Phillies Find Another Interesting Way To Win

GAME RECAP: Phillies Defeat Braves 9-5

In a matchup between two of the top pitchers who could potentially be moved before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, Jeremy Hellickson outdueled Julio Teheran on Saturday night at Turner Field, as the Phillies defeated the Braves, 9-5. Philadelphia jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Cameron Rupp, but Atlanta quickly stormed back. Nick Markakis drove in Jace Peterson with a single to tie the game in the third before Adonis Garcia handed the Braves their only lead with an RBI single in the next at-bat. Teheran appeared to settle in after the second inning, retiring eight straight batters before running into trouble in the fifth. With runners on first and second, Hellickson provided his own support, doubling down the left-field line to score both and give the Phillies a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Opposing pitchers were 3-for-34 vs. Teheran this year before the at-bat. "The big hit for me was Hellickson's double after he couldn't get a bunt down," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. After the Phillies scored two more runs in the sixth, the Braves cut the deficit to 5-3 and knocked Hellickson out of the game on Anthony Recker's RBI single in the bottom of the frame. After surrendering four runs on no hits to the Phillies in the eighth, Atlanta couldn't mount a comeback despite scoring two runs in the bottom of the frame. It fell to 8-4 against Philadelphia this season. "[Until that inning], we were right there," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It just didn't happen in that inning, pretty much. We could have kind of kept the game right there in the eighth, but there were just a couple of tough plays that didn't go our way."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Scouts got a final look at Hellickson before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. Hellickson did not pitch his best, allowing nine hits and three runs in just 5 2/3 innings, although he doubled down the left-field line in the fifth inning to score two runs and give the Phillies a 3-2 lead, but he also bruised his pitching hand during the same at-bat. The bruise made it difficult to grip his curveball and cut his outing short. "Still not really sure what it is," Hellickson said. "A bruise. Or I popped something in there. But I felt fine, though, after I did it."
• The Phillies scored four runs in a most unusual way in the eighth inning. They sent nine batters to the plate, but nobody got a hit. Here's how they fared: Tyler Goeddel (walk), Freddy Galvis (fielder's choice), Taylor Featherston (walk), Cesar Hernandez (walk), Odubel Herrera (walk), Maikel Franco (error), Ryan Howard (error), Aaron Altherr (hit by pitch) and Rupp (grounded into double play). "I'll just say this," Mackanin said, "when you score four runs without a hit, you better win that game."
• "I can't control any of it. So I've just been focused on every start and in-between starts. Whatever happens, happens. Hopefully I'm still here on Tuesday." -- Hellickson, on the Trade Deadline.
• Eickhoff is 2-1 with a 1.73 ERA in four career starts vs. the Braves.
• Freddie Freeman will look to continue his hot hitting vs. Eickhoff, against whom he's batted .417 (5-for-12) with a double and a homer.
• A.J. Pierzynski enters Sunday's game with no walks in his last 104 plate appearances. Baltimore's Jonathan Schoop leads the Majors with no walks in his past 107 appearances.

NEXT GAME:

Despite leading the Phillies in innings pitched and registering a quality start in 13 of his 21 outings this year, Jerad Eickhoff is tied for second in the Majors with 12 losses. And as he prepares to take the hill for Sunday's series finale against the Braves at Turner Field, the right-hander will be aiming for his first win since July 4, when he allowed two runs in an 8-2 victory over Atlanta. Eickhoff came close to snapping his winless drought on Tuesday, when he allowed one run across seven innings vs. the Marlins. But for the 13th time this year, he received three runs or fewer of support in a 5-0 defeat. On Sunday, Philadelphia will look to back Eickhoff against Atlanta starter Joel De La Cruz, who will be making his first start since giving up seven runs (four earned) against the Phillies on July 4.

PHILS PHACTS:

Last Start? – Jeremy Hellickson has made his case. Now, he waits. He allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings in Saturday night's 9-5 victory over the Braves at Turner Field. He doubled down the left-field line in the fifth inning to score two and give the Phillies a 3-2 lead, but he also left the game in the sixth with his right hand bothering him after he got jammed fouling off a pitch during the same at-bat. It was not Hellickson's finest performance in recent weeks, but it was his final one before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. "I have no idea," Hellickson said when asked if he thought he would be traded. "I'll find out Monday." Scouts from several contenders watched him pitch, including those from the Rangers, Blue Jays and Tigers. It was the first time Hellickson had not pitched at least six innings since June 4, snapping a streak of nine consecutive starts of six or more innings pitched. He seemed to be on track to pitch six again, but he bruised his pitching hand in that fifth-inning at-bat, which made it difficult for him to throw his curveball. "Still not really sure what it is," Hellickson said. "A bruise. Or I popped something in there. But I felt fine, though, after I did it." The Phillies did not want to draw attention to Hellickson by having a full-blown conference on the mound, so Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had pitching coach Bob McClure check on him by himself. "I don't want to lose the game because he's got a sore hand," Mackanin said. "In the end, it's not a big deal. It's not like his elbow was hurting, you know what I mean? I don't care, I don't want to lose the game." Hellickson has a 2.49 ERA (14 earned runs in 50 2/3 innings) in his last eight starts. He has struck out 34 and walked six in that span. A contending team in need of starting pitching might want somebody like that. But what is the asking price for Hellickson, who will be a free agent after the season? ESPN.com reported earlier this week that the Phillies are looking for an organization's top-five prospect. It is believed the Phillies have a high asking price because they could make Hellickson a qualifying offer following the season. If he rejects the one-year contract, which could exceed $16 million, the Phillies would receive a compensatory Draft pick if he signs elsewhere. So, in the mind of the Phillies, they want talent comparable to a potential Draft pick. Of course, Hellickson is not the only Phillies' starter available in a trade. The Rangers and Phillies have been discussing a deal for Vince Velasquez, although sources told MLB.com that a deal is unlikely. "I can't control any of it," Hellickson said. "So I've just been focused on every start and in-between starts. Whatever happens, happens. Hopefully I'm still here on Tuesday."

No Hits – Sometimes it's best not to put the ball in play. Sometimes it's best just to put the bat on the shoulder and let the other team do the work. The Phillies let the Braves gift them four runs in the eighth inning on Saturday night in a 9-5 victory at Turner Field. Philadelphia sent nine players to the plate in the inning, but not a single batter got a hit, thanks to some wild pitching from Hunter Cervenka and Ryan Weber and some shoddy defense from the Braves' infield. "I'll just say this," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, "when you score four runs without a hit, you better win that game." Here's how it happened: Cervenka started the inning. Tyler Goeddel walked; Freddy Galvis bunted into a fielder's choice; Taylor Featherston walked; Cesar Hernandez was walked intentionally; Odubel Herrera walked to score Galvis; Weber replaced Cervenka. Maikel Franco reached on an error to score Featherston and Hernandez; Ryan Howard reached on an error; Aaron Altherr got hit by a pitch to score Herrera; Cameron Rupp grounded into an inning-ending double play. ESPN said it is the first time the Phillies have sent nine batters to the plate without recording a hit since July 17, 1992, against the Dodgers at Veterans Stadium. That inning featured three walks, three errors, one flyout and two strikeouts. It is the first time it has happened in a game since the Cubs did it against the Rockies on Aug. 5, 2014.

Today In Phils History – Goldie Rapp’s 23 game Phillies rookie record hitting streak came to an end on this day in 1931. The Phillies concluded a 20 game home stand on this day in 1944 (which was followed by a 26 game road trip and another 20 game home stand. In 1982, Manny Trillo’s MLB record 89 game errorless streak came to an end on this day against the Cubs. 5 years later, Steve Bedrosian became the 1^st Phillie to reach 30 saves in a single season. Danny Jackson went the distance and recorded 3 sacrifice hits against the Pirates in 1993. The following season, Kim Batiste recorded his only walk of the season in 209 at bats. That same day in 1994, Steve Carlton was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. It was also on this day what the Phillies traded away Terry Mulholland (1996), Shane Victorino (2012), and Hunter Pence (2012) while receiving Desi Delaford (1996), Ethan Martin (2012), and Tommy Joseph (2012). Finally, Happy Birthday to John Vukovich who would have been 69 today.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 48-58 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 60-52-1 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.

The Rumbling Has Already Started

PHILS PHACTS:

A Little Too Close – The Phillies expect big things this season from Maikel Franco. They also expect him to be in camp Tuesday morning at Bright House Field, just in time to take a physical before the team's first full-squad workout at Carpenter Complex. Every player is in camp other than Franco and pitcher Yoervis Medina, who has visa issues. But Franco is not late, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I'm not going to be critical of anybody who doesn't come early," Mackanin said. "If we wanted guys to come two weeks ago, we should have a longer Spring Training. He's in for a long season. He played winter ball. Whenever he gets here, as long as he's here when he's supposed to be, I'm fine with it. I'm not going to nitpick that. He's not that kind of guy, but if he turns lazy and he doesn't work like he always does, then I have an issue. But he's going to work hard." Franco is within his rights not to arrive until Tuesday's workout. In fact, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, players are not required to report to Spring Training more than 33 days before the start of the regular season. That would make the deadline March 1. But Franco's absence Monday raised eyebrows among some in the organization, because he is a young player entering his first full season in the big leagues and because the Phillies have such high hopes for him. No player in recent memory has waited until the morning of the team's first full-squad workout to report to camp. Jimmy Rollins, Bobby Abreu and Ryan Howard were often the last players to arrive in camp, but always at least a day before the first workout. Howard dropped off a few things Saturday at Bright House Field and took his physical Monday. He worked out with the team afterward. "I'll be disappointed if during the season [Franco] doesn't hustle, or if during the season he does something where he doesn't show a great work ethic," Mackanin said. "He has a great work ethic. That's the one thing about him. He comes out early every day to take extra ground balls around 3 o'clock at home. He's willing to work and he has a strong work ethic. As long as he plays hard, hustles and continues to prepare for games properly, I have no issues." Franco, 23, hit .280 with 14 home runs, 22 doubles, one triple, 50 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 335 plate appearances last season.

Trying To Find Room – Pete Mackanin and Ryan Howard could have the "talk" Tuesday at Bright House Field. Mackanin is expected to tell Howard that he has a considerable challenge ahead of him. Howard still believes he should play every day, but he needs to hit left-handed pitchers much better to warrant playing time against them. If Howard cannot, Darin Ruf will see action. "He's read and seen and heard what I've said," Mackanin said about Howard on Monday at Bright House Field. "I think he's ready for it, and I think he's willing to show that he deserves to be in there every day." This is expected to be Howard's final Spring Training with the Phillies. He is entering the final season of a five-year, $125 million contract. He will make $25 million this season, plus he is expected to receive a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. Howard is one of the more interesting storylines in camp. The Phillies have been trying to trade him for the past of couple years, but they've been unsuccessful despite agreeing to pay most of his salary. And one offseason after he was involved in a lawsuit with his family, Howard is suing the TV network Al Jazeera following a December report that linked him to performance-enhancing drugs. But Howard's fit on a rebuilding team will be a topic of conversation for some time. He posted an .802 OPS against righties, but just a .418 OPS against lefties last season. Howard's OPS against righties ranked 55th out of 140 qualified hitters, but his OPS against lefties would have been the lowest in the big leagues by 47 points, if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. Conversely, Ruf's 1.107 OPS against lefties would have tied Nelson Cruz for the best in baseball, if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. "Ryan might have a big year this year and get another contract for all I know," said Mackanin, when asked why Howard deserves playing time on a rebuilding team. "I'd like to see that happen, because if that happens, we're going to be a much better team." Howard showed up at camp Saturday to drop off a few things at his locker. He took his physical Monday and worked out with the team before its first official full-squad workout Tuesday. Howard could speak to reporters Tuesday afternoon. "It was good to see him," Mackanin said. "I knew he would come in in shape, and he had a big smile on his face as usual. He's ready to go. The thing I like most about Ryan is he posts up every day. He comes to play." Ruf's playing time: How much playing time could Ruf see this season? "At this point, knowing the personnel we're going to have on the field, his best chance right now would be against left-handed pitchers," Mackanin said. "I don't foresee any way to play him on a daily basis. However, with an injury, a trade, anything might happen. I'd like to get him 500 at-bats against all pitchers, but at this point, it doesn't look likely unless there is an injury." Another big talk: Mackanin will address the team before Tuesday's workout. It will be his first Spring Training address as a big league manager. "I'm formulating that right now," said Mackanin when asked about what he might say. "Try to win as many games as you can. Basically, compete and give it your best shot. The best man's going to win. ... You know, I gave a motivational speech one time and I got carried away and then the bell went off and I realized I forgot to practice. My speech went so long that we didn't do anything. It was a good speech though. So I'm going to keep it short and sweet." J-Roll signs: Former Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins signed a Minor League contract with the White Sox. Mackanin said he was not "overly surprised" Rollins could not land a Major League contract. Chase Utley signed a one-year, $7 million contract with the Dodgers despite hitting .202 with a .654 OPS last season. Rollins hit .224 with a .643 OPS, but remains a better player defensively. "He's probably lost a step," Mackanin said about Rollins. "He's still a solid player. But, actually, other than saying I'm not surprised is all I can say."

Today In Phils History - While there isn't much to report, it is worth noting that on this day in 1979, the Phillies acquired a couple of key pieces in Manny Trillo and Greg Gross from the Cubs. 

THE BEGINNING:

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

What A Difference Two Years Makes

PHILS PHACTS:

Just like the rest of the league, the Phillies are home for the holiday…

PHILS HISTORY:

Two years later… How many of the questions from 2013 were answered? Revisit the post and see how different the forecast was just two years ago!

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, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phils Continue Making Interesting Moves

PHILS PHACTS:

Phils Flip Otero – The Indians acquired right-hander Dan Otero from the Phillies on Friday in exchange for cash considerations. Otero, 30, was selected by the Giants in the 2007 Draft and made his big league debut for them in '12. He has spent the past three seasons with the A's and owns a 12-6 career record with one save and a 3.46 ERA in 158 relief appearances. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Indians designated outfielder Jerry Sands for assignment. Otero was claimed off waivers by the Phillies on Nov. 3. He went 2-4 with a 6.75 ERA in 41 appearances for Oakland last season.

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, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phillies Moving Forward With A Plan

PHILS PHACTS:

On The Same Page – Matt Klentak and Pete Mackanin seem to be getting along just fine since they first met in October. The Phillies named Mackanin their manager in 2016 before they hired Klentak as general manager in October. General managers often prefer their hand-picked men in the dugout, but both said Tuesday they expect no problems next season. "I think if we're collectively doing our jobs the right way and communicating the way that we need to that there should never be an issue," Klentak said. "There should never be a time where I want something to happen that he's doing the other way. As long as we're communicating, which we will, there shouldn't be an issue." "We're always going to talk," Mackanin said. "I'm open to any suggestion. He gets the players for me, and I run the team with his input. And I give him input on which players I'd like to have, so he makes that final decision. Ultimately he ends up making my decision too. If he tells me he wants this guy playing a little bit more, I'm open to it. I get it. I might not agree with it, but in the end if he tells me to do it, I'll do it." Mackanin later discussed numerous topics during his media session at the Winter Meetings: Who's in center field? Mackanin called Odubel Herrera one of the better defensive center fielders in the National League, but he knows the Phillies just acquired Peter Bourjos last week. Bourjos is regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders in baseball. So who plays center? "In my mind right now, [Herrera] is the incumbent center fielder, which doesn't mean it won't change in the spring," Mackanin said. "As hard as he worked towards accomplishing his goals defensively last year, I want to make him -- I don't want to discourage him after doing such a good job for us." Interestingly, Mackanin also said Herrera could get some time at second base in Spring Training. Herrera played primarily second base in the Minor Leagues before joining the Phillies last season. But the Phillies have other outfielders coming through the system, so if they need to make room for somebody, Herrera could transition to second to keep him in the lineup. "It might come to that," Mackanin said. "I'm not looking to do that right now, but it may happen. But I don't want to. He had such a great showing defensively that I don't want to, like I said, discourage him from making him think it was all for nothing." Bourjos will play: The Phillies did not acquire Bourjos to sit on the bench. The Phillies believe he will perform better offensively if he plays on a more regular basis. "There's a lot of people that feel that he's better than the way he's played the last few years," Mackanin said. "I'm one of them." Franco's D: Third baseman Maikel Franco had a fine rookie season offensively, but he struggled defensively at times. He committed 10 errors in 75 games at third. "I think he got a little careless, and we're going to see a Gold Glove-type performance out of him defensively," Mackanin said. "He felt like he let himself down last year. We know he's better."

One On One With The Manager – At the end of the season, you kind of talked about how getting a full-time job, how you could maybe do some more stuff, implement some things and that you would take some time in the off-season to kind of think about what that would be. Have you given much thought about any specific things or adjustments? Well, I constantly find myself thinking of new things, things I'd like to do, but I keep fighting the urge. I'm trying to enjoy my off-season as much as possible before we start that grind of seven months. But I've got some good ideas about just the way we're going to execute drills. We're going to put a lot of emphasis on baserunning, for one, which is why I eliminated your typical coach who is an outfielder/baserunning guy. Juan is going to remain the outfield guy, and Mickey Morandini is going to take over strictly baserunning and we are going to zero inasmuch as we can. I know everybody talks about fundamentals and how we are really going to pay attention to those things, but this is one way I feel we can really do that. Defense is a very important part of the game, and I'm very happy that we've got some outfielders that can cover a lot of ground and they are sure-handed outfielders. That makes the pitching better which takes runs away. In a couple areas, I feel we've already improved in that respect. A few more things like that, we're going to introduce a few more different ways of going about doing things. You had talked at the end of the season about how you've been in different situations whereas part of scouting, whatever, you talked about you look at free agents and which one are we going to get and sometimes you have to flip the page to lesser guys. How much of a role have you had at the Winter Meetings and looking over free agents? We gather in that suite every day and just hash things out. We just talk about different players, who you run into. You kind of walk around and talk to people that you know and get a feeling of what other teams are looking for. You kind of have an idea, but it's just about schmoozing people and trying to get some information, and they get information from you. As I said, when I was with, for example, the Expos, we would go over in our group, we would go over the list of free agents. And by the time we would flip most pages to the back page, guys we can afford to get. But then when I was with the Yankees as a scout, it was anybody. We could look at anybody. The Phillies, and Matt, they have a certain way they go about doing things. So we are discussing more than anything. I can't really comment much on his attack, so to say. We just all give our input and they make the decisions. Given where the roster is in terms of rebuilding, when you get to Spring Training, how do you convince the players and the fan base, even, that there's any chance to be competitive? The first thing I want to get across to the players is that I'm looking for positive energy. I start with that. I tell them that -- I'll give you an example. Freddy Galvis hit .260 something and he showed some promise there, and I think he's capable of doing better. César Hernández started playing finally, and he showed a lot of promise. We always felt like these guys were going to play well enough and hit well enough to be part of the future, but now they finally have an opportunity to do that. Maikel Franco stepped into his role and showed us that he was going to be a solid middle-of-the-order guy. Now that being said, all I can do as a manager to keep these guys pointed in the right direction is make them feel like how good they are, reinforce how good they are, and explain to these guys that in baseball, it's not necessarily always going to go their way and when you get knocked down, you're going to get knocked down during the course of the season, it's how you get back up, rather than staying down on the ground. So my approach is just to remain positive; at the same time, demand results. How about the fans? The fans, well, let's put it this way: Somebody asked me how I was going to manage the team knowing that we weren't really at the place we want to be. Well, I manage -- I only know one way to manage. I just want to manage each day to win that game. And if I can convince the players to worry about how they compete on that given day, and let the fans know that we are competing and doing the best we can with what we have, I don't see how -- I think the way the players play will convince the fans that these guys are really trying and for real. What's the biggest thing you're looking forward to in terms of next season compared to last season where you had a lot of young guys and a lot of guys showing that they could do things, but what are you looking for in terms of a next step in terms of the guys that were on the roster last year? Well, you take a guy like Galvis and Hernandez and Franco, and Cameron made some strides late in the season, and he's a solid, strong-arm catcher, we've seen Odubel Herrera come out of nowhere to start off pretty good. He faltered a bit and went back to .250, .260, but then he battled back and hosed in right at .300. For me he's going to become a perennial .300 hitter. He's one of the better center fielders in the league in my opinion. That was a plus. Aaron Altherr, he made a good impression. He still needs a ways to go. But he made a great impression, as well as Cody Asche. We feel strongly that he's better than he's shown. We want these guys -- the next step is for Freddy to improve even more, for Hernández to improve. They have to incrementally have to get better. That's what we're looking for all of them to do, get better each year because we are counting on them to be part of the future. You mentioned Herrera defensively. Bourjos, I guess, arguably, is probably one of the guys that might be better than him defensively. How do you see those guys working and in terms of rotation, playing time? You know, I know that I've scouted Bourjos in the past, and I know that he's a premiere center fielder. I'm told, although I haven't seen them play that much, Aaron Altherr is an outstanding center fielder. What I saw out of Odubel this year was very impressive. He made some mistakes, but he outran his mistakes. He's flamboyant. He's not afraid to dive. He takes charge out there. To me a center fielder, my opinion of a center fielder is that he catches every ball that's hit in the air until he can't get it, and then the corners help him out. And that's how Odubel plays. You saw it. If they are all three close to being as good as Bourjos is, we have three center fielders, no matter where they play, it's going to cover ground and help the pitching and take hits away and we have improved that way. Do you see him playing more than Frenchy played last year? Well, under the circumstances with what we have, he's going to get a lot of playing time. There's a lot of people that feel that he's better than the way he's played the last few years. I'm one of them. I like Peter Bourjos. I think he's got an upside to him, and I'm looking forward to seeing him in the spring and have Steve Henderson work with him and get him back on the right track. If he gets enough playing time, that's what players need in order to get some kind of a rhythm going. You made the deal for Hellickson from the Diamondbacks. What do you like about him? He's a solid strike thrower. He's going to give us some innings. He's got some experience. I know he started off extremely well his first couple years and hasn't been quite the same since, but, once again, we feel he's a guy that's going to pitch better than he has the last couple years. I thought Matt made a great deal getting him. When you look at Nola and how he kind of handled things last year, what do you expect from a second act from him going forward? The thing about Nola, a lot of young guys, especially Nola, I recall my first time in the Big Leagues, I was scared to death. When Nola pitched, it's like he knew he belonged there from day one. He never showed fear. He's got a great presence on the mound. He made some mistakes with pitch selection and/or location, but he knew it and he adjusted immediately. The guy, he's a cool customer. This guy really is an intelligent pitcher. The thing he's got going for him the most is his ability to command his fastball to both sides of the plate. And you can't teach that. If you've got that, plus you add in his other things -- and I think his changeup we didn't see as much; that he could have thrown it more. I think once we see that, he's going to become even better. I'm not by any way comparing him to Greg Maddux, but Greg Maddux became a premier pitcher because he figured it out. He read swings. He knew what he had to do to get hitters out, and I think Nola has got the capability of being that kind of a guy. What strides would you like to see Franco make in what will be his second full season? The one thing, the first thing that comes to my mind is, No. 1, he's going to be a solid, three, four, five hitter in my opinion. He's aggressive. He's a run producer. This past season, he did not play the defense we expected him to play. He made some careless errors, and I think the year before in AAA, he made -- it was something like five errors and they were all throwing errors. The guy doesn't miss. I think he got a little careless, and we're going to see a Gold Glove-type performance out of him defensively. He felt like he let himself down last year. We know he's better. Larry Bowa worked with him quite a bit and they both talked, which was a nice sign for Maikel to talk about it and say, I know I'm better than that. So that's the thing I'm expecting from him. How much time, if any, have you really gotten away from thinking about baseball? I'm sure when the season ends, you're thinking about what's coming up. I've been in the game 48 years and you never stop thinking about it because something always comes up. Especially nowadays, every time you turn on the TV, there's another media outlet, MLB and ESPN and all these sports channels and you can't get away from it. I try to avoid it because I'd like to have a week or two where I just don't have to worry about it, because, like I said, once you start that first day of Spring Training, it's all systems go for seven months, hopefully eight months. And you talked a little about Cameron Rupp, a guy that you saw improvement from offensively at the end of the year last year. Is he a guy that can catch a hundred games? What do you see? It's hard for me to project that, but let's put it this way: This guy can catch and throw, he's got plus power, above average power potential, and that's the kind of guy you're looking for at catcher; that cannot only do a good job handling pitchers but he can catch and throw runners out. He's got a bazooka for an arm and he's accurate with it. Now the next thing is getting his average where you'd like it, and he started hitting home runs later on in the season. I think with a few adjustments to his approach, I think he's going to be capable of hitting even more home runs and improve more as a hitter. Once again it, was his first full year in the Big Leagues, so you have to keep that in the back of your mind that it's not that easy just to jump in and hit .280 and 25 home runs and knock in 80 runs. There's an adjustment to be made. Getting back to your previous question, we are expecting these guys to get better than they showed they were last year. And how would you describe so far your relationship with Matt? Obviously it's one that's a very important relationship. How do you think things have gone and what have you learned about him? He's a genuine person. He's very easy to talk to. He's intelligent. And he's congenial. This guy knows how to relate to people. At least he and I get along very well. I can say what I feel to him, and we can banter back and forth. I'm being paid for my opinion, all of us in baseball, at some point or another, we're paid for our opinions, and he solicits those opinions and he makes his decisions based on knowledge of the game. When you first saw him -- Everybody wants to be liked. At some point you like -- you like me, don't you? (Laughing.) Sure, there's always that little anxious moment, but at the same time, I know I get along with people very well, and it is what it is. He's my boss and I try to get along with him, which is easy. Being on the same page with the lineup, do you feel like you already have that understanding of what you guys are aiming for? He's been great. He has not sent me any mandates or made any demands from me or told me who I had to play. Once again, we talked about this earlier, I'm certainly going to discuss the team and what I'd like to do with them and he might have an idea that I might say, you know what, that's a good idea, we'll use it. So far as I'm concerned, I'm making out the lineup and until I'm told any differently, I'm going to continue making it out. There have been a few guys added for the bullpen, or at least potentially for the bullpen. Do you view it as kind of open competition or do you say, hey, I already have Gomez, Garcia, Giles, so now I have to fill in the rest? No question about it. It's open competition. As I said, we've got some speed in the outfield, which makes any pitchers better. Takes away hits. We've got more pitchers with some backgrounds to them, which is going to increase the competitive environment of Spring Training, and these guys are going to know that, hey, if you want to play at the Big League level, we are looking for guys who can help us win. You've got to be better than the next guy. You're going to have to compete to make the team. It's a great environment to be in. So these guys who maybe thought they were doing okay, might get a wake-up call. Are you thinking about Giles as your closer at this point, or is that still pretty much an open question? He's my closer right now. I like what he did last year. You talked about having three center fielders in the outfield potentially at the same time, to cover all that ground, is it Odubel's job or is it going to be an open competition as far as center field itself in Spring Training? We've just been discussing that, and I know as we said, I know how good Bourjos is and I know how good alter can be in center field. But I also saw Odubel play last year. In my mind right now, he's the incumbent center fielder, which doesn't mean it won't change in the spring. As hard as he worked towards accomplishing his goals defensively last year, I want to make him -- I don't want to discourage him after doing such a good job for us. But I'll talk to him. Juan Samuel and I will talk to him, and we'll talk to all three of those guys, and even Cody Asche will be in the mix, and Darin Ruf will be in the mix. I'm just going to talk to these guys. That's the best way I know how to manage is talk to them. Are you going to have Herrera get any reps at second base in the spring or use him solely as an outfielder? We'll probably work him out there. You never know, there's always guys coming up behind him, and, once again, as I said, when you're a three- or four-year player, there's always that young kid that everybody's talking about. So you've got to continue to compete and to keep your job. So let's put it this way: If somebody comes up that has to play center field for whatever reason, then we want -- I certainly want Odubel's bat in the lineup. It might come to that. I'm not looking to do that right now, but it may happen. I don't want to -- he had such a great showing defensively that I don't want to, like I said, discourage him from making him think it was all for nothing. With Matt coming in, he's going to bring more of an analytic angle to the club that's been there before. How will that impact you as a manager? I scouted for the Yankees in 2008 and 2013. We used a lot of the analytics, and really it was the scouting director. We used a lot of the analytics and I used them to write my reports. There was a lot of information in there. I, for one, believe that anything that can help you make a decision on a player and evaluate a player is invaluable. I believe in it wholeheartedly. That doesn't mean that instinct doesn't come in. For example, you can look on an elementary level, during the course of the game as a manager, you look at matchups and so-and-so is 15 or 20 off a pitcher. But your hitter might be in the midst of the worst slump of his career, even though he hits this other guy well, so you might choose not to let him hit for him, because he's in such a bad slump. So the analytics tell you you should use him, but your gut kind of tells you, you know, not right now, he's not going to hit him right now. That type of -- that's not a good example maybe. So you can combine the two. A follow-up on that, data shows that pitchers are far less effective a third time through the order and now there's a school of thought that maybe you shouldn't put most of your pitchers in that situation. That might appear to be a new concept, but over the years that I've managed, starting in 1985, you're always tentative when you get into that sixth inning. It always seems to happen late in the fifth or sixth inning where you have to keep your eye on your starter. It wasn't really one of those things that was written down or talked about, but that's always the time I, as a manager, would start getting a little nervous and be a little bit more -- and watch my starter a little closer and maybe get a guy up throwing. So it makes a lot of sense. It doesn't mean you'll always take your -- you will never let your guy face the lineup three times or four times, depending on how he's pitching. You've seen games where I think Nola went into the eighth inning, he could have thrown nine innings one night, he was just making adjustments as they came along. I think all of that is invaluable stuff, but it's nothing set in concrete for me.

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, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phillies Can’t Afford The Second ‘R’ Or ‘T’

PHILS PHACTS:

Another Roster Spot Filled – The Phillies on Monday added another pitcher who could compete for a spot in their bullpen during Spring Training, claiming right-hander Michael Mariot off outright waivers from the Royals. Mariot, 27, was selected by the Royals in the eighth round of the 2010 Draft. He posted a 6.11 ERA in 19 games during the past two seasons in Kansas City -- logging just three innings in the Majors in 2015. Mariot, who was designated for assignment by the Royals on Nov. 20, spent most of last season at Triple-A Omaha, where in 42 relief appearances he went 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 72 strikeouts while averaging 10.45 strikeouts per nine innings. After adding Mariot, the Phillies still have two spots open on their 40-man roster, which will allow them to add a player in next week's Rule 5 Draft. They own the top pick.

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, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phanatic Has A Long Way To Go…

PHILS PHACTS:

Phanatic Going The Distance – The Phanatic is a creature of many talents: He's a thespian, a comedian, a troll, a college football analyst, an edible projectile expert ... and an athlete? Beneath that furry green belly that shakes and wiggles to the beat of the stadium music must be an eight-pack of rock-hard abs because the Phanatic recently completed a Spartan Race at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies are hosting their third annual Spartan Race on Saturday and the Phanatic got a bit of a head start, scaling walls and swinging on ropes as he moved through the course that makes use of existing structures and features obstacles created especially for the event. OK, so maybe the Phanatic could stand to take a CrossFit class or 12. Still, though, pretty solid effort considering his belly is big enough to be used as a prop during dance numbers.

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, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Dutch Is Back After Two Year Battle!

PHILS PHACTS:

Dutch For The Win – Darren Daulton looked and sounded like himself Sunday morning at Bright House Field. He looked tan. He smiled easily. He spoke optimistically about the future. Daulton, who led the 1993 Phillies to the National League pennant, announced recently he is cancer free after battling glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, since 2013. "I feel good," he said. "I don't know how lucky we are, but it's pretty cool." Daulton has an open invitation to be an instructor at Spring Training as his health permits. It did not sound like he was ready for that, but he was happy Sunday to be at the ballpark on a warm sunny day, watching the Phillies prepare for a new season. "Is there any way I can get a three-year contract right now, with big money?" he joked. Daulton said he got the good news Friday, when he visited his doctor. His doctor smiled when he came through the door. That is when he knew he was cancer-free. "I still have problems talking," said Daulton, who had been working on TV and radio in Philadelphia prior to the diagnosis. "So I can't go on the air like I used to. If I get tired, then I have problems. But I feel good. Just every now and then, I have problems, 'What were we just talking about?' "I've been hanging out with a lot of people from Philadelphia that have similar problems. It just happens, and it happens to different people. I just try to say the right things. There have been a couple that have passed away. It would be nice if everybody didn't have to deal with this cancer situation." Daulton dealt with it and he beat it. He is one of the fortunate ones.

Filling In The Two Hole – The Phillies had one of the least productive offenses in baseball last year, and after trading Jimmy Rollins and Marlon Byrd in the offseason, things might not be any easier in 2015. It is tough to figure out a lineup without Rollins and Byrd. It is early, but Ben Revere figures to hit first. Chase Utley and Ryan Howard could hit third and fourth, respectively. But if that holds true, who hits second? Grady Sizemore could hit there, but that would give the Phillies four consecutive left-handed hitters. Carlos Ruiz could hit second, but then who hits behind Howard? "It is early, but Freddy [Galvis] is a switch-hitter," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He could be a plus there if playing that type of game. Cesar Hernandez down the road, if he happened to be on the team sometime in the summer time, he could be a candidate. Chooch [Ruiz] has had some success there with his ability to use the whole field and is a right-handed bat. Sizemore, depending on who's hitting leadoff and who's pitching that day. There's some options there. I haven't penciled in any lineups yet obviously, but there's some options." One problem is the Phillies have few right-handed bats other than Ruiz, Darin Ruf, Maikel Franco and Jeff Francoeur, who is a non-roster invitee. So Sandberg has to be careful with where he places them so there isn't a string of left-handers hitting in succession, making life easier for opposing managers in the late innings.

Rollins’ Replacement – Freddy Galvis swears he cannot remember the moment he heard the Phillies traded Jimmy Rollins. It would seem to be a momentous occasion. Because when the Phillies traded Rollins to the Dodgers in December for Minor League pitchers Zach Eflin and Tom Windle, Galvis became the organization's first everyday shortstop other than Rollins since Desi Relaford in 2000. It is a role Rollins held from 2001-14, when he became the greatest shortstop in franchise history and surpassed Mike Schmidt to become the franchise's hits leader. No pressure, Freddy. "Jimmy was Jimmy," Galvis said. "Jimmy was the man here in Philadelphia. But you have to come here and play baseball. I have to do my game. I don't have to do Jimmy's game. I have to do Freddy Galvis' game and play ball." But what kind of game can Galvis bring? He is a fine defensive shortstop, so the pitchers should appreciate him. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg loves his energy and praises his instincts. But a good glove, enthusiasm and instincts cannot help a hitter at the plate. Galvis has hit a combined .218 with a .621 OPS in 550 plate appearances with the Phils from 2012-14. He has hit a combined .253 with a .646 OPS in eight Minor League seasons. Galvis, 25, just hit .250 with 12 doubles, one triple, one home run, 18 RBIs and a .652 OPS in 51 games in Winter Ball in Venezuela. The Phillies probably would take similar production from Galvis in 2015. They might even take the numbers he put up in 2013, when he hit .234 with five doubles, four triples, six home runs, 19 RBIs and a .668 OPS in 222 plate appearances. "It's more a mindset than ability," Sandberg said. "I think you start with a .250 batting average with a guy like Freddy. He's athletic. He knows how to play the game. He knows the game situations. Hand-eye coordination. It's a mentality of getting [his swing] too big. He has to be reminded when he does turn on a ball and pop on a ball and hit a home run to the pull side, it happened because he had a good approach." Galvis is not expected to be the Phils' long-term solution at shortstop. J.P. Crawford not only is the top prospect in the organization, but MLB.com considers him the 21st best prospect in baseball. Many scouts around baseball believe he could be something special. But Crawford, 20, is at least a year away from making his big league debut. In the meantime, Galvis will have the opportunity to prove he can bring more than his glove and guile to the field. The Phillies hope he can. They are incredibly thin at shortstop behind Galvis. A short-term, in-game replacement could be Cesar Hernandez. If something would happen to Galvis long term -- he has suffered back and collarbone injuries the past three seasons with a PED suspension and staph infection in his left knee thrown in -- non-roster invitees Andres Blanco and Chase d'Arnaud could play there regularly. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said they will evaluate their depth at shortstop throughout camp and could find help elsewhere, if necessary. "I don't think I have to fill anybody's shoes," Galvis said. "I just have to do my game. Jimmy had a different game. He was a speedy guy. Jimmy was good. He was a good player. He was a good guy to me. He was like a father to me. He always taught me how to play the game, how to be ready for the game, so I always listened to him. "I feel ready for the opportunity. I was waiting for it. I didn't know if, at some point, it could come."

Asche At Third – Much has been made this spring about Phillies third baseman Cody Asche working in left field. Versatility defensively could help Asche in the future, especially if Maikel Franco fulfills his promise and the Phillies want him to be the regular at third. But while Asche is getting some work in left, manager Ryne Sandberg said Sunday it is unlikely Asche gets a lot of work there. Sandberg said he wants Asche spending "95, 96 percent of his time on being ready to play third base on Opening Day." Franco is going to get a look this spring, but he is expected to open the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, so he can continue his development and get at-bats on an everyday basis. Barring something unforeseen, Asche will be the everyday third baseman to start the season. Asche hit .252 with 25 doubles, 10 home runs, 46 RBIs and a .699 OPS last season. The Phillies want to see if he can improve upon that as they build for the future. "He's getting the basic fundamentals in left field," Sandberg said of Asche. "I don't know if somewhere in the spring he gets one game under his belt at the Minor League level. That remains to be seen, but that's a possibility. I want him to be ready to play third base Opening Day."

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.