deGrom And Mets Dominate Phillies In 1 Hit Effort

GAME RECAP: Mets Silence Phillies 5-0

The Mets arrived in Philadelphia closer in the National League East standings to the fourth-place Phillies than the first-place Nationals, desperate for a series win. Jacob deGrom delivered just that in a 5-0 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies' lone hit came off the bat of deGrom's counterpart, Zach Eflin, who ripped a single up the middle in the third. But for the eight batters prior and 19 batters after, deGrom didn't allow another base knock. He became the first Mets pitcher to toss a one-hit shutout since R.A. Dickey struck out 13 Orioles on June 18, 2012. Before Sunday, there had been four one-hit shutouts in which the opposing pitcher had the only hit in Mets history. The most recent also came against Philadelphia, when Cole Hamels singled off Dickey in a 1-0 Mets win on Aug. 13, 2010. "Probably since we came out of Spring Training [deGrom has been building to this]," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "There was all that concern about his velocity early, but he's just gotten a little stronger and a little stronger. … You saw better command today and probably the best sinker he had all year." It was the first time the Phillies have been held to one hit since Sept. 15, 2015, when the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg silenced them with 14 strikeouts. deGrom didn't quite match Strasburg, punching out seven Phillies, but flirted with a Greg Maddux -- a complete game on fewer than 100 pitches -- ultimately recording his first career complete game on 105 pitches. "Command of his pitches, changed speeds, worked fast, he did everything you want your pitchers to do," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of deGrom. Mackanin opened the second half by remarking that his team is shooting for an NL Wild Card spot, but the series loss to the Mets drops them seven back in that race. "It's gonna be important," Collins said. "We know going to Chicago, it's going to be a dogfight there. Same thing in Miami. … Just continue on."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eflin, the Phillies' rookie right-hander, had his fifth straight quality start on Sunday, giving up three runs on five hits in six innings. The five hits were the most Eflin has allowed since his forgettable MLB debut in Toronto (eight earned runs in 2 2/3 innings), and three of those hits went for extra bases. Eflin limited the damage by getting Neil Walker to ground out with the bases loaded to end the fifth. "He didn't have his 'A' game, but he gave us a chance to win," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "He was a little bit up in the zone, fell behind some hitters, and when he went up 0-2, he couldn't put them away."
• Phillies All-Star Odubel Herrera has enjoyed success this season while facing the Marlins, batting .364 (8-for-23).
• Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton is just 1-for-18 (.056) with a home run and 12 strikeouts this season against the Phillies. Lifetime at Citizens Bank Park, he has 10 homers in 39 games.
• The Marlins gave center fielder Marcell Ozuna a breather on Sunday at St. Louis. Ozuna, who started for the NL in the All-Star Game, has two home runs and four RBIs vs. Philadelphia.

NEXT GAME:

Positioning in the National League East is at stake when the Marlins open a four-game series at the Phillies on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. Miami is in the thick of the NL Wild Card race and aiming to gain ground on the division-leading Nationals, while Philadelphia hopes to climb into Wild Card contention. The Marlins will turn to ace Jose Fernandez to kick off the four-game set. The Phillies counter with promising right-hander Aaron Nola, who will make just his second start of the month. Fernandez, starting for the first time since Tuesday's All-Star Game, has been among the hottest pitchers in the NL. In his last 11 starts, the hard-throwing right-hander is 8-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 73 2/3 innings. Nola, who last pitched on July 2 against the Royals, is 0-4 since his last win on June 5. At home, he is 2-6 with a 5.28 ERA.

PHILS PHACTS:

Resuscitated Quality Start – Zach Eflin had a good idea of Jacob deGrom's mindset Sunday. "Outings like that, they feed off momentum," said Eflin, who threw a complete game against the Braves earlier in the month. Eflin was the only Phillie that was able to disrupt deGrom in their 5-0 loss to the Mets on Sunday. The 22-year-old's third-inning single was his team's only hit of the afternoon, as deGrom was dominant in his first career complete game. Eflin, meanwhile, could not find his groove, but he didn't let that stop him from turning in his fifth consecutive quality start. The Phillies' right-hander made his fair share of mistakes -- leaving balls up in the zone and not finishing once he got ahead in counts. But Eflin never allowed more than one run in an inning, yielding three earned on five hits in six frames. "I think I did a good job of limiting the damage when I needed to, but I know I left some balls up that shouldn't have been up," he said. "I didn't have my best stuff today, but I was able to battle." Eflin now has a 2.56 ERA in his last six starts following a lousy debut in which he gave up eight earned runs to the Blue Jays in 2 2/3 innings on June 14. The five hits he allowed on Sunday were the most since his debut, and Eflin struggled both when he was up in the count and when there were two outs. Three of the Mets' five hits off Eflin were RBI extra-base hits with two outs. Juan Lagares got the scoring started with an RBI triple in the second, and Curtis Granderson made it 2-0 with a towering solo homer in the third. Both hitters turned 0-2 counts into full counts before driving in a run. "He made some mistakes," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Eflin. "One of the things we have to address as a group is when we get hitters 0-2 or get ahead of hitters, we have to be able to put them away. We were having trouble doing that. The 0-2 count to Granderson went to 3-2, and he hit a home run off a mistake up in the zone." A Jose Reyes double made it 3-0 in the fifth inning, and Eflin followed it with back-to-back walks. A loss of command is rare for the rookie, who had given just two free passes in his previous 27 innings entering Sunday. But with the bases loaded, Eflin buckled down and got Neil Walker to ground out to end the threat. Eflin went back out and threw a 1-2-3 sixth inning to ensure a quality start. Eflin was not the star or his best self on Sunday, but he still showed why the Phillies hope he can be part of the rotation for the foreseeable future. "He's 22 years old in his first year at the big league level, and I really like him," Mackanin said. "He has a great future ahead of him. ... He made a few more mistakes than he probably should have, but he pitched a quality start."

I Got It! – Neil Walker popped up in the fourth inning of the Mets' 5-0 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon, sending the ball floating in between third base and shortstop. So, both Maikel Franco and Freddy Galvis went for it. But which one of them caught it? They're so accomplished at mimicking each other that it's nearly impossible to tell which one of them actually intended to reel in the ball. Franco, because he looked more at the ready? Or Galvis, who could've been sandbagging? Well, you have a 50-50 shot at guessing. This isn't a trick question, either. One of them caught it, and Walker was retired for the first out of the inning. The answer... Galvis, very casually. But honestly, it could've gone either way.

Today In Phils History – Despite surrendering 21 hits, the Phillies pulled off an 11 inning win over the Cubs in 1912 when Gavvy Cravath stole home as part of a double steal. A decade later, 11 year old Bob “Tuffy Reds” Cotter caught a foul ball and kept it rather than throwing it back which was common practice at the time resulting in him being arrests and sent to jail from which he was freed the next morning by a judge who stated that he was “following his most natural instincts” resulting in the Phillies becoming the 1^st team with an official policy allowing fans to keep foul balls. In 1943, The Giants and Phillies strand a combined 30 base runners to set a new MLB record. In the 2^nd game of a double header against St. Louis in 1954, the Phillies took a 8-1 lead in the 5^th when the Cardinals began stalling in the hopes of preventing the game from becoming official before the Sunday curfew which was frowned upon by the umpires who declared the game a Phillies victory by forfeit. Despite being in 1^st place at the time, Phillies GM Paul “The Pope” Owens fired Pat Corrales and took over the managerial duties, for the 2^nd time, for the remainder of the 1983 season.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 43-50 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 49-61-0 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.

You Don’t Mess With The Hoff, Eh!

GAME RECAP: Phillies Shutout Blue Jays 7-0 

Ryan Howard and Odubel Herrera each homered while Jerad Eickhoff tossed six scoreless innings in the Phillies' 7-0 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday night at Rogers Centre. Herrera finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a run scored in his third multi-hit game of the month. Howard went deep in his first start since June 8, and he now has two home runs over his last three games. "He's fun to watch," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said of Herrera. "You just never know. He can look so bad for two pitches and then hit a home run; he can look so bad for two at-bats, and then all of a sudden, come through with a big hit off a lefty. He's amazing." Eickhoff tamed a Blue Jays lineup that came into this game red-hot. Toronto scored 30 runs over a recent four-game series against the Orioles, but it managed to put just two runners in scoring position when Eickhoff was on the mound. The 25-year-old scattered three hits and four walks while striking out five. "We have a game plan," Eickhoff said about shutting down the Blue Jays. "We kind of deviate from that or change from that as the game progresses or how I'm feeling. Especially having that fastball command, it wasn't the best that I've had, but it was enough to keep them off balance and throwing that slider was huge in those fastball counts." Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey was charged with the loss despite a strong night on the mound. He surrendered the two solo shots and left with one out and a man on base in the seventh inning. When Dickey departed the game it was 2-0, but the Phillies tacked on five more runs to snap their four-game losing streak. "It's a tough place to pitch for anybody," said Dickey, who dropped to 0-5 at home. "Both Howard's ball and Herrera were wall-scrapers here, and you usually don't lose when you give up solo home runs. I was OK with that. The pitch to Herrera was a poor pitch, the one to Howard not so much. He hit it off the end and it top-spinned over the wall."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies opened up a 4-0 lead in the top of the seventh after stringing together three hits and adding three runs. Howard led off the seventh inning with a solo shot, Peter Bourjos added a two-out RBI double and Herrera brought home his second run of the game with a single. Howard, who recently lost his first-base job to Tommy Joseph, started at designated hitter on Monday and hit just his second home run since May 11.
• Herrera gave the Phillies an early 1-0 lead with his sixth home run of the season in the top of the third inning. Herrera took a 2-1 knuckleball from Dickey and sent it just over the right-field wall. According to Statcast™, Herrera's blast left the yard at 109 mph while traveling a projected 345 feet.
• Gibbons lost his challenge in the bottom of the eighth inning. Toronto had runners on first and second with nobody out when Kevin Pillar hit a grounder to third. Philadelphia's Andres Blanco stepped on third for the first out, and then threw across the diamond for a double play. Pillar felt he beat the throw to first and the Blue Jays decided to challenge, but following a review of one minute and 19 seconds, it was ruled that the call on the field stands.
• Tuesday's 7-0 victory was the Phillies' first shutout against an American League opponent since blanking Oakland, 3-0, on Sept. 20, 2014.
• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco missed Monday's series opener with a right knee sprain he sustained in Philadelphia's 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Sunday. Franco is day to day, and he could make his return to the lineup on Tuesday.
• With a single in the first inning on Monday, Toronto outfielder Michael Saunders extended his hitting streak to seven games. Saunders has been a welcome addition to the Blue Jays' right-handed-heavy lineup after missing a majority of the 2015 season and leads the team with five three-hit games.
• Edwin Encarnacion missed Monday's contest after sustaining a jammed right index finger in Toronto's 10-9 win against the Orioles on Sunday. Encarnacion is expected to play Tuesday and is also considered day to day.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies starter Zach Eflin was all smiles as he walked into the visiting clubhouse at Rogers Centre in anticipation of his Major League debut. The 22-year-old right-hander was recalled to start Tuesday against the Blue Jays. Eflin was acquired by the Phillies as part of the deal which sent Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers in 2014, and he put together a 5-2 record with a 2.90 ERA in 11 starts at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. "It's been unbelievable," said Eflin, who had seven family members make the trip up north. "Obviously, it's a dream come true. I've always wanted this to happen ever since I was a kid, and for it to finally happen and come true is something special. I'm just really looking forward to getting out there on the mound tomorrow." The Blue Jays will counter with Marcus Stroman (5-2, 4.94 ERA), who will look to get back on track after three consecutive disappointing outings. Stroman has has not made it out of the sixth inning in each of them, while also allowing a total of 17 earned runs. Toronto's Opening Day starter has seen his ERA climb over a full run higher in that span. In seven career Interleague games (three starts), Stroman is 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA. The 25-year-old graduate of Duke University is also 10-3 with a 3.59 ERA all time at Rogers Centre.

PHILS PHACTS:

Did He Turn The Corner? – Looking at the numbers, you'd be hard-pressed to find much fault in Jerad Eickhoff's outing against the Blue Jays. But the right-hander didn't see it that way, relying heavily on the usage of his slider to fire his second consecutive dominant performance and third straight quality start in the Phillies' 7-0 rout of the Blue Jays on Monday. In total, Eickhoff threw 30 sliders, using it to set up his fastball and as an out-pitch to silence Toronto's lineup, which came into the night having scored 21 runs in the last two games. The 25-year-old needed 26 pitches to get out of the first before modifying his approach to go deep into the game. "We have a game plan," Eickhoff said. "We kind of deviate from that or change from that as the game progresses or how I'm feeling. Especially having that fastball command, it wasn't the best that I've had, but it was enough to keep them off balance and throwing that slider was huge in those fastball counts." In total, Eickhoff managed five strikeouts and walked four over six innings, overcoming the command issues in the early frames. The Evansville, Ind., native managed to put up his 16th quality start in 21 big league outings and allowed an opponent to score one earned run or fewer for the fourth time in 13 outings this season. "I think I knew when my fastball wasn't kind of drifting off the plate a little bit, and I knew that I had to get a pitch to get them off," Eickhoff said about the deviation from his regular approach and going to his breaking stuff. "I knew it wasn't where it needed to be. This is a great team, they hit fastballs really well and I knew that coming in, so I've got to be precise with that offspeed stuff." Eickhoff's slider was also a big part of his seven-inning performance against the Cubs on Tuesday, in which he limited Chicago to a single run on two hits. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound righty heavily relied on the the pitch when initially called up to the Major Leagues last season, and he has once again found a way to integrate it aggressively into his arsenal. "I threw the slider a lot when I first came up last year, because I didn't have my curveball yet," Eickhoff said. "I was still trying to figure out that new baseball at the big league level. I reverted to that quite a bit, and I think these past couple starts have been kind of an eye-opening transition."

Taking Precautions – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin updated the status of recently injured starter Vince Velasquez and third baseman Maikel Franco prior to Philadelphia's home-and-home series opener against the Blue Jays on Monday. Velasquez left his Wednesday afternoon start against the Cubs after just two pitches, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with a right biceps strain. "He'll be re-evaluated tomorrow and then we'll determine when he'll start throwing," Mackanin said. "He's here [in Toronto]." The 24-year-old is 5-2 with a 3.65 ERA after coming over in a trade with Houston for Ken Giles in December, and he has been a major bright spot for the Phillies' rotation this season. While no timetable has been set for a return, Mackanin insisted the team will be cautious with their young starter. "Everything's in pencil," Mackanin said. "I'm anxious to see him tomorrow." Franco, who was out of the starting lineup for Monday's contest, suffered a right knee sprain in the Phillies' 5-4 loss to the Nationals on Sunday and is day to day. Franco hurt himself in a rundown play during the fifth inning, but he stayed in the game and finished 2-for-4 with a go-ahead home run in the ninth inning. "I didn't want to chance anything today, so we'll see how he is tomorrow," Mackanin said. "There's a little bit of swelling." "I don't feel I can be able to play today, so we'll figure it out tomorrow," added Franco, who leads the Phillies in both home runs (11) and RBIs (33). "When I come in, we'll see if my leg is better and try to be ready."

Welcome To The Majors! – Prior to Monday's game, Mackanin talked to starting pitcher Zach Eflin, the newest member of the Phillies. Eflin was called up to make his Major League debut against the Blue Jays on Tuesday in the spot normally occupied by Velasquez. While the Phillies' skipper did not guarantee a long-term spot in the rotation for the 22-year-old, he did share a few words of advice. "I was in here talking to him today," Mackanin said. "I told him, 'Up here, if you make your pitches, you're going to be successful. If you make mistakes, you're going to get hit. It's as simple as that. Pitch the way you normally pitch, and if you make quality pitches, you're going to be OK.' He's got the stuff to be successful. It boils down to command and control." Originally selected by the Padres in the first round of the 2012 Draft, Eflin was acquired from the Dodgers alongside left-handed pitcher Tom Windle in December 2014 for shortstop Jimmy Rollins. The Orlando, Fla., native went 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 11 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Today In Phils History – Milestones and Oddities are the name of the game today beginning in 1890 when owner Al Reach took over as manager due to the temporarily blindness experienced by Harry Wright. In 1983, for some reason, manager Pat Corrales tied a MLB record by using 4 right fielders in a game. Of course, I am sure there were some additional oddities on display in 2009 when the Phillies bullpen was on display in the MLB Network show “The Pen”. Who knows maybe if they followed the current Phillies they might discover some birthday shenanigans today as Hector Neris turns 27. However, the most notable moments that happened on this day occurred in 2004 when Jim Thome connected for his 400^th career homerun. 10 years later, Jimmy Rollins, who is currently a free agent, became the Phillies’ all-time hits leader with a single in the 5^th, his 2,235^th career hit, passing Mike Schmidt.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 30-34 this season putting them on pace to beat 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 42-57-0 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!

Phillies Get Unexpected Day Off

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

Phillies get unexpected day off due to rain.

NEXT GAME:

Saturday's scheduled starter, Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (0-0, 4.50 ERA), will start Sunday's 1:05 p.m. ET game against the Astros at Bright House Field, which will air on MLB.TV. The Phillies have made no announcement, but Hellickson or Aaron Nola will start Opening Day. At the moment, Hellickson is on schedule to make that start. Watch the game live on MLB.TV.

PHILS PHACTS:

Roster Getting Close To Completion – The Phillies took batting practice Saturday morning at Bright House Field, which is customary whenever they play the Blue Jays in a Grapefruit League game on an afternoon in Dunedin, Fla. But 45 minutes after they boarded the bus for the short drive to Florida Auto Exchange Stadium at around 11:30 a.m., they learned the game had been canceled because of rain. Saturday's scheduled starter, Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, will start Sunday's 1:05 p.m. ET game against the Astros at Bright House Field, which will air on MLB.TV. Before the cancellation the Phillies announced they had reassigned first baseman Brock Stassi to Minor League camp and optioned infielder Taylor Featherston to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The move leaves 48 players in camp, not including injured outfielder Aaron Altherr and injured left-hander Matt Harrison. Stassi, 26, hit .240 (6-for-25) with one double, two RBIs, three walks and five strikeouts this spring. Featherston, 26, hit .100 (2-for-20) with one home run, three RBIs, five walks and six strikeouts. "I'm happy with the way a lot of things went," Stassi said. Stassi won the Eastern League Most Valuable Player Award last year after hitting .300 with 32 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, 90 RBIs, 77 walks and 63 strikeouts with an .863 OPS in 133 games. He impressed folks with his defense this spring, but he will have to continue to hit this year to earn a promotion to the big leagues. Stassi left camp believing he can make the final jump. "Even growing up my dad always preached 'respect everyone, but fear no one,'" Stassi said. "I feel like I fit in over here. I don't know, it definitely was a confidence booster. Force the hand and prove myself. Nothing has ever been given to me in this game. I've had to earn everything. It's nothing new. Just got to keep handling my business and hopefully one day be back over here."

Former Site Now Historic Landmark – The Phillies have played Grapefruit League games at Bright House Field since 2004, but Clearwater has been their Spring Training home for 70 years. They helped the city commemorate its long Spring Training traditions Saturday, when the city unveiled a Florida Heritage Site marker at the former site of Clearwater Athletic Field. The field had been the Spring Training home of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, Phillies and other professional baseball teams from 1923-56. "When you reflect on the history of the sport in Clearwater, we've been here forever -- 70 years," Phillies chairman David Montgomery said. "Babe Ruth came here in his last year in '48. Robin Roberts was so impressed to have him here at Athletic Field he … made a fellow grab a ball and had Babe Ruth sign it for his mother. So this represents not just Phillies history, but baseball history." Fire destroyed the field's grandstands in 1956, although by that time the Phillies had moved to Jack Russell Stadium two blocks away. The Phillies played Spring Training games at Jack Russell from 1955 to 2003. But the Phillies still had rookies practice at Athletic Field once Jack Russell opened. Those players nicknamed it "Iwo Jima" because of its rock-covered field. "We had an old wooden clubhouse with about three or four nails on it for your clothes and that was about it," former Phillies pitcher and manager Dallas Green said. "The infield was a little rough. Guys were getting bad hops left and right." The North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatic Complex now stands on the site of Athletic Field, but now at least folks who walk past will know the spot has some baseball significance, too.

Today In Phils History - It was on this day in 1914 that the Killefer saga officially began as the Federal League filed an injunction against the Phillies stating that the catcher had signed a contract with the league and had already accepted payment. In 1943 a New Yorker, William Cox (who was later named club president), lead a group to purchase the Phillies from the National League for roughly a quarter million dollars. 1990 saw an abbreviated spring training as MLB owners finally ended a month long lockout on this day. Lastly, happy 75th birthday to former Phillies player, coach and manager Pat Corrales. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 12-5-2 record (13-5-2 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). 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!

Cliff Cut Loose As Phillies Focus On Rebuilding

PHILS PHACTS:

Lee’s Option Declined – It is no surprise, but the Phillies have declined Cliff Lee's 2016 club option. Lee will receive a $12.5 million buyout on Nov. 30, in place of the $27.5 million contract for next season. He made $25 million this season, though he didn't pitch an inning because he never recovered from a torn common flexor tendon in his left elbow. Lee's career may be over. "He was all about winning," Philadelphia assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said in September. "He helped us make the World Series in '09 and the postseason in '11. He pitched very well in '12 and '13. It just didn't work out. I'm sure he would have preferred things would have worked out differently, because he is a great competitor." Lee, 37, went 41-30 with a 2.89 ERA in 106 starts with the Phils from 2011-14. His ERA and 1.08 WHIP ranked fourth out of 90 qualified pitchers in that span. Lee's 6.48 strikeout-to-walk ratio easily ranked first. Clayton Kershaw's 4.74 placed second. Lee went on the DL in May 2014 and returned to make three starts in July before getting hurt again. He rehabbed over the offseason, but the injury started to bother him again in March. Lee visited Philadelphia a handful of times this year, essentially to meet with doctors to discuss his rehab, but his recovery never really went anywhere. Doctors recommended surgery, but he declined because he seemed uninterested in pitching past this contract anyway. The Phillies will recoup some of the $25 million they paid Lee this season because they insured his contract. The amount is unclear.

Phillies Claim Otero (Not Ricky) – The Phillies have claimed right-handed reliever Dan Otero off waivers from the A's. Otero, 30, went 2-4 with a 6.75 ERA in 41 games (over four stints) with Oakland last season. Over his first two seasons with the A's, he was 10-2 with a 2.01 ERA in 105 games. Opposing batters hit .333 with a .531 slugging percentage against Otero last season, the highest among Major League relievers.

Front Office Focusing On Pitching – The Phillies concluded their organizational meetings Thursday in Clearwater, Fla., with their leadership structure finally in place. They have a president in Andy MacPhail and a general manager in Matt Klentak. MacPhail and Klentak enter the offseason hoping to improve a roster that finished 2015 with the worst record in baseball. But do not expect them to send blank checks to free agents. The Phillies are not ready to take that plunge just yet, but they are planning to add a few pieces to stabilize a mostly inexperienced roster. "We will definitely do our best to improve the team for next year," Klentak said last week. "I'll stop short of saying we're going to pursue any kind of player or brand of player, because frankly I don't know that yet. But yes, we have every intention of making the club better this winter." Free agents/options: The Phillies have five players eligible for free agency: right-handers Chad Billingsley, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams; left-hander Cliff Lee; and outfielder Jeff Francoeur. None of the pitchers are expected to return, including Lee. The club will pay Lee his $12.5 million buyout for a 2016 club option on Nov. 30. Francoeur has said he would like to return to Philadelphia, and it is something the Phillies should consider. Francoeur proved to be a better-than-advertised presence in the clubhouse, providing vocal leadership to a team that sorely needs it. He also hit .258 with 13 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .718 OPS. "I talked about culture," Klentak said. "I think there are a variety of ways to sort of create the environment to allow a culture to form. One of them is no doubt bringing in veterans with strong makeup and a wide array of experiences. One hundred percent, I think that's really important. If players are playing confidently and they're having fun and they're enjoying each other's company, they're more likely to reach their ceilings and be the best versions of themselves." Of course, it remains to be seen how much MacPhail and Klentak value a player like that, but if they are looking for a veteran to nurture and motivate their young talent and show them how to be a pro, it would be difficult to find better. Needs: The Phillies need pitching. A lot of it. They need at least a couple reliable veterans to fill out the rotation. They need at least one or two reliable relievers. The Phillies went 11-10 when rookies Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff started this season. It might not seem like much, but it shows just how much a little quality pitching can help an offensively challenged lineup. "If you can pitch, you have a chance to win every single night," Klentak said. "That will absolutely become an organizational focus for us. To add pitching at every turn. In trades, through waiver claims, in the Draft, internationally, free agency. However we need to do it, we will add pitching, pitching, pitching." Besides that, the Phillies are likely to add a veteran outfielder or two, especially if they do not re-sign Francoeur. Potential targets: When it comes to starting pitchers, think along the lines of Doug Fister, J.A. Happ and Bartolo Colon -- guys who can pitch six or more innings and give the offense a chance. When it comes to relievers, we're talking about seventh-inning types who can be the bridge from starter to closer Ken Giles. In terms of an outfielder, preferably somebody with some pop. Trade assets: Do not expect the Phillies to trade any of their top young prospects. Now is not the time for that. But they could trade some of their young big league talent to help fill some holes, especially if they believe they have prospects coming through the system that could take their place before the end of next season. Financial situation: The Phillies finally cleared a bunch of salary from their books. They still owe Ryan Howard $35 million next year, including a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. They still owe Carlos Ruiz $9 million, which includes a $500,000 buyout. They are paying $28 million of injured pitcher Matt Harrison's contract, although it is believed insurance could take care of 75 percent of that. But while they have money to spend, the Phillies are not expected to be major players in free agency this winter. "I don't think you can buy a winner," Phillies owner John Middleton said. "Specifically, you have to build baseball teams from the ground up." Bottom line: Expect the Phillies to acquire a few pieces to fill out the roster, but continue to focus on their young talent. They hope their talent at the Major and Minor League levels continues to improve, and in a year or two the Phils re-enter free agency in a big way.

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.

Time For The GM Shuffle!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY: Mets And Royals World Series Previews

METS: On the eve of Matt Harvey's start in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, one of his college teammates recalled the brash freshman who arrived on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2007. Harvey had just turned down $1 million after the Angels made him a third-round Draft pick, opting instead to boost his stock with a Tar Heels team coming off back-to-back appearances in the championship round of the College World Series. "We knew he could help us, but he hadn't been there those previous two years, and he might not have taken it as seriously as we were during those fall practices," said Rob Wooten, an ace reliever for those teams who made it to the big leagues himself, with the Brewers. "I think he thought he was going to come in and breeze right through college. It didn't work that way at the beginning. I think he got humbled pretty quick. But he put his head down and he got to work. "I love Matt. He's an All-Star and he's going to win a Cy Young Award someday and now he's pitching Game 1 of the World Series. I'm definitely going to be watching." It will be a well-rested, unrestricted Harvey who takes the Kauffman Stadium mound, the fascination with Harvey's workload having been stifled after serving as a source of controversy in August and September. The fact remains that Harvey, who missed all of 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, continues to push into uncharted innings. In August, Harvey's agent, Scott Boras, made the case for a hard cap around 180 innings, while the Mets insisted they would proceed on a start-to-start basis. Now, with the Mets on the brink of their first championship since 1986, the sides appear united. Including his two postseason starts (2-0, 2.84 ERA), Harvey has logged 202 innings since the start of the regular season. "We kind of cleared that up at the end," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "It goes back to after the Yankee game [on Sept. 20, when Collins removed Harvey after 77 pitches and five scoreless innings]. "Couple days later he walked in and said, 'Listen, we're going to get in the postseason and I've got to be ready, and I'm not ready.' He said, 'My next two starts I've got to throw at least a hundred pitches to get myself back where I need to be.'" Collins conferred with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who said it was Harvey's call. "It's pretty much been Matt and me ever since," Collins said. "I don't think we've needed to go elsewhere. As long as I know he's ready to go." Harvey indicated he's ready to go. "I think there were some people that threw me under the bus a little bit about what was going on," Harvey said. "But for me being out here with my teammates is all I want, and I couldn't be happier to be with them here now." In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series he delivered a vintage performance, holding the Cubs to two runs on four hits in 7 2/3 innings, with nine strikeouts. It marked the first time Harvey threw a pitch beyond the seventh inning since Aug. 11. That outing did come at a price. Harvey took a liner directly on his right arm off the bat of Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler, and there was more swelling than expected in his triceps two days later. But he improved to the point that he was slated to start Game 5 of the NLCS had the Mets not completed their four-game sweep. Harvey will pitch Tuesday on nine days' rest. "I think the best thing and the most positive thing is how I feel after the 200-inning mark, and quite honestly, it's probably better than I did at the 100 mark," he said. Said Collins: "I think in conversations with David [Wright] and some of the other veterans, he realized that the only way he's going to be that person he wants to be is to be out in the middle of that field. So he took the baseball back. He said, 'Give me the ball.' "So I salute that. Certainly we all realize any time you're out on the baseball field something freaky could happen and your career could come to an end, but it's about the competition side and being out there with your teammates, and he wants to do that. I'm not shocked by it. And I'm thrilled that he said, 'Give me the baseball,' because he's going to get it." His old Tar Heels teammate will be watching. Harvey and Wooten remain in touch, though the last time they had an extended conversation in person was last December in Orlando during Major League Baseball Players Association meetings. Wooten said Harvey expressed supreme confidence in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, and was bullish about the Mets' young starting pitching. "He told me they were going to win there," Wooten said. "And sure enough, there they are in the World Series."

ROYALS: Game 1 of the World Series is kind of a big deal, but Royals right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez, preparing for his start Tuesday night against the Mets, smiles the same old relaxed way. "It's another game," said Volquez. "I don't have to do anything different than what I've been doing. I've got to stay focused in what I'm doing, especially this game, because this is a World Series game. You don't have too many chances to make a lot of mistakes in those games. So I've got to stay under control and pitch my game." Volquez's postseason has been up and down. He yielded five hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a loss to the Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Then he beat the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series by giving up just two hits in six innings of a shutout victory, before giving up five runs in five innings in a 7-1 loss to the Jays in Game 5. The results have swung, but Volquez has remained his happy-go-lucky self. "I don't think Dominican guys get nervous, ever," Royals catcher Salvador Perez said. "He just likes to compete, have fun and do his job -- keep the ball down, use the changeup, use his breaking ball, pitch inside." Volquez has found slightly more fastball velocity in the postseason. He is touching 97 and 98 mph. According to FanGraphs, Volquez's fastball is averaging 95.2 mph in the postseason, as opposed to 93.8 during the regular season. The Jays' Aaron Sanchez, the Mets' Steven Matz, the Cubs' Trevor Cahill and Royals teammate Chris Young have experienced greater bumps in average velocity (among pitchers with 70 or more postseason pitches), but Volquez's 1.4 mph increase is considered significant. Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said the uptick is a testament of a clean, fundamental delivery that allows Volquez to direct his power toward home plate. At times during the regular season, he became rotational and lost power by spinning to the side. Volquez prefers to use humor over technical explanation of his newfound velocity. "I don't know, from the Gatorade," he said when asked for his thoughts on a reason. "A lot of energy helps me a little bit more. I think pitching the playoffs is more exciting. And everything I pitch, everything I've got, that's what I've got. I was throwing 97, 98 the other day. I don't do that very often, but I think I've still got it a little bit." Volquez's charge against the selective Mets will be to stay in the strike zone consistently, since he has walked 12 in 16 2/3 postseason innings, with 15 strikeouts. Eiland said Volquez's faster fastball is also a sign of a free mind. After a promising early career with the Reds, Volquez was discarded by the Padres and Dodgers in 2013, only to resurface as a competitive starter with the Pirates last year. He continued that trend when he joined the Royals this season. "This guy's been around," Eiland said. "He's been released a couple of times, bounced around, given up on. He's got nothing to lose. He's very fortunate and grateful to be in this situation. He's coming right at you. He's not going to let this opportunity slip away, throwing caution to the wind. "Usually when a player throws caution to the wind, you get the best out of him."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

New GM – Andy MacPhail got his man. Matt Klentak, previously an Angels assistant general manager, was named vice president and general manager on Monday. The Phillies introduced him during a news conference at Citizens Bank Park. "I am honored, I am humbled, I am unbelievably excited to be here today," Klentak said. Klentak, 35, appeared to be the favorite for the job from the moment MacPhail joined the organization in June. Sources told MLB.com at the time that if MacPhail decided not to renew Ruben Amaro Jr.'s contract, Klentak would be his top target. The Phillies announced last month that Amaro would not return, opening the door for Klentak's arrival. MacPhail kept his GM search quiet, declining interview requests along the way. He conducted many of his first-round interviews in Chicago before holding second and final interviews this week. Those interviews involved Phillies ownership, which included John Middleton. Klentak, A's assistant GM Dan Kantrovitz and Rays vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom were the three finalists for the job. But Klentak evidently impressed everybody the most. "In Matt we found an executive with the keen ability to understand cutting-edge baseball analytics, coupled with superior scouting, player development and leadership skills," MacPhail said. "Additionally, his commitment and resolve to build the foundation for a championship-caliber team was evident every step of the way through the process. I trust Matt to lead the Phillies as we all rededicate ourselves to return championship baseball to Philadelphia." So who is Klentak? He grew up in Massachusetts and attended Dartmouth College, where he majored in economics and played shortstop. Following graduation in 2002, he took an internship with the Rockies before he joined Major League Baseball's Labor Relations Department, where he helped negotiate the 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement. He remained there until 2008, when MacPhail hired him as director of baseball operations with the Orioles, making him one of the youngest executives in baseball. Klentak worked with MacPhail in scouting, player development, contract negotiations and the construction of the 40-man roster. The Angels hired him as assistant general manager in late 2011, where he handled many of those same responsibilities. Klentak has an analytics background, but those who are familiar with him say he has a well-balanced approach to his duties. In other words, sabermetrics aren't the only thing he knows. He was former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto's No. 2 man, meaning he worked with scouts, agents and other general managers and assistant general managers. "We want to be the best at everything that we do," Klentak said. "We want to have the best scouts on the field, we want to have the best coaches, we want to have the best players, and we will. And we will use every form of technology available to us to have the best information in this industry." Scouts who know him seem to like and respect him. Field personnel seem to like him, too. He could be seen chatting in the clubhouse with Angels coaches and players following Dipoto's resignation July 1, which was a tumultuous time for the organization. Klentak is said to be likeable and a good communicator, which should help him early with a demanding Phillies fanbase and media. "This is a phenomenal sports town and the fans are equally phenomenal," Phillies partner John Middleton said to Klentak during the news conference. "As a group, we are passionate, we are knowledgeable, we are loyal, we have high standards and I think you will love be here. And when you win here, you will really love being here. There is nothing like winning in Philadelphia."

Old GM – The Red Sox took an unconventional route in the selection of a new first-base coach/outfield instructor, hiring former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. on Monday to fill that role. Amaro, 50, has no previous coaching experience and went straight to the Phillies' front office after his playing career ended in 1998. Red Sox manager John Farrell was teammates with Amaro for a short period in 1995 with the Indians. Amaro will also assist in baserunning instruction. "I am truly honored to join the Red Sox, a first-class organization with a tremendous history," Amaro said. "I was honored that Dave and John would consider me for this opportunity and add me to this dynamic coaching staff. I am poised, focused and ready to bring anything I can in terms of experience and knowledge to this position, and I look forward to being a part of the Boston Red Sox." The fact that Amaro is ready to take an on-field job lends credence to a recent report that he might be interested in managing some day. Amaro became the general manager of the Phillies on Nov. 1, 2008, right after the club won the World Series. He took over for Pat Gillick. Under Amaro, the Phillies got back to the World Series the next year, losing to the Yankees. The Phillies won the National League East from '09-11, but didn't make it to the postseason the past four years. The Phillies announced on Sept. 10 that they would not be renewing Amaro's contract. Amaro replaces Arnie Beyeler as Boston's first-base coach and outfield instructor. Beyeler was the only coach not retained from Farrell's staff. An outfielder for the entirety of his eight-year career in the Majors, Amaro should be well positioned to teach defense to Boston's young and exciting trio of Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr.

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, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Second Half Already Looking Better Than First Half

GAME RECAP: Phils Catch Fish 6-3

The Phillies hope their second half is much better than their first, and they took a step in that direction Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie left-hander Adam Morgan pitched and hit well in a 6-3 victory over the Marlins. Morgan allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings and he sparked a two-run rally in the sixth with his first career hit. The Phillies scored four runs in the eighth to take the lead with the help of a one-out error from Marlins center fielder Cole Gillespie, which allowed the go-ahead run to score, and a pinch-hit three-run home run from Jeff Francoeur. "You don't want to sit here and say we need to win this many games in the second half," Francoeur said of his team coming out of the All-Star break with a win. "More than anything I want to see us play good fundamental baseball. Tonight I thought we did that." Marlins ace Jose Fernandez snapped his 13-inning scoreless streak. He had allowed just one hit and one walk in his first five innings against the Phillies before Morgan's double, which went just over left fielder Michael Morse's head, a bunt single and an error led to two runs. "It's tough. You've got your ace on the mound, and you feel pretty comfortable if you're able to get him a few runs," Gillespie said. "We got him one early, but they obviously did a good job coming back there. It's kind of frustrating night. We don't want to start the second half [like this]. It's one game. We've got to move on from this one."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Rookie third baseman Maikel Franco drove in two of the Phillies' first three runs Friday night including the go-ahead run, but had zero RBIs to show for it. After grounding into a double play with the bases loaded in the sixth to push across the Phillies' first run, Franco accidentally came through with the deciding offensive play in his next at-bat in the eighth. The third baseman lifted a fly ball into center field that defensive replacement Gillespie overran, and the ball lipped out of his glove. The error scored Odubel Herrera from second, giving the Phillies a 3-2 lead. "I think I kind of took too sharp of an angle," Gillespie said. "When I got to the spot where I thought it was going to be landing at, it was still over my head. I kind of reached back and up [and] it went off the top of my glove. It's tough. It's definitely frustrating, especially in that spot. It's a big out, changed the whole game. It's just something I hope doesn't happen again."
• Morgan proved himself on both sides of the diamond, coming through with another solid start and sparking an offensive rally with his first career hit. The 25-year-old lefty surrendered just four hits while walking three and striking out three. The outing was the third time in Morgan's four Major League appearances that he held his opponents to fewer than three runs. Morgan's first career hit came off Fernandez in the sixth. He scored the Phillies' first run of the game three batters later. "I just ran into it," Morgan said of the double. "I wasn't trying to do anything crazy with it. I don't know. I just kind of ran into it. It just feels good to get a hit. I feel like I'm a pretty good hitter, but the numbers just weren't there. So it feels good to get the first one off."
• After the Gillespie error and the Francoeur home run in the eighth, Freddy Galvis continued the rally for the Phillies with a two-out single. He quickly ended the rally too, as he was caught attempting to steal second base. The Phillies asked for a review, but the replay officials confirmed the call on the field. The replay lasted a minute and 16 seconds.
• "I think I'm just stupid enough to be able to do it." -- Francoeur, on pinch-hitting. His home run Friday night was his first career pinch-hit home run. He is now 8-for-16 with three extra-base hits and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter in 2015.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Chad Billingsley is looking for some consistency. He has pitched six innings in just two of his first six starts this season. He has allowed four or more runs in four of those starts. Tom Koehler (7-5, 3.40 ERA) gets the middle game of the weekend series -- a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday at Philadelphia. The right-hander is 2-1 (4.30) lifetime against the Phillies.

PHILS PHACTS:

Good Way To Start Second Half – It's no secret that the Phillies are reinventing themselves. So, for a team that has been not-so-secretly shopping multiple key contributors and entered the All-Star break with fewer than 30 wins, Friday's first game back was like a second Opening Day, a grand reopening for the new Phils. And front and center on the mound as a second Opening Day starter was 25-year-old rookie Adam Morgan, one of the many young players the Phillies are hoping can parlay a solid second half of 2015 into a future in the organization. In Friday's 6-3 win, Morgan moved toward doing just that. The lefty tossed 6 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs, surrendering four hits and three walks while striking out three. He knocked a double off Marlins' ace Jose Fernandez for his first MLB hit and scored his first run for good measure. Though Morgan didn't earn the victory, his pitching kept the opportunity alive for the team to win, a fact that he said he felt was more important than starting off the second half right. "Really I was just going out there and trying to do my job," Morgan said. "I gave my team a chance to win, and hopefully everybody jumps on. Which they will. Everybody's working hard. Nobody's doubting anything in here." The mutual understanding to which Morgan hinted referred to the team's attitude on turning around this season. But it isn't limited to that. On a smaller scale, Morgan's outing Friday showed that he and his coaches are on the same wavelength when it comes to how long the rookie is capable of going. Morgan only threw 85 pitches Friday. Based on pitch count alone he very easily could have finished the seventh inning. That being said, he struggled in the seventh, falling behind batters and working himself into two separate three-ball counts. The lefty said when that began to happen, he knew it was his time to leave the game. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin recognized that too. "When you lose your command, when you're not throwing quality strikes, there's nothing else to say about it," Mackanin said. "You're just not throwing quality strikes. All of the sudden in the seventh with the lead or in a tie game or a close game, you lose that, then it's time to go." However, Mackanin was impressed with Morgan's poise on the mound, especially for a pitcher only four starts into his Major League career. And with the Phillies rotation about to get even more crowded as the team both returns veterans Jerome Williams and Aaron Harang from injury and further prepares for the future with the impending arrival of prospect Aaron Nola, most would think Morgan needed to make a statement in order to justify remaining in the big leagues. Despite this, Morgan doesn't list himself among those with that viewpoint. "I can't really worry about what everybody else is saying or thinking because it takes away from my game," he said.

Frenchie In The Clutch – Jeff Francoeur entered Spring Training simply wanting the opportunity to play in the big leagues again. He enters the final two weeks of July as someone mentioned in trade talks. It has been quite a turnaround for Francoeur, who hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run in Friday night's 6-3 victory over the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park. Francoeur is hitting .249 with 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 29 RBIs and a .708 OPS in 185 at-bats. His seven homers are third on the team, despite being 10th on the team in plate appearances (196). He also is 8-for-16 with two doubles, one home run and nine RBIs as a pinch-hitter. "I think I'm just stupid enough to be able to do it, honestly," Francoeur said about pinch-hitting. But Francoeur's combination of pop, pinch-hitting prowess, strong arm and clubhouse presence could interest and help a postseason contender. The Pirates have inquired, and other teams looking for a right-handed bat could, too. "To be honest, I hope it doesn't end in two weeks," Francoeur said. "I like it here. I really do. I would love to come back. That's the front office's job. I'm going to stay away from talking about that." Francoeur smiled and glanced in the direction of Jonathan Papelbon's locker. Papelbon hasn't been shy lately about asking out of Philadelphia. "I had a talk with [team president] Pat [Gillick] in San Francisco. I think [general manager] Ruben [Amaro Jr.] knows I like it here and this team and this city," Francoeur said. "I like playing in this division. Obviously I get to go home [to Georgia] three times a year [to play the Braves]. You never know what's going to happen with that. I've been through it before and I've not been traded, so you've just got to keep playing hard." But the fact that Francoeur is answering Trade Deadline questions shows what kind of season he has had. He played just 10 games last season with the Padres, spending most of the year with Triple-A El Paso, which is why the Phillies got him on a Minor League contract in November. "He's going to have to prove to us and to himself and others that he can be a contributor to this club," Amaro said about Francoeur in Spring Training. "It's hard to tell [what his upside is]. I don't know. I know the people are excited about working with him, and hopefully he feels the same about being with us." Francoeur made the Opening Day roster and a few days later hit a three-run home run against the Red Sox to give the Phillies their first victory of the season. "I wanted an opportunity to play some more, man," Francoeur said. "They took a chance on me in camp when I didn't exactly light it up down there in Spring Training. So far it's been good."

Nola To Debut Tuesday – Phillies fans craving a glimpse of the future will have an opportunity to watch Aaron Nola make his big league debut Tuesday night against the Rays at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies selected Nola with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 Draft, and ever since, fans have been pleading for his arrival. Nola, 22, is the No. 2 prospect in the organization, according to MLB.com, and the No. 28 prospect in all of baseball. "He's a highly touted prospect. We're hoping to get a good performance out of him, and it always is fun to see somebody be inserted into the team, especially this year, and give everybody a little boost," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Friday afternoon. "That's why everybody's kind of anxious to see him perform. I know he's got good enough stuff to be competitive here. His first time in the big leagues, when you first make your first appearance, we want to find out if he's nervous, how he handles himself on the mound; if he gets into trouble, how he handles it. But you have to keep in mind it's his first appearance." Nola posted a 1.88 ERA in 12 starts this season with Double-A Reading. Opponents hit just .219 against him, but most impressively he walked just nine batters (compared to 59 strikeouts) in 76 2/3 innings. He had a 3.58 ERA in six starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, which includes five earned runs in three innings Tuesday. He had a 2.43 ERA in his previous five starts with the IronPigs. Nola is expected to join the team Monday, and it remains to be seen who gets bumped from the rotation for him, but right-hander Severino Gonzalez is a smart bet. He is 3-3 with a 7.92 ERA in seven starts. The rotation could see plenty of turnover this month. First, Cole Hamels is expected to be traded. Second, Aaron Harang and Jerome Williams could return from the disabled list. Williams (strained left hamstring) made a rehab start Friday night with Reading. Harang (left foot plantar fasciitis) is improving. "I understand Harang isn't feeling any symptoms, which is a good sign," Mackanin said. "We sure would like to get him back to the form he was in his first eight or 10 starts. That would be a bonus. We know Williams is better than he's performed, so if things come together that way and Nola makes a good impression, we'll probably be a better team the second half. As we all know, starting pitching has been less effective than we'd like it to be. If we can shore that up, that's going to make us better." Most scouts consider Nola a solid No. 3 starter, but the Phillies could use one of those right now. Other than Hamels, the Phillies are struggling to find starting pitchers who can get through six innings.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 30-62. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 49-61-0 on this day.