Getting Ready For The Spring Competition

PHILS PHACTS:

Possibilities Aplenty – Matt Klentak finished his first General Managers Meetings this week in Boca Raton, Fla., setting up his first Winter Meetings next month in Nashville, Tenn. Klentak discussed numerous Phillies issues with reporters, including the possibility of trading closer Ken Giles and the importance of the international market. But he talked about much more than that: Alfaro and Knapp: Two of the top prospects in the Phillies' system are catchers Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp. The Phils acquired Alfaro from the Rangers in the Cole Hamels trade this past summer. MLBPipeline.com ranks him the 59th-best prospect in baseball. Philadelphia named Knapp its Minor League Player of the Year. The Phillies hope one of them develops into a front-line catcher. Of course, in a perfect world, both develop into top catchers and the Phils have a nice problem on their hands. But nobody is losing sleep about that possibility just yet. "We like having a lot of good players," Klentak said. "If they're at the same position, that's OK. "I want to try to think as open-mindedly and creatively as I can. We don't necessarily have to have the starting player-backup player. Maybe there's a more creative solution to that long term. Look, I hope both these guys are so good this becomes an issue. But for now, we're pleased with their development and their talent." A prospect-laden Spring Training: This could be one of the Phillies' most interesting Spring Trainings in years, because they may have a host of top prospects in the clubhouse. That group includes J.P. Crawford, Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Knapp and Alfaro. "I think as a general rule, if there is a player that has a reasonable chance to impact your Major League club in the upcoming Major League season, having that player around the big league club, around the big league staff in Spring Training, tends to be a good rule of thumb," Klentak said. "That doesn't mean you'll do it every time. Sometimes you'll have popup guys that you didn't expect. Or sometimes you might have a good reason to not invite a guy to camp. But I think as a general rule, if you're that close, and there's a reasonable expectation of being in the big leagues, that's probably someone you should at least consider bringing to camp." Klentak, like many, is eager to get his first close-up look at those players. "I've studied up on them," Klentak said. "I've listened to people talk about them. I've read scouting reports. I've watched video on these players. But there's nothing like actually getting down behind the cage and watching them take swings or watching them pick up ground balls." Remember MAG? The Phillies signed Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez to a three-year, $12 million contract in August 2013, making next season the final year of his contract. It would be surprising if he significantly contributed, considering his checkered health history. That said, if Gonzalez is healthy, he will get an opportunity to compete for a job. "If he's performing and he gives us the best chance to win, just like with any other player, we will give that player the chance to go out and compete," Klentak said. "If he doesn't, just as if anybody else doesn't, we're going to find the best guys to take the field and give us a chance to win." But one thing is certain: Gonzalez won't get a longer leash because he is set to be paid $4 million next year. "I mean, we're paying him regardless," Klentak said. "We're in the business of winning baseball games. And this is no knock on the player. If he's the best guy for the job, we'll give him the chance." Extra bases: Klentak said he expects left-hander Mario Hollands to contribute in the bullpen next season. Hollands had Tommy John surgery April 8; Left-hander Matt Harrison is on the 40-man roster, but it is unclear if he will compete for a job. Harrison had spinal fusion surgery in 2014, and his recovery has been slow.

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.

Harang And Asche Lead Phillies Past Marlins

GAME RECAP: Phillies Filet Marlins 6-2

Aaron Harang shut down the Marlins for his second strong outing at Marlins Park in exactly one month and Cody Asche belted two homers, as the Phillies defeated Miami, 6-2, in Tuesday's series opener. The veteran righty was helped by some early offense, as Philadelphia struck early to help notch its eighth win in nine games against the Marlins. The Phillies jumped ahead, 3-0, on a second-inning Freddy Galvis two-run single. Asche then hit solo homers in the fourth and eighth inning (his 10th and 11th of the season), while Darin Ruf launched a seventh-inning solo shot. That would be enough for Harang, who allowed only two runs in seven innings. The 37-year-old last pitched in Miami on Aug. 22 when he also surrendered just two runs in seven innings that day. "Cody Asche had a pretty good day," said Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, who signed a contract extension through next season before the game. "Today was his day. I told him to go and buy me some lottery tickets." Miami starter Tom Koehler (10-14, 3.94 ERA) went just five innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits. Miguel Rojas hit his first homer of the season -- a two-run blast in the seventh inning -- but that was it for the Marlins, who have lost four straight. "It was a struggle from pitch one," Koehler said. "It's unfortunate. I didn't really give the guys a chance tonight to get something going offensively."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• It has been a rough few months for Harang, who earned his first win since July 30 and his second since May 14. He allowed seven hits and two runs in seven innings, benefiting from double plays in the second, third and fourth innings.
• Asche homered in the fourth and eighth innings for the first multi-homer game of his career. He is hitting .304 (7-for-23) with four homers and seven RBIs in his last eight games. He hopes to carry his current hot streak through the end of the season, after an up-and-down year. "Every day I'm trying to make progress and not just tread water while I'm here," Asche said. "I've been through some ups and downs and I know what it feels like to have this opportunity taken away, so just stick it through and not take any of these opportunities for granted."
• Aaron Altherr and Odubel Herrera employed a double steal in the first inning, which led to the Phillies' first run when Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto threw a ball into left field trying to get Altherr at third. Asche homered in the fourth inning and eighth innings for the first multi-homer game of his career. Ruf also homered in the seventh.
• "I'm really excited for him. [The Phillies] have seen the positives and heard the positive feedback from players, just how well he communicates with everybody and tries to keep everybody loose. That's a big thing." -- Harang, on Mackanin getting the managerial job through next season.
• Ryan Howard remains sidelined with a bruised left knee. There is a chance he might not play again this season.
• Casey McGehee is 3-for-7 with two RBIs in his career vs. Buchanan. His seven at-bats are the most for any Marlins player against the righty.
• Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria has a chance to be back in action Wednesday or Thursday. He has been out with a bothersome hamstring since Sept. 2, but Marlins manager Dan Jennings said before Tuesday's contest that Hechavarria may return this series.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander David Buchanan hopes to enter the offseason with a reason to be optimistic. A strong start Wednesday night against the Marlins at Marlins Park could help. Buchanan is 2-9 with an 8.49 ERA in 12 starts this season. He allowed five hits and two runs in six innings last week in a start against the Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. It was one of his better starts of the season. Buchanan faces Marlins left-hander Adam Conley (4-1, 4.22 ERA). He is coming off of a seven-inning shutout victory against the Mets on Wednesday, which easily marked the best performance of his rookie campaign. The lefty has now allowed three runs or fewer in all five of his starts since Aug. 23. His first start of that stretch actually came against the Phillies at Marlins Park, as he took the loss despite surrendering just one run in six innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

MacKanin Finally Gets His Chance – The Phillies believe Pete Mackanin is the right guy to manage the Phillies in 2016. Before they find Ruben Amaro Jr.'s replacement as general manager, the Phillies announced that they extended Mackanin's contract through next season with a club option for 2017 before Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Marlins. "Pete, in my view, had a significant leg up in that I've seen the energy level move up since he's been [in the position]," said incoming Phillies president Andy MacPhail, who also interviewed Phillies first base coach Juan Samuel for the job. "I think it's our job as the front office to be pretty realistic about what it is that we have and we don't have. It's our job to try to make sure we're aware of the whole circumstance and evaluate those things that are truly important going forward. "You always want to be competitive, but at the same time this franchise finds itself in a position where a lot of young players are going to get opportunities. We need to nurture them in such a way where they grow to be as good as they possibly can be. And we have to make sure we have the right people around them to achieve that goal." Mackanin, 64, had been the Phillies' interim manager since June 26, when Ryne Sandberg stepped down. The Phillies are 30-46 since, but 27-32 since the All-Star break. Players have said there is more energy in the clubhouse and better communication among them and the coaching staff with Mackanin in charge. "He's able to speak our language," Phillies closer Ken Giles said. "He knows how to speak to us." "I think it would be hard to find a guy that wasn't happy for Pete getting this opportunity," Phillies outfielder Jeff Francoeur said. Mackanin is happy, too. "At some point I had given up the thought that one day I'd be doing this," said Mackanin, who previously had been an interim manager with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. "Now I've got an opportunity. I'm just going to do the best I can, manage the way I know how to manage. That's the only thing I can do, do things the way I know how to do them. And let the chips fall where they may." Interestingly, Mackanin essentially will enter his first Spring Training as a full-time manager auditioning for the next GM. "When we talked about it, it made a lot of sense," Mackanin said about his conversations with MacPhail. "Andy said look, I think it's only fair to whoever that new guy might be to have some say who his manager would be. I get it. You can't just sign me to a three-year contract and then hire a general manager who is stuck with me if he doesn't want me. And hopefully the guy will like me and want to extend me." MacPhail hinted a couple of weeks ago that he planned to hire Mackanin before he hired Amaro's replacement. He said he didn't want his new GM wasting the first half of a critical offseason searching for a manager. MacPhail essentially interviewed Mackanin on Saturday in Atlanta and told him then that he wanted to make a decision before the end of the road trip. MacPhail called Mackanin on Monday and invited him to breakfast Tuesday morning. "I thought, 'Well, OK, maybe tomorrow is the day,'" Mackanin said. "And as it turns out, it was." MacPhail offered Mackanin a contract over breakfast. Of course, now that Mackanin is the man, will he change his style? An interim manager can do only so much, after all. A manager carries a bigger hammer. "I've thought about that, and I know that I can't change," Mackanin said. "I can be a little more demanding in what I want done. In the way of instituting some things that perhaps I want to really zoom in on and pay more attention to and maybe demand a different style of play. But as far as my demeanor is concerned, I know I can't change. I've seen coaches become managers and change their whole personality, and I know one of my biggest assets is my personality. I think I get the attention of players because of it. So that being one of my assets, I better not change." Mackanin said he will have input on his coaching staff. It is expected some of the staff will return, although how much remains to be seen. He also said he expects a certain level of autonomy from the front office when it comes to making out the lineup and in-game decisions. "The GM provides the players with input from the manager. The manager runs the game with input from the GM," Mackanin said. "You can't overdo one or the other. That being the case, I know for a fact they're not going to throw a lineup on my desk and make me use that lineup. " Mackanin is excited for the opportunity. He has waited a long time for this. "I'm looking forward to instituting my way of doing things starting from Spring Training on to set the tone," he said. "That's what I'm looking forward to."

Keeping An Eye On Him – The Phillies have been watching rookie right-hander Aaron Nola's workload, but he will make another start Saturday in Washington. "He was gung-ho," Mackanin said. "He wants to start again. He said, 'I feel great. I'm anxious to get back out there.' So he's going to get another start and then we'll go from there."

Still Feeling Something – Infielder Maikel Franco has not played since August with a broken left wrist. Despite some improvement, Franco still feels something in his wrist. "Another few days and it doesn't look like he's going to get any at-bats to get any timing," Mackanin said. "I would guess that it doesn't look good for him the rest of the year. We have to see. Before he leaves Clearwater, they want to make sure he's 100 percent because he's going to play Winter Ball. They're not going to let him leave to play Winter Ball if he's still feeling something. He'll probably rejoin us in Philly to collect his things and get reevaluated."

Questionable Future – Ryan Howard's bruised left knee has improved, but not to the point he can hit. The longer he sits, the less of a chance he plays again in 2015. But will Howard play for the Phillies in 2016? Howard will make $25 million next season, which does not include a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option. "Well, he leads our team in home runs and RBIs," incoming Phillies president Andy MacPhail said Tuesday afternoon at Marlins Park. "I think if he had been on the field those three games [over the weekend] in Atlanta, I bet we would have won one. But some of his struggles have been well chronicled, too. So I think we just get him healthy again, get him to Spring Training and see where we are." Howard, who will turn 36 in November, leads the Phillies with 23 home runs and 77 RBIs, but his .720 OPS is 103rd out of 147 qualified hitters in baseball. His .418 OPS against left-handers this season has turned him into a platoon player with manager Pete Mackanin not playing him against left-handed starters. The Phillies have tried to trade Howard for some time, but have found scant interest, despite the fact they have offered to pay almost the entirety of his contract. Perhaps MacPhail and the Phillies' next general manager will have better luck in the offseason. "I anticipate he'll be in Clearwater," MacPhail said about Howard's presence in Spring Training. "We'll see where we go there. I don't know what's going to happen over the course of the winter, what opportunities may be available for us and for him. We just have to cross that bridge when we get there, but right now he's somebody we have a vested interest in getting back healthy and getting him to Clearwater and getting that bat in our lineup that we don't have without him."

Searching For A GM – Andy MacPhail checked one box on his To-Do list Tuesday, when he officially offered Pete Mackanin a contract extension through next season. Next up? Find a general manager and fill some holes on the team's roster. "I've had one interview, but just one," MacPhail, the Phillies' incoming president, said about his GM search Tuesday afternoon at Marlins Park. "I would say [it's in the] early stages." MacPhail declined to name the candidate, but he said he expects the process to begin in earnest immediately after the 2015 season. He said it remains his goal to hire Ruben Amaro Jr.'s replacement before the organizational meetings, which begin Oct. 26. But MacPhail also said it would be ambitious to find somebody by then. "I know there are some teams out there that have openings and they're actively interviewing," MacPhail said, "but I'm pretty confident that there is a lot of talent out there that would make any organization better, if we decide to go external." It is expected the Phillies will hire somebody outside the organization. One source told MLB.com in June that Angels assistant general manager Matt Klentak is an ideal candidate. MacPhail hired Klentak in March 2008, when MacPhail worked with the Orioles, making Klentak one of the youngest executives in baseball. Klentak seems to fit Phillies owner John Middleton's profile a young up-and-coming baseball executive. Of course, there are others. But MacPhail also has to address the team's roster. "We're well aware of areas that we feel need to be improved," MacPhail said. "Absolutely we feel like we need to be active this offseason, trying to support the playing talent that's already on the field with areas that need to be improved." But he also indicated it makes little sense to sign a high-priced free agent or two when the Phillies are just getting out of multiple high-end contracts. The players they acquire in the offseason are more likely to bridge the gap between a rebuilding team and a contending team. "I'm going to give you a Dwight Eisenhower quote," MacPhail said. "He found when he went to battle that plans were useless, but planning was indispensable. So, we do plan. We have our planning, and our planning at this point is recognizing where we are. There is some talent that we have we think is viable talent, but it needs to come percolate and demonstrate that it's real. And after that period, you might go forward. But do you really want to commit after you've just been in that pool and suffered from it? Do you really want to commit at this stage? The only caveat I give you is that if there's a unique opportunity out there, I wouldn't want to preclude it from happening … particularly when you consider that once we get to '17 we are really pretty footloose and fancy free. We have a lot of latitude." MacPhail also said nobody should worry about not being able to acquire talent down the road just because some are signed this offseason. "I think you're always going to have that opportunity," he said. "Just like Texas did with [Cole] Hamels. Nobody necessarily predicted it, but to think that, 'gee, if we don't strike this year because there are these three, four pitchers out there, we'll never get another opportunity.' That is wrong. There are going to be other opportunities. But I think the important thing is to do it when that foundation is there that merits it and supports it."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 57-94. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 53-52-1 on this day.

The Fishing Is Not Good In Miami

GAME RECAP: Marlins Dominate Phillies 7-0

Dee Gordon provided the speed, slapping out three hits and stealing two bases, and Martin Prado delivered the power, connecting on a three-run homer while driving in four runs. The top-of-the-order combination gave Dan Haren plenty of support in the Marlins' 7-0 victory over the Phillies Saturday. Cole Hamels gave up a season-high six runs in six innings, the most runs allowed by the lefty since also surrendering six on April 29, 2014, to the Mets. Miami has won nine of 10, and reached 12-12 after starting 3-11. The Phillies have dropped five straight. "We've been on a nice run," Miami manager Mike Redmond said. "You give all those guys in that room the credit. They've gone out there and grinded it out together and put a nice streak together. We're playing good baseball. We're pitching. We're playing good defense, getting timely hitting. "I knew we would get it going. It wasn't the start that we wanted, but at the same time, it's such a long season. It's fun to see these guys playing with confidence out there and picking each other up, and having some fun." Hamels got out of a first-and-third, no-out jam in the first inning. But in the second inning, the Marlins capitalized on a two-out walk to Gordon. Prado blasted a three-run homer to left field. Statcast measured the drive at 414 feet. And in the third inning, back-to-back doubles by Jeff Baker and J.T. Realmuto made it 4-0. Haren threw six scoreless innings, and the Marlins have now limited the opposition to three or fewer runs in 10 straight games. Philadelphia's Odubel Herrera had an eighth-inning single, extending his streak to 17 games reaching safely.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Marlins tested the home plate collision rule in the first inning. With Gordon on third, Giancarlo Stanton tapped to the mound. Hamels flipped home to Carlos Ruiz and Gordon attempted to jar the ball free. Gordon was tagged out, and Miami challenged to see if Ruiz provided a lane. The review lasted one minute, 26 seconds and the out stood.
• "Just mixing it up. He's hitting both sides of the plate, he's using the whole field. He choked up on the bat. He was able to handle both sides of the plate. Tough to pitch to right now He's the guy you want to keep off the base." -- Sandberg on pitching to Gordon.
• Both Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Ethan Martin, who both have been nursing inflammation in their right shoulder since early April, continue with their rehabs. "They're starting long toss, but no major changes for them," Amaro Jr. said. "They're progressing, but it's slow."

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies finish off the second leg of a 10-game trip on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. ET against the Marlins. Severino Gonzalez, who surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in just 2 2/3 innings in his Major League debut against the Cardinals on Tuesday, looks to bounce back after that rough start.

PHILS PHACTS:

Not Good – Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels is a competitor, so games like Saturday's 7-0 loss  to the Marlins bring out the frustration in the 10-year veteran. While Philadelphia couldn't string together hits en route to its third shutout and fifth straight loss, Hamels gave up a season-high six runs on 10 hits over six innings, while walking three batters and striking out six. He has dropped three of his first six starts. Hamels quickly fell behind in the second inning on Martin Prado's three-run homer. After an appeal play wiped out a first-and-third situation with no outs, Dan Haren executed a sacrifice bunt to place a runner at second. With two outs, Hamels walked Dee Gordon before Prado's swing. Miami would build up a 5-0 lead by the fourth and score in five different frames. "I don't like to lose, so I think that's the No. 1 thing I always preach," Hamels said. "I want to win, I want to get the opportunity to win, and it hasn't been the case because of what I've been doing. Giving up early runs, giving up home runs, giving up more than 2-3 runs. You're not giving yourself a chance or any sort of opportunity. "I might not necessarily be -- beside today -- giving up a lot of hits but walking too many guys, giving them way too much credit. When you're trying to be too fine, then I think it's hard to bounce back and try to locate the next 3-4 pitches in a row to get yourself out of a jam, as opposed to if you're locating right away and they get themselves out." When asked whether the club's struggles might be affecting Hamels' production, manager Ryne Sandberg said the southpaw appeared frustrated throughout the outing, particularly on pitches he likely wished he had back. "I think he missed some pitches, some location on pitches and he also made some good pitches that were hit," Sandberg said. "He got behind early and we had zeroes up on the offensive side of things." Hamels has walked 19 batters over 37 innings and at least two in each of his six starts. It's uncharacteristic for him. In four of his 10 seasons, he has issued less than 50 total walks. Hamels believes the staff as a whole may be picking and choosing battles rather than pitching "free and easy" because of the lack of offensive production. Guys are pressing. And when his command is off or he doesn't locate a pitch, "I get hammered." Entering Saturday, Phillies starting pitchers had a 5-13 record -- the second-lowest winning percentage in baseball. The 33 runs of support rank last in the Majors. "When you have to be very fine because of the circumstances I think you look at it is as, 'If I can't get this guy out, move to the next guy,'" Hamels said. "You're trying to get three outs without a guy advancing three bases."

Making Moves – The Phillies shook up their pitching staff with roster moves prior to Saturday's game against the Marlins. Philadelphia optioned right-hander David Buchanan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and called up left-hander Elvis Araujo from Double-A Reading. Araujo, who signed a Major League deal with the Phillies this past winter, will join the ballclub on Sunday in Miami for the series finale. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. also announced that righty Chad Billingsley will return from two elbow surgeries to start Tuesday's game against the Braves in his first big league appearance since April 15, 2013. Buchanan struggled in five outings as the No. 3 starter in the rotation, going 0-5 with an 8.76 ERA. Over 24 2/3 innings, he gave up 24 runs on 32 hits with 15 walks and 12 strikeouts. Buchanan will join the IronPigs in Louisville on Sunday. "Like (Domonic Brown), it's not a punishment," Amaro Jr. said. "But you have to perform. For him, I think it's a matter of getting himself right. Again, we believe in him. We believe in his makeup. We believe in a lot of things. He just hasn't performed, and it's time for him to go down and get himself straightened out so we can get him back." Upon his Major League call-up on May 24, 2014, Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts as a rookie. He turns 26 on May 11. "I feel for the young man because I believe he turned a corner a little bit at the end of last year and during the course of spring," Amaro Jr. said. "But this is baseball. This happens, and it's happened to a lot of players where it hasn't worked out exactly how we all would like it to work out. But I fully expect him to go out there do his work and get back. At least that's what we hope." The 23-year-old Araujo has yet to make his big-league debut and has never pitched past the Double-A level. In seven relief appearances with the Fightin' Phils, he posted a 1-2 record and 7.45 ERA. Over parts of six minor-league seasons since 2008 between the Indians and Phillies organizations, Araujo is 23-16 with a 3.97 ERA in 109 games (57 starts). He is expected to come out of the bullpen for Philadelphia. "Part of it is getting another left-hander, part of it is roster," Amaro Jr. said. "But his last couple of times he's been OK. He's been a little erratic, but his stuff's there. But we'll give him a shot. We'll give a young player a shot and see how he does." Amaro Jr. also noted that righty Jerome Williams, who got a no-decision in Friday's game against the Marlins, will be pushed back to May 6.

Feeling Good – Phillies right-hander Sean O'Sullivan successfully simulated two innings by throwing 50 pitches on the mound at Marlins Park, hours before Saturday afternoon's game. O'Sullivan, on the 15-day disabled list since April 22 (retroactive April 18) with left knee tendinitis, had a 0-1 record and a 4.91 ERA in two starts prior to the injury. "Tried to treat it like a normal outing," O'Sullivan said. "I warmed up and threw my pregame warmup like I normally would, then waited a few minutes, went out, threw a first inning of 20 pitches or so, sat down for a few minutes, back out there for another 20 or so pitches. It felt good. Threw everything, tried to make it as game-like as you can at noon with the cage out there. The idea was mostly to see how my knee would hold up, let it loose with the break in between to see if it would stiffen up or not. But it didn't, so everything feels good so far." The 27-year-old threw off a mound for the first time a couple of days ago, but it wasn't at game speed. At the time, the Phillies wanted to see whether his knee could handle the slope. On Saturday, two batters stood in and provided feedback on how he looked. O'Sullivan initially felt a tug on his knee during his first outing on April 12. When the pain persisted in his following start, the organization decided to put him on the DL rather than risk it getting worse. He has since missed two starts, including one against the Marlins on April 23 in Philadelphia. Dustin McGowan and Severino Gonzalez have each filled in for the fifth spot in the rotation. "The main goal was to see if my knee would be able to hold up under full exertion, and it did," O'Sullivan said. "Everything feels good. If it feels good tomorrow, which I anticipate it will, we'll talk about finding a rehab game and keep going one step at a time." The Phillies announced after the simulated game that O'Sullivan will make a rehab start Thursday for Class A Lakewood.

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 8-17. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 54-40-0 on this day.

Harang Deals And Frenchie Goes Deep In Phillies Victory

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Boston 4-2

It had been a long time for the Phillies and Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur hit a three-run home run off Rick Porcello to left-center field in the sixth inning, giving the Phillies a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season -- snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak -- and the first home run Francoeur hit in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hammered it," Francoeur said about the ball hit on a windy and rainy night that registered just 40 degrees at first pitch. "Actually, I was like, 'I hope it goes.' It was tough tonight with the wind and rain. But we battled through it, and that's the key." The Red Sox scored twice in the eighth inning when Ken Giles walked three batters to help force in a run. Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon got out of the bases-loaded jam, but only when Hanley Ramirez flew out to the warning track in left-center. "Yep," Ramirez said, when asked if he thought he had a grand slam. "The wind is something that I can't control. We've just got to come back tomorrow and get it."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Right-hander Aaron Harang allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. The Phillies certainly hope there are more starts like this from Harang, who signed a reasonable one-year, $5 million contract in December. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his first start with Philadelphia.
• Francoeur entered Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, but the veteran made the Phillies' Opening Day roster because he was one of the only right-handed bats in the organization with a potential for power, and because he can play solid defense in right field. That decision paid off Wednesday. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence. You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."
• Chase Utley picked up the 887th RBI of his career with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. It tied Jimmy Rollins for fifth place on the franchise's all-time RBIs list.
• The Phillies setup man could not get out of the eighth inning, walking three batters and allowing two runs, both unearned. His fastball topped out at 96 mph. The right-hander said he is healthy, but he has not looked like himself all spring.
• The right-hander bailed out Giles in the eighth and picked up the 107th save of his Phillies career. Papelbon is five shy of tying Jose Mesa for the franchise record. Papelbon told The Boston Globe before the game he doesn't "really feel much like a Phillie." Will he once he breaks the record?
• Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts last season as a rookie. Buchanan entered camp as the presumed No. 5 starter, but he became the Phillies' No. 3 following Cliff Lee's left elbow injury and a strong spring (1.29 ERA in 21 innings).
• Jeff Francoeur is a .310 hitter lifetime against Masterson, clubbing two doubles and driving in three. Allen Craig and Pablo Sandoval are the only Boston hitters who have faced Buchanan, and they are both 0-for-3.

NEXT GAME:

In the finale of this three-game series, Justin Masterson pitches his first game for the Red Sox since 2009. Meanwhile, Phillies righty David Buchanan will pitch against Boston for the first time in his career. The Phillies hope right-hander David Buchanan can carry a strong Spring Training into the regular season. He posted a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings during the Grapefruit League season, which bumped him up to the season's No. 3 starter. This will be the last meeting between the Red Sox and Phillies until Sept. 4-6, when the clubs meet for a three-game set at Fenway Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Foot On The Bench – Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera did not start Wednesday because of a sore left foot. Herrera, who made the Opening Day roster as a Rule 5 Draft pick, fouled a ball off his foot in Monday's season opener at Citizens Bank Park. He remained in the game, but it has been bothering him since. "Still pretty tender," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Nothing that's too serious." Sandberg said Herrera's foot is a "day-to-day" situation, and that Herrera could pinch-hit Wednesday if needed.

Something To Prove – Aaron Harang pitched pretty well last season with the Braves, but he remained a free agent through the end of December. The Phillies finally signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract on Dec. 30, which will be a steal if he continues to pitch anywhere near the way he pitched Wednesday night in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Harang, 36, allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Phillies improved to 1-1. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his Phillies debut. "To be able to come in and be aggressive and get us deep in the game -- you know, save the bullpen from any major innings -- is always nice." Harang retired the first 11 batters he faced, including six by strikeout. Pablo Sandoval singled to center with two outs in the fourth inning, but Harang then set down the next seven batters. Harang walked Dustin Pedroia to start the seventh inning. Sandoval followed with a single to right field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Harang got Hanley Ramirez to fly out to center field for the first out when Jeanmar Gomez entered the game. He got Mike Napoli to hit a soft line drive to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who threw to second to double up Pedroia. "I was able to really locate my fastball," said Harang, who went 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season. "That was a big thing. I was able to throw some of my offspeed stuff for strikes early in the count and get ahead and work off that. But the biggest thing was being able to locate to both sides of the plate with the fastball." "Harang was outstanding," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Very effortless and very smooth. He was fun to watch."

Giles Not Worried – The Phillies hope this is nothing but a blip for Ken Giles. But Giles (aka 100 Miles Giles) has not looked like himself this spring. The right-hander entered Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the Red Sox with a four-run lead, but he left with the bases loaded, two outs and a suddenly slim two-run lead. He walked three batters. His fastball topped at 96 mph. "I'm physically fine," Giles said. "Nothing is wrong with me." Giles went 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in 14 Grapefruit League appearances with his fastball never hitting more than 95 mph. He walked 12 and struck out 15 in 13 1/3 innings. Compare that to 2014, when he went 3-1 with a 1.18 ERA and one save in 44 appearances. He allowed 25 hits, 11 walks and struck out 64 in 45 2/3 innings. Giles' 0.79 WHIP was fifth among rookie relief pitchers since 1914. His 5.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sixth, and his 12.61 strikeouts-per-nine innings average ranked 10th. His fastball also sat in the 98-100 mph range. "He's just been down in his velocity," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We'll just have to see. He said he feels fine." "You know what? I've just got to make adjustments, and I didn't make adjustments tonight," Giles said. "So I've got to continue doing that." Are those adjustments mechanical? "Nope, overall," Giles said. "Mentally getting the feel of a long season ahead of me, just getting the feel back of the baseball season."

Hollands Officially Done For The Season – Phillies left-hander Mario Hollands seemed resigned a couple weeks ago to having surgery on his injured left elbow. He finally had it Wednesday, when team physician Michael Ciccotti performed the Tommy John procedure. It typically takes a pitcher about a year to recover from the surgery, which means Hollands' 2015 season is finished. Hollands had a torn common flexor tendon. He tried to rehab from the injury once, but it caused him problems again in Spring Training. The Phillies also announced right-handers Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Ethan Martin had MRI exams and both revealed inflammation in their right shoulders. The Phillies said both will not throw for the next two to three weeks before being re-evaluated. Gonzalez is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract. He originally agreed to a six-year, $48 million contract in July 2013, but the Phillies renegotiated the deal because of concerns about his arm following his physical. Those concerns have been more than deserved. Gonzalez, 28, opened last season on the 60-day disabled list because of a right shoulder injury. Martin, 25, also missed time last season because of a shoulder injury.

Chasing Down Jose Mesa – Jonathan Papelbon could make Phillies history in the next few weeks, but will anybody care -- including himself? Papelbon picked up a four-out save Wednesday in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park, although Hanley Ramirez came a few feet from hitting a grand slam against him in the eighth. It was the 107th save of Papelbon's Phillies career. He needs just six more to pass Jose Mesa's 112 for the franchise record. It would be a heck of an accomplishment for Papelbon, whose 219 saves with the Red Sox is a franchise record. "Having an opportunity to be the saves career leader in two historic franchises means a lot to me, and I don't take that lightly by any means," he said. But before the game, Papelbon told The Boston Globe that despite signing a four-year, $50 million contract with the Phillies he does not "really feel much like a Phillie." That should not surprise anybody. Papelbon has made his frustrations with Philadelphia well known numerous times over the past few years. Asked about Wednesday's comments to the Globe, Papelbon said, "What is a Phillie? What is a Phillie? A horse? That's what it is? I feel like a horse, yeah. I feel like a horse. I felt like a horse tonight, yeah." Actually, it's the team with the red pinstripes. "Yeah, of course," he said. Papelbon finally explained. "It's like, 'Where are you from?'" he said. "I'm from Baton Rouge, La. So that's what I will always say. That's where I feel like I'm from, that's where I grew up, that's where my roots are. So you ask me what runs deep in you, the Red Sox still run deep in me. It's where I'm from, it's where I grew up, it's who I became as a pitcher, so it will always stick with me no matter what. Doesn't really change how I go about my business." Interestingly, the Red Sox expressed no interest in bringing back Papelbon following the 2011 season. He said he does not feel slighted. "No. It's business, baby. Straight cash," he said. Papelbon could make another $13 million next season if he finishes just 47 more games this year. (It will trigger a vesting club option.) But will he still be in Philadelphia? The Phillies have been trying to trade him for some time, but without success. Until that happens, he will have to live with the Phillies. "Like I said earlier, I feel like the Red Sox run deep in my blood," he said. "It's who I became as a pitcher. That will always stick with me. It's like any time you have to move on. You have to adapt to a new team, and I haven't had any problem doing that here."

Money Doesn’t Guarantee A Win – We've reached a point where money is often viewed as just another statistic. The expectations for a player may be measured by his traditional stats, his advanced metrics and his salary. Teams with a high payroll have the aura of contenders, clubs with lower player costs are usually viewed as underdogs. There's some merit in that, too. The big stars generally get the big bucks, especially once they get closer to free agency. And talent usually prevails in the long run. But here's the thing: Once the lineup cards are exchanged, once the national anthem is played, once the between-innings timer is activated, it all comes down to performance. For the next three hours, give or take, the number of zeroes on the paychecks don't matter. For further reference on that subject, we need look no further than Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. The Phillies beat the Red Sox, 4-2, even though the pitching matchup seemed to heavily favor Boston, which sent Rick Porcello to the mound to face right-hander Aaron Harang. Porcello was fresh off signing that four-year, $82.5 million contract extension before throwing his first regular-season pitch for the Red Sox. Harang is with his seventh team in the past six seasons and is making a base salary of $5 million, barely above the Major League average. Porcello pitched pretty well, registering a quality start. Harang was even better on a night when a dank mist drifted lazily through the bright night lights for most of the game. He pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, striking out eight, six of them in the first three frames. Harang gave up just two singles and retired 18 of the first 19 batters he faced. Not bad for a guy who was with the Reds in 2010, Padres in '11, Dodgers in '12, Mariners and Mets in '13 and Braves last season. Not bad for a guy who turns 37 next month and twice had Grapefruit League outings pushed back because of back problems. Not bad for a guy who was facing a lineup that mashed five home runs on Opening Day. Harang has an interesting perspective on the whole phenomenon. After all, about a decade ago, he was in Porcello's position. Harang led the National League in strikeouts and complete games in 2006. He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting the following year. Harang also had three straight seasons of pitching more than 200 innings. "When guys are slotted as top-tier pitchers, it's fun to go out and compete against those guys," Harang said. "I used to be in that role. I spent a number of years in that role. As you get older, you kind of fall out of that role, because younger guys come up. I've been fortunate enough to be in that situation. I've made enough money to where I'm not worried about that. I want to go out and play and have fun and win. "[How much money a player makes] depends on where you're at in your career, what organization you're with at the time, how you've been doing at the time. ... Don't get me wrong. Porcello is a great pitcher. I've faced him for a number of years. You're happy for those guys when they do sign deals like that. It's just one of those things." Porcello, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson were all brought in by the Red Sox during the offseason to bolster the rotation. Harang, apparently, wasn't on their radar. He didn't sign with the Phils until January. "Not that I knew of. Obviously it was a situation where there were other guys ahead of me," Harang said with a shrug. "For me, anymore, it's just going out and winning. Giving the team a chance to win. I know what I'm out there to do. I know what my job is when I go out there. That's to get us deep into the game and give us a chance to win. That's what it comes down to for me." The Red Sox were thrilled to lock up the 26-year-old Porcello now. Manager John Farrell talked before Wednesday night's game about how important it was to ensure that a talented young pitcher entering what should be the prime years of his career won't be going anywhere for a while. And there's no reason to suspect that this won't turn out to be an astute move for Boston. Ultimately, though, that will be determined by how well Porcello pitches, not how much money he makes. After all, the Phillies' biggest hit of the night was a three-run homer off Porcello in the sixth. And you can be sure that Jeff Francoeur wasn't thinking that his Major League base salary is $925,000 when he nailed it.

Hard Work Paying Off – Manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he will not pull a hot bat from the Phillies' lineup. A single home run might not make a hitter hot, but Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur's three-run home run to left-center field in the sixth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park might earn him another start Thursday. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season, snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak following Monday's shutout loss on Opening Day. It was Francoeur's first home run in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hit [15] in El Paso last year," Francoeur said. "It was nice. It was a lot of hard work last year. It makes you appreciate being back up here and getting those opportunities. And you don't want to miss them. It's a lot of fun." Francoeur hit a combined .204 with a .536 OPS in 256 plate appearances with the Royals and Giants in 2013 before spending most of last year with Triple-A El Paso. He signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies in November. He hopes this is the beginning of something. So do the Phillies, who need the help offensively. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence," said Francoeur. "You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."

Fun Frenchie Facts – Think back to the summer of 2013. Those beautiful, warm months when "Get Lucky" was in constant rotation, people were constantly asking "What does the fox say?" and, more importantly, "Fast 6, Furious 6" came out. (That's the title, right?). That was also the last time that Jeff Francoeur hit a home run. Back in the Majors with the Phillies this year, and one week after the release of "Furious 7," Francoeur has gone deep again. Turns out, it's been a career-long connection between the right fielder and the greatest films about the man/car connection since the Herbie series. Just look: "The Fast and the Furious" (2001): A junior in high school, Francoeur hit an even .500 with 20 home runs. Not too shabby. "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003): Francoeur's first full season in the Minors. He hit .281/.325/.445 with 14 home runs and nine triples. The season boosted him from Baseball America's 95th-best prospect to its 27th. "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006): Francoeur played his first full season in the Majors, hitting a career-high 29 home runs and driving in 103 runs. "Fast and Furious" (2009): After hitting only .239 with just a .359 slugging percentage in the non-Fast '08, Francoeur bounced back with a .280 average and a .423 slugging percentage. There was even a delayed movie bump as the right fielder hit .311/.338/.498 following a mid-season trade to the Mets. "Fast Five" (2011): Francoeur had his only 20/20 season with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases, while also posting the third-highest OPS+ of his career (119). "Fast and Furious 6" (2013): In addition to the previously discussed dinger, Francoeur also ripped a double on the film's May 24 release date. "Furious 7" (2015): Not only has Francoeur hit his first home run since the last film, but on "Furious 7's" April 3 release date, the right fielder helped secure his spot on the Major League roster with a 3-for-4 showing in the Phillies' Spring Training game. Just look at how so many of the film's tenants apply to Francoeur's career. And though there's no release date for an eighth installment yet, the veteran ballplayer should be heartened to know that the studio is hoping to make 10 films. At a rate of one every two years, that should keep Francouer in the Majors until at least 2021. 

Freddy “Ninja” Galvis – Before this season, the Phillies were pretty set at shortstop. Jimmy Rollins had manned the position for 15 years -- winning a World Series, an MVP Award and four Gold Gloves. But during the offseason, he was traded to the Dodgers. So what did the Phillies do? They did the same thing any other team would do. They replaced him with a ninja. KIDDING. It's actually just a really, really cold Freddy Galvis. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reported that Galvis has used the mask in Double-A Reading and Class A ball. Asked if it was comfortable, the shortstop said with a laugh, "Oh, it's good." But imagine if he was a ninja? The reflexes, the speed, the flexibility ...

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season better than expected and are now in the middle of the pack in the NL east at 1-1. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 18-18-0 on this day.

Which Utley Will We See This Year?

GAME RECAP: Phillies Bludgeon Braves 9-2

Chase Utley and the Phillies powered their way to a 9-2 victory over the Braves on Wednesday afternoon at Bright House Field. Utley hit a three-run home run in the first inning and a solo home run in the third inning, while Freddy Galvis and Rene Garcia hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning against Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. Utley has four home runs in five plate appearances, dating to a pair of home runs he hit in three plate appearances Sunday against the Tigers.

OTHER NOTES FROM GAME TIME:

• Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels made his final Grapefruit League start before pitching Monday on Opening Day against the Red Sox. He allowed six hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with three strikeouts in six innings. He finished with a 4.15 ERA this spring.
• Utley looks ready: Utley missed the first 10 Grapefruit League games because of a sprained right ankle, but he is finishing the spring strong. He has hit four home runs in his last two games.
• The Phillies outrighted both right-handers Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Phillippe Aumont from the 40-man roster Wednesday to give them 37 players on the 40-man. The Phillies had no risk of losing Gonzalez. He is owed $8 million over the next two seasons and has not performed as expected. Aumont has struggled during his time with the Phillies, but some in the organization still think he can live up to his potential.
• Amaro said left-hander Mario Hollands, who has a torn common flexor tendon in his left elbow, remains likely to have season-ending surgery. Hollands recently received a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews. "We haven't made any final decisions on that," Amaro said. Hollands, Domonic Brown (left Achilles tendinitis), Cliff Lee (torn left common flexor tendon), Jonathan Pettibone (right shoulder) and Chad Billingsley (right elbow) will open the season on the disabled list.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jerome Williams makes the Phillies' final Grapefruit League start Thursday afternoon against the Rays at Bright House Field. Williams is 0-3 with a 6.60 ERA in five appearances this spring. He will open the season as the team's No. 3 or No. 4 starter.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hamels Ready For Opening Day – Cole Hamels completed his final tuneup Wednesday for his Opening Day start against the Red Sox. He allowed six hits, two runs (one earned) and one walk with three strikeouts in six innings in the Phils' 9-2 victory over the Braves at Bright House Field. It was his final Grapefruit League start before he pitches Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. "It takes six starts [in Spring Training] to really feel comfortable and confident," Hamels said afterward. "When it comes to the start of the season, you just want to have that positive feeling and positive feedback from the spring that you're healthy and everything is working. Right now, I definitely feel a lot more sharp than two weeks ago." Hamels, who could be traded this season as the Phillies build for the future, struggled at the beginning of spring as he worked on establishing his fastball command, among other things. But in his last two starts, he allowed eight hits, one earned run and four walks with seven strikeouts in 11 innings. "Health-wise, I feel really strong this year," Hamels said.

What Is The Chase Utley Plan? – Every spring for the past few years, Charlie Manuel and Ryne Sandberg established The Chase Utley Plan. The former and current Phillies managers promised they would reduce the second baseman's playing time to keep him strong late into the season. But once the season started, the temptation to play their best hitter became too strong. They wanted to win. Utley wanted to play. The Chase Utley Plan vanished by May. "A lot of that is my doing because I want to be out there," Utley said after Wednesday's 9-2 victory over the Braves. Utley, 36, hit home runs in his first two plate appearances Wednesday. He hit two home runs in three plate appearances Sunday. He did not play Monday or Tuesday. It is coincidence he hit four homers in five plate appearances over four days with two days off in the middle, but it showed something: when Utley is fresh, he can still hit with the best of them. He hit .293 with 24 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, 46 RBIs and a .794 OPS before the All-Star break last season. He slumped to .235 with a .674 OPS after the break. In his career, Utley's OPS is 74 points lower after the All-Star break. "Having some days off here and there can be beneficial," Utley said. "It's obviously easier said than done." "Maybe there is something about giving him rest," Sandberg said. Asked if he could avoid the annual temptation to play Utley every day, Sandberg said with a laugh: "Probably not. You know, I don't think April is that big of an issue with him with cooler temperatures. Cooler temperatures go a long way with him. I think heat, on the other side of the coin, really takes a toll on him. That's just something him and I will stay in communication with. But I intend to give him more days off that last year." Asked about infielder Cesar Hernandez possibly playing second base when Utley is on the bench, Sandberg quickly referred to other bench candidates like Andres Blanco and Cord Phelps, who have both outplayed Hernandez this spring. Hernandez is out of options, so he would have to be placed on waivers if he does not make the Opening Day roster.

When Will He Come Back? – Phillies reliever Ken Giles said Wednesday morning that a doctor examined his back and told him the tightness he experienced there Tuesday is not serious. But Giles could not say if he will be pitching again anytime soon. Giles left Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin after he felt a muscle grab him. Giles said he had been feeling some tightness there for a few days. He said Tuesday he expects to be ready to pitch Monday, if needed, when the Phillies open the 2015 season against the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. But the Phillies could elect to be more cautious with their hard-throwing setup man. They want Giles for the long haul, so they could put him on the disabled list to start the season. If that happens, he could be activated as early as April 16, which means he would miss just nine games.

Replacing Brown / Werth – The Phillies have been trying for years to replace Jayson Werth in right field. They have started Hunter Pence, Marlon Byrd, John Mayberry Jr., Domonic Brown, Delmon Young, Ben Francisco and 11 others in right field since Werth signed a seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals in Dec. 2010. But with the Phillies announcing Tuesday that Brown will open the 2015 season on the 15-day disabled list with left Achilles inflammation -- his DL stint can be backdated to March 27, which means he could be activated as early as April 11 -- that list could grow to 18 by Opening Day. The candidates to replace Brown include Jordan Danks, Jeff Francoeur, Brian Bogusevic and Russ Canzler. Grady Sizemore, who started 11 games in right field last season, also remains a possibility. "We're very open-minded," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday morning at Bright House Field. "We don't have a set right fielder right now." Here is a closer look at the candidates to replace Brown: Danks: He might be the favorite. First, he already is on the 40-man roster and has options remaining, which comes into play. Second, he might play the best defense. Danks has hit .227 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 344 at-bats in his career with the White Sox. He is hitting .250 (9-for-36) with one home run, five RBIs and .746 OPS this spring. If Danks is the Opening Day right fielder, it would give the Phillies six left-handed hitters in the lineup, leaving Carlos Ruiz as the only right-handed bat and switch-hitter Freddy Galvis. Sizemore: He has a guaranteed one-year, $2 million contract. Amaro said Monday that "for me," Sizemore is on the team. Sizemore posted a .580 OPS from Aug. 6 through the end of the 2014 season, and has hit .214 (9-for-42) with three RBIs and a .527 OPS this spring. He went 3-for-4 Tuesday. Bogusevic: He is hitting .306 (11-for-36) with three home runs, eight RBIs and a .944 OPS this spring. He clearly has performed better than the other right field candidates, but he is a non-roster invitee so they could start him in Triple-A and bring him up if needed. Francoeur: Amaro probably telegraphed the front office's thinking Monday when he said: "If Francoeur doesn't make the club, he doesn't have any outs in his contract right now, so if somebody falters at the Major League level and he's not on the club, then he'll have an opportunity to come up." Francoeur is hitting .189 (7-for-37) with two RBIs and a .432 OPS this spring. Canzler: He is hitting .286 (12-for-42) with one homer, four RBIs and a .707 OPS this spring. It is hard to imagine the Phillies going with Canzler over the others. Regardless of who starts Opening Day, Brown is expected to return to the post. He has been sidelined since March 19 because of tendinitis in his left Achilles. "It's the right thing to do," Amaro said. "We just want to make sure he's playing well. It's more of a matter of making sure this is not a lingering issue for him." "They don't want to rush anything and I really don't, either," said Brown, who went 0-for-4 as a designated hitter Tuesday in a Minor League game. "It's tough for being down here and missing Opening Day. But it's better to miss a week or so than to miss a month or two. [I'll] make sure I get all the inflammation out of there and be 100 percent when I come back up to Philly. So that's the big goal."

Playing For Opening Day – The Phillies cleared up their outfield situation Wednesday morning. They announced they had reassigned Brian Bogusevic to Minor League camp. Domonic Brown will open the season on the 15-day disabled list with left Achilles tendinitis, which leaves Jordan Danks and Grady Sizemore as the top two candidates to be the team's Opening Day right fielder. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg plans to start Ben Revere in left and Odubel Herrera in center. Bogusevic, who was a non-roster invitee, hit .306 (11-for-36) with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs this spring. Danks, who is on the 40-man roster, is hitting .250 (9-for-36) with two doubles, one home run and five RBIs. Sizemore, who has a guaranteed one-year, $2.5 million contract, is hitting .214 (9-for-42) with three RBIs.

More Roster Adjustments – Phillippe Aumont quietly packed up the things in his locker Wednesday morning at Bright House Field. He could have been packing for a trip to another organization, but he was not. Aumont entered Spring Training out of options, which meant if he did not make the Opening Day roster, he needed to clear waivers to remain with the Phillies. As no team claimed Aumont, the Phillies announced he had been outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez also cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A. He had been optioned to Minor League camp Sunday. He is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract, but it has not panned out. The Phillies also reassigned outfielder Brian Bogusevic to Minor League camp on Wednesday. Aumont, 26, is the only remaining piece of the Cliff Lee trade with the Mariners in December 2009. Aumont, 26, is 1-5 with a 6.13 ERA in 45 appearances with the Phillies over the previous three seasons. He went 1-0 with a 4.15 ERA in seven appearances this spring. He allowed 13 hits, four earned runs, two walks and three home runs with 10 strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. "I thought I did all right," Aumont said. "Walks were down. I thought it was good enough, but some other people thought differently. But it's OK." There are mixed feelings about Aumont among the coaching staff and front office. Some still see potential in the 6-foot-7 right-hander. A change of scenery might benefit Aumont. "Obviously I think that anybody would think that," Aumont said. "But the bottom line is I'm still here. I'm still getting an opportunity somewhere. That's all that really matters." Aumont could have asked to be released, but he said he did not. "What good is it going to do to ask them to release me when they could have done it on their own?" Aumont said. "So if they didn't do it, it's for a reason. That's the way I see it. I've got some work to do. I'll just get it done."

Bad Signing – The Phillies acknowledged this week the Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez signing might never pan out. That became more apparent Wednesday when they announced Gonzalez, whom they optioned Sunday to Triple-A, had been outrighted from the 40-man roster. The Phillies placed him on waivers, knowing they risked losing him to another team. But no team claimed him because he has not performed as expected and because he is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract. No team wanted to pay the remaining $8 million on his contract. "His status does not change for us," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. insisted Wednesday at Bright House Field. He said the Phillies put Gonzalez on waivers simply because they wanted to make room on the 40-man roster. The Phillies have 37 players on their 40-man roster. "That doesn't mean he's not part of our plans," Amaro said. The Phillies thought so much of Gonzalez in the summer of 2013 that they offered him a six-year, $48 million contract. But the deal dropped to $12 million following his physical. Gonzalez's health became an issue in Spring Training '14 and continued early in the '14 season, when he pitched in the Phillies' farm system. Amaro said Gonzalez's velocity is a tick lower than when they scouted him in 2013. His breaking pitches are not as crisp. "He's just not as sharp," he said. Gonzalez had an unbelievable opportunity to be the team's No. 5 starter this season following Cliff Lee's elbow injury, but he instead went 0-3 with a 7.53 ERA in five Grapefruit League appearances. He allowed 25 hits, 12 runs, five home runs and one walk with seven strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings. "When we evaluate the player and we see how he throws, and we saw he was not effective," Amaro said, "other teams see the same thing." Asked if another team claiming Gonzalez would have been welcome, considering the Phillies would have saved $8 million, Amaro said: "This is not about money. It never has been. This whole rebuild stuff and the things that we're going through, it's not about money. It's about making sure that we acquire and keep the assets that are necessary for us to move the organization forward in the future."

Anchoring The Phillies Franchise Overhaul – Ken Giles embraces the fact he can throw a baseball 100 mph. He loves it. A decade has passed since former Phillies closer Billy Wagner pumped 100-mph fastballs at Citizens Bank Park. Fans kiddingly booed Wagner whenever the scoreboard showed his fastball hit just 99 mph, but Wagner took offense and always mentioned the boos after he left the Phillies following the 2005 season. Giles takes no offense. Hey, he wants to hit 100 mph, too. "My first outing, the exact same thing happened to me," said Giles, who has #100MileGiles on his Twitter account, @KenGiles53. "It didn't bother me. It's 99 mph. Not a lot of people can do that, but if they want to see [100 mph] … OK, whatever, you do it. You do it and it makes them happy. It was one of those things where I think fans wanted to see how I reacted to it. I think I passed their test with flying colors where I think they're like, 'OK, we can't boo him anymore. He's got a strong mind and mentality,' kind of thing. "It's a cool thing to do. But I don't feel any more special than anybody else out there. We're all unique in our own ways. There are things I can't do that other people can do." Perhaps more than any other player on the 25-man roster, Giles symbolizes the future for the Phillies. The Phillies are rebuilding and hope they can contend again in 2017 or 2018. If that time comes, they hope Giles is closing games for them. For now, Giles is setting up closer Jonathan Papelbon, although he could open the season on the disabled list with a back issue. It is not believed to be serious, but the Phillies need to be careful with Giles. They need him for the long haul. Giles went 3-1 with a 1.18 ERA and one save in 44 appearances following his promotion from Triple-A Lehigh Valley in June. He allowed 25 hits, 11 walks and struck out 64 in 45 2/3 innings. Giles' 0.79 WHIP was fifth among rookie relief pitchers since 1914. His 5.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sixth, and his 12.61 strikeouts-per-nine innings average ranked 10th. But the Phillies' bullpen should set up nicely this season. It potentially will be the team's only area of strength with Papelbon, Giles, Jake Diekman and Justin De Fratus holding the first four spots with Luis Garcia, Andy Oliver and possibly Jeanmar Gomez holding the final three spots. "It's nice to start from the bullpen," Giles said about the rebuilding process. "Everybody in baseball is trying to build a strong bullpen, but it's pretty difficult to do. It's exciting. Like [Ryan] Howard and Chase [Utley] and all those guys back in the day. It would be nice to see all that hard work we've put in show and pay off." It will take time, but Giles sees a foundation there. The organization believes there are prospects coming, too. The Phillies hope everything comes together like it came together for Howard, Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Cole Hamels, Pat Burrell, Carlos Ruiz, Brett Myers, Ryan Madson and other homegrown talents with a World Series championship in 2008. Former Phillies closer Brad Lidge fell to his knees after he recorded the final out in that World Series. Former closer Tug McGraw raised his arms toward the sky as he recorded the final out in the 1980 World Series. What will Giles do? The Phillies hope to find out.

THE BEGINNING

After ending 2014 with a 73-89 record, there second consecutive losing season, the Phillies are currently tied for first place for the 2015 season. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 4-5-0 on this day.