undergoing a pair of right elbow surgeries. "I went into Spring Training, and I was a nobody," Buchanan said of his experience last season. "Nobody knew who I was. I was invited because they had one more spot. I wasn't protected [in the Rule 5 Draft]. I was never on the Top 10 Prospects list. ... I always knew in my heart I could make it, and I wasn't going to stop until I did." Buchanan hopes to build upon his performance from last season, when he went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts as a rookie. Right-hander Jerome Williams had been scheduled to start on Tuesday, but both Buchanan and Williams were told on Tuesday morning that they would flip spots. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said that was the plan all along. Whatever happened, it did not affect Williams. He allowed one hit in two scoreless innings against the Yankees.

Harang Held Back – Phillies right-hander Aaron Harang will not make his scheduled Grapefruit League start on Wednesday (1:05 p.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network) against the Yankees in Tampa, Fla. Harang, 36, had his lower back wrapped on Tuesday morning at Bright House Field. He said he woke up the other morning with something amiss and decided he needed to have a chiropractor adjust his back -- a process the right-hander said "is normal for me." The Phillies said they are playing it safe. "We're just making sure everything is OK from a health standpoint," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "Guys have twinges here and there -- let's make sure." Harang downplayed the back issue, which has been an irritation in the past. He said he could start on Monday against the Orioles in Sarasota, Fla., which would mean he'd miss just one turn through the Phillies' rotation. "Right now, the main focus is maintenance stuff to make sure I'm ready," Harang said. Right-hander Kevin Slowey will start in Harang's place at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Howard’s Attitude Adjustment – Ryan Howard could have come to Phillies camp last month in a miserable mood and with a scowl on his face. Howard's offseason included a lawsuit between himself and his family, a concerted effort by the organization to trade him and a local radio interview in which his general manager said the Phillies would be better without him. But Howard showed up with a smile, and unless he is putting on an Oscar-worthy performance, he has maintained an upbeat appearance. "Everything that happened in the past is in the past," Howard said after the Phillies' 5-5 tie with the Yankees on Tuesday afternoon at Bright House Field. "We're all moving forward." Howard is arguably the most affable and accountable player in the Phillies' clubhouse. He has been for years. But this spring, he repeatedly declined interview requests and said he would not talk until he played in a Grapefruit League game, and even then, he would only discuss his performance in the game. Howard went 2-for-2 with one RBI on Tuesday. He played solid defense at first base and ran the bases relatively well, too. But as reporters gathered to speak to him for the first time since the end of last season, Howard repeated he would not discuss his offseason. "If anybody deviates from the game, it's over," Howard said. Howard talked about his batting stance (he is standing taller in the batter's box), his legs (he said they feel healthy after he underwent left Achilles tendon and knee surgeries in 2012 and '13), his improved physique (he credits an improved diet) and his team's chance to win (he thinks they could shock some people). He stuck to his guns otherwise. Does Howard feel he has anything to prove? "I'm just here to play ball," he said. Is he happy to be here? "Are you happy I'm here?" Howard said. "Are you guys happy I'm here?" Sure, why not? "Then there we have it," he said. Asked why he has made such a concerted effort to say he will focus only on the present and the positive and not the past, Howard said, "What good does it do? What's the benefit of it? Why be negative? It takes a lot more energy to be negative than it does to be positive. Negative, bad. Positive, good. When you throw it out there like that, bro, there's no need to be negative." Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told the Philadelphia Daily News that he recently apologized to Howard for his comments. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, who benched Howard last season and said he was no longer the de facto first baseman despite the $60 million remaining on his contract, has been quick to praise Howard throughout the spring. Howard, Amaro and Sandberg seem to have a professional relationship at this point, although it is easy to see why Howard might have felt slighted. He won the 2006 National League MVP Award, helped the team win the 2008 World Series and five consecutive NL East championships and he's regarded as the greatest first baseman in franchise history. But Howard's cheery disposition should not be entirely surprising. He is that way by nature, but things also went well this offseason, too. His wife gave birth to the couple's daughter. His family moved into a new home, which had been under construction for some time. And the legal battle with his family finally ended. That would be mentally draining for anybody. Maybe that is why it looks like Howard is having fun on the field. He didn't appear to be having much fun last season, if any at all. "That's the goal," Howard said. "That's what happens when you come positive. When you have fun, that's a byproduct. "I'm going out here trying to prepare myself for the season. I'm going to use these games to get ready and do what I need to do. My thing is taking care of my business in front of these white lines. Peace, love and hair grease."

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.