Phillies Overmatched By Kershaw And Dodgers

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Blank Phillies 5-0

Clayton Kershaw made his case for the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote and A.J. Ellis and Jimmy Rollins homered as the Dodgers beat the Phillies, 5-0, Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium. In his last start before the All-Star break, and last audition for the Final Vote, Kershaw fired his first shutout of the season. The MLB leader in strikeouts tied a season-high with 13 strikeouts and allowed eight hits. Kershaw's ERA is 1.53 in his last nine starts and his season ERA dropped to 2.85. "He was really strong. He was 0-1 all night long, which sets up the entire at-bat for Clayton," Ellis said. "Hopefully, and rightfully so, Major League Baseball gets to see this guy next week." Adam Morgan lasted just four innings and took the loss for the Phillies. In his third career start, Morgan allowed five runs, all coming on the home runs, his second straight outing allowing multiple home runs. "It's a process, but I feel great right now," Morgan said. "I still feel like there's more, so I'm just going to keep working my butt off and hopefully take the ball whenever I get the chance again."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies felt pretty good after Morgan allowed two runs in seven innings last weekend against Atlanta, but he could not replicate that success against the Dodgers. He allowed six hits, five runs, one walk and two home runs in just four innings. "We were careful with him," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's allowed to not be sharp once in a while, especially when you're a rookie. I think he's better than he pitched today. I think he's more like the last two starts than he was today."
• Morgan's early departure forced the Phillies' already overworked bullpen into another long night. That is worth noting with rookie right-hander Severino Gonzalez pitching Thursday night's series finale. Gonzalez has not pitched more than 5 1/3 innings in any of his six starts this season.
• "When a guy like Kershaw is pitching like he did tonight, you're in trouble. Obviously, he's got six losses, so somebody caught him at the right time. We unfortunately didn't." – Mackanin.
• The Phillies had not been shut out since June 15. They had averaged 4.86 runs per game since, which ranked 8th in Major League Baseball.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie right-hander Gonzalez rejoins the Phillies' rotation for Thursday night's series finale against the Dodgers. He is 2-3 with an 8.28 ERA in six starts and has been unable to pitch more than 5 1/3 innings in any of them, but the Phillies would rather give him another look than right-hander Kevin Correia, whom they designated for assignment Tuesday. Zack Greinke will be on the mound for the final game of the four-game set at 7:10 p.m. PT. Greinke leads the Majors with a 1.48 ERA and hasn't allowed a run in his last 27 2/3 innings, a streak that spans four consecutive starts. Greinke has lasted at least six innings in every start this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

Getting Through The Night – Adam Morgan had allowed just three runs in the first 12 2/3 innings of his Phillies career. But he had no illusions pitching in the big leagues would be so easy. Wednesday night proved to be a reality check anyway. Morgan allowed six hits, five runs, one walk and two home runs in four innings in a 5-0 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. It was the shortest start of his very brief, three-start career, and the 16th time in the last 22 games a Phillies starter has been unable to pitch six innings. "I felt off a little bit," Morgan said. "The biggest mistake that I think that I made was falling behind on guys, trying to pick too much." Morgan walked Howie Kendrick with one out in the first, then hit Justin Turner with a pitch. Freddy Galvis made an ill-advised flip to Cesar Hernandez on a ball up the middle, which loaded the bases. Morgan worked out of the jam, but he served up a two-run home run to A.J. Ellis in the second inning to hand the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. It was Ellis' first homer of the season. Morgan then allowed a three-run homer to Jimmy Rollins in the third to make it 5-0. Rollins has enjoyed playing against his former team. He entered the series hitting .208 with seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .585 OPS. He is 4-for-12 with one double, one home run and five RBIs in three games against the Phillies, which includes the game-winning hit Monday night. Morgan hit in the fifth inning, but did not pitch in the bottom of the fifth, despite throwing 88 pitches. Interim manager Pete Mackanin explained that since Morgan has dealt with shoulder problems in the past -- he had left shoulder surgery in January 2014 -- that he erred on the side of caution. "We were careful with him," Mackanin said. "He's allowed to not be sharp once in a while, especially when you're a rookie. I think he's better than he pitched today. I think he's more like the last two starts than he was today." That is the Phillies' hope. And that is exactly why Morgan will get more starts after the All-Star break next week. "You pull for Adam Morgan because of the way he goes about his business," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday. "The way he's handled himself so far, you have to respect that and hope that it continues." "It's a process, but I feel great right now," Morgan said. "I still feel like there's more, so I'm just going to keep working my butt off and hopefully take the ball whenever I get the chance again."

Who’s At Second? – Chase Utley is the greatest second baseman in Phillies history, but it appears Cesar Hernandez's time has come. Hernandez, 25, is hitting .301 (55-for-183) with 10 doubles, one triple, one home run, 19 RBIs and a .768 OPS in 72 games. He was 1-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout in Tuesday night's 7-2 win over the Dodgers. But is the iconic Utley, 36, still the primary second baseman when he returns from the DL? "Not for me he's not," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "Cesar Hernandez is our best second baseman." So whenever Utley returns … "I would assume that Cesar will be our second baseman," Amaro said. "Chase's situation will kind of dictate itself, how he feels. There'll be time for him to play, I think. He could play some first base. He could play some second. But as far as I'm concerned, just like what our plan has been for a long, long time, that's to give opportunities to young men who could be part of our future. Cesar Hernandez has been one of our best players on the field right now in a variety of ways." Not surprisingly, Utley had little reaction about Amaro's comments. "Well, I think Cesar has done a really good job," Utley said. "There you go." Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin seems to be on board with Amaro. Asked for a health update on Utley before the game, Mackanin said, "I haven't heard a word. But with Cesar playing so well, it's not really a big deal for the simple reason that Utley has not played and seen pitching, so when he does come back … you really can't count on him. How long has it been? Two weeks. And by the time he starts taking BP and all of that stuff, it's probably going to be a month before he comes back in and then what do you do? I don't know." Utley's ankle has improved since a cortisone injection. He could begin baseball activities before the end of the road trip. He also said recently he could be back on the field before the end of the month.

Head Toward The Light – The Phillies have the worst record in baseball, but Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said he sees a light at the end of a long tunnel. "I would put our farm system up against anybody's," Amaro said Tuesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. "I'm not saying that because I'm the GM, I'm saying it because at this stage right now from top to bottom, from [Class A] Williamsport to the [rookie-level] GCL to [Double-A] Reading and with [Aaron] Nola and [Aaron] Altherr and some guys in Triple-A, I would put our organization up against any of them. "We have players," he said. "We have more players since I've been here … 17 years. When you can move players from low A to high A and not skip a beat, that's when you know you're starting to build depth in your organization. "We've got players. I'm telling you. Are they all going to be Major Leaguers? Absolutely not. Will they be impact players? Absolutely not. But as far as depth …" He said it's the best he has seen since he has been in the Phillies' front office. Minor matters: Right-hander Jonathan Pettibone will have right shoulder surgery (an interval closure) on July 22. It is Pettibone's second shoulder surgery. He had his first in June 2014; Right-hander Sean O'Sullivan accepted his assignment and will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The Phillies outrighted him Monday; Right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez continues to have shoulder problems. He has been shut down from throwing.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 29-58. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 40-49-0 on this day.

Phillies Rotation Issues Persist Against Dodgers

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Down Phillies 10-7

Jimmy Rollins came through in the clutch against his old team and the Dodgers held on for a hard-fought 10-7 victory over the Phillies on Monday night at Dodger Stadium in a game that took four hours and 13 minutes to complete. Rollins came to the plate with two outs in the seventh inning with the score tied at 7, and drove in a pair of runs to give the Dodgers a lead they wouldn't surrender. Rollins was 2-for-4 in his first game against Philadelphia after spending 15 years with the Phillies. Howie Kendrick chipped in four hits for Los Angeles. "When you get a hit like that, it feels good, no matter who you're playing against," Rollins said. "If you don't, it's like 'damn it.' I definitely didn't want to have a 'damn it' moment against my former team, but it wasn't something extra. "You put me in situations where it counts, I've just had a knack for getting it done lots of times." Both teams had hot bats and struggled on the mound. Sean O'Sullivan lasted 5 1/3 innings as the starter for the Phillies, but allowed seven runs (six earned). Reliever Yimi Garcia made his first career start for the Dodgers, although he went just two innings by design. J.P. Howell earned the win as Los Angeles used seven pitchers in the game. "I wasn't really surprised," Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said about Rollins' late-inning heroics. "He's always been that kind of guy. Big-game situations, it doesn't matter what uniform he is wearing. He's always been that guy that wants to be up there in that situation. He's always been a guy who wants to be in that moment."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• In the sixth inning, the Phillies had a chance to end a Dodgers rally before it even began. With Rollins on first, Joc Pederson grounded into what could've been an inning-ending double play, but Cesar Hernandez bobbled the ball and could only record one out. The next hitter, Kendrick, singled to left to put the Dodgers up, 7-6.
• The Phillies got to Eric Surkamp in his Dodgers debut almost immediately once he entered the game in the third inning. Hernandez reached on a bunt single, then Maikel Franco walked on four pitches before Howard blasted a 2-2 curveball into the bleachers for a 5-3 Phillies lead. Surkamp pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, four runs and struck out four. Although there was no roster move made Monday night, Surkamp was cleaning out his locker after the game. "We wanted to take some of the pressure off Eric from the standpoint of not starting the game," manager Don Mattingly said. "Other than the rough first inning, he actually was not so bad."
• The Phillies' rotation struggles continued. The Phillies gave O'Sullivan a 6-3 lead in the fourth, but he served up a three-run home run to Yasmani Grandal in the fifth to tie the game. O'Sullivan (1-6, 6.08 ERA) allowed eight hits, and seven of them were for extra bases (four doubles, one triple, two home runs). The Phillies outrighted him to Triple-A after the game. He has not decided if he will accept his assignment or become a free agent. The Phillies will announce a corresponding move Tuesday. It is likely to be a relief pitcher until O'Sullivan's turn in the rotation comes up Saturday. "I told him this is a bottom-line business at this level," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "You've got to perform. He said, 'I get it. I understand. It's not a big surprise to me.' We've got to get some length out of those starters."
• Before Rollins' heroics, his replacement in Philadelphia had a headline-worthy game. Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis hit a two-run home run in the second inning to tie the game at 2. He then hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh to tie the game at 7. Galvis entered the night hitting .378 (17-for-45) with three doubles, three RBIs and an .884 OPS in 12 games since June 21.
• "Under normal circumstances, very often what is happening is the pitcher gets into the fifth, and I don't really want to send the guy back out in the sixth, because he hasn't looked sharp, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we can, so that I don't abuse the bullpen." -- Mackanin, on Phillies starters' inability to pitch deep in games, which has taxed the bullpen. Phillies starters have been unable to complete at least six innings in 15 of the last 20 games.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Chad Billingsley faces his former team for the first time Tuesday night against the Dodgers at 10:10 p.m. ET. Billingsley spent his entire career with the Dodgers before joining Phillies in the offseason. Billingsley spent the final two years of his Dodgers career recovering from a pair of right elbow surgeries. Brett Anderson takes the mound for the Dodgers for the 7:10 p.m. PT start. He's looking for his fourth straight win and has allowed just three runs in his last 20 innings pitched. Anderson leads the Majors with a 69.2 percent ground-ball rate.

PHILS PHACTS:

Another Long Night – The Phillies took Monday night's loss to the Dodgers to new lengths. They played what is believed to be the longest nine-inning game in franchise history. Their 10-7 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium lasted four hours and 13 minutes, with former shortstop Jimmy Rollins hitting a two-out single to left field to score two runs in the seventh inning to break a tie and help give the Dodgers the victory. "I wasn't really surprised," Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard said about Rollins' late-inning heroics. "He's always been that kind of guy. Big-game situations, it doesn't matter what uniform he is wearing. He's always been that guy that wants to be up there in that situation. He's always been a guy who wants to be in that moment." It took a while to reach that moment. Elias Sports Bureau only could go back to 1987, but Baseball-Reference said Monday's game was the Phillies' longest nine-inning contest since 1914. "We looked at the clock, I couldn't believe what time it was," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Both teams threw a combined 367 pitches. Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan threw 123 in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed eight hits, seven runs, two walks, two home runs and struck out three. He could not hold a 6-3 lead, serving up a three-run home run to Yasmani Grandal in the fifth. The Phillies outrighted O'Sullivan (1-6, 6.08 ERA) to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the game. He has not decided if he will accept his assignment or elect free agency. "Not really surprising," said O'Sullivan, who posted an 11.05 ERA in his last three starts. "The last three games have obviously been below par." Phillies starters have been unable to pitch six innings in 15 of the last 20 games, which has put a tremendous strain on the bullpen. It has forced Mackanin to manage the game differently. "Under normal circumstances, very often what is happening is the pitcher gets into the fifth, and I don't really want to send the guy back out in the sixth, because he hasn't looked sharp, but I'm crossing my fingers and hoping we can, so that I don't abuse the bullpen," he said. "We just can't afford to use the bullpen. We've got to get more length." Maybe Mackanin handles the seventh inning differently. With runners on second and third and two outs, Mackanin could have intentionally walked Rollins to load the bases then bring in a lefty to face Joc Pederson. "Here we go again," Mackanin said. "I had to use my lefties in long relief a couple days ago, because of this situation. They weren't even available tonight. Maybe for one hitter, but it's hard to use a left-hander situationally, because I might need him to pitch two innings [the next day]."

Rollins Still Offering Opinions On Phillies – Jimmy Rollins is not feeling especially nostalgic this week at Dodger Stadium. The Phillies are in town, but they traded him to the Dodgers in December. So those warm and fuzzy feelings about facing his former team? "I haven't thought about it, honestly," Rollins said Monday before delivering the key hit for the Dodgers in their 10-7 win over the Phillies. "There's enough going on around here to keep me occupied. It'll be good to see the guys. Obviously, I've texted a few of them. A few of them return them right away, some wait a week or two. But, other than that, it's another baseball game, honestly. Going there will probably be different, but coming here, they're the team we want to beat." Rollins said he is not following his former team too closely, but he certainly knows the Phillies have the worst record in baseball. "I'm glad to have gotten out when I did," Rollins said. "But I'm glad to have gotten here. [Phillies senior vice president and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.] and I spoke of where I wanted to go. I said Los Angeles, and they were able to get a deal done. So that helps, it helps a whole bunch, when you go somewhere you want to go if you have to leave, as opposed to just wherever you end up." Rollins touched on number topics Monday: Ryne Sandberg resigning midseason: "When you're not winning, things happen like that. It's unfortunate that had to happen that way, no one wants to see a manager get halfway through the season and walk away for any reason other than health issues, but that wasn't the case. Pete Mackanin, who is a jokester, he's probably changed the clubhouse over there a little bit." Owner John Middleton, who emerged as a face of the organization last week: "He's a great man. I enjoyed John. Obviously you guys know his fire and his passion. And all he wants to do is win. I've always said if there can be another [George] Steinbrenner, it'll probably be him. He wants to do whatever it takes to win. Him stepping forward doesn't surprise [me]. I think it's a place where he's always wanted to be." On if he's surprised the Phillies are this bad: "[Team president] Pat Gillick said they wouldn't be a competitive team for a couple of years. I know when we were there he said that [in 2006], and we did our best to prove him wrong and the next year we were right there in the playoffs, finally broke through two years later, won a championship. I remember him saying that. I thought he was up to his old tricks again, inspiring the boys. That hasn't happened so far. Maybe he was right. Maybe he was being honest, that with what they have and what they are going to eventually have in the farm system, they might not be competitive for a couple years." On Cole Hamels possibly being traded to the Dodgers: "That would be nice. Cole would be close to home. We know what type of pitcher he is, especially in big games. He wants those games. You have two big-game pitchers that are already here [in Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke], so that would be three, and that's one heck of a combination."

Changes – The Phillies outrighted right-hander Sean O'Sullivan to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following Monday's game, and have recalled right-hander Hector Neris from Triple-A. In 13 games (all starts) with the Phillies this year, O'Sullivan has gone 1-6 with a 6.08 ERA. It's his second season with Philadelphia after going 0-1 with a 6.39 mark in three games last year. Neris, 26, has appeared in two games with the Phillies this season and allowed three hits and one walk over 2 2/3 scoreless innings.

Papelbon Named All Star – If the Phillies handle July the way everybody in baseball expects them to handle it, Jonathan Papelbon will make one of his final appearances in a Phillies uniform next week at the All-Star Game in Cincinnati. Papelbon is the Phillies' lone All-Star, selected by National League manager Bruce Bochy based on strong numbers for a closer (1.65 ERA, 14 saves in 31 appearances entering Monday's series opener in Los Angeles) despite pitching for a team that entered play Monday winning only one-third of its games this season. "I think every one of [the All-Star Game selections] is special," Papelbon said Monday about his sixth All-Star appearance. "I think the best part about this one is my kids are a little bit older. I'll be able to let them go … and let them experience it and let them kind of be able to remember it more. That will be pretty cool for me." The Phillies are expected to trade Papelbon before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Depending on who is talking, either the Phillies are asking way too much for Papelbon or teams are trying to low-ball them. Either way, Papelbon hopes to be pitching for a contender by Aug. 1. "I would be surprised," Papelbon said, asked about being with the Phillies next month. "Yeah, that would be a pretty valid answer." Would he be disappointed? "Yeah, yeah," he said. "I would say so." Papelbon has a limited no-trade clause, but he reiterated it will not be an issue. "Any team that wants me, I'm willing to go to," he said. "I just think, for me, there are no doors closed right now." Except for teams that don't want him to close. Papelbon has no interest in being a setup man. Papelbon has a $13 million club option for next season that automatically vests if he finishes 48 games this season. He already has finished 28, so he should reach that number. But Papelbon could require the option to be picked up to facilitate a trade. He only said his agents will handle that. Papelbon's salary has been an issue in trade talks, although the Phillies have said they are willing to eat salary to get the right prospects in return. "The front office knows where my heart is and where my mind is," Papelbon said. "And that's to be with a contending ballclub. The ball is in the Phillies' court, the front office's court, or I should say Andy MacPhail's court? I haven't had the opportunity to speak with Andy. I wish I could have. And I would still like to speak with him. But for some reason, that hasn't been made possible for me." Of course, MacPhail isn't officially calling the shots yet. "Well, then [Phillies president Pat Gillick] knows where I stand and [senior vice president and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.] knows exactly where I stand," he said. "I think everybody knows where I'm at. I've always been straightforward that I want to go play for a contender, and I'm not going to shy away from it. I feel like that's my right and my prerogative to have that opportunity, and, you know, it's in their hands. The ball's in their court. I guess that's kind of it." Voting is open now at MLB.com to select the final player for each League's 34-man roster via the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote. Fans can cast their votes from a list of five players from each League until 4 p.m. ET on Friday. And the voting doesn't end there. During the All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile in Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 14, fans can once again visit MLB.com to submit their choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. Voting exclusively at MLB.com, online and via their mobile devices in the 2015 All-Star Game MVP Vote presented by Chevrolet, the fans' collective voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy. MLB.TV Premium subscribers will be able to live stream the All-Star Game via MLB.TV through FOX's participating video providers. Access will be available across more than 400 supported MLB.TV platforms, including the award-winning MLB.com At Bat app. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of the All-Star Week festivities, including the 2015 Gillette Home Run Derby presented by Head & Shoulders, part of Gatorade All-Star Workout Day on Monday, July 13. The Derby will feature a new format with brackets and timed rounds and will be broadcast live by ESPN and MLB.com beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The 86th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports (coverage begins 7 p.m. ET), in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Getting Closer – Aaron Nola remains the Phillies' closest pitching prospect to the big leagues, especially with the rotation consistently struggling to pitch six innings. It would not be a surprise to see him with the Phillies before the end of the month. Nola, the club's No. 2 prospect, according to MLB.com, is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA in four starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, after going 7-3 with a 1.88 ERA in 12 starts for Double-A Reading. "He's close," senior vice president and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Monday. "He's still working on some things. He struggled through a couple of games. He hasn't necessarily been knocked around, but it hasn't been easy for him. He's still learning some things and dealing with more veteran hitters in Triple-A, which is a good test for him. "I don't think he's that far away, but when he's ready he'll be here. Just because our rotation is very poor right now, it doesn't mean we're going to bring him to the big leagues for that reason. We're going to bring him when it's time for him developmentally."

Phillies Win? – The Phillies only truly began their rebuilding process last December, when they traded Jimmy Rollins to the Dodgers for a pair of Minor League pitchers. The move proved symbolic, because the organization finally cut ties with one of its iconic players. "It absolutely was the right thing for us to do," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Sunday at Turner Field. "We'll continue to try to do those types of deals that'll help bring some talent into our system and afford opportunities for young players like Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco." The early returns for the Phillies are positive. Rollins entered Monday's series opener against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium hitting .208 with 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 24 RBIs and a .585 OPS, which ranked 161st out of 164 qualified hitters in baseball, though he did have the key hit in the Dodgers' 10-7 win. Meanwhile, Double-A Reading right-hander Zach Eflin, whom the Phillies acquired in the deal and is ranked the club's No. 4 prospect, is 5-4 with a 2.88 ERA in 14 starts. Reading left-hander Tom Windle, whom they also acquired and is the club's No. 5 prospect, just moved to the bullpen after struggling as a starter, but the Phillies think his arm will play big there. "We're very pleased. I'm very happy with [the deal]," Amaro said. "Eflin has a chance to be one of, if not the best, one of the best pitching prospects we have in our organization. Right now, [No. 2 prospect Aaron Nola] is the guy that people are focusing on, but Eflin has a chance to have every bit as high a ceiling. "Windle has a strong arm. His command wasn't really good enough to be a starter at this stage of his career, but we think throwing him in the 'pen gives him a faster track to the big leagues. There's great value in those guys that can throw in the mid-to-upper 90s [mph] from the left side."

Minor Update – Players of the Week: Player - INF/OF Tyler Henson, Lehigh Valley...Henson, 27, batted .444 with a home run, 10 RBI, six runs scored, five doubles, four stolen bases and a triple last week on his way to Phillies Minor League Player of the Week honors. Henson went 3-4 with a home run, double and four RBI on June 30, setting the stage for his productive week. He went 10-26 in the four games that followed, recording multiple hits in three of them and multiple RBI in two. He raised his batting average 31 points in just seven games from June 29 to July 5, and was also named an International League All-Star. Henson was signed by the Phillies as a minor league free agent in 2011 after originally being signed by the Orioles and Jim Richardson following his selection in the fifth round of the 2006 draft. Pitcher - LHP Adam Loewen, Lehigh Valley...The 31-year-old Loewen was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for the second time in three weeks after four dominant relief appearances for the IronPigs. In those four games, he combined to throw 6.0 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs or walks while striking out nine and collecting two saves. The southpaw has not allowed a run since May 17, and in his last 8.1 innings has surrendered one walk, one hit and has struck out 14 batters. Loewen was signed by the Phillies in April of 2014 as a minor league free agent, and was originally signed by the Orioles and Dave Jennings after being selected in the first round by Baltimore in the 2002 draft. Lehigh Vslley IronPigs - International League North Division…36-49, 5^th place…The IronPigs won six of their seven games last week, sweeping the first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in a three-game set before taking three of four from the second-place Rochester Red Wings. After starting 4-13 against IL North opponents, Lehigh Valley has pulled to .500 against divisional foes for the first time this season. Top hitting performers - INF/OF Tyler Henson was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .444 in seven games with a team-high seven extra-base hits (five doubles, triple, home run) 10 RBI, six runs scored, four stolen bases and a 1.196 OPS…OF Aaron Altherr was 9-28 (.321) with five RBI, five walks, three doubles, a triple and six runs scored…C Gabriel Lino hit safely in all five of his games, batting .364 with four doubles, four RBI and four runs scored. Top pitching performers - LHP Adam Loewen appeared in four games in relief, combining to toss 6.0 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed and nine strikeouts. His performance earned him Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for the second time in three weeks…RHP Jason Berken turned in his longest outing since 2007 on July 5, tossing 8.2 innings of two-run ball to help Lehigh Valley to a win over Rochester...RHP Aaron Nola made two starts for the IronPigs, combining to throw 11.0 innings while allowing three earned runs (2.45 ERA) and striking out 10 batters…RHP David Buchanan lasted 6.1 innings and allowed just one run in his first triple-A start since May 17. Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …43-39, 2^nd place…Reading continues to put pressure on the Trenton Thunder for the top spot in the division after a 4-3 week which included a series win over New Britain. Reading currently sits just three games back of first place as they round out a series with the Thunder during the day on Monday. Top hitting performers - OF Kelly Dugan is now hitting .341 with Reading after collecting 11 hits in 31 at-bats for the Fightins last week. He has multiple hits in 10 of 21 games since his promotion…1B Brock Stassi not only hit .364, but also walked 11 times in seven games, giving him a .576 on-base percentage for the week. He also scored six runs for the Fightins…3B Harold Martinez collected a couple of three-hit games on his way to a .389 batting average and four RBI in six games…C Andrew Knapp drove in eight runs while batting .316. Since being promoted to double-A, Knapp has hit safely in all eight games and has three multi-RBI games. Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Lively surrendered just one run on six hits over 5.0 innings of work against New Britain on July 1…RHP Colton Murray made two multi-inning relief appearances, combining to throw 5.0 innings with no runs allowed and three strikeouts. Murray has held opponents scoreless in seven of his last eight outings. Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…8-3, 1^st place, 45-36 overall… The Threshers are in the middle of a hot streak, as they won five of seven games last week and have taken 14 of their last 17 dating back to June 17. They have not lost a series since being swept by Tampa June 4-6. Top hitting performers - OF Andrew Pullin belted two home runs, drove in 10 runs and scored seven more while batting .323 over seven games. His home runs came on consecutive days, and he also recorded eight of his 10 RBI in those two games…C Chace Numata capped his week with consecutive three-hit games, helping him to a .357 average…C Willians Astudillo batted .348 with a home run, six RBI and three runs scored…1B Rhys Hoskins collected eight hits, walked four times, scored five runs and knocked in three more in seven games. Top pitching performers - RHP Yacksel Rios pitched to a 1.80 ERA (two earned runs in 10.0 innings) and 0.70 WHIP (five hits, two walks) in his two starts combined. Opponents hit just .139 against him…RHP Victor Arano earned the win in his lone start after scattering four hits and allowing just one run in 6.0 innings July 1 against Tampa…LHP Matt Imhof threw 6.0 scoreless frames and yielded only one hit to Tampa in his start on July 3. Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…5-6, T-4^th place, 38-41 overall… Lakewood lost four straight contests to begin the week, but rebounded to win their series finale with Delmarva and the series opener with Hagerstown to salvage an otherwise tough week. The offense has been a bright a spot for the BlueClaws, scoring five runs or more in each of the last four games. Top hitting performers - 1B Kyle Martin, the Phillies fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft, led the team with five extra-base hits (four doubles and a triple) and 16 total bases last week. He hit .357 with six runs scored…INF Damek Tomscha hit a home run and added three doubles, helping him to a .360/.429/.600 slash line last week with four RBI…LF Cord Sandberg was 8-24 (.333) with three RBI and two runs scored. Top pitching performers - LHP Austin Davis came out of the bullpen for 4.2 innings and did not allow a run on June 29. He followed that up with a 3.0-inning, one-run relief appearance on July 3…RHP Tyler Viza struck out seven batters during a 7.2-inning, two-run quality start against Delmarva…LHP Elniery Garcia did not allow a run and surrendered just five hits in 7.0 innings during his start on July4…LHP Joey DeNato struck out three and allowed just one hit in 3.2 innings in relief. Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division…13-3, 1^st place…It took Williamsport 16 games-just about a quarter of their entire season-to drop back-to-back games. That is how good the Crosscutters have been in the early part of the 2015 season. They won four more games last week and already lead the Pinckney Division by six full games over the Auburn Doubledays. Top hitting performers - The Phillies 10^th round pick in 2015, 2B Josh Tobias, posted four-multi-hit games as he batted .375 with a home run and six RBI for the Crosscutters…C Gregori Rivero hit .333 with a home run, three doubles, two RBI and a .667 slugging percentage. Top pitching performers -  RHP Jose Taveras lasted 6.0 strong innings and allowed just a run on two hits while striking out six in his start last week…RHP Alejandro Arteaga also allowed one run on two hits and struck out six in his 5.0-inning start against Auburn…RHP Franklyn Kilome let one unearned run cross the plate in 5.0 innings of work on July 3. He has allowed just one earned run in his first 16.2 innings this season (0.54 ERA). GCL Phillies - Gulf Coast League, Northwest Division…9-2, 1^st place… The Phillies started and ended the week with three wins, sandwiching a lone loss to the GCL Braves in between as they continue their strong start to the season. Pitching has certainly been a focal point during this hot stretch, as the team pitched two shutouts and had two more games with just one run allowed. They have surrendered only 24 runs in 11 games this season, which is fewest in the league by nine runs. Top hitting performers - 1B Luis Encarnacion had 10 hits in 20 at-bats, including a home run and a triple. He drove in five runs and tallied 15 total bases…LF Cornelius Randolph, the Phillies first-round selection in the 2015 draft, hit safely in all but one of his six games. He doubled three times, drove in seven runs and reached base at a .423 clip…CF Juan Luis hit .294 with three runs, three stolen bases and a pair of doubles. Top pitching performers -  RHP Sam McWilliams started his season with 6.0-inning, two-hit, scoreless performance on June 30 against the GCL Astros…LHP Ranger Suarez has not yet allowed a run this season in 11.0 innings following a 6.0-inning scoreless start on July 3…RHP Ismael Cabrera made one start and appeared once in relief, combining for 5.0 scoreless frames with eight strikeouts.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 28-57. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 31-70-0 on this day.

The Front Office Changed But On Field Stayed The Same

GAME RECAP: Brewers Beat Phillies 7-4

For the Brewers Monday, the sixth inning was just a better version of the first five. After recording at least one hit in each of the first five innings, the Brewers kept swinging in the sixth, starting off the inning with six straight hits, scoring three runs and seizing the lead. Milwaukee never looked back from that point, defeating the Phillies, 7-4. Jonathan Lucroy and Ryan Braun led the Brewers' offense from the two and three holes, combining for seven hits, six of which were singles, three RBIs and two runs scored in Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games. "That's definitely a win for the offense and bullpen, for sure," said Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson, who fell into a 4-1 deficit after two innings before finding a rhythm and pitching through the fifth for the win. Coming just hours after announcing Andy MacPhail as their next team president, the Phillies' loss ensured that for the second time this season, they will win fewer than 10 games in a month. It was the Phillies' fourth loss in five games and the 16th time in June that they allowed double-digit hits in a game.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• As bad as the three runs allowed in the sixth inning were, strong defensive plays by the Phillies' infield prevented the Brewers from scoring even more runs. With the bases loaded, no one out and the hot-swinging Adam Lind at the plate, relief pitcher Justin De Fratus forced a soft chopper to shortstop Freddy Galvis. Galvis charged on the ball and threw home, getting the out, though the bases remained loaded. De Fratus forced another ground ball in the next at-bat though, this one to Cesar Hernandez who was able to flip to Galvis to start off an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
• In the bottom of the third inning, Mackanin challenged Carlson's ruling that Domonic Brown was out at home, as he believed Lucroy was blocking the plate. After a one-minute, 15-second review, the ruling on the field was confirmed and Brown, who tried to score from first on a Cody Asche double, was out. The Phillies did not come away with a run in the inning.
• "I'll tell you right now when you haven't been over there for a while, that job is a lot harder than most people think it is. It looks a lot easier from up above than it does when you're on the field level." -- Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin on how new third-base coach John Mizerock has done since taking over for Mackanin on Friday. Domonic Brown has been thrown out between third and home twice in the four games since the change.
• Tuesday's game will be the last game of June for both teams. Though it wasn't a month to remember, the Phillies are more likely to want to forget it. With a win Tuesday, the Brewers would break .500 in the month.
• Outside of the matchup between Hamels and Braun, another interesting matchup will be the one between Hamels and Adam Lind. Lind is on a nine-game hitting streak and is 3-for-8 with a home run lifetime versus Hamels.
• Taylor Jungmann will start for the Brewers. He is 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in four starts for the Brewers in June, his first four starts as a big league. Jungmann has primarily relied on the hard stuff in those starts, with 75 percent of his pitches having been fastballs or sinkers, both of which average 92 mph.

NEXT GAME:

One of the hottest batters in the National League will face off against one of the hottest potential trade commodities in baseball Tuesday when Ryan Braun and the Brewers visit Cole Hamels and the Phillies for the second game of a four-game series. Though Braun, who is fifth in the NL in RBIs since the end of April, has cooled off in June compared with his torrid May, the outfielder has four multi-hit games in his past eight, including a 3-for-5 night in Monday's series-opening 7-4 win over the Phillies. Hamels has faced Braun more times than any pitcher who has never pitched in the NL Central. Braun is 10-for-34 lifetime versus the left-hander with three home runs and five RBIs. Coming off his least effective start since early May, Hamels will attempt to regain the form he maintained in his six starts between May 8 and June 3, where he lasted seven or more innings and allowed two or fewer runs each time.

PHILS PHACTS:

Gillick Officially Announces Replacement – A critical piece to the Phillies' future was brought into the fold Monday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Phillies ownership partner John Middleton and president Pat Gillick introduced Andy MacPhail at a news conference, during which they revealed that MacPhail will succeed Gillick as club president after the season. In the meantime, he will be a special assistant to Gillick. "I think my three main functions are going to be to read, to watch and listen," MacPhail said. "And hopefully in three months I'll have a clear idea of what's appropriate and needs to be done." Middleton said the club was seeking an experienced executive to take over from Gillick. "We needed someone who had a proven track record of success," Middleton said. "The ideal candidate was someone who had won multiple World Series titles, but equally important, had taken many teams over many years, had successfully built them up and taken them to the postseason. "In addition to the nearly 30 year of success he's enjoyed in Minnesota, Chicago an Baltimore, Andy has done an excellent job of keeping himself current with the changing trends of baseball … Andy is the rare combination of old-school experience and new-age thinking." MacPhail will take control of an organization that is trying to rebuild for postseason contention in a few years. Middleton wouldn't put a precise timeframe on when he expects MacPhail to build a winner. "Even now, we're not going to give him a number and say, 'You need to create a team that fits in to this number,'" Middleton said. "We want him to create the best team for the Phillies to have success in the long run. We're out to find that." MacPhail will play a vital role in the potential trades of veterans Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Aaron Harang and others before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He might also decide the fate of general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season. Amaro is expected to remain GM for the foreseeable future. Ryne Sandberg resigned as the Phillies' manager on Friday, leaving Pete Mackanin as interim manager. The Phils only have said that Mackanin will serve in that role through their current homestand, which ends Thursday, probably because they did not want to announce anything further until MacPhail's introduction. "There was nothing in any of the conversations that Jim, Pete and I had with Andy over the last four, five, six months that suggested there was any reason Ryne should be looking for the door," Middleton said. "I'm disappointed and there was a part of me that wonders what we did wrong that we couldn't reach out to anybody, that we couldn't sense that Ryne was bothered enough to be thinking that sort of way. I'm saddened by it." MacPhail has experience leading three organizations. He served as the Twins' general manager when Minnesota won the 1987 and '91 World Series. MacPhail was the Cubs' president from 1994-2006, helping them reach the postseason twice. He then spent five seasons as the Orioles' president of baseball operations, making some of the trades that helped Baltimore return to the postseason. MacPhail's father Lee was general manager of the O's and Yankees and was president of the American League from 1974-84. His grandfather Larry was an executive for the Reds, Dodgers and Yankees. Both are in the Hall of Fame. "I think ownership was very diligent in selecting the right person for this job, and I think they did a great job in selecting Andy," Gillick said. "I've known Andy for over 30 years. Andy has a long career in baseball, has a successful career in baseball and he's an information gatherer. And I think that's very important. You can't shut off any area of information. … Any information is crucial to making the proper decision and the right deal."

Significant Changes Already Noticeable – The Phillies launched a new era Monday afternoon when ownership partner John Middleton introduced Andy MacPhail as the team's next president. MacPhail's arrival is a significant change for the organization. Middleton's involvement with the announcement is, too. "I think this is the first time that you've ever gone outside your organization to put somebody in a position like this," MacPhail told Middleton in a nearly 40-minute news conference at Citizens Bank Park. "I am extremely flattered that you considered me. I'm a little bit surprised you hired me because I've been out for a few years, but I'm glad anyway." MacPhail will replace Pat Gillick as president shortly after the end of the 2015 season, which comes Oct. 4. In the meantime, MacPhail will be an adviser. He said he will take the next three-plus months "to read, to watch and to listen. Hopefully within the three months I'll have a clear idea of what I think is appropriate and needs to be done." Plenty needs to be done. The Phillies have the worst record in baseball, despite one of the highest payrolls in the game. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr.'s contract expires at the end of the season. His fate must be decided, as well as the fate of the entire baseball operations staff, which will be evaluated top to bottom. "I don't like the word evaluate," MacPhail said. "I like the word learn. I got three months to learn what I need to learn. I think it's way premature to make personnel decisions. I don't need to have people I know around me. I don't think the record shows that I'm a guy that, four people get let go the minute that I'm in there. But they are case-by-case decisions. Once you get a feel on how your club needs to proceed, then you get a better idea of who you think can execute what you think you have to execute." Gillick replaced longtime president David Montgomery in August as he recovered from jaw bone cancer surgery. Gillick said at the time he would serve as long as ownership needed him, but the reality is Gillick, 77, never intended to be president for long. So Middleton and the organization's other two ownership partners -- Jim and Pete Buck -- began talking to MacPhail in the winter about replacing Gillick. They had reasons to be interested. MacPhail served as the Twins' general manager when Minnesota won the 1987 and '91 World Series. He joined the Cubs as their president and CEO in '94, guiding the Cubs to two postseason appearances in 12 years. MacPhail most recently served as the Orioles' president of baseball operations, making some of the trades that helped resurrect the franchise and get them back to the postseason. "When the three of us went out and started talking to people in Major League Baseball to solicit names, what surprised us was every single person without exception listed Andy MacPhail as No. 1," Middleton said. "There was nobody else who was No. 1 on any person's list. And that was extraordinary." Middleton said MacPhail has done an excellent job of keeping up with the changing trends in MLB, which includes the use of analytics. Middleton repeatedly mentioned the Phillies' need for more analytics in player-personnel evaluations and decisions. "I'm always amazed that more people don't do this, because even if you were a skeptic, you need to understand that stuff just to know how your opponents were thinking," MacPhail said. "It has always been part of everywhere that I've been." This is a critical time for the Phillies. They are rebuilding, and they have several veterans they can trade to speed up that process, with Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon leading the way. MacPhail will advise Gillick and Amaro about potential trades before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, but Gillick has final say until October. "When it ultimately comes to it, I'm going to make the call," Gillick said. "It's really critical that Andy participates in these decisions, whether or not he's actually making them," Middleton said. "He needs to see the dynamics between people, listen to the way they talk and how they interact with each other. He needs to ask questions. And that's why I said about using the next three months to learn the organization. That's what I said about listening and observing. I think it's critical that he's part of those conversations. "That's why we made the decision now. We wanted to make it as soon as we possibly could make it, because we wanted to get Andy involved in the organization as soon as possible and with the most amount of time so he could possibly learn before it was turned over to him." Middleton's presence at the news conference was meaningful. He and the team's other ownership partners have avoided the spotlight in the past. "I think when you make a decision of that magnitude, I think the ownership group has to come forward and understand that they are the ones making the decision," Middleton said. "We own this decision. … The ownership group has shrunk. The Bucks and my family have an increasingly larger position. And with that comes a bigger level of responsibility than it was 20 years ago, and with that, you have to step up. "Andy is going to have complete decision-making authority, just as Pat has and David had and Bill [Giles] had before David. You don't want us making baseball decisions, trust us. But we're going to be asking questions of the people who are involved in that process of getting information, sifting through it and making the decision. We need to be comfortable that they are crossing their T's and dotting the I's. And that's not going to change."

A Half Season To Prepare – The Phillies formally introduced Andy MacPhail, who has had success as an executive with three franchises, as their next club president Monday. At first glance, it looked like a safe, conservative decision. A tee shot down the middle rather than trying for the green with a more risky drive over a water hazard. A second glance, to MacPhail's immediate right on the dais at Citizens Bank Park, disproved that assumption. There sat John Middleton, a member of the ownership group. That's a big deal. It was the first outward and visible sign that the way the Phillies now conduct their business has changed significantly. And it's not just that Middleton revealed that the Phils will jump headfirst into advanced analytics for the first time when their own proprietary computer program -- to be called PHIL -- comes on line in September. For the last 34 years, the Phillies' partnership agreement gave new meaning to the concept of silent partners. The team president, first Bill Giles and later Dave Montgomery, had the final say on all decisions and spoke for the group. The investors remained unseen and unheard, and that's just the way it was. No more. Middleton said he believes it's important that the president represent the organization for baseball-related issues after Pat Gillick steps aside and MacPhail ascends at the end of the regular season. But the 60-year-old billionaire also made it perfectly clear that he isn't going to be content to passively sit in the shadows and root, root, root for the home team. "I foresee it being more of a public role when it deals with more significant ownership-level kinds of decisions," Middleton said. Middleton owns just under half of the Phillies' stock, as do cousins Pete and Jim Buck. He certainly can't be faulted for wanting to have a more active role in looking after his investment. Middleton has been exerting more influence for a while now, attending the quarterly Owners Meetings, for example. Now that involvement is out in the open. Monday's unveiling of MacPhail was his coming-out party as well. This isn't to say that the Phils didn't want to win before. The fact that they've had one of the highest payrolls in baseball for years demonstrates that. Still, the emphasis being placed on success has never been stated quite this bluntly and specifically. "When we were interviewing Andy, we made it clear to him that we expected him to devote the majority of his time to the baseball side of the business," Middleton said early in his preamble. "To improve the farm system and ultimately the Major League team. Every other consideration was secondary to that goal." Turning to MacPhail: "The pledge Jim, Pete and I made to you when we extended the offer is that you will have access to whatever resources you need to succeed." During the question-and-answer portion of the news conference, Middleton was asked directly if his presence signaled a change in approach from ownership. "I think the single most important thing an ownership group does is hire the person in charge of the business," he said. "And I think when you made a decision of that magnitude, the ownership group has to come forward and make sure that people understand that they are the ones who made the decision. Jim, Pete and I had the conversations. Jim, Pete and I had the deliberations privately. Jim, Pete and I reached out to different people. "This is not a decision that we delegated, much less abdicated. We own this decision. That's an important part of the accountability that we think we had." Middleton went on to dispute any notion that his goal is to gain a majority ownership stake in the team. "I'm very happy where I am now," he said. Where Middleton is now is front and center, although he joked that he hopes he doesn't have to appear about hiring a new president any time soon. But he conceded that there's been a significant change in the way the Phillies do business, partly because many of the original owners have sold their shares. "There's been an evolution within the franchise over the last several years," Middleton said. "As the ownership group has shrunk, the Bucks and my family have had an increasingly larger position. And with that comes a responsibility that's a little different from what it was 25 years ago, and you have to kind of step up. "Pete, Jim and I have been much more involved with the issues at an earlier stage than we were five years ago, for example. And that's not going to change. We're going to be there asking questions. You don't want us making baseball decisions, trust me. But I think we need to be asking hard questions of the people who are involved in that process. We need to be comfortable that they're crossing all their T's and dotting all their I's." And, if need be, nudging the organization along. It's not just a coincidence that there will be more of an emphasis on sabermetric analysis in the future. Middleton shook his head when asked if he was surprised at how the Phils have lagged in that area. "No, because I was aware enough with what was going on in previous years to kind of know where we are," he said. And why has that changed? "Because I'm in the position to make a hiring decision and make that happen," Middleton said without hesitation. Make no mistake. Hiring MacPhail is hugely significant with possible longlasting repercussions. But it only begins to suggest the way the Phillies are now a different operation than they've been.

Old And New School – Like an eager high school student, Andy MacPhail, hired Monday to become the new Phillies president at the end of the season, was prepared for the pop math quiz his new bosses surprised him with. Unlike a high school math quiz though, the questions Phillies owners Jim Buck, Pete Buck and John Middleton asked MacPhail weren't about algebra or trigonometry. They were about new-age baseball thinking and the emphasis MacPhail would put on sabermetrics upon becoming president. MacPhail's answers impressed Middleton. "Andy is a rare combination of both old-school experience and new-age thinking," Middleton said. "Old school because he has been doing this for a very long time. … New-age thinking because in the five years he spent as president of baseball operation for the Orioles, Andy greatly expanded the use of sabermetrics and statistical analysis in player evaluations." To MacPhail, that expansion of sabermetric ideology in Baltimore was a culmination of what he had done in his previous stops. MacPhail said he made use of analytics as the general manager of the Twins in the 1980s and '90s, well before the "Moneyball" era in Major League Baseball. In order to help MacPhail in immersing the Phillies deeper into the analytics movement, Middleton said that the Phils are launching and developing their own sabermetric system, custom made for their needs. Middleton expects this system -- to be called PHIL -- to go live in September. Despite his history in dealing with statistical analysis and predictive algorithms, MacPhail said he doesn't necessarily understand the math that goes into these formulas but rather tries to surround himself with both people who do understand them and people who are skeptical of them. "The more experience you have with it and the more you get a better sense of which formulas really are predictors of performance and which ones aren't, it's something that knowledge accrues over time," MacPhail said. "But I think it's absolutely essential that you marry that with the best human intelligence you can. Bodies change. Weaknesses get exposed and they get exploited. People make adjustments. So you need to look at every single facet that is possible when you're making player evaluations." This attitude out of MacPhail is slightly different than what the organization has been accustomed to from its front office. General manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. has admitted that the Phillies were latecomers to the analytics era, but he maintains that they were only late because conventional wisdom was working for the team. "One thing that we do have to remember also is that we have a lot of success and put together maybe some of the best baseball teams we've ever put together without necessarily having a proprietary system," Amaro said. "That doesn't mean we didn't utilize some of the analytics that were available to us. But at the same time, we did have success without that proprietary system." It's there where MacPhail's marriage of metrics and scouting will come into play. Both the Phils of recent memory and some of MacPhail's past stops proved that teams can be successful without a large-scale emphasis on sabermetrics. But in the same way, MacPhail mentioned the reclamation processes the Royals, Rays and Pirates have undergone as an example of how new-age thinking works, too. So to MacPhail, the two approaches need to be considered equally. "When it comes to that sort of thing, I believe you look at everything," he said. "Absolutely everything. Why would you exclude any information? You're going to try to do every piece of homework you can to push the odds of being successful in your favor." Middleton agreed. "You have to be comfortable at looking at anything you can possibly look at to get some sort of edge competitively to make a better decision," he said. "So it's just inconceivable to me that you'd hire somebody who just shut out a big chunk of valuable information. I wouldn't do it."

Time To Evaluate – Phillies ownership partner John Middleton said Monday that Andy MacPhail will have every resource at his disposal to rebuild the Phils. That includes money. "The mandate is to win," Middleton said at Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies introduced MacPhail as the next team president. "We're telling Andy and his team that you need to tell us what you need to win. We're not going to hand him a budget and tell him, 'You get to spend 'X' dollars next year.' We're going to tell him and say, 'You tell us what you can do for this team in order to win.' We want him to create the best team for the Phillies for it to have success in the long run. And we're out to fund that." But MacPhail will need good people around him, too. So he plans to spend the next three-plus months evaluating the entire baseball operations department. That includes general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., whose contract expires at the end of the season, as well as finding the next on-field manager. Pete Mackanin is the interim manager through the homestand, which ends Thursday. "As you go through the three months, you're going to learn a lot about the system," MacPhail said. "And you're going to try to discern, eventually in three months when this highly-paid-in-charge-of-nothing-gig runs out, you're going to have to discern the best way to move forward. And what is the quickest most efficient way to get there? And whatever decisions follow as a result of that, they follow." Multiple sources mentioned Angels assistant general manager Matt Klentak, 34, as somebody MacPhail might be interested in as general manager. MacPhail hired Klentak in March 2008, when he was with the Orioles, making him one of the youngest executives in baseball. MacPhail said Monday he has no list of candidates for any potential openings. But openings are expected. Ryne Sandberg created one Friday when he resigned as manager. He said he saw changes coming to the organization and essentially figured he would not be part of the future. Amaro said he does not feel the same way. "Listen, I believe in being a Philadelphia Phillie for my life," Amaro said. "My goal is to work with Andy and Pat and to get our organization back to the level it's been. "I can't worry about what decisions Andy or Pat are going to be making as far as my personal status is concerned. My goal is to try to get us back to where we need to be. And as far as my status is concerned, I just need to go out and do my job. We've made some decisions that have worked and some that haven't. This is a cyclical game and I understand that. At the same time, I think we're on a very good path right now and I'm hopeful that I'm part of getting us back to where we need to be." Gillick said Mackanin's status will be announced following this week's homestand. "We're not going to make the decision on a manager for 2016 now," Gillick said. "It will be an interim position, whoever it is. After I leave, Andy or whoever the general manager is, they're going to make the decision who the manager is for 2016. That's the decision that lies with them. We don't want to hire a permanent manager right now, because I think that wouldn't be the right thing to do. That will be Andy and whoever the GM that would be their decision."

More Changes Ahead – On a day the Phillies hired Andy MacPhail as the next team president, signifying the beginning of a new era, it was somewhat easy to forget about the team of the present. But as interim manager Pete Mackanin said after Monday's 7-4 loss to Milwaukee, losing years are sometimes the best years to evaluate talent. "We want to get [young players] in there as much as possible," Mackanin said. "I think this is a good year to find out about guys." With that quote, Mackanin was referring to the would-be offensive core of the Phillies of the future; players like Cesar Hernandez, Maikel Franco, Darin Ruf and Odubel Herrera. But the sentiment also stands for the inverse. This year has also afforded the Phillies the possibility to evaluate pitching talent, both young and old, and see who can perform to varying degrees of success. One such player has been Sean O'Sullivan. The 27-year-old in his sixth season in the bigs allowed a season high in hits Monday with 12, giving up six runs in five innings and getting his sixth loss of the year. His ERA jumped to 5.76 after the outing, now the highest of any pitcher on the Phillies' active roster. To O'Sullivan, his lack of success Monday night stemmed from his inability to capitalize on favorable situations. "I think I was ahead of guys all night," O'Sullivan said. "The problem was putting them away when I was ahead in the count. I think in the first, third, fifth [innings] it was get a couple of guys on, minimize the damage. But offense hands you a four-run lead you can't get lit up. Tonight's really on me." Mackanin said he had to be careful with O'Sullivan's innings knowing that the bullpen was not at full strength after pitching 7 1/3 innings of Sunday's doubleheader. This led Mackanin to have to be "a little creative" the third time through the lineup. As creative as Mackanin was, six of the nine players in the Brewers' lineup reached base the third time through the lineup, with five hits. With Chad Billingsley returning from the disabled list Thursday to start the final game of this four-game series vs. the Brewers, the Phillies are about to have one too many arms in the rotation. Based on whose spot in the rotation Billingsley is filling, it would appear that Adam Morgan is the odd arm out. But based off of Morgan's performance in his one full start two Sundays ago, he might factor in as another one of the young cogs Mackanin wants to keep around, and one of the more veteran pitchers might be the man sent down to the Minors or designated for assignment. This uncertainty in the back end of the rotation extends even to Mackanin, who said he isn't sure who will remain on the roster and who, if anyone, will be sent down. "I have to talk to [general manager] Ruben [Amaro] and [pitching coach Bob McClure] with the situation in the bullpen," Mackanin said. "We're going to discuss it. I'm not sure what the move is going to be right now. As we know we'll let you know."

Final All Star Push – With his stellar June, Maikel Franco is making a legitimate case to be the Phillies' representative at the 2015 MLB All-Star Game. But he'll need some help from the fans by using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET. Entering Monday's series opener with the Phillies, Franco was batting .374 in June with an OPS of 1.112 in 99 at-bats. Those marks have improved his batting average on the season to .304 and his eight June home runs pushed his total into double digits with 10, second on the team to Ryan Howard despite almost 100 fewer at-bats. Franco is also second on the team in RBIs and tied for third in runs scored. If Franco is elected to the All-Star team, it would make him the first rookie third baseman to represent the National League as an All-Star since Albert Pujols in 2001. Among Phillies pitching candidates, Jonathan Papelbon stands out. Papelbon has a 1.82 ERA in 29 appearances and is 14-for-14 in save situations. The three runs he's allowed in June are the most runs he's allowed in any month this year. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. The 2015 All-Star starters will be unveiled on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on the Esurance All-Star Starters Selection Show on ESPN. Then on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, the All-Star reserves, pitchers and Final Vote candidates will be announced on the Esurance All-Star Selection Show on ESPN, immediately after which fans can return to MLB.com to begin casting their 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Votes for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. Final Vote ends Friday, July 10, at 4 p.m. ET. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 27-51. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 43-67-1 on this day.