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.

Phillies Turn Things Around In Arizona

GAME RECAP: Phillies Sweep Diamondbacks 9-8

Pinch-hitter Tyler Goeddel drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning to lift the Phillies to a 9-8 win and a series sweep over the D-backs at Chase Field on Wednesday afternoon. Peter Bourjos and Cody Asche had consecutive one-out singles against Arizona reliever Silvino Bracho (0-2), who took the loss, followed by Goeddel's sacrifice fly to deep right that put Philadelphia ahead for good. The Phillies had a season-high 17 hits. "I can't say enough about the guys," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "In Minnesota, San Francisco and here, we just kept responding. When we gave up runs, we came back and scored runs. It was a whole different team that left Philadelphia. It's kind of like old times, but we are hitting better." After Arizona scored three runs in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead, Philadelphia immediately responded with four in the eighth, all of them charged to reliever Daniel Hudson, and took an 8-7 lead on a sacrifice fly by Asche, who drove in three runs. The D-backs tied it at 8 in the bottom of the inning on an infield RBI single by Jean Segura. "Coming into the eighth inning with a three-run lead, that's just unacceptable for me to give that up," Hudson said. "I need to get better, and I don't know how it kind of just flipped the way it did, for me personally. I've been put into some big situations and haven't performed well recently." Jeanmar Gomez (3-2) earned the win in relief for the Phillies, who have won three straight for the first time since May 12-14 and secured their first sweep since April 29-May 1. Cesar Hernandez collected four hits and Freddy Galvis added three, while Brett Oberholtzer worked the 10th for his first career save. Jake Lamb homered and Michael Bourn had four hits for the D-backs, who lost their fifth game in a row and fell to 13-28 at home this season. D-backs starter Archie Bradley allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings, posting his third quality start in six outings this month. Phillies starter Zach Eflin also went six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. Neither starter factored into the decision. "I think it was important on this road trip to kind of take a deep breath, get away from the home ballpark a little bit and get some different views," Asche said. "Get the offense rolling and hopefully, we can keep that going into July and into the All-Star break, and we'll see where we go from there."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eflin pitched in with a big hit -- a double -- in the top of the fifth. The hit was the first of his Major League career. He later scored on a double by Asche to cut Arizona's lead to 4-3. "I finally got that first one," Eflin said. "That was a good feeling. It was 0-2, and I put a good swing on it. It was a lot of fun."
• One of the hottest hitters in baseball, Bourjos scored the game-winning run and finished 2-for-5 in the series finale at Chase Field. He racked up six hits in the series, including the crucial one-out single in the 10th inning and a two-run home run in the first inning. 
• "He was told that this was a big year for him, and he has to do something to show us that he deserves to be with us in the future, and he's certainly making a good effort and he looks much better at the plate. Everybody is fighting for jobs, and they want to prove that they want to be here in the future." -- Mackanin, on Asche.
• Hellickson is 1-2 with a 5.45 ERA in six starts -- a span of 33 innings -- against the Royals in his career. He's struck out 25 and walked nine.
• Kennedy is seeking back-to-back wins for the third time this year.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies' record only tells part of the story of their season. Yes, the club is coming off its first series win since May, but the pitching staff has thrown nine shutouts this season, the most in the Major Leagues this season. Peter Bourjos has been the hottest hitter in baseball during the last few weeks, and the team's offense ranks among Major League leaders in extra-base hits, average, slugging, OPS and runs since it went on the road on June 21. Now, the Phillies are coming home after nine games on the road. After Thursday's day off, the Philllies will send Jeremy Hellickson, who allowed just one earned run in six innings Saturday at AT&T Park, to the mound against Ian Kennedy and the Royals in the first of three games at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Kennedy struck out 11 while giving up three hits, one walk and one run against the Astros in his last outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Road Trip MVP – Phillies outfielder Peter Bourjos returned to Arizona and hit like he owned the place. The veteran has been feeling comfortable on the road a lot lately. Bourjos finished 2-for-5 and scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning in the Phillies' 9-8 victory that completed a sweep in the series finale at Chase Field on Wednesday. The Phillies won five of the nine games on the road trip, and Bourjos is a big reason why. "Bourjos was probably the MVP of our trip," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "The guy just turned it on and started playing like an All-Star." Overall, the outfielder racked up six hits in the series against the D-backs, including a two-run home run in the first inning to give the Phillies an early 2-0 lead. He hustled out an infield single with the game tied at 8 in the 10th and scored the deciding run on a sacrifice fly to right field by Tyler Goeddel. "I think the hitters are having better at-bats, and the pitchers are doing a good job of keeping us in games," Bourjos said. "You can really see the offense starting to take shape, and a lot of guys are starting to feel comfortable in the box and figure some things out." Bourjos finished the nine-game road trip with 17 hits in 36 at-bats. He's hitting .471 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and eight RBIs in 17 games since June 12. It's been quite a turnaround. He was hitting .192 with a .501 OPS in 161 plate appearances through June 11. He's also raised his batting average to .262. "I think I was trying to do too much," Bourjos said. "I'm starting to realize that you don't have to swing hard to hit the ball hard." Bourjos, who was claimed off of waivers last December, grew up near Chase Field in Scottsdale, Ariz. He said most of his family was in attendance for Wednesday's game, including his father Chris Bourjos, who sat among the baseball officials behind home plate taking notes. "I live here in the winter time," Bourjos said. "My dad is a scout and the Diamondbacks are one of his teams he has to cover, so he matched up against us, of course."

See You In 2017 – The season is over for Phillies right-handed pitching prospect Mark Appel. Appel, ranked No. 4 on the Phils' Top 30 Prospects list, underwent a season-ending surgery to remove a posterior bone spur in his right elbow Wednesday in Philadelphia, according to the club. The recovery period is four to six months. Appel is expected to make a full recovery, and he should be ready for Spring Training. With Houston, Appel went 16-11 with a 5.12 ERA in 54 appearances (53 starts) in the Minor Leagues, including a 4.48 ERA in 12 starts last season with Triple-A Fresno. He was acquired by Philadelphia on Dec. 12 in the seven-player deal that sent Ken Giles to Houston. This season, Appel went 3-3 with a 4.46 ERA in 38 1/3 innings for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, with 34 strikeouts and 20 walks. Appel, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 Draft by the Astros, was placed on the disabled list at Triple-A with a right shoulder strain on May 27. Then, the issue with the elbow surfaced as he began his throwing progression while recovering from the shoulder injury. The club said Appel's shoulder is fine.

Today In Phils History – 80 years before Mike Lieberthal made his MLB debut with the Phillies another catcher was in the news as, in 1914, the federal appeals court ruled that catcher Bill Killefer was allowed to stay with the Phillies ending a long court battel with the Federal League. In 1932, Chuck Klein set the MLB record for the most homeruns by the end of June, 24, following a 2 homerun performance. 6 years later, the Phillies lost their final game at the Baker Bowl. Vice President Richard Nixon attended a Phillies game at Shibe Park on this day in 1960 as part of a fundraising campaign for the Presidency. In an interesting piece of franchise history, on this day in 1967, catcher Cookie Rojas was brought in to pitch the 9^th inning of a Giants blowout which resulted in Rojas having played at least 1 game at every position for the Phillies during his career. 20 years later, Steve Bedrosian picked up his 13th consecutive save on his way to the Cy Young award. In 2004, Jim Thome hit his 15^th homerun of the month setting a new franchise record for June and tying the overall record set in 1923 by Cy Williams (it was also the 44^th homerun by the Phillies that month setting a new team record). Three years later, J.A. Happ made his MLB debut with the Phillies. And, finally, happy birthday to Chan Ho Park (1973) and Cody Asche (1990).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 35-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-57-2 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 Come Back In 9th Against Diamondbacks

GAME RECAP: Phils Stun D-Backs 4-3

The Phillies came from behind to beat the D-backs, 4-3, on Tuesday night at Chase Field, striking for a pair of runs in the ninth inning to win consecutive games for the first time since May 17-18 and clinch their first series victory since then as well. "It's been May since we've done it, I think, and it was good to win, obviously," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "[Starter Jerad] Eickhoff just kept pitching himself in and out of trouble all day and he ended up with a pretty good outing." D-backs closer Brad Ziegler (2-3) blew just his second save opportunity of the year -- both coming in his last three appearances. Pinch-hitter Jimmy Paredes hit a leadoff double, then scored on a single by Andres Blanco. Veteran first baseman Ryan Howard drew a bases-loaded walk with one out for Philadelphia's go-ahead run against Ziegler, his old college teammate from Missouri State University. "I'm sure [Howard] would have preferred to hit a grand slam to win the game, but I'm sure he's happy with getting that run across with a walk," Mackanin said. "He battled." Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco went 2-for-5 with a homer and reliever Hector Neris (2-3) picked up the win. Jeanmar Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth for his 21st save. D-backs third baseman Jake Lamb went 2-for-3, reaching base three times. He gave Arizona a 3-2 lead in the seventh with his team-best 16th homer, after Yasmany Tomas had tied the game the previous inning with a solo blast of his own. Arizona starter Zack Greinke exited with left oblique tightness prior to the third inning. The D-backs' bullpen limited the Phillies to one run over the next six innings until Ziegler's mishaps in the ninth. The D-backs lost their fourth in a row. "It's definitely frustrating, we don't like to lose games at all, period," said Ziegler, whose team fell to 13-27 at home. "We get the idea that we should be better at home than we are and it's tough to explain. Tonight, guys put us in a good position to win, especially with Zack going down early."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff helped his own cause with a single to right field that scored Freddy Galvis in the top of the second inning to give his team a temporary 1-0 lead. The D-backs answered in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 1. The RBI was the third of the season for Eickhoff.
• Howard's seven-pitch walk with the bases loaded proved to be the difference in the game. The veteran fell behind 1-2 against Ziegler but didn't bite on the reliever's changeups and sinkers out of the zone. "He's been battling and taking better at-bats lately," Blanco said of Howard. "It was not a hit but it counts as a big at-bat."
• "It reminded me of the way we played for the first two months of the season. We stayed in the game and scratched and clawed to just eke out a win. That's the way we did it for two months." - said Mackanin.
• Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera is among NL leaders in games, four-hit games, singles, infield hits and outfield assists.
• Philadelphia's Peter Bourjos continues to be one of the hottest hitters in baseball, hitting .500 with three doubles, two two triples and six RBIs in his previous 15 games entering play Tuesday.
• Bradley is 3-3 with a 4.50 ERA through eight starts. He was 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA in eight starts last season.

NEXT GAME:

D-backs' starter Archie Bradley will establish a career-high in starts when he takes the mound for the ninth time in the series finale against the Phillies on Wednesday at Chase Field. The Arizona right-hander has been on a roll lately, sporting a 0.82 ERA over his last two outings, including six scoreless innings against the Phillies on June 19. He struck out five in the 85-pitch outing. The Phillies will counter with Zach Eflin, who has a 1.54 ERA in two starts since allowing nine runs in 2 2/3 innings in his big league debut June 14. Eflin allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings against Bradley and the D-backs. He struck out three and walked one batter in the 5-1 loss.

PHILS PHACTS:

Potential On Display – There are games when Phillies' third baseman Maikel Franco shows off his potential. There are others when he shows his age. On Tuesday, the 23-year-old did both, picking up a pair of hits -- including a crucial home run -- and striking out twice in his team's 4-3 victory against the D-backs to clinch the series win. Franco, who is hitting .246 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs, finished 2-for-5. "I'm just trying to get better every day and help my team," Franco said in Spanish. "I'm working on controlling my excitement at home plate and I feel like I'm getting better in that area." It was quite a night for the young infielder. He flied out to center on the first pitch he saw from D-backs starter Zack Greinke in the first inning and later hit a double on the second pitch from reliever Randall Delgado in the third. He also hit a solo home run on the fifth pitch against Delgado in the fifth inning to put the Phillies ahead, 2-1. "He's got a lot of natural ability, obviously," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's an aggressive hitter and I love aggressive hitters, but he's a little bit overly aggressive. I think he needs to be a smarter hitter. I'd rather take an aggressive hitter and throttle him back than a guy who is not aggressive and try to get him to be aggressive. That's a great situation to be in." Franco, who leads the team in home runs, RBIs and extra-base hits, struck out swinging on four pitches for the final out of the top of the seventh inning. He worked the count full before striking out with the bases loaded and the game tied at 3 on a ball way outside of the strike zone in the ninth. "He's got a chance to be a real good hitter and hit for power," Mackanin said. "He's got a lot to learn but it's only his first full year in the big leagues. He's going through a learning period." Franco, who made his big league debut in 2014, hit .280 with 14 home runs and 50 RBIs in 2015. He posted a .497 slugging-percentage and an .840 OPS last season. "I feel like I had good game because we won," Franco said. "I helped my team win and winning is the most important thing." 

Representing The Phillies – A pair of teammates at Double-A Reading will represent the Phillies at the 2016 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 10 at Petco Park in San Diego. Outfielder Dylan Cozens will suit up for the U.S. roster and right-handed pitcher Ricardo Pinto will do the same for the World team. Pinto and Cozens are the Phillies' Nos. 10 and 22 rated prospects by MLBPipeline.com. "A friend of mine, Pat Kelly, managed [Cozens] in Puerto Rico this past winter and he sent me a text and told me to pay attention to him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He said, 'Pete, I don't know if you know this guy Cozens, but he's going to be a stud.' I kind of paid attention to the point where I knew he was in Minor League camp and I requested him when we needed an extra outfielder for a [Spring Training] game just to see him." Mackanin estimates 6-foot-6, 235-pound Cozens hit about 10 home runs during batting practice in Port Charlotte, Fla, that day. The outfielder's power has been on display all season. Cozens hit his 20th home run of the season Monday and has driven in 60 runs for the Fightin Phils. He's also struck out 99 times. "He's really a physical specimen and I know he's got a high ceiling," Mackanin said. Pinto pitched across two levels of Class A ball in 2015 and won the organization's Minor League pitcher of the year honors. He's 3-3 with a 4.32 ERA in 85 1/3 innings for Reading this season. He's struck out 59 and walked 24. Major League Baseball, in conjunction with MLB.com, Baseball America and the 30 Major League Clubs, selected the 25 players on each team. Each Major League organization is represented and players from all full-season Minor Leagues were eligible to be selected.

Flashes Of Brilliance – The Phillies have displayed flashes of dominance at times on the mound this season. They just haven't shown it enough times. On Monday, Phillies' pitchers combined to throw their Major League leading ninth shutout of the season in the 8-0 victory against the D-backs at Chase Field. They threw seven shutouts during the entire 2015 season. "For the first six or seven weeks of the season, after our 0-4 start, our pitching was just fantastic. Everybody did their job and made their pitches and for whatever reason, our pitching was really outstanding," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "When they are good, they are good. The whole name of the game is consistency. Over 162 games, the best teams end up on top because they have their ups and downs, but over the long haul, the better teams play better, hit better and pitch better." What's more, the nine shutouts are the club's most through their its 78 games since 2011 when the staff had nine shutouts in the first 67 games. That season, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt threw 21 shutouts and the Phillies won a franchise-record 102 games.

Today In Phils History – Fred Fitzsimmons had a lackluster managerial stint with the Phillies going 105-181-2 which is why he was replaced with pitcher/outfielder Ben Chapman on this day in 1945. 11 years later, on the same day that the Phillies signed minor league free agent Art Mahaffey, the Dodgers hit three straight homeruns in the bottom of the 9^th to walk off against the Phillies. 2 years later former Phillie, and St. Louis left fielder, Del Ennis recorded outfield assists on two consecutive plays throwing out 2 advancing baserunners at third base. 2 years later, in 1960, the Phillies tie an MLB record by striking out 24 times in a double header. The following season, Willie Mays hits a walk off homerun in the 10^th for his 3^rd homerun of the game (manager Gene Mauch included several pitchers in the lineup at other positions to hid the identity of Mays’ victim). 10 years later, Tom Seaver records 13 strikeouts while shutting out the Phillies with Willie Montanez being Seaver’s 1000^th career victim. In 1986, Juan Samuel hits his 1^st career grand slam in the top of the 9^th in an 8-7 win over the Cardinals. The following season, Steve Bedrosian (the eventual Cy Young winner for that season) recorded his 12^th consecutive save, surpassing Sparky Lyle’s MLB record. In 2003, Jose Mesa secured his 17^th save of the season and his 105^th for the Phillies setting a new franchise record. And, finally, happy birthday to Sherry Magee who was born on this day in 1904.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 34-45 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-57-2 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.

Roster Slowly Morphing… Giles Heading Out

PHILS PHACTS:

Replacing Giles? – The Phillies made their first move of the Winter Meetings on Wednesday, and it proved to be a precursor to the Ken Giles trade. The Phillies signed right-handed reliever David Hernandez to a one-year, $3.9 million contract. It gives them a late-inning reliever who could stabilize the bullpen once Giles is dealt to Houston. Sources told MLB.com on Wednesday night that the Phillies and Astros have agreed to that trade, which would send four players to Philadelphia. The deal is pending physicals. "Sometimes, if you sign a David Hernandez, that may open the door to a different trade possibility than we had anticipated," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "Or if you make a trade, that might open the door to a different free-agent signing. We're trying to balance it all. That makes us no different from any team. We have a lot of balls in the air, most of which you're working on never come to fruition. But every once in a while something will." Hernandez, 30, went 1-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 40 appearances last season with Arizona. He missed 2014 and the first two months of the '15 season following Tommy John surgery. Before that, Hernandez was Arizona's setup man, compiling a 3.42 ERA and picking up 17 saves over three seasons. He began his career with the Orioles, who drafted him in the 16th round in the 2005 Draft. "It was a priority for us to add someone to the back of our bullpen who has pitched in high-level situations in the past," Klentak said. "Throughout the last couple of months, we've been adding a lot of depth to our bullpen. Many of those players don't come with a lot of experience. So we wanted to make sure that we added at least one player who added a lot of experience who could help to pitch in the late part of the game." Phillies president Andy MacPhail and Klentak were with the Orioles when Hernandez made his big league debut in 2009. Player development director Joe Jordan helped draft Hernandez in '05.

Moving Forward – Maikel Franco filed a grievance against the Phillies, claiming they manipulated his service time to delay his eligibility for free agency. Franco opened the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before being recalled May 15. Franco accrued 170 days of Major League service time, which is two days short of a full season. Those two days delayed his free agency from 2020 to '21. Franco's agent, Ryan Royster, said Monday the grievance will not be an issue for Franco moving forward. Phillies general manger Matt Klentak agreed. "I wasn't here for the first year of his career with the Phillies," Klentak said. "I'm not particularly concerned with there being a carryover or on-field effect."

More Netting On The Way – The Phillies announced Wednesday they plan to extend the netting at Citizens Bank Park to conform to Major League Baseball's new recommendations regarding fan safety. Phillies executive vice president and chief operating officer Mike Stiles said in a statement that the club anticipates it will expand the protective netting behind home plate about 10 feet in width on both sides, reaching to the near side of each dugout. The Phils also plan to replace their existing netting with newer material that is just as strong, but thinner and more easier to see through. "We understand that our fans differ in their opinions about sitting behind protective netting and we will do our best to accommodate those different preferences," Stiles said. "We will take the opportunity in the upcoming season to remind all of our fans about the importance of being alert to the possibility of balls and bats entering the stands throughout the ballpark. "We also anticipate that a similar modest expansion of protective netting will be installed at Bright House Field, our Spring Training ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., to conform to the MLB recommendations."

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.

Happy 70th Birthday Larry Bowa!

"Larry, all I said was happy 70th!"

PHILS PHACTS:

Resting before the chaos that is the Winter Meetings…

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.

Would Schilling Be Inducted As A Phillie?

PHILS PHACTS:

Once again, beat reporter Todd Zolecki answers Phillies fans' questions including whether or not the team should be fishing in the free agent pool or focusing on taking the floaties off of their young talent. The full Q&A can be read/watched here.

An Interesting HOF Ballot This Year – Under new voting rules established this summer by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the annual Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot was released Monday on the earliest date in recent history. Ken Griffey Jr. and his 630 homers and Trevor Hoffman and his National League-record 601 saves are the top candidates among a bevy of first-time qualifiers for the Class of 2016. Billy Wagner, who had 422 saves in 16 seasons for five teams, is another significant new name on the ballot. Mike Piazza (69.9 percent of the vote last year), Jeff Bagwell (55.7 percent) and Tim Raines (55 percent) are the returnees with the best chances of being elected this time around. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on July 24 in Cooperstown, N.Y. Griffey was selected first overall as a 17-year-old in the 1987 Draft and went on to play his first 13 seasons for the Mariners, ending his 22-year career with them in 2010. He batted .284 and produced 1,836 RBIs. Along the way, Griffey played parts of nine seasons with the Reds and part of one with the White Sox before returning to the Mariners for the final two. Griffey was a four-time American League home run champion, hitting 56 homers in back-to-back seasons in 1997-98, and he won the AL MVP Award in '97 and was a 13-time All-Star. Griffey would be both the first Mariner and the first No. 1 overall Draft pick to be inducted. "I am truly honored and humbled to be associated with these people here," Griffey said when he was inducted into the Mariners' Hall of Fame in 2013. "I may have sometimes been standoffish; I didn't mean to. I just wanted to play baseball. That's the only thing that mattered: playing and winning ballgames for this team. I want to thank all of you, and the Mariners organization, for letting me be part of something special. I just want to say thank you." Hoffman would be the third player to go into the Hall with an interlocking SD on his plaque. Dave Winfield and the late Tony Gwynn are the others. Hoffman had a 2.87 ERA and 61 wins in 1,035 games, plus a career-high 53 saves in 54 opportunities for a 1998 Padres club that lost to the Yankees in the World Series. "I know it would be a nice little bow tie if it would happen and to have the All-Star Game in San Diego the same year," Hoffman, who pitched 16 of his 18 big league seasons for the Padres, said in noting that the Midsummer Classic is to be played at Petco Park on July 12. "That would be amazing." Among the other newcomers on the latest ballot are Garret Anderson, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Luis Castillo, Troy Glaus, Mike Lowell and Mike Sweeney. The BBWAA ballot announcement commences the Hall of Fame voting season that includes elections by the 16-member Pre-Integration Committee and nominees for the Ford C. Frick Award and the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, all slated to be unveiled at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., from Dec. 7-10. This year's version of the Veterans Committee will vote on six players, three executives and an organizer who were all active in baseball prior to Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947. The Frick Award voters will pick a baseball announcer who was a pioneer during that same period. The BBWAA honors a writer with the Spink Award for meritorious contributions to the baseball writing profession. The new rules for the BBWAA ballot winnowed the rolls by about 125 voters, a Hall official said. While 625 ballots were sent out last year, about 475 were put in the mail on Monday. The ballots historically had been mailed just prior to Thanksgiving and had to be returned by New Year's Day. Voters will now have until Dec. 24 to mail their ballots. The results are to be revealed on MLB Network on Jan. 6, with a news conference involving any of the electees to be held the following day. In the past, all members of the BBWAA with more than 10 consecutive years of membership received a ballot. Under the new rules passed in July by the Hall's board of directors, members who have not actively been a member of the BBWAA for 10 years must apply every year for their ballot. The Hall then determines by the number of games an applicant covered in the previous season whether to issue a ballot. As always, a candidate must have his name written on 75 percent of the ballots to be elected, and the electorate can vote for as many as 10 players. In another change, the Hall will release a roster of all voters, but not how they voted. It's up to each individual whether to release his or her ballot. The BBWAA was established in 1908 and has been voting players into the Hall of Fame since elections began in 1936. It remains to be seen what kind of impact a smaller group of voters will have on the election. In the last election, 549 ballots were cast and a player needed 412 votes to be elected. Piazza, now in his fourth year on the ballot, fell 38 votes short last year. Bagwell and Raines fell 106 and 110 votes short, respectively. Returnees Curt Schilling (39.2 percent), Roger Clemens (37.5), Barry Bonds (36.8) and Mike Mussina (24.6) are much further out. Like Piazza, Schilling, Bonds and Clemens are in their fourth year of eligibility. Others who received sufficient support to remain on the ballot for 2016 are first basemen Fred McGriff and Mark McGwire; second baseman Jeff Kent; third baseman-designated hitter Edgar Martinez; infielder Nomar Garciaparra; and outfielders Larry Walker, Gary Sheffield and Sammy Sosa. Another rule change seriously affects Raines, who is going into his ninth and next-to-last year on the BBWAA ballot. In the past, BBWAA eligibility was for as long as 15 years, but the Hall shortened that period by five years in 2014, grandfathering in three players who were already in the 11- to 15-year range: Don Mattingly, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell. It is also McGwire's final year on the ballot. Mattingly's BBWAA eligibility ended with the last ballot. On this one, Trammell is in his 15th and final year and Smith his 14th. Smith received 30.2 percent of the vote and Trammell 25.1 percent last time. A player must reach at least a five-percent threshold to be carried over to the next ballot until his 10 years of eligibility expires. The ballot: Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Luis Castillo, Roger Clemens, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Glaus, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Trevor Hoffman, Jason Kendall, Jeff Kent, Mike Lowell, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Mike Sweeney, Alan Trammell, Billy Wagner, Larry Walker, Randy Winn.

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 Offense Silent Behind Stellar Start

GAME RECAP: Marlins Blank Phillies 1-0

The Marlins made the most of the few hits they were able to get off Alec Asher on Thursday night. J.T. Realmuto's RBI triple in the seventh inning was the only production Miami needed to edge the Phillies, 1-0, at Marlins Park. Six Marlins pitchers combined for the club's 12th shutout of the season. Jarred Cosart, who threw four shutout innings, was replaced in the fifth inning. In the fourth inning, he was struck on the left forearm by a Cody Asche comeback liner. A.J. Ramos picked up his 29th save when Miguel Rojas made an over-the-shoulder catch to end the game. "We didn't have that many hits, but we had the right hits," Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. "The bullpen came in and picked up five innings. I thought they were outstanding all the way through. Really a fundamentally sound game." Miami was limited to one hit, a first-inning single from Christian Yelich, before they broke through in the seventh inning. Derek Dietrich reached on an infield single with one out in the seventh, and he scored on Realmuto's triple to right-center. A chance for Miami to tack on a second run was wiped out when right fielder Brian Bogusevic threw out Realmuto at the plate. Realmuto tagged on Rojas' fly ball to short right. Asher gave up just three hits in seven innings, but Miami was able to claim two of three in the series. "I think some of the guys are fatigued," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, referring to an offense that has suffered five one-run losses in the past six games. "Even though they're young … I think everybody is getting tired. The more you lose, the more beat up you feel."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings for the best start of his five-start career. Before Thursday, Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July in the Cole Hamels trade, had not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings or allowed fewer than four runs in a start. Asher hopes his final start of the season on Wednesday against the Mets can match this one. "I feel like with each start I've taken I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit."
• The Marlins won a challenge in the fourth inning after Yelich initially was called out on a close play at first. Yelich tapped a routine grounder that second baseman Andres Blanco bobbled before throwing to first. It took just 36 seconds for the call to be overturned.
• Mackanin said injured first baseman Ryan Howard could take fielding and batting practice this weekend in Washington. Howard has been sidelined for more than a week with a bruised left knee. He will need to get going if he expects to play again before the end of the season.
• The Phillies need to finish the season 6-3 to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961.
• Phillies infielder Freddy Galvis is hitting .245 with a homer and eight RBIs against the Nationals this year.
• Outfielder Odubel Herrera is having a great year for Philadelphia, hitting .291 with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
• Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann will likely pitch his last game at Nationals Park as a member of the Nationals. He will be a free agent after the season.

NEXT GAME:

The Nationals will try to stay alive in the National League East race as they face the Phillies in a three-game series at Nationals Park. The last time the two teams faced each other was last week in Philadelphia, with Washington sweeping the series. Bryce Harper carried the team during that series, hitting four home runs. Harper's best game came Sept. 15 in Philadelphia. Not only did he go deep twice and drive in all of Washington's runs in a 4-0 win, but he put himself in the Nats' record book, eclipsing Adam Dunn for most home runs in a season by a left-handed hitter in franchise history. Dunn hit 38 homers in 2009 and '10. Harper will face Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who is on a roll. The rookie has allowed one earned run in 14 innings over his last two starts. Remove a Sept. 6 start in Boston when he allowed four runs in six innings and Eickhoff has a 1.91 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Asher Shows Improvement – Phillies rookie Alec Asher had waited a long time to show the Phillies he could pitch like this. He put together a solid performance Thursday night in a 1-0 loss to the Marlins at Marlins Park. He allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out four in seven innings, making it the best start of his five-start career. Oh, he also picked up two hits, including the Phillies' only extra-base hit of the game. "I feel like with each start I've taken, I've kind of built more confidence," Asher said. "That was the main thing coming into this game. I said I'm just going to go back to pitching my game and attack hitters and not give them too much credit." He entered the night with a 9.78 ERA. He left with a 7.52 ERA. Asher, whom the Phillies acquired in July as part of the Cole Hamels trade, makes his final start of the season Wednesday night against the National League East-leading Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He hopes to carry Thursday night's success through that start and pack his bags for the offseason feeling better about Spring Training 2016. "You want to finish strong," Asher said. "That's the main goal. I know I've started 0-5. I don't want to start my career like that, but there's nothing I can do about those past games. But take the two here and finish strong." Asher had allowed just one hit through six innings when Marlins third baseman Derek Dietrich hit a slow roller up the third-base line for a single. Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto followed with a triple to score Dietrich for the game's only run. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he thought Asher looked more confident from the first inning. "As poor as his numbers are, it shows me a lot that he came out there like he had a purpose," Mackanin said. "That's what the whole deal is about when you get to the big leagues. Either you fight and you make it, or you give up. Obviously, he's not giving up. He's going after it. That was the thing I saw tonight." Asher figures to be in the mix for a rotation job come Spring Training, with Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff favorites for two spots. It is expected the Phillies will sign at least a couple of veteran starters to fill holes, which might leave Asher battling Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and others for the No. 5 job. "Some guys it takes longer for them to feel comfortable and I'm hoping that's the case with Asher," Mackanin said. "He looked very comfortable and he looked aggressive out there, like he was in charge."

Who Wins The Leg Lamp? – For the first time in a long time it seems the Phillies had multiple candidates to win the Paul Owens Awards. The Phillies on Thursday named catcher Andrew Knapp and right-hander Ricardo Pinto as their Minor League player and pitcher of the year, respectively. Knapp, 23, hit .308 with 35 doubles, 13 home runs, 84 RBIs and an .876 OPS in 118 games with Class A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. Pinto, 21, went 15-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 24 starts with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater. "We are extremely proud of these young men," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said in a statement. "They are both very deserving." It should be interesting to watch Knapp continue to develop, considering the Phillies just acquired catcher Jorge Alfaro from Texas in the Cole Hamels trade. It gives the Phillies two legitimate frontline catching prospects. Alfaro is the Phillies' No. 4 prospect and No. 61 prospect nationally, according to MLBPipeline.com. Knapp ranks No. 17 in the organization. But Knapp, whom the Phillies selected in the second round of the 2013 Draft, clearly raised his game in Reading. He hit .360 with 21 doubles, 11 home runs, 56 RBIs and a 1.050 OPS in 55 games. He got a hit in 46 of those games, including 24 multi-hit games. "He's an aggressive hitter and the strike zone gets a little bit smaller as you move up and the umpires get better," Reading manager Dusty Wathan said Thursday, when asked about Knapp's surge in Reading. "He stopped swinging at balls down and out of the zone. I think that got him in trouble in Clearwater. He's got tremendous hand-eye coordination. You put that together with bat speed and it's a good combination." Knapp projects as an average defensive catcher, although the Phillies think he can improve. He had Tommy John surgery in 2013, so he has caught only 157 games professionally. "To be where he is in Double-A says a lot about how much he has come along," Wathan said. "His bat is in front of his defense, but I think he's improved a lot since I saw him halfway through the season. We project him as more of an offensive catcher, but you always get a little better defensively as you go." Much of the attention this season has focused on pitching prospects like Aaron Nola, Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin, Ben Lively and others. Pinto has flown under the radar a bit by everybody except the Phillies. "Coming into the year, very few people outside of our organization knew of Ricardo Pinto," Jordan said. "Based on his 2015 performance, that has certainly changed. Ricardo is one of our most talented young arms, but equally one of our most determined, competitive and driven players." Pinto signed as an amateur free agent in Dec. 2011. He has a 2.77 ERA in 62 career Minor League appearances. Dallas Green Award: The Phillies named international scouting director Sal Agostinelli their 2015 Dallas Green Award winner. The award honors an amateur or professional scout who "best exemplifies the Phillies' standard for scouting while demonstrating the same loyalty, work ethic, dedication and passion as the award's namesake." Agostinelli has been with the Phillies since 1993. He was the international scouting supervisor for 15 years before being named to his current position in 2012. He has been involved in signing players like Carlos Ruiz, Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis. "I'm flattered and I can't believe it," Agostinelli said. "Dallas Green is such a special guy to me and my family."

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 57-96. 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 53-48-0 on this day.