Phillies Continue To Falter In Second Half

GAME RECAP: Marlins Manhandle Phillies 9-3

The Marlins are bringing plenty of confidence into a big series this weekend at home against the Mets. They beat the Phillies on Thursday night at Citizens Bank Park, 9-3, to win three games in the four-game series. After opening the second half of the season by going 5-2 on a seven-game road trip, Miami has moved within 4 1/2 games of the Nationals in the National League East, while maintaining a 1 1/2-game lead over the Mets for the second NL Wild Card. "One of the things you worry about, going into the break, we were playing pretty good," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "One of the things we talked about as a team was that we really needed to be ready to play when we start the second half." Marlins left fielder Christian Yelich sparked a four-run fourth inning when he hit a solo home run to left field, and Ichiro Suzuki picked up the 2,995th and 2,996th hits of his big league career with an infield single in the third and a single to right in the eighth. "It's been fun," Mattingly said. "It'd be a little different if we knew he was going to play every day, because you know it's just a matter of one day or something like that. But in our situation, it might not be that quick, or it could be quick. But it's been fun. He's been a great guy to watch." Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler allowed only two hits over eight masterful innings -- on homers by Ryan Howard in the fourth and Freddy Galvis in the eighth -- and also had an RBI single. The Phillies had high hopes entering the second half, but they have lost five of seven since the All-Star break, scoring just 17 runs on the homestand. "I've been concerned about the hitting all year," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "It's a constant issue that we have to improve upon."

PHILS PHACTS: 

• After allowing a career-high eight runs in 5 1/3 innings July 9 in Colorado, he allowed nine hits Thursday and has an 8.27 ERA in his last three starts. Mackanin thought Eickhoff needed to throw his curveball more, especially in the four-run fourth inning. Eickhoff agreed. "Looking back after the outing was over, there were definitely times I could have used it more," he said. "It was just unfortunate I wasn't able to realize that myself and throw that more in the game in that fourth inning."
• Howard began his day in South Philadelphia, where the Phillies named their new Urban Youth Academy the "Ryan Howard Training Center." A few hours later, he hit his 14th homer. Howard and fellow first baseman Tommy Joseph have combined for 27 home runs this season.
• "I don't know man, it's crazy. We were talking about it. I don't know if we try to do too much here at home, but every time we go on the road, we click, man. Everything goes good, you know? I don't know if it's a little bit of us trying to do too much here. And if we're trying to do too much, it's not going to happen. We have to just let it go and do what we have to do, and that's it." -- Galvis, on the Phillies averaging 2.9 runs per game at home compared to 4.3 runs per game on the road.
• Entering Thursday, the Phillies ranked fifth in runs (228) and eighth in batting average (.260) on the road.
• In the past two series at PNC Park, the Pirates have swept the Phillies twice, outscoring them, 23-9.
• Pirates left fielder Starling Marte was scratched from Thursday's lineup due to flu-like symptoms and replaced with Matt Joyce, who played right field and hit a three-run homer. Gregory Polanco moved over to left.

NEXT GAME:

In his second start since coming off the disabled list, Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole will try to return to form Friday in the series opener against the Phillies at PNC Park. After spending over a month on the DL with a right triceps strain, Cole returned July 16 against the Nationals, allowing five runs (four earned) in four innings. Before suffering the injury June 10, Cole had gone 5-3 over 11 starts after starting the season with two straight losses. In four career starts against the Phillies, he's 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA. The Phillies will counter with rookie righty Zach Eflin, who is 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in his first seven starts. Since giving up nine runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings in his debut, Eflin has five quality starts and pitched a complete game against Atlanta on July 5.

PHILS PHACTS:

Second Half Stumbles – The Phillies' high hopes for the second half have suffered a setback. They exited the All-Star break believing they could make a long-shot run at a National League Wild Card. Why not, they said? But after the Phillies managed just three hits and Jerad Eickhoff struggled Thursday night in a 9-3 loss to the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park, they have lost five of seven games since the break to fall to 44-53 and nine games behind the Marlins for the second Wild Card. "I'm not giving up hope for that Wild Card, because I've seen us better," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. But the Phillies still have to play 30 more games at home this season, which is not necessarily a good thing. They scored just 17 runs in the seven-game homestand against the Mets and Marlins, and they are hitting .218 with a .627 OPS and averaging just 2.9 runs per game at home. Their runs-per-game average ranks last in baseball, a half-run worse than the Braves. Conversely, the Phillies are hitting .260 with a .724 OPS and averaging 4.3 runs per game on the road, which ranks 22nd. "I don't know, man, it's crazy," said shortstop Freddy Galvis, who hit a solo home run in the eighth. "We were talking about it. I don't know if we try to do too much here at home, but every time we go on the road, we click, man. Everything goes good, you know? I don't know, it's crazy. "We don't hit the ball that good. I don't know if it's a little bit of us trying to do too much here. And if we're trying to do too much, it's not going to happen. We have to just let it go and do what we have to do, and that's it." The Phillies' pitching had been pretty good in the first six games of the homestand, posting a 2.84 ERA. But Eickhoff allowed nine hits, six runs (five earned runs) and struck out six in five innings. He threw two wild pitches and hit a batter in a four-run fourth inning. "Eickhoff, he's got one of the best curveballs in baseball," Mackanin said. "I didn't think he used it enough, especially in that fourth inning. It's a really good pitch for him. He got away from it for some reason." Eickhoff agreed with Mackanin's assessment. "Looking back after the outing was over, there were definitely times I could have used it more," he said. "It was just unfortunate I wasn't able to realize that myself and throw that more in the game in that fourth inning." Eickhoff can incorporate the curveball into his next start next week in Miami. But can the Phillies' offense pick it up on the road? "I've been concerned about the hitting all year," Mackanin said. "It's a constant issue that we have to improve upon. If we improved our hitting, we would have won more games."

Keeping An Open Mind – General manager Matt Klentak said the Phillies have been "very active" with trade discussions over the past few days. That is not surprising, because they have a host of players who could help a contender. The list begins with Jeremy Hellickson, Peter Bourjos and Jeanmar Gomez. Of course, Klentak acknowledged that many of the Phillies' conversations have led nowhere. But while he said Thursday that he would not handicap the chances of a trade before the Aug. 1 non-waiver Trade Deadline, it would be very surprising if the Phillies remained status quo. "We're open-minded to ways to improve our club, both for now and into the future," Klentak said. The Phillies have incentives to move Hellickson, Bourjos and Gomez. Hellickson and Bourjos are free agents after the season, and moving them would allow the Phillies to get a longer look at Triple-A Lehigh Valley right-hander Jake Thompson, their No. 2 prospect who is 6-0 with a 0.58 ERA in his last nine starts; outfielder Aaron Altherr, whose rehab assignment ends Wednesday; and possibly Lehigh Valley outfielder Nick Williams, who is the organization's third-ranked prospect. Gomez is having a nice season as a closer, but the Phillies might want to move the former middle reliever while his stock is highest, especially because they have internal options to replace him in Hector Neris and Edubray Ramos. But Klentak insists the Phillies are not pressured to trade anybody, which is true only in the sense they will not give away players just to make room for their prospects. They want something of value in return. "Sometimes when you feel compelled to make a trade, that's when you make a bad trade," Klentak said. "But I will say that it helps when we have players in the Minor Leagues who are putting themselves in position to be able to contribute and potentially back-fill an opening. That gives me more confidence as I enter the trade market. "I can also envision a scenario where a lot of the guys are still here and the prospects are still in Triple-A. We're open to it." Thompson seems to be the closest to a promotion, especially with so many teams interested in Hellickson. Williams and shortstop J.P. Crawford -- the club's top prospect -- seem likely to be September callups. "We will make a spot if we need to," Klentak said. "But right now we haven't felt the need to create a spot. So we just have to see if it naturally evolves that way." Trade talks seem to naturally evolve into something tangible shortly before the Trade Deadline. It always has been that way, and it might be no different this year. So while Klentak sounded like nothing is imminent, it seems something will happen. "There's been quite a lot of action on a number of players," he said. "I take it as a very positive sign that other clubs have interest in a lot of our players. And it's not just the pending free agents. This time of year there are plenty of teams fishing on our younger more controllable players, too -- who I don't have any great desire to trade. But that doesn't stop a lot of the GMs from calling and asking about them. "I think that's a good sign, it kind of confirms what we all see with our eyes, that we've got some pretty darn good young players on this team."

Honoring Howard – Ryan Howard's baseball future beyond this season is unclear. His physical presence in the only city he's called home during his exemplary career is not. The new Phillies Urban Youth Academy was formally unveiled Thursday, and it was announced that the facility will be called the Ryan Howard Training Center. The first baseman won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 2005 and the NL Most Valuable Player Award in '06, when he hit 58 home runs to establish the franchise's single-season record. "It's been our passion to give back to our community, especially when it relates to baseball and education," Howard said, standing next to his wife, Krystle, at the dais. "It's an extreme honor to be part of something we hope will help thousands and thousands of kids." Howard then turned from the audience filled with dignitaries -- including Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney, councilman Kenyatta Johnson, Phillies chairman David Montgomery and Major League Baseball's vice president for youth and facility development Darrell Miller -- to address the RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) travel teams that were standing in the back of the room. "Always believe in your dreams and make them your priority," Howard told them. "This facility is an open door for every baseball player and softball player to follow their dreams. ... Please take advantage, have fun and always believe in yourselves." In addition to the complex in the shadows of the Center City skyline, players have access to the field complex at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park near Citizens Bank Park that was opened last year. The 7,500-square-foot training center was added to the existing Marian Anderson Recreation Center, and it includes four retractable batting cages, plus space for fitness training, educational and vocational programs. It will be utilized by more than 8,000 boys and girls. The Howards were honored for their contributions through the Ryan Howard Big Piece Foundation. The project was also supported by MLB, the Phillies, Phillies Charities, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mayor Kenney, who grew up in South Philadelphia, remembered playing baseball in the streets as a kid until the cover came off the ball, taping it up and then playing some more. "This is what our children deserve," Kenney said, indicating the state-of-the-art facility. "Every precious child is put on this earth to meet his potential. And that potential can't be met if they don't have the resources they need." Kenney also pointed out that Howard's contributions toward rehabilitating the baseball fields in the city's Hunting Park neighborhood triggered further improvements, and crime has decreased 89 percent in the area. Several speakers mentioned that the Phillies are known for their community spirit, and Montgomery also reflected the feelings of those who have been involved since the project was first conceived in 2007. "The first word that comes to mind is 'finally,'" Montgomery said, eliciting knowing chuckles from the audience. "This is an exciting day for the Phillies. A long journey has come to a very, very successful conclusion." Miller has been closely involved in the effort since the beginning. "It's an honor to see a dream accomplished," Miller said. Miller followed that with an eloquent riff on how baseball mirrors everyday life, and he concluded with the observation that the most important single word in the English language is "we." "We did it," Miller said. "And we're not done." "I don't think there's been anything like this in my long tenure as a city official," added Philadelphia managing director Michael DiBerardinis. "This is about opportunity to grow and learn in your neighborhood." DiBerardinis cited a survey that found the playing surfaces at FDR Park are the best playing fields in the northeastern United States. After the speeches, Howard was presented a framed bat signed by the senior members of the Phillies' RBI program, and he threw the pitch for the "first hit" in the new batting cages. "I want [the young people] to know I believe in them," Howard said. "Why? Because I was just like them."

Ichiro Inching Closer – Ichiro Suzuki and the Marlins were scheduled to land back in Miami around 3 a.m. ET on Friday, following a 9-3 win over the Phillies. By the time they hit the road again, there are overwhelming odds it will be with more than just a few wins against National League East and Wild Card rivals. Suzuki on Thursday slapped a pair of singles to move him within four hits of becoming the 30th Major Leaguer to reach 3,000. He returns home for 10 games at Marlins Park with 2,996 hits. It would not be surprising if he reached the milestone even before a weekend series with the Mets is over. Miami wrapped up a 5-2 road trip to start the second half on Thursday. "I heard that Donnie [Mattingly, Marlins manager] said I was going play for seven more years," Ichiro said, with a smile, through interpreter Allen Turner. "I should be able to get four more in seven years." It may not even take seven games. All Mattingly has to do is put Ichiro in the lineup. In four of his past five starts, Ichiro has recorded at least two hits, including Thursday and a 3-for-4 game on Sunday against the Cardinals. After an infield single in the third, he nearly added another in the sixth, when second baseman Andres Blanco and first baseman Ryan Howard made a nice play to retire him. It's no secret that the Marlins would like him to reach 3,000 in front of the home crowd -- Mattingly said "probably" with a chuckle, when asked if he'd take him out with a 5-for-5 start to Thursday's game. Mattingly has put Ichiro atop the lineup card only five times in the past 17 games. But he could see that many starts just over this homestand. "It's been fun," Mattingly said. "It'd be a little different if we knew he was going to play every day, because you know it's just a matter of one day or something like that. But in our situation, it might not be that quick, or it could be quick. But it's been fun. He's been a great guy to watch." While it's very likely that No. 3,000 will come in Miami, it remains to be seen with what flair Ichiro will do it. Will he join the last two to reach the milestone, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, by putting the ball over the wall? Or will he do it in a manner more apropos to his career, the same way he got his 2,995th and countless other hits -- by legging out an infield single? Regardless, there is almost certainly history to be made, in addition to a pennant race with games against the Mets and Cardinals, at Marlins Park over the next 10 games.

Today In Phils History – In a 1918 exhibition game to benefit the family of William Weart, a Philadelphia sportswriter and editor who died during the 1917-1919 flu pandemic, the Phillies only recorded 1 hit in a 1-0 loss against the Athletics. George Harper was sent back to the dugout in 1925, and later struck out on 3 pitches, when umpires found nails in his bat. 5 years later, pitcher Phil Collins hit homeruns in consecutive at bats against Pittsburgh. Eddie Sawyer, who was working for a golf ball company at the time, returned for his second tour with the Phillies in 1958 replacing Mayo Smith at manager. In 1964, 1B Danny Carter broke his arm in a collision with Joe Torre. 2 years later, on the same day that the Phillies sold Dallas Green to the Mets, Gaylord Perry fan 15 Phillies to set a new Giants record. 3 years later, Phillies owners Bob and Ruly Carpenter, GM John Quinn, manager Bob Skinner, and players Grant Jackson and Mike Ryan represented the Phillies during President Richard Nixon’s White House reception commemorating the 100^th anniversary of baseball. With a single off of the Giants’ Matt Cain, Shane Victorino became the 1^st player born in Hawaii to reach the 1,000 career hit milestone. Finally, happy birthday to Sparky Lyle (1944) and Mike Sweeney (1973).

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are currently 44-53 this season putting them on pace to beat most preseason predictions. All time, the Phillies are 53-57-1 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.

Nola Gets No Support In Impressive Debut

GAME RECAP: Rays Shutout Phillies 1-0

Rays right-hander Nathan Karns provided the only blemish to Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola's highly anticipated big league debut Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Karns hit a first-pitch fastball off Nola to left-center field for a solo home run in the third inning of a 1-0 victory. It would be plenty for the Rays, as Karns and the Rays' bullpen combined to allow just four hits in the shutout. "Unique win, but we'll take as many of them as we can get," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. Nola, who is the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, took the loss, but he left fans excited about the future with an impressive showing. "It was pretty awesome to be out there to feel the energy from the fans," Nola said. "To pitch at this level is pretty amazing and a pretty good feeling tonight. I had a little bit of jitters in the first inning. But once I threw a few pitches, they were gone."

OTHER NOTES FROM THE DAY:

• The Phillies are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel, and Nola offered one in his big league debut. He threw 88 pitches (59 strikes), throwing his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. If this is just a glimpse of Nola's potential, the Phillies will be very happy they selected him with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft. "I gave it everything I had out there," Nola said. "I was blessed for the opportunity to pitch here."
• The Phillies might not have scored anyway, but Asche made the first out of the second inning at third base, trying to go from first to third on Brown's single to right. Odubel Herrera then bounced into an inning-ending double play in the fifth, when he simply stopped running to first base. Herrera remained in the game. "Herrera didn't assume he was going to throw to second base," Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "He kind of quit running. He's got to understand that's not the way you play."
• "You've got an American League pitcher up there, it's the first pitch of the inning. You're not going to try to trick anybody. I've known Nathan for a long time, and I can sit here and say a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then" -- Rupp, on Karns' homer run against Nola.
• The Phillies sold 8,500 tickets since Friday, when they announced Nola would make his debut. They sold 4,000 tickets Tuesday. Tuesday's crowd of 28,703 was the Phillies' largest crowd for a weeknight game (on a non-fireworks night) since May 14, when they had 29,205 for the final game of a series against the Pirates.

NEXT GAME:

Rookie left-hander Adam Morgan (1-2, 3.91 ERA) hopes to continue his roll Wednesday at 1:05 p.m. ET. He has allowed two or fewer runs in three of his first four starts, and he has pitched more than six innings in two of his last three. Jake Odorizzi (5-6, 2.80 ERA) will start after taking his sixth loss of the season Friday night in Toronto when he had a career-high-tying five walks. In addition, he allowed a season-high six earned runs and had a season low for strikeouts with one. He has not faced the Phillies, but he is 3-3 with a 3.51 ERA in seven career Interleague starts. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

PHILS PHACTS:

Nola Impresses In Debut – Dan Baker, the Citizens Bank Park public address announcer, has introduced thousands of lineups in his career. Still, he was able to reach back for a little more when he got to the Phillies' starting pitcher -- AA-ron NO-la -- Tuesday night. The crowd responded with genuine enthusiasm. There was a buzz in the blue seats that has been missing for much of the season. When the game started, the fans hung on every pitch, groaning when Nola didn't get the benefit of the doubt on a close pitch. When he got a big strikeout, the television cameras cut to his parents, sitting in the stands. Nola's father pumped his fist. Phillies fans had something to be excited about. Nola, the organization's first-round pick out of LSU just over a year ago, made his Major League debut against the Rays. And he didn't disappoint, allowing just one run in his six innings. Fifteen of Nola's 18 outs came on strikeouts or ground balls. The spoiler alert is that the Phils lost, 1-0. Now, Major League debuts are like Opening Days. They're a lot of fun. And they almost never turn out to be as significant as they seem at the time. Still, it's hard to overstate what a crucial piece Nola plays in the puzzle the Phillies are trying to assemble. One start doesn't make a career. But that doesn't mean that what Nola did Tuesday night, and what he'll do the rest of the season, aren't vital to the ongoing reconstruction project the organization has undertaken. Think about it this way: Nola is already the 12th pitcher to start a game for the Phils this season. And, right now, you'd have to say he's the best bet of any of them to be in the rotation when the slate is wiped clean and the 2016 season begins. Ace Cole Hamels is widely expected to be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. Aaron Harang and Chad Billingsley were low-risk, high-reward gambles when they were signed in the offseason; Harang faded after a hot start and then went on the disabled list, while Billingsley has been unable to stay healthy. Jerome Williams has so far been unable to replicate the success he had for the Phillies last year after being released by the Astros and waived by the Rangers. Dustin McGowan was signed after being released by the Dodgers, and Kevin Correia was brought aboard after being released by the Giants. Sean O'Sullivan had a 6.08 ERA in 13 starts. All are currently on Triple-A Lehigh Valley's roster. Phillippe Aumont has left the building. And the organization, after declining an outright assignment to the IronPigs. Youngsters Adam Morgan, Severino Gonzalez and David Buchanan have promise, but none have shown enough yet to be written into the 2016 rotation in ink. Sure, trades could change that picture. Free agent signings, too. And there are some pitchers down below, including Zach Eflin at Double-A Reading, that the baseball people are bullish on. Maybe, could be, possibly. It might not be fair to project a starring role next season for a 22-year-old who wasn't even a non-roster invitee to big league camp this spring. It might be a gigantic leap to suggest that after one big league start, Nola jumps to the top of the list. But dealing strictly with the known commodities on hand, it's difficult to reach any other conclusion. Besides, everything the Phils do these days matters less about the here and now than what the projected impact might be moving forward. Ruben Amaro Jr. tempered his remarks, which is prudent. "He represents the kind of things we're trying to do," the general manager said, "which is trying to get our young players to the big leagues and find out about them. We think he's going to be a good, solid Major League pitcher. And he got off to a great start. I'm happy for him. I'm sure it was nerve-wracking for him and his family. It's just unfortunate we couldn't get any runs for him." Veteran outfielder Jeff Francoeur, who's seen a lot of young pitchers come and go, was impressed. "I would imagine he'd be No. 2, No. 3 next year behind Cole, if Cole's here, and whatever else they do," the 31-year-old outfielder said. "But he's got great stuff, and it looks like he's got a good head on his shoulders. So for all of us, it was fun to see. You're always happy for guys like that." Cameron Rupp, who caught Nola, noted that a performance like this is another reason to have hope for the future. And he also liked the electricity that ran through the park. "He's exciting. And fans think he's exciting, too," Rupp said. "That makes it even better. People come. We want to play in front of a lot of people. So I think that's huge."

Nola Offers Glimmer Of Hope – Aaron Nola provided the Phillies and their fans a much needed feeling of hope Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park. Nola, who is the No. 28 prospect in baseball according to MLBPipeline.com, made a memorable debut in the midst of a forgettable season in a 1-0 loss to the Rays. He allowed five hits, one run, one walk and struck out six in six innings. He threw 89 pitches (57 strikes), throwing his fastball, curveball and changeup for strikes. He singled to center field in the fifth inning, one of only four hits for the Phillies. Nola, whose fastball hit 94 mph, looked composed from the moment he stepped onto the mound to the moment he left. He looked like he belonged. "From the stint he had in Spring Training to the past 24 hours he has been here, he has shown a lot of poise," Phillies ace Cole Hamels said afterward. "That's good to see. You know that is somebody you want to call a teammate. You know that is somebody you're going to have faith in when the game is on the line, especially when you're in pennant races and getting to postseasons. He seems like that type of big-game pitcher. "It's something you can learn, but it's very difficult to learn. So if you already have it, you're already on your way. You're accelerating yourself to be in a good position in the big leagues." The Phillies selected Nola with the seventh overall pick of the 2014 Draft with the belief he would join the big league rotation before the end of 2015. He lived up to the hype through his quick rise through the Phillies' farm system. It is why the Phillies sold 8,500 tickets since Friday, when they announced Nola would make his big league debut Tuesday. They sold 4,000 tickets Tuesday, making the announced crowd of 28,703 their largest weeknight crowd on a non-fireworks night since May 14. Fans wanted to see a reason to believe in the future. "He was terrific," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. "He did a great job. He showed a lot of poise." "He was poised," interim manager Pete Mackanin echoed. "He had a good mound presence. He didn't look scared." Nola allowed a leadoff double to John Jaso in the first inning, but struck out Steven Souza Jr. and Evan Longoria before getting James Loney to ground out to end the first inning. Nola's only mishap came in the third inning, when Rays pitcher Nathan Karns hit a solo home run to left field on a first-pitch fastball. "It was pretty awesome to be out there to feel the energy from the fans," Nola said. "To pitch at this level is pretty amazing and a pretty good feeling tonight. I had a little bit of jitters in the first inning. But once I threw a few pitches, they were gone." Nola's next start is Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. While there will be ups and down along the way, the Phillies hope Tuesday was a glimpse of what could be in a few years if J.P. Crawford, Zach Eflin, Roman Quinn, Cornelius Randolph, Andrew Knapp and others develop like the organization hopes. "I feel like we're just going out and doing our job and playing to the best of our ability," Nola said, when asked about the fact he represents the organization's future. "There's a lot of other great guys on the team that are there doing their job, too. We're trying to win."

Poor Base Running Sinks Phillies – Cody Asche did what he was supposed to, and it backfired. Odubel Herrera made a mistake, and the Rays took advantage of it. And on a night where two runs could've meant a completely different ballgame, those two mistakes buried the Phillies. The Phillies lost, 1-0, to the Rays on Tuesday night in a game where ace pitching prospect Aaron Nola lived up to the expectations the Phillies had of him when they selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. Despite this, the Phillies' offense also lived up to its reputation as the second-worst in the National League by runs scored and was unable to supply the rookie with run support, squandering its best opportunities in the cases of Asche and Herrera. In the second inning, after Asche walked to lead off the inning, he moved to second on a Domonic Brown single into center field. The single trailed into right field and Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier had to chase it down, so Asche rounded second and headed to third. This proved to be a mistake as Kiermaier showed off his arm and gunned Asche down at third for the first out of the inning. Although the outcome wasn't optimal, Asche defended his aggression. "Right there, that's just the play," Asche said. "He made a hell of a play. Not a lot of center fielders have the athletic ability to do that. I haven't seen it, but to make that throw from where he was on the line was pretty impressive." Although Asche's mistake came first, Herrera's might've been more pivotal. With Nola on first and one out in the fifth inning, Herrera dribbled a 1-1 pitch down the first-base line to Rays first baseman James Loney. Loney turned and fired to shortstop Jake Elmore, who was covering second base to retire Nola. By the time the ball made its way to Elmore, Herrera was barely out of the batter's box, as he elected not to run down the line. By the time he realized he could've beaten out the double play, it was too late, as Elmore delivered back to Loney for the easy 3-6-3 double play. "He didn't assume [Loney] was going to throw to second base, so he kind of quit running, which is something he's got to understand that's not the way you play," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "That's like getting a base hit to the outfield and not thinking about going to second base because he's going to catch the ball. You don't assume the outfielder is going to make the play." For some managers, the temptation after a play like that where it appeared Herrera suffered from a lack of effort might be to bench the player as punishment. That, however, is not Mackanin's style. "I'm not going to do that unless it's flagrant," Mackanin said. "This kid works as hard or harder than anybody. He puts in his time, and he's a good kid. I like the way he prepares for the game, but he's had a few incidences where he just didn't do things he should've done, and tonight was one. I'm not going to bury him because of that."

Franco Day-To-Day – For the first time since May 15, Maikel Franco's name was not listed in the Phillies' starting lineup Tuesday. The rookie third baseman left Monday night's 5-3 win over Tampa Bay with soreness in his right elbow that he said he aggravated on a throw in the sixth inning. Out of precaution, Phillies interim manager Pete Mackanin removed him from the game and decided to give him Tuesday off. Despite this, Franco said that he thinks he is available to pinch-hit if necessary, and he feels well enough that had Mackanin decided to start him, he thinks he could've played comfortably. "For me, I'm ready to play," Franco said. "I know it's sore a little bit, but I can play like that. But I just want to take a day off, and we'll see what happens." As he said he would Monday night, Franco arrived at Citizens Bank Park earlier than usual Tuesday to be evaluated by team trainers. Both Mackanin and Franco confirmed that the 22-year-old didn't undergo an MRI or any other tests. Rather, the trainers merely examined Franco's elbow. Based off their diagnosis, Mackanin listed Franco as day to day. Andres Blanco, a player Mackanin is glad to find a way to get in the game, started at third Tuesday. "I had planned to today, tomorrow and the next game have Blanco play a game at third, short and second -- not in that particular order -- to get him some at-bats and keep him sharp," Mackanin said. "I won't say it works out well that [Franco's] hurt, but I think it's just a day to day thing. He'll be fine." Since his callup from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on May 15, Franco has been a fixture in the Phillies' offense, producing primarily from the third spot in the order. He is batting .283 with an OPS of .818, 10 home runs and 35 RBIs.

Evaluating Trade Value – If the Phillies keep a five-man rotation through the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, Cole Hamels has just one more opportunity to pitch for his suitors. He will pitch Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, and if the rotation remains in order, he will not pitch again until the following Friday night against the Braves at Citizens Bank Park, three hours past the Deadline. Of course, with no game scheduled Monday, the Phillies could skip somebody and pitch Hamels on Thursday night. There are reasons to want to see Hamels pitch at least one more time. He has a 19.89 ERA in his last two starts. But the Phillies do not think Hamels needs to dominate Saturday to alleviate any potential concerns of pursuers like the Dodgers, Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox and Astros. The Phillies quickly mention Hamels' track record. He has a 3.09 ERA from 2010-15, which ranks eighth out of 101 qualified pitchers in baseball, and he is a proven postseason performer. "He needs to pitch like Cole," Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said Tuesday. "He's been pitching close to 10 years. They know what he is." Of course, it only would make sense for opposing general managers to use Hamels' recent struggles as a bargaining tool. Boy, Ruben, we can't give up these prospects when we've seen Cole pitch so poorly lately. "Then don't trade for him," Amaro said. "I think if the shoe were on the other foot and we were in pursuit of players, our biggest concern would be health. Do we see something mechanically? Do we see something different? If we saw something alarming, it would be different." The Phillies have told teams they could wait to trade Hamels (and others) until the offseason, but more starting pitchers will be available in the winter as free agents. Hamels is signed through 2018 at $22.5 million per season with a $20 million club option for 2019. The deal includes a $6 million buyout. "You think anybody is going to sign a three, plus one of the ilk of Hamels?" Amaro said. "Do you think [David] Price will do a three-year deal? I would think not, based on what the marketplace has done for some other guys. You're looking at five, six, seven, eight years. What did [Clayton] Kershaw get? Seven years? We have a contract that is locked in at three, plus one. So, yeah, I've been under no mandate to move any of these players. The mandate from our ownership group and Pat [Gillick] is 'Make good deals.' That's the goal." Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere and Jeff Francoeur continue to receive interest. Chase Utley is on the disabled list, but he could begin a rehab assignment soon. Sources indicated there could be some interest from the Angels, who are looking for a left-handed bat. "We've had pretty significant dialogue the past couple weeks about things," Amaro said. "I think things will continue to heat up, yeah. "I believe that it's clear that clubs have needs and have been aggressive. It doesn't mean anything will get done, but there's been some aggressiveness. Listen, we have some players that are desirable. And so I would fully expect them to be aggressive, because we've kind of opened up the doors to allow them to discuss them. We've been open-minded from last October on."

Crawford Showing Power – Phillies top prospect J.P. Crawford appears to have found his groove. Not typically known for his power, the shortstop now has five extra-base hits in his past three contests, including two homers. Tuesday night, he went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer for Double-A Reading, which took down Bowie, 6-4. Crawford's blast was clutch. It tied the game at four with two outs in the seventh inning. On the year, baseball's No. 15 overall prospect is hitting .266/.370/.431 with 11 doubles, four triples, four roundtrippers and 17 RBIs at the Double-A level. Drafted in the first round by the Phillies in 2013, he made his Reading debut earlier this season and is on pace to set new career bests in hits (currently at 79) and total bases (110).

Minor Updates – Players of the Week: Player - OF Cord Sandberg, Lakewood...Sandberg, 20, hit a robust .435 (10-23) with a double, triple, five RBI and five runs scored in six games for the BlueClaws, earning him Phillies Minor League Player of the Week. He reached base safely in exactly half of his plate appearances and extended his hitting streak to eight games with a 4-4, three-run game on July 19 against Rome. Those three runs were his season-high for a game, and the four hits tied his season best. Sandberg was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 2013 draft and was signed by Alan Marr. Pitcher - LHP Jesse Biddle, Lehigh Valley...Biddle, a 23-year-old southpaw, was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week and International League Pitcher of the Week honors after a dominant start on July 17 against Rochester. In that start, he tossed 7.0 scoreless innings, allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out seven. It was his first scoreless start of more than 5.0 innings this season at any level. Biddle was the Phillies' first-round selection in the 2010 draft, and was signed by Eric Valent. Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…42-53, 4^th place…Lehigh Valley split four games with the Rochester Red Wings in what was their only series last week due to the triple-A All-Star Break. The IronPigs are 4-0-2 in their last six series, with their last series loss coming back in June. Top hitting performers - OF Aaron Altherr clubbed his fourth home run for Lehigh Valley and his 10^th overall this season. He is now hitting .293 since joining the IronPigs…1B Chris McGuiness had hits in three of his four games, including his second home run of the season…OF Jordan Danks homered, drove in two runs, scored two more and walked twice in four games. Top pitching performers - LHP Jesse Biddle was strong in his start against Rochester, tossing 7.0 shutout frames and while allowing just three hits. He struck out seven and walked only one…LHP Adam Loewen converted both of his save opportunities and now has thrown four straight perfect innings for four straight saves…RHP Dalier Hinojosa tossed 1.2 innings and allowed one hit in his IronPigs debut on July 19. Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …51-43,T-1^st place…The Fightins also had an abbreviated week due to the All-Star Break, as they played four games against the New Britain Rock Cats. Reading won three of those four, moving into a tie for first place with the Trenton Thunder. With their series win, they are eight games over .500 in divisional play, which is tied for best in the Eastern Division. Top hitting performers - OF Kelly Dugan batted .333 (5-15) with a triple, three RBI, a stolen base and a run scored…OF Cam Perkins slashed .364/.462/.636, doubled, tripled, scored a run and drove in another. He had hits in each of his three games…SS J.P. Crawford had a team-high three extra-base hits (double, triple, home run) in four games played…C Andrew Knapp played in two games, hitting a triple in one and a home run in the other. He has hit safely in all of his 15 games with Reading. Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Lively scattered seven hits and allowed two runs over 6.1 innings of work on July 19. He has allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last six starts…RHP Colton Murray appeared in two games out of the bullpen and earned two wins after combining to throw 3.0 scoreless innings…LHP Joely Rodriguez had a successful relief outing, allowing just one hit in 2.0 innings pitched. Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…16-8, 1^st place, 53-41 overall…Clearwater was able to work around a rough series against Palm Beach to still finish the week with a winning record and remain 3.5 games up in the division. After winning consecutive games against Fort Myers and Palm Beach to start the week, the Threshers offense fell silent and produced just two runs over the next three games. They rebounded in their series opener with Lakeland on Sunday, riding Ricardo Pinto's strong start to a 3-1 victory. Top hitting performers - C Willians Astudillo batted an even .400 with two doubles, four RBI and a .429 on-base percentage last week. He hit safely in all but one game…CF Carlos Tocci went 9-23 (.391) with his first home run of the season for Clearwater, three runs scored and a stolen base…OF Aaron Brown hit .300 and had his first multi-home run game of the season. He now has six round-trippers this season. Top pitching performers - RHP Ricardo Pinto made two starts, combining to throw 14.2 innings while yielding just three runs (one earned) for a 0.61 ERA. He allowed nine hits and struck out eight…RHP Victor Arano lasted 7.0 strong innings in his start against Palm Beach, allowing just a run on five hits…LHP Brandon Leibrandt started one game for the Threshers and held Palm Beach to one run in 6.0 innings. He has allowed one run in each of his last three starts. Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…14-10, 2^nd place, 47-45 overall…The BlueClaws continue to gain ground on West Virginia, and now sit just three games back after a 4-2 week. Those four wins came in convincing fashion, as they outscored opponents 29-12 in those games. Lakewood will finish their series with Rome to begin the week before meeting with the first-place Power for a three-game set. Top hitting performers - OF Cord Sandberg was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .435 with a double, triple, five RBI, five runs scored and a .500 on-base percentage…1B Kyle Martin collected 10 hits in 23 at-bats (.435 average) and now has a nine-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .472 with 11 RBI. His 33 hits are eighth most among all players drafted this year…2B Scott Kingery recorded eight hits in six games, batting .364 with a double, triple and three walks…OF Herlis Rodriguez homered, scored four runs and batted .348 over five games. Top pitching performers - RHP Will Morris lasted a season-high 7.0 innings and surrendered three runs while striking out five batters…LHP Joey DeNato converted his only save chance-a six-out save on July 16-and also threw another scoreless frame in relief on July 19…LHP Austin Davis set a season-high with 6.0 IP in what was just his third start in 25 games overall. He allowed only one run on two hits…RHP Ranfi Casimiro struck out four and earned the win in his lone start. Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division…21-8, 1^st place…Williamsport went 4-3 last week and remains the only team in the New York-Penn League to have not yet reached 10 losses this season. They also recorded two more shutouts, and now boast a miniscule 2.44 staff ERA through 29 games. Top hitting performers - C Austin Bossart was locked in at the plate, collecting hits in six of his 10 at bats while hitting his first professional home run and knocking in two runs. He has hits in nine of his 10 games and is batting .385…1B Brendon Hayden hit .333 with a .444 on-base percentage, three walks and a couple of multi-hit games. Top pitching performers -  RHP Mitch Gueller is now 4-1 after tossing a 7.0-inning complete game shutout on July 17 against Batavia…RHP Alejandro Arteaga lasted 6.0 innings and allowed just one run in his one start, giving him four straight starts with either one or zero runs allowed…RHP Feliberto Sanchez made two scoreless relief appearances, one of 3.0 innings and another of 2.2 innings…RHP Luke Leftwich scattered three hits over 5.0 scoreless frames in his lone start of the week…RHP Anthony Sequeira converted a six-out save and added another 2.0 perfect innings in relief…RHP Robert Tasin tossed two scoreless frames for his sixth save of the season in as many chances. GCL Phillies - Gulf Coast League, Northwest Division…18-6, 1^st place…The Phillies' lead in the division increased to 3.5 games after another strong showing. They won two straight against the Tigers before splitting two-game sets with the Astros and Braves, giving them a 4-2 record for the week. The Phillies currently have the most wins among all 16 GCL teams. Top hitting performers - OF Jesus Alastre batted .545 (6-11) with three runs scored, an RBI and a walk in his three games played…One week removed from Player of the Week honors, SS Jonathan Arauz continued to impress by hitting .300 with two doubles and a team-high four RBI…OF Cornelius Randolph reached base at a .435 clip and hit .316 with four runs, four walks and an RBI in six games. Top pitching performers -  RHP Felix Paulino made two starts, combining to allow three runs (two earned) in 10.0 innings while striking out nine batters…RHP Adonis Medina lasted 5.0 innings in his one start, surrendering a run on four hits…In his first start of the season, LHP Bailey Falter threw 4.0 shutout innings and struck out five batters…RHP Horace Stubblefield recorded two consecutive six-out saves, striking out seven total batters in the process.

THE BEGINNING:

The Phillies are starting the season as expected and are now at the bottom of the NL east at 33-63. Given the departures, aging stars, injuries, and performance so far this season, this could end up being the worst team in franchise history! All time, the Phillies are 53-57-1 on this day.