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

Another Reds comeback stings Halladay, Phils 4-3

Jay Bruce's two-run homer in the eighth sent Roy Halladay and the Phillies away unhappy in a flat 4-3 loss to the Reds. Halladay set a career high with 13 hits allowed, while the Phillies' only runs came on a Dane Sardinha three-run homer in the fourth. (AP)

Beerleaguer: I don't buy this idea that Roy Halladay is immune to criticism because he's Roy Halladay. There's no question he hasn't been as sharp as we've seen him in other parts of the season. Anyone can see that. His ball isn't darting in and out of the zone like we've seen. His pitch to Jay Bruce was right in the happy zone. But all this past month has proven is that he isn't a superhero capable of a complete game every fifth day. When he's off, he's merely a man who can devour eight innings and give his team a good chance to win. Yes, 13 hits is too many, but in his defense, he pitches to contact, and furthermore, on a team of 25, he's last on the list of issues. His 9-7 record speaks more to an inconsistent offense, which is what the Phils will have until Chase Utley and Placido Polanco return. The Phillies fell asleep on the wrong team. The Reds lead the league with 25 comeback wins. A three-spot wasn't cutting it.

Game chat: Doc gets the call to deliver series win

Roy Halladay (9-6, 2.29) and the Phillies try to take two out of three from Aaron Harang (6-7, 5.07) and the Reds in the matinee finale of their three-game series beginning at 12:35. Lineups are posted: Victorino CF, Dobbs 3B, Rollins SS, Howard IB, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Valdez 2B, Sardinha C. Placido Polanco and Chase Utley are reportedly seeking second opinions for their injuries today. With Utley, the Phillies are bracing for the possibility that he could miss a couple of months. [Jump to the newest comments]

Rousing comeback brings back old memories

Beerleaguer reflects on a high-character victory by the Phillies.

“This was a victory right out of '07. They would get on a starter early only to have their crummy bullpen cough up the lead, yet find a way to storm right back. That’s really been missing this season. Best win of the season so far.” – MG

“Forget about the Brad Lidge thing for a moment. On a night where we said that other guys would need to pick up the slack we get: Blanton giving you 7 2-3 of 3 ER ball; Schneider going 3-for-4 including a three-run homer; Valdez going 2-for-4 with a three-run homer; Howard, Werth, and Ibanez all come up big in the 10th. Also, Howard and Werth both drew walks ahead of the Schneider home run and Werth singled ahead of Valdez's. Most importantly, when the team had every reason to be deflated and fold up shop- that middle of the line-up had some great at bats against a guy who has been the best reliever in baseball (arguably) so far this season.” – The Truth Injection

Beerleaguer: The clutch hitting in the 10th stands out, with Ryan Howard leading off the inning by staying on an Arthur Rhodes fastball and taking it the other way for a double. Nice hitting; Howard has really come on strong. Werth's contribution wasn't so much his walk, but his base running. ... Pretty amazing at bat by Ibanez to drive an 0-2 fastball deep after Charlie Manuel shouted at C.B. Bucknor for five minutes. ... If Drew Stubbs is an half-step quicker on Ibanez's double, who knows what happens this game, but it turned out to be the turning point. ... Going back a bit, Lidge lost his cool when he didn't get the call on a very good 3-1 pitch that came back over the plate. And as we've seen, once he has base runners, he loses it. It's a crying shame, too, because he looked dominant for two outs. ... Finally, Valdez put on quite a show in place of Utley, with the two-run shot, a sac bunt for insurance in the 10th and fluid defense around the bag. And the Scheider homer reminded me of how he used to crush balls during his days with Montreal and Washington.

Giving Dubee his due: Three quality starts since Rich Dubee spotted Joe Blanton's mechanical flaw.

Ibanez, reserves, lead Phils over Reds in 10 innings

A pair of major losses to the starting lineup, and a Brad Lidge blown save with two outs in the ninth, wasn't enough to deter the resilient Phillies, who completed a three run rally in the 10th to knock off the Reds 9-6. Raul Ibanez's two-bagger broke the 6-6 tie. Before that, reservists Brian Schneider and Wilson Valdez homered and drove in seven to build a comfortable lead for Joe Blanton, who allowed three runs in 7 2-3 innings. It's been a while since we've seen a rousing comeback from the Phillies, and after a day like today, everyone needed it. More tomorrow ...

Game chat: Phillies remnants play second in Cincy

Pitchers Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.53) and Mike Leake (5-1, 2.92) are scheduled as the barely recognizable Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds continue their set starting at 7:05.

Thirteen Phillies on the current 25-man roster weren't on last year's World Series roster. At least 10 of them would be considered replacement level or below. Readers offer a point-counterpoint hours after the Phillies brought out their dead:

"I agree with the poster who said this might be a blessing in disguise, in that Utley will get the rest he needs in order to be a more effective player down the stretch. Polanco is no spring chicken, either, so maybe the same can be said of him. I believe this team can withstand offensive injuries. We've seen it before that the team actually gels with a little more purpose and intensity when others know they have to pick up some slack. You still have Rollins, Howard, and Werth in the lineup and Ibanez is rather due for a hot stretch. And Dobbs is capable of providing some offense with regular playing time (though I tend to run short of optimism when I consider his glove). It's the pitching staff that's more crucial to keep healthy. So long as there are no problems there, there's no need at all to panic." - RSB

"We're boned." - Bender Rodriguez

Lineups: Victorino CF, Dobbs 3B, Rollins SS, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Schneider C, Valdez 2B, Blanton P.

Black-and-blue Tuesday: Utley, Polanco land on DL

The momentum the Phillies had hoped to carry over from a solid run in interleague play has come to a screeching halt as Chase Utley and Placido Polanco, the Phillies’ 2-3 hitters, will go on the disabled list, as feared. Utley's injury appears to be a sprain, according to CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury. The nightmare grows with the announcement of the Phillies’ replacement plans: third baseman Greg Dobbs, who was demoted last week after hitting .152, and Triple-A infielder Brian Bocock, who was hitting .179 at Lehigh Valley. Wilson Valdez and Juan Castro figure to share most of the starts at second and third. May god have mercy on our souls. [Link]

Beerleaguer: Even if the remaining players – Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth -- hit as they’ve hit lately, that still isn't enough to overcome the loss of Polanco and Utley. The main issue is that Castro and Valdez are forced to become regulars indefinitely. It's going to kill them, but there's really no another choice. Someone like Cody Ransom, who can't field and has a .311 OBP, wouldn't be worth killing a 40-man roster spot. Dobbs is a known quantity and Bocock was already on the 40 man. That’s important since the Phillies are probably looking to acquire proper help. I trust they’ll come up with something better shortly; several infielders have shaken loose recently and would be an improvement over the current plan.

The bottom line is the the Phillies have no play here. They're dealing with seven players on the disabled list. They can only hope that they get hot as a group just as they went cold as a group. Be that as it may, expect the Phillies to fall off the pace until they’re back on their feet.

Diagnosis: Utley has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament of the right thumb. Polanco has left elbow inflammation. (via Leslie Gudel)

Beer nuts: Polanco holds narrow lead in AS voting

All-Star updates, plus notes from around the minor leagues. (Getty)

I’m not exactly sure how Placido Polanco managed to entice 1,418,096 voters to stuff the ballot box on his behalf, but good for him. I’ve always considered Polly to be a player who easily faded into the background, so I guess I’ve underestimated his appeal. Still, his lead is down to 22,635 votes over Mets third baseman David Wright and his elbow injury will take him out of the picture somewhat. Polanco, who received his biggest voting surge during a May homestand, ranks second in the National League with a .318 batting average, while Wright’s 61 RBIs leads the league. That said, my vote goes to Scotty Rolen. Wright and Rolen will make the team one way or another, so it's moot. In other All-Star news, Shane Victorino lost a little ground in the outfield, slipping from fifth to sixth in vote totals. Online voting ends Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET. The starting position players will be revealed Sunday.

Brown rated No. 1: ESPN Insider Keith Law rated Phillies outfielder Domonic Brown as the best prospect in the minors in his latest Top 25 update. The 22-year-old outfielder recently earned a promotion to Triple-A, where he has gone 5-for-14 (.357). Meanwhile, right-hander Jarred Cosart has cracked the Top 25. Law considers Cosart’s fastball to be among the best in the minors. View the entire list here.

Minor notes: Clearwater second baseman Harold Garcia went 1-for-4 yesterday, extending his hitting streak to 31 games. It’s the longest in the minors this season and he’s five away from matching the Florida State League record. … The Phillies have signed 19-year-old catcher Angel Chavarin out of the Mexican League. … J.A. Happ will pitch the first game of Lehigh Valley’s doubleheader with Rochester tonight. This will be his fifth rehab start.

Salt in the wounds: Utley injures thumb in loss

Just as the Phillies' injury situation was beginning to stabilize, Chase Utley's slide while attempting to turn a single into a double leaves the All-Star second baseman as the latest in a long list of casualties. (Getty)

The severity of the injury is unknown at this point and Utley will reportedly undergo an MRI today in Cincinnati. If a trip to the disabled list is required, the Phillies will have lost nine regulars to the DL, in addition to the bone spur that has knocked Placido Polanco into the ranks of the day-to-day. Utley, who took himself out of the game after it appeared that he had trouble gripping the bat, was already having a marginal season with the stick by his own standards. Juan Castro constitutes the only identifiable backup plan, and after Castro, it's anyone's guess. To throw salt in the wound, so to speak, Utley was called out at second when replay showed he beat the tag. The Phils lost to Jonny Cueto and a very poised Reds squad 7-3 in a forgettable dud. Scott Rolen homered and continues to punish his former team as if it were his job.

Beerleaguer: It it's serious, the Phillies need to swing a trade, and any old spare part won't do. Ruben Amaro may have already been considering Orioles third baseman Ty Wigginton (.266/.351/.472, 13 HR), so if Utley is out for an extended period, they would need to figure out a way to make that happen. Wigginton at third and a 75-percent Polly at second is the best possible solution, aside from Utley waking up this morning pain-free. Somehow, I don't see it happening. Kind of like the Phils' postseason hopes if the scar tissue in J-Roll's calf snaps again.

Game chat: Phillies visit NL Central pacesetters

Kyle Kendrick (4-2, 4.71) and the Phillies have their work cut out for them when they play the first of three against Johnny Cueto (7-2, 3.97) and the high-powered Reds. First pitch is 7:10. (Getty)

Beerleaguer: It's weird, but I'm more concerned about the Phillies' trip to Pittsburgh, where they always play down to the Pirates' level, than three games in Great American Ballpark, where they've won 12 of 17. Don't get me wrong, the Reds are a good team; they lead the league in runs (369), slugging percentage (.440) and fielding percentage (.990), but the Central is just so underwhelming, and in regards to their lineup, guys like Johnny Gomes and Scott Rolen are playing over their heads. Still, Rolen is nobody to trifle with; he's a lifetime .347/.406/.507 hitter against his old team. The Reds don't give away outs defensively, either, like we saw with the Blue Jays. They're very sound, the Phillies will need to earn it.

Going on pure gut instinct, look for the Phillies' bats to stay hot this series and take 2-of-3, then scuffle against the Bucs leading up to a huge home series with the Braves. Lineups are in: Wilson Valdez and Brian Schneider will be at third and behind the plate.

Meanwhile, Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals visit Tim Hudson and the Braves starting at 7:05 on ESPN2. Interleague is over. Meat and potato time.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Update: Polanco likely out for a few more days

Third baseman Placido Polanco received a second cortisone shot in his left elbow and told reporters that he's able to play tomorrow at the earliest.

Polanco was off to a sizzling start before he was hit by a Tim Hudson pitch April 21 at Turner Field. He played through the pain until he finally submitted to a cortisone shot in late May. He missed six games from May 28 to June 3 and will miss three games, including tonight, after he reinjured the elbow on a dive in Friday's game.

Beerleaguer: Polanco is still producing in all the ways the Phillies had hoped, including a .318 average and a 4.0 UZR, which is the third highest among National League third baseman. So you'd hardly know that his slugging percentage has dropped .153 points, from .586 before he was hit, to .433. His last homer came way back on May 8. One wonders if a 15 days off would help prevent these flare-ups. I like Polanco, but I like him better when he's a threat to pop one. The thought seems to be that Polly will need surgery after the season, and until then, he'll need to live with it.

Poll: Which NL East foe poses the biggest threat?

Today’s discussion drifted toward the NL East, which is shaping up to be a three-horse race between the Braves, Mets and Phillies.

All three have maintained the same pace for several weeks, suggesting the Braves and Mets are ready for a fight until the finish. The consensus among Beerleaguers is that the front-running Braves are the Phillies’ most formidable threat at the moment, but the Mets may be in better position for a late surge if they can make a move at the deadline and catch a few breaks with injured players.

Mets notes: The Phillies fared well in interleague play, but the Mets were even better, going 13-5 taking two of three from the Tigers and Twins this last week in Citi Field. Eighteen of the Mets’ next 30 games are on the road, so it should be another good test. Meanwhile, Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com lists the Mets as contenders for Cliff Lee, along with the Dodgers, Rangers and Twins. The Twins are considered the favorites. The Mets marquee trade chip, right-hander Jenrry Mejia , was diagnosed with a posterior cuff strain and is sidelined indefinitely.

Braves notes: Atlanta gets their first look at Stephen Strasburg tonight and may be without Jason Heyward, who is day-to-day with a sore thumb. Strasburg has faced the Pirates, Indians, White Sox and Royals so far. Tim Hudson, who is having an All-Star season for the Tomahawks, opposes.

Monday: Phillies find inner peace in interleague

Jamie Moyer, whose odometer passed 4,000 innings, added another collector’s item to his mantle, as the Phillies ended interleague play with an 11-2 victory and a blissful 10-8 mark overall.

Every fifth game marks another occasion to explain the unexplainable. And as long as Moyer’s motor keeps cackling, we’re happy to oblige. Much has been made Moyer setting the all-time home runs allowed mark, but all one needs to know about Moyer this season can be summed up with two numbers: 7.8 and 1.6. That’s hits-per-nine and walks-per-nine, and both, essentially, match career bests. He has a better WHIP than Roy Halladay, who typically ranks among the league leaders, and just as many wins. The 47-year-old has been deadly accurate since the Red Sox knocked his block off in Boston. Statistically, it wasn’t his best effort, but considering the heat, the lapses in the field and Toronto’s firepower, it might have been.

Offensively, the Phillies’ tediously constructed lineup took advantage of Toronto’s mistakes, plating six unearned runs. Take away Shaun Marcum’s Saturday clinic and the Phils have scored 39 runs in four games. Ben Francisco, making the case for more playing time, went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Top-of-the-order table-setter Jimmy Rollins and middle-of-the-order table-setter Shane Victorino each had three hits.

Think about where the Phillies were a year ago. They were 38-34 compared to 40-33 in 2010. They were ending a painful 6-12 stretch in interleague, including a 1-8 homestand against Boston, Toronto and Baltimore. Here, they conclude what is essentially a nine-game homestand with a 6-3 mark to finish 10-8 against the American League.

If the May-June swoon hadn’t been so severe, and if the Braves and Mets hadn’t gotten hot at exactly the same time, it would be easier to see the meaninglessness of third place on June 28.

Game chat: Polanco out again in interleague finale

Third baseman Placido Polanco will reportedly receive another cortisone shot in his left elbow and is day-to-day, meaning Wilson Valdez will start in his stead as the Phillies go for the series win in their home/away set with the Blue Jays. First pitch is 1:35 p.m. A couple of lineup changes for the Phils: Rollins SS, Utley 2B, Werth RF, Howard 1B, Victorino CF, Francisco LF, Ibanez DH, Valdez 3B, Sardinha C. Red-hot left-hander Jamie Moyer seeks his ninth win. The Phils have their sights set on an 10-8 mark against the American League.

Jays homer past Hamels; Marcum puzzles Phils

In a tale of two change-ups, John Buck, Aaron Hill and Alex Gonzalez homered off Cole Hamels, and Shaun Marcum kept the Phillies on the ropes using a good off-speed stuff, as the Blue Jays bounced back with a 5-1 win.

Hamels, who fell to 6-6, lasted only four innings and saw his nine-game streak of allowing three earned runs or less come to an end. The left-hander has allowed 18 home runs, second-most in the National League. Ryan Howard accounted for the Phillies only scoring. The Phils, who had won four straight and can't seem to string together a long winning streak, lost ground to the front-running Braves, who defeated the Tigers. Afterward, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel gave Marcum his due. "When we don’t hit, you have to give the guy on the mound credit," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said after the game. His stuff wasn’t high-powered, but he was giving us fits with his changeup."

Beerleaguer: The Phillies are guaranteed to go .500 in interleague play, but can improve to 10-8 if Jamie Moyer and the boys can take today's rubber match. Considering how they played leading up to this portion of their schedule, there's comfort in that, even if they can't seem to gain ground on the rest of the division, and even if last Saturday's bullpen debacle still lingers (it does with me). The barometer for the Phillies will be their remaining games against the NL East. Basically, four average to slightly above average teams. All they had to do was survive this stretch, and they have.

Game chat: Regrouped Phils seeking fifth straight

Cole Hamels (6-5, 3.75) tries to continue his run of nine games without allowing more than three earned runs again Shaun Marcum (6-3, 3.24) and the Blue Jays. First pitch is 4:05.

Preview: Roy Halladay brushed aside his old team last night in a 9-0 laugher, making it 28 runs over three games for the hometown nine and 63 in their last nine. Charlie Manuel will go with Ross Gload at first and Ryan Howard at the DH once again, and why not? Gload, who is a good fielding first baseman, tied a career high with four RBIs yesterday. Meanwhile, Placido Polanco gets the afternoon off. The Phils go with Rollins SS, Victorino CF, Utley 2B, Howard DH, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Gload 1B, Schneider C and Castro 3B. Light posting this weekend. Hanging gutters and running electric.

[Jump to the newest comments]

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Phillies' stats will be tallied as home stats, but little else will feel like Philadelphia as the Phillies become strangers in their own home in a quirky series with the Blue Jays beginning tonight at 7:05.

ESPN baseball writer Tim Kurkjian provided a comprehensive preview of this unusual series. “In baseball annals, this is not a big deal, many games have had to be transferred from one city to another for a variety of reasons, be it weather, ballpark construction, etc.,” Kurkjian writes. “But this is the first time that an interleague game has been moved from one team's park to the opponent's park. The Blue Jays will wear their home uniforms, will bat second and the DH will be used. The Blue Jays will take batting practice first, as they would at home. The walk-up music that is played for each Blue Jays player before each home at-bat will be played, as will the walk-up music for each Phillies player. The attendance for the games will be credited as home games for the Blue Jays.”

"It's really going to be strange," Brian Schneider told Kurkjian. "I looked at the times to show up Friday and we don't have to be on the field as early." Great read. Check it out here.

Report: Top prize Dom Brown moving up to Triple-A

The Phillies' top prospect had dominated the Eastern League, hitting .318/.391/.602 with 15 homers. Bob Brookover, who broke the news for the Philadelphia Inquirer, spoke with Phillies assistant GM Chuck Lamar, who said they had intended to keep him in Double-A for a half season all along. The 22-year-old outfielder will participate in the All-Star Futures Game July 11.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Three-four-five alive

Joe Blanton pitched a season-high 7 2-3 innings for his best outing of the season, while the offense exploded for 12 runs on 15 hits, as the Phillies narrowed their divisional deficit with a rare interleague sweep.

The 100-mph gusts that whipped through Citizens Bank Park carried the last traces of slump away.  Indeed, the Phillies have been through the wringer, and after yesterday’s jet wash, look like they’ve finally emerged from a month-long car wash. The showroom shine has returned to hot rods Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth. Over the last six games, they’re hitting .454, .417 and .444, respectively. That’s really the most important development and the main reason why they’ve closed the gap to 2.5 games behind the Braves, who were swept by the white-hot White Sox. Meanwhile, Placido Polanco, who went 4-for-5, remains a steady import, while Raul Ibanez has been a dependable .300 hitter over his last 14.

When the Phillies say they feed off each other, believe it.  If the pistons are firing on all cylinders, guys like Dane Sardinha and Wilson Valdez typically get caught in the slipstream. We’ve seen this a hundred times before when the Phils heat up. This week saw a first-career homer by Sardinha, the second and third of Valdez’s career and Brian Schneider’s first as a Phillie. The same holds true for pitching, as Blanton, brutal until now, hitched his best start of the season to the Phillies’ highest run total since May 15.

So it looks like patience will again pay off for the Phillies. As if there was any doubt.

Rain delay halts action with 12-3 Phils lead in 8th

Teen Phillies fan stunned by Taser gets probation

Breaking news: The Gilbertsville, Montgomery County, teen Phillies fan who was stunned by a police Taser after running onto the Citizens Bank Park field on May 3 was placed on six months' probation Thursday, the Associated Press reports. Steven Consalvi, 17, was also ordered by a Philadelphia Family Court judge to complete 80 hours of public service.

Game chat: Blanton tries to seal the deal for Phillies

Preview: The Weather Channel says it feels like 99 degrees for the start of the Phillies’ finale with Cleveland. Joe Blanton (2-5, 6.96) goes for the sweep and looks to build on a quality start against Minnesota, when he pitched into the sixth and forced 15 ground balls. Cleveland’s best starter Fausto Carmona (6-5, 3.31) tries to salvage a win for the Tribe. Notes: J.A. Happ allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings yesterday in Reading. Meanwhile, Ryan Madson throws a bullpen session today. If all goes well, he will begin a rehab assignment Sunday in Clearwater. Lineups: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Valdez SS, Sardinha C.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Figueroa summoned from Triple-A; Sardinha starts

Veteran swing-man Nelson Figueroa returns to Philadelphia to replace Chad Durbin, who heads to the 15-day disabled list with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Meanwhile, Dane Sardinha gets his first start behind the plate this afternoon. Last night's hero Jimmy Rollins also sits, giving way to Wilson Valdez at short.

Beerleaguer: Happy Quad-A Day everyone. Figgy and Dane are here. Shelley Duncan is stopping by. We ordered cake in the shape of Ryan Langerhans. Figgy was pitching very well as a starter in Triple-A (3-0, 0.95), but that's nothing new. When he crosses the line, he's a fringe performer. Luckily, Durbin's injury isn't serious. Right now, the Phillies just need someone who can eat innings, and today's starter, Joe Blanton, has been blown up more often than not. So the Phils reached for their old paint. As for Sardinha, he was outhitting Paul Hoover in the minors, but not by much. They each had identical .289 on-base percentages. Hopefully, the Hawaiian catcher gets a couple hits the way Hoover did earlier in the season.

J-Roll's walk-off blast carries Phillies past Indians

It felt like a loss. But with one swing, Jimmy Rollins, activated a day ago, deposited a two-run, game-winning home run just inside the right-field foul pole, lifting the Phillies to a 7-6 win over Cleveland. (AP)

Jayson Werth finished a triple from the cycle, Raul Ibanez hit a two-run double down the left-field line, and Brian Schneider, who has been hitting balls hard lately, finally got his first home run as a Phillie. While the Phillies celebrated at home, the injury bug struck once again in the top half of the inning as Chad Durbin popped his hamstring and will almost certainly miss a substantial amount of time. That's a huge, huge blow to an already wobbly bullpen. A dramatic finish. A mixture of good and bad hitting. Questionable managing. A nice debut for Mike Zagurski. Poor starting pitching. A major blow to the 'pen. We'll break it down tomorrow ...

Durbin update: Chad Durbin told reporters he's headed to the DL and will miss up to two weeks with a calf strain. Tough spot for the Phils, and I don't know that recent call-up Scott Mathieson is really the best fit. That would be an awful lot of inexperience in the bullpen. One thought might be Oscar Villarreal. He's been solid lately and can pitch more than an inning. And for your darkhorse option, in case the Phils don't mind an influx of youth, how about Mike Stutes? Good arm, recently promoted, can pitch multiple innings and the Phils like how he's throwing.

Game chat: Kendrick takes turn; Dobbs to AAA

Following an impressive seven-inning start against the Yankees, Kyle Kendrick (4-2, 4.48) hopes to keep up the pace against possible trade target Jake Westbrook (4-4, 4.76) and the Indians. First pitch is 7:05 under bake-oven conditions.

Beerleaguer: I watched this morning's dramatic World Cup win and was thrown off track for the rest of the afternoon. So I never got around to posting. What an unbelievable finish by the U.S., who stayed patient and didn't panic. Anyway, here's a checklist of Phillies items I'd hoped to explore. Charlie Manuel was reportedly miffed after last night's game. Jim Salisbury surmised that he was either irritated about explaining why he used J.C. Romero in the ninth, or that the offense fired blanks for the second-straight game, just as it looked like they'd turned the corner. I'd also hoped to discuss Domonic Brown, who homered twice yesterday and is hitting .368 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 19 games this month. Reading beat writer Mike Drago estimated that his first homer traveled 435 feet to right center. The second went 10 feet deeper. One reader brought up a good point earlier. Going by Baseball America's preseason rankings, Brown may rate as the best prospect in baseball due to the promotions of several players ahead of him (Heyward, Strasburg, Stanton, Matusz, Posey, Alvarez, Feliz, Santana, Escobar, and Smoak, just to name a few). My last topic would have been the idea of reactivating J.A. Happ as a reliever. When I talked to Ruben Amaro Jr. this winter, he didn't close the book on the idea, but said the Phillies prefer him in the rotation. The Phillies have to like what they've seen from Kyle Kendrick, and Happ has had good success in relief.

Dobbs clears: Greg Dobbs has cleared waivers and will accept an assignment to Triple-A. It worked out perfectly for the Phillies. Dobbs can regain his footing with regular playing time and be ready in case they need him. We'll see him again. ... Meanwhile, more IronPigs news. Former first-rounder Joe Savery was demoted to the bullpen after going 1-7 with a 5.15 ERA in 13 starts. He's 24, so there's still a glimmer of hope, but not much.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Moyer masters young Indians in 2-1 Phillies win

There's only one word for it: unprecedented.

For the second time in as many starts, Jamie Moyer (8-6) twirled eight excellent innings, allowing a homer and a hit, in picking up his 266th career victory, moving him into a tie for 35rd on the all-time list with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey. His eight wins also ties Roy Halladay for the team lead. Aside from Moyer, who recorded 14 of his 24 outs via groundouts, Brad Lidge represented the only other highlight, extinguishing a fire in the ninth by striking out two and stranding a pair of inherited runners using his trademark slide piece. The offense scored both runs in the first. Beerleaguer: Moyer continues to defy the odds. In fact, one could argue that Moyer has contributed as much to the Phillies' cause as anyone. He carved the clueless Tribe like a surgeon, and he did the same to the seasoned Yankees in his previous start. He's a marvel. More tomorrow ...

Game chat: Phillies band almost back together

Jimmy Rollins checks in, but Carlos Ruiz checks out, when Jamie Moyer (7-6, 4.76) and the Phillies open a three-game series with Mitch Talbot (7-5, 4.21) and the Indians starting at 7:05 from Citizens Bank Park.

Preview: Just as the Braves and Mets have padded the win column against the dregs of the American League, the Phillies must do the same here against the 26-42 Indians, who rate in the league's bottom quarter in runs and ERA. There's no better time to regroup than now, with Rollins back in the fray after a pair of month-long stints on the disabled list. As you recall, Rollins was off to a great start, posting a .462 on-base percentage with 10 walks in 12 games. The Phils remain cautious about his health, however, as evidenced by the presence of both Juan Castro and Wilson Valdez. Rollins reclaims the leadoff spot tonight, followed by Polanco, Utley, Howard, Werth, Ibanez, Victorino and Schneider, which is close to the original blueprint.

Prospect updates: Since the Tribe is in town, here is your obligatory update on the prospects traded last summer for Cliff Lee. The only one who’s done anything noteworthy has been infielder Jason Donald, who made his Major League debut May 18 and has started in 29 games, all but four at short. Young flame-thrower Jason Knapp had shoulder surgery and hasn’t pitched. Isn’t it funny what happens to 18-year-old arms that throw high-90s heat? Lou Marson was demoted after hitting .191 and will never become the Indians starting catcher as long as Carlos Santana is around. And Carlos Carrasco, at this point, is probably a non-prospect. After getting his feet wet in the Show with five starts late in ’09, the Venezuelan right-hander is having a middling season for Triple-A Columbus. He continues to be very inconsistent. So overall, it appears to be a small price to pay for a 4-0 record in the postseason and a 1.53 ERA. We’ll stop there.

Notes: Outfielder Domonic Brown and right-hander Jarred Cosart, arguably the two best prospects in the Phillies' chain, will represent the Phillies in All-Star Futures Game.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Breaking news: Dobbs designated for assignment

The Phillies have announced a major shake-up.

Greg Dobbs, a bench fixture with the Phillies since 2007, has been designated for assignment after hitting .152 in 66 at bats. His 45 career pinch hits place him fifth on the Phillies' all-time list, but he had just one in 2010. The 31-year-old started 11 games this season: nine at third, one in right and one as a DH. Dobbs signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract after the 2008 World Series, a year in which he led the majors with a franchise-high 22 pinch-hits. Meanwhile, Jimmy Rollins has been activated from the disabled list, while Carlos Ruiz, who sustained a head injury in Friday night's game, goes on the DL. In another surprise move, left-hander Mike Zagurski, who was already on the 40-man roster, has been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill the vacancy in the bullpen. Zagurski, who last appeared with the Phillies in 2007 before Tommy John surgery derailed his career, was 0-2 with a 2.35 ERA and solid 45/13 K/BB ratio in 30 2-3 innings at Lehigh Valley. Scott Mathieson, who was placed on optional waivers Saturday, has been optioned to Triple-A.

Beerleaguer: What can you say about Dobbs? There was nothing there, and all the rust was making him obsolete in the field. If he clears, and I think he will since better players are available, he could try to find his footing again at Triple-A and become a serviceable component for the Phillies in September. In other words, it's better to offer Dobbs a minor league assignment than Juan Castro since Dobbs could actually improve and fill a need later on, where Casto will always be bad. But if they lose him, it's no great loss.

Still, here's your bench: Wilson Valdez, Castro, Ross Gload, Dane Sardinha and Ben Francisco. Without looking, it's the worst in the league. Say what you want about Dobbs, be Dobbs and Gload were the only two who've experienced any real success in this role. So this decision probably didn't come easy.

The other story here is the return of Zagurski, following Mathieson as another guy who made it back from Tommy John. And his season has completely slipped under the Beerleaguer radar. You know he hasn't given up a run since April?

Dutch puts 'Macho Row' on Phillies Wall of Fame

Darren Daulton was a three-time All-Star, matching Bob Boone for the most All-Star selections as a catcher. (Getty)

Over a 14-year Phillies career, Daulton was a .245/.357/.427 hitter with 137 homers, earning the Silver Slugger in 1992, when he hit .270/.385/.524 with 27 homers and a league-leading 109 RBIs. Statistically, it was the 18th-best season in Phillies history, according to the WAR (wins above replacement) stat, and combining all 14 of his seasons using the same measure, his career rates 26th among those who wore red pinstripes. His induction ceremony will happen before the Phillies’ Friday night game against the Mets on Aug. 6.

Beerleaguer: This is the Phillies first nod to Macho Row and Dutch was the Big Kahuna of that unforgettable team. Statistically, his credentials include a couple of great offensive seasons in the middle of his career, but not much by way of sustained excellence, a lot of that due to nine knee surgeries. The ballot also included Jack Baldschun, Gene Garber, Jim Konstanty, Ron Reed, Jimmy Wilson, John Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, Greg Gross, Von Hayes and Jim Fregosi. Entry into the wall isn’t super exclusive and shouldn’t be debated the same as the Hall of Fame. Boone, a seven-time Gold Glove winner, made the Wall in 2005 and is still the best catcher to wear a Phillies’ uniform, at least in an era that anyone can remember. Still, Dutch, as a catcher, anchored the five-hole for one of the best teams in club history and became one of the brightest lights during a very dark period in Phillies history.

Links: Phillies Wall of Fame; Phillies WAR leaders; Live Presser (3:15 ET)

Healthy steps for allegedly wounded Ibanez, Utley

Quietly, Phillies left-fielder Raul Ibanez and second baseman Chase Utley have been better lately. (Getty)

Over his last 12 games, Ibanez is 13-for-42 (.310) with three doubles, two homers and eight RBIs. That, in and of itself, isn’t cause for celebtration, and his numbers overall are still relatively poor, but he’s been striking the ball noticeably harder. Like Utley, there have been grumblings over a hidden injury. A rival scout, speaking to the Inquirer, recently said "He doesn't look as strong to me in his lower half and I think it's contributing to his problems. I know he had the groin surgery. The combination of age and wear and tear could be affecting his stability." Utley, obviously, had a big series against Minnesota, producing six hits and seven RBIs. In his last six games he's 9-for-25 (.360) with three walks. And like Ibanez, he appears to be swinging the bat with more purpose.

Now that’s positive.

Tuesday: No word yet on status of Rollins, Ruiz

Injury notes: Charlie Manuel was hopeful Sunday that starting shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who has appeared in only 11 games, would be ready to return from the disabled list tonight. Rollins, who made five rehab appearances with Clearwater, first suffered a grade 1-2 right calf strain during warmups before the Phillies home opener. He then reinjured it just days after coming off the DL. Meanwhile, there is no news on Carlos Ruiz, who was admitted to the hospital for tests after sustaining a head injury Friday when he was hit by Jason Kubel's backswing. The Phils made a precautionary roster move before Saturday's game, purchasing the contract of Triple-A catcher Dane Sardinha, who appeared in a handful of games for the Tigers in 2009. (Getty Images)

Villarreal update: With right-hander Scott Mathieson in optional waiver limbo following an inauspicious debut, the Phillies are short in the bullpen. Once they sort out the present situation with Rollins, Ruiz and the active roster, one solution could be to promote 28-year-old reliever Oscar Villarreal, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009 and is back healthy and pitching well for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The right-hander has appeared in 22 games with an ERA of 3.45 and a 24/8 K/BB ration over 28 2-3 innings. According to IronPigs beat writer Jeff Schuler, he's been strong lately, allowing just six hits and three earned runs over his last 14 1-3 innings. He's someone to watch as the season progresses. The Phils would need to make room on the 40-man roster to accommodate him.

Will the Phils take action with underperforming vets?

A quick look at some noteworthy transactions from around baseball as the Phillies deliberate how to fit Jimmy Rollins back into the roster. (Getty)

Summer is officially here and teams have started to bail on their best-laid plans. Astros minor league mercenary Chris Johnson has replaced Pedro Feliz at third base after the former Phillie posted a slash line of .220/.242/.296 in 223 ABs. The Blue Jays optioned third baseman Edwin Encarnacion and his 106 OPS+ to Triple-A Las Vegas to work on his hitting and fielding. That’s right: a 106 OPS+, which is identical to Placido Polanco. Elsewhere, the woeful Pirates designated second baseman Aki Iwamura for assignment. He was the Buccos’ highest-paid position player earning $4.25 million with a $250,000 buyout. On the pitching front, Jeff Suppan became the highest-priced casualty this season when the Brewers ate about $10 million to release him, only to watch division-rival St. Louis scoop him up at a discount. Over in the AL, the Mariners just outrighted Ian Snell to Triple-A Tacoma.

The lesson: Better and pricier players have been sacrificed for the good of their teams than several Phillies who are riding high on the hog with guaranteed deals. Juan Castro and Greg Dobbs come to mind as two players who could be on the hot seat.

Monday thread: Halladay falls to 8-and-stinkin'-6

The same record as Carl Stinkin' Pavano, who went the distance and held the Phillies to one run in a 4-1 Sunday loss to the Twins. The Phillies, who bungled an easy series victory Saturday, have not scored more than three runs for Doc since May 6.

Beerleaguer: One of baseball's greatest irritations: offenses that don't produce for ace pitchers. The plan was for Halladay to collect 20 wins in his sleep, but at this rate it would take a dozen perfect games to get there. With all due respect to Jamie Moyer, the fact that Halladay has collected just one more win than Moyer chaps my hide. Doc was no great shakes yesterday, surrendering 11 hits, but he gave his mates eight good innings like he was supposed to. Perhaps they were still feeling the burn from Saturday's bullpen debacle. More likely, they're just an inconsistent, short-handed offense that couldn't solve Pavano's change-up. They're expected to get Jimmy Rollins back as early as Tuesday, so hopefully, one day, they'll look back and see this as some sort of turning point.

Valdez: The Phillies will need to make a roster move to accommodate J-Roll's return, and despite hitting his second home run in as many days, Wilson Valdez is still considered the likely candidate to go. He's better than Juan Castro, who has a major league contract, but if J-Roll is ready, Valdez won't see the light of day. Championing the Valdez cause just isn't a fight worth fighting. The Phils could always stall by sending Carlos Ruiz to the disabled list, which would allow them to bring J-Roll along slowly with Valdez serving as an understudy. Remember, the Phils are also working with an 11-man pitching staff and are holding Scott Mathieson in optional waiver limbo.

Sunday chat: Halladay hoping to sire a series win

The Phillies should be going for the sweep this Father's Day, but will need to settle for 2-out-of-3 as long as Roy Halladay (8-5, 2.36) can get it done against Carl Pavano (7-6, 3.92) and the Twins. First pitch is 1:35 p.m.

More from yesterday: Many of us are still in shock from yesterday's meltdown. Obviously, the blame is attributable to the bullpen, but collectively, everyone shares some accountability for going to sleep on a dangerous team like Minnesota. The ninth was a nightmare, both top and bottom, everything from how flat Jose Contreras looked, to the way opponents can just run at will against $11.5 million closer emeritus Brad Lidge, to the bottom half, where the Phillies' lead-off hitter went down on three pitches and the 4-and-5 hitters couldn't come through in the clutch with the winning run standing on second. Ryan Howard whiffed and Jayson Werth never got the bat off his shoulders. Did you know Werth is hitting .190 with runners in scoring position?

But I digress. When the bullpen surrenders a 5-1-3 in the final three frames, that's reason enough to fire the torches.

Turning to the game, this sets up as Halladay's most important start as a Phillie. Period. Both bullpens are taxed, but the Phils are a man short. Doc needs to go deep, even with the off-day looming. That will be no easy task with temperatures expected to top 90. A loss would potentially set them 5.5 games back of the Braves if they can extend their winning streak to five over the Royals. Five-and-a-half doesn't sound good.

Phillies bullpen botches big lead in 11-inning loss

The Phillies waited weeks for an offensive breakout, but a five-run lead in the ninth wasn't enough of a buffer for the bullpen. It started with a good-natured home-run trot by Jim Thome in the top of the ninth and ended with an eight-run Twins assault of Jose Contreras, Brad Lidge, Chad Durbin and Danys Baez over three painful frames. The Phillies fell 13-10 in 11.

Breaking news: Mathieson DFA'd; Sardinha called up

The Phillies made a surprising roster move this afternoon, designating recent call-up Scott Mathieson for assignment in order to clear 25 and 40-man roster space for Triple-A catcher Dane Sardinha. The Phillies believe they can retain the promising right-hander due to a rules loophole, but there is still a slim chance they can lose him. As one reader notes, if Mathieson is claimed, the Phils can pull him back and either reactivate him or try to work out a trade. Carlos Ruiz, who had his bell rung yesterday, will not go on the DL, but was sent home and will reportedly undergo more tests tomorrow. (via mobile, en route to CBP) Comment on the game in the thread below.

Game chat: Phillies' lumber looking to give Cole a lift

Preview: Ryan Howard and Chase Utley powered the Phillies past the Twins in Friday's series opener. They'll hope to provide Cole Hamels (6-5, 3.74) with some overdue run support when they face right-hander Kevin Slowey (7-4, 3.84) in the second of three from Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is 4:10 in a game televised regionally on Fox. Hamels, who pounded Boston with a 95-96 fastball in his previous start, has received an average of 3.86 runs from his offense. A win would make it four in a row. Unfortunately, the Braves and Mets continue to prevail. The Phillies trail Atlanta by 3.5 games in the suddenly competitive National League East.

Happ update: Making his third rehab start, J.A. Happ allowed four runs on five hits and three walks over five innings (69 pitches), three of the runs coming on a bomb homer in the second.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Sleeping giants sleep no more; Phillies roll Twins

Ryan Howard homered twice and finished a single from the cycle, and Chase Utley, facing claims that he is hurt, homered for the first time since May 20 and added four RBIs as the Phils jumped on the board early and held on 9-5.

Beerleaguer: After finishing the roadtrip strong, it looks like the locker-room charms and amulets worked in curing the ailing bats. The Phillies are paying Howard a zillion dollars to produce homers (13) and RBIs (49). Don't look now, but he's within striking distance of David Wright for the league RBI lead (53). As for Utley, it was clear as day that he came into the game with something to prove after the newshounds closed in around him, sniffing for blood. I'm paid to be a sideline skeptic, so I naturally wonder if Utley and the amped-up Phils left too much out on the field, including a pair of minor blowouts by Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth running out balls at first. On a related front, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News caught wind late last night that Carlos Ruiz was taken to the hospital as a precaution after getting hit in the head by Jason Kubel's back swing in the 8th. So I wonder how today's lineup card will read, along with the scoreboard.

Joe Blanton was good not great; the Twins eventually caught up to him after mushing a ton of balls into the dirt. Kentucky Joe, who also appeared to be running on nitro, pitched into the sixth and allowed three runs on seven hits, finishing with a 15/4 GB/FB ratio. Still, this was a much-needed win for the struggling right-hander.

Turning to a pair of unsung heroes who continue to get it done in the bullpen, and that would be Chad Durbin and J.C. Romero, who worked scoreless innings. Romero's peripherals aren't particularly strong, but Durbin's are rock solid. Stuff-wise, he's never been better during his tenure with the Phillies.

Finally, the combination of nerves and a 98 mph straight fastball ruined Scott Mathieson's debut. He'll eventually get there, but he needs another trick.

Game chat: Twins on tap back at the Bank

All but a few Phillies will be getting their first look at right-hander Nick Blackburn (6-3, 4.96) when they return home for a weekend set with the AL Central-leading Twins. Joe Blanton (1-5, 7.28) tries to get on track for the Phillies. First pitch is 7:05.

Amaro admits to Utley soreness: Before the game, CSNPhilly's Jim Salisbury provided an update on the status of Chase Utley's knee: "Amaro, for the first time, did admit that Utley has dealt with some soreness in his knee but was not sure which knee was affected. 'He has had some intermittent soreness like any other player has over the course of a season,' Amaro said. 'Guys get soreness in their wrists, their ankles. Pitchers get soreness in their shoulders after they throw. That does not mean they are injured. Every guy who puts an ice pack on is not injured.”He has had some intermittent soreness like any other player has over the course of a season.'"

Salisbury goes on to write that Amaro was asked if the team had administered an MRI on Utley’s knee, and he said no, He continues by writing that "an official from an opposing club recently told CSNPhilly.com that his team’s scouting reports said it looked as if Utley was playing hurt."

So there you have it: Utley is banged up. The severity of the injury depends on who's doing the talking. Utley says he's not, but Utley wouldn't say jack.

Notes: In old business, Phillies skipper Charlie Manuel hopes Jimmy Rollins (calf) can return Sunday, although Amaro expressed caution earlier in the week over bringing the injured shortstop back too soon. ... Speaking of injured players, J.A. Happ makes a rehab start tonight in Reading. The left-hander's recovery has come along slowly and there is no timetable for his return. ... And speaking of Reading, the R-Phils saw a significant pitching shuffle earlier in the day, with right-handed reliever Mike Stutes earning a promotion to Triple-A, J.C. Ramirez, part of the Cliff Lee trade, getting the call from Clearwater to Reading, and non-prospect Mike Cisco, who missed time with elbow inflammation, getting sent to Clearwater. All this comes on the heels of Scott Mathieson's promotion to the Show.

Lineups are posted: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Ruiz C, Valdez SS. Howard has been a hot hitter at home of late, hitting .369 over his last 16. The Phillies are a lifetime 3-3 against the Twins in interleague play. This is their first meeting since the 2004 season.

Friday: Amaro's additions demonstrate worth in win

Beerleaguer has been so fixated on peripheral problems that we’ve lost sight of the forest for the trees regarding Ruben Amaro's big acquisitions.

Among the many nuggets from last night's 7-1 Phillies was this nice comparison/contrast between Jose Contreras and Chan Ho Park. Where Contreras got the job done with the game still in doubt, Park, who paved the way for Contreras a year ago, allowed an inherited insurance run to score in the eighth. While Park hasn't worked out for the Yankees, the Contreras experiment has been a runaway success for Amaro and his staff. The big right-hander, who was among the Phillies’ primary offseason targets, has taken to the late innings like a natural, trailing only Roy Halladay in K/BB (4.67) and anchoring a surprisingly stable late-inning plan. Like Contreras, there where issues as to whether Placido Polanco could make the switch from second to third, and those concerns have vanished as well. As demonstrated by an amazing over-the-rail catch to keep the Yankees away from a big inning, Polly has played exceptional defense. His 3.4 UZR trails only Ryan Zimmerman and Mark Reynolds among National League third basemen. And of course, there’s Halladay, who has done everything the Phillies had hoped.

Kendrick, Phillies take 2-out-of-3 from Yankees

After a nightmarish start to their Boston-New York roadtrip, a 3-3 finish never felt so good thanks to a seven-inning, one-run game by Kyle Kendrick, who out-pitched counterpart Andy Pettitte in a 7-1 win in the series finale. The Phillies provided much offensive and defensive support for Kendrick, including a Shane Victorino two-run homer, some terrific glovework by Placido Polanco and a whole lot more. Lots of good stuff jammed into this one. The hometown nine return to Philadelphia to begin a weekend set with Minnesota with signs of shedding their month-long slump. More from Kendrick's standout performance and the Phillies' terrific win tomorrow ... (Getty)

Game chat: It's Kendrick, Pettitte for all the marbles

Trying to follow in Jamie Moyer's footsteps, Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.80) looks to recover from his lashing in Boston tonight when the Phillies settle up with Andy Pettitte (8-1, 2.46) and the Yankees. First pitch is 7:05. A win would make it three out of four against two tough interleague rivals. Beerleaguer's eyes will be on reliever Scott Mathieson, although it's unclear what role he'll fill in the Phillies bullpen.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Breaking: Bastardo goes on DL; Mathieson called up

The Phillies have placed left-handed reliever Antonio Bastardo on the disabled list with left elbow ulnar neuritis and recalled right-handed flame-thrower Scott Mathieson from Triple-A.

Bastardo, who has split the season between the Phillies and Lehigh Valley, had a 5.11 ERA in 16 appearances, last appearing Tuesday against the Yankees. Mathieson, who is having a strong season as Lehigh Valley's closer and was named the Phillies' minor league pitcher of the month for May, was 2-2 with 12 saves, a 2.43 ERA, 32/12 K/BB ratio in 29 2-3 innings, holding opponents to a .194 average. This is Mathieson's first action with the Phils since late 2006 when his career was derailed by Tommy John surgery and related setbacks. Still a starter then, he was 1-4 with a 7.47 ERA in 9 games (8 starts). Mathieson was already on the 40-man roster, so an addition roster move isn't necessary.

Site news: Comcast SportsNet acquires Beerleaguer

Jason Weitzel, proprietor of the five-year-old blog, will retain editorial control while gaining access to Comcast SportsNet’s technology, programming and reporting resources.

Beerleaguer: This is the result of a conversation that started with Comcast SportsNet back in September of 2008, but really, I've been working toward this goal since 2003 when I first started scratching my Phillies musings into a free Blogger blog, hoping someone would notice. The grassroots spirit of the space will remain the same and I will continue to treat Beerleaguer as a vehicle for creativity and community. It's unclear whether I'll be given a press credential to cover games, but frankly, I'm not all that interested in changing perspectives, something that would be altered dramatically if I moved from the couch to the clubhouse. Beerleaguer succeeds because it's written on the same point of view as its readership. I intend to continue the same morning/afternoon posting schedule. I may occasionally enlist contributions from the CSNPhilly.com staff, but Beerleaguer will still be my baby. If there is a local or national insight outside of the Comcast SportsNet umbrella that's worth highlighting, I'll bring it to you. I don't intend to start pulling any punches in regards to the Phillies, either.

Beerleaguer readers benefit because the site now has the full backing of a local sports giant eager to help with some of the technical heavy lifting. That isn't just video. Eventually, we'll engineer a complete site rebuild with better real-time commenting, social network integration, wider right and left rails and more prominent entry points to national stat resources. All that will come over time. The site will remain in the Beerleaguer domain, while site content will also be used to populate CSNPhilly.com.

None of this would have been possible without reader support. By partnering with Comcast SportsNet, it ensures that our ongoing five-year discussion will not only continue, but flourish.

About Beerleaguer: Phillies fans first bellied up to Beerleaguer in 2005 and today consider it the leading watering hole for intelligent discourse about the local nine. Site proprietor Jason Weitzel, who writes and also designs the site, was named “Best Sportswriter 2008” by Philadelphia Magazine and co-authored the book “Hard to Believe!”  about the 2008 World Champion Phillies. He also edits “Phillies Annual” magazine for Maple Street Press in Boston and has appeared as a regular guest of 610-WIP. As part of the acquisition Weitzel assumes the newly created position of content manager with Comcast Sports Group.

Thursday: Moyer stymies Yankees in sharp victory

The Phillies took a rare lead, and Jamie Moyer ran with it, in a 6-3 win over the Yankees. (Getty)

Summary: Five days after the worst start of his 24-year career, Moyer rebounded with an eight-inning, two-run undressing of the top offense in the league. The Phillies’ big blow came on a bases-loaded Shane Victorino triple, part of a four-run run second. Then in the third, Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth took A.J. Burnett the opposite way with back-to-back-jacks, the first time the Phillies have gone back-to-back since September of 2009 (Rollins/Francisco). Brad Lidge needed 31 pitches and brought the tying run to the plate before striking out Jorge Posada to close it.

Beerleaguer: Just a remarkable job by Moyer to erase the Boston debacle by locking down one of the hottest teams in baseball (the Mets are the hottest, although their winning streak has come at the expense of Baltimore and Cleveland). Ed Rapuano framed a favorable strikezone for Moyer to paint the canvas, something he wasn’t given by Paul Emmel in Boston. It’s just astonishing that we’re talking about a 47-year-old pitcher who underwent three offseason surgeries. Afterward, Moyer also credited Brian Schneider for calling a good game.

Offensively, it was great to see Howard and Werth stay with the pitch and take Burnett the opposite way, and Victorino’s triple, which snapped an 0-for-16, was just an excellent piece of timely hitting.

Two of the last three games have been crisp victories over powerhouse teams. It's gotta start somewhere.

Preview: The only three players hitting with much regularity are in tonight's lineup. Quietly, back-up catcher Brian Schneider is 8-for-his-last-16. He's in for Carlos Ruiz, who is hitless in his last 22 at bats and tweaked his ankle last night. Wilson Valdez is hitting .281 in his last 17 starts at short; he replaces Juan Castro, who snapped an 0-for-16 and failed to range to his right for a key play to keep the game close last night. Meanwhile, third baseman Placido Polanco, who has been the Phillies most consistent hitter, is riding a nine-game hitting streak. The Phils trail the Braves by a not-insurmountable 3.5 games.

Notes: OF Gillies activated after month-long layoff

This and that taking you up to Phillies-Yankees, including tonight’s lineup.

Reading outfielder Tyson Gillies, who has been out since May 10 because of a pulled hamstring, was activated from the disabled list Tuesday and went 1-for-5 with a stolen base. Gillies, 21, had just started heating up at the plate before the injury and had been opening eyes with his range in center field. Part of the Cliff Lee package, the slashing outfielder is hitting .245/.287/.343 with 2 stolen bases, this after a 44-stolen-base season in 2009. Barring a major turnaround, he seems destined to repeat at Double-A. To make room, and with the recent addition of Cody Overbeck, Reading released third baseman Brandon Pinckney.

Speaking of speed … the Phillies press office reminds us that the Phillies have the second-fewest stolen bases in the National League (29), only three ahead of Bengie Molina, Pablo Sandoval, Pat Burrell and the plodding Giants. They ranked in the top three in the league in each of the last three seasons. Shane Victorino leads the team with 14 thefts, just one less than the rest of the team combined.

Garcia extends hitting streak: Second baseman Harold Garcia extended his hitting streak to 19 games with a pair of hits on Tuesday. CSNPhilly’s Kevin Czerwinski tabulates that the 23-year-old switch-hitting Venezuelan, who missed the first half of this season because of injury, is hitting .338 (25-for-74) with 18 RBIs during the streak. He’s also flashed a good glove, having not committed an error in 24 starts at second. With the organization thin on infielders, Garcia is worth monitoring. In addition, outfielder Anthony Gose also extended his 12-game hitting streak and stole his 22nd bag, trailing only Lakewood shortstop Jonathan Villar (25).

Tonight’s lineup: Victorino CF, Polanco 3B, Utley 2B, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Ibanez LF, Dobbs DH, Schneider C, Valdez SS. Jamie Moyer (6-6, 5.03) faces A.J. Burnett (6-4, 3.86). Kyle Kendrick (3-2, 4.80) squares off with Andy Pettitte (8-1, 2.46) tomorrow.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Going from bad to worse

They can't hit, and now the Phillies' starters are getting shelled. Roy Halladay, who had allowed just three homers all season, surrendered three last night alone in a depressing 8-3 loss to the Yankees.

Summary: Halladay, who jawed with home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale all night, allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks in his worst start against the Yankees since 2000. The Yankees got their runs off Halladay with a pair of solo shots, a two-run triple and a two-run homer, later adding a two-run seeing-eye single off David Herndon after Antonio Bastardo loaded the bases, putting the game well out of reach. Offensively, Chase Utley led the soft attack with a pair of singles; all five of the Phillies' hits were singles, four of them coming in a three-run spurt in the fourth inning. They went hitless over the final four frames.

Beerleaguer: There was a time, not long ago, when the Phillies would have made a game out of this, back when rousing comebacks were a nightly occurrence. But the lights have gone out on the drama, too, along with the circus-act offense. One factor is they have too many understudies in over their heads, guys like Juan Castro, who has overstayed his welcome. Of course, there is nothing the Phils can do until Jimmy Rollins returns, and if that doesn't work, well, maybe it wasn't meant to be.

Even if J-Roll can ignite the bat rack, are they healthy enough for a 162-game push, plus another postseason? What about the pitching? What about the bullpen and guys like Bastardo and Herndon, who may have bitten off more than they can chew? And do the Phillies have the flexibility to help themselves in July, considering their budget and shallow depth in the minor leagues?

Here's how one reporter painted the scene after the game: "And after Game 62 was in the books, Charlie Manuel looked as dejected as he's been all season. Very subdued."

Getting humbled by the Yankees, Red Sox, Braves and Mets over a 25-game nosedive will do that to a guy.

Game chat: Big guns flexed in World Series rematch

Roy Halladay and CC Sabathia saddle up as the Phillies make a lineup switch, with Chase Utley batting second and Placido Polanco third. First pitch is 7:05 from Yankees Stadium. (Getty)

Halladay vs. Sabathia: Besides the Phillies, nobody was happier that Roy Halladay changed teams than the team that beat them in the World Series. The notorious Yankees killer posted an 18-6 mark and 2.81 ERA in 35 career starts against New York during his time with the Blue Jays. Halladay took a tough-luck loss in his last outing against Florida. Opponents have have gone deep just once against him in his last 62 innings, the last occurring May 23 against Boston. ... Following a one-and-done with the Brewers in the 2008 NLDS (ah, memories), tonight's starter CC Sabathia got his revenge in the 2009 fall classic, although in general, the Phils have never had great trouble with the imposing left-hander, who's 1-3 with a 4.74 ERA in six starts against them.

Bad bench: I've read a lot of comments about the bench and how a shake-up in that department wouldn't solve the Phillies' real issue of getting their 3-4-5 hitters off the schneid. True, but they're still atrocious, making it two-straight seasons of total futility off the pine. In 91 pinch hit chances, they're posting a 120/.189/.217, and when they're subbed into the game, they're hitting .164/.224/.259. Shoring up the bench has been a complete miss for Ruben Amaro.

Vote updates: Chase Utley and Placido Polanco are the leading National League vote-getters at second and third. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins rank second at first and short, Carlos Ruiz is fourth behind the plate and Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino rank fourth and fifth among outfielders.

RIP RISP: Wimps I say. Wimps: .249/.349/.390 in 636 plate appearances, no small sample size.

[Jump to the newest comments]

Notes: Amaro speaks, Happ’s rehab, Ramirez gem

State of the union: Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. addressed concerns about the offense, Joe Blanton and injured players in the video above. Actually, he danced around the offense, but didn’t hold back in admitting that Blanton needed to improve, believing the problems are mechanical. Amaro also details J.A. Happ’s progress and the latest on Jimmy Rollins. It's worth a look since we haven’t heard much from Amaro since the Phils went in the tank.

Happ: Following Sunday’s rehab in Reading, J.A. Happ reported no issues with the strained left forearm that has sidelined him for most of the season. Happ allowed six hits and four runs in 2 1-3 innings. According to Amaro, the left-hander is basically back to square one with his feel for pitching and is gradually building back arm strength. He wouldn’t set a timetable for his return.

Ramirez shines: J.C. Ramirez, part of the Cliff Lee deal, tossed seven shutout innings for Clearwater on Monday, marking his best start of his Phillies career. The 21-year-old right-hander is 4-3 with a 4.03 ERA and 55/17 K/BB ratio in 11 starts (64 1-3 innings). He’s shown steady improvement, but he’s been inconsistent from one start to the next.

Overbeck debuts at Double-A: Reading third baseman, Cody Overbeck, was promoted from Clearwater on Sunday, got into the game in the ninth inning in a 7-2 loss to Richmond. Named the Phillies minor league player of the month for April, the 24-year-old righty bat was hitting .302/.383/.553 with 11 home runs.

Sleuthing the mathematical mysteries behind 3-4-5

Using A-Levels maths to rationalize the Phillies' slumbering bats.

I'll be the first to admit that many of these numbers I'm about to discuss irk the hell out of me. The poindexters who read Beerleaguer pay way more attention to this method than I do, but once in a while, I'm asked to champion the geekazoid cause in an uncomfortably public way. So tomorrow I'll speak on behalf of dorks everywhere during a call-in to the 610 WIP morning show. That's happening around 7:30 a.m.

I think Angelo wants an answer to the riddle that has confounded all of us: why the Phillies have suddenly stopped hitting, specifically, the 3-4-5 guys. So it's time to crack open Fangraphs.com to extrapolate and misappropriate numbers I don't fully understand.

Right off the bat, I see a .259 BABIP (batting average on balls in play) for Chase Utley. That's low, and I'm schooled to understand that it means he's having some bad luck, something you'd know anyway if you've been watching the games. Last week, he must have hit a ball hard right at someone once a night. But he's grounding out a lot, too: 41 percent compared to 34 percent in 2009. That's a pretty steep jump. Besides the obvious power dip, his fielding and speed haven't been quite as strong, and if I'm reading it correctly, he hasn't been hitting fastballs like he normally would; again, something an observer would have already noticed. Conclusion: he's hurt, tired or ill. He missed two days in May with the flu, which is decidedly un-Utley-like. There might be something to that. In addition, he stinks away from home (.660 road OPS compared to 1.072 at home) and against right-handed pitching (.723 OPS vs. 1.114 against lefties).

A reader alerted Beerleaguer to the fact that Ryan Howard only needs 2,227 more plate appearances to be worth the $19 million he's being paid this season. I have no idea how that was determined, so a second reader explained that he's looking at Howard's Fangraphs.com "value" and then dividing by his current plate appearances, then dividing $19 million by that number. Good enough. All it means to me is that statheads who lobbed grenades at the Phillies for breaking the bank on him have been proven correct so far. And that was back when Howard's ISO was .292, not .176 like it is now. Thank goodness for 2008, and free swingers like Mark Reynolds and David Wright. Howard may not lead the league in strikeouts, but he still swings at crap.

Jayson Werth is tough because his numbers still reflect his hot start when he completed that run of consecutive games reaching base. Since then, he's hitting .171/.256/.314 with two homers since May 18 and he's been benched repeatedly to clear his head. Stuck at 10 homers like everyone else, he'd still finish with career highs in OPS (.905) and SLG (.541) if the season ended today. Even Werth would admit that he's a streaky hitter. Defensively, I stand by my unpopular claim that he's the most overrated fielder on the team (-3.0 UZR in 2010).