Phillies Still Have Some Work To Do

EXHIBITION GAME RECAP: Red Sox Route Phillies 5-1

Home runs by Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts helped the Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon at JetBlue Park. Knuckleballer Steven Wright, who is competing for a spot in the Red Sox's rotation, went 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. "He certainly helped his cause today with a solid outing," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "I thought he did a nice job with his fastball and his curveball in the early innings to get back into some counts. And then he got a better feel for his knuckleball as the game went along. But to get him up over a 100 pitches here today, today was a good step for Steven." Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff exited after five-plus frames, allowing five runs on 11 hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Eickhoff was making just his second start because of a fractured right thumb earlier in spring. "He's rusty," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "He made a lot of real good pitches with his curveball, but he didn't locate his fastball real well. He's behind everybody, so I'm not concerned about it. He did OK." Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia and Bogaerts -- Boston's 1-2-3 batters -- combined for seven hits, three runs and two RBIs. The Phillies opened the scoring in the first inning when Odubel Herrera, who went 3-for-3, reached on a one-out single and scored on Maikel Franco's double off the replica Green Monster in left-center field. Franco, who leads all Major Leaguers with eight home runs this spring, just missed another. The umpires, who convened to discuss the drive, let the on-field call stand. Boston went ahead in the bottom of the frame when Betts and Pedroia led off with doubles. David Ortiz's RBI groundout scored Pedroia to make it 2-1. The Sox added two more in the fourth on Bradley's two-out home run, scoring Ryan Hanigan, who had reached on a single. It was Bradley's third dinger of the spring. Bogaerts led off the fifth with his second long ball of the spring.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Vince Velasquez has an important start on Monday afternoon against the Blue Jays at 1:07 p.m. ET in Dunedin, Fla. It can heard live exclusively on phillies.com. He is competing with left-hander Adam Morgan for the No. 5 spot in the Phillies' rotation, so Velasquez needs another strong showing to perhaps clinch it.

PHILS PHACTS:

Getting His Swing Back – If the Phillies stand pat, it looks like Odubel Herrera, Peter Bourjos and Rule 5 Draft pick Tyler Goeddel will be in the starting lineup Opening Day on April 4 in Cincinnati against the Reds. Some combination of Cedric Hunter, David Lough and Emmanuel Burriss could round out the outfield. Herrera went 3-for-3 in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Red Sox at JetBlue Park. He is 5-for-10 with one double since missing nine games because of a bruised left middle finger. "I feel fine," Herrera said through the Phillies' translator. "I don't think it's an issue anymore. The more I play, the better I feel." But what about the rest of the outfield? Bourjos hit .200 with a .623 OPS in 225 plate appearances in 2015. He is batting .311 with a .948 OPS in 45 at-bats this spring. Goeddel has never played higher than Double-A. He has posted a .250 average with a .674 OPS in 52 at-bats. The Phillies have said they are not aggressively pursuing outfield help, despite injuries to Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche, and production concerns surrounding the others. But that could be because they figured players would become available before the end of the month. That is exactly what is happening. Yankees outfielder Chris Denorfia opted out of his contract. Some in the organization like him. David Murphy could opt out of his contract with the Red Sox on Sunday. The Indians released Will Venable. Other teams will be making moves in the next week, so the Phillies should have more options to choose from. But at least Herrera is hitting the ball well. "He's a freak," manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's just a real different kind of hitter. He's got such great hand-eye coordination. It doesn't take him long to get on track."

Who’s On First? – Ruben Amaro Jr. tried to steer the conversation on Sunday from his Phillies past to his Red Sox present. Amaro is the Red Sox's first-base coach. His nearly seven seasons as Phillies general manager ended in September. "I'm proud of the things we did there," Amaro said Sunday morning at JetBlue Park, where the Phillies played the Red Sox in a Grapefruit League game. "The Phillies are the Phillies, and they have their own organization. I was fortunate to be a part of it. I'm on a new chapter now, and I'm loving what I'm doing. And I've kind of moved on. I mean, listen, I'm going to watch and see how those guys progress, obviously, but for me it's about moving my own baseball life forward." But one wonders how Phillies history might have changed with a hit here or a pitch there. The Phillies had the best record in the Majors in 2011. They won a franchise record 102 games with one of the best rotations in baseball history. But Chris Carpenter outdueled Roy Halladay in Game 5 of the National League Division Series, 1-0, ending the Phillies' season of high expectations with massive disappointment. If Cliff Lee held a four-run lead in Game 2, if Raul Ibanez or Chase Utley squared up a couple of warning-track fly outs a little more in Game 5, maybe the Phillies win the series and maybe they win the World Series. And maybe Amaro remains GM. "In '08, we ended up being the best team in baseball because we won the World Series, but I don't know if we were the best team in baseball," Amaro said. "When you get to the playoffs, it's about whether you can execute at that moment, whether you can make the pitch, whether you can get the big base hit. We did it in '08. We didn't do it in '09, '10 or '11. I'm every bit as proud of those teams. They were good friggin' teams. They were good teams." Everybody knows what happened next. The Phillies started their fall to the bottom of the NL standings the following season, and they finished with the worst record in baseball in 2015. The Phillies fired Amaro in September, replacing him with Matt Klentak in October. "It was clear that changes were going to be made," Amaro said. "That didn't stop me from trying to do my job. We continued do things the way we operate, and hopefully the Phillies will benefit from that." The Phillies' farm system jumped from one of the worst to one of the best in little over a year, specifically from the moment former Phillies president Pat Gillick gave Amaro permission to begin the rebuilding process following the 2014 season. Big reasons for the drastic improvement are the trades Amaro made before he lost his job. The biggest is the one that sent Cole Hamels and Jake Diekman to Texas in July for Jake Thompson, Nick Williams, Jorge Alfaro, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher. Thompson, Williams and Alfaro are three of the top 100 prospects, according to MLBPipeline. Eickhoff, who started Sunday's game in Fort Myers, will open this season in the Phillies' rotation. The Phillies have been praised for that trade, although it remains to be seen how many of those players fulfill their potential. But it is a little ironic that the same guy that got criticized for being allergic to analytics might have made the trade that helps the Phillies return to the postseason in a couple of years. "We did that because we had good scouts," Amaro said. "Mike Ondo is a very, very good pro scouting director. We had people who know baseball and know players. I think we did that [trade] because of that." Members of the new Phillies' regime have said the analytics system was way more advanced than they had anticipated, based on nothing more than the world's outside perception of it. If that is true, then why did the Phillies try to seem so unanalytical at times? "We didn't think it was all that important for us to have to advertise what we were doing," Amaro said. "Why do we have to advertise what we do? Am I doing it to save my job or what? We were a little behind I think with some of the analytics. The reality of it is we won without the analytics. We had the best team in baseball without the analytics … a full analytics core. Could we have been better? Maybe. There's always ways to improve, but that's probably why I'm in a uniform now." Amaro said he is enjoying his new job. He lost 15-20 pounds since the fall, looking fitter than he has in years. His former employees noticed. "Damn, what happened, man?" Phillies bench coach Larry Bowa said, lifting up Amaro's blue batting practice pullover to reveal Amaro's thinner frame. "You look good." "I'm trying to be like you," Amaro said. Amaro chatted with a few of his former players on Sunday prior to Boston's 5-1 win. He is following Maikel Franco, Cesar Hernandez and others. He certainly will follow the progress of the prospects he acquired. "Like I said, I'm proud of the things we did there," Amaro said. "We had a lot of great years, a lot of fun, fun years. Obviously when there's change made there's a reason there's change. That's not stuff I can control. I'm enjoying what I'm doing now, and we'll see what happens after I get this opportunity and see how it goes."

Today In Phils History - I can't believe that it has already been 5 years since the famous Sports Illustrated cover featuring Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton hit the shelves. In the same vein, it doesn't seem possible that it has already been 16 years since Mickey Morandini returned for his second stint with the team. However, it is easy to believe that it has been 100 years since the Phillies completed a 7 game exhibition sweep of the Cubs.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have an impressive record this spring… 14-9-3 (15-9-3 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!

Time For The GM Shuffle!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY: Mets And Royals World Series Previews

METS: On the eve of Matt Harvey's start in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, one of his college teammates recalled the brash freshman who arrived on the campus of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 2007. Harvey had just turned down $1 million after the Angels made him a third-round Draft pick, opting instead to boost his stock with a Tar Heels team coming off back-to-back appearances in the championship round of the College World Series. "We knew he could help us, but he hadn't been there those previous two years, and he might not have taken it as seriously as we were during those fall practices," said Rob Wooten, an ace reliever for those teams who made it to the big leagues himself, with the Brewers. "I think he thought he was going to come in and breeze right through college. It didn't work that way at the beginning. I think he got humbled pretty quick. But he put his head down and he got to work. "I love Matt. He's an All-Star and he's going to win a Cy Young Award someday and now he's pitching Game 1 of the World Series. I'm definitely going to be watching." It will be a well-rested, unrestricted Harvey who takes the Kauffman Stadium mound, the fascination with Harvey's workload having been stifled after serving as a source of controversy in August and September. The fact remains that Harvey, who missed all of 2014 while recovering from Tommy John surgery, continues to push into uncharted innings. In August, Harvey's agent, Scott Boras, made the case for a hard cap around 180 innings, while the Mets insisted they would proceed on a start-to-start basis. Now, with the Mets on the brink of their first championship since 1986, the sides appear united. Including his two postseason starts (2-0, 2.84 ERA), Harvey has logged 202 innings since the start of the regular season. "We kind of cleared that up at the end," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "It goes back to after the Yankee game [on Sept. 20, when Collins removed Harvey after 77 pitches and five scoreless innings]. "Couple days later he walked in and said, 'Listen, we're going to get in the postseason and I've got to be ready, and I'm not ready.' He said, 'My next two starts I've got to throw at least a hundred pitches to get myself back where I need to be.'" Collins conferred with Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, who said it was Harvey's call. "It's pretty much been Matt and me ever since," Collins said. "I don't think we've needed to go elsewhere. As long as I know he's ready to go." Harvey indicated he's ready to go. "I think there were some people that threw me under the bus a little bit about what was going on," Harvey said. "But for me being out here with my teammates is all I want, and I couldn't be happier to be with them here now." In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series he delivered a vintage performance, holding the Cubs to two runs on four hits in 7 2/3 innings, with nine strikeouts. It marked the first time Harvey threw a pitch beyond the seventh inning since Aug. 11. That outing did come at a price. Harvey took a liner directly on his right arm off the bat of Cubs center fielder Dexter Fowler, and there was more swelling than expected in his triceps two days later. But he improved to the point that he was slated to start Game 5 of the NLCS had the Mets not completed their four-game sweep. Harvey will pitch Tuesday on nine days' rest. "I think the best thing and the most positive thing is how I feel after the 200-inning mark, and quite honestly, it's probably better than I did at the 100 mark," he said. Said Collins: "I think in conversations with David [Wright] and some of the other veterans, he realized that the only way he's going to be that person he wants to be is to be out in the middle of that field. So he took the baseball back. He said, 'Give me the ball.' "So I salute that. Certainly we all realize any time you're out on the baseball field something freaky could happen and your career could come to an end, but it's about the competition side and being out there with your teammates, and he wants to do that. I'm not shocked by it. And I'm thrilled that he said, 'Give me the baseball,' because he's going to get it." His old Tar Heels teammate will be watching. Harvey and Wooten remain in touch, though the last time they had an extended conversation in person was last December in Orlando during Major League Baseball Players Association meetings. Wooten said Harvey expressed supreme confidence in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, and was bullish about the Mets' young starting pitching. "He told me they were going to win there," Wooten said. "And sure enough, there they are in the World Series."

ROYALS: Game 1 of the World Series is kind of a big deal, but Royals right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez, preparing for his start Tuesday night against the Mets, smiles the same old relaxed way. "It's another game," said Volquez. "I don't have to do anything different than what I've been doing. I've got to stay focused in what I'm doing, especially this game, because this is a World Series game. You don't have too many chances to make a lot of mistakes in those games. So I've got to stay under control and pitch my game." Volquez's postseason has been up and down. He yielded five hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings of a loss to the Astros in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Then he beat the Blue Jays in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series by giving up just two hits in six innings of a shutout victory, before giving up five runs in five innings in a 7-1 loss to the Jays in Game 5. The results have swung, but Volquez has remained his happy-go-lucky self. "I don't think Dominican guys get nervous, ever," Royals catcher Salvador Perez said. "He just likes to compete, have fun and do his job -- keep the ball down, use the changeup, use his breaking ball, pitch inside." Volquez has found slightly more fastball velocity in the postseason. He is touching 97 and 98 mph. According to FanGraphs, Volquez's fastball is averaging 95.2 mph in the postseason, as opposed to 93.8 during the regular season. The Jays' Aaron Sanchez, the Mets' Steven Matz, the Cubs' Trevor Cahill and Royals teammate Chris Young have experienced greater bumps in average velocity (among pitchers with 70 or more postseason pitches), but Volquez's 1.4 mph increase is considered significant. Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland said the uptick is a testament of a clean, fundamental delivery that allows Volquez to direct his power toward home plate. At times during the regular season, he became rotational and lost power by spinning to the side. Volquez prefers to use humor over technical explanation of his newfound velocity. "I don't know, from the Gatorade," he said when asked for his thoughts on a reason. "A lot of energy helps me a little bit more. I think pitching the playoffs is more exciting. And everything I pitch, everything I've got, that's what I've got. I was throwing 97, 98 the other day. I don't do that very often, but I think I've still got it a little bit." Volquez's charge against the selective Mets will be to stay in the strike zone consistently, since he has walked 12 in 16 2/3 postseason innings, with 15 strikeouts. Eiland said Volquez's faster fastball is also a sign of a free mind. After a promising early career with the Reds, Volquez was discarded by the Padres and Dodgers in 2013, only to resurface as a competitive starter with the Pirates last year. He continued that trend when he joined the Royals this season. "This guy's been around," Eiland said. "He's been released a couple of times, bounced around, given up on. He's got nothing to lose. He's very fortunate and grateful to be in this situation. He's coming right at you. He's not going to let this opportunity slip away, throwing caution to the wind. "Usually when a player throws caution to the wind, you get the best out of him."

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS: Read my post from October 6^th to see how many I have gotten wrong!

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

Game 1: Tuesday, October 27, at 8:00 PM

PHILS PHACTS:

New GM – Andy MacPhail got his man. Matt Klentak, previously an Angels assistant general manager, was named vice president and general manager on Monday. The Phillies introduced him during a news conference at Citizens Bank Park. "I am honored, I am humbled, I am unbelievably excited to be here today," Klentak said. Klentak, 35, appeared to be the favorite for the job from the moment MacPhail joined the organization in June. Sources told MLB.com at the time that if MacPhail decided not to renew Ruben Amaro Jr.'s contract, Klentak would be his top target. The Phillies announced last month that Amaro would not return, opening the door for Klentak's arrival. MacPhail kept his GM search quiet, declining interview requests along the way. He conducted many of his first-round interviews in Chicago before holding second and final interviews this week. Those interviews involved Phillies ownership, which included John Middleton. Klentak, A's assistant GM Dan Kantrovitz and Rays vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom were the three finalists for the job. But Klentak evidently impressed everybody the most. "In Matt we found an executive with the keen ability to understand cutting-edge baseball analytics, coupled with superior scouting, player development and leadership skills," MacPhail said. "Additionally, his commitment and resolve to build the foundation for a championship-caliber team was evident every step of the way through the process. I trust Matt to lead the Phillies as we all rededicate ourselves to return championship baseball to Philadelphia." So who is Klentak? He grew up in Massachusetts and attended Dartmouth College, where he majored in economics and played shortstop. Following graduation in 2002, he took an internship with the Rockies before he joined Major League Baseball's Labor Relations Department, where he helped negotiate the 2006 Collective Bargaining Agreement. He remained there until 2008, when MacPhail hired him as director of baseball operations with the Orioles, making him one of the youngest executives in baseball. Klentak worked with MacPhail in scouting, player development, contract negotiations and the construction of the 40-man roster. The Angels hired him as assistant general manager in late 2011, where he handled many of those same responsibilities. Klentak has an analytics background, but those who are familiar with him say he has a well-balanced approach to his duties. In other words, sabermetrics aren't the only thing he knows. He was former Angels GM Jerry Dipoto's No. 2 man, meaning he worked with scouts, agents and other general managers and assistant general managers. "We want to be the best at everything that we do," Klentak said. "We want to have the best scouts on the field, we want to have the best coaches, we want to have the best players, and we will. And we will use every form of technology available to us to have the best information in this industry." Scouts who know him seem to like and respect him. Field personnel seem to like him, too. He could be seen chatting in the clubhouse with Angels coaches and players following Dipoto's resignation July 1, which was a tumultuous time for the organization. Klentak is said to be likeable and a good communicator, which should help him early with a demanding Phillies fanbase and media. "This is a phenomenal sports town and the fans are equally phenomenal," Phillies partner John Middleton said to Klentak during the news conference. "As a group, we are passionate, we are knowledgeable, we are loyal, we have high standards and I think you will love be here. And when you win here, you will really love being here. There is nothing like winning in Philadelphia."

Old GM – The Red Sox took an unconventional route in the selection of a new first-base coach/outfield instructor, hiring former Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. on Monday to fill that role. Amaro, 50, has no previous coaching experience and went straight to the Phillies' front office after his playing career ended in 1998. Red Sox manager John Farrell was teammates with Amaro for a short period in 1995 with the Indians. Amaro will also assist in baserunning instruction. "I am truly honored to join the Red Sox, a first-class organization with a tremendous history," Amaro said. "I was honored that Dave and John would consider me for this opportunity and add me to this dynamic coaching staff. I am poised, focused and ready to bring anything I can in terms of experience and knowledge to this position, and I look forward to being a part of the Boston Red Sox." The fact that Amaro is ready to take an on-field job lends credence to a recent report that he might be interested in managing some day. Amaro became the general manager of the Phillies on Nov. 1, 2008, right after the club won the World Series. He took over for Pat Gillick. Under Amaro, the Phillies got back to the World Series the next year, losing to the Yankees. The Phillies won the National League East from '09-11, but didn't make it to the postseason the past four years. The Phillies announced on Sept. 10 that they would not be renewing Amaro's contract. Amaro replaces Arnie Beyeler as Boston's first-base coach and outfield instructor. Beyeler was the only coach not retained from Farrell's staff. An outfielder for the entirety of his eight-year career in the Majors, Amaro should be well positioned to teach defense to Boston's young and exciting trio of Rusney Castillo, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, there are some former Phillies still making headlines in the playoffs this year.

Red Sox Sweep Phillies As Ortiz Closes In On 500

GAME RECAP: Red Sox Sweep Phillies 6-2

Call it deja vu for David Ortiz. The slugger went deep again Sunday afternoon, inching closer to the 500-homer mark, and drove in three to back Eduardo Rodriguez's impressive start as the Red Sox swept the Phillies, 6-2, at Fenway Park. Ortiz, who also homered Saturday, smoked a two-run shot to right -- his 497th home run -- in the first for a 2-0 lead, though he later exited the game with right calf tightness and is day to day. Jackie Bradley Jr. added a two-run triple in a four-run fourth, his sixth extra-base hit in seven games, and Rodriguez spun seven strong innings of one-run ball in Boston's second three-game sweep. "He controlled his pitch counts, he was on the attack -- great outing [that] kind of set the tone for us to do some things offensively," Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo said of Rodriguez. Rodriguez is 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA over his last four starts, but Lovullo said the southpaw has an innings limit, which could mean shorter outings for the rest of the season. Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, the third rookie trotted out by the Phillies in the series, surrendered six runs, eight hits and a pair of walks over four innings in his first real stumbling block. He had recorded quality starts in each of his first three Major League outings. The Phillies are 3-10 in their past 13 games, and their starters own a Major League-high 6.31 ERA on the road in 2015.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The 25-year-old labored mightily through the second and needed 44 pitches to finish the inning. Even after he erased a leadoff double by catching Rusney Castillo trying to swipe third, Eickhoff's shaky command opened the door for Boston to plate four runs on five hits in the frame. Bradley authored the biggest blow when he smacked a 2-2 fastball to right for a triple. Eickhoff settled down somewhat after that, working a perfect four-pitch third inning and a scoreless fourth. "I think I just got back to what makes me good as a pitcher," Eickhoff said. "Just located my fastball a little better. I think I got away from that [early]. I kind of started hot and heavy. But the last two innings I got back to that, what I do best." "These young guys, they're taking their lumps," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "But that's what this year's about and that's what the first time through the big leagues, you got to fine-tune it a little bit and get over the experience of being here for the first time."
• Although the Phillies' offense remained largely dormant, center fielder Odubel Herrera stayed hot by recording his third multihit performance in six games, which raised his average above .300 for the first time since May 3. His .302 mark is the Phillies' best among qualified hitters. "What a Rule 5 [Draft] pick, Herrera. Boy is he fun to watch," Mackanin said. "And he's over .300 now. Playing super defense. I don't know if it was [pro scouting director] Mike Ondo, but somebody did a heck of a job getting that guy."

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Aaron Harang (5-14, 4.89 ERA) takes the mound as the Phils begin a 10-game homestand at Citizens Bank Park, starting with Monday's 7:05 p.m. ET series opener against the Braves. Harang hasn't won since he last faced Atlanta on July 30, when he allowed one run over five innings. He carries a 0.95 ERA in three starts against the club this season. 

PHILS PHACTS:

Learning Through Adversity – Three times this weekend, the Phillies sent a rookie starter out to face the Red Sox. And though all three occasions ended in defeat, including Sunday's 6-2 loss that completed a sweep for Boston, interim manager Pete Mackanin recognizes that such struggles simply come with the territory of building toward 2016. "These young guys, they're taking their lumps," Mackanin said. "But that's what this year's about, and that's what the first time through the big leagues, you've got to fine-tune it a little bit and get over the experience of being here for the first time." On Sunday, right-hander Jerad Eickhoff took his turn learning just how difficult the Majors can be, allowing six runs on eight hits over four innings. He fell victim to David Ortiz's 497th home run in the first inning, a two-run blast to right field, and then surrendered four runs in a 44-pitch second. After that, however, Eickhoff went on to work two scoreless innings, including a perfect third on four pitches. "We were going to see if he would get away from his fastball and start being real fine with his pitches," Mackanin said. "Actually, I think he was trying to be too fine early in the game. When that happens, you end up making mistakes. And then after the damage was done, he went right back to his fastball and started making pitches. He reacted extremely well. So it was good to see." The shaky performance came after Eickhoff recorded quality starts in his first three games. But the 25-year-old took the tough game in stride, adding that he was glad Mackanin let him continue pitching after the second. "I'm as stubborn as they come," Eickhoff said. "And I want to come up here, and no matter how bad it's looking or how bad it is, I want to go out there for my team and try to get as deep as I can." To give his staff of youngsters some needed rest, Mackanin revealed that the Phillies plan on moving to a six-man rotation starting Wednesday against the Braves. However, the club has not announced who will take the open spot. "We've got a limit on pitches for [Aaron] Nola, and you got to be careful with Eickhoff and [Alec] Asher," Mackanin said. "For everybody, it's good this late in the season, especially the young guys who haven't pitched. Unless they're going to get extra days in between. Because they're not used to going this deep into a season. They're not used to playing in September. So the inning totals are going to be important to keep an eye on." For Eickhoff and his fellow rookies, they at least have the benefit of relying on their shared experiences while continuing to break into the big leagues. "Going through what I went through today, I would've bounced that off other pitchers and just see what they would've done differently, what I could have done instead of doing this, things like that," Eickhoff said. "So I think it's a good reference point, for sure."

Embracing Veteran Role – As Jeff Francoeur scanned the Phillies' lineup card Sunday morning and found his name, he joked that interim manager Pete Mackanin had made him the designated hitter by default. Francoeur's reason? Most of his teammates are too young to DH. "It's kind of new," Francoeur said. "A lot of teams I'd always played on -- Chipper [Jones], [Carlos] Beltran and those guys -- whenever we played, they would DH. I guess now I'm the old guy on the team to DH." Following the midseason departures of Cole Hamels, Chase Utley and Jonathan Papelbon, the 31-year-old Francoeur suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar role as one of the club's elder statesmen. Sunday's lineup featured six players under the age of 26 and rookie starter Jerad Eickhoff on the mound. "It's definitely been weird. But I enjoy the grind of it," Francoeur said. "I enjoy helping some of these younger guys. Odubel [Herrera], Aaron Altherr, and just teaching them the game the best I can." Sitting around in between at-bats is also a fairly fresh experience for Francoeur, who played just his fifth career game as the DH. "Honestly for me, it's just stay in the game, stay focused before each at-bat," Francoeur said. "It can get tough sometimes. It's more just trying to lock in and concentrate the best you can. It's almost like pinch-hitting a little bit. You kind of sit around and relax. I'll come up [in the clubhouse] and stretch, swing a little bit." Now on his seventh team in 11 seasons, Francoeur's up-and-downs leave him well-equipped to assist a clubhouse as young as Philadelphia's. He counts this season in particular as a personal triumph after playing almost all of 2014 with Triple-A El Paso, a Padres affiliate. "It's a humbling thing. I think you ask any guy, growing up, you never would have thought you would play for 11 seasons," Francoeur said. "But at the same time, it shows how hard you work. Especially for me after last year. Spending some of the year at Triple-A, then getting to come back and put a good year together was something that meant a lot to me."

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 53-84. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 55-65-1 on this day.

Phillies Pitching Continues To Falter Down The Stretch

GAME RECAP: Red Sox Route Phillies 9-2

David Ortiz went deep, Wade Miley went the distance and the Red Sox relied on a huge inning to secure a 9-2 win over the Phillies on Saturday at Fenway Park. Miley allowed both runs on five hits and tallied eight punchouts in the first complete-game effort of his career, improving his record to 11-10 in the process. The left-hander carried a perfect game into the fifth before Jeff Francoeur ended his bid with a bloop single. "He was just on the attack from the first inning on," said Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo. "A little bit of a hiccup after we had the eight-run inning. There was a little bit of a pause there. But all in all, that was the only time he got nicked up. He was in control of all of his innings, pitch count-wise. A complete effort by him." Ortiz mashed career home run No. 496 around the Pesky Pole in the fourth inning, the slugger's fourth in eight games, to cap off an eight-run outburst by Boston. Phillies rookie Alec Asher faded early in his second Major League start and finished charged with seven runs, eight hits and two balks in 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Jerome Williams completed 3 1/3 frames of one-run ball in mop-up duty. Catcher Carlos Ruiz provided the only Philly offense with a two-run single in the fifth. "Asher [was] up in the zone. No command of his secondary pitches," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "In his defense, it's his second Major League start, in Fenway Park. So there's something to that. It's a big deal for him."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• After only giving up one hit in his first time through the Boston order, Asher quickly collapsed in his second go-round, allowing seven of the nine batters he faced to reach base in the fourth. Asher's outing came to an end when Bogaerts cleared the bases and left him still searching for his first career win at 0-2. "I thought the first three innings went really well," Asher said. "I started elevating the ball a little too much that last inning and it came back to hurt me."
• Coming into the game with the bases loaded and one out, Phillies closer Ken Giles did his best to make the most of a non-save situation by inducing groundouts from Bogaerts, which scored an inherited runner, and Ortiz. It was the 24-year-old's first appearance in seven days. "I wanted to get him in the game," Mackanin said. "That's the best thing that worked out for us, he only threw six pitches and he got some work on the mound."
• "I've seen Miley before. That's the best I've seen him. He pitches extremely well. Nine innings, worked fast, changed speeds, used both sides of the plate, kept the ball down. He did a great job." – Mackanin.
• After dropping the weekend series Saturday, the Phillies have a 1-11-2 series record against the Red Sox since 2004, and they have not won a series in Boston since July 1999.
• Although Mackanin repeated his wish to give Cody Asche a majority of the starts at third base moving forward, he sat him against Red Sox lefty Wade Miley on Saturday. Asche is hitting .237 with just three extra-base hits off southpaws this season. "He'll get the brunt of the playing time. I didn't want to play him against a lefty because he needs to build his confidence back up," Mackanin said.
• The Double-A Reading Fighting Phils captured their first Eastern League Eastern Division title in 15 years on Thursday night with a 2-1 victory over Binghamton. In addition, Reading catcher Andrew Knapp earned League Player of the Month honors after batting .404 with nine doubles, eight homers and 28 RBIs in August.
• Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is day to day with back stiffness. He was a late scratch on Friday and remained out of the starting lineup Saturday.

NEXT GAME:

Phillies rookie Jerad Eickhoff will continue to make his case for the 2016 rotation on Sunday afternoon, when he clashes with fellow first-year starter Eduardo Rodriguez and the Red Sox, who will be seeking a sweep of the three-game series at Fenway Park. All three of Eickhoff's Major League outings have been quality starts. The 25-year-old threw six shutout innings agains the Marlins to win his Aug. 21 debut, and then tossed two solid games against the Mets, allowing three earned runs in back-to-back starts. Through 19 innings, he has fanned 15 and walked only four. Rodriguez faces the Phillies for the first time in his career. The left-hander comes in with a 3.77 ERA over his last seven starts, all but one of which saw him limit the damage to three or fewer earned runs. Opposing players are batting .158 against his changeup this season.

PHILS PHACTS:

2^nd Not As Good As 1^st – A rookie making his second career start in the historic confines of Fenway Park would be a natural source of excitement for any young player. For Phillies right-hander Alec Asher, the energy of the moment might have had him a little too adrenalized during Saturday's 9-2 loss to the Red Sox. The Boston bats rocked Asher for seven runs on eight hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings, with an overwhelming majority of that damage coming in his final frame. The first three innings were scoreless and allowed Asher to more or less match his dominant counterpart, Red Sox lefty Wade Miley. But in the fourth inning, seven of nine batters reached base against the 23-year-old, erasing his early excellence and instead leaving him 0-2 to start his big league career. Did his emotions affect the outcome? "There was a little bit," Asher said. "This is a neat park. It still only being my second start, I think there were maybe still a little emotions. But you just try to work past it the best you can." With the game's 4:05 p.m. ET start time, hitters from both clubs had to contend with awkward shadows cast over the infield. Their dissipation coincided with Asher's shaky fourth inning, perhaps also explaining the drastic drop-off in his outing. "The first three innings with the shadow, both sides you could tell they didn't see the ball well," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Once that shadow got past the mound, then it was a different story and everybody started seeing the ball better." In addition, Asher was called for two balks -- one in which he started and stopped his delivery, and one in which the ball simply fell out of his sweaty hand. Both were possible indicators of what Mackanin called being "overfocused," though Asher maintained that they were simply accidents. "I didn't feel like I balked," Asher said of the first call. "I watched video and there was a little sway." Asher could have stemmed the tides of Boston's scoring in the fourth had he been able to record one more timely out. But he surrendered a couple of hard-hit balls down the foul lines, and ultimately, the rookie accepted the loss as a learning experience and will try to keep from overcomplicating his approach moving forward. "You try to take the human element out of it," Asher said. "You try to just go see what you need to work on, what pitches you execute and go about it like that."

Winter Ball? – With Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hard-pressed to return from a left wrist fracture before the season ends, interim manager Pete Mackanin would like to see the 23-year-old play in one of the Caribbean Leagues this winter. Franco, who is not expected to resume any baseball activities before he is re-evaluated by doctors on Tuesday, should be counted upon heavily in Philadelphia next season. The Dominican slugger has slashed .277/.340/.490 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs in 77 games for the Phillies this year. "I think it's always good for players to play winter ball. Especially young players," Mackanin said on Saturday. "The more experience you gain, the better off you're going to be. It makes you a better player. You're going to learn from that." Mackanin speaks from experience, having played for three teams across five seasons in the Venezuelan Winter League. He first joined the league in 1973 as a shortstop for the Leones del Caracas and later returned to manage the Aguilas del Zulia for two seasons, guiding them to a Caribbean Series championship in 1989. He called his experience a fruitful one -- even if he had fruit thrown at him from time to time. "There's certainly a lot of pressure down there," Mackanin said. "You learn how to deal with the pressure because having oranges thrown at you and the occasional bottle when you make an error is a good learning experience, as long as you don't get hurt." In addition to dealing with the nuances of a different league -- Mackanin cited a higher number of pitchers who rely on breaking balls -- he said players can benefit from the leagues' high-energy atmosphere, which offers a taste of the tension faced in the big leagues. "It's all about winning there," Mackanin said. "There's no development. Win, and if you don't play well, you're out. They get rid of you. So that pressure in itself is enough to help you manage the pressure when you get to the big ones. It's valuable as far as I'm concerned."

Third Time’s The Charm – Pete Mackanin has paid his dues. He's 64 years old and in his 47th year of making a living in professional baseball. Is he about to get his due? Mackanin is an interim manager at the big-league level for the third time in his career, this time taking over the Philadelphia Phillies 75 games into the season after Ryne Sandberg stepped down. Mackanin has never been a full-time big-league manager, but perhaps the moment has finally arrived. The Phillies lost 14 of the first 17 games Mackanin managed, but they are 24-20 since, and scouts have been impressed with the energy the Phillies have shown on the field. Mackanin is one of four managers who took over a team in mid-season this year. Craig Counsell's status was never in question. He was given a three-year contract when he took over for Ron Roenicke as manager of the Brewers, a team Counsell grew up around. His father worked on the business side with the Brewers from 1979-87. Roenicke was fired after a 7-18 start that came on the heels of the Brewers losing 25 of their final 34 games last season, falling from first place in the National League Central to eight games out. Miami interim manager Dan Jennings, meanwhile, is likely to return to the general manager's job he held prior to being asked by Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria to take over for ex-manager Mike Redmond after the Marlins' 16-22 start to the season. Jennings initially lobbied to keep Redmond, but then relented and took the job -- even though he had no professional managerial experience. The Marlins are 40-57 since Jennings took over. Mackanin and Pat Murphy, who replaced Bud Black in San Diego, figure to at least get serious consideration to return next year, but no decisions have been made. Murphy is a former college coach who was managing the Padres' Triple-A affiliate in El Paso when Black was fired after a 32-33 start. The Padres are 33-36 since Murphy took over. And then there is Mackanin, who had interim managerial opportunities with the Pirates in 2005 and the Reds in '07. He took over for Lloyd McClendon after a 55-81 start with the Bucs, and the team went 12-14 the rest of the season. Jim Tracy was hired to take over full time in '06. A Reds team that was 31-51 under manager Jerry Narron to open 2007 went 41-37 under Mackanin, but Dusty Baker was hired to manage the team in '08. Will Mackanin now get that chance to be a big league manager without an interim title? Time will tell. First, however, the Phillies will decide on how to restructure the front office. Andy MacPhail will take over as team president in the off season. He has been watching from afar, deciding -- among other things -- whether or not to retain current general manager Ruben Amaro.

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 53-83. 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 41-78-0 on this day.

Phillies Can’t Contain Red Sox Attack

GAME RECAP: Red Sox Beat Phillies 7-5

The Red Sox aren't in a pennant race, but they are creating a lot of excitement of late. In Friday night's 7-5 victory over the Phillies, that excitement came from Joe Kelly's right arm, and from the young bats of Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts. There were also standout plays by Betts and Rusney Castillo. "Those young guys have been playing really good baseball for a month now," said Red Sox interim manager Torey Lovullo. "It's been a lot of fun for us to watch. They're playing wide-open, comfortable, confident baseball that's helping us win games." Kelly has won seven straight starts, the longest streak in the Majors this season. Clinging to a one-run lead entering the seventh, the Red Sox broke it open with a four-spot. Jackie Bradley Jr. started the rally with a solo homer to center. Later in the inning, David Ortiz missed homer No. 496 by a few feet, but had an RBI double to help extend the lead. Over six innings, Kelly allowed five hits and two runs, walking three and striking out five. Phillies lefty Adam Morgan went 6 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs. "It's all about having a short memory," Morgan said. "Damage control. Trying not to let things get out of hand." The top three hitters in the Red Sox's lineup -- Betts, Brock Holt and Bogaerts -- had two hits each and combined for four RBIs. Odubel Herrera smashed a two-run homer into the Boston bullpen in right-center with two outs in the ninth to draw the Phillies a little closer. He finished with three hits and robbed Holt with a slick diving catch in the third.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• As the Phillies threatened with men on first and second and no outs in the seventh, they missed out on an ideal chance to sacrifice both runners over when Freddy Galvis fouled out to third base on a bunt attempt. Herrera and Cesar Hernandez then struck out to end the inning. "That's one of the reasons I had him bunting 0-and-2. His job is to get the bunt down," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He's going to bunt, he's going to get it down. That's what he's got to do. And he failed to do it."
• The game worsened for Philadelphia in the seventh when Morgan surrendered Bradley's homer, walked Betts and allowed Holt to single in consecutive at-bats. The Sox scored three more runs after he was relieved by Jeanmar Gomez, including one on an error by Ruf that saw Ortiz easily trot home from third. Morgan fell to 5-5 and watched his ERA rise to 4.42. "We were talking about not sending him back out for that inning, but I felt it was time for him to be extended in that kind of a situation, to see how he would react," Mackanin said. "He just made a bad pitch to Bradley. He had him eating out of his hand with the breaking stuff and he chose to throw him a first-pitch fastball and gave up the home run."
• Morgan snapped his streak of 28 2/3 innings without a walk in the fifth, when he issued a free pass to Bradley on five pitches. His run was the longest by a Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee tossed 30 straight innings without issuing a walk in 2013.

NEXT GAME:

Right-hander Alec Asher, one of six players acquired from the Rangers in the Cole Hamels deal, will make his second Major League start in the middle game of the series. Asher lost to the Padres in his debut Sunday, allowing four runs on eight hits through 5 2/3 innings. Before that, he logged a 2.08 ERA in four starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Lefty Wade Miley (10-10, 4.57 ERA) draws the start in Saturday's 4:05 p.m. ET game against the Phillies. Miley faced the Phillies three times during his time in the National League, going 1-1 with a 4.24 ERA. Miley gave up nine hits and four runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Mets on Sunday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Herrera Providing Spark – While a late rally by the Phillies fell short in Friday night's 7-5 loss to the Red Sox, center fielder Odubel Herrera gave Philly fans another glimpse of the club's future with his electrifying presence atop the lineup. Herrera went 3-for-5, including a towering home run off closer Jean Machi in the ninth inning at Fenway Park, and took a hit away in the third by sprawling on the outfield grass for a nifty diving catch. The 23-year-old notched his 11th three-hit performance and improved his batting average to .351 (52-for-148) since the All-Star break. "I love the guy," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He can hit. Every time the ball's hit in the air, he wants to catch it. That's the kind of guy you want in center field." Herrera's diving grab had him tracking a Brock Holt popup all the way into shallow left-center near shortstop Freddy Galvis, but the fleet-footed Herrera beat his teammate to the ball and dropped to his knees as he thrust his glove underneath it. "The first time he saw the ball, the way he read it, [his] first move was fast," said infielder Andres Blanco, who acted as a translator for Herrera. "First two steps were fast. He knew that the ball wasn't hit that hard, and he just came at it quickly." Six innings later, Herrera anticipated a first-pitch fastball from Machi, turned on the heater and sent it sailing into the Boston bullpen for his seventh home run. Statcast™ projected the ball to land 390 feet away from home plate at an exit speed of 108 mph. "He was glad he got the pitch he was thinking," Blanco said. Of course, Herrera's game is not without flaws. Mackanin noted that his young center fielder can still improve in certain situations, such as when he attempted to bunt for a hit in the third. "I don't want him to do that," Mackanin said. "He's probably our best hitter right now. I want him to drive those runs in. Those things he's got to get in his head." Herrera, whether he's hitting leadoff or cleanup next season, simply wants to keep those compliments coming. "He says he feels blazing," Blanco said. "And hopefully the manager keeps praising him every time he goes to bat."

Return To The Infield – For the first time since May 11, Cody Asche suited up as the Phillies' third baseman in Friday's 7-5 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. While his defensive showing lacked any highlights, the 25-year-old flashed exactly the sort of patience Philadelphia hopes to see on offense by drawing two walks and capping off an 11-pitch at-bat with a double. "It's a way to get in the lineup for me," Asche said. "So that excites me, being in the lineup again. I'll give it my best." Asche's return to the hot corner comes with the highly touted Maikel Franco still sidelined by a fractured left wrist. With Franco's status up in the air, the team has made it clear that they would like to give the 25-year-old Asche more at-bats down the stretch. The opening at third, while perhaps not the ideal defensive configuration, gives Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin a chance to do just that. "He's going to be fine over there," Mackanin said after the game. "Once again, we need to get him at-bats. We're not playing for a division. We're playing for next year and beyond that. And all these things from my point of view, that's my job, to find out as much as we can about [Darin] Ruf and Asche ... and everybody. That's the point of this." Through Friday, Asche owns a .251/.298/.383 slash line with seven home runs and 24 RBIs. Of late, he had played all of his games in left field, but the results have been mixed. Asche had played exclusively at third throughout his first two seasons with the Phillies. "He played adequately and showed improvement," Mackanin said. "I would consider him an average left fielder at this point." Despite the nearly four-month layoff from third, Asche did not anticipate feeling much rust in jumping back into a regular role at third. "You never really know how those things are going to go until you go through it," Asche said. "It's something new for me in my career. It'll be a new experience. But I have confidence in myself that I can handle it and do it well."

Start Planning For 2016 – There will be no disabled list stint for Phillies right fielder Domonic Brown, but the concussion he suffered during Wednesday's game could be enough to sideline him for longer than seven days -- and perhaps even for much of September. Brown, who took a hard fall while flipping over the short right-field wall at Citi Field, was diagnosed with a concussion after returning to Philadelphia on Thursday with symptoms. The Phillies will not place him on the seven-day DL with roster expansion in effect, but he needs to clear Major League Baseball's concussion protocol before he can return. "It could conceivably happen before [next weekend]," assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said Friday. "but again, I think that's not likely." The 28-year-old Brown has hit .228 with five home runs in 63 games. Once a heralded prospect in the Phillies' system, his future with the team is uncertain, especially considering he will again be arbitration-eligible this offseason. With just one month remaining, the odds of him taking the field again this season appear slim. "It's going to be difficult for him to get back into action," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "We'll just have to wait and see how mild or severe it is, or whatever his status is. The fact is that we've got other guys to see as well." The players Mackanin references include outfielders Aaron Altherr and Darnell Sweeney, both of whom started Friday's series opener against the Red Sox. Brown's absence should create more opportunities for Altherr and Sweeney now that Cody Asche is expected to see more time at third base, and the team would like to see the pair play more alongside center fielder Odubel Herrera. Jeff Francoeur will also work his way into the mix, but Mackanin felt more than comfortable with the veteran's body of work in 2015. Francoeur has hit .271 with 12 home runs and a .465 slugging percentage. "He's done a fabulous job in his role," Mackanin said. "He doesn't need to prove anything to us or baseball. He's still a very good outfielder, and can contribute very well offensively. Those are check-marks that we don't have to worry about." Third baseman Maikel Franco (left wrist fracture) will be reevaluated by a doctor Tuesday after experiencing pain while swinging a bat earlier this week. Like Brown, Franco's chances of playing before the season ends appear doubtful. "The closer we get to the end of the season, or the middle of September, the less likely it seems that he's even going to participate," Mackanin said. "But we're hopeful. If he's 100 percent with 10 days to go, I'd like to see him play."

Season Over – The Phillies transferred left-handed reliever Elvis Araujo (left groin strain) to the 60-day disabled list and added outfielder Brian Bogusevic to their 40-man roster, the club announced on Friday. Araujo originally went on the 15-day DL on Aug. 27, when he was injured during the 11th inning of a game against the Mets, so the move will effectively end his season. The southpaw pitched to a 3.38 ERA in 34 2/3 innings as a rookie, struggling with command at times, but also averaging a promising 8.83 strikeouts per nine innings. Bogusevic has a slash line of .296/.359/.424 with 12 home runs in 118 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 31-year-old journeyman last appeared in the Majors during the 2013 season as a member of the Cubs, and he spent the first seven years of his professional career in the Astros' organization. "I think we wanted to make sure we had a full complement of players," assistant general manager Scott Proefrock said. "Brian had done a great job for us playing at Triple-A. [He] was deserving of an opportunity." Bogusevic will provide the Phillies with some depth in the outfield while Dominic Brown undergoes concussion evaluations in Philadelphia this weekend. Brown did not travel with the team to Boston.

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 53-82. 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 49-63-3 on this day.