Once Again, Phillies’ Starter Shelled In Short Outing

GAME RECAP: Braves Batter Phillies 9-5

Cameron Maybin finished a triple shy of the cycle and the Braves provided Alex Wood more than enough support with two four-run innings against Kevin Correia during Saturday night's 9-5 win over the Phillies at Turner Field. Kelly Johnson produced a two-run single in the four-run first and chased Correia with an RBI single in the four-run fourth inning that also included a Nick Markakis two-run double. The early offensive support was welcomed by Wood, who was fortunate to allow just four runs while surrendering 10 hits over six innings. "He had a lot of baserunners, but he battled," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "He bent a little bit, but he didn't give in and he kept us right there, and we were able to give him a little cushion and we end up winning the game." In the process of winning four straight games, the Braves have produced three four-run innings. They entered Saturday having scored at least four runs in just three of the previous 14 games since Freddie Freeman was sidelined by a right wrist injury. "Early on we had some really good at-bats against Correia," Gonzalez said. "And that was good to give [Wood] the lead. And we converted it."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Correia got hit hard early and often in 3 1/3 innings of work. He allowed 10 hits and tied a career high with nine runs allowed. It was a bad night, but it continues a troubling trend for the Phillies' rotation. Its starters have pitched fewer than six innings in 14 of the previous 18 games, which is putting a tremendous strain on the bullpen. "It's like Groundhog Day for us," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about the rotation's struggles.
• Playing time has been scarce for Darin Ruf. He made just his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on June 24. He hit a three-run home run to left field in the fifth inning. It was his fourth homer of the season. "The home run by Ruf, the three-run johnson, and he almost hit another one," Mackanin said about Ruf's flyout to center field in the third. "He swung the bat pretty well."
• Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to nine games. He is hitting .447 (17-for-38) during the streak.
• "In my position, I'm not even going there. I'm not going to ask them. That's up to the front office. They see the same thing we're seeing. I'm sure they're not real crazy about it either." -- Mackanin, on if he follows the progress of or asks about Triple-A right-hander Aaron Nola, who seems to be getting closer to a promotion.

NEXT GAME:

Left-hander Cole Hamels faces the Braves in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Turner Field. He pitched well last week against Milwaukee, allowing five hits, two runs and one walk and striking out seven in seven innings, but he got little run support in a 4-3 loss. As has been the case this season, every start Hamels makes before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline could be his last with the Phillies, with the organization looking to trade him to boost its rebuilding efforts. Atlanta will counter with Shelby Miller, who stands as one of the candidates to serve as the National League's starter in this year's All-Star Game. Miller tossed a three-hit shutout against the Phillies on May 5.

PHILS PHACTS:

Papelbon Endorsed by Skipper – The Phillies entered Saturday on pace for 109 losses, which means Jonathan Papelbon has not been a particularly busy closer this season. But when he has pitched, he has pitched well. Papelbon entered Saturday 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA and 14 saves in 14 opportunities over 30 appearances. His ERA was 20th out of 130 qualified relievers in baseball. His 4.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio was tied for 27th and his 1.04 WHIP was 48th. Those numbers are why Papelbon figures to be the Phillies' lone representative for the National League All-Star team. "Papelbon, probably," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Saturday at Turner Field, asked for the Phillies' most worthy All-Star choice. "His save numbers aren't there, but when you look at the other numbers, he's been very efficient. He's the first guy that comes to mind." The AL and NL All-Star teams' starters will be announced Sunday, with the pitchers and reserves announced Monday. "He gets it," Mackanin said of Papelbon's lack of work this season. "He wants to get 45, 50 saves if he can, but he's been great. He's been asked to pitch in losing situations to get some work. The other day we double-switched to keep him in the game because we needed it. No problem. He's always ready. I know he's got his issues, but at the same time when he goes out there, he competes well and he knows what he's doing. You can't ask for more. ... Well, you can ask for more than that, but he's been fine."

Troubling Trend – Something has to give and that something could put Triple-A right-hander Aaron Nola in the big leagues before the end of the month. Phillies right-hander Kevin Correia allowed 10 hits and nine runs in just 3 1/3 innings Saturday night in a 9-5 loss to the Braves at Turner Field. It was the 14th time in the past 18 games a Phillies starter had not pitched six innings. Phillies starters have pitched six or more innings just 42 times in 83 games (50.6 percent) this season. Compare that to the 2011 rotation, which pitched six or more innings 128 times in 162 games (79.0 percent). "We were on the bench talking about it," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "It gets more difficult as we go along because by the time we get to the middle or end of August these guys [the relievers] hopefully are not going to be used up. A lot of appearances. A lot of innings. A lot of pitches thrown. Something's got to give. We've got to get length out of our starters. At least two or three of them." The Phillies rotation entered Saturday averaging the third-fewest innings per game (5.59 innings per start) in baseball, which has put a tremendous strain on the bullpen. "Since I got here, that's the thing I think about most, how to keep pitchers healthy and not overdoing it," Mackanin said. Cole Hamels, who pitches the series finale Sunday afternoon, has been the only consistently reliable starter of the group, and he could be traded before the end of the month. Sean O'Sullivan pitches Monday in Los Angeles. He has pitched six-plus innings in just five of 12 starts. Chad Billingsley, who pitches Tuesday, has pitched more than five innings just once in four starts. Correia has not reached six innings in five starts. "That's the most frustrating part," Correia said. "I can deal with getting hit around. I can deal with pretty much anything. But I want to be out there as long as possible, and that's just not happening right now." What are the options? Well, Aaron Harang is on the disabled list with plantar fasciitis. Jerome Williams is on the DL, but he carried a 6.43 ERA and pitched six-plus innings in just five of 14 starts. Nola is the best and most logical choice. He allowed nine hits, three runs and struck out six in six innings Saturday night against Rochester. He has a 2.28 ERA in four starts with the IronPigs. The Phillies are mindful of his innings pitched, considering he has not pitched to this extent in the past. They also do not want to rush their prized prospect, but the time for his promotion is drawing near, regardless of when or if Hamels is traded. "In my position, I'm not even going there," Mackanin said about Nola. "I'm not going to ask them. That's up to the front office. They see the same thing we're seeing. I'm sure they're not real crazy about it either." Another option is David Buchanan, who rejoined the Triple-A rotation Thursday after being on the DL with an ankle injury. He allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings in his first start back.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-56. 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 55-54-0 on this day.

Phillies Waste Solid Homecoming By Morgan

GAME RECAP: Braves Overpower Phillies 2-1

The Braves entered Friday's series opener with the Phillies as Major League Baseball's worst home run hitting team, but the long ball proved to be the difference as Jonny Gomes and Juan Uribe both connected off of Phillies starter Adam Morgan to lead Atlanta to a 2-1 win. The homers backed up yet another solid home performance from Julio Teheran, who allowed just one unearned run over seven innings. Teheran was far from flawless, as he worked around Philadelphia baserunners throughout the evening, but still managed to lower his home ERA to 2.04. "It's one of those things you can't explain," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez about the difference in Teheran's home and road numbers. "Maybe we'll fly him in the day of his starts [on the road], just fly him in that day. He can sleep in his bed, maybe that will help. Morgan had a solid outing for Philadelphia as well, but the two pitches to Gomes and Uribe prevented him from getting back-to-back wins to start his career, with minimal run support behind him. He finished his night after seven innings and just two runs allowed, while striking out five batters and walking two. "This is the kind of guy we're looking for," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We need a guy that at 100 pitches can go seven or eight innings. That's what we want. Then it makes my job easier. I don't have to worry too much about the bullpen." The much-maligned Braves bullpen continued the solid performance it has recently shown -- 2.12 ERA in the last 14 days entering Friday -- as Luis Avilan and Jim Johnson combined to shut the door on the Phillies with two shutout innings.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Braves second baseman Jace Peterson had to rush on a ground ball from Morgan in the fifth inning, and Chris Johnson couldn't handle his high throw at first base. Morgan scored from second after being moved over on a sacrifice bunt and driven in on a Cesar Hernandez single to right. Morgan was initially given his first Major League hit on the play, but an inning later Peterson was charged with a throwing error. "That's a tough play when you're coming in as a second baseman," Gonzalez said. "That may be the hardest play any second baseman can make. And I thought he made a nice scoop. Sometimes that second baseman and the first baseman get too close to each other. And even CJ will tell you it's hard for him to see the ball where it's coming from. But Petey, there's no complaints there the way he's playing."
• Morgan notched the longest start by a Phillies pitcher not named Cole Hamels since May 14, when Aaron Harang pitched eight innings against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies starters had not pitched six innings in 13 of 16 games since June 15. "He looks like he's been around a long time," Mackanin said. "He knows how to pitch. He mixes his pitches. He's got a Bugs Bunny changeup that I really like. He's got good command. That's another strong outing."
• Hernandez curiously stopped running between first and second when he scored Morgan on a single to right field in the fifth inning to tie the game, and was tagged out. It prevented a potentially bigger inning. Later, instant replay overturned Cameron Rupp's leadoff double in the seventh. For a team that has trouble scoring runs, they were two big baserunning outs at second base. "That was close," Mackanin said about Rupp's play. "I don't what that might have lead to. But then Cesar made a baserunning mistake. I don't know what he … I think he was trying to go to second, then decided too late that he couldn't make it. He got caught in no-man's land."
• Rupp started off the top of the seventh inning with what seemed to be a leadoff double to left field. Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons made a strong throw from foul territory in left field to Peterson at second and, after a 2-minute, 22-second review, the initial safe call was overturned and Rupp was ruled out. "That was a nice job by our video guy here to call out and say, 'Hey, challenge that,'" Gonzalez said. "And you never know when the go in the headset which way New York is going to come up with it, but they overturned it and it was a big out."
• Hernandez has an eight-game hitting streak. He is hitting .455 (15-for-33) in that stretch. Since June 21, Hernandez leads the big leagues with 21 hits.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Kevin Correia starts the second game of the three-game series Saturday night at Turner Field. He is 0-2 with a 3.60 ERA in four starts since joining the Phillies. Correia has not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings in any of those starts, which is something that needs to happen with the bullpen being overworked. Atlanta counters with Alex Wood, who is coming off of his best start of the season. In 7 1/3 shutout innings against the Pirates, Wood matched a season-high eight strikeouts while working around five hits and no walks.

PHILS PHACTS:

Coming Home – Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan grew up about 30 minutes north of Turner Field, so he probably imagined himself pitching in the big leagues in front of his family and friends. Those aspirations became reality Friday night in a 2-1 loss to the Braves. "It was fun," Morgan said after pitching seven innings. "It was definitely something I won't forget. A lot of people that couldn't make it to Philly for my debut [June 21] were here. We would always just come over here, tailgate in the blue lot, buy the $5 will-call tickets and just watch the game." Morgan and his friends probably participated in the tomahawk chop a few times. He found it used against him Friday. "I knew it was coming," he said. "I really prepared myself for it. It was kind of cool. I hummed along with it." Morgan, 25, allowed five hits, two runs, two walks and struck out five. He allowed first-pitch home runs to Jonny Gomes and Juan Uribe in the second and seventh innings, respectively, to take the loss. But Morgan gave the Phillies rotation something it had seriously lacked in more than two weeks: length. Morgan's seven innings were the most by a Phillies starter not named Cole Hamels since May 14, when Aaron Harang pitched eight innings against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies starters had not pitched six or more innings in 13 of 16 games since June 15, which had put a tremendous strain on the bullpen. Phillies relievers had thrown 65 2/3 innings in those 16 games -- only 12 1/3 innings fewer than Phillies starters -- the most of any bullpen in baseball. The bullpen should buy Morgan dinner for his efforts. "This is the kind of guy we're looking for," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We need a guy that at 100 pitches can go seven or eight innings. That's what we want. Then it makes my job easier. I don't have to worry too much about the bullpen." Gomes' homer in the second handed the Braves a 1-0 lead. Morgan retired the side in order in the third and fifth innings, becoming the first Phillies starter since June 15 to have two 1-2-3 innings in a start. Uribe then hit a first-pitch slider for a homer in the seventh to make it 2-1. "I was very comfortable going out there for the seventh inning," Morgan said. "I just didn't execute." Mackanin could have pulled Morgan for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, but he stuck with him for a very specific reason. "I'm trying to learn about him," Mackanin said. "[Pitching coach] Bob McClure is big on that. He wants to see guys when they get tired to see what they do with it. Because you're not always going to feel 100 percent. You're going to get tired. When you need that guy to stay in there and get out of trouble this is the kind of guy you're looking for."

Utley Aiming For Late July – Chase Utley is hopeful he can be back on the field before the end of the month. The Phillies second baseman received a cortisone injection in his right ankle June 24, a day after he landed on the 15-day disabled list. "It's definitely given me some relief," Utley said before Friday's game against the Braves at Turner Field. Utley has remained off the ankle since the injection, but he said he will begin moving on it a little beginning Saturday. He said he could take some ground balls as early as next weekend's series against the Giants in San Francisco, but, he said, "it's not like I have to take ground balls there. It depends how it's going." So for the moment Utley will continue to rehab with the team at least through the All-Star break. "I would like to be in some games before [August]," he said. "But the most important thing is being healthy. There's no point in rushing it." Utley sprained his ankle in January, and a slow recovery forced him to miss the beginning of Grapefruit League games in Spring Training. He opened the season in the Phillies' lineup, but has hit .179 (39-for-218) with seven doubles, one triple, four home runs, 25 RBIs and a .532 OPS in 65 games. Utley has a $15 million club option for next season. It automatically vests if he reaches 500 plate appearances. He has 249 plate appearances through 82 games, which puts him slightly behind that pace. Obviously, the longer he is on the DL the more difficult it will be to trigger the option. It seems like a moot point anyway. Cesar Hernandez has played well in Utley's absence. He is hitting .284 (46-for-162) with 10 doubles, one triple, one home run, 17 RBIs and a .748 OPS. If Hernandez had enough plate appearances to qualify, he would rank 10th out of 23 qualified second baseman in OPS. It is unclear how Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin will handle playing time at second base upon Utley's return, although Mackanin said Hernandez has earned the right for more playing time.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-55. 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 87-88-0 on this day.

Shockingly Phillies Split Double Header

GAME RECAP (Game 1): Nats Edge Phils 3-2

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg looked like his old self on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed four hits, two runs, one walk and struck out nine over seven innings in a 3-2 victory over the Phillies in Game 1 of a doubleheader. Strasburg is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts since returning from the disabled list because of neck and back issues. He has allowed eight hits, two runs, two walks and struck out 15 over 12 innings in those starts. "He pitched great. No restrictions up to 110 pitches. Good fastball, even in the last inning. Made a good pitch to get out of it," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "It's nice that he's healthy. That's nice that he's going out there and had no issues. When he doesn't, that could be the result." Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homer and had an RBI single to account for Philadelphia's two runs, as Kevin Correia allowed three runs (one earned) over 5 1/3 innings. "Strasburg pitched about as well as I've seen him pitch in a couple years," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin. "He used his breaking stuff and threw it for strikes, and he still had his good velocity. He pitched better than we've seen him in the past -- especially this year."

GAME RECAP (Game 2): Phils Stun Nats 8-5

The Phillies used Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Nationals to salvage a long day and a long weekend. Philadelphia picked up 12 hits and scored eight runs in just 3 1/3 innings against Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark in the 8-5 victory at Citizens Bank Park to avoid a sweep. Eleven of those hits against Roark, who started after Saturday's game got cancelled because of rain, were singles. The Phillies tallied 16 hits overall, and just one went for extra bases. "We had a nice ending to a long day," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, who won his first game since replacing Ryne Sandberg. "We started with a [coaches] clinic this morning at 9:30, then had the doubleheader. None of them are easy to win, but that one was nice to win. It's good to get a win under our belt." The Nationals picked away at the Phillies' lead with home runs from Ian Desmond and Jose Lobaton, but it was not enough to overcome the early deficit.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies left-hander Jake Diekman replaced Jeanmar Gomez with two on and two out in the sixth, but he walked Span on four pitches to load the bases. His first pitch to Espinosa -- a slider -- sailed high and wide away from Cameron Rupp. The play, officially ruled a passed ball, allowed Dan Uggla to score to hand the Nats a 3-1 lead.
• Francoeur hit a solo home run to left field in the second inning to hand the Phillies a 1-0 lead. He also singled to score a run in the sixth. But he twice mishandled a ball Span hit to the right-field wall in the fifth, which allowed the Nationals to tie the game. Francoeur first bobbled the ball trying to pick it up. He then threw the ball about three feet in front of him, which allowed Span to reach third. Span scored on Espinosa's sacrifice fly.
• In the ninth inning, Ian Desmond hit into a force play, but the Nationals claimed that Uggla was safe at second base. After three minutes and three seconds, the play stood and the Nationals lost their challenge.
• The top of the Phillies' lineup had a nice evening. Odubel Herrera and Cesar Hernandez hit first and second, respectively. Herrera had three hits and Hernandez had four. Maikel Franco hit third, and he picked up two hits and three RBIs. Domonic Brown, who hit fourth, added two hits and drove in a run.
• Phillies right-hander Severino Gonzalez, who got the start because of Saturday's rainout, had been unable to pitch more than five innings in his first five big league starts. He picked up an out in the sixth for a career high, but he could not finish the inning. The Phillies are hoping to see more from Gonzalez, who is the No. 14 prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com. "He's got the potential to be a starter at this level," Mackanin said. "He's not an ace. I don't think he's a top-of-the-order starter, but he's definitely capable of pitching at this level."
• "Brown doesn't have numbers for me to justify playing him against a righty or a lefty." -- Mackanin, on why Francoeur started against Strasburg and not Domonic Brown, who hits left-handed.
• "It will be addressed. We're going to talk about it, but I don't want to beat them up." -- Mackanin, asked if he had talked to his players about the team's sloppy play on defense in both games.
• Tommy Joseph, whom the Phillies acquired in July 2012 from the Giants in the Hunter Pence trade, is changing positions. He will move from catcher to first base following numerous concussions.
• Ryne Sandberg unexpectedly resigned as Phillies manager on Friday, and Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Pete Mackanin would be the team's interim manager at least through the weekend. Mackanin is expected to continue that role for this week's series against the Brewers. The managerial position should become more concrete once the Phillies announce Andy MacPhail has joined the organization, which is expected to happen this week.
• Nelson has been a model of inconsistency, which is perhaps to be expected in his first full Major League season. After setting career highs for hits allowed in consecutive starts against the Nationals and Royals, he held the Mets to one run on two hits in eight stellar innings at Miller Park on Wednesday.
• Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy, still seeking a hot streak after returning from a fractured big toe, is a career .462 hitter in 43 plate appearances at Citizens Bank Park. He has four doubles, a triple, four home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.435 OPS there.

NEXT GAME:

The teams with Major League Baseball's two poorest records will meet for a four-game series beginning Monday, when Jimmy Nelson leads the Brewers into Citizens Bank Park against Sean O'Sullivan and the Phillies. It's the first time all season that the Brewers will play a team with a lower winning percentage, but manager Craig Counsell insisted he hasn't had trouble keeping his team motivated. "That's not hard," Counsell said. "There's a challenge every night in front of a Major League Baseball player. The challenge is to perform every single night, no matter what the record is, and I think we've done a good job of responding to that challenge. That's the challenge that these guys live for. "So no matter what's going on, to have an opportunity to compete and get that challenge every day, that fire doesn't go out for guys. They've done a good job with that."

PHILS PHACTS:

Two Headed Frenchie – Jeff Francoeur provided most of the Phillies' entertainment in Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park. Francoeur hit a solo home run to left field against Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg in the second inning and singled to score a run in the sixth inning in a 3-2 loss. They were two of the four hits Strasburg allowed in seven innings. "You've got to like that," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about Francoeur's offensive performance. But then Francoeur twice mishandled a ball in right field in the fifth inning, which set up the Nationals' game-tying run. Denard Span hit a one-out double to the wall, and Francoeur bobbled and dropped the ball when he reached it. He then threw the ball about three feet in front of him -- the ball slipped out of his hands -- which allowed Span to reach third. Span scored on Danny Espinosa's sacrifice fly to tie the game. "The error, the dropped ball in right field -- twice -- didn't help," Mackanin said. Mackanin chose to start Francoeur over Domonic Brown against Strasburg. Brown started Game 2 against Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark. Francoeur entered Sunday hitting .253 with nine doubles, one triple, four home runs and 21 RBIs and a .689 OPS in 57 games. Brown had hit .179 with three doubles, three RBIs and a .561 OPS in 11 games. Why not play the platoon in both games, starting Brown twice? "Brown doesn't have numbers for me to justify to playing him against a righty or a lefty," Mackanin said. "Francoeur has been a pretty good player for us. He split up the righties and lefties for us. Once again, with a doubleheader I wanted to get everybody in the games. It worked out pretty good, or so it seemed."

A Costly Inning – Managing two games at once isn't easy for anyone, especially not someone who's only been managing his team for three days. But with starter Kevin Correia on the mound in the sixth inning, that is what Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin found himself doing in the Phillies' eventual 3-2 loss to the Nationals on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park in Game 1 of a doubleheader. "Basically, it had to be stingy," Mackanin said. "We had a doubleheader. You've got to try to win the game, as well as be careful for the next one." This idea of double managing came into play in the sixth inning. Correia began the inning by walking Clint Robinson and giving up a single to Dan Uggla before forcing Ian Desmond to fly out to center field for the first out. The next batter, Michael Taylor, doubled to left field, plating Robinson and moving Uggla to third. Mackanin had seen enough of Correia and decided to bring in right-handed reliever Jeanmar Gomez to face Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who hasn't reached base since last Sept. 15. Strasburg didn't change that trend, grounding out to Cesar Hernandez for the second out -- not even hitting it hard enough to score Uggla from third. The decision to have Gomez pitch to Strasburg, according to Mackanin, was actually a delayed reaction. Mackanin said he wanted to throw Gomez against Taylor, but was afraid of using Gomez too much in the first game, leaving him unavailable for the second. Since Gomez did get the out, Correia said he was OK with Mackanin's decision to pull him. "[I think I could've gotten the out], but it's just the situation right now where obviously we know it's a close game -- so obviously I'm not going to argue with any of the management decisions," Correia said. "We're obviously trying to feel a lot of different things out, right now. At this point in my career, I just want to win the game." After that, Gomez's day was over -- as Mackanin called for left-hander Jake Diekman to face left-hander Denard Span. The problem was, Diekman didn't fare particularly well. He walked Span on four pitches and then allowed Uggla to score on an errant pitch that deflected off catcher Cameron Rupp's glove that was ruled a passed ball. But it was quite a bit out of the strike zone. That run ended up being the difference in the game. Mackanin said Diekman came into the game in that situation because he doesn't have the confidence in him to pitch him later in the game. Despite Diekman's less-than-stellar performance, Mackanin said the more disconcerting part of the game was the defense behind the pitcher. The Phillies made two errors, plus that passed ball that allowed the run to score. As "disappointed" as Mackanin said he was, Correia's reasoning for being dismayed by the errors proved more valuable. Correia pointed out that allowing extra baserunners provides the top of the order with more plate appearances, and the Nationals took full advantage of the situation. "I think it's more innings later where you're facing guys for the second, third time that you might not have been later in the game," Correia said. "It's huge for me, because they're going to see more of what you're featuring the third time around."

Showing Some Progress – The 2015 season is nearly halfway complete, which means the Phillies should be getting good reads on the players they have in their system. Severino Gonzalez is one of them. The Phillies named the right-hander their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2013, and MLBPipeline.com ranks him as the No. 14 prospect in the organization. He picked up the win in Sunday evening's 8-5 victory over the Nationals in Game 2 of a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park, but the Phillies need to see more from him if he expects to be part of their future. "A lot of pitchers develop later in their 20s," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's in that process. I like the way he attacks the zone. I like the way he pitches quickly. For the most part, he throws strikes. He needs to work on his breaking ball more, and keep the ball down in the zone. "He's got the potential to be a starter at this level. He's not an ace. I don't think he's a top-of-the-order starter, but he's definitely capable of pitching at this level." Gonzalez, 22, allowed six hits, four runs, one walk and two home runs, and he struck out seven in 5 1/3 innings against the Nationals. It was the longest outing of his six-start career. Gonzalez (3-2, 8.28 ERA) had pitched five or more innings in just three of his six starts, which is something that must improve. A big reason why he has not seen the sixth inning is that opponents have hit .500 (30-for-60) against him after they see him for the first time in a game. They have just a .222 average (10-for-45) the first time through the lineup. "Unless you're a dominant power pitcher with great stuff, once the hitters see you, they start looking for certain pitches," Mackanin said. "They know what you can do and what you can't do. Seve is not a power pitcher, obviously. He's not a finesse pitcher. He's somewhere in the middle. He's got enough to be a good pitcher, but once again at this level, you've got to be pretty good. You've got to have command of your pitches." "I've been focusing on that down in Triple-A," Gonzalez said through translator Juan Samuel, when asked about his inability to pitch deep into games. "One thing I've started doing is playing long toss a little bit more to get more strength and stamina on the mound. I've been working on that. I'm aware of it. "I've learned I need to keep the ball down. The times I've been hurt, pitches have been up. So I need to concentrate more on pitching down and getting a good downward angle on my pitches." Gonzalez, who also picked up his first Major League hit and RBI, allowed four consecutive hits in the fourth inning to cut the Phillies lead to 4-3. He then allowed a home run with one out in the sixth inning to Jose Lobaton to cut the lead to 8-4. Mackanin pulled him after that. Gonzalez, who got the start because of Saturday's rainout, was optioned to Triple-A afterward. "It's a learning experience for him," Mackanin said. "He's got guts. He's not afraid."

Not A Power Offense – In the past week, the Phillies have juggled with the delicate balance between surviving and thriving. They survived a manager stepping down. They survived their ace, Cole Hamels, getting hit hard by the Yankees. They survived five innings without putting a runner on base against a pitcher coming off a no-hitter. But in other moments, some in their 8-5 victory over the Nats on Sunday, the Phillies thrived. Four times in the last seven games, the offense has posted eight or more runs, a feat it had achieved just once in the nearly three full months prior. To interim manager Pete Mackanin, this week's offensive output showed that continued survival can eventually break through to success. "I think these guys are trying to survive, and they're just trying to put to use what they talk about and what they work on in the batting cage," Mackanin said. "They're learning as they play, and unfortunately this is a tough level to learn at. But this is the only place to learn how you play Major League baseball. We've got work to do, but it's nice to see a lot of these guys doing what they could today." The Phillies finished Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader with 15 singles and one extra-base hit, an Andres Blanco double in the second inning. Most of those singles were clustered in the second and fourth innings, where 12 hits brought in all eight of the team's runs. Cesar Hernandez stood out with a 4-for-4 showing, in which he stole a base and scored a run. Counting his performance in the first game of the doubleheader, Hernandez was 6-for-8 Sunday, all six of his hits singles, with three stolen bases. Mackanin said Hernandez, who has 13 hits in his last seven games and was one of two Phillies to start and complete both of Sunday's games, is streaking because of his increased exposure. "One of our concerns in Spring Training was it would behoove him to play and we'd like to see him play a lot but as a part time player, I don't think at this stage of his career he's really ready to be a part-time player," Mackanin said. "But he certainly looks like he's got a chance to be an everyday player. He's learning and gaining confidence." In those second and fourth innings, the Phillies twice strung together four singles in a row. In both situations, the first two men to single scored because of the singles that came after them. Maikel Franco and Domonic Brown were involved in both occasions, driving in the runs in the second inning and scoring the runs in the fourth.

TJ To 1B And Other Minor Updates – It seemed inevitable that Tommy Joseph would need to change positions to continue his baseball career. The change became official this week. The Phillies are moving Joseph from catcher to first base, following a string of concussions he sustained behind the plate since they acquired him in July 2012, when they traded Hunter Pence to the Giants. Joseph suffered his latest concussion this season, but he has also battled vision deficiencies, which could have been a result of the concussions. "He's been going through a lot of vision therapy," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. "They said that what they've accomplished on that is encouraging." Joseph, 23, will work out at first base through the remainder of Triple-A Lehigh Valley's homestand, which runs through Friday. He will continue that work with Double-A Reading, before eventually heading to Clearwater, Fla. "He's positive, he's excited -- and I am, too," Jordan said. "He had to have the burden of, 'When is this going to happen again?' I've seen him play first base. He's just ready to get going." Other Minor League matters: Aaron Nola: Nola is 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his first two starts with Lehigh Valley. He threw five scoreless innings in his IronPigs debut on June 18, but he required 95 pitches to do it. Buffalo's hitters extended his pitch count by consistently fouling off pitches. Jordan sat behind the plate with Nola three days later, when Nola was charting pitches. Nola called his first Triple-A start a great learning experience. He applied that information to Wednesday's start, also against Buffalo. He allowed six hits, three runs, one walk and struck out seven in 7 2/3 innings. He needed just 96 pitches this time. "That's the thing about him," Jordan said. "Just a great feel. That was impressive. To see him apply it against the same lineup was impressive." Kelly Dugan: Dugan, like Joseph, is another oft-injured prospect in the system. But he is back playing with Reading, and playing well. Dugan, who had been sidelined most of the season with a foot injury, has hit .362 with four doubles, five RBIs and an .851 OPS in 12 games with Reading. "All he's done is perform and put up numbers since I've been here, when he's been healthy," Jordan said. "Kelly looks good. His timing isn't quite there, but he can hit. He's been good." Cornelius Randolph: The team's No. 1 pick in this year's Draft is adjusting well to left field. Minor League outfield coordinator Andy Abad told Jordan recently that Randolph, who was drafted as a shortstop, is going to be a good outfielder. "He's athletic enough, but we're just starting that process," Jordan said. Malquin Canelo: The Phillies just promoted the 20-year-old shortstop from Class A Lakewood to Clearwater. He hit .311 with 22 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 23 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, 21 walks and 39 strikeouts in 287 plate appearances with Lakewood. He homered in his first game last week with Clearwater. "There's more than one shortstop here," said Jordan, referring to the highly-touted J.P. Crawford, who is in Reading. Canelo, whom the organization signed as an amateur free agent in April 2012, is a plus defender who has started to hit. "He's an [Adeiny] Hechavarria kind of guy," Jordan said. "He's a good player. Nobody ever talks about him, but people will start talking about him very soon."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-50. 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 57-56-0 on this day.

It Would Have Been A Nice Game By Revere

GAME RECAP: Phillies Game Postponed

Adam Morgan said his goal as a pitcher is to go out and finish a game he started. Saturday, he technically did that. Morgan's start Saturday vs. the Nationals was cut short, as the contest was postponed due to rain after an inning and a half. Saturday's game has been rescheduled as a doubleheader Sunday. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. ET, and the second game will begin shortly after the conclusion of the first. Kevin Correia will start the first game as scheduled for the Phillies. Severino Gonzalez will be called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start the second game as the bonus 26th-man the Phillies are allowed to carry in the event of a true doubleheader. For the visiting Nationals, Stephen Strasburg will make his scheduled start in the first game, and the starter of the second game has yet to be announced. Morgan, who allowed three hits in two innings, said after the game that he was "disappointed" that he didn't get the chance to throw deeper into the game. Interim manager Pete Mackanin said he felt the same way. "It's a shame, because we feel good about him and we lost him," Mackanin said. "We've seen this happen before and it's something that you can't get around. Unfortunately for us, we lost him, but hopefully we can put together a couple of good games tomorrow." The rain delay lasted 1 hour, 27 minutes before the game was postponed. Morgan said he thinks he could have returned to the game had it not been called, but he was unsure whether or not he would've been put back in. Fans who bought tickets to Saturday's game may exchange those for tickets to any remaining Phillies home game in 2015, including Sunday's doubleheader.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Kevin Correia will make his fourth start with the Phillies on Sunday. He is 0-1 with a 4.30 ERA. Each of his successive starts have lasted fewer innings and come with more earned runs, culminating in his most recent start on June 22 when he allowed five runs on eight hits over four innings. The only Nationals player with whom Correia has a long history is Dan Uggla, who is 6-for-19 lifetime vs. the right-hander.
• Correia has struggled against left-handed batters this season. Lefties are batting .351 with an OPS of 1.066, and they have driven in 10 of the 11 runs he's allowed.
• Any issues Correia has had with lefties look miniscule compared to Gonzalez's. In five outings in 2015, left-handers have batted .528 with an OPS of 1.276 over 43 plate appearances, which is particularly alarming as he has only allowed one home run to those batters.
• Denard Span, Bryce Harper and Yunel Escobar were all out of the starting lineup Saturday with various injuries. Span and Harper were labeled by manager Matt Williams as "day to day," and Escobar rested with swelling in his hand after getting hit by a pitch on Friday. It has yet to be made clear whether an MRI will be necessary.

NEXT GAMES:

On Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, an entire weekend's worth of baseball will be wrapped into one afternoon. The Phillies and Nationals will play an old-fashioned back-to-back doubleheader Sunday, with the first game scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET to make up for Saturday's game, which was postponed due to rain. Kevin Correia will start for the Phillies and Stephen Strasburg will counter for the Nationals. Severino Gonzalez will return from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start for the Phillies as the 26th man on the roster, which is allowed in the case of a doubleheader. The Nationals have not yet announced who will start the second game. Strasburg, who is 4-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 2015, is 5-2 lifetime vs. the Phillies with an ERA of 2.48 and a WHIP of 0.94. In the 80 innings he's thrown against Philadelphia in his career, he has struck out 92 batters. Ryan Howard, Ben Revere, Carlos Ruiz, Domonic Brown and Cody Asche -- the active Phillies with 10 or more plate appearances vs. Strasburg -- are a combined 23-for-92 with 23 strikeouts and nine extra-base hits.

PHILS PHACTS:

Too Bad It Doesn’t Count – Phillies center fielder Ben Revere got a hit, stole a base and made one heck of a catch in the first two innings of Saturday afternoon's game against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Too bad none of it counted. "You end up the year at .320 or 49 stolen bases or 199 hits, and you get one taken away from you," Revere said after the game was postponed because of rain. "If that happens, I'm going to be ticked." The game has been rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader beginning Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET. Revere caught a ball at the wall in the top of the second inning, a few feet to the left of the 409-foot sign in center field. According to Statcast™, Adam Morgan's pitch left Nationals first baseman Tyler Moore's bat at 102 mph and traveled 402 feet to center field. Revere took his first step in 0.54 seconds and covered 87.96 feet, hitting a top speed of 17.63 mph to make the jumping catch at the wall. "Those are the toughest ones to really predict," Revere said. "It's hit and it kind of takes off. You don't know if it'll hit off the concrete wall and shoot off. A double could possibly turn into a triple or something. I tried to jump as high as I could to catch it. Luckily, it found a way into my glove." Revere is batting .294 (85-for-289) with 11 doubles, six triples, one home run, 19 RBIs, 18 stolen bases and a career-best .715 OPS this season. His 85 hits are tied for 11th in baseball, and his 34 hits in June are tied with teammate Maikel Franco for the second most in the Majors. Revere will have to keep up his recent burst to approach 200 hits. He is on pace for 183.

Just The Most Recent Surprise – The news that Ryne Sandberg had abruptly stepped down as manager of the Phillies on Friday hit the organization with the same sort of force as the fierce storm that lashed the region three days earlier. It knocked down speculation, uprooted assumptions and left a trail of disarray in its wake. It was not, however, the first time the franchise has been stunned by an unexpected departure. In fact, surprises of a similar magnitude occurred on at least three previous occasions. May 29, 1989: Mike Schmidt announces his retirement on Memorial Day weekend. A day earlier, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the future Hall of Fame third baseman had gone hitless in three at bats. He was 39 years old and batting .203 for a team that was destined to finish last. He'd been thinking about quitting for almost a week, since hurting his back while jogging on the warning track. But nobody saw it coming. "Mentally, I had sort of been thinking about it," Schmidt recalled years later. "'Might this be the end? What other sign do I need?' I was looking for a jumping-off point." The omen came right on cue. In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs and two on, the 10-time Gold Glove Award winner let a routine grounder go between his legs. Will Clark followed with a grand slam. After the game, Schmidt called his wife and his agent. He told manager Nick Leyva what he planned to do. On the charter flight to San Diego he informed the traveling party. The official announcement came the following day at Jack Murphy Stadium. "I think the important thing at the time of my decision is that the team -- and you always want to put the team first -- was not a contender," Schmidt said in 2009. "Everybody understood it was a rebuilding process. We weren't going to win the division. Whether I was there or not, we were pretty much going to finish in the same place. Maybe it would be easier to rebuild without having to think about me. I was not going to be a big part of their future. Once I removed myself, the rebuilding process started working pretty quickly." June 20, 1997: Bill Giles resigns as Phillies president. It was Giles who put together the group that purchased the team from the Carpenter family in 1981. He had the final call on all decisions. The way the partnership agreement was structured, it was almost impossible to dismiss him. And he clearly relished his role. So the news that he had resigned to accept the largely ceremonial position of team chairman sent shock waves throughout Veterans Stadium. "It hit me like a ton of bricks," center fielder Lenny Dykstra said at the time. Giles would later say that he made his decision after taking a long, solitary walk near his cabin in the Poconos. It seemed apparent that the struggles the Phillies were having on the way to a second straight last-place finish, and the sometimes-personal criticism that came along with it had begun to wear on him. It didn't help either that at an Owners' Meeting in Philadelphia, several of his peers reportedly expressed concerns over the state of his team. All of that became clear in retrospect, but it was a bombshell when it happened. April 14, 1960: Manager Eddie Sawyer quits after an Opening Day loss. Sawyer had managed the pennant-winning Whiz Kids in 1950, was dismissed in '52 and then was rehired as a midseason replacement in '58. But the Phillies finished last that season, and again the following year. Sawyer ran the Phillies during Spring Training in Clearwater, Fla. On Opening Day at Cincinnati's Crosley Field, his team jumped out to a 4-0 lead. But the Reds scored five times in the bottom of the second and romped to a 9-4 win. Future Hall of Famer Robin Roberts was charged with eight earned runs over 4 1/3 innings. Sawyer had seen enough. Before the next game two days later against the Milwaukee Braves at Connie Mack Stadium, he resigned. When asked why, he memorably explained: "Because I'm 49 years old, and I'd like to live to be 50."

Making An Impression – A trio of future Phillies made their mark on the Minor Leagues Friday night, including the team's No. 1 prospect J.P. Crawford. The 2015 All-Star Futures game selection and baseball's No. 16 overall prospect led off the second game of a doubleheader with a solo home run that would prove to be the winning margin in Double-A Reading's 4-3 victory over Akron. The shot was his second of the season as a Fightin Phil and first since June 7. Crawford has shown a steady bat -- .291/.400/.436 -- since his promotion in late May and has eight doubles and 20 walks in 26 contests. The star of the night was No. 13 prospect Cord Sandberg, who unleashed a grand slam for Class A Lakewood. The left fielder's strength at the plate has remained mostly under wraps this season, but he stepped up in the third inning to launch his second dinger of the year and give the Blue Claws a lead they would not relinquish in a 6-3 win. On the mound, No. 16 prospect Victor Arano proved why he was worth acquiring from the Dodgers last August, scattering four hits over seven shutout innings for Class A Advanced Clearwater. The win was Arano's first in 11 tries this season, although he has given up three earned runs or less in seven starts this year. He moves to 1-7 with a 5.25 ERA after striking out three and walking none.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 26-49. 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 49-57-2 on this day.

This Is NOT A Joke: Franco And Phillies Outhit Yankees

GAME RECAP: Phillies Overpower Yankees 11-8

Maikel Franco homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs in a four-hit performance and Cesar Hernandez scored three runs, pacing the Phillies' biggest offensive outburst of the season as they pounded Michael Pineda in an 11-8 victory on Monday at Yankee Stadium. Franco notched the first multi-homer game of his career, slugging his eighth and ninth blasts of the year. Eight of the nine Philadelphia starters logged a hit as they saw Pineda chased with one out in the fourth inning, surrendering eight runs on 11 hits. "He's got everything you look for in a young player," Phillies right-hander Kevin Correia said of Franco. "He's got similarities to [Albert] Pujols with his mechanics. They're pretty amazing at this point of his career. I heard how good he was. He's showing it since I've been here, defensively and offensively. He's a guy when you're on a team in this situation that you look forward to the future." Brett Gardner hit a three-run homer off Correia, who allowed five runs and eight hits in four innings before yielding to Jake Diekman, who picked up the win in relief. Brian McCann hit a seventh-inning homer off Elvis Araujo to trim the Yanks' deficit, but the Phils held on to snap their 12-game road losing streak, their longest since 1999.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Franco is giving the Phillies some hope for the future. He went 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored, including a solo home run in the first inning and a two-run home run in the sixth. He also made a great defensive play in the sixth inning. Franco might be in the conversation to make the National League All-Star team, despite the fact he was not promoted from Triple-A Lehigh Valley until May 15. "Well, we knew he was a really good player," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm as impressed by the play that he made on Chris Young [in the sixth] as the hits that he had. There's a ton of arm strength there, and it was great range. He's obviously a very talented kid, and we got to witness it first-hand today."
• Hernandez believes he could be the Phillies' second baseman of the future, and he has been making his case lately. He went 2-for-5 with one double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg has said the last two days he wants to see more of Hernandez, which means less time for Chase Utley, who was the DH and the lone Phillies starter without a hit.
• "I don't even pay attention, I'm just going out there. I know everybody is telling me, 'You're going good,' my family is telling me I'm doing good, but when I go out there, I'm just trying to play the game and play the game right." -- Franco, on if he is aware of the numbers he is putting up offensively.
• The Phillies have scored 19 runs over their last two games after scoring exactly 19 runs in their previous 10 games combined (June 10-20; Phils went 1-9 in those games).
• The Phillies had lost 12 road games in a row before taking Monday night's series opener, matching their longest road skid since 1999.
• The Yankees have scored 66 runs in the first inning this season. They've scored in the first inning in 29 separate contests.
• With 211 wins, Sabathia is tied with Billy Pierce for 23rd all-time by a left-handed pitcher.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will have another crack at trying to erase a four-year series drought against American League East teams Tuesday night, when they take on the Yankees for the second game of a three-game series. The last time the Phillies took a series from an AL East opponent was July 1-3, 2011, against Toronto. As they continue to look for success in what has been a trying season, the Phils will send right-hander Sean O'Sullivan to the mound, looking for just his second win of the season. The Yankees will counter with left-hander CC Sabathia, who is 3-7 on the season with a 5.31 ERA. In his last outing, O'Sullivan tossed five innings against Baltimore with seven strikeouts in a no-decision. Sabathia is also coming off of a seven-strikeout, no-decision start, in which he gave up five hits and three runs in a Yankees win over the Marlins.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eager To See Hamels – Expect plenty of scouts Wednesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels will pitch against the Yankees after missing Friday's start against the Cardinals because of tightness in his right hamstring. He threw a bullpen session Sunday in Philadelphia and gave a reporter the thumbs up when asked if it went well and if he planned to pitch in New York. That is good news for Hamels, the Phillies and contending teams everywhere. It is no secret the Phillies are trying to trade Hamels before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. They are on pace to lose 107 games, so the plan is to trade Hamels and as many veterans as possible (Jonathan Papelbon, Aaron Harang, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Ben Revere, etc.) for a group of prospects that conceivably could speed up the rebuilding process. Hamels is the Phillies' most valuable trade chip. He is 5-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season, but his record is deceiving as he has the third-lowest run support average in Major League Baseball. But Hamels has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for years. His 3.17 ERA from 2008-15 ranks 10th out of 103 qualified pitchers. His 1.13 WHIP ranks eighth and his 3.79 strikeout-to-walk ratio is ninth. The Phillies are counting on Hamels to land them their greatest haul of prospects before the Trade Deadline. Of course, there are stumbling blocks. Hamels has a limited no-trade clause, but more important than that, he is making $22.5 million this season and is owed at least $73.5 million from 2016-19, which includes a $6 million buyout on a $20 million club option. Phillies president Pat Gillick said Sunday the Phillies are willing to take on a portion of a player's salary to get the right players back in a trade. But Hamels only gets traded if he is healthy. He said he is. "There are times when you just want to be smart no matter what the circumstances are," Hamels said. "I know they're a little bit different than previous circumstances in previous years, but I'm not going to change the way I like to play the game and prepare for the game."

Making A Big Impact – Is Maikel Franco the best position player on the Phillies? Is he All-Star worthy? Those questions are nice diversions from a season filled with few highlights. The rookie third baseman went 4-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs and three runs scored in Monday night's 11-8 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He hit a solo home run that landed a projected 402 feet away in the first inning, according to Statcast™, and a two-run home run that landed a projected 430 feet away in the sixth inning, as the Phillies set season highs in runs and hits (18). "Yeah, it was so special," Franco said about Yankee Stadium. "Especially in the Dominican, every young player wants to play in Yankee Stadium." Franco became the first Phillies rookie to hit two homers in a game since Darin Ruf in 2012, and the first Phils rookie to have five RBIs in a game since Ryan Howard in '05. "He's got everything you look for in a young player," Phillies right-hander Kevin Correia said. "He's got similarities to [Albert] Pujols with his mechanics. They're pretty amazing at this point of his career. I heard how good he was. He's showing it since I've been here, defensively and offensively. He's a guy, when you're on a team in this situation, that you look forward to the future." "He knows how to play the game and he's showing it," Howard said. Franco, who set career highs in hits, homers and RBIs in a game, is hitting .312 with eight doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 24 RBIs and a .928 OPS in 150 plate appearances. There is no question he is the team's best position player. But has he entered the conversation for the All-Star Game? The NL has had 21 rookie position players make the All-Star team. Phillies outfielder Del Ennis and Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper both made the latest debuts of those rookies, playing their first games of the season on April 28, 1946, and April 28, 2012, respectively. Franco joined the Phillies on May 15, which means he has far fewer plate appearances than other candidates. So it would take something extraordinary for Franco to make it. Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon figure to be the favorites to represent the Phillies, but there always is a chance they could be traded before the All-Star break. If that would happen, maybe Franco jumps to the top. He does not have enough plate appearances to qualify, but if he did, he would rank second among NL third basemen in OPS. Only Cincinnati's Todd Frazier (.993) entered the night with a better mark than Franco. "What have we got, 2 1/2 weeks?" Phillies manager Sandberg said about the All-Star break. "You never know. That's a possibility."

Tough Task – Ryne Sandberg can relate to Chase Utley better than anybody in the Phillies' organization. He is a Hall of Fame second baseman, while Utley had a Hall of Fame-like run from 2005-13, with the best OPS (.884) and WAR (59.0) among qualified second basemen. But Utley's future with the Phillies is uncertain, as he finished Monday's 11-8 victory over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium hitting .179 with a .532 OPS in 249 plate appearances. "I know the grind that he puts into it and the effort," Sandberg said before the game. "I see the ability in pregame. I see him being healthy and I see him being upbeat, and I'd just like to see the most out of what he can do. On the other hand, I want to see what a young player [Cesar Hernandez] can do, so that's the challenging thing." Hernandez went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored in the victory. He is hitting .273 with a .697 OPS in his last nine games. Utley, who went 0-for-4, needs 500 plate appearances this season to automatically vest a $15 million club option for next season. Utley is on pace to reach that. Asked Sunday if it would be negligent for the organization to allow Utley to hit that mark if his struggles continue, Phillies president Pat Gillick maintained that the front office will have no say in how Sandberg makes out his lineup. Sandberg said Monday he has received no directive about Utley's playing time. "I know that he has [the vesting option], but I won't operate [with it] in mind," Sandberg said. Hernandez started at second base Monday, while Utley served as the Phillies' designated hitter. Hernandez has started five of the last eight games at second base, although Utley has been a DH twice and a first baseman once. "It's a daily challenge," Sandberg said about handling both Utley and Hernandez. "You know, from this point it's watching the games and making judgments on who should be out there. Probably would fall under the category of what's best for both players. For Chase to play well and to show what he can do, and to play well is important. And to see Cesar play, he can get experience, that's important. There's two sides of it that are important going forward, and that's the challenge." So what's up with Utley's struggles? Utley's batting average of balls in play is .189, which indicates he has run into some bad luck. But Utley is also not squaring up balls like most hitters. According to Statcast™, Utley's batted ball velocity average is 87.95 mph. That ranks 119th out of 181 players, which means nearly two-thirds of big league hitters hit the ball harder more consistently than Utley. Utley is 36. Sandberg retired at 38. Asked when he knew it was time to walk away, Sandberg said, "I'd say the daily grind of second base every day and not wanting to be a part-time player. When it was getting close to that or it felt like it was getting close to presenting that, that's when I was used to being a regular and I hated sitting on the bench. I made that call myself."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 25-47. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this year, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 49-56-1 on this day.