At Least The Score Was A Little Closer

GAME RECAP: Braves Best Phillies 6-4

Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia owned Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. He went 2-for-4 with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored in a 6-4 victory in 10 innings over the Phillies. He hit solo homers in the first and sixth, knocked in the game-tying run in the eighth then had a leadoff walk and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th. The Braves can sweep the series with a victory Sunday afternoon. The Phillies did not help themselves defensively. Maikel Franco's error on a dropped foul ball in the eighth led to the Braves' game-tying run when Chase d'Arnaud walked on the next pitch and eventually scored on Garcia's grounder. It was the second straight night the Braves have clawed away at an early deficit to win in the late innings. "It's almost like happenstance now," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "It happens, then we just come back." "I called the ball too late and I dropped it," Franco said. In the 10th, the Braves scored twice on balls that did not leave the infield, with Ryan Howard's throw to the plate being just late on Tyler Flowers' grounder down the first-base line for the first run, and a fielder's choice off the bat of Jace Peterson plating the other. "That was a really good jump by Adonis," Snitker said. "That situation, you're kind of leery about getting doubled off and really didn't expect that from Tyler, the way he's been swinging the bat. So that was a great read by [Garcia]. We'll take it anyway we can get 'em."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Franco went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI. He singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled to lead off the eighth. But the third baseman's dropped ball proved costly. The error became a big moment in the game as it allowed d'Arnaud to score two batters later to tie the game at 4. Still, the Phillies hope Saturday's effort helps Franco finish the season strong. "Last year he hit .280," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I expect him to hit at least .280. He had a little bit of an off year in that respect, but he's an aggressive hitter and I like aggressive hitters. It was a great day to see from him." 
• Velasquez had been talking a lot lately about his high pitch counts, but he put together an efficient start against the Braves. He allowed five hits, three runs (two earned) and struck out eight in seven innings, throwing only 92 pitches. It was the first time he had pitched seven or more innings since July 19. It was just the third time it has happened this season. After the game it was announced that Velasquez would be shut down for the rest of the season. "It's not the end of the road," Velasquez said. "It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." 
• "These games we're losing remind me a lot of the games we were winning in the beginning of the season. We just weren't making mistakes then." -- Mackanin, on the Phillies' recent struggles.
• The Phillies challenged a call at third base in the third inning. Ender Inciarte hit a chopper in front of the mound with a runner on second and one out. Velasquez fielded the ball and threw to third base. Franco caught the ball, but moved out of the way of Dansby Swanson, who appeared to beat the tag. But the replay official in New York saw Franco tag Swanson, overturning the call.
• The Phillies lost a challenge in the fourth when they thought Matt Kemp was out at third base trying to advance on a passed ball. Replay confirmed the call. He was safe.
• Each of the Phillies' six Minor League affiliates will finish the season over .500. It is the first time it has happened since 1953, when nine affiliates finished over .500. Four affiliates will play in their respective postseason: Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Double-A Reading, Class A Lakewood and the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Phillies. Class A Advanced Clearwater is just one game behind Dunedin in the Florida State League standings.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Jake Thompson (1-4, 7.86 ERA) starts the series finale against the Braves on Sunday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Thompson struggled in his first four starts before allowing two runs in seven innings last week against the Nationals.

PHILS PHACTS:

See You Next Season – Vince Velasquez threw his final pitch of the 2016 season Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies and his agent had been closely monitoring his workload since the beginning of the year, and it was determined that Saturday would be his final start. Velasquez made it count. He allowed five hits, three runs and struck out eight in seven innings in a 6-4 loss to the Braves in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park. "This is just the ending point for now," Velasquez said. Velasquez joined the Phillies in December as the key piece in the Ken Giles trade with Houston. He made the rotation out of Spring Training and opened his Phillies' career in dramatic fashion. He pitched six scoreless innings against the Mets on April 9 and struck out 16 in a shutout against the Padres on April 14. He finished 8-6 with a 4.12 ERA in 24 starts, striking out 152 batters and walking 45 in 131 innings. He spent some time on the disabled list in June with a strained right biceps. He struggled in the second half to pitch deep into games as he routinely racked up high pitch counts. "Things could have turned around a lot better, but things happen," Velasquez said. But he said he learned a lot. "I dealt with a lot of adversity and failure and managed to somehow pick myself back up and finish strong," he said. "On a serious note, I think I've matured pretty well." He said he plans to learn a lot more in the final month of the season, too. "Just sit down, watch the game and learn as I go," Velasquez said. "It's not the end of the road now. It's all about learning the game and knowing how to get better for next year. This game is fun to learn. That's pretty much all I'm going to do." In fact, Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis gave Velasquez a homework assignment for September. Velasquez has always enjoyed watching Zack Greinke pitch. In fact, he said he sees some similarities with their fastballs and power changeups, so Ellis has asked Velasquez to spend the rest of the month watching Greinke pitch last season when he was with the Dodgers. "With the Dodgers it was just phenomenal how he utilized his changeup that much and protected his fastball," Velasquez said. "I'm kind of like the same way. I think that's pretty much the objective. Just go back to last year's film and watch what he does and pretty much apply it to myself for next year." For Velasquez to take another step next season he will have to polish his secondary pitches and pitch deeper into games. He knows this. "He had a good season when you look at it, all things considered," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said.

Finishing Strong? – Maikel Franco hopes to take the good from Saturday night and carry it into the rest of the season's final month. He went 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI in a 6-4 loss in 10 innings to the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. He doubled in the first, singled and scored in the third, doubled to score a run in the fifth and doubled in the eighth. But Franco also dropped a ball in foul territory in the eighth that eventually led to the Braves scoring the game-tying run. "I've been up and down too much," Franco said about his sophomore season. "I understand the situation. I have to just keep learning and get better. I'm trying to do everything I can possible." Franco is hitting .250 with 21 doubles, one triple, 22 home runs, 73 RBIs and a .732 OPS in 534 plate appearances. He hit .280 with 22 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 335 plate appearances last season, so Franco has not taken the step forward many in the organization had hoped. But Phillies general manager Matt Klentak reminded people last month that Franco is just 23. "We have to remember he's 23 years old," Klentak said. "It's not just to quote an age. By itself that doesn't mean anything. But there are players making their Major League debuts this year that are top industry prospects that are already 24, and he's got parts of three seasons under his belt already. It's reasonable to expect players at that age at this level are going to continue to make adjustments and get better." That is what the Phillies hope for Franco because they are counting on him to be a big part of their future.

Looking For More – Pete Mackanin addressed his hitters in a brief meeting before Saturday night's game against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park. A pep talk couldn't hurt. The Phillies' offense entered Saturday last in Major League Baseball in runs per game (3.70) and on-base percentage (.296). The Phillies are on pace to have their lowest runs-per-game average since 1988 (3.69) and their lowest on-base percentage since 1968 (.294). "I just want them to pay more attention," Mackanin said. "It's the little things. Take batting practice the same way you were going to hit in the game, instead of taking it nonchalantly to get loose. I want them to bear down. "I want them to try to take some of that discipline from BP into the game. A two-strike approach. As much as [hitting coach Steve] Henderson has been badgering the guys with this type of thing -- hunt the fastball, a two-strike approach, all these basic concepts of hitting -- I think by hearing it from me it might make a difference, it might help. I told them they're better hitters than they've shown." Mackanin hopes things improve in the season's final month because the past two weeks have been rough. The Phillies are 4-11 since Aug. 16, averaging a mere 2.8 runs per game in that stretch. "I'm clinging to the good parts of the season," Mackanin said. "Hopefully we'll have a good finish." Perhaps that good finish includes Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera, who has hit .235 with a .628 OPS in 191 plate appearances since July 7. Herrera hit seventh Saturday night, the lowest he has hit in the Phillies' lineup since he hit seventh on July 20, 2015. "He's just giving away too many at-bats," Mackanin said. "They started pounding him inside and he's become aware of the inner-half of the plate. And how he's getting caught on both sides of the plate. I think that he's guessing. That's my best guess. His plate discipline has not been the same."

Today In Phils History – After losing their 1^st 16 games to the Phillies, the Houston Colt 45’s finally got the win in 1962. 4 year later, Chris Short logged the 5^th straight complete game victory for the Phillies in a shutout against New York. 2 years later, the Reading Phillies finally beat Binghamton after a 19 inning, 5 hour and 15 minute marathon. In 1997, Bobby Estalella became the 1^st rookie to hit 3 homeruns in a game. 2 years later the Phillies surrendered a NL record 9 homeruns as the Reds trounced the team 22-3. 4 years ago, with a double down the right field line, Jimmy Rollins collected his 2,000^th career hit. Notable debuts on this day include those of Willie Montanez (1970) and Wayne Twitchell (1971) who both previously made their MLB debuts with other organizations. Finally, happy birthday to Eddie Waitkus who was born on this day in 1919.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 60-75 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 38-71-1 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Bring Up Some Of That Reading Offense!

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies are off until Friday.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Left-hander Daniel Stumpf returned to the Phillies July 10 after serving an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Philadelphia acquired Stumpf from Kansas City last December in the Rule 5 Draft. He pitched in three games before being suspended.
• Active members of the Mets have hit a combined .307 against Hellickson, with Jose Reyes having recorded a .381 batting average to go along with one homer and four RBIs.
• Mets manager Terry Collins has expressed hope that Yoenis Cespedes would be ready to play by the end of the All-Star break. Cespedes, who sustained a right quad strain July 8, leads the Mets with 21 homers and 52 RBIs. In 26 at-bats against the Phillies in the first half of the year, Cespedes hit .269 with three homers and six RBIs. 

NEXT GAME:

After limping into the All-Star break with a slew of injuries to key players, the Mets turn to Jacob deGrom (5-4, 2.61 ERA) to set the tone for the second half of the season July 15 against the Phillies, who counter with Jeremy Hellickson (6-6, 3.92 ERA). deGrom and Bartolo Colon have been the only regular members of the Mets' starting rotation to avoid injury issues in recent weeks. Matt Harvey opted for season-ending surgery to repair his thoracic outlet syndrome, while Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard have both been pitching through bone spurs; Syndergaard left his start July 8 with a "dead arm." Hellickson has provided a veteran presence in a young Phillies pitching staff, but his name has floated around in trade rumors. The Mets could be in the market for a starter given all their issues, but there's been no indication Hellickson could be an option for them.

PHILS PHACTS:

1^st Half Recap – Things were always going to be different for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016. They entered Spring Training with a different president, general manager and manager than the spring before. The Phillies' clubhouse in Clearwater, Fla., had a different feel, too. Of course, that happens when veterans like Chase Utley, Cole Hamels, Cliff Lee and Jonathan Papelbon are replaced with youngsters like Maikel Franco, Vince Velasquez, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff. Out with the old, in with the new. And a few more victories, too. The Phils had the worst record in baseball last season, but they entered the All-Star break at 42-48, which is 11th from the bottom. While that is not good enough to make a run at the postseason, it is sign of progress. And that is what this season is about: making progress in the rebuild. Here is a look back at the Phillies' first half: WHAT WENT RIGHT: Anybody who followed the Phillies closely should have figured they would be better because their starting pitching would be better. Ten pitchers not named Hamels, Nola, Eickhoff and Adam Morgan posted a combined 6.19 ERA in 106 starts in 2015. But this season's rotation of Jeremy Hellickson, Nola, Eickhoff and Velasquez has generally pitched well. The rotation's 4.32 ERA is in the top half in baseball. Pitching can overcome deficiencies elsewhere. Pitching wins. WHAT WENT WRONG: Until late June, Philadelphia's offense had been on pace to be the lowest-scoring team in a non-strike season since 1972. The lack of offense did not hurt the Phillies during their 24-17 start, but when the rotation started to struggle, the club had no chance to win. WHAT WE LEARNED: The Phils have the makings of a pretty solid rotation. They also have some intriguing arms in the bullpen. But they still need hitters. Herrera and Franco are safe bets to be part of the club's future. Cameron Rupp has been a surprise, putting him into play as well. But is there any other position where somebody would say, "That guy is probably going to be here in a couple of years"? Not really, which means the players currently in those positions still have plenty to prove. FIRST-HALF TOP POSITION PLAYER: Herrera was the Phillies' only All-Star representative, and it was because he had been consistently good since Opening Day. The guy can flat out hit. He has also dramatically improved his walk rate from his rookie season. If the Phils can find some consistent hitting behind Herrera, he will be a dangerous leadoff hitter. FIRST-HALF TOP PITCHER: Nola had the nod through May, but then he struggled in his final five starts before the break. Velasquez has dazzled at times, but Eickhoff has been the rotation's most consistent pitcher. He posted a 3.80 ERA in 18 starts and proved to be the Phillies' stopper during their grueling stretch from mid-May to late June. FIRST-HALF TOP ROOKIE: Believe it or not, but a young team like the Phils doesn't have a bunch of rookies on the roster. Tommy Joseph is the most notable. He got promoted from Triple-A in mid-May and played so well that manager Pete Mackanin formally moved Ryan Howard to the bench. Joseph struggled for a bit, but he finished the first half on a high note. It will be a big second half for him as he tries to prove he should be the team's first baseman going forward.

Future Power – You couldn't even see his face. At 6-foot-6, his 235-pound, built-like-a-lineman frame towered over you from the top step of the first-base dugout at FirstEnergy Stadium, his head cut out of sight by the dugout roof. Dylan Cozens was a day away from going in San Diego for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, during which he'd put the most balls over the wall of anyone in batting practice despite being surrounded by baseball's highest ranked prospects, despite the fact that he doesn't even crack the top 10 in MLBPipeline.com's ranking of the Phillies' system. But before he made the cross-country voyage, the Minors' most prolific power hitter had one more three-hit night in him. Single. Triple. Home run. Reading, the best team in professional baseball -- with as many wins at the All-Star break as the 116-win 2001 Mariners -- hit blackjack in the runs column last Friday. The victim? David Hess and the Bowie Baysox -- just another in a line of teams unable to quiet the bats of Cozens or his Fightin' Phils teammates, who have scored in double digits 14 times this season and average nearly six runs a game. Cozens' 24 home runs are second only in the Minors to the 25 put up by the man who hits behind him, first baseman Rhys Hoskins. At the Major League level, only three teams have hit fewer home runs than the Phillies the past two seasons. "I've always been able to hit the ball a long way," Cozens says. He's also always been the tall one. And the athletic one. But only more recently has he been the big one. His defensive tackle of a father, Randy, had him doing daily pushups since before he can remember -- he could do 100 at a time as a 10-year-old, though he hasn't tried recently. But only toward the middle of his high school career did Cozens start to fill out. During his senior season at Chaparral High in Scottsdale, Ariz., he broke the school's single-season home run record, set by Paul Konerko. At 22, Randy was in his final season of a four-year career as a defensive lineman at the University of Pittsburgh. A year away from being drafted by (but never playing for) the Denver Broncos, he checked in at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Dylan, now 22, was gifted with his father's size and athleticism, but he is thankful for more than just his fortunate genealogy. "[My father] was always tough on me," Cozens said. "You try to take that same 'football tough' mentality to every sport you play, just hustle and be aggressive." About that football mentality. Cozens, rated a three-star defensive end, passed on football scholarship offers from Arizona, Washington and Boise State to sign with the Phillies out of high school. Between baseball and football seasons, Cozens played basketball, too. The trifecta onot only helped Cozens build athleticism, it is the definition of it, Cozens says: "Being able to be versatile, have different forms of hand-eye coordination, speed, power; stuff like that I feel is what athleticism is all about." Ninety games into the Double-A season, Cozens' 24 home runs are paired with 16 stolen bases. Only three times in Major League history has a player his size swiped that many bags throughout a 162-game schedule. Cozens doesn't like being asked if he has outgrown Double-A. It's not up to him, so why focus on it? Anyway, there is more to work on, despite what an initial glance at his numbers may indicate. Only four of his home runs have come against left-handers, against whom he is hitting .186. His slugging percentage at FirstEnergy Stadium, historically a hitter's park, is double what it is away from home. He also doesn't remember much of his post-Draft BP session at Citizens Bank Park, during which he reportedly parked a couple of balls in the upper deck. It prompted then-general manager Ruben Amaro to describe Cozens as having "extraordinary power." Since then he's hit 62 regular-season homers. Tommy Joseph, a fellow Arizonan, is excited for the day Cozens returns to Citizens Bank Park, this time as a big leaguer rather than a draftee. "He'll hit balls further to left than I will," the right-handed-hitting Joseph says. "He's not a very fun guy to take BP with, just a fun guy to watch."

Today In Phils History – In 1979, Mike Schmidt notched his 31^st homerun of the year becoming the first Phillie to collect more than 30 before the All Star break. The following season, Steve Carlton appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Mike Schmidt passed Mickey Mantle on the All Time homerun list on this day in 1988 with his 537^th long ball. 2006 saw two events of note when Giants fielded the 1^st outfield in MLB history with all 3 players being 40 or older: Barry Bonds (41), Steve Finley (41), and Moises Alou (40). At AAA, Phillies prospect Brennan King was having a historic night as well hitting for the cycle and driving in 8 runs.   

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 47-45-2 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record.

Phillies Remain Cold At The Plate

GAME RECAP: Braves Shutout Phillies 2-0

Williams Perez again shut down the Phillies on Saturday afternoon, pitching 6 1/3 shutout innings in a 2-0 victory that gave the Braves two consecutive wins for the first time since April 19. Both starters were effective. Adam Morgan lasted six innings and allowed just one two-run inning, but that was all Atlanta needed to back up Perez's performance. Jeff Francoeur and Nick Markakis reached to start the fourth, and Ender Inciarte ripped a double past a diving Odubel Herrera in left-center. Erick Aybar followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the scoring for the Braves, who will have a chance to split a 10-game road trip and claim their second series sweep of the season with a win in Sunday's finale. "It means a lot with all these guys have been through," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "All I heard was these guys never quit. They just keep getting after it. Things aren't going their way, but they just keep fighting every day. They've done every bit of that since I've been here." All the Phillies mustered against Perez 10 days ago in Atlanta was a Ryan Howard home run. But Perez limited them to even less on Saturday. Three Phillies reached base, two singles and a walk spread over three innings, and none stayed on the basepaths for more than one batter. "That kid, Perez, I gotta tip my cap to him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He used both sides of the plate very well, kept us off balance, pitched a good game." Howard, meanwhile, struck out two more times and now has four times more strikeouts (17) than hits (four) since the calendar turned to May.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Braves and Phillies scored about as many runs as can be expected from the two worst offenses in baseball on a cold and drizzly mid-May game. All the runs (two) came from Atlanta's bats in the third inning. The Phils were shut out for only the second time in 43 games. Morgan pitched well enough to win, but Philadelphia stranded three baserunners and that was all the offense it could eke out against Perez and the Braves' bullpen. With the two-run margin of victory, Atlanta pulled even with the Phillies for least runs scored this season, each now with an MLB-worst 137. "It's obvious that we haven't been hitting the ball the way I think we're capable of hitting," Mackanin said. "Sure, it gets to you after a while. I don't know if we can sustain the pace of scoring two or three runs a night." 
• It took only four innings for Herrera to lay out twice in center field. However, on both attempts, he came up just short. It resulted in a harmless single in the first, when Freddie Freeman laced a ball into right-center past a diving Herrera. David Lough backed up and Morgan retired the next batter. But the damage came in the fourth, when Herrera took an awkward route to a ball off Inciarte's bat, resulting in him lying on the center field grass as Inciarte jogged into second and Francoeur raced home to score the Braves' first run.
• For the first time in his career, Herrera has gone three consecutive games that he's started without reaching base. After going 0-for-4 on Saturday, he's hitless in his last 11 at-bats.
• The Braves lost each of their first 10 challenges of the season before winning one on Friday night. They added another win on Saturday when a quick replay review showed Perez's pitch hit Maikel Franco's bat and not the third baseman's hand, as originally ruled by home-plate umpire Gerry Davis.

NEXT GAME:

Jerad Eickhoff (1-6, 4.44) gets the start for Philadelphia in the finale of its three-game series with the Braves. Eickhoff hasn't recorded more than four strikeouts in a start since April 24, when he struck out seven but also allowed seven runs. Though he posted a 1.89 ERA in his first three starts, that number reached 6.18 over his past five.

PHILS PHACTS:

Good Start, Bad Outcome – Adam Morgan was much sharper in Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Braves than his last outing, in which he didn't make it out of the fourth. But Morgan collected his second quality start of the season -- both coming against his hometown Braves. He finished the day with only two runs on the scoreboard and six innings in the book. "He managed to battle and make pitches when he had to," manager Pete Mackanin said. "He fought through it." Not exactly a rousing endorsement, but Morgan felt similarly. Despite surrendering only two runs, the Braves were hitting balls hard off him all game. In all, they collected six hits and made a handful more loud outs. "There were some pitches that I missed, but overall I felt like I improved on the outing last time," Morgan said. "So I'm just going to keep on doing that, trying to improve." The 26-year-old southpaw was coming off the worst start of his career. Morgan allowed seven runs to the Reds in 3 2/3 innings last Sunday. He pointed to a lack of command during that start. In each of the past two starts, though -- one good, one bad -- Morgan has walked more batters than he's struck out. He's combined to throw 9 2/3 innings but has walked five and struck out only two. Morgan's never had swing-and-miss stuff, but this is well below even middling career strikeout numbers. His last two starts amount to a rate of 1.86 strikeouts per nine innings. In 15 MLB starts last season, that rate stood at 5.2, and his lowest Minor League mark came in his 13 starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley last season, at 4.3. But Mackanin chose to overlook the less-than-dominant numbers in lieu of a strong mental performance, battling through six innings, following up a rough start. "When you don't have your best stuff, or you're not locating as well as you can, you gotta figure out a way to get through it," he said. "And that's exactly what he did."

The Bats Have Gone Cold – Despite all their offensive woes to start the season, Saturday's 2-0 loss to the Braves was just the second time in 43 games the Phillies were unable to score a run. The lack of shutouts hasn't translated to any wealth of offense, though. With the two-run margin of victory, the Braves and Phillies pulled even for last place in the Majors in runs scored this season, each now with 137. "It gets to you after a while," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I don't know if we can sustain the pace of scoring two or three runs a night. As good as our pitching has been, at some point it's gotta affect everybody. But it hasn't affected our guys yet." It's true. Although the weather outside has hardly reflected it, there are sunshiney vibes in the Phils' clubhouse. Even after Saturday's loss -- locking in their first series loss since the beginning of May -- Philadelphia sits five games above .500 and half a game behind the second-place Mets in the National League East. They've continued their success from April into and throughout May, winning 10 of 19 so far this month. More incredibly, the Phillies have done so with effectively a black hole in the middle of the order. Mackanin moved Ryan Howard down from fourth to fifth in the order before Saturday's game. It was the first time Howard hit lower than fourth in a start since April 15 and the fourth time all season. The move came on the back of Howard's month-long slump. Since going 3-for-5 with a walk-off home run against Cleveland on April 29, Howard is hitting .083 (4-for-48) -- though all four hits have gone for extra bases (one double, three homers). He has five times as many strikeouts (20) in that time span as hits. "He's going to be in the lineup," Mackanin said. But Tommy Joseph has a chance to carve out more playing time. Mackanin said Joseph could start Sunday, "to clear Howie's head a little bit." Both will be in the lineup in Detroit, where the Phils can use a designated hitter. "And we'll just go from there," Mackanin added. The Phillies added Joseph to the roster hoping to get an offensive boost. In the limited plate appearances he's seen, the 24-year-old first baseman has looked promising. He's 4-for-12 with a walk and home run. In his first pinch-hit appearance on Saturday, he launched one to right field that was caught on the warning track. But even if Joseph can step into the No. 4 hole and produce, Philadelphia is still waiting for Maikel Franco to bust out of his own slump. Since the month started, Franco is hitting .206 (14-for-68) with as many strikeouts as hits -- not quite on Howard's level, but not what the Phillies are looking for from a hitter they hope to anchor their lineup for years to come. "You've gotta have a good middle of the lineup," Mackanin said. "You gotta drive runs in and we're not doing it. The team today, we just didn't look good."

Today In Phils History – First, let’s start the day by wish Jose Mesa a happy 50^th birthday. The rest of the events that occurred on this day are not so run of the mill. It starts in 1890 when manager Harry Wright was inexplicably struck blind. Catcher Jack Clements took his place as the first of three interim managers. In 1936, Bucky Walters homered and pitched a 4-hit shutout against the Giants. Pinky Whitney also hit a grand slam as part of a 15-0 onslaught. The last time a Phillies pitcher hit an inside-the-park homerun was on this day in 1952 when Curt Simmons accomplished the feat. And, finally, 2 years ago today, recently released Phillies prospect (2010 1^st round selection) was caught in a hailstorm after pitching a day game for the AA affliliate in Reading. In addition to the property damage around the area, including shattering the windows of his car, he also received a concussion which kept him off the mound for nearly 2 months.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 24-19 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 41-52-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!

And The Phillies’ Stellar Start Continues…

GAME RECAP: Mets Beat Phillies 7-2

A literal banner day for the Mets -- they raised their 2015 National League pennant before the game -- turned into a subdued 7-2 win over the Phillies on Friday when starting pitcher Jacob deGrom left due to a right lat injury. The afternoon was no more enjoyable for the Phillies, who fell to 0-4 for the first time in a decade. Before departing as a medical precaution, deGrom contributed six effective innings despite reduced velocity. The Mets, in turn, gave him a lead on sixth-inning RBI hits from Neil Walker and Michael Conforto against Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff. Walker singled home another run an inning later, and Conforto singled home two more. "It's a good start," Mets third baseman David Wright said. "Hopefully there's a lot more to come." The Mets' seventh-inning rally constituted a third bullpen meltdown in four games for the Phillies, whose 12.66 relief ERA ranks last in baseball. "We just need to get something going," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I need to keep everybody positive and not get down on themselves. Everybody is trying so hard."

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eickhoff pitched relatively well, but the Phillies' bullpen cannot stop the bleeding. After Dalier Hinojosa and Daniel Stumpf worked out of a jam in the sixth, left-hander James Russell allowed four runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach. The Phillies' bullpen has allowed 15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings this season. "We're going to continue to try to find out," said Mackanin, asked if he has the personnel in the bullpen to pitch effectively.
• There are many reasons the Phillies are 0-4, but one of them is the offense. They have scored more than two runs just once in four games. They are hitting .120 (3-for-25) with runners in scoring position, and they did themselves no favors Friday when Cesar Hernandez forgot the infield fly rule, turning a potential rally into an inning-ending double play in the eighth. "That was unacceptable," Mackanin said. "You can't excuse that. He should know better. He's an infielder."
• "You shouldn't have to. In high school you should know that." -- Mackanin, on if the infield fly rule is taught during Spring Training.
• Phillies outfielders are hitting a combined .116 (5-for-43) with one double, one home run and two RBIs, which is why Mackanin told Darin Ruf to begin taking fly balls in left field during batting practice. The Phillies pulled the plug on Ruf as an outfielder in Spring Training. "Although it's not according to plan, we need some bats with some power," Mackanin said. "I don't think that was even a thought," Ruf said of working out in left. "Now it is."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies fans get their first look at hard-throwing right-hander Vincent Velasquez -- the key piece of the Ken Giles trade with Houston -- in Saturday night's game against the Mets at Citi Field. Velasquez threw the ball well in the spring, earning the No. 5 job in the rotation over left-hander Adam Morgan.

PHILS PHACTS:

Wrong Kind Of Hit – Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco had his left elbow wrapped up Friday morning at Citi Field. But at least he had a bat in his hands and was headed to the batting cage to hit. "I'm sore," Franco said. "But I'll be fine." Franco got hit with a 92-mph fastball just below the elbow in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. He was not in the Phillies' lineup for Friday's game against the Mets, but Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Franco was available to pinch-hit and is expected to be in the lineup Saturday. "It's not a big deal," Mackanin said. That should be a relief for the Phillies, who badly need Franco's bat in the lineup. Franco hit .300 (3-for-10) with one double, one home run, two RBIs, two walks and two strikeouts in three games against the Reds this week. Andres Blanco started at third base Friday. He hit fifth.

A Solid Start – All things considered, the Phillies' rotation has been the team's lone bright spot this season. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff allowed three runs (two earned) in five-plus innings Friday afternoon in a 7-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. "He doesn't look as sharp as I've seen him," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "But he still only gave up two earned runs, which is fine." Following a spring that began with a broken right thumb, Eickhoff pitched better than perhaps expected. The Phillies will take it. Their starters have a 3.74 ERA in four games, but because of a poor bullpen and a struggling offense, the team is 0-4 for the first time since 2006. The Phillies need Vince Velasquez to pitch well Saturday night to avoid their first 0-5 start since 1934. Eickhoff struggled early, throwing 50 pitches in his first two innings. He hit Michael Conforto with a pitch to start the second and loaded the bases with no outs. Freddy Galvis dropped an easy catch at second on a potential double-play ball, putting runners at first and second. Eickhoff then walked Travis d'Arnaud to load the bases. But Eickhoff battled. He got Jacob deGrom to ground into a fielder's choice as Conforto scored to make it 1-0. But Curtis Granderson popped out and David Wright grounded out to end the inning. Eickhoff threw just 28 pitches over his next three innings, retiring 12 of 13 batters in one stretch. But a double from Lucas Duda, a single from Neil Walker and a Conforto double gave the Mets a 3-1 lead and ended Eickhoff's night. Eickhoff left the game encouraged that he is close to where he was last season, when he had a 2.65 ERA in eight starts as a rookie. "Yeah, I think so," Eickhoff said. "I threw a bullpen [session earlier this week] in Cincinnati. There were some pitches there where it was like, 'OK, that's it, that's where I need to be.' I think I threw some out there today. It's just I couldn't find it more than I'd like to, so it was kind of frustrating. But I'm happy to get through it and be healthy on the backside." The bullpen is not healthy. It allowed four runs in three innings. It has a 12.66 ERA (15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings). "Our starters have done a really good job up to this point," Mackanin said. "That's what we were trying to go for up to this point. It's been working very well. We're not the best-hitting team in the league, but we're certainly better than what we're showing. We just need to get something going. I need to keep everybody positive and not get down on themselves. Everybody is trying so hard."

That Was Fundamentally Wrong – Manager Pete Mackanin emphasized the fundamentals this spring because he knew the Phillies have little margin for error. But he never expected to need a refresher course on the infield fly rule four games into the season. Cesar Hernandez forgot about the rule Friday, ending a potential rally in the eighth inning of a 7-2 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. The Phillies are 0-4 for the first time since 2006. They need to win Saturday to avoid their first 0-5 start since 1934. "That was unacceptable," Mackanin said. "You can't excuse that. He should know better. He's an infielder." The Phillies had Hernandez on first and Freddy Galvis on second with one out when Odubel Herrera hit a popup in the infield, just to the left of the pitcher's mound. Mets third baseman David Wright moved underneath the ball, but the wind blew it behind him. No matter, the infield fly rule had been called. But Hernandez ran to second the moment the ball hit the ground. Wright threw to Mets first baseman Lucas Duda, who threw to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, who tagged Hernandez for the inning-ending double play. "I did not see the umpire call the infield fly," Hernandez said through the Phillies' translator. "I was trying to listen to my first-base coach, but couldn't hear a thing because it was so loud. When the ball hit the ground, I reacted to it. However, there are no excuses. I am an infielder. I know the rules. I take full responsibility for it. It won't happen again." "Freddy didn't move," Mackanin said. "He knew [not to run]." Asked if the Phillies reteach the infield fly rule in Spring Training, Mackanin said, "You shouldn't have to. In high school you should know that." Of course, this is not to say the Phillies would have overcome a five-run deficit, but they need every bit of help they can get. They have scored more than two runs just once in four games this season. They are hitting .120 (3-for-25) with runners in scoring position. The Phillies need offense so badly they just told Darin Ruf to begin to take fly balls in left field during batting practice. The Phillies essentially pulled the plug on Ruf as an outfielder in Spring Training because they said they valued defense over offense in the outfield. But Phillies outfielders are a hitting combined .116 (5-for-43) with one double, one home run and two RBIs. "Although it's not according to plan, we need some bats with some power," Mackanin said. "I don't think that was even a thought," Ruf said. "Now it is."

Minor Talents – Without a doubt, low Class A Greenville had the most talented Minor League club at the end of 2015. Scouts who saw the Red Sox's South Atlantic League affiliate in the second half laughed about how loaded the Drive's roster was. After signing for $31.5 million (and costing Boston a matching penalty for exceeding its international bonus pool) in March, second baseman Yoan Moncada lived up to his "Robinson Cano with more speed" comparisons and hit .310/.415/.500 with 45 steals in his final 56 games. Third baseman Rafael Devers ranked second in the SAL in doubles (38) and total bases (208) as an 18-year-old. Shortstop Javier Guerra flashed Gold Glove potential and slammed 15 homers. While third baseman Michael Chavis and right-hander Michael Kopech had their ups and downs -- Chavis had swing-and-miss issues, Kopech got suspended for 50 games after testing positive for a banned stimulant -- they both showed the upside that made them first-round picks in 2014. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi, the No. 7 overall choice in 2015, arrived in Greenville in August and batted .351/.430/.581 in 19 games. Precocious righty Anderson Espinoza, who draws Pedro Martinez parallels, made a cameo in the final series at age 17. Even with the Red Sox breaking up the gang to start the 2016 season, they've still assembled the most impressive Minor League roster again, this time at high Class A Salem. No club has three players ranked higher on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects than Moncada (No. 6), Devers (No. 16) and Benintendi (No. 24). Guerra (No. 57) went to the Padres in the Craig Kimbrel trade in November, but Espinoza (No. 38), Kopech (currently sidelined after breaking his pitching hand in an altercation with a teammate during Spring Training) and Chavis could move up to the Carolina League later in the year. Salem also features several interesting sleepers in right-hander Travis Lakins, middle infielder Mauricio Dubon and first baseman Nick Longhi. After Salem, these are the best prospect rosters in the Minors: 8. Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Phillies): All three of the IronPigs' Top 100 Prospects were acquired via trade last year by the rebuilding Phillies. Right-hander Jake Thompson (No. 54) and outfielder Nick Williams (No. 64) came from the Rangers in July's Cole Hamels deal, while righty Mark Appel (No. 69) -- the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 Draft -- was part of the package the Astros gave up for Ken Giles in December. Catcher Andrew Knapp was one of the Minors' hottest hitters after the All-Star break last year, batting .370/.437/.698 with 11 homers in 42 Double-A games. 9. Double-A Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies): Philadelphia leads all organizations with seven Top 100 Prospects, so it's not surprising that the Phils are the only one with multiple affiliates on this list. J.P. Crawford (No. 4) is an elite shortstop prospect, catcher Jorge Alfaro (No. 95) is another piece from the Hamels trade and outfielder Roman Quinn (No. 98) is one of the fastest players in the Minors. Potential mid-rotation right-hander Ricardo Pinto has two plus pitches in his fastball and changeup.

Home Opener Festivities Scheduled – The Mets celebrated their National League championship Friday afternoon with a lengthy pregame ceremony at Citi Field. The Phillies will have their own festivities Monday at their home opener at Citizens Bank Park. There are a limited number of tickets available at phillies.com/tickets or at the first-base ticket windows at the ballpark. Here are some the highlights of the day's timeline: Noon ET -- Block party begins on Citizens Bank Way. 12:35 p.m. -- Gates open. Fans receive a commemorative cap. 12:43 p.m. -- Phillies take batting practice. 2:13 p.m. -- The Phillies begin their walk into the ballpark from 10th Street, just outside center field. 2:22 p.m. -- The Phillies enter the park. 2:50 p.m. -- Kane Kalas, son of Harry Kalas, sings the national anthem. 2:53 p.m. -- The United States Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, parachute onto the field delivering the first balls. 3 p.m. -- Philadelphia police officer Jesse Hartnett, 33, throws out a first pitch. Hartnett was shot three times while on duty. President Obama called him a hero in his last State of the Union Address. 3:05 p.m. -- First pitch.

All About Debuts - It's hard to believe but the first victory at Ebbets Field in 1913 was not by the Brookyln Dodgers, that honor belongs to the Phillies. Ted Savage and Frank Torre (Joe's Brothers) made their Phillies debuts on this day in 1962 in a decade that held a lot of promise but produced few results. However, the team's record at the end of the year doesn't mean their weren't great performances that of Steve "bedrock" Bedrosian who would go on to win the Cy Young Award two years after debuting with the Phillies in 1986. The next decade saw Tyler Green playing his part in an amazing season in 1993.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 0-4 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 18-18-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!