Phillies Start The Season With A Sweep

GAME RECAP: Reds Sweep Phillies 10-6

With Jay Bruce and Eugenio Suarez leading the charge on Thursday, the Reds erupted with an eight-run fourth inning en route to a 10-6 victory over the Phillies and three-game series sweep to open the 2016 season. Bruce notched two homers in the win, with a career-high-tying five RBIs. Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the third when Bruce's fielding error on Ryan Howard's single let pitcher Charlie Morton score an unearned run off of Robert Stephenson. Bruce redeemed himself in the fourth with two men on base and no outs when he slugged a three-run homer to right field. The rally continued as reliever Daniel Stumpf couldn't stop the momentum in his Major League debut. With the bases loaded and two outs, Suarez launched the first grand slam of his career into the left-field seats. Cincinnati sent 13 men to the plate in the fourth, and Bruce returned to hit an RBI single to center field to score Joey Votto. He added a second homer -- a shot to center field -- that led off the seventh. Stephenson, the Reds' No. 2 prospect according to MLBPipeline, allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings with six hits, two walks and one strikeout for the victory in his big league debut. He was optioned to Triple-A Louisville following the game. Cedric Hunter hit his first career homer in the fourth to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Howard knocked a two-out two-run homer in the fifth off of Stephenson to center field. Carlos Ruiz cut the deficit to 10-6 in the eighth with a two-run dinger to left. It is the first time the Phillies started a season 0-3 since 2007, when they lost three at home to the Braves. "You play a few games and you just try not to let the results affect you either way," Morton said. "Obviously, you try to take the positives and move forward. But try not to let the momentum of negative things happen. Try not to carry those things with you." The Reds are off to their second-straight 3-0 start after they began 2015 with a 4-0 record. "Everybody wants to come out there, and we feel like we've got a good ballclub," Reds manager Bryan Price said of his retooling club that wasn't picked to contend in 2016. "It's only going to get better as our pitchers continue to get healthy out in Goodyear, [Ariz.] There's a lot of optimism here. We don't look at ourselves as a bad team. We like our team, and I think throughout the course of the spring and summer, there will be a lot of good baseball in Cincinnati."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies starters Jeremy Hellickson and Aaron Nola pitched well Monday and Wednesday, but Morton struggled in the series finale. He allowed five hits and six runs in 3 ⅔ innings. The bullpen continued its struggles, too. Stumpf allowed a grand slam in the fourth to give the Reds a 9-2 lead. "I got my feet wet," Stumpf said about his Major League debut. "You can't go any lower than what I did today. There's only room for improvement at this point."
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco got hit with a pitch just below his left elbow in the ninth. Franco stayed in the game, and he said afterward he should be fine. Franco had his elbow wrapped in ice after the game. He said he did not have an X-ray. "I'll be fine. I'll be good," Franco said. "We'll see how it is tomorrow, but I'll be fine." 
• Hunter hit a solo homer to right field in the fourth. It was the first long ball of his career and his first hit in the big leagues since April 5, 2011. It was also just the second hit from a Phillies outfielder this season. 
• Howard singled to right field with runners in scoring position in the third. It marked the Phillies' first hit with a runner in scoring position this season. The Phillies and Padres both entered Thursday 0-for-11 in those situations. Howard later connected on a two-run homer to center field in the fifth. It was his first dinger of the season.
• "We know what we're up against. I'm hoping we got this out of the way. There's no excuses. We're not going to be the best hitting team in the league, but I don't think we're the worst hitting team in the league. I think we're going to show better than we did. We've hit good pitchers before. It's not like I'm going in there thinking we're in trouble." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on the Phillies opening a three-game series Friday against the Mets.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies head to New York to open a three-game series at 1:10 p.m. ET Friday against the Mets at Citi Field. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff makes his 2016 debut. He earned a spot in the Phillies' rotation based on eight strong starts late last season after joining the organization in the Cole Hamels trade with Texas in July.

PHILS PHACTS:

Taking Stock After Sweep – The Phillies expected their share of struggles this season, but they never expected to start the season like this. They lost, 10-6, Thursday afternoon to the Reds at Great American Ball Park to fall to 0-3. It is the first time the Phillies have been swept to begin a season since 2007, when they opened 0-3 at home against the Braves. It also is the first time they have been swept to open a season on the road since 2000, when they went 0-3 against the D-backs. "You play a few games and you just try not to let the results affect you either way," right-hander Charlie Morton said. "Obviously, you try to take the positives and move forward. But try not to let the momentum of negative things happen. Try not to carry those things with you. It was nice to play well in spring, but we've got to come in and win ballgames, and I didn't do my part." Morton allowed six runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. He pitched well through three frames before things fell apart in the fourth. Rookie left-hander Daniel Stumpf replaced Morton with runners on second and third and two outs. Stumpf, who made his Major League debut, had Scott Schebler at 0-2, but he walked him to load the bases. Stumpf got ahead of Eugenio Suarez before surrendering a grand slam. "I got my feet wet," Stumpf said. "You can't go any lower than what I did today. There's only room for improvement at this point." The Reds swept the Phillies for a few reasons. First and foremost, the Phillies' bullpen lost a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning Monday and a 2-1 lead in the ninth Wednesday. The Phillies' bullpen has a 12.91 ERA (11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings) through three games. Secondly, the offense has struggled. The Phillies had scored just four runs and just twice in 18 innings entering Thursday. They were one of two teams without a hit with runners in scoring position entering the series finale before Ryan Howard ended that with an RBI single in the third. Phillies outfielders had tallied one combined hit. "Well, I'm not discouraged by it," manager Pete Mackanin said. "I'm not happy with it. We're not swinging the bats like we did in the spring. I don't want to take anything away from their pitchers, but we're not facing [Zack] Greinke and [Clayton] Kershaw. I would like to have seen a little bit more offense. We got some late today, which was good to see some of the guys getting some hits, but we need to do a better job of hitting the ball." It does not get any easier for the Phillies. They open a three-game series Friday afternoon against the Mets at Citi Field. They are scheduled to face Jacob deGrom on Friday and Matt Harvey on Sunday. "We know what we're up against," Mackanin said. "I'm hoping we got this out of the way. There's no excuses. We're not going to be the best hitting team in the league, but I don't think we're the worst hitting team in the league. I think we're going to show better than we did. We've hit good pitchers before. It's not like I'm going in there thinking we're in trouble."

A Long Wait – Cedric Hunter had waited a long time for this. He waited five years and two days, in fact. Hunter hit a solo home run to right field in the fourth inning of Thursday's 10-6 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park. It marked Hunter's first big league homer and his first big league hit since April 5, 2011. Elias Sports Bureau found the last non-pitcher to go at least five years and two days (1,829 days) between hits was Jason Lane, who went six years, 320 days (Sept. 11, 2007 - July 28, 2014). "It's crazy," Hunter said. "Because we lost and we got swept, I'm not really cherishing the moment like I wish I could. But it's great to get the first hit out of the way. And for it to be a home run, it's just a blessing." Hunter said he had 26 family members from Atlanta at Opening Day on Monday, when he went 0-for-4. His father attended Wednesday's game, when he went 0-for-1. Hunter said he had no family members at the series finale. "I'll probably give [my father] a shout-out text to stay at home next time, watch it on TV," Hunter said, laughing. "But I'm excited for my family to make it out to Cincinnati. For them to drive all the way up here, it means a lot." But here is what makes Hunter's story more remarkable: He never got the ball from his first big league hit in 2011, when he played for the Padres and got a pinch-hit single against Giants right-hander Guillermo Mota at Petco Park. "They threw it in the dugout, told me they were going to do the print on it and everything and I never got it," Hunter said during Spring Training. The 28-year-old will get the home run ball. A fan threw it back onto the field. A ball boy retrieved it, but before he could toss the ball into the stands, Phillies first-base coach Mickey Morandini got his attention and got it from him. Morandini safely tucked the ball into his back pocket. Phillies director of team travel and clubhouse services Frank Coppenbarger confirmed the team has the ball. "That's cool," Hunter said. So what exactly ran through his mind as he circled the bases? "Nothing was running through my mind," Hunter said. "I was just in the moment, kind of in awe."

Taking Turns – The next man up in the Phillies' closer carousel? It looks like right-hander Jeanmar Gomez. The Phillies didn't need a closer in Thursday's 10-6 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park, but manager Pete Mackanin said afterward Gomez likely would have been the guy. "We're auditioning," Mackanin said. "We've got to find out. It's a daily question. Why not Gomez? Let's see what he can do." The Phillies' bullpen has a 12.91 ERA (11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings) in three games this season. David Hernandez lost a lead in the eighth inning Monday. Dalier Hinojosa did the same in the ninth inning Wednesday. Interestingly, asked following Hernandez's struggles Monday about Gomez possibly pitching in the eighth, Mackanin said Gomez did not respond well in those situations last season. But the Phillies are willing to try anything right now. "He hasn't told me he's uncomfortable there," Mackanin said. Gomez saved his first and only game in 2014, when he pitched for the Pirates. He threw a clean inning. "Any role, any inning they give me the opportunity to throw, I'll be ready," Gomez said. "No matter if it's seven, eight or nine or six or four. It doesn't matter. I don't think too much about it. "You know, I think every pitcher has the capacity to throw any inning. We've prepared in Spring Training to help the team win in any situation, any inning where the manager wants to put us. So I think all the bullpen has the capacity for that role." Of course, so far that has not been the case. "It's still a toss-up," Mackanin said.

Small Adjustment – Phillies fans see all. They correctly noticed in the past week that the script on the front of the Phillies' jerseys is slightly larger than seasons past. Uniforms are big business, so the tweak deserved an explanation. It turns out the Phillies' new alternate home jerseys had something to do with it. The script on that red jersey, which will be worn in six regular-season games, is bigger than the Phillies' traditional pinstripe uniforms. "The style guide was a little bit off at MLB, so they wanted to get a consistent size of the 'Phillies' because that red alternate was a little bit different," director of team travel and clubhouse services Frank Coppenbarger said. "It's got some border around it."

Today In Phils History - Phillies find themselves victims of the Cubs only opening day walk off win in 1969 despite 2 homeruns by Don Money (Deron Johnson also made his Phillies debut that day). Chase Utley is also know for getting hits on this day as he was hit on 3 separate occasions on this day in 2008. Twenty years earlier, another Phillies second baseman had an interesting day when he caught Gary Carter with the hidden ball trick. When it comes to debuts, there are some memorable ones as it marked the beginning of the Ivan DeJesus era in 1982 (Bo Diaz also debuted for the Phillies that day). They joined the team the year after a key championship player first put on a Phillies uniform, Gary Matthews. However, the most memorable Phils to take the field for the first time were Mitch Williams in 1991 and Curt Schilling the following year. While he didn't debut on this day, the Phillies did acquire Willie Montanez on this day (the historic deal was originally for Curt Flood). And, while not known for his time in Philadelphia, today is also the birthday of Kirby Higbe.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 0-3 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 13-18-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

It’s Groundhog Day: Phillies Fall In Walk Off

GAME RECAP: Braves Sweep Phillies 2-1

A.J. Pierzynski's walk-off single enabled the Braves to overcome a ninth-inning letdown and complete a three-game series sweep of the Phillies with a 2-1 win on Sunday afternoon at Turner Field. Andrelton Simmons sparked the ninth inning rally when his one-out chopper drew a throwing error from third baseman Cody Asche. Simmons stole third base and scored when Pierzynski lofted his game-winning single off Luis Garcia to shallow center field. "To win a game like that is good," said Pierzynski, who entered in the ninth after Christian Bethancourt was injured. "Winning another game [one-run game], especially after the way Julio [Teheran] pitched. To give it up the way we did and then win it the next [half] inning the way we did is fun." Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran proved perfect through the first six innings and entered the ninth inning in search of his first shutout of the season. But after allowing consecutive one-out singles, he was replaced by Peter Moylan who surrendered a two-out, game-tying single to Andres Blanco. Freddie Freeman's first-inning RBI single off Aaron Nola started the scoring for the Braves, who have now won three straight games for the first time since Aug. 6-8. "We've been concerned about our starting pitching the whole season. Now we get three outstanding performances and we can't score a run," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, who got quality starts from Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Adam Morgan in this series and lost all three games by a 2-1 score. "It's unfortunate, but we had a chance to win all three of these games."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies, who scored just a single run in losing each of the first two games of this series, struggled against Teheran all afternoon. In the eighth, they finally got something going. After a leadoff walk to Blanco and a bloop single off the bat of Darin Ruf, Philly's Cameron Rupp came up against Teheran. The big catcher tried to lay down a bunt to advance the runners and popped it to Teheran, who turned and easily doubled Blanco off second. In 95 career games, Rup has never had a sacrifice hit. Asche singled after the double play, but pinch-hitter Darnell Sweeney struck out to end the threat.
• Philadelphia's Nola had a bit of a rough start, allowing a first-inning run, but even that was barely his fault. Michael Bourn led things off for Atlanta with a slow roller that got past hard-charging Galvis, playing just his second game at second this season. The ball dribbled into right in what originally was scored an error, but later changed to a double. Freeman drove him in with a soft liner to left, but Nola settled down from there. After the first, he allowed just two hits and three walks. Mackanin said after the game that he expects Nola to make his next start, but the team still has to make a final decision.
• "You choose the way you're going to lose the game. I'm gonna lose it on a fly ball, I'm not going to lose it on a base hit up the middle." -- Mackanin, on his decision to play five infielders, and just two outfielders, against Pierzynski in the bottom of the ninth.
• Freddy Galvis has struggled in his career against Koehler, going only 1-for-11 (.091) with three strikeouts.
• Dee Gordon has led off 39 games this year with a base hit, including four of the last five. Charlie Blackmon has 40 leadoff hits this year, the most in baseball.

NEXT GAME:

After a mutual off-day on Monday, Miami and Philadelphia play in the penultimate head-to-head series of the 2015 season. The Phillies have won eight of the first 13 meetings this year. The three-game series is the start of a six-game homestand for the Marlins before they hit the road for the final six games of the season. Adeiny Hechavarria (hamstring) and Martin Prado (wrist) are expected to return during the series. The Phillies have yet to announce a starter. The Marlins, meanwhile, will go with Tom Koehler (10-13, 3.90 ERA). Koehler is 0-1 in two career starts against the Phillies with five earned runs allowed in 11 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Pulled – Mackanin pulled Herrera from the game after the center fielder flied out weakly to left to end the Phillies' half of the fourth inning. "He threw his bat after he flew out, and he didn't run hard. So I took him out of the game," Mackanin said. Herrera, hitting .293 with a team-high 135 hits, was hitting .342 over his last 66 games before Sunday. But his manager said the rookie has been in a little funk lately, so when he failed to hustle, Mackanin took action. "Boys play Little League, men play Major League Baseball. We will not pout, we will not feel sorry for ourselves," Mackanin said. "He had to learn a lesson. To me, he's been pouting for a few days, and I just want to make sure he gets the message. We're just not going to stand for it."

Shutting Down – With 12 games left in their season, the Phillies have decided to shut down starter Adam Morgan for the rest of 2015 in what both the pitcher and the team described as a mutual decision. Morgan, who missed all of the 2014 season after shoulder surgery, last pitched on Friday in a 2-1 loss to the Braves. The left-hander went six innings in that game, giving up just two runs on six hits without walking a batter. He breezed through the six innings in 70 pitches, but took the loss. The 25-year-old Atlanta-area native ends the season 5-7 with a 4.48 ERA, with 84 1/3 innings pitched over 15 starts. After his good outing Friday, interim manager Pete Mackanin and other team officials approached the pitcher to ask about his health and the likelihood of taking another start or two. "He wasn't sure whether he should continue or not," Mackanin said. "Basically, the indecision on his part led us to make that decision." Morgan says he feels good, and he wondered about bowing out early. "I don't want to come across as someone who just shuts it down," he said. The deciding factor was trying to get a good head start on 2016. "The innings that I hope to pitch next year aren't going to be affected by two more starts," Morgan said in the clubhouse Sunday after the Phillies dropped their third straight 2-1 game to the Braves, "whether I make them or not." Now, the offseason begins for Morgan, who is expected to compete for a top spot in Philadelphia's rotation next season. He'll begin to consult with physicians, trainers and others soon to get a plan. "I'm excited for all the right reasons. I'm ready to finish this season, get there, start lifting, start woking out, throwing, just to build that arm strength, 'cause I know it's in there," Morgan said. "It's been feeling good. There are no restrictions this offseason. It's getting after it this whole offseason."

Trying Everything! – Pete Mackanin is trying. Hit-and-runs, bunts from guys who don't normally bunt, five infielders, guys in different spots in the field, lineups that have been juggled and re-juggled. Still, the Phillies have struggled. It's enough to get a guy a little down. "You can say that everyone's getting tired, but that doesn't cut it here," Mackanin, the Phillies' interim manager, said on Sunday after his team lost its sixth straight game, this one a third straight 2-1 loss to the Braves. "You've got to learn to play when you're tired." Sunday, the Phillies enjoyed their third straight quality start, this one seven solid innings from Aaron Nola, but still couldn't manage to push across a run when it counted. In fact, Atlanta's Julio Teheran had a perfect game going until Philly's Freddy Galvis -- who was hitting leadoff for just the fourth time this year and playing second base for just the second time this season -- smacked a single to open the seventh. After Teheran walked first baseman Darin Ruf -- subbing for the injured Ryan Howard -- the Phillies seemed to have something going. But it didn't work out. Mackanin called on big catcher Cameron Rupp to bunt, in a by-the-books attempt to move over the runners. Rupp, in an attempt to bunt [he's never had a sacrifice bunt in the Majors], popped up to Teheran and into a double play. "He's a .230 hitter," Mackanin said. "If you're a .230 hitter, I want to move the runners. If he's a .330 hitter, I'm letting him swing. "That's part of the game. They practice it every day, and they're supposed to be able to do it." Rupp stood up after the game and took the heat. "When I was in college [at Texas], we were required to be able to get a bunt down. It's something I'm able to do. I just didn't get it done," he said. "I want to do whatever I can to get the job done. And that's the play there. I need to get it done." Mackanin tried a squeeze play in the seventh inning Friday that didn't work out, when Atlanta reliever Andrew McKirahan scooped Odubel Herrera's bunt with his glove and tossed to the plate to get Chase d'Arnaud. The manager tried a handful of hit-and-runs over the weekend, including one Saturday that helped the Phillies to their only run (which scored on a double-play ground ball). "I'm trying to manufacture something," Mackanin said. "It's just one of those things. It snowballs. You never get a break." In the bottom of the ninth Sunday, after the Phillies finally pushed across a run in the top of the inning to tie the score at 1-1, Mackanin even used right fielder Jeff Francoeur as a fifth infielder with one out and runners on the corners. A.J. Pierzynski poked a soft single to center to win it. "You choose the way you're going to lose the game," Mackanin said. "I'm gonna lose it on a fly ball, I'm not going to lose it on a base hit up the middle."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 56-94. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 54-49-0 on this day.

Will An Utley Trade Come To Fruition?

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

Phillies enjoy the day off after a rough stop in Arizona.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Keep an eye on Phillies second baseman Chase Utley this weekend. The Phils are looking to trade him, and he has been tied to the Giants, Cubs, Angels and Yankees.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco did not play Wednesday after getting hit with a pitch on his left wrist Tuesday. Franco said Wednesday he is day to day, but it is unclear if he will play Friday.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will cap a three-city, nine-game road trip with a series against the Brewers beginning on Friday at Miller Park, with Adam Morgan and Jimmy Nelson squaring off in the opener. The Phillies had been playing well since the All-Star break, posting a Major League-best 16-5 mark before dropping a rough series vs. the D-backs at Chase Field. Phils starters struggled in the series, with Aaron Harang giving up eight runs Monday and David Buchanan falling victim to an 11-run inning on Tuesday. The Phillies will hope for better pitching from Morgan (3-3, 4.06 ERA), Jerome Williams (4-8, 5.73 ERA) and Harang (5-13, 4.52 ERA) in Milwaukee. The Brewers, who swept the Phillies in a four-game series in Philadelphia in late June and early July, have tabbed Peralta, who's 2-7 with a 4.48 ERA and has just one win in his past six outings despite three quality starts. Nelson (9-9, 3.65 ERA) will pitch on Saturday and Taylor Jungmann (6-4, 2.42 ERA) will get the ball on Sunday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Trade Talks Heating Up – Trade talks for second baseman Chase Utley are hotter than ever. Sources told MLB.com on Thursday night that several teams have made offers for Utley, although no deal is imminent. The Giants are just one of those teams. San Francisco general manager Bobby Evans confirmed to MLB.com that his team has made an offer. The Angels, Cubs, Astros, Yankees and Dodgers are in the mix. The Angels have been interested in Utley for more than a month, and are worth watching. One source made one thing clear on Thursday: Everything is in Utley's hands. He has 10-and-5 no-trade rights, so he can be traded only if he wants to be. If he prefers a particular team, he can steer the Phillies toward that team. If he does not like what he sees or hears, he can say no. ESPN.com reported earlier Thursday that Utley wants a guarantee of playing time before he goes anywhere. He does not want to ride the bench, because he plans to play next season. That makes the Giants' situation interesting. Utley spends his offseasons in the San Francisco area, and the Giants certainly are World Series contenders. But although Giants second baseman Joe Panik is on the disabled list with inflammation in his lower back, he would expect to play once he is healthy. Two sources agreed that Utley wants to play regularly, which make the Giants far from a certainty, despite their aggressiveness. It is a small sample size, but in five games since returning from the DL with a sprained right ankle, Utley is hitting .412 with three doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. He is hitting .196 with a .564 OPS in 70 games overall, which makes compensation an interesting point of discussion. Teams believe Utley can help them, but based on his performance in the first half, they seem unlikely to give up a top prospect for him. But those who know his thinking say Utley still believes he can play at a high level, and the poor numbers before the All-Star break were the results of his ankle injury and a mechanical flaw in his swing. Utley has a $15 million club option for 2016 that no longer will vest automatically based on plate appearances. His club option would then drop to $11 million, but the Phillies would be expected to take the $2 million buyout instead. That would make Utley a free agent, and the Phillies are unlikely to re-sign him, because they plan to make Cesar Hernandez their second baseman in 2016. Utley could be going over his options at this moment. If not, it seems only a matter of time before he does, and these things can move quickly. Asked on Sunday in San Diego if he expects to be with the Phillies by the end of the season, Utley said, "Who knows?" That question could be asked a bit differently at this point: Does he expect to be with the team by next week?

Rich With Pitching Prospects – Chase Utley could be traded at any moment, which means the Phillies could add at least one more prospect to their system before the end of the month. The Phillies have thus far acquired 12 prospects, including 10 pitchers, in exchange for Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, Marlon Byrd, Jake Diekman and Antonio Bastardo. And while it is foolish to think each one will make significant contributions in the big leagues, the Phils hope at least a few are part of their future core. The Phillies need pitching. They just optioned David Buchanan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday after he allowed 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings the day before. Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley can be free agents after the season. Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez might never pitch again for the Phils. So there will be holes to fill in the 2016 rotation, which makes this a good time to look at how those 10 new pitching prospects have fared since their arrival. From the Hamels/Diekman deal: RHP Jake Thompson, 21. The No. 59 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com, is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two starts with Double-A Reading. "His upside is very good," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said. "He's left a very good impression." RHP Jerad Eickhoff, 25. He is a top candidate to replace Buchanan. The right-hander, who is ranked No. 14 in the Phils' farm system, is 2-0 with a 0.64 ERA with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "He's a big guy with pretty good weapons," Jordan said. "He's just a strike thrower. I thought he had a great presence in his first outing. Just pounded the zone." RHP Alec Asher, 23. He is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts at Triple-A. "He's a strong, physical strike thrower," Jordan said. "His changeup needs to develop. The more he uses it, the better he'll get. Both [Eickhoff and Asher] have ability and have a chance to help us sooner than later." From the Papelbon deal: RHP Nick Pivetta, 22. He has struggled since his promotion from Class A to Double-A, including three starts he made with Harrisburg before the trade. Pivetta has gone 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in 10 innings with Reading. "I watched his last start," Jordan said. "He walked four in the first inning and struck out the side. [He has] a great arm. Just really easy velocity, up to 97. He's just not as refined as Thompson, Eickhoff and Asher, but he's got as good of an arm as any of them." From the Revere deal: RHP Jimmy Cordero, 23. His fastball has hit 102 mph, but he has a 5.40 ERA in five appearances with Reading. "There's an argument that he's the best arm we have in our system," Jordan said. "I saw a breaking ball that will play. He just needs to learn how to pitch to the plate a little bit. Hitters need to be a little more uncomfortable. We can help him with that." RHP Alberto Tirado, 20. He hits 99 mph on the gun. Tirado could return to the rotation next season, but at the moment, he has a 2.25 ERA in three relief appearances with Class A Clearwater. "He's got ability," Jordan said. From the Rollins deal: RHP Zach Eflin, 21. Some think Eflin, the club's No. 9-ranked prospect, has a higher ceiling than current Phillies starter Aaron Nola. Eflin is 6-6 with a 3.67 ERA in 18 starts with Reading. "If he reaches his potential, he has an opportunity to be every bit as good, if not better, [than Nola], because his weapons are better," Jordan said. "Zach has pitchability. He's just a younger guy and doesn't quite know how to use his weapons to the degree that Nola or Eickhoff do at this time. But he can pitch." LHP Tom Windle, 23. The Phils moved him to the bullpen because they think his stuff will play better there. Windle is 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA in 12 relief appearances with Reading. He is likely to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. "The spike in his stuff has been a little sporadic," Jordan said. "There are nights you see exactly what you want to see from him in that role. There are nights it doesn't really play up. But he will show you two above-average Major League pitches out of the bullpen. He's going to be a tough look for a good left-handed hitter when all is said and done." From the Byrd deal: RHP Ben Lively, 23. He was 8-7 with a 4.17 ERA in 22 starts with Reading before he went on the DL with a strained right shoulder. "Ben had a good year, not a great year," said Jordan, who discussed Lively before the injury was announced. "He likes to pitch with his fastball, but the secondary pitches have to be developed as you move up. I think that's kind of the resistance he's run into. We've got to sharpen up the breaking ball, slider and changeup. I like Ben. He's an aggressive, confident competitor." From the Bastardo deal: RHP Joely Rodriguez, 23. He is 6-8 with a 5.88 ERA with Reading and Lehigh Valley. "He's set himself up to finish the season very strong," Jordan said. "In his last start, he resembled the guy we saw in the Fall League. I really liked what I saw. He just lost his way a little bit. He got out of his delivery. That's why we put him in the 'pen. He's back in the rotation, and that's where we want him to finish the season."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies season has taken an unexpected turn for the better as they have officially climbed out of the bottom of the NL East with a record of 46-69. 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 57-55-0 on this day.

Phillies Collect Their Thoughts After Opening Day Thrashing

GAME RECAP: The Phillies Didn’t Lose!

No game was played yesterday… although some could say that the Phillies have yet to play this season.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Friday. Billingsley is recovering from a pair of right elbow surgeries over the past two years. The Phils are optimistic Billingsley's health issues are behind him, and they hope he will be able to join the club's rotation before the end of the month. In the meantime, Sean O'Sullivan could be the team's No. 5 starter, which it does not need until Sunday.
• Porcello is coming off a career year, as he established personal bests in wins (15), ERA (3.43) and innings (204 2/3). The righty looked solid during Spring Training, and he has looked comfortable blending in with his new teammates. This is the earliest Porcello has ever pitched in a season. He pitched the fourth game five times for the Tigers and the third game once.
• Red Sox cleanup man Hanley Ramirez has feasted against Harang in his career, going 10-for-29 with five homers and seven RBIs. David Ortiz has had similar success, going 5-for-11 with three doubles and a homer. Phillies leadoff man Ben Revere has done well against Porcello, going 7-for-19.

NEXT GAME:

After the Red Sox's revamped lineup cruised to an 8-0 Opening Day win on Monday, Game 2 of this three-game series features two veteran right-handers making debuts for their new team. Rick Porcello, who is being counted on to be a big part of Boston's starting rotation, will make his first career start for someone other than the Detroit Tigers. Right-hander Aaron Harang makes his Phillies debut in the second game of the three-game series. Harang went 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season with the Braves. The well-traveled Aaron Harang pitched for the Athletics, Reds, Dodgers, Padres, Mariners, Mets and Braves before coming to the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

The Offensive Waiting Game – Jimmy Rollins ripped a game-winning three-run home run to right field Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, while Kyle Kendrick pitched seven scoreless innings in Milwaukee. Back at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies managed just three hits in an 8-0 loss to the Red Sox. "I mean, it's one game," Grady Sizemore said afterward. "Just one game out of 162," manager Ryne Sandberg said. That common-sense perspective often proves true following Opening Day. It almost certainly will prove true for Phillies ace Cole Hamels, who allowed four home runs in five innings. He will be better. Hamels is 14-16 with a 4.12 ERA in 38 career starts in April. He is 94-68 with a 3.16 ERA in 238 appearances the rest of the season. Nobody is worried about Hamels. But can the same be said about the offense? Phillies president Pat Gillick and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said last month that the team was not going to score a lot of runs in 2015. The Phils scored 619 runs last season and 610 runs in 2013, which were two of the four lowest-scoring seasons for the club in a non-strike-shortened year since 1972. The front office then traded Rollins and Marlon Byrd in the offseason and did not replace them with comparable talents. The Phillies followed those moves with a .641 OPS in Spring Training, which was the lowest mark of any team in baseball. "You can't put any stock into spring," Sizemore said. "It's going to come in time," Ben Revere added. The lack of power throughout the Phils' lineup certainly hurts. Small ball is a well-intentioned philosophy, but teams that rely on small ball (i.e., bunting, putting runners in motion, etc.) rarely seem to score runs consistently. So the Phillies must hope a few things happen if they expect to surprise anybody offensively this season: Revere and Odubel Herrera both need to hit better than .300 and use their legs to cause havoc on the basepaths. Chase Utley will have to hit like he did in the first half of last season (.794 OPS) and not like the second half (.674 OPS). Ryan Howard needs to hit 30 home runs again and post an OPS closer to .800 than .700 (he had a .690 OPS last season). Carlos Ruiz has to stay healthy and give the Phils some much-needed production from the right side of the plate. Cody Asche needs to take a step forward and Freddy Galvis has to be better than a .220-type hitter. The Phillies would love to see prospect Maikel Franco crush the baseball in Triple-A and get back to the big leagues sooner rather than later. For that matter, they would love to see some of their top prospects take big steps forward in the Minor Leagues. But the prospects are long-term solutions. The Phils are hoping for some short-term answers as early as Wednesday. The players tried to be optimistic in the wake of their season-opening setback. "It'll come up," Revere said about the offense. "I believe it 100 percent. I've got faith in all these guys. We'll come back and change people's minds."

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now tied for last in the NL east at 0-1 but they are also only one game behind first place. 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 13-18-1 on this day.