And The Phillies’ Stellar Start Continues…

GAME RECAP: Mets Beat Phillies 7-2

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

NEXT GAME:

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

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

And The Disappointing Updates Have Begun…

PHILS PHACTS:

Roster Updates – Do not expect to see Matt Harrison in Phillies camp this spring. Do not expect to see him pitch at all in 2016. "The truth is we're not expecting him to be here anytime soon, if at all this year," general manager Matt Klentak said on Wednesday morning at Bright House Field. "If things go well, we'd be happy to get him back, but the reality is we're kind of in a wait-and-see mode, and we'll just have to play it out. But we're not expecting him here in Clearwater." The news should not surprise anyone who has followed Harrison's health history. He had spinal fusion surgery on June 3, 2014. It was his fourth back surgery in two years and the most radical of the bunch. Harrison's back problems have limited him to 44 innings the past three seasons. Harrison, who saw a back specialist earlier this week, is owed about $28 million on his contract, which expires following the 2017 season. But insurance is expected to pick up much of that. Harrison joined the Phillies in July as part of the Cole Hamels trade with Texas. The Phillies were aware of Harrison's health issues, but they acquired him to offset some of Hamels' salary. Funky Cold Medina: Right-hander Yoervis Medina is not expected to be in camp for another 10-14 days because of visa issues. The Phillies acquired Medina, who is a non-roster invitee, from the Pirates earlier this month for left-hander Jesse Biddle. Medina, 27, is 10-9 with a 3.08 ERA in 146 appearances in his career with the Mariners and Cubs. Turnover: The Phillies will have 65 players in camp, not including Harrison. Only 18 opened camp last spring with the club.

Can He Make The Rotation? – The future for the Phillies is everywhere this spring. Vincent Velasquez is one part of the puzzle, but he is a big one. Velasquez stood in front of his locker in the corner of the clubhouse on Wednesday morning at Bright House Field, where he answered questions from a pack of reporters. They wanted insight from the key piece in the December trade that sent Ken Giles to Houston. "I see all these [camera] lights turned on and I was like, 'Whoa,'" Velasquez said about the sudden attention. "I'm honored. It's really something to take in." The scene stood out to regular visitors to the Phillies' clubhouse. Chase Utley occupied Velasquez's corner locker for the previous 12 years. But Utley is a memory, part of the past, after being traded to the Dodgers in August. The Phillies hope Velasquez is a part of the future. He is a heavy favorite to win the fifth and final job in the rotation. Aaron Nola, Jeremy Hellickson, Jerad Eickhoff and Charlie Morton are considered locks for the first four spots. "There are a lot of guys with talent in this room," Velasquez said. "Everyone is fighting for a spot." But Velasquez is the favorite because of his talent. The Phillies love his arm, which is why they made Velasquez the focal point of the trade that sent Giles and Minor League infielder Jonathan Arauz to the Astros for right-handers Mark Appel, Thomas Eshelman, Harold Arauz and Velasquez, along with left-hander Brett Oberholtzer. The original four-player return for Giles included Houston outfield prospect Derek Fisher, but Appel and Arauz were late additions after sources said the Phillies had concerns about Velasquez's physical. Velasquez underwent Tommy John surgery on Sept. 22, 2010. "I'm healthy as an ox," Velasquez said. No issues with his shoulder? "I've never had any problems with my shoulder," Velasquez said. "Any type of soreness I've had was in the biceps or triceps. Nothing in the shoulder." The Phillies hope Velasquez, 23, stays healthy and continues to progress from his rookie season in Houston. Velasquez went 1-1 with a 4.37 ERA in 19 appearances (seven starts) last season. He has the talent to be a No. 3 starter, although some think he could be a dominant late-inning reliever. But forget about the bullpen right now. The Phillies want Velasquez to start and he wants to start, too. "Definitely, that's where I want to be," he said. Velasquez joked that he is looking forward to hitting in the National League. He seems to have the athletic ability to do it. He caught and played first base in high school. Velasquez learned to throw left-handed, which came in handy during his junior year when he pitched and played center field as a left-hander because he had bone spurs in his right elbow. "I'd look at my reflection and kind of imitate myself," Velasquez said. "When I threw with my left hand it looked trashy, so I eventually made it look normal." So keep an eye on Velasquez during batting practice. If he is in the outfield shagging fly balls, he could be shagging as a lefty. "I don't want to use my right arm. I want it to recuperate, so I'll just throw left-handed," he said. Velasquez played a different sport every day with his father and brothers, while growing up in California. Baseball, football, basketball, golf, tennis, soccer, whatever. "My dad wanted to really motivate us. He wanted us to make something of ourselves," he said. They did. His older brothers, Leonard Jr. and Christopher, fought in Iraq with the Marine Corps. Vincent has the chance to be a key cog in the Phillies' rebuilding efforts. "I don't have a guaranteed spot," Velasquez said. "None of us do. It's going to be a process. It's a little journey I'm looking forward to experiencing and we'll see how it plays out."

The Future Is Now! – Phillies fans get their first look at the future beginning on Thursday. Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff, Vincent Velasquez, Mark Appel, Jake Thompson, Jorge Alfaro and other pitchers and catchers will hold their first official workout at Carpenter Complex in Clearwater, Fla. It will be unlike any Spring Training in recent memory as the Phillies rebuild with a camp full of young players and prospects. Are the Phils expected to be postseason contenders? No. Should they be interesting to watch anyway? Yes. Here is why: The Phillies already have a few young players in the big leagues that look like they could be part of the future core (Nola, Eickhoff, Maikel Franco and Odubel Herrera). They also have one of the best farm systems in baseball with seven players in MLBPipeline's Top 100 Prospects list, more than any other team in baseball. How many of those players will live up to the hype? How many will be part of the core of the future? Nobody knows, but finding out should make this year interesting to watch, both at the Major and Minor League levels. In the sixth part of a seven-part series previewing Phillies Spring Training, MLB.com asks three big questions that must be answered in camp: 1. Where does Ryan Howard fit? Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels are gone, but Howard remains. It is likely that Howard figured he would be elsewhere by now, but the Phillies have had no luck trying to trade him, despite offering to pay most of his salary ($25 million this season, plus a $10 million buyout on a 2017 club option). Howard is expected to be in uniform when the club holds its first full-squad workout on Tuesday, but does he want to be here? And how much will he play? Howard has been one of the most standup players in the Phillies' clubhouse for years. He also has been one of the friendliest and most gregarious. He didn't show that side nearly as often last season. There could be any number of reasons for that, but the young players in the clubhouse could use a leader like Howard. In regards to playing time, manager Pete Mackanin has not minced words. He said it will be tough to play Howard over Darin Ruf against left-handed pitching considering their results last season. Will Howard be OK with that? It will be interesting to see how everything plays out as Howard's time with the Phillies nears its conclusion. 2. Will this team hit? Philadelphia scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball last season, and it did not add anybody to the lineup other than outfielder Peter Bourjos, who hit .200 with a .623 OPS in 225 plate appearances last season with St. Louis. Runs are expected to be a struggle again, but the organization hopes there will be at least some improvement with the continued development of Franco, Herrera, Aaron Altherr and others. But if players struggle, there will be plenty of players in Triple-A looking to take their jobs, including shortstop J.P. Crawford, outfielder Nick Williams and more. 3. Who will show the kids the way? General manager Matt Klentak said building a positive culture is part of his plan to resurrect the Phillies, who have not had a winning season since 2011. They lost plenty of leadership in the past 14 months with Rollins, Utley, Hamels, Jonathan Papelbon, Marlon Byrd, Ben Revere and other veterans being traded. Do the current Phils have enough leadership to show the youngsters in camp the way to not only make the big leagues, but succeed once they're there? The only veterans on the 40-man roster with considerable service time are Howard, Carlos Ruiz, Bourjos, Andres Blanco, Jeremy Hellickson, Charlie Morton and David Hernandez. The Phillies could miss Jeff Francoeur, who learned from the best in Bobby Cox, Chipper Jones, John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and others. Francoeur almost single-handedly kept the clubhouse upbeat in 2015 during the organization's worst season since 1969. Players responded to him and he showed players like Franco, Herrera and others how to conduct themselves through the grind of the season.

Today In Phils History - Happy birthday to a couple of short lived pitchers with the Phillies in Kyle Abbott (1968) and Tyler Green (1970).  

THE BEGINNING:

With the Phillies having finished the 2015 season with a spectacularly awful record of 63-99 it will be interesting to see what kind of team new President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak put on the field. At the same time I am definitely looking forward to the games against Boston with former GM Ruben Amaro on the field. Given the departures, lingering contracts, a history of injuries, bipolar performances, and unproven talent, it should, at the very least, be an interesting season for the Phillies. Who knows, maybe they can avoid 100 losses... hopefully by more than one game!

Harang Deals And Frenchie Goes Deep In Phillies Victory

GAME RECAP: Phillies Beat Boston 4-2

It had been a long time for the Phillies and Jeff Francoeur. Francoeur hit a three-run home run off Rick Porcello to left-center field in the sixth inning, giving the Phillies a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season -- snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak -- and the first home run Francoeur hit in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hammered it," Francoeur said about the ball hit on a windy and rainy night that registered just 40 degrees at first pitch. "Actually, I was like, 'I hope it goes.' It was tough tonight with the wind and rain. But we battled through it, and that's the key." The Red Sox scored twice in the eighth inning when Ken Giles walked three batters to help force in a run. Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon got out of the bases-loaded jam, but only when Hanley Ramirez flew out to the warning track in left-center. "Yep," Ramirez said, when asked if he thought he had a grand slam. "The wind is something that I can't control. We've just got to come back tomorrow and get it."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Right-hander Aaron Harang allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. The Phillies certainly hope there are more starts like this from Harang, who signed a reasonable one-year, $5 million contract in December. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his first start with Philadelphia.
• Francoeur entered Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, but the veteran made the Phillies' Opening Day roster because he was one of the only right-handed bats in the organization with a potential for power, and because he can play solid defense in right field. That decision paid off Wednesday. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence. You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."
• Chase Utley picked up the 887th RBI of his career with a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. It tied Jimmy Rollins for fifth place on the franchise's all-time RBIs list.
• The Phillies setup man could not get out of the eighth inning, walking three batters and allowing two runs, both unearned. His fastball topped out at 96 mph. The right-hander said he is healthy, but he has not looked like himself all spring.
• The right-hander bailed out Giles in the eighth and picked up the 107th save of his Phillies career. Papelbon is five shy of tying Jose Mesa for the franchise record. Papelbon told The Boston Globe before the game he doesn't "really feel much like a Phillie." Will he once he breaks the record?
• Buchanan went 6-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 20 starts last season as a rookie. Buchanan entered camp as the presumed No. 5 starter, but he became the Phillies' No. 3 following Cliff Lee's left elbow injury and a strong spring (1.29 ERA in 21 innings).
• Jeff Francoeur is a .310 hitter lifetime against Masterson, clubbing two doubles and driving in three. Allen Craig and Pablo Sandoval are the only Boston hitters who have faced Buchanan, and they are both 0-for-3.

NEXT GAME:

In the finale of this three-game series, Justin Masterson pitches his first game for the Red Sox since 2009. Meanwhile, Phillies righty David Buchanan will pitch against Boston for the first time in his career. The Phillies hope right-hander David Buchanan can carry a strong Spring Training into the regular season. He posted a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings during the Grapefruit League season, which bumped him up to the season's No. 3 starter. This will be the last meeting between the Red Sox and Phillies until Sept. 4-6, when the clubs meet for a three-game set at Fenway Park.

PHILS PHACTS:

One Foot On The Bench – Phillies center fielder Odubel Herrera did not start Wednesday because of a sore left foot. Herrera, who made the Opening Day roster as a Rule 5 Draft pick, fouled a ball off his foot in Monday's season opener at Citizens Bank Park. He remained in the game, but it has been bothering him since. "Still pretty tender," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Nothing that's too serious." Sandberg said Herrera's foot is a "day-to-day" situation, and that Herrera could pinch-hit Wednesday if needed.

Something To Prove – Aaron Harang pitched pretty well last season with the Braves, but he remained a free agent through the end of December. The Phillies finally signed him to a one-year, $5 million contract on Dec. 30, which will be a steal if he continues to pitch anywhere near the way he pitched Wednesday night in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park. Harang, 36, allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight in 6 1/3 scoreless innings as the Phillies improved to 1-1. "You don't want to come in and be the goat," Harang said about his Phillies debut. "To be able to come in and be aggressive and get us deep in the game -- you know, save the bullpen from any major innings -- is always nice." Harang retired the first 11 batters he faced, including six by strikeout. Pablo Sandoval singled to center with two outs in the fourth inning, but Harang then set down the next seven batters. Harang walked Dustin Pedroia to start the seventh inning. Sandoval followed with a single to right field to put runners on first and second with no outs. Harang got Hanley Ramirez to fly out to center field for the first out when Jeanmar Gomez entered the game. He got Mike Napoli to hit a soft line drive to Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis, who threw to second to double up Pedroia. "I was able to really locate my fastball," said Harang, who went 12-12 with a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts last season. "That was a big thing. I was able to throw some of my offspeed stuff for strikes early in the count and get ahead and work off that. But the biggest thing was being able to locate to both sides of the plate with the fastball." "Harang was outstanding," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Very effortless and very smooth. He was fun to watch."

Giles Not Worried – The Phillies hope this is nothing but a blip for Ken Giles. But Giles (aka 100 Miles Giles) has not looked like himself this spring. The right-hander entered Wednesday's 4-2 victory over the Red Sox with a four-run lead, but he left with the bases loaded, two outs and a suddenly slim two-run lead. He walked three batters. His fastball topped at 96 mph. "I'm physically fine," Giles said. "Nothing is wrong with me." Giles went 1-1 with a 6.08 ERA in 14 Grapefruit League appearances with his fastball never hitting more than 95 mph. He walked 12 and struck out 15 in 13 1/3 innings. Compare that to 2014, when he went 3-1 with a 1.18 ERA and one save in 44 appearances. He allowed 25 hits, 11 walks and struck out 64 in 45 2/3 innings. Giles' 0.79 WHIP was fifth among rookie relief pitchers since 1914. His 5.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sixth, and his 12.61 strikeouts-per-nine innings average ranked 10th. His fastball also sat in the 98-100 mph range. "He's just been down in his velocity," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We'll just have to see. He said he feels fine." "You know what? I've just got to make adjustments, and I didn't make adjustments tonight," Giles said. "So I've got to continue doing that." Are those adjustments mechanical? "Nope, overall," Giles said. "Mentally getting the feel of a long season ahead of me, just getting the feel back of the baseball season."

Hollands Officially Done For The Season – Phillies left-hander Mario Hollands seemed resigned a couple weeks ago to having surgery on his injured left elbow. He finally had it Wednesday, when team physician Michael Ciccotti performed the Tommy John procedure. It typically takes a pitcher about a year to recover from the surgery, which means Hollands' 2015 season is finished. Hollands had a torn common flexor tendon. He tried to rehab from the injury once, but it caused him problems again in Spring Training. The Phillies also announced right-handers Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez and Ethan Martin had MRI exams and both revealed inflammation in their right shoulders. The Phillies said both will not throw for the next two to three weeks before being re-evaluated. Gonzalez is in the second year of a three-year, $12 million contract. He originally agreed to a six-year, $48 million contract in July 2013, but the Phillies renegotiated the deal because of concerns about his arm following his physical. Those concerns have been more than deserved. Gonzalez, 28, opened last season on the 60-day disabled list because of a right shoulder injury. Martin, 25, also missed time last season because of a shoulder injury.

Chasing Down Jose Mesa – Jonathan Papelbon could make Phillies history in the next few weeks, but will anybody care -- including himself? Papelbon picked up a four-out save Wednesday in a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park, although Hanley Ramirez came a few feet from hitting a grand slam against him in the eighth. It was the 107th save of Papelbon's Phillies career. He needs just six more to pass Jose Mesa's 112 for the franchise record. It would be a heck of an accomplishment for Papelbon, whose 219 saves with the Red Sox is a franchise record. "Having an opportunity to be the saves career leader in two historic franchises means a lot to me, and I don't take that lightly by any means," he said. But before the game, Papelbon told The Boston Globe that despite signing a four-year, $50 million contract with the Phillies he does not "really feel much like a Phillie." That should not surprise anybody. Papelbon has made his frustrations with Philadelphia well known numerous times over the past few years. Asked about Wednesday's comments to the Globe, Papelbon said, "What is a Phillie? What is a Phillie? A horse? That's what it is? I feel like a horse, yeah. I feel like a horse. I felt like a horse tonight, yeah." Actually, it's the team with the red pinstripes. "Yeah, of course," he said. Papelbon finally explained. "It's like, 'Where are you from?'" he said. "I'm from Baton Rouge, La. So that's what I will always say. That's where I feel like I'm from, that's where I grew up, that's where my roots are. So you ask me what runs deep in you, the Red Sox still run deep in me. It's where I'm from, it's where I grew up, it's who I became as a pitcher, so it will always stick with me no matter what. Doesn't really change how I go about my business." Interestingly, the Red Sox expressed no interest in bringing back Papelbon following the 2011 season. He said he does not feel slighted. "No. It's business, baby. Straight cash," he said. Papelbon could make another $13 million next season if he finishes just 47 more games this year. (It will trigger a vesting club option.) But will he still be in Philadelphia? The Phillies have been trying to trade him for some time, but without success. Until that happens, he will have to live with the Phillies. "Like I said earlier, I feel like the Red Sox run deep in my blood," he said. "It's who I became as a pitcher. That will always stick with me. It's like any time you have to move on. You have to adapt to a new team, and I haven't had any problem doing that here."

Money Doesn’t Guarantee A Win – We've reached a point where money is often viewed as just another statistic. The expectations for a player may be measured by his traditional stats, his advanced metrics and his salary. Teams with a high payroll have the aura of contenders, clubs with lower player costs are usually viewed as underdogs. There's some merit in that, too. The big stars generally get the big bucks, especially once they get closer to free agency. And talent usually prevails in the long run. But here's the thing: Once the lineup cards are exchanged, once the national anthem is played, once the between-innings timer is activated, it all comes down to performance. For the next three hours, give or take, the number of zeroes on the paychecks don't matter. For further reference on that subject, we need look no further than Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday night. The Phillies beat the Red Sox, 4-2, even though the pitching matchup seemed to heavily favor Boston, which sent Rick Porcello to the mound to face right-hander Aaron Harang. Porcello was fresh off signing that four-year, $82.5 million contract extension before throwing his first regular-season pitch for the Red Sox. Harang is with his seventh team in the past six seasons and is making a base salary of $5 million, barely above the Major League average. Porcello pitched pretty well, registering a quality start. Harang was even better on a night when a dank mist drifted lazily through the bright night lights for most of the game. He pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings, striking out eight, six of them in the first three frames. Harang gave up just two singles and retired 18 of the first 19 batters he faced. Not bad for a guy who was with the Reds in 2010, Padres in '11, Dodgers in '12, Mariners and Mets in '13 and Braves last season. Not bad for a guy who turns 37 next month and twice had Grapefruit League outings pushed back because of back problems. Not bad for a guy who was facing a lineup that mashed five home runs on Opening Day. Harang has an interesting perspective on the whole phenomenon. After all, about a decade ago, he was in Porcello's position. Harang led the National League in strikeouts and complete games in 2006. He finished fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting the following year. Harang also had three straight seasons of pitching more than 200 innings. "When guys are slotted as top-tier pitchers, it's fun to go out and compete against those guys," Harang said. "I used to be in that role. I spent a number of years in that role. As you get older, you kind of fall out of that role, because younger guys come up. I've been fortunate enough to be in that situation. I've made enough money to where I'm not worried about that. I want to go out and play and have fun and win. "[How much money a player makes] depends on where you're at in your career, what organization you're with at the time, how you've been doing at the time. ... Don't get me wrong. Porcello is a great pitcher. I've faced him for a number of years. You're happy for those guys when they do sign deals like that. It's just one of those things." Porcello, Wade Miley and Justin Masterson were all brought in by the Red Sox during the offseason to bolster the rotation. Harang, apparently, wasn't on their radar. He didn't sign with the Phils until January. "Not that I knew of. Obviously it was a situation where there were other guys ahead of me," Harang said with a shrug. "For me, anymore, it's just going out and winning. Giving the team a chance to win. I know what I'm out there to do. I know what my job is when I go out there. That's to get us deep into the game and give us a chance to win. That's what it comes down to for me." The Red Sox were thrilled to lock up the 26-year-old Porcello now. Manager John Farrell talked before Wednesday night's game about how important it was to ensure that a talented young pitcher entering what should be the prime years of his career won't be going anywhere for a while. And there's no reason to suspect that this won't turn out to be an astute move for Boston. Ultimately, though, that will be determined by how well Porcello pitches, not how much money he makes. After all, the Phillies' biggest hit of the night was a three-run homer off Porcello in the sixth. And you can be sure that Jeff Francoeur wasn't thinking that his Major League base salary is $925,000 when he nailed it.

Hard Work Paying Off – Manager Ryne Sandberg said Wednesday he will not pull a hot bat from the Phillies' lineup. A single home run might not make a hitter hot, but Phillies right fielder Jeff Francoeur's three-run home run to left-center field in the sixth inning of a 4-2 victory over the Red Sox at Citizens Bank Park might earn him another start Thursday. They were the first runs the Phillies scored this season, snapping a 14-inning scoreless streak following Monday's shutout loss on Opening Day. It was Francoeur's first home run in the big leagues since June 16, 2013, when he played for the Royals. "I hit [15] in El Paso last year," Francoeur said. "It was nice. It was a lot of hard work last year. It makes you appreciate being back up here and getting those opportunities. And you don't want to miss them. It's a lot of fun." Francoeur hit a combined .204 with a .536 OPS in 256 plate appearances with the Royals and Giants in 2013 before spending most of last year with Triple-A El Paso. He signed a Minor League contract with the Phillies in November. He hopes this is the beginning of something. So do the Phillies, who need the help offensively. "A lot of hitting is getting confidence," said Francoeur. "You get beat down, man. Two thousand and thirteen took a lot out of me to be honest with you. ... Even last year, just go out in Triple-A, but just to have fun again and play again. Like I said, when I hit that one today, it was pretty cool just for the whole fact that you grind and you battle in this game, and when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it."

Fun Frenchie Facts – Think back to the summer of 2013. Those beautiful, warm months when "Get Lucky" was in constant rotation, people were constantly asking "What does the fox say?" and, more importantly, "Fast 6, Furious 6" came out. (That's the title, right?). That was also the last time that Jeff Francoeur hit a home run. Back in the Majors with the Phillies this year, and one week after the release of "Furious 7," Francoeur has gone deep again. Turns out, it's been a career-long connection between the right fielder and the greatest films about the man/car connection since the Herbie series. Just look: "The Fast and the Furious" (2001): A junior in high school, Francoeur hit an even .500 with 20 home runs. Not too shabby. "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003): Francoeur's first full season in the Minors. He hit .281/.325/.445 with 14 home runs and nine triples. The season boosted him from Baseball America's 95th-best prospect to its 27th. "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" (2006): Francoeur played his first full season in the Majors, hitting a career-high 29 home runs and driving in 103 runs. "Fast and Furious" (2009): After hitting only .239 with just a .359 slugging percentage in the non-Fast '08, Francoeur bounced back with a .280 average and a .423 slugging percentage. There was even a delayed movie bump as the right fielder hit .311/.338/.498 following a mid-season trade to the Mets. "Fast Five" (2011): Francoeur had his only 20/20 season with 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases, while also posting the third-highest OPS+ of his career (119). "Fast and Furious 6" (2013): In addition to the previously discussed dinger, Francoeur also ripped a double on the film's May 24 release date. "Furious 7" (2015): Not only has Francoeur hit his first home run since the last film, but on "Furious 7's" April 3 release date, the right fielder helped secure his spot on the Major League roster with a 3-for-4 showing in the Phillies' Spring Training game. Just look at how so many of the film's tenants apply to Francoeur's career. And though there's no release date for an eighth installment yet, the veteran ballplayer should be heartened to know that the studio is hoping to make 10 films. At a rate of one every two years, that should keep Francouer in the Majors until at least 2021. 

Freddy “Ninja” Galvis – Before this season, the Phillies were pretty set at shortstop. Jimmy Rollins had manned the position for 15 years -- winning a World Series, an MVP Award and four Gold Gloves. But during the offseason, he was traded to the Dodgers. So what did the Phillies do? They did the same thing any other team would do. They replaced him with a ninja. KIDDING. It's actually just a really, really cold Freddy Galvis. MLB.com's Todd Zolecki reported that Galvis has used the mask in Double-A Reading and Class A ball. Asked if it was comfortable, the shortstop said with a laugh, "Oh, it's good." But imagine if he was a ninja? The reflexes, the speed, the flexibility ...

THE BEGINNING

The Phillies are starting the season better than expected and are now in the middle of the pack in the NL east at 1-1. 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 18-18-0 on this day.