Amaro Sidesteps Best Option to Improve Team

J-Roll was awarded his 4th Gold Glove this offseason.

If you were told in October that the Phillies' offseason additions would consist of: a setup man + a #5 pitcher, an unproven career .278 hitter with 0 lifetime HR and a 36 year-old 3B who hit 8 HR in 2012, would you be satisfied?

Since the Phils 2012 season ended, Hunter Pence joined Kyle Lohse and Pat Burrell as recent ex-Phils to claim a World Championship, while Ruben Amaro Jr. signaled to the world his commitment to stay fast to the plan and write-off the disappointment of missing the 2012 playoffs as a fluke.

NBC Sports 12/10/12 Quote of the Day, Ruben Amaro on signing 3B Michael Young :

“He has all the elements we’re looking for,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “First of all, the makeup is extraordinary. He’s the ultimate team player. He knows how to play baseball. He’s a winning baseball player. He’s had the opportunity to be in big games in the playoffs and he just fits real well.”

NBC elaborated:

"He later added — and I am not making this up — that Young is a 'professional hitter.' Kind of a bummer because now they have to pay him.
 

Blanton (far left) and Madson (far right) joined the Angels this week.

In other news, it’s a good thing he 'knows how to play baseball' or else it would have been really embarrassing when he showed up wearing scuba gear and asked what all the grass and dirt was for."

That was a non-Phillies fan take on a startlingly lackluster offseason by the Phils thus far.

This week, what Amaro called the one offensive "difference maker" available this offseason, Josh Hamilton signed with the L.A. Angels of Anaheim.  Hamilton was thought to be the Phillies best hope for regaining NL East glory.  Instead, Hamilton joined former Phils Ryan Madson (who grew up an Angels fan) and Joe Blanton (who once pitched for Oakland), becoming the newest Angels players announced this week.

The Phils?  Traded away Vance Worley and their #1 minor league pitching prospect.

In 1,064 career plate appearances, new Phillies CF Ben Revere has 0 HR. That's the most at-bats among all active players with 0 HR and the 5th-most since 1961.

The Phils could now be looking at an outfield of Revere, Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr./Laynce Nix.  Yikes!  There's always hope that last season's minor league wunderkind Darin Ruf makes a miraculous smooth early transition to the big leagues, unlike Brown's ongoing epic belly-flop.

So, Amaro Jr. decided not to sign the player that was, in his esteem, the best: "In Hamilton’s case, he’s the best player out there, there's no question" (12/7/12). So, does that instill confidence? Should fans feel that Amaro is serious about winning this year in light of his conservative minor tweaking of a roster that missed the playoffs in 2012?

Ryan Howard had better hit at least .275 and drive in 130 runs this year (last done in 2009).  Chase Utley had better play 150 games and bat .290 with 28 HR (last accomplished in 2008).  Otherwise, a too often paltry lineup in recent years could look mighty lean come April.

Newest Phillies:

Setup man reliever Mike Adams (2012 Texas Rangers):

The Phils lost 16 games last season that they led in the 7th inning or later.  Adams leads all set-up men in baseball in Holds over the last three seasons with 97.

Adams posted a 3.27 ERA with 7.7 strikeouts per nine innings with the Texas Rangers in 2012, his worst full season since 2004, his rookie year. But only Craig Kimbrel, Eric O'Flaherty, Sergio Romo, and Mariano Rivera have lower ERAs among relief pitchers since 2010. Adams (2.06 ERA) has thrown more innings than any of them during that span.  His declining fastball velocity is a red flag. It averaged 93.4 m.p.h. in 2010, 92.7 m.p.h. in 2011, and 91.3 m.p.h. in 2012, according to Pitch F/X data.

Starting pitcher John Lannan (2012 Washington Nationals):

Lifetime 42-52 with a 4.01 ERA and alarmingly horrendous 1.42 WHIP in 6 MLB seasons. He posts a 3.80 ERA if his outings against the Phillies are removed.  He has posted a 5.53 ERA in 19 career starts against the Fightin'. Ominously, Lannan has a 6.49 ERA in 8 career starts at Citizens Bank Park.


Phillies Top Offseason Stories So Far:

Very little could rival the 2011 offseason headline: Roy Halladay saves man in Amazon from death by snake:

What you swim in when earning $25-million a year.



"Roy Halladay Amazon Fishing Trip: Pitcher Saves Man After Anaconda Bite Along With Longtime Friend Chris Carpenter, who Halladay lost the World Series to Only Weeks Prior "

However, "Ryan Howard Narrowly Escapes Own Stupidity" could be seen as danger of a similar magnitude.

Also, there was Jimmy Rollins winning his 4th Gold Glove (2012, 2009, 2008, 2007).  Rollins lead the NL with a .978 fielding percentage.  

His offensive contribution in 2012 was equally significant.  J-Roll ranked 4th in NL in R (102) and 5th in NL in SB (30).  He also led the Phils in HR (23) and RBI (68), making him an extremely cost-effective per market value $11-million SS. 

Rollins, the longest standing Phillies player, is 34 years-old.  There was an interesting article written about him bt ESPN in Septemeber.  If you're a J-Roll fan, check it out: "The Mainstay".

 

Phils Subtract Pitching, Add Powerless Bats

In 2 moves that left area Mathematicians perplexed, the Phils subtracted pitching and added powerless bats, a feeble nod at contending with the spend-happy, Evil Empire West L.A. Dodgers, who continued making waves of a considerably different size.

36 year-old Michael (not so) Young is so totally underwhelming that his signing actually causes more concern than it reassures.   Is this what management really thinks of as difference-maker for this team?  Yes, the Phils needed a 3rd-sacker and yes, he is a veteran presence (as some were quick to note), but in an infield full of old, broke down bodies, is Young really giving the Phillies what they need?

In the trade with Texas, the Phils unloaded two righthanded relievers: Josh Lindblom, who arrived last July in the Shane Victorino trade, and Lisalverto Bonilla, a 22-year-old minor leaguer who had a 1.55 ERA in 31 games between Single A Clearwater and Double A Reading in 2012.



Even Kissing His Bat Didn't Improve Young's Woeful 2012.



The Rangers are paying $10 million of the $16 million Young is owed in 2013.

"He has a tremendous track record," Amaro said. "I know that last year was not his best year but after talking to the scouts and discussing it intently with the rest of our front office, we felt like this is an excellent person to bring to our club.

"The fact that he hits righthanded helps balance our lineup out a little bit as well. I just think all the elements he brings to the table for us are very, very positive."

Amaro alluded to 2012 not being Young's best year, which is somewhat concerning for a 36-year-old player. Young's batting average (.277), on-base percentage (.312), OPS (.682), home runs (8) and RBI (67) were all his lowest totals in 10 years.


Meanwhile, late last week, the Phils acquired CF Ben (no relation to Paul) Revere by trading SP Vance Worley and their #1 pitching prospect, 23-year-old Trevor May. The righthander struggled through most of last season, posting a 10-13 record and a 4.87 ERA at double-A Reading.



Amaro Hopes Revere's The Poor Man's Michael Bourn.



Revere, 24, had a .326 batting average and .383 on-base percentage in parts of five seasons in the Twins' minor-league system (although that's the minor leagues) and batted .294 in 553 plate appearances with the big-league team last season. He also stole 40 bases in 49 attempts and scored 70 runs. He did not make an error while playing 121 games at all three outfield positions. 

He is young and unproven, but with true potential.  However, the price the Phils paid to get him cannot be underscored enough.  When Worley was healthy, in 2011, he was a Rookie-of-the-Year candidate.  The Phils must have decided that after season-ending elbow surgery in 2012, he wouldn't be the same.  Unless they were simply counting on him being another J.A. Happ flash-in-the-pan sensation ready to topple.

Moving May, however, is perhaps less prudent.  The Phils had already ripped the farm bare of prospects, now May is the latest top arm to depart in the mass exodus of minor league talent during Amaro's early years as GM. 

One thing Revere will not provide is power. He has zero home runs and 33 extra-base hits in 1,064 plate appearances.

Young will not offer power either.

In 12 MLB seasons, he has hit a total of 177 HR. He hit 11 in 2011 and 8 in 2012.

Equally troubling is the fact that NL foes the Dodgers made some devastatingly powerhouse moves of their own while the Phils plucked some circumspect singles-hitters to maybe somewhat bolster their limp lineup.

The Dodgers had an active weekend, agreeing to terms late Saturday with free agent superstar pitcher Zack Greinke on a six-year, $147 million deal. They will enter the 2013 season with a record payroll of more than $230 million. Adding Zack Greinke and Korean left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu over the weekend makes the Dodgers the NL front runner for 2013.

Meanwhile, the Phils added a guy to play third who's over-the-hill and hit 8 HR last year.

The Phillies have achieved symmetry in recent years. In 2007, they missed the playoffs. In 2008, they won the World Series. Then, in 2009, they lost it. In 2010, they lost the NLCS and in 2011 they lost the NLDS. Finally, in 2012, they missed the playoffs again. So, it's a perfectly balanced rise and fall. From 2009-2011, they were eliminated in the playoffs by the team that went on to win the World Series.

Now, with a rotation of Halladay, Lee, Hamels and Kendrick, the Phils appear to be in the market for a 5th starter, as well as a power-hitting outfielder the caliber of a Josh Hamilton, a teammate of ex-Ranger Michael Young last season.  Perhaps the Phils will reunite the former Rangers in Philadelphia.

2012 Phils Hope to Resemble 1979

Sunday, hard-luck Lee fell to 6-8 on the year.

The Phillies season unofficially ended Sunday the way it began last Spring, with limp offense squandering a dazzling display of top-notch, dominant pitching by Cliff Lee (3-1, 0.99 ERA in September, 76 S.O. to 4 BB since July).

Lee S.O. 11 and walked none, while allowing only 1 earned run in 8 innings.  However, the same Phillies who posted 16 runs on 21 hits September 20th vs. the hapless Mets were impotent against Tim Hudson and the playoff bound Braves, posting just 2 hits and 0 runs against him and his unflappable bullpen.

Times like these separate the October teams from the wannabes, and the 2012 Phillies-- despite an exhilarating late-season surge-- now officially belong to the latter.

They closed that gap to within 3 GB over the weekend, but have stumbled, losing 2-in-a-row to Atlanta to fall 5 GB with 9 to play and 4 teams ahead of them for the final playoff spot in a September with zero margin of error, thanks to the corner that they painted themselves into.

On July 13th, when the Phils were 37-51, they were a team without hope, offering little signs of life.

They were 14 games under .500 and 11 GB of the 2nd and final Wild Card spot.

Then, the Phillies went an unlikely 40-25 to rebound as faux postseason contenders.

Now, at 77-76, having presently won 20-of-29, the Phils are precisely what their record shows: a winning ballclub, something they have gotten used to since 2002.

2012 may yet be the Phillies 10th consecutive year of winning baseball.  The remaining 9 games will decide little more than that.

Cloyd S.O. 26 and walked just 5 in his 1st 28 MLB innings. 

However, there have been many signs of hope over the 2nd-half of the season.  Enthusiasm has been renewed in the clubhouse and among the once-beleaguered fanbase, who finally had something to root for this season. 

The injection of some promising young pitchers, like Tyler Cloyd and Jeremy Horst have been a huge part of that.

So has the reemergence of prodigal son Chase Utley and the powering-up of slugger Ryan Howard.

25 year-old Cloyd impressed with 9 S.O., 0 BB and 1 run in 7 innings vs. NL frontrunners Cincinnati on September 3rd and 26 year-old Horst S.O. 32 in 26 innings, allowing just 1 HR with a 1.04 ERA in relief, signaling that some of the team's weakest links, i.e. bullpen, might be strengthened from within the organization.

Utley's comeback has been arresting.  After hitting a HR in his 1st game of the season on June 27th, Utley batted .293 with a .417 OBP in September.  His .451 SLG % is 2nd on the team (to Ruiz's .542).

Now that Utley is learning 3rd base, he promises to be an integral part of the 2013 Phils.


 Howard hit a 9th inning grand slam on 9/20.

Howard, who returned from Achilles heel injury perhaps prematurely, hit HRs in 4 consecutive games from Sept. 19-22 and has posted 14 HR and 55 RBI in just 67 games, which projects out to a 30 HR, 100 RBI season, which the Phils will need from the high-paid slugger in 2013.

Meanwhile, his high-paid compatriot Jonathan Papelbon put together a stellar August and September, lowering his ERA from 3.34 to 2.30,  retroactively justifying his July all-star selection.

Perhaps the most uplifting 2nd-half contribution came from leadoff hitter Jimmy Rollins, the longest standing Phillies player.  After being benched by his manager for lackluster effort, Rollins came alive with a .298, 7 HR September to give him 22 HR and 30 SB this season. 

It was Rollins swagger and preseason prediction that ignited the '07 Phils to their 1st division win in 14 years.

From 2007-2011 the Phillies were NL East Champions.  In 2011, they posted a franchise-best 102 wins. 

So, naturally, hovering around .500, but with a losing record for nearly the entire season, the 2012 Phils have been a disappointment.

However, they are ending on a bright note with promise of competitive baseball yet to come, especially with aggressive management Amaro and co. waiting in the wings to reshuffle and make the kind of acquisitions that have enabled the recent winning ways.

The 1976-78 Phils, led by Schmidt, Carlton and Greg "the Bull" Luzinski, won their division every year.  They posted then franchise best 101 win seasons in '76 & '77. 

Then, in 1979, the bottom dropped out.  A refueled division was won by Pittsburgh, whose 98 wins were tops in the NL and who went on to win the World Series, something the '76-'78 Phils, who lost in the NLCS each year, dropping a sum of 9 of 11 games, had painfully failed to do.

In 1979, it got worse.  They finished 4th instead of 1st and appeared to have ended an era without having even a single World Series appearance to show for it.


The 2013 Phils will attempt to rebound as the 1980 Phils did.

Of course, the following year the 1980 Phillies captured the heart of Philly fans forever with the franchise's 1st World Series win.  Schmidt (48 HR, .624 SLG % that year) finally rose on the biggest stage (8-for-21 .381 World Series, 2 HR and 7 RBI) and there was Carlton being Carlton: 24-9, 2.34 ERA, 286 S.O. and a 3-0 postseason.

So, while the '12 Phils are the 1st to miss the playoffs since '06, there is a lot of promise and renewed enthusiasm inside and around the organization after a terrific 2nd half that did not a season make.

What Amaro and co. do now will be heavily watched and could have tremendous impact.  The Nationals have proven they are for real, even if a Strasburg-less postseason fizzles abruptly.  Meanwhile, there's always the Braves, with 26 year-old Kris Medlen (9-1, 1.51 ERA) the latest in a remarkable line of Braves' starters to lead the team to top the NL.

Heading into the 2012 season, GM Amaro Jr. spent big on a closer, but neglected the bridge between his star-studded starters, who were often injured and underwhelming this season.  That busted bridge accounted for enough losses in the 1st half alone that it could have single-handedly closed the gap between the Phils' 3rd place finish and a playoff birth.

He also relied too heavily on the idea that injured stars Utley and Howard would rebound promptly from their significant injuries to account for a necessary chunk of offense, which instead went missing for the vast majority of the season.


Swisher has hit .160 in 100 postseason at-bats.

A top-notch outfielder and more bullpen help from outside the organization have to be Amaro's primary concerns. 

Shrewdly freeing up salary by parting ways with overpriced outfielders Pence and Victorino was a first step toward filling the gap vacated in 2010 by Jayson Werth.  The Phils will need another power-hitting outfielder if they are to compete in 2013.  Clearly, John Mayberry Jr., despite his promising 2nd half in '11 is not that man with major league consistency.  Despite flashes of his talent in 2012, Dominic Brown hasn't been either.

So, they will need to sift through the slim free agent market or make a trade to bolster their outfield.

The Yankees' Nick Swisher is available, has hit at least 20 HR in his last 8 seasons and is known as a chatty, uplifting clubhouse presence.

The Angels' Torii Hunter and Rangers' Josh Hamilton are available, but devoted to their respective teams.  [Click here for a complete list of potential free agents this offseason.]

The Phillies have risen, a Pheonix From the Flames during the 2nd-half of '12.  Like '06, they began with a fizzle and ended with a pop.  Now the future is theirs for the writing.  It will be an offseason of recharging (Amaro), getting healthy (Howard, Halladay, Worley) and eager anticipation.

Phils Find Magic

When Chase Utley came up with 2 out in the top of the 9th and nobody on, he promptly went into a 1-2 hole: Ball, Strike (looking), Strike (foul).


Rollins is hitting the cover off the ball this month
.

 The Phillies had managed just 2 hits all night, one of those the 43rd leadoff HR of Rollins' career, his team-leading 22nd of the year.  Rollins, making $11 million this year, also leads all Phils (with qualifying number of at-bats) in Ave., OBP, hits, RBI, runs and toal bases and is 2nd with 30 SB.  He is hitting .333 with 7 HR in September.

However, the Phils had managed just 1 hit since his HR in the 1st.

After losing 3-of-4 to MLB's worst team in Houston over the weekend, they seemed resigned to save their fight for next year rather than squander it on the hapless Mets.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers were winning convincingly, 6-0, as were the Cardinals, 5-0 and Brewers, 3-0. The Wild Card picture appeared certain to exclude the Phils with a finality by the end of the night.

At Citi Field, lefty Josh Edgin from Lewiston, PA had just S.O. Rollins and Ty Wigginton on 8 pitches to start the 9th and had Utley down 1 ball-to-2 strikes.

Nonetheless, true competitor to the end, Utley fought his way back: Ball, Foul, Foul, Ball, Ball to earn a walk.


Utley-Howard: For Old Times Sake.

The final pitch was so close that Utley and Home Plate umpire Bruce Davidson stood staring, briefly, then assumed position for the next pitch before someone told them Utley should go to 1st.

Next up, a name that strikes fear in the hearts of Phillies fans, lately. All week long I had been fielding emails in response to my post, "Mr. September vs. Father Time." 

Most of them were about Howard, and they weren't favorable.  The most optimistic fan I heard from was off for a vacation until October 6th. 

Others wished Howard was on vacation, still on the DL or worse.

"Howard... vs. LHP: .167... Let's face it: Ry-Ho is at best a platoon hitter," read one fan, understandably tired of watching the Phils season end with a lame whiff from Howard, swinging for the trees and coming up empty.

In fact, Howard was 0-for-20 vs. lefthanders when he stepped up to the plate against Edgin.

Strike 1 (looking).  Here we go.  Come on Ryan, make us forget the $20 million your 230 AB and 87 S.O. have cost this year.

The scoreboard flashed: the Dodgers 6-0 lead had evaporated.  Their game was now tied, 6-6.



Wednesday Howard defied the odds
and gave Phils the win.

Then he did it.  A 93 mph fastball in his sweet spot, and Howard crushed it, sending it to carom off the front of the second deck in right field, a  373 foot shot.

At 10-3 in their last 13 and 18-7 in last 25, the Phils eclipsed the Pirates in the playoff hunt and now trail only St. Louis (Wild Card place holders, winners of 3-straight, putting it to Houston like Phils ought to have), the Dodgers (2 GB, a 9th inning HR from Matt Kemp gave them a 7-6 win tonight) and Milwaukee (8-2 in last 10, hottest team in baseball).  

Cole Hamels gave it his all with 10 S.O. in 6 innings, but David Wright's 2-run HR stood up until the 9th, preventing Hamels from recording his career-best 16th win.  Hamels has just 1 win since August 18th. 

Wright is now appx. .338 with 4 HR and 19 RBI vs. Phils this year after hitting .301 against them from '08-'11.  

Next up:   Phils go for the sweep in NY in a rookie starters showdown at 7:10 pm on Thursday.  

25 year-old Tyler Cloyd (1-1, 4.95 ERA) vs. 26 year-old Jeremy Hefner (2-6, 4.99 ERA).

The Phillies have no margin for error and zero head-to-head games remaining against any of the Wild Card teams.  Their only playoff hope is to continue to win while the other 3 teams simultaneously lose the majority of their respective games.  Otherwise, all this is for the promise of a better 2013 and has at least made them surprisingly relevant to the playoff picture again.

Mr. September vs. Father Time

The Phillies lost 5-0 to MLB's worst team Saturday night.  The Fightin' won 7-straight before dropping 2-of-3 in Houston.  Never-the-less, they remain just 3 games out of the final playoff spot, but with little time left to close that gap. 

"Tonight was unreal," said frustrated manager Charlie Manuel, after his team went 0 for 10 with men in scoring position and stranded 12 baserunners. "We have to keep playing. We've got to play better. They outplayed us."

The Phillies have 16 games left in their regular season.  16 games to determine if they are playoff caliber.  All that must start Sunday when 'Doc', a shadow of himself for most of 2012, takes the mound to show the baseball world what he has left in the tank this year and perhaps beyond.


Halladay struggled in his last outing on 9/11/12

Halladay (10-7, 4.01 ERA), has won 4 consecutive decisions and is 2-1 with a 1.16 ERA and 2 complete games in 4 starts against the Astros.

However, he struggled his last time out, allowing 7 hits, 3 BB and 5 runs in 6 1/3.

The Phillies will need Halladay to step up Sunday, as they desperately must salvage a split in Houston in a series they ought to have swept.

Meanwhile, 'Mr. September' Ryan Howard seemed poised to live up to his name after returning from Achilles heel surgery in July to post a promising August: .255 Ave., 6 HR, 25 RBI.

However, when his team needs him most, he is presently mired in an ugly month: .189 Ave., 0 HR, 10 RBI

If this keeps up, Manuel should replace him at cleanup with Ruiz, who hit there earlier this year with Howard out after surgery.  Ruiz is 4-for-11 with 3 runs scored in 5 games since coming off the disabled list and is hitting a whopping .336 for the year with a team-best .556 slugging % (Howard's is a paltry .411).


Howard could be a difference maker in this year's playoff chase.

Friday, Howard went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI, offering hope that he may have September magic yet-to-come.  Here's a look at Howard's Septembers past, which earned him the title 'Mr. September':

2005: .278 10 HR, 22 RBI
2006: .387 9 HR, 20 RBI
2007: .260 11 HR, 26 RBI
2008: .352 11 HR, 32 RBI
2009: .288 6 HR, 27 RBI
2010: .280 7 HR, 21 RBI
2011: .290 4 HR 13 RBI


The teams ahead of the Phils in the Wild Card Standings are largely struggling mightily, while the Phillies have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past few weeks.

Dodgers' Cy Young defender "out indefinitely."

DODGERS: Despite tying for the Wild Card lead, they are reeling at 3-7 in their last 10 and just announced reigning Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to inflammation in his right hip.

It's a huge blow to a team left with Josh Beckett (6-13, 4.94 ERA) now fronting their rotation.  They also lack chemistry after a recent LA-style team face lift.  Add to their misery that they will have to play, largely on the road, 10 of their remaining 16 games against the NL's #1-3 & #5 best teams, and the Dodgers are beginning to look like a playoff long shot, even though if the season ended today they'd be in.

ST. LOUIS: Tied for Wild Card lead, but dropping faster than lead from a plane.  The defending Champs Wild Card lead has evaporated amidst a titanic team slide, 2-8 in their last 10.  They do have the talent and experience to turn it around fast, though.  However, they will face the #1, #2 and #5 NL teams in 7 of their remaining 16 games. 

PITTSBURGH: 2 games out in the Wild Card standings.  3-11 in last 14 games and must battle top teams in 9 of final 18 games.  Plus, they're the Pirates, so enough said.

MILWAUKEE: 2 1/2 games out in the Wild Card standings.  Enjoying a very impressive 19-6 run with a remaining schedule consisting of 10 top teams in 16 games.  However, 3 of those games are vs. the incredibly shrinking Pirates.  This should be Milwaukee's year.

PHILLIES: 3 games out in the Wild Card standings.  The Phils are on a 16-6 and 8-2 hot streak, which is next to best in baseball, behind Milwaukee.  The Phils will play 9 games against 2 of the NL's best teams, playoff bound #1 Washington and #2 Atlanta.  The Phils are a dismal 5-10 vs. Atlanta this year, but a hopeful 7-5 against Washington.  It remains to be seen whether their hot streak is a mirage, promising a better 2013 or a serious run this year.  The present series against Houston has already been a troublesome hiccup.  They will need to win Sunday and charge full-steam ahead straight through the Mets in NY Mon.-Wed. in order to stake a claim on the 2012 playoffs.

Next up:

Sunday, 2:05 EST

Philadelphia: Halladay (10-7, 4.01 ERA)
vs.
Houston: Lyles (4-11, 5.33 ERA)

Phillies Building a Miracle



Kendrick is 7-2 with a 2.08 ERA since June.


Monday, Kyle Kendrick struck out a career-high 8 and took a no-hitter into the 6th inning vs. Miami as the Phillies continued their relentless run at an unlikely playoff spot.

It's official.  After completing their 5th-straight win Monday, their 8th in 10 games, the Phils are the hottest team in the NL and the 2nd-hottest in baseball (after the LA Angels: 9-1, 6-straight wins).

With the Reds beating Pittsburgh 4-3 in 14 innings and St. Louis stumbling to the lowly Padres 11-3 Monday, the Phils moved to within 2 1/2 games of the Pirates and 5 back of St. Louis for the Wild Card with 21 games remaining.

St. Louis, the team presently holding the 2nd and final NL WC playoff spot is now an underwhelming 4-9 in their last 13, while Pittsburgh, barely leading the Phils in the Wild Card standings, is 2-8 in their last 10 and has lost 14-of-19.

Meanwhile, MLB and NL East-leading Washington is only fairly good at 10-8 in their last 18.  Plus, they just shut down arguably their biggest weapon, starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, for the remainder of the season.  That decision has brought inner-conflict to the team, but was determined before the season to keep his innings-pitched to a specific number as this is his return season from Tommy John surgery.

Tuesday, Wild Card hopefuls Arizona and the Dodgers battle eachother, while the immediate team the Phils must pass in the Wild Card standings, Pittsburgh, faces the 1st place Reds.  Meanwhile, Wild Card hopefuls Milwaukee, tied with the Phils in wins-losses, take on Wild Card leaders Atlanta.

All of this is good for the Phils, whose hair-raising timing in getting hot in August and September, may just amount to something yet.

The 3rd-place Phils are now 33-21 in the 2nd-half and have won 13-of -17.

Remembering that this year's team lost 11-of-12 from June 27th-July 13th puts that into perspective.



Kendrick has been a revelation, leading all pitchers.
.

 Kyle Kendrick-- of all people, the player most likely to produce a groan from Phils fans over the past 4 seasons-- has been an instrumental part of that success.

"We definitely know where we're at," Kendrick said. "We've got to win every night. But we're in the hunt. That's fun. Hopefully we can make something happen."

However, Dominic Brown, who homered in the 5th to put the Phils on the board to stay, disagreed:

"I don't think anybody's looking at the standings," he said.

Meanwhile, Manager Charlie Manuel predicted the Phillies would have to win 14 or 15 games over the final 21 to make the playoffs.

"We might win all 21 of them," he said, offering one of the few smiles he's had all season. 

Why not smile?  The Phils are playing with house money like it was 2006.

That year, they dumped salary at the trade deadline, acknowledging they could no longer compete-- for now.  Then, the team went on to record the majors best 2nd-half record, only to miss the playoffs on the season's final couple days by 3 games, while finishing with 2 more wins than NL Central victors, St. Louis.

The 2012 Phils, heavily favored and by no one's measure underdogs, are mounting a similar run.

"I think for a lot of the season many of the teams have counted us out," All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "For a while there we were playing spoiler, and then spoiler kind of dominoed into now-we-have-a-shot. I think we have to get to .500 first."

While they have not overwhelmed anyone all year, at 70-71 they are nearly back to .500 for the 1st time since they were 28-28 on June 4th.

What does all this really mean?

Either that they are proving themselves contenders for next year or that the Phils might make the playoffs in a fashion unprecedented in team history and with a rotation that could compete with anyone, if healthy, come October.

Either way, 28 year-old Kendrick is officially reborn. 

He is now 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA in September, after going a team-best 4-1 with a 2.95 ERA in August.  Add to that his July, 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in relief, and Kendrick is 7-2 with a 2.08 ERA since June.  He is also 5-1 with a 1.49 ERA in his last 6 starts.

That's best on the starter-studded rotation, better than Halladay, Lee and even All-Star Hamels.

Kendrick is making $3 million this year.  Halladay $20 million, Lee $21.5 million and Hamels $15 million.

Nate Schierholtz celebrates his walk-off single Friday.



 Whether the Phils make the '12 playoffs or not, they have officially picked themselves up off the floor and dusted themselves off for a run in 2013, reminding fans and themselves that there can still be winning baseball to celebrate in Philadelphia.

"I see more life, more get-up and go," Manuel said of the recent transformation of his players.

"It's fun to watch, and I think that's what we really need to stick to . . . just going out there and doing what we can do and win ball games," Cole Hamels said yesterday.

1B/LF Darin Ruf was called up Monday after he led all minor leaguers with 38 home runs for Double-A Reading, hitting a HR every 12.86 times at-bat this season.



Darrin Ruf is Phils All-Time single-month HR champ.

 "I like seeing his swing on television because he has a very controlled, short compact swing," Charlie Manuel said. "Powerful swing. The way the ball came off his bat, he had a good load and a good hitting position. From a mechanics standpoint, I liked what I saw from him."

"He's had an extraordinary year," Manuel said. "Ruf is trying to hit his way to the big leagues. That's what it used to be like. You had to do something to get to the big leagues. Evidently, Ruf is an old throwback."


1B/LF Darin "Babe" Ruf.

 "Charlie Manuel said he wants to get me in there, see what I can do,” Ruf said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

This season, Ruf shattered Ryan Howard's club record for most HRs in a month at any professional level with 20 in August for Reading and set the HR and RBI single-season Reading Phils record.

In 2012, Ruf earned the nickname "Babe," while being named the Phillies Minor League Player of the Year, Eastern League MVP and Rookie of the Year by hitting .317/.408/.620 with 32 doubles, 38 HRs and 104 RBIs and a 1.028 OPS in the regular season and led the R-Phils into the Eastern League Playoffs as a Wild Card.  Ruf hit his 39th HR Sunday in the R-Phils' 5-4 playoff loss to Trenton.

Next up:

Tuesday, September 11th

7:05 PM ET @ Citizens Bank Park

Marlins 

Nathan Eovaldi (4-11, 4.44)

vs.

Phillies

Roy Halladay (9-7, 3.87 ERA)

Phils Winning Early-- For Next Year

$21.5 million man wins 1st game at home

As if epitomizing the phrase 'Too Little, Too Late' the Phillies won 3-straight at home vs. Washington, sweeping their weekend series with the MLB-best Nationals.

The Phils have now won 7-out-of-9, 10 out-of-15 and are 24-17 in the 2nd-half.

Heck, Cliff Lee (3-7) even won his 1st home game of the season Sunday!

Hard-luck Lee has shown master control in his past 10 games with 67 strikeouts to only 6 walks (his ratio is #1 in MLB this year), while posting an ERA just above 3 since June.  Lee seeks to become the only human being in the world making $21.5 million this year simultaneously deserving of a great big pity-party.

Meanwhile, 'Doc' Halladay is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA, 29 S.O. and 4 BB in August.

"Thank you for your strikeout contribution."

Kyle Kendrick-- of all people-- went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA out of the bullpen in July, then 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA and consecutive shutouts (13 S.O. to 1 BB in that stretch) as a starter in August.

Kendrick is so happy with his pitches of late, that he has taken to hugging opposing batters, just for striking out against him [see photo., left].

'12 All-Star Cole Hamels is 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA in August.

In other words, if the season had started in August, the 15-10 Phils would be in 2nd place, 1 game behind the 16-9 Nationals.

Instead, the 61-67 Phillies are 10 GB of the Wild Card with 34 Games remaining.  The silver lining is that they finally appear to be laying the foundation for a successful 2013.

However, the NL is not the cakewalk it once was.  Can these aging Phillies compete against the superstar-studded L.A. "Yankees West" Dodgers for the NL title in '13?  There will also be Young Guns Washington, a Veteran St. Louis club, Dogfightin' S.F. and hard-hitting Cincinnati to contend with.

Hunter Pence is hitting .214 with 29 S.O. and 6 BB in his 1st month as a Giants player, making the Phillies look good for trading him and freeing up salary to spend in free agency on a more complete outfielder.  However, Pence still leads the '12 Phils in 5 of the 6 top offensive categories with a .271 Ave., 17 HR, 59 RBI, .336 OBP & .784 OPS, all team-leading a month after his departure.

Ryan Howard returned July 6th and is hitting .245 with 8 HR and 25 RBI.

Chase Utley came back June 27th and is hitting .249 with 8 HR and 25 RBI, nearly identical numbers to Howard's.

The big difference between them is the quality of their at-bats.  Howard has  61 S.O. and 17 BB, while Utley has 27 S.O. and 25 BB.

Hamels' son: cute, but can he play RF?

Next up for the Phils, an NL East rival visits Philly:

METS (59-69, 4th place) vs. PHILLIES (61-67, 3rd place)

Tuesday: RHP Chris Young (3-7, 4.33) vs. RHP Vance Worley (6-9, 4.06), 7:05 p.m. ET

Tale-of-the-tape: Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are a combined 4-for-29 (.138) with 8 strikeouts in their careers vs. Mets pitcher Chris Young.

Wednesday: RHP Matt Harvey (2-3, 2.75) vs. LHP Cole Hamels (14-6, 2.99), 7:05 p.m. ET 

Tale-of-the-tape: Hamels (14-6, 2.99 ERA) is still motivated this year, pitching for his 1st CY Young, but faces stiff competition, including the Mets' R.A. Dickey (16-4, 2.76 ERA), Cincinnati's Johnny Cueto (16-6, 2.47 ERA) and  Washington's Stephen Strasburg (15-5, 2.85 ERA).

Kendrick has proven he can pitch in the rain, but not against the Mets.

Thursday: LHP Jon Niese (10-7, 3.51) vs. RHP Kyle Kendrick (7-9, 4.12), 1:05 p.m. ET 

Tale-of-the-tape: Niese is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in 4 games vs. the Phillies this year.  The Phillies are hitting just .161 against him.  Kendrick, meanwhile, is 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA vs. the Mets in 2 1/3 innings in '12 with 4 BB and 0 S.O.  The Mets are hitting .455 against him.

Bottom line: This is a battle between 2 teams that have a long, cold Fall awaiting them in a few weeks, while they assess the value of their players and their off-season needs between now and then.

Dodgers Claim Lee, Acquire Blanton

'Trading me AGAIN?!'

The Dodgers put a claim on Clifton Phifer Lee before the Phillies pulled back the offer for the left-hander.

Lee was made available prior to Tuesday's non-waiver trade deadline by the Phillies, who were looking for a big package in return.

But Philadelphia then took Lee off the market.

The Phillies can pull Lee off waivers (they would be unable to waive him again this season), they can pull him off and work out a trade with the Dodgers (this would require eating a chunk of his salary), or they can just let him go (unlikely, but cost-free).

The Phils acquired Lee at the '09 trade deadline and rode him through a sensational postseason all the way to the World Series, then traded him after the season to Seattle.  Lee went to the Rangers a few weeks before the '10 trade deadline and helped the club reach its first World Series. Then, before the '11 season, Lee turned down bigger offers to sign with the Phils as a free agent for 5 years and $120 million.  He went a phenomenal 17-8 with a 2.40 ERA for the Phils in '11.

Lee, the AL Cy Young Award winner in 2008, is 2-6 with a 3.73 ERA for the Phillies this season.

Amaro Jr. & co. must be very mad at him, because moving Lee is illogical.  First of all, they would likely eat a chunk of his massive salary.  Secondly, it is improbable they could find a better pitcher on the open market or that Lee's woes will continue.  His ERA is much better than his win record, his run support has been horrendous and he went 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA in July.

It is common for major-league clubs to put players on waivers, especially those with hefty contracts, after the trade deadline. If a player is claimed, the team can either work out a trade with that club or pull the player back, which the Phillies did with Lee.

Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. would not confirm that Lee was claimed, but told reporters that he "is not going anywhere." On the other hand, they've said that before-- then traded him and are now hearing offers.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti wouldn't comment when asked Friday if the team put a claim in on Lee.

The Dodgers also submitted a claim, then acquired Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton on Friday.

'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em'. The Phils knocked the Dodgers out of the playoffs in the '08 and '09 NLCS.  Now, the Dodgers have former Phils Victorino and Blanton after a busy week, and are seeking more. 

Philadelphia will get a minor league player-to-be-named later or cash for Blanton, who went 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA for the Phils in the '08 World Series.

2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in the '08 World Series

Blanton joined the Phillies in 2008 and was part of the team's World Series squad. He hopes to be the same good luck charm for L.A., where he joins teammate Shane Victorino on the Dodgers.
  

"It was a little bit of a shock, especially since the trade deadline had passed," Blanton said. "But when you're in trade rumors, you've got to be ready to do whatever. And I was happy if I stayed. At the same time, it will be a new thing, a new adventure to go. And that's always fun."
 

The 31-year-old Blanton is 8-9 with a 4.59 ERA in 20 starts and one relief appearance. He is making $8.5 million and, like Victorino, can become a free agent after the season. While the cost-cutting Phillies are preparing for 2013, the Dodgers entered Friday a half-game behind San Francisco in the NL West.

Blanton bolsters a rotation that includes reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw, who has been less than that this year: 8-6, 2.95 ERA, but could turn it on at any time.

"You play for the postseason and a chance to go to the World Series. And they're in a good position," Blanton said. "They have a very good team over there. Pitching against them, I know how good their lineup is. They're in a good position right now. So that's always exciting. They're fighting to win out there, and that's always exciting to be a part of."

To fill the roster spot, the Phillies recalled right-hander B.J. Rosenberg from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Kyle Kendrick was to start against Arizona in Blanton's place Friday night.

 

Blanton came to Philadelphia after a trade with Oakland in July 2008, and helped the Phillies win their second World Series title. He earned a victory in Game 4 against Tampa Bay and even hit a three-run HR.

 "I remember the parade, going down Broad Street and all the fans everywhere," Blanton said. "Just the thrill of being able to come to such a baseball city. The fans have been unbelievable the whole time I've been here. I've had an amazing time here."

'What are the Phillies thinking?!'

Blanton was 34-25 with a 4.47 ERA in 100 starts and five relief appearances with the Phillies. Since 2008, Blanton has the fourth-best winning record among all major-league starters after the All-Star break at 17-6.

He's 38-20 with a 3.83 ERA in 99 games (91 starts) after the break in his career. Overall, Blanton is 81-71 with a 4.25 ERA in nine seasons. He's 2-0 with a 4.02 ERA in 10 postseason games, including six starts.

The five-time defending NL East champion Phillies have been stuck in last place since June and are dumping salaries. They've trimmed enough off their payroll to avoid having to pay the luxury tax this year.

After missing out on Ryan Dempster at the deadline, the Dodgers' brass was insistent it wasn't done dealing. In fact, new controlling owner Mark Walter openly hinted at that idea.

"Do you really ever want to say we did enough?" Walter said. "That's not an attitude I really want a lot of around here. I guess if the entire All-Star team is on your team, you could feel like you had enough. But I don't want to think that way. That's now how you want to look at it.

"I think we are a very competitive team now. But you can always get better." 

The Phillies are done being competitive this season.  They now officially look to the off-season to begin heavily competing on the open market of free agency.

Flyin' HI No More: Goodbye #8

The Flyin' Hawaiian is gone.  In a season of misery and disappointment, peppered with dashed hopes and gutless performances, the front office cut off one of the team's limbs.

It's being termed "The End of An Era," but its much more than that.  It's goodbye to a friend.

As one fan put it, "I can't watch them anymore, I can't.  I care about the team because I care about the players.  If they trade the players, I stop caring."

Shane Victorino was one of the most popular players on the Phillies. He was beloved by fans and was very active in Philadelphia charities.

He recorded 3 Gold Gloves in CF and was twice voted into the All-Star game by fans, who love his spirit and his spitfire intensity.

However, the Phillies weren't going to give him the long-term deal he'll seek in free agency.  So, pragmatically, they took advantage of the short-term opportunity for some return on his imminent departure.

Teammate Jimmy Rollins responded to the trade on Twitter:

"Wishing my Lil Hawaiian brother all the best & continued success. Although he is no longer rockin' the P he has definitely left his mark!"

I was there in 2008, when the most dramatic moment of the NLCS  was 1 at-bat by the Flyin' Hawaiian.  The Phils had a 2-0 series lead, but were playing their 1st in L.A.  The Dodgers pummeled Jamie Moyer early with 6 runs in 1 1/3 innings.  Then, Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda sailed a pitch over Victorino's head as payback for Brett Myers' close shaves in Game 2.  Everybody knew payback was due, but Victorino took offense that it came at his head.  With his typical fire, he protested with vivid animation:

"Not at my head, bro!"

I took these pictures of the bench-clearer at the '08 NLCS in L.A.

What followed was an unforgettable, electric benches-clearing confrontation between the Phils and Dodgers.  Today, one journalist deemed it one of baseball's best-ever pitcher-batter showdowns.  Forever forward, Victorino has been vehemently booed in Los Angeles.  This was true that night and the final game he played in L.A. as a Phil.  I was there for the game in October '08 and the one in July '12.

Ironically, Victorino returns to the Dodgers, a team he is hitting .346 against in 2012.

The irony is manifold:

1) The Dodgers cast Victorino off when he was their property in the minor leagues, after they had selected him 194th overall in the 6th round of the '99 draft. The Phils rescued him from the trash heap of 'could've-been', convinced him he that had major league talent and propelled him to the starting role, replacing then-fan favorite Aaron Rowand with #8.  Now, the Dodgers take him back, officially admitting their error in judgement.

2) This is the team Victorino and co. stopped short of the World Series in '08 and '09, 8-games-to-2. Now, the Dodgers are on their way up, while the Phils will either retool for another run or have begun a rebuilding phase with this move.

3) These are the fans that love to hate him, inexplicably, because a) Kuroda threw at his head and b) he is practically impossible not to like.

I remember watching the 2008 NLDS Game 2 vs. Milwaukee at my sister-in-law's house.

C.C. Sabathia was en route to the biggest contract a pitcher has ever signed with the Yankees.  However, then, he was still the best thing the Brewers had.  He was their 'X' factor.  They had famously thrown him on 3-days rest repeatedly to reach the postseason as the Wild Card, and he had just as famously delivered.  Superstar Sabathia, 6'7" 290-pound, was Goliath vs. 5'9" 190-pound ordinary major-leaguer Shane Victorino.

Victorino came up with the bases loaded and hit a grand-slam.  I, like so many Phillies fans, jumped for joy, hope swelling within my heart.  My dad suffered constant heartbreak with his beloved team.  This was the initiation of something else, something opposite, and it was signaled by that one Victorino swing:

"When I first hit it, I said, 'I've got to get going,' " Victorino said that October day. "As I was running, I looked at [leftfielder Ryan] Braun stop and I was like, 'Wow, did that really just happen?' There was just excitement in the air to know we got an early lead on a guy like CC."

Shane, wife and child at Victorino Foundation charity 6/12.

It was then that I knew 2008 was destiny.  I made my travel plans for Philly and attended the final game of the World Series, watching the Phils win it all, fulfilling a lifelong dream.  The green light to my unforgettable journey that Fall was the Grand Slam at-bat by #8.  I will miss him, the city will miss him, its charities will miss him, his teammates will miss him, and he will always be a Phillies player in our hearts.

Ryan Howard reflected: "As a teammate, you are going to miss him, hearing that voice from across the room. You want the best for him."

"He's been part of everything we've accomplished around here," said his manager Charlie Manuel.

The switch-hitting Victorino batted .279 with 181 doubles, 63 triples, 88 home runs, 390 RBIs and 179 stolen bases in eight years with the Phillies. In 46 postseason games, Victorino hit .269 with six homers and 30 RBIs.

With Victorino a free agent at the end of this season, one can't help but imagine he and the Phils considering reuniting.  To quote a classic movie:  "Come back, Shane!"  Although it is a practical impossibility, it did happen with the Phils and Cliff Lee.  So, who knows?  

Hunter Pence

Trading Pence was about salary dumping, because the Phils are instantly worse without him.  His contract is for $10.4 million this season and exceeds $13 million in 2013. Pence is hitting .271 with 17 homers and 59 RBIs this season. He leads the Phillies in hits, HRs, RBIs, runs scored and walks.

Hunter Pence: going, going... gone.

"Thank you Philadelphia for all your support and passion. Excited to see what awaits me in San Francisco!" Pence wrote on Twitter.

However, his true reaction was much less glossy:

"Very surprising," Pence said with a glazed look in his eyes. "I don't think anyone anticipated the season that has gone on this year. It was a perfect storm of injuries and things that didn't go right for us. That's the business of the game and you have to understand that. We had a great run and now I've been sent on."

"I had nothing but great memories here in Philadelphia," he said. "I am nothing but thankful for the opportunity to play -- unbelievable teammates and really the organization is a class act all the way from the top down. The fans made it an absolute blast to play for, so it was a great experience."

The moves restocked some of the Phils depleted farm system and addressed the immediate and gaping bullpen hole.   They saved almost $6 million in 2 hours and cleared the luxury tax limit for this season by minutes. 

Furthermore, GM Amaro Jr. made plain his intent to replace the departed outfielders from outside the organization with off-season free agent acquisitions:

"Maybe more than one," Amaro said.

What the Phils Got From S.F. for Pence

The Giants' #2 prospect, catcher Tommy Joseph, now the Phils top position-player prospect.  Plus, mediocre RF Nate Schierholtz (.257, 8 HR) and single-A power right-handed pitcher Seth Rosin.

What the Phils Got From L.A. for Victorino

25-year-old righthanded Relief Pitcher Josh Lindblom (3.02 ERA), double-A right-handed starter Ethan Martin*, and a player to be named or cash.

"We have some holes to fill and some things to improve on, obviously," Amaro said. "I think this gives us a better chance to do that."

*ScoutingBook.com:
"Recent results notwithstanding, the powerful, savvy right-hander still looks a lot like the Giants' young Tim Lincecum, with a usually-straight fastball and a nasty hard slider coming from a compact frame. He's still not very close to ready, and really needs to get his walks under control, but when he does add some experience to his talent, he could be yet another in a long string of powerful arms that came out of the Dodgers system."

Phillies Expected To Begin Trades

Amaro Jr. and Manuel, happier days.

What a difference a day makes. Or, in this case, 3.  When they woke up on Friday, July 27th, 3 days ago, the Phillies had just won 4-straight and 8-out-of-11.  They had momentum and appeared to be beginning a 2nd-half run at competing for a 6th-straight postseason birth.

They proceeded to fall flat on their faces by losing all 3 games in Atlanta during a Lost Weekend of agony and defeat, appearing more like the franchise which has lost a record 10,000+ professional games than its very recent incarnation of perennially winning baseball.

From 2007-2011 the Phillies spoiled its fans, many of whom jumped on during that span, with 5-straight division titles, 2 World Series appearances, a World Championship to equal the 1 the organization acquired in its preceding 127 years and the best season a Phillies teams had ever had (102 wins in 2011).

July 27th-29th, Ryan Howard assumed his recent playoff composure in the crucial series in Atlanta that nailed the coffin shut on the Phillies' season.  Howard struck out 8 times in 11 at-bats during the 3-game series.

Fans and journalists alike are calling for heads-- as in 'cut 'em off.'  However, I have yet to hear any logical argument about how that will help the team.

The key players on the team are so old, so injured and so expensive that any trade wherein they depart Philly would likely leave the Phils with a price tag so great (because they would be expected to share salary for departed player) that it would not be worth their while.

In addition, who wants a guy with bad knees or one with an Achilles heel injury?  What would you realistically get from them that would be better than what they might give you?

Victorino and family have bonded with Philly.

Shane Victorino, Joe Blanton, Juan Pierre and possibly Hunter Pence are thought to be on their way out.

However, what would they bring in return?  And who, exactly, would they replace Victorino with?  Likely, they'd get a bullpen arm and start in CF... Domonic Brown?  Really?

Victorino, Gold Glove 2008, '09 & '10, would leave a major hole in CF and in the hearts of many fans.

"He's been part of everything we've accomplished around here," manager Charlie Manuel said Sunday after the Atlanta Braves virtually ended the Phillies season.

“Last year, we had the best record in baseball, and we didn’t win [it all],” Shane Victorino said after last year. “It’s nice to win 100 games, but ultimately, when the postseason starts, that all goes out the door.”

Victorino, a major fan favorite, has usually been a fighter, a spark-plug, a hustler.  He currently ranks 4th in baseball in stolen bases and the Flyin' Hawaiian is being prized by the team that undervalued and discarded him, the Dodgers, who are actively seeking to reacquire him.

Trading Pence makes even less sense.  Pence, despite his loud critics, has actually produced this year-- largely with absolutely no buffer in the lineup, something he learned to do as a lone star in Houston's losing lineup.  Yes, moving him moves a large sum of money, and if you're certain you can replace him with someone better, then there's logic in it.  However, right now the Phils are desperate for -- among other things-- a reliable LF.  Subtracting your 2-time all-star CF and your former all-star RF at the same time just doesn't add up.

7 IP, 2 ER, 1 BB & 7 S.O. in possibly his last game for Phils.

Blanton was a mid-season addition in '08 and shined with the Phils during their Championship run that year.  When asked about his experience in Philly thus far, he came up with a single word: "Phenomenal."  That's how he put it after coming up big in a then pivotal, now meaningless game Saturday, which only served to increase his trade value.

"I came over, we won a World Series, went back again, and we've been in the playoffs every year I've been here. It's one of the best places to play with the fans and everything."

The Phillies starting pitchers posted a 2.86 ERA (best in baseball) in '11 and had quality starts 67% of the time. This year, the Phillies' starters have a 4.07 ERA (15th out of 30 teams) and have had quality starts 58% of the time.

The bullpen has been a tattered, taped together eyesore since Opening Day this year, but you can't discount the failure of the starting rotation on a team composed entirely around them-- especially at their ever-increasing salaries.

"It's nothing that we aren't all responsible for," 2-time CY Young-winner Roy 'Doc' Halladay said this week. "There are times you have to take your lumps. It's not easy to swallow, but we've kind of all put ourselves in this situation, and sometimes you have to kind of take it like a man."

8-time All-Star Roy Halladay pondering.

"We have no choice but to keep playing," Halladay said. "Regardless of what we did coming into this and what we've got in front of us, I think we owe it to our fans, we owe it to ourselves, we owe it to a lot of people . . . to go out and turn things around and play better baseball. It's going to be hard, and obviously we're in a substantial hole, but we need to prove some things to ourselves and get things going in the right direction."

The only realistic answer is FREE AGENCY.

That said, if you figure you don't plan to re-sign Victorino, a free agent after this year, at the price he has earned, then trading him during the obligatory remainder of this lost season makes sense, since the Phils would see a return that they would otherwise write-off after the season.

Then again, that was their option re. Hamels, as well.  Instead, they threw him an almost unprecedented bundle of cash only to watch him go right out and throw the season away, literally, against Atlanta in his very next start.   

This has been a sentimental front office, which has built around veterans, players who are aging and showing it (Halladay, Polanco...).  

Changing this team for the better would mean more than reshaping, it would require rethinking priorities and re-envisioning the entire squad.

Hamels biggest start of year resulted in 5 R, 6 BB in 5 IP.

You must assume your multi-million dollar arms, the core starters Halladay, Lee and Hamels will pick up in 2013 where they left off in 2011.

After that, it's anyone's guess.  Will Utley or Howard ever spend another full-season productive?

Can they continue to survive without a true lead-off hitter (an on-base guy)?  Rollins loves to hit there, but has never really fit that mold.  Now, with his age, he is less the lead-off hitter of a winning team than ever.

Who is this team going forward?

In 2007, they were a free-swinging offensive powerhouse, a punishing mob squad of mashers and one swing game-changers.

By 2011, they were an anemic hitting team whose starting pitching was capable of a shutout every single day.

The 2012 lineup is limp, the starting pitching out of synch, while their bullpen summons fear for the team, not its opponents.

Their needs going forward are vast.  Most obviously: Bullpen, Third Base, and Left Field.

Free agency can solve those missing links.  Maximizing your value by trading a Pierre to a hungry contender now makes sense.  However, there is no need to clean house at midseason before evaluating and re-envisioning.  Instead, evaluate what you have and size-up who, on other clubs, might be available at the end of the season.  Even this is secondary.  

Primary, is deciding what kind of team you are to know how you can get better through addition, before subtracting.

In today's impatient world, where fans turn against players and teams overnight, while managers are expendable as firewood, trigger-happy is the norm.  Let's see if a ring + 5 banners buys Amaro and co. more time than their average peers.

The trade deadline is Tuesday.  Time will tell.