Dutch Returns To Watch Phillies Lose

GAME RECAP: Reds Overpower Phillies 9-4

Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall each notched three hits while Jay Bruce reached base five times as the Reds won their third road game of the season on Sunday by taking a 9-4 victory over the Phillies, snapping a three-game losing streak. "Today is a big day, a different day," Suarez said. "We finally did good with men in scoring position." Duvall's RBI double and Tucker Barnhart's RBI single in the second inning off Phillies lefty Adam Morgan gave Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. Timely hitting and Philadelphia miscues opened up opportunities for the Reds in the fourth. The bases were loaded with one out when Morgan walked Reds starting pitcher Dan Straily -- hitless in his 12 career plate appearances -- on four pitches to force home a run. Next, Tyler Holt hit a potential double-play ball to first baseman Ryan Howard, who had trouble getting the ball out of his glove before making the force-play throw to second. That enabled Suarez to bat and drive a 3-2 Morgan pitch to center for a three-run homer and a 7-0 lead. Morgan allowed seven earned runs and eight hits over 3 2/3 innings with three walks and one strikeout. "Right from the gate, I felt like I was searching for the rhythm and the tempo and it was just one of those days where the command wasn't there," Morgan said. Straily flirted with danger all afternoon, as he stranded a runner in scoring position in each of his five shutout innings. While throwing 109 pitches, Straily gave up six hits and three walks with six strikeouts. "I think today was bend but don't break," Straily said. "I was fighting myself. I had developed a nice little blister [on my middle finger] and was fighting that. I just kind of made pitches when I absolutely had to. I try to do that every time but bases loaded and guys on third base in what seemed like every inning, I was able to find a way to get out of it." The chilly afternoon became a slog in the late innings as the pitching staffs combined for 14 walks over the three-hour, 52-minute game. Zack Cozart hit a bases-loaded single for two runs and 9-3 Reds lead in the ninth. But reliever Drew Hayes gave up three hits and a bases-loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the inning. It became a save situation for Tony Cingrani, who entered and got the final two outs for his third save.

PHILS PHACTS:

• The Phillies had a chance to answer the Reds' five-run fourth in the bottom of the inning when Cesar Hernandez stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Hernandez hit a shot that hooked foul down the right field line and eventually struck out. It was not the only time the Phillies failed to get runners home in the loss. Philadelphia went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position during the first five innings and stranded a total of 16 runners on base in the game. "We just couldn't capitalize with men in scoring position, men on base," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It is what it is. We've been playing so well up to this point and this was a hiccup."
• Maikel Franco broke the Phillies' runners-in-scoring-position slump in the sixth inning when he hit a two-run double with two outs. The hit, Franco's seventh double of the season, glanced off Holt's glove in center. Franco also had a run-scoring single in the eighth to raise his season RBI total to 22.
• Odubel Herrera earned his 28th walk of the season in the fourth inning on Sunday, matching his total from last season. The Phillies outfielder needed just 162 plate appearances to do so after totaling 537 in 2015.
• Reds first baseman Joey Votto was 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, snapping his streak of reaching safely at 20 games. Votto is also hitless in his last 14 plate appearances since hitting a homer on Monday. His recent funk didn't prevent him from having fun at the fans' expense. In the bottom of the sixth, he fielded a Hernandez foul ball and motioned that he would give the fans a souvenir. It proved to be a fake-out as Votto instead turned and tossed the ball back to Barnhart amid boos. Votto showed a sly smile and pumped his fist in jest. During his final at-bat, fans at Citizens Bank Park booed him lustily and cheered when he struck out for the third time. 

NEXT GAME:

The Phillies will continue their homestand when they open a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday night at 7:05 p.m. ET. Jerad Eickhoff will get the start for Philadelphia, which took two of three from Miami last weekend. .

PHILS PHACTS:

Lack Of Location – Adam Morgan had a tough time locating pitches in Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Reds. It caught up to him in the fourth inning. Morgan, making his fourth start of the season, came unraveled in a 39-pitch frame which featured five Cincinnati runs. The first run of the inning came when the lefty walked opposing pitcher Dan Straily on four pitches with the bases loaded. The last three came when Eugenio Suarez crushed a 3-2 changeup for a three-run homer. It would be the last pitch of Morgan's outing, the most trouble-filled of his short career. The second-year Major Leaguer allowed a total of seven runs in 3 2/3 innings. He gave up eight hits, including four in the Reds' two-run second inning and walked another three batters as 41 of his 87 pitches missed the strike zone. "Right from the gate, I felt like I was searching for the rhythm and the tempo and it was just one of those days where the command wasn't there," Morgan said. The 3 2/3 innings ties for Morgan's shortest start in the Majors, and the seven earned runs were the most he has given up in his 19 outings with the Phillies. The start raised Morgan's season ERA from 3.94 to 6.41. "It wasn't coming out of his hand real well," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It was uncharacteristic of Morgan because he normally has outstanding command and he relies on that. And when he doesn't have it, what happened today is likely to happen." Morgan, who made 15 starts last season and was promoted from Triple-A in late April after Charlie Morton suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, spent a lot of the day working out of the stretch. He allowed hits in every inning he was on the mound. In the second, Morgan gave up hits to the first four batters and Cincinnati got on the board thanks to back-to-back doubles from Jay Bruce and Adam Duvall. Walks hurt him in the fourth inning. Morgan issued a walk to Bruce to start the inning, and after intentionally walking Tucker Barnhart to load the bases with one out, Morgan threw four straight pitches out of the zone against Straily. Straily stepped to the plate 0-for-12 in his career at the plate, and Morgan said, "It's one of the loneliest feelings in the world, walking a pitcher and walking a run in." He's looking to put the inning and the outing behind him. "It goes back on trusting your stuff and trusting your routine," Morgan said. "You just keep going. There's 20-something more starts left. You can't really sulk over this one, and I know I need to be better."

Aftermath – A day after taking a game-winning blow at home plate, Phillies catcher Cameron Rupp's left leg was feeling sore Sunday. His status for the next few days was uncertain after the Phillies series finale against Cincinnati. Manager Pete Mackanin said after Sunday's 9-4 loss to the Reds that Rupp would be evaluated again on Monday morning, and the team may have to call up another catcher if he is unavailable for an extended period of time. "We're going to check him out early in the morning to see where he is and see how he is," Mackanin said. "If it's going to be three or four days, we're going to need to get a catcher up here. At this point, we're just going to wait until [Monday]." Rupp collided with Cincinnati's Eugenio Suarez on a play at the plate to end Saturday's 4-3 win. Suarez was thrown out by left fielder Tyler Goeddel and Rupp held onto the baseball to clinch the win. The 27-year-old -- who is hitting .238 in 22 games this season -- had his left ankle wrapped and did not play on Sunday. Carlos Ruiz, who has played in 16 games, is currently the only other catcher on the Phillies 25-man roster.

Dutch Returns – Darren Daulton made thousands of plays behind the plate in his Phillies career. On Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, Daulton got to be on other end of the battery in a special pregame ceremony. Daulton threw out the first pitch to breast cancer survivor Linda Duaime as the Phillies recognized those Going to Bat Against Cancer on Sunday. Daulton, the former All-Star catcher who spent parts of 14 seasons with the Phillies, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. After surgery and multiple rounds of chemotherapy, Daulton announced in February he had a clean brain scan. Since his diagnosis, he has founded The Darren Daulton Foundation, which provides financial aid to those who suffer from brain tumors, brain injuries and brain cancer. Duaime had her own fight against breast cancer, and the Northeast Philadelphia resident was diagnosed in September 2014. She was named the Phillies' 2016 Honorary Bat Girl. Both Duaime, who had about 100 friends and family on hand, and Daulton received an ovation before the Phillies' game against the Reds on Sunday.

Continuing The Tradition – In 1971, Philadelphia resident Jack Bradley took an idea to the Phillies: Let's hold a community youth home run derby. It would be open to children 7-12 from all over the Delaware Valley and the finals would take place at Veterans Stadium. Frank Sullivan, then the director of promotion, and the Phillies loved it. They'd make it an annual tradition. It has also become a family operation. Jack's son, Paul, has helped out since the inaugural edition -- he was 12 in 1971 -- but he took over as president when he graduated college. This year marks the 46th Home Run Derby, and the 40th Paul has been in charge of. Over the past four decades, Bradley has pitched to the preteen incarnations of Mike Trout, Jamie Moyer and Mike Scioscia. More than a dozen professional ballplayers have come through the Derby. "Probably the only one I saw coming was Trout," Bradley said. "As a 12-year-old, he hit the ball over a 290-foot fence." Trout didn't even make the finals, though. Because of the point system, Trout's 300-foot jacks counted the same as his opponent's 200-foot ones. On 10 swings, one point is awarded for any fair hit, two points for over 125 feet and five points for anything over 175 feet. The reigning American League MVP scored a 34, but it wasn't enough. "To this day, I think about trying to get in touch with that kid, tell him that's who you beat," Bradley said. "You beat Mike Trout." While the Bradleys have partnered with the Phillies since the start, this is the first year they've partnered with Major League Baseball. In addition to going to the finals at Citizens Bank Park, one participant will go on to represent Philadelphia at the All-Star Game in San Diego. Those types of opportunities offered to the kids of Philadelphia are part of what keeps Bradley going after the 46th year. And the operation is only growing. "There are kids who won home run derbies in the '70s call me now and say they want to have home run derbies in their towns," Bradley said. "Because of the experiences they had as kids." The Phillies celebrated Play Ball Weekend by hosting one of dozens local competitions. The top three in each age group -- 7/8, 9/10, and 11/12 -- advanced to regional finals, which then decide who gets to compete at Citizens Bank Park in September. And just like he's done for almost his whole life, Bradley fired up a pitching machine for about 50 kids in total. In the not so distant future, it could be a third generation Bradley in charge. Paul hopes to pass it down to his children when they graduate college, just like his father did for him. "I've seen a lot of good hitters, but I've seen even better memories in the 46 years," Bradley said. "Let's get into a third generation, go to 75 years."

Today In Phils History – After serving his country in the Army during the Korean Conflict, Curt Simmons was honored on this day in 1952 with gifts including a car, a TV, a refrigerator, and a gold watch. Exactly one year later, Simmons gives up a leadoff single, then retires the next 27 batters to 1-hit the Braves. Five years after Simmons dominated the Braves, Harry “Sparky” Anderson hit a long fly ball off the catwalk at Connie Mack Stadium which allowed him to circle the bases for an inside-the-park home run. The following year, the Phillies bid farewell to Granny Hamner who was traded to Cleveland. In 1967, the plans for Veterans Stadium became a reality as Philadelphia voters approved $13 million in bonds to pay for the project in South Philadelphia. 5 years later, Greg Luzinski hits a legendary 500-foot home run off the center field Liberty Bell. Steve Carlton has a grand memory on this day as well as he hit his only career grand slam off of Fernando Valenzuela in 1984. Pitcher Don Carman wasn’t as good a hitter but he did get his first career hit (his first in 49 career at bats) on this day in 1987. 2 years later, Juan Samuel hit his 4^th leadoff homer of the season setting a new franchise record. And finally, on this day during the 2008 season, Jayson Werth hit 3 home runs and collected 8 RBI in the win over the Blue Jays.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 22-16 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 48-46-0 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!

Votto And The Reds Overpower Phillies

GAME RECAP: Reds Crush Phils 11-2

Joey Votto walloped three home runs on Tuesday night to lead the Reds to an 11-2 victory over the Phillies and secure the three-game series at Great American Ball Park. Votto finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. It was his third career three-home run game -- joining Johnny Bench as the only Reds to accomplish that feat -- and his second multi-homer game of the season. "It's very cliche to say it, but any time you're alongside a name like that, it's an honor, it's meaningful," Votto said. The Reds generated plenty of offense off Phillies starter Aaron Harang for a second straight week. This time, Harang gave up a season-high seven earned runs on seven hits in six innings. Harang also gave up four of Cincinnati's five home runs, which matched his season total of home runs allowed. Anthony DeSclafani held the Phillies to only two runs, despite giving up 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings. The rookie right-hander picked up his third straight win and improved to 5-4 on the season with a 3.53 ERA. The Phillies have lost 14 of 18 to fall 16 games below .500 (22-38). "We got off to a rough start in this one," Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We need to play solid games and put some games together."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• Phillies third baseman Maikel Franco continued his torrid June with a double to left leading off the second inning. Franco, batting .469 (15-for-32) with five doubles and four home runs since June 2, later scored on a two-out single by Carlos Ruiz. He finished 2-for-3.
• Votto hit two solo shots and a two-run homer. He first hit a pair of solo home runs in the third and fifth inning off Harang -- his first sparking a back-to-back effort with Todd Frazier, who followed with his 17th long ball. He finished with a two-run homer to deep right field in the seventh off Dustin McGowan, giving him 13 home runs on the season. "Boy he had a great game," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Votto. "Really set the table in the first inning by getting the walk. Brandon [Phillips] and Joey each getting the game going with two walks and sets the stage for [Jay Bruce's] hit, an RBI, and [Zack] Cozart with the three-run homer, which gave us a nice early cushion."
• Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg appealed Votto's fifth-inning home run off Harang, suggesting fan interference. The ball dropped between the hands of a fan reaching out from his seat in left field. The replay official reviewed the play and confirmed the call, saying the ball would have been out anyway, after a 1-minute, 25-second review.
• Bruce was ejected in the third inning after he voiced his displeasure with a called strike three from home-plate umpire Adam Hamari. Bruce was noticeably not happy after making the second out, and he had made it all the way to the dugout before Hamari tossed him. It was the first time since June 19, 2008, that Bruce had been ejected. The ejection combined with Phillips' injury left the Reds with only catcher Tucker Barnhart and an injured Billy Hamilton on the bench.
• Harang's ERA jumped 59 points (2.45 to 3.04), but his batting average jumped 76 points (.091 to .167), thanks to singles in both of his at-bats.
• "The first-inning walks killed me. That's what got me. I was too tentative, picking at the corners." – Harang.
• The only active Reds to have faced Williams are Brennan Boesch (0-for-5) and Brayan Pena (1-for-1).
• Cincinnati center fielder Billy Hamilton was left out of Tuesday's starting lineup due to issues with his left wrist. He is day to day.
• Moscot is the third Reds pitcher to make his MLB debut this season, joining Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen.

NEXT GAME:

Jon Moscot survived his first look at Major League hitters. Wednesday afternoon, Moscot goes to work on the rest of his career. Cincinnati's rookie right-hander made his big league debut Friday and was charged with four runs over five innings of a 6-2 loss to San Diego. He takes the mound for the second time against Philadelphia, trying to lead the Reds to a fourth straight victory and a three-game series sweep. "When you get out on that mound and you have a third deck in the stadium, it takes over a little bit," Moscot said after the loss. "I wasn't pitching my game that first inning, I just normally attack hitters and I was trying to be too fine." He struggled early, throwing 37 pitches in the first inning while walking three and allowing two hits. Moscot eventually settled in and retired 11 of the last 12 Padres he faced. The 23-year-old is ranked by MLB.com as the Reds' No. 14 prospect. He had previously fared well in nine starts at Triple-A Louisville (7-1, 3.15 ERA). The Phillies will counter with Jerome Williams (3-5, 5.68), who has one win to show for his last eight starts. The veteran right-hander has surrendered 87 hits in 63 1/3 innings with a .323 opponents' batting average. Williams hasn't started against the Reds since 2006, when he was with the Chicago Cubs. He is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA vs. Cincinnati in two starts and four relief appearances.

PHILS PHACTS:

Sandberg Pushes For Papelbon – Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg knows exactly for whom he would cast his 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot. During a pregame All-Star discussion Tuesday, Sandberg mentioned pitchers Jonathan Papelbon, Cole Hamels and Aaron Harang as well as shortstop Freddy Galvis as Phillies who should be considered. But, Sandberg noted, Papelbon can make a particularly strong case. "He has been our most consistent performer, day in and day out doing his job," Sandberg said. "You look at what he's done with those opportunities and the quality of them ... if you look at it that way, he's a strong candidate for us." Papelbon has a 1.13 ERA in 24 games and was 12-for-12 in save opportunities entering Tuesday night's game against the Reds. Philadelphia's all-time saves leader has converted 28 of 29 chances since last July 24. Closers on struggling teams must often battle an irregular workload. Sandberg said Papelbon has been a true professional about making sure that battle doesn't have an unfavorable outcome. "He communicates that to us," Sandberg said. "There are times when he might sit five, six days depending on how the games go. He knows when he needs fine-tuning, when he needs an outing." Papelbon came into Tuesday needing four saves to tie Rollie Fingers (341) for the No. 12 spot on the all-time list. No Phillies player is among the highest vote-getters in MLB.com's third National League All-Star voting update. Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots. Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info. Following the announcement of the 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Phillies Look To Fill Gaps With Draft – The Phillies took a high school shortstop and a college second baseman on Monday night in the first two rounds of the 2015 MLB Draft. The Phillies took a high school shortstop, a college first baseman and a high school pitcher with their first three picks Tuesday. "We're very excited overall," Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz said. "Extremely confident that everyone is going to be reporting here pretty soon." Here is a look at the Phillies' selections in Rounds 3-5 on Day 2. The Draft concludes Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 on MLB.com beginning at noon ET. Round 3 (83rd pick overall): SS Lucas Williams, Dana Hills (Calif.) HS: Williams (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) has committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The right-handed hitter, who goes by Luke, posted a .315 batting average in 32 games, and he has good speed. Williams set the school's career stolen-base record this year. "This is somebody who we feel is a really good athlete with the ability to hit," Almaraz said. "He can run. He can throw. We see him more as a third baseman with some type of power. We were really pleased to draft him. He's somebody we believe has a high ceiling, along with the fact he knows how to play the game." Round 4 (114th pick): 1B Kyle Martin, South Carolina: Martin earned second-team All-America honors during his senior season with the South Carolina Gamecocks. He hit .350, with 12 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs, 56 RBIs, a .455 on-base percentage and a .635 slugging percentage. Martin (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) walked 39 times, and he struck out just 27 times. The Angels selected Martin in the 20th round of the 2014 Draft, but he returned for his senior season. "We believe he's a very good prospect," Almaraz said. "He's got above-average power. He's got the ability to go the other way. He came to our workout and answered some questions, as far as his athleticism is considered." Round 5 (144th pick) LHP Bailey Falter, Chino Hills (Calif.) HS: Falter is 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds. He throws in the mid-to-high 80-mph range, but scouts believe his velocity will build in time. The southpaw has committed to UC-Santa Barbara. "He's a projection," Almaraz said. "I felt he was one of the top pitchers in the country, whether it be college or high school. The ability to pitch and command his pitches. That is something you cannot teach, and he possesses that. He's got a bright future and a chance to be a frontline starter."

But Can They Sign Them? – The Phillies selected two college pitchers, two college hitters and one high school hitter in Rounds 6-10 of the 2015 MLB Draft on Tuesday. The Draft concludes Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 on MLB.com beginning at noon ET. Round 6 (174th pick): LHP Tyler Gilbert, USC: He went 5-2 with a 2.79 ERA as a junior with the Trojans, for whom he spent most of his time in the bullpen. Gilbert allowed 68 hits, 21 earned runs, 25 walks and struck out 66 batters in 67 1/3 innings. Round 7 (204th pick): RHP Luke Leftwich, Wofford College: Leftwich (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) is a junior with family ties. His father, Phil, made 34 starts with the Angels from 1993-96. Leftwich's grandfather, Tom Timmermann, pitched six season for the Tigers (1969-73) and the Indians (1973-74). Leftwich went 7-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 16 appearances (14 starts) this season. He struck out 114 and walked 28 in 89 innings. Round 8 (234th pick): OF Greg Pickett, Legend High School (Parker, Colo.): Pickett is listed at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. He hit .420 this season, and he has power from the left side of the plate. He has committed to Mississippi State, but amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz is confident Pickett and everybody else the Phillies selected the first two days will sign. "Our area scouts really did a great job in keeping the lines open with these high school kids and college kids that sometimes have a tendency to not give us very accurate signability [information]," Almaraz said. "We stayed on him. We got some information that really, really made us make the decision of taking him in that round. We're pretty sure that we're sending him out there pretty quickly to start his career in the Gulf Coast League." Round 9 (264th pick): CF Mark Laird, LSU: Laird has good speed, but he lacks power. Laird (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) played the corners in college, but the Phillies see him as a center fielder. He has hit .323 with nine doubles, one triple, one home run, 23 RBIs, a .379 slugging percentage and a .390 on-base percentage. He stole 23 bases in 29 attempts. "He can really run. He can really play defense," Almaraz said. "If those speed guys learn how to bunt and use both sides of the field, they're going to create havoc." Round 10 (294th pick): 3B Josh Tobias, Florida: Tobias hit .373, with 14 doubles, five triples, five home runs, 41 RBIs, a .557 slugging percentage and a .447 on-base percentage as a senior. He is listed at 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds. "My biggest interest was that Tobias just started hitting left-handed this year," Almaraz said. "He possess above-average ability. At that point in the Draft, if you can select somebody who can have an impact on the Major League club -- whether it's as an everyday player, a left-handed bat off the bench or even an extra outfielder or utility-type guy -- that's considered a really good Draft."

Phillies Select Leftwich In 7^th Round – The scouts who made their way to Wofford College in South Carolina the past three seasons often noticed the last name first. Leftwich, Leftwich, how do I know that name? Hey, did his dad pitch in the big leagues? Yes, actually. Wofford College junior Luke Leftwich's father, Phil, made 34 starts with the Angels from 1993-96, and his grandfather, Tom Timmermann, pitched six seasons with the Tigers (1969-73) and the Indians (1973-74). But Leftwich, whom the Phillies selected on Tuesday in the seventh round of the 2015 MLB Draft, needed more than baseball history in the family to get selected on Day 2 of the Draft. "We feel we have somebody who has the ability to start and stay in that starting role because of his tools," Phillies amateur scouting director Johnny Almaraz said. "Along with the ability to pitch, our people felt that he was an extreme competitor." Leftwich went 7-2 with a 4.25 ERA in 16 appearances (14 starts) this season. Forget about the ERA for a moment -- the occasional big inning inflated that -- and consider the fact Leftwich struck out 114 batters and walked just 28 in 89 innings. "You guys are going to get him at his best," Wofford College baseball coach Todd Interdonato said. "We've only seen him scratch the surface of his best in the last six weeks. He's definitely on the way up. He's not one of these guys you see go high [in the Draft], and they kind of sputter out. I really think he's going to make a steady climb, because he's just matured so much. I think he's just at the start of making a really nice run." Interdonato said interest in Leftwich really spiked after a successful relief appearance in late April against Clemson. Leftwich struck out three in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. "After that, there were just a lot of people there every Saturday [to see Leftwich pitch]," Interdonato said. "I started to receive a lot more phone calls, a lot more emails, a lot more text messages. It just seemed like every one of his starts, his last four or five, there were between 15 and 30 people watching him every weekend." Leftwich's fastball sits at 92-93 mph, and it occasionally hits 95 mph. He also throws a slider, curveball and changeup. "We knew we had something special the first day he showed up on campus as a freshman," Interdonato said. "He showed up on the first day of campus and he looked like a man. Our pitching coach and I looked at each other like, 'This is not the kid we visited in high school. This kid looks like a man.' Everything from there just gradually increased." Leftwich's family history might have gotten scouts to notice him initially, but Almaraz confirmed it had no bearing on the Phillies' selection. "Not because his dad or grandfather played at that level," Almaraz said of the pick. "You've still got to earn it on the back end," Interdonato added.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 22-38. 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 42-53-0 on this day.