Phillies Continue Playing Down To Expectations

GAME RECAP: Crew Crushed Phils 4-1

Chris Carter and Jonathan Villar homered, Chase Anderson delivered another effective start and the Brewers continued a winning streak at Citizens Bank Park that began long before that trio's tenure. It reached eight games over three seasons with Thursday's 4-1 win over the Phillies in the opener of a four-game series. Maikel Franco continued to torment Brewers pitchers with two hits, including his ninth home run, but he flied out in a critical at-bat against Milwaukee reliever Will Smith in the sixth as the teams traded late-inning threats. The Brewers left the bases loaded in the sixth and the eighth -- the latter inning ending with a disputed strikeout -- but Villar's two-run home run in the ninth provided insurance on the way to Milwaukee's seventh victory in 10 games. "The one thing [Villar] hasn't done is hit home runs, and then he goes and hits a home run," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a complete game, for sure." The Phillies have lost seven straight games while scoring three runs or fewer in all of them. They have scored three runs or fewer in 34 of 54 games this season. Anderson lowered his ERA over his past five starts to 2.97 by allowing a run on three hits and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff pitched into the seventh before leaving the game when a comebacker struck his foot.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies fell behind in the top of the second, but it could have been a lot worse. Eickhoff gave up a single and two doubles, but only one run, because right fielder Paredes, making his first Phillies start since being acquired from the Blue Jays, hit cutoff man Andres Blanco, who threw out Lucroy trying to score on Kirk Nieuwenhuis's two-bagger.
  "I look at the first two months we played, and I know we're better than the last 10 days. Things just haven't been working for us, and the main culprit has been our offense. We need more offense." -- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, on his team losing 11 of its last 13.
• The Phillies' magic number is four. When they've scored at least four runs this season, they're 14-6. But they've scored three or fewer far more often -- 34 times -- and are 12-22 in those games.
• Franco is 9-for-17 (.529) with a 1.235 slugging percentage in four games against the Brewers this season. Four of his nine homers and nine of his 29 RBIs have come against Milwaukee.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Vince Velasquez will try to get back on track after two tough outings when the Phillies host the Brewers at 7:05 ET. Velasquez, who dazzled in his second start of the season with 16 strikeouts, has a 10.38 ERA in his last two outings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Eickhoff OK – Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff has turned in seven quality starts in his first 11 outings this season. That's pretty good. He also has just two wins. That doesn't seem fair. Once again, the 25-year-old kept his team in the game Thursday night, holding the Brewers to two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Once again, it wasn't enough as Philadelphia ended up with a 4-1 loss at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies have lost seven straight. It was the sixth time this season the Phillies have scored two or fewer runs in a game Eickhoff has started. To calculate it another way, the Phillies have averaged 2.58 runs per nine innings while he's been on the mound. "It's really as simple as that I'm trying to focus on my job, which is to keep hitters off the bases and keep runners from scoring," the pitcher said. "I honestly just try to focus on what I have to do. If we score runs, great. If we don't, I have to keep pitching. It doesn't change how I go at hitters and attack the zone." Adding injury to insult, Eickhoff left the game after a hot shot back up the middle by Keon Broxton caromed off his left ankle in the seventh. He had X-rays after the game, but preliminary indications are that he should be ready to make his next start. "It's going to be a little swollen, but I can walk on it fine," Eickhoff said. "I think it will be all right. They don't think it's anything serious right now, so that's good news." Manager Pete Mackanin said he was planning on making a pitching change at that point anyway. "Eickhoff did a good job. He didn't really have his best command, but he made pitches when he had to, and he really battled to get us into that seventh inning," he said. "Nothing's really going right for us these days."

One K Won’t Get You A W – The Phillies intentionally loaded the bases in the eighth inning of a one-run game -- and it worked, thanks to a quirky play to end the frame. The Brewers won, 4-1, but not before watching a promising rally fizzle in the eighth. After the Phillies opted to intentionally walk Jonathan Lucroy, reliever Hector Neris retired Chris Carter on a swinging strikeout, Alex Presley on a fielder's choice grounder (with the out at home) and Aaron Hill on a check-swing called strike three. Hill immediately protested to plate umpire Jim Reynolds, saying he had fouled off the baseball. Slow-motion replays appeared to show Hill had a case, and Brewers manager Craig Counsell joined the argument. To no avail. The umpires conferred briefly on the infield before declaring the inning over. "It's not reviewable," Reynolds said. "It's not under the guidelines for plays that are reviewable. Foul balls, any of that stuff is not reviewable." So what was Counsell's argument? "He wanted us to check," Reynolds said. "I didn't have a foul ball. I didn't hear, I didn't see anything. He wanted us to check, and we did. Nobody else on the crew had a foul ball on that." The Brewers still held on for their seventh victory in 10 games. Tyler Thornburg and Jeremy Jeffress each pitched a scoreless inning, with a Jonathan Villar two-run home run in the ninth giving Jeffress some breathing room. "We kind of squandered a big opportunity there to get some insurance runs," Counsell said. "But our bullpen pitched pretty well, regardless."

Returning To Form? – The Phillies had a lot of questions coming into this season. One thing they were counting on, though, was that third baseman Maikel Franco would be a big bat in the middle of their lineup. But Franco has struggled. He was given Wednesday night off in part because he was hitting .220 with three home runs and a .620 OPS since April 23. And it may have helped. He singled sharply to left in his first at-bat against the Brewers on Thursday night and drilled his ninth home run of the season into the seats in left his second time up. He had two of the Phillies' five hits as they fell, 4-1, for a seventh straight loss. "I felt pretty good," Franco said. "It [the day off] was good for me. It made me feel relaxed at the plate. I was just trying to be positive every single day. I came in every day and tried to do my job. "I know when I've got my rhythm at the plate and can see more pitches. This game was much better." Manager Pete Mackanin said, with the Phillies struggling offensively, the 23-year-old may be trying to do too much. "Possibly. He might be trying to carry the team," Mackanin said. "We're counting on him quite a bit, and he knows that. But it's all part of playing at this level. You've heard that before. This guy is young. This guy is putting too much pressure on himself, trying to do too much. "But that's part of the business here. You've got to understand that. You've got to overcome it. You've got to understand that you shouldn't try to do too much. Just like when a guy throws hard, the more you muscle up, the worse you make it for yourself. So you've got to know that: don't muscle up, and take the ball the other way." Part of the problem, the manager added, is that the Phillies have scored three or fewer runs in 34 of their 54 games this season. "Day after day, where the offense was scuffling and we weren't producing runs, and guys like Franco started trying to do too much," Mackanin said. "Had the weight of the world on his shoulders. But you have to fight that urge. Or be reminded of it. Just do what you can do. If you're not a home run hitter, don't try to hit home runs. If you're striking out too much, you've got to work on that." So was it the night off that led to his big night? "It's hard to say," the manager said. "You like to think you move a guy in the lineup, you give him a night off, a couple days off, clear their heads. You try everything to get a guy back on track. And I hope so. I know Maikel's a better hitter than he's shown so far." Trying to inject some offense into the lineup, Mackanin batted newly acquired outfielder Jimmy Paredes third. He struck out his first three times up before doubling in the ninth. Cody Asche, just off the disabled list, started in left and was hitless in his two at-bats. "We didn't have a good night," Mackanin said. "[Brewers starter Chase] Anderson had a good changeup. He made everybody look bad. But we need to make some pitchers start looking bad. I think we're capable of it. I believe these guys are going to get better. "We've just got to get it going. Our hitters have to step up. It was nice to see Franco step it up a little bit. He looked a little better at the plate. But everybody else has to start looking better at the plate."

Asche Returns – The Phillies activated outfielder Cody Asche from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday and designated outfielder David Lough for assignment. Asche, who was immediately inserted into the starting lineup, understands that the Phils' season-long offensive troubles have created an opportunity for him. "It's pretty cut-and-dried," Asche said. "I've got to earn everything I want. There's no silver platter here with my name on it. I've got to earn it, and that's what I'm here to do. "That's all you can really ask for as a player is opportunity. They're few and far between in this game, so you've got to take advantage when you're given them." Asche missed all of Spring Training and the season's first two months with an oblique injury. He hit .169 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 15 games while rehabbing at three Minor League levels. The 25-year-old batted .245 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs in 129 games for Philadelphia last season. Lough, 30, was hitting .239 with three doubles and four RBIs in 30 games for the Phillies this season. He is a .254 career hitter in parts of five seasons with the Royals, Orioles and Phils. Manager Pete Mackanin said Asche, who was converted from third base last year, will be used strictly in left. That means Tyler Goeddel will be moved to right for the time being. "Nothing's set in stone," Mackanin added. "I hope [Asche] can add some offense to what we've got. We've got to get on track and win some games." Going into play Thursday, the Phillies had lost six straight, scoring three or fewer runs in each of those games. When Asche was first sidelined, it was thought he might be ready by Opening Day. "It feels like an eternity," he said. "I didn't expect it to take this long, but I think I've done a good job of forgetting about that and kind of just staying on a path of looking forward. This is Day One for me. The past is in the past, so I'm just going to move forward from here." The Phils also activated left-hander Mario Hollands from the 15-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Preparing For The Draft – Last fall, it seemed a safe bet the Phillies would select Florida left-hander A.J. Puk with the first overall pick in the 2016 Draft. But with the Draft beginning at 7 p.m. ET next Thursday (with coverage on MLB Network and MLB.com beginning at 6), things are less certain. Sources have indicated the Phillies are leaning toward a hitter, but ruling out Puk would be a mistake. In fact, MLBPipeline.com has the Phils taking Puk in its latest mock Draft. Phillies fans should keep an eye on these seven amateurs as the Draft approaches: Barnegat (N.J.) High School left-hander Jason Groome, Mercer University outfielder Kyle Lewis, La Costa Canyon (Calif.) High School outfielder Mickey Moniak, Puk, Louisville outfielder Corey Ray, Chaminade (Calif.) College Prep outfielder Blake Rutherford and Tennessee third baseman Nick Senzel. Everybody who has followed the Draft knows there is no Bryce Harper or Stephen Strasburg available, meaning there is no consensus No. 1 pick. Therefore, the Phils have more to consider. Not only must they consider talent, they must consider price. In other words, if the Phillies consider Players A, B and C similar in talent, but Player C can be signed for less, it could push him to the top because the Phils could use the money saved there to select more talented (and pricier) picks in the second round and beyond. It makes sense for a rebuilding team like the Phillies to build the deepest, most competitive Draft class possible. The Phils have $13,405,200 in their bonus pool. The No. 1 pick is valued at $9,015,000. Last year, the No. 1 pick was valued at $8,616,900, and the Diamondbacks signed Dansby Swanson for $6.5 million. Bet on the Phillies trying something similar, which would allow them to select what they consider first-round talent with the first pick (42nd overall) in the second round. Of course, the Phils are still trying to learn what each player's price might be on Draft day. Their representatives are not tipping their hands, but if somebody like Puk thinks the Reds will select him with the No. 2 pick, he might be less inclined to take a lesser signing bonus, knowing he can cash in at No. 2. Scott Boras represents Senzel, so he also might be less inclined to take a lesser deal. But if somebody like Lewis, Moniak, Rutherford or Ray thinks he could fall to sixth or seventh, he might agree to take less as the No. 1 pick because he still would make much more than the No. 6 or 7 pick. Got all that? The Phillies' amateur scouts flew to Philadelphia last week to present their regions. The organization began its national meetings Wednesday, and they will continue to meet until the Draft begins next week. It has been an all-hands-on-deck affair with Pat Gillick, Charlie Manuel and others scouting the country's top talent. Puk will get his share of time in these meetings. MLBPipeline.com and Baseball America both rank him as the top amateur player in the country. Puk just dominated LSU in the SEC tournament, which helps his cause. But Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz has always loved hitters. Could the Phils' pitching talent in the upper levels of their farm system color their thinking next Thursday? It might, but not even the Phillies know exactly which way they will go.

Today In Phils History – The current funk that the Phillies find themselves in is nothing in comparison to the 22^nd straight loss that the team was handed by Boston on this day in 1884. Of course, even at an advanced age, it would be nice to have a pitcher like Grover Cleveland Alexander who, after 373 career victories (tied with Christy Mattehwson for most in NL history) was released on this day in 1930. However, the most surprising stat of the day happened in 1957 when Richie Ashburn turned in the only 5 hit game of his career in a win over St. Louis. 15 years later, Phillies general manager abruptly announced his retirement during the 9^th inning of a game against the Reds with Paul Ownes, the team’s farm director at the time, immediately being named his successor (1972 was that kind of season). Finally, Davey Johnson became the first player to have multiple grand slams in a single season when he connected against the Dodgers in a 5-1 win.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 26-28 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 46-56-0 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!

Phillies Avoid Sweep In Extra Innings

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Mets 5-4

Once the Phillies managed to stop the Mets' home run barrage on Wednesday, all they needed was a well-placed hit. Peter Bourjos obliged with a walk-off infield single in the 11th inning at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night, leading Philadelphia to a 5-4 win to avoid a series sweep. "You want a winning record at home and play .500 on the road," manager Pete Mackanin said. "But we're happy to go 5-5 on this homestand. It's great to salvage a win from these guys, as well as they've been swinging the bats." The Phillies began their winning rally when Freddy Galvis doubled sharply to right field with one out. Mets reliever Hansel Robles intentionally walked the next batter, advanced both runners on a wild pitch, then got pinch-hitter Emmanuel Burriss to fly out. But Bourjos, batting ninth in the lineup, followed with a soft grounder that handcuffed David Wright at third base, forcing him to throw off his back leg. Bourjos beat the throw to first base with relative ease, allowing the winning run to score. "He's one of the fastest guys in the game, so I knew just catch and release," said Wright, who just missed catching a foul pop on the first pitch of Bourjos' at-bat. "I was able to make a good throw, just not nearly in time." It was enough to upend the Mets, who for much of the night seemed bent on keeping Citizens Bank Park their home away from home. Twenty-eight of the Mets' 37 runs this series came via the homer, and Wednesday's finale was not much different. Consecutive fifth-inning long balls from Yoenis Cespedes and Lucas Duda gave the Mets a temporary lead against Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson, who received a no-decision. So did Mets counterpart Bartolo Colon, who was in line to pass Pedro Martinez with his 220th career win before Bourjos laced an RBI single off Addison Reed in the seventh, tying the game and ultimately sending it to extra innings. The Phillies had done their earlier damage off Colon on Galvis' two-run homer and a David Lough sacrifice fly. "You get a little greedy, you win the first two you want to win the third," Wright said. "But series wins, that's the name of the game. At least we can take that out of here."

PHILS PHACTS:

• After Hellickson was lifted with one out in the fifth inning,Hector Neris took over and proceeded to throw a career-high 2 2/3 scoreless innings in long relief, striking out six. Neris has been the most reliable arm in the Phillies' bullpen, having yet to allow a run in eight appearances this season. "From his last two outings in the spring, [Neris] started showing real good command and poise," Mackanin said. "Even through the early part of this season, he's been doing that every time. The numbers speak for themselves." Those numbers? Neris has struck out 15 while walking only two. He's inherited five runners and stranded them all. The rest of the Phillies' bullpen got the job done, too, totaling 6 2/3 innings without allowing a run and striking out 11. "They were executing pitches," Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said. "Not only their fastballs, but their offspeed. You've just got to tip your cap and move on."
• Lough has played in all three games since being recalled on Monday, and has at least one hit in all three. He went 2-for-3 with a single, double and sacrifice fly on Wednesday, providing Philadelphia with a much-needed offensive spark. His sac fly briefly gave the Phillies their first lead of the series, and he also scored his first run. "People think it's a huge difference between Triple-A and the big leagues," Lough said. "It's really not. ... It's just about getting comfortable down there, then coming up here and trying to help the team win."
• "The chances of getting him out on that play are pretty impossible." -- Wright, on Bourjos' game-winning infield hit.
• Wednesday marked the first time since June 1, 1979, that the Phillies had anyone but a pitcher bat ninth in the starting lineup, playing in a National League stadium. The last position player to do so was shortstop Bud Harrelson, who went 1-for-3, with Steve Carlton batting eighth.

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia gets its first day off since April 5, the day after Opening Day in Cincinnati, on Thursday before beginning a three-game weekend set in Milwaukee on Friday at 8:10 p.m. ET. Aaron Nola will pitch, looking to get back on track after allowing seven runs in five innings to the Nationals on Saturday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Cleaning Up In The Nine Spot – In any other game Pete Mackanin has managed, and in any other game the Phillies have played since 1979, the pitcher's spot would have been up with two outs and the winning run on third base in the 11th inning. But because the lineup "just looks better" to Mackanin, with Peter Bourjos hitting ninth and Jeremy Hellickson -- the Phillies' starting pitcher in their 5-4 win over the Mets -- initially batting No. 8, it was Bourjos who came to the plate and sped down the first-base line, just beating the throw across the diamond from David Wright and allowing Freddy Galvis to score the winning run. "Looking at it now, it's pretty funny," said Bourjos, who also tied the game with a single in the seventh that ultimately forced extra innings. "He came through twice big for us," Mackanin said. "We're happy for that." The Phillies' right fielder entered Wednesday's game hitting .167 with an on-base-plus-slugging-percentage of .472. But he proceeded to go 2-for-5 with two RBIs, doubling his season total in one night. In the seventh, Bourjos went the other way to drive home David Lough. "It was nice to see him get those two hits, especially going to right field," Mackanin said. "[Hitting coach] Steve Henderson has been working with him on taking the ball up the middle and to the right side. It was nice to see that single to right field." It marked the first time since June 1, 1979, that the Phillies had anyone but a pitcher bat ninth in the starting lineup, playing in a National League stadium. The last position player to do so was shortstop Bud Harrelson, who went 1-for-3, with Steve Carlton batting eighth. Bourjos almost didn't get the opportunity for his 11th-inning heroics. After Galvis doubled, a wild pitch advanced him to third with one out. The Mets then began to walk Emmanuel Burriss -- pinch-hitting for Jeanmar Gomez in the spot ahead of Bourjos -- but two pitches into the intentional free pass, they changed course. Burriss attempted a squeeze play, with Galvis rushing home from third, but he bunted foul. "I would've liked to win a game with a squeeze," Mackanin said. The Phillies then had one more scare. Bourjos, now batting with two outs after Burriss flied out, hit a towering popup into foul territory behind third base. Wright chased it to the stands, where it looked like it would be uncatchable, but the wind brought it back within reach. The Mets' third baseman tumbled into the wall and was unable to make the grab. "I missed it by about six inches or so," Wright said. Two pitches later, the ball came right back to Wright, this time hard on the ground. He made a backhanded snag and quickly threw across his body in a hopeless attempt to beat the speedy Bourjos to first. Galvis scored, and the Phillies had won. Not long after, Galvis doused Bourjos with a energy drink bath. "I didn't feel comfortable until I touched the bag," Bourjos said. Mackanin said before the game he's never been a fan of hitting the pitcher eighth. But with Bourjos collecting two clutch hits from the No. 9 spot, Mackanin now has a decision on his hands. "It worked out tonight," he said. "We'll see. Like I said, once he starts swinging the bat better, like I know he can, then I probably won't do that. It just happened to fall into place tonight."

Bailey Back In The Majors – Before Andrew Bailey appeared in 10 games out of the Yankees' bullpen near the end of last season, the former All-Star closer hadn't pitched in a big league game since 2013. Bailey received something more than a September callup from the Phillies on Wednesday, as they purchased his contract from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and designated left-hander James Russell for assignment. "It's a big opportunity I've been looking forward to," Bailey said prior to Wednesday's 5-4, 11th-inning win over the Mets. Bailey was one of 24 relievers the Phillies had in Spring Training and one of 25 non-roster invitees, spanning all positions. A strong start and prior closing experience fueled speculation he could fill the Phillies' then-vacant closer's role. But allowing five runs in the final stretch led to him starting the season in Triple-A. "I do think going down to Triple-A helped me out," Bailey said. "Just being able to gain strength and momentum from Spring Training. I feel ready to go, ready to rock -- significantly better than Spring Training." In four relief appearances for the IronPigs, Bailey tossed five innings, allowing just one run and striking out 10. Meanwhile, Russell appeared in seven games for the Phillies, leaving the team with an 18.69 ERA and more walks (five) than strikeouts (four) in 4 1/3 innings. "Russell wasn't pitching the way he's capable of," manager Pete Mackanin said. "[Bailey] wasn't far off in spring. ... He's throwing pretty good. I haven't seen him [since he went to Triple-A], but his numbers, even though it's a small sample, they're OK." Mackanin said the Phillies plan on "seeing where he fits in," but Jeanmar Gomez will continue to work the ninth inning. Gomez pitched the 10th and 11th innings Wednesday, allowing no runs, one hit and striking out two. Bailey was available but did not see action.

Herrera Moves Up – Manager Pete Mackanin has insisted the Phillies need Odubel Herrera in the middle of their order because of the pop and hitting ability he provides. "He's probably our best hitter right now," Mackanin said before Monday's game, in which Herrera hit second. But he couldn't resist the urge to keep the hitter leading the National League in walks and pitches seen per plate appearance out of the leadoff spot for long. Mackanin had been clamoring to find a reliable leadoff hitter since the season started, experimenting with Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Emmanuel Burriss there, as well as considering David Lough but deciding against it. Finally, after drawing 14 walks in 15 games, including a streak of his last six (the longest for a Phillie since Michael Young in 2013), he found his name atop the lineup in Wednesday's 5-4, 11th-inning win over the Mets. He went 1-for-4 with another walk. "I'm trying to be more patient each at-bat," Herrera said. "And that's giving me a lot of good results, so I'm going to keep trying to do it." That success had led to him reaching base at the 14th-best clip in baseball, a .426 rate, heading into Wednesday's action. However, it took until No. 35 on the on-base percentage leaderboard to find a player with a worse batting average (which doesn't include walks) --Mark Teixeira, who had a .385 OBP and .200 average, compared to Herrera's .426 and .255 marks. Because of Herrera's consistency reaching base near the top of the lineup, he also leads the Phillies in runs scored, with five. Having him on base gives players hitting behind him, like Ryan Howard and Maikel Franco, more chances to drive him home. "That's what I'm looking for," Franco said. "Players get on base and in scoring position, you can drive them in. That's what you're looking for." "If he's on base, things can kind of change," Howard added. "If there's runners on first and second or second and third, or just if he's on first, things can change, too." Although the team appreciates his capacity for getting on base, the amount of pitches he sees in an at-bat could arguably be even more valuable -- especially to those hitting directly behind him. Herrera's 5.13 pitches-per-plate-appearance led baseball. Mike Napoli was a distant second, averaging 4.89. "I really want to establish myself in the MLB. I want to be respected," Herrera said. "I'm just seeing as many pitches as I can because I want to learn from those pitchers, too. I want to see what they're all about." Howard and Franco agreed that being able to see more more pitches from the dugout or on-deck circle allows them to be more aggressive once they step into the box. "A guy like Dubi will allow you to kind of see pitches," Howard said. "It helps you develop your plan a little bit more. ... If you're trying to see what this guy's slider's doing, how's his changeup, does it just float, does it sink, does it fade? Does he have a lot of bite on this pitch? What's he trying to do?" It took Herrera until Aug. 14 to draw his 14th walk last season. By that time, he had struck out 82 times; Herrera's whiffed 16 times this season. He wasn't issued a single free pass in Spring Training. Herrera, however, said he hasn't made any drastic changes to his approach. But the team is taking notice. "He's looking for pitches, and if he doesn't get it, then he's not swinging," Howard said. "He's definitely shown more patience and continues to mature as a hitter." "It's a game of adjustments," Mackanin said. "Who's going to make the adjustments? Instead of making the same outs the same way ... you like to see players realize that, 'Hey, I see what they're trying to do to me, and I'm not going to swing at that pitch anymore.' That's the maturation process."

Today In Phils History – Today is a bit of a mixed bag for the Phillies. It started off on a high note with pitcher Bill Duggleby hitting a homerun during his major league debut in 1898 and, most recently, Cliff Lee collected his 10^th 10 strikeout, no walk, performance as a Phillie (tying Curt Schilling’s record) in 2014, Chase Utley hitting a homerun in his 5^th consecutive game in 2008 (tying a team record), and Cole Hamels dominating the Reds with 15 strikeouts in 2007 (the Phillies also turned a triple play in that game). Today also saw Mike Schmidt connect for his 7^th homerun in four games in 1976 falling one short of Ralph Kiner’s record. And while Jim Bunning losing for the first time as a Phillies at Shea Stadium to the Mets in 1967 was bad enough all of these things are overshadowed by the fact that 50 years ago today the Phillies traded future Hall of Fame Pitcher Fergie Jenkins to the Cubs for Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl. But, lets end this one on a positive note, Happy Birthday to Blueclaws manager and former Phillies Gregg Legg who was born on this day in 1960.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 7-9 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 43-38-3 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!

Phillies Defeated By Thor And Captain America

GAME RECAP: Mets Silence Phillies 5-2

Mets right-hander Noah Syndergaard continues to look superhuman as he cruised in a 5-2 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Monday night. Syndergaard's fastball hit 100-101 mph 18 times as he allowed five hits, one run and two walks and struck out eight in seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA. "Everything was clicking," Syndergaard said. "Mechanically, I felt great out there. It just gives you the most amount of confidence in the world." Back-to-back homers from Lucas Duda and Neil Walker in the eighth and David Wright's solo shot in the ninth -- his second dinger of the game -- gave the Mets some late breathing room. New York is looking for a little payback after dropping two of three to the Phillies earlier this month at Citi Field. "We are a team that's built on power, and when we hit homers, we win games," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "Tonight, we hit homers." Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff battled Syndergaard through seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks and striking out nine. He is 1-4 in five career starts against the Mets, but he has posted a 2.81 ERA against New York as the Phillies have scored just four runs for him when he has been in those games.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Phillies manager Pete Mackanin knew his team would struggle to score runs this season, so he stressed the need to manufacture as many runs as possible. The Phillies followed this approach when they scored their only run against Syndergaard in the third. Freddy Galvis doubled, stole third and scored on a soft single to left field from Herrera to tie the game, 1-1. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said of Syndergaard's slow delivery to the plate. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." 
• No visiting player has even come close to Wright's 22 career homers at Citizens Bank Park. Next on the list is Carlos Beltran, who has hit 14 homers at the ballpark, which opened in 2004.

NEXT GAME:

Vince Velasquez has been nothing short of brilliant in his first two starts this season. He makes his third Tuesday night at 7:05 ET against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. Velasquez struck out 16 and walked zero in a shutout Thursday against the Padres. He pitched six scoreless innings, striking out nine, against the Mets at Citi Field on April 9.

PHILS PHACTS:

Holding His Own – Jerad Eickhoff lacks the golden locks, the comic strip nickname and the 100-mph fastball of Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, but that does not mean he cannot compete with baseball's latest superhero. Eickhoff battled "Thor" for seven innings Monday night in a 5-2 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed five hits, two runs, three walks and struck out nine on a night when he had little margin for error. While the Phillies may lack the firepower to compete with the Mets in 2016, it is not a stretch to think Eickhoff, Vince Velasquez and Aaron Nola could be battling the Mets' young stud pitchers with much more on the line in the future. "Without a doubt," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I like what I see from them. They've got a real good presence on the mound. That's one concern we don't have." Eickhoff is 1-4 in five career starts with the Mets, but throw the record out the window because the Phillies have scored just four runs when he has been on the mound in those games. He also has a 2.81 ERA in those starts, striking out 32 batters in 32 innings. "The guy is a bulldog out there," Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp said. "He's just as tough as any guy on any roster. He's going to go out there, he's going to compete. He knows how to work, he knows how to pitch. He's got No. 1 kind of stuff, and he's shown it." Eickhoff allowed a home run to David Wright in the first inning to hand the Mets a 1-0 lead. He had retired 11 consecutive batters when Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-out triple and scored on Lucas Duda's double to left field to make it 2-1 in the sixth. Phillies left fielder David Lough had a chance to catch it, but the ball deflected off the top of his glove as he dived for it. But Eickhoff showed some fight in the seventh. He allowed a leadoff single to Asdrubal Cabrera and a one-out walk to Syndergaard but settled down to strike out Curtis Granderson on a 1-2 curveball and Wright on a 2-2 curveball to end the inning. "He really gritted his teeth and went after him," Mackanin said. "That was a good test." Eickhoff punched his mitt as he walked off the mound. "I was really excited to get out of that," he said. Eickhoff has made just 11 starts in his big league career, but he is establishing himself as a key piece of the Phillies' future. Since he allowed six runs in four innings against the Red Sox in Boston on Sept. 6, 2015, Eickhoff is 3-2 with a 1.34 ERA in seven starts. He said he is not thinking about what could be in the future between the Phillies and Mets. "I'm a day-to-day guy," he said. "I try not to get too far ahead of myself, and I think a lot of us in here are [the same way]." Velasquez is another big piece of the Phillies' future. He faces the Mets on Tuesday night.

Changing Strategy – With offensive struggles looming over their heads, the Phillies needed to find an edge wherever they could -- especially against Mets 23-year-old flamethrower Noah Syndergaard on Monday night. Syndergaard doesn't have many weaknesses, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin did his best to exploit one of them, despite it coming in a 5-2 losing effort. While Syndergaard's pitches get to the plate with speeds in the triple digits, his delivery can be slow. Coming into the game, the Phillies had three stolen bases on the season. They swiped two in two attempts against Syndergaard and took one more against Antonio Bastardo in the eighth. "We tried to take advantage of that," Mackanin said. "You try to steal off of him. He's slow to the plate. But we didn't really have enough baserunners to make that a big issue." David Lough, starting in left field the day he was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, reached base twice -- once by fielder's choice against Syndergaard in his first at-bat and again with a double in the ninth inning. He was the first Phillies culprit on the basepaths, taking second after his fielder's choice. "[Syndergaard is] one of the slower guys, where you can take advantage of that," Lough said. "I think we did a good job of that. [Freddy] Galvis took one to third, I took one to second, I think [Odubel Herrera] took one to second. With the speed guys on base, we're definitely taking advantage of it." After Lough's callup, there's a handful of players who could be classified as "speed guys." Cesar Hernandez swiped 19 bags last season. Herrera took 16. Galvis had 10, but showed off his quickness on his steal of third on Monday. And Mackanin called Peter Bourjos, who only had five last year for the Cardinals but 22 in 2011, the fastest guy on the team. Postgame, Mackanin continued to express frustration in the lack of offensive production. The Philies' 36 runs in their first 14 games is tied for third fewest in franchise history in that span. "We're just not scoring enough runs," he said. "They hit four home runs, and we didn't hit any. We've gotta score more runs. We're in all the games we're playing, except a few. We just need to score." Still, rather than try to run at will in an attempt to spark the offense, Mackanin said he's going to continue reading pitchers and relying on scouting reports. "You run on pitchers who are slow to the plate," he said. "When they're quick to the plate, you don't run." Even when they stole three bases, the Phillies managed only two runs. Granted, it was against Syndergaard. One steal, Galvis' of third, did help them muster one run across with Herrera's single the next play. The other runners, however, remained stranded on second. And the Phillies remain without an answer offensively.

Recent Roster Moves – The Phillies announced Monday that they optioned outfielder Cedric Hunter to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and selected the contract of outfielder David Lough. Lough was in the lineup in the Phillies' 5-2 loss to the Mets on Monday night, playing left field. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Lough will assume the same role Hunter had, primarily sharing time with Tyler Goeddel and Darin Ruf in left. "We're just going to mix and match and see how David Lough looks," Mackanin said. "He's been in the big leagues before, so I know what to expect from him." Philadelphia has struggled to find production anywhere offensively, but the problems have been especially pronounced in the corner-outfield spots. Phillies left fielders have combined for a .248 OPS, with just three hits in 40 at-bats over the team's first 13 games. Phillies right fielders also are last in baseball with a .485 OPS. Hunter received 24 at-bats in left field, slashing .083/.120/.208. He hit .088 (3-for-34) overall. "I told Cedric this afternoon that I know he's a better hitter than he's shown," Mackanin said. "But I think he's pressing. We just had to make a move to get something jump-started." Lough was among the final cuts when the Phillies headed north from Spring Training. Through six games and 25 at-bats for Lehigh Valley, he hit .280 with one double. He hit .256 with one home run, five RBIs and a team-high 10 walks in 55 plate appearances during Spring Training. "There wasn't much of a debate," Mackanin said. "We thought Lough was the best option right now." Lough posted a .555 OPS in 144 plate appearances last season with the Orioles. He has a .672 OPS in 741 career plate appearances. Lough hopes a more patient approach at the plate will help him produce with the Phillies. "In the past I've always been an aggressive hitter," Lough said. "I didn't draw a lot of walks. But this offseason, it's about being what type of hitter I am. It's getting on base, it's scoring a lot of runs, it's stealing bases, playing good defense. So I went into spring with a different mindset and approach at the plate. I obviously drew some walks and felt good at the plate in the spring, and it carried into the Triple-A season." Will Venable, whom the Phillies signed near the end of Spring Training, was thought to be another option, but Mackanin said he hasn't been hitting enough at Triple-A. Venable has three hits in 24 at-bats for Lehigh Valley. Prior to Monday's game, the Phillies also acquired Minor League outfielder Alfredo Marte from the Orioles for cash or a player to be named. Marte has played parts of three seasons in the Majors, most recently getting six at-bats for the Angels last season. In his career, the 27-year-old has a .532 OPS in 170 plate appearances. He had been playing for the Norfolk Tides, the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, to start 2016.

Where’s Radar Man? – There have been a handful of hot topics for Phillies fans the first couple weeks of the season. There is Vince Velasquez, the corner outfielders, the closer, the leadoff hitter and that guy behind home plate with the radar gun. Yeah, what happened to that guy? That guy is Phillies' advance scouting analyst Chris Cashman, and observant Phillies fans have noticed his absence this season and wondered why he is no longer sitting behind home plate at Citizens Bank Park. From 2008-15, Cashman sat behind home plate and used a radar gun and walkie talkie to relay pitch velocity and pitch types to the folks running Phanavision. They put his report on the scoreboard in right field, so fans could see how many times Ken Giles threw his fastball 100 mph. "A lot of people have been asking me where I went," Cashman said before Monday night's game against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park, "but more people have been asking my family members. People my dad used to work with. My sister's friends and parents. It's pretty crazy how many people are concerned." Cashman, 30, is doing just fine. The Phillies simply figured Cashman could make better use of his time. Besides, everything is automated these days. "It was a good experience," Cashman said. "I read the scouting reports on the pitchers we were about to face, and then going down there and seeing them I formed my own opinions, but I also saw what the scouts were seeing. It definitely helped me learn the game and understand pitchers." The Phillies no longer employ an advance scout, but Cashman does the work of one. He puts together advance scouting reports based on video, subscription services and other in-house data. He spent Monday working on reports about the Brewers, who play the Phillies in a three-game series beginning Friday in Milwaukee. Cashman now spends his time during games at Citizens Bank Park sitting with the rest of the scouts a few rows further back. He said he still gets recognized from regulars in the Diamond Club and no wonder. From the time Cashman, an Archbishop Carroll and St. Joseph's grad, became a full-time Phillies employee in 2010, he said he missed just five games in six seasons. "I think I served my time down there," Cashman said with a laugh.

Today In Phils History – The history of the day begins in historic fashion for the Phillies who still hold the opening day record for combined runs scored in a game when they defeated the Boston Braves 19-17 in 1900. Another unique matchup occurred 56 years later when the Phillies lost to the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first game ever played in New Jersey. Debuts have also played a big role including those of Phil Collins (long before his genesis days in 1929), Wayne LaMaster in 1937, and Emmett "Heinie" Mueller who hit a homerun in his first major league at bat in 1938. 10 years later, a pending major league debut was put in jeopardy as Richie Ashburn suffered a neck sprain in an exhibition game against Villanova. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and made his major league debut the next day. In recent history, on this day Vance Worley struck out 11 in the Phillies 12^th straight win over the Padres at Petco Park which, not surprisingly, remains the franchise record for consecutive wins at a visiting stadium.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 6-8 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 41-50-1 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!