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Game chat: Phillies play second of three with Padres

Chris Young (1-2, 3.77 ERA) and Jamie Moyer (1-1, 4.05) square off in the second of three between the Padres and Phillies. Game time is 7:05 ET from Citizens Bank Park.

Preview: Interesting note on Young from the AP. He was 9-3 with a 1.82 ERA through 20 starts last season before going on the disabled list in July with a strained left oblique. Since he was activated, he’s 1-7 with a 5.20 ERA in 15 starts. Trying to regain his Cy Young form, C. Young was brilliant his last start, striking out 10 and allowing just two hits and a run in seven innings in a 1-0 heartbreaker to the Giants. Meanwhile, Moyer is coming off his best start of the season, allowing one run over six innings against the Brewers.

Lineups have been posted: Shane Victorino stays on the bench. Geoff Jenkins will be in right. Pedro Feliz starts at third base despite being 1-12 off Young. Chris Coste does the catching. [Live Boxscore]

Safe to say Hamels is our best pitcher since Schilling

Cole Hamels has pitched at least seven innings in each of his first six starts, becoming the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Curt Schilling, who did it 11 times to begin 1998, according to the pre-game notes.

As everyone knows, I love MLB.com’s “Press Pass,” the feature that allows free access to the official pre-game notes for all 30 teams. There's a link to it on the left. These are the same notes given out to beat writers, broadcasters and scouts, but they’re especially useful for sites like this one to flesh out a quick pre-game entry. And by “flesh out” I mean "cut and paste the pre-game entry."

I’ve used just about every team’s notes, and I’ve gotta say, the Phils have one of the best sets available: simple, seamlessly organized, well written, and bursting with timely information. Page 1 is the best part. If you can get around the positive spin, which sweetens the entire document down to the last Durbin, it manages to trap the latest trends into a couple short graphs and put them into a historical perspective, like Hamels and the example above.

In so many words, the Schilling tidbit illustrates what a fine career Hamels has had, and also how long we’ve been deprived of a pitcher this good. In my 30 years, it's gone Steve Carlton, Curt Schilling and Cole Hamels, in equal intervals, basically.

Beer nuts: Bullpen making Beerleaguers out of us

Everything has fallen into place for the Phillies’ bullpen, considered an Achilles Heel before the season by a majority of readers. Is it too soon to say we should have listened to the top brass?

What’s good for the Phillies has been bad for our comments thread, where readers have virtually nothing worth debating. Indeed, the bullpen is operating under a best-case scenario. Everyone is healthy and pitching well. Closer Brad Lidge has been almost unhittable. Aside from opening day, Tom Gordon has been nasty. The only knock on J.C. Romero has been his performance with inherited runners; otherwise he’s picked up where he left off in ’07. Chad Durbin has been the all-purpose contributor the Phillies had hoped for. The same goes for Rudy Seanez, who has been described as the “missing piece” by readers. The emergence of Durbin, and signing of Seanez, has allowed Ryan Madson to enter situations like last night: to clean up the slop after the Phillies blow it open.

Of course, the Phillies expected this all along. Everyone from top boss Pat Gillick to field boss Charlie Manuel said they liked the way the pen set up, as long as everyone stayed healthy. And as we’ve seen, this group, when healthy, can shut ’em down.

Fallback plans: The success of the bullpen won’t stop us from visualizing the worst-case scenario, like the wet blankets we are. What happens when Gordon gets hurt again, for instance? One option could be left-hander Ray King, who was demoted by the Nationals to Triple-A Columbus yesterday, but the veteran elected free agency instead. King hasn’t pitched since April 23, a mini-meltdown against the Mets, otherwise he’s been a decent situation left-hander again, one area where the Phillies might prefer to use a roster spot, instead of Clay Condrey, who has only pitched in low-leverage spots, and hasn’t pitched particularly well.

Another option, perhaps down the road, may be to rescue left-hander J.A. Happ from the misery of Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Happ, 25, pitched a seven-inning shutout last night, but for the second night in a row, the IronPigs suffered another two-hit, shutout loss, falling to Syracuse 1-0. For Happ, it was his second seven-inning gem in as many tries, and one begins to wonder whether the best plan would be to call him up for some hands-on training in long relief instead of more of the same in Triple-A. Other clubs have had success bringing along pitchers this way.

Game chat: Phillies, Hamels host Padres, Maddux

[Live Boxscore]

Moves: Victorino back, Bohn down, Robles added

Purportedly all better from his right calf injury, outfielder Shane Victorino rejoins the Phillies tonight, replacing T.J. Bohn, who was optioned to Lehigh Valley. The team also claimed infielder Oscar Robles off waivers.

Robles, 32, spent parts of three seasons with the Dodgers and Padres, including a lengthy stint with LA as a starting shortstop and third baseman during the 2005 season. A left-handed hitter, born in Tijuana, Mexico and raised in San Diego, he is a .260/.323/.348 Major League hitter with five home runs, all coming in 05. He spent most of 2007 with Triple-A Portland (San Diego), where he was hitting .208 with 10 RBI before the Padres released him. He has been added to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Originally a third-round pick by the Astros in the 1994 draft, then released by the club in 2000, Robles worked himself back into organized ball through the Mexican League, where he hit for high average as the starting third baseman for the Mexico City Red Devils.

Beerleaguer: Had this deal gone down before Jimmy Rollins went on the DL, there's a chance Robles may have been in Philadelphia instead of Brad Harman. Robles can play all over the infield, but at this point, is a backup to the backup to the backup and best used to fill out a minor league roster. The Phillies have actually shuffled a few bodies into this role since spring training, adding Chris Woodward after Ray Olmedo refused his assignment to LV. Woodward is in LV now and isn’t hitting. Neither is Casey Smith. The Pigs need all the help they can get.

IronPigs sink to new low in brutal loss to Rochester

Left-hander Glen Perkins tossed a two-hit, complete-game shutout against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs last night. The Phillies' Triple-A affiliate spirals to 3-22 on the season.

(From MiLB.com) The Red Wings chased Lehigh Valley starter J.D. Durbin (0-5), who retired just one batter, and totaled a season-high 20 hits. Durbin surrendered five runs on six hits and two walks as his ERA climbed to 9.68 and he became the first five-game loser in the Minor Leagues.

Beerleaguer: Amazingly, it appeared the Phillies were making an effort to put seasoned, veteran players on the field for Lehigh Valley's inaugural season. They obviously guessed wrong, and it isn't the first time. The Phillies have shown absolutely no knack for finding quad-A talent to round out the high minors. You wouldn't trust any of these guys to protect a 10-run lead. They have absolutely no depth, and have created another corrosive, losing environment to groom talent. The best course of action is to play out the Triple-A season with the current squad of mercenaries, try to find help as best you can and bundle the best bets in Reading. 

Phils assure themselves of conventional, .500 April

The Phillies went 5-2 on the road to help break a cycle of 10-14 starts, and keep from burying themselves a month into the season.

Ask and ye shall receive. Instead of a hot start, Beerleaguers set their sites a little lower in '08 by  wishing for a more ordinary beginning. To their delight, the Phillies have delivered a win/loss record that blends in comfortably with the rest of the league. After a seven-game road trip, they’re 14-12, not far off the pace set by such division-leading world beaters as Tampa (14-11), Baltimore (14-11) the Chicago White Sox (14-10), Oakland (16-10) and Florida (15-10).

Monday morning: Myers' preparation in question

The Philly papers dug into the Brett Myers missing fastball quagmire on a busy day for Philadelphia sports. Unfortunately, the situation reeks with a familiar stench. [Link]

Following another sheepish start featuring high-80s cheese, Myers was reportedly called into the boss’s office for a closed-door session. Then, pitching coach Rich Dubee suggested the right-hander isn’t taking the right approach on the mound, but also isn’t participating in enough long-tossing, which Dubee believes is an essential step in building and maintaining arm strength. Indeed, Myers’ fastball has been MIA this season, rarely hitting 90s on the gun. Myers was hit hard yesterday, continuing a trend of puzzling starts, rampant head scratching and universal frustration. “When will Myers get it?” fans wonder. And yada yada yada.

The Phillies wish it was as simple as having Brett pick up a baseball at 4:30 p.m. on an off day and throw it 90 feet to Mick Billmeyer. Dubee says a better approach and more long tossing are needed.

I’ll bet there’s more to it. I’m not sure Myers has accepted his reassignment to the starting rotation and all that comes with it – the prep work, the focus. He’s a closer trying to cut it in the rotation, content to mix it up with a couple different looks instead of taking a patient approach, establishing a rhythm and setting a tone through seven innings. How do I know? Because he says as much after every start.

His velocity is the other issue. The missing zip is alarming. Myers is a competitor and wants to pitch; if anyone would try to battle through bruises, it would be the former boxer on staff.

It would be easy to put the situation squarely on the shoulders of Brett Myers, to make the adjustments and move on. On the other hand, it must be hard to shake the words “premier closer” from your head, especially when the Phillies were the ones repeating it.

Sunday thread: Phillies try to stick a fork in Pirates

Behind seven strong innings by Kyle Kendrick (W, 2-2), the Phillies cruised to their sixth win in seven tries, beating the Pirates 8-4 Saturday. They aim for the series sweep this afternoon at 1:35 ET.

Beerleaguer: One of the easiest wins of the season, but a very good win nonetheless in getting everything they could have asked out of Kendrick, who pitched into the 8th inning and didn’t walk anyone, recording most of his outs by way of groundouts. He received plenty of help from his defense, which appears to have turned the corner on this road trip. Kendrick was also able to buy a night's rest for the back-end of the bullpen.

Meanwhile, the Bucs continue to play sloppy baseball, and the futility of Matt Morris, who couldn’t find his way out of the second inning, cannot be overstated. It's going to be another horrible summer for Pittsburgh.

On the mend: Jimmy Rollins took batting and fielding practice yesterday and told the Inquirer he’s getting close to 100 percent. Kris Benson suffered a groin strain during extended spring training. Shane Victorio can come off the DL on Tuesday.

Game chat: Today, the Phils send Brett Myers (2-1, 4.78 ERA) to the mound as they try for their fourth-straight win to finish the road trip 6-1. The Pirates counter with Paul Maholm (1-2, 4.22). Discuss it here. [Live Boxscore]

Game chat: Howard returns to lineup vs. Morris, Bucs

Kyle Kendrick gets the ball when the Phillies resume their series with Matt Morris and the Pirates tonight at 7:05 p.m. from PNC Park. Slumping slugger Ryan Howard returns to the cleanup spot. Chris Coste and Gregg Dobbs also earn starts against struggling right-hander Matt Morris. Discuss it here.

[Live Boxscore]

Saturday: Phils overcome Eaton's struggles, win 6-5

Without Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino, the Phillies continue to collect victories with help from the bullpen and unexpected sources.

Summary: The Phils were led by Chris Coste, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Getting his first Major League start, Brad Harman contributed an RBI double. Jayson Werth continued to impress with a 2-for-4 night with two RBIs and a pair of runs. Chase Utley filled in for Ryan Howard at first base. The Phils were able to put up enough runs to cancel out a poor start by Adam Eaton, who allowed all three of his runs in the fourth inning and clearly didn’t bring his A-game to PNC Park. Chad Durbin was charged with two runs in 2 1-3 innings, but once again, the red-hot troika of Tom Gordon, J.C. Romero and Brad Lidge combined for three shutout frames to preserve the fifth win in six tries for the 13-11 Phightins.

Beerleaguer: Charlie Manuel must continue to ride these hot bats, although Ryan Howard should be given a chance against right-handed stiff Matt Morris tonight, and so should Greg Dobbs instead of Pedro Feliz at third, and Coste instead of Carlos Ruiz behind the plate.

It’s a shame the bullpen A-listers needed to be used; the B-list, anchored capably by Rudy Seanez and Ryan Madson, will probably be summoned tonight for Kyle Kendrick’s start. As for Eaton, the Phils have little choice but to stick it out and hope someone from the minors gets hot in case he fails. J.A. Happ and Brian Mazone each had good starts recently in Triple-A. The good news is having Durbin and Madson as effective long men makes for a comfortable opportunity to experiment, or stay patient, which is a better idea.

Phillies open weekend series with cross-state rivals

Pregame: Stu the Security Guard previews the Pirates

You can’t get into the Reading Eagle's Court Street entrance without passing Stu the Security Guard. When he’s not chasing away solicitors or signing off on deliveries, he follows his favorite team, the Buccos.

Zach Duke: He had a rough year last year. Opponents hit well over .300 against him (.359). Hopefully the new pitching coach (Jeff Andrews) will help him get back on track. ... Matt Morris: He’s terrible. He can’t get anyone out. Ryan Howard should have no trouble breaking out of his slump against this guy. ... Ryan Doumit: He’s been a good hitter the last couple seasons and hits for power from the left side. He’s had injury problems. He's getting most of the starts behind the plate ... Jason Bay: Another guy who was banged up last year, playing through a knee problem. He’s been getting on base a lot so far; a lot of walks. ... Nate McLouth: He’s a guy to watch. He had a good last half of 2007, takes lots of walks, steals bags, and has pop for a leadoff hitter. He’s off to a good start. ... Xavier Nady: Off to a good start and another guy who’s been hurt a lot, he might have had 100 RBIs if he would have stayed healthy last season; he settled for 72. He’s supposedly been on the trading block for a year and a half, but he’s still here. ... Adam LaRoche: Off to his usual bad start, hitting just over .100. (career in April .175/.269/.325). I’m not worried about him. He’ll figure it out.

Friday: Werth making most of everyday opportunities

Considered the lesser half of the right-field platoon before the season, outfielder Jayson Werth is making a strong case to remain in the starting lineup once Shane Victorino returns. Will Charlie Manuel forgo his left/right system?

Werth is a little like “Pat Burrell Light.” He’s fleeter of foot, but shorter on power. Aside from that, the similarities run deep. They’re both patient hitters. Werth leads the team with 4.7 pitches per plate appearance, and his blend of .391 OBP and speed makes perfect sense at the top of the lineup, especially against left-handed pitching. Like Burrell, he’s a big, imposing threat from the right side. His four homers and nine RBIs put him well on pace for a career year.

Charlie Manuel faces a tough decision once Shane Victorino re-enters the mix. Vic figures to return to the top since Manuel values speed there, but which Victorino will we see? His defense has been brilliant, but he’s stumbled at the plate. Meanwhile, Geoff Jenkins, who figured to start most games in right, has knocked in just three runs, sinking the offense with his low 55 OPS+. The fact of the matter is, Jenkins has been nothing special offensively since midway through the 2007 season.

These are tough choices. On one hand, it’s early in the season and you’d like guys like Victorino and Jenkins to get into a rhythm with regular playing time. History says Jenkins will hit the righties and Werth will hit lefties. On the other hand, besides Chase Utley and Burrell, they’re getting little contribution from anyone else besides Werth, who’s been more than okay at the top of the lineup and in center.

It gets political, too. Vic wants to play, and Jenkins didn’t sign here to sit. The Phillies didn’t commit two-year, $13 million, plus vesting a option, for him to sit. On the other hand, Werth, who turns 29 in May, might actually have something of a small future here. He’s arbitration eligible in 2009, but a free agent in 2010.

Considering Burrell’s status, and lack of bats from the right side, the timing couldn’t be better to extend Werth if they wanted to go in that direction. With his history of injuries, and knowing he's probably reached the prime of his career, Werth may be seeking the security, and immediate reward, of a longer deal.

Dobbs/Feliz: The other developing situation is at third, where Manuel may be starting to weigh the offensive limitations of Pedro Feliz and his early 67 OPS+. Greg Dobbs, who appears to be more handicapped against left-handers than Werth against right-handers, is a fastball hitter and poor defender who benefits from the anonymity of irregular playing time. However, the book on Feliz, a high-fastball hitter himself, is a mile long, and he’s toting an early .608 OPS against righties. Meanwhile, Dobbs has made the most of his 34 plate appearances, reasserting himself as one of the league's top pinch hitters.

Burrell, bullpen step up big in 3-1 win over Brewers

Pat Burrell’s two-out, two-run double in the eighth broke up a tie ballgame, as the Phillies held on to beat Milwaukee and split their two-game series.

On in relief of Jamie Moyer – who allowed one run over six innings – Tom Gordon pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh. Then, J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge (S, 5) combined for two shutout innings to preserve the win. Jayson Werth accounted for the Phillies’ other run with a solo shot in the sixth. Ryan Howard, who started the game on the bench, ended up with two at bats and struck out both times.

Beerleaguer: Burrell’s torrid April continues as he rises to the occasion again w/RISP. As for the ‘pen, they’ve pitched 14.0 scoreless innings over the Phils’ last five games. So far, the front office rally cry appears to be correct in saying they like the way the bullpen sets up at the back-end.

Game chat: League HR, RBI leaders seek revenge

Chase Utley and Pat Burrell lead the National League in home runs and runs batted in. They bring their hot bats to the park this afternoon against Jeff Suppan (1-0, 4.13 ERA) and the Brewers. Game time is 1:05 ET.

Pitching preview: More than any Phillie, Jamie Moyer (1-1, 4.79 ERA) has been himself this season. Capable, reliable, steady, the 45-year-old lasted six innings and allowed two in a loss to the Mets his previous start. Suppan fits the same bill for Milwaukee, going 6 2-3 innings Saturday against the Reds, allowing a run.

Best of the press notes, Utley, Burrell edition: Utley has a streak of eight games with at least one extra-base hit (10 total, 3 2B, 7 HR). According to Trent McCotter of SABR, since 1956, only two other second basemen have had longer streaks: Pete Rose in 1966 and Bill Mueller in 2003. ... Pat Burrell has 226 career home runs, which ranks 4th place on the Phillies’ all-time list. He needs 17 more to tie Hall of Famer Chuck Klein.

Other notes: Shane Victorino went 2-3 in his rehab start and was caught stealing. ... The IronPigs saw a good start from J.A. Happ wasted yesterday by veterans Gary Knotts and Steve Kline.

[Live Boxscore]

Reader feedback: ... and sometimes you guess wrong

With his pitch count topping 110, Cole Hamels was kept in the ballgame to face the heart of the Brewers lineup, setting up a left-left match-up with Prince Fielder. After Ryan Braun doubled, Prince crowned Cole’s hanging change-up over the right-field wall, leading the Brewers to a 5-4 win.

“Cholly has Romero and Durbin both rested and both guys have been really solid all year so far. Hamels did his job and Cholly should have pulled him after the 7th inning and 110 pitches. This loss is on Cholly. Hamels shouldn't have been out there in the 8th and pulling both Dobbs came back to haunt the Phils in the 9th.” – MG

"I don't buy the idea that Hamels gave up the HR simply because it was his 120th pitch, unless you also want to believe that the first homerun he gave up to Fielder in the first inning was also a result of being tired. Hamels showed *no signs* of tiring and I liked his chances in the 8th more than any of their relievers. ... The turning point was when Fielder hit one of Cole's outside fastballs hard the other way. The whole AB, they'd been pitching him away and Fielder showed he was adjusting. So they came in and it wasn't far enough in. It was a mistake. Why automatically blame that on fatigue? Did Hamels look tired when he blowing through the 7th inning at over 100 pitches? Too many times managers are automated in making moves according to that pitch count regardless of what their eyes tell them.” – RSB

“Here's the problem: Lidge is not available. Cholly was probably going to JC for the save. And he had NO other left hander to face Fielder.” – Mike Cunningham

Another ugly night for Howard: Last night’s subplot starred Ryan Howard, who's down to .181. I think you start him today against Jeff Suppan, and if he doesn't snap out of it, you sit him Friday in Pittsburgh against left-hander Zach Duke. If he really stinks, the Sunday day game is another opportunity before the off-day to give him two days to clear his head. It's frustrating to again be faced with setting aside time in April for your cleanup hitter to sort himself out, but if he figures it out like last year, you live with it.

Game chat: Phillies set out to skewer Brewers

[Live Boxscore]

Wednesday: Pat Burrell and Cholly's gut instincts

If time permitted, you would be reading a well-conceived essay on Pat the Bat's amazing rise from the dead, and how Charlie Manuel’s premonitions (pinch hitting, relief pitching) have turned out for the best this season. Everything’s coming up roses for the .524 Phillies, winners of three straight and entering a favorable match-up tonight in Milwaukee. For the first time this season, it feels like the Phillies have gained their footing. You can take it from here.

Game chat: Utley tries to stay red hot against Rox

A home run tonight means Chase Utley enters the Phillies’ record books by homering in six-straight games. Colorado’s Jeff Francis (0-2, 5.89 ERA) stands in his way tonight at 8:35 ET at Coors Field. For the Phils, Brett Myers (2-1, 3.96 ERA) brings along a string of two-consecutive quality starts. Lifetime, Myers is 4-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts at Coors. Francis last faced the Phils in Game 1 of the NLDS. ... In other news, Shane Victorino begins a rehab assignment with Class-A Clearwater tonight.

Minors: Seed of Abreu trade beginning to bear fruit?

Right-hander Carlos Monastarios, part of the 2006 four-for-two trade with New York, shut out the Tampa Yankees over 6 1-3 innings yesterday. The 22-year-old is 2-2 with a 2.81 ERA in four starts for Class-A Clearwater.

Digging through the Beerleaguer archives, our notes on Monestarios include “tall, lean pitcher scouted by Gillick himself.” That was August 10, 2006, possibly the last time Monastarios was mentioned in a non-derogatory way meant to disparage the Abreu deal.

I’ve never seen the guy. He’s listed at 6-2, 175 pounds, but recent photos appear to show that he’s filled out some. Last season in the Sally League, he went 11-11 with a 4.62 ERA and decent 114/55 K/BB ratio in 156 innings. He’s at an okay age for Class-A ball and the results are encouraging. With Matt Smith still recovering from Tommy John surgery, C.J. Henry gone and Jesus Sanchez hitting .083 to lower his .213 career BA, Monestarios may be their best chance to get something useful out of Abreu deal.

Others turning heads, according to readers at Phuture Phillies, include Matt Spencer, Greg Golson, Fabio Castro, Michael Taylor and Michael Durant. Disappointments include right-hander Drew Carpenter (What happened? I thought this guy was the next Joba Chamberlain?) 

Tuesday: Good hitting, stingy relief, fuels victory

Chase Utley tied a franchise record by homering for a fifth-straight game, but credit can be given to a handful of others, as the Phillies overcome the Rockies 9-5. The bullpen combined for four shutout innings.

Playing on short rest, this had all the makings of a throwaway game out West. After five ineffective innings by Kyle Kendrick, it appeared the Phils would settle for the loss and head back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep. Instead, they caught their second wind in the sixth with an inside the parker Jayson Werth, followed by Utley’s league-leading ninth home run of the season. Then in the eight, Carlos Ruiz crowned the comeback bid with a two-run double down the line. Mired in a tough slump, Ruiz really needed it.

It was a night of good hitting. The Phils tacked on insurance runs in the ninth, featuring good hits by Geoff Jenkins and a pair of doubles by Werth and T.J. Bohn, who redeemed himself for a dropped ball in left after replacing Pat Burrell. Burrell homered earlier, his seventh of the season.

Leading up to this game, the Phils were living and dying by the long ball, and indeed, four of the nine runs last night came from home runs. They’ve also been riding Burrell and Utley. Not only have they knocked in the most runs, Utley’s .354 BA is over .100 points higher than Jenkins, who’s third on the team. Werth, who's hitting .283, should qualify shortly.

In relief, Rudy Seanez has walked a batter an inning (7), but has yet to allow a run or hit. Tom Gordon earned his third hold of the season, settling into a pseudo-set-up role he seems to be sharing with J.C. Romero. And Brad Lidge is now averaging a strikeout-per-inning.

Game chat: Phillies rematch with Rockies tonight

[Live Boxscore]

Best of the press notes: Helton owns Philadelphia

Free pregame information, courtesy of the fine people at MLB.com.

-- At .402, Todd Helton’s batting average is the highest among all players vs. the Phillies since the franchise began in 1883, according to the Colorado pregame notes. During his career, Helton has hit .402 (96-for-239) with 16 home runs and 52 RBIs against the Phils, hitting safely in 57 of 68 games.

-- Mark Redman (2-1, 4.60 ERA) may be a mediocre commodity, but the Phillies lineup hasn’t had a whole lot of success against him. Pat Burrell is the only Phillies' hitter who's taken him deep, but overall he’s just 4-for19 against Redman. Ryan Howard is 0-for-5. Pedro Feliz is 1-for-12. Geoff Jenkins is 3-for-19 with eight strikeouts. Nevertheless, the Phils faced Redman once last season – when he was with Atlanta – and he was downright awful. The Braves released him soon after.

-- The Phillies were 3-4 against the Rockies in regular-season play and obviously 0-3 in the playoffs. Kyle Kendrick was part of a very ugly 12-0 loss last season in which he was knocked out of the game early after taking a line drive off the knee. With Kendrick down, it was arguably the lowest point of the season for the Phils, looking as though the season was lost. Then the Mets started losing.

Monday: Utley and Wright show comes to a close

A pair of MVP hopefuls shared the spotlight this weekend at Citizens Bank Park, where Chase Utley’s two bombs helped rescue a win for the Phillies, while David Wright continued his hot hitting for the Mets.

For the Phils, this was a close to a “must-win” as you’ll find in April. Facing a sweep at home at the hands of their top division rival, the Phils outlasted the Mets 5-4 thanks to two Utley homers, including a three-run bomb in the fifth. After the Mets rallied to tie the game, Pedro Feliz contributed the eventual game-winner with a pinch homer in the seventh. Before hitting a wall in the sixth, Adam Eaton was solid. J.C. Romero rightfully earned the win with two shutout frames in the seventh and eighth. With suspect control, Brad Lidge was able to harness his slider just enough to escape disaster, but ultimately, it was the much-maligned defense that earned the save.

Tonight, the Phils hit the road to begin a seven-game, three-city road trip starting tonight in Denver, where they return to the site of their NLDS Game 3 elimination. They return without Jimmy Rollins, who will miss the next two weeks with an ankle sprain. This morning, we learn only a little more about situation, with assistant GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledging the Phillies made a mistake in the way the injury was handled.

We still don’t have a reason why 28-year-old Triple-A lifer T.J. Bohn and 22-year-old project Brad Harman were chosen to fill in for Rollins and Chris Snelling. Paul Hagen of the Daily News reports that utility infielder Chris Woodward is injured and not playing particularly well, otherwise he would have been the logical choice at short. Jason Donald is also hurt. Instead, they start the clock on Harman, who’s a fringe prospect, but it’s still too early to know for sure. He should be in Double-A where they can find out.

Bohn, a tall, athletic type who looks like he should be able to hit, is an even bigger mystery. Originally a product of the Seattle system, the 28-year-old can barely hit Triple-A pitching. He can, however, “play all three outfield positions,” and there can’t be a more overrated asset than that for this current club.

The reasoning appears to be a combination of having Bohn and Harman already on the 40-man roster, injuries to other players like Woodward, plus having Bohn and Harman hang around during spring training as non-roster invitees. Incidentally, it appears defensive specialist Ray Olmedo made the wrong choice in refusing his assignment to LV because he would have been the one to get the call at shortstop. Instead, he’s stuck in Triple-A Columbus (Washington).

Role-playing as a GM, these issues would be address via “cash considerations” for someone else’s spare part – the Joe Borchards, the Jody Geruts, the Kevin Menches. Someone with better experience, because Snelling's injury mean's they're short on depth. If they're serious about adding versatility and speed, then get serious about it and get Chris Roberson back. That's not what I'd do, but I'd prefer him to Bohn since speed is at such a premium now. I’d inquire about reacquiring Olmedo. Others have suggested Brandon Watson. I’d consider slugging IronPig Val Pascucci, also, because outfield versatility doesn’t concern me and he has a better chance of knocking one out than Bohn. And I’d look into Kenny Lofton. These are all better options than Harman and Bohn.

Game chat: Phillies try to salvage win tonight

Adam Eaton (0-0, 4.12 ERA) stands in the way of the Mets completing a three-game sweep at Citizens Bank Park. Mike Pelfrey (2-0, 1.50 ERA) gets the ball for the Mets.

Preview: An 8-10 record ain’t great, but there’s something about 8-11 that looks a whole lot worse, especially knowing the Phillies will be missing Jimmy Rollins for a minimum of 15 days. Before the game, the Phils placed the reigning MVP on the DL and recalled infielder Brad Harman and T.J. Bohn from the minor leagues; Bohn replaces Chris Snelling, who also went on the 15-day DL Tonight’s game airs nationally on ESPN, so details could be limited.

Charlie Manuel mixes up his lineup tonight against the right-hander. Jayson Werth leads off, followed by Greg Dobbs. Geoff Jenkins and Chris Coste earn starts.

Breaking news: Phillies place Rollins on 15-day DL

Shortstop Jimmy Rollins sprained his ankle April 8, but was used just yesterday as a pinch hitter. Chris Snelling has also been placed on the DL. As for their replacements, you don't even want to know.

Beerleaguer: Nice feather in the cap for the training staff, front office or whoever is responsible for advising on the latest in a growing list of blunders regarding the health of a player.

To make matters worse, the Phils have replaced Rollins with Double-A infielder Brad Harman, who was hitting just .222. They also placed Chris Snelling on the disabled list with left knee inflammation, replacing him with 28-year-old outfielder T.J. Bohn, a tall, athletic type who looks like he should be able to hit, but can’t. He was hitting .190 for Lehigh Valley. Both Bohn and Harman were conveniently on the 40-man roster for some reason. I'm glad this worked out well for the Phils, aren't you?

Without Rollins, it sets them back for the rest of the month. When it's all said, he'll basically miss a month total, having suffered the injury April 8. Shortstop takes a hit. The top of the lineup takes a hit. Snelling, who’s always hurt, probably played his final game in Philadelphia. Let's be honest about that. Plus, two strange call-ups with no chance of helping the club. There's a logical explanation somewhere, right? Meanwhile, Kenny Lofton is only a phone call away.

The Phils are having quite an afternoon, and are well on their way to another spectacular April. They try to avoid being swept at home tonight. Don’t count on it.

Sunday notes: No shortage of holes in Phillies' game

Trouble with the gloves, bats and bullpen means the 8-10 Phillies aren’t much better than they were last April (7-11). We run down the main offenders and round up the rest of the top stories.

Yesterday, it was the attack of the killer 0-fers: Ryan Howard: 0-for-5, 4 LOB, 3Ks; Jayson Werth 0-for-5, 5 LOB, 3Ks (Werth has cooled off); Pat Burrell: 0-for-4, 3Ks. As a team, they stranded 11.

Offensively, you can point the finger at two primary areas: First and third. Catcher and shortstop earn dishonorable mention. Since Scott Rolen, it's like the Phillies are cursed at third and have to settle for bottom-rung production every season. With Pedro Feliz starting basically every game, the hot corner has produced little (.603 OPS.) The National League average at third is .774. Feliz’s last hit was Tuesday’s game-winner against Houston. How much longer can he ride out that moment? Actually, he’s the team’s worst offender with runners in scoring position, hitting just .067. Compared to National League clean-up hitters, Howard is last in average (.182) and fourth from the bottom in slugging (.394). His 26 strikeouts are six more than Adam Dunn and the most in baseball. Over the last seven days, he has three hits.

Thanks to Chris Coste, the catching stats are respectable compared to the rest of the league. Ruiz alone, just as Eric Bruntlett alone, comes up far below average. But with guys like Russell Martin producing little out in LA, few catchers have produced, and Bruntlett could be back on the bench shorty.

Then there’s the bullpen. For the second game in a row, middle relief couldn’t hold it; this time it was Ryan Madson. Between Howard, Feliz, Madson and the defense, it's enough to drive one nuts. Or in my case, not write another depressing word about it, and end it at that.

Ex-pitchers producing (reposted from Carson):
Vicente Padilla- 4 gs, 2 w, 26 ip, 15 k, 3.12 era, 1.54 whip.
Randy Wolf- 3 gs, 1 w, 19 ip, 18 k, 1.42 era, 0.89 whip.
Gavin Floyd- 3 gs, 2 w, 19.1 ip, 10 k, 1.40 era, 0.88 whip.
Kyle Lohse- 4 gs, 2 w, 24.1 ip, 10 k, 1.48 era, 1.03 whip.
Todd Jones- 7 g, 7 ip, 3 sv, 4 k, 1.29 era, 1.29 whip.
Aquilino Lopez- 8 g, 1 w, 13 ip, 9 k, 0.69 era, 0.92 whip.
Kevin Millwood- 4 gs, 1 w, 26 ip, 12 k, 2.42 era, 1.46 whip.
Nelson Figueroa- 4 g, 2 gs, 1 w, 15 ip, 14 k, 3.60 era, 0.80 whip.
John Lieber- 5 g, 2 w, 11 ip, 5 k, 1.64 era, 1.27 whip.
Trever Miller- 8 g, 5.1 ip, 4 k, 3.38 era, 1.50 whip.
Justin Miller- 8 g, 1 w, 11 ip, 10 k, 3.27 era, 1.18 whip.
Gas Can Geary- 8 g, 8.1 ip, 8 k, 2.16 era, 1.08 whip.
Billy Wagner- 7 g, 7 ip, 4 sv, 6 k, 0.00 era, 0.14 whip.
Justin Germano- 3 gs, 20 ip, 6 k, 1.35 era, 1.00 whip.
Carlos Silva- 4 gs, 3 w, 29 ip, 11 k, 2.79 era, 1.14 whip.
Ryan Franklin- 10 g, 8.1 ip, 3 k, 2.16 era, 0.96 whip.

Marzano dies at 45: Beerleaguer is saddened by the loss of Philadelphia native son and former Major League catcher John Marzano, who died suddenly in his Passyunk home yesterday. Marzano was a regular of 610-WIP radio, Comcast Daily News Live, Phillies Post Game Live, and most recently, XM Radio, where his energy, insight and humor helped bring us closer to the Phillies. He will be deeply missed, and our thoughts go out to the Marzano family, and his extended family at WIP and Comcast.

Game chat: Phillies try to bounce back this afternoon

Jamie Moyer (1-0, 5.52 ERA) squares off with Oliver Perez (1-0, 3.37 ERA) in game two between the Phillies and Mets at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is 3:55 ET. Notes: Jimmy Rollins remains out of the starting lineup. Chris Coste does the catching. Key for Philadelphia is to stay patient with Perez, who's been known to be very wild against the Phils.

Santana delivers; Phillies' mistakes prove costly

After one round, Johan Santana accomplished what the Mets set out to do in acquiring the stud southpaw: dominate, frustrate, smother the Phillies’ lineup. Santana earned the win in a 6-4 defeat of the Phils.

As a Phillies fan, last night's start by Santana should terrify you. Not only the prospect of facing Johan head-to-head perhaps three more times this season, but the fact the Mets can feature exactly what we saw last night every fifth game against the rest of the league. Granted, he won’t be 10-strikeout, zero-walk good every start (that’s every start through 2013, 2014 with a vesting option), but to rationalize his overall impact boarders on denial. Historically, the left-hander becomes even more beastly as the season rolls along. Santana alone could be enough to tip the scales in a mediocre NL East. 

The shame of it was, the Phillies had a chance to be the ones left standing, not to detract from the terrific games Santana and David Wright had. Cole Hamels wasn’t brilliant, but kept it close.

Their defense let them down again. Carlos Ruiz, considered the smoother defender of the two catchers, allowed a crucial passed ball in the first, moving Ryan Church into scoring position. In the third, Ruiz’s throw would have been in time to get Jose Reyes had it not sailed seven feet over the bag. He wasn’t alone. Jayson Werth misplayed a ball in center, which turned into an RBI triple. Ryan Howard booted one in the 7th. The Mets capitalized on all these gaffs.

I spoke too soon on JC Romero and didn’t see the forest through the trees. On the surface, he’s been fine. Dig a little deeper and you’ll discover that of seven inherited runners, he’s allowed five of them to score, including three in relief of Hamels last night.

Phils try again today at 3:55. Try not to trip over your own shadows.

Game chat: Aces clash in Friday night's main event

[Game Channel]

Series preview: Santana faces Phils for second time

The tail of the tape for tonight's heavyweight bout, plus the undercard.

Santana vs. the Phillies: The left-hander has made only one career start against them. On June 23, 2002, Santana received a no-decision in the Twins 5-1 victory at Veterans Stadium. The southpaw allowed one run, two hits while walking six and striking out five over 4.2 innings. (The hits were by Todd Pratt and Scott Rolen, in case you were wondering). Of the current team, Geoff Jenkins has seen him the most and is 3-for-12 off him.

Hamels vs. the Mets: In four starts, he’s 1-1 with a 2.77 ERA and 26/9 K/BB ratio. He faced them three times last season and none of the games represented his finest work. His last start against the Mets came June 29 at home, walking a season-high five and allowing three runs over five innings.

Bullpens: The Mets bullpen hasn’t allowed a run in its last 13.2 innings. They’re tied for the NL lead with Colorado with a 3.00 ERA. The Phillies are right behind with a 3.22 ERA.

Schedule:
Friday, April 18: Hamels (2-1, 0.82) vs. Santana (1-2, 3.05) 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 19:  Perez (1-0, 3.38) vs. Moyer (1-0, 5.52), 3:55 p.m.
Sunday, April 20: Pelfrey (2-0, 1.50) vs. Eaton (0-0, 4.12), 8:05 p.m.

Friday focus: Power ranking the Top 5 Phillies, Mets

The 8-8 Phillies are riding the hot bat of Pat and cool hand of Cole. Meanwhile, David Wright leads the 8-6 Mets.

1. Pat Burrell – Sorry, Cole. Pat the Bat (.373/.492/.804, 6 HR, 17 RBI) leads the world in gross productive average (.410) and runs created (20).
2. Cole Hamels – Easily, a top five NL starter to begin the season. (2-1, 0.82 ERA, .143 BAA). Devastating change-up has been unhittable.
3. Brett Myers – Dominant, composed in last two outings, surrendering only one walk in two games. Living up to his billing as a solid number two.
4. Chase Utley – Woke up during the Cubs series after a cool week. Poor defense pulls him down; .317/.400/.651, 4 HR raises him up.
5. J.C. Romero – An anchor since joining the bullpen in mid-2007. Eight strikeouts, no runs, in first 6 2-3 innings. No hits, no walks to left-handers.

-- J. Weitzel

1. David Wright - No April struggles this season means bad news for the rest of the league; hitting .400 vs. lefties.
2. Jose Reyes - With a big series against the Nats, he's beginning to turn the corner and show that fire that he lost at the middle of ‘07.
3. Johan Santana - While traditionally a slow-starter, given the state of the rotation, it's imperative that the Mets win his starts.
4. Carlos Beltran - Taking a more prominent leadership role with players like Reyes; 3rd in NL with seven doubles.
5. Joe Smith - Baffling hitters with his unique delivery -- hasn't allowed an earned run in his last five appearances.

-- D.J. Short, Metsblog.com

A beautiful day, a blowout game ... bring on the Mets

The Phillies took care of business yesterday in a 10-2 route of the Astros, notching their second-straight series victory. Can the momentum carry into tonight’s blockbuster against Johan Santana and the Mets? Let the build-up begin.

Game chat: Myers, Phillies take aim at series win

[Live Boxscore]

Beer nuts: Did the Phils make a mistake with Bourn?

Getting up to speed on your 7-8 Philadelphia Phillies.

-- Following a 2-for-4 night with a steal, former Phil Michael Bourn has twice as many stolen bases (8) as anyone else in the National League. Time to reopen the debate: Did the Phillies undervalue Bourn? Have they overvalued Shane Victorino? Did they sacrifice too much in a young, rising player for a one-year rental in Brad Lidge? Bourn represents instant damage when he gets on base, which he’s done at a reasonably good clip in his young career. He's a capable situational hitter and brings a patient approach. To me, his future shines brighter than the Flyin’ Hawaiian.

-- Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins will leave the team for two days to attend his uncle’s funeral, according to the Philadelphia Daily News. The reigning MVP has missed seven starts since spraining his ankle against the Mets.

-- Bullpen stats: The Phillies' bullpen has held hitters to an NL-best .201 BA. Their 3.17 ERA is the second best. Their 33/25 K/BB could be better.

-- Mediocre numbers: Offensively, the Phillies are next to last in BA/RSP with .215. Only Florida is worse in the National League. Their LD percentage is 16 percent, which is last. Many of the other numbers point toward average production, maybe slightly below. Pitching-wise, they’ve allowed a league-average 4.5 runs a game. They’re below average in strikeouts, over the average in walks. The stats illustrate an average ballclub. Behold, a 7-8 start.

Game chat: Phillies, Astros resume series; J-Roll out

Kyle Kendrick (1-1, 6.14 ERA) and Roy Oswalt (0-3, 9.00) lead their teams to battle tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park. Jimmy Rollins remains on the sidelines.

Preview: Tonight's game features two right-handers at interesting points in their career. Kendrick is trying to avoid a sophomore slump and prove he’s for real. Oswalt is trying to disprove critics who argue that his career has reached its apex and it’s all downhill from here. They’re both trying to rebound from terrible starts. Kendrick walked a career high six in just 2 1-3 innings. Oswalt was uncharacteristically bombarded for four home runs and eight runs against the Marlins.

Feliz bats second: Charlie Manuel’s two-hole hitter hokey pokey continues, as Pedro Feliz sticks his right foot in tonight.

Minors: Left-handed one-out guy news and notes

It was a big night for loogys young and old, as 24-year-old RJ Swindle and 35-year-old Steve Kline made appearances for Reading and Lehigh Valley, respectively.

Clout will tell you there are no fewer than 473 million junkball left-handers floating around the minors. I had a chance to observe one of those oddities last night. On in relief of Josh Outman – who pitched six shutout frames – Swindle held the visiting Senators to one hit over 1 1-3 shutout innings, uncorking his mythic low-50s curveball to retire his final batter.

A non-roster invitee of the Yankees a year ago and graduate of the independent leagues, the three-quarter left-hander, who pitches from the very left edge of the rubber, has retired 20 of the 22 batters he’s faced so far. In four minor league seasons, totaling 300 innings, he’s 20-11 with a 2.48 ERA and a brilliant 292/55 K/BB ratio. Before the season, I had a chance to talk with Swindle about what makes him so effective against left-handed hitters. [MP3]

Around the same time, about 50 miles east, veteran left-hander Steve Kline, who signed a minor league deal with the Phillies last week, made his debut with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, recording two outs in relief, but also walking two. To make room for Kline, the team placed reliever Joe Bisenius on the disabled list with a toe injury.

Reading observations: Swindle is fascinating to watch. The ball just tumbles out of his hand and looks like it's floating on a cloud. His final pitch was 54 mph, but he mostly sits around 71-73 with some kind of feathery slurve pitch. I’m rooting for him ... Greg Golson went two-for-four, raising his average to .340. His second hit exploded off his bat for a solid liner up the middle. He was caught stealing twice, a combination of bad jumps and guessing wrong on an outside fastball. ... Josh Outman looked crisp and was hitting 93 on his fastball. There’s a hitch in his delivery. He’s a funky hitter, too. There’s nothing smooth about Josh Outman.

Awesome win stained by familiar, dark undercurrent

Ah, yes. The thrill of victory, and the agony of reading about Ryan Howard's slump the next day. Beerleaguer is happy to oblige.

When putting his struggles into perspective, it helps to know who Ryan Howard is not. He’s not Jimmy Rollins, meaning he’s not going produce game in and game out. No. He’s going to put three in the seats one series and go 1-12 the next. He isn’t going to produce in April. There’s enough evidence to support it now. His slugging percentage in April is over .150 points lower than his career average. Park factors must be considered. For the first few weeks, no park – including Citizens Bank Park – plays to Howard’s strengths. Those moon-shots that carry in August get knocked down in April.

Strikeouts may not be any worse than ground outs or pop outs in the eyes of statisticians, but they definitely leave deeper cuts in the eyes of fans, and also appear to take a toll on the big man. Last night featured huge moments from Chris Snelling, Pat Burrell and Pedro Feliz, and Howard’s futile strikeout in the ninth was smack in the middle of all the heroics. Everyone, including Howard, expects more.

The good news is that for every Howard slump, we’ve witnessed a full recovery. I’d like to see it happen soon. He’s only had one multi-hit game – back on April 3 – and only six RBIs total. Unfortunately, he’s a big reason why they’re only 7-7. With Rollins and Shane Victorino hobbled, the term "time to step up" is apt for the Phillies slumping clean-up man.

Incredible four-run rally lifts Phils over Astros in 9th

If you waited for the final 15 minutes to catch the end of Tuesday night's game, you saw everything you needed to see.

Summary: After being stifled through eight shutout innings, totaling four hits, the Phillies' bats came alive just in time, biting back with four runs in the home half of the ninth off closer Jose Valverde, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat 4-3.  Chris Snelling, in his second at bat of the season, led off the inning with a solo shot. After Valverde plunked Chase Utley in the next at bat, followed by a Ryan Howard strikeout, Pat Burrell lined one into the right-field seats to tie it up. Geoff Jenkins battled Valverde to a 3-2 count until reaching on a passed ball third strike. With the winning run on first, Pedro Feliz gashed one into the left-field corner, scoring Jenkins on a bang-bang play at home. Wow!

Beerleaguer: I followed all but the final half hour on the scoreboard at Reading, thinking, "Time for the bats to wake up already." Talk about digging in. This was a cold night, the ball wasn't carrying, it's early in the season and the offense was missing key players and scuffling. They could have easily packed it in and tried again tomorrow. Snelling must have lit a spark, and Burrell does it again. Remember the days when he was the last guy you wanted up in that situation? Seems like only yesterday. The play at the plate was close, but we've seen too many close calls go the other way to feel guilty about it. Pretty incredible. It's one of the worst blown saves I've ever seen against the Phils.

Great win. Phillies steal it in a flash. To go from eight innings of nothing to a four-run explosion, in minutes ... it's almost inconceivable.

Game chat: Phillies, Astros clash in series opener

Arbitrary Wade/Gillick comparison/contrast thread

Safe, low-end free agents with no upside/waiver wire roll of the dice; No-trade clause/option years; At the non-waiver trade deadline/after the non-waiver trade deadline; Ruben the apprentice/Ruben the heir; Keep them in the farm/welcome to the show; Scouting Australia/scouting Europe; Raw position talent/raw pitching talent; Ducey for Ducey/sold back to original club for $25,000; Sweater vests/Hawaiian shirts; Media scrutiny/free pass; Build through the farm/round out the edges; "We saw this coming from a mile away!"/"Who?"; Utility infielder/12th pitcher; Marginal relievers with good command/marginal relievers with good stuff; Andy Ashby/Adam Eaton; National League connections/Seattle connections; Low-leverage trades/salary dump.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Injury news and notes

The injury bug has bitten the top of the Phillies’ lineup. How bad is it? Plus, a look at the Mets’ mounting injuries.

Phillies: Shane Victorino could be ready for a minor league assignment soon. According to trainer Scott Sheridan, the center fielder has mild damage in his right knee and calf. Sheridan is hopeful Victorino will be ready when he’s eligible to return from the disabled list Apr. 29. Jimmy Rollins rolled his ankle a week ago and hasn’t started a game since, but the Phils are hoping he can return to the lineup tonight. [Link]

Mets: Mets GM Omar Minaya told the New York Post that Pedro Martinez will be out until at least the middle of May, and possibly until June, which is about three weeks longer than originally expected. Nelson Figueroa and Claudio Vargas are his immediate replacement options. Moises Alou (hernia) is expected to play in a minor league rehab game by this weekend, according to the Post. Matt Wise (right forearm) is not expected to re-join the team until the end of April. Duaner Sanchez will likely be promoted from triple-A today. No new updates on Orlando Hernandez, who was refitted with a medical boot recently.

Minor notes: A couple of farm hands contributed impressive starts this weekend. Top prospect Carlos Carrasco allowed the two runs on two wind-blown solo homers and five hits total, striking out seven in six innings in a win over Altoona on Sunday. A day earlier, Fabio Castro took a no-hitter into the seventh inning for the win. According to the R-Phils Web site, 63 of his 103 pitches went for strikes, fanning nine and walking three "displaying an 88-90 mph fastball and a sweeping curveball that handcuffed right-handed hitters." ... Joe Savery pitched eight scoreless innings against Lakeland Sunday. The 2007 first-rounder has an 0.90 ERA after three starts for Class-A Clearwater.

Winless IronPigs finally bring home the bacon

The 12th time was a charm for the 0-11 Lehigh Valley IronPigs. The Phillies Triple-A affiliate defeated Richmond tonight 3-1 at Coca-Cola Park.

Fittingly, a player with close ties to the area, Kutztown University product Ron Chiavacci, goes into the books as earning the first win in franchise history, tossing six shutout frames and striking out eight. The Pigs, who’ve been outscored 53-16 and have been shut out three times, scratched out three runs, one earned, to emerge victorious, capitalizing on a third-inning error. A