Phillies Fall In Season Opener

GAME RECAP: Reds Route Phillies 6-2

Zack Cozart went 3-for-3 and delivered the tying run in the eighth before Joey Votto's two-run single in the five-run inning lifted the Reds to a 6-2 Opening Day victory over the Phillies at Great American Ball Park. Philadelphia carried a 2-1 lead into the eighth when reliever David Hernandez loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and Scott Schebler's pinch-hit double. Lefty James Russell took over, and Cozart skied a sacrifice fly to short right field. Pinch-runner Tyler Holt scored on a headfirst slide just ahead of Peter Bourjos' throw. Russell walked Eugenio Suarez to load the bases for Votto. Taking a 0-for-3, three-strikeout day into the at-bat, Votto made that a fleeting memory by lining Russell's 1-1 pitch into center field for the game-winner. Jay Bruce blew it open with a bases-loaded single that added two more runs, as nine men batted in the bottom of the eighth. "Everybody makes this big deal about Opening Day. In the standings, it could be the least important day of the year," Bruce said. "But it's awesome to get that win and get the momentum going the right way. Especially coming back, the way we won was great. I think it shows everyone we're capable of coming back and stealing a game from guys." Cozart had all three of his hits vs. Jeremy Hellickson, while the rest of the Reds' lineup went hitless vs. the Phillies' starter. But the Philadelphia bullpen could not maintain that success in the late innings, while the Reds' three scoreless innings of relief made it possible for Cincinnati to battle back and win. "It was embarrassing," Hernandez said after loading the bases to start the eighth. "I wasn't able to throw anything over the plate, quality pitches. It's unfortunate."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies acquired Hellickson from the D-backs in November because they thought he could stabilize the rotation and return to form in a free agent year. He looked like that guy, allowing three hits, one unearned run and striking out six in six innings in his Phils debut. "Hellickson pitched really, really well, then the wheels fell off in that eighth inning," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.
• The pressure is on Galvis, who has top Phillies prospect J.P. Crawford breathing down his neck. Galvis will need to play well this season to keep a job. He got started the right way. He hit a two-run home run to right field in the second inning to give the Phillies a 2-1 lead. He also turned an inning-ending double play in the third inning.
• Votto struck out three times in his first three at-bats. It was the first time he struck out in each of his first three plate appearances since May 15, 2014, against the Padres' Tyson Ross. Hellickson became just the ninth pitcher to strike out Votto three times in one game, according to Stats Inc.
• "I hope that the right guys are here right now. I'm not going to condemn Hernandez because he didn't pitch that well tonight. He's going to get more opportunities. We'll continue through the season and we'll see who rises to the occasion." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' bullpen woes
• The Phillies have five rookies on the 25-man roster: outfielder Tyler Goeddel, right-hander Dalier Hinojosa, outfielder Cedric Hunter, left-hander Daniel Stumpf and right-hander Vince Velasquez. The five rookies are tied with the Brewers, Dodgers, Padres and Rockies for the most on any roster in the National League. Only the Orioles have more with six.
• Expect Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton to bat ninth behind the pitcher until he earns his way back to the top of order with a better on-base percentage. Reds manager Bryan Price likes Hamilton batting ninth rather than eighth, because if he is caught stealing with two outs, the pitcher will not lead off the following inning.
• Expect Cameron Rupp to catch for the Phillies on Wednesday. He will receive the bulk of playing time this season, but Carlos Ruiz started Opening Day because he is a veteran, and this is expected to be his final season with the team.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies considered Aaron Nola as a potential Opening Day starter, but they opted to pitch him Wednesday night against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Having arguably their best starter pitch the second game of the season allows the Phillies to pitch him in next Monday's home opener against the Padres. But make no mistake: the Phillies are high on Nola, who was their first-round pick in the 2014 Draft. Nola went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts last season as a rookie, giving the rebuilding Phillies some hope for the future. Wednesday's start will be Nola's first against the Reds. Cincinnati will start left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who started four games late last season after being acquired in the trade that sent Johnny Cueto to Kansas City. Finnegan, who struggled his last few starts in Spring Training, went 2-2 with a 4.71 ERA in those four starts -- all on the road. This will be the first home start at Great American Ball Park for Finnegan, who made two relief appearances there last year. He has never faced the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

Good First Impression – Jeremy Hellickson pitched so well Monday that many wondered why he did not pitch a little longer. They wondered even more after the Phillies' bullpen allowed five runs in the eighth inning in a 6-2 loss to the Reds on Opening Day at Great American Ball Park. Of course, the reality is even if Hellickson had pitched an extra inning, the Phillies said they planned to have David Hernandez open the eighth. Hernandez started the Reds' five-run rally by loading the bases with a pair of walks and a double. "I absolutely would have loved to be out there again, but the bullpen is going to be better than they were today, that's for sure," Hellickson said afterward. But the Phillies left the ballpark encouraged with the way Hellickson threw in his debut. He allowed just three hits and one unearned run in six innings. He struck out six, including Reds slugger Joey Votto three times. Votto is one of the best hitters on the planet, but he looked lost against Hellickson. He awkwardly waved his bat at third strikes in the first, fourth and sixth innings like a man trying to swat mosquitoes in the dark. It was the first time Votto struck out three times in his first three plate appearances since May 15, 2014, against the Padres' Tyson Ross. Hellickson became just the ninth pitcher to strike out Votto three times in one game, according to Stats Inc. "I was just mixing it up as much as I can," Hellickson said about Votto's at-bats against him. "He's one of the best hitters we've got in the game, so you just don't want to give him the same pitch twice. You try to mix it up as best as you can." Hellickson threw just 79 pitches. He had thrown more in a Spring Training start, so he could have pitched at least another inning, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin had seen enough. "It's his first outing and he pitched very well," Mackanin said. "We thought about letting him back out there. But you bring in [Jeanmar] Gomez [in the seventh], and he does his job. We figured we have got to try to find the formula for winning games when the pitcher can't go into the seventh or eighth. Gomez was the seventh, we went to Hernandez for the eighth and it didn't work." Hellickson gets another opportunity Sunday afternoon against the Mets at Citi Field. He hopes to carry a strong spring and a solid Opening Day start through the rest of the season. It would be good for both himself and the Phillies. Hellickson is a free agent following the season, while Philadelphia could trade him to a contender in July, if he is pitching well. "It definitely helped that I felt really good this spring, and then to get a good one in the first start, and now I'll try to keep it going throughout April," Hellickson said.

Question Marks On The Mound – Nobody in the Phillies' clubhouse tried to sugarcoat what happened in the eighth inning Monday at Great American Ball Park. "The wheels fell off," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said after a 6-2 loss to the Reds. "It was embarrassing," right-hander David Hernandez said. "For us to just kind of [throw] it away a little bit stings," left-hander James Russell said. The Phillies entered the season concerned about their bullpen, and those concerns came to a head when three relievers allowed five runs in the eighth inning in the loss on Opening Day. Last season, the Phils seldom had one-run leads in the eighth, but when they did, Ken Giles and Jake Diekman pitched the eighth while Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth. But those three are gone, and the Phillies still do not know who will replace them. "We're still searching," Mackanin said. After Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings and Jeanmar Gomez pitched a perfect seventh, the Phillies had Hernandez start the eighth. The Phils signed Hernandez to a one-year, $3.9 million contract in December, making him the only free agent they signed to a Major League contract. Hernandez walked Adam Duvall, allowed a double to Devin Mesoraco and walked Billy Hamilton to load the bases with no outs. "I wasn't able to throw anything over the plate, quality pitches," Hernandez said. "It's unfortunate. It [stinks], but it's a long season." Hernandez missed some time in Spring Training because of a sore right elbow. He said he is healthy. Russell replaced Hernandez and allowed a sacrifice fly to Zack Cozart to tie the game before he walked Eugenio Suarez to reload the bases. Russell then allowed a two-run single to Joey Votto to make it 4-2. Right-hander Hector Neris entered. He hit Brandon Phillips with a pitch before allowing a single to Jay Bruce to allow two more runs to score. Mackanin and Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure met with relievers on Sunday to discuss their roles. The message seemed to be that everybody should be ready to pitch in any type of situation. That said, Mackanin chose Dalier Hinojosa to pitch the ninth if the Phillies had the lead. "We just have to keep mixing and see what we've got and go from there," Mackanin said. Could Gomez pitch the eighth? The Phillies don't think so. Not right now, anyway. "Last year we tried Gomez in the eighth inning," Mackanin said. "That lasted three or four outings and it didn't work out. It's a different animal in the eighth and ninth inning. That doesn't mean we won't do it. "It's a touchy situation. ... I hope that the right guys are here right now. I'm not going to condemn Hernandez because he didn't pitch that well tonight. He's going to get more opportunities. We'll continue through the season and we'll see who rises to the occasion."

What Position Will Sentimental Play? – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin revealed plans for a few of his players hours before the team's Opening Day game on Monday at Great American Ball Park. Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz were in the starting lineup, and they are expected to be in the lineup next Monday against the Padres in the home opener at Citizens Bank Park. Howard and Ruiz are in the final season of their contracts, and they are not expected to return next season. "I wanted to make sure that Chooch started Opening Day, and the same thing with Ryan," Mackanin said. "We'll just go from there. I'd like them to start, if possible, on Opening Day at home, and I'll try to do that for sentimental reasons." Mackanin declined to name a closer. David Hernandez and Dalier Hinojosa are considered the top two candidates. "I'm thinking about it as we speak," he said, asked who will pitch Monday if the Phillies have a ninth-inning lead. Mackanin and pitching coach Bob McClure had a meeting Sunday with the bullpen. They discussed the possibilities for the seventh, eighth and ninth innings. "There's going to be a mix of a lot of different guys," Mackanin said. "We'll just see how it plays out. Eventually somebody will be that last pitcher. It's almost like an audition. It might be any one of five guys that will end up as our closer. And if not, we'll close by committee -- even though I don't want to do that. If that's what we have to work with, that's what we're going to do." Cameron Rupp will get the bulk of playing time behind the plate, which is not a surprise. "Chooch is moving up in age," Mackanin said. "He's still capable. I think if we keep him healthy and he plays less, I think we're going to get more out of him." Cedric Hunter started in left field Monday. He entered Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, but he impressed the coaching staff with the quality of his plate appearances. Mackanin said Hunter and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel will start the season as a platoon in left field. "We'll give Goeddel a chance, even though he didn't have that good of a spring," Mackanin said. "He showed a few things that I think he's going to be OK. We'll work it in to start the season and we'll go from there." The Phillies have two Rule 5 Draft picks on the roster in Goeddel and left-hander Daniel Stumpf. According to Baseball America, only three teams in the past decade have had two Rule 5 Draft selections on their roster: the Braves in 2015, the Astros in '11 and the Reds in '06. Mackanin said he thinks Goeddel and Stumpf can stick the entire season. "They've both shown enough ability where they can be part of the future," Mackanin said. "Starting last year, we went into this rebuilding phase. Might call it an experiment last year. This year, a year further, we're going to find out what we have going into next year. While we're doing that, we're hoping to win more games. We think Stumpf and Goeddel could add to that. If not, they're both young enough where we have something down the road, whether it's later this year or next year. It's hard to turn away young talent, and that's what our goal is, to keep them."

Phils History: Today is one marked by Phillies debuts as wheez kids Joe Morgan and Tony Perez took the field in 1983, Jim Eisenreich and Pete Incaviglia began the improbable journey in 1993, Raul Ibanez stepped on the field to take the place of Pat Burrell in 2009, Roy Halladay started a magical season in 2010 following the first pitch by President Obama, and Ty Wigginton, Jonathan Papelbon, and Freddy Galvis all began the year with high hopes in 2012. It is also a day when we remember Sherry Magee being taken out by his own pitcher in 1912, the Twitch pitch coming to town in 1971, and John Vukovich becoming the longest serving coach in Phillies history in 2004. We still miss you Vuk!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 0-1 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 9-12-0 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. Let the rebuild begin!

A Multifaceted Waiver Claim

PHILS PHACTS:

Signing Defense To Help Pitching – General manager Matt Klentak's top priority this season has been to improve the Phillies' pitching. Klentak believes he helped those efforts Wednesday when he claimed outfielder Peter Bourjos off waivers from the Cardinals. Bourjos has posted a .645 OPS over the past four seasons, but he is regarded as one of the best defensive center fielders in the game. Bourjos, Odubel Herrera and Aaron Altherr could become a formidable defensive outfield, which should benefit a pitching staff that needs all the help it can get. "I'd rather have both offense and defense, but I think the greater point is right: we're trying to augment the pitching, but a little more broadly trying to improve our run prevention," Klentak said in a conference call Thursday afternoon. "Having a strong defensive club is a way to help your pitching. Having the plus defenders we have in the outfield now I think will help our pitching. It may come at the cost of scoring fewer runs, but I think in the long run it will help us. We're trying to score more runs than our opponent, and it doesn't really matter if it's 2-1 or 10-9." It will be interesting to see where everybody plays. Bourjos has only played center field in his career, and for good reason. According to FanGraphs, he has averaged a 16.1 Ultimate Zone Rating per 150 defensive games since his debut in 2010. That is third among outfielders with 3,500 or more defensive innings played in that span. Only Lorenzo Cain (19.0) and Jason Heyward (18.3) have a better average. But Herrera established himself in center field last season, and the Phillies might not want to mess with the youngster's success. Still, Herrera or Bourjos could move to a corner spot. Bourjos told MLB.com on Wednesday that he is willing to play anywhere. He just wants to play. "I'm looking at it as a nice problem to have," Klentak said. "That's what's going to make Spring Training fun, is we're going to have to sort that out, and we know that. I've had dialogue with [manager] Pete [Mackanin] about that question and how we're going to make it work. When we have at least three above average defensive outfielders, all of whom can play center field, I'm confident we can make it work. "We will determine that in Spring Training. We don't have to make that decision on Dec. 3. Having players of this defensive caliber puts us in a strong position." Bourjos' arrival seems to put Jeff Francoeur's return in doubt. The Phillies' outfield at the moment is Bourjos, Herrera, Altherr, Cody Asche and Darnell Sweeney. Darin Ruf also can play left field. Klentak declined to specifically comment on Francoeur, but he said, "I will say with the claim of Bourjos, I wouldn't say that takes us out on any player. We're still going to be open-minded. We still have a few spots, and we're still trying to get better." Klentak also said he has spoken with Ryan Howard, who is entering the final season of his contract. The Phillies have been trying for some time to move Howard, but without success. "I have met with and spoken with Ryan Howard and had a good conversation," Klentak said. "He's excited and energized for next year, and I feel good about it."

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 Collect Their Thoughts After Opening Day Thrashing

GAME RECAP: The Phillies Didn’t Lose!

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

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now tied for last in the NL east at 0-1 but they are also only one game behind first place. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 13-18-1 on this day.

There Is Some Life In The Dugout After All

GAME RECAP: Phillies Sweep Pirates 6-4

Last year, Phillies pitcher David Buchanan was scheduled to pitch this game, the last tuneup of the exhibition season at Citizen's Bank Park. But he never got to the mound; the game was rained out, and Buchanan found himself headed to the Minors instead as the Opening Day starter for Lehigh Valley. This year, he not only made it to the mound, he turned in five strong innings that soldified his presence in the starting rotation in a 6-4 Phillies win Saturday over the Pirates. "I remember just being so excited to pitch -- and then it never happened," Buchanan said. "That's just part of it." Saturday, Buchanan pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks and striking out four. He finished 3-0 this spring with a 1.29 ERA. "Overall, I'm pretty pleased," he said. "My curveball was successful this spring; I've had good command and been consistent in the strike zone. Walking guys gets on my nerves, and I'm still trying to avoid that. "I wouldn't say I feel secure; I'm comfortable that I can have success at this level, but I'm never going to be content. I think that goes for all of us on this team. We're hungry. We want to go out and prove people wrong." The Phillies announced that Buchanan will be the third starter behind Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang. Jerome Williams is the fourth starter. "The experience he gained last year has really shown," Phils manager Ryne Sandberg said. "All the way through the spring, he's had a really confident feel for what he wants to do and what kind of pitcher he is. He's done very well." The Phillies got a boost from the start as Pirates starter Charlie Morton showed he's not all the way back from offseason hip surgery. After the game, the Pirates placed him on the disabled list; Morton will head to Florida and pitch in extended Spring Training. "What you saw was a guy battling without being physically able to do his best," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "His arm feels fine. He's been able to compete, and we're optimistic. But he just didn't look right." While the Pirates' final roster isn't set, Hurdle announced that Vance Worley would take Morton's spot on the rotation. Ben Revere singled to lead off the game and stole second. Morton moved Revere to third with a wild pitch as he was in the process of walking Odubel Herrera, and that was when things went sideways. Morton threw a pitch behind Chase Utley and another at Utley's ankles that the second baseman hopped over. Morton steered a pitch over the plate that Utley drilled to center for a single that put the Phillies up 2-0. Then Morton hit Ryan Howard, walked Carlos Ruiz to load the bases, hit Grady Sizemore and walked Cody Ashche before getting out of the inning thanks to a double-play grounder by Buchanan. But Morton opened the second by walking Revere and allowing a single to Herrera. Ryan Howard grounded to first, but Pedro Alvarez, trying for the force at second, made a poor throw that Jordy Mercer couldn't handle. Herrera and Howard were safe, and Revere scored on the throwing error. Carlos Ruiz followed with a single that scored Herrera. A walk to Cody Asche finally brought Hurdle from the dugout and ended Morton's day. Morton allowed four hits, five walks and hit two batters in 1 2/3 innings, throwing just 31 strikes in 70 pitches. The Pirates got two runs in the sixth on Corey Hart's double off Ken Giles, scoring Andrew Lambo and Keon Broxton. In the seventh, the Pirates added two more runs off Seth Rosin, as Broxton singled to score Josh Bell and Eric Wood.

NEXT GAME:

Both teams are off Sunday. The Pirates travel to Cincinnati and will open the season Monday with Francisco Liriano on the mound against the Reds' Johnny Cueto. It's the second straight Opening Day start for Liriano (he also started Opening Day 2009, with the Twins). The Phillies will open at home against Boston, with Cole Hamels on the mound against Clay Buchholz.

PHILS PHACTS:

Opening Series Preview – The Red Sox and Phillies will resume a rivalry that began when they faced each other in the 1915 World Series with an Opening Day matchup at Citizens Bank Park on Monday. A more recent connection between the franchises centered on Phillies ace Cole Hamels. Despite spring-long speculation that Boston might trade for the left-hander, he remains in red pinstripes and will start against Boston's Clay Buchholz. First pitch is set for 3:05 p.m. And there's Shane Victorino, a star of the Phillies run of five straight division championship starting in 2007. Now the Red Sox right fielder, he'll be getting his first at-bats in Citizens Bank Park since being traded to the Dodgers at the Deadline in 2012. Both teams are coming off last-place finishes in 2014, but enter the new season with dramatically different expectations. The Red Sox have made extensive roster renovations, not to mention an up-close-and-personal view of what's possible after winning the World Series in 2013 a year after finishing last. To bolster their chances they shelled out $95 million to sign Pablo Sandoval and $88 million for Hanley Ramirez to reinvigorate their offense. The club also signed Rusney Castillo for $72.5 million last year, and the outfielder will start the year in the Minors. Buchholz is the only starter remaining from Opening Day 2014. Rick Porcello was acquired from Detroit and Wade Miley from Arizona in the offseason while Joe Kelly came from St. Louis before the Trade Deadline last season. "I think there's a lot of excitement, and rightfully so, about the additions [general manager Ben Cherington] has made to our team," manager John Farrell said. "This is a talented group." In addition to revamping the rotation, the Red Sox have addressed concerns about an offense that had a .684 OPS last season; only the Mariners finished lower in the American League. "There's no question our lineup is much more deep," Farrell added. "It's got more power potential. It's got a chance to be a dynamic-type lineup." The Phillies, on the other hand, have been upfront that they view this as a rebuilding season. Club president Pat Gillick candidly said on multiple occasions that he doesn't expect the Phillies to contend in 2015 or '16. "I don't think it's in the cards. I think somewhere around 2017 or 2018," he said. That's why, despite hitting fewer home runs (125) than any season since 1997, the Phillies traded Marlon Byrd and Jimmy Rollins, who combined to hit more than a third of them. But those deals netted Minor League pitchers Zach Eflin, Tom Windle and Ben Lively who, the Phillies hope, can help form the basis of their next great rotation. For the series finale, players from both teams will wear replica 1915 caps, commemorating the centennial of the Phillies first World Series appearance. Even though the opening of a new season is a time to look forward, in this case it will be fun to reflect a little on the past as well.

Final Formation Of The Roster – The Phillies won't finalize their roster until closer to the deadline Sunday, ending the exhibition season with an answer about Ken Giles' health but a big question in the outfield, where Ben Revere is rumored to be on the trading block. FOX Sports first reported that the Phillies were widely shopping Revere, who hit .205 this spring. Revere, 26, is owed $4.1 million in 2015. If he isn't traded, he'll open in the outfield with Odubel Herrera and Grady Sizemore, with Jeff Francoeur, Darin Ruf, Jordan Danks, Cord Phelps and Russ Canzler fighting for the final spots. Giles has been fighting a back injury and came out in the middle of the sixth inning Saturday after getting just one out, allowing two hits, a walk and two runs. But afterward, Giles and Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg were adamant that Giles was ready to go for the regular season. "Giles felt fine," Sandberg said. "We just wanted to get him out there on the mound. He actually had his best fastball of the spring. He passed the test." Asked if he'd be confident in using Giles on Monday, Sandberg said: "Absolutely." Giles has an 8.00 ERA this spring. "I felt fine," Giles said. "My No. 1 priority was just getting out there and facing hitters. I feel fine about Monday. I didn't care what the outcome was. I just wanted to get out there before Opening Day."

Bolstering The Bullpen – The Phillies have reached a deal with Dustin McGowan, adding the 32-year-old right-hander to their bullpen, the club announced on Saturday night. McGowan went 5-3 with a 4.17 ERA in 53 appearances (eight starts) last season with Toronto. He is 25-27 with a 4.57 ERA in 158 appearances (68 starts) over parts of seven seasons with the Blue Jays. He had a 6.75 ERA in seven Cactus League appearances this spring with Dodgers, who released him on Tuesday. He would have made $1 million had he made the Dodgers. The Phillies must finalize their Opening Day roster before 3 p.m. ET on Sunday. Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles, Justin De Fratus and Jake Diekman entered the weekend as locks to make the big league roster, and the team selected the contracts of relievers Jeanmar Gomez and Cesar Jimenez on Saturday, putting seven in the Opening Day bullpen. Rule 5 Draft pick Andy Oliver had been outrighted to Triple-A, but he elected to become a free agent. Right-hander Luis Garcia remains in Phillies camp. He has options remaining. The club could elect to carry an eighth relief pitcher until it needs a fifth starter on April 12.

THE BEGINNING

After ending 2014 with a 73-89 record, there second consecutive losing season, the Phillies are currently tied for first place for the 2015 season. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 9-12-0 on this day.

Phillies Fall To Frat Boys

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Fall To Spartans 6-2

Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg downplayed the end result Sunday afternoon at Bright House Field. The Phillies scheduled an exhibition against the University of Tampa, which is the No. 1 Division II baseball team in the country. The club wanted to give its younger players and non-roster invitees some work against the wide-eyed kids before opening the Grapefruit League season Tuesday against the Yankees. Philadelphia lost to the amateurs, 6-2. "Well, you know," Sandberg said, asked if it was embarrassing to lose to a college team, "it kind of shows where we're at as far as seeing players and workouts and seeing the work that needs to be done. I think it just emphasizes that." Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz and other Phillies veterans never touched the field, but the youngest player on the field for the Phils (Odubel Herrera, who was born Dec. 29, 1991) was older than every player on the Spartans. They also have years of professional experience in the Minor Leagues. In a twist, the Spartans took the lead in the seventh inning with a big assist from Andrew Amaro, the nephew of Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. The Spartans first baseman worked a bases-loaded, two-out, nine-pitch walk against right-hander Nefi Ogando to score the tying run. "It was one of my coolest baseball games ever," said Amaro, who is from Bensalem, Pa., and attended Penn Charter. "Obviously my name means something in the Philadelphia area. It was just cool to go out there and compete and have a pretty good game against my favorite hometown team." Amaro said there was no trash talking with his uncle leading up to the exhibition. "My uncle said he didn't even know about the game until four days ago," he said. Right-hander Hector Neris replaced Ogando, but served up a grand slam to Giovanny Alfonzo to give the Spartans the four-run lead. "That was awesome," Amaro said. "Giovanny is on Cloud 9. He said that was the coolest experience of his life." It wasn't for the Phillies. "You just get some of the cobwebs out," Sandberg said. "It kind of shows after some practices where we're at on certain things."

TUESDAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Phillies take on the Yankees at home.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Out – Phillies second baseman Chase Utley will not be in the lineup for Tuesday's Grapefruit League opener against the Yankees at Bright House Field. Utley sprained his right ankle in January and has not fully recovered. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said the Phillies are going to "ease him in a little down the road." Sandberg declined to say if Ryan Howard or any other regulars will be in Tuesday's lineup.

Beat The Clock – For the first time in Major League Baseball, when the Phillies faced the University of Tampa at Bright House Field on Sunday, the time between innings and pitching changes was timed. There was a large clock immediately to the left of the batter's eye in center field and a smaller one on the façade behind home plate. The goal is to improve the pace of play by eliminating time between the end of the break and the resumption of play. It is one of three major initiatives MLB has announced for the 2015 season involving the tempo of games. Immediately after the third out of each half-inning, the countdown began from 2:25; it will be 2:45 for nationally-televised games. With 40 seconds remaining, the next batter is announced and his walkup music begins. With 30 seconds, the pitcher throws his final warmup. At 25 seconds the batter's walkup music ends and the batter is required to be in the box and the pitcher ready to deliver with between five and 20 seconds. At least, that's the way it's supposed to work. And, for the most part, it went pretty smoothly Sunday. "It kind of went unnoticed for the most part," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I really didn't notice it that much at all. When the time was right for the hitter to walk up there, it kind of happened naturally. So I don't think there was a lot of stress about it. It just kind of flowed." Which, of course, is the goal. Since the actual time devoted to commercials between innings is 2:05 (2:25 for national games) the goal is to have the first pitch of the inning delivered before the clock actually runs out. And that was the case going into the bottom of the first when University of Tampa right-hander David Heintz's first pitch to Phillies leadoff hitter Odubel Herrera came with 15 seconds to spare. Not every changeover went as flawlessly but there weren't many snags considering that details of the changes were made public Feb. 20. Phillies starter Paul Clemens said he had no problem with the new rules. "I've always gotten to the mound quickly," he said. "I want to get on there and go. That way the opposing team isn't able to sit there and settle in. So I've always -- after the third out is made by my offense -- I've always gotten right back out there." Two other pace of play adjustments stipulate that batters must, under most circumstances, keep one foot in the box between pitches, and managers will no longer come onto the field to issue challenges. Those changes had little impact in this game. Since the umpires were not a standard MLB crew -- behind home plate was Gary Glover, who works on the Bright House Field grounds crew -- Sandberg didn't remind his hitters that they aren't supposed to step out between pitches. He'll do that before Tuesday's Grapefruit League opener against the Yankees. Also, since instant replay was not used, the tweak on how challenges will be issued wasn't a factor, either. That, plus the fact that there were 10 pitching changes, makes it difficult to read anything into the fact that the time of game was 2:57. Still, it was the first step on the latest significant update in the way MLB games will be played.

Rotation Competition – Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez said pitching is pitching and he will pitch happily anywhere. Of course, he would be especially happy in the Phillies' rotation. Gonzalez, 28, wants to start, and the Phillies are giving him a chance this spring. They open their Grapefruit League schedule Tuesday against the Yankees at Bright House Field, and Gonzalez will be competing with David Buchanan for the fifth spot in a rotation that figures to include Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams. "I've always been a starter," Gonzalez said through a translator Sunday. "That's important. I'm used to that. I've always been one." Gonzalez makes his Grapefruit League debut Thursday against the Astros in Kissimmee, Fla., and there will be plenty of eyes on him. He is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract, which has not yet panned out. "It didn't go as well as I wanted last year," Gonzalez said. "This year I'm much better prepared, and much more mentally focused on what I have to do. The setbacks last season … I thought I was physically ready and I'd have a setback. If it wasn't one thing it was another. This year, all that stuff is out of the way." The Phillies and Gonzalez originally agreed to a six-year, $48 million contract in July 2013, with the Phillies expecting him to immediately jump into the 2014 rotation as a legitimate No. 3 behind Hamels and Lee. But Gonzalez lost $36 million in the deal following a physical, which revealed shoulder issues. Those issues popped up last season, which precipitated a move to the bullpen. The club felt Gonzalez's shoulder would hold up better there. Gonzalez pitched pretty well in relief. He had a 3.14 ERA in 11 appearances with Double-A Reading and a 1.65 ERA in 12 appearances with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before he joined the Phillies in September. He allowed nine hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings that month. But Gonzalez believes he can be a better starter, and he expressed those desires to the Phillies after the season. They could use the help. The Phils have pretty decent bullpen depth, but should they trade Hamels or Lee at some point, they are remarkably thin in the rotation. So Gonzalez's health and durability are important. He said his shoulder is finally 100 percent healthy. "Hard work," he said about his offseason regimen. If Gonzalez can stay healthy and throw well, he could work his way into the rotation, although Buchanan enters spring as the favorite based upon a solid rookie season. But certainly the Phillies and Gonzalez hope he eventually lives up to the hype he brought with him in 2013. "I don't have to prove anything to anybody," Gonzalez said. "I just have to go out and play my game and not worry about what other people think."

Bringing Confidence To Bullpen Competition – Paul Clemens is not afraid to say he has a great arm and two "hellacious" pitches. But he will need to pitch well this spring to make the Phillies' seven-man bullpen, which has three openings behind Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles, Jake Diekman and Justin De Fratus. Clemens, who signed in the offseason as a non-roster Invitee, will need to improve upon the 5.51 ERA he posted in 48 appearances the past two seasons with Houston. It is not impossible for Clemens, who pitched two perfect innings in Saturday's 6-2 exhibition loss to the University of Tampa, to make the team. Jeff Manship made the Opening Day roster last season as a non-roster invitee and Manship does not throw nearly as hard as Clemens, who hit 96 mph on the radar gun in the first inning. "Some pitching coaches tell me how incredible my arm is and that I could play for a long time, so I think I've been showing some guys what I bring to the table," Clemens said. "I had a couple really good conversations with front office and some guys around here, so it's definitely motivating. "I feel like I've got two pretty hellacious pitches -- my fastball and my curveball. I feel like I could do a multitude of things in this game." So where has Clemens fallen short? "Command in both of [my pitches] all the time," he said. "You don't get away with much and I feel like if you go watch video of me, you go see some of the better hitters in the game, I've punched tickets on three straight pitches. I've proven to the guys who need to be proven to what I can do. "Sometimes I think I get too overzealous with my fastball and I just pound it and pound it and pound it. So picking my spots more, being smarter. You can't really challenge guys at this level. Once in a while you've got to pick your spots, but you can't challenge too many guys, even the guys you don't really know their names as much. You've still got to pitch."

ON THE RECORD:

The Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions either this year or next.