Phillies Bounce Back To Avoid Sweep

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Braves 5-0

Jerad Eickhoff reverted back to the game plan that got him in trouble his last start in Atlanta, but he faced no such problems Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Sticking to his fastball-curve combo, Eickhoff went seven shutout innings in a Phillies' 5-0 win to avoid a series sweep for the first time since Philadelphia lost four straight to open the season. Though the Braves claimed their second series win of the season, this shutout loss denied their bid to split a 10-game trip that also included stops in Kansas City and Pittsburgh. "The biggest thing was the fastball command," Eickhoff said. "I had plans to do some other things, honestly, early on. But my command was so good that I kind of just stuck with the fastball." Where Eickhoff was efficient, Braves starter Casey Kelly was the opposite. Called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to make a spot start, he hit two Phillies and threw another wild pitch to the backstop. He left after five innings having allowed three Philadelphia runs. "We just couldn't get anything going offensively," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "I thought [Kelly] did a really good job of keeping us in the game."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Two Friday night doubles had amounted to all the extra-base hits the Phillies had this series entering Sunday's finale. But Odubel Herrera set the tone against Kelly, doubling on a liner to left-center to lead off the game. Cameron Rupp followed the next inning with a solo shot, and the Phils added a pair of three-baggers. They tripled twice in a game for the first time this season and recorded more than three extra-base hits for the eighth time in 44 games. Philadelphia hadn't scored five runs since May 12, and Sunday marked only the ninth time this season it's scored five or more in a game. "It was good to see the guys get some hits," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Yesterday two hits, today, what, 13? … We swung the bats pretty good today."
• Just two starts ago, Eickhoff faced the Braves in Atlanta and experienced far different results. It took him 76 pitches, only to get knocked out after 4 1/3 innings, giving up four runs. On Sunday, his fastball velocity was down from his bounceback outing against Miami, and he rarely touched his slider or changeup, but it took him only nine more pitches to get through seven than it did 4 1/3 last time against Atlanta. He blanked the Braves for seven innings, striking out three. "He was locating his fastball," Mackanin added. "He was really efficient early in the game. He threw a lot of pitches those last two innings, but I liked the command of his fastball."

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia heads to Detroit for its first series in an American League ballpark this season. The Phils swept Cleveland at home in their only other Interleague matchup thus far. Vince Velasquez (5-1, 2.42) faces Mike Pelfrey (0-4, 5.49) in the series opener Monday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Return To Form – Jerad Eickhoff closed out the Phillies' homestand by going seven scoreless innings, turning in one of his best games of the season en route to a 5-0 win over the Braves. "That's the guy we're used to seeing," manager Pete Mackanin said. After mixing in his heaviest slider use of the season his last time out against Miami, Eickhoff eliminated the pitch almost completely from his repertoire. He did the same to his changeup, which he only threw twice in 85 pitches. Sound familiar? It's the same formula that got him into trouble two starts ago, the last time he faced Atlanta. On May 11, the Braves knocked Eickhoff out after 4 1/3, his shortest start of the season. They laid into him for seven hits and four runs, while only striking out twice. Atlanta was able to sit back on Eickhoff's low-90s fastball and curveball. Mackanin and Eickhoff both pointed to a lack of fastball command as the reason for the poor start. After Eickhoff's brilliance on Sunday, they again looked to the heater for answers. "I had really good fastball command today," Eickhoff said. "That's something that I've been trying to get back to. … I think I was able to do that for the most part today." "He was locating his fastball," Mackanin added. "He was really efficient early in the game. He threw a lot of pitches those last two innings, but I liked the command of his fastball." Eickhoff zoomed through the first five innings, needing only 46 pitches to record 15 outs. Only two Braves reached base, both via singles. One, Daniel Castro, was stranded on second. The other, Freddie Freeman, provided the front-end of a Nick Markakis-induced double play. The Braves worked Eickhoff harder for his final two innings -- their third time around the order facing him. Entering Sunday, opponents' batting average against Eickhoff in their third plate appearance against him jumped to .362 from .219 in their second trips to the plate. Their on-base-plus-slugging percentage went up from .627 to 1.116. Despite that track record, Eickhoff still blanked them for his final two innings -- though it took him almost as many pitches to finish the sixth and seventh (39) as it did to get through five (46). More Braves reached base in his last two frames than his first five, but Eickhoff was resilient and lasted until Mackanin lifted him for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. Hector Neris and Jeanmar Gomez again shut the door in the eighth and ninth, and the Phillies combined to pitch their seventh shutout of the season -- the most in baseball.

Today In Phils History – As Cesar Hernandez celebrated his first birthday in 1991, Tommy Greene was on the mound no-hitting a formidable Expos lineup (in only his 15^th major league start). 60 years earlier, Phillies pitcher Jim Elliot was thrown out at first by Dodgers right fielder Babe Herman. Finally, it was on this day that Phillies outfielder John Titus broke his ankle sliding into home plate… and yet they didn’t change the rules.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 25-19 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 43-50-0 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!

Papelbon News Comes Early This Spring

PHILS PHACTS:

Papelbon Optimistic About 2015 – Jonathan Papelbon could not bring himself to do it. The Phillies' closer sauntered into the media room Friday afternoon at Bright House Field wearing a T-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt. He zipped up the hoodie before he took a seat in front of numerous reporters and TV cameras, concealing the T-shirt's two-worded message. Papelbon caught the eye of a reporter who had seen it, and he smiled. The shirt read, "Fan Favorite." "I don't mind it," Papelbon said later. "I'll be the Ric Flair villain." The T-shirt was funny because Papelbon has had a rocky time in his three seasons in Philadelphia, despite posting 106 saves (seventh most in baseball) and a 2.47 ERA (16th out of 137 qualifying relievers) in that span. He has criticized the organization, expressed his bewilderment at why anybody would want to play on a losing team like the Phillies, and got himself suspended for seven games late last season for making an obscene gesture as he left a game following a blown save at Citizens Bank Park. Papelbon is not exactly Richie Ashburn in fan circles. The Phils have tried unsuccessfully to trade Papelbon for almost two years. They will continue to try to trade him during Spring Training, and failing that, they will try to trade him before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Papelbon made no trade demands Friday, nor did he have any harsh words for ownership, the Phillies' front office or coaching staff. He did say, however, he believes Philadelphia can win in 2015 and he will continue to be a positive influence in the clubhouse. (By all accounts, Papelbon has been a positive mentor for the team's young relievers.) Papelbon refuses to believe the Phils are rebuilding for the future, despite the fact that team president Pat Gillick and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. have said countless times over the past few months that is exactly their plan. "I still think we can compete," Papelbon said. "Is that crazy for me to think that? You tell me. I'm still not so sold on this entire rebuilding. I know that that's one of the things that myself and some of the veterans that are going to be coming into camp want to probably sit down with Pat, Ruben and Ryno [manager Ryne Sandberg] and say, 'Hey, you know, let's get a little bit better feel on the state of the organization and let's come up with a plan and go one way or the other.' I just think we're kind of in limbo now." The reality is the Phillies are building for the future, whether Papelbon likes it or not. In Papelbon's words, he did not come to Philadelphia for that. He signed a four-year, $50 million contract in November 2011, becoming the highest-paid closer in baseball history, because he expected the Phils to compete for a World Series. Instead, they have not had a winning season since 2011. "I don't have any regrets at all coming here," Papelbon said. "I get to play in an intense environment every day. I was the highest-paid closer in baseball. Why would I regret any of that? For me, I still have the opportunity to compete every day at a high level. So I don't have any regrets. "Look, we're all professionals. Not a single one of us are going to sit here and say, 'Oh, we're not out of here. Oh, we're still here and they're rebuilding,' or sit here and complain. I think every single one of us has too much pride, too much fear of failure, too much ego, really, to just lay down. I know I do, so I don't think that's going to happen or we'll see any of that." But that does not mean Papelbon would not welcome a trade. A big sticking point has been his contract. Papelbon will make $13 million this season, and if he finishes just 48 games this season, his $13 million club option for 2016 automatically vests. The Phillies must agree to eat the right amount of salary for the right prospect in return. Papelbon also has a limited no-trade clause. The Phils had talked trade with the Brewers and Blue Jays recently. Papelbon could block a trade to both teams, and there have been multiple reports he would require the club option to be picked up to approve a deal. Papelbon initially said he would go to a team without requiring the option to be picked up, but he later clarified. "It depends on where I'm going, what the situation is with that other ballclub, what my situation is here," he said. "The whole equation comes into play. I would go anywhere that wants me. If Philadelphia still wants me and they want me to be a piece of this puzzle and continue to be a leader in this bullpen, I love my chances of staying here and competing. But if Toronto wants me, if Milwaukee wants me, whoever wants me, they're going to get someone who knows how to compete and go play ball and lay it on the line. That's basically what it boils down to for me." So what are the chances Papelbon is with this team at the end of the season? "I don't know," he said. "Maybe you can use that Magic 8 Ball that Cliff [Lee] had [Thursday]."

Papelbon IS The Closer – Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. and manager Ryne Sandberg have said unequivocally that Jonathan Papelbon will be their closer in 2015. "Pap is here to come in and close games," Sandberg said. "I've had good conversations with him. His mindset is to do that with the Phillies." It has been a question worth asking. Papelbon needs to finish only 48 games this season to automatically vest a $13 million club option for 2016. That should be a cinch, if he is healthy and continues to close. Papelbon has finished no fewer than 52 games each of the previous eight seasons, and has averaged 56.4 games finished in that span. The option is noteworthy because the Phillies have had problems trying to trade Papelbon due to his salary. He makes $13 million this season, plus the potential for $13 million more in 2016. Teams do not want to pay that much for a closer. Many have wondered if the Phillies could simply demote Papelbon for Ken Giles, who had an impressive rookie season last year. The Phillies could say Giles is getting the job as part of a youth movement, which would scuttle Papelbon's chances at the option. That would make Papelbon more desirable in a trade. Papelbon said he would be surprised if the Phillies approached him during the season and said they planned to make Giles the closer. "I think that they know my stance on closing," Papelbon said. "That's what I am. I'm a closer. I think if the team decides to go that route, then so be it. Then they go that route. I'll continue my route with this Major League career that I've had and move on." But again, the Phillies have said that is not happening as long as Papelbon is performing. He has posted 106 saves (seventh-most in baseball) and a 2.45 ERA (16th out of 137 qualifying relievers) in his three seasons in Philadelphia. If the Phillies suddenly pull him, despite him pitching well, he very well could file a grievance with the MLB Players Association.

Morgan Looking To Make Comeback – If everything had happened as planned, if there had been no setbacks, no shoulder surgery, no rehab, this could have been Adam Morgan's third consecutive Spring Training with the Phillies. Instead, it is Morgan's first since 2013, when he impressed nearly everybody in camp. But Morgan, who the Phillies selected in the third round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, suffered a left shoulder injury in May 2013. He tried rest and rehab, but the shoulder never improved. Morgan finally had surgery in January 2014. He rehabbed for months before pitching 16 1/3 innings in the Arizona Fall League, essentially getting his feet wet again after an extremely long layoff. "It's definitely a privilege and a blessing to be back throwing again," Morgan said Friday morning at Bright House Field. "Obviously, there's still room for improvement, but I'm headed in the right direction. I'm happy with the progress each and every bullpen. I'm getting better each time. The ball is coming out better. I'm excited to see what this season brings." If Morgan, who turns 25 next Friday, had not sustianed the injury, the highly-regarded left-hander almost certainly would have made the jump to the big leagues in 2013. That season started with Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Kyle Kendrick and John Lannan in the rotation. Halladay and Lannan suffered injuries, which allowed Jonathan Pettibone, Tyler Cloyd, Ethan Martin, Zach Miner and Raul Valdes to make a combined 42 starts. Morgan left Spring Training that year ahead of each of those pitchers on the depth chart. "I thought about it, but everything happens for a reason," Morgan said. "That's what I hold on to going into this year. I feel like I got caught up in that two years ago, worrying too much about it. Now just do what you do every five days. Everything will take care of itself." Morgan hopes to return to form now that he finally feels healthy. He is not restricted in any way. He can compete and work like he has in the past. Morgan certainly knows he needs to pitch significant innings in the Minor Leagues before can get back on the big league radar. He knows he needs to stay healthy and be effective. But at least he has a chance. "At the beginning, you could not see the end in sight," Morgan said. "Everybody tells you you'll learn from this. No way. No chance. This is brutal. But now I can look back and say I learned from it. I learned patience and really cherishing the fact that I can be on a team competing every five days. You don't realize how much you miss that until it's gone."

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.