Expect Some Moves To Be Made This Week

PHILS PHACTS:

Talks Centering Around Giles – Could Ken Giles be the next closer traded this offseason? Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said on Monday afternoon at the Winter Meetings that he is receiving numerous calls about Giles, who went 6-3 with a 1.80 ERA and 15 saves in 17 opportunities as Philadelphia's closer in 2015. Sources have confirmed that the Astros and Marlins are just two of the teams that have called the Phils about Giles. "I don't know how much I really want to say about that, but yeah," Klentak said. "There's a lot of interest in him because he's good, and because he's young, and because he's cheap. We'll see. I don't know how that's going to shake out. If he's with us, we'll be very happy he's still with us." Interest in Giles could pick up as the Meetings continue through Thursday. The Padres traded Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox last month, and Reds closer Aroldis Chapman could essentially be off the market in light of a domestic violence investigation reportedly stemming from an October incident in which he allegedly fired eight gunshots into his home's garage. Enter Giles, whose stock may rise with fewer options available to contending teams. In theory, Giles should fetch a top prospect or two because he is paid significantly less than Kimbrel and Chapman and cannot become a free agent until after the 2020 season. The Padres received four prospects from the Red Sox, including outfielder Manuel Margot and shortstop Javier Guerra, the No. 25 and No. 76 prospects in baseball, respectively, according to MLBPipeline.com. The other two prospects San Diego acquired -- infielder Carlos Asuaje and left-hander Logan Allen -- ranked among Boston's top 30. Reports prior to Monday's news of the investigation into Chapman had the Dodgers sending the Reds at least one of their top prospects for the left-hander. "Yeah, potentially," said Klentak when asked if a strong package for Chapman -- agreed to before news of the investigation -- would put the Phillies in a good spot. "But markets evolve in their own ways at certain times of the year and how a trade market correlates with the free-agent market and vice versa. Sometimes it seems like it should lead in a certain direction and it leads the opposite way. I don't know. Am I curious [about a Chapman deal]? Sure. But we're still kind of taking that day by day, and we'll see how it plays out. "I've said this before, and I'd appreciate it if you guys wrote it again. We like Ken Giles. We want Ken Giles on our team. We want more players like Ken Giles. But we also have to be opportunistic when opportunities present themselves to make us better in both the short and long term. And we're going to explore that and other things while we're here." Speaking in general terms, Klentak said he thinks that the Phillies can make at least one roster move this week (other than a Rule 5 Draft selection). That could mean an additional starter for the rotation or an additional veteran for the bullpen. "I think one thing we've all learned over the years of the Winter Meetings, trades, free-agent signings, they can come together pretty quickly," Klentak said. "I just know what I've read on the Zack Greinke contract -- it sounds like that came together in a few hours. Not suggesting that we're doing something like that, but I think especially when you get people face to face and are balancing a lot of different ideas, decisions can come to pass pretty quickly. Nothing is sort of on the table to get done imminently here, but I would hope that we have talked to enough agents and clubs here that I think, just kicking the tires, that hopefully something would come together before we leave."

Franco Files Grievance – Two top rookie third basemen, Kris Bryant of the Cubs and Maikel Franco of the Phillies, have filed grievances claiming their teams manipulated their service time to delay their eligibility for free agency. In at least Bryant's case, the grievance was filed early this past season. The story was first reported by Yahoo on Monday. Bryant, the unanimous choice for the National League Rookie of the Year Award this season, opened the year at Triple-A Iowa despite leading the Majors in home runs during Spring Training. At the time, Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the club wanted Bryant to "get into a good rhythm." Franco also opened the season at Triple-A, playing for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. He was recalled on May 15 and remained in the big leagues for the remainder of the season, also spending time on the disabled list with a broken left wrist. In 80 games, Franco had 14 homers, 50 RBIs and an .840 on-base plus slugging percentage. Because of the timing of his promotion, he accrued 170 days of big league service time, two days short of a full season. Grievances over service time are not unusual. Settlements can be reached. If not, they will be resolved by an arbitration panel. Bryant, who hit 26 homers with 99 RBIs and an .858 OPS, ended up with 171 days of service time. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, a player must have six full years of service time to become a free agent. The Phillies had no comment on the development. It should be pointed out that neither team president Andy McPhail nor general manager Matt Klentak was with the organization when the decision was made to recall Franco. Franco's agent, Ryan Royster, told MLB.com the story shouldn't be blown out of proportion. "This is a road we're going down now, but I don't want to comment about anything happening behind the scenes or what could happen in the future," Royster said. "Maikel is a Phillie, and he's happy there. He's happy with the fans and he's happy with the city. He wants everyone to know that." Cubs GM Jed Hoyer was also conciliatory. "We've known about this since May," Hoyer said Monday. "We've had a great relationship with Kris, we have a great relationship with [Bryant's agent, Scott Boras]. They obviously decided to file a grievance in May, and nothing has changed since then. The fact that the news came out today doesn't change anything about where we are. "Obviously, we feel like we were in the right, but I'm not going to comment on the case, or open this back up. For us, it's been, what, seven months? I'm thrilled for Kris; he had a great year. Couldn't have been more excited that he was Rookie of the Year. This [grievance] is something that will be handled with due process."

Questions About Howard’s Future With Phillies – Ryan Howard's future with the Phillies has been questioned for some time, and those questions have increased since Andy MacPhail and Matt Klentak replaced Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. as president and general manager, respectively. It could be beneficial for both parties to part ways, but the Phils have had no success moving Howard because of his contract. He is owed $25 million next season, plus $10 million on a 2017 club option. But Klentak knows that if Howard remains with the organization, they need to make it work. That's why Klentak, Howard and Howard's agent had a meeting at Citizens Bank Park just before Thanksgiving. "We talked for an hour," Klentak said on Monday afternoon at the Winter Meetings. "It was really positive." So will Howard be engaged if he returns next season, knowing the team would like to trade him? "I will tell you that based on the hour or so I spent with him two weeks ago, I think so," Klentak said. "I think he was genuine. Everybody was very honest with each other, and he seemed genuinely excited and energized looking forward to next year. I don't know the guy, that's the first time I met him, but boy, I sure believed it. I think so. And I am, too. That energized me. We talk about an environment and energy and makeup and culture. It certainly came across that way." Of course, a cynic might ask, What does Howard have to be energized and excited about? He certainly knows that his time with the Phillies is nearing an end, one way or another, and he knows that if he returns, he will be playing on a rebuilding team that does not consider him part of its future. "I think honesty helps a lot," Klentak said. "Just laying the cards on the table and talking about the realities of our team and him and everything about him -- what he's been through with the Phillies, both good and bad. I think just sort of talking that through on a personal level is refreshing. Again, it was very positive. I'm sure there will be more dialogue as we go, and as we get through the season people talk to him a lot. I'm encouraged." Klentak and manager Pete Mackanin said that nothing has been decided about Howard's playing time next season, although a platoon at first base with Darin Ruf is a possibility. "If Ryan Howard is performing, Ryan Howard is going to play," Klentak said. "If he's not, he'll play less. And that's not specific to Ryan, that's true to everyone on our club and probably just about everyone in baseball."

Rodriguez Outrighted – The Phillies outrighted left-hander Joely Rodriguez to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, leaving 37 players on the 40-man roster. "The timing of that was designed to make sure that if things did pop up here and happen quickly, we had enough roster spots to cover it," Klentak said. "But we didn't do it for any particular imminent trade or free-agent signing." The Phils acquired Rodriguez last December for left-hander Antonio Bastardo. Rodriguez went 7-10 with a 6.12 ERA in 32 appearances last season with Double-A Reading and Lehigh Valley.

Moves Are Certain To Be Made – The Phillies have landed at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn. While they are not expected to make huge splashes this offseason, they could make things interesting this week. Expect to hear some talk surrounding Phillies closer Ken Giles, who is available for the right price. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has said it is not his goal to trade Giles. But if a team steps up, like the Red Sox stepped up to acquire closer Craig Kimbrel from the Padres, it would be a surprise if Klentak did not pull the trigger. The opportunity to acquire a few top prospects for a pitcher that essentially would pitch only 60-80 innings next season would seem impossible to resist. MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2015 Winter Meetings from the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, with the Network launching 35 hours of live Winter Meetings coverage on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also catch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availabilities on MLB.com -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin meets with reporters at 4 p.m. on Tuesday -- as well as the announcement of the Hall of Fame Pre-Integration Era Committee inductees on Monday at 11 a.m. ET and the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at 10 a.m. ET. "We're still trying to make our core better -- and that's been the organization's goal from the beginning of the winter, and it's still our goal," Klentak said. "We want to be opportunistic with whatever presents itself and make our club better in the long and short term. It's been an organizational goal of mine and ours to augment our pitching. That continues. ... I don't have a short list of clubs or agents I want to meet with, but I'm certain we'll be very active in talking with a lot of people and pursuing a lot of opportunities that will present themselves." Even if the Phillies do not trade Giles, they will continue to pursue a veteran starter. They certainly need at least one to complement a mostly inexperienced group that figures to include at least Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff -- with Adam Morgan, David Buchanan, Alec Asher and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez competing for jobs. "Nothing is imminent at this moment," Klentak said. But that can change with one face-to-face meeting or one text message this week at the Winter Meetings. Stay tuned.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phillies’ Offense Sputtering To Life

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Pirates Pinch Phillies 6-5

Sebastian Valle ripped a walk-off double in the ninth inning to cap a comeback from four runs down as the Pirates topped the Phillies, 6-5, on Friday at McKechnie Field. Brian Bogusevic began the scoring with a solo homer and Cody Asche added a two-run homer to give the Phillies the early lead against former teammate Vance Worley. Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, competing for a spot in Philadelphia's rotation, blanked the Pirates for three innings before surrendering consecutive doubles in the fourth to Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez. Gonzalez, who had allowed 12 hits and seven runs in his first seven innings of the spring, went 3 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and a run. Alvarez added a two-run opposite-field homer off left-hander Mario Hollands in the sixth. Jose Tabata's RBI single capped a three-run inning to draw the Pirates within 5-4. Tony Sanchez tied it with an RBI double in the eighth, driving in Alvarez, who had doubled. Worley stretched out to five innings, Pittsburgh's first hurler to go beyond four this spring. He gave up a total of six hits and struck out four without issuing a walk; he has walked one in a total of 11 innings. "Is that all?" Worley responded, surprised. "That's real good. I usually don't get real sharp command until the last [preseason] game, but I've been able to locate early to both sides of the plate." Steve Lombardozzi, battling as a non-roster invitee for a spot on the Pirates' bench, had two hits to raise his spring average to .346. Jordy Mercer and Marte, batting .387 after five hits in his last seven at-bats, also had multihit games for the Bucs.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Left-hander Cole Hamels is scheduled to make his fourth start of the spring as the Phillies host the Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. ET at Bright House Field, with the game on MLB.TV. Hamels, the subject of seemingly endless trade speculation this spring, gave up five runs on six hits and two walks in only two innings of work against the Orioles on Monday. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is scheduled to start for Toronto.

PHILS NOTES:

• Reliever Ken Giles entered Friday's game in the fourth inning with two on and one out. Sandberg said he chose that moment for Giles in part so he could face some of Pittsburgh's big league hitters, but it was also something of a test for Giles. The 24-year-old pitched more than one inning in eight of his 44 appearances last year. He got through 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts on Friday. Could more of those outings be in his future? "He can be a four-out type of guy," Sandberg said. "Probably depends on how it goes."
• Left-hander Mario Hollands struggled on Friday, allowing three runs on four hits while recording only two outs. Despite his experience in the Majors last year, Hollands isn't a lock to earn a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. "We're looking at a lot of guys for the last few spots in the bullpen," Sandberg said. "With about half of the camp to go as far as games go, there's still some competition, looking at some different guys."

PHILS PHACTS:

One Day At A Time – Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown underwent an MRI on Friday that revealed no tear in his left Achilles, but he does have moderate tendinitis. Brown is listed as day to day, but he could be out of Grapefruit League games for up to a week. Brown left Thursday night's game against the Yankees in the third inning due to soreness in his left Achilles, and he revealed that the tendon had been bothering him for several weeks. Brown said he began to feel soreness in the area when he started chasing after Yankees third baseman Chase Headley's second-inning home run at George M. Steinbrenner Field. "I want to be in there, Spring Training or not," Brown told reporters on Thursday night. "I feel pretty good at the plate. I don't want to miss any time, but this is part of the game, also. I'm definitely frustrated for sure. It seemed like we were going in the right direction, it was getting a little bit better." Brown is hitting .241 (7-for-29) this spring. The Phillies are hoping for a bounce-back campaign from the 27-year-old, who hit .235/.285/.349 with 10 home runs last year after a breakout, All-Star 2013 season in which he hit .272/.324/.494 with 27 homers.

Winning The Battle For Third – The Phillies answered any remaining third-base questions on Friday morning when they sent top prospect Maikel Franco to Minor League camp. That means the job still belongs to Cody Asche, and his performance so far this spring has been encouraging to the club. Asche went deep for the second straight day on Friday afternoon vs. the Pirates at McKechnie Field. After launching a home run off the Yankees' Esmil Rogers on Thursday night, Asche crushed an 0-1 pitch from former Phillies starter Vance Worley over the boardwalk beyond the right-field fence. The 24-year-old third baseman hit .252/.309/.390 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs, but Asche struck out 102 times in 121 games for the Phillies last year. Manager Ryne Sandberg said the club asked Asche to make a few adjustments over the offseason, and the Phils like what they've seen so far as Asche is off to an 8-for-30 (.267) start at the plate. "I think he's having a real good spring, just from making adjustments on what he needed to work on from last year," Sandberg said. "He has a real good two-strike approach. He's putting balls in play, and he has a short, nice, sweet stroke resulting in some balls hit hard and home runs here in the camp. I think he took to heart our suggestions over the offseason, and he's showing results through the camp. "I think he's one of our more solid hitters as we speak."

Showing Improvement – Phillies right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez put together his best outing of the spring Friday afternoon against the Pirates at McKechnie Field. Gonzalez entered the day with a 9.00 ERA in Grapefruit League play through his first three appearances, having given up seven runs on 12 hits and three home runs in seven innings. Facing a Pirates split squad on Friday, Gonzalez gave up only one run on five hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. Most of the damage done against Gonzalez came in his final inning. He gave up a leadoff single to Steve Lombardozzi to begin the game then retired eight straight hitters. The righty gave up two more singles in the third, but escaped the inning without allowing a run. But Gonzalez staggered when he came out for the fourth. After recording one out, he served up back-to-back doubles to Pirates center fielder Starling Marte and first baseman Pedro Alvarez. He walked the next batter, Pirates catcher Tony Sanchez, and left the game for reliever Ken Giles. "His last couple innings, he pitched behind in the count a little, but he made some pitches when he had to," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Gonzalez struggled in his limited time in the Majors last season, giving up four runs on nine hits while striking out five in 5 1/3 innings over six appearances for the Phillies. But that came after a solid three months in the Minors. From June 20-Aug. 30, Gonzalez recorded a 2.19 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .195 average during stops at Class A Advanced Clearwater, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Gonzalez, in the second season of a three-year, $12 million contract, is competing for a spot in the Phillies' rotation this spring. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez, one of the other candidates for the job, was optioned to Minor League camp on Friday morning, leaving Kevin Slowey and Paul Clemens as Gonzalez's primary competition to fill the last spot behind Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and David Buchanan. Continuing on the pace he set Friday would help bolster Gonzalez's case for the job. His fastball velocity peaked at 95 mph, and he picked up his only strikeout by getting Alvarez to whiff at a changeup during the second inning. "Overall, he continues to show improvement out there," Sandberg said.

Patience Grasshoppers – Maikel Franco was scheduled to ride the bus to Bradenton on Friday morning and serve as the Phillies' designated hitter against the Pirates. Instead, Franco packed up his bags inside the Phillies' clubhouse and headed to the Minor Leagues. The Phillies optioned Franco, their No. 3 prospect as ranked by MLB.com, along with lefty Joely Rodriguez and right-hander Nefi Ogando to Minor League camp Friday morning. Franco, 22, went 6-for-30 (.200) with one RBI and four strikeouts this spring. He came into camp with an opportunity to push third baseman Cody Asche for a job on the big league roster. Last spring, Franco went 7-for-38 (.184) with two RBIs and six strikeouts. He didn't record an extra-base hit either year. "Maikel's time's going to come," said Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. "I know he's upset, because I know that he probably wanted to write a different script for himself, but the fact of the matter is just like any other young player who we feel is going to impact the Major Leagues, his time will come when it's time for him to come. "I think there was probably some element of him trying to do a little too much, like he did last spring. But he doesn't need to impress us. He just needs to go play." Franco will do that in the Minors, spending most of his time at third base and some at first base. He spent last year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, batting .257/.299/.428 with 16 home runs and 78 RBIs. In 16 games with the Phillies last season, Franco hit .179 with five RBIs and 13 strikeouts. "When he gets a chance to be back in the big leagues, play a few games and have some success, it'll carry," Amaro said. "It's just a matter of him getting the opportunity, and he'll get the opportunity, because he's going to create it for himself." Rodriguez, acquired from the Pirates in the Antonio Bastardo trade, had been mentioned by the Phillies as a possible rotation candidate. The 23-year-old gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks over nine innings this spring. "He's got a good, steady demeanor. Great kid," Amaro said. "I think he's going to help us. I'm not sure when. At some point this year, he'll probably help us." Ogando, 25, also impressed in four appearances this spring. He held opposing batters to four hits and struck out six while allowing only one run over 5 1/3 innings.

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.

Howard Powers Phillies Past Rays

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Defeat Rays 2-1

The Phillies know they are not going to hit for much power this season, so they need everything they can get from Ryan Howard. Howard hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning against right-hander Chris Archer in Friday's 2-1 victory over the Rays at Bright House Field. It was Howard's first homer of the spring. "I'm just going to go out there and do what I can do," Howard said. "The approach is try to put a good swing on the ball. If I can get extra-base hits, home runs, whatever I can do to try to help get those guys in. We've been doing a great job of being able to go out and execute." Howard hit a first-pitch changeup from Archer. "He left a changeup up," Howard said. "I had a good pass at it. I feel like my first AB, felt good, felt like I was seeing the ball pretty well. He threw me a good changeup early on to strike me out, 3-2. But, the second AB, changeup up, put a good pass on it." When asked about the pitch to Howard, Archer said, "When you don't execute something that's 88 mph and you have a 30-home run, 100-RBIs guy, if you don't execute, it's going to get banged. And we have a lot of those guys in our division. ... [It was a] 0-0 changeup, couldn't-put-it-on-a-tee-any-better home run." Another key piece for the Phillies this season, Chase Utley, made his spring debut, batting third as the DH. Utley struck out in the first inning before singling to right-center field to lead off the fourth inning. He was then pulled from the game for a pinch-runner, ending his day 1-for-2 at the plate. Utley had not played in a game this spring because of a sprained right ankle, which he injured in January when he stepped on a baseball. Utley's ankle has made incremental progress over the past several weeks, and he has progressed enough to step into the batter's box and potentially run the bases. The Rays scored their only run in the first inning when Evan Longoria singled to score Asdrubal Cabrera, who moved into scoring position on an error from Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

The Phillies scratched right-hander Aaron Harang from Saturday's start against the Tigers, which you can listen to live on Gameday Audio at 1:05 p.m. ET, because of "lower back discomfort." They said they are not worried. But right-hander Paul Clemens, a non-roster invitee, will make the start in Harang's place. He has allowed one hit, two walks and has struck out one in four scoreless innings this spring. Ken Giles, Phillippe Aumont and Nefi Ogando also are scheduled to pitch.

PHILS PHACTS:

Persistent Rotation Issues – A little more than three weeks before Opening Day, the Phillies have some serious health questions about their rotation. Cliff Lee threw Thursday, but the discomfort in his left elbow remained. He is trying to pitch with a tear in the common flexor tendon, but if he cannot pitch then season-ending surgery is the next option. Then the Phillies scratched Aaron Harang from Saturday's start against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., because he has "lower back discomfort." The Phillies said it is precautionary, and Harang is day to day. "I'm not that concerned about it," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "It's a muscular thing that he has." This is the second time Harang has missed a start this spring because of his back. He pitched Monday against the Orioles and said his back felt fine.

Utley Takes The Field – The Phillies hope Friday represented just another step in Chase Utley's chances to be in the Opening Day lineup. He played in his first Grapefruit League game in a 2-1 victory over the Rays at Bright House Field. Utley has been slowly recovering from a sprained right ankle, which he suffered in January when he stepped on a baseball. "It feels pretty good," Utley said about the ankle. "Still making a little progress on it. It's not perfect yet, but we're moving in the right direction." Utley was a designated hitter for four innings, striking out swinging in the first inning and singling to right-center field in the fourth. Aaron Altherr pinch-ran for Utley, and Altherr scored on Ryan Howard's two-run home run. "It felt good to get out there in front of the crowd, get some at-bats off an opposing pitcher," Utley said. "It was nice." "I thought Chase looked great," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "I thought he laid off some pitches. His swing was good, with the base hit, and ran well." Utley's health is worth following. First, the Phillies desperately need his bat in the lineup. Second, he has a $15 million club option for next season that automatically vests with 500 plate appearances. Of course, the next step is playing in the field. Sandberg and Utley offered no timetable for that. "I think we have to talk about it," Utley said. "I think there might be another DH in there, but yeah, I'd like to play the field soon."

Is Biddle Ready To Make An Impact? – This season could set up pretty nicely for Phillies prospect Jesse Biddle. The Phillies entered Spring Training with a dearth of starting pitching and it looks even thinner with the tear in Cliff Lee's left elbow and Aaron Harang missing more time because of lower back discomfort, although the Phillies said they are not concerned about it. But if Biddle -- the club's No. 9 prospect -- follows a couple years of adversity with a strong showing in 2015, it is not a stretch to think he could join the big leagues before the end of the season. "It's not really about how things went last year," Biddle said Friday at Bright House Field. "It's not really about whatever happened on the field, off the field. I have a lot of people in my corner, a lot of people sticking up for me and a lot of people that have been really supporting me, whether it's coaches here or coaches back home. I don't have any worries about this season. I feel great. My arm feels great. That's the most important thing." Biddle, the Philadelphia native drafted in the first round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, allowed two hits and struck out one in two scoreless innings Friday in a 2-1 victory over the Rays. But with Minor League camp rolling at the Carpenter Complex, it could have been his final big league appearance this spring. He hopes to be back soon. Biddle, 23, will have to put everything together to make it happen. The Phillies first want him to become a strike-throwing machine. They also want to see him better handle adversity. Biddle's physical and mental battles are well documented. He pitched through whooping cough and plantar fasciitis in his left foot in 2013 with Double-A Reading. He acknowledged that offseason he carried his poor performances with him too long. He returned to Reading in 2014 as a tune-up for an anticipated quick promotion to Triple-A, but it never came. He struggled, saying he was "miserable" at one point. The Phillies put him on the temporary inactive list and sent him to Florida because they believed he needed a mental break. He returned, but missed the rest of the season with a strained right quadriceps. He made just two starts in winter ball because of a sore left elbow. "Anybody giving up 10 runs in an outing when they know they can do a lot better is going to be miserable," said Biddle, referring to his trip to the inactive list. "The thing I've learned and the thing I've really been paying attention to is, this pressure that people talk about, this pressure I'm getting from the fan base or from my family or whatever, it's just support. It is love for me. "The pressure I feel is the pressure I put on myself. There is a certain amount of expectations I have for myself to succeed. Sometimes I think maybe I do put too much pressure on myself because I want to pitch well for the people supporting me. But that's something I can change and adjust." Biddle said he suffered a concussion last season when a piece of hail struck him during a storm in Reading. He tried to pitch through it, not realizing at the time he had a concussion. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledged concussion symptoms, but told CSNPhilly.com, "I don't know if it was a full-blown concussion. That wasn't the reason we gave him the break." Asked about the apparent discrepancy, Biddle said, "I can't really speak to that. I'm not in charge of how we handle them releasing information about my situation. But whatever it was, going down to Florida was the best thing that happened to me. It was the best thing I could have done, so the Phillies made the right call in that aspect. They took really good care of me." But that is in the past. Biddle is ready to let his pitching take care of his future. He believes it will. "Do I have every bit of confidence in myself?" Biddle said. "Absolutely. I think there's nothing really holding me back except myself. I think I have the talent to do it. I think I definitely will do it."

Rodriguez Ready To Shine – Joely Rodriguez learned the Pirates traded him to the Phillies in December while sitting in a bullpen in the Dominican Republic. He thought somebody was playing a joke on him. But Rodriguez, whom the Phillies acquired for Antonio Bastardo, said he realized the trade was real when he received another phone call on his ride home that night. "I'm happy to be in an organization that's giving me the opportunity to really show what I've got," Rodriguez said through translator Rickie Ricardo. Rodriguez allowed one hit, one unearned run and walked one in three innings on Friday in a 2-1 victory over the Rays at Bright House Field. He has allowed two hits, one unearned run, two walks and has struck out one in seven scoreless innings this spring. "My mission today was to get ahead in the count, attack the strike zone early so then I could work on my breaking pitches," Rodriguez said. He is expected to open the season in the Triple-A Lehigh Valley rotation, but the Phillies certainly are hoping they get something from Rodriguez, whom MLB Pipeline ranks No. 26 in the organization's Top 30 Prospects list. He is a piece in their rebuilding plan.

Debating The DH – Although it does not seem to be a pressing issue, Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark said recently that the idea of adding the designated hitter to the National League has been mentioned to the union. With the Collective Bargaining Agreement set to expire following the 2016 season, Phillies president Pat Gillick hopes the DH remains in the American League. "There's nothing imminent," Clark said Friday morning at Bright House Field, where the union held its annual meeting with the Phillies. "There's nothing going on. I don't know how that snowball got rolling downhill. This wasn't anything that's been discussed. This was something that was mentioned elsewhere. At the end of the day we will go to the players and will determine -- if it's actually proposed -- whether or not it's a consideration the guys want to make, and then we'll have our bargaining position." Scoring in baseball is down, so including the DH in the NL could boost offense. It also would create more high-paying jobs for veteran hitters. "I've been in both leagues," Gillick said. "Basically, I like the National League style of play. Some people might say, 'Well, that's an old guy's way to look at it.' But I think it's a little more intellectual. I think one thing right now that's pretty prominent is pace of game. The American League games are longer than the National League games. "So I would not be one that would be a proponent of the DH in the National League." Told that the DH in the NL could increase scoring, Gillick said, "To be frank, I'd rather see them lower the mound and take some of the advantage away from the pitchers and try to improve scoring that way. I just like the intellectual game." Clark steered clear of saying whether or not the DH in the NL makes sense. "There could be an argument for it. There could be an argument against it," he said. "We're not going to take a position one way or the other. I will tell you, though, that each time we've had a bargaining session, the DH has been a part of the conversation. What do you want to do? Do you want to eliminate it? Do you want to add it? So it's been part of the conversation. But as I stand here today I haven't even begun to ask guys, 'Hey, what are you thinking about this?'"

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.

Phillies Show Signs Of Life In The Lineup

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Tigers 6-5

The previously dormant Phillies offense jumped to life against Joe Nathan, scoring six fifth-inning runs with help from an Andres Blanco two-run triple on their way to a 6-5 win over the Tigers on Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium. Justin Verlander faced the minimum nine batters over three innings in his second start of the spring, erasing Odubel Herrera's first-inning double with a pickoff at second base before retiring the next seven Phillies in order. Verlander's fastball ranged from 91-93 mph, while he spotted offspeed pitches for the second straight outing. "I was pretty pleased again," Verlander said. "I didn't throw quite as many curveballs. I don't really know too much about that today. I know the ones I did throw, I had some pretty good success on it. Other than that, it went pretty well. Threw a couple good changeups again. Slider was horrible, so I have some work to do." Verlander threw 21 of 28 pitches for strikes. After Joakim Soria pitched a hitless fourth with a walk and a strikeout, on came Nathan, who had tossed three scoreless innings on two hits this spring before Thursday. Nathan's velocity was around the same, ranging from 89-91 mph on his fastball. His command in the strike zone, however, seemed off. Philadelphia's first three hitters -- Jeff Francoeur, Cody Asche and Freddy Galvis -- all hit line-drive singles to left before Blanco ripped a triple just inside first base and into the right-field corner. Nathan regrouped with back-to-back groundouts from Cameron Rupp and Ben Revere, and he initially seemed to have a chance to end the inning with a Herrera grounder to first. Once Herrera beat Nathan to the bag, however, the inning fell apart further with a Domonic Brown walk. Nathan's 34th and final pitch resulted in a Ryan Howard grounder that Jordan Lennerton, a two-time Minor League Gold Glove Award winner, mishandled at first base for an error. By inning's end, the Phillies had scored more runs than they had posted in their previous three games combined. It was all their offense for Thursday, too, thanks in part to Bruce Rondon's perfect sixth inning in his first outing in a year. Philly's outburst was just enough to withstand a seventh-inning rally that included an RBI single from Ben Verlander, Justin's younger brother. J.D. Martinez hit his second home run of the spring, a first-inning solo shot off Phillies starter Jerome Williams, in a 2-for-3 performance. Jefry Marte, who entered at designated hitter after Yoenis Cespedes left with a tight left quad, drove in two runs. Williams gave up two runs on four hits over three innings before David Buchanan tossed three scoreless innings on one hit with a strikeout.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

A couple of Phillies prospects will get a good look Friday against the Rays in a 1:05 p.m. ET Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field, live on MLB.TV. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez, whom the Phillies acquired in December from Pittsburgh for Antonio Bastardo, will start against Tampa Bay. He is expected to open the season in the Minor Leagues. Left-hander Jesse Biddle, once considered the Phillies' top pitching prospect, will follow him.

PHILS PHACTS:

No Rush – Should the potentially career-ending tear in Cliff Lee's left elbow push the Phillies into trading Cole Hamels sooner rather than later? It makes sense. Getting something is better than getting nothing. Lee essentially is untradeable at this point, even if he finds a way to pitch this season. No team is going to give up a top prospect for a 36-year-old pitcher with continual flare-ups in his elbow, especially one making $25 million this season with a $12.5 million buyout on a $27.5 million club option for 2016. But imagine if something unfortunate happens to Hamels, who is healthy. The Phillies will have nothing to show for their most valuable asset. Such a loss could cripple their rebuilding plans. But while many are pointing to the pitchers that have dropped like flies this spring, the Phillies can point to two past examples as reasons why they should not trade Hamels before they are ready: Curt Schilling in 2000 and Lee in 2009. Schilling had been harshly and steadily criticizing the Phillies for some time. He had publicly demanded a trade. It was ugly. So the Phillies traded Schilling to Arizona on July 26, 2000, more than a year before he could become a free agent, for Travis Lee, Omar Daal, Nelson Figueroa and Vicente Padilla. Former Phillies general manager Ed Wade told The Philadelphia Inquirer in September 2007 that he regretted the deal. "In retrospect, I would have held on to Schilling," Wade said. "It would have been better if I ignored his trade demand one more time and run the risk of only getting Draft picks" if he left following the 2001 season. None of the four players the Phillies acquired for Schilling made a long-term impact with the organization. The Phillies traded Lee to Seattle for prospects Phillippe Aumont, Tyson Gillies and J.C. Ramirez, the same day they announced they acquired Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays in December 2009. The Phillies traded Lee, who was making an incredibly affordable $9 million in 2010, because former president David Montgomery told general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. he needed to replenish the farm system after trading seven top prospects to acquire Lee from the Indians in July 2009 and Halladay. Amaro said he could not wait because he could not acquire Halladay one day, then trade Lee a short time later. He said it would have been a bad message to fans. "If I made a mistake in that process, it was that I didn't take the time to really maximize," Amaro said in 2011 in "The Rotation." Aumont has struggled with the Phillies and is out of options. This spring is his last shot to make the team. Gillies and Ramirez are no longer with the organization. So the Phillies are prepared to roll the dice and bet on Hamels not only staying healthy, but pitching like one of the best left-handers in baseball. It is a risk, but they have been rushed into trading aces before. They do not want to make the same mistake again. "Look at the history of this era," Amaro said last month. "There's more Wild Card teams. There's a lot more clubs with opportunities. You'll see as many as 15 teams, half the league is kind of in the race well into the season. Everybody always needs pitching. There's always a risk that somebody can get hurt. Somebody not getting the performance they want might change our circumstance. "Again, if there were deals that we felt were appropriate for us to move forward, then we would. So far some of the deals that we've discussed with some of our players have not yielded what we've wanted to do. And in some cases, we feel like we're better off staying with the players that we have for a variety of different reasons. We'll move forward accordingly."

Rotation Repercussions – Jerome Williams started, and David Buchanan and Kevin Slowey followed him Thursday afternoon in the Phillies' 6-5 win over the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. They could be in that exact order in the Phillies' rotation in April. Cliff Lee's injured left elbow could end his season -- the Phils offered no update Thursday on Lee's health -- which would make Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Williams and Buchanan the team's first four starters. Slowey and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez are competing for the fifth spot, which would be available if Lee can't pitch. Chad Billingsley is a candidate, but he isn't expected to be ready to pitch until late April. "I'm not trying to put extra pressure on myself," Williams said. "All I'm trying to do is pitch. I say whatever happens, happens. I can't control anything except the way I pitch. I'm not really worried about that." Williams (3.38 ERA in eight innings this spring) allowed four hits and two runs in three innings. Buchanan (2.57 ERA in seven innings) allowed one hit in three scoreless innings. Slowey (0.00 ERA in six innings) allowed four hits in one scoreless inning. He replaced Hector Neris with runners on the corners and two outs in the seventh. Slowey allowed a couple bloop hits before Brian Bogusevic threw out a runner at the plate to end the inning. "I tell you what," Slowey said about Lee. "That would be a real shame in a lot of ways if he can't pitch. But who knows? Wait and see what tomorrow brings. ... I'm ready from any pitch, whatever they need, whenever they need it. I want that to be the case over the course of the whole season."

Working Toward A Roster Spot – Odubel Herrera smiled and promised everything will be just fine in left field. The Phillies do not seem worried. Herrera, who is a strong favorite to earn a Phillies bench job as a Rule 5 Draft pick, had an interesting Thursday afternoon, other than his left field play in a 6-5 victory over the Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. "He continues to impress," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. He also showed he is not a finished product. Herrera doubled to left-center field off Justin Verlander in the top of the first inning, but he got picked off. He dropped a very catchable fly ball on the warning track in left-center field in the bottom of the first. It was ruled an error. Herrera did not look completely comfortable in left field, but he is a natural infielder and had played in left just 11 times in his career. The adjustment will take time. "As the ball was coming down out of the clouds, the sun got in my eyes," Herrera said through translator Rickie Ricardo. "I do admit I kind of nonchalanted it a little bit and then I got caught with the sun. After that one botched-up play ... I felt comfortable the rest of the day, and it won't take me long to get comfortable out there." Herrera picked up an infield single in the fifth and made a heads-up play when he scored from second on an error by Tigers first baseman Jordan Lennerton. Herrera is hitting .333 (7-for-21) this spring. The Phillies need people who can hit. Herrera is certainly helping himself in that regard. "I'm very pleased with the way I'm getting on base, because I think the team needs that kind of spark, a guy who can get on base, move around and score runs," he said.

Expanding His Role – Mike Schmidt has been a constant presence in Phillies camp this spring as a hitting instructor. He will be a more frequent sight at Citizens Bank Park this season, too. Schmidt said he has agreed to an expanded role as a broadcaster with Comcast SportsNet, which will have him providing color commentary during Saturday and Sunday home games. Schmidt joined the broadcast team last year, but he was in the booth only for Sunday home games. Schmidt discussed the possibility of an expanded role last month. "I'm already in town," he said. "I actually come in town Wednesday and play golf a couple days with sponsors. Why not just do the game Saturday night? So all of them [Saturday home games], once they iron it out. The only thing that would stop it would be negotiating the fee." Comcast last month announced Ben Davis has replaced Jamie Moyer as a color analyst. Schmidt and Davis will rejoin Tom McCarthy, Matt Stairs and Gregg Murphy on the TV team. Larry Andersen, Scott Franzke and Jim Jackson will broadcast games on radio.

100 Years – Has it already been 100 years since the Phillies won their first National League championship? It has, and the Phillies are commemorating the moment with a special pregame ceremony April 9 against the Red Sox, who beat the Phils in the World Series that year. The ceremony and other events at Citizens Bank Park include: Both teams will wear 1915-era caps; President Woodrow Wilson threw out the first pitch of that World Series. The American Historical Theater will recreate that moment, throwing a baseball from the stands; A commemorative 1915 pennant will be available for the first 500 purchasers, only through a special "100th anniversary salute" ticket offer; Two display cases of 1915 Phillies memorabilia will be available at the Hall of Fame Club the entire season. Items have been provided from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and others; Numerous 1915 stories and vintage photographs will be posted on www.phillies.com/alumni.

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.