Phillies Make A Solid Addition Via Waivers

PHILS PHACTS:

Taking Advantage Of The Waiver Wire – The Phillies have always liked Peter Bourjos. They finally acquired him Wednesday, when they claimed the outfielder off waivers from the Cardinals. Bourjos' arrival puts free-agent outfielder Jeff Francoeur's potential return into doubt. Bourjos posted a .645 OPS the past four seasons with the Angels and Cardinals. The 28-year-old's name popped up a few times in recent years whenever the Phillies were searching for an outfielder. Former Phillies general managers Pat Gillick and Ruben Amaro Jr. liked the speedy and defensive-minded Bourjos, and it seems new general manager Matt Klentak likes him, too. Klentak knows Bourjos well. They were together with the Angels from 2012-13. Bourjos enjoyed a career-year in 2011, when he hit .271 with 26 doubles, 11 triples, 12 home runs, 43 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and a .765 OPS in 552 plate appearances with the Angels. He has managed just 910 plate appearances since, in part because of injuries (Bourjos had right wrist surgery in September 2013 and hip surgery in October 2014) and in part because he had been passed on the depth chart in St. Louis. He hit .200 with a .623 OPS in 225 plate appearances last season. But Bourjos is known as an elite defender. According to FanGraphs, Bourjos has averaged a 16.1 Ultimate Zone Rating per 150 defensive games since his debut in 2010. That is third among outfielders with 3,500 or more defensive innings played in that span. Only Lorenzo Cain (19.0) and Jason Heyward (18.3) have a better average. Francoeur hit .258 with 16 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .718 OPS in 343 plate appearances. The 31-year-old also proved to be a vocal leader in the clubhouse. But with Bourjos in the fold, Francoeur could be squeezed out. There could be more changes coming, but at the moment, outfielders Bourjos, Odubel Herrera, Cody Asche and Aaron Altherr are all expected to make the Opening Day roster. Darnell Sweeney could be considered the team's fifth outfielder at the moment. Darin Ruf also can play left field, although he could get more playing time at first base. The possibility exists that Francoeur could fit somehow, but reduced playing time in a more crowded outfield might not suit him. The Phillies also announced the Marlins claimed right-hander Nefi Ogando off waivers. The Phillies remain at 38 players on their 40-man roster.

Modest Goals For The Meetings – Five years ago at the Winter Meetings, the Phillies became the mystery team in the Cliff Lee sweepstakes. Next week's Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., are expected to be less eventful unless a team is ready to pay for hard-throwing closer Ken Giles. The Phillies are highly unlikely to invest $100 million or more into a single free agent this offseason, because one player will not push them into World Series contention. No, the Phils have too many holes to fill and too many unknowns regarding the young talent in their system. Instead, they will use the Meetings to make more modest improvements to their roster, with an eye on competing again in another year or two. "We really want to raise the floor and add some depth," general manager Matt Klentak said earlier this offseason. "Kind of at every turn, that's what we're going to be focused on. And in the pitching department, I think we really need to work on just -- again, I say 'raise the floor' -- but kind of establish sort of a firm foundation of pitching. That's not going to end when we break camp at the end of Spring Training. That's something we're going to be committed to for a long time." So far, most of the gains the Phillies have made this offseason are pitching-related. Philadelphia acquired right-hander Jeremy Hellickson in a trade earlier this month with Arizona, and it claimed relievers Dan Otero, A.J. Achter and Michael Mariot off waivers, as well as outfielder Peter Bourjos. The Phils also signed reliever James Russell to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training, and they cut ties with outfielder Domonic Brown and right-hander Justin De Fratus. Expect the Phillies to continue to pursue pitching help. They need at least one more veteran starter. Hellickson, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff seem like safe bets to make the Opening Day rotation, with Adam Morgan, David Buchanan, Alec Asher and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez competing for the other jobs. Philadelphia could use a veteran reliever to fortify the bullpen, too. The Phillies have talked with teams about Giles, who could land them a few prospects, but that's the key: They have to be legitimate prospects. The Phils are under no obligation to give Giles away. The Phillies could come to a conclusion about the futures of Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz, the only two remaining players from the 2008 World Series championship team. They also need to find a veteran outfielder. Free agent Jeff Francoeur remains in play, but the Phils are pursuing other options. Not expected to be in play are Justin Upton and Jason Heyward. Think along the lines of Ryan Raburn, David Murphy, Rajai Davis and Alejandro De Aza. Chris Young would have been a good fit, but he just signed with the Red Sox. "Honestly, I think with the present roster, if we needed to field a lineup tomorrow, we generally could do that," Klentak said at the conclusion of the General Managers Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., earlier this month. "That doesn't mean we're going to stop looking for opportunities to upgrade or add depth wherever we can. But one of the beauties, mostly on the position player side, is most of the team that was on the field that ended the year last year returns next year. So, again, that doesn't mean we're going to stop trying to find alternatives or upgrades or just build depth."

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.

From Impressive To Ugly In A Single Series

GAME RECAP: Braves Beat Phillies 8-1

Julio Teheran helped the Braves accomplish something Wednesday night they had not done in nearly a month. He helped them win a series with an 8-1 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Braves right-hander allowed four hits, one run, two walks and struck out four in seven innings, helping Atlanta win their first series since Aug. 14-16 against Arizona. "We have been battling," Braves center fielder Michael Bourn said as his teammates celebrated their third win in their past 23 games. "We just haven't had any luck. Today, we were able to get a series win and that is a big thing. We'll try to carry it over." Bourn recorded four of the season-high 18 hits notched by the Braves. They picked up 10 against Philadelphia right-hander David Buchanan. They picked up the other eight against Phillies relievers Jerome Williams, Ken Roberts and Nefi Ogando. The Phillies have been officially eliminated from postseason contention, the first team in baseball to be eliminated. "Everything starts with pitching," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We're not pitching."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Buchanan needed to show considerable improvement since his last start with the Phillies on Aug. 11, when he allowed 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in Arizona. But his struggles continued against Atlanta. He allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. He allowed 14 of 22 batters to reach base, with double plays in the first, third and fourth innings limiting the damage to just four runs. Afterward, Mackanin would not commit to Buchanan making his next start. "Yeah," said Mackanin, asked if he is concerned the team might not have enough pitching to finish the season. "We're going to reassess everything and try to figure it out."
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard went 0-for-4. He is hitless in his last 29 at-bats, which is the longest hitless streak of his career.
• "We miss [Maikel] Franco's bat. Not that one guy is going to change everything, but it certainly helps." -- Mackanin, on Franco, who has been sidelined since last month with a broken left wrist.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies open a four-game series Thursday night against the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies left-hander Adam Morgan (5-5, 4.42 ERA) faces Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (18-6, 2.03 ERA) in the series opener at 7:05 p.m. ET.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hoping To Return This Season – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco took a few swings Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park and said he felt no pain in his left wrist, which means he could still play this season. Franco has been on the disabled list since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He tried to hit last week in New York, but he still felt some discomfort in the wrist. Wednesday became D-Day for Franco. If he felt something Wednesday, he expected his season to be finished. "Everything is good," said Franco, who took about 20 swings, including 10 off the practice tee. "I felt fine." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said Franco will continue to hit with the team before heading to Clearwater, Fla., to face some live pitching before potentially rejoining the Phillies before the end of the season. "We'll figure it out," Franco said.

Rotation Decisions – Hours before the Phillies and Braves opened a three-game series Monday night at Citizens Bank Park, Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the organization planned to be pitching intensive in the 2016 Draft. The Phillies, who could have the No. 1 Draft pick, desperately need pitching. It showed again Wednesday night in an 8-1 loss to the Braves. Phillies right-hander David Buchanan allowed 10 hits, four runs, three walks and one home run in just 3 1/3 innings. Buchanan has a 22.00 ERA (22 earned runs in nine innings) in his last three starts, which includes 11 runs in 1 2/3 innings in an Aug. 11 start in Arizona. "We're going to reassess that and evaluate the whole thing," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, asked if Buchanan would make his next start. Buchanan, who just joined the Phillies' six-man rotation, entered Spring Training a favorite to make the rotation based upon a solid rookie season in which he posted a 3.68 ERA in 20 starts. But the script has flipped since then. Buchanan is 2-8 with a 9.11 ERA in 11 starts this season, and others in the organization seem to have passed him by. "I'm going to keep grinding. I'm going to keep working to get better. I'm going to keep taking the ball and improving on what I'm doing," Buchanan said. The Phillies have some serious starting pitching holes to fill before Spring Training. Phillies starters have thrown the second-fewest innings in baseball this season, which has worn out the bullpen. They also have a 5.47 ERA, which is the highest mark in baseball. Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and Chad Billingsley are free agents after the season, and it is unlikely they return. Matt Harrison and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez have injury issues. Aaron Nola is a lock to make the rotation, but it is difficult to imagine the Phillies also opening the season with Adam Morgan, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher in the rotation because it would be too inexperienced. The Phillies will need to find some veteran arms in the offseason. It is too early to pursue high-priced free agents that might be available like Zack Greinke, David Price, Johnny Cueto, Yovani Gallardo, Jordan Zimmermann and Jeff Samardzija. It seems more likely they will go for mid-level starters or placeholders, maybe somebody of a similar ilk or better than Harang, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract after posting a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season with Atlanta. That group could include pitchers like Doug Fister, J.A. Happ and Ryan Vogelsong. "It's pretty obvious we need to do that to be more competitive," Mackanin said about the need to add starting pitching before next season. "We might have some guys right here that are going through their first year in the big leagues that will step up and perform next year. We may have to make some additions."

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 54-86. 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 35-70-0 on this day.

Phillies Win Second Straight Behind Another Rookie

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Padres 4-3

If only the Phillies could play the Padres more frequently. They beat San Diego on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park, 4-3. It is their fifth straight win over the Padres this season and seventh consecutive victory against San Diego in Philadelphia, their longest home winning streak against the Padres since a seven-game streak from July 1976 to May 1977. The Phillies also are 55-23 (.705) against the Padres since 2004. It is their best winning percentage against any opponent in that span. Phillies second baseman Darnell Sweeney hit a two-run homer in the second while Freddy Galvis had an RBI double and Adam Morgan notched an RBI single in the fourth. Morgan allowed two unearned runs in six innings to pick up the win. "I take a lot of pride in that," Morgan said about not walking a batter in 22 2/3 innings in the past four starts. "Being able to control the ball and throwing where you want it is huge to me. I don't try to give up any free bags because that's when stuff starts getting out of hand." Padres right-hander Colin Rea allowed four runs in five innings in the loss. "[The Phillies] seem to get the big hit against us, catch the line drives and this game could have been very different," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said. "[Morgan] had a great plan against us and a couple of the balls we hit hard were caught."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Sweeney has had limited playing opportunities since the Phillies acquired him from the Dodgers in the Chase Utley trade, but he has tried to make the most of it. He crushed a two-run home run to left-center field in the second inning to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was his second homer in three starts with the Phillies. "When you watch this guy take batting practice, the ball doesn't really jump off his bat," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "I think he works on mechanics more than anything from either side of the plate. But he sure hit that ball in Miami [on Aug. 22] a long way, and today he [went] opposite field. He's got pop in his bat."
• Phillies right-hander Luis Garcia had runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth inning, when he struck out pinch-hitter Cory Spangenberg to end the threat and preserve a one-run lead.
• In the sixth inning, with the Phillies leading 4-2 and Kemp on first, Justin Upton lined a deep fly ball to the left-center field gap. The ball hung up just enough for Herrera to cover sixty-six feet of ground, top out at 20.1 mph according to Statcast™ and make a diving catch for the first out of the inning.
• Phillies rookie outfielder Aaron Altherr singled to left field in the fifth inning. It was the first single of his big league career. Of course, before that he had seven extra-base hits. No player in the modern era (since 1900) has started his career with eight extra-base hits.
• The Phillies optioned right-hander Nefi Ogando following the game to make room for Alec Asher, who will start Sunday's series finale. Asher will have his contract selected Sunday.
• The Padres won an instant replay challenge in the eighth inning. Yonder Alonso was called out on a play at first base, but replay showed Alonso beat the throw from Galvis.
• "He rebounded very nicely. He relies on command and control. He's certainly good in the control department. He needs to command his pitches a little bit better, but he did a number on them again. He pitched very well." -- Mackanin, on Morgan rebounding from a rough start this week against the Mets, when he allowed five runs and four home runs in 3 2/3 innings.
• Asher was 14-years-old when he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Asher's father Bob Asher told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the family paid $22,000 to have orthopedist James Andrews perform the surgery. They paid their final bill within the last year.
• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard has had the most success of any Phillies when facing Shields (min. 10 ABs). Howard is 4-for-12 (.333) with a double, home run and one RBI.
• The Padres hope to get 24-year old outfielder/first baseman Wil Myers back in the lineup sometime after Labor Day. Myers, who had right wrist surgery on June 18, could begin a rehab assignment soon after missing 100 games. He will be judged on a day to day basis on when he's ready to join the big club.

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will get to open yet another new toy from the Cole Hamels trade on Sunday as righty Alec Asher will make his debut against the Padres and James Shields. Asher is the second starter acquired in a trade with Texas that sent Hamels to the American League to make his debut this season, the other was Jerad Eickhoff, who is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts. Shields is coming off a laborious outing against the Nationals in which he needed 121 pitches over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-3 loss on Tuesday. The veteran is 2-0 in four starts lifetime against the Phillies with a 5.70 ERA and enters the game with a 4.97 ERA away from Petco Park. Asher went 2-0 in four starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley with a 2.08 ERA since arriving from Texas.

PHILS PHACTS:

Long Road Back – This is the moment Alec Asher probably envisioned when he had Tommy John surgery at 14 years old. Asher, 23, is one of the players the Phillies acquired from Texas last month in the Cole Hamels trade. He will make his big league debut on Sunday afternoon against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park, the second pitcher acquired in the trade to debut this season for the Phillies. "You don't realize how tall these stadiums are until you really get out there," Asher said Saturday evening. "But it's awesome. I'm almost speechless." Asher went 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in four starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Before the trade, he went 3-6 with a 4.73 ERA in 12 starts with Triple-A Round Rock. Long before that, he had ulnar collateral ligament surgery. Asher's father Bob Asher told the Philadelphia Inquirer that the family paid $22,000 to have orthopedist James Andrews perform the surgery. They paid their final bill within the last year. "Never a moment of regret," Asher's father told the Inquirer. Alec said he has never met another pitcher who had the surgery at a younger age than him, but he is sure that person exists. "It's definitely rare," he said. "You don't definitely see that, but I guess it's becoming more common." ”I had always said I want to pitch in the Major Leagues, I want to be a Major League Baseball player. I always had that aspiration as a kid. I wasn't going to give up until I couldn't anymore. … I knew I loved baseball and I knew I wanted to keep playing. That was the only option. It was a no brainer for me and my family. It ended up working out all right." The Giants selected Asher out of Lakeland Senior High School in Fla., in the 23rd round of the 2010 Draft. He instead attended Polk Community College in Winter Haven, Fla., and the Rangers selected him in the fourth round in the 2012 Draft. Three years later he is in the big leagues. "It's been a hectic month for sure," Asher said about the July 31 trade. "I finally felt like I'd been in a place for a month, finally got my stuff settled in and then I get this news so I'm like, alright, I've got to get everything packed up and move it all again. It's been for the better, that's for sure. It's hard to complain when this stuff's going on for you."

Sweeney Impressive So Far – The Phillies have their playing time priorities for the remainder of the season, and Cesar Hernandez and Odubel Herrera are priorities at second base and center field, respectively. Where does that leave Darnell Sweeney? Sweeney, whom the Phillies acquired this month from the Dodgers in the Chase Utley trade, is a second baseman and center fielder. He figured to be the odd man out, although he is making a case for more playing time. He ripped a two-run home run to left-center field in the second inning of Saturday night's 4-3 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. "There's a good chance of that for right now," said Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin, when asked about more playing time for Sweeney. "Cesar is our second baseman, but he's in a funk right now and he needs to battle his way out of it. He's trying. Maybe a day off might help him. I might get Sweeney in there tomorrow." Hernandez is hitting .088 (3-for-34) in his last eight games, so a break might serve him well. But Sweeney seems unconcerned about his playing time at the moment. After all, he was in Triple-A before the trade. Any playing time in the big leagues figures to be pretty good right now. "I'm just excited to have this opportunity to be up here," he said. "Whenever my name is called I'll put my best foot forward, and whatever happens is going to happen. I'm just trying to play my game. I can't do too much." Sweeney has homered twice in 13 at-bats with the Phillies. He has reached base safely eight times in 18 plate appearances. Not bad. "When you watch this guy take batting practice, the ball doesn't really jump off his bat," Mackanin said. "I think he works on mechanics more than anything from either side of the plate. But he sure hit that ball in Miami [on Aug. 22] a long way, and today he [went] opposite field. He's got pop in his bat. We'll get more looks at him." The more Sweeney plays at home the more Phillies fans will hear some little old school rap during his at-bats. He has Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" as his at-bat music. "I like to stick with the old school," Sweeney said with a smile. "It's been working for me for the past couple of years." After another homer Saturday, he should stick with it.

Howard Succeeding Against Righties – And then there were two. Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said that earlier this month, when the Phillies traded Chase Utley to the Dodgers. It left Howard and Carlos Ruiz as the only two remaining members of the 2008 World Series championship team. But as the Phillies have transitioned into a younger team, Howard has quietly put up some good numbers for almost two months. After Saturday night's 4-3 win against the Padres, he is now hitting .294 (42-for-143) with nine doubles, eight home runs, 34 RBIs in 40 games since July 5. Is that a matter of Howard maybe being a streaky hitter? Or could it be something else? "Howie will probably disagree with me," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said, "but I think it's because he's not facing as many left-handed pitchers. I think he feels more comfortable. I think if you can take that out of the equation then you don't have to worry about it." Howard has started against just two left-handers since July 5. He is hitting .273 with an .839 OPS against right-handers this season, but .138 with a .443 OPS against left-handers. Howard's OPS against right-handers ranks 42nd out of 156 qualified hitters in baseball this season, which makes him a pretty good threat. One would think a contender in need of a left-handed bat would be interested in him, if the Phillies agreed to pay the vast majority of the remaining $35 million-plus on his contract ($25 million in salary next season, plus a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option). But the Phillies have received little to no interest. "If you take that .138 out of your batting average you're going to be up to .270 where you belong and you're more confident," Mackanin said he told Howard. "And then the occasional lefty you face you're going to have that confidence and not worry about what he's going to throw me this time. Just go up there feeling confident. "I know for a fact because I didn't have that confidence very often in my career, but when you go up there and you know you're going to get a hit, it makes all of the difference in the world."

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 52-78. 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 55-61-0 on this day.

Phillies’ Offense Sputtering To Life

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Pirates Pinch Phillies 6-5

Sebastian Valle ripped a walk-off double in the ninth inning to cap a comeback from four runs down as the Pirates topped the Phillies, 6-5, on Friday at McKechnie Field. Brian Bogusevic began the scoring with a solo homer and Cody Asche added a two-run homer to give the Phillies the early lead against former teammate Vance Worley. Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, competing for a spot in Philadelphia's rotation, blanked the Pirates for three innings before surrendering consecutive doubles in the fourth to Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez. Gonzalez, who had allowed 12 hits and seven runs in his first seven innings of the spring, went 3 1/3 innings and gave up five hits and a run. Alvarez added a two-run opposite-field homer off left-hander Mario Hollands in the sixth. Jose Tabata's RBI single capped a three-run inning to draw the Pirates within 5-4. Tony Sanchez tied it with an RBI double in the eighth, driving in Alvarez, who had doubled. Worley stretched out to five innings, Pittsburgh's first hurler to go beyond four this spring. He gave up a total of six hits and struck out four without issuing a walk; he has walked one in a total of 11 innings. "Is that all?" Worley responded, surprised. "That's real good. I usually don't get real sharp command until the last [preseason] game, but I've been able to locate early to both sides of the plate." Steve Lombardozzi, battling as a non-roster invitee for a spot on the Pirates' bench, had two hits to raise his spring average to .346. Jordy Mercer and Marte, batting .387 after five hits in his last seven at-bats, also had multihit games for the Bucs.

TODAY’S EXHIBITION GAME:

Left-hander Cole Hamels is scheduled to make his fourth start of the spring as the Phillies host the Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. ET at Bright House Field, with the game on MLB.TV. Hamels, the subject of seemingly endless trade speculation this spring, gave up five runs on six hits and two walks in only two innings of work against the Orioles on Monday. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey is scheduled to start for Toronto.

PHILS NOTES:

• Reliever Ken Giles entered Friday's game in the fourth inning with two on and one out. Sandberg said he chose that moment for Giles in part so he could face some of Pittsburgh's big league hitters, but it was also something of a test for Giles. The 24-year-old pitched more than one inning in eight of his 44 appearances last year. He got through 1 2/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts on Friday. Could more of those outings be in his future? "He can be a four-out type of guy," Sandberg said. "Probably depends on how it goes."
• Left-hander Mario Hollands struggled on Friday, allowing three runs on four hits while recording only two outs. Despite his experience in the Majors last year, Hollands isn't a lock to earn a spot in the Opening Day bullpen. "We're looking at a lot of guys for the last few spots in the bullpen," Sandberg said. "With about half of the camp to go as far as games go, there's still some competition, looking at some different guys."

PHILS PHACTS:

One Day At A Time – Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown underwent an MRI on Friday that revealed no tear in his left Achilles, but he does have moderate tendinitis. Brown is listed as day to day, but he could be out of Grapefruit League games for up to a week. Brown left Thursday night's game against the Yankees in the third inning due to soreness in his left Achilles, and he revealed that the tendon had been bothering him for several weeks. Brown said he began to feel soreness in the area when he started chasing after Yankees third baseman Chase Headley's second-inning home run at George M. Steinbrenner Field. "I want to be in there, Spring Training or not," Brown told reporters on Thursday night. "I feel pretty good at the plate. I don't want to miss any time, but this is part of the game, also. I'm definitely frustrated for sure. It seemed like we were going in the right direction, it was getting a little bit better." Brown is hitting .241 (7-for-29) this spring. The Phillies are hoping for a bounce-back campaign from the 27-year-old, who hit .235/.285/.349 with 10 home runs last year after a breakout, All-Star 2013 season in which he hit .272/.324/.494 with 27 homers.

Winning The Battle For Third – The Phillies answered any remaining third-base questions on Friday morning when they sent top prospect Maikel Franco to Minor League camp. That means the job still belongs to Cody Asche, and his performance so far this spring has been encouraging to the club. Asche went deep for the second straight day on Friday afternoon vs. the Pirates at McKechnie Field. After launching a home run off the Yankees' Esmil Rogers on Thursday night, Asche crushed an 0-1 pitch from former Phillies starter Vance Worley over the boardwalk beyond the right-field fence. The 24-year-old third baseman hit .252/.309/.390 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs, but Asche struck out 102 times in 121 games for the Phillies last year. Manager Ryne Sandberg said the club asked Asche to make a few adjustments over the offseason, and the Phils like what they've seen so far as Asche is off to an 8-for-30 (.267) start at the plate. "I think he's having a real good spring, just from making adjustments on what he needed to work on from last year," Sandberg said. "He has a real good two-strike approach. He's putting balls in play, and he has a short, nice, sweet stroke resulting in some balls hit hard and home runs here in the camp. I think he took to heart our suggestions over the offseason, and he's showing results through the camp. "I think he's one of our more solid hitters as we speak."

Showing Improvement – Phillies right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez put together his best outing of the spring Friday afternoon against the Pirates at McKechnie Field. Gonzalez entered the day with a 9.00 ERA in Grapefruit League play through his first three appearances, having given up seven runs on 12 hits and three home runs in seven innings. Facing a Pirates split squad on Friday, Gonzalez gave up only one run on five hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings. Most of the damage done against Gonzalez came in his final inning. He gave up a leadoff single to Steve Lombardozzi to begin the game then retired eight straight hitters. The righty gave up two more singles in the third, but escaped the inning without allowing a run. But Gonzalez staggered when he came out for the fourth. After recording one out, he served up back-to-back doubles to Pirates center fielder Starling Marte and first baseman Pedro Alvarez. He walked the next batter, Pirates catcher Tony Sanchez, and left the game for reliever Ken Giles. "His last couple innings, he pitched behind in the count a little, but he made some pitches when he had to," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. Gonzalez struggled in his limited time in the Majors last season, giving up four runs on nine hits while striking out five in 5 1/3 innings over six appearances for the Phillies. But that came after a solid three months in the Minors. From June 20-Aug. 30, Gonzalez recorded a 2.19 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .195 average during stops at Class A Advanced Clearwater, Double-A Reading and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Gonzalez, in the second season of a three-year, $12 million contract, is competing for a spot in the Phillies' rotation this spring. Left-hander Joely Rodriguez, one of the other candidates for the job, was optioned to Minor League camp on Friday morning, leaving Kevin Slowey and Paul Clemens as Gonzalez's primary competition to fill the last spot behind Cole Hamels, Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams and David Buchanan. Continuing on the pace he set Friday would help bolster Gonzalez's case for the job. His fastball velocity peaked at 95 mph, and he picked up his only strikeout by getting Alvarez to whiff at a changeup during the second inning. "Overall, he continues to show improvement out there," Sandberg said.

Patience Grasshoppers – Maikel Franco was scheduled to ride the bus to Bradenton on Friday morning and serve as the Phillies' designated hitter against the Pirates. Instead, Franco packed up his bags inside the Phillies' clubhouse and headed to the Minor Leagues. The Phillies optioned Franco, their No. 3 prospect as ranked by MLB.com, along with lefty Joely Rodriguez and right-hander Nefi Ogando to Minor League camp Friday morning. Franco, 22, went 6-for-30 (.200) with one RBI and four strikeouts this spring. He came into camp with an opportunity to push third baseman Cody Asche for a job on the big league roster. Last spring, Franco went 7-for-38 (.184) with two RBIs and six strikeouts. He didn't record an extra-base hit either year. "Maikel's time's going to come," said Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. "I know he's upset, because I know that he probably wanted to write a different script for himself, but the fact of the matter is just like any other young player who we feel is going to impact the Major Leagues, his time will come when it's time for him to come. "I think there was probably some element of him trying to do a little too much, like he did last spring. But he doesn't need to impress us. He just needs to go play." Franco will do that in the Minors, spending most of his time at third base and some at first base. He spent last year with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, batting .257/.299/.428 with 16 home runs and 78 RBIs. In 16 games with the Phillies last season, Franco hit .179 with five RBIs and 13 strikeouts. "When he gets a chance to be back in the big leagues, play a few games and have some success, it'll carry," Amaro said. "It's just a matter of him getting the opportunity, and he'll get the opportunity, because he's going to create it for himself." Rodriguez, acquired from the Pirates in the Antonio Bastardo trade, had been mentioned by the Phillies as a possible rotation candidate. The 23-year-old gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks over nine innings this spring. "He's got a good, steady demeanor. Great kid," Amaro said. "I think he's going to help us. I'm not sure when. At some point this year, he'll probably help us." Ogando, 25, also impressed in four appearances this spring. He held opposing batters to four hits and struck out six while allowing only one run over 5 1/3 innings.

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.

Pitching Could Be Wild Card This Season

PHILS PHACTS:

Plesac Impressed With Young Pitchers – The last time Dan Plesac wore a baseball uniform he threw the final pitch for the Phillies at Veterans Stadium on Sept. 28, 2003. He pulled on a uniform again this week at Bright House Field, where he worked with the Phillies as a guest instructor. Plesac, 53, still looks like he could strike out a hitter or two -- he posted a 2.70 ERA and averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings in 58 appearances in his final season in 2003 -- but he came to camp to observe, coach and just get back on the field again. "If they want me back, I'll crawl back," Plesac said of the experience, which ended Friday. "This has been a lot of fun." Every team in the big leagues has a host of guest instructors in Spring Training. Some are more involved than others. Some show up, put on the uniform and hang in the outfield. Many more, like Plesac, come to work. Plesac, an MLB Network analyst, sat in his hotel room Wednesday night searching on his iPad for video of Phillies left-hander Jesse Biddle, the club's No. 7 prospect who had a bullpen session scheduled Thursday. He found Biddle's appearance in the 2013 All-Star Futures Game at Citi Field in New York. He wanted to get a feel for Biddle's mechanics and repertoire. "Boy, was he impressive," Plesac said. "Really, really impressive. I've only seen him throw twice on the side. He could pitch for 15 more years and I don't think he's going to throw a better bullpen than the one he threw Thursday. I did this for a living, so I'm living and dying with every pitch he threw. I was like, 'Can he keep this up?' He had everything. Fastball command, great curveball, good slider, his changeup was good. He just really had a good side. Now what does that mean? I don't know, but I know he is a young pitcher the Phillies have a lot of hopes for and I can see why now." Plesac left camp impressed with two of the Phillies' younger pitchers: Biddle and right-hander Nefi Ogando, who the Phillies acquired from the Red Sox in 2013 for John McDonald. Plesac also got to see up close why Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee are so good. "I miss the field," said Plesac, whose 1,064 games rank seventh among pitchers in MLB history. "You get so far removed from it in the studio. It's so nice to stand and watch Cole and Cliff throw a bullpen. To actually see what makes these guys go -- I think the thing that I've been most impressed with is I had no idea the quality and quantity of arms in this camp. That's what shocked me. "I thought about it this morning. It's made me realize how hard it is to do this. You forget when you get out [of the game], because when you get out, the fish get bigger, right? The bear gets bigger. It made me realize, just watching Biddle and Ogando and Lee and Hamels on the side, it took me back. You get excited. It was fun to get back into that -- going to the ballpark with a purpose."

Lee Readies For Return – Any team in baseball that thinks it might need starting-pitching help this season might want to take a peek Thursday at the Phillies' Grapefruit League game against the Astros in Kissimmee. Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee will pitch, which means he is not behind schedule in relation to other pitchers in camp. Lee finished last season on the disabled list with an injured left elbow, but there have been no issues this spring. "Cliff is right on," Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure said Friday afternoon. "He's throwing well. He feels good." Lee, who is scheduled to throw two innings, is one of a host of Phillies veterans that could be traded this season. Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams will start Tuesday's Grapefruit League opener against the Yankees at Bright House Field. Right-handers David Buchanan and Jeanmar Gomez and left-handers Joely Rodriguez and Mario Hollands also are scheduled to pitch. Right-hander Aaron Harang will start Wednesday's game against the Yankees in Tampa. Right-handers Ethan Martin, Justin De Fratus, Paul Clemens, Kevin Slowey and Hector Neris also will pitch. The Phillies play an exhibition game Sunday against the University of Tampa at Bright House Field. Right-handers Clemens, Phillippe Aumont, Neris, Nefi Ogando and left-handers Elvis Araujo and Andy Oliver are scheduled to pitch. The only pitchers in camp that have not thrown to hitters are right-handers Chad Billingsley and Jonathan Pettibone. Both are behind schedule because of a right elbow and a right shoulder injury, respectively.

Interesting Images At Photo Day – Before the Grapefruit League season opens Tuesday and Phillies players face real competition with real results that matter, reporters have asked Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg if anybody has stood out in camp. Phillies left-hander Mario Hollands, 26, has stood out, but for more than his pitching. Hollands is sporting stirrups, which have gone the way of the no-flapped batting helmet and zip-up jerseys. No Phillies player has worn stirrups on an everyday basis since Jim Thome in 2012. No Phillies player had worn them regularly before Thome since Jamie Moyer from 2006-10. "If I have half the career they had, I'd be very happy," Hollands said Friday morning at Bright House Field. Stirrups have died among players -- the team keeps four-inch and nine-inch stirrups on hand, mostly for coaches -- for several reasons. Most players wear long pants, so the cuff rests below the ankle, making stirrups unnecessary. Socks also can be more comfortable. But another reason is traditional baseball cleats (cut below the ankle with the oversized tongue that flips over the laces) have been replaced by high-top cleats. Stirrups with high-top cleats are a bad look. Hollands said he has a few pairs of Cliff Lee's old cleats, which he will use during the season. They work well. Hollands wore the four-inch stirrups on Sundays last season. He is giving the nine-inch ones a shot this spring because they fit better. The four-inch ones had bad elastic, so he had to tape them up before every game, which is not exactly convenient. "Right now I'm going to wear them," Hollands said. "But the first time I struggle, they're gone."

Pierre Retires – Juan Pierre, the catalyst of the Marlins' 2003 World Series title team and one of the most prolific base-stealers of his generation, has announced his retirement. The 37-year-old speedster is walking away from the game after an impressive 14-year career. Pierre, who lives in south Florida, is now a self-proclaimed "stay-at-home dad." He also isn't ready to accept a coaching position at this point. The outfielder broke in with the Rockies in 2000 and was dealt to the Marlins in 2003. Immediately, his speed made an impact, as he set the franchise stolen-base record (65). The Marlins created chaos on the bases in '03 with the combination of Pierre and Luis Castillo at the top of the order, leading the way to an NL-best 150 stolen bases, 50 more than the runner-up. A career .295 hitter, Pierre posted 614 stolen bases, the 14th most in MLB's modern era, which is recognized as starting in 1900. The veteran outfielder also compiled 2,217 hits. News of his retirement is not surprising, since he last played in 2013, wrapping up his second stint with the Marlins. Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill twice has asked Pierre if he is willing to coach in the organization. The first was following the 2013 season and the second came during this offseason. Pierre's response on both occasions was he is not yet ready. In a conversation with MLB.com in January, Pierre said he is happy being a "stay at home dad." Pierre appeared in 1,994 games with six different teams -- Rockies, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, White Sox and Phillies. Pierre's first stint with the Marlins was from 2003-05, and he returned in '13.

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.