Phillies Sign Veteran Closers

PHILS PHACTS:

Reclamation Closers – The Phillies entered last season with a mostly inexperienced bullpen, other than closer Jonathan Papelbon. Next season could look a little different. The Phillies on Thursday announced they have signed right-handers Andrew Bailey and Edward Mujica to Minor League contracts with invitations to Spring Training. It continues a trend of the Phils acquiring veteran relievers at a relatively minimal cost. They previously signed David Hernandez to a one-year, $3.9 million contract, but they also signed Ernesto Frieri and James Russell to Minor League contracts and claimed Michael Mariot off waivers from the Royals. Bailey, 31, grew up in southern New Jersey and attended Paul VI High School in Haddonfield. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award with the A's in 2009, and he made the AL All-Star team in 2009 and '10. But a shoulder injury has limited Bailey to just 59 games in the previous four seasons, including 10 last year with the Yankees. Bailey posted a 1.80 ERA in 28 appearances in the Minor Leagues in 2015 before posting a 5.19 ERA with New York. Before injuries hit, he had a 2.07 ERA with 75 saves in 84 chances from 2009-11. Mujica, 31, went 3-5 with a 4.75 ERA and one save in 49 appearances last season with the Red Sox and A's. He made the National League All-Star team with the Cardinals in 2013 and has a 3.85 ERA in 494 appearances in his career. The recent bullpen additions should create plenty of competition in Spring Training. Besides Hernandez, Bailey, Mujica, Frieri, Russell and Mariot, the Phillies return Elvis Araujo, Luis Garcia, Jeanmar Gomez, Dalier Hinojosa, Mario Hollands, Hector Neris and others. They also selected left-hander Daniel Stumpf last week in the Rule 5 Draft. It is worth nothing that recently acquired Brett Oberholtzer is a candidate for a rotation job, but if he does not start, he seems like a favorite to make the bullpen, because he is out of options. Gomez also is out of options. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said earlier this week that he has received calls from players looking for an opportunity to close since Ken Giles was traded to the Astros, so the possibility exists that Philadelphia could bring more veterans into camp.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Lauded GM Open To Talking About Everyone

PHILS PHACTS:

Open To Anything – Everybody knows that Phillies general manager Matt Klentak has a lengthy to-do list. It starts with improving the pitching staff. It won't be easy, so Klentak has to be open to any means of improvement, which includes trading some of the club's young talent, possibly even closer Ken Giles. "The biggest thing is we need to add innings to our rotation to help protect our kids," Klentak told reporters on Tuesday at the General Managers Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. "That's going to be important. We'll be opportunistic in terms of how many and who they are. I don't want to put a number on it. But you know what we ended the season with and who was in our rotation, and who walked away." Aaron Harang, Jerome Williams, Chad Billingsley and Cliff Lee are free agents. None are expected to return. Aaron Nola and Jerad Eickhoff are heavy favorites for two 2016 rotation jobs. Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and Alec Asher will be competing for spots, too. Philadelphia could pursue free-agent starters like Doug Fister, J.A. Happ and Bartolo Colon this offseason, and it could try to trade for pitching, too. Giles could help the Phillies acquire more young talent for the rotation, bullpen or elsewhere. The Phils already have received calls from teams about Giles. "It's not a goal," Klentak said about trading their closer. "We're trying as much as possible to collect as many good young controllable quality players as we can. But as I said last week and probably the week before that, we're trying to be opportunistic at every turn and trying not to operate in absolutes. I think Ken is terrific. He's great in his role. We want to hold the leads we can hold, but I don't want to categorically say we will or we won't do anything. "I think we do need to be conscious, regardless of how many games we win next year, of making sure from a morale perspective we are winning the games that we are in a position to win, and I think having a good bullpen in general is critical to that. And I will also say, when you ask, 'Is it a luxury?', I think it's a little different when you're talking about a guy with one year of service time. If you were talking about a pending free agent, then, yeah, that might be a slightly different situation. But Ken Giles, if he's here, can very easily be a part of our future, so I think we have to account for that in our thinking." The Phillies also need to find some outfield depth. Jeff Francoeur is a free agent. He performed well in a part-time role, but performed even better as a leader in the clubhouse. "We've been talking to him," Klentak said. "The guys that are our own players, we've had the luxury to talk with them longer, so yeah we're not ruling anybody out. "We have room on our 40-man [roster] to add. Some of that will come through Rule 5 [Draft] protections, and some will come through waiver claims or free-agent signings or trades. There's a lot of room for growth on our roster in general, and I have no doubt that at least one of those spots will go to an outfielder."

GM Praised By Former Boss – Jerry Dipoto knows Matt Klentak's strengths and weaknesses as well as anybody. Dipoto hired Klentak as assistant general manager with the Angels before the 2012 season. They worked together through July, when Dipoto resigned as the Angels' GM. Dipoto, who is now the Mariners' GM, spoke on Tuesday at the General Managers Meetings in Boca Raton, Fla., about Klentak landing the Phillies' GM job. "Matt is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get guy," Dipoto said. "He is a wonderfully nice guy. He's extremely intelligent. Good family guy. He knows the baseball rules inside and out. I think one thing you'll not see, he's a ferocious negotiator. He's very good in that milieu. "He has a good feel for players. I guess most importantly, Matt is a listener. He listens to the people around him. So what is being said, he will absorb. He'll do a great job." Dipoto confirmed what others have said about Klentak before and since Phillies president Andy MacPhail hired the GM: Klentak is a well-balanced decision maker. He might not have a scouting and player development background, but Klentak listens and gets along well with those people. "Matt was always a part of what we were discussing in scouting and player development," Klentak said. "So when we were laying out player plans for guys at the lowest levels in the Minor Leagues, he sees how that develops. He didn't spend much time out in the field, but his last two years, we did get him out and he started scouting and watching players. He would sit in the Draft room every year, go through the Draft and see how we stacked players up. Why we would choose this player here and that player there. "He was probably our go-to guy in understanding how to best balance the Draft pool money, which is a more complex thing than maybe your average cross-checker was able to designate. Matt was pivotal, he was our spearhead, in salary arbitration. He was a go-to guy for me. We would split up contract negotiations almost 50-50. He would take this half and I would take the other." Dipoto said Klentak Also was heavily involved in every free-agent contract the Angels signed from 2012-15. "I don't know if I would have survived the four years without him," Dipoto said. "I would ask his opinion on anything. A lot of times, I would not do things because he would be anti that move. I'd bounce things off him. Our offices were very close to one another, so I'd just walk in with a baseball bat, start taking swings, and sometimes he'd tell me I was crazy and sometimes he'd tell me that was something he thought we should try. … I think Matt understands where the Phillies are in their progression right now, where they need to go, and he'll make good, balanced decisions that incorporate the people around him."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies finally put an end to the season finishing in last place in the NL East with a record of 63-99. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances, this has ended up being one of the worst seasons in franchise history! However, at least Ryan Madson got another ring this year.

Phillies Win Second Straight Behind Another Rookie

GAME RECAP: Phillies Edge Padres 4-3

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

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies have returned to their lackluster ways and regained their grip on last place in the NL East with a record of 52-78. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and bipolar performances this season, this could still end up being the worst team in franchise history… at least that is something to hope for this year! All time, the Phillies are 55-61-0 on this day.

Brown Can’t Salvage Win For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Dodgers Beat Phillies 10-8

Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke had allowed five runs in the first inning all season before surrendering five to the Phillies in the first frame on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. He got the win anyway, aided by an impressive effort by the Dodgers' offense in a 10-8 victory. Greinke settled on the mound over his final five innings and helped his cause at the plate, going 3-for-3. He singled and scored a run in the second inning and slammed a solo home run against Phillies right-hander David Buchanan in the third. "Little different-style game than you would think with Zack pitching today," said manager Don Mattingly. "But our guys kept on going. After the first inning, Zack was pretty good. Showed what Zack's all about. He's not going to give in, say it's a bad day. He's going to keep pitching." Despite four RBIs from Domonic Brown, it was the first series the Phillies have lost since the All-Star break. "I don't know about you, but it's fun for me to watch these guys hit," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said about the Phillies, who scored 17 runs in the series. "They're playing as a team and they're putting hits together. It's nice to see. It's encouraging for us down the road."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Everybody has been waiting for Brown to show signs of life at the plate since he made the 2013 National League All-Star team. He showed some pop Thursday. Brown hit a three-run home run against Greinke in the first inning and singled to drive in a run in the third. He is hitting .367 (18-for-49) with one double, one triple, three home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 14 games. "I don't know," said Brown, when asked if he feels this could be his last chance with Philadelphia. "I'm just playing, really. I haven't had time to sit down and think about it. I'm here every day making sure I'm ready to play. That's really it. No added pressure. It's baseball. If it doesn't work out here, I'll bust my butt so it will work out somewhere else."
• Buchanan (2-6, 7.23 ERA) allowed three runs in the first, but he stepped onto the mound with a two-run lead in the second. He could not hold it. Buchanan allowed three runs in the second and one run in the third to hand the Dodgers a 7-5 lead. He allowed 10 hits and seven runs in four innings. It was the second time in nine starts this season Buchanan allowed seven runs, and his fourth start allowing five-plus runs. "Scoring that many runs off Greinke and not giving us a chance to win hurts," Buchanan said. "It's unfortunate, especially after what they did to pick me up in the first inning."
• "Their top five in the order are up there with best top five we have to face, and you probably don't hear people say that. It's a tough top three." -- Greinke, on the Phillies' lineup.
• Maikel Franco has posted an .842 OPS through his first 307 plate appearances this season. The last rookie third baseman to post an .842 OPS or higher with a minimum of 400 plate appearances was Evan Longoria (.874 OPS) in 2008. The last Phillies rookie third baseman to do it was Scott Rolen (.846) in 1997.
• Chase Utley was with the Phillies on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park, but he wasn't activated off the 15-day disabled list. However, the second baseman, who has received trade interest from a few teams, could be activated before the team's trip to San Diego.

NEXT GAME:

The Padres and Phillies begin a three-game series on Friday as the two teams face off at Petco Park at 7:10 p.m. PT for the first meeting between the two teams in 2015. James Shields will take the mound for the Padres, and Aaron Nola will get the start for the Phillies. Shields (8-4, 3.74 ERA) took a no-decision in his last start, allowing five hits and two runs and striking out four through six innings. Since coming back from the All-Star break, Shields is 1-1 with a 2.35 ERA in four starts. Nola has three big league starts under his belt. The 22-year-old won against the Braves on Aug. 1 after allowing two runs on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts in five innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Returns To Action – Chase Utley is back. The Phillies announced Thursday afternoon that Utley will be activated from the 15-day disabled list before Friday night's game against the Padres at Petco Park. He had been sidelined since June 23 with a sprained right ankle. Following Thursday's 10-8 loss to the Dodgers, the Phillies optioned outfielder Jordan Danks to Triple-A Lehigh Valley to make room for Utley on the 25-man roster. The Phillies also optioned right-hander Dalier Hinojosa. They will select left-hander Adam Loewen's contract Friday to take his place. "I'm going to do as much as I can to try to get [Utley] in there four days a week," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. Cesar Hernandez has hit .323 (53-for-164) with nine doubles, two triples, 15 RBIs and a .783 OPS in 40 games since June 17, but he could see some time at third base or shortstop while Utley plays. Mackanin also said Freddy Galvis could play a game or two at center field to accommodate Hernandez at shortstop. Mackanin has his reasons for that. First, Utley is Utley. He is the greatest second baseman in Phillies history, and the manager respects that. Second, there are a few contenders that are interested in Utley for the final few weeks of the season, including the Angels and Cubs. The Phillies need to play Utley if they hope to trade him before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. "It isn't easy," Mackanin said. "But I've already had a meeting with Cesar, Freddy and [Maikel] Franco. And even with Whitey [Andres Blanco]. They're all aware of the situation and the need to get Chase at-bats."

Brown Bouncing Back? – Is Domonic Brown getting it again? He hit a three-run home run against Dodgers ace Zack Greinke in the first inning and singled to drive in a run in the third on Thursday afternoon in a 10-8 loss at Citizens Bank Park. Two big hits against arguably the best pitcher in baseball continued a torrid two weeks for the Phillies outfielder, who needs to play well the final few weeks of the season to remain part of the club's future. "Just playing and getting more comfortable," Brown said. "That's it." Brown is batting .367 (18-for-49) with one double, one triple, three home runs and 14 RBIs in his past 14 games. "Yeah, he's been swinging the bat better," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "It looks like he's playing with more confidence. It's nice to see. As I've said before, we want him to hit and hit for power. He's starting to do that a little bit. If we can get him back to the year he made the All-Star team, that's what we're trying to do. But it is encouraging." Brown's homer came on a 1-1 fastball from Greinke. He singled down the left-field line to score Maikel Franco in the third to cut the Dodgers' lead to 7-6. He lined out sharply down the first-base line in the ninth inning to end the game. Greinke was impressed with what he saw from Brown and the top of the Phillies' lineup. "Their top five in the order are up there with best top five we have to face, and you probably don't hear people say that," Greinke said. Brown's reemergence is welcomed. He was one of the hottest hitters on the planet before the 2013 All-Star break, but from July 19, 2013, through July 19, 2015, he hit .236 with 31 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 87 RBIs and a .633 OPS in 770 plate appearances over 217 games. Brown's OPS ranked 273rd out of 299 qualified hitters in that span and 113th out of 124 outfielders. He continued to play nearly every day because the Phillies were trying to learn about him. Could he recapture his potential that made him the No. 1 prospect in baseball a few years ago? Or is it time to cut their losses and look elsewhere for a corner outfielder? He is making things interesting at the moment. "I don't know," said Brown, when asked if he believes this could be his last chance with Philadelphia. "I'm just playing, really. I haven't had time to sit down and think about it. I'm here every day making sure I'm ready to play. That's really it. No added pressure. "It's baseball. If it doesn't work out here, I'll bust my butt so it will work out somewhere else."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 42-67. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 52-51-0 on this day.