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Transaction: Phils designate Harman for assignment

Hours before tonight's midnight deadline to add players eligible for the post-season, the Phillies made a minor roster move, designating infielder Brad Harman for assignment and purchasing the contract of right-hander John Ennis, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

As Todd Zolecki of Phillies.com explains, the move to swap out Harman for Ennis on the 40-man serves as a placeholder that would allow the Phillies to add any player in the organization as of Aug. 31 to the postseason roster. Since Ennis will be a non-factor, the bigger story for now is the DFA of Harman, who was once considered a promising infield talent, but struggled mightily in his second full season in Double-A Reading, hitting .203/.272/.313 with five homers and no stolen bases all while playing second base. The 23-year-old Aussie earned a cup of coffee with the Phils early last season and poked an RBI double in 11 plate appearances, spending the rest of the season in Reading, where he hit .210 and struck out 138 times. His glove and age should keep his professional career going, but his bat makes him an extreme longshot to make it back to the Majors. The Phillies have 10 days to trade him, release him, or put him on waivers. If he clears, he can be outrighted to one of their farm teams.

In other news, after placing Kyle Drabek on the inactive list today, the Phils promoted right-hander Michael Schwimer from Clearwater to Reading.

Monday thread: Phillies grew concerned with Drabek

One quick note to pass along today courtesy of Mike Drago of the Reading Eagle (regular posting will resume tonight or tomorrow to discuss call-ups.)

By now you’ve seen the reports that the Phils have put top pitching prospect Kyle Drabek on the shelf for the remainder of the season as a precautionary measure after reaching 158 innings. While they maintain the 21-year-old is not injured, the fact is the young right-hander has not been sharp since the All-Star break. From Drago’s piece: Benny Looper said he grew concerned last week, watching Drabek during a six-inning stint in Reading. ‘He labored in that game,’ Looper said. ‘He had a lot of pitches up in the zone. He had a lack of command on his pitches, and his pitches just weren't quite as good as they should be.’” Looper told Drago that he threw only one good curveball on the night Looper observed. [Link]

Notes: Former farmhand Carlos Carrasco, who was part of the Cliff Lee trade, will make his Major League debut tomorrow night for the Cleveland Indians against the Tigers.

Phils fend off Braves in finale, extend lead to eight

Opportunity knocked and the Phillies finally delivered when Carlos Ruiz flicked a two-run double to deep left that was dropped by Garrett Anderson, providing the runs needed to reward Joe Blanton with a well-earned win, as the hometown nine took round three 3-2 at Citizens Bank Park. More shortly ...

Beerleaguer: Those who said defense was the difference tonight are correct. Chooch was credited with the double, but the play should have been made by Anderson. That followed Chipper Jones' errant throw on a well executed bunt by Pedro Feliz. Meanwhile, the Phils were making plays right and left, including a rare 4-6-5 twin killing. Jimmy Rollins has been putting on a show lately. I know of no better shortstop working today, do you? ... Sans Brad Lidge, the Phils' bullpen has been just as good as last season with guys picking each other up. That's what happened tonight with Scott Eyre rescuing Ryan Madson from certain doom. Eyre hadn't pitched since Aug. 16 despite being one of the team's most reliable relievers. Tomorrow by the water cooler, people will be talking about Lidge showing signs of life. Meanwhile, everyone will forget about Blanton, which is just how it goes for Kentucky Joe.

Hot stove update: According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Phillies scouted the Angels and A's series this weekend, suggesting the Phils were there to check in on Nomar Garciaparra, who cleared waivers and was courted by the Phillies this offseason. He didn't play in the series. [Link]

Game chat: Phils have work cut out for them in finale

 Right-hander Jair Jurrjens (10-8, 2.91) has stymied the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. He's matched against Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.88), who will be searching for just his second win since July 26 through no fault of his own.

The Phils haven't provided much run support for their workman-like right-hander, and frankly, haven't been scoring much lately, tallying four runs or less in their last five games, most of it coming via the long ball. According to the pregame notes, the Phillies lead all major league teams this season in percentage of runs scored via home runs. Of their 662 runs, 306 (46.2 percent) have come from home runs. Lately, their production problems can be blamed on their performance with runners in scoring position. According to the notes, the Phils have nine hits in their last 56 at-bats (.161) with runners in scoring position and are hitting just .256 on the season, 11th in the National League after starting the season among the league leaders. One player who's quietly cooled off is Shane Victorino, hitting just .205 in his last 10 games. Lineups are posted: The Phils go with their standard formation for this their fourth appearance on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

Lee suffers his first Phillies' clunker in loss to Braves

Nearly unhittable in his first six starts, Cliff Lee was battered for six runs on 10 hits, serving up an uncharacteristic three homers, as the Braves reminded the first-place Phils they don't intend to go quietly into the night in a 9-1 rout.

Human after all, the mortal Lee was living out over the plate and a dangerous Braves lineup made him pay. They also did a nice job dictating the pace; Lee's first six starts have been rapid-fire. Perhaps the Braves saw that and were instructed to step out and slow it down. This unfolded much slower. ... The game would have taken on a different feel if the Phillies could have capitalized on early chances against Derek Lowe. Lately, if they aren't hitting homers, they aren't scoring, and the sinkerballer is the toughest type of nut for the homer-reliant Phillies to crack. Down 9-1, with their only run coming on a Chase Utley golf-shot homer, the Phils took their last gasp with the bases loaded and nobody out in the 7th, but Mike Gonzalez left them breathless, striking out Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and getting Raul Ibanez to fly out. The game was delayed by rain shortly after and I doubt many people bothered the watch the rest. I didn't.

Saturday chat: Lee leads Phillies in second of three

Living large after a 4-2 victory to extend their lead to eight, the Phillies turn to newly minted ace Cliff Lee, who brings a 5-0 mark and near-spotless 0.68 ERA into tonight's game with the Atlanta Braves. First pitch is 7:05.

Rehab notes: As Lee and the Phils get set for Derek Lowe and the Braves, Brett Myers will be on the mound in Reading where he is scheduled to make 45-50 pitches in the first game of a twin bill beginning at 6:30. It's Myers' fourth rehab appearance since undergoing June 4 hip surgery, and if everything goes smoothly, the righthander could rejoin the Phillies sometime next week. Myers doesn't need to be activated before Monday's deadline for adding players eligible for the postseason because of his status on the disabled list. That also holds true for Antonio Bastardo and Clay Condrey; both will reportedly pitch rehab assignments Monday. Bastardo is on the 60-day disabled list, so room would need to be cleared on the 40-man roster. The live-armed lefthander could be eyed as a second lefty for the pen as news of J.C. Romero's progress is not encouraging. The injured reliever, who has been out since July 20, was in Philadelphia yesterday and told the Daily News' Paul Hagan that he is experiencing lingering tenderness in his forearm and elbow and doesn't know when he'll return.

Chemistry: I mentioned confidence in the previous thread and wanted to discuss another Beerleaguer unmentionable: chemistry. There's no question the Phils jell as well as any team in the league. They rocked the boat with the high-profile acquisitions of Lee and three-time Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez earlier this summer. By all accounts, its been a comfortable fit. But when it comes to September call-ups, I'll less inclined to believe they'll welcome just any wide-eyed kid. Expect a few familiar faces from Triple-A, like John Mayberry, Kyle Kendrick and Steven Register, players already on the 40-man roster. Maybe they would make room for someone like veteran Andy Tracy, who was on the bench in 2008 before breaking his hand and has had a good season for Lehigh Valley. In the unlikely scenario they call-up an unknown, it could be someone like Quintin Berry for his wheels (48 stolen bases at Reading). Until the Phils clinch the division, this season's call-ups will be a forgotten presence. I'm not even sure they'll carry a third catcher.

Lineups are posted: Once again, Paul Bako catches Lee. I can't remember which Web site lists CERA (catcher ERA). Bako must be first in baseball. Did I mention I have no problem whatsoever with the Phillies' catch-and-throw backstop, even if he's hitting below the Mendoza? There's no denying the starting rotation has improved with the addition of the journeyman receiver.

Ryan brings rain, Jamie provides shelter from Braves

Ryan Howard homered twice, while Jamie Moyer earned the win in relief of Pedro Martinez following a pair of rain delays, as the Phillies held on to beat the Braves 4-2 in the series opener.

If it feels like all the wins this month are blending together, you're not alone. Once again, Howard ignites the tater-fueled offense, Pedro gets the early hook because of the weather and Moyer steals the show. Since joining the rotation, Pedro has pitched 16 innings over four starts, allowing eight earned runs, posting a 14/3 K/BB and notching two wins. After tonight, we're no closer to knowing what to make of the guy. He's peppered in nasty pitches here and there. The rest of the time he's Rodrigo Lopez. Here's Jamie since the demotion: 10 1-3 innings, one run, 10/0 K/BB and a pair of wins. I'll take a moment to pat myself on the back; I said the summer weather would keep Moyer busy. Not only has he earned two wins, but he's preserved the 'pen. 

Howard is seeing the ball and swinging the bat so well, indicative of the number of opposite-field shots. Kris Medlen didn't make an especially bad pitch on Howard's second homer. Earlier on, Howard would have swung over it. Right now, the Big Piece must feel like he can hit anything.

I jotted down a couple of notes. Rollins had another great night defensively. Everyone talks about his offensive, but his glove has improved, too, from very good early on to Gold Glove caliber as it is today. ... Forty-eight hours removed from a blown save appears to have iced Ryan Madson; he didn't appear to have the confidence tonight. On the flip side, Brad Lidge looked terrific and it started by getting ahead then retiring the first batter. Lidge pumped hard sliders almost exclusively and had himself a refreshing 1-2-3 inning. If they need to use him again tomorrow, do it. Then sit him.

With the win, the Phils moved eight games ahead of the Braves and Marlins. Huge win tonight.

Programming note: I'm on tomorrow at 8:40 a.m. with 610's Brian Startare talking September call-ups. Talking points will include Triple-A veterans, 40-man roster shuffling, left-handed relief, added speed and a third catcher.

Game chat: Pedro pitches between the rain drops

Pedro Martinez (2-0, 5.14) takes the hill tonight when the Phillies open an important three-game series against the Braves. First pitch is 7:05 with precipitation looming.

Right-handed Rookie of the Year candidate Tommy Hanson (9-2, 3.12) will be making his first start against the Phils, who are coming off a disappointing series loss to the Pirates, but a decent road trip overall. The Phils are hoping for more timely hitting from their offense, which hasn't been able to produce many runs lately without benefit of the long ball. The Braves trail the Phils by seven games in the National League East. Needless to say a worst-case scenario weekend sweep would significantly alter the playoff picture and give the Braves hope. As reported earlier, storm cells are scattered throughout the Delaware Valley tonight. It could be another situation where Mother Nature cuts Pedro's start short. Lineups are posted; Phillies go with their standard set. In other news, Brett Myers is scheduled for another rehab appearance tomorrow in Reading. Todd Zolecki provides additional details on Antonio Bastardo, Clay Condrey and J.C. Romero on the Phillies' Web site. [Link]

Beer nuts: Jamie Moyer must be singing in the rain

The rain is expected to die down in time for the first pitch tonight between the Phillies and Braves, but showers and thunderstorms are expected to linger throughout the night, with the likelihood of rain increasing by 8 p.m and holding steady at 90 percent into early tomorrow morning. That's bad news for everyone except displaced starter Jamie Moyer, who hasn’t pitched since the Aug. 18 rain-delayed game with Arizona and only seems to surface when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate. The Braves are scheduled to face Florida Monday, so if a double-header is needed, it could occur before Sunday’s prime time game scheduled for 8 p.m. The Phils have a pair of twin bills already scheduled in September, at which time Moyer could be hoping to make an appearance. If rain forces postponement, the Phils could push Pedro to Sunday. Either way, Moyer's chances of pitching long relief increase with the cloud cover.

Game, set slips away from Phillies as bats go silent

Garrett Jones' two-out, two-run jack in the eighth spoiled a terrific night by J.A. Happ, proving to be the difference in the Pirates' 3-2 victory in the series' rubber match.

Beautiful park. Ugly results. In front of a sea of red, the Phillies fell to 11-17 lifetime at PNC Park in a series that will be remembered for a pair of late-inning losses, blown saves and poor production. This one boiled down to a single pitch that caught too much of Jones' happy zone. Nevertheless, three runs over eight frames means Happ did his job and the offense did not. The Phils had juicy chances to pile on Charlie Morton early, but settled for the minimum, loading the bases with nobody out in the first and banging out a whole run. They also wasted a scoring opportunity in the fourth; all told, the Phils were 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position this series. The Phils got their other run via Paul Bako's second homer of the season in a 2-for-2 night by the catch-and-throw backup. Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 and played superb defense. The Bucs' other run came on Andrew McCutchen's second homer of the series. Credit Pittsburgh: they fought the better fight.

With the loss, coupled by Atlanta's win, the Phils hold a seven-game lead over the Marlins and Braves headed into their weekend series with Atlanta. They finish the road trip a mildly disappointing 4-3, getting plenty of starting pitching, but not enough hitting or relief.

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Game chat: Happ continues ROY push in rubber game

Rookie left-hander J.A. Happ (10-2, 2.59) has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. He tries to deliver a series win tonight against Charlie Morton (3-6, 5.21) and the Pittsburgh Pirates. First pitch is 7:05. Happ enters the game leading or tied for the league lead in all major rookie categories, and among all pitchers, first in road ERA (1.72). ... Lineups are posted. Paul Bako sets up behind the plate. ... The Phillies enter play leading the Marlins and Braves by eight games in the NL East. ... In other news, Andy Martino of the Philadelphia Inquirer talks to Ruben Amaro and Scott Proefrock on the odds of the Phillies making a deal before Monday night's waiver trade deadline. [Link]

Galvis brings high hopes, low miles, to Baseballtown

According to a team news release, slick-fielding shortstop Freddy Galvis, who turns 20 in November, is the first teenager to lace up his cleats in Reading since 2000, and is just the 11th teen in the team’s 43-year history.

It seems like we’ve been reading the Ozzie Smith comparisons for ages, but it’s only been two years since this 17-year-old defensive phenomenon from Venezuela burst onto the scene in Williamsport. Pundits who’ve watched him play at the low levels of the minors believe his glove is good enough for the Majors right now and hope his bat will eventually come around. In 272 plate appearances with Clearwater, he was hitting .247/.280/.307 with a homer and six stolen bases. He’s off to a good start in Reading, going three-for-four last night with a homer.

Galvis gives a youthful boost to a mostly veteran Reading roster. The player he replaced, Carlos Leon, is ten years older. Leon was called up to Triple-A when Miguel Cairo was needed in Philadelphia. The next youngest player on the Reading roster, Kyle Drabek, is nearly two years older.

Madson: I concur with Clout, who concurred with SmokyJoe, when he writes: “Madson had great stuff and good location last night except for one pitch and it was as bad as it gets: An 86 mph changeup, just below the letters, middle-in to a lefthanded hitter with very little break on it. That's not enough for me to declare Madson ineligible for closing.”

Mechanically, there’s no comparison to Lidge. Madson has been smoother and his location has been light years better. By comparison, Lidge looks like he’s falling off the mound rather than driving off the belt. Mentally, I’ve never been prepared to write off Madson based on the earlier blown saves. Prolonged success in the eighth, a devastating change, coupled with high-pressure relief in the postseason, makes him better qualified to handle the ninth than many of his peers closing games for other teams. As Chris Wheeler said last night, when Madson substituted for Lidge, he was getting burned with his cutter, which he has since holstered. Recall the series in Toronto. The problem boiled down to pitch selection; what was he thinking offering Rod Barajas a letter-high fastball ahead in the count? I’m not buying that he lacks the toughness. Actually, most of the bullpen deserves more credit than that.

In praise of Utley’s plate discipline: “One improvement no one is talking about is Chase Utley’s K/BB rate, and the number of walks he's taking. He surpassed his career high in walks weeks ago and is getting on base at a much higher clip than he ever has. This willingness to be more selective at the plate and take walks is an adjustment on Utley's part that will hopefully pay dividends in the playoffs.” - TNA

Notes: Before Howard saved it, offense nearly blew it

The Big Piece notwithstanding, the lack of situational hitting, and absence of a true bench threat, is a topic worth discussing.

Until Ryan Madson coughed it up in the ninth (a subject we'll revisit later this morning) Chase Utley's first-inning homer would have been enough to reward Cole Hamels for his best start in weeks. Nevertheless, there's no reason why the Phillies needed to be in a position to win one by the skin of their teeth, leaving the ninth inning to chance knowing the stormy situation at the back of the bullpen.

Three at bats stick out, two by Pedro Feliz and one by Matt Stairs. After a Jayson Werth lead-off double, followed by a Ben Francisco base on balls, the Phils wasted a golden opportunity to put a big inning together in the second when Feliz tried pulling a ball and grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. Feliz has fallen back into some bad habits by trying to pull everything lately and is having his worst month of the season, hitting .207/.239/.368 in August. His second poor at bat came in the ninth, again with runners in scoring position, when he chased three sliders out of the zone. Feliz has been a pretty reliable clutch hitter late in games; that's why his approach in this at bat was puzzling.

Two batters later, after pinch hitter Raul Ibanez was intentionally walked to load the bases, Stairs, who last had a hit July 11 and is hitting .202, rolled over Joel Hanrahan's slider to end the inning. This last example serves as the perfect metaphor for the bench; those pinch-hit bombs early in the season seem like ages ago for Stairs.

Hamels thinks it clicked: After a stone-faced eight innings, Hamels told reporters that he felt like it finally clicked, dating back to his final two innings at Citi Field and continuing in what he considered his best in-between bullpen he's thrown all season. Hamels threw a composed 123 pitches, striking out seven with better velocity than he's had all season.

Howard, Werth: The Big Piece is in one of those stretches where he carries the team, homering nine times and knocking in 25 over his last 13 games. While he's been taking a better approach at the plate, tracking the ball and recognizing balls and strikes better, how much credit can be given to his lineup protection for keeping opposing pitchers honest? Werth has had his best month, hitting .300/.371/.638. As much as opposing managers would like to play it safe with the Big Piece, they can't.

Myers: In Reading, Brett Myers pitched two scoreless innings, struck out five and walked a batter out of the R-Phils' bullpen last night in a win over Erie. Myers has nine strikeouts in four innings of rehab.

There's your closer

Ryan Howard saved the game, Ryan Madson blew it in the ninth and notched the win, and Cole Hamels pitched eight shutout innings and got nothing in the Phillies' 4-1 victory over the Pirates. More tomorrow.

Game chat: Phils look to lick their wounds in 'Burgh

Fresh off a devastating late-August loss to the Pirates, one that resulted in losing no ground, one they probably deserved to lose anyway, the Phillies send Cole Hamels (7-8, 4.78) to the mound against fellow lefty Paul Maholm (7-7, 4.74) hoping to reverse their downward spiral. First pitch is 7:05 ET. Ben Francisco starts in left replacing Raul Ibanez. Myers not starting: Brett Myers did not take the mound for the start Reading's game with Erie tonight, Mike Cisco did. Details coming.

Beer nuts: Talkin’ bullpen, bullpen and more bullpen

While the big club continues their series in Pittsburgh, a juicy subplot will unfold tonight in Baseballtown, where Brett Myers makes his third rehab start in his quest to rejoin the Phillies.

Once again, FirstEnergy Stadium serves as the backdrop for one of the season’s most compelling dramas. In the days leading up July 31, visiting scouts observed Kyle Drabek, part of the package Toronto wanted for Roy Halladay. (Drabek has a 5.02 ERA since the deadline). Soon after, Pedro Martinez’s final rehab appearance drew the largest crowd in Reading history. Tonight, it’s Myers’ turn, making his third stop on a rehab tour that started Aug. 20 in Clearwater. So far, the 29-year-old has pitched two innings, allowed two hits, a walk while striking out four. Following Monday’s start in Lakewood, Myers reported no problems with his surgically repaired hip, telling reporters he's been running on it and pushing harder with every passing start. Myers recently admitted his hip had much to do with his sudden dip in velocity that started before the 2008 season.

If tonight goes smoothly, it’s conceivable to write Myers into the Phillies’ stretch-run plans for real. Expect one more rehab appearance, and that's that. Once he returns, he’ll immediately be thrust into closer controversy, wearing white to Brad Lidge’s black. No stranger to late-season heroics, the Phils will be releasing something of a caged animal, one deprived of competition, pitching for a new contract and returning to his preferred role.

Myers' tire: Myers has been preparing for life in the bullpen in more than one way. Woah. [Video]

Injury updates: J.C. Romero and Clay Condrey are in still in the short bullpen session stage, both tossing 35 pitches Monday. Condrey is scheduled for another one tomorrow, while Romero told the Inquirer he doesn’t know when he’ll pitch next. Reading between the lines, it sounds like they won’t be along for the stretch run.

Mathieson: Beerleaguer’s senior correspondent reports Scott Mathieson was firing bullets last night, pulling the string on a 93-97 fastball and registering one that topped 102 on Reading’s charitable gun. The right-hander pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two, in earning the win over Erie.

Reader makes case to stick with Lidge: “They have to keep him in there right now. Park and Madson are flourishing in their roles and the pen is set up very well generally speaking at the moment. They are in no real danger of not winning the division so they have the luxury of waiting to see what their pen looks like in a couple of weeks and then making some decisions. If you take Lidge out of the ninth inning for Madson then, in effect, you lose two pitchers because he certainly won't be pitching the 8th, and if you put Park in the 9th then you almost lose three pitchers because of Park's ability to go two innings. We have to be patient and see where we are in a couple of weeks. If we look at the positive then we can realize that pitching four days in a row is tough on any closer and he had looked very good for the previous three days. Let's chalk it up to that and hope. I do believe that if he is still having these problems in a few weeks Manuel will be doing something different in October. What do you really expect him to say in a press conference now?” -- Mitch Rothbardt

Bucs trump Phils' comeback; Lidge louses up another

The Phillies rallied to tie it and take the lead, but Brad Lidge blew his ninth save of the season and surrendered a two-run Andrew McCutchen walk-off homer in a heartbreaking 6-4 loss to the Pirates.

Beerleaguer: There wouldn't be a greater waste of time than to blather on about getting a new guy for the ninth, because Lidge seems to be the answer, come hell or high water. Charlie Manuel isn't even interested in taking baby steps, sending him out for his fourth-consecutive game rather than wean him away from a heavy, macho workload after making positive progress during the Mets' series. Tonight, the Phillies turned the tables in the ninth, the save light went on and Manuel gambled on a one-run lead and fourth-consecutive appearance, rather than cash in his chips and take what he can get.

The Pirates saw seven pitches and whacked out three runs because Lidge was living out over the plate again. He wasn't pitching so much as throwing, or even heaving, his fastball and slider in the general vicinity of home.
 
They're trying to get Lidge right, and he looked okay over the weekend, but here they are, once again, with confidence stripped clean by another blown save. Honestly, if a struggling closer throws three-straight games, would anyone question a decision to start the ninth with someone else, like they did with Scott Eyre last Sunday? Are Luis Cruz, Brandon Moss and Andrew McCutchen worth reading from the book verbatim, or is it possible to go off the grid there?

Then again, what's the point of small doses? It's like Yoda used to say: "Do, or do not. There is no try."

Notes: Moving to the rest of the game, Ross Ohlendorf, Pittsburgh's best pitcher lately, had the better night than Joe Blanton; Blanton ran a lot of deep counts and didn't have his best location. Elias will research the last time a hitter homered on his first two pitches, which is what Jimmy Rollins did tonight. The first one was smoked. Lidge spoiled one hell of a good comeback. There's nothing I love more than hard-hit balls down the line, in the gaps and over the outfielders, which is how Carlos Ruiz, Ben Francisco and Shane Victorino got it done, all for naught.

Game chat: Phils open series with cross-state rivals

Threatening the Dodgers' season-long stranglehold on the best record in the National League, the 72-50 Phillies travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game set with the Pirates. First pitch is 7:05.

Preview: There isn't a number that illustrates the tenacity of the Phillies better than their Major League-best 40-21 road mark. Add in a tidy 18-6 record against the National League Central and Pirates right-hander Ross Ohlendorf (11-8, 4.15) will have his work cut out for him tonight. Fueled by Ryan Howard's power surge, the Phils have opened the flood gates lately, feasting on a steady diet of right-handed starting pitching. One wonders if Bucs manager John Russell will be the first to start taking more caution with Howard, who homered twice in yesterday's finale with New York. On the mound, right-handed anchor Joe Blanton (8-6, 3.86) has delivered close to three months of outstanding starting pitching. In sharp contrast to his days in Oakland, he's actually been slightly better on the road this season.

Lineups are posted: Charlie Manuel continues to weave his reservists into the mix, giving Matt Stairs a start in right field. Stairs' last hit came against the Pirates way back on July 11, a ninth-inning homer.

Notes: Despite a great run, the Phillies haven't gained all that much ground on the Braves, who took three-out-of-four from the Dodgers in Los Angeles and are fighting to close their seven-game deficit in the NL East. ... In other news, Brett Myers will reportedly rehab tomorrow in Reading, but there is no official word on that yet, according to David Murphy of the Daily News. ... Finally, the Scottsdale Scorpions will be home to several players participating in the Arizona Fall League, including top prospect Domonic Brown, Scott Mathieson, Mike Cisco, Mike Zagurski, Steve Susdorf, Troy Hanzawa, Tuffy Gosewisch and Michael Schwimer. [Roster]

Tuesday poll: Are the Phillies peaking too soon?

Winners of 11 of their last 13, the Phillies are having trouble finding someone their own size with whom they can pick. Will these August bullies save some for September and beyond?

Before we get to the Phils, a few site notes. It's times like these when I wish I had a utility blogger to call off the bench, like a blogging Bruntlett. I've been snowed under with other duties, so posting will run light for the next few days. It's a good time to recharge actually. At 72-50, another postseason berth appears likely. Baseball Prospectus sets the Phillies' odds of making the playoffs at about 91 percent, which guarantees one of two scenarios: Either the Phils extend the season deep into October like they did in 2008 or they suffer a historically wretched collapse. Either way, I'm bound to my keyboard. So rather than burn myself on also-rans like the Mets and Pirates (a colleague called this Bucs series your quintessential trap situation and I understand why), Beerleaguer will run light this week in order to regroup, with "light" meaning "light on insights, heavy on mailed-in entries."

What more can be said anyway? When the major pieces, like Ryan Howard and newly-anointed ace Cliff Lee, are in sync, it doesn't take much manpower to achieve victory, as we saw Monday. Howard, Lee, and National League Player of the Week Jayson Werth have been most impressive lately, but credit can be spread across the board. They're winning big, like in their games with the Cubs and Diamondbacks. They're taking the close ones, like their back-and-forth series with Atlanta. And this Mets series showed they can win ugly.

On a different note, I wanted to point out this quote from Pedro Martinez about the character of the club: "This team really surprised me,” Martinez said upon his arrival. “This team, as intense as they are on the field, doesn’t reflect the kind of calm that they are in the clubhouse. When they come out there it seems like they know they’re going to win. It’s a great feeling.”

Which brings us to the totally unrelated poll question: Do you believe the Phillies are peaking too soon?

Reading readying for playoffs: (From an R-Phils news release) The R-Phils return home today for their final and most critical homestand of the regular season. The Double-A club will tackle diivision rivals Erie and Bowie as all three clubs vie for the postseason. Erie resides a half game behind the R-Phils and Bowie trails Reading by 2.5 games in the battle for the second playoff spot available in the Southern Division. In player news, yesterday the R-Phils added slick-fielding shortstop prospect Freddy Galvis from Clearwater. Galvis, 19, was hitting .247 with the Threshers. His glove is considered one of the best in all of the minor leagues.

Game chat: E-Brunt rewarded with another start today

With Cliff Lee on the mound and the Mets in shambles, Charlie Manuel decides to give Jimmy Rollins the day off at short to see what tricks Eric Bruntlett has up his sleeve following yesterday’s “every dog has its day” walk-off unassisted triple play. Bruntlett and the Phils go to work against Bobby Parnell (3-5, 4.74) and the Mets seeking the series win starting 1:10 from Citi Field. With Lee on the bump, chances are excellent for the Phils to increase their division lead to 7 over the idle Braves.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Recapping last 24 hours

Don't you hate it when the first walk-off unassisted triple play since 1927 occurs the same day as your annual male bonding outing to NHRA drag racing? Here's what I missed while watching 8,000 horses blaze down the quarter mile, summarized by MG.

A starting opposing pitcher (Oliver Perez) getting pulled in the top of the first inning after he went 3-0 on the pitcher (Pedro). One of the more bizarre inside-the-park homers by Angel Pagan in the bottom of the 1st because the ball got lodged under the fence and it likely wouldn't have been a homer if Ibanez hadn't picked it up. In the ninth inning, a walkoff, unassisted triple play by the unlikeliest of players, Eric Bruntlett, who also had three hits in the game. It was the 15th unassisted triple play in history. Before the game, the Phillies purchased the contract of infielder Miguel Cairo from Triple-A Lehigh Valley after placing third baseman Greg Dobbs on the 15-day disabled list with a strained calf.

Sunday chat: Pedro dons new duds in New York

Pedro Martinez (1-0, 4.50) spent four injury-plagued seasons in the Big Apple. He pays a visit to the team that denied him a new deal this afternoon when the Phillies continue their series with Oliver Perez (3-3, 6.06) and the Mets. First pitch is slated for 1:10. Ollie has good lifetime numbers against the Phils (2-3, 3.55), but his typically manageable control problems have gone haywire this season. The Phils enter play with a 6.5-game advantage over the Braves and Marlins in the National League East, with an eight-game edge in the loss column. Have a great Sunday everyone.

Phils endure Redding, then rough up Mets' bullpen

Phillie killer Tim Redding dominated the first five innings, then fell victim to a predetermined pitch count. Once he was lifted, Chase Utley and the Phils went to work on the Mets' bullpen and went on to win 4-1 at Citi Field.

After Redding held the Phils to a bloop hit and no runs for the first five, the Phils wasted no time in turning the tables on the Mets. In the sixth, Utley jerked Pat Misch's inside pitch deep into the right-field seats for the go-ahead homer, followed by back-to-back doubles by Raul Ibanez and Pedro Feliz to score one more. The Phils would get their fourth and final run on a bases loaded sac fly by Carlos Ruiz. On the bump, Rookie of the Year candidate J.A. Happ improved to 10-2 with another controlled start, allowing an early run, but settling in for seven strong innings. Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge followed with dominant eighth and ninth innings, striking out a pair each. Lidge, who recorded his 24th save, surpassed the 700 career strikeout milestone.

Game chat: Phillies, Mets continue series in Queens

The Phillies send J.A. Happ (9-2, 2.66) to the hill seeking his 10th win against long-time Phillie killer Tim Redding (1-4, 6.53) starting 7:10 at Citi Field. Lineups are posted: Charlie Manuel sets up with his standard formation for Happ, who is 1-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his last three outings. Redding, who is 5-3 with a 3.34 ERA in 12 starts against the Phillies, get his first start since July 2, replacing Livan Hernandez, who was released.

Saturday: Labored start par for the course for Hamels

Drenched in sweat, the struggling lefty's night ended after giving up 10 hits and four runs in just five innings in a 4-2 loss to the Mets.

Hamels addressed the media for the first time in a couple weeks and put his night into words for the Inquirer's Ray Parrillo. [Link] To paraphrase, Hamels said he battled the mound and had trouble getting the right footing for his curveball, leaving him with two pitches, but he stressed it was no excuse, saying it had more to do with pitch selection and nothing to do with health or wearing down.

It's that last part I've been wondering about most lately: the fatigue factor. He gets into these long innings, as he did in the second and third, and it clearly looks like he's fought 12 rounds. It reminds me of the Hamels we saw in Game 1 of the 2007 NLDS. It was a sneaky hot late afternoon game, and with the Phils amped up for their first postseason game, Hamels and his teammates arrived hours early and saved nothing for the game. He made it worse by wearing that long undershirt. In any event, that's how he looked in this latest hard slog, made even harder by his own mounting frustration.

One can't help but wonder about fatigue, preseason preparation and all the innings he logged last season. On the mound, his fastball remains the core issue. Let's face it: it's as straight as an arrow and always has been. Even at his best, it's about as true as Jose Mesa's. It's a pitch he must locate, or he'll have nights like this one, and I have to believe fatigue is playing a part in that. On the flipside, his change-up looked fine.

A tired Hamels can only hurt the Phillies, which is why the Phils may be wise to capitalize on that sixth starter luxury and give their slumping lefty the extra rest with eyes starting to shift toward October. Extra innings and rain delays permitting, I'd skip his next turn entirely and let Jamie Moyer replace him against Pittsburgh. I can't see how it would hurt.

Game chat: Phils' lumber locked and loaded for Mets

Riding the big bats of Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth, the Phillies bring their four-game winning streak into Citi Field tonight for the first of four with the Mets. First pitch is set for 7:10, weather permitting.

Preview: The Phils are firing on all cylinders, roaring 20 games over .500 with an eight-for-nine burst to regain a commanding lead in the division. Although they haven't necessarily connected with runners in scoring position, the big power bats have been clicking, with Ryan Howard homering in six of his last seven games and Werth going deep five times in as many games. But for all their offense, the pitching has been even more impressive. One reason has been their impeccable control. After last night's eight-inning gem by Joe Blanton, Phillies' pitching has not given up a walk in 27-consecutive innings. The exception has been tonight's starter Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77). Hamels, who has had a very frustrating and inconsistent season at the belt, has surrendered four walks in each of his last two starts. The left-hander will be seeking his first win since July 28 tonight.

Lineups are posted: Greg Dobbs gets a rare start at third base and bats seventh against the right-hander Mike Pelfrey. For New York, Gary Sheffield, one of the Mets' only real threats, will bat third amidst rumors that the club may soon release him. Have a great Friday everyone, and we'll talk tomorrow.

Nightmare season lets the air out of heated rivalry

Aug. 15 marks the last time a Mets fan was flagged by Beerleaguer’s spam filter. That should summarize the state of things as the Phillies and Mets engage in a four-game series in Flushing.

When the 2009 schedule was released, this was this series you circled. Figure then, a road split would be seen as a Phillies’ win. Now, with Santana pitching last night, nothing less than three-out-of-four would suffice in the minds of many against a team in complete shambles. A year ago, this was club I tracked daily. Today, I don’t know jack about squat about half the dudes we'll see this weekend. It’s obviously a huge bummer for Mets fans, whose optimism at the dawn of the Citi Field era has been completely dashed. But isn’t it amazing, too, how a disastrous Mets’ campaign has zapped the drama away from the Phillies’ schedule? Where do the gripping match-ups come from when the Mets are 14 1-2 behind and the closest competition is seen as a minor threat? As strange as it sounds, many of the truly compelling games came during interleague play, which was the worst stretch for the Phillies this entire season.

Phils breeze by Diamondbacks 12-3, complete sweep

Ryan Howard knocked in four of the Phillies' runs and Joe Blanton bolstered his innings-eater reputation with eight solid innings, as the Phils ran roughshod over the outclassed D-Backs to take all three games of the series. Howard provided the game's best highlight sending a tapemeasure shot into the Diamondbacks' bullpen for his 32nd homer of the year and his sixth in seven games. Jayson Werth also went deep for his 28th off the year and fifth in as many games. Blanton allowed 10 hits but walked none and was finally rewarded with some run support to earn his eighth win of the year. With the win, the Phils climbed 20 games over .500 with a 69-49 mark and have won eight of nine. The Diamondbacks, who did not play a competitive series, fell to 54-68.

Game chat: Phillies try to take it to 20 over .500

The Phillies (68-49) send Joe Blanton to the mound seeking a sweep of Doug Davis and the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is 7:05. Already a season-high 19 games over .500, the Phils are sitting 5.5 games ahead of the Marlins in the National League East, with a 7-game edge in the loss column.  In other news, Brett Myers made hit first rehab appearance today in Clearwater, giving up two hits, but striking out the side in an inning of work, according to the Andy Martino of the Inquirer. Lineups are posted. Ben Francisco gets the start in left field, replacing Raul Ibanez, who has been struggling.

Beer nuts: Phillies’ bench gradually collecting dust

Daily News’ David Murphy notes that a run of hot starting pitching is leaving Greg Dobbs and other reservists cold. Tonight’s game could be a good time to give them some work. [Link]

One only needs to revisit Game 4 of the NLCS to recognize the importance of at-the-ready pinch hitting. That is, of course, in reference to Matt Stairs’ game-winning pinch homer, one of the greatest hits in franchise history. If the Phillies are to expect the same type of heroics from their bench, they’ll need to figure out a way to squeeze in more playing time for guys like Stairs and Greg Dobbs. Stairs, whose star has shrunk to a .213/.357/.388 line, has one hit since June and rarely steps foot on the field. So far, the 41-year-old slugger has made just 98 plate appearances. Compare that to last season, when he earned 387 plate appearances between Toronto and Philly, plenty of time to tune up for Jonathan Broxton’s fastball. Like Stairs, Dobbs, who hasn't taken a cut since Aug. 11, must feel like he’s back in the American League. Last year’s pinch-hit leader is well off the pace of his 240 plate appearances from '08, connecting for just seven pinch hits, compared to 22 a year ago. As for Eric Bruntlett, there may be no turning back. For all his faults, even Gnome earned his ring in the postseason.

Tonight would be a great night to give guys ABs against Doug Davis and the horrible Diamondbacks. The Phils are rolling, so what could it hurt? Expect Ben Francisco to give Raul Ibanez a break; Francisco has become Charlie Manuel’s first option off the bench. And with Joe Blanton on the bump, Manuel can afford to sacrifice defense and give Pedro Feliz a blow at third base. I had originally thought E-Brunt here, but what’s the use? Bruntlett can prepare for what he's asked to do shagging balls and jogging along the warning track. Give Dobbs the start, even against the lefty.

Thursday: Phils balancing power with steady contact

Over the last two seasons, the Phils have shed perceptions of a team burdened by too many strikeouts, thanks to better contact by non-power hitters, and by comparison, more whiffs by their peers. 

Something about this series with league strikeout leader Mark Reynolds and the free-swinging Diamondbacks got the wheels spinning about strikeouts and how it hasn’t monopolized conversation like it used to. For years, WIP's Howard Eskin would bring exactly one topic to the table when it came to the Phillies: that the lineup was dysfunctional and was hurt by too many strikeouts. Occasionally, he'll still yammer on about it, but by and large, perceptions have changed. Obviously, winning a championship curbs criticism, but people have also recognized that the lineup is built for power, and because they play in a homer-friendly park, score a ton of runs and win most of the time, their lack of a station-to-station approach isn’t a big deal.

Statistically, they’re striking out in 18.2 percent of their plate appearances (SO%). That’s a tick higher than the National League average, but only the 10th highest in the league. In 2008, it was even less: 17.8 percent, a shade under league average. Compare that to 2007, when they whiffed at a 18.4 percent clip, third highest in the league. In other words, the league has gotten worse when it comes to making contact, with Arizona, Florida, Milwaukee and Chicago being the worst offenders.

One reason why the strikeouts have stabilized is that, while the big boppers like Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez, and to a lesser extent, Chase Utley, continue to take hacks, the Phils are making good contact at the top and bottom of the lineup. Among strikeout percentage leaders, Shane Victorino ranks 8th, Jimmy Rollins 11th, Pedro Feliz 12th, and if he had just a few more at bats to qualify, Carlos Ruiz would rank 13th.

Phillies' new one-man wrecking crew puts on clinic

On a night advertised as a pitcher's duel, Cliff Lee moved to the head of the class. The newest Phillie dominated the Diamondbacks using a career-high 11 strikeouts, going the distance in an 8-1 triumph.

At this hour, the Diamondbacks are making their way back to their hotel rooms, unaware of what hit them. Using 106 pitches to record 27 outs, Lee, who carried a no-hitter into the sixth, buzzed 81 strikes past the D-Backs, beaning a batter, but walking none. The only balls that nestled safely in play seemed to do so by dumb luck. Mix in two hits of his own and the hapless D-Backs would be well served to comb the pitcher's mound for hair samples to clone a copy of their own. Lee is a superhuman 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA and two complete games in his four starts since the Phils traded Jim Bob and what's-his-face to Cleveland.

Meanwhile, the offense clobbered a top-rung National League starter like it was nothing, bombing Dan Haren for his worst start of the year: six runs over five innings, using homers by Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth to do it. Werth would again go long in the seventh. Footnotes could include a second night of favorable umpiring and no Diamondbacks defense to speak of, but doing so would steal focus from the man of the hour.

Game chat: Lee looks to make it 4-for-4 tonight

Cliff Lee (3-0, 1.13) tries to stay perfect as a Phillie against tough right-hander Dan Haren (12-7, 2.50) and the Diamondbacks. First pitch is 7:05.

Preview: An excellent pitching match-up on paper, I have a strange hunch it won't be. Just one of those gut instincts. First, the Phillies beat on Haren handily July 28 and the Phils seemed to be on a pretty good roll against righties. Second, the laws of baseball say Lee is due for a clunker, and I think tonight could be the night, even against the putrid D-backs offense. ... Lineups are posted: Paul Bako is the only difference from last night. Bako has caught all of Lee's starts, so rather than reward Chooch for his big night, Charlie Manuel decides to stick with a good thing. Bako's hitting .175. ... Wanted to give special props to Jayson Werth today, but ran out of time. Last night, Werth set his career high in homers with his 25th of the season. The 30-year-old slugger remains one of the more underrated players in baseball and the gist of the post would have been how Werth signifies all that went right for the Phils over the last few years. Signed after a Los Angeles Dodgers non-tender, Manuel believes the best is yet to come from his late-blooming right-fielder, according to last night's broadcast.

Catch as catch can approach working for Phils’ staff

The Phillies are handing the ball to their best available arms by any means necessary, even if they step on some toes.

In the previous thread, a reader noted the irony that two of the starters responsible for burning the bullpen early in the season – Jamie Moyer and Chan Ho Park – are now the ones picking up the pieces in long relief. Conversely, early season mop-up man, J.A. Happ, is the pitcher most responsible for preserving the 'pen since joining the rotation, lasting six or more innings in 11-straight starts, including seven or more in seven of his last 10. Perhaps learning their final lesson from the failed Park rotation experiment, the Phils have become giant hard-asses when it comes to their pitching, and it's working. No obligation, be it financial commitments, verbal agreements, loyalty or popularity, is too great for the Phils to set themselves up with the best shot at winning.

Aside from Park - a decision that had more to do with a sense of duty - their instincts have been sharp. Pedro appears to have something left in the tank after all. The difference in Park, since moving to the ‘pen May 19, is night and day, averaging over 10 strikeouts per nine innings with a 2.57 ERA as a reliever, compared to 5.7 strikeouts and a 7.29 ERA as a starter. As for Moyer, with a pair of double-headers looming, and probably a few more summer squalls, you can see how a 46-year-old junkball reliever might work.

Lately, the success of the entire staff, particularly the starting rotation, is undeniable (ERA under 3.00 in last 31 starts). And if you’re wondering why the Phils haven't taken the same approach with Brad Lidge, recognize the division lead, the lack of true urgency and ask yourself “Who else?”

Moyer mops up Diamondbacks with misleading slop

Demoted to the 'pen, conditions were perfect for Jamie Moyer to make his relief debut. Spotting Pedro Martinez, who pitched three sharp innings before a delay, the Phils' ancient shaman summoned the rain and slung six shutout innings, stopping the free-swinging D-backs for his 11th win.

Pedro surrendered a Stephen Drew homer to lead off the game, then allowed a single after that. Otherwise, the right-hander offered a brief glimpse of old-fashioned intimidation, dropping a few nasty hooks and locking up the D-Backs with three strikeouts. But it was Moyer, in relief of the man who made him redundant, having the final word tonight, allowing two hits and no walks over six golden innings, needing just 69 pitches to do it. That's a more efficient, better-quality, longer outing than most of his starts this season. D-Backs starter Jon Garland emerged from the rain delay all wet as the Phils doused him with three runs in the third, followed by solo homers by Jayson Werth, setting a career high with 25, and Carlos Ruiz, matching his career best at six. The Phils prevailed 5-1 despite blowing a couple big, fat chances with runners on base.

Game chat: Pedro in red pinstripes tonight at CBP

Pedro Martinez (1-0, 5.40) makes his second start in a Phillies uniform and first at Citizens Bank Park tonight against Jon Garland (6-10, 4.28) and the Diamondbacks. First pitch is 7:05.

Notes: After one start, it's hard to know where to stand with Pedro. On one hand, the results weren't much different from Rodrigo Lopez, then again, it was his first non-rehab start since Sept. 2008. It will be interesting to see how his arm rebounds after dialing it up the low 90s, velocity he hasn't consistently touched in years. ... Responding to Beerleaguer's previous entry on September call-ups, R-Phils beat writer Mike Drago urges Beerleaguers not to give up on Brad Harman. Even though he's hitting close to the Mendoza Line, his defense alone and young age is worth keeping for an organization lacking sound middle infielders. ... Tonight's post is brought to you by the good people at Sony Pictures Classics for sending a preview copy of "Sugar," the inspirational new film about a 19-year-old Dominican struggling to make it in American baseball. A.O. Scott of the New York Times called it "A wise and lovely film," but more importantly, Pedro Martinez himself, who is interviewed in the DVD special feature, is quoted right on the cover saying "It's very real and has a really good message." You can pre-order it here.

Clubhouse will have different look in a couple days

Sept. 1 marks the deadline to add players eligible for the postseason, and call-ups are right around the corner.

It’s always great fun to follow the transaction wire as teams load up for the stretch run. Any player listed on the expanded roster is eligible for a September cup of coffee without a contract purchase or additional move to clear space. With the exception of an injury, players must be on a team's 25-man roster as of Aug. 31 to be eligible for post-season play. But before we get into it, there are a couple things to know about the current state of the Phils. First, the Phils’ 40-man is stuffed to the gills. When/if Brett Myers is eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list, the extended roster will be at 41, which means someone has to go; they could be outrighted to the minors, designated for assignment or released. However the Phils decided to work it, there’s no room on the 40-man without having to give someone the boot. They could easily cut bait with players like Jack Taschner or Joe Bisenius. Even once-promising infielder Brad Harman, hitting .202/.270/.313 at Reading, has reached the end of the road.

There are a couple common misconceptions about September call-ups. First, they’ll keep the numbers at a reasonable amount. Typically, the Phillies will add about six or seven fresh bodies over the final 30 days. Last season, the spare parts included Adam Eaton, J.A. Happ, Lou Marson, Greg Golson, Mike Cervenak, Andy Tracy and Les Walrond. Tadahito Iguchi was also acquired in September, but rarely used. The season before saw Chris Roberson, Fabio Castro and John Ennis, among others. Rod Barajas was also along for the ride at that point, but didn’t start the entire month. And in 2006, the Phils brought Michael Bourn aboard for speed, organizational catcher Tim Gradoville, infielder Danny Sandoval, “old reliable” Eude Brito, as Bill Conlin once called him, along with a pair of righties, Brian Sanches and Clay Condrey.

You get the point. Point being: don’t count on Kyle Drabek, Domonic Brown, Michael Taylor or other top stars, and if they do add them, they won't be used in a difference-making way. Think familiar faces already on the 40-man, like John Mayberry, Sergio Escalona, Kyle Kendrick, Rodrigo Lopez, Drew Carpenter and Steven Register. They could also entertain the notion of adding a veterans like Gustavo Chacin or Miguel Cairo, but they'd need to have their contracts purchased. Former Phils, like Mike Zagurski, who is already on the 40-man, and Scott Mathieson, who is not, could also be considered. And unless they recall roster-protected catcher Joel Naughton, which seems unlikely considering he's hitting .226 for Clearwater, they’ll need to clear space for a backstop, likely to be someone along the lines of Triple-A journeyman Paul Hoover or Tuffy Gosewisch.

Lidge, Hamels must save season from themselves

Back home for a three game set with Arizona, the Phillies are on solid ground save for a pair of pitchers, one who achieved perfection a year ago and another who may have become too big for his britches.

Aside from being a game of inches, baseball has that uncanny way of leveling the playing field by knocking players down a peg or two. Only the elite best of the best are immune from game’s wrath. Today, only Albert Pujols has the bloodline to ascend Mount Olympus. The rest, like Brad Lidge and Cole Hamels, were about to reach the top, until Zeus stuck a lightning bolt in their ear. It’s between the ears where baseball’s true battle rages on: the intense perfectionism, impatience, frustration, self-doubt and inevitable hopelessness that cripples baseball’s remaining 99.9 percent at least once over a 162-game season. These symptoms are especially true for pitchers, who wait days to remedy their symptoms. Lidge and Hamels are fighting themselves as we speak. Lidge has reportedly watched the tapes, perplexed that identical versions of himself - as he sees it - have produced sadistically varied results between 2008 and 2009. Meanwhile, only injuries have slowed the perfect specimen from San Diego ... up until now. Hamels has had the ability to stop time with his change-up, but the tables have turned and the game has evolved. Now, it’s Hamels whose pitches lay motionless.

The Phils could employ the type of artificial stimulus that has worked in the past. It took a minor league demotion for Brett Myers to right himself, and a four game benching for Jimmy Rollins to wipe the slate clean. But most of all, it will take the will, and maybe even some humility, to get back in baseball’s good graces.

Phillies well represented in BA’s tools issue: Beerleaguer’s senior correspondent received the latest issue of Baseball America yesterday and he’s happy to report the prospect magazine sure loves Lakewood outfielder Anthony Gose, voted best base-runner, fastest base-runner, best defensive outfielder and most exciting player in the Sally League. Gose, who just turned 19, has collected an incredible 66 stolen bases this season. Reliever BJ Rosenberg, second baseman Harold Garcia, third baseman Travis Mattair and outfielder Quintin Berry were among the lesser known names included in the issue. As long as you skip the page on the International League (zero Phillies entries), the BSC says you won’t be disappointed.

Report: Phils lure Colvin away from LSU commitment

According to a Louisiana news outlet, citing an LSU baseball coach, Phillies 7th round pick Brody Colvin has signed a bonus offer of $900,000 and will forgo his college commitment. Colvin, a right-hander, was rated by Baseball America as the 43rd best player available in the June draft, but fell due to his commitment to LSU. According to Phuture Phillies, his $900K bonus is the figure recommended for a 35th overall pick. Midnight marks the deadline to sign drafted players. [Phuture Phillies on Colvin]

Phillies, Braves to play prime time encore Aug. 30

A couple of random midday notes to pass along.

The Phillies have announced that the Sunday, Aug. 30 game against Atlanta at Citizens Bank Park will been moved to 8 p.m. to accommodate ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball. ... Down on the farm, Mike Stutes earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Week honors. The 22-year-old righty made a pair of starts for the Double-A R-Phils and went 0-0 with 15 strikeouts and a 0.69 ERA. The 2008 11th round pick pitched seven shutout innings yesterday in a 1-0 win against Binghamton. He leads Reading’s rotation in ERA (3.54), posting a 100/53 K/BB ratio over 129 2-3 innings. ... On the ex-Phillie front, Carlos Carrasco was named to Baseball America’s prospect hot sheet after striking out a season-high 10 in his last outing. Carrasco, part of the Cliff Lee trade, leads the International League with 133 strikeouts and is 3-0 since joining the Columbus rotation. (Cleveland got a buy-low steal in Carrasco, who is likely to join Cleveland’s rotation in 2010.) ... Finally, Chan Ho Park was reportedly unavailable to pitch yesterday due to tenderness in his pitching elbow.

Postgame: Howard powers Phillies to series victory

A pair of Ryan Howard homers accounted for all four Phillies runs, more than enough for 2009 ace J.A. Happ, as the Phils dumped Atlanta 4-1 to take two-out-of-three in a crucial road series.

Summary: Showcasing a swing that has rarely looked better, Howard rocked Javier Vazquez for a solo shot in the second, which was followed by a majestic three-run bomb in a breakaway sixth. Happ, who improved to 9-2, allowed six walks, but limited the damage to a Matt Diaz solo shot and two additional hits through 7 2-3 innings. The Phils used Ryan Madson to complete the eighth, then gave Scott Eyre a crack at completing the save after retiring the first two left-handed batters he faced in the ninth. But after Eyre walked Greg Norton, Charlie Manuel got cold feet and summoned beleaguered closer Brad Lidge, who got Omar Infante to pop out to end the game. With the win, completing an impressive 5-1 road trip, the Phils increased their division lead to 4.5 games over the Marlins and stopped the Braves' momentum cold, knocking them 6 back.

Beerleaguer: When he's locked in, Howard is all the Phils need when they get the kind of outings Joe Blanton and Happ provided this weekend. There simply isn't a more dynamic force in baseball than No. 6 when he's hitting this way, capable of carrying a team through prolonged stretches, just as he is now. It's a night and day difference when Howard stays on the ball; one of the best swings in the game in my opinion when he stays back on it.

He's also murdering right-handed pitching. Absolutely destroying it. He's a 1.055 OPS hitter against it. That's going to play well against a succession of hard-throwing right-handed starting pitching like he saw this entire road trip. That's no small factor in his surge.

Turning to Happ. He's everything Cole Hamels hasn't been this season, not just the record, but the poise, the pitches. But what we saw tonight, most of all, was another team without a book on the rookie left-hander. Happ deserves credit, but the Braves didn't exactly press the issue.

To the bullpen, Madson has regained trust and has picked it up lately, and Scott Eyre has been rock solid all season. With Lidge floudering, it's nice to know there's a support system.

Game chat: Phillies, Braves settle up in prime time

J.A. Happ (8-2, 2.75) and Javier Vasquez (10-7, 2.90) pitch in front of a national audience when the Phillies and Braves play the deciding game of a crucial three-game series. First pitch is 8:05.

Preview: As the calendar passes mid-August, the wheat has been separated from the chaff and the stage is set for stretch run baseball. Fittingly, this back-and-forth series will be decided by a prime time rubber match featuring two good pitchers. A national audience will be formally introduced to Happ, who leads all NL rookies in ERA and is sixth in the league overall. Like the previous two games, viewers should expect another low-scoring contest, with Vasquez and his NL second-best 171 strikeouts standing on the opposite side. The Phils are hoping for better execution from an offense that squandered several chances yesterday and have generally struggled all month with runners in scoring position. With Brad Lidge pitching the last two nights, with less than optimum results, we'll see how Charlie Manuel plays it if the Phils carry a lead to the ninth. Checking the scoreboard, if Colorado holds on, the Phils will start play with a four-game lead over the Marlins, who trail the Rockies 6-1 in the seventh. A win tonight would keep the Marlins 4.5 back and push the Braves six back in the National League East. Lineups are posted: Carlos Ruiz receives, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez hit fifth and sixth respectively.

Weather delay: Thunderstorms are reportedly rolling through the greater Atlanta area at this hour and the start of the game will be delayed.

Breaking news: Myers denies involvment in bar brawl

The Inquirer's Andy Martino scoops a report that Brett Myers was present during a brouhaha at a Jacksonville, Fla. pub the night he suffered a bruised left eye. According to the report, witnesses support Myers' story that he wasn't directly involved in the fight, but claim his friend was involved, which Myers' confirmed to the Inquirer. Myers originally said he suffered the injury playing catch with his son, then changed his story to tripping and hitting his face exiting his wife's Escalade. The injury caused Myers to miss yesterday's scheduled rehab appearance. For Martino's complete account, click here.

Sunday thread: Lidge, Myers and Moyer discussed

Beerleaguers cracked open Sunday's Inquirer and found, for the second week in a row, a thought-provoking and bold piece by first-year scribe Andy Martino. Readers are also mulling the Brad Lidge situation.

 "If Myers hadn't already long since pounded the final nail in the coffin of his Phillies career, he surely did so with that reversal of explanations. They might actually need him right now, however, so I can't ingenuously say good riddance quite yet. ... I'm pretty stunned after reading Andy Martino's piece on Moyer. That is one bold and unrestrained opinion piece by a beat writer. It's certainly not going to make his job any easier in the long run. He must know that, and I commend him for it. I also agree with his take on the situation; it's pretty unbelievable for Moyer to not grasp the inherent contradiction of calling the press together specifically to hear you gripe, and then in the midst of it say you don't want to be a distraction." - RSB

"Lidge has been awful and was probably somewhat lucky Friday night. That said, this game was lost when all those runners were left in scoring position. And, if Utley makes that play, the complexion of the inning is much different. Even the winning hit is a double play ball with the infield at normal depth. I hear all the talk of Park, Madson, Mathieson, etc. Call me stupid (who wants to be first?) but I'm still hoping Lidge can get on a roll. A positive one, that is." - Zudok

"Basically, the Phillies have about six more weeks to figure the situation out. The first priority is obviously to get Lidge the hell out of the closer’s spot before he can blow yet another game. Flip-flopping Madson and Lidge will not only get rid of a massive problem in the closer’s spot; it will also allow the Phillies to do a controlled experiment to determine if the problem is with Lidge the closer (as it was in 2006 and 2007) or, more generally, with Lidge the pitcher. If Madson again has trouble handling the closer’s role, or if Lidge flops in the setup role as badly as he flopped in the closer’s role, the Phillies still have other arrows in their quiver. They’ve got Myers coming back in a few weeks (hopefully). They could return Moyer to the starting rotation and try Pedro in either the setup or closer’s role. Or they could try to swing a trade for an older closer or setup man who could clear waivers." - bay_area_phan

Pair of misplays cost Phils in ninth, Braves win 4-3

Summary: With Brad Lidge on the close out the ninth, Chase Utley couldn't come up with a play that should have been made to retire Garret Anderson to lead off the inning, then Lidge choked on a bunt back to the mound, bobbling then throwing it away to score Anderson. Then with the bases juiced, Omar Infante drove in the winning run to complete the Braves' comeback. In a game that could have gone either way for the second straight night, the Phils blew several golden scoring opportunities, going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Cole Hamels labored through deep counts and hard-hit balls, but managed a quality six innings, allowing two runs on a Brian McCann home run and four walks as the Phils' left-hander continues his search for the strikezone. Utley's play in the ninth was not officially ruled an error. Ryan Madson pitched a scoreless eighth and has not allowed runs in his last seven ballgames. Lidge's blown save is his eighth of the season, costing the Phils a chance to step on the Braves' throats for what would have been a crucial series win. They'll have another crack at the Braves tomorrow night.

Game chat: Hamels has another crack at Braves

Cole Hamels (7-7, 4.77) tries to get back on track against Kenshin Kawakami (5-9, 4.12) and the Braves. First pitch is 4:10 in on Fox.

Nowhere close to the 3.32 ERA pace he was setting this time last season, en route to a 3.09, Hamels' maddeningly inconsistent season continued his last start, a painful five-hit, four-runs, four-walk performance Saturday against the Marlins. He fared even worse his last outing against the Braves, when he was battered for seven runs in four innings, part of a three-game sweep by Atlanta in the Phillies' previous trip to Turner Field. Hamels will be hoping to hide the ball a little better under the sun this afternoon; Cole has a 5.45 ERA in day games with opponents batting a lusty .360 against him. Lineups are posted: Hamels will be pitching to Carlos Ruiz. Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez will bat fifth and sixth respectively.

Phillies fight past Braves on Howard's homer in ninth

Ryan Howard stayed back on Rafael Soriano's low slider and deposited it deep to center, lifting the Phils to a tough 3-2 win at Turner Field.

Howard's 28th homer of the season was his second in as many games, as the slugging All-Star appears to be settling into his sweet-swinging, second-half surge. Braves' skipper Bobby Cox will be rightfully second guessed this morning, swapping left-hander Mike Gonzalez for his right-handed closer to start the ninth; Howard has a .561 OPS against lefties compared to a 1.066 off righties, so given a chance to go left-left, you do it. Despite a long home run drought that ended Thursday, Howard has been seeing the ball very well lately.

Howard's blast accounted for one of several highlights on a night of clutch hitting, pitching and defense. Joe Blanton provided another bullish start, allowing two runs, one earned, on seven hits over seven innings, benefiting from a defensive clinic put on by Gold Glove center fielder Shane Victorino, robbing Brian McCann on a leaping grab at the wall on a ball crushed 400 feet to keep the score knotted 2-2 in the fifth. The Phils got the bulk of their runs on Chase Utley's two-run homer off sure-handed starter Jair Jurrjens. And with the tying run on second and winning run on first in the ninth, Brad Lidge lived on the edge for his 22nd save. The Phils have won four straight.

Myers rehabs tonight: A little over two months removed from hip surgery, Brett Myers goes back on the mound tonight in Clearwater, where he is expected to pitch at least one inning.

Game chat: Road trip takes Phils to Turner Field

Right-handers Joe Blanton (7-6, 4.02) and Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 3.01) are on the bump when the Phillies and Braves begin a three-game series in Atlanta. First pitch is 7:35.

Maintaining a comfortable edge in the division and fresh off a sweep of the Cubs, the Phillies play the first of nine remaining games against a revamped Atlanta team that has been on a roll since the All-Star break. Bobby Cox's boys feature a different lineup from the one the Phils last laid eyes on, including former Pirate Nate McLouth, who's back in the lineup and leading off tonight. Adam LaRoche and Ryan Church are also new additions, batting seventh and eighth respectively. Meanwhile, the Phils go with their standard set. Enjoy the game.

Hagen: Phillies should kick Billy Wagner's tires

As a colleague put it, Billy Wags “burned the Betsy Ross, Walt Whitman and Ben Franklin bridges on the way out of town,” but if he can help the bullpen in any way, fans may be willing to forgive and forget. [Link]

Wagner is scheduled to make his final rehab appearance for Single-A St. Lucie tonight and could join the Mets Sunday against the Giants. Daily News columnist Paul Hagen reports it would cost about $2.75 million to assume the rests of his contract, set to expire at the end of this season assuming, as everyone does, the Mets will entertain the $1 million buyout. Hagen believes Wagner could provide insurance for lost closer Brad Lidge and injured cleaner J.C. Romero, slowed by a forearm strain. Wagner, who turned 38 last month, last pitched Aug. 2 of 2008 before the Mets shut him down to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Wagner, who had run-ins with teammates during his time in Philadelphia and was called “a rat” by former Phil Pat Burrell, jumped ship in the 2005-06 offseason when the Phils refused to offer him a fourth guaranteed year. A pitcher with a rocky stretch-run and postseason resume, he may be best remembered in Philadelphia for surrendering a back-breaking three-run home run to Craig Biggio late in 2005.

LV, Reading swap catchers: Kevin Nelson will go from Lehigh Valley to Reading, while James “Tuffy” Gosewisch goes from Reading to the IronPigs, according to an IronPigs tweet.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Rivals in hot pursuit

Florida topped Houston 9-2 yesterday, putting them 4.5 back in the East. Meanwhile, Atlanta, just 5 back, has won five straight and have a league-best 17-9 mark since the break.

In a move that made little sense to others, reacquiring second-half stud Adam LaRoche has already made a huge difference for a Braves team that is finally starting to put it all together. A career .295 hitter after the break, LaRoche as turned on the afterburners right on cue, hitting .371 with three homers and seven RBIs since the Braves swapped first basemen Casey Kotchman with Boston. The trade may have also had something to do with LaRoche's past performance against the Phillies, against whom he is a .302/.363/.547 hitter, including a fair number of clutch hits coming at the most opportune times for Atlanta. LaRoche is one of many Phillie killers peppered through the lineups of their closest competitors. We saw the handiwork of Cody Ross and Wes Helms in the Marlins series. Martin Prado, who stunned the Phils in a dominant series sweep their last meeting, has had something of a breakout season, while Brian McCann seems to save his best for games against the defending champs.

When the two sides meet for three starting tonight at 7 p.m., it will undoubtedly mean more for the Braves, who are starting to believe they have the right combination of pitching and hitting to take the division by stormf. With a team ERA of 3.69 and an airtight rotation, which will set up this series with Jair Jurrjens (3.01), Kenshin Kawakami (4.12) and Javier Vasquez (2.90), the Phils must come ready to play.