Phillies Shutout In Sunday Matinee

GAME RECAP: Cards Crush Phils 9-0

The homer-happy Cardinals belted four balls out of Citizens Bank Park on Sunday and ended their road trip with an offensive outburst in a 9-0 win over the Phillies. Brandon Moss, Stephen Piscotty, Jedd Gyorko and Jeremy Hazelbaker all went deep for St. Louis, and the team has now homered in 11 straight games -- 10 of which have been multi-homer contests. Moss and Piscotty hit leadoff homers in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, while Gyorko and Hazelbaker each hit two-run shots in a four-run eighth. Mike Leake pitched seven shutout innings for the Cardinals in the rubber match of the series. "It's not the only way we can score runs, but it's our main way," Moss said of his team's homers. "We got a lot of guys in the lineup who can do a lot of damage and put some stress on pitchers." The Cardinals threatened all afternoon against Phillies starter Vince Velasquez. The right-hander allowed the first three batters he faced to reach base, and though the Cardinals only scored one run in the first, they tagged Velasquez for five runs on seven hits. Velasquez made it through six innings but needed 106 pitches to do so. Leake had to work around seven hits and nine total baserunners, but he got through seven frames unscathed on a rainy afternoon. It was the first time Leake had gone more than six innings since his last start before the All-Star break on July 10. The biggest threat the Phillies had against the righty came in the sixth inning when Maikel Franco and Ryan Howard both singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. However, Leake ended the threat by retiring the next three hitters. "The good news is that we had a winning homestand," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We went 5-4 against three real good hitting teams. That's the bright spot."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• The past few weeks have not been kind to Velasquez, who has a 10.47 ERA in his last three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his last six. Before his struggles against the Cardinals, he allowed 14 runs in 10 1/3 innings in his previous two starts against the Dodgers. The long ball has really hurt Velasquez in that stretch. After he allowed 11 home runs in his first 103 2/3 innings this season, he allowed eight in his last 15 1/3 innings. "You've got to stay positive," Velasquez said. "If you let yourself [get] down, you're not going to get anywhere. The way I see it is everyone has a turning point. I'm not figuring it out. I haven't found that turning point yet. I have a couple days off [to] regather, and I'll bounce back against New York. That's the way I see it, just try to be optimistic and keep working."
• The Phillies had runners on first and third with no outs in the sixth, but they were unable to score a run. They finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position in the series. "We had a couple opportunities early in the game to score some runs, didn't capitalize and after that, it was kind of a moot point," Mackanin said.
• "I told him to enjoy learning about climbing the ladder, enjoy the fight, the struggle to get to where you want to be. Because he's going to be real good at one point. He's got to keep battling and working at it." -- Mackanin, on Velasquez's recent struggles.
• The Phillies' streak of 14 consecutive games with a home run was snapped. It was their longest such streak since May 27 to June 9, 2013 (also 14 games). After homering in 14 consecutive games, the Phillies had their streak snapped on Sunday.
• Thompson is the No. 67 prospect in baseball, according to MLBPipeline.com. He has struggled in his first three starts and has not thrown more than five innings in any of them.
• Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff (8-12, 3.91 ERA) faces White Sox right-hander James Shields (5-15, 5.98 ERA) on Wednesday night.

NEXT GAME:

The last time the Phillies visited U.S. Cellular Field, the White Sox were a year away from winning their last World Series, while the Phillies were four years away from winning their last World Series. The teams open a two-game series Tuesday night, their first on the south side of Chicago since 2004. White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon (3-8, 4.26 ERA) faces Phillies right-hander Jake Thompson (1-2, 8.79 ERA) in the series opener. Rodon has been on a roll this month, going 1-0 with a 2.00 ERA in three starts. He has walked five and struck out 16 in 18 innings.

PHILS PHACTS:

Trying To Find The Bright Side – Vince Velasquez could allow these past few weeks to torment him, if he desired. But Velasquez sees no point in that, even though his struggles continued in Sunday afternoon's 9-0 loss to the Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed seven hits, five runs, two walks, two home runs and struck out seven in six innings. Velasquez has a 10.47 ERA in his last three starts and a 7.29 ERA in his last six. Velasquez also has allowed eight home runs in his last 15 1/3 innings after he allowed just 11 in his first 103 2/3 innings. "You've got to stay positive," Velasquez said. "If you let yourself [get] down, you're not going to get anywhere. The way I see it is everyone has a turning point. I'm not figuring it out. I haven't found that turning point yet. I have a couple days off [to] regather, and I'll bounce back against New York. That's the way I see it, just try to be optimistic and keep working." Velasquez has thrown 119 innings, which is just 5 2/3 innings short of his career high in the Minor Leagues. Phillies manager Pete Mackanin does not believe Velasquez is running on fumes, although the Phillies are closely monitoring Velasquez's workload. Instead, he sees a young pitcher struggling as he learns on the job. "I told him to enjoy learning about climbing the ladder, enjoy the fight, the struggle to get to where you want to be," Mackanin said. "Because he's going to be real good at one point. He's got to keep battling and working at it." Plenty of successful starting pitchers struggled early in their careers. Roy Halladay is an excellent example of that. He had a 10.64 ERA in 19 appearances (13 starts) with the Blue Jays in 2000, prompting Toronto to send Halladay all the way to Class A Dunedin. Tom Glavine went 7-17 with a 4.56 ERA in his first full season with the Braves in 1988. This is not to compare Velasquez to Halladay or Glavine, but it should provide a little perspective. Velasquez (8-6, 4.31 ERA) is still very early in his career. He has time. Velasquez avoided major damage in the first inning when he loaded the bases with none out. Brandon Moss hit a ball to the wall in center field, but Odubel Herrera made a nice leaping catch for a sacrifice fly. No other runs scored in the inning.  Moss hit a solo homer to left-center field in the fourth and Cardinals pitcher Mike Leake hit a two-out single to score two runs in the same frame. Stephen Piscottyhit a solo homer to left in the fifth to make it 5-0. Velasquez struck out the side in the sixth to end his afternoon. "Why can't I just do what I did in that last inning?" Velasquez said he told Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure. Velasquez hinted in his last start last week against the Dodgers that he could make three or four more starts. If that is the case, he might have two or three more to right himself and go into the offseason with some positive vibes. "You just have to put the pieces together, and you have to figure it out," he said. "I've got to figure them out. Yeah, I agree with [Mackanin]. I know I've got to enjoy this adversity here, and I've got to manage to go with the flow and build on it."

Face Time Protection? – Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis remains upset and shaken that a foul ball he hit into the stands struck a young fan in the face on Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park. The girl had to be transferred to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for further evaluation. No update was available on her status as of late Sunday afternoon. "They told me she was OK," Galvis said. Galvis is a passionate advocate for installing more protective netting down the left- and right-field lines. The Phillies extended netting behind home plate about 10 feet on both sides in the offseason, but it stops once it reaches both dugouts. The Phillies said they received conflicting opinions from fans about sitting behind netting, many of whom feel it obstructs their view or takes away some of the enjoyment of being close to the action. "The Phillies expanded our netting this season to the sides of the dugout near home plate, as was suggested by Major League Baseball," Phillies executive vice president and chief operating officer Mike Stiles said in a statement. "We decided earlier this season to consider the possibility of further expansion next season. In making that determination at the conclusion of the 2016 season, we will take into account a number of factors -- including the opinion of our uniformed personnel and, most importantly, the wishes and safety of our fans." But Galvis cannot shake the image of the girl getting hit in the face with the ball. He was late on a 98-mph fastball from Sam Tuivailala in the eighth inning and watched the ball fly into the stands. "What if I broke all her teeth? What if I broke her nose?" Galvis said. "If I hit her in one eye and she loses that, what are they going to do? It's going to be a big deal for two, three days. Everybody in TV, media, whatever. But after three days, what's going to happen? They're going to forget. But that family won't forget that." Galvis said he understands that families want to sit as close to the field as possible, so children can see their heroes. He just says further protection makes sense in light of what happened. As for those who have mixed feelings about the extra netting taking away from the fan experience, Galvis offered a compromise. "Why not put up a net that can go up and down, if you want fans to get the balls and stuff between innings?" he said. "Two days ago, I saw one fan with his baby, maybe like 1 year old, 2 years old. They were in the third row. If you're a father and you know we don't have a net right now, you should sit behind a net or sit really far away, you know what I mean? I think they should worry about that."

Today In Phils History – It was not a good day to be on the mound in 1952 when both starters ended up in the hospital as Reds starter Frank Hiller suffered a broken nose and spike wound in a 1B collision with Richie Ashburn and Phillies starter Curt Simmons took a line drive off the back of the wrist. 2 years later, the Phillies lost Jim Konstanty to the Yankees. In 1961, Art Mahaffey ended his personal 10 game losing streak by throwing a 1 hit shutout against the Cubs. Greg Luzinski appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated on this day in 1977. The Reds Alex Ochoa hit the record setting 142^nd grand slam during the 2000 MLB season when he connected off of the Phillies Bruce Chen. Randy Wolf had a heck of birthday in 2002 when he threw 8 shutout innings and connected for his first career homerun. Happy 40^th Birthday Randy Wolf! 4 years later another lefty joined the Phillies when the recently acquired Jamie Moyer made his Phillies debut.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 58-67 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 55-55-1 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.

Frenchie Goes Deep After Hoff’s Early Exit

GAME RECAP: Braves Edge Phillies 2-1

A 24-minute rain delay cut Jerad Eickhoff's impressive start short on Sunday at Turner Field, and the Phillies ultimately paid the price, as Jeff Francoeur's two-run homer in the seventh inning propelled the Braves to a 2-1 win and a series split. "It was nice," said Francoeur about his homer. "I got a pitch up in the zone. I put a couple good swings on the first few. The first one, if I'm in Philly, I've got a homer. But this was a good win for us. When you have an opportunity to split the series, you want to, but especially when you've got [Joel] De La Cruz going 50 pitches." Eickhoff picked up right where he left off in his start against the Marlins on Tuesday, allowing no runners to reach base until Jace Peterson broke up the right-hander's perfect outing with a leadoff single in the fourth inning. Eickhoff didn't allow the base hit to deter him, however, as he retired five of the next six batters he faced before the rain delay in the middle of the sixth ended his day after just 51 pitches. "It was definitely unfortunate," Eickhoff said. "I was looking to get right back out there. I had some quick innings. I think I had a relatively low pitch count. It was frustrating. But you can only control what you can control." With Eickhoff out of the game, Atlanta took advantage. Nick Markakis reached base on a one-out single in the seventh before Francoeur hit his seventh home run of the season in the ensuing at-bat to give his team a 2-0 lead. Jimmy Paredes led off the top of the eighth with his third homer of the year, but the Braves held on to improve to 5-8 vs. Philadelphia this year.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• With his two-run homer on Sunday, Francoeur notched his fourth home run in his previous 45 at-bats. The blast marked his only hit of the contest, as the outfielder is batting just .196 (9-for-46) with 19 strikeouts over his past 14 games. Despite his average, though, Francoeur's recent knack for the long ball and his leadership skills could still make him a possible trade target before Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline. "[It was] a big hit," said Peterson about Francoeur's homer. "He's a guy who comes to the clubhouse every day the same guy. He keeps the energy up, and we know in those situations he's the guy we want at the plate. He's down 0-2 there, [Andrew Bailey] leaves one over the middle and Frenchy was able to poke it out."
• The Phillies managed just five hits against the Braves, and it was a rough week for the middle of their lineup. Odubel Herrera, Maikel Franco and Tommy Joseph batted 2-3-4 for most of the four-game series, but they hit a combined .149 (7-for-47) with two home runs and six RBIs. They were a combined 2-for-11 on Sunday.
• Phillies right-hander Bailey allowed the two-run homer to Francoeur in the seventh. Bailey has a 10.43 ERA (17 earned runs in 14 2/3 innings) in his last 15 appearances after posting a 3.06 ERA in his first 18. "I'm battling some things, obviously," Bailey said. "I felt like I made some good pitches that inning. It's just kind of the way it's going for me right now. Clearly, I'm struggling. It's frustrating to be going through this, especially when Eick's start gets cut short. They needed me to step up and throw a zero. There's nothing to do but keep working and grinding it out. Got to finish strong for sure."
• "I thought it was more important to get him out of there and not take any chances. He sat for a half an hour. You know, the rest of the pitchers have a job to do. They've got to do their job. They're getting paid. It's as simple as that." -- Mackanin, on the decision to pull Eickhoff following the rain delay.
• The Phillies went 4-6 on their road trip through Pittsburgh, Miami and Atlanta. They hit just .151 (13-for-86) with runners in scoring position.
• Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp is quietly putting up some of the better numbers among catchers in baseball. He entered Sunday with a .797 OPS, which ranked fourth among 21 qualified catchers. Giants catcher Buster Posey ranked third (.803 OPS).
• The Giants are happy to leave July behind. They entered Sunday with a 10-13 mark in July, making it their worst month of the season.
• Giants infielder Eduardo Nunez went 2-for-5 with two runs and a stolen base Saturday in his first start with his new team. Since RBIs became an official statistic in 1920, the only other Giants to drive in two runs and steal a base in their first start for the Giants are Johnny Vergez (1931 at Philadelphia) and Fran Healy (1971 vs. Cubs).

NEXT GAME:

The last time Giants ace Madison Bumgarner faced the Phillies, he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings in a loss at AT&T Park in June. Bumgarner (10-6, 2.09 ERA) hopes for better results Tuesday night against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, where the teams open a three-game series. Bumgarner is 4-3 with a 3.27 ERA in eight career starts against the Phillies. He faces Phillies rookie Zach Eflin (3-4, 4.23 ERA). Eflin allowed seven runs in five innings last week in a loss to the Marlins in Miami, but he had a 2.08 ERA in his previous seven starts, including a shutout on July 22 against the Pirates.

PHILS PHACTS:

Things Happen – The Phillies packed their bags for their flight to Philadelphia on Sunday evening with almost everybody secure they would be at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday. But some players had to wonder. The Phillies lost Sunday to the Braves at Turner Field, 2-1, to fall to 48-59. They have players that could help contending teams in the final two months of the season, and Monday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline is fast approaching. So far, the Phillies have not struck a single deal, but they have been talking to numerous teams about numerous possibilities. The Phillies and Rangers have been in serious talks about Vince Velasquez, although sources told MLB.com that a deal is unlikely. Velasquez is not going to let trade rumors ruin his day off Monday. "I'll be on the golf course," he said. "But I'll have my phone with me." MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi reported Sunday that the Orioles and Giants remain frontrunners for Jeremy Hellickson. Other teams are also interested. "I think we will make some changes," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said, "but I haven't talked with [general manager] Matt [Klentak] about it. We've touched on it briefly, but I haven't talked specifically. I'm sure tomorrow I'll talk with him about that and see what he has in mind. "We have to wait for the Trade Deadline to pass. Then I think he'll be willing to do some things out of necessity." Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez figured to have some value. Peter Bourjos could have been traded this month, but a stint on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder scuttled those chances. Others, like Carlos Ruiz and David Hernandez, are available. "I'm trying not to think about it," Ruiz said. "I'm doing my best to help this team win. Whatever happens, happens. Maybe I'll stay here, who knows?" Ruiz has full no-trade rights, so he could reject any deal. But he also would love to compete for another World Series ring, something that will not happen this season in Philadelphia. "I would like to taste the playoffs again," Ruiz said. Velasquez, Hellickson and other Phillies will learn their fate no later than 4 p.m. on Monday.

A Bruised Target – For those contenders out there in need of starting pitching, Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson said his right hand felt better Sunday morning. He bruised the palm of his hand when he got jammed on a pitch while batting in the fifth inning in Saturday's 9-5 victory over the Braves at Turner Field. Hellickson had trouble gripping his curveball in the sixth inning and eventually had to leave the game, making it the first time since June 4 that he didn't pitch at least six innings. "I'll be all right," Hellickson said. Hellickson said the rest between starts should have him ready to go before his next outing, which is scheduled for Friday against the Padres at Petco Park. Of course, he could be pitching somewhere else by then. The non-waiver Trade Deadline is at 4 p.m. ET Monday, and MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi reported Sunday afternoon that the Orioles and Giants remain among the top contenders for Hellickson. Baltimore and San Francisco have been following the Phillies for some time. But other teams like the Blue Jays, Tigers and Marlins have scouted Hellickson's starts in recent weeks, too.

Today In Phils History – In 1950, Curt Simmons became the 1^st MLB player drafted into military service as he would be deployed to Korea. 3 years later, Warren Spahn 1 hits the Phillies with Richie Ashburn recording the only hit of the day. In a complete game effort, Robin Roberts earned his 200^th career win on this day in 1958. In 1966, Dick Allen hit a walk off inside the park homerun against the Astros as Jim Wynn broke his arm and was knocked unconscious when he crashed into the wall trying to make the play. 5 years later, the Phillies eventually lost the game against the Cardinals when it was resumed on September 7^th after having been delayed 3 times by rain, postponed, and stretched to 13 innings. The following season, the Phillies dropped the 1^st game of a double header in the 18^th inning against the Mets at Shea Stadium but won the second game despite Steve Carlton’s scoreless streak coming to an end at 30 innings (the first game was over 2.5 hours while the second was less than 2 hours). In 1996, Scott Rolen doubled in his 2^nd at bat in his MLB debut in the 1^st game of a double header against the Cardinals. Desi Relaford also made his MLB debut that day. Despite surrendering a hit to the first batter he faces, Randy Wolf still retired 3 Cubs on 3 pitches on this day in 2004. Finally, happy birthday to Gregg Jeffries (1967), Greg Gross (1952), and Pete Mackanin (1951).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 48-59 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 63-42-0 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.

Phillies Continue Winning Ways Despite Departures

GAME RECAP: Phillies Best Braves 9-3

With all the moves that happened in Philadelphia on Friday, it might've been hard to remember that the team still had a game to play. But from the way the Phillies played, the trades didn't seem to affect them. The Philadelphia offense erupted for nine runs and 11 hits in their 9-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. The offense started early with the first five Phillies to come to the plate all reaching base and four of them scoring. From there the offense didn't relent. The win was the Phillies' 11th in 13 games since the All-Star break, continuing the hot streak that has accounted for more than a quarter of the team's wins this season. "I couldn't be happier," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Everybody's playing pretty darn well." The loss was Atlanta's fifth in a row. Though the offense showed some spark, the Braves struggled to capitalize on the opportunities they made for themselves. The Braves recorded double-digit hits for the second-straight night, but also for the second-straight night they stranded a high percentage of those hitters, leaving seven on base and going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

·         The Phillies cannot trade Hamels, Revere and Diekman and not make some corresponding moves. The Phillies recalled right-hander David Buchanan from Triple-A to take Hamels' spot in the rotation. They also recalled outfielder Jordan Danks and right-hander Dalier Hinojosa to replace Revere and Diekman, respectively.

·         The Phillies immediately placed left-hander Matt Harrison, whom they acquired in the Hamels deal, on the 15-day disabled list with lower back inflammation. He has made just nine starts the past three seasons because of a pair of back surgeries. He felt some stiffness in his last start Monday. The Phillies acquired Harrison because he is owed $33 million on his contract, which helps the Rangers offset the $81 million remaining on Hamels' deal. "If he's healthy enough and can bounce back to where he was before, it's a good risk that can create some value for us to help stabilize our rotation down the road," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "I'll know more about his overall medical situation as soon as the doctors examine him today."

·         Called up to start in place of traded ace Cole Hamels, David Buchanan didn't disappoint in his return from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old tossed 7 1/3 innings of three-run ball, striking out four and walking none. He also got the opportunity to show off his talents with the bat, driving in a run in the fifth inning with a single and nearly beating out throws from shortstop twice on grounders. With the win, Buchanan improved his record to 2-5 and dropped his ERA nearly a full point to 6.44. "When Cole got traded there was a spot that opened up and they called me up to fill it today," Buchanan said. "Every time I go out there I want to give the impression that I'm good enough to be here and I have the confidence enough to take that role. As long as the opportunity presents itself, I'm going to try to take advantage of it the best I can."

·         Prior to this series with Atlanta, Domonic Brown's bat, which had been cold all year, woke up this week, however, and he found his power stroke. Brown hit his first home run of the season on Thursday night off of Shelby Miller then rocketed a ball into the Phillies' bullpen in the fifth inning on Friday, scoring Howard from first. Brown's batting average has improved from .191 on July 19 to .252 over his last nine games. "He seems to have been more of a defensive hitter and we've been trying to get him to get more of a head out. He seems to be doing that more lately. He's hit the ball out in front of the plate a little bit more instead of worrying about the outer half," Mackanin said of Brown's swings.

·         The Braves concluded Philadelphia's five-run fifth when a replay review overturned an infield single that had been awarded to Brown. The replay showed Matt Marksberry received Freeman's feed from the outfield grass and tagged Brown's left thigh as they were both approaching the first base bag.

·         "I think everybody was confused. I don't know if it was a slow-motion play or what it was." -- Mackanin, on the bizarre rundown where instead of trying to get back to second base, Cesar Hernandez stared A.J. Pierzynski down until the catcher made a decision.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie Aaron Nola will take the ball for the Phillies. He is 1-1 with a 3.29 ERA over his first two career starts and has excelled in preventing runners from reaching base, holding a miniscule 0.95 WHIP to start his career. Matt Wisler will take the mound for Atlanta when this four-game series resumes on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET. Wisler has produced a 3.43 ERA through his first seven career starts.

PHILS PHACTS:

Buchanan Steps Up – David Buchanan isn't the kind of player who gets accused of loafing. "I get kind of yelled at sometimes, 'Take it easy, don't try to blow anything out trying to get to first base,'" he said. "But that's just the competitive nature in myself. I'm not going to hit a ground ball and not try to beat it out." After the 26-year-old right-handed pitcher tossed 7 1/3 innings, allowing just three runs and earning his second win of the year in the Phillies' 9-3 win over Atlanta, he was more animated describing his baserunning abilities than his pitching, adamantly defending his opinion that he was safe trying to beat an Andrelton Simmons throw to first base. On a bigger scale, that kind of effort is what drives Buchanan not just to be a Major League pitcher, but to remain one. Buchanan has struggled at times throughout the season, is still carrying with him a 6.44 ERA and has bounced between Triple-A Lehigh Valley and the Majors this season. But always opportunistic, Buchanan seized the 21-hour notice he was given before the start and performed well. "When Cole got traded there was a spot that opened up and they called me up to fill it today," Buchanan said. "Every time I go out there I want to give the impression that I'm good enough to be here and I have the confidence enough to take that role." Confidence is key for Buchanan, who spoke after his most recent demotion to Triple-A about how confidence is normally the difference for him between a strong outing and a weak one. And with all the circumstances surrounding Friday's start -- not only was the importance of the night heightened by the Hall of Famers in attendance for Alumni Weekend, but also because of the trades of Cole Hamels, Jake Diekman and Ben Revere -- Buchanan found confidence amid a whirlwind of events. Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said he was impressed by the focus Buchanan appeared to exhibit despite the events of the day. He also said he believed Buchanan looked like he was motivated by his stint in Triple-A to prove he belongs in the Majors. "Like I always say, I say it every day, you're constantly auditioning," Mackanin said. "Your last outing is behind you. You've got to keep pitching well. You can get a hit to win a game and the next day make an error to lose a game, you've got to be constantly on guard and pushing forward and remaining consistent. He's done that his last three outings for us." Buchanan admitted that the day was a little bizarre. He said he was caught off guard by the Revere trade and he was disappointed to see Hamels and Diekman, as well as Jonathan Papelbon, leave because of all the wisdom they had imparted to him. But as bizarre as the day might've been, Buchanan gave off the vibe that he had no regrets about how the day ended. Well, maybe one. "I'm always trying to do the best I can," he said. "Thought I was safe [running to first], but it happens."

Deadline Overview – The whispers were loud, persistent and anonymous. The Phillies were asking too much, way too much, for their big-ticket items. As good as Cole Hamels and Jonathan Papelbon were, there was no way they were worth the can't-miss prospects from the farm system of whichever team was being rumored to be most interested at the moment. Or so the innuendo went. It could have been nothing more than a calculated, covert attempt to drive down the price on both pitchers. It forced a denial from the Phils. Now, there are two good reasons why it's impossible to confirm or deny that accusation. One is that none of us is privy to the back-and-forth discussions that went on, so we don't know with any degree of certainty exactly what club president Pat Gillick and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. were holding out for. Then there's this: Value isn't a fixed concept. A ballpoint pen, a steak, a car -- or a controllable ace left-handed starter in the prime of his career or a closer who hasn't blown a save all season -- is worth exactly what someone is willing to pay. Now we know. Now we know what the Rangers would give up for Hamels. Now we know what the Nationals were willing to part with to get Papelbon. Now (with the usual caveat that only time will tell how these deals ultimately pan out) we can at least offer an educated opinion on how the Phillies fared when they cashed in their two most valuable trade chips just ahead of Friday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline. All things considered, it says here they did pretty darn well. By also sending outfielder Ben Revere to the Blue Jays for two Minor Leaguers shortly before the Deadline, the Phillies added a total of eight prospects to their farm system. "These are exactly the types of things we set out to do when we went into this transition in the offseason," Amaro said. "We got a very good package of players we think will help this organization in the future. We were very happy with the return. What we get in this return is an unknown. Who knows what's going to happen? But we believe the level of talent we received was exactly what we were looking for. "We were looking for depth and we were looking for quality, and we got both." Sure, it would have been great if the Dodgers had been willing to trade Joc Pederson for Hamels before the season started or Corey Seager this week. Yeah, it would have been exciting if the Rangers had made Joey Gallo available. Or if the Cubs had offered Kyle Schwarber or the Red Sox dangled Blake Swihart. In the bigger picture, though, it's useful to remember that this isn't an organization that's just a player or two away. This is an organization that is in the process of trying to restock a system that ran low after years of trading prospects and giving up Draft choices as the front office tried to win as many championships as possible around a core consisting of the best first baseman the franchise has ever had (Ryan Howard), the best second baseman (Chase Utley), the best shortstop (Jimmy Rollins) and the best starting pitcher it had developed in more than 50 years (Hamels). From that perspective, getting multiple prospects instead of one big-name player makes sense. And it also demonstrated consistency on the part of the Phillies' thinkers. Amaro, after all, pointed out more than once that potential is great, but it doesn't mean much until a player proves he can produce at the big league level. "The biggest risk is how these guys will continue to develop and what they might be able to do here in Philadelphia," Amaro said. "That's the risk, because they're prospects. But we think they're going to be guys who are going to impact our club, hopefully in the near future." Financial advisors warn against going all in on even the most attractive stock. Better to hedge your bets by spreading the money around. And that, in essence, is what the Phillies have done. Again, there are no guarantees that even the most touted kid will develop into a star. So instead of holding out for one of the very best Rangers prospects, they took Jake Thompson (ranked No. 4 by MLB.com), Nick Williams (No. 5), Jorge Alfaro (No. 6), Jerad Eickhoff (No. 17) and Alec Asher (No. 29). With one deal, the system was suddenly that much deeper. The Phillies also got veteran Matt Harrison, an 18-game winner in 2012 who has been waylaid by injuries since. The Phillies got only one player from the Nationals for Papelbon, and Amaro even admitted that Nick Pivetta projects as a middle- to bottom-of-the-rotation starter. Then again, trading Papelbon presented unique challenges. The trend in baseball is away from paying top dollar to closers, and Papelbon is making $13 million this season, the final guaranteed year of what remains the richest contract given to a reliever in history. Plus, he has a vestable option for another $13 million in 2016. On top of that, he didn't make Amaro's task any easier by making it clear every time he was within shouting distance of a camera, microphone or notepad that he wanted out. The unspoken implication was that if the Phillies didn't trade him, they'd wish they had. All of which only increased the perception that as talented as the closer might be on the mound, any team acquiring him risked adding a headache off it. Against that backdrop, getting a prospect who has the chance to be a No. 3 starter in the big leagues looks a whole lot better. And when all is said and done, the Phillies have added eight young players. Probably not all will make it, but that's all right. The organization is deeper now than it was a week ago and appears to be a step closer to contending. And wasn't that the goal in the first place?

Deal Done – Cole Hamels said farewell Friday to Philadelphia. He had a heck of a 13-year run. It began in 2002, when the Phillies made him the 17th overall pick in the Draft. He reached the big leagues in 2006 with plenty of fanfare. He earned the National League Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player Awards in 2008, when the Phillies won their second championship in franchise history. He was part of a nearly storybook season in 2011, when he joined Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt in a memorable rotation. "There's a lot to say and not enough time," Hamels said about his Phillies career at Citizens Bank Park, where he discussed his trade to the Rangers. "It is a part of who I am and what I've become, with the opportunity I've been given to play baseball in the historical city of Philadelphia. I've had some of the best memories I've ever had." The Phillies traded Hamels, Jake Diekman and $9.5 million to Texas for left-hander Matt Harrison and five Minor League prospects: outfielder Nick Williams, catcher Jorge Alfardo and right-handers Jake Thompson, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher. Thompson, Williams and Alfaro are ranked 60th, 64th and 69th, respectively, among all prospects in MLB Pipeline's Top 100. "We've got a very good package of players that I think will help propel this organization forward in the future," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. The Rangers and Phillies agreed to the trade Wednesday night, but it took until Friday to be finalized. Amaro said he and Rangers general manager Jon Daniels had been working on the trade for the past six to eight months. It actually extended further back than that. The Phillies and Rangers discussed a Hamels trade in July 2012. "There was no shortage of suitors here," Amaro said. "We were not forced. We had no mandate. We just felt collectively as a group that this was the right thing to do for our organization. We were very happy with the return. What we get in this return is still an unknown. Who knows what's going to happen with these guys? But we believe that the level of talent we received in this deal was exactly what we were looking for. We were looking for depth and quality, and we got both." The Phillies and Astros actually agreed on a deal before the Phillies and Rangers, but Hamels had Houston on his 20-team no-trade list and rejected it. Texas was not on Hamels' no-trade list because he has family and friends in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It is unclear who Houston offered to the Phillies, but the package was believed to be stronger than Texas'. "There were some clubs that were aggressive," Amaro said. "Could we have gotten better deals? I don't know that, but we did travel down a path even with some clubs that he didn't have on his list. The fact of the matter is Texas' pieces, depth, and the way we lined up really worked very well for us. That's the best deal we felt we could make." The Phillies kicked in $9.5 million and took Harrison's contract ($33 million) to get the prospects they wanted from Texas. "We're in a world where teams are buying talent," Amaro said. "This is one of the ways we can use our economic muscle to buy talent. I think in a lot of ways that's what we did." Williams, 21, has some of the quickest bat speed in the Minors. MLBPipeline.com said he could be a .280 hitter with the potential for 20 home runs per season. "He's got a chance to be a real impact offensive player," Amaro said. "The hit tool has really become a bit of a separator for him amongst prospects out there." Scouts believe Alfaro, 22, has the best combination of raw power and arm strength among all Minor League catchers, but had season-ending ankle surgery in June. "We know the information from the Texas folks about his injury," Amaro said. "We felt comfortable that he's going to be fine. The beauty of Alfaro is that this guy is so athletic he can play another position, if the catching thing doesn't work out. But he's made great strides over the past few years, particularly with his work behind the plate. And we think he can impact us obviously behind the plate." Thompson, 21, has one of the best sliders in the Minors and his fastball sits in the 90-95 mph range. He went 6-6 with a 4.72 ERA in 17 starts with Frisco. Eickhoff, 25, went 9-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) at Triple-A Round Rock. Asher, 23, went a combined 4-10 record with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts with Frisco and Round Rock. "The pitching was very important to us," Amaro said. "They are all upper level guys who will pitch in the big leagues for us at some time. We just don't know how high. It depends how they will develop and develop here in the big leagues." Hamels led the Phillies to a World Series. The Phillies hope this group leads them to another. Time will tell. "I always wanted to be here fighting," Hamels said. "I think that's always what the motto has been: The Fighting Phils. I believed that and tried to live that. But I understand that this is the nature and this does happen and you have to accept it."

Phils Flip Revere – The Phillies acquired right-handed pitching prospects Alberto Tirado and Jimmy Cordero from the Blue Jays on Friday afternoon for outfielder Ben Revere in a move completed just prior to the 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline. Tirado, who slots in as the Phils' No. 15 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, is a 20-year-old who has transitioned into the bullpen over the past few years. He joined the Blue Jays' organization in 2012 as a 17-year-old starting pitcher. Tirado has spent this season at Class A Advanced Dunedin, where he's 4-3 with a 3.23 ERA in 31 appearances. Cordero is a 23-year-old reliever who has made 32 appearances combined at Dunedin and Double-A New Hampshire this season. He's posted a 2.70 ERA and a mark of 8.3 K/9 in 50 innings. Cordero is still working on his control, though. He's thrown 23 wild pitches to go along with 80 strikeouts over the last two years. The Phillies are losing a speedy outfielder with strong contact-hitting ability in Revere. He batted .303 with 95 stolen bases and 157 runs scored in 335 games with Philadelphia. "Everyone has been saying that [the Blue Jays'] lineup is going to be real nice ... all I have to do is get on [base]. But like I said, with the pitching, too, their bullpen is great, they have a great starting staff -- adding [David] Price and everything," Revere said. "It's going to be fun. It's going to be a lot of fun. I just talked to [Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos], and he's really excited, and I'm really excited, too."

Are They Done? – The Phillies might not be finished making trades. They could trade Chase Utley, Aaron Harang, Jeff Francoeur and others before the Aug. 31 waiver Trade Deadline. Utley has received interest from teams, although he is on the disabled list with an injured right ankle. The Phillies have traded Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, Marlon Byrd, Jake Diekman and Antonio Bastardo since the organization began its rebuilding process in the offseason. Those seven veterans have netted the Phillies 13 players, including 12 Minor Leaguers (10 pitchers, one outfielder and one catcher). Utley will not get the Phillies the prospects he might have a year ago, but he could get the Phillies somebody of value. Of course, Utley would have to waive his no-trade rights to make it happen. He said in Spring Training if the Phillies started trading its core veterans he might have to rethink things and consider a trade. Maybe he will.

Prospects Offer Bright Future – The Phillies have waited and waited and waited to get the best deal possible for Cole Hamels, one that could help restock an organization thin on talent in the Majors and Minors. They finally did so on Friday, consummating an eight-player deal with the Rangers. Philadelphia sent Hamels, Jake Diekman and $9.5 million in cash to Texas for Matt Harrison and five prospects: right-handers Jake Thompson, Jerad Eickhoff and Alec Asher, outfielder Nick Williams and catcher Jorge Alfaro. Thompson (No. 60), Williams (No. 64) and Alfaro (No. 69) all rank among MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects. The Phils' system, which had fallen on hard times before the team began trading veterans for prospects last offseason, now has six Top 100 farmhands. Shortstop J.P. Crawford (No. 6) and Philadelphia's last two first-round picks, right-hander Aaron Nola (No. 22) and outfielder Cornelius Randolph (No. 99), already were on the list. Thompson, 21, has been traded twice in the last year after the Tigers shipped him and Corey Knebel to the Rangers for Joakim Soria last July. A second-round pick from a Texas high school in 2012, Thompson has one of the best sliders in the Minors and pairs it with a hard sinker that ranges from 90-95 mph. Thompson has gone 6-6 with a 4.72 ERA in 17 starts at Double-A Frisco this year, with a 78-30 K/BB ratio in 87 2/3 innings. Williams, 21, also was a second-rounder out of a Texas high school in 2012. He has one of the quickest bats in the Minors and has made huge strides with his plate discipline this year, giving him a chance to become a .280 hitter with 20 homers per season along with solid speed and defense. Williams batted .299/.357/.479 with 13 homers and 10 steals in 97 games at Frisco. Alfaro, 22, signed for a Colombian-record $1.3 million in 2010. No Minor League catcher can beat his combination of raw power and arm strength, though his hitting and receiving skills still need a lot of polish. Alfaro hit .253/.314/.432 with five homers in 49 games at Frisco before season-ending ankle surgery in June. Eickhoff, 25, went from a 15th-round pick from Olney Central (Ill.) JC in 2011 to leading the Double-A Texas League with 144 strikeouts in 2014. His best pitch is a 91-97 mph fastball and he'll also flash a plus curveball and solid slider. Eickhoff has spent most of this season at Triple-A Round Rock, going 9-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) with a 107/36 K/BB ratio in 111 2/3 innings. Asher, 23, was a fourth-round choice out of Polk (Fla.) CC in 2012. He can hit 96 mph with his fastball but usually operates at 89-93 mph, backing it up with an average slider and changeup. Asher has split this year between Frisco and Round Rock, compiling a 4-10 record with a 4.43 ERA in 20 starts and a 97/37 K/BB ratio in 107 2/3 innings. All five prospects could arrive in the big leagues before the end of 2016. If they all reach their ceilings, the Phillies could have a No. 2 starter (Thompson), a pair of All-Star position players (Williams, Alfaro) and a pair of workhorse starters for the back half of their rotation (Eickhoff, Asher). Of course, not all prospects will fulfill their potential, but Philadelphia has a lot more building blocks than it did before the trade and also saves roughly $35 million in the difference between the commitments to Hamels and Harrison. From the Rangers' perspective, Hamels gives them a front-line starter who's locked up through 2019 and can headline what could be a formidable long-term rotation should Yu Darvish, Derek Holland and Martin Perez return to full health. Texas was able to acquire the three-time All-Star and 2008 National League Championship Series and World Series MVP without sacrificing either of its cornerstone prospects, third baseman Joey Gallo or outfielder Nomar Mazara. The Rangers' impressive prospect depth allowed them to retain Gallo and Mazara while still satisfying the Phils.

Looking Back At Hamels’ Legacy – The walls of the home manager's office at Citizens Bank Park are dotted by pictures of special players and moments from Phillies history. The photo that hangs closest to the desk was taken on the night of Oct. 29, 2008. The Phillies had just beaten the Rays to win the World Series. On the left is first baseman Ryan Howard, holding the trophy. On the right is Cole Hamels, clutching the Most Valuable Player award. In the background is the red sports car he received for winning it. Hamels had also been voted MVP of the National League Championship Series. So it's hardly a stretch to suggest that without him the Phils would likely also be without exactly half of the World Series championships they've won in 132 years of doing business. By itself, that's enough reason for pause for a moment on the day Hamels was officially traded to the Rangers and appreciate the impact he's had on Philadelphia since becoming the Phillies' first-round Draft pick, 17th overall, in 2002. But there's more, much more, than that. Hamels won over a blue-collar city despite his California upbringing and surfer dude good looks. He was adopted, in a way, by a fan base who watched him grow from a gangly teen to the best pitcher the organization has developed since Hall of Famer Robin Roberts. Of course, it helped that Hamels was really good, a three-time All-Star. It helped that he settled down in the area and raised his family here and was generous in his charitable works. The biggest reason Hamels was embraced, though, is that he was a lot more of a Philly guy than he appeared at first glance. He earned the respect of the working-class customers because he rarely let irritation or displeasure or frustration show after his lineup, once again, failed to provide him with more than a run or two. Philadelphia fans expect a lot of their highly-paid professional athletes. They didn't expect any more from Hamels than he expected from himself. "One of the things that I think was a little bit of his Achilles' heel was that he expected perfection from himself every single time out. And when he wasn't, it annoyed him. And you could tell on the mound that it bothered him. But if I'm a fan watching a guy perform, that's what I'm impressed by," said general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., a Philadelphia native. "A lot of people said things about him being a prima donna and all this other business. Hollywood Hamels. I will tell you this. We've had some very, very competitive players play here in Philadelphia. I would put him up against any player we've had and any athlete we've had here in Philadelphia." A favorite personal memory: July 22, 2010, was a brutally hot and humid day at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The temperature at first pitch for the afternoon game was announced as 92 degrees, and it climbed as the game continued under the harsh sun. The Phillies, on the other hand, were ice cold. They'd lost four straight and six of their previous seven to fall seven games out of first place, just two games over .500. Despite the miserable conditions, Hamels was brilliant. He allowed just one hit in eight shutout innings. The Phils eventually won, 2-0, in 11 innings. Then-manager Charlie Manuel pointed to that game as the launching pad for all that followed. "I still go back to that real hot day in St. Louis. I think that's the day that turned him around," he said. "It was scorching. We couldn't get a run for him and he kept right on pitching. He didn't say nothing. He wanted to be in the game. The success he had that day, especially against that lineup, I think that brought him right back where he wanted to be." It certainly was a turning point for the team, which went 49-19 (.721) the rest of the way. Hamels also showed that he was human, something everybody can relate to. In February 2005, he got into a bar fight -- he said he was protecting his teammates who were also there -- and his invitation to big league camp was revoked as a result. After Hamels' breakthrough season, he went 10-11 with a 4.32 ERA in 2009. Late in the playoffs, he said he couldn't wait for the season to be over. Since there was still the chance Hamels might make another start if the Phillies staved off elimination, it was misinterpreted by some to mean he hoped his team lost. Along the way, Hamels became part of the tapestry of the city, like Billy Penn's hat and Boathouse Row and Independence Hall. His departure leaves a noticeable hole in that fabric. Hamels, Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley were the core of the Phils' teams that ended up winning five straight NL East titles from 2007-11 and two pennants in that span. Rollins, the Phillies' all-time hits leader and the best shortstop ever to wear the uniform, was traded to the Dodgers last winter. Now Hamels is gone, too. They're breaking up that old gang of theirs. Howard and Utley, the best first baseman and second basemen in team history, could be next. It's necessary. It's time. Still, watching those who played such an integral role creating the best run of sustained excellence the Phils have had in their 132 years of business is jarring. And not just to fans. "One of the difficulties in trading a guy like Hamels is what he's meant to the organization over the years. There is nothing easy at all about these decisions and trades. Rollins. Hamels. They're difficult because these are iconic players for our organization," Amaro said. Later Friday night, Pat Burrell was added to the Phillies' Wall of Fame. It won't be long after Hamels retires before he's honored there, too.

Burrell Returns To The Bank – Pat Burrell's wit spared no one. He mocked his closest friends. He picked on his former managers, juxtaposing the even-keeled Charlie Manuel against the quick-tempered Larry Bowa. He even joked about the sometimes fractured relationship between him and the media. But make no mistake. Friday night at Citizens Bank Park wasn't about Burrell's friends or managers or flaws. Friday night was about Burrell. Burrell became the 37th member of the Phillies' organization inducted onto the Phillies' Wall of Fame on Friday night, following in Manuel's footsteps as the second member of the 2008 World Series team to be immortalized in Ashburn Alley. The first pick of the 1998 MLB Draft, Burrell finished his career with 251 home runs as a Phillie, fourth all time only behind Mike Schmidt, Del Ennis and former teammate Ryan Howard. Despite his high ranks on the all-time Phillies offensive leaderboard and the instrumental role he played in the 2008 postseason, not limited to driving in the winning run of the World Series, Burrell doesn't see himself as belonging in the company he just joined. "I was here for a long time and every year they put a new name up there: Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt and all these guys," Burrell said. "You just never think that you're in the same group as them. To be in that group is a huge honor." Many members of the group Burrell is honored to join were in attendance Friday night as Carlton, Schmidt, Bowa, Manuel, Jim Bunning and more were in attendance to help usher him into the Wall of Fame. Jason Michaels and former teammate Nick Punto, his close friends and roommates from his early playing days, both attended as well, having the honors of revealing his plaque. Pre-taped messages from Royals legend George Brett and former Giants third-base coach Tim Flannery were also showed in honor of Burrell, with the latter of which memorializing Burrell's bond with John Vukovich. After those messages, Vukovich's three granddaughters, along with Chase Utley, came out to award Burrell with a miniature version of his plaque. Burrell also thanked the San Francisco Giants, the organization that hired him to be a scout after he retired. Recently however, Burrell stepped away from scouting, saying he had grown tired of the grind of travelling and said he "needed some time to figure out what [he was] doing." As many unknowns as there are surrounding Burrell's future, there are far less surrounding the future of the Phillies Wall of Fame. Many of Burrell's former teammates will undoubtedly join him on the wall someday. And when asked what it meant to be the first of the group to be inducted, Burrell scoffed at the idea of first meaning anything other than age. "I'm just the first guy to retire," Burrell said. "You have to wait four years. I don't think I'd be the first choice if all those guys retired the same time I did."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 40-64. 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 63-42-0 on this day.

Franco Comes Up Big Again For Phillies

GAME RECAP: Phillies Stun Reds 5-4

After a Maikel Franco three-run home run sent the game to extra innings, Cody Asche's double in the bottom of the 11th inning followed by an error by pitcher Ryan Mattheus on a Freddy Galvis infield ground ball gave the Phillies their second come-from-behind victory in two nights versus the Reds, this time by a score of 5-4. First baseman Joey Votto fielded the grounder and tossed the ball to Mattheus, but the pitcher was unable to handle the toss. Asche, who had advanced to third on the dribbler, scored the game-winning run on the error. Galvis was not credited with an RBI. "It hit off my glove, I should make that play," Mattheus said. "There's no excuse for it. We practice that in Spring Training probably 500 times. I've got to make that play." For the second night in a row, Franco tied the game for the Phillies with a home run to left field. Tuesday night Franco tied the game in the eighth inning with a two-run home run. Wednesday, with Ryan Howard and Jeff Francoeur on first and second, Franco lined the Aroldis Chapman pitch into the left-field seats to tie the game at 4-4 after the Phillies entered the ninth inning trailing 4-0. The home run was projected by Statcast™ to land 414 feet away with an exit velocity of 105 mph. "He's really showing what he can do with connecting and also the at-bats that he's getting against these pitchers, a lot of guys for the first time," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "But I really see the ball really taking off Franco's bat." Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake carried a no-hit bid for 6 2/3 innings until it was broken up by a Franco single to left field. Leake threw eight innings-plus, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. Cole Hamels settled for a no decision for the Phillies in an uncharacteristically choppy start versus the Reds. Hamels entered the game 9-0 career versus the Reds with an ERA of 1.51 and a WHIP of 0.91. He allowed two runs, six hits and walked three in seven innings of work. Hamels is now 5-5 with an ERA of 2.88 this season.

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Wednesday was the second time in Hamels' last two starts that his team was threatened with a no-hitter. On May 29, Chad Bettis of the Rockies didn't give up a hit until Asche singled with one out in the eighth inning. The Phillies have only scored more than three runs in four of Hamels' 12 starts this year.
• Jake Diekman continued his 2015 struggles by allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning after coming in, in the top of the ninth. The two runs, which came courtesy of a Votto home run, extended the Reds' lead to 4-0, setting the stage for extra innings. Diekman has now allowed 16 earned runs in 20 innings this season.
• Hamels has pitched seven or more innings and allowed two or fewer earned runs in a career-best six consecutive starts. It is the longest streak by a Phillies pitcher since Cliff Lee did it in nine consecutive starts from Aug. 4 - Sept. 20, 2011.
• Hamels warmed up in the top of the eighth inning before Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg removed him from the game. Injured? Traded? Nah, Sandberg said they simply wanted Ken Giles to get a few more warm-up pitches.
• "What I've seen from Maikel is the better the pitcher, the better the stuff is, the better he is at hitting. He's unbelievable. It's unbelievable the skill he's got. He's got a quick bat. And the ability to drive high velocity fastballs is not something you see from a young player. That's a tough skill to have." -- Asche, on Franco's batting style.
• Harang is fifth in the National League in ERA with a mark of 2.02 through 11 starts. Harang has only allowed four runs in 35 innings at Citizens Bank Park this season.
• Jeff Francoeur started Wednesday's game in right field for the Phillies for the struggling Ben Revere who was 2-for-25 dating back to May 26. Francoeur has a slightly better track record versus the Reds than Revere, with Francouer's career slash line versus Cincinnati being .272/.310/.428 and Revere's being .282/.290/.308.
• After Marlon Byrd's injury Tuesday, Reds manager Bryan Price indicated that he will be deploying a platoon of Brennan Boesch, Kristopher Negron and Skip Schumaker in left field. Of the three, only Schumaker has ever faced Harang and it was with moderate success. He is 10-for-38 lifetime versus Harang with three doubles, one home run and three RBIs.

NEXT GAME:

On pace for the best season of his 14-year career, the next lineup Aaron Harang has to face comes from the clubhouse with which he is the most familiar. Harang and the Philadelphia Phillies will face off against Anthony DeSclafani and the Cincinnati Reds for the third game of a three-game series at Citizens Bank Park. Harang spent eight seasons with the Reds from 2003-2010 when he had a record of 76-83 with an ERA of 4.30. Harang has pitched well versus his former team in his career, possessing a 3-1 record and a 2.97 ERA in five starts versus the Reds. DeSclafani has not had the same kind of success against the Phillies, as the right-hander has an ERA of 7.94 in two career appearances vs. Philadelphia.

PHILS PHACTS:

Franco Comes Through Again! – When Maikel Franco steps into the batter's box, all he tries to do is see the pitches. But unlike most other hitters, when the pitches come in so fast that he can barely see them, Franco feels even more at ease. "It's not simple but I feel more comfortable," Franco said. "When I know somebody can throw hard and I know he's not going to use so many breaking balls, I can just be ready for one pitch." In Wednesday's 5-4 Phillies' win over the Reds in 11 innings, Franco's one pitch came in a particularly daunting situation. On a 1-0 count, the flame-throwing Aroldis Chapman -- a reliever who had allowed four runs all season coming into Wednesday -- served Franco a 98-mph fastball. The right-handed batter turned on the pitch, pulling a line drive into the left-field bleachers projected by Statcast™ to land 414 feet away and sent the game into extra innings. This was the second night in a row Franco set up an eventual Phillies walk-off, as on Tuesday Franco smacked a two-run homer into left field in the eighth inning to tie the game, setting the stage for a Darin Ruf walk-off single. Franco's friend and teammate Freddy Galvis said he has seen something different from his left-side-of-the-infield mate since Tuesday. "He's got power. He's got contact," Galvis said. "Yesterday I think he put some stuff together and it paid off yesterday and today." Cody Asche, the man who Franco replaced a month ago as the Phillies' third baseman, wasn't surprised to see Franco hit the ball as well as he did against a pitcher of Chapman's caliber. Asche said over the three days the two of them spent in Triple-A together in May he grew accustomed to seeing Franco prey on quality pitching. "What I've seen from Maikel is the better the pitcher, the better the stuff is, the better he is at hitting," Asche said. "He's unbelievable. It's unbelievable the skill he's got. He's got a quick bat. And the ability to drive high velocity fastballs is not something you see from a young player. That's a tough skill to have." Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg also praised Franco, saying that he's been impressed by how confident Franco has been the past few days and how unfazed he was by seeing Chapman on the mound, especially having never faced the hard-throwing lefty before. And though some may be quick to slap the "clutch" label upon Franco based on his contributions the past two nights, not even Franco sees himself that way. Rather, he sees his achievements as necessary steps on the quest for his ultimate goal. "I'm just trying my best," Franco said. "I try to do better every day. I come in every day and I'm just trying to be the best in the game."

Hamels Continues To Increase Value – First things first: Cole Hamels is OK. He started to warm up in the top of the eighth inning in Wednesday's 5-4 victory over the Reds in 11 innings at Citizens Bank Park, when Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg emerged from the dugout to remove him from the game. That had some wondering if Hamels had suffered an injury, which would be catastrophic to the team's rebuilding plans, or had suddenly been traded to a contender. "Yeah, that's great," Hamels said with a smile, when told about the mild panic it caused among Phillies fans. "That's awesome. Was it on the Phillies' Twitter? As long as I'm getting them the hits, that's all that matters. That's good." Hamels is fine. The Phillies said they simply wanted Ken Giles to have a few extra warm-up pitches in the bullpen. "I was discussing with [pitching coach Bob McClure] about Cole's outing and we decided he had some stress throughout his whole outing with the baserunners," Sandberg said. Hamels allowed six hits, two runs, three walks and struck out eight in seven innings Wednesday. That typically is a pretty solid effort, although Hamels loaded the bases in the third and fourth innings. But it did not match Reds right-hander Mike Leake, who no-hit the Phillies through 6 2/3 innings. The last time Hamels pitched -- last Friday -- the Phillies were being no-hit into the eighth inning. But a lack of run support for Hamels is not a recent trend. Wednesday was the fifth time in 12 starts this season the Phillies have not scored a run for him while he has been in the game. "I just think that you have to give the credit to the pitchers we are facing," Hamels said. Hamels got a no-decision after Maikel Franco's game-tying, three-run homer in the ninth. It left his record against the Reds unblemished. He is 10-0 with a 1.45 ERA in 14 career starts against the Reds, which includes a shutout in Game 3 of the 2010 National League Division Series.

Billingsley Making Progress – Chad Billingsley's lat strain won't keep him on the DL as long as his last injury did, but that doesn't mean the Phillies aren't going to be cautious with the veteran. After missing more than two years due to injury, Billingsley worked his way back into a Major League rotation on May 5. That return only lasted 10 days as he hasn't pitched since May 15 due to the lat strain. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said before Wednesday's game that Billingsley has been making progress and is working toward a return. "He's on a throwing program," Sandberg said. "He threw from 75 feet yesterday and he'll continue to throw. [He's] playing catch basically. We'll lengthen that out day to day and it looks like right now that he'll do an actual side [session] on Tuesday on the road trip. "He's building toward that. He's progressing really well and we're taking it on the slow side of things. Building up to the side on Tuesday."

Preparing For His First Draft – Phillies president Pat Gillick said something interesting in Spring Training about new amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz. He said Almaraz likes players. "People might not understand that," Gillick said, "but sometimes you look at a player and you can talk about his minuses or you can talk about his pluses. Our new scouting director, he talks about players' pluses. He wants to concentrate on what this player can do, not on what he cannot do. So I think it's a little bit of a different approach." The Phillies announced in October that Almaraz had replaced Marti Wolever, who had run the organization's drafts for more than a decade. Almaraz gets his first crack at it next week, when Major League Baseball holds the 2015 Draft. The Phillies have the 10th overall pick. "I believe that we all know what a baseball player is," Almaraz said Wednesday evening at Citizens Bank Park. "It's somebody who executes the fundamentals, somebody who hits behind the runner, somebody who takes pitches, who can bunt the ball to both sides of the field. Pitchers who can throw strikes, first pitch for a strike. "Baseball players who know how to play the game. We're going after baseball players with ability. Sometimes when you get somebody who is extremely talented in any sport, and you try to teach them the game sometimes they cannot ever learn it." The Phillies hope that tweak in philosophy serves them well. Since the Phillies selected Cole Hamels with the 17th overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft, Phillies first-round selections (including supplemental picks) have a combined -1.2 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. That group includes outfielder Greg Golson (2004, playing in Mexico), right-hander Kyle Drabek (2006, pitching in Triple-A Charlotte), infielder Adrian Cardenas (2006, retired), left-hander Joe Savery (2007, not playing), Travis d'Arnaud (2007, Mets), Anthony Hewitt (2008, Class A Frederick), Zach Collier (2008, not playing), Jesse Biddle (2010, Double-A Reading), Larry Greene (2011, retired), Shane Watson (2012, injured), Mitch Guellar (2012, injured ), J.P. Crawford (2013, Double-A Reading) and Aaron Nola (2014, Double-A Reading). In fact, since the Phillies selected Golson in 2004, the Phillies' five most successful draft picks have been J.A. Happ (third round in 2004, 6.8 WAR), Vance Worley (third round in 2005, 5.4 WAR), Jarred Cosart (38th round in 2008, 5.5 WAR), A.J. Griffin (34th round in 2009, 4.3 WAR) and Kyle Gibson (36th round in 2006, 3.4 WAR). Griffin and Gibson never signed with the Phillies. They reentered the Draft at a later date. The Phillies will be looking for the best player available at No. 10, which only makes sense. While they certainly could use a hitter, they cannot afford to be picky. They have numerous holes to fill. "I know we are going to get a good player at 10," Almaraz said. And what would make his first Draft a successful one? "My definition of a successful Draft is getting somebody in the first, second and third round who are going to impact the Major League level four to five years from now or sooner," he said.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 21-33. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance this spring, don’t expect their competitive place in the standings to last. All time, the Phillies are 34-62-0 on this day.