Minor Awards And Major Disappointments

GAME RECAP: National Edge Phillies 5-4

Maybe manager Dusty Baker said it best: Trea Turner is a difference-maker. The rookie center fielder proved it once again at Nationals Park on Friday night, when he clubbed a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Nationals over the Phillies, 5-4. Washington's magic number dwindled to 14 to win the National League East. The second-place Mets defeated the Braves, 6-4. With the score tied at 4, Turner battled reliever Frank Herrmann for nine pitches. Turner connected on a 1-2 fastball and hit the ball over the center-field fence to end the game. It was also his second home run of the night. "I finally got a pitch up in the zone. I put the barrel on it," Turner said. "I'm still laughing at how it ended up over the fence. I felt good." Turner now has eight home runs in 223 at-bats. He had only six home runs in 331 at-bats with Triple-A Syracuse this year. Baker had nothing but praise for his center fielder. "Keep it coming. The sky's the limit. He is probably doing some things that even amazes himself," the skipper said. "He just let it flow and let it be. He is playing an outstanding center field. His first two-homer game, his first walk-off homer game. This one he will remember for a long time." The Nationals blew a three-run lead before Turner's homer ended the game. The score was tied at 1 when the Nationals took the lead in the sixth inning off Philadelphia starter Jake Thompson. After Daniel Murphy doubled with one out, Bryce Harper singled to right field, sending Murphy home. An inning later, Phillies right-hander Colton Murray was on the mound when Turner hit a two-run homer to give Washington a three-run lead. But Washington's lead didn't last long. In the eighth inning, Koda Glover allowed a three run homer to Cameron Rupp to tie the score at four. "That kid Turner is a good-looking player," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• He did not get the win and he did not pitch six innings, but Thompson continues to make strides following a rough start to his big league career. He had a 9.78 ERA after his first four starts, and he was unable to pitch more than five innings in any of them. But after he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals, Thompson has a 2.33 ERA (five earned runs in 19 1/3 innings) in his last three. "I thought I had it," Thompson said.
• Rupp belted a game-tying, three-run homer to left-center field in the eighth inning. Rupp has struggled lately since hitting .278 with 18 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and an .831 OPS through Aug. 5. In fact, he had hit a mere .185 with two doubles, one home run, seven RBIs and a .515 OPS in his previous 71 plate appearances, entering the game. Perhaps this shot gets him back on track. "I was ready for it," Rupp said. "I would say I sold myself on getting a fastball there."
• "I thought about hitting [Tommy] Joseph there or [Darin] Ruf, someone to maybe hit a home run, but my biggest concern was going 14 innings and having to go to those guys. That would be the worst-case scenario for me." -- Mackanin, on Herrmann hitting in the ninth. Mackanin said he hit Herrmann there because relievers Edubray Ramos, Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez have pitched too much recently.
• Herrera left the game in the fifth inning with a bruised right leg after Roark hit him with a pitch in fourth. X-rays were negative. He is day to day.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jared Eickhoff (10-13, 3.86 ERA) faces the Nationals on Saturday night in the third game of a four-game series at Nationals Park. He has pitched six innings in each of his last four starts, allowing three or fewer runs in each of his last three.

PHILS PHACTS:

Rupp Goes Deep – Cameron Rupp needed that one. He mashed a game-tying, three-run home run to left-center field in the eighth inning Friday night in a 5-4 loss to the Nationals at Nationals Park. The 2-0 fastball from Nationals reliever Koda Glover left Rupp's bat at 106 mph and traveled a projected 420 feet, according to Statcast™. But it looked like it traveled faster and farther than it did. He crushed it. "I was ready for it," Rupp said. "I would say I sold myself on getting a fastball there." Rupp hopes the shot reverses his fortunes following a rough few weeks. He had hit .278 with 18 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 38 RBIs and an .831 OPS in 283 plate appearances through Aug. 5, making him one of the most productive catchers in baseball this season. But he has struggled since then. He entered Friday night hitting .185 with two doubles, one home run, seven RBIs and a .515 OPS in his last 71 plate appearances. "I just hit one of those spots," Rupp said. "It's part of the game. At some point every hitter goes through it. It took me a little longer to get out of it. It was a little frustrating at times. I got away from myself a little bit and finally found my approach again and got back to getting the ball in the zone and putting a good swing on it." Said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin: "He's pulling off the ball. I talked earlier about how he changed his approach at the plate and changed his swing path. Well, he was reverting back to his old swing path. That's common for players to do. When you do something one way your whole life you kind of creep back to it little by little. But he put a charge into that one." But Rupp never needed to worry too much. He solidified himself as the team's No. 1 catcher with his strong play through early August. Even with his recent struggles, he still ranks seventh out of 20 catchers in OPS, making him the projected Opening Day starter behind the plate next season. "You've got to have success in this game to keep your job," Rupp said. "It was nice to get off to a good start, but I really can't worry about that. I've got to stick with my strengths and worry about pitch selection and calling games and working with the pitchers and just let the offense happen."

Herrera Out – Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera left Friday night's 5-4 loss to the Nationals with a bruised right leg. Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark drilled Herrera in the leg with a pitch in the fourth inning. Herrera stayed in the game, but Aaron Altherr replaced him in the top of the fifth inning as a pinch-hitter. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said after the game that X-rays on Herrera's leg were negative. He is day to day. Herrera doubled in his first-inning at-bat against Roark. He is hitting .278 with 16 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 139 games this season.

Minor Awards – Dylan Cozens and Rhys Hoskins had two of the best seasons in Minor League baseball this year. So the Phillies on Friday announced both Double-A Reading sluggers earned the organization's Paul Owens Award for its top position players. It is the third time two players won the Paul Owens Award in the same season, and first since 1997, whenJimmy Rollins and Jeff Key won it. Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Ben Lively earned the Paul Owens Award as the organization's top pitcher. Cozens, 22, hit .276 with 38 doubles, three triples, 40 home runs, 125 RBIs, 61 walks, 21 stolen bases, 106 runs scored and a .591 slugging percentage. He led the Minors in home runs, RBIs, extra-base hits (81) and total bases (308). Cozens, who the Phillies selected in the second round of the 2012 Draft, set the Reading single-season home run record and is just the second Phillies' Minor Leaguer since 1963 to hit 40 or more homers in a season. Ryan Howard hit 46 in 2004. The outfielder also earned the Eastern League MVP Award and earned a spot on the MLB Futures Game roster. Hoskins, 23, hit .281 with 26 doubles, 38 home runs, 116 RBIs, 71 walks, eight stolen bases, 95 runs and a .566 slugging percentage. He had three multi-homer games and seven games with four or more RBIs. Hoskins ranked second in the Minor Leagues in home runs, third in RBIs and total bases (282) and tied for ninth in extra-base hits (65) and runs.  The Phillies selected the first baseman in the fifth round of the 2014 Draft. "The hardest thing to develop is power, and the hardest thing to find is a run-producing bat," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said in a statement. "We feel like both of these guys are going to be that. It has been a fantastic experience to watch them, and the reward was seeing them develop as players. We couldn't have drawn it up any better. I think both of them should be a bright part of our future." Lively, 24, went a combined 18-5 with a 2.69 ERA, 0.94 WHIP (42 walks, 118 hits), 139 strikeouts and a .192 opponents' batting average in 170 2/3 innings with Reading and Lehigh Valley. He is the first Minor Leaguer to win 18 games in a season since Colorado's Jhoulys Chacin in 2008. Lively led the International League in WHIP and opponents' batting average and finished second in ERA. Lively, who won Reds' Minor League Player of the Year in 2014, was acquired from Cincinnati in a trade for Marlon Byrd in Dec. '14. "Ben opened himself up in Spring Training and said, 'I've got to do what I can to get better,' and he has taken a huge step forward," Jordan said. "His delivery is sound and he is a big, strong guy that lives at the bottom of the strike zone. We saw this summer what he has a chance to be."

Today In Phils History – It was on this day in 1955 that Robin Roberts broke the NL record when he surrendered his 40^th homerun of the season (he would finish with 41 and break his own record the following year). A decade later, Fergie Jenkins made his MLB debut pitching 4 1/3 innings of relief and earning his 1^st win. In 1974, Lou Brock broke Maury Wills’ single season stolen base record (105) and Max Carey’s all time NL record (738) in a loss to the Phillies. Marty Bystrom made news for the 1^st time in the 1980 season when he recorded a shutout in his 1^st MLB start. Mike Schmidt hit his 10^th and final walk off homerun to break an 11^th inning tie with the Expos in 1985. 6 years later, Schmidt’s former teammate Larry Bowa was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame. In addition to Jenkins, other notable debuts that occurred on this day include Harry Coveleski (1907), Willie Jones (1947), Vic Power (1964 – with the Phillies), Bob Boone (1972), and Cameron Rupp (2013). Finally, happy birthday to Harry Anderson (1931) and Danys Baez (1977).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 63-78 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 35-70-0 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.

Well, You Can’t Win Them All…

GAME RECAP: Giants Outlast Phillies 3-2

Denard Span clapped his hands once in a brief display of celebration after slapping an eighth-inning single up the middle. As he would explain, he was pleased with being able to connect with a pitch despite being fooled. Two innings later, Span wasn't fooled at all, and what he proceeded to do merited an ovation. Span christened Thursday's 10th inning with a leadoff homer that lifted the Giants over the Phillies, 3-2. Having weathered a series of nagging injuries this season, Span went 7-for-15 with four runs scored in three games against the Phillies. He's also batting .347 (26-for-75) in his last 19 games. "I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I just want to try to build off of this," said Span, who broke a 2-2 tie against Phillies reliever Severino Gonzalez (0-2) with his fifth homer of the season. The outcome enabled the National League West-leading Giants to avoid being administered a three-game sweep by the Phillies, who mustered four hits off starter Matt Moore and five relievers. "I don't know, we just couldn't solve him for whatever reason," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Moore. "I thought we were going to after that first inning. … He kept pounding the strike zone. He pitched outside and inside. He kept mixing it up, threw some curveballs and changeups." Span also accounted for the Giants' first two runs by singling and scoring in the first inning and on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The Phillies kept pace, as Aaron Altherr doubled home Cesar Hernandez in the first inning, before Freddy Galvis' bases-loaded fielder's-choice grounder delivered their second run in the sixth.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• It didn't take a crystal ball to see the foreshadowing of another short start from Velasquez after the 24-year-old righty needed 28 pitches to make it through the first inning. He joined Zach Eflin and Phil Klein in not making it past the fifth inning against the Giants. Although Velasquez pitched well, allowing only two runs on three hits and striking out six, the Phillies only had one fresh relief arm and could have used a day of rest with six more to play until an off-day. Velasquez hasn't pitched past the sixth inning in all but two starts this season. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start."
• Thanks to three straight starts of five innings or fewer, the Phillies bullpen has had plenty of chances to shine this series. After Luis Garcia allowed two runs in the sixth inning of Tuesday's game, no Phillies reliever allowed a run until Gonzalez gifted a fastball over the plate to Span that landed in the right-field seats to give the Giants a decisive lead. In Wednesday's 12-inning affair, Phillies relievers pitched seven innings of scoreless baseball in a streak of 14 innings without allowing a run. A depleted 'pen added four more scoreless innings Thursday before Gonzalez's fateful fastball.
• Mackanin announced after the game that the Phillies top pitching prospect Jake Thompson will make his Major League debut against the Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. Thompson is ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the No. 70 prospect in baseball. In 21 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A, though not to create room for Thompson. A corresponding move will be announced before his start Saturday. Taking Araujo's place will be closer Jeanmar Gomez, returning from the paternity list.
• After Velasquez issued his second free pass of the day to Pagan in the third, the Giants left fielder tried to swipe second base as Hunter Pence struck out swinging. At first glance, the Giants had narrowly avoided a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play. But the Phillies challenged, the call was overturned and Pagan was ruled out at second to end the inning. The review took 1 minute, 14 seconds and was Mackanin's 18th successful challenge on 31 attempts. In the seventh inning, the Giants challenged a ruling which declared that Altherr was safe as he dove into first base on a pickoff attempt. A video review confirmed that the call on the field stands.
• Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph were the Phillies' best hitters during the month of July. The two combined to hit .331 (54-for-163) during the month with six doubles, two triples and six home runs.
• Maikel Franco hasn't homered in the five games he's played in Petco Park, going just 1-for-20 (.050) with a double in San Diego in his career.
• Wil Myers, who has cooled off since his torrid June, has hit .364/.364/1.000 in 11 at-bats vs. Hellickson, including two home runs.

NEXT GAME:

Jeremy Hellickson makes his first start for the Phillies since Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline, matching up with San Diego's Christian Friedrich on Friday. Hellickson's name was all over the trade market with many teams searching for starting pitchers, but Philadelphia ended up holding onto the 29-year-old righty, who has posted a 3.70 ERA in 131 1/3 innings this season. In his past seven starts, Hellickson has 2.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts and six walks. The Phillies are 6-1 in those games. Friedrich, meanwhile, is coming off of his best start in more than a month. He limited the Reds to just one run over six innings thanks to a lively fastball and good spin on his breaking ball. "I thought he was as good as he's been since he's been with us," Padres manager Andy Green said about his outing.

PHILS PHACTS:

Looking For Depth – After using his bullpen for seven innings on Wednesday and four on Tuesday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin was counting on a little help in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Giants from Vince Velasquez -- the only starter of the past three games to open the season in the Phillies' rotation. But Velasquez lasted no longer than his two predecessors, Zach Eflin on Tuesday and Phil Klein on Wednesday, needing 93 pitches to make it through five innings. Velasquez's five were better than Eflin or Klein's, allowing only two runs compared to six and four, respectively. But another inefficient outing from Velasquez again put the weight on the shoulders of a beleaguered bullpen. "It was tough. I had to push myself and at least get to five innings," Velasquez said. "We used a lot of pitchers last night, and starting out with [28] pitches in the first inning doesn't help. So I just had to make my pitches and manage to get through five." Nearing the end of his start, Mackanin and head trainer Scott Sheridan paid Velasquez a visit on the mound to check a blister on his middle finger. Mackanin said if not for the blister, Velasquez would have possibly stayed in longer than five innings, likely to take the load off a depleted bullpen, as Velasquez was already at 93 pitches. Even the supposed fresh arms in the 'pen weren't so. The two relievers called up the last two days, Michael Mariot and Elvis Araujo, had each pitched for Triple-A Lehigh Valley the day prior to getting the call. Severino Gonzalez, the one reliever who had a day or more of rest, was the one to serve up Denard Span's go-ahead solo home run in the 10th. For Velasquez, it is becoming all too much of a trend to not make it deep in games. Only twice this season has he made it past the sixth inning -- his 16-strikeout shutout of the Padres in his second start with the Phillies and a seven-inning, one-run performance in his first start out of the All-Star break. Take out those, and also the start he left injured after a third of an inning, and Velasquez is averaging just over 5 1/3 innings per start this season. "He is a power pitcher, but the thing I like about him is he uses all of his pitches," Mackanin said. "He uses two-seamers, he'll throw his changeup, he'll mix in his breaking ball. And I think it is tough for him because he can blow people away with 95-plus. I think he has a tendency to try to pitch too much instead of trying to establish that fastball early." Velasquez next faces his hometown team, the Dodgers, in his hometown of Los Angeles. He has walked at least two in each of his last six starts, including three Thursday. "I'd like to minimize my walks," Velasquez said. "I know I am probably leading the team in walks right now, which is kind of bad, actually really bad. "So I've got to work on some things in the bullpen, utilizing my two-seam, locating my two-seam. My secondary pitches are just kind of brutal right now. So I've got to sharpen up a lot of stuff before my next start because the Dodgers are an ecstatic team. Those guys just rake." But at only 24 years old and in his first full season in a Major League rotation, Velasquez's inability to pitch deep into games is only disappointing, not concerning, to Mackanin. "He's pitching very well," Mackanin said. "But he's just not locating as well as he's going to in the future."

Debut Scheduled – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin put an end to the speculation. The organization's top pitching prospect, Jake Thompson, will make his Major League debut on Saturday in San Diego, the skipper announced after the Phillies' 3-2 loss to the Giants on Thursday. Starting Saturday, Thompson won't slot into Aaron Nola's temporarily vacated rotation spot. Mackanin said that the debut date is to give other starters extra rest but that pitching coach Bob McClure is who determines the rotation order. "I know he's got Major League stuff, and I'm anxious to see him perform. We'll find out Saturday," Mackanin said. "I don't know what to expect. Eflin had a shaky debut but we really like him, obviously. So we're anxious to see him." The Phillies also optioned Elvis Araujo back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Thursday's game to accommodate Jeanmar Gomez's return from the paternity list. A corresponding move to make room on the 25-man roster for Thompson will be announced prior to his start on Saturday. The Phillies are only carrying four starters on the 25-man roster, so an extra bullpen arm will likely be sent down. In his last seven starts at Triple-A, Thompson has allowed more than one run in only one of them -- a five-run blip on an otherwise dominant statline. In 21 starts with Lehigh Valley this season, the 22-year-old right-hander is 11-5 with a 2.50 ERA. In addition to being ranked as the Phillies' top pitching prospect by MLBPipeline.com, Thompson is the club's No. 5 overall prospect and ranked as the No. 70 prospect in baseball.

Today In Phils History – In 1921, the Phillies lost (to the Pirates) the 1^st MLB game ever covered by a play by play announcer as Harold Arlin called the game for KDKA out of Pittsburgh. 6 years later, Cy Williams hit for the cycle in 4 at bats against Pittsburgh. In 1975, the Phillies started a game against the Cubs with the 1^st 8 batters hitting safely against Bill Bonham and finished the inning with 10 runs on 10 hits including 2 homeruns (the won the game 13-5). That same day the Phillies acquired John Vukovich from the Reds. 4 years later, during a loss to the Pirates (John Milner hit a grand slam off Tug McGraw in the 9^th), Pete Rose collected his 2,427^th single breaking Honus Wagner’s NL record. In 1987, during a blowout loss to the Mets, OF Glenn Wilson durned in the best pitching performance of the night for the Phillies when he completed the 9^th inning without surrendering a hit or walk while striking out a batter. In 2000, the Phillies bid farewell to Mickey Morandini as they traded him to Toronto. 5 years later, Bob Boone was inducted in the Phillies Wall of Fame. Finally, 2 years ago, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, and Jimmy Rollins started in their 887^th career game together setting a new MLB record for games started by a 1B/2B/SS combo (the Dodgers’ Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, and Bill Russell previously held the record). In the same game, Antonio Bastardo struck out 6 in 2 innings of work (7 batters faced) for the 2^nd time that season.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 50-60 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 51-48-0 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.

Prospects Looking To Make An Impression

PHILS PHACTS:

Closer Looks – Looking for a reason to follow Spring Training with the Phillies? Prospects, prospects, prospects. In the third part of a seven-part series previewing the Phillies ahead of Spring Training, with pitchers and catchers set to have their first workout on Thursday, MLB.com looks at the most notable prospects who will be at camp in Clearwater, Fla. And there will be plenty, with six of seven Phillies ranked in MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list in the Bright House Field clubhouse: RHP Mark Appel: A late addition to the Ken Giles trade with the Astros, Appel is No. 70 in MLBPipeline's Top 100. The former No. 1 pick is expected to open the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he might have the best stuff in a talented rotation. Everybody seems to hope a change of scenery will benefit Appel. He no longer will have the pressure of pitching for his hometown team, like he did in Houston. In Philly, he will be one of many top pitching prospects competing for a job. RHP Jimmy Cordero: The Phillies acquired the hard-throwing Cordero in the Ben Revere trade with the Blue Jays in July. His fastball sits pretty comfortably in the high 90s to 100 mph. He has topped 100 on more than a few occasions. Cordero posted a 2.55 ERA in 45 appearances last season with Class A Advanced Dunedin, Double-A New Hampshire and Double-A Reading. He struck out 64 and walked 24 in 67 innings, but Cordero got better as the year progressed. He posted a 1.18 WHIP with Dunedin, a 1.22 WHIP with New Hampshire and a 0.88 WHIP with Reading. His performance with Reading excited more than a few Phillies folks, who think he could be the future closer. RHP Zach Eflin: He's not in MLBPipeline's Top 100, but Eflin is considered one of the top 10 prospects in the organization. Eflin is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but he certainly is worth watching. Eflin's stuff is arguably as good as Appel's, but he needs to set up and finish hitters more consistently. The Phillies think once he gets it, his strikeout ratio (4.6 per nine innings last season with Reading) will take a jump, so keep an eye on that. RHP Jake Thompson: One of the key pieces in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers, he ranks 55th on MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. Thompson is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but he is probably the most advanced of any of the top pitching prospects in camp because he has a good feel for his abilities and how he can best attack hitters. He posted a 1.80 ERA in seven starts with Reading last year. C Jorge Alfaro: The Phillies acquired the No. 96 prospect in baseball in the Hamels trade. Alfaro is healthy following ankle surgery in 2015, so the Phillies hope to see what they got in the potential front-line catcher. He has tremendous power at the plate and a strong arm. He is expected to open the season in Double-A because he lost so much development time last year. C Andrew Knapp: The Phillies named Knapp their Minor League Player of the Year in 2015. It should be fun to watch Knapp and Alfaro compete in Spring Training. Both are expected to open the season in the Minor Leagues, but they are considered the club's catchers of the future. What happens if both live up to the hype? What a nice problem that will be. SS J.P. Crawford: He is the No. 5 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline, and it is easy to see why. Crawford has hit a combined .290 with a .790 OPS in three Minor League seasons, showing a knack for the strike zone. He has walked 160 times and struck out 163 times in his career. Many think Crawford has the offensive talent to hit .290 to .300 in the Majors. They think his power will improve, too. If he does maintain or improve offensively, Crawford could be a perennial All-Star. He is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but a strong performance there could have him in the big leagues soon. OF Roman Quinn: The No. 99 prospect in baseball, Quinn has tremendous speed and abilities in center field. He hit .306 with a .791 OPS in 232 at-bats with Reading last year before a torn hip flexor derailed his season. Health is key for Quinn. OF Nick Williams: The Phillies were excited to land Williams in the Hamels trade. He got them even more excited when they watched him play with Reading, where he hit .320 with an .876 OPS in 97 at-bats. Williams, who is the No. 64 prospect in baseball, is expected to open the season in Triple-A, but the Phillies' outfielders should feel him breathing down their necks.

Today In Phils History - The Phillies hired former player with the Philadelphia Bobbies Edith Houghton on this day in 1946 making her the 1st woman scout in professional baseball. In 1976, Bob Boone, Jim Kaat, and their wives attended a White House prayer breakfast for athletes hosted by the President and First Lady. Jerry Koosman came to town on this day in 1984. Finally, happy 42nd birthday Ugueth Urbina.

THE BEGINNING:

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

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.

Will Frenchy Return To Philly?

PHILS PHACTS:

Will He Be Back? – Jeff Francoeur made his feelings about the Phillies pretty clear late last season. He would love to return for at least another year. But will Francoeur be back? And if not him, who? Phillies assistant general manager Scott Proefrock declined to comment on negotiations with Francoeur, citing a memo from the Commissioner's Office regarding free agency. "I really don't have anything to report," Proefrock said. "But one thing I can speak about is the job Jeff did for us last year and how valuable he was in the clubhouse. He was a good fit as a veteran who understood his role and he was a great influence on our young players." But while sources said the Phillies remain interested in Francoeur, they are exploring other options. They are not expected to be in the running for free-agent outfielders like Yoenis Cespedes, Justin Upton, Jason Heyward and Alex Gordon, who will receive the most lucrative multiyear deals this offseason. But other everyday and part-time outfielders like Chris Young, Ryan Raburn, David Murphy, Rajai Davis, Alejandro De Aza and Justin Ruggiano might be a fit. Francoeur hit .258 with 16 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .718 OPS in 343 plate appearances last season. Off the field, he established himself as a sorely needed vocal leader. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has said a positive culture in the clubhouse is important to him, but the potential for more production offensively from other outfielders might outweigh that. Certainly the free-agent market has been slow moving to this point, so nothing is imminent, but eventually the Phillies are expected to add at least one veteran outfielder to the 40-man roster because they have too many question marks in the outfield. Whether or not that veteran is Francoeur remains to be seen.

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.

What Will The Roster Look Like In 2016?

PHILS PHACTS:

More Questions, Fewer Answers – Do you think Ryan Howard will be back next year? -- Matt H., Raleigh, N.C. Now that the Phillies have a new president and general manager, I'm not sure which way they will go with Howard, but I think everybody agrees it would be best to part ways. I'm not sure Howard is happy in Philadelphia. His good friends are gone. He is playing on a losing team and he knows he is not part of its plans once it starts winning again. He also knows the team would have cut him loose already if it had not committed $35 million to him next season ($25 million in salary, plus a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option). The Phillies have been trying to trade Howard for a long time but have found no takers, despite being willing to eat most of his contract. Perhaps president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak will finally say the deal is a sunk cost, release him and move on. A fresh start might be best for everybody. Of course, the move would be easier if the Phillies had a definite replacement at first base. If the Phillies release Howard, it would be some combination of Darin Ruf and perhaps another left-handed bat in a platoon situation. With so many young players and prospects, are the Phillies subject to what just happened to them? That is, many players reaching their prime at the same time and thus commanding high-dollar, long-term contracts? Is there a way to come to a balance apparently like the Cardinals have done? -- Steve B., Carlisle, Pa. That would be a nice problem to have in a few years, wouldn't it? Let's say Maikel Franco, Aaron Nola, Odubel Herrera, J.P. Crawford, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, etc., all live up to their potential and become very good players in the near future. How should the Phillies handle that? I think they actually dealt with things well when they bought out the first few years of free agency for players like Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley. They got those players in their prime for a relative discount. But things went south when they continued to re-sign those players, despite evidence that their production had started to decline. Partner John Middleton said last month: "One of the criticisms the fans have leveled on the Phillies -- and I think it's justifiable -- is that we didn't recognize early enough and act upon that recognition that the window had closed and we needed to move on. That we were trying to extend guys that were older and trying to create a bridge and we needed to realize that the bridge didn't exist and we needed to move on." In short, the front office should not be sentimental about its star players, no matter how well they performed in the past. Because in the end, fans only want a winner. If I had told fans following the 2011 season that the Phillies would blow up the roster -- despite winning a franchise-record 102 games -- but it would guarantee another World Series title in five years, I bet almost everybody would say, "OK, let's do it." So the problem isn't signing players to long-term contracts or not. If it buys out their first couple years of free agency while they are in their prime, it makes sense. No, the problem is knowing how far to go with those players and realizing when they are on the decline to cut bait and move on. Because Cliff Lee is no longer pitching, would Klentak be open to offering him a pitching-coach position if one came open? -- Jodi S., Portland, Ore. Personally, I don't think Lee would be interested in being a pitching coach.

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.

DR Updates And Spring Training Invites

PHILS PHACTS:

Adding Depth To The Competition – The Phillies on Wednesday announced they had signed five players to Minor League contracts with non-roster invitations to Spring Training. They signed infielders Emmanuel Burriss and Ryan Jackson and right-handers Frank Herrmann, Chris Leroux and Reinier Roibal. Burriss, 30, spent last season in the Nationals' system. He hit .279 with a .341 on-base percentage with Triple-A Syracuse. Burriss played five games for Washington. He has played 282 big league games, spending 2008-12 with the Giants. Burriss has a career .578 OPS in 806 plate appearances. Jackson, 27, appeared in 22 games last season with the Angels. He has 39 plate appearances in 42 games in parts of three seasons with the Cardinals and Angels. Herrmann, 31, has appeared in 95 big league games with the Indians, but none since 2012. He went 4-2 with a 3.76 ERA in 44 appearances last season with Triple-A Salt Lake and Indianapolis. Leroux, 31, spent the majority of last season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley and Colorado Springs. He posted a 3.90 ERA in 85 1/3 innings. Leroux has a 6.03 ERA in 65 career appearances with the Marlins, Pirates and Yankees. Roibal, 26, had a 1.64 ERA in 31 games with Class A Clearwater and Double-A Reading. He is 11-6 with a 2.62 ERA in his four-year Minor League career.

DR Updates – In the future, the Phillies imagine a hulking corner outfielder in the middle of their lineup, hitting home runs like Ryan Howard in his prime. But Jhailyn Ortiz is a long way away from the Majors. The Phillies signed Ortiz to a $4 million signing bonus in July. He is 6-foot-3, 240 pounds and strong. But Ortiz also is just 16, which means he is several years away from reaching Philadelphia. Phils player development director Joe Jordan recently visited the Dominican Republic and got another look at Ortiz, who MLB.com ranked as the eighth-best prospect in this year's international free-agent class. "I believe we saw a lot of what our scouts saw and liked," Jordan said. "He had a really good week. I really believe that the kid has a chance to be a good hitter. He's 16 years old, but he did some things that I thought were a little advanced. He had a good two-strike approach. He really hit some balls hard. "Balls just come off his bat differently than almost all of the kids down there. It was a very impressive week, but we've got a lot of work to do." Of course, handing a $4 million signing bonus to a 16-year-old kid is a considerable risk. But former Phillies president and general manager Pat Gillick frequently said teams cannot be afraid to take such risks. Can't win big without occasionally betting big. "We just need some time with him," Jordan said about Ortiz. "He can really throw. He's got an above-average arm. He's going to have accuracy. He's athletic for his size. Over the next couple years, we're going to reshape him a little bit, reshape his body. He's just a young kid that we've got to firm up, but he is athletic for his size. I saw a lot of good things." Alfaro ready to go: Catcher Jorge Alfaro is scheduled to leave Clearwater, Fla., this week and head home to Colombia for a few days before heading to Venezuela to play winter ball. The Phillies acquired Alfaro, 22, in July in the Cole Hamels trade. He is considered the Phils' No. 4 prospect and the No. 59 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. Alfaro spent most of the season recovering from surgery on his left ankle, but he is ready to play. "He looks good," Jordan said. "He is ready to go. We need to get him on the field. He needs to play for a while and knock off some rust. Physically, he has everything you're looking for, but we need to see him play."

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 History Behind The Plate

PHILS PHACTS:

Leaving Their Mark Behind The Plate – This is the first in a series of articles on the most career games by position in Phillies history. We begin with the top five in games caught. Mike Lieberthal (1994-2006): 1,139 games; Red Dooin (1902-1914): 1,124 games; Bob Boone (1972-1981): 1,095 games; Carlos Ruiz (2006-current): 982 games; Darren Daulton (1983, 1985-1995): 965 games. Lieberthal broke Dooin's record for games at catcher on Aug, 18, 2006, at Citizens Bank Park. "Lieby" was an All-American baseball player at Los Angeles' Westlake High School, where he once hit four home runs and drove in 10 runs in one game. The Phillies selected him in the first round, third player overall, in the 1990 Draft. At 155 pounds, many were skeptical he could sustain the rigors of catching every day in the big leagues. He wound up catching more games than anyone else in Phillies history, was a two-time All-Star and a 1999 Gold Glove Award winner. After playing one season with the Dodgers, Lieberthal officially retired as a Phillie on April 28, 2008. He's also a Phillies Wall of Fame inductee (2012). Dooin was a 5-foot-9 catcher who barely tipped the scales at 150 pounds during a 15-year career in the Majors. The first 13 years were with the Phillies (1902-14). He caught 1,124 games for the franchise, a record that stood for 91 years. Dooin became player-manager of the Phillies in 1910. The 1913 club finished second, but he was fired following a sixth-place finish in 1914. Dooin's managerial record was 392-370. A singer-actor, Dooin spent some winters on the vaudeville circuit following his playing career. He died in Rochester, N.Y., on May 14, 1952, from a heart attack. He was 72 years old. Boone was a biology major at Stanford University. He switched positions to playing catcher in 1971, and after only 169 games behind the plate in the Minors, Boone made his Major League debut in September 1972. He was the Phillies' everyday catcher for nine years, beginning in 1973. He was an All-Star three times and a Gold Glove Award winner twice while with Philadelphia. An excellent defensive catcher and student of the game, Boone handled pitching staffs that reached the postseason seven times, five with the Phillies and twice with the Angels. When he retired, Boone had caught more games than anyone in baseball history, only to see Carlton Fisk break the record by one game. Boone, his father, Ray (third baseman), and his two sons, Bret (second baseman) and Aaron (third baseman), were All-Stars during their careers. Boone managed the Royals (1995-97) and Cincinnati Reds (2001-3). He was the first catcher inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame (2005). Ruiz was signed as an international free agent out of David, Panama, on Dec. 4, 1998, for $8,000. A second baseman, he made his pro debut the following season as a catcher in the Dominican Summer League. Ruiz spent the next seven seasons working his way up through the Minors before reaching the Majors on May 6, 2006, vs. the Giants at Citizens Bank Park. He was the Phillies' regular catcher from 2007-14 and spent time on the disabled list six times during that span. He has started seven Opening Days (2008-12; 2014-15), was an All-Star in 2012 and has caught the most postseason games in Phillies history (46). "Chooch" is the only catcher in National League history to catch four no-hitters: two by Roy Halladay (2010), one by four Phillies pitchers (2014) and Cole Hamels' last start with the Phillies (2015). Daulton was drafted as a skinny catcher out of Arkansas City High School, listed on scouting reports as 150 pounds. His 14 seasons with the Phillies are the longest tenure for a catcher in the team's modern history. Defensively, Daulton had the most putouts (981 in 1993) and double plays (19 in 1993) for a catcher during a season in franchise history. He played in 1,109 games with the Phillies, remarkable since he was on the disabled list several times and had multiple knee surgeries, plus other injuries. He was a three-time All-Star and recognized as the leader of the 1993 NL champion Phillies. Daulton ended his career with the Marlins, winning a World Series title with the club in 1997. Daulton was a Phillies Wall of Fame inductee (2010).

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.

From Impressive To Ugly In A Single Series

GAME RECAP: Braves Beat Phillies 8-1

Julio Teheran helped the Braves accomplish something Wednesday night they had not done in nearly a month. He helped them win a series with an 8-1 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Braves right-hander allowed four hits, one run, two walks and struck out four in seven innings, helping Atlanta win their first series since Aug. 14-16 against Arizona. "We have been battling," Braves center fielder Michael Bourn said as his teammates celebrated their third win in their past 23 games. "We just haven't had any luck. Today, we were able to get a series win and that is a big thing. We'll try to carry it over." Bourn recorded four of the season-high 18 hits notched by the Braves. They picked up 10 against Philadelphia right-hander David Buchanan. They picked up the other eight against Phillies relievers Jerome Williams, Ken Roberts and Nefi Ogando. The Phillies have been officially eliminated from postseason contention, the first team in baseball to be eliminated. "Everything starts with pitching," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're not pitching."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Buchanan needed to show considerable improvement since his last start with the Phillies on Aug. 11, when he allowed 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in Arizona. But his struggles continued against Atlanta. He allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed 14 of 22 batters to reach base, with double plays in the first, third and fourth innings limiting the damage to just four runs. Afterward, Mackanin would not commit to Buchanan making his next start. "Yeah," said Mackanin, asked if he is concerned the team might not have enough pitching to finish the season. "We're going to reassess everything and try to figure it out."
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 0-for-4. He is hitless in his last 29 at-bats, which is the longest hitless streak of his career.
• "We miss [Maikel] Franco's bat. Not that one guy is going to change everything, but it certainly helps." -- Mackanin, on Franco, who has been sidelined since last month with a broken left wrist.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a four-game series Thursday night against the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (5-5, 4.42 ERA) faces Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (18-6, 2.03 ERA) in the series opener at 7:05 p.m. ET.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hoping To Return This Season – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco took a few swings Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park and said he felt no pain in his left wrist, which means he could still play this season. Franco has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He tried to hit last week in New York, but he still felt some discomfort in the wrist. Wednesday became D-Day for Franco. If he felt something Wednesday, he expected his season to be finished. "Everything is good," said Franco, who took about 20 swings, including 10 off the practice tee. "I felt fine." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Franco will continue to hit with the team before heading to Clearwater, Fla., to face some live pitching before potentially rejoining the Phillies before the end of the season. "We'll figure it out," Franco said.

Rotation Decisions – Hours before the Phillies and Braves opened a three-game series Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the organization planned to be pitching intensive in the 2016 Draft. The Phillies, who could have the No. 1 Draft pick, desperately need pitching. It showed again Wednesday night in an 8-1 loss to the Braves. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. Buchanan has a 22.00 ERA (22 earned runs in nine innings) in his last three starts, which includes 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in an Aug. 11 start in Arizona. "We're going to reassess that and evaluate the whole thing," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, asked if Buchanan would make his next start. Buchanan, who just joined the Phillies' six-man rotation, entered Spring Training a favorite to make the rotation based upon a solid rookie season in which he posted a 3.68 ERA in 20 starts. But the script has flipped since then. Buchanan is 2-8 with a 9.11 ERA in 11 starts this season, and others in the organization seem to have passed him by. "I'm going to keep grinding. I'm going to keep working to get better. I'm going to keep taking the ball and improving on what I'm doing," Buchanan said. The Phillies have some serious starting pitching holes to fill before Spring Training. Phillies starters have thrown the second-fewest innings in baseball this season, which has worn out the bullpen. They also have a 5.47 ERA, which is the highest mark in baseball. Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley are free agents after the season, and it is unlikely they return. Matt Harrison and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez have injury issues. Aaron Nola is a lock to make the rotation, but it is difficult to imagine the Phillies also opening the season with Adam Morgan, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher in the rotation because it would be too inexperienced. The Phillies will need to find some veteran arms in the offseason. It is too early to pursue high-priced free agents that might be available like Zack Greinke, David Price, Johnny Cueto, Yovani Gallardo, Jordan Zimmermann and Jeff Samardzija. It seems more likely they will go for mid-level starters or placeholders, maybe somebody of a similar ilk or better than Harang, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract after posting a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season with Atlanta. That group could include pitchers like Doug Fister, J.A. Happ and Ryan Vogelsong. "It's pretty obvious we need to do that to be more competitive," Mackanin said about the need to add starting pitching before next season. "We might have some guys right here that are going through their first year in the big leagues that will step up and perform next year. We may have to make some additions."

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 54-86. 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 35-70-0 on this day.