An Ugly Night For The Phillies

GAME RECAP: Nats Swat Phils 9-1

The Nationals showed plenty of firepower Friday night in a 9-1 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park as Major League Baseball celebrated Jackie Robinson. Michael Taylor hit a leadoff home run and Jayson Werth added a three-run double in the Nationals' five-run first inning. The Nationals scored a run in both the third and fifth innings before Bryce Harper hit a towering two-run home run to right field in the sixth -- the 101st of his career -- to give the Nationals a nine-run lead. "We are battling every day. We are having a lot of fun," Harper said. "I think [manager] Dusty [Baker] raises a lot of emotion in the game, a lot of opportunity for all of us. It's a lot fun coming in here every single day playing the game of baseball." The offense backed a strong start from the Nationals' Joe Ross, who allowed three hits over 7 2/3 shutout innings. The Phillies' rotation had been the best in baseball through 10 games with a 2.14 ERA and 0.81 WHIP, but right-hander Jeremy Hellickson allowed seven hits, six runs (five earned runs) in just three innings. "It wasn't a lot of fun," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It seemed like we were out of it from the beginning." Ryan Howard tied Joe DiMaggio for 81st on the all-time home run list with his 361st career homer in the ninth for the Phillies' only run. "It's surreal," Howard said. "Sometimes it's hard to think of your name being in the same breath as some of these guys that have played the game before. So it's a very humbling situation. I don't know. Words really can't describe that kind of feeling."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The five-run first proved to be insurmountable for a Phillies offense that is expected to struggle to score runs all year. In its first 10 games, Philadelphia had skirted by on the tails of excellent starting pitching and typically one breakout offensive performance to win a ballgame. The Phillies got only two men in scoring position all night before Howard's ninth-inning homer, and that was when Franco stranded all three men on base in the third. Through 11 games, Philadelphia is averaging 2.72 runs. "Obviously we're not hitting the ball very well right now," Mackanin said. "But anytime you get beat up like that early and you've gotta climb out of that hole early, it's tough."
• "Over the course of a season you're going to have games like this. These aren't really the guys you want to have it against." -- Howard, on the team's offensive struggles.
• Darin Ruf lined out to Werth in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter. Ruf had not played since Monday after he jammed his left shoulder diving for a ball. Ruf is expected to be in the starting lineup Sunday afternoon against Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will be looking to rebound from Friday's one-sided loss. They send Aaron Nola to the mound Saturday night, hoping Hellickson's outing was merely a blip on the radar, rather than a serious interruption to the momentum Philadelphia's rotation had prior to Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Honoring Robinson – The Phillies celebrated Jackie Robinson Day before and during Friday night's game against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Some of the festivities included: Members of the Phillies and Nationals wore No. 42 in honor of Robinson's Major League debut. Fans watched highlights of the Ken Burns documentary, "Jackie Robinson," on Phanavision. The Negro Leagues' Philadelphia Stars also were honored. Dr. Mahlene Duckett-Lee, daughter of former Philadelphia Stars player Mahlon Duckett, took part in an on-field tribute. Members of the Tuskegee Airmen served as honor guard. Zion Spearman and Scott Bandura of the Anderson Monarchs threw out ceremonial first pitches. The Phillies also recognized Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar John Bernagene, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, and Phillies' RBI Jackie Robinson Scholar Skyler Glover, a freshman at Rutgers-Camden. Berachah Baptist Church, Bright Hope Baptist Church, Deliverance Evangelistic Church, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Mount Airy Church of God in Christ and Sharon Baptist Church sang the national anthem.

Impressive Company – Maybe the Phillies need more Sarge in their lives. Former Phillies slugger, broadcaster and fedora aficionado Gary Matthews made an appearance in the Phillies' dugout before Friday night's 9-1 loss to the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. He ran into Ryan Howard and asked him a small favor. "Hit one for Jackie," Matthews said, referring to the Jackie Robinson Day festivities. "Believe it," Howard replied. Well, Howard fulfilled his promise and hit a solo home run to right field in the ninth inning. It not only was Howard's fourth homer of the season, it was the 361st homer of his career. It tied Howard with Joe DiMaggio for 81st on the all-time home run list. "It's surreal," Howard said. "Sometimes it's hard to think of your name being in the same breath as some of these guys that have played the game before. So it's a very humbling situation. I don't know. Words really can't describe that kind of feeling." Howard has hit 23 homers in each of his previous two seasons. If he matches that total this season he will finish 2016 with 380 homers, which would put him in sole possession of 70th place on the all-time homer list. He would pass Hall of Famers Ralph Kiner (369), Carlton Fisk (376), Tony Perez (379) and Orlando Cepeda (379) along the way. Howard is hitting .219 with four home runs, seven RBIs and an .883 OPS through 11 games. He did not hit his fourth homer until his 22nd game last season and his 18th game in 2015. "I'm feeling pretty good," Howard said. "Just trying to find some green out there."

Just A Blip – Jeremy Hellickson's second pitch Friday night sailed over the left-field wall, and the Phillies quickly found themselves in trouble from there. It took their Opening Day starter 43 more pitches to get through the first inning of Friday's 9-1 loss to the Nationals. When the Phillies returned to the dugout after the first inning, the Nats already led 5-0. "I just didn't command like I needed to," Hellickson said after the game. The Phillies played their first 10 games against the Reds, Mets and Padres, but they saw their best lineup in the 11th game of the season against the Nationals. Washington ranked 10th in baseball last season with 703 runs scored. Its lineup has a 2-3-4 of Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman. "It's an aggressive lineup," Hellickson said after the game. "It's a good lineup. But I just wasn't good today. That's what it comes down to." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin agreed. "I think it boils down to that our starting pitcher wasn't at his best," he said. "If you make good pitches, you're going to get Nationals out." Hellickson's poor outing ended what had been a string of strong starts. Phillies starters had thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings entering Friday night. That streak didn't get any longer. After his seven shutout innings on Wednesday, Jerad Eickhoff said the rotation was feeding off one another. Catcher Cameron Rupp told Charlie Morton it was like each was trying to top the last. The Phillies, who aren't expected to contend in 2016, led the league in ERA (2.14) entering Friday night's action, offering fans a potential glimpse into the future -- the light at the end of the tunnel of the rebuild. On Wednesday, Mackanin said he doesn't see why the Phillies won't continue their starting pitching success. It's possible the rotation could still be near the top of the league by the end of the month, but they will need to make better pitches than Hellickson made Friday night.

Being Careful Moving Forward – Vince Velasquez had one of the best starts in Phillies history on Thursday. He struck out 16 and walked none in a shutout victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. He earned a Game Score of 97, which is tied for the eighth-highest score in the regular season in franchise history. But while the Phillies' front office loved Velasquez's performance, it is being mindful of his workload moving forward. "Organizationally, the health of our pitchers is going to be very important to us," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said before Friday night's game against the Nationals. "We're not going to come out in mid-April and start announcing certain innings limits or pitch limits or things of that nature. But it is something we're keenly aware of and it's extremely important to the future of this franchise, so we're going to be certainly monitoring it all season long." Pitchers like Stephen Strasburg, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom found themselves under microscopes in recent seasons because of their respective organizations' desires to limit their workloads, despite the potential impacts on their postseasons. The Phillies are unlikely to be in the postseason hunt in August and September, so their decision will not be nearly as scrutinized, but a young pitcher's workload is an interesting topic. Velasquez, 23, pitched a career-high 124 2/3 innings in 2013, which he split between Class A Quad Cities and Double-A Lancaster, so it is highly unlikely he is pitching seven to nine innings every five days until the end of the season. But how the Phillies handle it remains to be seen. "It's about workload and we can define workload in a lot of different ways," Klentak said. "But it's about managing that." A University of Waterloo study published last year in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness determined that innings limits had no positive effect on preventing the recurrence of elbow ligament injuries. "We're trying to be as cognizant of all the research that has been done," Klentak said. "And in addition we're applying some of our own research and findings to it. We're going to talk to our medical people, our doctors. We're applying some objective data to it. And ultimately we're going to make the best collective decisions that we can to make sure these guys stay healthy. It's not as simple as looking at an innings total or looking at it the raw number of pitches. There is a lot more that goes into it." Young pitchers like Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff seem better suited to finish the 2016 season in the Phillies' rotation. Nola, who got shut down in the final week of 2015 because of the Phillies' concern about his workload, threw a combined 187 innings last season. Eickhoff threw 184. But Velasquez had Tommy John surgery in Sept. 2010, and again he has never pitched more than 124 2/3 innings in a season. Sources also told MLB.com in December that the Phillies had some concerns about Velasquez's health, which is why the trade that sent Ken Giles to Houston got delayed a couple of days and ultimately changed to include pitching prospect Mark Appel. "Vince pitched a full healthy season a year ago," Klentak said. "He's been a horse for us so far this year. At this stage, there's no story there." The Phillies hope they never have a story there. They hope to improve their chances by closely watching how much Velasquez works. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure that we're keeping the pitchers -- and all of our players -- as healthy as we can," Klentak said.

From High School To MLB – Off the top of his head, Tyler Goeddel can still recall his batting line from a game his senior year of high school. Why? It was his first time facing longtime travel ball teammate and childhood friend Joe Ross. "I was 2-for-3 that game," Goeddel said Friday, five years later. "I guess I got him pretty good." With the Nationals' Ross on the mound Friday night for his first start against the Phillies, the right-handed-hitting Goeddel, because of his platoon arrangement with Cedric Hunter in left field, was not in the starting lineup. However, Goeddel faced Ross as a pinch-hitter in the third inning of the Nationals' 9-1 win and reached on a throwing error by Nationals shortstop Danny Espinosa. The two Northern California natives still get together in the offseason, and Ross texted Goeddel on Thursday asking if he'd be in the lineup Friday. Although he didn't know Thursday night, Goeddel was disappointed when he had to tell Ross that he wasn't. After playing together since they were in grade school, the pair committed together to play college ball at UCLA. Goeddel said they decided independently, but took their official visits and went through orientation together. Both, however, had to rescind their commitments when each was a first-round Draft pick in 2011. The Padres took Ross with the 26th pick, while the Rays selected Goeddel with the 41st, in the supplemental round. "I remember, sophomore year of high school, [Ross] was throwing 78 mph," Goeddel said. "Then the next year, he came back throwing 94. We were just like, 'What happened?'" That velocity increase helped Ross post a 0.92 ERA in his senior season and led to him becoming a first-round Draft pick. Last season, Ross' heater averaged 93.4 mph and in his first start of 2016 averaged 92.7. Goeddel now trains in the offseason with Ross and his older brother, Tyson, who started on Opening Day for the Padres. San Diego visited Philadelphia for the past four games, but Tyson landed on the DL just days prior and Goeddel didn't get a chance to see him.

Today In Phils History – This is not a particularly good day to remember for the Phillies as they have been the victim of two no hitters the first coming in 1972 at the hand of Burt Hooton (the same day that former reliever Antonio Alfonseca was born) and the second occurring 6 years later when Bob Forch blanked a promising roster. Prior to those inept performances, Mel Ott hit the final homerun of his Hall of Fame career in 1946, the Phils lost the first night opener in New York City in 1952, and, despite 6 consecutive hits by Connie Ryan the following year (exactly one year after his Phillies debut alongside Smoky Burgess), they still couldn’t pull out the victory. Even back-to-back homeruns by Lenny Dykstra and Mickey Morandini weren’t enough in 1996 to give the Phillies the win. Other notable debuts on this day include Bert Humphries in 1910 and Irish Meusel in 1918. Jim Lonborg was also born on this day in 1942. However, recent Phillies history has been much more kind to the franchise as Brett Myers dominted the Rockies in a 1-0 shutout in the first victory of its kind by a visiting team at Coors Field.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 5-6 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 35-27-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

The Foundation Seems Strong

PHILS PHACTS:

Translation Please – Commissioner Rob Manfred visited every team in baseball last spring and noticed something. His words were lost to many of the Spanish-speaking players in camp. "I noticed a problem in terms of language," Manfred said. "I had a lot of senior people in the organization with me on those visits and they noticed a problem. I think it pushed forward an issue that had been sort of on the table for a long time to make sure that we did the very best job we could allowing our players to communicate as effectively as possible with the press." It is why every team is required to have a Spanish-speaking translator on staff. The Phillies recently just hired their translator: 28-year-old Diego Ettedgui, who is from Venezuela. "I think it's going to help," Phillies third-base coach Juan Samuel said. "Sometimes it takes us from what we need to do as a coach, even though we welcome the idea of helping these guys. A lot of times you have to juggle coaching with personal stuff, and maybe sometimes this guy feels more comfortable talking personally about something strictly to a translator." Last season, Samuel and veteran utility infielder Andres Blanco translated for players uncomfortable speaking to reporters. "It will be more comfortable for everybody," Blanco said. "Everybody will have their own space. Spring Training is Spring Training, but during the season it's a little bit different. People feel tension. They get mad, frustrated. It's good to have better communication." But Samuel and Blanco both hope it does not stop players from improving their English. "Now you have a tendency of seeing all the Spanish guys being together because, 'I only have to speak Spanish,'" Samuel said. "Then you have the rest of the team over there. If they learn the language it'll bring the team even closer together off the field. You don't see the Latinos out, going shopping with Cody Asche. They go with Cesar [Hernandez] or Blanco." Cordero is getting close: Hard-throwing right-hander Jimmy Cordero has not thrown a bullpen session this spring because of soreness in his right biceps, but he said he could throw off a mound as early as Monday or Tuesday. Cordero said he does not consider the injury serious and expects to make up for lost time.

Alfaro Turning Heads – Unofficially, the distance from home plate at Ashburn Field at the Carpenter Complex to second base on the half field at Bright House Field is about 545 feet. A service road separates the two. But Phillies prospect Jorge Alfaro had no problem recently launching balls from Ashburn Field to second base at the half field, which caught the attention of Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa. He had been working on the half field at the time. "It's just a different sound," Bowa said about the ball leaving Alfaro's bat. "It doesn't matter that it's BP. Where these balls go, it's different. The kid has strength. He's got some tools. Big time." It is just batting practice and it is just the first few days of camp, but Phillies coaches have been impressed with Alfaro's raw power. Of course, the trick for Alfaro will be harnessing that power at the big league level. But if he can, the Phillies will be ecstatic they got the 22-year-old catcher in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers. Good catching is hard to find. Good catching with power is a dream. The average big league catcher had a .682 OPS last season. Only three catchers hit more than 20 home runs. "BP-wise, I haven't seen a guy on a consistent basis hit a ball that far to right-center field, opposite field, ever," said Matt Stairs, who is in camp as a guest instructor before returning to the Phillies' broadcast booth next week. "I've played with [Jose] Canseco, [Mark] McGwire. Sammy Sosa had great power in BP, center field and pull power. But Alfaro has the thunder off his bat. When you see a center fielder not move in BP, just turn around and watch, you know you've got tremendous power." "He reminds me of Dick Allen," Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said. "He's got the 28-inch waist and the shoulders three-feet wide. But I'm one of those guys that gets infatuated with young players early. I've pitched to him in the cage, worked with him a little bit. You can just see it. He has a very quiet, confident stance and presence in the batter's box. Everything about him exudes confidence." Alfaro has hit .261 with 52 home runs, 250 RBIs and a .758 OPS in six Minor League seasons. He missed much of last year following ankle surgery. Finally healthy, he played 13 games in winter ball in Venezuela, hitting .262 with one home run, no walks and 16 strikeouts in 42 at-bats. "I felt a little lost," Alfaro said about winter ball. "I started feeling better the more I played." The key for Alfaro will be refining his approach at the plate. He has walked 95 times and struck out 492 times in his Minor League career. It would be advantageous to close that gap. "We've been talking about my stance and trying to be more athletic," Alfaro said. "I just want to be more consistent at the plate. But I also need to get better at calling games." "He better learn to hit the ball inside," Stairs said. "When you watch a guy taking batting practice and he has tremendous power center field to right-center field -- because that's what his swing is -- now it's an adjustment of how he can react to pitches inside. Can he turn on pitches? It will be interesting to see what adjustments he makes." The Phillies are hopeful the hitting and catching comes -- Alfaro's throwing arm is as impressive as his power. The club has another highly regarded catching prospect in the system in Andrew Knapp. If both make it, one of them could change positions. Alfaro has some experience at first base and has worked out in the outfield. "He's young," former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He still needs some experience to finish him off, but he has a chance to be a good hitter, a power hitter in the big leagues." "He's a strong kid," catcher Carlos Ruiz said. "He can swing the bat. He's a guy you have to keep your eyes on."

A Strong Foundation – Mike Schmidt has lived through the good times and the bad with the Phillies. He was in uniform when a young team won three consecutive division titles in the 1970s, and in 1980 when they celebrated a World Series title for the first time. Schmidt played in the '83 Series loss to the Orioles. And during the Hall of Famer's 18 seasons, he was around when the Phillies were losing a ton of games, like 97 in 1972 or 91 in '73 or 82 the following summer; a combined 191 his final two years, 1988-89. By my count, Schmidt was with the Phils for 1,398 of the franchise's record 10,650 losses. The team has finished last 33 times. Michael Jack has seen this team torn down and rebuilt more times than he can remember, so there's really no one better to ask of what the current construction project reminds him. "The Kansas City Royals four years ago," Schmidt said the other day without hesitation. "And I think we're closer to the World Series than the Royals were then." Kansas City, building from within with young players, lost 90 games in 2012 and, of course, rose to beat the New York Mets last year to win its first World Series championship in 30 years. "Just say I'm very impressed with the young talent here," Schmidt, a Spring Training instructor, added after a workout on a cold, windy day at Bright House Field. "There's a lot of energy." Ask baseball lifer Pete Mackanin what his youthful band of virtually unknown players reminds him of, and the manager chews on the question for only a second or two. "Right away, I think about the Montreal Expos with a lot of young guys when Warren Cromartie, Andre Dawson, Ellis Valentine and Gary Carter came up," he said. "I was part of that mix [1975-77]. Those guys did a little better than I did over the long run. "It reminds me, in that respect, we've got a lot of guys who're not necessarily on the Major League team, but on the verge, knocking on the door. I consider Freddy Galvis, Maikel Franco and Cesar Hernandez prospects as well. Those guys did well enough last year for me to expect much more from them this year." Mackanin, 64, took over on an interim basis when Ryne Sandberg resigned on June 26, and he was given the job permanently after the season, his first full-time managerial job. He received enormous praise for his handling of and communication with the young roster. Once prompted, Mackanin was on a roll, oozing superlatives about the players who are rebuilding the Phillies' future. Once again. "I think [center fielder] Odubel Herrera has a chance to be a batting champion," the manager gushed. "I don't know about this year, but he's got a real good idea at the plate. He's shown adjustments. We need Galvis and Cesar to adjust and Maikel to get 500 at-bats. We have a bunch of prospects -- good young guys who have a chance to make a name for themselves." Herrera batted .297 in 147 games last year, while Franco hit .280 with 14 homers and 50 RBIs. Right-hander Aaron Nola, who was 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA in 13 starts, is the top pitching prospect, and shortstop J.P. Crawford, one of baseball's best prospects, is considered a big piece in the club's future. I first arrived in Clearwater to cover the Phils in 1958. For the first four years, they lost 377 games, including 107 in '61. And they only played 154 games in those seasons, all last-place finishes. When I look back over the years, I can never remember so many changes -- from top to bottom -- within the organization, as are taking place now. To say 2016 is a new beginning is an understatement. Longtime respected executive Andy MacPhail is now the club president, 35-year-old Matt Klentak is vice president/general manager and Mackanin is the new field general. Klentak is the youngest GM in Phillies history. There's an entirely new analytics department. Change was obviously necessary. It's been eight years since the Phils, under manager Charlie Manuel, won the World Series; seven years since they lost the Series to the Yankees in 2009. Their run of five straight National League East titles ended in 2012. They finished last the previous two seasons and lost 99 games in 2015, their third straight losing season. An upbeat Klentak has been talking this spring about building a firm foundation, but is quick to add "a lot of the pieces are already here." The Phillies waited too long to rebuild and were saddled with expensive long-term contracts awarded to players who helped win those five consecutive division titles, but whose skills were on the downside. Jimmy Rollins is gone. So is Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, et al. Only 36-year-old former NL MVP Award winner Ryan Howard and 37-year-old catcher Carlos Ruiz remain from the team that helped sell out Citizens Bank Park all those great years. Most preseason forecasters are picking the Phils to finish last again, and they're near the bottom among the 30 Major League teams in early power rankings. Because they had the Majors' worst record in 2015, the Phillies own the overall first pick in the Draft for the first time since 1998, when they selected Pat Burrell. This is an enormously valuable asset to a rebuilding team. "These young guys are pretty good and have a lot to prove," said Mackanin. "I hope they make very difficult decisions for us on when to bring them up here. A lot of the guys -- especially some of the pitchers -- have to be thinking they have to show improvement this year or one of these young guys will take their jobs. "If that's pressure, so be it. That's what this game is all about. If you can't handle pressure, how do you expect to win the game in the ninth inning -- or the last game of the World Series?" As the workout continued this day at Bright House Field, the overriding thought was that the painful teardown of the Phillies is complete. And the words of Schmidt comparing the rebuilding to the journey that the Royals followed were encouraging.

Getting Fit For Special Needs – It's not just Phillies players who are getting preseason workouts. Back at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, the Phillies front office and NovaCare Rehabilitation trainers recently hosted a Major League workout for elementary students with autism and an adult aphasia group. This unique Phillies Phitness "WorkOUTshop" was held in partnership with AccessSports Experiences, which provides sporting experiences to those with special needs. There were approximately 50 participants, including volunteers, with their day beginning in the Diamond Club for an introduction to what it means to be fit and why it is important, followed by a warmup to get the blood pumping. Bobby DiLullo of NovaCare and Troy Sattin, who oversees the Phillies Phitness program, made sure the group was prepped and ready for the workout. "To be fit means living a healthy lifestyle through working out, being active and maintaining a nutritious diet," Sattin said. "We are trying to create habits that make being healthy easier. It does not matter if you have disabilities; it is all about what can be done now to live a long, healthy life." Alyson Harris of AccessSports Experiences agrees wholeheartedly. "In our group today there is a range of participants, from little kids to adults, showing that sports allow for an equal playing field for individuals to come and be connected," she said. "Whether it's children with autism or adults who have had strokes or traumatic brain injuries, all of a sudden the differences are no longer there because everyone is cheering for the same team and for each other." From relay races to hitting in the batting cages, there was plenty of cheering to be had by all participants. And that is important, as some members of the group have regained speech and mobility through events like this. "One of our aphasia clients actually learned to regain her speaking voice by cheering at a game," Harris said. "It's something everyone can identify with, the experience of rooting for a team, or even each other, can transform someone's life." Activities at the Phillies Phitness WorkOUTshop were all health related, covering everything from exercise to nutrition. The younger group started in the media room, where they learned about nutrition and healthy options through a "healthy food race," with the children running to pick out healthy food items to put on their plate. Meanwhile, the older group participated in relay races, during which the batting cage netting was lifted to reveal an indoor field. Smiles were everywhere, as participants cheered on teammates running back and forth with Major League uniforms to dress up a member of the team. The most important goal of the race was not to win, but to encourage one another. At the end of the activity, the group exchanged compliments and high-fives. The groups then switched places and took part in the other activity. All participants learned the importance of being active, through both exercise and everyday activities, as well as the importance of making smart food choices. "When you're young, you can pretty much do anything you want, but as you get older and you don't have some balance in your diet, things like diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol have a greater risk of occurring. It makes the ability to be active and productive more difficult," DiLullo said. "We want to stress that if you maintain a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet, you live longer. It's something you can start at any age, and you can have fun while staying healthy." To finish the day, everyone headed to the Diamond Club for a nutritious lunch. As the group enjoyed the meal, the best mascot in baseball charged into the room for a big surprise. The children cheered and the adults clapped as the Phillie Phanatic greeted each person individually. It was no doubt a great day for all to get fit with the Phillies.

Today In Phils History - First, look to see how this spring compares to 2013. Second, be sure to wish 2008 NLCS legend Matt Stairs a happy birthday!

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!

Phillies Put Out Of There Misery In Series Finale

GAME RECAP: Mets Sweep Phillies 6-1

Lucas Duda and Travis d'Arnaud's first home runs of the year supported Jon Niese's first win as the Mets earned their first series sweep by topping the Phillies 6-1 on Jackie Robinson Day at Citi Field in their first game without David Wright. Niese scattered nine hits, holding the Phillies to one run over 6 1/3 innings despite the best efforts of Odubel Herrera and Cody Asche. The pair combined for six hits and four doubles off Niese, but the lefty worked out of multiple jams and stranded eight runners. The Phillies left 11 men on base in all. d'Arnaud and Duda supplied the power with solo shots off Phillies starter Jerome Williams, who was tagged for five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in five innings. d'Arnaud, batting in the No. 2. hole, gave the Mets the lead with a solo shot to left in the third. Duda launched a solo homer of his own into the seats beyond the right-center-field fence in the fifth and scored d'Arnaud with a sixth inning RBI double. Recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace Wright, who landed on the disabled list Wednesday with a strained hamstring, Eric Campbell singled, scored and made an exceptional barehanded play to rob Chase Utley of a bunt single in the fifth. The Phillies are 6-20 against the Mets since August 2013. "I see the discrepancy in the win-loss record," Asche said. "Do I have an explanation? No. Do I wish it was different? Yeah. If we are going to make moves, we have to take care of the teams in our division. So we definitely have to play better against the Mets."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies' right-hander allowed 10 hits, five runs (four earned runs), one walk, two home runs and struck out one in five innings. His night included leadoff home runs to d'Arnaud and Duda in the third and fifth innings, respectively.
• The Phillies' offensive issues really came to light this week against the Mets. They were 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position Wednesday, and 3-for-27 with runners in scoring position for the series.
• "Couldn't come up with a drive to put up a crooked number. We had the opportunities. Could not do it." -- Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, on his team going 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
• Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels dominated the Nationals on Saturday. He allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out five in seven innings. Hamels is hoping the offense can do something for him Thursday it has not done when he has been in his first two games this season: score a run.
• The Phillies need Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to get going offensively. They are a combined 5-for-26 with one double, one RBI and five strikeouts against Fister.

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Cole Hamels opens a four-game series Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Nationals at Nationals Park. Hamels allowed two hits, one run, two walks and struck out five in a 3-2 victory last Saturday. Hamels got the no-decision as he waits for the Phillies to score their first run for him while he is in the game. The Nationals hope to carry some momentum from Wednesday's 10-5 victory in Boston into a four-game series against the Phillies beginning Thursday night at Nationals Park. The Phillies took two of three from the Nationals over the weekend at Citizens Bank Park as Washington scored just seven runs in the series. The good news for Washington is that it has scored at least seven runs in each of the past two games.

PHILS PHACTS:

Behind Closed Doors – Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon had something on his mind Wednesday afternoon at Citi Field, so a few minutes before batting practice he hastily cleared the visitors' clubhouse of everybody except his teammates. Once the doors closed he held a brief players-only meeting. "It was a team meeting about baseball," Papelbon said before a 6-1 loss to the Mets, "About playing the game. It wasn't a big deal." Papelbon later said it was nothing more than a meeting to establish a kangaroo court. Regardless, the Phillies have plenty of things going on these days, but very little going well. They fell to 3-6 partially because Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams allowed five runs in five innings, but also because the Phillies went just 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position. They had runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but none of them scored. "I think it has been a trend here the last four or five games," said Phillies third baseman Cody Asche, who went 3-for-3 with one walk to improve to .500 (12-for-24) for the season. "We kind of need that big hit, a two-out double here and there to really spark something. It's going to come. It's still early. There's no need to panic or have knee-jerk reactions. But we do need a big hit. I think that would help a lot." The Phillies are hitting .159 (11-for-69) with just two extra-base hits with runners in scoring position this season. The batting average is 29th in baseball. "That's the first thing you ask for is base runners and opportunities," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Couldn't come up with a drive to put up a crooked number. We had the opportunities. Could not do it." Will they? The Phillies entered the night tied for eighth in baseball with 59 runners left on base -- they left 11 on base Wednesday -- which is saying something considering they ranked 23rd with a .278 on-base percentage. Their lack of extra-base hits has contributed to that. Asche had a double Wednesday. Rookie Odubel Herrera had two doubles and a triple to become the first Phillies player to have three extra-base hits in a game since John Mayberry Jr. on June 12 last season. But the Phillies' offense otherwise remained powerless. It has been for most of the season. "Don't press, keep grinding and have good at-bats," Asche said. "The law of averages has to take over sometime. The hits are going to come."

Ebb And Flow On The Mound – Jerome Williams stumbled Wednesday after he appeared to take a step forward last week against the Nationals. He allowed 10 hits, five runs, one walk, two home runs and struck out one in five innings in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. He had struggled terribly in his final three Spring Training starts, but allowed one run in six innings Friday in a victory over the Nationals. He could not build upon that success at Citi Field. "I ain't going to take no steps back from that," Williams said. "Just move forward with this one and put this one behind me and come back at home and pitch well [Tuesday against Miami]." Williams simply left too many pitches over the middle of the plate, and the Mets took advantage. He hung a breaking ball to Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud, who hit a homer to left field to lead off the third inning. He left a first-pitch fastball over the middle of the plate to Lucas Duda, who hit a homer to lead off the fifth. "Just elevated," Williams said. "Got to make a better pitch." Williams also was victim to some miscues. Mets third baseman Eric Campbell advanced to second base on a wild pitch in the second inning because the ball rolled behind home-plate umpire Dan Bellino and blocked catcher Cameron Rupp's view. Juan Lagares followed with a single to score Campbell and tie the game, 1-1. "He's supposed to release himself from the ball," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said about Bellino. "There was no courtesy there. Usually they dance out of the way and show where the ball is. Rupp couldn't see where the ball was. And [Bellino] didn't do anything about it. That might have been the first time I've seen that. That was a first for me." Third baseman Cody Asche bobbled a potential inning-ending double play ball in the fourth. It led to a run scoring to make it 3-1. But in the end, Williams allowed 10 hits, way too many for five innings. "I was just leaving the ball over the heart of the plate," he said. "You're not going to have success doing that."

Progress! – Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley threw five scoreless innings Wednesday in his second rehab start with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He allowed two hits, two walks and struck out three. The veteran starter threw 73 pitches (44 strikes), and Billingsley said the plan is to make three more rehab starts, which would allow him to join the Phillies' rotation as early as the first week of May. "I felt pretty good," Billingsley said in a transcript provided by the IronPigs. "I didn't feel like I had my best stuff, but I was able to go out there and execute some pitches to get some ground balls and get out of a jam early. "It's been a long road, but I'm excited and I'll keep working. The strength is there, my arm feels good. I talked to my doctor who performed the [2014] surgery [on my right elbow], and he said if I can get through a month and a half of pitching in games with no pain, I'll be in the clear."

Looking For Lefties – The Phillies employed a double-switch in the sixth inning Tuesday, but curiously chose not to have left-hander Jake Diekman, who was part of the switch, start the seventh inning to face Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy. Murphy, who hits left-handed, homered against Phillies right-hander Dustin McGowan in the 6-5 loss. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg explained that Diekman is the only left-hander in the Phillies' bullpen and had pitched five times in the team's first eight games. Sandberg wanted to keep his options open, but if Diekman had pitched the seventh inning and racked up eight to 10 more pitches he might not have been available to pitch Wednesday's series finale against the Mets at Citi Field, if they needed him. The Phillies could use an extra left-hander in the bullpen. Left-hander Cesar Jimenez is in Triple-A after being designated for assignment Sunday to make room for right-hander Sean O'Sullivan on the 25-man roster. "We don't have one to give them," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "The guys in the bullpen should be able to get righties and lefties out." Jimenez is not eligible to be called up for at least another week. Left-hander Elvis Araujo is in Double-A and has posted an 8.10 ERA in two appearances. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez is starting for Triple-A and is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA following two starts. The Phillies had Rule 5 Draft pick Andy Oliver in Spring Training, but the left-hander struggled toward the end of camp with his command. He allowed six hits, five runs, 11 walks and struck out 12 in 12 2/3 innings. Oliver cleared waivers and the Phillies outrighted him to Triple-A. But Oliver opted for free agency instead and signed a Minor League contract with the Rays. Oliver would've been on the short list for a callup. "We offered him a pretty good deal to come back," Amaro said. "He just decided to go somewhere else. I think it was a very foolish move on his part, but that's OK. He had a choice. He had that right."

Some Adjustments Required – Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has not started twice in the team's first nine games, including Wednesday's at Citi Field against Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese. Both times Howard has sat against lefties. Could this become a pattern? "You've got to talk to the manager about that," Howard said. "You keep bringing up these lefty questions. I talked with Ryno [manager Ryne Sandberg] earlier about that kind of stuff. I think right now it's more so trying to get rest, days off here and there. "I don't think it's going to be a pattern. I think early on he said that he's going to pick days to get rest. Obviously with it being two lefties and two days off people are going to try to make something out of it, but it's nothing. Like I said, we had that conversation earlier that when this situation arises that's what it is." "We'll see as we go forward," Sandberg said, when asked if this could become a regular thing. "It's a chance for a right-handed bat to get in there. Kind of take that a series at a time." Howard entered Wednesday hitting .148 (4-for-27) with three doubles, one RBI and 10 strikeouts. Interestingly, pitchers have been attacking Howard with fastballs more than ever. "It's confusing isn't it?" Howard said. According to FanGraphs pitch type data, 59 percent of the pitches Howard has seen this season have been fastballs. That is his highest percentage of fastballs since he became an everyday player as a rookie in 2005, when it was 58.3 percent. That number dipped as low as 44.8 percent in 2009, remaining in the 44.8 to 51.3 percent range from 2007-13. It is a small sample size, but FanGraphs Pitch f/x plate discipline data also shows Howard is seeing 55 percent of his pitches in the strike zone this season, far and away his highest percentage since it started recording the data in 2007. It has been between 39.5 to 43.7 percent from 2007-14. The data also shows Howard is swinging at more pitches than ever before, but making less contact when swinging at pitches thrown inside the strike zone. "I have to make adjustments," Howard said. "You get guys like [Max] Scherzer and [Matt] Harvey yesterday, those guys will sit 95, 96 mph. There's been a pretty good amount. It's just about getting them in the zone and taking care of them." Sandberg said he sees bat speed with Howard, but he also said adjustments are needed. "He's getting fastballs throughout the game," Sandberg said. "I've had a conversation with him about being on the fastball. Each day that's a different speed. It's a game of adjustments. If a guy's at 96, then you need to do something to be a little earlier to be on 96. If it's 89 and sinker that day then you want to be on 89 and sink. That's the game of adjustments. That's where the inconsistency has been, just not being on the fastball that day. "The amount of fastballs that he's getting, he should look fastball and just really disregard the breaking ball until he gets two strikes."

A Lasting Legacy – The Phillies wore No. 42 jerseys Wednesday to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day at Citi Field. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said he heard plenty of Robinson stories when Don Zimmer managed the Cubs from 1988-1991. Robinson and Zimmer played together with the Dodgers. "He just liked his wild abandon on the bases," Sandberg said. "His aggressive, total aggressive approach to playing the game in all aspects. He also remembered like 10 or 15 times he stole home." Said Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard: "The first thing that comes to mind when I hear Jackie Robinson is hero. Robinson is a hero because he helped pave the way for me to be able to play in this game today."

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 3-6. 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 27-45-0 on this day.

Pat Gets A Plaque, Frenchie Has A Chance

PHILS PHACTS:

Burrell Headed To The Wall – The Phillies offered Pat Burrell a pretty sweet farewell from Philadelphia in 2008. Burrell led the World Series championship parade down Broad Street. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Rays a short time later, ending his nine-year career with the Phillies. But the Phillies are bringing Burrell back to Citizens Bank Park on July 31 to induct the slugger onto the organization's Wall of Fame. "He was a big part of our team," former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said Thursday at Bright House Field. "People in Philadelphia were excited about him. They stuck with him even when he would hit some slumps or wouldn't do so good. He became a big leader on our team." The Phillies made Burrell the first overall selection in the 1998 First-Year Player Draft. He debuted with the Phillies in 2000 and delivered a double in the seventh inning in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series, which led to the winning run in the series' final game. He hit .257 with 251 home runs, 827 RBIs and an .852 OPS during his time with the Phillies. Only Mike Schmidt, Ryan Howard and Del Ennis have hit more homers in Phillies history. Burrell's 827 RBIs rank 10th on the franchise list. "It's a tremendous honor and privilege to be added to the wall next to Philly's all-time greats," Burrell said in a statement. 

Frenchie Has A Chance – Former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said last week he hopes to help Jeff Francoeur's swing and get him back to the big leagues. "Hopefully, we can get him back to where he was a few years ago," Manuel said. The true tests will come once Grapefruit League games begin on Tuesday, but so far Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg has liked what he has seen from Francoeur, a non-roster invitee who could make the team as an extra outfielder. "He's fun to be around," Sandberg said following Thursday's workout at Carpenter Complex. "He's a guy that's very welcome in camp as far as everybody is concerned. For a right-handed bat, he's making some adjustments. He's trying some things differently. He's shown some very good swings of the bat off the coaches so far in camp, so I'm anxious to see him in game situations." Domonic Brown, Ben Revere, Grady Sizemore are locks to make the outfield. Darin Ruf has a good shot at a spot because he can also play first base. Rule 5 Draft pick Odubel Herrera has a good chance to make the team, too. Francoeur could battle Ruf for a roster spot because both hit right-handed, or both could make the team if the Phillies decide to carry only one utility infielder or one fewer relief pitcher in the bullpen. "He's shown to have a good arm in right field, and he's a good outfielder," Sandberg said. "He brings a good attitude to the clubhouse. It seems like every time I look at him he's got a few guys around him. I think there's a good reason behind that. Players tend to go to him." The Phillies want infielder Freddy Galvis to think down and think easy. Sandberg said the coaching staff has been giving Galvis a few key reminders in the batter's box. "'Abajo' is down and the other key is 'suave' to take it easy, take it easy," Sandberg said about the native Venezuelan. "When he swings easy, the ball jumps off his bat. Then he has a chance to get bigger from then on out. I think just taking it easy and putting a consistent bat on the ball and a short swing for Freddy will help him. He'll have to fight that a little bit. It's a part of his game, but he has to go forward to help us win games."

The Phillies Fleeting Options – The Phillies can remove another potential landing spot for closer Jonathan Papelbon. The Brewers and Francisco Rodriguez on Thursday agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract, effectively making him Milwaukee's closer this season. The Phillies have been trying to trade Papelbon for nearly two years. They had been talking seriously with the Brewers earlier this year, but the talks stalled in recent weeks. The Phillies also have been talking to the Blue Jays, although those discussions had been considered less serious than those with Milwaukee. Of course, anything can change with one phone call. Papelbon told CSNPhilly.com he would welcome a trade to Toronto. "Yes, Toronto interests me -- if it interests [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.]," he said. "I know some of the guys on their coaching staff. They're a good team. If Ruben can do a deal with them, I'd be interested." Papelbon has a limited no-trade clause and could block a trade to Toronto, but the closer has indicated in the past it would not be an obstacle. He is set to make $13 million this season with a $13 million club option for 2016 that automatically vests if he finishes 48 games in 2015.

Aiming For Opening Day – Nearly every time a Rule 5 Draft pick enters Spring Training, somebody likes to mention Rule 5 success stories like Johan Santana, Dan Uggla, Shane Victorino and Joakim Soria. They are the best of the best. There are many more times a Rule 5 pick does not survive camp and returns to his former team, or survives the entire season with his new team but fails to make a significant impact at the big league level. The Phillies hope Odubel Herrera, whom they drafted with the eighth overall pick in December's Rule 5 Draft, leans more toward Victorino (2004 pick) than Michael Martinez (2010 pick). "I feel good about it and excited about it when I received the news," Herrera said Thursday morning at Bright House Field. The Phillies jumped at the opportunity to draft Herrera, who won the Double-A Texas League batting title last season and the batting title this winter in the Venezuelan Winter League. He has played mostly infield in the past, but this spring, the Phillies are looking at him as an outfielder. He played exclusively center field in Venezuela, but he also will see time in camp in left and right. Because the Phillies aren't counting on making the postseason in 2015, Herrera has an excellent chance to make the Opening Day roster and stick with the team for the entire season. Domonic Brown, Ben Revere, Grady Sizemore and Darin Ruf figure to have the inside track at four of the outfield jobs. Herrera could be the fifth. "We feel like we're taking a shot on a prospect," Phillies pro scouting director Mike Ondo said in December. "We've always viewed this guy as an offensive utility guy. The difference is this year, toward the end of the year, he started playing in the outfield. He's a good athlete. He has some speed. He obviously has a feel for hitting. We like the bat speed." Herrera hit .321 with 16 doubles, four triples, two home runs, 48 RBIs, 12 stolen bases and a .775 OPS over 96 games for Double-A Frisco in 2014. His OPS ranked 10th among Texas League hitters with 300 or more plate appearances. He then hit .372 with 14 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 27 RBIs, eight stolen bases and a .988 OPS in winter ball. The 23-year-old showed more pop in Venezuela. How much more does he have? "You're going to see," Herrera said with a smile. In the previous 10 Spring Trainings, the Phillies had 10 Rule 5 picks in camp. Three made the Opening Day roster: Ender Inciarte (2013), Martinez ('11) and David Herndon ('10). Inciarte only lasted a few days before the Phillies returned him to Arizona for Ezequiel Carrera. Martinez and Herndon survived the seasons. Many forget, but Victorino didn't make the Opening Day roster in 2005. The Phillies offered him back to the Dodgers, but they declined. The Phillies got incredibly lucky there. Victorino re-signed with the Phillies, and he spent most of the season in Triple-A before getting a callup in September. He established himself as an everyday outfielder and helped the Phillies win the 2008 World Series. "I'll try to do the best I can, and if I make team as a Rule 5, I'd like to do that and follow his steps," Herrera said.

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.