Beerleaguer - Phillies Blog, Baseball News, Trade Rumors & Spirits

Cormier traded to Reds for young starter

The Phillies continued to unload veterans for prospects this morning by dealing situational left-hander Rheal Cormier to the Reds for 23-year-old starter Justin Germano. Cormier, 39, was in his sixth season with the Phils.

Cormier was having a comback season for the Phightins’, going 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA in 34 innings. Cormier becomes a free agent after the season and is the fourth reliever Cincinnati has added in the past few weeks .

Germano, originally a 13th-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres in the 2000 draft, made two appearances for the Reds this season, including a start on Saturday in which he gave up four runs in 5 2-3 innings against the Brewers, but also fanned 8 batters. He was 8-6 with a 3.69 ERA for Triple-A Louisville and has been used exclusively as a starter his entire career. Germano was acquired by the Reds as part of the Joe Randa deal from July of 2005.

Over his minor-league career, the 6-3, 200 lb. pitcher has some pretty solid strikeout-to-walk ratios and has been stingy with home runs, allowing only 76 of them in his previous 6 minor league seasons. At his highest, Germano was ranked by Baseball America as San Diego's seventh-best prospect prior to the 2005 season.

To replace Cormier, the Phillies have recalled 27-year-old reliever Brian Sanches, who was closing games for Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre.

Beerleaguer take
There’s nothing not to like about this deal, other than the Phillies will be forced to add Germano to the 40-man roster next season. He’s used up some options and has had a slow ascent to the majors, so the timetable will be short. Nevertheless, getting a starting prospect in a straight-up deal for Cormier is a plus, even if he projects, at the very best, as a No. 5. In addition, it clears a spot for Sanches to continue his development with the big club.

Can the Phils sell and win at the same time?

As the fire sale unfolds, the Phillies has slowly stirred themselves back into the Wild Card mix. With two months to go, do the Phillies still have a realistic chance at reaching the playoffs?

The odds are certainly against it, but at the moment they’re playing as well, or better, than all the teams standing between them and the Wild Card-leading Reds. As of this morning, the standings look like this:

	W	L	GB	Left
Cincinnati	55	50	--	57
Arizona	53	51	1.5	58
San Francisco	51	54	4.0	57
Colorado	50	54	4.5	58
Milwaukee	50	55	5.0	57
Philadelphia	49	54	5.0	59
LA Dodgers	50	55	5.0	57
Houston	49	56	6.0	57
Atlanta	48	56	6.5	58
Florida	48	56	6.5	58
Washington	46	59	9.0	57
Chi Cubs	43	61	11.5	58
Pittsburgh	40	66	15.5	56

As always, it all hinges on pitching, which has about to get 12-years younger/more inexperienced in the starting rotation with the addition of 22-year-old Scott Mathieson and departure of 34-year-old Cory Lidle. Mathieson, along with top oufield prospect Michael Bourn, were recalled from Scranton Wilkes-Barre in a flurry of in-house moves. As a reminder, Ryan Franklin was designated for assignment.

The state of the Phillies pitching staff can be summed up like this: Brett Myers is a No. 1 pitcher who matches up with the best in the league. They have a solid opportunity to win whenever he steps on the mound.

They will lean on at least three inexperienced starters the rest of the way – Mathieson, Cole Hamels and Ryan Madson. You don’t know what to expect from any of them, which is a net negative. Hamels looked dominant his last start against the free-swinging Fish, and in general has shown signs of improvement with every start. He will also get rocked a few more times before the season ends. Madson’s season is one of the most extreme thrill rides I’ve seen from a starting pitcher. Mathieson, who pitches tomorrow, has two pitches, but throws them hard. The Phillies can only hope to get lucky with their newest addition. As for Jon Lieber, we know what to expect. If he survives the trade deadline (suspicious amount of Jon Lieber highlights and clips playing at last night’s game FYI) the Phillies will hope he cobbles together the same second-half performance as last season.

The bullpen may represent their biggest hurdle. I challenge any of you to name this team’s current setup man. Tom Gordon has been mortal since the all-star break. Their best pitcher back there is Geoff Geary. And according to the Daily News, Rheal Cormier could be gone today.

In terms of team offense (not individual offense), I like what I’ve seen. Chase Utley has wasted no time in becoming the undisputed best player on this team in every regard. Some of you think the team is five years away, but Utley isn’t the type of player reserved for losing teams. A player of his quality has to be infectious. Along with Howard, Rollins, Burrell, Rowand and Dellucci if they attempt to resign him, I’m not real worried about the offense for the next couple years. In addition, I’m fairly certain that a top catcher will become a free agent priority.

Right now, the offense is hot, and both Utley and Howard are sizzling.

Here are some other observations from last night’s game, and some new points I’ve added this morning:

-- The "Dellucci lineup" has a good look to it. I liked it back when it was first tried when Burrell started going in the tank.

-- I don’t know how I missed this quote from Gillick’s press conference. It might be the most revealing in terms of his future plan. When asked how he will assemble the team, he said "Free agency, amateur draft, international signings. Whatever we think is right."

International signings. That’s new. And it appears the Inquirer’s Jim Salisbury thought about the same player this morning, Cuban third baseman Yulieski Gourriel, who has reportedly defected. Gourriel was the WBC’s standout player, IMO.

-- We can all agree that Abreu will be missed for his on-base percentage, doubles and knack for creating runs, but there’s something to be said about a good, old-fashioned hard-hit ball. It gets the juices flowing. That’s what I saw tonight. Granted, the Marlins weren’t too slick with the gloves, but I like what I’ve seen from this group over the last couple games. Triples, doubles, slams ... good stuff.

-- Rick White should retire. He looks totally cooked. Bring up some of this Triple-A talent, perhaps Matt Smith, the left-hander they picked up in the Abreu deal.

-- The addition of Michael Bourn to the 25-man roster is very interesting. I’m not totally sold that another outfield deal is coming, but it’s interesting nevertheless. Over the next year or so, they need to figure out the leadoff position, and Bourn is a possibility if he continues to develop. I thought for sure they’d bring up "old trusty" Chris Roberson. I’m glad they didn’t. I’ve seen enough to know he’s where he belongs, and that’s in Triple-A for the rest of his life. Bourn is the better fielder of the two, and his speed is second to none in baseball. I've seen enough to know Victorino isn't a leadoff hitter. I think he's a dynamite fielder, but not the answer at No. 1. And I know I've seen enough to know that Jimmy Rollins is a six-hitter with the potential to knock in some RBIs. Next season, they need to do what they can to turn this guy loose with some base runners ahead of him. Another solid rip tonight for J-Roll last night, his 12th of the season.

-- Gillick held a very honest, encouraging press conference after yesterday’s trade. I for one had no desire to see the Phillies carry on business as usual with this club. They're getting more expensive, older and winning less. Overall, I’m disappointed they didn’t receive a top-drawer prospect, but it seems now that Abreu was much harder to move than expected. The Yankees were the only team who could afford him, and one of three teams on Abreu’s list. Like I said earlier, the whole situation is a shame, but that’s Phillies baseball, isn’t it?

-- There’s no quit in Beerleaguer. I’m interested in this. I could give a hang whether or not Ryan Moats, Reggie Brown and Todd Pinkston are able to practice tomorrow. Who cares? No reason to turn our backs on this team now. Mathieson Tuesday. Hamels good to go. New opportunities for players to shine. And still in the hunt. It's okay.

Notes from Gillick's post-trade press conference

Pat Gillick said it is unrealistic to expect the Phillies to get those “five wins” this season, or even next season. Here are the rest of the points made by Phillies GM Pat Gillick after today's blockbuster trade of star outfielder Bobby Abreu.

-- Gillick said the Phillies are still alive in the Wild Card race, even though he is clearly a seller at this point. Gillick indicated strongly that certain players will now get a chance to show what they can do, and sometimes those opportunities lead to good things. He indicated all the teams ahead of them have weaknesses.

-- David Dellucci will likely stay on through the rest of the season. Gillick considers him an underrated talent.

-- Expect Matt Smith, the Triple-A left-hander acquired in today's deal, to see action with the Phils at some point this season.

-- Expect at least one, possibly two more deals before Monday’s non-waiver deadline expires.

-- Mike Arbuckle had been working on a seperate deal involving another player last night that fell through this morning. Today’s deal came together quickly around 11 a.m.

-- Gillick said Abreu would have waived his no-trade clause for "about four teams."

-- Gillick said the key to assembling a team is having flexibility. He explained that about 25 percent of the team had either no trade clauses or 5 and 10 stipulations that made it difficult to move contracts.

-- Gillick indicated that Abreu’s no-trade clause dictated the course of this trade more than any other factor.

-- Without naming names, Gillick said a player’s no-trade clause has handcuffed his ability to make at least one deal recently.

-- The Phillies bought out Abreu’s club option for 2008. The deal was handled by Ruben Amaro and Abreu's agent. Abreu was approached regarding a possible trade about 10 days ago.

-- Gillick indicated that there is little to no activity among teams interested in Jon Lieber.

Bye-Bye Bobby: Phils trade star outfielder, Lidle

Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle have been traded to the Yankees for a package of four prospects.

Bobby Abreu arrived in Philadelphia in one of the most lopsided deals in Phillies history. As it turns out, that's probably how he will depart.

Abreu, along with pitcher Cory Lidle, was traded to the Yankees this afternoon for four unheralded minor league players, none of them appear ready to step in and contribute at the big-league level.

Abreu, playing his 11th season in Philadelphia, leaves behind a legacy as one of the best offensive producers in club history. For his career, he is a .301 hitter with 1,526 career hits. Here's how he ranks in club history:

Walks: 947 (2nd)
Stolen bases: 254 (3rd)
Doubles: 348 (3rd)
Home runs: 195 (7th)
RBIs: 814 (7th)
Runs: 891 (T-8th)

Abreu, who had to waive his no-trade clause to accept the deal, is making $13.5 million this year and is owed $15.5 million next season. He has a club option for $16 million in 2008 with a $2 million buyout.

This season, he was hitting .277 with 8 homers and a .427 on-base percentage, third-highest in the National League. However, the 32-year-old left-fielder has seen his power numbers diminish since 2004. He has not homered since June 13 and has only hit 14 longballs since the 2005 all-star break.

Abreu, noted to be one of the most reserved and private players in the clubhouse, gained admirers among stat-driven fans for his ability to work counts, get on base and score runs. Abreu was among the best run producers in baseball, according to stats such as runs created and Win Shares. Others criticized his lack of drive, in particular, the way he fielded his position and his tendency to settle for walks rather than go for big hits.

Abreu joins pitcher Cory Lidle, who was also traded in the deal. Lidle has delivered everything the Phillies expected from him since he was acquired in a 2004 trade with the Reds. Lidle in his career is 78-69 with a 4.54 ERA and has pitched very well lately, winning four consecutive starts. Lidle was deemed expendible since he becomes a free agent at the end of the year.

The Phillies get 27-year-old Triple-A left-handed reliever Matt Smith and Class-A shortstop C.J. Henry in the deal. Henry is a former first-round draft pick in 2005 and is the highest-rated prospect in the deal, ranked 6th in the Yankees organization by Baseball America. The Phils also landed 19-year-old rookie-league catcher Jesus Sanchez and 20-year-old right-hander Carlos Monasteries.

With this deal, the Phillies have now traded for six prospects in just over a week, as they begin to restock their ragged farm system.

ESPN News: Trade particulars announced

Details have surfaced about this afternoon's blockbuster trade with the Yankees.

Yankees receive: OF Bobby Abreu, P Cory Lidle
Phillies receive: LHP Matt Smith (Triple-A), SS C.J. Henry (Class-A), minor leaguer to be named later (FoxSports says there will be two minor leaguers named later).

Here are the numbers for the players we know
Henry (Class-A SS): 274 ABs, 2 HR, .237 BA, .326 OBP, .350 SLG   
Smith (AAA LHP): 26 IP, 0-1, 2.08 ERA, 22 SO, 8 BB, 3 HR

Beerleaguer take
The first sign the Phillies were primarily motivated to dump Abreu's salary and yield little else should have been when they started listening to offers from the Yankees. They are the only team that could afford Abreu's remaining contract. They were one of only three teams he would have waived his no-trade contract for. With Hughes and Tabata off the table – a development that is still unacceptable for the players they got in return – the Yankees have little to offer that the Phillies can truly build on. This is a move designed to give the Phils financial wiggle room and change team chemistry.

With that in mind, my emotions are still mixed, my opinion uncertain. If I had to say one thing, it's that this whole situation is a shame.

Future considerations pending, this is one of the most one-sided deals in Phillies history, even if the ultimate goal was to move forward and change the dynamic of the club.

No matter how one sees it, the Phillies have been beaten yet again, and as fans, we're looking up from the bottom of the well. But looking up nonetheless.

Report: Yanks reach tentative deal for Abreu, Lidle

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, it has not been decided which players or prospects will be headed to Philadelphia.

Abreu taken out of starting lineup

Bobby Abreu had been penciled into this afternoon's starting lineup, but according to the Phillies pre-game show, he has been taken out at the last minute.

"Speculate at your own risk," Scott Palmer said. No problem, Scott. I'll speculate that the Bobby Abreu era has come to an end. Check back here all afternoon for updates.

Wolf returns; Franklin designated for assignment

After spending more than a year recovering from Tommy John surgery, Randy Wolf makes his first start this afternoon in game 1 of today's day-night double-header. To clear room, pitcher Ryan Franklin has been designated for assignment.

Wolf is making his first start since June 11 of last year. The Phillies have about two months to gage where the left-hander is at before making a decision on whether or not to resign him. Wolf becomes a free agent after the season when his $9 million contract expires.

To clear room on the roster, right-hander Ryan Franklin has been designated for assignment. Franklin, the former Mariner, was hand-selected by GM Pat Gillick to provide depth in the starting rotation, but never started a game. In 46 relief appearances, Franklin was 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA. Franklin becomes the fourth Gillick acquisition to have their season cut short with the Phillies (Franklin, Sal Fasano, Alex Gonzalez, Ricardo Rodriguez).

Meanwhile, the Phillies have 10 days to decide what to do with Franklin, adding to the list of hard decisions the team must make in the next few days. The non-waiver deadline is just around the corner and several sources are reporting that Bobby Abreu could be moved to either the Yankees or Red Sox today. Abreu is back in the lineup this afternoon, but may not be around tonight. Stay tuned ...

NY Daily News: Yankees closing in on Abreu

According to the report, the Phillies have been given the go-ahead to lift the outfielder’s no-trade clause for any deal involving the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox. They have focused their negotiating efforts on the Bombers.

Abreu’s no-trade clause has reportedly been the big obstacle in negotiations, but now that hurdle has apparently been cleared. Originally, it was reported that Abreu would only lift his no-trade if his $16 million club option was picked up though 2008.

This latest story indicates the Yankees might be sending reliever Scott Proctor and prospects to the Phils in exchange for Abreu and pitcher Jon Lieber. There are some who believe the 29-year-old right-hander could be converted into a starter, even though he hasn't pitched in that role since the minor leagues. As for the prospects, it is reported that GM Pat Gillick has backed off his demand for the Yankees’ top two prospects, pitcher Philip Hughes and outfielder Jose Tabata. One name that was mentioned in previous reports is 22-year-old third baseman Eric Duncan, a player who’s seemed destined for Philadelphia for the past two seasons. Duncan struggled in an earlier stint with Triple-A Columbus, but is hitting well in Double-A Trenton (.272 BA, 10 HR, .915 OPS).

Other teams, including the Mets, have reportedly backed off on Abreu, whose numbers have steadily diminished over the past month. Most glaring is a lingering power outage. Abreu has not homered since June 13 and has only 14 longballs since last all-star break.

For the season, Abreu is hitting .277 with 8 homers and 88 strikeouts. He is third in the league in on-base percentage with a .427 and is 12th in the NL in runs created, according to Hardball Times.

Phillies recall infielder Sandoval from Triple-A

Minor league veteran Danny Sandoval will take over the utility role vacated by Abraham Nunez.

This was the roster move I expected the Phils to make in the wake of yesterday’s David Bell trade. The 27-year-old Venezuelan is primarily a shortstop, but can play second and third in a pinch. That’s all the Phils will ask of him – be on standby in case they need his glove.

That duty could come as early as tonight as Jimmy Rollins continues to nurse an injury. Chris Coste figures to be ahead in the depth chart at third base. Sandoval has started only one game at third this season.

Sandoval was in his second season with the Red Barons. He was hitting .256 with 17 doubles and 2 homers in 344 at bats. Over his career, he's always been a high average/low power producer. In his eight previous minor league seasons, he’s a .283 hitter with 35 homers and a .375 slugging percentage.

Some of you may recall he earned a cup of coffee with the Phils a little over a year ago, but has never made a major league start. Unless the Phils make another move at third base, Sandoval might stick around.

David Bell dumped for Class-A reliever

Symbolically the biggest deal since the Jim Thome trade, the Phillies' starting third baseman for the past four seasons was traded to Milwaukee for a 22-year-old reliever last night.

One by one, Pat Gillick is disassembling the bricks from the house his predecessor built. In a perfect world, David Bell would have been the Phillies' keystone defender and understated leader on a World Series winner. He would have erased all memory of superstar third baseman Scott Rolen. Obviously, it didn’t work out that way.

Shopped during the offseason without a match, the 33-year-old veteran was finally unloaded last night to the injury-depleted Brewers, where third baseman Corey Koskie, second baseman Rickie Weeks and shortstop J.J. Hardy are all injured.

The Brewers are responsible for the remaining $1.6 million left on Bell’s contract. Practically speaking, that’s what this is all about.

Ironically, Bell was assembling one of his best months as a Phillie, hitting .361, which including a nine-game hitting streak and a home run. After some early struggles, Bell was hitting a workman’s .277/.345/.398 with six home runs, including a long string of errorless games.

Last night after their 4-1 loss to Florida, Gillick told Comcast SportsNet that utility infielder Abraham Nunez will fill in the rest of the way at third base. Nunez signed a two-year contract this offseason, but in limited chances, has struggled to hit the ball out of the infield. The Phillies also have a handful of Triple-A infielders at their disposal, including Danny Sandoval, Joe Thurston, Brennan King and Bobby Scales.

Gillick also said they did not intend to resign Bell after the season, but said they are still working on ways to improve the position.

Originally, Nunez’s signing seemed to indicate the beginning of the end for Bell in Philadelphia, at least against right-handed pitching, against which he hit .199 in 2005. Instead, Bell maintained his starting role and Nunez has spent the year on the bench.

Last season was Bell’s toughest, perhaps even tougher than his injury-shorted 2003 season, in which he hit .195. Statistically speaking, he ranked in the bottom fourth overall among starting third baseman (according to Hardball Times Win Shares). Batting seventh in a spot in the lineup termed “The Black Hole,” Bell was second in the league in grounding into double plays and gained a reputation for killing rallies.

Defensively, Bell had a knack for coughing up routine plays at critical times, none more critical than the one that happened in a late-season loss to eventual Wild Card winner Houston.

Though his numbers appear as a slight improvement this season, only San Diego and Los Angeles were getting less out of the position in the National League. Bell will fill in for Corey Koskie, who’s been on the DL since July 6 with post-concussion syndrome.

Bell is a career .257 hitter with 119 homers and 560 RBIs in 11 seasons and 1,349 games with the Phils, San Francisco, Seattle, Cleveland and St. Louis. He was in the tail end of a 4-year, $17 million deal with the Phils.

The home team received 22-year-old right-hander Wilfredo Laureano in the deal, secondary to the $1.6 million saved from Bell’s remaining contract.

Laureano, originally an amateur signing in 2001, was 3-2 with one save and a 3.96 ERA in 29 appearances for Class-A West Virginia. The 6-foot-6, 170-pound Dominican fanned 62 in 63 2-3 innings, while allowing 54 hits, 36 walks and 7 homers. He was assigned to Low-A Lakewood and becomes the team's second veteran-for-Class-A swap in less than a week.

Phillies, Marlins open rare five-game set

The Marlins have been a nice surprise this season. The Phillies have been a disappointment. Still, there’s no reason the Phils shouldn’t take care of business at home when they begin a marathon five-game series tonight.

Top to bottom, the Marlins have fielded a strong starting staff, just as good perhaps as the names being bantered about here at the trade deadline.

One of them is tonight’s starter Ricky Nolasco (8-6, 4.27 ERA), who spent all of last season in Double-A. Nolasco cruised to victory his last outing in a 5-0 win over Pittsburgh. He faces Brett Myers (6-4, 3.74 ERA), who’s been nothing short of an ace since returning from his voluntary leave of absence.

Beerleaguer take
Even though the Marlins are 7-3 in their last ten, and a game up on the Phils, I could see four of these five games going to the Phils, who’ve played solid baseball since the all-star break. This rare five-game home series should work in their favor against a young club. Myers is a clear favorite tonight to shut this team down, and I even like Cole Hamels tomorrow against the impatient Marlins hitters, even with D-Train going on the opposite end.

Even though some of their mates may soon be subtracted for prospects, part of me says it may actually have a positive effect on the remaining nucleus.

Lieber wins, Lidle auditions this afternoon

The running joke on Beerleaguer is that Cory Lidle is so predictable, he’s hardly worth watching. This afternoon, scouts from around baseball won’t miss a pitch when the low-key right-hander takes the mound against Arizona.

The direction of the 2007 season could change this afternoon.

What does that mean? For starters, the 2006 season is over. A record 45,000-plus got Ryan Howard bobbleheads last night. From now until the end of the season, only Chase Utley's continued hitting streak or Howard's quest for Phillies home-run history will top that.

Now the Phillies are focused on another date: July 31, the non-waiver trade deadline. The closer they get, the more it seems the high-priced corner outfielders – Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell – will remain in Philadelphia.

So now it seems the hot names have been narrowed to three players: Jon Lieber, who pitched 7 innings of 4-run ball last night; David Dellucci, who hit his seventh home run of the season; and Lidle, who’s coming off perhaps his best outing of the season. Lidle has won three-straight decisions.

The Phillies want young talent to build toward the future, hence, this start will have more to do with 2007 than 2006.

According to this morning’s Daily News, sources indicated the Blue Jays are one of the leading candidates to land Lidle in a deal for prospects. They are one of six or seven teams with reported interest.

Lieber and Dellucci also fall into the category of having several teams interested, while Abreu and Burrell have drawn interest only from select clubs.

According to FoxSports, the three AL East contenders — the Yankees, Sox and Jays — all sent scouts to watch Lieber pitch last night. The Cardinals and Reds were also represented. How did he look? I can tell you first-hand that Arizona hit him hard. Lieber has surrendered a stunning number of line-drives this season.

As for Dellucci, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com believes he’s the player in hottest demand. Stark says ten teams are interested, but the Phillies are waiting to see if they can move Abreu or Burrell first before they flip Dellucci.

Phils swap Fasano for infield prospect

The Phillies have traded popular catcher Sal Fasano to the Yankees for minor league shortstop Hector Made four days after Fasano was designated for assignment.

The Phils get a 21-year-old Dominican infielder who was hitting .286 with three home runs and 28 RBIs in 86 games for Class-A Tampa. According the AP, the Phils have assigned him to Class-A Clearwater.

According to scout.com, Made receives high marks for smooth fielding, plate dicipline and has all the tools to be a major-league contributor.

Beerleaguer take
Any boost to the Phillies ragged minor league infield is a plus, especially when the cost is a player hanging in limbo. Made looks like a good one, and at 21, not much of a project, either.

Phillies deserve to take it on the chin

Before the bell rings on the 2006 season, and before this presumed house-cleaning occurs, time for some parting shots. Here are a couple of jabs, hooks and uppercuts directed at this 44-53 team that was supposed to be, at worst, respectable.

--- The Phillies had one short-term goal: Start hot. Take advantage of a weak, heavily home schedule. What happened? They were blown away opening day, dropped six of their first seven, and finished April with a 9-14 record. [Uppercut]

--- Most of us correctly point toward starting pitching as the bane of this season. Experiments, such as Ryan Madson and Gavin Floyd, failed badly, but this blow is telegraphed for veteran Jon Lieber. The Alabama doughnut taster has stunk up the joint since day one. [Jab]

--- The Phillies handling of Brett Myers’ alleged assault carved an even deeper rift between the team and fans. [Uppercut]

--- Leadoff pretender Jimmy Rollins has nine more extra base hits than power pretender Bobby Abreu, including three more home runs. Meanwhile, Abreu leads baseball in on-base percentage and J-Roll’s OBP ranks as one of the worst among lead-off men. Their spots in the lineup have not changed. [Uppercut]

--- Pat Gillick’s offseason moves, at best, have made no difference. Opposing batters have teed off on closer Tom Gordon since the all-star break. His numbers have fallen back to earth to a level most expected, but is still Billy Wagner’s equal, according to Hardball Times Win Shares. Aaron Rowand has been an awkward fit to an already dysfunctional, strikeout-plagued lineup. Whatever defensive intensity he brings to the field has been lost on one of the worst defensive squads in years. Sal Fasano performed as well as expected, but the handling of this position in general has been suspect. Overall, I see no improvements here. [Jab]

The rest of Gillick’s moves have not only done nothing, they’ve hurt.

By virtue of his .194 batting average and .478 OPS – tallied in full, everyday exposure – they would have been better off keeping Tomas Perez for one more season of utility than signing Abraham Nunez for two. Ridiculous, but true. At least Pie Man would’ve lifted his melancholy countryman’s spirits. [Jab]

Alex Gonzalez has provided right-handed pop from the bench, if by "bench" you mean "couch," and by "right-handed pop" you mean "occasionally open pickle jars in his wife’s kitchen." [Jab]

After two years of solid relief, just about everyone made a strong push to get Ryan Madson into the rotation. That was the reason why Jason Michaels was traded for Arthur Rhodes, and at least contributed to the decision to dump Vicente Padilla. Both Madson and Rhodes are probably the biggest disasters on the current roster. [Uppercut]

Someone decided Gavin Floyd would help the Phillies on the road to a World Series. That pipe dream burst in a month. [Jab]

Floyd beat out displaced starter Ryan Franklin. He’s been another awkward fit and has single handedly served up some losses in relief. [Jab]

Every team gets lucky once in a while, all except the Phils. Patchup jobs Eude Brito and Adam Bernero were so badly beaten, they booted Bernero from the organization just days after he was claimed off waivers. Who could have been better? Just about anyone. [Jab]

Lets look at the mental errors, missed opportunities and poor strategy that devastated the Phillies, particularly during the first half.

Too many strikeouts, all season long. [Right hook]
Poor situational hitting. [Left hook]
Allowing the opposing pitcher to hurt you offensively. [Right hook]
Poor in-game strategy by the manager. [Jab to the body]
Failing to develop a sense of clubhouse urgency. [Left uppercut]
Base-running mistakes. [Jab]
Defensive lapses. [Right uppercut]

... OK. That combination sealed the deal. The referee has stopped the fight.

Phils host D-backs as pieces start moving

A pair of Kansas City relievers have new homes, as the Phillies and the rest of baseball close in on the non-waiver trading deadline.

Elmer Dessens and Mike MacDougal are like pawns in a game of chess. Lame prose, but I can think of no better analogy than the weird imagery that's actually in my head:

“Elmer Dessens and Mike MacDougal are like those galloping infantry monkeys at the end of  ‘Planet of the Apes’ that get torched by the ship’s thrusters.”

In case you missed it, none of this impacts the Phils. Dessens was traded to the Dodgers for Odalis Perez and prospects in a salary dump for L.A. MacDougal will help the White Sox's bullpen.

After last night’s loss, the Phillies should be official sellers if they weren’t already. Time to pick up the phone and call some people back, Dr. Zaius. All eyes have been on Bobby Abreu, but some other names are starting to float. Jon Lieber and Cory Lidle have been linked to a couple report out of Boston. As for our own monkeys – Franklin, Fultzy, Frenchie – no word yet.

Tonight’s starter Miguel Batista (9-5, 4.58 ERA) has been the subject of trade speculation – I think. Ryan Madson (8-7, 6.25 ERA) has not – I think.

It’s hard to keep track. It’s easier to tally up Chase Utley’s consecutive games with a hit – 24 of them, the longest in the majors this season. Hopefully some day, after the deadline, that information will make its way higher into these pregame stories.

In other news, David Bell homered last night and is riding a 8-game hitting streak. Ryan Howard hit No. 32, which tied Albert Pujols for the league lead. Cole Hamels had an interesting night, giving up 7 runs in 5 innings but with 12 strikeouts.

The Phillies go with their standard army of monkeys tonight. You know what I'm talking about.

Confessions of a closet Wheeler fan

Sorry, Harry. Public punching bag Chris Wheeler has brought more to the table than any Phillies broadcaster this season.

After a night of listening to Joe Morgan pull analysis directly out of his rear end, there was no bigger contrast than listening to Chris Wheeler’s insights during last night’s broadcast.

Talk about not knowing how good you have it until it’s gone. Beerleaguer has criticized Wheeler in the past for failing to understand that in baseball, sometimes silence is golden. But after suffering through a night of Morgan, it occurred to me that my beliefs have changed.

Subtlety is a nice touch. It’s the primary reason Harry Kalas is in the Hall of Fame. But storytelling is what it’s all about. Suddenly, it’s clear: Wheeler gets it. He doesn’t need to be funny. He doesn’t even need to shut his trap. He understands that in baseball, small narratives occur every moment, and the color man must be on the lookout. Once you identify the moment, you assemble the parts: premise; conflict; resolution.

Last night was one of his finest games yet. His shining moment happened in the 5th inning. Shane Victorino singled to right center. He and pitcher Tim Hudson engaged in a game of chess at first base. Hudson was convinced he was going, but with one out and Chase Utley at the plate, a stolen base would have closed the hole on the right side. Wheeler had his doubts.

Hudson threw over about five times. Meanwhile, Utley worked the count full, zinging about five pitches past first base coach Mark Bombard. Eventually, Hudson wore down Utley and got him to chase a fastball high and away. The encounter lasted about 8 minutes.

In the stands, it would have been a great time to hit the head. Sitting at home, it unfolded like a one-act play, all because Wheels scooped the story and brought it to fruition. All it needed was an ending, and the players always provide that. Next batter, Victorino got his base with two outs. The end.

Wheeler is like a clutch broadcaster. Big games and grueling series bring out his best. "Atlanta must feel like they've been held hostage in Philadelphia. They've been here since Wednesday."

He's also the only Phils broadcaster who seems unafraid to step outside the company bubble and set foot in reality. "David Dellucci reads his name in the headlines; he's aware of what's happening and wants a chance to play ..." Then, he reinforces this new topic by fleshing out Dellucci the person. "Since day one, he said he doesn’t accept not being an every day player, but he accepts this role."

To compare, Larry Andersen doesn’t do color analysis this way. His strengths are dry humor and pitching. As for Harry, he does not provide the necessary mechanisms to get these narratives started. He used to, but does it much less than his days with Richie Ashburn. Scott Graham makes for the better teammate. He sets the premise in motion: "You wouldn’t think he’d go in this situation, would you?"

If I may be frank, Kalas has brought little to the table this season, and in truth, he's only distracted from the outstanding job Wheeler has done in the later innings. Last night, mid-rally, Kalas updated the Mets score right in the middle of Utley’s next at bat. At the moment, Wheeler was in mid-narritive, building toward the climax.

As a viewer, the illusion was broken.

Hudson's career steadily trending downward

Tim Hudson signed a 4-year, $47 million extension last spring to become Atlanta’s next generation ace. So far, it hasn’t worked out, and there are strong signs the 31-year-old is on the decline. He faces Cole Hamels and the Phillies tonight at Citizen's Bank Park.

Hudson is still a good pitcher, but at 31, he’s only a shadow of the spectacular kid who used to give the Athletics eight or nine innings on a regular basis. The right-hander stands in with a 7-8 record and 4.95 ERA and has allowed four or more runs in eight consecutive outings.

Stepping back before last season: It’s Billy Beane’s pattern to ride starting pitching before they get too expensive, but in Hudson’s case, Oakland was already getting concerned about his health. With the Braves last season, he missed a month with a strained oblique and finished 14-9 with a 3.52 ERA. That's about as good as what Brett Myers did. The big problem: He doubled up his career high in home runs allowed with 20, and also walked a career-high 65. This season, he’s already given up 13 longballs and 44 walks.

Tonight, the Phils counter with Cole Hamels (2-4, 5.36 ERA) whose big problem has been getting behind too many hitters. He’s been sharp with his strikeouts, but has had trouble getting through 6 innings because of his high pitch counts.

Chase Utley will look to increase his quiet hitting streak to 24 games, which is the longest in the majors.

Red-hot David Bell is 6-for-8 this series (.750) and has his own 7-game hitting streak on the line. He's hitting .400 (30-75) in his last 19 games.

The Phillies will go with two bench players tonight. Shane Victorino gets the start in center field. David Dellucci replaces Pat Burrell in left.

Myers makes delayed return tonight

Brett Myers will find out soon enough if time is on his side as he takes the mound for a prime-time game with Atlanta.

I said yesterday that I didn't expect fan reaction to be quite as severe when Brett Myers made his first home start since his June 22 arrest. Today, I can't help but wonder if an 8 p.m. game under the lights won't change that. Stay tuned.

The game
Since the break, the Phils have been playing some pretty good ball. They brushed aside the Braves again last night, improving to 6-1 against their division foes in a 6-5 come from behind win, their second in a row.

In their last nine games, they’re 6-3 and hitting .308. Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 22 games yesterday, which ties Nomar Garciaparra for the second longest streak this season.

In addition, the Phils have rallied for big innings without the long ball, getting surprise production from the bottom of the order, particularly David Bell, who went 4-4 last night.

Myers (6-3, 3.77 ERA) is coming off a very good 7 inning, 2 ER start against San Francisco. He’s pitched better than most seasons at home, going 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA at Citizen's Bank Park. He faces the surprising Chuck James (4-0, 3.72).

No storybook ending for folk hero Fasano

Backup catcher Sal Fasano’s magical ride in Philadelphia has come to an end as the Phils designate the 34-year old journeyman for assignment.

Fasano became the first player since Rollie Fingers to gain recognition for ironic facial hair. Then once the cameras started turning their attention to the much-traveled AAA catcher, following the lead of a small group of 18-to-24-year-old men in the nosebleed section, the public discovered a true class act. Fasano quickly used his new-found popularity as a springboard to support charity through the sale of Sal's Pals t-shirts.

Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said the decision was difficult. The Phillies have to trade, release or send Fasano outright to the minors by July 31. Fasano has already stated he will not return to minors, which is where he’s spent at least part of the time in 11 of his 12 professional seasons. The Phillies represented his 11th organization.

Fasano was placed on the disabled list on July 4 with left knee inflammation. Before that, he had become for a short while the team's default starting catcher, hitting .243 with 4 home runs and 10 RBIs.

For everything there was to like about the 6-2 catcher, scouting reports sent in to Beerleaguer before the season were dead on. Fasano, a former 37th round pick of the Kansas City Royals, was an all-or-nothing hitter and unorthodox defender who often looked overmatched in all aspects of the game. One reader of this site labeled him “Sal the Deflector” because of his tendency to miss pitches that were often right down Broadway. His reputation for handling pitchers was vastly overrated by the Phillies. His pitchers have never performed well and struggled again this season.

Fasano will be replaced by another career minor leaguer, Chris Coste, who’s having his own storybook season as a 33-year-old rookie.

Fasano would do well not to burn his bridges here in Philadelphia. A player of his character--and unlikely popularity--could generate a fruitful living in the Delaware Valley making appearances at state fairs and baseball card shows. And for all their faults, the Phillies open more doors for high-character former players than any team in baseball.

Myers makes first home start since June arrest

Pitcher Brett Myers will find out soon enough whether time is on his side.

Myers took the mound to an indifferent public one week ago in San Francisco, but fan reaction back home could be a different story. Though no official protests have been planned according to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Phillies handling of Myers in the wake of his domistic violence charge left the public shattered

Eyewitness accounts and police say Myers allegedly grabbed his wife by the hair and smacked her in the face alongside a Boston street back on June 22. The team faced a public outcry days later when Myers was allowed to pitch his next turn in Boston, generating a perception of apathy toward domestic violence. Later, statements made by Bill Giles and teammate Mike Lieberthal indicated the incident wasn’t as severe as the public perceived. In a news conference before his last start, Myers (pictured right at that news conference) said he was humbled by the experience.

In any event, the furor surrounding the incident has, in fact, cooled, and it is in Beerleaguer’s opinion that reaction at Citizen’s Bank Park will not be as severe as first anticipated. I could be wrong, but that's my feeling. It’s hot, it’s oppressive, and it’s likely fans will stir as little as possible.

The game
Since the break, the Phils have been playing some pretty good ball. They brushed aside the Braves again last night, improving to 6-1 against their division foes in a 6-5 come from behind win, their second in a row.

In their last nine games, they’re 6-3 and hitting .308. Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 22 games yesterday, which ties Nomar Garciaparra for the second longest streak this season.

In addition, the Phils have rallied for big innings without the long ball, getting surprise production from the bottom of the order, particularly David Bell, who went 4-4 last night.

Myers (6-3, 3.77 ERA) is coming off a very good 7 inning, 2 ER start against San Francisco. He’s pitched better than most seasons at home, going 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA at Citizen's Bank Park. He faces the surprising Chuck James (4-0, 3.72).

Utley looks to extend 21-game hitting streak

Chase Utley quietly extended his impressive hitting streak out West and continues to represent one of the bright spots of an otherwise forgettable Phillies season.

The all-star second baseman is hitting .411 during the streak and .318 on the season. In addition, he's second in the league in runs scored with 77 of them.

Utley and the Phillies are back home against a red-hot Braves team in a series very few people are calling "do or die." Most have already pronounced them dead.

Atlanta has catapulted themselves back into the playoff hunt by winning eight of their last 10 game. After some earlier talk about the Braves becoming sellers, GM John Schuerholz became a buyer Wednesday when he dealt for Indians closer Bob Wickman.

Meanwhile, former closer and tonight's starter John Smoltz (7-5, 3.41 ERA) has been Atlanta’s best pitcher and has won his last three starts. Andruw Jones has led the charge with the bat. Jones is hitting .288 with 24 homers and leads the league with 88 RBIs.

The Phillies will counter with Cory Lidle (6-7, 5.02 ERA).

Know when to fold ’em

With the non-waiver trade deadline less than a week and a half away, expect the Phillies’ fire sale to occur toward the end of their 11-game homestand, which also happens to be deadline day.

Radio host Howard Eskin said yesterday that a source in the Phillies front office has indicated their intention to sell. The Phils are 5.5 games back of Cincinnati for the NL Wild Card, but that number isn’t the issue. The critical number is 8, the number of teams standing between the Phils and the Wild Card. The odds are simply too high for all of those teams to finish the second half below the pitching-poor Phils.

The hottest embers of the fire sale will likely fall at the 11th hour of this homestand, the longest remaining home swing of the season. The reasons: The Phillies wish to show the public they still have faith in winning. Obviously from a business standpoint, it is their intention to get as many people in the seats before they waive the white flag. This includes two businessperson specials that occur four days apart, in addition to two, huge promotions next week, including a PECO Energy Aaron Rowand jersey night and American Red Cross Ryan Howard bobble head night.

That doesn’t mean a few items won’t trickle off the shelf over the next 11 days. Relief pitchers like Rheal Cormier, Aaron Fultz, Arthur Rhodes, Ryan Franklin and Rick White aren't likely to make or break a World Series, but they could help a contender that’s thin in middle relief, particularly teams without situational left-handers, such as San Diego. It would take two of these players to even sniff a mid-level prospect.

Jon Lieber will make two more starts before the deadline. Lieber could stabilize the bottom of a rotation, but is set to make $7.5 million in base salary next season. As Eskin said yesterday, pitchers like Lieber "fall out of trees." It’s true. There are plenty of No. 3 pitchers to go around, and calling Lieber a No. 3 is probably generous.

To certain teams, the more attractive pitcher may be Cory Lidle, who becomes a free agent after the season. Lidle has been the more consistent of the two, usually going 6 innings and allowing 3 runs. Lidle has also been the better ground ball pitcher.

Lieber and Lidle should draw interest from two separate types of teams. In Lieber’s case, he could be attractive to a contending club that can afford to add the contract. A team like the Giants, for example, are shedding close to $50 million in salary next season, including Jason Schmidt if he isn’t resigned. On the other hand, Lidle could be attractive to a team like Boston or St. Louis, which has some young pitching in the pipeline and only needs a stopgap to take them through 2006.

The rewards will be modest. Lieber could fetch a decent prospect, and Lidle would return something less than that.

As for the latest trade rumors:
--- Tom Gordon is on the White Sox’s radar, according to Baseball Tonight analyst John Kruk. The deal is said to include promising starter Brandon McCarthy. This would seem to be an excellent deal for the Phils, which is why it probably has no basis in reality.

--- According to ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Phillies and Mets are still talking shop about Bobby Abreu. This time, the package would be topped by Mets' marquee outfield prospect Lastings Milledge.

As discussed in yesterday’s thread, getting the Mets involved in a bidding war for Bobby is a great thing. The Mets are going for broke this season, and should. Ideally you don't want to make a division rival better, but when a team starts getting a name like Milledge involved, the next thing you know, Boston starts throwing out pitcher John Lester, the Yankees start mentioning Philip Hughes, and maybe the Tigers, who should also go for it, give you something better than pitcher Zach Miner. Maybe they send you lights-out pitching prospect Huberto Sanchez.

For all the hype surrounding Bobby Abreu, the flip side are the marquee prospects teams like the Phils should be asking about. My list would include Sanchez, Milledge, Hughes, Anthony Reyes of St. Louis, and a third baseman via a three-way deal, someone like Ian Stewart from Colorado, or one of Kansas City's corners - either Alex Gordon or Billy Butler.

Rehab
Sal Fasano had a last-minute assignment change yesterday and caught seven innings for Reading. Fasano went 0-3 and has one hit during his rehab assignment.

Phils hope to salvage game with Padres

Jon Lieber looks to outduel rookie pitcher Mike Thompson as the Phillies wrap up their series this afternoon in San Diego.

Lieber (3-7, 5.56) hasn’t won a game in five starts, going 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA. In his last start, he surrendered five runs over 5 1-3 innings in a 5-3 loss. Thompson (NR) was recalled from Triple-A Portland, where he was 3-2 with a 4.30 ERA.

Update: The Phils are on the board 1-0 after one inning. Bobby Abreu’s RBI single drove in Jimmy Rollins. [Live boxscore]

Beer Nuts: Yanks hot for Abreu? If you say so.

Random thoughts about Philadelphia Phillies baseball, of course.

--- With all this talk about a trade with New York, has anyone stepped back to consider whether the Yankees actually need Bobby Abreu? If it makes George Steinbrenner happy having a name-brand player at every position, then yes. In terms of winning games, no. They can’t expect much better. They’ve won five in a row, and nine of their last 10. Their corner outfielders have done a serviceable job, and maybe even a little better than that. Melky Cabrera is hitting .276 and has reached base safely in his last 20 games. Is it any wonder why Yankee interest in Abreu has cooled?

--- Not that Pat Gillick needs another reason to be a seller at the deadline, but Atlanta’s recent surge should be the straw that broke the camel’s back. Baseball's great procrastinators have won seven in a row to jump two games ahead of the Phils and four back of the Wild Card lead. History is on Atlanta’s side to make a mid-season run and return to the postseason. Talk about a dangerous team at this stage of the season.

--- A fierce storm with 70 mph winds knocked out power at Beerleaguer headquarters from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., so there wasn’t an in-game discussion thread and I missed the game. The morning highlights revealed more bad signs for "winningest" Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson, who gave up two runs in the first inning and was exposed for four runs in the sixth. Judging from the highlights, hitters were waiting on his change.

--- Even worse was Arthur Rhodes, which is the player Madson should probably replace in the bullpen next season. Rhodes loaded the bases and then imploded. When talking about giving young players a chance, there’s no better place to start than in bullpen, where fossils like Rhodes (6.07 ERA) should be pushed aside for the younger stable of bullpen arms in Triple-A. Time to jumpstart the future in the bullpen, too, so they aren’t forced to blindly overspend on veteran middle relief like the rest of baseball.

--- On the bright side, Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to 20 games.

--- According to the Detroit News, the Tigers are back in the Abreu sweepstakes. The deal is rumored to include outfielder Marcus Thames and pitcher Zach Miner.

--- Pat Burrell won’t include last night’s game on his personal highlight reel. Burrell went 0-5 and butchered a couple balls in the outfield. At the end of the season, Burrell will have some very good offensive numbers, probably 35 homers and over 100 RBIs. I have to believe Burrell will be more attractive to teams in the offseason rather than at the deadline. When teams were reportedly scouting Burrell a few weeks ago, that's when he looked the worst. The rub on Burrell is that his numbers ring shallow, but typically, perceptions like those fade once the season concludes and stat sheets are all that’s left.

--- Tom Goodman of Swing and a Miss opened up a discussion on MLB realignment yesterday. I weighed in with my thoughts for a four-division league that would adopt an NFL-style playoff format. The Phillies would be in the AL East with the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Nationals, Baltimore and the Blue Jays, though one poster made a good point that Toronto should be swapped with the Braves.

Nunez sinking deep into abyss of historic lows

Abraham Nunez has entered a new, ironic phase where his futility should be celebrated.

Nunez’s 2006 season is a modern baseball marvel. Usually when a player hits this poorly, he would be long gone, either sent to the minors or released. Yet somehow, the war of attrition known as the Phillies '06 season has not taken him as a casualty. His only defense is that he’s the ranking utility man, a title he’s wearing like a polymeric bulletproof vest.

Personally, I’m pulling for Nunez (pictured right in a great moment in Phillies history) to keep his average below .150. That way, he can go down as having the worst, longest-sustained, single Phillies season of my lifetime. I say this in full acceptance that the Phils are out of the race, and have resorted to grasping at straws, like this story, to keep readers interested.

Yesterday, Nunez tripled, which was completely unacceptable. It was his first hit in just under a month. It brought his average up .009 points to .142. and OPS up .034 points to .390.

Readers at PhilliesPhans.com have started to pick up on Nunez’s historically futile season, undertaking in research projects to insert Nunez somewhere in his rightful place among the bowels of Phillies history.

Poster Joe Cowley has taken the lead, and believes Lee Tinsley might be the closest player to match Nunez’s sustained level of futility over the past 20 years:

--- Lee Tinsley (1996) had a .135 AVG and an OPS of .331, but that was for only 52 AB. (Nunez has 106 ABs).

--- Bill Almon only got 26 ABs in 1988 to show off his .115 AVG. But 2 doubles and 3 walks helped skyrocket his OPS to .399.

I keep looking for a worse performance, but it's hard:

--- Sil Campusano (1990) .212/.587
--- Dale Sveum (1992) .178/.513
--- Braulio Castillo (1992) .197/.580
--- Mark Parent (1997) .150/.375
--- Felipe Crespo (2001) .171/.527
--- Eric Valent (2001) .098/.342
--- Shawn Wooten (2004) .170/.454

More from the 1996 Phillies
I forwarded this information on Tinsley to Senior Beerleaguer Correspondent Martin Smith, who shot back this e-mail on the 1996 Phillies.

"I forgot about Tinsley, so I looked up that awful team. J.R. Phillips, Jon Zuber, Glenn Murray, Mike Mimbs, Dave Leiper ... but there is another great story from that year. The Phils needed a starting pitcher for one game, much like this year with Adam Benero. They brought up Rafael Quirico, a 26-year-old that they found somewhere in the Dominican. I don't believe he had much experience in organized ball before this, but he was at SWB and had done OK.

"He was awful, or had an incredible case of stage fright. He gave up 7 runs in 1 2-3 with 5 walks, but what they found out is he did not know how to throw to first base to hold a runner. After the game, Phils management was really pissed, wondering why this guy was brought up, and didn't they teach him how to throw to first while at SWB. And like Benero, he was out of here. He was released and never pitched for the Phillies again."

Links:
Lee Tinsley’s career numbers
Lee Tinsley wikipedia biography
Rafael Quirico’s career numbers
... and just for jags, Felipe Crespo's career numbers

Hamels takes hill for San Diego homecoming

Rookie Cole Hamels makes his first professional start in his home town tonight as the Phillies and Padres begin a three game series.

Hamels (2-4, 5.44 ERA) represents perhaps the best non-hot stove, non-Myers storyline the Phillies have going. The 22-year-old left-hander, considered a major part of the Phillies future, earned his second win in his last start. In his brief tenure in the majors, Hamels has shown flashes of promise and has had little trouble striking out opposing hitters. His command and falling behind hitters has been a different matter.

San Diego will start Woody Williams (4-1, 3.08), who has won his last three decisions.

Chase Utley extended his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games yesterday. This came after the day Jimmy Rollins collected his 1,000th hit.

The Phillies are coming off a series win against San Francisco in which the bats caught fire. The Phils are the only NL team that can boast four hitters with over 50 RBIs (Howard, Burrell, Abreu, Utley).

The Phillies have won their last eight games at San Diego and had won 11 in a row against the Padres before losing the final two games of their series earlier this month.

Giants wrap: Now that’s what I’m talking about

The Phillies offense sprang to action like a well-oiled machine, generating big innings and capitalizing on scoring opportunities to win their second series in a row. And, oh yeah, dishonored pitcher Brett Myers had a very good afternoon.

I’ve drawn a blank on how to begin a post that doesn’t rip the Phillies. I'll get right to the nuts-and-bolts of it.

It doesn’t get any more rudimentary than David Bell, who had his best series of the season against his old team. Bell (pictured right with Bill Dancy, in a photo sure to be used in one of those nauseating books about the Phillies) had five hits, including two doubles, a triple and a home run. In addition, Bell showcased some slick work in the field under the gushing stare of former manager Lou Pinella, who worked Fox’s broadcast booth in Saturday’s game. Sweet Lou is often rumored to be in the running to replace Charlie Manuel. If it happens, rest assured the Phillies won’t play the way the A’s play. He’s no Moneyball disciple.

Speaking of playing the game the right way, Aaron Rowand, who’s been slumping ever since "the catch," played a large role in the two wins. Rowand had three RBIs this series with a couple of doubles.

Frankly, there’s hardly anything negative to discuss, with the exception of Abraham Nunez, who has reached new levels of futility. Nunez and his .133 batting average and 4 RBIs in 105 at bats, can be the first name enshrined in the Citizen’s Bank Park Wall of Shame. The shrine to Steve Jeltz and the other 1971-2003 degenerates turned to dust when Veteran’s Stadium was razed into a parking lot.

The pitching staff had a good series. Myers was exceptional, Cory Lidle was tolerable, and Jon Lieber was a little worse than that. The offense didn’t give them much breathing room, either. The Phils mostly fed upon the Giants bullpen late in their two wins.

Fasano’s return could lead to ill-advised roster move
Catcher Sal Fasano is reportedly due back Wednesday or Thursday, but the Phillies are strapped for how they can fit him back into the 25-man roster. Geoff Geary, who’s been a workman in middle relief, is the only pitcher with an option left. Chris Coste would need to be designated for assignment.

Maybe it’s time for the Phillies to ask themselves what better teams would probably ask themselves: Is a broken-down Fasano really worth it? The answer is a resounding "no."

Latest trade winds
From the Newark Star-Ledger: While one Venezuelan acquaintance of Bobby Abreu said the Philadelphia right fielder would like to come to New York, where he has a residence, another countryman said Abreu seeks a contract extension through 2011 in order to waive his no-trade clause.

From a column in the Pioneer Press: A little birdie says the first-place Detroit Tigers are close to a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies for right fielder Bobby Abreu.

From Baltimore Sun on Thursday: Flanagan said again this week that the Orioles would only be interested in acquiring players who are signed through at least next season. Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Lee and Barry Zito, the top players expected to be available on the trade market, are all free agents after this season. Philadelphia Phillies power-hitting outfielder Pat Burrell isn't, and he is a player that the Orioles have discussed. But he has a blanket no-trade clause, and is due to make $13 million in 2007 and $14 million in 2008.

From Jayson Stark, ESPN.com: Add one more team to the list of clubs interested in Bobby Abreu -- Milwaukee. The Brewers recently contacted the Phillies to see what it might take to get Abreu, an executive of a club with interest in the right fielder told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. But don't bet your favorite photo of Bernie Brewer on this deal going down. The Brewers still haven't decided if they're going to be buyers or sellers. And even if Milwaukee stepped up its pursuit, a baseball man friendly with Abreu says he would be surprised if Abreu waived his no-trade clause to go to the Brewers.

Lieberthal returns to lineup this afternoon

Catcher Mike Lieberthal has been sidelined with a bruised hip since June 5. He returns to the lineup this afternoon in Game 2 of the Phillies’ series with San Francisco.

The Phils dropped Game 1 of this series 5-3 last night. With the game tied and the bases loaded in the sixth, Chase Utley booted a potential double play ball, allowing two runs to score. With the loss, the Phils fell to 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race.

Lieberthal is 21 games away from passing Red Dooin’s all-time Phillies record for games by a catcher. The son-to-be free agent has been the subject of some new trade rumors involving the Colorado Rockies. Lieby will bat eighth this afternoon.

In his 13-year career with the Phils, Lieberthal is a .274 hitter, with 141 home runs and a .446 career slugging percentage. His best season was 1999, when he hit .300/.363/.551 with 31 homers and 96 RBIs.

Cory Lidle (5-7, 4.95 ERA), the subject of even more trade speculation, gets the ball for the Phils, looking to follow up on a strong outing against Pittsburgh. He’ll face Noah Lowry (4-5, 4.08 ERA), who’s 2-0 with a 3.87 ERA in his last four starts.

Them against us

The disconnect between the Phillies and the public has never been deeper as Brett Myers is welcomed back with open arms in San Francisco.

Myers issued a statement to the media yesterday but entertained no questions. "I have been humbled greatly by this problem," said Myers, "And I deeply regret any incident that happened.”

Brett Myers timeline
Eyewitness accounts and police say Myers allegedly grabbed his wife by the hair and smacked her in the face alongside a Boston street back on June 22. The team faced a public outcry days later when Myers was allowed to pitch his next turn in Boston, generating a perception of apathy toward domestic violence. Following a scathing editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer and mounting pressure from the public, Myers was granted a leave of absence to receive family counseling in Florida. In the meantime, Phillies chairman Bill Giles said eyewitnesses saw something in Boston that didn’t actually happen, and that Myers was actually trying to “help” Kim Myers. Hours later, Phillies president David Montgomery said Giles misinterpreted what happened.

Yesterday, the latest chapter saw Myers’ return to the team in San Francisco, with continued quotes from the Phillies about conflicting reports on what happened that night in Boston. Speaking to the Inquirer, Mike Lieberthal had this to say:

"I think the players are behind him," catcher Mike Lieberthal said. "From what the players have heard, I'm not sure how much at fault he is. You've got conflicting reports.”

Nobody seems to know for sure what happened, but every single act on the part of the Phillies displays a conviction that the incident isn’t as severe as ithe public believes.

      ---  Myers was allowed to pitch the day after his arrest, and it’s likely he would have continued to pitch if the public flogging hadn’t been so severe.

   -- Following a briefing between Montgomery and Giles, Giles came away from the conversation convinced Myers was trying to “help” his wife, indicating Myers himself was somewhat of victim.

   -- Speaking on behalf of players, Mike Lieberthal says players don’t believe he’s entirely at fault

Is it spin, or are the Phillies truly convinced his actions didn't happen the way they were alleged?

Either way, the cavernous scarring between the Phillies and the public has never been deeper. As a devoted fan, who writes daily on the Phillies for pure enjoyment, I’ve rarely felt so betrayed as I have the last few weeks.

Second-half primer: All eyes on the hot stove

I received a one-sentence e-mail yesterday from Tom Goodman, who writes about the Phils at Swing and a Miss. "Are you psyched?" it said.

About what, I thought. I immediately surfed onto ESPN.com to see if there was a trade. Nothing.

Oh. He must have meant the rest of the season. In that case, no.

The big discussion will center around trade speculation, and I'm bracing for a huge amount of writing and traffic before the deadline. I keep reading Yankees with Bobby Abreu. If that's the case, another team should be involved, and there's no way they shouldn't come away with Philip Hughes (RHP) in a deal with New York. Let the Yankees choke on the salary and bend over backwards to get a third-party involved. They're desperate for Abreu. Pay up, or simply shop him to another team like Boston, which is richer in resources. Or how about the novel idea of keeping Abreu instead of giving him away?

As you noticed, I took the week off. I used the all-star break like the players would, to take a few days off to regroup and do some other writing for work. I didn't watch the all-star game, and the absolute last subject I wanted to write about was Bill Giles and that whole mess. I don't give a hang about ownership. I like baseball too much.

What am I excited about? I'm excited to watch Cole Hamels develop. I want Ryan Madson to make me a believer. I'm still interested to see what Randy Wolf can do, just to show whether he's worth resigning after the season. There must be strong loyalty from both sides. After all, the Phils are paying him 9 million to rehab. After the season, the Phils should be able to keep Wolf for a bargain price. They know more about his health than any other team.

I'd hate to see anyone but Carlos Ruiz get playing time behind the plate, and if the organization had any spine, they'll let Lieberthal sit there while his contract runs out. For how much the Phillies invested in Lieberthal, he hasn’t been good enough in three years. He never showed any desire to lead or win and I’m not disappointed to see that era come to an end. The change in clubhouse culture starts right there.

Instead, a regime as cutting edge as the Phillies will likely send Ruiz down, in favor of the aging mediocrities they have ahead of him. The reason? Jon Lieber likes throwing to Sal Fasano. Cory Lidle likes Lieberthal. Then when the offseasons hits, and they're left with Ruiz and Coste, they will have no good idea whether they could carry the load, all because Lieberthal and Fasano were the catchers during the second half. Then, they’ll overpay on another veteran they don't really want to sign, someone like Jorge Posada for example.

Ruiz would be my catcher the rest of the way just to see what they need to do in the offseason. Who knows, maybe they will need to sign a big catcher like Bengie Molina. But maybe not.

I will be happy for Ryan Howard if he breaks Mike Schmidt's record. I will be even happier if he does it while making strides in the field and cuts down on his strikeouts.

As for what I'm not looking forward to? How about watching Lieber and Lidle pitch for a team going nowhere. Lidle becomes a free agent after the season, and I want him moved before that happens, sent to either Boston or St. Louis for position prospects. Earlier this season, I entertained ideas that the Phillies should consider keeping him around. But now, I’d rather roll the dice with a young starter and speed up the process.

Same goes for Lieber. At 36, he’s too much of a risk to give him $7.5 million next season. He’s not the right type of veteran for this team. I’d rather have the younger Wolf be that guy.

Unless the Phillies make a huge charge on the Mets, Beerleaguer will be all about rebuilding from now until October. Believe it or not, it could still happen, but the scale could be totally tipped in just one week. I’d estimate there’s a 75 percent chance of an all-out rebuild, with a corner outfielder leading the way. Thing is, Abreu is probably out of the top five of players I’d trade.

There's going to come a point in the season, possibly right now after the all-star break, when the Mets are going to go in a slump. I'm sure a lot of the Mets players in the all-star game - Beltran, Reyes, Lo Duca - accepted some pats on the back like they had already wrapped up the division, but the truth is, it's going to be very hard to do what they did in the first half.

Starting pitching is the primary reason. Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine kind of struggled through June, especially Pedro. Now he’s on the 15-day DL with a hip inflammation. Alay Soler wasn’t cutting it and was optioned back to the minors. Mike Pelfrey was called up. Steve Trachsel is their version of Cory Lidle – he keeps them in games, but never dominates. Orlando Hernandez is probably as inconsistent as Ryan Madson right now.

Willie Randolph will have a tough task keeping the offense from sleepwalking through the rest of the season, or playing games just to pad stats. They begin a six-game road trip tonight against the Cubs before heading off to playoff-hopeful Cincinnati. Then they host Houston for three.

This could be the eternal optimist talking, but two teams are bound to have better second halves, and those teams are Atlanta and Philadelphia. I still expect the Mets to win it, but I think they will take the division with less games than they have over the division right now. That's what happened to Chicago last season, allowing the Indians to make it interesting right at the end. The Mets hold a 12-game lead over the Phils.

Phillies puttering on fumes ... but still puttering

Off the field, the high-profile trainwreck known as the Philadelphia Phillies added doubts to an already shaken fan base. On the field, you need to dig through the archives and scour the back pages to locate the better morsels from 2006.

Tonight, the stars of the 2006 season, Chase Utley, Tom Gordon and derby king Ryan Howard, share the spotlight with some of the biggest names in baseball. As Howard showed last night, our best can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world. The oddest part is the scarlet hat on top.

Back home and above the fold, the Phillies’ principle owner said the Brett Myers thing didn’t happen, or at least, didn’t happen the way eyewitnesses and police thought it did. I won’t even touch this.

Instead of a midseason report card, in which I’m tempted to give the whole thing a failing grade, today’s space will be dedicated to giving some less-publicized developments their due.

Here's a sampling of what I've siphoned from the bone-dry tank:

Cole Hamels arrives in the big leagues
Huge news in May, and still huge today. This ranks right at the top, since 2006 has become all about the future. Hamels has struggled to find consistency, but so what? So do a lot of young pitchers.

There’s nothing more for Hamels to learn in the minor leagues, and in a fortunate twist in the timeline of his development, he arrived just before the wrecking balls are about to hit.

Hamels’ erratic location and situational pitch selection can be solved in the majors. Truthfully, there’s nobody to fill his spot in the rotation, forcing the Phillies to keep him, in spite of their better judgement.

Pitching from the stretch must also be solved in the majors. He misses too many bats in the minors to develop this part of his game.

The argument about bringing him up too fast does not apply. Every team is doing it this way, and Hamels is the right kind of pitcher to do it with. Gavin Floyd was not, but as we know, Gavin Floyd is weak.

Ryan Howard can hit lefties
There were two Ryan Howards this season. The first was an RBI singles hitter who waited through patient at bats against left-handers. The second was the home run hitter who struck out at an enormous rate and looked defeated against lefties.

Most of us already knew Howard had 40-50-home run potential. What we didn’t know, for sure, was how he’d develop against left-handed pitching. After 98 at bats, he’s hitting .235 with 5 homers, a marked improvement over last season.

J-Roll’s defense
Since his 2000 debut, there’s been a tendency from the Phillies insular broadcast team to list Jimmy Rollins as one of the game’s elite defensive shortstops. Meanwhile, fans have a tendency to turn a deaf ear to this praise because the 27-year-old hasn’t lived up to expectations as a lead-off hitter.

Stepping out of the bubble, more teams are sticking with young, light-hitting, slick fielding shortstops, to the point where the veteran Rollins should no longer stand out for his fielding.

Except for the fact that he still does.

Statistically, Rollins is back among the game’s best shortstops, after a year where he sunk into the middle of the pack. You’d never know by watching him, but it’s true: 2005 was his worst defensive year.

J-Roll is back to being the cornerstone of the Phillies defense, after a season when one could make a decent argument that David Bell was their best pound-for-pound infielder. This season, J-Roll is the only player that has shown competent defensive play throughout. If I had to make a second choice, my choice would be Pat Burrell. For all his limitations, he makes smart throws and does his best to cut off balls and avoid more trouble.

Scott Mathieson’s cup of coffee
Continuing with the theme of getting more young players involved, Mathieson and the Phils have to be happy with the way he pitched, specifically his last game against San Diego (8 IP, 3 ER). That kind of experience is sure to be worth just as much as a spending half the season blowing away Double-A hitters for a ridiculously bad Reading team.

Attendance solid
33,581 a game, 11th in baseball. Contrarians argue that attendance is inflated by games with the Yankees, Red Sox and the Barry Bonds circus. Obviously, that’s part of it. Here’s the other part: word is getting out about the ballpark. It’s a great place to see a game, and the cheapest seats can be had for $12. There’s nothing more overrated than the stigma that it’s a hostile, unpleasant place to watch baseball and take the family. I’ve been there often, and even on the worst nights, it never gets terribly ugly. All things considered, the Phillies have drawn decent crowds, even in games with lesser teams like Pittsburgh and San Diego. They've also helped themselves with more promotions, such as the dollar dog nights.

The arms down on the farm
The Phillies aren’t sitting on the next Francisco Liriano, or even someone like Humberto Sanchez (Detroit - AAA), or Jason Hirsh (Houtson - AAA). However, they have a strong batch of talent at two levels, including Double-A Reading and Class-A Lakewood. Suddenly, the future of pitching isn’t quite so bleak.

Here’s what they’ve got:

Reading
Mathieson, RHP: 7-2, 3.21 ERA, 91 IP, 98 SO, .221 BAA
Gonzalez, LHP: 4-9, 4.08 ERA, 99.1 IP, 112 SO, .232 BAA
Happ, LHP: 1-1, 3.38 ERA, 10.2 IP (recent call-up)
Segovia, RHP: 6-4, 3.82, 70.2 IP, 18 BB, 46 SO, .244 BAA

An aside on Gonzalez, who is just 20-years-old. He’s got a long way to go in his development. He has issues with his control and cannot shake off bad innings.

It’s much too early to waive a red flag over one stat, but I’ll pass it along anyway: 16 homers surrendered at the half-way point, on pace to break a Reading record held by Robinson Tejeda (29 in 2004). Don’t look for Gonzalez in red pinstripes until late 2007 at the very earliest.

An aside on Segovia, who I haven’t seen pitch. The line on the 23-year-old former second-round pick reminds me of Carlos Silva’s when he was in Reading. In shortened time, eighteen walks is pretty Silvarian, and for the most part, he’s kept the ball in the yard with only seven long balls.

Here are the numbers from Lakewood, which is largely beyond my scope.

Lakewood
Maloney, LHP: 9-5, 1.61 ERA, 100.2 IP, 110 SO, 44 BB, 3 HR
Outman, LHP: 7-5, 3.61 94.2 IP, 54 BB, 94 SO, 3 HR
Carrasco, RHP: 6-5, 2.66 ERA, 94.2 IP, 35 BB, 95 SO, 4 HR
Kendrick, RHP: 3-2, 2.15 ERA, 46.0 IP, 54 SP, 15 BB, 0 HR

King of Swing: Howard crowned Derby champ

The Phillies may not win championships, but they’re the best in the world at the Home Run Derby, as Ryan Howard gave the Phillies their second derby crown in as many years tonight at PNC Park.

Howard defeated David Wright in the final round 5-4 for a total of 23 homers, measuring over two miles in total distance. The longest was a 471-foot shot into the river.

Howard received pitches from Phillies bullpen coach Ramon Henderson, who pitched to Bobby Abreu last year when the outfielder set a derby record with 41 home runs. Henderson also pitched to main attraction David Ortiz.

Beerleaguer take
Howard downplayed the hype before the derby because he doesn't hit many homers in batting practice. It took him about five outs in the first round to get into rhythm, eventually catching up with eight long balls to advance to the next round. Howard powered out 10 balls in the second round to tie Wright for the lead.

As the other competitors – Wright, Ortiz and Miguel Cabrera -- started falling off, Howard opened up and kept adding deep shots to right and right-center, ending the night as the most evenly-paced hitter through every round. Besides Big Papi, Howard also proved to be the strongest. His blasts consistently found water or the roof of the ESPN booth in dead center.

Afterwards, Howard said he was glad to give the Phillies something to cheer about.

His last homer was extra special. He hit a ball off a MasterCard sign that guaranteed some lucky winner 500 free airline flights.

All-Pennsylvania lowly bowl continues

The Phillies hit the canvas in round one is a series that will decide the worst team in the National League right now.

I remember a time, about two months ago, when I could confidently whip out the word 'lowly' when describing teams like Pittsburgh.

Ah, memories .... Anyway, that's about as much pregame as you'll get from Beerleaguer tonight. Cory Lidle will pitch, which means it's a better night to watch some fireworks at the Governor Mifflin Community Days, take your girl to Spook Lane or attend the Kutztown Folk Festival. There's plenty of excitement happening in the Keystone State tonight ... and there's probably some baseball game going on somewhere, too.

Rowand addition created offensive inefficiency

The Phillies acquisition of White Sox center fielder Aaron Rowand, coupled by the offseason trade of Jason Michaels and loss of Kenny Lofton, added strikeouts to the lineup and stripped them of hitters who got on base and put the ball in play.

When the Phillies acquired Rowand in the deal that sent Jim Thome to Chicago, my first reaction was “Where is he going to hit in the lineup?” The Phillies still don’t know.

Rowand brought a reputation for hardcore defense, but today, the 29-year-old center fielder is perhaps the oddest fit in the entire lineup. He has some power, but not clean-up power. He has some speed, but doesn’t get on base enough to lead off. He doesn’t hit for average, and he strikes out a lot.

Through no fault of his own, the Phillies simply don’t have excellent No. 2 hitters like they did last year in Jason Michaels and Kenny Lofton, and overall, they have too many hackers and not enough finesse contact hitters to put the ball in play. Their 633 strikeouts is fourth in baseball, and rising fast.

Snell, Taubenheim, Park, Janssen ... this is the list of mediocre or sub-mediocre pitching they have not hit against recently. Like pitching, the offense is completely broken.

It never got this bad last season. Michaels, who played less, would dutifully get on base against left-handers, reaching base at a .401 clip. Lofton, perhaps the most underrated player from the 2005 team, hit .335 with a .392 OBP and 22 SB.

The center field platoon from 2005 gave the Phillies everything this team doesn’t have: efficiency. The 2005 Phillies were also among the most efficient teams in manufacturing runs between bags. Lofton was one of the best at it. Hitting Lofton and Michaels second also meant the RBI hitters could be more evenly distributed though the rest of the lineup, on down to Ryan Howard, who was hitting sixth.

Rowand, typically batting sixth, is hitting .261 with a .309 OBP, worst among regulars besides catcher. It’s become an expansion of the black hole. Rowand, David Bell, catcher, pitcher. Adding Burrell on days he hits fifth, over half the lineup is comprised of some of the most inefficient run producers on the team.

If the Phillies want to make it work with Rowand, the team must find a way to add No. 2-type production from some other area once the season is over. Some ideas include a high-average, low strikeout third baseman or corner outfielder, sacrificing power for efficiency.

Get your arm in the right slot, Lieber

This is the mechanical flaw the Phillies have identified as the cause of Jon Lieber’s medicore season. Once he fixes it, the Phillies can write their ticket to the World Series.

Lieber (3-5, 5.79arm slot ERA) has been out for over a month recovering from a groin injury. The 36-year-old right-hander was having an off year before that, foreshadowed by a terrible spring and opening-day shellacking by St. Louis.

The Phillies Corps of Pitching Engineers identified the problem as a dip in his pitching motion. Others, like Pete, my neighbor who will occasionally check box scores, are more likely to point toward age. I'm with Pete.

Ian Snell (7-6, 5.00 ERA) starts for the Pirates. Snell was tough on the Phillies earlier this season, tossing 7 shutout innings back on April 28. The Pirates won that series 2-1 at PNC Park.

Myers trade would initiate rebuilding process

Question: How many readers are in favor of trading Brett Myers?

When the domestic abuse charges were first filed, I issued a guarded reaction here on Beerleaguer. I did not chest thump for an immediate trade as many people did, but I was silently in favor of sitting him as soon as possible.

Obviously, the situation could have been handled much better, to the point where Myers, the Phillies and fans might have had the resolve to move past it over time. In order for that to happen, Myers needed to immediately issue his regret and concern for the situation happening in the "real world," and the Phillies needed to make Myers’ family their first priority in the "real world." Baseball’s fantasy world should have never entered into it.

Myers is due back after the all-star game, which is only a few days away. Then the reality hits. As ugly as things are on the field (last night, they lost their eighth-consecutive series) it will only get uglier with Myers on the mound.

The deadline for trading players is July 31. I strongly believe the Phillies must make that day the final date Myers puts on a Phillies uniform. First, it's the right statement to make. Second, it disinfects the team of a coddled, spoiled creep. Most importantly, it can turn into a great baseball decision for a team whose window has slammed shut.

There is little doubt that if Myers is made available, he will become the most sought-after commodity on the market for a playoff-bound team. I do not believe a team like St. Louis will hold back at the 11th hour of the deadline because of Myers' past. Every contender, from the Red Sox, to the Mets, to the Yankees, to the Cardinals, could use another starter. Nobody wants the baggage of a large contract. None of them want a rental. None of this is Myers.

Could Myers fetch a top-flight third base prospect, someone on the rise that can learn and grow with our infield nucleus? Yes.

In addition, could a deal that involved Myers and two of our relievers also net a pitching prospect, someone to join the slowly blossoming core of pitchers emerging in the Phillies minor leagues? Yes.

And is a deal involving Myers, a player many teams will view as a No. 1 starter, the best way to get out from under Pat Burrell’s contract? Several readers believe it could happen, and so do I. You want Myers? You want pitching? You take Burrell. Burrell, for all his faults, could help a playoff offense.

Myers is good enough to make another team bend over backwards, but the process must start now. Three team-or even four-team deals-could be the only way for the Phils to get maximum return.

Restating the rules:

1). The Phillies should only get young players on the rise. They should not get veterans, not even veteran starting pitching. They do not need the second coming of David Bell. They do not need another Jon Lieber. Those days are over.

2). They must fill positions of need to start the rebuilding process. They need more pitching, a third baseman and a catcher, in that order.

3). They must get out from under bad contracts.

Myers could start the ball rolling. Throw in players who will never, ever go anywhere with this team.

Teams with pennant fever will see a Cy Young-caliber pitcher. I see a man with a better chance of getting arrested again than becoming baseball's best pitcher.

Myers is the Phillies best chip. Use it well.

Which Madson will it be tonight?

Will it be the one who nearly tossed a complete-game shutout a week ago in Baltimore, or the one who couldn't make it past the second inning in his previous start?

Madson (8-5, 5.71 ERA) has struggled to find consistency as a starter, but still leads the team in wins. Against Baltimore, he used a devistating curve and pinpoint command to record a career-high seven strikeouts. It was also the longest outing of his career, walking only one batter through 8 2-3 innings. He faces Chan Ho Park (5-4, 4.32 ERA) in the rubber match of this series. The Padres snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Phils yesterday, dating back to 2004.

A loser's lineup
The Phillies will again stack all the left-handed hitters together at the top of the order (Rollins, Utley, Abreu, Howard), and leave the worst hitters, all right-handers, stacked at the bottom (Burrell, Rowand, Bell, Ruiz, pitcher). Bell is a .200 hitter against Park (0-5). He will start over Nunez, who is hitting .250, including a double and triple off the Korean right-hander. David Dellucci is the only Phillie with Park in his book. He's hitting .297 against him and has seen Park, an ex-teammate, more than any player on the team. He sits. Pat Burrell is 2-10 against Park with 6 strikeouts. He starts.

Lieber activated, Mathieson optioned to Double-A
Jon Lieber has been activated from the DL and will start tomorrow's game against the Pirates. To make room, Scott Mathieson was sent down. Mathieson had a nice, positive start yesterday against the Pads. In a season filled with negatives, getting young pitchers experience like that is one of few positives this season.

Mathieson went 0-2 with a 5.48 ERA in four games with Philadelphia, including three starts.

Reading beat writer gives Bourn a final grade

Nobody knows Michael Bourn better than Reading Phillies beat writer Mike Drago, who wrote about the speedy center fielder for 1 ½ seasons. Writing on his blog, Drago gives Bourn his graduation grade.

Bourn, considered the best Phillies position player in the minor leagues, was promoted to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre before Tuesday’s game. Most fans were surprised the 23-year-old was back in Reading for a second season, but nobody was more surprised than Bourn himself.

Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News wondered this morning if Bourn could be knocking on the door to a Philadelphia promotion next season, citing blazing speed, declining strikeout numbers and excellent defense, all raves from minor league director Steve Noworyta.

However, Drago, who’s studied the slashing outfielder for close to two seasons for the Reading Eagle newspaper, has his reservations.

"The level of his game raised slightly over the past three months, but not a huge amount," wrote Drago. "He did some things better, especially at the plate. But when you compare his numbers this season to what he did last year, there's only a small difference, barely obvious to the naked eye.

"... after watching Bourn this season, and after not seeing him dominate this level his second time around, my projections for him as a major league player have dropped.

"I don't see him becoming much more than a fourth outfielder, a guy who can play occasionally, help out as a pinch runner and defensive replacement.

"Unless he makes another quantum leap with his game, I don't see him being an everyday starting outfielder who can make a difference with his offensive game."

Click here for his full report on Bourn’s final season in Reading.

From the Drago files:
Zach Segovia sparkles in July 4th masterpiece

Interview with Reading HOFer Ryne Sandberg

‘New outlook’ Phils go for third straight win

The Phillies hope to continue leaving the first half in the dust tonight at Citizen’s Bank Park when they play game two of their series with the Padres.

Following a players' only meeting held by Jimmy Rollins before yesterday’s game, Ryan Howard told the Associated Press “Right now, we have a whole new outlook on everything. Everything in the first half is behind us."

Howard had two more RBIs in yesterday’s win, and also scored the winning run on Aaron Rowand’s base hit. Rollins, who called the players’ meeting, went hitless after returning from a very solid personal road trip. J-Roll’s walk totals are on the rise, as is his on-base percentage.

"The bottom line was, I asked each guy to say to himself, 'What can I do this at-bat, this ground ball, this pitch, to help my team win?' " Rollins told the Daily News.

The 27-year-old three-time all-star was not in the running for an all-star bid, but this season has proven to be similar for the franchise shortstop, if not better, than previous all-star seasons. He's on pace to hit 20 homers, and his defense appears to be sharper than ever. Rollins has faced criticism for his approach as a lead-off hitter.

Scott Mathieson (0-2, 6.75 ERA) gets the ball for the Phillies. Win or loss, Mathieson’s tenure with the club will likely end soon after tonight’s start, as Jon Lieber, and yes, Brett Myers are scheduled to return soon.

The Phillies will face right-hander Jake Peavy (4-8, 4.50 ERA), who many thought was the best pitcher in the National League before this season. Peavy has battled tendinitus in his shoulder for much of the season.

Phillies sailing on a flotilla of fools

Time for my mid-season rant about Vicente Padilla, and why the Phillies were fools for trading him, as it turned out, for absolutely nothing.

You might remember the deal, considered at the time "addition by subtraction." The Phillies were unwilling to pay $4 million in arbitration, so he was traded straight up for Ricardo Rodriguez, who was cut in spring training.

At the very least, Beerleaguer believed the Phillies could have used Padilla’s organization-best fastball in the bullpen to miss some bats, back when the Phils were predicting Rule 5 pick Chris Booker to be their "seventh-inning man."

Meanwhile, Texas must be thrilled to have the equivalent of a free starting pitcher this day and age, when A.J. Burnett, the statistical equivalent, earned a 5-year deal. Burnett sure looked sharp in his start against the Phils.

In Texas, Padilla pitched eight innings and gave up a run on four hits Saturday. He’s 7-5 with a 4.47 ERA and is one of the main reasons why Texas is closing in on the AL West lead. Over the last four home starts, he’s 3-0 with a 2.63 ERA.

Here's the recap of his last start from texasrangers.com:

"Locating fastballs with precision, starter Vicente Padilla diced the Astros lineup for eight innings, outdueling starter Roy Oswalt and snapping Texas' five-game losing streak in front of 40,177 at Ameriquest Field in Arlington.

"Padilla tossed a season-high 111 pitches, and 79 found the strike zone. He allowed just four hits, a run and struck out five.

" 'The key to Vicente is his fastball," said catcher Rod Barajas. "It is his best pitch and when he is on and he is locating, he can be very tough. Tonight, he located it, whether up or down or on both sides of the plate.'"

Pat Gillick knew his team was so loaded with pitching, we could afford to give away a guy who may very well end up with a better season than all of his starters. Well, only the starters who haven't been charged with assault. I wonder if the Phillies will do an "addition by subtraction" with Brett Myers.

Yes indeed, it's fortunate the Phillies disinfected the team of a player of Padilla's character.

Watch him spread the cancerous uncooperativeness here in front of 40,000 strong.

Welcome back, and enjoy your stay

Carlos Ruiz’s two-run home run, the first of his career, capped a five-run fourth inning to help lead the Phillies past the Padres 6-5. Here's hoping the 27-year-old rookie gets many more chances.

I’ve followed the catching saga closely for some time, not just because Ruiz is one of my favorite players, but because the Phillies’ handling of this position stands against everything I believe in when it comes to the development of a prospect.

To my delight, nearly all of this site’s readers concur the catching situation doesn’t make the slightest bit of sense. The decision to go with Sal Fasano for this long, an aging, overmatched career major and minor-league backup, represents the kind of old-fashioned reasoning that separates the Phillies from the rest of baseball.

Harkening back to December, Fasano was brought aboard as a cheaper, younger version of Todd Pratt, a placeholder in case a young catcher emerged. Fasano signed close to the league minimum, which was as good as it was going to get for the 34-year-old Triple-A catcher.

Now it’s July. Not only has Ruiz exhausted his minor league development by hitting the cover off the ball in Scranton, as it turns out, Fasano has been injured for weeks. He’s had inflammation in his left knee for the better part of the season and had to leave Sunday's game against Toronto. Plus, he isn't hitting.

Ruiz, making his second appearance of the season, will share catching duties for at least the next two weeks with Chris Coste. Coste, starting more games at catcher than his biggest fans would have dreamed, has actually outperformed Fasano both offensively and defensively. I would have no problem keeping him on as a spare bat once Mike Lieberthal returns. In fact, the Phillies should entertain thoughts on making Lieby the spare bat.

Even Sal’s Pals cannot be blind to what we’ve seen: Feeble hitting; inferior receiving; extremely poor speed; a bad physical specimen with inevitable injury problems; and nothing close to consistent results handling the starting staff, which was his alleged specialty.

Here’s a quote from Bill James, offered up on another site from a poster as commentary about the Phils' catcher situation.

"… poorly run organizations leave promising young players on the bench in favor of established mediocrities and tend to project their weaknesses onto their best players, and ultimately will dwell not on what the player can do, but on what he can't."

Here’s the new rule for 2006: The kids stay. Cole Hamels stays. Carlos Ruiz stays. And so on down the line. The Phillies have little hope to contend. They can only build toward contending next season. But here’s the beauty of it. They lose absolutely nothing in going this direction. Even if they were in a dead heat with the Mets, they should do this.

Here’s what you don’t do. You don’t screw yourself once again and make Fasano the personal catcher for Jon Lieber once he returns. The Phillies have already catered to too many mediocrities like Lieber, who does not return the favor by keeping himself in shape.

Here’s what you do do. You allow Fasano to ride off into the sunset, where he can remember his magical half season with the Phillies, the one in which he became a starting catcher, got his batting average as high as .281, and had his own fan club.

All-star nods a reminder of fine solo performances

Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Tom Gordon will represent the National League in the all-star game, happening Tuesday, July 11. Bobby Abreu is one of five players vying for the final spot among the Internet fan vote.

It's one of the worst seasons in years, yet the Phillies could send as many as four players to the all-star game.

Utley, making his first all-star appearance, will start at second base and was first among fan votes at his position. As Jim Salisbury points out this morning, he is the first Phillies second baseman to make the team since Mariano Duncan in 1994. Utley edged out Houston’s Craig Biggio by 184,022 votes. Biggio did not make the team as a reserve. Florida’s Dan Uggla got the nod at second instead.

Howard and Gordon both made the team as reserves. Howard, who leads the league in homers, finished second behind Albert Pujols on the players’ ballot. Gordon, rated one of the best relievers in baseball, was first among NL relievers.

Abreu, baseball's leader in walks and on-base percentage, is trying for his second-consecutive all-star appearance.

The Mets are represented by four starters in Paul Lo Duca, Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran. Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez will pitch. Billy Wagner will battle with Abreu, Milwaukee’s Chris Capuano, San Diego’s Chris Young and Los Angeles’ Nomar Garciaparra for the final spot on the Internet ballot. Vote Abreu.

Atlanta sends three reserves in Edgar Renteria, Andruw Jones and Brian McCann. Washington sends Alfonso Soriano as a starting outfielder. First baseman Nick Johnson was an all-star snub. Miguel Cabrera joins teammate Uggla as a reserve at third base.

National League starters

Pos	Player	B/T	Age	Games
1B	Albert Pujols, STL	R/R	26	5
2B	Chase Utley, PHI	L/R	27	1
3B	David Wright, NYM	R/R	23	1
SS	Jose Reyes, NYM	S/R	23	1
C	Paul Lo Duca, NYM	R/R	34	4
OF	Jason Bay, PIT	R/R	27	2
OF	Carlos Beltran, NYM	S/R	29	3
OF	Alfonso Soriano, WSH	R/R	30	5

National league pitchers

Pos	Player	B/T	Age	Games
SP	Brandon Webb, ARI	R/R	27	1
SP	Carlos Zambrano, CHC	S/R	25	2
SP	Bronson Arroyo, CIN	R/R	29	1
SP	Brad Penny, LAD	R/R	28	1
SP	Tom Glavine, NYM	L/L	40	10
SP	Pedro Martinez, NYM	R/R	34	8
SP	Chris Carpenter, STL	R/R	31	2
SP	Jason Schmidt, SF	R/R	33	3

Pos	Player	B/T	Age	Games
RP	Brian Fuentes, COL	L/L	30	2
RP	Derrick Turnbow, MIL	R/R	28	1
RP	Tom Gordon, PHI	R/R	38	3
RP	Trevor Hoffman, SD	R/R	38	5

National league reserves

Pos	Player	B/T	Age	Games
1B	Lance Berkman, HOU	S/L	30	4
1B	Ryan Howard, PHI	L/L	26	1
2B	Dan Uggla, FLA	R/R	26	1
3B	Miguel Cabrera, FLA	R/R	23	3
3B	Freddy Sanchez, PIT	R/R	28	1
3B	Scott Rolen, STL	R/R	31	5
SS	Edgar Renteria, ATL	R/R	30	5
C	Brian McCann, ATL	L/R	22	1
OF	Andruw Jones, ATL	R/R	29	5
OF	Matt Holliday, COL	R/R	26	1
OF	Carlos Lee, MIL	R/R	29	2

Final man candidates

Pos	Player	B/T	Age	Games
1B	Nomar Garciaparra, LAD	R/R	32	5
OF	Bobby Abreu, PHI	L/R	32	2
P	Chris Capuano, MIL	L/L	27	0
P	Billy Wagner, NYM	L/L	34	4
P	Chris Young, SD	R/R	27	0

Click here for the American League roster.

Playing for a tomorrow that will never come

Aaron Fultz will make his first career start this afternoon in a game that will bridge the gap quickly, and painfully, to Monday’s off day. Then what?

Phillies hinted today’s start would be filled by a reliever earlier in the week, the byproduct of injuries, rainouts, exhausted roster moves, and yes, probably a little admission the season is hopelessly slipping away.

The only silver lining is the series has occurred in another country during a holiday weekend. Still, let the record show they have lost 16-of-20, including big, national broadcast debacles. And that's what many of these loses are: debacles.

The fact Fultz makes his first career start today, after seven seasons as a B-list reliever, indicates just how low things are. You never want to see something like this. For years, Phillies fans could glance at the out-of-town probables, see a pitching matchup like this, and be glad not to be a Royals fan.

Fultz vs. Burnett.

“It’s a shame what happened to the Phillies,” some will say.

Here on Beerleaguer, there will be those who wonder why Ryan Franklin, who hasn’t pitched since June 28, isn’t starting instead of Fultz, and if not Franklin, why not a prospect. Does it matter? Like Fultz, Franklin is only a reliever anymore. The outcome of this game is entirely in the hands of Burnett, who needs only to pitch average baseball to hold a bad Phillies offense in check. As for the prospect, it's probably not worth another 40-man roster shuffle, let alone the cost of a plane ticket to Canada.

Ok. That’s too much analysis for this formality of a game. I should have let my wife write this post, in the spirit of first-timers.