Phillies Simply Looked Overmatched

GAME RECAP: Nationals Shutout Phillies 8-0

Tanner Roark kept the Phillies off the board on Saturday, and the Nationals' offense did the rest, as Washington routed Philadelphia, 8-0, at Nationals Park. Roark was the game's star, throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven. The Phillies threatened in the second and third, but after that Roark cruised to his best outing since April. Meanwhile, Washington's lineup went to town against Philadelphia starter Aaron Nola. The Nationals scored four runs in the second inning off Nola on a smattering of singles. Roark's squeeze bunt scored a run and he later came around on Bryce Harper's single for a 4-0 lead. "The play of the game is when [Roark] got that two-strike bunt down that kind of opened the gates," Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. "I think guys were more excited about that than anything." Washington chased Nola from the game with two outs in the fourth inning. "Nola just didn't look in sync," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "There was something about his rhythm that just didn't look right. He didn't make that many bad pitches, but he didn't look like he was in sync." Washington added three more runs in the fifth off relievers Elvis Araujo and Andrew Bailey and another one in the eighth off Hector Neris. Clint Robinson and Michael Taylor had three hits apiece for the Nationals, and Anthony Rendon and Stephen Drew both drove in two runs. Overall, six different Washington players drove in runs. With Sammy Solis pitching for the Nationals in the eighth inning, Daniel Murphy let a runner reach base on a defensive miscue and cost the team a potential double play one batter later with a bobble on a routine roller. But the second baseman redeemed himself soon after, when he made a diving stop of a hard-hit grounder and threw out Cody Asche to end the inning. Blake Treinen finished the game for Washington with a 1-2-3 ninth.

PHILS PHACTS:

• All of the damage against Nola came during the second inning, when the Nationals strung together four hits and ended up with four runs. Nola hit Ramos with a pitch to begin the inning, then gave up a single to Robinson and, after a Rendon fielder's choice, another single to Drew. Roark drove in a run with a squeeze bunt, and Taylor and Bryce Harper added RBI singles to cap off the rally. Nola finally escaped the inning but was pulled with two outs in the fourth, having allowed seven hits and four runs. "I felt pretty wild with all my pitches," Nola said. "My curveball was hanging a lot. They put some good swings on those, especially when I had two strikes. It was too much in the zone. And my fastball, my two-seamer was running too much. I couldn't really control it much. And just getting behind guys really hurt me today." 
• The Phillies' best run-scoring opportunity came in the second inning, when Asche singled and Cameron Rupp doubled to lead off the inning. But Roark buckled down and fanned Cesar Hernandez, Nola and Peter Bourjos consecutively, holding Philadelphia off the board. The Phillies never got a better chance the rest of the way. "That second inning kind of set the tone for us," Mackanin said. "Second and third nobody out, and he struck out the side. We just didn't hit."
• "You've been seeing my lineups. I've been dipsy-doodling every day. Is that a word?" -- Mackanin, on trying to figure out the Phillies' optimal lineup.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will send lefty Adam Morgan to the mound on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. ET, as they seek to avoid a sweep against the Nationals. Morgan has struggled this year, recording a 6.70 ERA in 42 2/3 innings. But he earned a quality start on Monday against the Cubs, pitching six innings and allowing three runs in a 6-4 Phillies loss.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola’s Off Day – Phillies manager Pete Mackanin and starter Aaron Nola agreed on how to describe the righty's outing on Saturday: "Out of sync." Nola lasted only 3 2/3 innings in an 8-0 loss to the Nationals at Nationals Park, giving up four runs on seven hits. "There was something about his rhythm that just didn't look right," Mackanin said. "He didn't make that many bad pitches, but he didn't look like he was in sync." Nola concurred, offering a laundry list of self-pointed criticisms of the outing. "I felt pretty wild with all my pitches," Nola said. "My curveball was hanging a lot. They put some good swings on those, especially when I had two strikes. It was too much in the zone. And my fastball, my two-seamer was running too much. I couldn't really control it much. And just getting behind guys really hurt me today. It made my pitch count jump up pretty quick, pretty high." Nola, a 23-year-old in his first full big league season, entered Saturday with a 2.65 ERA. But endured arguably his worst start of the season at Nationals Park. Most of the righty's problems came in the second inning, when he hit Wilson Ramos with a two-seam fastball that got away. Then, he allowed four singles, with an RBI squeeze bunt mixed in. By the time the inning was over, Nola and the Phillies trailed 4-0. Mackanin removed Nola with two outs in the fourth inning, following a Ben Revere double. The manager said he removed his pitcher out of concern over his pitch count, which ended up at 82 for the afternoon.

Today In Phils History – It was on this day in 1939 when Grover Cleveland Alexander attended the opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY as a member of the inaugural induction class. Also celebrating that day was Red Dooin who was born 60 years prior to that initial induction. 5 years later, the Phillies released another Hall of Famer in Chuck Klein. A decade later the Phillies where on the wrong end of Jim Wilson’s no hit effort. 3 years later in 1957 the Phillies saw another visiting player make some history as Stan Musial set the new NL record for consecutive games at 823. 2 year later, the Phillies were once again the victims of a no hit effort this time from Mike McCormick whose 5 inning effort stood up thanks to the game being called due to rain. Another oddity, on this day in 1987, for the second time that season, right fielder Glenn Wilson threw out Montreal pitcher Bryn Smith at first after an apparent single. 11 years later the Phillies honored Johnny Callison as he was inducted in the Phillies Wall of Fame. A decade after that, Brad Lidge, in the midst of a perfect season, became the 1st Phillie to start a season with 18 consecutive saves. 2 years later the mood was a little different as Joe Blanton allowed the 1^st 5 Boston batters to reach base and score including Daniel Nava who hit the first major league pitch he saw for a grand slam becoming the 4^th player in MLB history to do so. Lastly, it was 2 years ago today when Ken Giles made his major league debut with the Phillies.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 29-33 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 45-47-0 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!

Velasquez Has Historically Dominant Performance Against Padres

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Padres 3-0

Vince Velasquez's friends in California started to call him "Vinny from Philly" the moment the Phillies acquired him in December. Phillies fans will treat Velasquez as one of their own if he keeps pitching like he did Thursday afternoon in a historic performance in the Phillies' 3-0 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez, 23, allowed three hits and struck out a career-high 16 in nine scoreless innings. He has struck out 25 in 15 scoreless innings in the first two starts of his Phillies career. "My face doesn't show it, but it was fun," Velasquez said. "I'm fully excited. Man, gosh, it's still hitting me." The strikeouts are the most by a pitcher in his first two Phillies starts since at least 1913. Hall of Fame right-hander Jim Bunning held the previous record with 20 in 1964. Velasquez, who joined the Phillies as part of the Ken Giles trade with Houston, also becomes the seventh pitcher in history to throw a shutout with at least 16 Ks and zero walks; Roger Clemens achieved the feat twice. "It looks like we made a pretty good trade," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Padres left-hander Drew Pomeranz allowed two runs in six innings, including a solo homer and a sacrifice fly to Ryan Howard in the second and sixth, respectively. His eight strikeouts tied a career high, but the performance went for naught, as the Padres were shut out for the fifth time in their first 10 games, an MLB record. "It has a lot to do with who's on the mound, but it has a lot more to do with the level with which we choose to compete every single day," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Regardless of how difficult it is, we've got to be more competitive."

PHILS PHACTS:

• It is just two starts, but the Phillies love what they have seen so far from Velasquez. He struck out nine in six scoreless innings in his Phillies debut Saturday against the Mets. He followed that with an even better performance Thursday. He is the third youngest pitcher (23 years, 312 days) in Phillies history to strike out 14 or more batters in a game. Art Mahaffey (22 years, 323 days) struck out 17 against the Cubs on April 23, 1961, and Cole Hamels (23 years, 115 days) struck out 15 in Cincinnati on April 21, 2007. "It was a great day today," Velasquez said. "Everything was just kind of clicking."
• Howard isn't supposed to play against lefties, but a shoulder injury to Darin Ruf had him in the lineup again Thursday. Howard took advantage of the opportunity. He hit a solo home run to left-center field in the first inning and hit a sacrifice fly to center in the sixth inning to give the Phillies a two-run lead. "All you can do is go up there and try to have good at-bats," Howard said. "For me, it's just about trying to take advantage of the opportunities I get."
• "He was impressive. There's riding life in the zone with his fastball. It was explosive. Reminds me of when I saw [Nationals ace Max] Scherzer going as well as he goes, and that fastball is literally exploding through the zone." -- Green on Velasquez.
• The Phillies have pitched three shutouts in their first 10 games for the first time since 1954, when Curt Simmons, Murry Dickson and Robin Roberts threw shutouts. Velasquez started two of the three shutouts this season. Charlie Morton started the other Tuesday night. The team record in 10 games is four. The Phillies accomplished that in 1913 with Tom Seaton (twice), Ad Brennan and Pete Alexander.
• Velasquez's 15 scoreless innings to begin his Phillies career is the longest streak by a Phillies starter since Marty Bystrom threw 19 scoreless innings in 1980.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a three-game series Friday night against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (1-0, 1.54 ERA) opens the series against right-hander Joe Ross (1-0, 1.29 ERA).

PHILS PHACTS:

Historic Perspective – Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez turned in the most brilliant pitching performance of the young season Thursday, striking out 16 and walking none while shutting out the Padres in Philadelphia's 3-0 win at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez also allowed just three hits, all singles. Here's a look at how his start ranked historically: It was the seventh nine-inning game in history in which a pitcher had 16 strikeouts with no runs and no walks allowed. Only one other pitcher had allowed three hits, walked none and struck out as many batters: Roger Clemens, who fanned 18 Royals on Aug. 25, 1998, in a 3-0 win for the Blue Jays. The only other active pitcher with a 16-strikeout, zero-walk shutout: Max Scherzer, who fanned 17 on Oct. 3, 2015. Velasquez's 16 strikeouts were the most by a Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee had 16 on May 6, 2011. The only other Phillies pitcher with 15-plus strikeouts and no walks in a game: Curt Schilling on Sept. 1, 1997, against the Yankees (16 strikeouts). Velasquez's 25 strikeouts are the most by a pitcher in his first two Phillies starts since at least 1913. Jim Bunning had held the previous mark with 20 in 1964. Velasquez's 16 strikeouts were the most in a shutout by a Phillies pitcher since Art Mahaffey had 17 on April 23, 1961. Velasquez's gem gave the Phillies three shutouts in their first 10 games for first time since 1954.

It All Comes Down To The Fastball –  Vince Velasquez finished a stellar Thursday afternoon with a 96 mph fastball, a 16th strikeout and a couple of emphatic fist pumps. Oh brother, what a day. "Man, gosh," Velasquez said after a historic performance in a 3-0 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. "It's still hitting me." Velasquez, 23, dominated the Padres in the second start of his Phillies career. He allowed just three hits and struck out 16 for his first career shutout. Impressive? On its own, yes. But consider where it puts Velasquez in baseball history. He joins Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Luis Tiant, Max Scherzer, Kerry Wood and Dwight Gooden as one of only seven pitchers to throw a shutout with 16 strikeouts and zero walks. The only Phillies pitchers to strike out more batters in a game are Chris Short (18 in 1965) and Art Mahaffey (17 in 1961). But nobody has struck out more batters in his first two Phillies starts than Velasquez's 25. Hall of Fame right-hander Jim Bunning held the previous mark with 20 strikeouts in 1964. "That was awesome," Phillies right-hander Charlie Morton said. "Are you kidding me, 16 punchies? Are you kidding me?" Velasquez struck out the side in the first inning on 16 fastballs. He hit 97 mph twice. "You want to establish that fastball command," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said of the fastball-only diet in the first inning. "But then it got to a point where I was thinking to myself, 'I kind of want to mix in a breaking ball here, but I don't need to.' He was blowing everybody's doors off with it." "See if they can hit it," Velasquez said. The Padres could not. They have been shut out a Major League-record five times in 10 games, but that does not make Velasquez's performance any less impressive. He was legit. "There's riding life in the zone with his fastball," Padres manager Andy Green said. "It was explosive, reminds me of when I saw Scherzer going as well as he goes, and that fastball is literally exploding through the zone." "I really liked how he was just challenging guys with this fastball," Morton said. "One, the ball is coming out hot. Two, it looks like he's hiding the ball really well. And just challenging guys. When you see guys take almost defensive swings like that, even after three or four at-bats against a guy, you know the guy they're facing is overpowering. They were just overmatched." Velasquez walked onto the mound in the ninth and proceeded to strike out Jon Jay on a 95 mph fastball, get Cory Spangenberg to pop out on an 86 mph changeup and strike out Wil Myers on a 96 mph fastball to end the game. "I kind of bent back a little bit, reached back a little bit and tried to get it," Velasquez said about the last strikeout. "I wasn't really looking at the radar gun. I was just trying to get a last strikeout and celebrate." The Phillies seemed perfectly giddy about Velasquez's dominant performance. They hoped for starts like this when they acquired him from Houston in December as part of the Ken Giles trade. But in just his second start? No way. "It looks like we made a pretty good trade," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said with a smile. "I don't even think of that," Velasquez said. "My job is to pitch for the Phillies and the Phillies only. They traded me, so my job is here. This is home for me, this is my home."

Climbing The List – Ryan Howard wasn't supposed to be in the Phillies' lineup for Thursday afternoon's 3-0 win over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. But because the other half of Philadelphia first-base platoon, Darin Ruf, is still hampered with a rotator cuff contusion, Howard found himself penciled into the No. 4 hole in Philadelphia's lineup -- even against Padres left-hander Drew Pomeranz. The veteran first baseman took full advantage of an opportunity to prove he can slug against more than righties. Howard made hard contact each of his chances against Pomeranz, registering exit velocities of 110, 96 and 103 mph in his three at-bats. He drove in the Phillies' first two runs with a home run and a sacrifice fly. "It's very encouraging," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He looks pretty good at the plate right now." The quality at-bats were made even more impressive by the left-hander on the mound. Pomeranz isn't Clayton Kershaw or Chris Sale, but his splits against left-handed hitters are impressive. Entering Thursday's contest, lefties had hit .175 against Pomeranz in his career, with a .493 OPS. Before Howard's home run, only five left-handers had homered against him in 312 plate appearances. Howard made it clear at the beginning of Spring Training that he was not a fan of the platoon. But by the end of March, he had come to terms with his role. "All you can do is go up there and try to have good at-bats," Howard said after Thursday's game. "For me, it's just about trying to take advantage of the opportunities I get." He doesn't expect Mackanin to put too much weight in one or two strong performances against southpaws, and Mackanin doesn't plan to. Mackanin said postgame that Ruf, who was able to swing the bat pregame, was available to pinch-hit and will start the next game against a left-handed starter. Howard's 360th career home run tied Gary Gaetti for 82nd on the all-time list. One more will tie Joe DiMaggio. "I had no clue," Howard said. "The names that are coming up, it's kind of a rarefied air. It's an ultimate honor to even be put in the same category as those guys." As for active players? Only seven have more home runs than Howard. Carlos Beltran is closest, with 394, while Alex Rodriguez's 688 leads the pack.

Henderson Honors Robinson – Having made his Major League debut in 1977, Phillies hitting coach Steve Henderson feels his appreciation for Jackie Robinson is stronger than most of today's players. But Henderson, whose debut came 30 years after Robinson broke the color barrier, is quick to add the difficulties he faced don't compare to what Robinson overcame. "If it wasn't for this guy, we wouldn't even be in the game," Henderson said. "A lot of people of color wouldn't be in the game. I'm very happy for what he did and the sacrifices he went through. "I don't know if some of these modern-day ballplayers could handle that." That perceived softness could be interpreted as a sign of progress, though. Baseball is quickly progressing, and it is a far more inclusive sport than it was even during Henderson's playing days. Yet the sport, in recent years, has seen declining participation from black athletes, forgoing it for other sports such as basketball and football. Major League Baseball, conscious of that, founded the Reviving Baseball in Inner-Cities (RBI) program in 1989. Henderson thinks Robinson would appreciate the efforts MLB is making to increase minority interest and participation in the sport. "I think he'd be very proud," Henderson said. "Because of all the stuff he went through, and the number of Major League baseball players that have come through, and a lot of black players have come through here. And we're working hard to get more." On Friday, the Phillies and the other 29 Major League teams will don uniforms with Robinson's retired No. 42 on the back. April 15 marks the 69th anniversary of Robinson's Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Members of the Tuskegee Airmen, who broke color barriers outside of sports in the '40s, will be at Citizens Bank Park serving as the honor guard in pregame ceremonies. Members of the Anderson Monarchs, a local youth team named after the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The city of Philadelphia announced it will also officially apologize for the way it treated Robinson in his first trip to the city in 1947, which included being refused service at a hotel and receiving racial slurs from then-Philadelphia manager Ben Chapman. The city will join MLB in dedicating the day to Robinson's legacy.

Today In Phils History – There are two games to remember on this day to remember beginning with Les Sweetland’s performance in 1930 when he pitched a three hit shutout and scored the game’s only run on opening day against the Dodgers. Years later in 1977, five years to the day after his Phillies debut, Steve Carlton won the first game played in Olympic Stadium over the Expos. Today is the day of the pitcher as we also mark the debuts of Pete Alexander (1911) and Jim Bunning (1964). Other debuts include Ralph LaPointe in 1947 and Wally Post in 1958. Finally, we also remember the birthdays of former Phillies Woodie Fryman (1940) and Ted Sizmore (1945) who we remember despite their brief stints in Philadelphia.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 5-5 this season putting them on pace to meet 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 35-27-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

And The Phillies’ Stellar Start Continues…

GAME RECAP: Mets Beat Phillies 7-2

A literal banner day for the Mets -- they raised their 2015 National League pennant before the game -- turned into a subdued 7-2 win over the Phillies on Friday when starting pitcher Jacob deGrom left due to a right lat injury. The afternoon was no more enjoyable for the Phillies, who fell to 0-4 for the first time in a decade. Before departing as a medical precaution, deGrom contributed six effective innings despite reduced velocity. The Mets, in turn, gave him a lead on sixth-inning RBI hits from Neil Walker and Michael Conforto against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff. Walker singled home another run an inning later, and Conforto singled home two more. "It's a good start," Mets third baseman David Wright said. "Hopefully there's a lot more to come." The Mets' seventh-inning rally constituted a third bullpen meltdown in four games for the Phillies, whose 12.66 relief ERA ranks last in baseball. "We just need to get something going," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I need to keep everybody positive and not get down on themselves. Everybody is trying so hard."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eickhoff pitched relatively well, but the Phillies' bullpen cannot stop the bleeding. After Dalier Hinojosa and Daniel Stumpf worked out of a jam in the sixth, left-hander James Russell allowed four runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. The Phillies' bullpen has allowed 15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings this season. "We're going to continue to try to find out," said Mackanin, asked if he has the personnel in the bullpen to pitch effectively.
• There are many reasons the Phillies are 0-4, but one of them is the offense. They have scored more than two runs just once in four games. They are hitting .120 (3-for-25) with runners in scoring position, and they did themselves no favors Friday when Cesar Hernandez forgot the infield fly rule, turning a potential rally into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. "That was unacceptable," Mackanin said. "You can't excuse that. He should know better. He's an infielder."
• "You shouldn't have to. In high school you should know that." -- Mackanin, on if the infield fly rule is taught during Spring Training.
• Phillies outfielders are hitting a combined .116 (5-for-43) with one double, one home run and two RBIs, which is why Mackanin told Darin Ruf to begin taking fly balls in left field during batting practice. The Phillies pulled the plug on Ruf as an outfielder in Spring Training. "Although it's not according to plan, we need some bats with some power," Mackanin said. "I don't think that was even a thought," Ruf said of working out in left. "Now it is."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies fans get their first look at hard-throwing right-hander Vincent Velasquez -- the key piece of the Ken Giles trade with Houston -- in Saturday night's game against the Mets at Citi Field. Velasquez threw the ball well in the spring, earning the No. 5 job in the rotation over left-hander Adam Morgan.

PHILS PHACTS:

Wrong Kind Of Hit – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco had his left elbow wrapped up Friday morning at Citi Field. But at least he had a bat in his hands and was headed to the batting cage to hit. "I'm sore," Franco said. "But I'll be fine." Franco got hit with a 92-mph fastball just below the elbow in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. He was not in the Phillies' lineup for Friday's game against the Mets, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Franco was available to pinch-hit and is expected to be in the lineup Saturday. "It's not a big deal," Mackanin said. That should be a relief for the Phillies, who badly need Franco's bat in the lineup. Franco hit .300 (3-for-10) with one double, one home run, two RBIs, two walks and two strikeouts in three games against the Reds this week. Andres Blanco started at third base Friday. He hit fifth.

A Solid Start – All things considered, the Phillies' rotation has been the team's lone bright spot this season. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff allowed three runs (two earned) in five-plus innings Friday afternoon in a 7-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. "He doesn't look as sharp as I've seen him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But he still only gave up two earned runs, which is fine." Following a spring that began with a broken right thumb, Eickhoff pitched better than perhaps expected. The Phillies will take it. Their starters have a 3.74 ERA in four games, but because of a poor bullpen and a struggling offense, the team is 0-4 for the first time since 2006. The Phillies need Vince Velasquez to pitch well Saturday night to avoid their first 0-5 start since 1934. Eickhoff struggled early, throwing 50 pitches in his first two innings. He hit Michael Conforto with a pitch to start the second and loaded the bases with no outs. Freddy Galvis dropped an easy catch at second on a potential double-play ball, putting runners at first and second. Eickhoff then walked Travis d'Arnaud to load the bases. But Eickhoff battled. He got Jacob deGrom to ground into a fielder's choice as Conforto scored to make it 1-0. But Curtis Granderson popped out and David Wright grounded out to end the inning. Eickhoff threw just 28 pitches over his next three innings, retiring 12 of 13 batters in one stretch. But a double from Lucas Duda, a single from Neil Walker and a Conforto double gave the Mets a 3-1 lead and ended Eickhoff's night. Eickhoff left the game encouraged that he is close to where he was last season, when he had a 2.65 ERA in eight starts as a rookie. "Yeah, I think so," Eickhoff said. "I threw a bullpen [session earlier this week] in Cincinnati. There were some pitches there where it was like, 'OK, that's it, that's where I need to be.' I think I threw some out there today. It's just I couldn't find it more than I'd like to, so it was kind of frustrating. But I'm happy to get through it and be healthy on the backside." The bullpen is not healthy. It allowed four runs in three innings. It has a 12.66 ERA (15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings). "Our starters have done a really good job up to this point," Mackanin said. "That's what we were trying to go for up to this point. It's been working very well. We're not the best-hitting team in the league, but we're certainly better than what we're showing. We just need to get something going. I need to keep everybody positive and not get down on themselves. Everybody is trying so hard."

That Was Fundamentally Wrong – Manager Pete Mackanin emphasized the fundamentals this spring because he knew the Phillies have little margin for error. But he never expected to need a refresher course on the infield fly rule four games into the season. Cesar Hernandez forgot about the rule Friday, ending a potential rally in the eighth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. The Phillies are 0-4 for the first time since 2006. They need to win Saturday to avoid their first 0-5 start since 1934. "That was unacceptable," Mackanin said. "You can't excuse that. He should know better. He's an infielder." The Phillies had Hernandez on first and Freddy Galvis on second with one out when Odubel Herrera hit a popup in the infield, just to the left of the pitcher's mound. Mets third baseman David Wright moved underneath the ball, but the wind blew it behind him. No matter, the infield fly rule had been called. But Hernandez ran to second the moment the ball hit the ground. Wright threw to Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, who threw to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who tagged Hernandez for the inning-ending double play. "I did not see the umpire call the infield fly," Hernandez said through the Phillies' translator. "I was trying to listen to my first-base coach, but couldn't hear a thing because it was so loud. When the ball hit the ground, I reacted to it. However, there are no excuses. I am an infielder. I know the rules. I take full responsibility for it. It won't happen again." "Freddy didn't move," Mackanin said. "He knew [not to run]." Asked if the Phillies reteach the infield fly rule in Spring Training, Mackanin said, "You shouldn't have to. In high school you should know that." Of course, this is not to say the Phillies would have overcome a five-run deficit, but they need every bit of help they can get. They have scored more than two runs just once in four games this season. They are hitting .120 (3-for-25) with runners in scoring position. The Phillies need offense so badly they just told Darin Ruf to begin to take fly balls in left field during batting practice. The Phillies essentially pulled the plug on Ruf as an outfielder in Spring Training because they said they valued defense over offense in the outfield. But Phillies outfielders are a hitting combined .116 (5-for-43) with one double, one home run and two RBIs. "Although it's not according to plan, we need some bats with some power," Mackanin said. "I don't think that was even a thought," Ruf said. "Now it is."

Minor Talents – Without a doubt, low Class A Greenville had the most talented Minor League club at the end of 2015. Scouts who saw the Red Sox's South Atlantic League affiliate in the second half laughed about how loaded the Drive's roster was. After signing for $31.5 million (and costing Boston a matching penalty for exceeding its international bonus pool) in March, second baseman Yoan Moncada lived up to his "Robinson Cano with more speed" comparisons and hit .310/.415/.500 with 45 steals in his final 56 games. Third baseman Rafael Devers ranked second in the SAL in doubles (38) and total bases (208) as an 18-year-old. Shortstop Javier Guerra flashed Gold Glove potential and slammed 15 homers. While third baseman Michael Chavis and right-hander Michael Kopech had their ups and downs -- Chavis had swing-and-miss issues, Kopech got suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned stimulant -- they both showed the upside that made them first-round picks in 2014. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi, the No. 7 overall choice in 2015, arrived in Greenville in August and batted .351/.430/.581 in 19 games. Precocious righty Anderson Espinoza, who draws Pedro Martinez parallels, made a cameo in the final series at age 17. Even with the Red Sox breaking up the gang to start the 2016 season, they've still assembled the most impressive Minor League roster again, this time at high Class A Salem. No club has three players ranked higher on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects than Moncada (No. 6), Devers (No. 16) and Benintendi (No. 24). Guerra (No. 57) went to the Padres in the Craig Kimbrel trade in November, but Espinoza (No. 38), Kopech (currently sidelined after breaking his pitching hand in an altercation with a teammate during Spring Training) and Chavis could move up to the Carolina League later in the year. Salem also features several interesting sleepers in right-hander Travis Lakins, middle infielder Mauricio Dubon and first baseman Nick Longhi. After Salem, these are the best prospect rosters in the Minors: 8. Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies): All three of the IronPigs' Top 100 Prospects were acquired via trade last year by the rebuilding Phillies. Right-hander Jake Thompson (No. 54) and outfielder Nick Williams (No. 64) came from the Rangers in July's Cole Hamels deal, while righty Mark Appel (No. 69) -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 Draft -- was part of the package the Astros gave up for Ken Giles in December. Catcher Andrew Knapp was one of the Minors' hottest hitters after the All-Star break last year, batting .370/.437/.698 with 11 homers in 42 Double-A games. 9. Double-A Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies): Philadelphia leads all organizations with seven Top 100 Prospects, so it's not surprising that the Phils are the only one with multiple affiliates on this list. J.P. Crawford (No. 4) is an elite shortstop prospect, catcher Jorge Alfaro (No. 95) is another piece from the Hamels trade and outfielder Roman Quinn (No. 98) is one of the fastest players in the Minors. Potential mid-rotation right-hander Ricardo Pinto has two plus pitches in his fastball and changeup.

Home Opener Festivities Scheduled – The Mets celebrated their National League championship Friday afternoon with a lengthy pregame ceremony at Citi Field. The Phillies will have their own festivities Monday at their home opener at Citizens Bank Park. There are a limited number of tickets available at phillies.com/tickets or at the first-base ticket windows at the ballpark. Here are some the highlights of the day's timeline: Noon ET -- Block party begins on Citizens Bank Way. 12:35 p.m. -- Gates open. Fans receive a commemorative cap. 12:43 p.m. -- Phillies take batting practice. 2:13 p.m. -- The Phillies begin their walk into the ballpark from 10th Street, just outside center field. 2:22 p.m. -- The Phillies enter the park. 2:50 p.m. -- Kane Kalas, son of Harry Kalas, sings the national anthem. 2:53 p.m. -- The United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, parachute onto the field delivering the first balls. 3 p.m. -- Philadelphia police officer Jesse Hartnett, 33, throws out a first pitch. Hartnett was shot three times while on duty. President Obama called him a hero in his last State of the Union Address. 3:05 p.m. -- First pitch.

All About Debuts - It's hard to believe but the first victory at Ebbets Field in 1913 was not by the Brookyln Dodgers, that honor belongs to the Phillies. Ted Savage and Frank Torre (Joe's Brothers) made their Phillies debuts on this day in 1962 in a decade that held a lot of promise but produced few results. However, the team's record at the end of the year doesn't mean their weren't great performances that of Steve "bedrock" Bedrosian who would go on to win the Cy Young Award two years after debuting with the Phillies in 1986. The next decade saw Tyler Green playing his part in an amazing season in 1993.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 0-4 this season putting them on pace to meet 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 18-18-0 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!

Roster Slowly Morphing… Giles Heading Out

PHILS PHACTS:

Replacing Giles? – The Phillies made their first move of the Winter Meetings on Wednesday, and it proved to be a precursor to the Ken Giles trade. The Phillies signed right-handed reliever David Hernandez to a one-year, $3.9 million contract. It gives them a late-inning reliever who could stabilize the bullpen once Giles is dealt to Houston. Sources told MLB.com on Wednesday night that the Phillies and Astros have agreed to that trade, which would send four players to Philadelphia. The deal is pending physicals. "Sometimes, if you sign a David Hernandez, that may open the door to a different trade possibility than we had anticipated," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said. "Or if you make a trade, that might open the door to a different free-agent signing. We're trying to balance it all. That makes us no different from any team. We have a lot of balls in the air, most of which you're working on never come to fruition. But every once in a while something will." Hernandez, 30, went 1-5 with a 4.28 ERA in 40 appearances last season with Arizona. He missed 2014 and the first two months of the '15 season following Tommy John surgery. Before that, Hernandez was Arizona's setup man, compiling a 3.42 ERA and picking up 17 saves over three seasons. He began his career with the Orioles, who drafted him in the 16th round in the 2005 Draft. "It was a priority for us to add someone to the back of our bullpen who has pitched in high-level situations in the past," Klentak said. "Throughout the last couple of months, we've been adding a lot of depth to our bullpen. Many of those players don't come with a lot of experience. So we wanted to make sure that we added at least one player who added a lot of experience who could help to pitch in the late part of the game." Phillies president Andy MacPhail and Klentak were with the Orioles when Hernandez made his big league debut in 2009. Player development director Joe Jordan helped draft Hernandez in '05.

Moving Forward – Maikel Franco filed a grievance against the Phillies, claiming they manipulated his service time to delay his eligibility for free agency. Franco opened the season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before being recalled May 15. Franco accrued 170 days of Major League service time, which is two days short of a full season. Those two days delayed his free agency from 2020 to '21. Franco's agent, Ryan Royster, said Monday the grievance will not be an issue for Franco moving forward. Phillies general manger Matt Klentak agreed. "I wasn't here for the first year of his career with the Phillies," Klentak said. "I'm not particularly concerned with there being a carryover or on-field effect."

More Netting On The Way – The Phillies announced Wednesday they plan to extend the netting at Citizens Bank Park to conform to Major League Baseball's new recommendations regarding fan safety. Phillies executive vice president and chief operating officer Mike Stiles said in a statement that the club anticipates it will expand the protective netting behind home plate about 10 feet in width on both sides, reaching to the near side of each dugout. The Phils also plan to replace their existing netting with newer material that is just as strong, but thinner and more easier to see through. "We understand that our fans differ in their opinions about sitting behind protective netting and we will do our best to accommodate those different preferences," Stiles said. "We will take the opportunity in the upcoming season to remind all of our fans about the importance of being alert to the possibility of balls and bats entering the stands throughout the ballpark. "We also anticipate that a similar modest expansion of protective netting will be installed at Bright House Field, our Spring Training ballpark in Clearwater, Fla., to conform to the MLB recommendations."

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.

Giles On The Block?

PHILS PHACTS:

Hot Commodity – It seems more and more like Phillies closer Ken Giles will be a hot name this offseason. The Phils have received calls from multiple teams interested in Giles, who went 6-3 with a 1.80 ERA last season. His season included 15 saves in 17 opportunities after late July, when he replaced Jonathan Papelbon as the closer. General manager Matt Klentak said last week at the GM Meetings that "it's not a goal" to trade Giles, but he also acknowledged "we're trying to be opportunistic at every turn and trying not to operate in absolutes." FOXSports.com reported Thursday that the Marlins and Astros are just a couple of the teams to inquire about Giles. It only makes sense for the Phillies to listen, especially after the package the Padres netted from the Red Sox on Friday for closer Craig Kimbrel. Boston sent San Diego four prospects, including outfielder Manuel Margot and shortstop Javier Guerra. They are the No. 25 and No. 76 prospects in baseball, respectively, according to MLBPipeline.com. The other two prospects -- infielder Carlos Asuaje and left-hander Logan Allen -- ranked among Boston's Top 30 Prospects. In theory, Giles could fetch a similar package because he is paid significantly less than Kimbrel and cannot become a free agent until after the 2020 season. Kimbrel will make $11 million in 2016, $13 million in '17 and has a $13 million club option, with a $1 million buyout, for '18. Of course, Kimbrel has a much longer track record than Giles. But because the Phils are not obligated to trade Giles like some of their veterans from last season (Cole Hamels, Chase Utley, Papelbon, etc.), they can hold out for what they want. That should keep the asking price high. "I think Ken is terrific," Klentak said. "He's great in his role. We want to hold the leads we can hold, but I don't want to categorically say we will or we won't do anything."

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.