Asher Puts Suspension Behind Him Against Nationals

GAME RECAP: Phillies Nab Nationals 4-1

Right-hander Alec Asher, making his first start of the season for the Phillies, proved to be too much for the Nationals as Philadelphia won the series opener, 4-1, at Nationals Park on Thursday night in Asher's first big league win. Washington's magic number remains at 15 to win the National League East. The second-place Mets had the day off on Thursday. The Phillies also snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Nationals. Asher's counterpart, A.J. Cole, pitched five innings and allowed four runs on five hits. All four runs were scored in the third inning, on homers by Peter Bourjos and Ryan Howard. "Cole wasn't bad at all," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "It was the three-run homer [from Howard] that did him and us in. Cole was pretty good, actually. The one homer [by Bourjos] hit the foul pole. The other one scraped the wall." Said Cole: "Howard hit a good pitch. At the same time, if I'm going to throw that changeup, I [should] throw it in the ground." Asher, who pitched six shutout innings, retired six of the first seven hitters he faced. The only time the Nationals had runners in scoring position against the right-hander was in the third inning. Washington had runners on first and second with two outs, but Daniel Murphy flied out to left field to end the threat. "He showed makeup," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Asher. "Last year he looked like he was a little nervous most of the time and got rocked around. It was good to see him confident." Washington would finally put a run on a board in the eighth inning off reliever Hector Neris. With the bases loaded, Murphy hit a sacrifice fly to left fielder Aaron Altherr, scoring Stephen Drew.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Asher returned from an 80-game suspension earlier this week after testing positive for oral turinabol, dazzling in his season debut. He allowed just two hits and one walk in six scoreless innings. Asher is the first of three pitchers the Phillies acquired in July 2015 in the Cole Hamels trade who will face the Nationals this weekend. Jake Thompson starts Friday night and Jerad Eickhoff starts Saturday night. "I just said that I was going to go out there and have fun," Asher said. "I felt like I wasn't myself at the end of last year and let the moment get to me. I was going to go back to being me. It definitely worked and I'm looking to build on it."
• Howard's three-run home run to center field handed the Phillies a 4-0 lead. It was the 378th homer of Howard's career, which ties him with Matt Williams for 72nd place on the all-time home run list. Next up are Hall of Famers Tony Perez and Orlando Cepeda, who each hit 379 homers. "Howie came up with that big three-run home run," Mackanin said. "That's [about] all we had offensively, but it was obviously enough."
• "Someone asked me last year, a legitimate question after he was getting rocked around so much, 'Do you think it was a good idea to call him up?' And I said, 'Yes it is, because when he goes back down, he's going to understand what he's up against and let's see what kind of makeup he's got, if he's going to fight and battle back.' And sure enough, he went out there tonight and looked very confident. He felt like he was in control. He got away with a few line drives here and there, but nevertheless he threw strikes and only gave up two hits. I'm really proud of him for that." -- Mackanin, on Asher.

NEXT GAME:

Thompson hopes to keep the good times rolling on Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET at Nationals Park. He went 1-3 with a 9.78 ERA in his first four starts, unable to pitch past the fifth inning in any of those starts. But Thompson is 0-2 with a 1.93 ERA in his last two starts, pitching seven innings in both.

PHILS PHACTS:

Asher Returns – Does Alec Asher have more of this in him? It is just one start, but his season debut Thursday in a 4-1 victory over the Nationals at Nationals Park had to intrigue a few people in the Phillies' organization. Asher allowed just two hits and one walk in six scoreless innings, throwing a mere 75 pitches (55 strikes). It snapped the Phillies' nine-game losing streak against the Nationals. Asher's teammates commemorated his first big league win by taking him into the Phillies' shower fully clothed and dumping beer on him. "I just said that I was going to go out there and have fun," Asher said. "I felt like I wasn't myself at the end of last year and let the moment get to me. I was going to go back to being me. It definitely worked, and I'm looking to build on it." Asher went 0-6 with a 9.31 ERA in seven starts late last season with the Phillies, who acquired him in July 2015 in the Cole Hamels trade with the Rangers. Asher knew he would not last long with performances like that, so he worked on a two-seam fastball in the offseason. It helped. He went 1-2 with a 3.20 ERA in four starts this season with Double-A Reading before being promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, for which he went 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA in four starts. Everything looked great until Major League Baseball suspended Asher 80 games for testing positive for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), which is an anabolic steroid designed by East Germany in the 1960s. The steroid is better known as oral turinabol. Former teammate and Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf also tested positive for DHCMT this year. Both have maintained their innocence, saying they have absolutely no idea how the easily detectable steroid entered their systems. "We're all in the same boat," Asher said about himself and four other players that tested positive this year for DHCMT. "We're all looking for a resolution on what had happened. But that's all I got for you." Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said he isn't interested in Asher's explanation about his PED suspension. "I don't even want to talk to him about it," Mackanin said. "As far as I'm concerned, it's water under the bridge and let's just put it behind us." Asher figures to make four more starts before the end of the season. If he pitches well, he could put himself in good position to make the 2017 rotation out of Spring Training. But there should be plenty of competition. If everybody is healthy -- that is always a big "if" -- the group of starters in camp should include Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez, Zach Eflin, Jake Thompson, Adam Morgan, Asher and probably a veteran starter or two. "If he pitches like he did tonight, he's definitely in the conversation," Mackanin said. "It was noticeable to me, just his demeanor on the mound. It looked like he was confident from the start. He threw strikes. He wasn't pitching away from contact. That's huge. For him to go through what he's gone through and develop a new pitch over the winter and to come out against a real good hitting team, a first-place team, speaks volumes."

Nagging Injuries – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco is day to day with a sore right thumb. Franco could be back in the starting lineup as early as Friday against the Nationals at Nationals Park, although he could pinch-hit in Thursday's series opener. Franco took ground balls, and he planned to hit in the batting cage Thursday. Franco jammed the thumb Sunday against the Braves in Philadelphia, but he played Monday and Tuesday in Miami. He went 0-for-8 in those games to drop his batting average to .246 and his OPS to .721.

Today In Phils History – George Davis of the Braves no hit the Phillies in the second game of a double header on this day in 1914. Jimmie Foxx hit the final of his 534 career homeruns in 1945. The Phillies struck out 26 times in a double header against the Mets in 1970 with Nolan Ryan adding 13 to his career tally in game 1. In the 2^nd game of that double header, Greg ‘The Bull” Luzinski made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter and unceremoniously struck out (he was the Phillies 1^st player born in the 1950’s. 2003 saw the Phillies hammer the Braves 18-5 with both Tomas Perez and Jason Michaels each hitting the 1^st grand slam of their career. The following season Jimmy Rollins hit a leadoff inside the park homerun which was his 4^th homerun to begin a game that season tying the franchise record. In that same game, Jason Michaels bobbled a ball so badly that he forced the ball over the fence for a homerun which was soon forgotten with 5 homeruns and a Phillies win. Other debuts on this day include Jeff Stone (1983) and Nick Punto (2001). Finally, happy birthday to Hugh Mulcahy (1913), Ron Stone (1942), and Todd Zeile (1965).   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 63-77 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 54-42-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

It Might Take A Few More Zeros To Make The Rotation

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Bucs 1-0

Brock Stassi led off the top of the seventh inning with a double and scored on an Andres Blanco single up the middle to break a scoreless tie, lifting the Phillies to a 1-0 Grapefruit League win over the Pirates on Monday afternoon at McKechnie Field. Both starting pitchers, Jeff Locke for the Pirates and Vincent Velasquez for the Phillies, opened with three scoreless innings. Locke, projected as Pittsburgh's No. 3 starter, faced just one batter over the minimum. He allowed two singles and struck out one. Velasquez, who is competing for a rotation spot, gave up three singles, but only one left the infield. He also walked one, struck out three and benefited from getting two double plays. "I gave up a few hits, bad location," Velasquez said. "But I'm comfortable with today's outcome and hopefully I can do better in the next." It was the first time a pitcher for either team had gone more than two innings. "He threw all his pitches today," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said of Locke. "Fastball, curveball, changeup all played. The curveball really played in the third inning. Efficient with his first-pitch strikes. Six guys retired on three pitches or less. So clean and crisp and a good building block for him."  The Phillies' rally began after A.J. Schugel came in to pitch for Pittsburgh. Stassi, who had entered as a defensive replacement at first base the previous inning, doubled to the right-field corner. After catcher Andrew Knapp struck out, Stassi advanced to third on a wild pitch. Shortstop Ryan Jackson walked. With the infield in, Blanco singled sharply up the middle to drive in the run.

PHAST PHACTS:

• Phillies utility infielder Andres Blanco played his first Grapefruit League game after being sidelined with a sore right shoulder. He went 2-for-3 and produced the game's only run with a single in the seventh inning.
• The Phillies played Keio University, a college team from Japan, at Bright House Field. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan allowed four hits, two unearned runs, one walk and struck out two in three innings. "I felt good," Buchanan told a pool reporter. "The arm felt good. I felt the ball was coming out well. I was keeping pitches down in the zone on both sides of the plate. I was throwing strikes. I felt great. They hit some balls that found holes, but I felt great."

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies host the Pirates on Tuesday at Bright House Field at 1:05 p.m. ET. Left-hander Adam Morgan, who is competing for the No. 5 job in the rotation, and right-hander Andrew Bailey, who is competing for a back of the bullpen job, are scheduled to pitch. Also scheduled to pitch are Yoervis Medina, Chris Leroux and Dalier Hinojosa.

PHILS PHACTS:

Velasquez Doing All The Right Things – First things first, Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez prefers to be called Vince, not Vincent. Nobody calls him Vincent. Of course, since the Phillies acquired Velasquez in December from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade, his buddies back home in California have started calling him "Vinny from Philly." Velasquez, who pitched three scoreless innings Monday afternoon in a 1-0 victory over the Pirates at McKechnie Field, will find a few Vinnies from Philly if he spends any time in South Philadelphia this summer. "They think it's so funny," Velasquez said. Velasquez plans to be in Philly a lot this summer. He is gunning to be the No. 5 starter and he made a case for himself against the Pirates. He allowed three hits, one walk and struck out three. But perhaps most important to Velasquez, he got double-play ground balls in the first and third innings. Keeping the ball on the ground is a goal for Velasquez. "That's actually a big thing for me right now," he said. "I've never really been a ground-ball pitcher. But I've been utilizing my two-seam [fastball] a lot, and adjusting to apply my fastball and two-seam as much as possible, utilizing it early in the count." Velasquez said he had some short outings last season because he got too deep into counts. "I threw a lot of straight fastballs," he said. Velasquez had a 31.3 ground-ball percentage in 55 2/3 innings last season with Houston. If he had enough innings to qualify, it would have ranked among the lowest in the big leagues. But he is confident his two-seamer will boost that percentage this year. He said he showed a two-seamer occasionally last season, but said he threw only a few because he lacked command of it. "It's shown pretty well," he said about the pitch's improvement this spring. "It's one of the things that'd really help you in early counts, help you get that ground ball whenever you need it." "Over in Houston, I guess they liked the four-seam fastball up in the zone," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We like the sinker down in the zone, as well as the fastball. Two different pitches. When you get into the middle and later innings as a starter, you have to be able to change speeds and keep hitters off balance. If you're throwing everything hard the whole game, you better have real good command." But so far Mackanin likes what he sees from the prized piece of the Giles trade. "I like his arm, I like the stuff coming out of it," he said. "If he continues to pitch and get hitters out the way he's been getting hitters out, it bodes well for him. "Velasquez is a power pitcher, obviously. I need to see a little more finesse from him. In a three-inning stint, that's hard to do. Today everything was hard, hard, hard. I want to see a little finesse from him."

Injury Could Impact OF Depth – The Phillies could use some good news about Aaron Altherr's left wrist. Altherr injured it Friday, when he dived to make a catch in a Grapefruit League game against the Braves at Bright House Field in Clearwater, Fla. The wrist is in a splint, but Altherr said Saturday he does not believe the injury is serious. Still, he traveled to Philadelphia to see a specialist Monday. The Phillies have not announced the results of that visit. The Phillies entered camp arguably thin in outfield depth. Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Altherr projected as the Opening Day outfield, with Cody Asche and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel projected as the fourth and fifth outfielders. But if Altherr or anybody else misses an extended period or if somebody struggles to the point the Phillies need to look elsewhere for help, internal candidates in camp include David Lough, Darnell Sweeney and Cedric Hunter. Top prospects Nick Williams and Roman Quinn are expected to open the season in the Minor Leagues. But if Phillies manager Pete Mackanin is concerned about potential depth issues in the outfield, he did not seem bothered following Monday's 1-0 victory over the Pirates at McKechnie Field. "Not really because I know we have Bourjos, who covers a lot of ground," Mackanin said. "We have Odubel and Altherr. All three are legit center fielders. I know Lough is a good defender. I didn't know a lot about Cedric, but it looks like he can handle himself. Goeddel is good to see, but not a surprise because he was advertised as a good defender. He covers ground well. "Defense to me, is so important. Especially when you don't have available your starting outfielders. Coverage is important." No team enters Spring Training expecting everybody to stay healthy and everybody to play to their potential, but the Phillies have little margin for error if one or two don't. Herrera is the safest bet, coming off an impressive rookie season. He hit .297 with 30 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .762 OPS in 537 plate appearances last season. Bourjos is brilliant defensively, but he has hit a combined .231 with a .645 OPS the past four seasons. The Phillies believe Bourjos will bounce back with regular playing time. Altherr certainly has talent and potential, but he has only 166 plate appearances in the big leagues. Meanwhile, Asche is trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2015 and Goeddel has never played higher than Double-A. Lough hit .201 with a .555 OPS in 144 plate appearances last season with Baltimore, and has hit .255 with a .672 OPS in 741 plate appearances in his career. Sweeney, whom the Phillies acquired from the Dodgers in August in the Chase Utley trade, played left and center field last season. Hunter has not played in the big leagues since 2011, although he has extensive outfield experience. He hit .283 with a .751 OPS with Triple-A Gwinnett last year.

Putting Up Zeros – Brett Oberholtzer sent a few text messages back and forth with his father Monday afternoon at McKechnie Field. Oberholtzer had just pitched three scoreless innings in the Phillies' 1-0 victory over the Pirates, giving him five scoreless innings in two spring appearances. They are exactly the performances he needs as he competes to win a rotation job. "I told him I feel a lot better this spring than any other as far as being prepared to pitch at the big league level," Oberholtzer said. "Not saying I'm hitting my stride by any means, I don't think any of us are, but it feels great to be able to execute the majority of my pitches. I like contact. For me quick outs, not so many pitches, is a great thing. I take pride in trying to go late in the game." Oberholtzer followed Vince Velasquez, who also is competing for a rotation job. They offer different looks. Velasquez is a hard-throwing right-hander, while Oberholtzer is a left-hander with a fastball that has averaged 89.6 mph over the past three seasons, according to FanGraphs. "I like the way he attacks the zone," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Oberholtzer. "He's an aggressive pitcher. Everything I've seen so far, I like." Oberholtzer prefers to start, but if the first four spots in the rotation go to Aaron Nola, Jeremy Hellickson, Jerad Eickhoff and Charlie Morton and Velasquez edges him for the No. 5 job, he would be expected to open the season in the bullpen. Oberholtzer is out of options and it would be a stunner if the Phils risked losing him to another team. "I'm prepared for any role and any opportunity I get," he said. "I guess later in spring we'll find out a little bit more, but right now I can only do what I can do." He also is keeping an open mind. He knows if he pitches well, an opportunity to start should come at some point. Teams don't play an entire season using only five starters. "I've thought about that, too," he said. "Maybe just being a bullpen guy then the first opportunity comes [to start]."

Staggering Story And Stats – Nearly 13 years have passed since Taylor Hooton, a promising 17-year-old baseball prospect, took his own life as a result of anabolic steroid abuse. Half of his high school teammates were using some form of performance-enhancing substance in 2003 to "get bigger," and Hooton -- then 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds -- was urged by a coach to "get bigger" as well. On Monday, the Taylor Hooton Foundation introduced the latest efforts in its tireless resolve to reach impressionable youths who, unfortunately, still want to "get bigger." In an on-field ceremony before the Twins-Orioles game in Sarasota, Fla., the foundation launched its 2016 public-service campaign -- "It's All Me" -- featuring advisory board members from all 30 Major League Baseball rosters. To inaugurate the 2016 campaign, Taylor Hooton Foundation President Don Hooton presented a framed and matted print of J.J. Hardy's version of the PSA to the Baltimore shortstop before the game. Similar presentations will be made through March 20 by Don Hooton to other advisory board members at Grapefruit and Cactus League games. "Steroids are just like any other drug, they can kill you," Hardy said. "I'm just standing up for the youth. It's a good cause. Nobody should do them, especially young kids." "We are so excited to have these world-class athletes step up to be role models for our young people," Hooton said, "and we feel strongly that these public-service ads will send a powerful and valuable message. Education is, without question, the most effective weapon we have to fight the epidemic of appearance and performance-enhancing drug use by our young people and these players are showing kids that they've achieved success the right way." In addition to Hardy, American Leaguers on the advisory board include Elvis Andrus of the Rangers, Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays, John Danks of the White Sox, Brian Dozier of the Twins, Logan Forsythe of the Rays, Charlie Furbush of the Mariners, Brett Gardner of the Yankees, Dillon Gee and Alex Gordon of the Royals, Ken Giles and Dallas Keuchel of the Astros, Jason Kipnis of the Indians, James McCann of the Tigers, Dustin Pedroia of the Red Sox, Josh Reddick of the Athletics and C.J. Wilson of the Angels. National League advisory board members include Jake Arrieta of the Cubs, Jay Bruce of the Reds, Matt Carpenter of the Cardinals, Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers, Nick Markakis of the Braves, Mark Melancon of the Pirates, Joe Panik of the Giants, Anthony Rendon and Logan Schafer of the Nationals, Tyson Ross of the Padres, Christian Yelich of the Marlins and Brad Ziegler of the D-backs. The Brewers, Mets, Phillies and Rockies will announce representatives in the near future, as their THF reps at the end of last season changed teams. For the campaign, a print ad for each of the foundation's current advisory board members has been created, with images provided by THF national partner Getty Images, and will be made available to each player's respective team program/magazine for publication during this season. In addition, "It's All Me" PSAs will run in programs at MLB jewel events. Advisory board members will also take part in educational activities in their local communities. Board members provide input on the most effective ways to educate North America's youth about the dangers of anabolic steroids and other appearance and performance enhancing drugs. The Taylor Hooton Foundation has spoken to and educated more than one million people. Education, rather than random testing, is clearly the primary solution, especially considering that the median age for first-time steroid users is 15. A startling 85 percent of high school athletes say they never have had a coach, parent or teacher talk to them about the dangers of such drugs. Nearly one out of every five adults are unaware that high school anabolic steroid use is a problem; nearly two million middle school and high school kids admit to using steroids, for appearance and performance; and 36 percent of males 18-25 say they or someone they know has taken steroids or HGH. The Taylor Hooton Foundation has a Latin American outreach and travels throughout the Caribbean, speaking to thousands of RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) athletes, coaches and parents in partnership with MLB. Additionally, the foundation introduced a new eLearning program in 2014 -- narrated by Bob Costas -- to Little League Baseball that is offered to its one-million adult coaches and other volunteers. More information about the Taylor Hooton Foundation and its efforts is available at taylorhoot.org and allmeleague.com.

Today In Phils History - The Phillies lost and important piece in 1941 when pitcher Hugh Mulcahy became the first major-leaguer drafted into service for World War II. And while not humorous at the time, it was on this day in 1994 when John Kruk underwent surgery for testicular cancer. Thankfully, he didn't simply take his ball and go home. Birthdays today include Jack Bentley (1895) and, Future Hall of Famer Dick Allen (1942).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with a 4-3-1 record (5-3-1 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!

The Battle For Last Place Resumes Tonight!

GAME RECAP: No Game Played Yesterday

Phillies took the time to reflect on the tough season and the possibility of losing 100 games for the first time since 1961. Hopefully they also spent a few moments looking for a new manager and GM.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco and first baseman Ryan Howard are injured, but both expect to play again this season. Franco definitely won't be back in time to face the Braves. Howard probably won't, either. Franco is recovering from a broken left wrist in Clearwater, Fla. Howard is still hobbling because of a bruised left knee.
• The Braves snapped a 12-game home losing streak Tuesday with a victory over the Blue Jays. The Elias Sports Bureau said only five teams since 1969 had lost more than 12 consecutive games at home, the last being the 2002 Mets, who lost 15 consecutive games at Shea Stadiuim.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan gets the opportunity to pitch at home Friday night in the series opener against the Braves at Turner Field. Morgan is 5-6 with a 4.60 ERA in 14 starts in his rookie season, including a 4.50 ERA in two starts against the Braves. Morgan grew up in nearby Marietta, Ga., about 30 minutes north of Turner Field. He pitched at Turner Field on July 3, allowing two runs in seven innings. The Phillies will face right-hander William Perez (5-6, 5.36 ERA). He earned the win against the Phillies on Sept. 7, when he allowed two runs in seven innings at Citizens Bank Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

No Leg Lamps Here – It has been a heck of a year for the Phillies' farm system. MLBPipeline.com recently ranked Philadelphia's organization No. 7 in baseball after it finished last season in the bottom 10. A big reason is the influx of talent from multiple trades since December. But another reason is that some of the Phillies' recent Draft picks have developed as expected or better than expected. MLBPipeline.com on Thursday named two of the Phillies' recent Draft picks -- righty Aaron Nola and catcher Andrew Knapp -- the Phillies' top pitching and hitting prospects of 2015, respectively. Nola entered the season as the No. 2 prospect in the system, behind only shortstop J.P. Crawford, currently the club's top prospect. But Nola has lived up to the hype. The Phillies selected him with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 Draft and said at the time that he was the most Major League-ready pitcher in the Draft. He made the big leagues a little less than a year later. Nola went 7-3 with a 1.88 ERA in 12 starts with Double-A Reading. He went 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA in six starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before making his big league debut on July 21. Nola is 6-2 with a 4.11 ERA in 11 starts with the Phillies. He should be a solid piece of the rotation for years to come. The Phillies selected Knapp, the club's No. 17 prospect, in the second round of the 2013 Draft. He posted a .710 OPS in 404 plate appearances last season with Class A Lakewood and Class A Advanced Clearwater after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2013. He hit .262 with 14 doubles, three triples, two home runs, 28 RBIs and a .725 OPS in 63 games with Clearwater this season before being promoted to Reading. And his season in Reading is why Knapp earned Hitter of the Year honors. Knapp, a switch-hitter, has hit .360 with 21 doubles, two triples, 11 homers, 56 RBIs and a 1.050 OPS in 55 games with Reading, which is in the Eastern League Championship Series. Despite the fact that Knapp has spent about a half-season with Reading, it would not be a surprise to see him open next season in Triple-A and even make the big leagues before the end of 2016.

Reading Is Rolling – Double-A Reading moved to within one game of claiming the Eastern League title Thursday, dispatching Bowie, 9-3, in Game 3 of the best-of-five championship series. A slew of Phillies top prospects contributed in the win, as starting pitcher Jake Thompson took care of business on the mound while outfielder Nick Williams, shortstop J.P. Crawford and catcher Andrew Knapp supported his effort with strong performances at the plate. Fresh off the best start of his career -- a three-hit shutout against Binghamton in the Eastern League semifinals -- Thompson, the Phillies' No. 2 prospect (No. 55 overall), picked up the win with seven innings of one-run ball, carrying a no-hit bid into the fifth inning before surrendering a single to Garabez Rosa to open the frame. The 21-year-old right-hander scattered four hits and three walks in the outing and struck out five, throwing 65 of his 97 pitches for strikes. Thompson has dealt for the Fightin Phils since coming over from Texas in the Cole Hamels blockbuster, going 7-1 with a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 47/16 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 61 innings spanning nine starts (including the postseason). During the regular season, the 2012 second-rounder was 11-7 with a 3.73 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 42 walks (2.9 BB/9) and 112 strikeouts (7.6 K/9) in 132 2/3 innings (24 starts) between Double-A Frisco and Reading. No. 1 prospect (No. 5 overall) Crawford got the scoring started with a sacrifice fly in the third inning and finished the game 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk. The 20-year-old shortstop has now hit safely in all six Eastern League playoff games, and he's batting .476 (10-for-21) with six runs in that span. Crawford's prospect stock continued to rise this season thanks to another impressive showing at a pair of advanced levels. Specifically, the 2013 first-rounder posted a .288/.380/.414 batting line with six home runs, 35 extra-base hits and 68 runs scored in 107 regular-season games between Class A Advanced Clearwater and Reading. He also stole 12 bases in 16 attempts and accrued more walks (63) than strikeouts (54). No. 3 prospect (No. 59 overall) Williams -- acquired from Texas along with Thompson in the Hamels deal -- also had a big game for the Fightin Phils, going 2-for-6 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. The left-handed-hitting outfielder connected on a solo shot to open the fifth inning -- his third home run of the postseason -- and he also delivered an RBI single in his next trip to the plate as part of Reading's five-run sixth inning. The 22-year-old took a huge step forward this season during his first extended stay in Double-A, batting .303/.354/.491 with 17 home runs, 26 doubles, six triples and 55 RBIs over 119 regular-season games between Frisco and Reading. At the root of Williams' success was a vastly improved strikeout rate, as he fanned just 18.8 percent of the time this season after posting a 28.8-percent whiff rate in 2014. No. 17 prospect Knapp also had a hand in Reading's victory, hitting a double in four at-bats while driving in a pair of runs to improve his series' RBI total to five. The 23-year-old, switch-hitting catcher quietly enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, batting .308/.385/.491 with 13 homers, 35 doubles and 84 RBIs in 118 games between Clearwater and Reading. The California product is batting .261 with an .812 OPS in the postseason.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 56-91. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 46-57-1 on this day.

Phillies Continue To Struggle This Spring

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phils Fall To Jays 4-2

Ace left-hander Mark Buehrle pitched two shutout innings and third baseman Josh Donaldson, one of the Blue Jays' big offseason additions, homered to lead Toronto to a 4-2 Grapefruit League win over the Phillies on Saturday at Bright House Field. Buehrle gave up singles to the first two batters he faced, Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis. He then retired five straight including a double play from Ryan Howard to end the first. In all, Blue Jays pitchers retired 18 straight Phillies batters before Darin Ruf singled with one out in the seventh. The Blue Jays scratched out a run in the top of the second after Phillies starter Jerome Williams started the inning by hitting Justin Smoak with a pitch and Dalton Pompey beat out an infield hit on a slow roller up the middle. Dayan Viciedo followed by grounding into a double play but Kevin Pillar's two-out single drove in Smoak for the first run of the game. Donaldson, acquired from the Athletics, added to Toronto's lead by leading off the fourth with a home run against David Buchanan, who is competing for a spot in the Phillies rotation. Williams has been penciled into the Phillies rotation after going 4-2, with a 2.83 ERA in nine starts after being claimed on waivers from the Rangers last year. Earlier in the season he'd been released by the Astros. Buchanan is competing for the fifth spot with Kevin Slowey and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. "I just wanted to come in [on Smoak] and got too far in," said Williams, who was extended to three innings. "And the base hit through the hole, I just didn't locate it. So, it's back to the drawing board. Go out there and practice it." Jonathan Papelbon, the Phillies closer who has been connected to the Blue Jays in trade rumors, made his spring debut in the sixth. After giving up a leadoff single to Russell Martin, he struck out Danny Valencia and Smoak before getting Pompey to fly out to end the inning. The Blue Jays would add two more runs in the seventh on an RBI double by Caleb Gindl who then scored one batter later on a single by Matt Hague. The Phillies would make a comeback attempt by scoring two runs in the ninth inning, which included an RBI double by Brian Bogusevic, but the Blue Jays were able to come away with the victory.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Right-hander Kevin Slowey, who is competing for the fifth spot in the Phillis rotation with right-handers David Buchanan and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, will make his second Grapefruit League start against the Rays on Sunday at Charlotte Sports Park. Game time is 1:05 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on Gameday Audio.

PHILS NOTES:

• Outfielder Kelly Dugan, who has been sidelined with a stress reaction in his right foot, has been optioned to the Minor League complex. The Phillies now have 59 players in camp.

PHILS PHACTS:

Ready For His Debut – After throwing in the bullpen the day before, right-hander Aaron Harang said Saturday he expects to make his first Grapefruit League start against the Orioles on Monday at Ed Smith Stadium. He has been in limbo with what pitching coach Bob McClure described as a "twinge" in his back. Manager Ryne Sandberg said he was "nicked up." Harang also ran through a fundamentals drill on the half-field Saturday morning. "It feels good. Everything was good," Harang said. "Everything was good, nothing there. I was never worried about it. That's the whole point of Spring Training. There's no reason to push anything now. It's not important. Just making sure everything's right and you can go out and not have any problems." Harang, who turns 37 in May, was signed to a one-year, $5 million contract this offseason to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He can also make an additional $250,000 for 150 and 160 innings pitched, $300,000 for 170, $500,000 for 180 and 190 and $700,000 for 200 innings pitched. He pitched 204 1/3 innings for the Braves in 2014, going 12-12 with a 3.57 earned run average.

As The Papelbon Turns – Just the facts: The Phillies have let it be known that closer Jonathan Papelbon is available. The Blue Jays announced Saturday that Brett Cecil, who could be their closer, has shoulder inflammation. So did Papelbon think it was just a coincidence that he made his first Grapefruit League appearance in Saturday's 4-2 loss to Toronto at Bright House Field? "Huh, interesting," he said with a sly grin after giving up a leadoff single to Russell Martin in the sixth then quickly ending the inning by striking out Danny Valencia and Justin Smoak and getting Dalton Pompey to fly out to right. Told that the scoreboard radar showed his fastball hitting 93 miles per hour -- PITCHf/x had him averaging 91.2 -- he deadpanned, "Huh, interesting." Asked if he was aware that Cecil had been sidelined, Papelbon again played it for laughs. "No, I'm not. Wait, can I take that back? Can I recant?" he said. When told he could, he smirked. His revised answer: "Huh, interesting." He has made it plain in the past that he wants to play for a winner. When camp opened, he even told CSNPhilly.com that he'd strongly consider waiving his no-trade clause to open the door for a deal to the Blue Jays. But when asked Friday if this spring felt different because of the speculation surrounding his future, he reverted to what has been his standard appraisal of the situation. "It feels different because I feel like we've got a pretty good vibe going in this clubhouse, the best I've seen since I've been here. It's exciting. A little bit of a different feel. That's the only thing. You know me. I come to work," he said. He was asked if he finds it odd considering that management has made it clear that the franchise is trying to re-arm for the future. "Yeah, I find it odd," he said. "I feel like [we are] going to contend, there's no doubt about that. I don't think anybody in this clubhouse, especially the veterans, doesn't think we're going to contend. "It's like I said earlier, I don't think it's been a total rebuilding thing where they're going to let everybody go. I think we're still in it to win it and we're going to see what happens until it's dictated otherwise." Papelbon said he's added some weight this year. Manager Ryne Sandberg remarked, "I thought he threw well. He just looks strong from working out over the winter and having a fresh year and a fresh start. He had a good fastball and a good split-finger, his change-up was going down. He looked real sharp."

Looking For Offense – It's not unusual for teams to conduct extra batting practice after a Spring Training game. So it didn't raise eyebrows when the cage was rolled back onto the field after Saturday's 4-2 Grapefruit League loss to the Blue Jays. But it was also a subtle reminder that the 1-3-1 Phillies are batting .214 as a team and averaging 2.8 runs per game. And while that's only a small sample at a point of the spring where the regulars play only sparingly, manager Ryne Sandberg made it clear he hasn't been happy with what he's seen so far. "We've had a tough time swinging the bats," Sandberg said. "That's a work in progress. It's not happening as a group right now. It's something we have to work on. Something we have to get better at." After Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis opened the bottom of the first with singles against Blue Jays ace Mark Buehrle, Toronto pitchers retired the next 18 hitters in a row before Darin Ruf's one-out single in the seventh. The Phillies ranked 27th in baseball with a .302 OPS in 2014 and then traded outfielder Marlon Byrd and shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the offseason. Earlier in the week, Sandberg said he knew his team wouldn't be able to rely on home runs to generate offense this season. "I look at our club and we're going to have to be able to do some little things," he said. "We're going to have to be able to move runners, make contact, hit and run, bunt. Maybe bunt early in the game, that type of thing. [We] definitely [can't] wait for the home run. To manufacture runs, especially early, to get a lead for the starting pitchers -- that will be important for us."

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.