Rupp, Phils Win Second Straight Series

Catcher Rupp and 3B Franco hit HR Sunday.

The Phils won their 7th of 10 and 5th of their last 6 games when they beat K.C. at the Bank 7-2 Sunday.  The Phils followed a sweep of Arizona by winning 2 of 3 vs. K.C.  Arizona has a losing record, so beating the defending World Series champs over the weekend was vastly more impressive.

More importantly, the Phillies have been amassing hits at a rate unheard of at any prior point in the season.

While the Phils offense still ranks 2nd-to-last in the NL, the Phils have put 70 runs on the board in their last 12 games, which is 5.83 runs per game.  Previously, they were averaging just over 2 runs a game, making it almost impossible to win games once the starting pitching began to falter.  The Phils have double digits in all but 3 of their last 12 games (and 9 hits in one of those 3).

"It only takes one or two guys to get going," Mackanin said. "I always thought we're a better hitting team than we showed."

Rupp is hot-hitting, fun to watch and easy to like.

Catcher Cameron Rupp, who the Phillies don't see as a long term solution at the position, is turning heads.  In June, he batted .290 with 5 HR, a .594 SLG. % and a .941 OPS.

Off and running in July, Rupp hit a 1-2 pitch the opposite way into the right-field seats in the 1st inning to give the Phils a 3-0 lead.  It was Rupp's 6th HR in 19 games.  Rupp now has 8 HR and 16 2B in just 191 AB, while hitting .288 this season, which is the 2nd best average on the team.  He's making $508,000.

"It was 98 mph so he supplied the power," Rupp said of his 362 foot HR. "He left the pitch up and over the plate."

At age 27, Rupp has now totaled 530 AB thusfar in the big leagues since his debut in 2013, all for Philadelphia.  Last season, he logged 100 more AB, totaled 1 more HR (9), but half the 2B (9), so he is managing more power this time around with significantly more hits (he batted .233 in '15).

Starting pitcher Vince Velasquez, in his 2nd start since returning from 3-weeks on the DL because of a strained right biceps, was terrific.  He went 6 innings, allowed 2 runs, S.O. 7 and walked 2.  His 1st game back Monday was even better: 5 shutout innings, 7 S.O., 0 BB.  With Sunday's win, he is 7-2 with a 3.34 ERA.  The question isn't "Can he pitch," but rather "Can he stay healthy?"  The Astros answered with a definitive "No" to the latter, then dealt him to the Phils in December as part of the return package for closer Kenny Giles (0-3, 4.76 ERA, 1 save for Houston).

Meeting on mound early Sunday.

At the beginning of the contest, Velasquez scared his manager Pete Mackanin because his hardest pitch was only 90 mph in the early going. Mackanin visited the mound:

"We thought: `Oh-no, not again.' But He assured us he was fine," Mackanin said. "He didn't have his above-average velocity, but he made his secondary pitches."

 "It took me a little bit longer to warm up," Velasquez said. "Just dragging a little bit. Everyone has dead arm at some point. You have to pitch through it and utilize all your pitches."

The Phils still have a run differential of -93, which ranks 4th worst in all of baseball.  However, they've now climbed back up to the 9th most wins in the NL out of 15 teams.

3B Maikel Franco has been red hot.  He pounded a towering HR 431 feet to left-center field in the 8th, after having hit an RBI infield single in the 5th and contributing a single and run scored in the 1st.  

Franco is delivering the best Phils power since Howard 2.0

Franco now has 14 HR and 45 RBI in the first half of the season.  Also, 5-of-his-last-6 games have been multi-hit.  He's 15-for-36, hitting .417 in his last 9 games.  That's  a big improvement over the .233 and .230 averages he disappointingly posted in June and May.  Franco's power has been consistent and much-needed on this roster.  The 23 year-old is 23rd in the NL in HR and 24th in RBI and the team leader in both categories.

The Phils will host Atlanta (28-54) and then travel to Colorado (37-44) to end the first half of their season and head to the All-Star break.  The two losing teams give the Phils ample opportunity to end on a high note by continuing their winning streak.  However, they will have to do it without fallen star starting pitcher Aaron Nola, who will miss his scheduled start Thursday for some extended time off to "clear his head."

The righthander has a 13.50 ERA in his last five starts, which is the first such string of poor outings

Nola sent packing to 'find himself.'

of his baseball career, which until now has been almost too easy at every level of baseball he reached leading to and including the Majors.

How Nola rebounds, adjusts and returns may shape the next chapter in his promising career.

"If you ask anybody, we all want to be pitching every fifth day," Nola said. "It's what they want to do and I understand. But hopefully it will help. Any time you get some time off, it's good. But I'm still going to try to get my work in the best that I can and get ready for my next start."

Atlanta righthander Joel De La Cruz (0-1, 4.50 ERA) will start against Jerad Eickhoff (5-9, 3.38) in the series opener Monday afternoon.

Phils select Mickey Moniak with #1 overall pick

CF Moniak became the face of the Phils future Thursday.

It was the first time since 1998 that the Philadelphia Phillies chose first in the MLB draft.  It was OF Pat Burrell then and OF McKenzie 'Mickey' Moniak Thursday.  Moniak is 6'2" and 190 pounds.  Google him and you'll see him  track down impossibly deep hits to the track in CF and watch him spray the field with hits galore, which he did all summer long to drive his value to the tip-top of this year's draft.

"I’m just very excited to be a Phillie.  I'm going to be working as hard as I can and do anything necessary to move my way up and hopefully put on that Phillies uniform in Philadelphia,” he said on Thursday night.

He's confident, composed and as full-proof to be a solid five-tool major leaguer as anyone in this year's draft.  The 2016 draft is slightly unusual in how unpredictable it was to see a clear favorite for #1.

"The No. 1 pick has always been a dream," Moniak said. "Up until the point where the commissioner said my name, it was all a mystery. When it happened, it was unbelievable... It’s definitely a huge honor.”

Moniak, right, won gold with Team USA.

Moniak helped the Team USA under-18 team capture the gold medal at the 2015 Under 18 Baseball World Cup in Japan.  He played for La Costa Canyon High in Carlsbad, Calif., where he hit .476 with 46 RBIs and 40 runs this season. He comes from a baseball family—his grandfather, Bill, played in the Red Sox organization and his father, Matt, played at San Diego State.

His coach Justin Machado at La Costa Canyon says he “will be a leadoff guy and a center fielder wherever he goes.  His first step as a defender is amazing.  He has a nose for the ball and can read swings pretty well.”

“I just want to help my team win. If I have a bad at-bat. I still have to go to center field and make a good play. It definitely puts things in perspective.”

It's significant that by all accounts he projects as a major league CF.  No other outfielder in this year's draft is thought to be dominant enough at his position that it's certain he won't play a corner position or move around. Moniak's speed is cartoon-like, and he shows tremendous stolen base potential.  One reason for that is that he is characterized as a "gamer," who loves to play 'all out' and 'go for it,' while showing tremendous love of the game in the style of a Chase Utley.

Moniak can track and catch anything.

“The one thing I try to do is stay within myself. Obviously playing with all the tough competition this summer helped me. I think think playing with all the top guys, reassured me that I could play with those guys. Over the summer, there would be 50, 60 scouts at every event you went to. It’s good to have an experience like that. The main thing I’ve learned is you have to have fun. It’s called play ball, not work ball, my (Team) USA coach said. You have to enjoy yourself.”

“First and foremost, you’ve got to look at it like that. The main thing about baseball and the main thing I like to do when I play the game of baseball is you can’t put too much-added pressure on yourself. In between the lines, the main thing is go out and win a ballgame. That’s your main focus. That’s all you’ve got to focus on."

He is known to be a 'gym rat', who never stops working out and working on his technique and mechanics.

"I take a lot of pride in hitting," Moniak said. "It's something I work on a lot."

Detractors, especially those who are frustrated with the current Phillies parent club, are scoffing at the team adding yet another powerless outfielder when power is the current team's biggest flaw.  He also wasn't the most talked about player, who was probably LHP Jason Groome, who fell to #12, where he was snatched up by the Red Sox.

However, most everyone in the baseball world loves how professional this kid already is and how much he improved this Spring, when his stock rose at a meteoric pace.  Senior advisors Pat Gillick and Charlie Manuel were among those Phillies executives who were high on this decision.

Phillies scouting director Johnny Almaraz said in a statement: "Collectively, we believe Mickey was the best player available in the draft.  He’s a true center fielder with incredible offensive ability and the potential to be a perennial All-Star."

The Phillies #1 pick selection was embraced nearly unanimously by baseball experts, including former Phillies CF Doug Glanville, who asserted that-- in his opinion-- power comes in the later stages of a player's development.

While certainly not a reliable rule, Glanville would appear to be correct in Moniak's case.  In his Junior year, he went Ben Revere by hitting no HR.  Then, he added strength to his slender frame and belted 7 HR as a result this year, his senior and final year of high school.

“I like to work on all aspects of my game," Moniak said.  "The main thing I’m working on now is to put on muscle and get more power in my swing.”

He gets many hits up the middle, which is attractive to experts as well, since that area of the field is so difficult to defend.

Moniak hit .476 with 7 HR, 12 triples, 46 RBI, 40 runs scored and a .921 slugging percentage. He was the Gatorade California Baseball Player of the Year and finished his four-year varsity career with a .390 average, 105 RBI and 105 runs scored.

Said Jim Callis, senior writer for MLB.com and MLBPipeline.com: “He’s a plus defender, he can really run and he’s one of the best hitters in the draft. He doesn’t have big-time power, but he’s also not just a slappy guy. He can hit 12-15 homers. For a high school guy, he’s very polished and provides positional value and hitting ability. You’ve got a solid regular. His floor is very high and his ceiling is very high.”

"Moniak features a good set of physical tools, with above-average running speed, a solid-average throwing arm, and outstanding outfield defensive instincts. His weakest tool is raw power but he isn't punchless," wrote John Sickels at Minor League Ball in May. "Most observers consider his swing mechanics to be excellent and he is one of the top pure hitters in the class."

Melissa Lockard, the MLB editor at Scout.com, said consistency is what has separated Moniak from the other high school position players:

“Every time scouts came out to see him, they seem to love him more,” she said. “You always got the same level of play. He can do everything pretty well.  There’s not one super standout tool, but he gets good marks in pretty much every category. He looks like he can stick in centerfield, hit around .300, hit double digits in home runs and stolen bases and be a good defender. He’s shown more and more than he’s got the skill set to stay in that position and provide that kind of offense.”

CBS Sports writes: "In addition to having an outstanding baseball name, Moniak has been one of the biggest risers in the draft class over the last year. He went from decent prospect to potential No. 1 pick this spring thanks to a true five-tool skill set. Moniak's worst tool is his throwing arm, which is about average. He projects to hit for both power and average long-term thanks to an easy lefty swing and a sound approach. Good speed and instincts make him a no-doubt center fielder as well. Few players in the draft offer similar upside and all-around ability."

He was scheduled to attend Utley's alma mater UCLA for college at the time the Phillies drafted him Thursday.  If the progress of former 13th pick SS J.P. Crawford is any indication, then fans can hope to see Moniak at the major league level around 2020 at age 22.  Crawford was picked by the Phils in 2013 and is now major league ready, although has yet to debut.

Nola Shows Grit, Perseveres

The Phils got a much needed sigh of relief with an 8-1 drubbing of Milwaukee Sunday to close the gap back to .500 and improve to 28-29 with just their 2nd win in their last 10 games.  The Phils had lost 11 of 13 before splitting a 4-game series with the Brewers over the weekend.

It was the first series the Phillies didn't lose since May 18th.

With this season's resurgent NL East filled with competitive bidders, the Phils have fallen far in those weeks, from Second to Fourth Place.

Sunday, it was Ace Aaron Nola beginning June just as he completed May.  Nola went 6 shutout innings, striking out 9, which tied a career high.  Nola allowed 10 base runners and pitched out of trouble several times, but never yielded a run.  It was a strong show of maturity for the rising star, who turned 23 on Saturday.  Nola is  6th in the NL with a 0.99 WHIP and 8th in S.O. with 85.

Nola is the real deal.

After surrendering a leadoff walk, followed by a single in the first inning, Nola faced the heart of the order with 2-on and nobody out.  He appeared in trouble.  These are the moments most young pitchers panic and error.  Nola, however, calmly S.O. Milwaukee's #3 and #4 hitters on a total of 6 pitches in identical fashion: 2 consecutive called strikes, followed by swinging strike 3.  His trademark calm and unhittable curveball served him well.  Then, after a strike followed by a ball to RF Domingo Santana, a double steal put runners at 2nd and 3rd with 2 out and a 1-1 count.  Nola dug down and got a swinging strike, followed by a foul, then finished with another swinging strike 3, his 3rd of the inning, to retire the side.

Nola faced runners at 2nd and 3rd again in the 2nd with only 1 out and managed 2 ground-outs to keep the Brewers scoreless.  In the 5th he allowed 2 on with 1 out, then struck out the next 2 batters to end the inning.  In all, he threw 103 pitches and is 8th in the NL in IP with 78, which the team will have to keep a watch on to caution against over extending him during the tail end of a season which likely won't result in a playoff run.

"It was strange," Nola said. "I told the infielders that I was going to give them a 1-2-3 inning one time. It didn't happen. I got in jams pretty much every inning. I would get the leadoff guy, and then they'd get a hit. Or I'd get two outs, and then they'd get a hit. I battled hard and kept the team in the game, which is the most important part."

Nola's determination and ability to fight his way through nights where it doesn't come as easily are tremendous signs of his progress and a bright light for the team's immediate future.

CF Obdul Herrera continues to provide light at the top of the order, as well.  He sparked the team's 2nd highest scoring game of the season with 4 hits Sunday.   Herrera's .317 average is 14th in the NL, but more than that he is second in the NL with a .426 OBP, which is making him arguably the best Phillies leadoff hitter in decades.

Franco's power has been significant.

3rd baseman Mikail Franco added a bullet of a solo HR which traveled 386 feet to LF in the 3rd inning with 2 out, flashing his tremendous bat speed.  Although his average has been disappointing this season, he is on pace for 28 HR and 88 RBI, which could give him the best Phillies power output at 3rd base in almost 20 years:

1998 Scott Rolen hit 31 HR
1992 Dave Hollins hit 27 HR

Catcher Cameron Rupp added a HR of his own.  He is batting .500 with 2 HR in 4 June games for the Phils, who had 13 hits in all Sunday:

"We know that we can do it, and we showed it," Rupp said. "We just have to be consistent with it. The bats are there. Hitting is contagious. It really is. When guys keep getting big two-out hits and keep the line moving, you can do a lot of damage. We did that today."

Tommy Joseph hit a ground rule double to deep right center in the 5th to make it 4-0. Joseph is 7 for 20 during the 5-straight starts manager Pete Mackanin has given him, hitting .350 with a 2B, a HR and 2 RBI.  His S.O. are high and he rarely walks, but he is an obvious advantage over Ryan Howard, who has hit an astonishing .151 with a .211 OBP while earning $25-million this season.

The Phillies will play their next 6 games against the Cubs and Washington.  They would gain tremendous confidence if they could somehow pull off a split over those 6 games.  However, it's a tall task, since the opponents are baseball's best, the Cubs, and 5th best (Nationals) teams.  After all, the Phils were just swept back-to-back by both teams from May 27th-June 1st, when the Phils were outscored by a collective margin of 33-11.  So, Monday through Sunday the Phils will essentially be revisiting their nightmares.  Hopefully, they can Carl Jung their way through it with more heroic results.

Read more Phils coverage here: http://phantasticphillies.blogspot.com/

Growing Pains

Velasquez was shelled in Chicago Sunday.

The Phils were embarrassed by MLB-worst Atlanta, who beat them 2-out-of-3 last weekend at home, then tripped up in Detroit, where they again dropped the first 2 before salvaging the final of a 3 game set.

Then came their weekend series vs. baseball's best team, the Cubs.  The result was the Cubs first sweep of the Phils at Wrigley Field since 1995.  Nobody said it would be easy, and in many ways-- especially statistically-- the handwriting was on the wall, but nonetheless dropping 3-straight over the weekend and being swept for only the 2nd time this year (and the first since losing 3-straight in Cincinnati to start the season) must hurt for these young, battle novice Phils.

"Every team goes through a lull. Every team goes through a hot streak and a cold streak," Manager Pete Mackanin said. "How you come out of those streaks - especially the cold streaks - determines how good of a team you are. I choose to believe we're at the bottom of the roller coaster and on our way up. That's the way I look at it."

Velasquez surrendered 7 runs on 9 hits in just 4 2/3 innings.  His WHIP has ballooned to 1.25 during a May stretch where 4 of his 6 outings have been poor.  He has now given up an alarming 18 hits and 10 runs in his last 2 outings.

"When you get behind the count, you have nowhere else to throw a fastball but down the middle and then you give up home runs," Velasquez said Sunday. "It's just one of those days, I guess. You can't do anything about it. Just one of those days where they get the bat on the ball and it falls into play and you have to continue pitching."

Amazingly, at 26-24 and 2 games over .500 the Phils are at a low point since May 6th when they were 16-14 and went on to win 6 of their next 7.  That is more a testament to how overachieving these Phils have been than anything else.  They were expected to pick up where they left off last season at dead last in baseball.  Instead, they have been this season's biggest surprise, an upstart pitching first squad of wannabes and forming talent.

The Phils got the challenge they deserve and earned in Chicago.  The MLB best Cubs improved to 34-14 at their expense.  They will have no time to nurse their wounds, either, when they return home to open a 3-game series against the NL East leading Nationals (30-21) Monday night.  While the schedule was made long before the Phils proved themselves with 24 wins to 13 losses from April 9th to May 18th, that winning run earned them this stretch of challengers they were anyways destined to meet.

David Hernandez has been a great surprise in relief.

Since May 18th, however, the Phils have gone 2-7 and are suddenly beginning to look like the team everybody was reading between the lines to predict would fall on their collective face.  After being outscored 17-5 in the 3 games they lost over the weekend in Chicago, the Phils have MLB's 5th-worst run differential at -43.  They have scored the 2nd fewest runs in baseball at 160.  Yet, they still posses baseball's 14th best record at 26-24 (.520 win %), while the teams with worse run differentials this season are a collective 67-132 (.337 win %).

Much of this can be attributed to the terrific pitching they have had.  That wasn't the case from the 3 Phils starting pitchers in this series.  However, a silver lining was the bullpen, which pitched 9 1/3 shutout innings over the 3 games for a 3.58 ERA thusfar this season, including a terrific run of allowing only 3 earned runs in its last 22 1/3 innings of work for a 1.21 ERA during that span.

Monday at Citizens Bank:

Phillies RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 3.97 ERA)
vs.
Washington RHP Tanner Roark (3-4, 2.71 ERA) to begin an 11-game homestand.

Phils Face Stretch of Open Road

Philadelphia shut out Atlanta 5-0 on Sunday behind one of Jerad Eickhoff's best games of the year.  It was the Phillies' MLB-leading 7th shutout this season, which matches their total for all of last year.

SS Delvin Perez projects as a 1st round draft pick.

Sources say that the Phillies set up a private pre-draft workout Thursday with Delvin Perez, a 17-yr-old shortstop from Puerto Rico in preparation for their #1 overall pick in the June 9-11, 2016 draft in NJ. Sources say the Phils are "struggling" under the weight of their decision and are contemplating a plethora of candidates.

Perez is tall, lanky, exceptional defensively and speedy on the base-paths. However, it's questionable whether his hitting is big league ready:

"His defense is obviously there," a top MLB scout said. "It'll take time to see how much he hits. It's the hardest thing to project, because it's the hardest thing to do. But he's where he needs to be with his speed and defense."

"I'm very focused on what I'm doing," Perez said. "And I'm ready."

It's difficult to know where Perez will fit into the Phillies system.  Obviously, at age 17, he will be a minor leaguer for a while, but just how long?

Crawford's patient maturity at the plate astounds scouts.

After all, the Phillies already have the top ranked shortstop in all of the minor leagues, one who is likely to see a promotion to the majors sometime this season: J.P. Crawford.

Crawford hit .265 with a 12.1% walk rate, 5 home runs and 7 stolen bases over 405 plate appearances in the high-minors in ’15. The shortstop was also heralded as an “assured defensive shortstop with soft hands and smooth actions [and] a plus arm,” by Baseball Prospectus.

ESPN bumped Crawford up to #2 on the MLB prospect list this week behind  #1 Washington Nationals starting pitching prospect Lucas Giolito:

"Crawford has continued to control the strike zone at an unusual level for his age -- he'll play the entire season at 21 -- and earned a promotion to Triple-A last week, even though his average was just .265 for Reading. He's still an outstanding defensive shortstop with great instincts, though now that he's at a higher level, I'd like to see him get a little more aggressive when ahead in the count because he has good bat speed and a little more power than you'd expect from a middle infielder."

Crawford in spring training vs. Yankees (3/3/16).

However, GM Matt Klentak and the organization on a whole are not in a rush to promote Crawford. Refreshingly gone is the must-win-now pressure Reuben Amaro Jr. was forced to operate under after inheriting the winning fever that comes with 5-straight division titles and 2 World Series births.

The Phillies will play 12 out of their next 16 games against 2 of the best teams in the NL:  The Cubs (ranked #1) and Nationals (ranked #3).  It will not only be a test of their strength, it is a stretch of games that will answer some crucial questions about the team's present and future.

All season long, the 2016 Phillies have been somewhat of a walking contradiction.  Are they the team that can't score runs or the team with the blockbuster pitching?  Are they the team with the horrid run differential with all the luck in 1-run games propping up their record or are they the best turnaround story in baseball, knocking on First Place during a self-declared rebuilding year?

All of this, of course, is a conglomeration of the truth.  Therefore, the win-loss results of the next 16 games will define their immediate future.

General manager Matt Klentak has already declared that he will be a buyer at the July 31st trade deadline if the Phils still posses a winning record at that time.

Bruce has hit .476 with 2 HR in 21 AB vs. Phils in his career.

There is a legitimate rumor that the Phils may try to  upgrade their offense by acquiring Reds OF Jay Bruce if still in competition at the trade deadline.

Bruce, 29, has hit 216 HR, all with Cincinnati since he debuted in 2008, the year the Phils won it all.  He has hit at least 20 HR in all but 1 season ('14, he hit 18 HR), including 30+ from 2011-2013.  He is batting .263 and on-pace to hit 28 HR and drive in 100 RBI this season.

The Reds are non-competitive at 15-31 (3rd worst in MLB) and are looking to unload Bruce and his over $12 million dollar salary.

The Phillies should avoid Bruce like the plague.  The last thing they need is another aging slugger who is 1 injury away from an ineffective albatross.  Furthermore, Bruce hit .217 in '14 and .226 in '15 and his OBP (.281/.294/.317 in last 3 seasons) is putrid.  Is that the kind of black hole you want eating up the cleanup spot until he ages his way out of the lineup?  One hopes Klentak and co. have learned the lesson of the RyHo extended contract disaster (which Yahoo Sports called Thursday, "The worst contract ever") of 2010, which the Phillies are still paying for, literally and figuratively.

Utley comes home August 16th.

Well, this stretch of games, which will leave the Phils just under a month from the end of the First Half of the season, will be one of their toughest of the season-- and it doesn't get easier from there.

In the 2nd half of the season, the Phils schedule is arguably the toughest in all of baseball.  They will have a pair of series against the AL Central's First-Place White Sox, a plethora of games against MLB elite division rivals the Mets and Washington, a series vs. 2nd-place Pittsburgh, the NL West First-Place Giants, St. Louis (leading the NL in runs) and 6 games against the Dodgers, including Chase Utley's sure to be emotional homecoming on August 16th at Citizens Bank Park.

Phils GM has to be happy with what he's seen, yet patient.

There is no doubt that if the Phils are to remain standing when the smoke clears at the end of September, they will need not only strength but reinforcements.  That help must come in the form of bats.  Big bats.  Bats that can bring in runs with one swing.  One potential place that relief can appear is from the minor leagues.  The other is through a trade.  Klentak is no dummy.  He knows that the Phils will have to prove themselves, that they'll have to wade through some tough competition to reach July 31st still winners.  It's trial and error.  Lose and go back to the drawing board, waiting for the nucleus to gel over an indefinite amount of time before getting another chance to make a run at the playoffs.  Win and get immediate help that could result in a real shot at October glory.  That trial starts now.

Friday, the Phils will begin a weekend series at Wrigley Field in Chicago against MLB's best team, the Cubs, 31-14, 14-6 at home.  Hopefully, the Phils are saying their prayers.

Fri, May 27	Cubs vs Philadelphia	2:20 PM		Lester (4-3)	Morgan (1-2)
Sat, May 28	Cubs vs Philadelphia	2:20 PM		Hendricks (2-4)	Eickhoff (2-6)
Sun, May 29	Cubs vs Philadelphia	2:20 PM		Lackey (4-2)	Velasquez (5-1)

Phils Slip to Third Place

GM Klentak plans to be buyer at trade deadline.

The Phils were in a virtual tie for first place Thursday night in the surprisingly wide-open NL East. Cautious GM Matt Klentak was even saying he would be a buyer at the trade deadline if the team still had a winning record, but asserted that he won't compromise the rebuilding effort that has taken an astonishingly ahead-of-schedule appearance.

So, it was all perfect table-setting for a 3-game series against the horrendous Braves.  Atlanta arrived at Citizens Bank Park Friday with a NL worst 10-30 record; 12th out of 15 teams in pitching and dead last 15th (behind the #14 Phils) in hitting.  Off to one of the worst starts in their history, they fired manager Fredi Gonzalez on Tuesday and have yet to replace him.

The Phils even had team ace Aaron Nola opening the series Friday, seemingly irrelevantly, as the then 8-3 in past 11 games Phils were about to feast on the then 3-11 in past 14 games Braves.

However, an opportunity to pad their record has turned into a nightmarish weekend for the Phils.  Their inability to score runs caught up with them against a Braves team seemingly inept at all fronts.  The Phils were beaten at home 7-1 Friday, then shutout 2-0 Saturday.

Don't blame him: Nola continues to shine.

While Aaron Nola took the loss Friday, he actually only surrendered 2 earned runs over 7 innings, S.O. 6 and walked 2, actually lowering his ERA to 2.85 and 2.00 in May.  He's now 3-3 with still the 3rd best WHIP (0.90) and 7th most S.O. (64) in the NL.   

It was Phils 3B Maikel Franco Friday who made a pair of errors, including a costly throwing miscue in the 7th inning that resulted in 3 unearned runs. He came in with only 2 previous errors all season.

"It's part of the game, so I just try to forget that day and try to come in tomorrow and do my best for my teammates," Franco said.

Two former Phils had a hand in their defeat in the first 2 games of the 3-game series:

Braves leadoff hitter Chase d'Arnaud had a career-high three hits Saturday and is 5-for-8 in the series, his return to Philadelphia, where he played last year.

LF Jeff Francoeur, also a Phillies player in 2015, led off the 4th inning with a single that sparked the rally for the only 2 runs Atlanta would score-- or need-- Saturday.

Manager Pete Mackanin

"Not a real good night," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Friday.  Too bad the Phils came out without showing up Saturday to compound their weekend hangover.

After dropping two at home to the woeful Braves, the Phils fell from 1/2 game out of First Place to 2 games out and now in Third Place behind Washington and the Mets.

After consecutive last-place finishes in 2014 and 2015, the Phils have now gone 17 innings without scoring after losing the first two games of the Atlanta series. The Phillies have totaled eight hits with 17 strikeouts and four walks, and failed to bat with a single runner in scoring position Saturday.

The Phils now have the infamous distinction of scoring the fewest runs per game in the NL.  Atlanta, who has just posted 9 runs in 2 games against them, is averaging 3.3 runs per game, while the Phils are dead last at 3.2 runs-per-game.  It's a testament to the small miracle their #5 ranked pitching staff has managed to pull off that they were 24-17, a half-game out of First and looking to be buyers at the trade deadline entering this series.

ESPN's lead baseball analyst and former Philadelphia local sports writer Jayson Stark even handed the Phils the Surprise Team Award on Thursday:

"Before Opening Day, Baseball Prospectus played out the season 1 million times, based on its PECOTA projections. The Phillies were the only team in baseball that was given a zero percent chance to win the World Series (although, to be technical, that was just because they computed to have less than one-tenth of a 1 percent chance). Then, however, the real season started. And something crazy happened: When those same Phillies hit that magical 40-game mark, they were six games over .500 (23-17). They also had a minus-30 run differential. So how many other teams since 1900 had a record that good and a run differential that lopsided after 40 games? Right you are. That would be none, according to baseball-reference.com. What a story this team is."

He rightfully mentioned: Odubel Herrera in his first quarter baseball notables: 

"The Phillies' hyperactive center fielder walked exactly 28 times last season -- in 537 trips to the plate. He already has walked 29 times this season -- in 174 trips to the plate. That's because Herrera somehow has improved his walk rate from 5.2 percent last year to 16.7 percent this year. And how improbable is that? Here's how improbable. Only one player since 1900 has had his walk rate jump by more than 10 percent in one year. That player was Barry Lamar Bonds in 2003-04. Except that Bonds was helped slightly in his quest by those 120 intentional walks he got in 2004. Herrera has been honored with two intentional walks. In his career. Go figure."

Herrera has brought stability to CF and the top of the order.

Herrera has been #2 in OBP and #6 in batting average for much of the season.  Additionally, his power has swelled, and he's already half way to his 2015 HR total of 8 and is on pace to hit 15 HR this year.

Herrera, however, missed Wednesday's game with a sore back and returned Friday only to go 0-for-3 and not appear healthy.  Then, Saturday, the normally stellar gloved CF appeared to misjudge the ball and then tried to make a diving catch, which cost the Phils.  Herrera was not charged with an error, but could have been.  The Braves scored both of their runs as a result of his mistake.  Herrera clearly isn't healthy.

The 2 wins in Philly have secured the Braves only their 2nd series win of 2016.  The Phils will try to salvage one Sunday with Jerad Eickhoff on the mound.  Unfortunately, Eickhoff (1-6, 4.44 ERA) is 0-5 with a 5.45 ERA in his last 6 games with opponents hitting .293 against him.

"Just trying to make little adjustments from last outing," Eickhoff said. "Curve was not effective, two-seamer had good life. Slider is a big pitch for me."

To make matters worse, Braves left-handed hitters love to hit him hard:

Braves Kelly Johnson is 4 for 8 against him and Freddie Freeman is 3 for 5 with a homer. They will be eager to face a pitcher who is allowing left-handed hitters to bat .324.

Read more Phils coverage here: http://phantasticphillies.blogspot.com/

Velasquez Hurls Phils to 1/2 Game from First

Velasquez S.O. 2 batters per inning Tuesday.

After Tuesday's 3-1 win over Miami, the Phillies are 23-17 and only 1/2 game out of First Place. Amazingly, only one NL team (MLB's best Cubs) has won more games than the rebuilding upstart Phils.  40 games into the season, the Phillies are defying all expectations for what their ceiling could be, both internal and across the baseball world.  ESPN reluctantly ranked them 13th in baseball, held back from higher because of a combination of their limp offense, poor run differential and the cloud of doubts that linger over Citizens Bank Park.

"We can't force culture to develop," GM Matt Klentak said a few days ago. "But when it starts to develop, we can do our best to let it happen. And that's what's happening right now. It's a young team. They're playing hard. They believe every night that they can compete. Most nights, we do compete."

Catcher Cameron Rupp added: "We wanted to come out and play and have fun. Anything we do is going to be a positive after last year. I think we've surprised everybody."

"Surprise" is an understatement.

Everyone is holding their breath waiting for the Phils to fall back down to Earth.  The strength of their pitching, which ranks 6th in the NL has been something of a revelation.  The quality young arms currently flourishing in the rotation is the best sign for future success of Philadelphia baseball in a long time.  The cohesiveness and consistency of the bullpen is the most pleasantly unexpected success of the first quarter of the season.

The Phillies are 2 S.O. shy of the best in the NL (Washington).

Velasquez made history with a 16 S.O. shutout on 4/14.

Vince Velasquez, who struck out 10 Marlins (including the side in the 2nd) over 5 shutout innings Tuesday, has been remarkable.  “There’s riding life in the zone with his fastball,” Padres manager Andy Green said of him after he K'd 16 Padres on 4/14. “It was explosive, reminds me of when I saw Scherzer going as well as he goes, and that fastball is literally exploding through the zone.”

"We really like him. He's going to be special," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Tuesday.

Velasquez is 3rd in the NL in wins (knotted at 5-1 with baseball's best pitcher Clayton Kershaw), 7th in S.O., 6th in WHIP and 8th in ERA.  He'll turn just 23 on June 7th.

And he's not even their best starting pitcher.  Aaron Nola, who coincidentally will turn 23 only 3 days before Velasquez does, is the Phils-- and one of baseball's-- best.

It's impossible to think that anyone, even the Phils themselves, could have conceived of this level of success in the standings at this point in the season before the season started.  Experts are struggling to justify it now when you take a closer look at the numbers: 14-3 in one run games, a run differential of -30...

Yet, the Phils are the hottest team in their division with 7 wins in their last 10 games and find themselves knocking on the door of the Nationals for First Place.

Gomez has been terrific, but can it last?

Jeanmar Gomez has a career ERA of  4.08 and WHIP of 1.40.  In his worst season for his previous 2 teams (Pittsburgh and Cleveland), he posted a 5.96 ERA ('12 with Cleveland) and walked almost as many as he struck out. He should certainly be expected to fall down to Earth.  In fact, the writing is on the wall that he already has.  After surrendering a walk and 2 hits in the 9th inning Tuesday, he recorded his MLB leading 15th save.  However, while his April ERA was 1.80, his ERA in May is 4.05.

Guess who leads the AL in saves?  If you answered Ryan Madson, you cheated.  Madson, who will turn 36 this summer, has pitched just 17 innings for the Oakland A's this year, but has completed 11 saves in 11 tries, while posting a 1.02 ERA.  Last season, Madson helped the K.C. Royals win the World Series.  In 2008, he was instrumental when the Phils did the same.

Tommy Joseph's 1st HR was a "bullet."

Tuesday night, big First Baseman Tommy Joseph batted cleanup for the Phils.  Joseph landed his first major-league hit Monday night when he batted in the 5-spot.  In his first at-bat on Tuesday, he hit his first HR (just inside the LF foul pole, described by the announcer as "a bullet"), then added a single to right in the 4th and a full-count RBI single to CF in the 6th, which led to another run.

His parents were at Citizens Bank for his 1st HR:  "It's nice for them to be here, and I get to share this moment with them," Joseph said.

Joseph was 3-for-3 out of the cleanup spot and the Phils led 3-0.  In his final at bat in the bottom of the 8th, Joseph S.O,. on 4 pitches against Miami reliever Dustin McGowan, but it was a very impressive step up to the #4 spot for Joseph.

Joseph, 24, was traded to the Phillies as part of a return package in '12 for OF Hunter Pence, who went on to win 2 World Series with the S.F. Giants.  The Phillies have seen little return on that trade (they acquired Joseph with Nate Schierholtz and Seth Rosin).  However, after posting a .347 average and a .611 slugging % with 6 HR and 7 2B in his 1st 95 AB of the season, Joseph earned a promotion from AAA Lehigh Valley to the majors on May 13th.  So far, the 6-1, 254 pound (he says he lost 25 lbs. since last season, when he finished with a .193 batting average) 1B has 4 hits in his 1st major league 10 AB and, like so many of the young faces on the field for the Fightin', proving competitive and fun to watch.

Neris has been intimidating and dominant.

A pivotal part of that picture has been 26 year-old Dominican reliever Hector Neris.  Manager Pete Mackanin has said Neris has "closer stuff," perhaps hinting at his future role with the Phils.  In the meantime, Neris has been torching the NL as a set-up man for Gomez.  In 24 innings, he's allowed just 10 hits, has S.O. 33 and boasts a team-leading 0.71 WHIP and now has a towering 75 S.O. to 17 walks in his young career.  Tuesday, Neris S.O. the side on 16 pitches in the 8th to set-up closer Gomez and lower his ERA to 1.50.

Phillies pitchers stuck out 17 Marlins to even their best-of-3 series at 1-apiece.  The deciding game will be played Wednesday at 1:05 PM in Philadelphia.  Jeremy Hellickson (3-2, 4.12 ERA), coming off a shutout vs. Cincinnati will oppose Tom Koehler (2-3, 5.14 ERA), who is coming off 2 excellent outings, including 5/7 vs. the Phils: 7 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 2 BB, 8 S.O.

The Phillies will have the day off Thursday, before opening a 3-game weekend home-stand against MLB-worst Atlanta (9-29) with ace Aaron Nola on the mound.