Only A Few Spots Remain With Less Than A Week To Go!

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Exhibition Game Washed Away

Did Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka do enough? Yankees manager Joe Girardi challenged his starter before Tuesday afternoon's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies at Bright House Field, which was called after the fourth inning because of rain. Tanaka entered the game with a 7.36 ERA in his first four starts, and Girardi wanted to see better before he named him the Opening Day starter. Tanaka allowed seven hits, one run, one walk and struck out five in four innings, and he threw in the bullpen during the delay to extend his pitch count. Phillies left-hander Brett Oberholtzer allowed seven runs in four innings. Yankees first baseman Dustin Ackley hit a three-run homer in the first. Miguel Andujar hit a two-run homer in the fourth. Darin Ruf singled in the first to score the Phillies' only run.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson starts the Phillies' final Grapefruit League game on Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET, facing the Houston Astros at Bright House Field. It will be the final tuneup for Hellickson before he starts on Opening Day in Cincinnati on Monday.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Less Option – The Phillies released Edward Mujica on Tuesday to tighten their bullpen competition. Mujica signed a Minor League contract with Philadelphia in December, and he pitched well this spring. He had a 2.16 ERA in seven Grapefruit League appearances, allowing four hits, two runs, two walks and striking out seven in 8 1/3 innings. Opponents hit .154 against him. But the Phillies like their other options better. "They told me I'm free to go," Mujica said. Mujica's release leaves nine healthy relievers in camp. Right-handers David Hernandez, Dalier Hinojosa and Jeanmar Gomez and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer are locks. Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf looks like a lock, too. The Phillies love his arm, and they must keep him on the 25-man roster or risk losing him. Non-roster invitees James Russell (3.38 ERA in six appearances), Andrew Bailey (5.14 ERA in seven) and Ernesto Frieri (6.75 ERA in six) remain in camp. Hector Neris (6.23 ERA in eight appearances) is on the 40-man roster, and he also remains. Unless the Phillies acquire somebody before Opening Day, those four are fighting for the final two bullpen jobs. Russell has the edge on one of those spots. Manager Pete Mackanin said the other day that there is a good possibility the team will carry three left-handers in the bullpen. Frieri can exercise an out clause on Thursday, but only if he has a spot on a 25-man roster elsewhere, and that is highly unlikely. Bailey has a May 1 out clause; Mackanin has been lukewarm, at best, about his past three appearances. It is not a stretch to think Frieri and Bailey could open the season in Triple-A and Neris works his way onto the team. Neris has not pitched well this spring, but he had a 3.79 ERA in 32 appearances last season. Mackanin has said that although Grapefruit League performances are important, he will consider regular-season performances, too. Mujica activated an out clause in his contract when the Phillies did not add him to the Opening Day roster by midnight ET Sunday. They then had 48 hours to make a final decision on him. The Phils called Mujica into Mackanin's office on Tuesday morning to inform him of his release. The Phillies saved $100,000 in the process. Article XX-B free agents with six or more years of Major League service time who sign Minor League contracts must be placed on the 25-man roster or released five days before the regular season. If the team does neither, choosing to instead send the player to the Minor Leagues, the team must pay him a $100,000 retention bonus. Mujica could re-sign with the Phils and open the season in Triple-A if he cannot find a big league job elsewhere. "I'll have to see," Mujica said. "Pete told me I'm going to have pretty good chances if I go to Triple-A, in getting back to the big leagues."

Venable In, Asche Out? – Will Venable has five games to prove himself and win a job on the Phillies' Opening Day roster. Venable arrived in camp on Tuesday morning after Philadelphia signed him to a Minor League contract on Monday. Venable, 33, hit .133 in 13 Cactus League games with the Indians, who released him on Sunday, but he has a chance to make the Phillies, as they have few other options in the outfield. He went 1-for-2 before the Phillies' Grapefruit League game against the Yankees was cancelled because of rain. "I have no expectations," Venable said. "I'm just in camp right now. If it means I have to go to Triple-A and prove myself there -- whatever it takes -- I know that at some point I would like to be here contributing at the big league level." Outfielders Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche will open the season on the disabled list. Altherr had surgery on his left wrist this month, which will sideline him until July at the earliest. Asche has not played a game this spring because of a strained right oblique. He aggravated the injury the other day, essentially resetting his recovery to the very beginning, and he could miss another several weeks. "It's just giving it more time to heal," Asche said. "Obviously, the time frame we had last time wasn't enough. This time we've just got to be a little more cautious." The Phillies re-assigned outfielder David Lough and infielder Ryan Jackson to Minor League camp on Tuesday, leaving Venable and non-roster invitees Cedric Hunter and Emmanuel Burriss the final three candidates for the final two bench jobs. Burriss has a good shot because he can play the infield and outfield, and at the moment, the only utility infielder is Andres Blanco. Manager Pete Mackanin has hinted that he likes the flexibility Burriss provides when it comes to maneuvering the lineup during National League games with double switches, etc. Hunter has impressed nearly everybody in camp. In fact, Mackanin said that if Hunter makes the team, he could be his leadoff hitter. The fact that he has been in camp from the beginning and earned the right to be in the conversation for a bench job will play a factor, Mackanin said. "Hunter has had the best at-bats of anybody other than [Maikel Franco] in camp, in my opinion," Mackanin said. "I'll put it that way." Venable posted a .669 OPS in 390 plate appearances last season with the Padres and Rangers. He had a .613 OPS in 448 plate appearances with San Diego in 2014 but posted a solid .796 OPS with the Padres in '13. "I'm not far off," he said. Venable also can play all three outfield positions, which makes him attractive to the Phillies. "There was mutual interest," he said. "I got released in the morning, and by the afternoon ... we had some momentum going on a possible deal." Venable knows the Philadelphia area relatively well. He played basketball and baseball at Princeton, and played a few games at The Palestra. "Not good memories at The Palestra," Venable said. "I think we blew, like, a 15-point lead in the last minute of a game one time. But great venue."

Closer Spot Still Up For Grabs – If the Phillies have a three-run lead in the ninth inning on Opening Day in Cincinnati, somebody will have to pitch to protect it. Will it be their closer? Do they even have a closer? "You'll find out," general manager Matt Klentak said on Tuesday afternoon at Bright House Field. "So will I." This is the first time in more than 15 years the Phillies have not entered the season with an established closer. In years past, it has been Jonathan Papelbon, Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Tom Gordon, Billy Wagner and Jose Mesa. This season it could be David Hernandez or Dalier Hinojosa or ... somebody else. "It's up in the air," manager Pete Mackanin said. "You guys see what we see. Hinojosa is still a candidate. Hernandez is a candidate. After that we might have to use a committee situation. It is what it is, and we have to try to find somebody that can do it." It has been an interesting spring in that regard. Hernandez began camp as the favorite because he signed a one-year, $3.9 million contract in the offseason, making him the only free agent the Phillies inked to a Major League deal. But Hernandez started the spring slowly because of soreness in his right elbow. He is healthy, but he has pitched in only three Grapefruit League games. Tuesday's appearance was cancelled because of rain. Hinojosa had a 0.78 ERA in 18 appearances last season. He has a 4.50 ERA in seven appearances this spring, although he allowed two hits and two runs in one inning on Monday against the Blue Jays. "That's probably the worst outing that we've all seen from him," Mackanin said. "I think he was overthrowing all of his pitches. I think he might have been auditioning for that role." Right-hander Andrew Bailey emerged as a favorite early in camp, based on four scoreless innings in four appearances, but Mackanin has not been enamored with Bailey's past three performances, and Bailey could open the season in Triple-A. "I don't have a rooting interest in this," Klentak said. "I want the best seven guys in the bullpen to get outs. Sometimes declaring who pitches the ninth allows who pitches the eighth and who pitches the seventh to kind of fall into place a little bit better. I understand the way that works. But ultimately, we're looking for the best combination of relievers to get outs toward the end of the game." Mackanin will not name a closer unless he is "100 percent sure about somebody that I want to call a closer." "I'm not going to call anybody a closer," he said. "A closer is somebody that you can count on for the ninth inning. I don't know if we probably have one. I hope we have one, but I'm not going to name one right now just to call a guy a closer. It doesn't really mean anything."

Big Piece Not So Big Anymore – Ryan Howard is struggling at the plate, going 0-for-2 with two strikeouts on Tuesday. Since hitting a grand slam over the batter's eye at Bright House Field on March 18, he is 2-for-19 with one double, two walks and 11 strikeouts. That does not include a 1-for-5 effort with four strikeouts in a Minor League game on Sunday at Carpenter Complex. "Yeah, I'd like to see better at-bats," Mackanin said. Howard entered camp with the opportunity to earn more playing time, but it looks as though he and Darin Ruf will be platooning at first base. "Let's put it this way: I need to see more," Mackanin said. "More production. In his defense, [Howard is] behind everybody, [because] he was sick for a week. I'd like to think he caught up. I think he's caught up. This is performance. We have to get performance. Numbers matter."

Say Hello To The X Factor – It took Matt Klentak just a couple months to make his first bold move with the Phillies. The new general manager traded Ken Giles and Minor League infielder Jonathan Arauz to Houston for five pitchers: right-handers Vince Velasquez, Mark Appel, Thomas Eshelman and Harold Arauz and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer. The Phillies badly wanted Velasquez in the deal, and Monday they named him their No. 5 starter. "We like Velasquez's power arm," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Velasquez is the Phillies' X factor in 2016. The Phillies see big-time potential in Velasquez because of his stuff. If he pitches as advertised this season, the Phillies' rotation could set up nicely for the future, particularly if Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff pick up where they finished as rookies last year. Going into 2017 believing in Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez would give the Phillies more room for error with prospects like Jake Thompson, Zach Eflin and Appel. Now, nobody seems to be expecting Velasquez to make 33 starts this season. He pitched just 88 2/3 innings last season and pitched a career-high 124 2/3 innings in 2013. The Phillies want to be careful with him. They need to keep him healthy. The original four-player return for Giles included Houston outfield prospect Derek Fisher, but Appel and Arauz were late additions after sources said the Phillies had concerns about Velasquez's physical. Velasquez had Tommy John surgery on Sept. 22, 2010. "I'm healthy as an ox," Velasquez said. No issues with his shoulder? "I've never had any problems with my shoulder," he said. "Any type of soreness I've had was in the biceps or triceps. Nothing in the shoulder." That is a good thing. Because for the Phillies to speed up their rebuild, they need Velasquez to pay off. That does not mean he needs to immediately be one of the top young pitchers in the National League. But he needs to show he belongs. He needs to show there is no doubt he is part of the Phillies' future. That is why the Phillies insisted on getting him, after all.

Phillies Have An Impressive Collection – This year's Spring Training is the first time that the Phillies have been able to observe their impressive collection of top prospects, many acquired in the past year. Though the organization is trying to temper expectations, there's still a palpable excitement in camp regarding the future of the club. "This is the most talent we've had in the four years I've been here," said Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan. "We got to see all of our big prospects -- J.P. Crawford, Roman Quinn, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Andrew Knapp, Mark Appel, Zach Eflin andJake Thompson -- together in big league camp this year, and they all represented themselves very well. There are a lot of good things happening." The aforementioned core of Phils prospects all enter 2016 with at least some upper-level experience, and many of them -- save for Appel, who came over from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade during the offseason -- have already played together after finishing last season at Double-A Reading. "A lot of those guys were together in Double-A last year, so they kind of formed that kind of cohesive, team unit," said Jordan. "It gave them all some level of comfort to be together in big league camp at the same time. "Right now, it's just about keeping them all healthy and building them up for the season, because we have a chance to put some really good [Minor League] rosters together." Camp standouts: MLBPipeline.com No. 99 overall prospect Roman Quinn has proved to be a dynamic player when healthy. However, the 2015 season marked the third straight injury-shortened campaign for the 22-year-old outfielder, who was in the midst of a breakout performance (.306/.356/.435, 29 SB) when he suffered a tear in his hip flexor on June 12 while he attempted to beat out an infield single. Now fully recovered from the injury, Quinn impressed club officials with his showing this year in his first big league camp, hitting .300 with one home run, three triples and two steals. "He's really stood out," said Jordan. "He hit a home run and big two-out single with a couple RBIs and a stolen bag the other day, and he was doing that in the big league camp all spring. He had some days there where you really saw what he has a chance to do." The Phillies have also liked what they've seen so far from Alfaro, MLBPipeline.com's No. 96 overall prospect, as he's impressed club officials with his exceptional tools on both sides of the ball after missing most of the 2015 season with an ankle injury. In his first Spring Training with the Phils, the 22-year-old backstop went 5-for-17 (.294) with a pair of RBIs before he was sent to Minor League camp. "We're still getting to know him because he didn't get to play at all last year with us. His strengths are easy to see -- the power, the arm strength -- but the weaknesses and what he needs from us, that's all still evolving. He needs some work defensively, but he gives a great effort and works very hard behind the plate. He's an impressive young man," said Jordan. Breakout candidates: After a mediocre full-season debut, Dylan Cozens didn't rank among the Phillies' Top 30 prospects headed into 2015. But the former 2012 second-rounder bounced back last season against advanced competition, compiling a solid .286/.336/.426 batting line and finishing the year with a strong showing at Double-A Reading. He continued to make strides during the offseason in the Puerto Rican Winter League, and he enters 2016 ranked as the Phils' No. 23 prospect. "We have a lot of people that, industry-wise, get a little more notice, but he's going to be a name people talk about this season," said Jordan. "He had some success in Puerto Rico this offseason, and we think he's going to have a big year." The Phillies also have high hopes for No. 11 prospect Scott Kingery, the club's second-round Draft pick in 2015. After an outstanding career at the University of Arizona, highlighted by a .984 OPS last spring as a junior, Kingery made the jump directly to full-season ball after signing, hitting .250 with 11 steals in 66 games at Class A Lakewood. "He can really hit," said Jordan. "He was worn down last summer after a taxing college season, but we think is first full season is going to be very productive. He has a real chance to be an everyday player in the big leagues for us."

5 Questions For Future Phillies Outfielder – As part of MLBPipeline.com's visit to all 30 Spring Training facilities this month, we will be sitting down with prospects and getting to know them a little better. At Phillies camp, it was No. 3 prospect Nick Williams. A second-round Draft pick of the Rangers in 2012, Williams has put up impressive offensive numbers at every Minor League stop throughout his young career, amassing a .296/.346/.489 batting line in 374 games. He took a major step forward in 2015 and was having a tremendous season at Double-A Frisco when he was sent to the Phillies as part of the Cole Hamels blockbuster. The 22-year-old outfielder capped his season with a strong showing at Double-A Reading and has continued to impress this spring in his first camp with the Phils. MLBPipeline.com: Where were you and what were you doing when you learned that you had been traded last summer? Williams: I was playing for Double-A Frisco, and we were going into either the seventh or eighth inning when I was pulled from the game. I didn't know that those other guys had been traded too until I got into the clubhouse. While waiting for the trade to become final, I went home for about a week and went to the beach and hung out with some friends. I was getting in the car with my girlfriend to go pack up my stuff at Frisco when I learned the trade went through, so we drove 22 hours to Reading to meet up with the team. MLBPipeline.com: Upon joining Reading, you collected two hits in your first game and then went 4-for-4 with two home runs the next day. Was the transition from the Rangers to the Phillies as easy as you made it seem? Williams: It was extremely easy. Jake [Thomson] told me that it would be tough, but it really wasn't. After that 22-hour drive, we spent another five hours on the bus going to Trenton because we got stuck behind a dump truck that was on fire, so I basically went a full week without hitting before that first game with Reading. MLBPipeline.com: You and a lot of the Phillies' other acquisitions were in big league camp together this spring. What was that experience like -- to play together with all of the other big-name prospects who, like yourself, are viewed as the future of the franchise? Williams: It was great not just being the one guy who goes in there and feels out of place. The younger guys were asking me questions and the veterans were all very welcoming -- it was just great energy overall. You can tell the team chemistry is going to be really, really good, because everyone is clicking already. MLBPipeline.com: You've always had an impressive knack for hitting, but last season you seemed to make big strides with your approach and plate discipline. To what do you attribute that improvement? Williams: They put me at leadoff last year at Frisco, and it allowed me to see a lot of pitches and also made me realize just how overaggressive I can be at the plate. Really focusing on the pitchers and the counts, I started to learn how to put all the pieces together and be a more complete hitter. MLBPipeline.com: Video question: You hit this impressive home run with Reading on August 24. First of all, how did you manage to keep this ball fair? Secondly, how on earth did you hit it out of the park? Williams: I can't explain it, really. I get asked those types of questions a lot, and I really can't explain how I hit like that. I just see the pitch and my hands want to attack it, so I let 'em go.

Today In Phils History - We bid adieu to The Bull as the Phillies sold him to the White Sox on this day in 1981.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-10-3 (15-10-3 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!

Decisions Need To Be Made As Roster Shrinks

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Tigers Edge Phillies 6-5

Tigers left fielder Justin Upton has not had a memorable spring, but he showed some life in his bat Saturday afternoon at Bright House Field. He hit a solo home run to left field in the first inning, singled and scored in the fourth, hit another solo homer in the sixth and another single in the eighth in a 6-5 win over the Phillies. Upton entered the afternoon hitting .189 (7-for-37) with one double, two RBIs, eight walks and 15 strikeouts in 15 games. "I was just reacting. That's a plus when you're seeing the ball well, even the offspeed pitches," said Upton. "That's part of the plan." Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander made his fifth start of the spring. He allowed seven hits, three runs and one walk and struck out two in five-plus innings. "Overall, it's a step in the right direction. Left some pitches up," said Verlander. "Curveball was much better. Slider wasn't quite there today. But overall, not a bad day." Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp doubled to score Odubel Herrera in the fourth, and Freddy Galvis homered in the fifth. Ryan Howard doubled and scored on Cedric Hunter's sacrifice fly in the sixth to tie the game. The Phillies took the lead in the seventh, scoring two runs against Mark Lowe. Herrera singled to score a run, and Howard's fielder's choice scored another. The Tigers tallied one run in the eighth, when Ben Verlander, pinch-running for Upton, scored on Tyler Collins' second RBI triple of the game. Detroit went ahead for good in the top of the ninth on a two-run single from Gustavo Nunez off the Phillies' Chris Leroux.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Ryan Howard had been hitless in 11 at-bats with six strikeouts since crushing a grand slam over the batter's eye in center field on March 18. But he went 2-for-4 with a double, with both hits coming against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. Howard is hitting .233 (10-for-43) with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs this spring.
• Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola threw 5 1/3 innings in a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex. He allowed six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out seven.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies head south to Ft. Myers to face the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game at JetBlue Park at 1:05 p.m. ET. Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will make his second Grapefruit League start after missing the early part of spring recovering from a fractured right thumb. He is expected to be ready to pitch the first week of the season. 

PHILS PHACTS:

Closing In On A Closer? – The Phillies made Saturday a bullpen day. They pitched nine relievers in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. Many of them have a good shot at making the seven-man bullpen, but it seems like none of the pitchers on the bubble separated themselves from the pack. "Not really," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're going to take it right down to the end and then make our decision. We're close. The guys that are pitching well are going to have a chance. And the guys that don't have a chance are cutting themselves." There are plenty of guys to choose from. After all, the Phillies still have 15 healthy relievers in camp with the season opener just nine days away in Cincinnati. Right-handers David Hernandez, Dalier Hinojosa and Jeanmar Gomez and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer are locks. Right-hander Edward Mujica has pitched well. He has a 2.45 ERA in six appearances. If he is not a lock, he is close to one. Mujica, who is a non-roster invitee on a Minor League contract, has an out-clause. The Phillies had until midnight ET on Saturday to place him on the Opening Day roster. But that offer was not expected, because the Phillies actually have more time than that to make a decision. If the Phillies do not place him on the roster, Mujica can request his release Sunday. The Phillies then have 48 hours to make a decision on him. Essentially, they have to make a decision by Tuesday. Right-hander Andrew Bailey remains a candidate. He started the spring well, but he has allowed four runs in his last two innings. "[Bailey] was spraying the ball around a little bit," Mackanin said. "I'd like to see better command." Meanwhile, right-hander Ernesto Frieri struggled early in camp, but threw a clean seventh inning against the Tigers. His velocity picked up, too. "I was excited about Frieri," Mackanin said. "[Pitching coach Bob] McClure has been trying to get him to throw a little more across his body, like he used to throw. They tried to change his mechanics. We're trying to get him back to where he was before, to create the deception he used to have." Left-handers Daniel Stumpf (4.35 ERA in eight appearances), Bobby LaFromboise (1.08 ERA in seven appearances) and James Russell (3.38 ERA in six appearances) remain candidates. Mackanin said "it's a good possibility" that the Phillies will carry three left-handers in the bullpen. But if they carry three, it means only one of these veteran right-handers make the team: Mujica, Bailey or Frieri. The Phillies might play the numbers game. They might keep as many arms in the system as possible. Stumpf is a Rule 5 Draft pick, so he must stay on the 25-man roster the entire season to remain in the organization. Frieri has a Thursday out-clause, while Bailey (May 31) and Russell (June 1) have out-clauses later in the season. LaFromboise is out of options, but he can start the season in the Minor Leagues. Right-handers Luis Garcia and Hector Neris and left-hander Elvis Araujo have options, which should come into play. The Phillies could open with pitchers like Mujica, Frieri and Stumpf and see how they fare. If they struggle, they could move to Bailey, Russell and others. "I'd like to think they'd take the best guy out there," Russell said. "If I earn it, then hopefully I'm the one that they take." "Anything can happen," Mackanin said. "We don't know what's going to happen. There could be a trade. There might be somebody picked up on waivers."

Outfielder Roulette – Non-roster invitee Cedric Hunter strengthened his case to make the Opening Day roster. He singled and had a sacrifice fly to score a run. "He has squared the ball up as well as anybody all spring," Mackanin said. "I like him a lot. He's shown pretty good arm accuracy. He gives you good solid at-bats." Odubel Herrera went 2-for-5. It was his second game back after missing time with a bruised left middle finger. Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel went 1-for-4. He is hitting .250.

Comfortable On The Mound – Dalier Hinojosa is not afraid to pitch the ninth inning. He is quite certain of that. The pressures of holding a lead are nothing compared to spending a single night on a rickety boat in the middle of the sea, in the pitch black, trying to evade the authorities and praying to God to survive the treacherous journey from Cuba to Haiti. "One day, I'm going to take you to the ocean at 3 o'clock in the morning with me," Hinojosa said through the Phillies' interpreter Saturday morning at Bright House Field. "Then I will take you to the mound at the most filled stadium and you can tell me: Which one is worse? Which one is scarier? The ocean at 3 a.m. where it's plain dark, or the stadium that is filled with fans?" Hinojosa laughed. "Fear is gone," he said. Hinojosa, 30, could close for the Phillies this season, based on his 0.78 ERA in 18 appearances last year, his strong Grapefruit League performances this spring (2.57 ERA in six appearances) and the fact that they have few other options. But before Hinojosa joined the Phillies in July after being claimed off waivers from Boston, and before the Red Sox signed him to a $4.5 million signing bonus in October 2013, Hinojosa defected from Cuba, traveling by handmade boat with his wife and a few others to Haiti on Feb. 23, 2013. "To navigate through those waters, it's crazy," Hinojosa said. "It's plain crazy. ... Nowadays, I look back and analyze what I did, and I think that I was crazy." But Hinojosa felt he had no choice. "We make drastic and dangerous decisions, because we're very desperate to leave the island," he said. "It's a very poor place. It's a place where you have no opportunities. So I think those decisions are made based on the conditions where you live rather than how. You really don't think about how you're going to escape, rather when you're going to escape, regardless of the risk you're taking, regardless of losing your life. You feel desperate." The boats for these trips are built in a remote area, where the work is hidden amongst the trees and bushes. Secrecy is everything. Hinojosa said he is asked about the boat he used perhaps more than anything else about his defection. But the truth is he does not remember it well. "I was so nervous at the time that I didn't really pay attention to the boat," he said. "What I can remember is it was small, it was narrow and it was old. But, at that moment, I was full of fear and I just didn't pay attention to it." The travelers at least had a GPS to make sure they got to Haiti, but it hardly guaranteed survival. "It's more about your guts than the instruments that you're able to build to escape the island," Hinojosa said. "Sometimes we use car engines. We can think of anything. Any type of engine you can use, you use it. Based on my own experience, which is a bad one, a scary one, I was fearful from the beginning. I didn't want to lose my life. I didn't want things to go wrong. Of course, you think of the worst. But you try to block that from your head. "I took that decision because I wanted to achieve my dream. My goal was to play in the MLB, the best baseball in the world. I wanted to help my family financially. Those factors make you make drastic decisions, decisions you're aware can make you lose your life. I was desperate on the island, as many other people are. I had to do it." Hinojosa has settled into Miami with his wife, who is due with their first daughter in May. He still has a daughter from a previous marriage in Cuba. "The chances that this country has given me have allowed me to do things like that," he said. "That's why I feel blessed. It makes me feel human when I am able to help others based on my work. I'm making enough money to help other people." He could help more if he establishes himself in the big leagues. He has an excellent opportunity with the Phillies, who are desperate for late-inning relievers following trades last year that sent Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles and Jake Diekman to Washington, Houston and Texas, respectively. The Phillies believe they have a nice find in Hinojosa. The story goes that Andy MacPhail -- before he officially succeeded Pat Gillick as team president -- pressed for the Phillies to claim Hinojosa, based on strong scouting reports on him. It might have been MacPhail's first (unofficial) move with the Phillies. "I think it's a great opportunity for me to be considered as a closer," Hinojosa said. "I am focused on helping the team. So whichever role they want me to be, I'll do it because I thank them and I thank the Lord."

Today In Phils History - In 1939, the Phillies were in the midst of a 14 inning marathon when the game was called a 3-3 ties with the Cleveland Browns so the Phillies could catch a train. In another turn of good luck, the Phillies were no hit by Tampa Bay on this day in 2003... the lucky part was that it was during a spring training game. Finally, happy birthday to Wed Covington who was born on this day in 1932. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-8-2 (15-8-2 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!

I Wonder What The Goldbergs Think Of This Phillies Team?

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Braves 5-3

Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf damaged Mike Foltynewicz's rotation bid with back-to-back third-inning home runs, and Brian Bogusevic delivered a decisive eighth-inning sacrifice fly for the Phillies in Tuesday afternoon's 5-3 win over the Braves at Champion Stadium. Howard's third home run of the Grapefruit League season highlighted the Phillies' offensive charge, after they struck first with Bogusevic's second-inning RBI single. The Braves remained scoreless until Andrelton Simmons highlighted a game-tying, three-run seventh with a two-run homer off Paul Clemens.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

The Phillies host the Astros on Wednesday afternoon at Bright House Field at 1:05 p.m. ET. It is another important start for right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, who is competing for a job in the Phillies' rotation. Gonzalez's performance this spring has been uneven at best, but a solid outing Wednesday could put him in good position to make the team. Watch the game live on MLB.TV.

PHILS NOTES:

• Phillies pitching prospect Severino Gonzalez allowed four hits and struck out two in three scoreless innings. He got the start because Aaron Harang remained in Clearwater, Fla, where he threw in a Minor League game. Gonzalez is the organization's No. 15 prospect, according to MLB.com.
• It looks like Ruf is getting on track offensively. He went 3-for-5 with one double, one home run and one RBI against the Braves. He has homered twice in the past six games and remains in line for one of the Phillies' five bench jobs.
• Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown is not sure if he will be ready for Opening Day. He has been sidelined since Thursday because of tendinitis in his left Achilles. He said he hopes to begin running in the next couple of days.
• Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley is scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game Thursday in Clearwater, Fla. The Phillies are hoping Billingsley, who is recovering from a pair of elbow surgeries, will be ready to join the rotation in late April.
• Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt walked off the field following Howard's homer. Play had been briefly halted earlier in the inning when it appeared Wendelstedt was having trouble keeping his balance while standing near first base. 

PHILS PHACTS:

Brown Questionable For Opening Day – Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown has just 13 days to get himself ready for Opening Day. He cannot say if he will make it, but he said the tendinitis in his left Achilles has improved in the past couple days. Brown left Thursday's Grapefruit League game in the third inning because the Achilles bothered him. "I'm feeling better, much better," Brown said Tuesday morning at Bright House Field. "I'm not going to lie to you guys, I was a little nervous there before the MRI. "Hopefully I can be back on the field in another week or so." Brown said he expects to start running in the next few days. In the meantime, he is receiving treatment, riding a bike and playing catch. He has not hit since Thursday. "Hopefully I can be ready for Opening Day," he said. "That's the goal right now, but we'll see what happens. I'm excited it wasn't a tear or anything like that. We're moving in the right direction." If Brown is unable to play Opening Day, the Phillies could open with Ben Revere, Odubel Herrera and Grady Sizemore or Darin Ruf in the outfield.

Ruf Waking Up – Phillies outfielder Darin Ruf had a slow start to spring, but he remains in good shape to make the Opening Day roster. The Phillies need right-handed bats, preferably with power. Ruf fits that description, and in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the Braves at Champion Stadium, he went 3-for-5 with one double, one home run and one RBI. He also scored the go-ahead run in the eighth. Ruf is hitting .385 (5-for-13) with one double, two home runs and two RBIs in his last five games. He opened the spring hitting .172 (5-for-29) with one double in nine games. "I would narrow that down to maybe the last three [games]," Ruf said about feeling better at the plate. "I'm feeling a little more comfortable. I've been working on something new every day, just changing things up to try to get comfortable. My timing has been better." Ruf took some at-bats in Minor League games last week, which seemed to help. "I think my hands were creeping a little too far up," Ruf said. "I worked with Mike [Schmidt] and Sal [Rende], and I started my hands back a little more. That way when I start my swing, they're a little bit quicker." Said Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg: "[He's been] a little more aggressive. I think he's found a stance that he likes as far as the hand slot. He's real short to the ball and aggressive in the count. That's a good combination from him. That's kind of what we've been preaching to him. It's good to see him take advantage of those hitting situations and be swinging the bat in those counts."

The Other Gonazalez Is Looking Good – Phillies prospect Severino Gonzalez is listed at 6-foot-1 and 153 pounds. He is so unassuming, he looked like the bat boy as he carried a couple bats and a batting helmet toward the visitors' clubhouse Tuesday at Champion Stadium. But Gonzalez, 22, had just pitched three scoreless innings in a 5-3 victory over the Braves. He held a lineup that included Freddie Freeman, Nick Markakis and Jonny Gomes to four hits. He struck out two. "I'm very, very happy," he said through an interpreter, radio personality Rickie Ricardo. "It was my first time ever in a Major League game, so I'm very pleased." Gonzalez is the organization's No. 15 prospect, according to MLB.com. The Phillies named him their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2013, but he struggled a bit in his second season with Double-A Reading in 2014. There is a plausible explanation for that. The Phillies told Gonzalez to stop throwing his cutter and work on his changeup, which needed to improve. He went 9-13 with a 4.59 ERA in 27 starts, although he finished in the Top 10 in the Eastern League in innings pitched, strikeouts and WHIP. He led the entire Phillies' farm system in starts and innings. He got the start Tuesday because Aaron Harang pitched in a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla. Harang has been battling back problems this month, so there was no reason to put him on a lengthy bus ride. Gonzalez got the good news on Sunday. "I was nervous when I first found out, but then I said to myself: 'It's the same kind of baseball. All I have to do is go out there, do my thing, and everything will be fine,'" Gonzalez said. Gonzalez thinks everything will be fine this season, too. He has big goals. "I want to get called up in September," he said. "I want a taste of the Major Leagues this year." He got his first taste Tuesday, and he fared well, impressing manager Ryne Sandberg. "I think he backed up [wanting a callup] with his outing," Sandberg said. "ESPN game against the Braves. They had some good hitters in the lineup that he faced. Great pace of game. Great tempo. He threw a lot of strikes. He mixed his pitches well. I really liked the way he got the sign and delivered the pitch."

Is Harang Health? – Right-hander Aaron Harang remained on schedule to start the second game of the regular season against the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park, if that's what the Phillies decide, after pitching five innings against a Pirates Class A lineup on Tuesday at the Carpenter Complex. Harang, who has had scheduled starts pushed back twice this spring because of lower back discomfort, allowed three runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. He threw 74 pitches, 54 for strikes, and then he went to the bullpen at Ashburn Field and threw seven more pitches. Most importantly, he said he experienced no physical problems. "It felt good. No problems getting up and down," said the 36-year-old, who threw to regular catcher Carlos Ruiz. "I felt like I had pretty decent command. Not great. But when you come over and throw one of these back-field games, it's more about just a feel. These guys want to come out and swing hard and swing early, so it makes you have to pitch backwards -- work on your offspeed stuff early in the counts and then go back to fastballs." He has been back to his normal workout routine for the last several days. Harang sailed through his first four innings, including an extra batter in the second after he needed only eight pitches to record three quick outs. He needed 21 pitches to get through the fifth when he gave up two runs on four hits. "The last inning, I was specifically working out of the stretch from the get-go, just to make sure I had a feel for that," he said. Harang's next start is expected to come Sunday against the Tigers at Bright House Field. The decision for him to pitch in a Minor League game on Tuesday was made partly to allow him to avoid the two-hour bus ride to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., for the team's Grapefruit League game against the Braves. "It was nice to be in that controlled environment, because if I got in a situation, I wasn't trying to battle through and potentially [come] out in the third or fourth inning," he said. Harang will likely aim for 85 to 90 pitches his next time out.

Billingsley Ready To Return – Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley hopes to clear another hurdle in his recovery Thursday. He is scheduled to pitch a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex. Billingsley, 30, is recovering from a pair of right elbow surgeries, which have limited him to just 12 innings in the big leagues over the previous two seasons. Billingsley is expected to throw 30 to 35 pitches, about two innings of work. "Then do it again," Billingsley said. The Phillies have indicated Billingsley could make a Grapefruit League appearance before the team heads to Philadelphia on April 2, but he said he is not focused on that. "I'm not thinking that far ahead," Billingsley said. "When you've been going through two years of rehab, you don't look beyond the next week or the next start or the next whatever. You just kind of approach it one start at a time and put all your focus on doing your rehab and your treatment to get to the next step. I'm just getting ready for Thursday." Billingsley's bid to return to the big leagues is worth following. First, the Phillies need starting pitching help. Second, if Billingsley comes back and pitches successfully, he could be a valuable trade chip come July.

Jockeying For Bench Position – It is pretty clear that Cord Phelps has made a favorable impression on Phillies coaches this spring. Phelps, who is a non-roster invitee, hit third for the Phillies in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Braves at Champion Field. In 13 games, he is hitting .303 (10-for-33) with one double, one home run, five RBIs, seven walks, six strikeouts and an .849 OPS. Phelps has emerged as a legitimate candidate to make the Phillies' bench as a utility player with Opening Day only 13 days away, although he might have to beat out Cesar Hernandez. Hernandez entered camp as a favorite if for no other reason than that he is out of options, and the Phillies' front office places considerable importance on that. But Hernandez entered Tuesday hitting a mere .088 (3-for-34) with two doubles, one RBI, four walks, six strikeouts and a .352 OPS in 16 games. "You want to show what you can do and try to take advantage of every opportunity," Phelps said. "That's just good preparation for the season, because you never know how things are going to play out. That's a skill we try to develop. Maybe you don't know when you're going to get in there, but when you do, you try to perform at your highest level. I feel like I'm having good at-bats. I feel like I'm putting balls in play with hard contact." The Indians selected Phelps, 28, in the third round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He has hit .280 with an .800 OPS in 681 games in the Minor Leagues, but just .155 in 126 plate appearances in the big leagues. "This game is a crazy game," said Phelps, when asked why his Minor League numbers have not translated into a longer look in the big leagues. "Everybody does the best they can to play and get an opportunity. You've got to be a really good player, but you also have to be in the right situation. That's what everybody is hunting for. We prepare, but there is a lot of stuff out of your hands. You just hope you get into a situation where your skill set matches their needs." Right place, right time. "That's life in general," Phelps said. Phelps could be in the right place with the Phillies. Odubel Herrera, Darin Ruf and Cameron Rupp appear to have a hold on three bench jobs. (Herrera could find himself in the Opening Day lineup as well as he has played.) Phelps and Hernandez are competing for a fourth spot as a utility infielder. Jeff Francoeur, Brian Bogusevic and Jordan Danks could be fighting for an outfield job. Andres Blanco remains a possibility if the Phillies want a second utility infielder. Phelps came up as a second baseman, but has played first base, third base, shortstop, left field and right field. His versatility helps his cause, especially on a National League team. "He's come in and done a nice job," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He shows his versatility. He's a switch-hitter. He's hit the ball well. He's done situational hitting very well. He's competing for a job."

Welcome Back To The Vet – Veterans Stadium could be an intimidating place for opposing teams and opposing fans. It could be scarring for young Phillies fans, too. Adam Goldberg knows. He is the executive producer and creator of ABC's "The Goldbergs," a sitcom about his family in 1980s suburban Philadelphia. The show is a love letter to the '80s and Philly, and has made numerous Philly references since its 2013 debut, including a remake of a Flyers game at the Spectrum. "The Goldbergs" gives the Phillies and The Vet some love in "The Lost Boy" episode at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. "Some of my best memories were going to Phillies games with my dad [Murray, portrayed by Jeff Garlin], going to Veterans Stadium," Goldberg said in an interview with MLB.com. "There was one particular instance where we got separated, and in the '80s when you got separated from somebody in a big place without a cell phone, there was no way to find them. So I was telling this story [in the writers' room] about how I went with my dad to a Phillies game and we got separated. And there was this panic you felt, because Veterans Stadium was so big and so scary. It was terrifying. It's really an episode about Adam's [portrayed by Sean Giambrone] transition into manhood as he learns to survive in Veterans Stadium by himself." But at one point, it looked like the episode would not happen. The scripts for "The Lost Boy" and an earlier episode, "Barry Goldberg's Day Off," were not initially cleared by Major League Baseball. Goldberg expressed his frustrations on Twitter. Phillies director of marketing and special projects Michael Harris quickly contacted Goldberg on the social media site, and later that night, they were on the phone resolving the scripts' issues. It turns out one joke caused the biggest hiccup. Goldberg said he "very cavalierly" wrote a joke in "Barry Goldberg's Day Off" about Barry Goldberg (Adam's older brother, portrayed by Troy Gentile) being pelted by batteries at a Phillies game after he caught a ball. "And here come the batteries," the announcer said. "That one line they were like, 'Oh, boy. That's a nonstarter. That's something we never want to happen again. We don't want to encourage it,'" Goldberg said. "When I heard that was the concern, I was like, 'Oh, I totally get what you're saying. We'll remove it.' "They had concerns about the scripts as any franchise would, be it sports or even when we try to get an '80s movie cleared. Everyone wants their property to be portrayed in the right way, and they have concerns." Said Harris: "Once Adam and I directly connected, we were able to resolve [the concerns] instantaneously. A good old-fashioned phone conversation is all it took. He was able to quickly tweak a few things without impacting the original integrity and intent of the scenes. It's obviously a comedy, and everything is in good fun. Adam is a big fan of the team, and obviously we're thrilled the Phillies will be featured on such an enormously popular national TV show." But clearance meant Goldberg had to recreate The Vet, which was imploded in March 2004. It was a challenge. The show does not have a massive budget, so it could not build something from the ground up. It could not use CGI. It essentially reconfigured a college football stadium near Los Angeles and had two days to shoot everything. A crew recreated the stands, yanking out the seats and replacing them with the ones Goldberg remembered. It recreated the concourses, concession stands and bathrooms, looking at old photographs as a guide. "Those bathrooms," Goldberg said. "Those giant troughs that you had to pee in with the drunk fans. You're so crowded in. I remember having stage fright for the first time, having to go so bad, but being so freaked out by the experience, I couldn't go. "I know I'm going to get tweets and Facebook messages about how they saw an orange seat, and they were blue or green. But it's what I'm working with. At the very least, I got approval from the Phillies. They're being as cooperative as possible. They're being awesome, and within my budget, I'm trying to do as much as I can. It was so ripe for material. This episode came out so easily, because we all have so many experiences going to Phillies games [at] Veterans Stadium." Goldberg also looked into recreating the Phanatic, but found it cost about $8,000 for a reproduction. He asked Harris if they could send him a Phanatic costume. "How about we send you the Phanatic?" Harris replied. "I think they're seeing that this show is a love letter to everything we grew up with," Goldberg said. "They're excited to be part of that, which is very cool. Some of my best memories were going to watch those Phillies games. This was a way that [my father] could connect with us. There was an awesome activity going on, we didn't have to talk that much and we could cheer and be on the same team. And even though I didn't really know all of the players and my dad would have to tell me what was going on, it was still some of my fondest memories of him. So it always holds a big place in my heart."

Immortalizing Dickie – Dickie Noles' phone and inbox blew up in November 2013, when ABC's "The Goldbergs" mentioned his name. In the "Call Me When You Get There" episode, Jeff Garlin's character, Murray Goldberg, was watching a Phillies' World Series game when he yelled, "Oh! What is that pitch?! That's garbage! I hate you, Dickie Noles!" The show is set in suburban Philadelphia in the 1980s, and it plays loose with the years and sequence of events because, hey, it makes the show better and funnier. But hardcore fans know Noles only pitched for the Phillies in the 1980 World Series against the Royals, and his only relief appearance came in a memorable Game 4. Noles replaced Larry Christenson in the first inning and allowed five hits, one run and two walks while striking out six in 4 2/3 innings. But most important, Noles threw a nasty brushback pitch to George Brett, which many credit for turning the series in the Phillies' favor. "I saw it," Noles said about the episode. "I think it was just a reference to Philadelphia sports. He's a Philly fan, right?" Show creator Adam Goldberg is a Philly fan and Wednesday's episode will once again feature a vintage Phillies feel. He is originally from Jenkintown, Pa., and Goldberg laughed when asked why he picked Noles out of all the Phillies' pitchers from the '80s. "That's something I remember my dad screaming as he was watching the Phillies," Goldberg said. "My dad had a bad temper, so he was a yeller. And every time he'd sit home and watch the games, I remember him screaming. I remember being a kid and hearing that name and it just stuck out in my head. That's why I picked it. Everyone in the writers' room was like, 'That is so random.' "The things you remember from when you were a kid. It's so random that you remember that name vividly. Of all the Phillies, you remember Dickie Noles." Said Noles: "It got me a lot of calls from a lot of different people, and some people that are not baseball fans. It's kind of neat that way."

ON THE RECORD:

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