Phillies Split Series With Brewers

GAME RECAP: Phillies Dominate Brewers 8-1

Aaron Nola danced into and out of trouble for six of the busiest scoreless innings you'll see, and Jimmy Paredes and Cameron Rupp hit back-to-back home runs in the Phillies' biggest inning of the season. They thumped the Brewers on Sunday, 8-1, in the finale of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. The Brewers put a runner on base in each of Nola's six innings, including multiple runners with fewer than two outs in four of those frames. But Milwaukee went hitless with eight strikeouts in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position against Nola, who struck out nine overall to match his career high for the third time this season. He has nine straight quality starts, matching Madison Bumgarner for the longest such streak in the Majors this season. "I told the infielders I was gonna give them a 1-2-3 inning one time," Nola said. "It didn't happen. … I battled hard and kept the team in the game, which is the most important part." Maikel Franco, Paredes and Rupp all homered for the Phillies, Franco off struggling Brewers starter Wily Peralta and Paredes and Rupp after Peralta was replaced by Neil Ramirez in a five-run fifth. It marked the first time all season that the Phillies scored more than three runs in a single frame. "When a pitcher gets a ball up in the zone, we want to attack it," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "Up until today, we haven't seen enough of that. Hopefully this is the start of something big for us."

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies broke the game wide open as Paredes and Rupp went yard back-to-back in the fifth. The five runs turned a 3-0 game into 8-0 and are the most the Phils have scored in an inning this season -- almost two full runs more than their nine-inning average. Odubel Herrera led off the inning by diving safely into first base for one of his four hits. He scored on a Tommy Joseph double, which almost gave Philadelphia three straight dingers but after review was ruled a double due to fan interference. It was the first time the Phillies have hit back-to-back home runs since Aug. 22, 2015 and comes just one game after Philadelphia homered twice in the same inning for the first time this season. "We know we can do that, and we showed it," Rupp said. "Now we just have to be consistent with it. The bats are there. Hitting's contagious."
• Mackanin has said for weeks that he expects his young third baseman to heat up at the plate. After a day of rest Wednesday, it might be happening. Franco hit a solo shot to left in the third inning -- his second long ball since returning to the lineup. In the four games since he sat, Franco is 4-for-14 (.286), while scoring four runs and driving in three. "He still doesn't look like the same guy we saw early in the season or last year," Mackanin said. "Little by little, he's starting to relax a little bit and not get too big. … What he needs to do is not get big and strong. He needs to sneak up on the ball and be short and quick."
• Nola is one of only five starters this season to surrender at least eight hits but no runs, and only the second to do so in six or fewer innings. Cubs lefty Jon Lesterwas the other, keeping the Pirates at bay on May 4. And Lester and Nola are among the four pitchers to allow 10 or more batters to reach safely, but allow no runs. Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson is on the latter list thanks to a five-hit, four-walk outing against the Cubs that included a hit batter.
• Franco has hit five of his 10 home runs this season against the Brewers. That's the highest total for a Brewers opponent in 2016; the Reds' Adam Duvall and Brandon Phillips have four home runs apiece at Milwaukee's expense.
• For a few minutes, it appeared Joseph was the Phillie who broke the game open with a three-run home run during the big fifth, but his big fly was overturned after a review by the umpiring crew, who determined that a fan had reached over the fence in right field and interfered with the path of the baseball. Joseph settled for an RBI double, and Parades followed with a big blast that couldn't be overturned.

NEXT GAME:

Philadelphia hosts the Cubs for three games at Citizens Bank Park, beginning Monday at 7:05 ET. The first game of the series will feature a pair of southpaws, with Adam Morgan (1-4, 7.07) starting for the Phils, opposing the Cubs' Jon Lester (6-3, 2.29).

PHILS PHACTS:

Maturing On The Mound – For Aaron Nola, Sunday's start was unlike any he's ever had. In an 8-1 win over the Brewers, Nola finished with a stat line that only Cubs left-hander Jon Lester has matched this season. He became the second pitcher to allow at least eight hits but no runs in six or fewer innings. Nola also walked two. But no Brewers came around to score on the 23-year-old righty. "He struck out the side in the first after he walked the leadoff hitter and gave up a hit," catcher Cameron Rupp said. "And then he did the same thing again and again and again and again." Not quite, but close. Nola only struck out the side once, but he finished with nine strikeouts. The Brewers had their leadoff hitter reach in two of the first three innings. They had a runner on base every inning against Nola. "I told the infielders I was gonna give them a 1-2-3 inning one time," Nola said. He didn't, but Nola still was impressive -- even if it didn't do any favors for his WHIP, which went up from 0.93 to 1.03. He'd previously ranked fourth in baseball in the department but fell out of the top 10 after Sunday's performance. It's strange to see a pitcher go from hittable to dominant with the snap of a finger, but Nola accomplished that on Sunday. Some of the Brewers' hits came on mistake pitches, Nola said, but others were just good as pitches put in play. The right-hander bouncing back from each hit not to allow a run speaks to his poise on the mound. "Nothing fazes him out there," Rupp said. "He's got a demeanor that he just knows he's going to get them out." "He just never loses his composure," manager Pete Mackanin said. "First and second, one out. Second and third with two outs. You would never detect any panic or fear in him." By putting runners on base each inning, Nola elevated his pitch count early. Mackanin -- in his one critic of his starting pitcher -- said he'd have liked to see Nola go one more inning, but "he had a few too many pitches." Still, Nola made it through six shutout innings. That was good enough for him to record his ninth straight quality start and his 10th in 12 starts this season. Only Clayton Kershaw has more.

Offensive Awakening – At a glance, it would be easy to mistake this Phillies team for its predecessors 40 year ago on Sunday. With Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski in the house at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils broke out their throwback threads. Even 1976's 101-win team would have had difficulty keeping up with the offense from the 2016 incarnation during Sunday's 8-1win over the Brewers. There was so much production up and down the lineup card that manager Pete Mackanin had to bring a cheat sheet to the podium for his postgame news conference. "So I wouldn't forget anybody," Mackanin joked. And he didn't. Mackanin noted home runs from Cameron Rupp, Jimmy Paredes and Maikel Franco. He praised Odubel Herrera's 4-for-5 day -- the second four-hit game of his career. He also didn't forget Tommy Joseph's near-home run. After intentionally walking Franco to get to Joseph in the fifth inning, the 24-year-old first baseman put a 1-2 fastball from Brewers starter Wily Peralta over the right field wall. But it wasn't all his doing. Replay showed a fan reaching over the wall, negating the homer and putting Joseph at second and Herrera across the plate, with the first of five runs the Phillies scored in the frame. No review was necessary to determine if Paredes had left the yard four pitches later. His mammoth shot to right landed nearly 20 rows back. The three-run homer blew the game open, but Rupp wanted to leave his mark, as well. He put a 93-mph fastball over the left-field wall for an even more monstrous blast, giving the Phillies their fifth run of the inning and eighth of the game. "We know we can do that, and we showed it," Rupp said. "Now we just have to be consistent with it. The bats are there. Hitting's contagious." The only position player who started Sunday's game to not get a hit was Freddy Galvis, but even he contributed to the onslaught. "Freddy didn't get any hits, but in the first inning, he got that run in from third base, then he bunted that guy to third," Mackanin said. "Those little things lead to runs, and I just wanted to give him a shout out for that." It was the first time the Phillies had hit back-to-back bombs since Aug. 22, 2015, when Aaron Altherr and Darin Ruf did so in a 4-2 win over the Marlins. The five runs in the fifth were the most the Phillies had scored in an inning all season, and the eight total are tied for the second-highest output. The 1976 squad ranked second in baseball -- behind only Cincinnati's Big Red Machine -- with 4.75 runs per game. The 2016 version has had a harder time coming up with offense. By scoring five runs in the fifth, they outscored their full-game output for 45 of the Phillies' 54 games. Mackanin said he would like to establish a consistent lineup, or at least middle of the order. Consistency would help spread the already contagious offense. Back on the 1976 team, of their 162 games, Schmidt hit third in 139 of them and Luzinski fourth in 143. Eight different players have already split time in the two spots on the 2016 squad.

Today In Phils History – We start in 1928 when Cy Williams hit his second homerun in as many pinch hit at bats dating back to June 2. The next decade, in 1937, down by 6 the Phillies delayed the game until it was called due to the 7pm curfew and received the loss and a fine of $100 to manager Jimmie Wilson for their dubious efforts. 2 years later the Phillies released Chuck Klein who, after finishing the season with Pittsburgh, would return to the Phillies in 1940. 20 years after Klein’s release, the Phillies parted ways with another power hitter, Willie Jones. In 1962, the Phillies swept a double header against the Mets giving the new franchise a major league record 17^th consecutive loss. 3 years later, the Phillie needed every one of Johnny Callison’s 3 homers in a 10-9 win over the Cubs. Another 2 years passed and the Phillies traded future Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker to Atlanta. A decade after the Mets debacle, the Phillies nearly matched their futility as, in the midst of a streak of 18 losses in 19 games, they tried to change their luck with "Turn it Around Day" but, despite the quirkiness, lost the game anyway. And finally, in 1990, as Ethan Martin was celebrating his 1^st birthday, Von Hayes was collecting 5 walks tying the franchise and NL single game record.  

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 28-29 this season putting them on pace to beat 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 52-56-1 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. Let the rebuild begin!

Morton Bounces Back To Shutout Padres

GAME RECAP: Phillies Blank Padres 3-0

Phillies right-hander Charlie Morton had his sinker sinking beautifully Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Morton allowed just three hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 3-0 victory over the Padres. The first eight games of the season have been a struggle for the Phillies' offense and bullpen, but the rotation continues to pitch well. It entered the night with the best WAR (1.2) of any rotation in baseball. "I feel like we're going to be in every game with our starting pitching," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "And the way the bullpen seems to be shaping up, we're pretty pleased with the way it looks." Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin allowed just three hits and one run in six innings to take the loss. He allowed the only run in the sixth, when Odubel Herrera hit a two-out triple to score Tyler Goeddel. Other than that, Erlin was extremely effective working ahead in counts, as he threw 16 first-pitch strikes to the 21 hitters he faced, including 11 straight at one point. "You always want to start off, be the aggressor per se -- work ahead, stay ahead," Erlin said. "When you can do that, it makes things a little bit easier." A throwing error from second baseman Cory Spangenberg with one out in the eighth inning allowed the Phillies to score two insurance runs.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies' bullpen had a 12.66 ERA (15 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings) through its first four games, but it has pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings in its last four. That includes 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief of Morton as Jeanmar Gomez picked up his third save in three opportunities. Mackanin said he is not ready to officially name Gomez the closer, saying he doesn't want to jinx him. "I think the uncertainty of roles had something to do with it," he said about the bullpen's early struggles. "Nobody stepped up during Spring Training and rose above the pack. I think everybody felt a lot of pressure to impress. Now they've kind of got their confidence back."
• Goeddel, whom the Phillies selected with the first pick in the Rule 5 Draft, picked up the first hit of his big league career in the sixth inning, when he singled to left field. It led to the first run of the game, when Goeddel scored on Herrera's two-out triple into the right-field corner. "It felt like it had been a year since my last hit, so to finally do it, I'm happy about it," Goeddel said.
• "Not yet, not yet. I'll think about it, if they tell me to pick a song, maybe I'll try one." -- Gomez, on picking a closer's song. (The Phillies played House of Pain's "Jump Around" as he entered the game in the ninth.)
• Carlos Ruiz caught Upton Jr. stealing in the seventh inning. Ruiz threw out just six runners attempting to steal in 52 attempts last season. His 88.5 stolen-base percentage ranked 27th out of 28 qualified catchers last season. Ruiz has thrown out 1-of-2 base stealers this year.
• With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco hit into what appeared to be an inning-ending double play. But Spangenberg sailed his throw wide of first, and the ball was jarred loose out of the glove of Brett Wallace, allowing two runs to score. Padres manager Andy Green challenged the play, saying Herrera had slid illegally into second base, but replay confirmed the call on the field. After the game, Spangenberg was quick to note that the slide had no effect on his poor throw, saying, "I just messed up." Green himself acknowledged that he was taking a chance, given the situation in the game and the uncertainty around how the new slide rule will be called. "Until we get a handle on how it's being enforced fully, it doesn't hurt to ask for it in that situation," Green said. "We have to get a full understanding of how it's going to be enforced. When our team has the opportunity to challenge in that instance, I think it's wise to take that opportunity."

NEXT GAME:

Neither Phillies starter Jerad Eickhoff nor his Padres counterpart, Colin Rea, has had the luxury of starting in front of his home crowd so far this season. For Eickhoff, that chance comes Wednesday in the third game of a four-game set at Citizens Bank Park. Rea will have to tough it out at least one more start. Although the Padres have found more success on the road -- 3-2 compared to 0-3 at Petco Park -- Rea was roughed up in his first start of the season at hitter-friendly Coors Field. He lasted just 3 2/3 innings and allowed five runs, though the offense picked up the slack en route to a 13-6 slugfest win.

PHILS PHACTS:

Adjusting The Lineup – Pete Mackanin's options are severely limited, but he knew he had to make a move. He dropped Freddy Galvis out of the leadoff spot for Tuesday night's game against the Padres at Citizens Bank Park. Mackanin replaced Galvis with Cesar Hernandez, who is probably Mackanin's only legitimate option to hit there anyway.

Ruf Start To The Season – One game after Phillies manager Pete Mackanin firmed his commitment to the platoon of Ryan Howard and Darin Ruf at first base, Howard's name was penciled in against Padres left-hander Robbie Erlin. That's not Mackanin wavering. Ruf injured his left shoulder diving for a ball on Monday against the Padres after he pinch-hit for Howard in the sixth and replaced him at first base. Ruf didn't start Tuesday while he awaits a medical opinion, but Mackanin doesn't believe it's anything serious. He said Ruf is available to pinch-hit, but he wasn't needed in the Phillies' 3-0 victory. Ruf is day to day. Ruf and Howard's strong platoon splits give the Phillies hope for production at first base. Ruf posted a 1.107 OPS against left-handers last season, while Howard had similar success against righties, with an .802 mark. Howard against left-handers is a different story, though, with just a .418 OPS in 100 at-bats against them in 2015. He entered the game hitless in three at-bats vs. Erlin.

Morton Bounces Back – Charlie Morton's sinker has always been his moneymaker, but he needed to change his look against left-handed hitters. So he showed his curveball a bit more Tuesday in a 3-0 victory over the Padres at Citizens Bank Park, where he threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings. "I didn't know we were divulging secrets," Morton said. Phillies pitching coach Bob McClure recommended Morton throw his curveball more against lefties because Morton had become too predictable against them with his sinker. Left-handed hitters hit .394 against the pitch last season, according to Baseball Savant. "That's absurd," Morton said. The curveball worked well as Morton allowed three hits, four walks and struck out seven. He struck out Cory Spangenberg on a curveball in the first and got Alexi Amarista and Jon Jay to ground out on curveballs in the fifth. "It kind of gives me some wiggle room if I throw my curveball," Morton said. "If I can throw it for strikes, that gets them off my fastball." Morton is the latest Phillies starter to pitch well. The Phillies' rotation entered the night with a 1.2 WAR, which was the best in baseball. It ranked first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.38) and second in strikeouts (43), opponent batting average (.195), opponent on-base percentage (.241) and WHIP (0.92). "I feel like we're going to be in every game with our starting pitching," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. Yes, it is just eight games. True, it is a very small sample size. Nevertheless, the rotation's 2.87 ERA is an encouraging beginning. Remember the Phillies' rotation from last season? It finished with a 5.23 ERA, which was 29th in baseball. Ten pitchers not named Cole Hamels, Aaron Nola, Jerad Eickhoff and Adam Morgan had a combined 6.19 ERA in 106 starts. "I'm really excited, not just for the team, but for the organization as a whole," Morton said. "There are some guys in Triple-A that are great. I think the future is really bright for the Phillies, but also just going forward for this year, having a starting rotation that can go out there and have some really effective innings. "Granted, we're not very deep into the season at all, but it's a really exciting group for me to sit there and watch."

The First Of How Many? – Sometimes life has a way of working itself out. Other times, it can be bittersweet. In the case of Tyler Goeddel's first Major League hit, it falls closer to the latter. Goeddel's family traveled with him through the Phillies' opening road trip, six games in Cincinnati and New York. They saw his first five Major League at-bats. His first Major League start. But no first hit. That came in the sixth inning of Tuesday's 3-0 victory over the San Diego Padres -- without his family on hand. It was Goeddel's hard single into left field and subsequent baserunning on Odubel Herrera's triple that gave the Phillies their first run of the game -- all they would need on the back of the shutout effort led by Charlie Morton. "I'm glad I got it out of the way," Goeddel said. "[Alexei] Ramirez had a good effort on it. I thought he might snag it, so I was definitely happy when it got through." Although there was no one but teammates in the ballpark to celebrate the milestone with, that didn't stop others miles away from congratulating Goeddel. "I'm sure they wish they were here," he said. "I peeked at [my phone]. I haven't checked everything yet, but a lot of texts, a lot of calls." It was somewhat fitting that Herrera, last year's Rule 5 selection, was the man to drive home this year's Rule 5 choice. Herrera, like Goeddel, started his first Major League season 0-for-5. But after he got that first hit out of the way, Herrera went 27 for his next 76 (.355) and entrenched himself as the Phillies' starting center fielder. "I felt amazing to get that off my shoulders," Herrera said through a translator. "When I hit my first single, my first home run, it felt awesome because you're in the big leagues and that's what you hope for." While Herrera quickly became the Phillies' everyday center fielder, manager Pete Mackanin said there are no plans -- at least presently -- for Goeddel to follow directly in his footsteps. "We're gonna bring [Goeddel] along easy," Mackanin said. "He played Double-A last year." That, however, doesn't mean the 23-year-old outfielder can't play himself into a starting job. Because of his superb defense, Mackanin said, he can stomach having Goeddel in the lineup more often, even while his bat continues to come along. As for the ball he got his first hit with? "I don't have it yet," Goeddel said, hoping his teammates haven't put a ransom on it.

Injury Update – Mackanin said he expects outfielder Cody Asche to soon resume baseball activities. "According to what I've read, he thinks he's turned the corner," Mackanin said. Asche is flying to Philadelphia on Wednesday to be re-evaluated. The 25-year-old outfielder missed most of Spring Training with a strained oblique. The Phillies placed him on the 15-day DL to start the season. Asche's return should be highly anticipated by a Phillies team struggling to find offensive production from the corner-outfield spots. In six games before Tuesday, Tyler Goeddel, Cedric Hunter and Peter Bourjos have combined to go 6-for-47 (.128) with just 12 total bases.

Today In Phils History – Today marks the debut of a number of Phillies players including a trio in 1966 that went on to have long careers in baseball after their playing days were done. Those three are Dick Groat, Roger Craig, and Bob Uecker all stayed in baseball while Larry Christenson left the game long after his complete game debut on this day in 1973. However, Bo Diaz never got the opportunity but lives on in his walk off grand slam from 1983. And while he never donned the uniform, no one can deny the impact that Harry Kalas had on the Phillies from the broadcast booth prior to his death on this day in 2009. However, today is also a time to celebrate beginnings (and not just the birthdays of Wes Chamberlain (Happy 50^th) and Hunter Pence (the big double 3)) as this was the day that the Phillies received their World Series rings in 1981 (also the day of Steve Carlton’s 250^th career victory) and when we finally started putting the strike behind us with the first matchup of the spring in 1995. I guess you could technically say that the Phillies held the title of National League Champions for 2 years!

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 3-5 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 26-25-0 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!

Time For The GM Shuffle!

YESTERDAY IN POSTSEASON PLAY: Mets And Royals World Series Previews

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

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

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

CURRENT POSTSEASON PICTURE:

World Series

New York at Kansas City

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

PHILS PHACTS:

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

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

THE BEGINNING:

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

Phillies Offense Can’t Match Giants’ Power

GAME RECAP: Giants Top Phillies 5-4

The Giants snapped a five-game losing streak Friday night with a 5-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Giants catcher Buster Posey hit a solo home run with two outs in the seventh inning to give San Francisco a one-run lead. Matt Duffy and Justin Maxwell also homered as Tim Lincecum got the win, allowing five hits and four runs in six innings. Posey entered the game in a 4-for-28 skid. "Good for Buster," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "I know he has been fighting himself a little bit at the plate." Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in the first inning to make it 2-0. He entered the game in a 2-for-33 slump. Maikel Franco hit a game-tying homer in the sixth, his third game-tying homer in four games. "It's nice to see a little bit of power in the middle of our lineup with Howard and Franco," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Franco continues to show pop in his bat."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• It seems hard to believe the Phillies' bullpen entered the night with a 3.42 ERA, which ranked fifth in the National League. That is because its 1.47 WHIP and 46 inherited runners scored percentage ranked last in the league. Left-hander Elvis Araujo allowed an inherited runner to score in the fifth to hand the Giants a 4-3 lead. Right-hander Luis Garcia allowed the homer to Posey in the seventh to give the Giants a 5-4 lead.
• The Phillies had runners at the corners with one out in the seventh when Jeff Francoeur hit a fly ball to right field. Ben Revere, who was on first, broke for second base on the pitch, but had to return to first as Maxwell made the catch. One problem: Revere never retouched second base, so the Giants doubled up Revere for a costly inning-ending double play.
• Phillies right-hander Jerome Williams' struggles continue. He allowed nine hits and four runs in just 4 2/3 innings. He has pitched more than five innings just once in his last eight starts, in which he has compiled a 6.81 ERA. His 63 1/3 innings among pitchers with 12 or more starts this season are the fewest in baseball. "It's been happening a lot where I'm not locating the ball and I'm getting hit hard," Williams said. "It's about location with me. That's the main thing, I think."
• "Starting pitching sets the tone for the game. We got early runs tonight and they weren't able to hold up." -- Sandberg, on the Phillies' rotation, which has struggled when Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang have not pitched. Phillies starters have thrown fewer than six innings 25 times this season (45 percent of their starts).

NEXT GAME:

Severino Gonzalez pitches for the first time since May 25. The Phillies skipped him in the rotation because of a couple days off recently. After Williams lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Friday, they could use some length from Gonzalez, who hasn't pitched more than five innings in any of his first four starts. San Francisco is 10-7 in day games entering Saturday's 3:05 p.m. ET/12:05 p.m. PT matinee at Citizens Bank Park. That could bode well for starter Madison Bumgarner, who is 29-18 with a 3.12 ERA in 60 lifetime day games (59 starts).

PHILS PHACTS:

Missed One! – It all happened so fast in the Phillies' 5-4 loss. It was the seventh inning. The Giants led 5-4. Men were on first and third with one out. Giants pitcher Hunter Strickland kicked his leg. Ben Revere, standing on first base, darted for second. Strickland delivered to the plate. Jeff Francoeur swung underneath the ball, popping it high to right fielder Justin Maxwell. Andres Blanco waited with one foot on third base, ready to tag and score as soon as the ball entered the webbing of Maxwell's glove. Revere had reached second base, but he needed to get back to first. He turned and retreated to first. Maxwell called Blanco's bluff and hurled the ball toward home. Blanco stayed put. It was a routine flyout. Except for one thing. Revere overstepped second and didn't touch it again before returning to first. The Giants relayed the ball back in to second base. Revere was out. The inning and the threat were over. "Ben was stealing and overran the base and did not retouch it coming back," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He went right over the top. I don't know that he knew he has to do that." Despite Sandberg's comments, Revere said he was fully aware of the rule, he just didn't realize he had overstepped the bag altogether. It wasn't a lack of knowledge that beat Revere; he was a victim of his own speed. "I was in momentum about to slide and then I kind of turned and saw the right fielder in," Revere said. "I went to go turn back and I thought I kept my foot on the bag. I didn't. In that situation, everything is going so fast. Him being shallow with a good arm, I was trying to get back as quick as possible." Revere added that the decision to run was entirely his own. A hit-and-run had not been called. He was only stealing to try to get into scoring position with the middle of the lineup due up behind him. As the one Phillies player with a direct line of vision to the play, Blanco said he thought Revere followed the protocol of what to do perfectly, adding that the only reason he feigned tagging up was to draw Maxwell's throw home and allow Revere to get back to first safely. From the Giants perspective, the play was a collaborative effort from those not on the field. Manager Bruce Bochy said that pitching coach Dave Righetti was particularly vocal about relaying the ball into second base. Second baseman Joe Panik, on the other hand, didn't single anyone out. "That was a heads-up play on everybody in the dugout's part," Panik said. Friday marked the second time in two days that the Phillies lost in large part due to a blunder on the basepaths after Carlos Ruiz was ruled to have blocked home plate, which swung Thursday night's game out of the Phillies' favor. Blanco said that while this is unfortunate, it happens. "That's going to happen," Blanco said. "It's baseball. We scored runs. We had a good at-bat, they had a good at-bat. That's baseball."

The New Dichotomy – Maikel Franco has had one heck of a week. He hit his third game-tying home run in four days in Friday night's 5-4 loss to the Giants at Citizens Bank Park. His first came Tuesday, when he hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against Reds pitcher Jumbo Diaz. The second shot came Wednesday, when he hit a three-run home run in the ninth against Reds closer Aroldis Chapman. Friday's blast came in the sixth inning against Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum. "I feel pretty good right now," said Franco, who is 7-for-17 with two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs in his last four games. "I'm trying to make good contact. I was looking for a slider there because I know he throws soft. I was just looking for everything because the fastball was 86, 88 mph. I'm pretty feeling comfortable right now." But Phillies right-hander Luis Garcia surrendered a solo homer to Buster Posey in the top of the seventh to stop the momentum. The lack of shutdown innings has been a problem for the Phillies this season. They score a run or two, but the pitching staff gives up a run or more the following inning. "Not able to put a zero up," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Yeah, that's been a problem, at least the last two games as far as allowing us to get runs, have a lead and try to add onto that. That's been a problem." Garcia seemed baffled at what happened in the seventh. He threw Posey a 2-0 four-seam fastball, but the pitch inexplicably had some sink to it. "That's happened twice," Garcia said. "It happened once in Colorado, too. A fastball outside and the ball sinks." Left-hander Elvis Araujo allowed an inherited runner to score in the fifth inning. The Phillies bullpen entered the night allowing 46 percent of their inherited runners to score, which was the worst mark in baseball.

Try To Do Better This Time – Even while he was in Lehigh Valley, Dustin McGowan never really left Philadelphia. "I was still living in Philly, I was just doing the commute to Lehigh when I was in town," McGowan said. "So I was coming home anyway." McGowan got to come home Friday as he was officially called back up to the Major League club as a replacement for left-handed reliever Jake Diekman who was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley Thursday night. Manager Ryne Sandberg said that he had been impressed by the mechanical adjustments the 33-year-old right-hander made as an IronPig. "Dustin's been throwing the ball real well," Sandberg said. "He does have a power arm which we saw. He went down and worked on some mechanics and throwing more consistent strikes which had been going well. So he was the guy." McGowan's power arm was evident in the appearances he made in the Majors in 2015 before being sent to Triple-A. The righty's fastball averaged between 93-95 mph in his 10 games in April and May, but he was unable to control it as 16 walks led to nine earned runs in 14 innings. McGowan did seem to improve upon that issue in Triple-A, as he walked just two batters in seven innings, allowing no runs and amassing four saves. In sending down Diekman and recalling McGowan, the Phillies have just one left-hander in the bullpen on the active roster: Elvis Araujo. Even though this dearth of left-handed depth appears to leave the Phillies in a precarious situation against a Giants team that features four lefties and a switch-hitter, none of whom are hitting below .288, in its everyday lineup, Sandberg isn't concerned. He believes the right-handers he has in the bullpen throw well enough against lefties that they should succeed. McGowan agreed with that sentiment. "Hopefully the righties can get lefties out," McGowan said. "At the Major League level we should be able to get both out."

A Musical Night – The Phillies honored Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees The O'Jays and R&B and jazz singer Jean Carne before Friday night's game against the Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Friday was the Phillies' 12th annual African American Heritage Celebration night. The O'Jays and Carner were presented with the Phillies' Gamble and Huff Community Partnership Award. Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, who founded Philadelphia International Records, are Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Carne sang her hit "Don't Let It Go To Your Head." Songwriter and producer Bunny Sigler sang the national anthem. The O'Jays scored several hits, including "Backstabbers," "Love Train," "Put Your Hands Together" and "For The Love of Money."

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now near the bottom of the NL east at 21-35. 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 52-56-1 on this day.