Phils Fall To Rays As Roles Solidify

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Rays Route Phillies 6-1

Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe continues to hit the baseball well this spring. Forsythe hit a leadoff home run in the first inning off Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez in the Rays' 6-1 win over the Phillies at Bright House Field on Thursday. He entered the game hitting .500 (10-for-20) with five doubles, one RBI and six runs scored in eight games. It was the only run allowed in five innings by Velasquez, who is competing to be the Phillies' No. 5 starter. He pitched himself out of trouble in the fifth, when he allowed a single to Brandon Guyer and a ground-rule double to Nick Franklin, putting runners on second and third. Velasquez then struck out Luke Maile and Forsythe on fastballs to end the inning. "You know he has the good stuff," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Velasquez. "It all boils down to his pitchability. He certainly looked good when he got into trouble. That was key." Rays left-hander Matt Moore allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight in his third spring start. Ryan Howard doubled off him in the second before he hit a solo home run to right field in the fourth to tie the game. Howard is 3-for-6 with two doubles, one home run and two RBIs against left-handers this spring. "I feel like we're in a good place [at this point of the spring], like we've been able to get some conditioning in," Moore said. "Out there at the end of my outing, at the fourth and fifth innings, feeling like we're getting to the end of the pitch count, I'm just happy with the way we were able to get a good mix going." Moore said he wasn't really surprised by the strikeouts. "Just throwing the same pitches I normally throw," Moore said. "Sometimes they hit them sometimes they don't. ... My changeup and curveball, whenever I could get them below in the zone were pretty effective, I was doing a pretty good job of getting ahead in the count." Steve Pearce hit his first long ball in the sixth, and Richie Shaffer and Mikie Mahtook added home runs in the eighth inning for the Rays, both off Phillies left-hander Elvis Araujo.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Outfield prospect Cornelius Randolph, who the Phillies selected in the first round of the 2015 Draft, has had his right wrist immobilized recently after sliding awkwardly into a base. The Phillies said Randolph is OK. He is scheduled to begin hitting again Friday. Randolph is the No. 84 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com.
• Right-hander Yoervis Medina felt a pop in his right elbow Tuesday, forcing him to leave that game against the Rays in Port Charlotte, Fla. Medina said through a translator he has elbow inflammation and will miss the next two weeks.
• Right-hander Frank Herrmann has not pitched this spring. He had a MRI on Tuesday, which revealed a right flexor strain.
• Right-hander Michael Mariot remains sidelined after rolling his right ankle earlier this spring.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Charlie Morton faces his former team on Friday afternoon in a Grapefruit League game against the Pirates at Bright House Field at 1:05 p.m. The Phillies acquired Morton in an offseason trade, and he is a lock to make the rotation. The game can be seen on MLB.TV. Left-handers Adam Morgan and Brett Oberholtzer will pitch in a Minor League game at Carpenter Complex. Morgan and Oberholtzer are competing for the No. 5 job in the rotation.

PHILS PHACTS:

Is The Rotation Complete? – Vince Velasquez showed Thursday why he might be the favorite to be the Phillies' No. 5 starter. The right-hander allowed three hits, one run, one walk and struck out seven in five innings in a 6-1 loss to the Rays in a Grapefruit League game at Bright House Field. Velasquez allowed a leadoff home run to Logan Forsythe in the first inning before retiring 13 of the next 14 batters he faced. He had runners on second and third with one out in the fifth, but struck out Luke Maile on a 95 mph fastball and Forsythe on a 93 mph fastball to end the inning. "You can't go wrong with putting up zeroes," Velasquez said of the competition to be the No. 5. "It's a good battle so far. They're putting up zeroes. This is the time -- it's really a grind right now. It's coming down to the wire." Velasquez's performances against Maile and Forsythe in the fifth impressed Phillies manager Pete Mackanin, who said the final decision on the fifth starter will be made late in camp. "The thing I liked about him the most was when he got into trouble with a couple guys on base, he softened up," Mackanin said. "He changed speeds. We talked about that early in the spring when I said he had to show a little finesse. He sure showed that today." "The changeup was money," Velasquez said. But it is Velasquez's power arm that made him the key piece in the Ken Giles trade in December. And it is that power arm that had Maile and Forsythe swinging and missing in a critical situation. "Later on in the season I may have a situation where I'm at 89-90 pitches, and I need to get out of it this inning," Velasquez said. "It's something where you have to bear down. You've got to win that battle." Velasquez has a 3.21 ERA (five earned runs in 14 innings) in three Grapefruit League starts. He has walked four and struck out 16. His competition is left-handers Adam Morgan and Brett Oberholtzer. Morgan has allowed two runs in nine innings this spring. Oberholtzer has pitched eight scoreless innings, but the Phillies like his versatility and might start him in the bullpen. Both are scheduled to pitch in a Minor League game Friday at Carpenter Complex. "It's probably going to be our toughest decision, really," Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure said. The winner is expected to join Jeremy Hellickson, Aaron Nola, Charlie Morton and Jerad Eickhoff in the rotation. Eickhoff allowed three hits, one run, two walks and struck out four in four innings in an instrasquad game at Carpenter Complex. He is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start Tuesday against the Twins in Clearwater. He had been sidelined earlier this spring because of a fractured right thumb and slowed lately because of a blister on his foot. "Felt good," Eickhoff said. "I'm just happy to be walking over here in one piece this time." Eickhoff believes he still has time to be ready to join the rotation come Opening Day. "Every time I'm on the mound I feel better each time and I think that's key, just make steps in the right direction," he said. "That's all I can ask for."

Frontrunner For Closer – The Phillies still need a closer, but they could be closer to finding one. The club has 13 Grapefruit League games remaining following Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Rays at Bright House Field. Plenty of things can happen in that time, but some candidates have emerged from the pack. Right-hander Andrew Bailey could be the frontrunner. He has allowed one hit and struck out five in four scoreless innings. He struck out the side Tuesday against the Rays in Port Charlotte, Fla. "Bailey has done it before, so just talking about it, I would lean more towards looking at him as the guy, only because he's done it before and had success," pitching coach Bob McClure said. "But it could change. It could change. I'm kind of up in the air on it a little bit." McClure coached Bailey in Boston in 2012, but the righty had shoulder issues then. "He's much improved since then," McClure said. "I might have to pitch him in a Minor League game. He's been so efficient." McClure also mentioned another interesting candidate: right-hander Dalier Hinojosa. He has thrown the ball very well in camp, allowing two hits, one walk and striking out seven in five scoreless innings. He went 2-0 with a 0.78 ERA in 18 appearances last season after the Phillies claimed him off waivers from Boston in July. "Hinojosa has showed me that he might be able to do it," McClure said. "He has an out pitch. He gets righties and lefties, so he'd definitely be somebody I'd look at in that role, too." David Hernandez entered camp the favorite because the Phillies signed him to a $3.9 million contract in December, making him the only free agent they signed to a Major League contract. But Hernandez has been slowed because of right triceps tendinitis. He could pitch in his first Grapefruit League since March 1 on Saturday against the Blue Jays in Dunedin. Hernandez still has time to get ready for the season, but he might not have long enough to earn the closer's job. The Phillies figure to carry seven pitchers in the bullpen. Bailey, Hinojosa, Hernandez, Edward Mujica, Brett Oberholtzer and Jeanmar Gomez are strong choices for the first six spots. Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Stumpf could have the edge for the final spot. Because Stumpf is a Rule 5 pick, the Phillies have plenty of incentive to keep him on the roster and give him additional evaluation during the season. The other left-handers in camp can open the season in the Minor Leagues without risk of being lost. Bobby LaFromboise has pitched well. He is out of options, but because he signed a Minor League contract he can open the season in Triple-A. Left-hander James Russell also is on a Minor League contract. He has a June 1 out clause, which again gives the Phillies further time to evaluate him. Elvis Araujo and Mario Hollands, who is behind schedule following Tommy John surgery last year, both have options remaining. "We've got plenty of time to see more of them," McClure said of his bullpen candidates.

Howard Working On Lefties – Ryan Howard flashed a smile Thursday afternoon at Bright House Field. He had doubled and homered earlier against Rays left-hander Matt Moore in a 6-1 loss. Howard is 3-for-6 with two doubles, one home run, two RBIs and one strikeout against lefties this spring. That is noteworthy because, well, Howard's ability to hit left-handers has been a bit of a topic lately. "I don't know what you're talking about," Howard said. "No clue." Of course, he is very aware of the talk and where he stands. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin has said Howard will have to hit lefties to earn playing time against them this season. At the moment Howard, who hit a 0-2 pitch for his homer in the fourth, and Darin Ruf could platoon at first base. "You've got to see them in order to be able to hit them and make adjustments against them," Howard said. "Spring Training is a great time to be able to do that and work on what you need to work on. It's tough, you may get 10 at-bats against lefties over the course of Spring Training. You try to take them as much as you can. You're going to see them during the season, coming out of the bullpen and sometimes as starters as well." Howard had a .418 OPS in 107 plate appearances against lefties last season. If he had enough plate appearances to qualify, his OPS against lefties would have been the lowest in baseball by 47 points. Conversely, Ruf's 1.107 OPS against lefties would have tied Nelson Cruz for the best mark in baseball, if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. "It's good to see," Mackanin said of Howard. "I think he's rising to the challenge. We'll continue to get a look at that for the rest of the spring." Howard, who is 5-for-25 overall this spring, is in good spirts compared to last season. He acknowledged as much. "This camp for me … I just came back trying to have fun," Howard said. "Smile again. Just putting in the work, trusting everything I was doing this offseason, just trying to relay it onto the field."

Opening Day In Question – It seems less and less likely Cody Asche will be ready to play by Opening Day. Asche remains sidelined with a strained right oblique, although he is progressing. He played four innings in left field during an intrasquad game on Thursday at Carpenter Complex. He had no balls hit his way and did not hit. "I'm about as anxious as anybody to return," Asche said. "It's been no fun. But at the same time you've got to realize -- take your time with it. Do it once and do right." Asche hopes to face live pitching in batting practice at some point over the next couple days. From there, he will need to hit on the field before he plays in a Grapefruit League game. The Phillies have 13 games remaining before they head to Philadelphia to play three exhibition games before Opening Day. Asche could start the season on the disabled list and get more plate appearances in Florida before he rejoins the team. "I'll let them decide if they deem me ready or not," Asche said. "I'm sure they'll act in the best interest of me. I've just got to trust them."

Today In Phils History - It was on this day that the Phillies promoted Ed Wade to the GM position... the rest, unfortunately, is history. It is also the birthday of Garvin Hamner who was born on this day in 1924. 

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have begun the spring with an 11-5-2 record (12-5-2 if you include the exhibition game against the University of Tampa). With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Phillies Rest Before The Final Push

GAME RECAP: No Game Played Yesterday!

The Phillies are teetering on the verge of history needing a winning home stand to avoid their first 100 loss season since 1961. However, recent rookie performances and a stocked minor league system bode well for the future.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• First baseman Ryan Howard is expected to be available to play as early as Tuesday against the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. He has not played since Sept. 14 because of a bruised left knee. "He'll get back on the field at some point before the end of the year," Proefrock said. Third baseman Maikel Franco has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with a broken left wrist. He is scheduled to play five innings Monday in a Florida instructional league game. If that goes well, Proefrock said, "[Franco will] be back in Philly before the end of the season as well."
• Outfielder Domonic Brown has not played since Sept. 2 because of a concussion. He is going to play in some instructional league games before he can be cleared, but he will not rejoin the Phillies before the end of the season. It could be the end of his Phillies' career. He is eligible for salary arbitration after the season and the Phillies could non-tender him.
• Buchanan, who posted a 9.11 ERA and nearly as many walks (24) as strikeouts (26) through his first 11 starts, is looking to close his season on a high note. Buchanan's last two outings have been his best of the year, with just three earned runs in 11 innings. He has eight strikeouts and two walks over that stretch.
• Colon has feasted on the bottom of the NL East all summer, going 12-2 with a 2.81 ERA against the Phillies, Marlins and Braves, and just 2-10 with a 6.48 ERA against everyone else. Tuesday will mark Colon's seventh consecutive start against one of those three teams; not surprisingly, he owns a 1.65 ERA over that stretch.
• The Mets may spend this entire series without infielder Juan Uribe, who has not played since aggravating a chest injury Friday in Cincinnati. The team is unsure if Uribe will be healthy enough to play when the NLDS begins Oct. 9.

NEXT GAME:

Even with seven bench players in their lineup on Sunday, the Mets dominated the Reds a day after clinching the National League East title on their turf. Perhaps that's a sign of things to come for a team that is hardly ignoring the challenge of attaining home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. The Mets will shift back to a more traditional lineup when they begin a three-game series Tuesday with the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Though manager Terry Collins will rest plenty of players between now and the end of the regular season, he also plans on widening the small lead his team has opened over Los Angeles in the race for home-field advantage. The Phillies, meanwhile, will spend this week trying to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1961. Right-hander David Buchanan will start Tuesday's opener for them opposite Bartolo Colon, who shifted forward in the rotation to accommodate Jon Niese's move to the bullpen.

PHILS PHACTS:

Time For Instruction – Please forgive Phillies farm director Joe Jordan if he sounds a bit euphoric. After a long season of overseeing the organization's future, he simply loves instructional league play. "It's one of the healthier environments in baseball," Jordan said. "They're young, they're energetic, they're very impressionable players. We have a great staff, and we have a lot of positive energy. It's my favorite four weeks of the year." It's a four-week span that started Monday spent at the Phillies' Spring Training facility in Clearwater, Fla., where many new members of the system come to learn more about what it means to be part of the organization and get some extra game action. Having someone like first-round pick Cornelius Randolph makes it an even better month for Jordan and his staff. Randolph, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2015 Draft and No. 5 on the Phillies' Top 30 Prospects list (No. 86 on the overall Top 100), had a strong pro debut by just about any measure. He finished eighth in the rookie-level Gulf Coast Legue with his .302 batting average, but he was second in on-base percentage (.425) and actually topped the league with his .866 OPS. "Cornelius is going to be a hitter, a good hitter," Jordan said. "I just really like what we got with our first pick. The ability to hit, he has an advanced understanding of himself for a young player. You talk hitting with him, and it's very impressive as far as some of the things he says and things he understands at that age. You look at the walks and strikeouts -- they were even. That's tremendous, and he's going to hit for power." That doesn't mean there aren't things to work on, of course. Randolph is just 18, and while the Phillies don't tinker with new draftees over the summer, now is exactly the time to drill down and help them get better. "We don't do a lot with newly drafted guys over the summer as far as changing things," Jordan said. "We let them do what they do for a certain amount of time, knowing we'll have them for these four weeks." One thing the Phillies will work on with Randolph is improving the use of his lower half. He's not your typical young hitter, in that his strength is middle and opposite field, and he shows an ability to drive the ball to left-center as a left-handed hitter. The Phillies feel he'll develop the ability to drive the ball to the pull side, and he's already showing that he can make adjustments in this regard. Randolph will also continue to learn a new position. A middle infielder in high school, he moved to the outfield immediately during his pro debut, playing 41 games in left. Instructs give him the chance to get more game-like situations under his belt. "He has a lot to learn about angles and routes," Jordan said "There are all sorts of intricacies he can learn out there. "I think moving to the outfield is going to be an easy transition. He's invested in it. I think we have a good one. I'm looking forward to watching him develop." Getting better acquainted with trade acquisitions: When the Phillies traded Cole Hamels to the Rangers at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, they got three Top 100 prospects in return. But they were sent to affiliates, with one exception, before the player development staff really got to know them. Both right-hander Jake Thompson (No. 2 on the Phillies' Top 30) and outfielder Nick Williams (No. 3) went right to Double-A Reading. Catcher Jorge Alfaro (No. 4) was recovering from left ankle surgery, or he would have surely joined his former Rangers teammates. It's not typical for players at the upper levels to go to instructs, but the Phillies wanted to get to know them a bit better and let the prospects learn a little more about what's expected of them in a new organization. For Williams, it's all about using his speed to a greater advantage. He stole 13 bases in total in 2015, but Jordan thinks there's more there to tap into. "He has a speed tool we're going to try to get him to use on the bases," Jordan said. "For me, he has the chance to steal 25-30 bags in the big leagues." Thompson will only be in instructs for a few days after throwing more than 132 2/3 innings this season. His visit will mostly be to talk about his offseason program and, as with Williams, to make sure he's ready when Spring Training rolls around. The plan for Alfaro is a bit different. With the exception of four at-bats in the Gulf Coast League in late August, he hasn't played since June. He's been at the complex in Clearwater since the trade, and the Phillies are just trying to prep him for winter ball in Venezuela. "We're getting [Alfaro] physically prepared, game ready," Jordan said. "He'll see some live pitching. He's been here the whole time, so he's been exposed a little bit more to our philosophy. For him, we're just getting him ready to play. He needs to go make up some time."

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 58-97. 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 34-43-2 on this day.

Future Looks Good For Phillies

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

Thankfully, a small respite from the beatings.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Morgan has not walked a batter in his past four starts, a total of 22 2/3 innings. He's walked a total of 14 this season.
• The Phillies are one of two teams Kelly has not faced in his career. In 16 career games against the National League East, he is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA.
• In 42 career games against the Phillies, Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is hitting .264 with four home runs and 19 RBIs.

NEXT GAME:

After a spectacular August, in which he went 6-0 with a 2.68 ERA, Red Sox right-hander Joe Kelly looks to continue his dominance in Friday's series opener against the Phillies, who will counter with left-hander Adam Morgan. Relying on his high-90s fastball during the first few months of the season, Kelly's ability to mix in his offspeed pitches has been a huge contributor to his success. "It's been a point of emphasis lately that no matter what team we're facing, I have to throw the offspeed [pitch]," Kelly said. "Earlier in the year, I was throwing all fastballs, and obviously that didn't work out. It's just something we've been trying to make a point of emphasis early on in the game. Mix in some offspeed pitches and try to get the hitters off the fastball." Morgan went six innings on Saturday against the Padres, allowing two unearned runs on four hits for the win. It marked the fifth time in his last six starts that Morgan went at least six innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Crushing In Clearwater – There are two position players representing the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers on MLBPipeline's Top 30 Phillies Prospects: Centerfielder Carlos Tocci (22) and shortstop Malquin Canelo (23). But at a point in history when all Major League teams are focused on finding bats, there are several others who, along with catcher Willians Astudillo, have enough offensive tools to merit attention. All are intriguing parts of a team vying to end the year with the Florida State League's best record. Dylan Cozens, RF: The Phillies' second-round Draft pick in 2012 brings the kind of power expectations that are natural for a 21-year-old who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 235 pounds. To this point, even though Cozens is batting .284, he has only eight home runs in 106 games. Threshers manager Greg Legg: "The raw power is very intriguing. Outstanding raw power. He's a guy that's kind of learning to hit right now. By that, I want him to be tougher to strike out, get the guy in from third, hit and run if called upon. You compare that to last year [at Class A Lakewood] when he'd get big and try to hit a two-run homer instead of lining a single to left with two strikes. "You've got a guy who could be real special. He could be one of the guys who hits 40 for you. You just don't know. You ride it out. We're trying to teach him to hit now, and we believe the power is going to come later. And he's kind of buying into it. "It's hard. Everybody wants that instant [gratification]. So you've got a fine line. We've got him on the path we want him to hit. That park of ours up in the big leagues is built for a guy like him. Tailored for him. He could miss balls that might leave. So you have a very interesting player. I'm a fan. A big fan." Andrew Pullin, LF: With the heavy summer air and big parks, home runs can be hard to come by in the FSL. Pullin's 14 lead the league. The 21-year-old was selected three rounds after Cozens. Last year, he played second base; but this season, he has been strictly an outfielder. Legg: "Dead red. If you throw him fastballs, he's going to hurt you. He's really good at that. He's kind of a surprise to me. He has extra-base power with pull power. He can hit the ball out of the ballpark to the pull side. When they throw him fastballs, he's going to hit them. And it doesn't matter whose there is. "And he's got a good arm out there." Aaron Brown, CF: The 23-year-old was the Phils' third-round pick out of Pepperdine last year. Brown ranks second on the Threshers with 11 home runs. So far, he's attracted the most attention for spectacular catches in the outfield, but the potential to hit is there. Legg: "I see a guy who has the ability to hit 20 homers and have eight or nine triples and 20 to 30 doubles. ... He's not a burner, but he plays the game hard. He plays it as hard as anybody I've ever seen play. He's coming to play baseball. He could be one of those. "In his first full season, he's learning to hit. The insides of him are going fast. He's wanting everything to go quick. He's kind of a football player's mentality playing baseball. So he's not going to hit a homer, he's going to hit it over [Route 19 beyond Bright House Field]. Right now, we're at a real good time with Brownie. The at-bats are more professional. The strikeouts are less. The hits with two strikes are starting to come up. And his average is coming up. "I don't know his career like our scouts would, but I know he pitched and he hit. So when you're doing that, it's taking time away from one or the other. Now he's just hitting, so you might have a late bloomer." Rhys Hoskins, 1B: The 22-year-old is also in his first full professional season after being drafted in the fifth round last summer out of Cal State-Sacramento. Hoskins started this year at Lakewood and has played 63 games for the Threshers since being promoted. He has a .308 average with eight homers at Clearwater. Legg: "He's shown power the other way and to the pull side. He's been fun to watch. He's a tough out. It doesn't matter who's throwing. He he's got a chance to be an RBI guy in the middle of the lineup. "It's a grind at-bat. It's not an easy strikeout. First full year in pro ball and he's an RBI guy. And the first full year is a tough year, in my experience over the years, as you're getting into that area where you haven't been before. Closing in on 500 at-bats. I've stuck him right in the middle in the four-hole and left him there, and he's made me look smarter than I am."

Impressive Transition – The Gulf Coast League Tigers had runners on first and second in the bottom of the second when second baseman Junnell Ledezma lined a single to left. With two outs, Mario Sanjur was off on contact. But Cornelius Randolph of the GCL Phillies fielded the ball cleanly and threw him out at the plate. The world little notes nor long remembers the details of Rookie-level games in the Minor Leagues. It's the lowest rung of the professional baseball ladder this side of Venezuela or the Dominican Republic. Still, what happened on that sultry August afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla., resonated all the way back to Philadelphia. Randolph was the Phillies' first-round pick, 10th overall, in June. Many believe he was the best high school bat in the country after he hit .526 with 11 doubles and seven homers in 17 games for Griffin (Ga.) High School. So it's expected that Randolph will hit. In the National League, though, he'll need a position. For the Bears, Randolph was a shortstop. The Phils immediately converted him to left, which is why his first outfield assist was so noteworthy. "It felt great," Randolph said with a grin recently at the Carpenter Complex. "When I came up and threw it, I was like, 'He's dead. I have him.'" GCL Phillies manager Roly de Armas, who has spent more than four decades in the game, has been impressed with what he's seen from a player who just turned 18 and is ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the organization's No. 6 prospect. "So many good things about the kid," de Armas said. "Moving runners over, playing the game hard, stealing bases. Just the little things in the game. He has adjusted to the outfield very well. He's very comfortable, and he's just going to get better and better. "And he can swing the bat. Boy, can he hit. Lefties, righties, I don't care. He's just a good ballplayer." It's not just Randolph, either. There are a few other hitters on the roster who have opened some eyes, significant at a time when offense is down across the big leagues and all organizations are trying to add bats. First baseman Luis Encarnacion is listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. He's batting .271 and leads the league with 36 RBIs in his second GCL season. Encarnacion just turned 18 last month. "Offensively, he's really come on," de Armas said. "He's having a solid year. The best part is that a couple weeks ago, he slumped off a little bit and you wonder, 'Well, is he going to adjust?' He made the adjustment that was necessary and took off again." Third baseman Lucas Williams, 19, was the Phils' third-round Draft pick in June. He's batting .288 with a .400 on-base percentage. "He's another ballplayer. Just a ballplayer," de Armas said. "This guy comes ready to play every day. He's very mature for his age." Catcher Edgar Cabral was the Phillies' 11th-round Draft pick this year. He's hitting .281. "I think this kid is very impressive," de Armas said. "I think he's going to hit even more. Catching-wise, he has improved a lot -- calling the game, solid blocker, good kid." Still, most of the focus is on Randolph, who is hitting .302 with 15 doubles, 24 RBIs and a .425 on-base percentage in 53 games. From all indications, he's made a pretty seamless transition, both in the field and at the plate. "The biggest thing was getting my timing down," Randolph said. "Everybody is throwing very hard, so getting my timing down and barreling up balls. Mainly just trying to adapt to playing every day. I think I've adjusted pretty well. "I expected it to be hard. I expected the pitchers to be hitting their spots, which they are. I expected what is actually happening. I knew I wasn't going to come in here just barreling everything up, dominating. I feel like I'm doing what I thought I would do." And, yes, Randolph has been working on his defense. "Shortstop is obviously a quick motion," he said. "Outfield is a longer motion, so I'm trying to lengthen it out -- doing a little long toss. They have me on a program and I can definitely tell it's working. The ball has more carry on it. I'm throwing harder." Lumber and leather. Randolph's ticket to the big leagues is his bat. But it won't hurt if he can hold his own with the glove, either. Which is why throwing his first runner out meant so much to Randolph.

Depth Up The Middle – The people who run the Phillies' farm system faced a logjam. They had three young shortstops who normally would have been slotted into the Gulf Coast League roster. Except that, obviously, none would get enough playing time. So they came up with a creative solution. Jonathan Arauz and Arquimedes Gamboa stayed with the Rookie-level team in Clearwater. They alternate between second base and short. Daniel Brito went to the Dominican Summer League to continue his development. "We've basically done that with [Arauz and Gamboa] to get them at-bats," GCL Phillies manager Roly de Armas said. "Just flip-flopping it. It isn't going to hurt them to learn another position, but they're legit shortstops. And don't forget about Brito. It's nothing that he did. We just had to find playing time and, over here, how could we figure out the rotation with three quality shortstops?" This, of course, is a good problem for a team to have. One of the oldest and truest clichés in baseball is that there's no such thing as too much pitching. Similarly, an organization can never be oversupplied at shortstop, a premium position. "We're pretty fortunate," said Joe Jordan, the Phils' director of player development. "We have more than our share, and hopefully we can keep polishing them up." At the big league level, Freddy Galvis is a plus defender who leads the team in hits. And he's still only 25 years old. Right behind him his J.P. Crawford, the Phillies' first-round pick in 2013 and MLBPipeline.com's No. 1 Phils prospect. He's 20 years old and already at Double-A Reading. It's the lower classification, though, where the shortstop position really resembles planes stacked up over Philadelphia International Airport. At Class A Advanced Clearwater, Malquin Canelo is already in his fourth professional season even though he doesn't turn 21 until Saturday. He's ranked as the Phillies' 23rd-best prospect. A .216 career hitter up until this season, Canelo started the year batting .311 at Class A Lakewood. He's continued to make adjustments since his promotion with a .242 average. "The [hitting] things we're working on with him, it's there and then it goes away," Threshers manager Greg Legg said. "The offense, I think, is going to come later when he learns where he needs to get his body to let those quick hands fire. And he's strong for his size [5-foot-10, 150 pounds]. There's a lot of good there. He's so young. Sometimes I catch myself forgetting how young he is. "It's real fun to watch him play short. It's kind of unique. It's not your traditional backhand, throw over the top. It's throwing from all different angles and they're all right there. It's kind of a natural. He does things naturally. He's very creative out there. He doesn't miss too much. He's one of those guys who takes hits away." Said Jordan: "Canelo, to me, is the best defensive shortstop we have in our system. Including everyone." Then there are Arauz, Gamboa and Brito. Arauz, the Phils' 29th-ranked prospect, signed as a free agent out of Panama last season. He's hitting .254 and is an eye-catching defensive player. Not bad considering Arauz just turned 17 in August. "He's a switch-hitter whose swing works from both sides," Jordan said. "He's an exciting young player. He can really play. He's not one of these tooled-up kids. He looks like he really has a feel to play. We're excited about him." Gamboa, who is hitting .189, may have an even higher ceiling. "If he gets to his ability, he could," Jordan said. The 17-year-old Brito, meanwhile, is batting .269 -- with a .383 on-base percentage -- in the DSL. "It's a pretty good situation to have," de Armas said. "You always want to be strong up the middle. It's hard to find quality shortstops. And we've got some good ones."

Underrated League Leader – The Phillies believe they have a good number of prospects lower in their Minor League system. Their Florida State League affiliate, the Class A Advanced Clearwater Threshers, is in the running for the league championship despite having touted youngsters like shortstop J.P. Crawford and catcher Andrew Knapp promoted early in the season. Willians Astudillo's name doesn't appear on any of the lists of most promising youngsters in the system. You will find him, however, at the very top of the list of FSL batting leaders. Astudillo is hitting .324 and is a runaway leader for the title. And that isn't the only stat that makes the 23-year-old stand out. In 374 at bats, Astudillo has struck out just 10 times. Which doesn't mean that the Venezuelan native only swings at pitches in the strike zone. He's been walked unintentionally only eight times all season. "You're talking about one of the more interesting hitters, probably, in all of the Minor Leagues," Threshers manager Greg Legg said. "He barrels up balls over and over again. He does have a lot of early contact, but he also gets a lot of two-strike hits. "He has the ability to handle the bat and hit it wherever he wants. The bat control that he has and the eye-hand coordination is off the charts. He manipulates the ball. I never played back in the Ty Cobb era, but I can only imagine those are the types of things he was able to do." Legg, who managed Astudillo at Class A Lakewood in 2014, only remembers Astudillo breaking one bat all season while batting .333. There are probably a couple reasons why Astudillo tends to be overlooked. He is short and squat, generously listed at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds. He doesn't hit for much power. Astudillo will turn 24 in October. Perhaps most significant, he doesn't have a natural position. Still, in an era where pitching is dominant at the Major League level and all teams are scrambling to find bats, Astudillo is at least a player who bears watching. Astudillo catches for the Threshers these days. He's also played first base and left field. "He can catch," Legg said. "His hands are soft. He blocks balls and he has a feel for calling games." "Everybody in baseball is looking for a guy who has a cannon for an arm and is picking everybody off and you have no chance to run. He doesn't do that. But the two years I've had him, whenever something's been needed to be addressed, if he decides he wants to do it, he's capable of doing it. So in my mind, he's capable of improving his arm strength and his times to second. He's really caught well in the second half when we needed him to." Astudillo, through teammate Jesmuel Valentin, said he sees himself as a catcher. "Because of my mindset and maturity talking to the pitchers," Astudillo said. "I know how to control the game and everything." Lack of power? Legg said Astudillo is improving. "We've tried to get him to drive more balls early in the count, and he's had more hard contact this year than last," Legg said. "It's fun to watch him hit. He just gets it done." Too old? Astudillo has hit everywhere he's been, including .361 in the Venezuelan Summer League in 2011. He said putting the bat on the ball is a God-given talent for him and that he takes pride in putting the ball in play. "I just go to home plate really confident," Astudillo said. "I don't think about much. I'm just thinking about seeing a good pitch to hit and going after it with the best swing I've got. "[Not striking out is] a really big priority for me. I put a lot of emphasis on that, because if I put the ball in play, a lot of things can happen. I'm a good contact hitter, and if you put the ball in play, I can get a lot of hits." Another attribute that numbers don't measure: Astudillo helps keep the team loose with his lively personality. "He always has a joke," Valentin said. "If there's any kind of music -- it doesn't matter if it's Mexican, hip-hop, country -- he just finds a way to sing or dance or make everybody laugh. "Having him as a teammate is really good. Every single time we're here and having a bad time or a rough time, there's no way you're going to have a bad day in the clubhouse having him around."

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 53-81. 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 38-71-1 on this day.

Turning The Suck Up To 11

GAME RECAP: Orioles Beat Phillies 6-4

The Orioles would like to have the Phillies on their schedule more often. They jumped to an early lead and held it in Wednesday night's 6-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Chris Parmelee and Travis Snider each homered to help the Orioles, who won both contests earlier this week against the Phils in Baltimore. They have won 11 of their last 13 games. "April and May, it's like fighters in the first few rounds, kind of feeling their way around trying not to get knocked out, see what the other guy's got, see what they've have," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of his team's change in approach in recent weeks. "But sooner or later, you've got to start throwing punches.” The Phillies have lost nine consecutive games and 19 of their last 22. It is their longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in September 1999. "I think we can do better," shortstop Freddy Galvis said. "For sure, we can do better. It's not happening right now."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies entered the night averaging 3.03 runs per game, the lowest average of any team in baseball since 1972. An example of their offensive shortcomings came in the fourth inning, when Maikel Franco singled and Ryan Howard doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. But Domonic Brown struck out looking, Cameron Rupp struck out swinging and Cody Asche struck out looking to end the inning. The Phillies finished the night 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. "The fourth inning was a big inning," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "The four unearned runs we gave up. And then in the bottom of the inning, we had our opportunities. Those things add up."
• Galvis committed his 10th error of the season to start the fourth inning, and it led to four unearned runs. Galvis' strength is supposed to be his defense, but his 10 errors are tied for the sixth most in baseball. He had been struggling offensively, too. He entered the night batting .137 (13-for-95) with a .313 OPS in 24 games since May 15, but he hit a three-run home run to right field in the seventh inning to cut Baltimore's lead to 6-4.
• The Phillies' first-inning ERA is 6.31 (47 earned runs in 67 innings), which is the second highest in baseball. Only the White Sox (7.29 ERA) have fared worse in the first inning. The Phillies also have allowed 14 first-inning home runs, which is second only to Toronto (15).
• Getting a win this series is a priority for the Phillies for more reasons than one, one of which is that they have been swept in each of their past five Interleague series, including the two-game series Monday and Tuesday in Baltimore. It has been four years since the Phils won a series against an American League East opponent, dating back to July 2011.
• Baltimore has not been kind to O'Sullivan in the past. Among all the teams against whom he has made more than two appearances, O'Sullivan has a higher career ERA vs. the Orioles than any other team at 8.64. For his career in Interleague Play, O'Sullivan is 1-0 with a 6.43 ERA.
• Adam Jones was out of the lineup for the Orioles again Wednesday, but before the game, manager Buck Showalter hinted at the possibility that Jones could return Thursday, though it still isn't a guarantee. Showalter did say that Jones could play off the bench if needed.

NEXT GAME:

Two pitchers who have had tough seasons match up against one another in the final game of the second consecutive series between the Orioles and Phillies on Thursday in Philadelphia. Bud Norris and Sean O'Sullivan will start for the O's and Phils, respectively. Though Norris is having the less successful year in terms of ERA at 8.29, the Orioles are 4-4 in games he has started. O'Sullivan, by contrast, has a lower ERA at 5.08, but the Phillies are 3-6 when he has taken the mound. Despite the relative similarities between O'Sullivan and Norris, their teams are trending in opposite directions. The Orioles have won 11 of 13, including a 7-1 homestand, while the Phillies lost all eight games on a road trip over the same span, and have lost nine straight and 19 of 22 overall.

PHILS PHACTS:

Hurting And Helping The Team – The Phillies kept their 2015 expectations more than reasonable for Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis. If he could hit .250, they would be thrilled, because he plays such good defense. But Galvis' error to start the fourth inning Wednesday night in a 6-4 loss to the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park led to four unearned runs. The Phillies have lost nine consecutive games, which is the team's longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in Sept. 1999. They have lost 19 of their last 22 to drop to 22-45, which is their worst start since '97. "Nobody wants to make errors," Galvis said. "Nobody wants to make a bad pitch. Everybody wants to get a home run. Sometimes you have to let it go. When you try too much, sometimes that happens." Galvis has committed 10 errors this season, which is tied for the sixth most among shortstops. His .965 fielding percentage entering the game ranked 18th out of 25 qualified shortstops. "I have to make some adjustments on my throws," Galvis said. "Most of the errors have been on my throws. I've been working on it. I hope everything will be all right." But this one came on a slow ground ball. Galvis charged the ball, but came up empty. "I don't think he's a guy that should have 10 errors at this stage of the game," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "This was a hard one, charging in, but it's one I've seen him make." Galvis also has been struggling offensively after a hot start. He was batting .355 (43-for-121) with an .827 OPS in 35 games through May 15. But Galvis entered the night batting .137 (13-for-95) with a .313 OPS in 24 games since. Perhaps a three-run home run to right field in the seventh inning -- his second homer of the season -- gets him back on track. "I'd prefer the 'W' tomorrow, the win tomorrow for us," said Galvis, asked if he hopes the homer gets him going offensively. "Like I said, man, play hard every day, go hard. That's all we can do."

Miscues Accentuate Issues – The Phillies are hanging their red caps on the fact they have been losing close games lately. They said it shows they can compete. "Maybe notwithstanding [Tuesday's 19-3 loss], we've actually been battling pretty well," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said before Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Orioles at Citizens Bank Park. "It was good to see late fight with the guys," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said afterward. "But we came up short." The Phillies have lost nine consecutive games, their longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in September 1999. They also have lost 19 of their last 22, losing nine of those games by two or fewer runs. But a close loss is still a loss, and the Phillies have dropped to 22-45. The biggest culprit is an anemic offense that entered the night averaging just 3.03 runs per game, the lowest average of any team in baseball since 1972. "The frustrating part of it is one ball away, one ball in play, on base hit away from I don't know how many more wins than we have," Sandberg said. "Those start to add up. We find ourselves in a losing streak because we don't scrap out a couple of those wins, and maybe change the momentum the other day. That's not getting the job done and not executing." The fourth inning encapsulated the Phillies' season-long offensive struggles. Maikel Franco singled and Ryan Howard doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. But Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez struck out Domonic Brown looking, Cameron Rupp swinging and Cody Asche looking to end the inning. "It's possible to get two runs there with no hits," Sandberg said. "When you don't have a swing and you take pitches to drive and you go at balls in the dirt, that's where it becomes hard." The Phillies finished the night 1-for-7 with runners in scoring positon. "We're just trying to keep our heads up and keep moving forward," said Brown, who struck out on a pitch that appeared to be above the zone. "I don't think that I was pressing there. We've just got to get the job done right there. Good teams capitalize right there. I'm not going to say any bad calls or anything, because you get pitches to hit."

Front Office Frustrations – It has been so bad lately for the Phillies that Ruben Amaro Jr. unexpectedly popped into the home dugout Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park to talk about it. The Phillies entered Wednesday's series opener against the Orioles with the worst record (22-44) in baseball. They have lost 18 of their last 21 games, and they just completed an 0-8 road trip, their first winless road trip of eight or more games since an 0-9 stretch in the team's inaugural 1883 season. "We knew that were not going to be necessarily challenging for the National League East title, but at the same time, we need to see improvement, and that's what we expect," Amaro said. "We're not seeing it right now." Could changes be coming? Possibly, but they do not seem imminent. A CSNPhilly.com report earlier this week said longtime baseball executive Andy MacPhail, 63, is the organization's top target to replace Phillies president Pat Gillick, who is not expected to remain in his position beyond the season. But until Gillick's replacement is announced, he seems unlikely to make wholesale changes with the front office or coaching staff. "I really don't have any comment about that," Amaro said about MacPhail's possible arrival. "That's not my area. That's for people who are much higher than my pay grade." Could MacPhail's arrival be bad for him? "I'll answer that the same I just answered the first question," Amaro said. But Amaro, whose contract expires at the end of the season, said he is "fully supportive" of Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg, and he expects Sandberg to finish the season. "As far as I'm concerned, yes," Amaro said. Of course, it might not be entirely Amaro's decision to make at this point. Sandberg said he isn't worried about his job status. "I worry about the game today and what has to be done today," Sandberg said. "That's the focus and the mindset for me." But the pressure certainly is on the Phillies, who are rebuilding for the future. They hope to trade Cole Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Aaron Harang and potentially others before the July 31 Trade Deadline in an effort to speed up the rebuilding process. The Phillies' intentions are known, but so far, they have not pulled the trigger. There are reasons for that. The Phils might argue teams are low-balling them. Other teams might argue the Phillies are asking for too much. "All I can say about that is people have their opinions," Amaro said. But if MacPhail is going to join the organization, a strong Trade Deadline performance might be Amaro's best bet to save his job. "I don't worry about doing my job to save my job," Amaro said. "I have to do my job well so this organization can get back on its feet and do the things that we need to do to be a perennial contender. That was the plan at the outset of this offseason. We were going to rebuild. We were not going to be a great ballclub. We were not going to be a contending team. We knew that. We know that we were going to take some lumps. "I see a lot of positive things that are happening in our Minor League system. There's a lot of lights at the end of the tunnel for us."

Can You Hear Me Now? – One of the roughest moments of Tuesday's 19-3 loss to the Orioles is the fact the Phillies could not call to the bullpen to get a pitcher warmed up because the bullpen phone literally was off the hook. It was an embarrassing moment for the organization. "It's not our greatest moment, but it's been addressed," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Wednesday afternoon. "It's a mishap that can happen, but it should never happen again. It's as simple as that." Amaro also touched on a couple other topics Wednesday: Aaron Nola: Amaro said the Phillies will not rush Triple-A right-hander Aaron Nola to the big leagues, despite the rotations' struggles and Jerome Williams landing on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. (The Phillies recalled Hector Neris to temporarily take his spot on the roster.) "We have to do what's right for Aaron Nola and his development, and that's not going to change," Amaro said. "And he's going to be in the big leagues at some point this year. I don't think there's any question about that, if he continues to progress the way he's progressed so far. There's no reason to think that he won't be. We'll just have to do it at the right time." Cliff Lee: Left-hander Cliff Lee, who is on the 60-day disabled list with a left elbow injury, saw the doctor Tuesday, but he is still three to four weeks from throwing again. "Best case, he'd be throwing right about how," Amaro said. "He's not ready to do it."

Phillies Introduce Randolph – It is time for Cornelius Randolph to get to work. The Phillies introduced Randolph, whom they selected with the 10th overall pick in last week's Draft, in a news conference Wednesday evening at Citizens Bank Park. Randolph signed a $3,231,300 signing bonus, which was full value for his Draft slot. He is set to begin his professional career Thursday in Clearwater, Fla. "This is amazing," Randolph said. "It's unbelievable. It's just a dream come true." The Phillies have signed or reached agreements with 28 of the 29 players they hoped to sign immediately following the Draft. (The others are draft-and-follow selections, which must be signed by July 17.) The only holdout is UNLV senior right-hander Joseph Lauria, who was a 25th-round pick. Randolph's agreement came quickly. "It's always nice in the Draft when you have an agreement," said Scott Boras, who is Randolph's agent. "I think [scouting director] Johnny [Almaraz] and his staff, they certainly placed Cornelius up in the Draft, and certainly Cornelius' performance throughout the course of the year, he got better as his senior year went on. And his bat is certainly something special. So it's always nice in baseball when a lot of veteran baseball people get together and share a common dynamic, and certainly that was the case here." The Phillies plan to move Randolph from shortstop, where he played in high school, to left field. Randolph said he is OK with the move. "I'm open to anything," Randolph said. "I played the outfield before. During the summer, I've been out there. So I feel like I'll be able to adapt to anything." Randolph hopes to be another quick riser through the system like Double-A Reading shortstop J.P. Crawford, who was a first-round pick in 2014. The two have spoken since the Phillies drafted Randolph. Randolph also met some of the Phillies' veterans Wednesday, such as Ryan Howard and Chase Utley. "The key words were, 'Stay hungry,'" Randolph said. "'Don't ever quit, don't ever be content with where you're at.' When I watched them when I was little, I was just watching a couple of my favorite players play. Now I'm a part of the organization. It's crazy. It's a dream come true."

Asche Visits School – "G" stands for "Giving up is not an option." "R" means "Ready for giving 100 percent." You get to "I" when you can say "I've reached my goal." And finally, "T" symbolizes taking on a challenge. At John Barclay Elementary School in Warrington, Pa., this acronym embodies the meaning of the word it spells out: Grit. It is the word the school teaches its students to live by and, with the school year coming to a close this week, the school's entire student body was rewarded for a year's worth of grit and determination. Two of the school's students, Liam and Katie Petersen, won a contest their parents entered on Mother's Day to be driven to school Wednesday in a limousine. But that perk wasn't the last of the prizes for winning the contest; they also helped escort in the school's surprise guest of honor, Phillies left fielder Cody Asche. After the teachers and student body of the school formed a chorus to sing the Barclay Elementary fight song and recite the meaning of G.R.I.T., Asche was introduced to an auditorium filled with kindergartners through fifth graders donning red Phillies jerseys and waving towels with the words "Fightin' Phils" emblazoned across them. Impressed by the school's commitment to hard work and dedication, Asche spoke about what the words meant to him as a professional athlete. "I think grit and determination is a real important lesson to learn, especially at a young age," Asche said. "Things might not always go the way you want them. But I think if you stick to who you are, you have high character and you do the right things, then things can work out for you in the end." Asche went on to answer questions about life as a professional ballplayer, ranging from how hard it is to hit a baseball to what it's like to take a pie in the face after a walk-off win. He and the rest of the auditorium then partook in singing a rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and enthusiastically dancing to "YMCA" before the kids had to return to their respective classrooms. With the echo in the air, the applause and cheers the kids had directed at Asche seemed to mimic the one he hears at the park each day. Aside from a select few, nearly every student in attendance was either wearing Phillies gear or at the very least something red, including Liam and Katie Petersen, who both donned No. 25 Asche jerseys. When asked why he supported Asche and the Phillies, Liam Petersen gave an unsurprising answer. "They show a lot of grit," he said. "They don't give up."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 22-45. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 42-55-0 on this day.