Red Hot Phillies Take A Break From The Heat

GAME RECAP: No Game Yesterday

The Phillies earned their day off yesterday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Phillies infielder Cesar Hernandez enters Tuesday's series opener with a 21-game on-base streak. He's the third Phillies player this season to reach base in 20 more straight games.
• The series win over the Phillies was the Dodgers' fifth in their last six. Combined with the Giants' recent struggles, Los Angeles has rallied from 6 1/2 games back to within one of the division lead.
• The Dodgers took two of three from the Phillies when they met in Los Angeles last week, winning the first two before losing to Jeremy Hellickson in the series finale. 

NEXT GAME:

By now, the Phillies and Dodgers should be pretty familiar with each other. At least they're about to be, with a three-game series starting in Philadelphia on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. Only one series separates their three games in Los Angeles and the Dodgers' upcoming visit to Philadelphia. Vince Velasquez doesn't get a break from his hometown team. The Pomona, Calif., native pitched in front of more than 100 friends and family at Dodger Stadium in his start Tuesday. Velasquez didn't exactly put on a show, as he allowed nine runs -- a career-high -- and exited with just one out in the fifth. Tuesday's series opener is a rematch of Velasquez and Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda exactly one week later. In their last matchup, Maeda walked a batter for the first time in three starts. He walked two, giving him just three over his past six. Over that stretch, Maeda is averaging less than a walk per nine innings and has a 35:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The game will also be Chase Utley's first at Citizens Bank Park since the Phillies traded him last August. He recently admitted that his return "might be a bit emotional."

PHILS PHACTS:

Utley Returns – It is unlikely Chase Utley will shed a tear as he steps into the batter's box Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Expressing his feelings is not his style. In fact, standing and chatting inside the Dodgers' dugout last week at Dodger Stadium, Utley only allowed that his first trip to Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him last August "might be a bit emotional." There should be more than a few standing ovations and a few tips of the cap as the Phillies and Dodgers play a three-game series this week. In preparation for a week of Utley memories, here are eight of Utley's greatest moments with the Phils: 1. Utley's first hit: April 24, 2003: In his first career start in his second career game, Utley hit a grand slam against Colorado's Aaron Cook in the third inning at Veterans Stadium. It was the first of Utley's five grand slams with the Phillies. 2. The Streak: June 23- Aug. 3, 2006: Utley had a 35-game hitting streak, which is tied for the 11th longest in baseball history. 3. The Speech: Oct. 31, 2008: The tightlipped Utley gave one of the most memorable speeches in Philadelphia history following the team's World Series championship parade. He announced to the crowd at Citizens Bank Park that the Phillies were "world champions" -- only he inserted an expletive in the middle to accentuate the exuberance of a fan base that had not enjoyed a championship from one of its professional sports teams in 25 years. Utley still hears the famous line from that famous speech. "I hear it here at this stadium," Utley said at Dodger Stadium. "There are Phillies fans all over the country. I see at last one or two Phillies jerseys every game, to be honest, and occasionally they say that statement. That was a good time back in 2008, for sure." 4. Beat the Mets, beat the Mets: Aug. 30, 2007: Utley tormented the Mets in his career, but this one sticks out because it contributed to the Mets' collapse as the Phillies won their first National League East title since 1993. The Phils trailed the Mets by one run in the ninth, but with the game tied, Utley ripped a single against Mets closer Billy Wagner to right field to score Tadahito Iguchi from second base. It was the fourth of Utley's five walk-off hits with Philadelphia. 5. Game 1 of 2009 World Series: Oct. 28, 2009: Many Phillies fans remember Game 1 of the 2009 World Series for Cliff Lee's excellence, but Utley hit two home runs in the 6-1 victory. Utley hit five home runs in the series, matching Reggie Jackson for the most in a single Fall Classic. 6. Game 1 of 2008 World Series: Oct. 22, 2008: Utley hit a two-run home run in the first inning against Rays left-hander Scott Kazmir to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was the perfect start to the series for the Phils, who would win their first World Series title in 28 years. 7. "Chase Utley, you are the man!": Aug. 9, 2006: Utley made plenty of hustle plays in his Phillies career, but this one is immortalized because of Harry Kalas' call. Utley stood on second base when Ryan Howard chopped a ball into the air. Braves pitcher Macay McBride caught the ball and tossed it to first baseman Scott Thorman. Meanwhile, Utley never stopped running and scored from second on a ball that never left the infield. The best part of the play besides Utley's hustle and Kalas' call? Charlie Manuel smiling as he kept looking into the dugout as if to say, "Can you believe he just did that?" 8. Utley outsmarts the Rays: Oct. 29, 2008: In a decisive Game 5, the Phillies and Rays were tied in the seventh inning at 3. Jason Bartlett stood on second base when Akinori Iwamura hit a ground ball up the middle. Utley fielded the ball with his momentum carrying him toward left field. He had no play at first, but he pump-faked a throw there anyway. The fake convinced Rays third-base coach Tom Foley to send Bartlett home. But Utley threw a one-hopper to Carlos Ruiz, who applied the tag for the out to end the inning. It was vintage Utley, always thinking one step ahead of the action on the field.

Today In Phils History – Sherry Magee returned from his 36 game suspension on this day in 1911. Dick Allen didn’t get a chance to swing the bat on this day in 1968 as he was walked in all 5 of his plate appearances setting a team record and tying the NL record. The following season Rick Wise shutout Houston for the 4^th consecutive shutout for the Phillies. In 1977, the Phillies won the last of their 13 game winning streak. Tom Hume and Kent Tekulve combined to 1 hit the Pirates on this day in 1986. 10 years ago today, single A Clearwater pitcher Julio De La Cruz threw a no hitter against Sarasota walking only 1 during the contest. Finally, happy birthday to Willie Jones (1925) and Al Holland (1952).  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 56-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 46-60-1 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.

Phillies Salvage Win Over Dodgers

GAME RECAP: Phillies Defeat Dodgers 6-2

The Dodgers' visit to first place was brief, as Freddy Galvis slugged a three-run homer and pinch-hitter Ryan Howard added a three-run double Wednesday in the Phillies' 6-2 win that snapped the Dodgers' four-game win streak and dropped them back into second place one day after catching the Giants. Rookie Dodgers reliever Grant Dayton allowed Galvis' seventh-inning homer to give the Phillies the lead, and Howard cleared the bases in the ninth off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen for the insurance runs. Galvis also homered Tuesday night. "Grant's been throwing the heck out of the baseball," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of using the left-handed Dayton, who had not allowed a hit in his previous three appearances. "I'm swinging well and just trying to stick with it," said Howard, who has been playing in a reserve role most of the season. "It's a game of ups and downs. You have downs, and some point you're going to have ups." Dodgers starter Scott Kazmir (9-6), removed with a lead he protected from the first inning, took the loss. Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson left the game after five innings with back tightness. He retired the final 13 batters he faced and struck out seven. "There were some at-bats we probably should have run the count and stress him a little more," Roberts said of his offense's approach. "We had Hellickson on the ropes, yeah. We let him catch his breath and get a rhythm, and next thing you know, he's through the fifth inning." Hellickson, who allowed one run on three hits, was relieved by Tuesday callup Elvis Araujo, who hit Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager on the right wrist with a 91-mph fastball in the sixth inning but was the winning pitcher. X-rays on Seager were negative, and he said he expects to play Friday.

PHILS PHACTS: 

• Galvis had not homered against a left-hander since Aug. 26, 2014, but he turned on a 2-2 fastball from Dodgers lefty Dayton for a three-run home run in the seventh inning to give the Phillies a 3-1 lead. It snapped a streak of 305 consecutive plate appearances against a lefty without a home run. Galvis then preserved the lead in the eighth when he made a nice sliding catch and a strong throw to first with runners on first and second and two outs to end the inning. "I just tried to get a good at-bat," Galvis said. "I tried to put the ball in play. He was throwing everything away. He gave me a good pitch to hit. I put a good swing on it, and I hit a homer."
• It has been a bad week for the Phillies' rotation. They placed Aaron Nola on the disabled list on Aug. 3 and Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday only to watch Hellickson leave the game after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back. He had retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced before leaving the game. Hellickson said he will be OK, but if he cannot make his next start, the Phillies will need to find two new starters to pitch next week. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. 
• Phillies second baseman Cesar Hernandez has reached base safely in 18 consecutive games, dating to July 23.

NEXT GAME:

The Phils do not play Thursday, but they open a three-game series Friday at 7:05 p.m. ET against the Rockies at Citizens Bank Park. Rookie right-hander Jake Thompson makes the second start of his career after getting hit hard in his big league debut over the weekend against the Padres.

PHILS PHACTS:

Seeking Consistency – If Freddy Galvis could hit more consistently, his future with the Phillies might be a no-brainer. He smacked a three-run home run to left field in the seventh inning of Wednesday afternoon's 6-2 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The homer against Dodgers left-hander Grant Dayton put the Phillies in front by one, and it also snapped Galvis' streak of 305 consecutive plate appearances without a homer against a lefty, which dated to Aug. 26, 2014, when he homered against Washington's Gio Gonzalez. "Wow, I can't even remember," Galvis said of his last homer against a lefty. "I think it was like three years ago. Two years ago?" Galvis later preserved the Phillies' one-run lead with runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth. Joc Pederson hit a hard ground ball to Galvis' right. The shortstop made a foot-first slide and backhanded the ball before standing up and making a strong throw to first get Pederson to end the inning. "We try to help each other," he said. "I made the play for [Hector] Neris and for the team. It was good." Galvis' solid defense has never been in question. His instincts on the field and leadership qualities in the clubhouse impress his manager and coaches, too. But Galvis' offense has been his shortcoming. He is hitting .231 with 18 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, 45 RBIs and a .627 OPS. Galvis' .618 OPS at shortstop entering Wednesday ranked 23rd out of 25 qualified shortstops, according to FanGraphs. Those numbers are noteworthy, as Phillies' prospect J.P. Crawford continues to play in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Crawford might not join the Phillies this season, even as a September callup, but the expectation is that Crawford will be the team's everyday shortstop at some point next season. Galvis said he is not following Crawford's progress. "I follow my daughter," he said. Galvis eventually could move to second base, where he played brilliant defense in place of Chase Utley in 2012 and '13. But Cesar Hernandez's recent offensive performance might make things a little more interesting heading into the offseason. Hernandez is hitting .285 with 11 doubles, eight triples, 27 RBIs and a .714 OPS, but he makes too many mental mistakes on the field for the coaching staff's liking. If Galvis can finish the season strong -- he has hit .294 with a .735 OPS against lefties since July 3 -- he could help his cause. "I don't want to conjecture too much," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said about Galvis' future with the Phillies, "but I like Freddy a lot. You cannot deny his ability at short defensively, and the guy's got 11 home runs and closing in on 50 RBIs. I'll take the sure-handed shortstop with good range that can drive in 50-plus runs and hit more than 10 home runs."

Leaving A Little Early – The Phillies hope Jeremy Hellickson's back is a little sore and nothing more. He left Wednesday afternoon's 6-2 victory over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium after the fifth inning because of tightness in his back, potentially leaving the Phillies with just three healthy starters. The team placed Aaron Nola on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 3 because of inflammation in his right elbow, replacing him with rookie Jake Thompson. They placed Zach Eflin on the DL on Tuesday because of sore knees. They have not named his replacement for Sunday's start against the Rockies. The Phillies will need a second starter Wednesday against the Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park if Hellickson can't pitch, but he said he expects to be OK. It helps that he is not scheduled to pitch again for a week because the Phillies do not play games Thursday or Monday. "It's definitely not something I think will linger more than a couple days," Hellickson said. Adam Morgan, David Buchanan and Phil Klein are candidates to take a spot or two in the rotation. Hellickson struggled a bit in the first inning Wednesday but cruised before he left the game, retiring 14 of the final 15 batters he faced. He said he tweaked the right side of his back on the second pitch against Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley in the fifth inning. "Then it just kind of tightened up on me," Hellickson said. "I tried to talk [manager Pete Mackanin] into letting me go back out, but it's probably a good thing he didn't let me." An injury to Hellickson is one of the risks the Phillies took when they did not trade him before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline. He is a free agent after the season and has been pitching well, but the Phillies wanted talent commensurate with a compensatory pick in the 2017 Draft to trade him. They are expected to make Hellickson a qualifying offer after the season. If he rejects it and if he signs with another team, the Phillies receive an extra Draft pick. The risk is if Hellickson gets injured or struggles before the end of the season, surveys the landscape for free-agent starting pitching and accepts a one-year contract expected to be worth about $16.5 million. In that case, the Phillies get Hellickson on a very expensive one-year contract and no Draft pick. But it sounds like Hellickson should be OK. The Phillies certainly need him. "It's unfortunate," Hellickson said about the Phillies' recent rotation woes. "Nola did all he could to fight through that. Then Eflin, same thing. He'd been battling. Like I said, mine's not going to be any more than a little soreness tomorrow. Hopefully just a couple days of soreness. I can't see it being any longer than that."

Today In Phils History – The Phillies were certain to win the game on this day in 1910 up 9-0 heading into the 9^th inning but then they sent 13 batters to the plate and obliterated the Pirates by a score of 18-0. The scoreboard wasn’t as kind to the Phillies in 1931 as the Giants recorded 28 hits including 4 homeruns and 7 doubles as they defeated the Phillies 23-8. Phillies manager Ben Chapman is remembered for a variety of unpleasant reasons but one incident that is commonly overlooked happened on this day in 1947 when he mistakenly handed the umpires a lineup card from the previous day forcing Schoolboy Rowe to start for the second day in a row throwing two pitches and surrendering a double without warming up before being replaced by Charley Shanz. Despite Jim Command connecting for a grand slam for his first MLB hit in 1954, the Phillies lost to the Dodger in the 1^st game of a double header. Dick Allen’s homerun is the difference maker as the NL prevails at the 1967 All Star Game in Anaheim. 20 years later, Kent Tekulve made the 900^th appearance of his career setting a new MLB record by a pitcher who had never started a game. Phillies closer Heathcliffe Slocumb gets the win as the NL edges out the AL at the 1995 All Star Game in Arlington, Texas. A decade later, Bobby Abreu hit a record 41 homeruns (including 24 in the 1^st round) to win the All Star Homerun Derby in Detroit.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 53-63 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 44-36-0 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 Split Final Series Before All Star Break

GAME RECAP: Phillies Crush Rockies 10-3

Cameron Rupp made sure the Rockies didn't even their home record before the All-Star break, going a career-best 4-for-5, and tying a career-high four RBIs in the Phillies' 10-3 win on Sunday at Coors Field. Rupp drove in runs on singles in the third and fifth before hitting a 465-foot home run off Jake McGee in the seventh. Maikel Franco out-did him in the following frame with a 471-foot shot -- the fourth longest in baseball this season -- off Jason Motte. "Our hitting has come around," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "The first two months we were at the bottom of the pack, literally. Everybody has been contributing." The Phillies tagged Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood for four runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts. It was his second straight start after coming off the 15-day disabled list (mid-back strain) to only last five innings. "I don't think I've pitched very well since I hurt my back," Chatwood said. "I haven't found my rhythm again. That's not an excuse, I just haven't pitched good." Phillies rookie Zach Eflin did a good job solving a Rockies lineup that scored 22 runs in the previous three games this series. He limited them to two runs on seven hits over six innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Home Run Derby participant Carlos Gonzalez homered into the third deck in right field in the eighth off Hector Neris.

PHILS PHACTS:

• Eflin allowed two runs in six innings against the Rockies, giving him some solid mojo heading into the All-Star break. After allowing nine runs in just 2 2/3 innings in his big league debut June 14 in Toronto, Eflin is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA (eight earned runs in 32 2/3 innings) in his last five starts. "You just can't live in the past," Eflin about his recovery after Toronto. "You've just always got to have your head high. I learn after every outing and I learned a lot after that one. I've done a good job of just keeping the ball down and throwing all of pitches for strikes and keeping the hitters guessing."
• Rupp said recently he does not consider himself a placeholder for Phillies' catching prospects Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp. He continued to make a strong case for himself, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. He is the first Phillies' catcher with four hits and four RBIs in a game since Carlos Ruiz on June 13, 2008, in St. Louis. Rupp now ranks third among qualified catchers with an .840 OPS. "No, not at all," said Rupp, asked if he could have scripted his half any better. "Just coming out and being consistent. That's what I'm trying to do every day. I don't want to get too high, too low."
• "I've been making unbelievable decisions. It's unbelievable," -- Mackanin, joking on what has gone right for the Phillies during their 10-3 stretch before the break.
• Maikel Franco's three-run homer in the eighth traveled a projected 471 feet, according to Statcast™. It is the Phillies' longest homer of the Statcast™ era, which dates to last season. It is believed to be the Phillies' longest homer since Ryan Howard hit one an estimated 473 feet on Sept. 18, 2009, according to ESPN's home run tracker. 
• Left-hander Daniel Stumpf returned to the Phillies July 10 after serving an 80-game suspension for performance enhancing drugs. Philadelphia acquired Stumpf from Kansas City last December in the Rule 5 Draft. He pitched in three games before being suspended.
• Active members of the Mets have hit a combined .307 against Hellickson, with Jose Reyes having recorded a .381 batting average to go along with one homer and four RBIs.
• Mets manager Terry Collins has expressed hope that Yoenis Cespedes would be ready to play by the end of the All-Star break. Cespedes, who sustained a right quad strain July 8, leads the Mets with 21 homers and 52 RBIs. In 26 at-bats against the Phillies in the first half of the year, Cespedes hit .269 with three homers and six RBIs.

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

Setting Sights On Second Half – Almost nobody expected anything from the Phillies this season. They were rebuilding. They were young. And then they started the season 0-4, which only seemed to confirm those low expectations. But after a 10-3 victory over the Rockies on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field, the Phillies enter the All-Star break at 42-48. They have won 10 of their last 13 games, putting them within striking distance of .500 and -- is it crazy to even mention this? -- just six games behind the Marlins and Mets for the second National League Wild Card. Suddenly, the second-half expectations are a little higher. "Back at the start of the season, I said I'd like to play .500 and go from there," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I feel like even though we're six under, we're at that point where we're going to find out how much we've improved and how good we are or if it's just a façade. And I chose to believe it's not. We're going to win a lot more games in the second half than we did in the first half." Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp, who has been one of the team's brightest spots this season, said .500 play the rest of the way would be a nice accomplishment. Remember, the Phillies finished last season with the worst record in baseball at 63-99. "You don't want to settle for mediocrity by any means," Rupp said. "But when a team has zero expectations and you've got days where the oldest guy on the field is 27, 28 years old, it's part of the learning process of playing in the big leagues. We're doing that and showing that we all belong here. That we can play with anybody, play with the best." The Phillies were 24-17 on May 18, but went just 6-26 from May 20 through June 22. "We went into that nosedive in June," Mackanin said. "I didn't think we'd ever win another game." They are 12-5 since the tailspin, which has the team encouraged entering the break. While they are looking forward to getting away for a few days, it is nothing like last year's All-Star break when they were 29-62. Players last year quietly said how much they could not wait to get away for a few days, almost dreading their return. "When you struggle a lot and you're losing every day it's hard to come to the ballpark and get up and get going," Rupp said. "We're winning. Winning is fun. I know we're not .500, but we hit a stretch … where we were playing the best teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back. They did what they were supposed to do to us, but we didn't quit." And now the second half is suddenly a little more interesting.

Going (Really) Deep – Maikel Franco got his title back. He crushed a three-run home run in the eighth inning of Sunday's 10-3 win over the Rockies at Coors Field a projected 471 feet, according to Statcast™. It is the Phillies' longest home run of the season and the fourth-longest homer in baseball this season. It also is the Phillies' longest homer of the Statcast™ era, which dates to last season. It is believed to be the Phillies' longest homer since Ryan Howard hit one an estimated 473 feet on Sept. 18, 2009, according to ESPN's home run tracker. "471?" Franco said. "I didn't know that." He bested Cameron Rupp, who ripped a two-run home run a projected 465 feet in the seventh inning. Rupp's status atop the Phillies' home run leaderboard lasted just one inning, although it remains the 11th-longest homer in baseball. "They were both good ones," Rupp said. It has been a week of long homers for the Phillies. Tommy Joseph hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run Friday that traveled a projected 455 feet, which made it the Phillies' longest homer of the year. Joseph's bomb beat Franco's 448-foot blast Monday at Citizens Bank Park, which was the Phillies' longest homer of the season when he hit it. Statcast™ radars tracked each of the home runs. It projects home run distances, not where the balls land, but where they would have landed had the stands not gotten in the way. Of course, it is worth noting that Coors Field also adds about 20 feet to home runs, according to a study. "They all count the same," Rupp said.

Back From Suspension – Daniel Stumpf said he rejoined the Phillies on Sunday with a clean conscience, maintaining his innocence and saying he has no idea how a performance-enhancing drug that first gained notoriety with East German athletes entered his system. Stumpf, 25, tested positive in Spring Training for dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), which is an anabolic steroid better known as oral turinabol. He served the final game of his 80-game suspension Saturday. The Phillies activated him from the restricted list Sunday, optioning Severino Gonzalez and designating Mario Hollands for assignment to make room for him on the 25-man and 40-man rosters. "I understand that it's going to be hard to believe for people," Stumpf said. "I understand that people say all the time that they don't know how it got into their system. I know that there's been chatter out there from people saying 'If you're taking an uncertified supplement, then you're taking the risk of that.' Well, I don't take supplements, period. I don't drink protein. I don't do pre-workout. I don't eat protein bars. I don't go to Smoothie King and drink smoothies, strictly because they mix stuff in their smoothies. The only thing I took in my life is fish oil because I had high cholesterol. That's the only supplement that ever went in my body." East Germany developed DHCMT in the 1960s. It is ingested orally. It also is easily detectable. Stumpf, who the Phillies selected in the 2015 Rule 5 Draft, said he tested positive for only one metabolite in his system. "Everybody who gets caught says, 'Well, it's a metabolite in trace amounts,'" Dr. Stuart Phillips, a professor at McMaster University and an expert in exercise metabolism, told Sportsnet Canada, which reported on Toronto's Chris Colabello's suspension for DHCMT. "But everything's trace when you're measuring on that level. If you fail the test, and it's four parts per trillion, it means there's not very much of it in there. But there was none of it before. "If you have a metabolite, then you had the drug in your system and you enjoyed the benefits of that drug at that time. You doped at some point. Whether you did it inadvertently or whether you did it deliberately is the question. But you still had it in your system." Stumpf said he is still searching for answers. He has talked with Colabello, Triple-A Lehigh Valley pitcher Alec Asher, Mariners prospect Boog Powell and Minor League free agentCody Stanley, who each have been suspended for DHCMT. "You might go take a drug test right now and have this M4 metabolite in your system," he said. "You don't know. Apparently it's not something that is created in your body. It's a synthetic thing so that's why they're saying that we have to have taken something. Other than food and a fish oil, that was the only thing in my body. "If it could happen to me, it could happen to anyone." Stumpf said he never appealed his suspension because he was advised it would delay the inevitable. He sent close to 60 items to be tested for possible contamination, including medications, cough drops, ChapStick and lotions. Each came back clean. "I specifically told the union when I was going through this, I don't care if I have proof or not, I want to sit down in front of these people and I want them to tell me that I'm a liar, that I did this," Stumpf said. "I'm going to argue to you that I did not. They said that's not enough, that my word isn't good enough to them. So yeah, I was told I was going to lose, so I didn't appeal. "I lay down at night with a guilt-free conscience. I know I didn't do anything. My family believes me. My teammates believe me. The Phillies believe me. God knows what I did. I don't have to prove myself to anybody. Obviously there's a bunch of guys in the game right now that are running their mouths now about this. And that's fine. But again, if this can happen to me it can happen to you."

Today In Phils History – The Phillies delivered a surprising beating to Pittsburgh in 1910 when they won the game 18-0 including 9 runs scored in the 9^th inning. On the flip side in 1931, New York crushed the Phillies 23-8 at the Baker Bowl knocking out 28 hits including 4 homeruns and 7 doubles. Phillies manager Ben Chapman made a serious mental error in 1947 when he accidentally handed the umpire an unused lineup card from the previous day forcing Schoolboy Rowe to throw 2 pitches without warming up (one hit for a double) before yielding to intended starter Charley Shanz who eventually took the loss. In 1954, Jim Command launched a grand slam for his 1^st major league hit during the Phillies 8-7 loss to the Dodgers in the first game of a double header. Dick Allen helped to propel the NL to a 2-2 victory with a homerun in the 1967 All Star Game. 20 years later, Kent Tekulve set the MLB record when he made his 900^th career relief appearance (no other pitcher had appeared in as many games without ever starting a game). In 1995, Phillies closer Heathcliffe Slocumb got the win as the NL defeated the AL 3-2 in the All Star Game at Arlington. A decade later, Bobby Abreu took home the homerun derby crown in Detroit finishing the tournament with a record 41 bombs including 24 in the first round.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 42-48 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 44-36-0 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 Dominated By The Mets During Batting Practice

GAME RECAP: Mets Crush Phillies 11-1

First was Michael Conforto, then Yoenis Cespedes. Two innings passed, and Neil Walker and Lucas Duda joined in. Curtis Granderson wanted to get in on the fun, too. By the end of the Mets' 11-1 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night, five Mets had put balls over the outfield walls of Citizens Bank Park, including two from Walker. "This is a really talented group," Walker said of a Mets team that has homered 17 times over the first five games of a road trip. "To watch it firsthand … these are the kind of things this team is capable of." Two pitchers entered Tuesday night having yet to allow a run in a start, but only the Mets' Logan Verrett escaped with that still intact. Verrett tossed six scoreless innings and has now led the Mets to wins in both of his spot starts in place of Jacob deGrom, who is expected to make his next scheduled start. Verrett also reached base twice and scored on Cespedes' third-inning home run. "I didn't feel as sharp as I did in my last start, so I really had to work for it today," Verrett said. "Early on, I was trying to overthrow a bit with my fastball. … A little bit later in the game, we started throwing some sliders in there, and that was really able to help me find my arm slot." Phillies starter Vince Velasquez lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his follow-up performance to his 16-strikeout shutout against the Padres last week -- but only two of the Mets' six dingers came against him. Thanks to a Ryan Howard error that allowed Verrett to reach in the third, only two of the five runs Velasquez allowed were earned, raising his season ERA from 0.00 to 0.93. "We didn't pitch well. We didn't hit well. We didn't play well tonight," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "We got beat pretty bad. The Mets seemed to want it. There's not a whole lot to say."

PHILS PHACTS:

• As if the five runs the Mets scored against Velasquez weren't enough, New York continued to pile on against the Phillies' bullpen once Velasquez was pulled in the fifth. Brett Oberholtzer and James Russell combined to pitch three innings, in which they gave up four home runs, amounting to six runs. Philadelphia entered Tuesday with the fourth-worst bullpen ERA in baseball (5.49). After the Mets massacre, their ERA is now 6.14.
• Verrett hit a routine ground ball to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis in the third. Galvis threw to first, but Howard missed the catchable throw for an error. Velasquez retired the next two Mets, but Conforto singled and Cespedes homered on an 0-2 curveball. Velasquez regretted the pitch, wishing he had thrown a fastball. "Why I agreed to the pitch, I don't know why," Velasquez said. "Maybe it was just the heat of the moment and I just went with it. … Cespedes was just waiting on it the whole time. It's bad on my part. Bad pitching, bad execution. I take full responsibility for that."
• "We're just not having fun. All through spring we were having so much fun, in the dugout, outside the dugout. We need to stop being timid. We have to be a little more upright, be fun, start enjoying ourselves. I think we'll be all right." -- Velasquez, on the Phillies' offensive struggles.
• Tuesday marked the 15th straight game the Phillies weren't able to collect 10 hits, extending their franchise mark to begin a season. The last team to go this long into a season without a 10-hit game was the 1978 Mets. "Our hitters will come around, but we haven't been taking advantage of mistakes," Mackanin said. "I don't know what it is. I don't know if it's a lack of aggressiveness."

NEXT GAME:

Phillies right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (1-1, 4.30 ERA) pitches the series finale against the Mets on Wednesday night at Citizens Bank Park. He allowed two earned runs in 11 2/3 innings in his first two starts before allowing five earned runs in three innings Friday against the Nationals.

PHILS PHACTS:

He Is Human After All – Vince Velasquez's first two starts showed everybody just how dominant he can be. His third start Tuesday night showed everybody he is not quite a superhero. "We're all human," Velasquez said following the Phillies' 11-1 loss to the Mets at Citizens Bank Park. "We make mistakes." Velasquez allowed five hits, five runs (two earned), and two home runs and struck out four in just 4 1/3 innings. He appeared to grab his left side as he left the mound in the fifth, but he said he is fine. "I'm good," Velasquez said. "It was a little itch, yeah. Just throw your arm up or something. Frustration, you want to throw your glove down, you know?" He began his Phillies' career with 25 strikeouts in 15 scoreless innings, joining Curt Schilling (2002), Nolan Ryan (1978) and Karl Spooner (1954) as the only pitchers in baseball history to strike out 25 batters in their first two starts of a season. He also joined Roger Clemens, Kerry Wood and Max Scherzer as the only pitchers in baseball history to throw a shutout with 16 or more strikeouts, zero walks and three or fewer hits, which he accomplished Thursday against San Diego. Velasquez had been the talk of the town, but the Mets, facing him the second time in 10 days, jumped on him early. David Wright hit a one-out double to left field in the first inning, and Michael Conforto followed with a two-run home run to right to make it 2-0. An error from Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard in the third inning proved costly. Conforto hit a two-out single to put two on. Yoenis Cespedes followed with a two-out, three-run home run to left field to make it 5-0. Conforto and Cespedes both hit 0-2 curveballs. "There's nothing wrong with the pitch selection," Velasquez said. "It's just bad location." Velasquez hung both pitches. He said he wanted to bury them, though he acknowledged that he wished he had thrown Cespedes an 0-2 fastball up in the strike zone instead. "Why I agreed to the pitch, I don't know why," Velasquez said. "Maybe it was just the heat of the moment and I just went with it. … Cespedes was just waiting on it the whole time. It's bad on my part. Bad pitching, bad execution. I take full responsibility for that." Velasquez, who said he battled a stomach bug Monday, makes his next start next Tuesday against the Nationals in D.C. He said he has a few things to work on. Perhaps the Phillies' offense will be hitting by then. The Phillies have scored three or fewer runs in nine consecutive games, their longest stretch since a nine-game drought in May 2011. The Phillies also have not had 10 hits in a game in their first 15 games. It is the longest stretch like that to start a season since the 1978 Mets. "We're just not having fun," Velasquez said. "All through spring we were having so much fun, in the dugout, outside the dugout. We need to stop being timid. We have to be a little more upright, be fun, start enjoying ourselves. I think we'll be all right. It's early. It shouldn't be any added pressure."

Prospect Heads To DL – After getting off to a torrid start with Double-A Reading, Phillies catching prospect Jorge Alfaro is headed to the seven-day disabled list with a strained right oblique, the team announced Tuesday. The 22-year-old backstop was named Eastern League Player of the Week on Monday. Before he landed on the DL, Alfaro had begun the season 18-for-36 (.500). Of those 18 hits, six went for extra bases (four doubles, one triple and one home run). Alfaro missed much of last season after getting surgery on a tendon in his left ankle. He returned at the end of 2015 and got four Gulf Coast League at-bats in his first appearances in the Phillies' organization. Alfaro is ranked as the Phillies' No. 6 prospect and No. 94 overall by MLBPipeline.com. He was acquired from the Rangers' organization as part of the trade that sent Cole Hamels to Texas. Outfielder Cody Asche sustained a strained right oblique near the beginning of Spring Training, and after a setback, he still has yet to resume baseball activities. Darin Ruf was out for close to two months with a left oblique injury in 2014, Chase Utley missed exactly a month in '13 and Carlos Ruiz just less than a month in '12. "The one thing about obliques is you can't really rush them," Phillies general manager Matt Klentak said of Asche's injury last Wednesday.

Today In Phils History – One of the Phillies first stars debuted on this day in 1888 when Kid Gleason took the field. 60 years later, in a game known for a rather unique double play by Phillies catcher Andy Seminick, a star, Dick Sisler, and a legend, Richie Ashburn, put on the Phillies uniform for the first time. The following year, Willie "Puddinhead" Jones tied a major league record when he hit 4 consecutive doubles. Today is also know for the swapping of two unique bullpen arms when the Phillies traded away Al Holland to Pittsburgh for Kent Tekulve in 1985. However, with the exception of Ashburn’s debut, today is best known for the managerial milestones beginning in 1920 when manager Gavvy Cravath inserted himself as a pinch-hitter into a game against the New York Giants. His 3 run homerun scored the only runs of the game. The homerun also happened to be the 119^th of his career which stood as the major league record until it was broken the following season by Babe Ruth. 86 years later, it was a Phillies loss that handed Washington Nationals manager Frank Robinson his 1,000th career victory.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 6-9 this season putting them on pace to meet most preseason predictions. The Phillies finished the spring exceeding most expectations compiling a record of 15-11-3 (18-11-3 if you include the exhibition games against Reading and the University of Tampa). All time, the Phillies are 45-45-0 on this day. I expect the Phillies to finish in the bottom half of the division but not last in the NL East by finishing the season with a 77-85 record. Let the rebuild begin!