Bring Up Some Of That Reading Offense!

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies are off until Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Left-hander Daniel Stumpf returned to the Phillies July 10 after serving an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Philadelphia acquired Stumpf from Kansas City last December in the Rule 5 Draft. He pitched in three games before being suspended.
• Active members of the Mets have hit a combined .307 against Hellickson, with Jose Reyes having recorded a .381 batting average to go along with one homer and four RBIs.
• Mets manager Terry Collins has expressed hope that Yoenis Cespedes would be ready to play by the end of the All-Star break. Cespedes, who sustained a right quad strain July 8, leads the Mets with 21 homers and 52 RBIs. In 26 at-bats against the Phillies in the first half of the year, Cespedes hit .269 with three homers and six RBIs. 

NEXT GAME:

After limping into the All-Star break with a slew of injuries to key players, the Mets turn to Jacob deGrom (5-4, 2.61 ERA) to set the tone for the second half of the season July 15 against the Phillies, who counter with Jeremy Hellickson (6-6, 3.92 ERA). deGrom and Bartolo Colon have been the only regular members of the Mets' starting rotation to avoid injury issues in recent weeks. Matt Harvey opted for season-ending surgery to repair his thoracic outlet syndrome, while Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard have both been pitching through bone spurs; Syndergaard left his start July 8 with a "dead arm." Hellickson has provided a veteran presence in a young Phillies pitching staff, but his name has floated around in trade rumors. The Mets could be in the market for a starter given all their issues, but there's been no indication Hellickson could be an option for them.

PHILS PHACTS:

1^st Half Recap – Things were always going to be different for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016. They entered Spring Training with a different president, general manager and manager than the spring before. The Phillies' clubhouse in Clearwater, Fla., had a different feel, too. Of course, that happens when veterans like Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon are replaced with youngsters like Maikel Franco, Vince Velasquez, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff. Out with the old, in with the new. And a few more victories, too. The Phils had the worst record in baseball last season, but they entered the All-Star break at 42-48, which is 11th from the bottom. While that is not good enough to make a run at the postseason, it is sign of progress. And that is what this season is about: making progress in the rebuild. Here is a look back at the Phillies' first half: WHAT WENT RIGHT: Anybody who followed the Phillies closely should have figured they would be better because their starting pitching would be better. Ten pitchers not named Hamels, Nola, Eickhoff and Adam Morgan posted a combined 6.19 ERA in 106 starts in 2015. But this season's rotation of Jeremy Hellickson, Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez has generally pitched well. The rotation's 4.32 ERA is in the top half in baseball. Pitching can overcome deficiencies elsewhere. Pitching wins. WHAT WENT WRONG: Until late June, Philadelphia's offense had been on pace to be the lowest-scoring team in a non-strike season since 1972. The lack of offense did not hurt the Phillies during their 24-17 start, but when the rotation started to struggle, the club had no chance to win. WHAT WE LEARNED: The Phils have the makings of a pretty solid rotation. They also have some intriguing arms in the bullpen. But they still need hitters. Herrera and Franco are safe bets to be part of the club's future. Cameron Rupp has been a surprise, putting him into play as well. But is there any other position where somebody would say, "That guy is probably going to be here in a couple of years"? Not really, which means the players currently in those positions still have plenty to prove. FIRST-HALF TOP POSITION PLAYER: Herrera was the Phillies' only All-Star representative, and it was because he had been consistently good since Opening Day. The guy can flat out hit. He has also dramatically improved his walk rate from his rookie season. If the Phils can find some consistent hitting behind Herrera, he will be a dangerous leadoff hitter. FIRST-HALF TOP PITCHER: Nola had the nod through May, but then he struggled in his final five starts before the break. Velasquez has dazzled at times, but Eickhoff has been the rotation's most consistent pitcher. He posted a 3.80 ERA in 18 starts and proved to be the Phillies' stopper during their grueling stretch from mid-May to late June. FIRST-HALF TOP ROOKIE: Believe it or not, but a young team like the Phils doesn't have a bunch of rookies on the roster. Tommy Joseph is the most notable. He got promoted from Triple-A in mid-May and played so well that manager Pete Mackanin formally moved Ryan Howard to the bench. Joseph struggled for a bit, but he finished the first half on a high note. It will be a big second half for him as he tries to prove he should be the team's first baseman going forward.

Future Power – You couldn't even see his face. At 6-foot-6, his 235-pound, built-like-a-lineman frame towered over you from the top step of the first-base dugout at FirstEnergy Stadium, his head cut out of sight by the dugout roof. Dylan Cozens was a day away from going in San Diego for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, during which he'd put the most balls over the wall of anyone in batting practice despite being surrounded by baseball's highest ranked prospects, despite the fact that he doesn't even crack the top 10 in MLBPipeline.com's ranking of the Phillies' system. But before he made the cross-country voyage, the Minors' most prolific power hitter had one more three-hit night in him. Single. Triple. Home run. Reading, the best team in professional baseball -- with as many wins at the All-Star break as the 116-win 2001 Mariners -- hit blackjack in the runs column last Friday. The victim? David Hess and the Bowie Baysox -- just another in a line of teams unable to quiet the bats of Cozens or his Fightin' Phils teammates, who have scored in double digits 14 times this season and average nearly six runs a game. Cozens' 24 home runs are second only in the Minors to the 25 put up by the man who hits behind him, first baseman Rhys Hoskins. At the Major League level, only three teams have hit fewer home runs than the Phillies the past two seasons. "I've always been able to hit the ball a long way," Cozens says. He's also always been the tall one. And the athletic one. But only more recently has he been the big one. His defensive tackle of a father, Randy, had him doing daily pushups since before he can remember -- he could do 100 at a time as a 10-year-old, though he hasn't tried recently. But only toward the middle of his high school career did Cozens start to fill out. During his senior season at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., he broke the school's single-season home run record, set by Paul Konerko. At 22, Randy was in his final season of a four-year career as a defensive lineman at the University of Pittsburgh. A year away from being drafted by (but never playing for) the Denver Broncos, he checked in at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Dylan, now 22, was gifted with his father's size and athleticism, but he is thankful for more than just his fortunate genealogy. "[My father] was always tough on me," Cozens said. "You try to take that same 'football tough' mentality to every sport you play, just hustle and be aggressive." About that football mentality. Cozens, rated a three-star defensive end, passed on football scholarship offers from Arizona, Washington and Boise State to sign with the Phillies out of high school. Between baseball and football seasons, Cozens played basketball, too. The trifecta onot only helped Cozens build athleticism, it is the definition of it, Cozens says: "Being able to be versatile, have different forms of hand-eye coordination, speed, power; stuff like that I feel is what athleticism is all about." Ninety games into the Double-A season, Cozens' 24 home runs are paired with 16 stolen bases. Only three times in Major League history has a player his size swiped that many bags throughout a 162-game schedule. Cozens doesn't like being asked if he has outgrown Double-A. It's not up to him, so why focus on it? Anyway, there is more to work on, despite what an initial glance at his numbers may indicate. Only four of his home runs have come against left-handers, against whom he is hitting .186. His slugging percentage at FirstEnergy Stadium, historically a hitter's park, is double what it is away from home. He also doesn't remember much of his post-Draft BP session at Citizens Bank Park, during which he reportedly parked a couple of balls in the upper deck. It prompted then-general manager Ruben Amaro to describe Cozens as having "extraordinary power." Since then he's hit 62 regular-season homers. Tommy Joseph, a fellow Arizonan, is excited for the day Cozens returns to Citizens Bank Park, this time as a big leaguer rather than a draftee. "He'll hit balls further to left than I will," the right-handed-hitting Joseph says. "He's not a very fun guy to take BP with, just a fun guy to watch."

Today In Phils History – In 1979, Mike Schmidt notched his 31^st homerun of the year becoming the first Phillie to collect more than 30 before the All Star break. The following season, Steve Carlton appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Mike Schmidt passed Mickey Mantle on the All Time homerun list on this day in 1988 with his 537^th long ball. 2006 saw two events of note when Giants fielded the 1^st outfield in MLB history with all 3 players being 40 or older: Barry Bonds (41), Steve Finley (41), and Moises Alou (40). At AAA, Phillies prospect Brennan King was having a historic night as well hitting for the cycle and driving in 8 runs.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-45-2 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' Only All Star Wants Out

GAME RECAP: Frazier Defeats Pederson 15-14

Todd Frazier had the joint jumping, his home crowd behind him screaming and exactly the right flair for the dramatic on Monday night. Not only did Frazier not disappoint, the Reds third baseman put on a tremendous show to win the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders at Great American Ball Park. The capper was a bonus-round shot into the left-field seats to defeat Dodgers rookie Joc Pederson, 15 homers to 14, in the finals as the stadium roared with approval and fireworks filled the sky. Frazier loved having the sold-out crowd in his corner all night. "Just hearing the crowd roar, call my name, adrenaline," Frazier said. "And those last minutes of each round really picked me up and [helped me] drive the ball out of the park a lot more. It was a lot of fun. I appreciate that a lot." Frazier, who was the Derby runner-up to Yoenis Cespedes last year in Minneapolis, became the first Reds player to win the Home Run Derby since Dave Parker won the first one in 1985. He is also only the second player from the host team to win, the first since the Cubs' Ryne Sandberg in 1990. Frazier was presented with the Home Run Derby trophy by MLB executive Joe Torre. "Bringing this hardware home is something I've always wanted to do and it's just an unbelievable feeling," Frazier said. "Once I wake up in the morning, understand really what happened, it is going to be exciting to see this in my house." The Derby caught its first break when rain held off until well after the event ended. Then new rules in place for 2015 added timed rounds of four minutes and an eight-player single-elimination bracket that proved instantly popular. That change played into Frazier's hands as he batted second in each round as the higher seed. Frazier, the No. 2 seed, defeated Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder in the first round and then knocked out Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson in Round 2. All three rounds required a lot from Frazier to overcome his challenger. Fielder hit 13 homers in the opening round. Frazier was able to equal the two-time winner with his 13th coming with seconds remaining, landing in the left-field seats. After a brief break before bonus time, Frazier crushed home run No. 14 on his first swing to defeat Fielder. "Two-time champion, that's huge," Frazier said. "The format fit well. I honestly didn't know how many I was going to need. Thirteen, in these Derbies now, usually gets you past. I started off slow and got into a little groove." In Round 2, Donaldson got off to a slow start, but he rallied to hit nine homers. He also knew he was not the crowd favorite. "Honest to God, I didn't even know who I was going up against in the second round, but after 30-40 seconds into it, I could start to hear people boo me," Donaldson said. "Then mid-swing, I was like, 'Oh, I'm going up against Frazier.' Good for them. He put on an awesome performance tonight." The crowd chanted "Let's go Frazier" as Frazier sat on eight homers with a minute remaining. But with 11 seconds to spare, homer No. 9 came, followed by No. 10 just as time expired, landing in the left-center-field bullpen as Reds fans screamed. Pitching to Frazier for the second time in the Derby was his brother, Charlie. The two tried to keep the flow going in all three rounds. "We wanted to work fast," Charlie Frazier said. "We didn't want to put any thinking involved. We just wanted to put as many pitches as we can. He was swinging at everything -- you could see that -- even if they were low or high. So we just got on the same pace." The left-handed Pederson set another high bar and opened the finals with 13 homers. Needing two to tie with 40 seconds left, Frazier hit one to left field for 13. He tied Pederson with 14 with 10 seconds remaining. On the first swing of his 30-second bonus came No. 15 -- and a perfect ending for Cincinnati. Triumphantly, Frazier lifted a championship belt like a wrestler. His favorite singer, Frank Sinatra, played in the ballpark -- "I did it my way." He did indeed, with panache. It's been a trying first half for the Reds, who are below .500 and struggling. Trade speculation of top players, but not Frazier, is rampant. For one night -- that was way in the background. Cincinnati fans had their winner right in front of them on what proved to be a magical night. "This is the way you play the game," Frazier said. "You play for your family, your friends because you love the game. Your fans are right behind you in your court. We're having a tough year this year, let's be frank. Still got a lot of games to go. That Wild Card can come real quick. You saw what the Dodgers did one year. You never know what's going to happen."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies don't have much history facing Fernandez, but one player who has enjoyed success off him is Freddy Galvis, who is 3-for-6. Chase Utley, who's on the DL, is 2-for-9.
• The Marlins and Phillies will meet for their third series this year, and second in Philadelphia. Miami holds a 4-2 advantage in the season series.
• Dee Gordon, Miami's All-Star second baseman, is not expected to go on the disabled list. The Marlins are aiming to reinstate third baseman Martin Prado (right shoulder) from the DL, and he's a candidate to be a short-term option at second beginning Friday.

NEXT GAME:

After the All-Star break, the club returns home to open a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Friday night. Left-hander Adam Morgan makes his fourth career start as he squares off against the Marlins' Jose Fernandez. Morgan is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA in his rookie season. The Marlins' ace, who made both of his first-half starts in Miami, will open the second half against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday. Fernandez already has regained his old form, notching wins in each of his first two starts back from Tommy John surgery. While the hard-throwing right-hander has dominated at Marlins Park (14-0, 1.17 ERA) in his career, he has been vulnerable on the road, where he is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA. He is 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in his career in Philadelphia. The Phillies are starting the series off with rookie Adam Morgan, who is 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA in three starts. The lefty has 12 strikeouts in 16 2/3 innings, and this will be his second home start. He's lost back-to-back decisions on the road after opening his career with a 5 2/3-innings win over the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on June 21.

PHILS PHACTS:

Papelbon Looking For A Trade… Again! – Vocal and effusive about his desire to be traded, Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon spent his sixth All-Star media day trumpeting his desire to move on from Philadelphia. "I want to go to a contender," said Papelbon, the Phillies' lone representative at Tuesday's 2015 All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile (7 p.m. ET, FOX). "I do want to get out of Philly, but I need to make a smart decision. I'll make a decision that's best for me to go to a place to contend to win a championship. That's basically what my whole decision is going to be based on." In many ways, the decision is not Papelbon's to make. The Phillies have been trying to deal their closer since before the 2013 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but so far, they have been unable to find a suitable match. Making $13 million this season, Papelbon owns a $13 million club option for 2016 that automatically vests if he finishes 48 games. He's on pace to do that, having gone 14-for-14 in save situations with a 1.60 ERA. He's certainly pitched well enough not only to earn his sixth All-Star nod, but to make himself a very intriguing option to clubs in need of relief help. Papelbon cannot negotiate his own trade. But he can veto deals with a partial no-trade clause, and he has said he would do so to avoid moving to a setup role or to a non-contending team. Other than that, Papelbon said he would like to part ways with the 29-62 Phillies. "This isn't what I signed up for," said Papelbon, who left the Red Sox for a four-year, $50 million deal with the Phillies before the 2012 season. "I signed up on a team that won 102 games, and was expecting certain things. Now, it didn't happen, and I tried to ride that ship as much as I can. I've tried to keep my mouth shut as much as I can. "I feel like three years is plenty enough time to 'ride it out,' so to speak. If fans can't understand it, I can't really side with them on that. I'm getting older and I don't know how many more years I have left in this game. I don't know how many All-Star Games I have left. None of that's guaranteed. For me, I'm just trying to be on a winning ballclub and win as many rings as I can before it's all said and done, and I'm coaching [son] Gunner in Little League. That's really all I'm trying to do. "From my perspective, I don't understand how a fan couldn't understand that. I understand that they wear their hearts on their sleeves and all that stuff, but for me, I'm in it to compete and to win. And I don't have that opportunity in this organization. And I also feel like I gave this organization as many opportunities as they can to put a winning ballclub out there and as many chances to keep me in this organization, and it just hasn't happened." If Papelbon has his way, a trade is what will happen -- and soon. For him, this All-Star appearance is simply continued validation that he can be more useful elsewhere. "I thought that I was going to come to Philadelphia and win two more rings," Papelbon said. "I honestly and truthfully did. And then the downward spiral happened, and it happened so quick. It's almost unexplainable."

Mid Summer Lineups – There have been years of waiting, and then more years of preparation, for their moment on one of the biggest stages of baseball. And now, the Reds and Cincinnati are ready to welcome the world to its home at Great American Ball Park tonight. It's just about time for the 86th All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile to showcase the talents of the 34-man rosters on both the National League and the American League. "It's fun to be around the city," said NL starting third baseman Todd Frazier, who won the Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders on Monday night in front of his home fans. "The vibe out here is spectacular." The 2015 All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports (coverage begins 7 p.m. ET), in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com. During the All-Star Game tonight, fans can once again visit MLB.com to submit their choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. Voting exclusively at MLB.com, online and via their mobile devices in the 2015 All-Star Game MVP Vote presented by Chevrolet, the fans' collective voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy. MLB.TV Premium subscribers will be able to live stream the All-Star Game via MLB.TV through FOX's participating video providers. Access will be available across more than 400 supported MLB.TV platforms, including the award-winning MLB.com At Bat app. The starting lineups were revealed by managers Ned Yost of the AL and Bruce Bochy of the NL on Monday. The AL lineup features all right-handed hitters, the first time that's happened since the NL had an all-right-handed lineup in the first of two All-Star Games played in 1962. AMERICAN LEAGUE: 1. CF Mike Trout, Angels; 2. 3B Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays; 3. 1B Albert Pujols, Angels; 4. DH Nelson Cruz, Mariners; 5. RF Lorenzo Cain, Royals; 6. LF Adam Jones, Orioles; 7. C Salvador Perez, Royals; 8. 2B Jose Altuve, Astros; 9. SS Alcides Escobar, Royals; P Dallas Keuchel, Astros. NATIONAL LEAGUE: 1. CF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates; 2. 3B Todd Frazier, Reds; 3. RF Bryce Harper, Nationals; 4. 1B Paul Goldschmidt, D-backs; 5. C Buster Posey, Giants; 6. DH Anthony Rizzo, Cubs; 7. SS Jhonny Peralta, Cardinals; 8. LF Joc Pederson, Dodgers; 9. 2B DJ LeMahieu, Rockies; P Zack Greinke, Dodgers. This will be the fifth time that Cincinnati, home of the first professional baseball franchise, has hosted an All-Star Game. It was held in 1938 and '53 at Crosley Field and in 1970 and '88 at Riverfront Stadium. Great American Ball Park opened in 2003, and it has undergone several upgrades and improvements in recent years to be ready for a game like this. "It's great. Most importantly, it's for the fans of the Reds and putting the city and the stadium on display to play the host," said Reds manager Bryan Price, who is a coach on Bochy's staff. "I think they're doing a fabulous job of hosting. I've never been in an environment like this." The All-Star Game will feature numerous familiar faces and perennial selections, and the pregame festivities will include the introduction of the "Franchise Four" selections by fans of the greatest players from each of the 30 teams. But this year's game also demonstrates the strength of the game's youth movement. Two of the Major Leagues' most popular players are 23-year-old Trout from the Angels and 22-year-old Harper of the Nationals. "[It's great] to see the impacting players that are so young, both NL and AL," Harper said. "To play alongside Anthony Rendon, Michael Taylor and the guys at my club, and then playing against guys like Kris Bryant, Manny Machado, Matt Harvey, Mike Trout. You can name so many guys in this league right now, and being able to play alongside them and really enjoy it, it's been a lot of fun." "It's special to see so many great players at such a young age," said Pederson, who finished as the runner-up to Frazier in the Derby on Monday night. "The Trouts, Harpers, they're dominating the game, [and Madison] Bumgarner, so it's definitely really special." Including Pederson, there were a combined 32 first-time All-Stars selected this year via the fan and player ballots or manager selections. "What got me over the edge was we have so many first-time All-Stars," said Yost. "I think this is such a wonderful experience. For me, if you become a Major League player, that's special. You're in an elite group, but you're in an even more elite group if you're an All-Star. It sticks with you the rest of your life." Yost selected Astros left-hander and first-time All-Star Keuchel to start for the AL, while Bochy chose the Dodgers' Greinke. Both managers talked about the challenges of making selections, which might be harder than running the game itself. "The talent that you have to work with makes it really easy for me and my staff," said Bochy, who is now a four-time skipper for the NL. "I think the game has changed a little bit. Your priority is not to get everybody in as much as it used to be. There is a lot at stake. I think guys are getting the two or three at-bats. They're getting stretched out a little more. There's a lot at stake in it. The tough part is the lineup. It does change a lot." Once again, the added meaning to the All-Star Game is the winning team's league gets home-field advantage for the World Series. Last year, that didn't put Yost's Royals over the top as they lost Game 7 to San Francisco at Kauffman Stadium. He still considered it to be beneficial and wanted the AL to keep home-field advantage this year. "It's going to be important to somebody in that locker room," Yost said. "I think it's important for everybody in that locker room to do our best to try and win that game and get home-field advantage for the World Series -- for whoever team gets there."

In Case You Missed It… – Former Toronto Blue Jays [and Philadelphia Phillies] pitcher Roy Halladay had his perfect driving record broken up by a police officer Tuesday [July 7, 2015] afternoon. Halladay had gone 38 years without a speeding ticket before his chance at a perfect driving record was ruined. Halladay was caught speeding Tuesday afternoon. He celebrated his first ever ticket with a selfie. Halladay's tweet was pretty respectful. He acknowledged that he was speeding, and added the hastag #protectandserve, implying that the officer was just doing his job. If the goal of the ticket was to discourage Halladay from speeding again ... well ... Yep, Halladay got pulled over by the same cop on the same day. We actually don't know why he was pulled over the second time, or if Halladay received another ticket. Either way, it's entertaining. Again, Halladay seemed to handle the situation well. He managed to make a joke about himself in the second tweet. It's pretty normal for people to be angry after being pulled over, so he appreciate that Halladay can laugh at himself despite having a bad day on the road. We don't feel particularly bad about Halladay losing his perfect driving record, though. He's already got a perfect game under his belt, and he can brag about that any day.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 29-62. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 47-45-2 on this day.