Phillies Start September With Rest

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies continue to slide as they enter September but are still on pace to improve on their record from last season… although that isn’t saying much.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Galvis hit seven home runs in 603 plate appearances last season, but he hit his 15th homer of the season in his 512th plate appearance in the fifth to tie the game at 1. Galvis is just the third shortstop in Phillies history to hit 20 or more doubles and 15 or more homers in a season. Jimmy Rollins (six times) and Granny Hamner are the others.
• "Not really. Actually, now I'm hungrier. I want to go back there. I know that it takes a lot of work to be there with all those star guys. I know why you would think that it made me feel comfortable because I'm not doing what I was doing before, but no, no, I'm hungry. I want to get better." -- Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, on if he has become too comfortable since making the NL All-Star team. He has a .656 OPS since he learned he made the team. He had an .833 OPS beforehand.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a three-game series against the Braves on Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Citizens Bank Park. Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (10-8, 3.80 ERA) faces Braves right-hander Joel De La Cruz (0-7, 4.66 ERA) in the series opener. Hellickson is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts this season against the Braves.

PHILS PHACTS:

Today In Phils History – In 1925, The Phillies allowed a franchise record 30 hits to New York in a 24-9 loss at the Baker Bowl. With his 14^th of the year (of future teammate Pete Incaviglia), Terry Mulholland set the new MLB record for pickoffs in a season (the stat became official 3 years prior). Mike Lieberthal set the new single season franchise record for homeruns by a catcher with his 28^th of the season in 1999 in the Phillies last game at Candlestick Park (Randy Wolf’s brother Jim was one of the umpires making it only the 2^nd time in MLB history that such a family affair occurred during a game). With a win over Florida in 2011, the Phillies improved their record to 88-46 making it the 1^st time in franchise history that the team had 42 or more wins than losses. Some of the notable debuts that occurred on this day include Lonnie Smith (1978), Ryne Sandberg (1981), and Maikel Franco (2014).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-73 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 62-53-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Shutout In Sunday Matinee

GAME RECAP: Cards Crush Phils 9-0

The homer-happy Cardinals belted four balls out of Citizens Bank Park on Sunday and ended their road trip with an offensive outburst in a 9-0 win over the Phillies. Brandon Moss, Stephen Piscotty, Jedd Gyorko and Jeremy Hazelbaker all went deep for St. Louis, and the team has now homered in 11 straight games -- 10 of which have been multi-homer contests. Moss and Piscotty hit leadoff homers in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, while Gyorko and Hazelbaker each hit two-run shots in a four-run eighth. Mike Leake pitched seven shutout innings for the Cardinals in the rubber match of the series. "It's not the only way we can score runs, but it's our main way," Moss said of his team's homers. "We got a lot of guys in the lineup who can do a lot of damage and put some stress on pitchers." The Cardinals threatened all afternoon against Phillies starter Vince Velasquez. The right-hander allowed the first three batters he faced to reach base, and though the Cardinals only scored one run in the first, they tagged Velasquez for five runs on seven hits. Velasquez made it through six innings but needed 106 pitches to do so. Leake had to work around seven hits and nine total baserunners, but he got through seven frames unscathed on a rainy afternoon. It was the first time Leake had gone more than six innings since his last start before the All-Star break on July 10. The biggest threat the Phillies had against the righty came in the sixth inning when Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard both singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. However, Leake ended the threat by retiring the next three hitters. "The good news is that we had a winning homestand," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We went 5-4 against three real good hitting teams. That's the bright spot."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The past few weeks have not been kind to Velasquez, who has a 10.47 ERA in his last three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his last six. Before his struggles against the Cardinals, he allowed 14 runs in 10 1/3 innings in his previous two starts against the Dodgers. The long ball has really hurt Velasquez in that stretch. After he allowed 11 home runs in his first 103 2/3 innings this season, he allowed eight in his last 15 1/3 innings. "You've got to stay positive," Velasquez said. "If you let yourself [get] down, you're not going to get anywhere. The way I see it is everyone has a turning point. I'm not figuring it out. I haven't found that turning point yet. I have a couple days off [to] regather, and I'll bounce back against New York. That's the way I see it, just try to be optimistic and keep working."
• The Phillies had runners on first and third with no outs in the sixth, but they were unable to score a run. They finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position in the series. "We had a couple opportunities early in the game to score some runs, didn't capitalize and after that, it was kind of a moot point," Mackanin said.
• "I told him to enjoy learning about climbing the ladder, enjoy the fight, the struggle to get to where you want to be. Because he's going to be real good at one point. He's got to keep battling and working at it." -- Mackanin, on Velasquez's recent struggles.
• The Phillies' streak of 14 consecutive games with a home run was snapped. It was their longest such streak since May 27 to June 9, 2013 (also 14 games). After homering in 14 consecutive games, the Phillies had their streak snapped on Sunday.
• Thompson is the No. 67 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. He has struggled in his first three starts and has not thrown more than five innings in any of them.
• Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.91 ERA) faces White Sox right-hander James Shields (5-15, 5.98 ERA) on Wednesday night.

NEXT GAME:

The last time the Phillies visited U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox were a year away from winning their last World Series, while the Phillies were four years away from winning their last World Series. The teams open a two-game series Tuesday night, their first on the south side of Chicago since 2004. White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-8, 4.26 ERA) faces Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson (1-2, 8.79 ERA) in the series opener. Rodon has been on a roll this month, going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts. He has walked five and struck out 16 in 18 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Trying To Find The Bright Side – Vince Velasquez could allow these past few weeks to torment him, if he desired. But Velasquez sees no point in that, even though his struggles continued in Sunday afternoon's 9-0 loss to the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed seven hits, five runs, two walks, two home runs and struck out seven in six innings. Velasquez has a 10.47 ERA in his last three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his last six. Velasquez also has allowed eight home runs in his last 15 1/3 innings after he allowed just 11 in his first 103 2/3 innings. "You've got to stay positive," Velasquez said. "If you let yourself [get] down, you're not going to get anywhere. The way I see it is everyone has a turning point. I'm not figuring it out. I haven't found that turning point yet. I have a couple days off [to] regather, and I'll bounce back against New York. That's the way I see it, just try to be optimistic and keep working." Velasquez has thrown 119 innings, which is just 5 2/3 innings short of his career high in the Minor Leagues. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin does not believe Velasquez is running on fumes, although the Phillies are closely monitoring Velasquez's workload. Instead, he sees a young pitcher struggling as he learns on the job. "I told him to enjoy learning about climbing the ladder, enjoy the fight, the struggle to get to where you want to be," Mackanin said. "Because he's going to be real good at one point. He's got to keep battling and working at it." Plenty of successful starting pitchers struggled early in their careers. Roy Halladay is an excellent example of that. He had a 10.64 ERA in 19 appearances (13 starts) with the Blue Jays in 2000, prompting Toronto to send Halladay all the way to Class A Dunedin. Tom Glavine went 7-17 with a 4.56 ERA in his first full season with the Braves in 1988. This is not to compare Velasquez to Halladay or Glavine, but it should provide a little perspective. Velasquez (8-6, 4.31 ERA) is still very early in his career. He has time. Velasquez avoided major damage in the first inning when he loaded the bases with none out. Brandon Moss hit a ball to the wall in center field, but Odubel Herrera made a nice leaping catch for a sacrifice fly. No other runs scored in the inning.  Moss hit a solo homer to left-center field in the fourth and Cardinals pitcher Mike Leake hit a two-out single to score two runs in the same frame. Stephen Piscottyhit a solo homer to left in the fifth to make it 5-0. Velasquez struck out the side in the sixth to end his afternoon. "Why can't I just do what I did in that last inning?" Velasquez said he told Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure. Velasquez hinted in his last start last week against the Dodgers that he could make three or four more starts. If that is the case, he might have two or three more to right himself and go into the offseason with some positive vibes. "You just have to put the pieces together, and you have to figure it out," he said. "I've got to figure them out. Yeah, I agree with [Mackanin]. I know I've got to enjoy this adversity here, and I've got to manage to go with the flow and build on it."

Face Time Protection? – Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis remains upset and shaken that a foul ball he hit into the stands struck a young fan in the face on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The girl had to be transferred to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for further evaluation. No update was available on her status as of late Sunday afternoon. "They told me she was OK," Galvis said. Galvis is a passionate advocate for installing more protective netting down the left- and right-field lines. The Phillies extended netting behind home plate about 10 feet on both sides in the offseason, but it stops once it reaches both dugouts. The Phillies said they received conflicting opinions from fans about sitting behind netting, many of whom feel it obstructs their view or takes away some of the enjoyment of being close to the action. "The Phillies expanded our netting this season to the sides of the dugout near home plate, as was suggested by Major League Baseball," Phillies executive vice president and chief operating officer Mike Stiles said in a statement. "We decided earlier this season to consider the possibility of further expansion next season. In making that determination at the conclusion of the 2016 season, we will take into account a number of factors -- including the opinion of our uniformed personnel and, most importantly, the wishes and safety of our fans." But Galvis cannot shake the image of the girl getting hit in the face with the ball. He was late on a 98-mph fastball from Sam Tuivailala in the eighth inning and watched the ball fly into the stands. "What if I broke all her teeth? What if I broke her nose?" Galvis said. "If I hit her in one eye and she loses that, what are they going to do? It's going to be a big deal for two, three days. Everybody in TV, media, whatever. But after three days, what's going to happen? They're going to forget. But that family won't forget that." Galvis said he understands that families want to sit as close to the field as possible, so children can see their heroes. He just says further protection makes sense in light of what happened. As for those who have mixed feelings about the extra netting taking away from the fan experience, Galvis offered a compromise. "Why not put up a net that can go up and down, if you want fans to get the balls and stuff between innings?" he said. "Two days ago, I saw one fan with his baby, maybe like 1 year old, 2 years old. They were in the third row. If you're a father and you know we don't have a net right now, you should sit behind a net or sit really far away, you know what I mean? I think they should worry about that."

Today In Phils History – It was not a good day to be on the mound in 1952 when both starters ended up in the hospital as Reds starter Frank Hiller suffered a broken nose and spike wound in a 1B collision with Richie Ashburn and Phillies starter Curt Simmons took a line drive off the back of the wrist. 2 years later, the Phillies lost Jim Konstanty to the Yankees. In 1961, Art Mahaffey ended his personal 10 game losing streak by throwing a 1 hit shutout against the Cubs. Greg Luzinski appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on this day in 1977. The Reds Alex Ochoa hit the record setting 142^nd grand slam during the 2000 MLB season when he connected off of the Phillies Bruce Chen. Randy Wolf had a heck of birthday in 2002 when he threw 8 shutout innings and connected for his first career homerun. Happy 40^th Birthday Randy Wolf! 4 years later another lefty joined the Phillies when the recently acquired Jamie Moyer made his Phillies debut.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-67 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-55-1 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.

Phillies Take Huge Step Back In Opener Against Diamondbacks

GAME RECAP: D-Backs Demolish Phils 13-3

Welington Castillo homered, tripled and drove in a career-high four runs to lead the D-backs' offensive attack in a 13-3 win over the Phillies in Monday night's series opener at Chase Field. Nine different players collected a hit for the D-backs, who hit nine extra-base hits, including three triples, and won for the 11th time in 16 games to move to one game under .500. Starter Rubby De La Rosa won for the fourth time in five outings, giving up three runs in six innings. "We just came with everything like we do, got the big hit, got a lot of hits," D-backs left fielder David Peralta said. "We're just going to keep doing the same thing, having fun and playing ball the right way, and good things will happen." Maikel Franco went 2-for-4 with a home run for the Phillies, who had their three-game win streak snapped. Starter Aaron Harang took the loss, suffering his 10th defeat in his past 11 outings. "Well, that was the first bad game we've had in a long time, so it's bound to happen sooner or later," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, whose team is 16-6 since the All-Star break. "It happens to every team, so tonight it was us."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Harang's chances of being traded to a contender before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline are likely minimal at this point. He allowed 12 hits and eight runs in 5 1/3 innings against the D-backs. He has allowed 12 runs in 10 2/3 innings in his past two starts, and he has an 8.10 ERA in his past nine starts dating to June 4. He has allowed four or more runs in eight of those starts. "They were too comfortable up there," Harang said. "I've got to establish in and I didn't do that early enough. When they start getting comfortable at the plate it makes for a long day."
• Franco is making his case for National League Rookie of the Year. He crushed a home run to center in the sixth that traveled an estimated 455 feet. "I just used my hands and stayed through to the middle, try to use the whole field, and I put a good swing on that," Franco said.
• Phillies left-hander Adam Loewen replaced Harang in the sixth. It was his first appearance as a pitcher in the big leagues since July 6, 2008, a span of 2,589 days. He allowed one hit and two runs in one-third of an inning.
• Phils second baseman Chase Utley has been placed on revocable waivers, according to FOXSports.com. He has to be claimed by 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday. If he is claimed, Utley has the right to refuse a trade because he has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, meaning he's a 10-year veteran with at least the past five years on the same team.
• Philadelphia center fielder Odubel Herrera has a 13-game hitting streak, the longest by a Phillies rookie since Marlon Byrd's 15 in 2003.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies have been the hottest team in baseball since the All-Star break. They hope to get back to their winning ways Tuesday night against the D-backs at Chase Field. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan hopes to get back on the right track. He allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings last week against the Dodgers. He posted a 3.38 ERA in three starts in July, when he picked up wins against the Braves and Rays. Buchanan has never faced the D-backs. D-backs right-hander Jeremy Hellickson has never faced the Phillies, but more important than that he is hoping to turn around his luck. He is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in his past two starts after posting a 1.88 ERA in four starts in July.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Placed On Waivers – Phillies second baseman Chase Utley has been placed on revocable waivers, according to FOXSports.com. The news is not surprising, but it is noteworthy. It is not surprising because teams place most of their players on waivers in August. If they clear waivers teams can trade them before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. Teams like to have the flexibility. But it is noteworthy because the Phillies would trade Utley for the right deal. The report had Utley placed on waivers Sunday, which means he has until 1 p.m. ET on Tuesday to be claimed. If he is not claimed, the Phillies can try to trade him anywhere before the end of the month. If he is claimed, the Phillies have until 1:30 p.m. ET on Thursday to assign him to the claiming team or pull him back. If they pull him back at that point, he cannot be traded anywhere. Of course, Utley has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, meaning he's a 10-year veteran with at least the past five years on the same team, so he does not have to go anywhere if he does not want to. But there are indications Utley is more open to a trade than he has been in the past. "I would be more than happy to listen to them," Utley said Saturday. "I do love Philadelphia. I've had a great time playing here, but out of respect for them, I would definitely listen to them." Asked Sunday if he expected to be with the Phillies at the end of the season, Utley said, "Who knows?" The Angels and Cubs have expressed interest in Utley. The Giants had a scout watching Utley this weekend in San Diego, according to CSNPhilly.com. Besides Utley's 10-and-5 rights, a deal could be complicated. He is making $15 million this season, which means he still is owed about $4.5 million. He also has a $15 million club option for next season, which includes a $2 million buyout. The option automatically vests with 500 plate appearances this season, but Utley has only 259, so that is no longer an issue. But the Phillies would seem likely to eat some of that money to facilitate a deal. In the meantime, Utley continues to play. He hit leadoff and played first base Monday night against the D-backs.

Another Trade With The Rangers – The Phillies added some infield depth on Monday, when they acquired shortstop Tyler Pastornicky from the Rangers for cash considerations. Pastornicky, 25, was batting .283 with one home run and 19 RBIs in 53 games for Triple-A Round Rock this season. Pastornicky has played in 124 games in the big leagues, all with the Braves, for whom he posted a .243 batting average with a .295 on-base percentage and a .314 slugging mark. He was released by Atlanta in March and signed by Texas as a Minor League free agent. Pastornicky's season started at Double-A Frisco, where he hit .276 with 29 hits in his first 28 games prior to his promotion to Round Rock. He also played for Team USA in the Pan Am Games in July, leading the team with a .450 batting average and 9 RBIs in 11 games. Pastornicky was selected by the Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Draft, and he was traded to the Braves in 2010 as part of the return for shortstop Yunel Escobar.

Rookie Of The Year? – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco continues to make a strong case for National League Rookie of the Year. Home runs like the one he crushed in Monday night's 13-3 loss to Arizona at Chase Field should get a few more people to notice him. He ripped an 0-1 slider from D-backs right-hander Rubby De La Rosa in the sixth inning a projected 455 feet to center field, according to Statcast™. It left his bat at a scorching 107 mph. "It had a good sound to it," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "I mean, yeah," Franco said, asked if it was one of the hardest hit balls of his career. "I just used my hands and stayed through the middle, try to use the whole field, and I put a good swing on that." Franco is not getting the attention of NL rookies like Matt Duffy, Joc Pederson and Kris Bryant, but he is worthy of comparisons. Franco does not officially rank among NL rookies in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage or OPS, but that is only because he did not join the Phillies until May 15. He is 25 plate appearances short of the 350 plate appearances he needs to qualify among them. But Franco would have the highest OPS (.828) and slugging percentage (.490) among NL rookies, if he qualified. He also entered Monday second in doubles (21), fourth in home runs (12), third in RBIs (47) and tied for fourth in walks (25) and extra-base hits (34). "It's not on my mind right now," Franco said of a potential Rookie of the Year candidacy. "I just try to come in and do my job and try to do the best I can to have a good game and help my teammates." But that doesn't mean he isn't following other NL rookies, either. "I mean, yeah, because most of the time I watch TV, I see what they're doing," he said. "But for me, just be happy for everybody, try to have a good game, a good season. Whatever happens, I'll take it." ESPN said Franco's home run was the longest by a Phillies player since 2012, when Jim Thome hit one over the batter's eye at Target Field in Minneapolis. "I remember that home run," Mackanin said. "That was a bomb." Franco's was nearly as impressive. And it could get a few more people talking about him, too.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies season has taken an unexpected turn for the better as they have officially climbed out of the bottom of the NL East with a record of 45-68. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 52-50-0 on this day.

Howard’s Blast Snaps Streak

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shock Orioles 2-1

The Phillies snapped a nine-game losing streak Thursday afternoon with a 2-1 victory over the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. They can thank Ryan Howard, who hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning off Bud Norris, and a strong performance from the pitching staff for snapping the team's longest skid since an 11-game losing streak in September 1999. "I mean, nobody comes to the field every day to lose," Howard said. "Everybody comes with a positive attitude. We're trying to go out there and do what we need to do to win and we haven't been able to come through. Today, take it, savor it and try to bring it back and do it again tomorrow." The Orioles took three of four from the Phillies in this week's home-and-home series, but could not complete the sweep. They scored 29 runs in the first three games, which included a 19-3 victory Tuesday, but they managed just six hits in the finale.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies have been desperate for offense lately, and Howard provided just enough when he ripped a two-run home run to right field to give the Phillies a one-run lead and hand Norris the loss. It was Howard's 12th home run and just his second since May 23.
• Chase Utley could've started a potential inning-ending double play, but he threw a ball into left field with one out in the seventh. It put runners at the corners with one out, but Garcia struck out Machado and Snider swinging on sliders to get out of the inning.
• Teams regularly employ the defensive shift against Howard, but so far, he has not tried to drop a bunt down the third-base line to keep defenses honest. "That's an individual player thing and it takes some practice and maybe in Ryan's case. a little bit of nerve to try something like that," Sandberg said. "I think the fact that he has not tried it is the biggest thing holding him back from trying. ... I haven't seen him work on that, no. I was glad that he did hit the ball out of the ballpark, though."
• "It's been tough. Every time I get a chance to come in there and get back on the right foot, I'm pretty happy with that." -- Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon, who picked up his 13th save in just his second save opportunity since May 20.
• The Phillies avoided being swept in four consecutive series of two or more games for the first time since Sept. 20-29, 1985.
• Philadelphia edged Baltimore, 2-1, on Thursday, halting its losing streak at nine. The Phillies had been swept in four straight series and hadn't won since June 7.
• The Phils will need to make a corresponding roster move before Friday's game to add Aumont. The righty pitched in five games for Philadelphia last season and had a 19.06 ERA in 5 2/3 innings. This year, he's 3-4 with a 2.35 ERA at Triple-A.
• The Cards won three of four games against the Phillies in late April. St. Louis scored 26 runs in the series at Busch Stadium.

NEXT GAME:

Two teams heading in opposite directions clash this weekend in Philadelphia as the National League Central-leading Cardinals continue their eight-game road trip against the Phillies, who are fifth in the NL East. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said righty Lance Lynn, who has a right forearm strain, has been playing catch and is expected to join the team in Philadelphia. Lynn was placed on the 15-day disabled list June 8. In Lynn's place, lefty Tyler Lyons will start Friday. Lyons picked up a win in his last start, giving up two earned runs in five innings. He had started three games earlier this season. Phillies ace lefty Cole Hamels was supposed to start Friday, but he was scratched with a mild right hamstring strain. In his place, righty Phillippe Aumont will be called up from Triple-A and get the nod.

PHILS PHACTS:

Howard Showing Power – The Orioles had bashed 12 home runs in 31 innings against the Phillies when Ryan Howard stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He returned the favor when he hit a two-out, two-run home run to right field to give the Phillies the lead in a 2-1 victory. It snapped the Phils' nine-game losing streak, which was their longest since an 11-game skid in September 1999. "I mean, nobody comes to the field every day to lose," Howard said. "Everybody comes with a positive attitude. We're trying to go out there and do what we need to do to win and we haven't been able to come through. Today, take it, savor it and try to bring it back and do it again tomorrow." Howard had hit .303 (33-for-109) with seven doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, 21 RBIs and a 1.011 OPS in 30 games from April 21 through May 23, but he had hit just .151 (11-for-73) with five doubles, one homer, five RBIs and a .442 OPS in 20 games since. So this home run felt good, especially considering the circumstances. "[Orioles pitcher Bud Norris] left a fastball kind of middle in and was able to catch up to it," Howard said. "Threw me one early in the count and then came back with it again. Was able to just catch up to it." Overall, Howard is hitting .236 with 15 doubles, one triple, 12 home runs, 30 RBIs with a .747 OPS. He could be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, although it will be difficult because of one significant stumbling block: money. The Phillies would have to fork over the vast majority of the remaining money on Howard's deal to move him. That includes a little more than half of the $25 million remaining on his contract this season, $25 million next season, plus a $10 million buyout on a club option for 2017. "I mean, it's what the situation is," Howard said about the organization trying to rebuild for contention no earlier than 2017. "You've got to understand, I guess, what it is they're trying to do. You understand the situation you're in. But like I said, you've got to come with the mindset of being positive and just try to continue to go out and compete every single day."

Pulling Things Together – Chase Utley airmailed a ball into left field in the seventh inning Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, which looked like the opening the Orioles needed to send the Phillies to their 10th consecutive loss. Utley's error put runners at the corners with one out. Seven pitches, six sliders, all strikes. Game over. "That was game saving, the moment of the game," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I was just throwing whatever Chooch [Carlos Ruiz] was calling," Garcia said. "He was calling slider, so I was throwing it. It was working, so why change it?" Garcia pitched in the middle of some fine pitching performances against the Orioles, who scored 29 runs in the three previous days against the Phillies. Sean O'Sullivan got things started, allowing four hits, one run, two walks and struck out a career-high seven in five innings. He threw just 80 pitches, but Sandberg decided O'Sullivan had done enough. "His most was 95 to 98 [pitches], third time through the lineup," Sandberg said, explaining his decision. "And also with the offense, we're a double and a single away from a run, so we took a chance." "I was lobbying to try and go back out, but that decision is not mine to make," O'Sullivan said. Jake Diekman and Ken Giles sandwiched Garcia's effort with scoreless innings and Jonathan Papelbon picked up his 13th save with a perfect ninth. It was just his second save opportunity since May 20. Papelbon is a candidate to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, although he said it is not on his mind. "When is it?" he said. "I don't know when it is. I don't really worry about none of that."

Hamels Scratched From Start – This isn't the news the Phillies needed. They announced Thursday afternoon that Cole Hamels has been scratched from Friday night's start against the Cardinals because of a mild right hamstring strain. Triple-A right-hander Phillippe Aumont will start in his place. Hamels is 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season, but his health is critical as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday he is hopeful the Phillies can make some trades to speed up the team's rebuilding process. Hamels is the team's most valuable piece, so they must hope the injury does not linger and Hamels returns to the rotation shortly. A roster move will be made before Friday's game to accommodate Aumont on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.

Hamels Has Some Fun – Cole Hamels' locker at Citizens Bank Park has been completely cleaned out. A trade? No. A prank? Yes. The Phillies announced Thursday afternoon that Hamels has been scratched from Friday night's start against the Cardinals because of a mild right hamstring strain. Triple-A right-hander Phillippe Aumont will start in his place. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg had few answers about the injury, other than Hamels told him that he does not believe it is serious and he might miss just one start. "He did not feel like it was a long term thing," said Sandberg, who left open the possibility about a stint on the disabled list. "The fact that it showed up 24 hours later [following a bullpen session Tuesday]. He said somewhat minimal." But knowing that he is a strong candidate to be traded before the July 31 Trade Deadline, the pitcher himself used his late scratch to empty his locker, removing his name plate and everything else. Typically, that would signify a trade, but Hamels obviously has not been traded. Not yet. Hamels is 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts, but his health is critical as the Deadline approaches. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday he is hopeful the Phillies can make some trades to speed up the team's rebuilding process. Hamels is the team's most valuable piece, so they must hope the injury does not linger and Hamels returns to the rotation shortly. A roster move will be made before Friday's game to accommodate Aumont on the 25-man and 40-man rosters.

Bullpen Swap – The Phillies are hoping to get much more from Jake Diekman this time around. The team announced Thursday morning it had recalled Diekman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To make room for him on the 25-man roster, the Phillies designated right-hander Dustin McGowan for assignment. The Phillies optioned Diekman on June 4 because he had struggled in 25 appearances, posting a 6.75 ERA, which remains the third-highest ERA among 142 qualified relief pitchers in baseball. However, Diekman threw seven scoreless innings in six appearances in Lehigh Valley. He allowed five hits, one walk and struck out seven. He also picked up three saves. McGowan became the first Phillies relief pitcher in baseball history to allow five home runs in an appearance, which happened Tuesday in a 19-3 loss in Baltimore. He posted a 6.94 ERA in 14 appearances.

Great Start – Aaron Nola has come a long way since a shaky season-opening start for the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils. On April 11, the Phillies' No. 2 prospect (No. 31 overall) gave up four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings and started his season with a 7.71 ERA. Afterwards, he buckled down and allowed only 12 earned runs in his next 72 innings. Nola went 7-2 over that span, posting a K/BB ratio of 57-to-9. Earlier this week, he was rewarded with a promotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and he quickly dispelled any thoughts of a rough start on Thursday night. The 22-year-old righty dominated Buffalo, giving up four hits while striking out seven in five shutout innings. Nola hurled 98 pitches on the night -- 66 for strikes -- and outpitched Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Daniel Norris, who allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Darin Ruf, Cord Phelps and Jayson Nix all contributed one RBI in the IronPigs' 3-0 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 23-45. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 47-55-0 on this day.