Decisions Need To Be Made As Roster Shrinks

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Tigers Edge Phillies 6-5

Tigers left fielder Justin Upton has not had a memorable spring, but he showed some life in his bat Saturday afternoon at Bright House Field. He hit a solo home run to left field in the first inning, singled and scored in the fourth, hit another solo homer in the sixth and another single in the eighth in a 6-5 win over the Phillies. Upton entered the afternoon hitting .189 (7-for-37) with one double, two RBIs, eight walks and 15 strikeouts in 15 games. "I was just reacting. That's a plus when you're seeing the ball well, even the offspeed pitches," said Upton. "That's part of the plan." Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander made his fifth start of the spring. He allowed seven hits, three runs and one walk and struck out two in five-plus innings. "Overall, it's a step in the right direction. Left some pitches up," said Verlander. "Curveball was much better. Slider wasn't quite there today. But overall, not a bad day." Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp doubled to score Odubel Herrera in the fourth, and Freddy Galvis homered in the fifth. Ryan Howard doubled and scored on Cedric Hunter's sacrifice fly in the sixth to tie the game. The Phillies took the lead in the seventh, scoring two runs against Mark Lowe. Herrera singled to score a run, and Howard's fielder's choice scored another. The Tigers tallied one run in the eighth, when Ben Verlander, pinch-running for Upton, scored on Tyler Collins' second RBI triple of the game. Detroit went ahead for good in the top of the ninth on a two-run single from Gustavo Nunez off the Phillies' Chris Leroux.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Ryan Howard had been hitless in 11 at-bats with six strikeouts since crushing a grand slam over the batter's eye in center field on March 18. But he went 2-for-4 with a double, with both hits coming against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. Howard is hitting .233 (10-for-43) with four doubles, two homers and 10 RBIs this spring.
• Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola threw 5 1/3 innings in a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex. He allowed six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out seven.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies head south to Ft. Myers to face the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game at JetBlue Park at 1:05 p.m. ET. Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will make his second Grapefruit League start after missing the early part of spring recovering from a fractured right thumb. He is expected to be ready to pitch the first week of the season. 

PHILS PHACTS:

Closing In On A Closer? – The Phillies made Saturday a bullpen day. They pitched nine relievers in a 6-5 loss to the Tigers in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. Many of them have a good shot at making the seven-man bullpen, but it seems like none of the pitchers on the bubble separated themselves from the pack. "Not really," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're going to take it right down to the end and then make our decision. We're close. The guys that are pitching well are going to have a chance. And the guys that don't have a chance are cutting themselves." There are plenty of guys to choose from. After all, the Phillies still have 15 healthy relievers in camp with the season opener just nine days away in Cincinnati. Right-handers David Hernandez, Dalier Hinojosa and Jeanmar Gomez and left-hander Brett Oberholtzer are locks. Right-hander Edward Mujica has pitched well. He has a 2.45 ERA in six appearances. If he is not a lock, he is close to one. Mujica, who is a non-roster invitee on a Minor League contract, has an out-clause. The Phillies had until midnight ET on Saturday to place him on the Opening Day roster. But that offer was not expected, because the Phillies actually have more time than that to make a decision. If the Phillies do not place him on the roster, Mujica can request his release Sunday. The Phillies then have 48 hours to make a decision on him. Essentially, they have to make a decision by Tuesday. Right-hander Andrew Bailey remains a candidate. He started the spring well, but he has allowed four runs in his last two innings. "[Bailey] was spraying the ball around a little bit," Mackanin said. "I'd like to see better command." Meanwhile, right-hander Ernesto Frieri struggled early in camp, but threw a clean seventh inning against the Tigers. His velocity picked up, too. "I was excited about Frieri," Mackanin said. "[Pitching coach Bob] McClure has been trying to get him to throw a little more across his body, like he used to throw. They tried to change his mechanics. We're trying to get him back to where he was before, to create the deception he used to have." Left-handers Daniel Stumpf (4.35 ERA in eight appearances), Bobby LaFromboise (1.08 ERA in seven appearances) and James Russell (3.38 ERA in six appearances) remain candidates. Mackanin said "it's a good possibility" that the Phillies will carry three left-handers in the bullpen. But if they carry three, it means only one of these veteran right-handers make the team: Mujica, Bailey or Frieri. The Phillies might play the numbers game. They might keep as many arms in the system as possible. Stumpf is a Rule 5 Draft pick, so he must stay on the 25-man roster the entire season to remain in the organization. Frieri has a Thursday out-clause, while Bailey (May 31) and Russell (June 1) have out-clauses later in the season. LaFromboise is out of options, but he can start the season in the Minor Leagues. Right-handers Luis Garcia and Hector Neris and left-hander Elvis Araujo have options, which should come into play. The Phillies could open with pitchers like Mujica, Frieri and Stumpf and see how they fare. If they struggle, they could move to Bailey, Russell and others. "I'd like to think they'd take the best guy out there," Russell said. "If I earn it, then hopefully I'm the one that they take." "Anything can happen," Mackanin said. "We don't know what's going to happen. There could be a trade. There might be somebody picked up on waivers."

Outfielder Roulette – Non-roster invitee Cedric Hunter strengthened his case to make the Opening Day roster. He singled and had a sacrifice fly to score a run. "He has squared the ball up as well as anybody all spring," Mackanin said. "I like him a lot. He's shown pretty good arm accuracy. He gives you good solid at-bats." Odubel Herrera went 2-for-5. It was his second game back after missing time with a bruised left middle finger. Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel went 1-for-4. He is hitting .250.

Comfortable On The Mound – Dalier Hinojosa is not afraid to pitch the ninth inning. He is quite certain of that. The pressures of holding a lead are nothing compared to spending a single night on a rickety boat in the middle of the sea, in the pitch black, trying to evade the authorities and praying to God to survive the treacherous journey from Cuba to Haiti. "One day, I'm going to take you to the ocean at 3 o'clock in the morning with me," Hinojosa said through the Phillies' interpreter Saturday morning at Bright House Field. "Then I will take you to the mound at the most filled stadium and you can tell me: Which one is worse? Which one is scarier? The ocean at 3 a.m. where it's plain dark, or the stadium that is filled with fans?" Hinojosa laughed. "Fear is gone," he said. Hinojosa, 30, could close for the Phillies this season, based on his 0.78 ERA in 18 appearances last year, his strong Grapefruit League performances this spring (2.57 ERA in six appearances) and the fact that they have few other options. But before Hinojosa joined the Phillies in July after being claimed off waivers from Boston, and before the Red Sox signed him to a $4.5 million signing bonus in October 2013, Hinojosa defected from Cuba, traveling by handmade boat with his wife and a few others to Haiti on Feb. 23, 2013. "To navigate through those waters, it's crazy," Hinojosa said. "It's plain crazy. ... Nowadays, I look back and analyze what I did, and I think that I was crazy." But Hinojosa felt he had no choice. "We make drastic and dangerous decisions, because we're very desperate to leave the island," he said. "It's a very poor place. It's a place where you have no opportunities. So I think those decisions are made based on the conditions where you live rather than how. You really don't think about how you're going to escape, rather when you're going to escape, regardless of the risk you're taking, regardless of losing your life. You feel desperate." The boats for these trips are built in a remote area, where the work is hidden amongst the trees and bushes. Secrecy is everything. Hinojosa said he is asked about the boat he used perhaps more than anything else about his defection. But the truth is he does not remember it well. "I was so nervous at the time that I didn't really pay attention to the boat," he said. "What I can remember is it was small, it was narrow and it was old. But, at that moment, I was full of fear and I just didn't pay attention to it." The travelers at least had a GPS to make sure they got to Haiti, but it hardly guaranteed survival. "It's more about your guts than the instruments that you're able to build to escape the island," Hinojosa said. "Sometimes we use car engines. We can think of anything. Any type of engine you can use, you use it. Based on my own experience, which is a bad one, a scary one, I was fearful from the beginning. I didn't want to lose my life. I didn't want things to go wrong. Of course, you think of the worst. But you try to block that from your head. "I took that decision because I wanted to achieve my dream. My goal was to play in the MLB, the best baseball in the world. I wanted to help my family financially. Those factors make you make drastic decisions, decisions you're aware can make you lose your life. I was desperate on the island, as many other people are. I had to do it." Hinojosa has settled into Miami with his wife, who is due with their first daughter in May. He still has a daughter from a previous marriage in Cuba. "The chances that this country has given me have allowed me to do things like that," he said. "That's why I feel blessed. It makes me feel human when I am able to help others based on my work. I'm making enough money to help other people." He could help more if he establishes himself in the big leagues. He has an excellent opportunity with the Phillies, who are desperate for late-inning relievers following trades last year that sent Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles and Jake Diekman to Washington, Houston and Texas, respectively. The Phillies believe they have a nice find in Hinojosa. The story goes that Andy MacPhail -- before he officially succeeded Pat Gillick as team president -- pressed for the Phillies to claim Hinojosa, based on strong scouting reports on him. It might have been MacPhail's first (unofficial) move with the Phillies. "I think it's a great opportunity for me to be considered as a closer," Hinojosa said. "I am focused on helping the team. So whichever role they want me to be, I'll do it because I thank them and I thank the Lord."

Today In Phils History - In 1939, the Phillies were in the midst of a 14 inning marathon when the game was called a 3-3 ties with the Cleveland Browns so the Phillies could catch a train. In another turn of good luck, the Phillies were no hit by Tampa Bay on this day in 2003... the lucky part was that it was during a spring training game. Finally, happy birthday to Wed Covington who was born on this day in 1932. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-8-2 (15-8-2 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Closer Comes Full Circle

PHILS PHACTS:

Coming Home – Andrew Bailey is 31, which means his earliest baseball memories as a kid in South Jersey include Veterans Stadium, Darren Daulton, John Kruk, Curt Schilling and the 1993 National League champion Phillies. He will have the opportunity to play for his hometown team next year. The Phillies last week signed Bailey to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. He will compete for a bullpen job alongside recently acquired veterans like David Hernandez, Ernesto Frieri, Edward Mujica and James Russell; incumbents like Elvis Araujo, Luis Garcia, Jeanmar Gomez, Dalier Hinojosa and Hector Neris; and Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf. "As a kid growing up in South Jersey, you dream of playing for the Phillies," Bailey said in an interview with MLB.com. "My whole family is a fan of the organization. It's awesome to hear from so many friends and family. The feedback has been tremendous. Everybody is super excited. I look forward to the opportunity to wear the pinstripes. It'll be good to get back home, back to South Jersey. I'm really looking forward to it." Bailey attended Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, N.J. The A's selected him in the sixth round of the 2006 Draft out of Wagner College. The Phillies selected immediately before the A's, taking left-hander Daniel Brauer from Northwestern. Brauer never played higher than Class A Advanced Clearwater. "I think I did a pre-Draft workout at Citizens Bank Park," Bailey said. "I don't know how far their interest went, but I think there was an opportunity there in the sense I was invited to a workout at least. It's an exciting time. I definitely can't wait." Bailey won the American League Rookie of the Year Award with the A's in 2009, and he made the AL All-Star team in '09 and '10. But a shoulder injury has limited him to just 59 games in the previous four seasons, including 10 with the Yankees in 2015. Bailey posted a 1.80 ERA in 28 appearances in the Minor Leagues in 2015 before posting a 5.19 ERA with New York. Before injuries hit, he had a 2.07 ERA with 75 saves in 84 chances from 2009-11. "I'm coming off injuries and working my way back, so it's the opportunity I was looking for the most," he said. "The Phillies presented me with a great one and I hope to take full advantage of it." Bailey said he is healthy and he will have no restrictions when Spring Training opens in February. "The surgery I had was pretty much a reconstruction of the shoulder," Bailey said. "The surgeon gave me an 18-24 month timeframe to be 100 percent. The 18-month mark was Spring Training last year. I was able to go into camp and compete for a job. I came through healthy and ready to go. I worked my way back up and ended up getting called back to the big leagues, which was unbelievable. After that road, you wait so long to get back to what you want, I got a taste of it again, and I look forward to building off that month I had with the Yankees. "If I go into camp healthy and ready to go, hopefully it works out. I feel like I'm 100 percent ready to go."

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.

Injuries Continue To Impact Phillies

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Jays Top Phils 4-1

A four-run eighth inning powered the Blue Jays to a 4-1 win over the Phillies on Thursday afternoon at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. An RBI double by Ryan Goins and a three-run blast by Steve Tolleson in the bottom of the eighth provided Toronto's offense. "He's smoking," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after Tolleson's third homer of the spring. "Last year, he was primarily against lefties. He had his eyes fixed, and I think he looks better, he's seeing the ball better from both sides of the plate. Tolly is just a good player. He's one of those guys, he's just there, he helps teams out tremendously. He can run, he play anywhere on the field, he's a valuable guy on the field." The game featured a pitchers' duel between Phillies ace Cole Hamels and Blue Jays promising right-hander Aaron Sanchez with both teams being held off the scoreboard through the first three innings. Philadelphia didn't get its first hit until the fourth inning while Kevin Pillar had Toronto's first hit in the fifth. The Phillies opened the scoring in the top of the fourth when Chase Utley sparked the rally with a one-out single. Veteran catcher Carlos Ruiz followed with a double to the gap in right-center field as Utley easily came around to score. With that, Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead but almost lost it in the following inning. Pillar led off with an infield single, but he was later picked off first base by Hamels. Center fielder Dalton Pompey followed with a shot off the wall in left-center field. Pompey missed the home run by a few feet but showed off his speed and ended up on third with a head-first slide. He was later stranded when Jose Reyes struck out swinging at a ball in the dirt. Sanchez was removed from the game in the folowing inning after reaching his pitch count for the afternoon. He allowed the one run on two hits, a walk and two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. The native of California has now allowed eight earned runs in 18 1/3 innings this spring as he nears his big league starting debut early next month. Hamels was taken out after the fifth. He didn't allow a run and surrendered only two hits, but he did walk three batters while striking out four. It was Hamels' fifth outing of the spring with his innings total now sitting at 15 2/3 innings to go along with nine earned runs. Utley was the standout in Philadelphia's lineup with a pair of hits and a run scored.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Top Phillies pitching prospect Aaron Nola will start Friday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees at Bright House Field. The Phillies selected Nola with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft. Nola is scheduled to open the season in Double-A Reading but it is not a stretch to think he could join the big league rotation before the end of the year.

PHILS PHACTS:

Phils Scratch Asche – The Phillies scratched Cody Asche from Thursday's lineup because of tightness in his back. The team said he felt something during team stretch. "I don't expect him to miss much [time]," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said following a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. "He had a muscle in his back that kind of grabbed him a little bit." Asche is hitting .238 (10-for-42) with two doubles, three home runs, seven RBIs and a .767 OPS in 16 Grapefruit League games. Non-roster invitee Andres Blanco replaced Asche at third base.

Hamels Ready For Opening Day – Cole Hamels looks ready for Opening Day. He allowed two hits, three walks and struck out four in five scoreless innings in Thursday's 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Auto Exchange Stadium. He allowed his first hit to open the fifth inning. He then allowed a two-out triple to Blue Jays center fielder Dalton Pompey before striking out Jose Reyes on three pitches to end the inning. Hamels has one more Spring Training start before pitching for the Phillies on Opening Day on April 6 against the Red Sox. Of course, Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg declined Thursday to officially name Hamels his Opening Day pitcher, but if he isn't, it would be one of the greatest upsets in franchise history. "As it gets closer, you've got to take things a little bit more seriously," said Hamels, who had a 7.59 ERA in his first four Grapefruit League starts. "Rather than working on pitches, it's more just getting guys out. Things have just been really starting to click in my bullpens, playing catch on the side, really just putting in the time to feel confident with each pitch so that I can go out there and try to execute a pitch with a little more authority." Hamels liked how he followed his at-bat against Pompey. He threw a first pitch curveball to Reyes, who swung and missed. Hamels followed with two changeups. "I think anytime you are able to go out there and get guys out on three pitches or less, you're feeling pretty good," Hamels said. "In a crunch situation, you just have to bear down, and this is the type of situation that you're going to be in all the time during the season, just because every pitch and every out matters." The Phillies head to Philadelphia next Thursday for a pair of exhibition games against the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park. They open their 2015 season a couple days later against the Red Sox. Hamels will be on the mound, even if Sandberg has not said it. "It's a secret," he said with a smile. "I'll give you a little heads up."

Bullpen Struggles – Phillies left-hander Andy Oliver remains a favorite to win a bullpen job, but the Rule 5 Draft pick has struggled in his last two Grapefruit League appearances. He walked four batters in just 2/3 inning Thursday in a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. He allowed three hits, two runs, one walk and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings Sunday against the Red Sox. Oliver had allowed two hits, two walks and had struck out an eye-popping 13 batters in 6 2/3 scoreless innings in his first four Spring Training appearances. "He had a couple real good ones, real good," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He just didn't have his control [Thursday]. In most cases, he can get his slider for strikes, but it didn't happen today. But he's shown when he's in the zone with both pitches, he can be effective. That's key for him, throwing strikes." Oliver averaged 12 strikeouts per nine innings last season with Triple-A Indianapolis, but he also averaged 6.6 walks. In five seasons in the Minor Leagues, he has averaged 9.2 strikeouts and 5.8 walks per nine innings. Phillies setup man Ken Giles allowed two hits, four runs, two walks and struck out one in 2/3 inning to blow the lead and game. He allowed a three-run home run to Steve Tolleson to give Toronto the three-run lead. Giles had allowed two hits, one run, five walks and had struck out nine in 6 2/3 innings in his first six appearances. "Kenny, he's not where he wants to be yet," Sandberg said. "He's still building arm strength. He doesn't have his good zip on his fastball. And today his slider wasn't going down like it usually does. I think he's a power pitcher that's still building his arm." Any concerns there? "I don't think so," Sandberg said.

A Small But Significant Step – This is just another small step for Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley, but he is encouraged. He pitched two scoreless innings Thursday in a Minor League Spring Training game against the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate at Carpenter Complex. Billingsley, 30, allowed two hits. He faced seven hitters and got five ground balls. "Today was a really good test or step," Billingsley said. "I had a really quick first inning. And then go back out there and throw 24 pitches. It felt great. So I was really pleased with it. As far as recovery, my arm feels good right now. If something was wrong, I would have come out of the game. It felt good, and I'm going to do it again in five days." Billingsley has pitched just 12 innings in the big leagues the past two seasons because of two elbow surgeries. The Phillies signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in the offseason, and they hope he can be ready to join the Phillies' rotation by late April. The Phillies could use a healthy and effective Billingsley. They need a No. 5 starter, and the candidates to this point are Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Kevin Slowey and Sean O'Sullivan. "I'm very encouraged each time I go out there," Billingsley said. "Each little step I take, I get more confidence. More confidence that my arm is responding well and it's recovering well. I let some balls go today, really getting after it. And each time out there just gaining confidence in my arm and trusting it and not really worrying about it. Getting it out of my mind. I mean, going through two surgeries the last two years, starting to trust it, and it's responded well, and I'm happy." Billingsley is not sure about his next step. It could be more Minor League games. It could be an appearance in a Grapefruit League game.

Another Injured Phillie – It is not a crippling blow, but top Phillies prospect J.P. Crawford suffered a setback nonetheless this week. Crawford strained his left oblique, which the Phils said could sideline him four to six weeks. "That's the range," Phillies player development director Joe Jordan said. "We'll see in a few days how he responds to treatment. We'll have a better feel in five, six, seven days from now." Crawford, 20, had been scheduled to open the season with Class A Advanced Clearwater or Double-A Reading. "It's disappointing, but it shouldn't be a long-term thing," Jordan said. The Phillies selected Crawford with the 16th overall pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft. MLBPipeline.com ranks him as the No. 22 prospect in baseball. Crawford hit a combined .285 with 23 doubles, 11 home runs, 48 RBIs, 24 stolen bases and a .781 OPS in 538 plate appearances last season with Class A Lakewood and Clearwater.

Hollands Weighing Options – Mario Hollands has a firm grip on reality, but he still has a sliver of hope he will avoid surgery on his left elbow. Hollands has a torn common flexor tendon, which is the same injury that is likely to end Cliff Lee's career. Hollands visited Phillies physician Michael Ciccotti this week in Philadelphia to discuss his recent MRI results. Surgery has been recommended because Hollands' first attempt at rehab failed -- the injury first surfaced in September, which ended his 2014 season -- but he has two other options: rest and PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) injection. "I wanted to do the PRP and rest, because I wanted to help the team this year. I wanted to play," Hollands said. "That's still in my head because I want to play so bad, but I am a little worried because it's the second time, so I don't know if rest or PRP will be the only solution. So surgery, I'm thinking about it pretty hard." Hollands will seek a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews. He hopes to have his recommendation soon. Hollands' difficult choice is this: if he elects rest or PRP and it fails a second time, he risks not being healthy at the beginning of the 2016 season. The Phillies said the recovery from this type of surgery is six to eight months. "It would be heartbreaking if it came back again after rest," Hollands said. In that sense, surgery might be the safest option. "That'll help just seal it up, and hopefully it will never be a problem again," Hollands said. Hollands made the team last season as a non-roster invitee. He went 2-2 with a 4.40 ERA in 50 appearances. Hollands' injury opens up a bullpen job. Four spots are locked up with Jonathan Papelbon, Ken Giles, Jake Diekman and Justin De Fratus. Andy Oliver, Luis Garcia and Jeanmar Gomez are the leading candidates for the final three jobs.

Lohman On The Totem Pole – The Phillies announced Thursday they have acquired shortstop Devin Lohman from the Reds for future considerations. He will report to Minor League camp. Lohman, 25, hit .245 with 16 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 29 RBIs and a .661 OPS with Double-A Pensacola. The Reds selected him in the third round of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft.

ON THE RECORD:

The Phillies will look to rebound this season from a 73-89 record last year. While uncertainty abounds, there is little question that the franchise is in rebuild mode based on the moves and statements that have been made during the offseason. The only question that remains is whether or not the young and veteran talent on the team can work together to disprove Gillick’s predictions either this year or next.