Hellickson Has All Around Good Night

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Reds 3-2

Jeremy Hellickson struck out more batters than he has in nearly three years and drove in the decisive run with a squeeze bunt in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. Hellickson struck out nine -- his most since July 5, 2013 -- and allowed only three Reds to reach base after the second inning, in which two came around to score on a sure third out that Tyler Goeddel dropped in the left-field corner. Jeanmar Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth for his Major League-leading 14th save. "My fastball command was a lot better than it's been," Hellickson said. "That was probably the best changeup I've had this year, too." The Reds went hitless following Adam Duvall's second hit -- a two-out single -- in the top of the fourth inning. "I think Hellickson really did a good job," Reds acting manager Jim Riggleman said. "As the game went on, he got his changeup really working. We were swinging at it out of the zone. That's the way the pitch is supposed to work. He really got sharp and he just held us down." Brandon Finnegan walked five over four innings, allowing three runs on four hits -- the last of which was a Goeddel two-run triple that erased the deficit caused by his earlier error. The next batter, Hellickson, laid down a perfect safety squeeze to plate Goeddel to give the Phillies the lead for good.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies finally capitalized on the erratic Finnegan in the fourth. Finnegan threw one combined strike to Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph -- both of whom struck out two innings prior -- to put runners on first and second for Goeddel, who sliced a 1-1 pitch just fair down the right-field line for his first Major League triple, scoring Ruiz and Joseph to tie the game at two. 
• The long-awaited debut of Joseph, the Phillies' promising first-base prospect, came Friday. The 24-year-old got the call and was in the lineup, hitting sixth. Although he struck out twice and was replaced defensively in the eighth by Andres Blanco, he put together Major League at-bats. Between his two strikeouts was a walk and a run scored on Goeddel's triple. Joseph saw 14 pitches on three trips to the plate. "I think he's going to be fine," Mackanin said. "He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." 

NEXT GAME:

Aaron Nola takes the ball for the Phillies in the middle game of the three-game set. He'll look to repeat his results, but change the outcome from the first time he faced the Reds this season. In the second game of 2016, Nola fired seven innings, allowing one run, but Philadelphia lost 3-2.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Run Is All You Need –  Freddy Galvis flipped the ball hit by Brandon Phillips to Cesar Hernandez, who fired it to Andres Blanco to close out the Phillies' 13th one-run victory of the season, a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night. The Phillies improved to 13-3 in one-run games on Friday. Two of the teams with the next most one-run games played, Cincinnati and Cleveland, have both played 13. The Reds have played two of theirs against the Phillies, while the Indians lost all three games of their series in Philadelphia by one run. "I can't quantify it," manager Pete Mackanin said. Excellent pitching, however, helps. The Phillies' staff ranks 10th in baseball with a 3.78 ERA. But in games decided by one run, they've posted a 2.37 mark. While the main benefit is securing hard-to-come-by victories, it is not singular. With such a young team, Mackanin appreciates the experience his players are getting in close games. "It's a good learning experience for the young guys," Mackanin said. "It's fun to win those games because it teaches them how to win those close games, which is a bonus for us." History says that an .813 winning percentage in one-run games is unsustainable. But Tyler Goeddel, who drove home the tying run with a two-run triple and scored the go-ahead run on Jeremy Hellickson's squeeze bunt in the fourth inning, says not so fast. "I think we're as mentally tough as any team I've been on," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if we can keep this going throughout the year." If the trend continues, Mackanin is going to need to curb the use of his bullpen -- at least his late-inning relievers like Jeanmar Gomez and Hector Neris, both of whom pitched a scoreless inning in Friday's win. Neris leads National League relievers with 23 innings pitched, while Gomez isn't far behind. He's pitched 21 2/3 innings while compiling a league-leading 14 saves. David Hernandez is the only other Phillies reliever (who's not a long man) to pitch more than 11. "If we continue to play so many one-run games, I'm going to have to make an adjustment," Mackanin said. "But right now, it's too early in the season to worry about." For now, Mackanin will take improving on the team's minus-26 run differential one run at a time.

Sweet Redemption – As soon as the second-inning flyball off Tucker Barnhart's bat hit off Tyler Goeddel's glove in the left-field corner, the outfielder was searching for redemption in the Phillies' 3-2 win over the Reds. Goeddel could have ended the second inning and left two runners stranded, but the ball hit off his glove and allowed two runs to score to give the Reds a 2-0 lead in the second inning. "The play in the second inning is one I should make all the time," Goeddel said. "I was running toward the wall at first and then I looked up and it was more toward the line than I thought. I changed direction a little bit, kind of took my eye off the ball when I reached for it, I guess, and it hit off my glove." Goeddel felt horrible about potentially costing Jeremy Hellickson a win in what was otherwise a stellar outing. He knew his chance to make up for it would come, though. And two innings later, it did. Goeddel stepped to the plate after Brandon Finnegan walked Carlos Ruiz and Tommy Joseph. He laced a 1-1 pitch down the right-field line -- fair by an inch -- and legged out his first Major League triple, clearing the bases and tying the game. With one swing of the bat, he completely erased his earlier defensive mishap. The next batter to the plate, Hellickson, then drove Goeddel home on a safety squeeze to give the Phillies the third and decisive run. "I knew I was going to have a chance to redeem myself, whether it be in the field or at the plate," he said. "I took some deep breaths and got my chance." Hellickson recovered from the two-run second to go seven innings without allowing an earned run and striking out nine. The right-hander allowed only three more Reds to reach base after Goeddel's error.

Better Than Expected – With 36 games in the rearview mirror, the Phillies are quickly approaching baseball's quarter mark. And, at 21-15 following Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds, they're doing so with force. Game by game, first-year general manager Matt Klentak continues to get more material to evaluate. As the sample size grows, so does the accuracy with which he's able to judge his young team. And so far, the verdict has been pretty good. "A lot of really good baseball people will talk about 'the quarter pole,' somewhere in the 40-game neighborhood," Klentak said prior to Friday's game against the Reds. "We're able to see some things that have taken place in the first six weeks that are positive. And some things that are not. But I think we have a pretty good sense in the way this team is shaping up." This is a roster built on the foundation of young talent, with a mix of veterans, non-roster invites and waiver claims. On one corner of the infield is a 23-year-old budding star in Maikel Franco. On the other is a player in the final year of a 5-year, $125 million contract, Ryan Howard, who has come to terms with a platoon role. And on most nights, they bat third and fourth in the Phillies' lineup. As the season progresses, names like J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams – the Phillies' No. 1 and No. 3 prospects, respectively -- are expected to begin taking the place of those like Cesar Hernandez and Peter Bourjos on the lineup card. The first sign of an eminent future came before Friday's game, when the Phillies called up 24-year-old first baseman Tommy Joseph and optioned 29-year-old Darin Ruf to Triple-A. But Mackanin and his coaching staff have propelled a team that has four semi-regular players hitting below the Mendoza line to achieve more than anyone expected through its first 36 games. "Strong organizations, really in any sport, adjust to the style of their personnel," Klentak said. "And I think that's something that Pete and our coaching staff have done remarkably well. "We are not blind to the lack of production that we're getting at certain spots on the field. … What I credit Pete for doing is recognizing it and continuing to put out the best lineup and the best team that he can, on the field, based on the strengths of this club." The last time the Phillies reached 20 wins with as few losses as they have this season was in 2011. That team consisted of Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee, to name a few. They won 102 games. This team is winning on the backs of Vince Velasquez, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Odubel Herrera. It is compensating for a lineup that's hitting a combined .227 with remarkable pitching and defense. How long is it sustainable? "Hopefully all year long," Klentak said. "We'll see. The seasons ebb and flow. Even teams that win the World Series, they're going to go through stretches where they're pitching better, where they're hitting better, struggling defensively, whatever the case might be. I don't know why the 2016 Phillies would be any different than that." Whether the success continues or if the Phillies current minus-27 run differential comes back to bite them, one thing is certain: this is a team with an average age of 26 and only getting younger and growing together. Mackanin has an open line of communication with his players, and they bring the energy from the clubhouse onto the field. "I think that all kind of has to do with building a culture," Klentak said. "And that's what's happening right now. It's a young team, they're playing hard, they believe every night that they can compete - most nights we do compete. And the players are being allowed some freedom to go out and play confidently and play loose, and that was part of our goal for this year."

A Young Boost – The Phillies selected the contract of first baseman Tommy Joseph from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to Friday's 3-2 win over the Reds. In a corresponding move, Darin Ruf was optioned to Triple-A. Joseph was hitting .347 with six home runs in 27 games for Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old is leading the International League in OPS with a .981 mark. In his Major League debut on Friday, Joseph went 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. "I like his approach. For his first game in the big leagues, I think he got that out of the way, he got his feet wet," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin. "I think he's going to be fine. He's got a good approach. He's relaxed at the plate. He just had a couple pitches to hit that he swung through and missed but I like his approach." Philadelphia's first basemen are hitting .174 with eight home runs (eight from Ryan Howard) and a .624 OPS. Ruf was hitting .158 with no homers and three RBIs in 31 games. "That's one of the reasons that we're making the move," Mackanin said before Friday's game. "This is the start of ways to improve the offense, and we're hoping he can do it." Mackanin isn't sure of how the young first baseman will be used. When he delivered the news to Ruf that he'd been sent down, Mackanin gave him an excuse for his struggles: the Phillies hadn't faced many lefties. If the trend continues, it will be equally difficult for Joseph to get at-bats if he takes over Ruf's role in the first-base platoon. Mackanin, however, didn't rule out Joseph growing into a bigger role. "We might mix him in with some right-handers." Mackanin said. "It'll depend on how well he's swinging the bat. In close to 100 at-bats he was hitting .370 or something like that and [Triple-A manager] Dave Brundage told me that most at-bats were quality at-bats. If he could do the same here, there's no telling what could happen." Brundage gave Joseph the news after Thursday's IronPigs game in Columbus. They played at 11 a.m., though, so Joseph could only tell friends and family for almost a whole day after he found out -- with one rule: it can't get posted on social media. "That was the thing I had to end every conversation with, 'Hey don't let it get out,'" Joseph said. The Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, when they dealt Hunter Pence to the Giants. At the time, Joseph was a catcher, but injury problems -- namely concussions -- forced him from behind home plate to first base. After Joseph recovered, he was unable to regain his form at the plate, so the Phils removed him from the 40-man roster in October. He passed through waivers unclaimed. "When I got taken off the roster, it just lit a fire," Joseph said. "Knowing I still had a job and the Phillies were going to invite me back to Spring Training. It just gave me that much more motivation." Joseph, however, got contacts for his astigmatism in the offseason. He showed up to camp 25 pounds lighter. And it was there, in Spring Training, Joseph found an approach that worked for him and stuck to it. "I took an approach I had in Spring Training and took it into the season," Joseph said. "My routine for the last two weeks [of Spring Training] was pretty much the same every day and through the entire season, every day. I've found a comfort zone and was able to capitalize on pitches in the zone." When the Phillies acquired Joseph in 2012, MLBPipeline.com ranked him as Philadelphia's No. 3 prospect. He didn't rank in the Top 30 on this season's list. But after the first month of the season, Joseph is looking more like the centerpiece the Phils thought they were getting from the Giants nearly four years ago.

Today In Phils History – It is astounding to think that the last time the franchise win loss record was at .500 was on this day in 1922. No wonder why John Rawlings refused to report to the Phillies after being sold by the Giants the following year. Despite the struggles, phans still show up and in fact too many showed up at the Baker Bowl in 1927 as one of the sections of stands collapsed on this day injuring 50. Six year later, and those same phans were disappointed to see Hack Wilson hit a walk off grand slam against the Phillies. Many year later in 1980, Steve Carlton set a record with ten consecutive quality starts to begin the season. And, finally, today we would like to wish Tony Perez a happy 74^th birthday and Roy “Doc” Halladay a happy, healthy, and a bit mischievous 39^th birthday!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 21-15 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 44-48-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

Frenchy Turns Pirates Into Cannon Fodder

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Pirates 3-2

Teams should know not to run on Jeff Francoeur. With pinch-runner Steve Lombardozzi on third and one out in the ninth inning on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park, Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer lifted a fly ball into foul territory down the right-field line. Francoeur caught the ball and came up throwing. Lombardozzi barrelled down the line, but the strong-armed Francoeur's throw beat the pinch-runner to the plate, ending the game and winning it for the Phillies, 3-2. "We're aware of the player. We're aware of the arm," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Francoeur. "It's an aggressive play, a play we have a chance to score a run on. He's going to the wall, has to come off the wall to make the throw … he made an excellent throw." Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels went seven innings, allowing just two runs and five hits while striking out nine. Jonathan Papelbon recorded his seventh save of the season after throwing a scoreless ninth inning. The save was his 113th with the Phillies, which set the franchise record for career saves. "As an outfielder who likes to throw, you live for that kind of moment," Francoeur said. "Especially for Paps, it was a big one if we got it." The loss ended the Pirates' four-game winning streak, knocking the team back down to .500 at 17-17. The losing pitcher for the Pirates was Francisco Liriano, who allowed three runs and struck out six in seven innings of seven-hit baseball.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The Phillies held a moment of silence prior to the game in honor of the at least seven passengers who were killed in the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia Tuesday night. The accident happened during Tuesday's game about 10 miles north of Citizens Bank Park. Both the Pennsylvania state flag and the flag of the city of Philadelphia were flown at half-mast Wednesday.

·         After seeing leads evaporate half an inning after earning them multiple times in the last week, the Phillies managed to build a response of their own in the fifth inning Wednesday night. Hamels allowed two runs in the fifth inning, only to see his offense pick him up in the bottom half to the tune of three runs. Liriano had retired the previous 10 Phillies he had faced prior to the inning, but allowed two singles and a double to start the home half of the inning. Carlos Ruiz, Ben Revere and Freddy Galvis provided the RBIs. "That was big coming right back," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We strung four hits together. The guys came up big getting the hits together and put the three spot up there. Once again I think that played big for the rest of Cole's outing."

·         The Pirates had a run taken off the board in the fifth inning after what appeared to be an infield single for Starling Marte was overturned by instant replay. The replay showed that third baseman Cesar Hernandez's throw made it into Ryan Howard's glove barely before Marte's foot landed on the bag. The replay took about 34 seconds and ended a two-run fifth for the Pirates.

·         Hamels had thrown 108 pitches through six innings, but Sandberg chose to keep stand by his starter and throw him one more inning. Hamels proved his manager's thinking correct, setting down the Pirates on seven pitches in the seventh, all either ending in the strike zone or in play.

·         Hamels is 10-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 16 starts when the Phillies have scored three or more runs for him the past two seasons.

·         "Yeah, you know if there's one way to do it, that's the way to do it. Go out in an exciting way." -- Papelbon, on Francoeur's catch and throw to end game, giving Papelbon the franchise's saves record.

·         The Phillies will be looking to end a 10-month streak of not winning a Thursday game, as the Phillies are winless in their last seven Thursday outings and haven't won since a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros last Aug. 7. Before this streak, the Phillies had won their last eight Thursday contests.

·         Philadelphia's afternoon air will be a welcoming experience for Pedro Alvarez, the Major League's leader in day-game home runs dating back to 2012 with 38. Alvarez has hit five home runs in 2015, four of which have come in the daytime.

·         The Pirates have won 14 of their last 18 series finales, including seven of 10 this season, while the Phillies are just 2-8 this season in the last game of a series.

NEXT GAME:

For the second time in three days, a former Phillies pitcher will return to Citizens Bank Park as the Pirates and Phillies round out their four-game set. Vance Worley will take the mound for the Pirates in just his second start back in Philadelphia after pitching 29 games at the ballpark in three years. Worley is 2-2 in 2015 with a 4.63 ERA in six starts for the Pirates and can attribute a lot of his struggles to his high batting average against, as he has allowed 41 hits in 35 innings. Going against Worley for the Phillies will be Aaron Harang, looking to continue his strong start to his Phillies career. Harang is just 3-3 on the season, but has been a hard-luck loser twice, having allowed one and two earned runs in two of those losses. Harang's 2.38 ERA and 1.015 WHIP are both best among Phillies starters.

PHILS PHACTS:

Papelbon Sets Record In Dramatic Fashion – Jonathan Papelbon sure loves drama. The only thing that might have topped the way he finished Wednesday night's 3-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park would have been if he entered the game wearing the pink Ric Flair robe that normally hangs in his locker. "Aw, man," Papelbon said afterward. "I don't even know what just happened." Papelbon earned a Phillies record 113th save in dramatic fashion. The Pirates had the tying run on third base with one out -- Papelbon's errant throw on a pickoff attempt sent Steve Lombardozzi from first to third -- when Jordy Mercer hit a fly ball down the right-field line. Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur caught the ball in foul territory and threw out Lombardozzi at the plate to end the game. "Yeah, you know if there's one way to do it, that's the way to do it," said Papelbon, who bumped Jose Mesa to second place on the franchise's all-time saves list. "Go out in an exciting way." Francoeur is known for his strong arm, but the Pirates essentially forced him to make a perfect throw. He did. "The only thing that made that a little tougher is that the wind kind of kept blowing it toward the railing over there," Franceour said. "So, I was trying to make sure I was there, but when I caught it I felt pretty good about my chances. "It felt real good. A long time ago here I let one go and threw it in the stands. I'm usually good for one of those a year, and I'm glad it wasn't tonight." Papelbon stashed a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label in Francoeur's locker as a pretty fantastic thank you. "That's Blue Label," Francoeur said. "That's even better than a porterhouse." Francoeur earned it because Papelbon's accomplishment is pretty significant. He already is Boston's all-time saves leader (219), which makes him one of two pitchers in baseball history to lead two franchises in saves. Robb Nen is the other. He recorded 108 saves for the Marlins and 206 saves for the Giants. Papelbon is 12-10 with a 2.37 ERA and 113 saves in his Phillies career. He has performed as well as expected, but he also has had a rough go in Philadelphia. The Phillies have disappointed, and he has upset fans with some of his words off the field and some of his actions on it. But lately, Papelbon said he has been humbled by his pursuit of the saves record. "It means a lot to me, honestly it does," he said. "Like I've said before, I came here to try to win championships and you know, this organization, we're not in that realm of thinking, we're trying to do some other things. For me, it's an opportunity to keep on getting for work every day and trying to do the best I can in helping out these guys in the bullpen as much as I can. Just come in and have fun and despite the circumstances we're in, come here ready to work every day."

Replay Saves Lead – It took five innings Wednesday night for the Pirates to get on the scoreboard against Cole Hamels -- and only 34 seconds for their third run to be taken off the board. And that replay review decision will live forever in the National League standings, so to speak, because it presented the Phillies with their margin of victory in the 3-2 win over the Bucs. Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg's successful appeal of a fifth-inning play at first base resulted in a replay review reverting the Bucs' lead from 3-0 to 2-0. Seconds after Andrew McCutchen had given the Bucs a 2-0 lead with a bases-loaded single with two outs in the fifth inning, Starling Marte appeared to add to it with an infield hit. With Josh Harrison on third, Marte sent a dribbler to third baseman Cesar Hernandez, whose throw to first was ruled tardy by first-base umpire Dale Scott as Harrison scored. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle immediately braced for Sandberg's challenge. "He's going to challenge a call when a run is involved like that," Hurdle reasoned. "No, I didn't have a bad feeling. I just know they're going to get the call right," Hurdle added. "That's the nature of the game we're playing now. One way or another, they will get the call right." The review immediately was significant: The Phillies rallied in the bottom of the fifth for three runs against lefty Francisco Liriano, taking a 3-2 lead that held up.

Offense Comes Alive In Fifth – There was no doubt in Carlos Ruiz's mind. He was making it to second base. "I kind of hit it to the right side," Ruiz said. "The outfielder had to turn around to get to it and throw to second and I was like, 'I feel like I can make it.'" With Cesar Hernandez and Jeff Francoeur on first and second base, respectively, with no outs and the Phillies trailing by two in the fifth inning, Ruiz yanked a ball into left field, scoring Francoeur. From the way the ball was hit, it looked like a simple RBI single. But Ruiz put his head down and rounded first, making it to second after left fielder Starling Marte hesitated getting the ball in. The double was the last of three consecutive hits to start the fifth inning. The hits came at a particularly vital time as in the previous half-inning Phillies starter Cole Hamels had surrendered the first two runs of the game to put his team at a deficit. But the Phillies rallied behind their starter, scoring one run on those three hits and adding two more later in the inning off a Ben Revere groundout and a Freddy Galvis single. Those three runs turned out to be the difference in the Phillies' 3-2 win. "That was a big situation," Ruiz said. "I'm real happy that I made it to second and we came back and made that game." For the Phillies, Wednesday's win did more than snap a four-game losing streak. It ended a streak of four games where the Phillies scored runs in one inning to either seize or trim the lead, only to allow the other team to regain or expand its lead in the next half-inning. Not only did the Phillies not let this happen, they turned things around and did this to the Pirates, something of which Francoeur was cognizant. "Winning that game was big," Francoeur said. "The way we've been in games and been in games, to turn it around and do it to someone else was nice." Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said he thought the runs had another effect: spurring Hamels to rebound from his bad inning. In Sandberg's view, the run support helped Hamels "turn things up a notch." With that lead, Sandberg said Hamels was afforded the opportunity to be more aggressive with the strike zone. This led to Hamels attacking hitters inside more, which Sandberg said was one of the main reasons his starting pitcher was successful. But just as Sandberg thought his hitters made that win possible for Hamels, so too did the hitters believe the opposite to be true. "It was an outstanding game, to come back and get the W for Cole, who was pitching real well," Ruiz said. "He gave us the opportunity to keep the game close."

Rebounding From A Slow Start – Anybody that wondered about Cole Hamels' slow start in April can relax. Hamels is just fine. Contending teams with starting pitching problems are most certainly noticing. Hamels allowed five hits, two runs, one walk and struck out nine in seven innings Wednesday night in a 3-2 victory over the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park, which snapped the Phillies' four-game losing streak. "He was sharp all the way through," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Hamels went 0-2 with a 5.00 ERA in his first three starts this season. He allowed an eye-popping seven home runs in 18 innings. But in his last five starts, Hamels is 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA. He has allowed just one home run in 33 innings. "It's just going out there and feeling confident with every pitch that I have," Hamels said. "I'm trying to establish strikes to both sides of the plate with whatever pitch. When you're able to do that you're able to command each inning." Hamels allowed two runs in the fifth inning to hand the Pirates a 2-0 lead, but the Phillies scored three runs for him in the bottom of the fifth to make it 3-2. Hamels had thrown 108 pitches through six innings, six fewer than his season high. But Sandberg figured he would keep his ace in the game with the way Hamels had been going. He said it did not matter that the Pirates' eighth and ninth hitters were starting the inning. Even if it were the heart of the order, Hamels was going to pitch. Hamels responded with a perfect, seven-pitch inning. "It's kind of what we train for, go deep in a ballgame," Hamels said. Hamels is 10-0 with a 2.30 ERA in 16 starts when the Phillies have scored three or more runs for him the past two seasons. It is remarkable what just a little bit of run support will do for an ace. "Once we got the three runs it looked like he turned it up a notch," Sandberg said. "Nice for him to have run support."

Working On A Comeback – If Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Phillippe Aumont returns to the big leagues as an effective starter, it would be one heck of a story. Aumont's career as a Phillies relief pitcher had stalled because he could not throw strikes on a consistent basis. In fact, his Phillies career could have ended, but he cleared waivers in March and the Phillies sent him to Minor League camp. There, he slowly started to reinvented himself as a starter. The Phillies actually made him a starter when they acquired him in the December 2009 Cliff Lee trade. It lasted one season before they returned him to the bullpen. But Aumont threw seven scoreless innings Wednesday in a start against Columbus. He is 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in four starts with the IronPigs, allowing 16 hits, three earned runs, five walks and striking out 16 in 21 innings. It is a remarkable turnaround. "Phillippe told me he's extremely happy to be back in the rotation," Phillies director of player development Joe Jordan said. "He looks like it. There's a tempo to what he's doing. He used to take forever between pitches. He's crisp. He has some big misses, but he gets right back in the zone. Seven strong innings today, really. He had an above-average, maybe well above-average fastball. Above-average breaking ball. Two Major League pitches. "He's just in a great frame of mind. Right-handed hitters had no chance on his breaking ball today. He locked up about five or six. He was 94-96 mph with his fastball. They just couldn't pull the trigger on the breaking ball." Could this really happen? Could Aumont, who is the only remaining piece from the Lee trade, really return and contribute in the future as a starter? "He didn't look out of place today at all," Jordan said. "We're staying with it. We're committed to it. We're going to try to find out. He looks the part."

Crowded Outfield – A baseball team can only play three players in the outfield at once. Soon, this number might be too small for Ryne Sandberg and the Phillies. When Cody Asche was sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley Monday night, a statement was made in the Phillies organization that he is a left fielder moving forward, no longer a third baseman. And if Asche is to move to the outfield upon his return to the Majors, there would seem to be a few odd men out between Minor League options Asche and Domonic Brown and Major Leaguers Ben Revere, Grady Sizemore, Darin Ruf and Jeff Francoeur. According to Sandberg, no decisions have been made yet as to who will occupy these positions if and when Asche and Brown are called back up. "I would say when all of the players are here, who will be here, that's when the wheels will turn," Sandberg said. "Until that point, it's all a little bit hypothetical of who will be here and who will be on the roster. So once that day comes, then I'll get the mind there on how to use guys and get them into games and lineups." The Phillies have one more outfielder on their active roster, center fielder Odubel Herrera. Herrera seems to be set in his position, as Sandberg said Monday that Herrera is his center fielder and Revere may be able to fill in when Herrera needs an off-day, but rarely more often than that. That leaves six men to fill two positions, and with Asche going down to learn left field, it would be safe to say that position will be his eventually. The corner-outfielder situation gets slightly more complicated considering that of those four options, only Francoeur and Ruf bat right-handed. With Chase Utley and Ryan Howard already plugged in as every day left-handed bats in the lineup and the switch-hitting Freddy Galvis swinging lefty against right-handed pitching, inserting two more left-handers into the lineup every day shifts away from the balance Sandberg prefers. Regardless of this fact, Sandberg still remains tight-lipped on what his decision will be once this positional saturation is actualized. "It is a lot of guys, a lot of left-handed hitters," Sandberg said. "We'll see. We'll see as moves are made down the road. We'll see who's actually on the roster and we'll go from there."

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 12-23. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 44-48-0 on this day.