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

Postgame: Lee, Phils toss 10-2 clunker in Washington

Cliff Lee (4-5, 3.94) left a lot to be desired, again, and the Nationals, behind a 3-for-4, two-homer performance by early Rookie of the Year candidate Danny Espinosa, snapped a six-game losing streak against the Phillies.

Beerleaguer: Lee has been living life up, up, up in the zone, and 19 walks, including three Tuesday night, already puts him over last-season's thrifty 18. Eight home runs allowed is also more than the Phils would prefer. We haven't seen the best from Lee, or Roy Halladay, in 2011, but we're starting to see the cavern widen between the elite, best-in-class of Halladay, who "labors" to a quality start when he's off, and Lee, who can surrender runs faster than any pitcher on staff when he isn't hitting the corners and keeping the ball down.

How much digital ink should be spilled about Danys Baez and Mike Zagurski? At the end of the day, Baez is a soft, fringe Major Leaguer and Zagurski just can't get through a clean inning at this level, no matter how many times the Phillies tee him up with one. Neither one would have been out there if the game was on the line.

Has fatigue set in? The Phils haven't been off in a while, it's hot, and it's starting to show. It's the second real dud in three games. This is where having some young and hungry guys really helps, and it's no surprise that Domonic Brown and John Mayberry provided the lone highlights with back-to-back jacks in the fifth.

Good game by the Nats. It's how I imagine the Nats look against every other club but the Phillies; their lineup can look pretty decent. This ... by the way ... was the largest margin of victory by an opponent this season.

Game chat: Lee aiming to push record over .500

Cliff Lee (4-4, 3.50) hopes to collect just his second road win when the Phillies pass the halfway point of their nine-game road trip tonight in balmy Washington. First pitch is 7:05. Jason Marquis (5-2, 4.26) goes for the Nats.

Beerleaguer: Despite some easier opposition lately, tip your cap to the Phils for pushing the rock up the hill during this stretch of 20 games without an off day, which included some rather tough opposition and a rash of injuries. They’re 10-8 over that span following Monday’s comeback with a much-needed break coming Thursday. After that, the Phils should basically be back to 100 percent for the first time this season, with Brad Lidge the only notable exception. … While the bats have generally heated up (more longballs, more production, in general, from the 5-through-8 holes), pitching continues to be a stabilizing force, and although Cliff Lee will tell you that he needs to keep the ball out of the middle of the plate, he’s still among the league’s best in terms of strikeouts and K/BB ratio. … Earlier today, it was announced that Kyle Kendrick will fill Saturday’s TBA against the Pirates. Raise your hand if you assumed, as I did, that Kendrick would be back in the rotation this season for one reason or another. Say what you want about KK, but it's nice having that kind of failsafe. … Trending topics from the Memorial Day holiday: Domonic Brown (9-for-28) starts again tonight, which makes it 8-of-the-last-10. Shane Victorino’s return will decide whether Brown is officially a member of the starting nine, at least against righties. Meanwhile, John Mayberry just hasn’t had the same offensive impact as a starter as he’s had as a bench player. Although his glove has shined, he’s hitting just .221 as a starter with a pair of homers.

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Beer nuts: Zagurski recalled from Lehigh Valley

The Phillies have recalled lefty Mike Zagurski from the IronPigs to take the place of Vance Worley, who was sent down on Sunday.

Zagurski was impressive in his time with Lehigh Valley, going 1-0 with a 1.88 ERA and nine saves in 14 games. He had struck out 23 batters in 14 1-3 innings and held opponents to a .196 average. This is Zagurski's second stint with the Phils, who continue to give the 28-year-old southpaw opportunities, although it's difficult to say whether those chances will come in anything but a mop-up role instead of a situational role where Zagurski might actually excel. Zagurski will need to show that he can throw strikes on the big stage, but throwing strikes, or rather J.C. Romero's inability to throw strikes, is what makes this move modestly compelling.

The hits keep coming: Cliff Lee has the ball for tonight’s meeting with the Nats, coming off a May 25 start in which he gave up 10 hits in eight innings against the Reds. Roy Halladay got the win on Monday, but he surrendered 10 hits and three homers in seven innings of work. Though Lee and Halladay have a combined record of 11-7 this season, it seems as though the pair has been hit harder than normal of late. This month, Halladay has given up 46 knocks in 45 frames with Lee surrendering 45 in 42 1-3. Since joining the Phillies, there have been only two months in which Halladay has allowed more hits than innings – June of 2010 and May of 2011.

The good news, as far as Lee is concerned, is that the lefthander rebounded from a subpar May last season to go 4-1 with a 1.76 ERA and four complete games in June. The good news, as far as Halladay is concerned, is that he is the best pitcher in the game and will likely sort himself out in the near future.

Heat wave in May: Raul Ibanez’s 0-for-35 nightmare last month is very much a thing of the past. Ibanez is currently batting .317/.342/.615 in May with a team-leading 19 RBIs following a .161/.247/.218 performance in April. He has raised his average to .246 and has homered seven times this month after connecting just once in April.

This type of roller-coaster performance isn’t uncommon for Ibanez, of course. In 2009, he endured a .193/.276/.318 line in August after a scorching run through the first few months of the season. And then in 2010, he was awful in June before catching fire in July. Sure, the Phillies would prefer a little more consistency, but it’s hard to complain at the moment about a player who has driven in at least one run in nine of the last 12 games, with five home runs in that stretch.

Today's poll: Jimmy Rollins' defense

Monday chat: Phils in DC for Memorial Day matinee

Roy Halladay (6-3 2.35) and Livan Hernandez (3-6 3.71) square off as the Phillies head south on the Northeast Regional to begin a set with the Nationals. First pitch is 1:05 from Nationals Park.

Preview: After essentially conceding a loss in yesterday's finale in New York, a game that was over after a two-inning, eight-run ambush by the Mets against Vance Worley, the Phils send Halladay to the mound in hopes of keeping his unbeaten streak alive against Washington (He's 10-1 with a 2.01 ERA against the Expos and Nats in 14 appearances, but 8-0 since they've moved to the nation's capital.) Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard were not in yesterday's lineup, but they're back on the lineup card today. Charlie Manuel will go with Rollins, Polanco, Utley (three-hole debut), Howard, Ibanez, Ruiz, Brown, Mayberry. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend everyone. Did you know? Ben Francisco has an option left.

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Sunday chat: Phillies being Phillies, Mets being Mets

After winning the first two games in the late frames, Vance Worley and the Phillies are positioned for the sweep this afternoon at Citi Field. Left-hander Jonathon Niese is set for the Mets. First pitch is 1:10.

Beerleaguer: A couple of observations and takeaways from this series and the 5-1 “Utley Era” in general. First, although the Phils are playing great, today feels like a loss for a couple of dumb reasons. First, I’m not sure what the Phils will get out of Worley today. There’s no urgency to being the best team in baseball on Memorial Day. It’s Sunday afternoon after a Saturday night comeback and probable NYC afterparty on a beautiful early-summer night in the Big Apple. I’d take a holiday, too. Plus, the Phils are 1-2 when I stain my deck, which is in the cards this afternoon.

Lineups: Here's another reason why the Phils may be conceding a loss: Ryan Howard sits for the first time this season and Charlie Manuel plays a bunch of subs: Rollins SS, Valdez 2B, Polanco 3B, Ibanez LF, Francisco RF, Mayberry 1B, Martinez CF, Sardinha C.

Utley: So how much of this recent surge is because Chase Utley is back? Certainly, his most meaningful and direct contribution came yesterday by stroking the tying hit then using his legs to put himself into scoring position and cross home as the winning run. There’s no question he makes the lineup more unmanageable for opposing pitchers. Before Utley returned, opponents only concerned themselves with Howard.

Hitting season: But the Phils have found their footing in other ways, too. One could argue that Raul Ibanez’s turnaround has as much to do with it, if not more, than Utley’s return. He’s posted a lusty .956 OPS since the start of the Colorado series. Hitting season has arrived for the rest of the lineup, too, and the spigot has opened for extra-base hits; the Phils doubled five times yesterday. Utley’s presence indirectly made the bottom of the lineup more dynamic. Domonic Brown, who is suddenly at .292/.357/.417, is in a great spot to swing and not think.

Right field: Speaking of right field, there’s added intrigue with every passing day as Shane Victorino gets closer to returning. The Phillies appear likely to let the situation play out with Brown now that he’s strung together a couple of productive games. Confidence is key. Meanwhile, John Mayberry, who has played gifted center field, has done himself a great disservice with his tentative bat. His production has taken a sharp dive since mid-May. His last extra-base hit came on May 15 and his OPS has fallen from .915 to .650 since then. I’m sure the Phils have pulling out lots of hair over this guy; why is he so tentative? Ben Francisco, who doesn’t have Mayberry’s complete tools, doesn’t have that problem, and it’s probably the only reason he’s had a better Major League career. Benny Fresh showed his value off the bench yesterday and has six homers on the season.

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Game chat: Hamels hoping for first win at Citi Field

Preview: Cole Hamels, who is just 2-9 with a 4.35 ERA in 14 starts against the Mets and winless at Citi Field, take another crack at it tonight under the lights on Fox. Mike Pelfrey, who was belted in both starts against the Phils this season, is scheduled for the Metropolitans. The Phillies will go Rollins, Utley, Polanco, Howard, Ibanez, Ruiz, Brown, Mayberry. With Shane Victorino’s return looming, time may be running out for guys Brown, Mayberry and Michael Martinez to make last impressions.

Phillies resign Walrond: The Phillies have reconnected with journeyman left-hander Les Walrond, who pitched briefly for the Phillies during their 2008 World Series campaign. Walrond, 34, had been pitching with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League where he was 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in nine relief appearances. He was assigned to Double-A Reading. Since pitching for the Phillies, Walrond has spent time in the Orient, pitching in Japan and Korea in 2009-10. He’s appeared in 23 Major League games divided between the Royals, Cubs and Phils. [Link]

Sullivan released: According to IronPigs radio, the IronPigs have officially added Scott Podsednik and have released veteran Cory Sullivan. Sullivan, who is kind of like a poor-man’s Podsednik anyway, was hitting just .210/.336/.250 with the Pigs. [Link]

Miller retires: Outfielder Matt Miller, who was a non-roster spring invitee and had been playing for Reading, has announced his retirement, according to the Reading Eagle. The 28-year-old veteran of the Rockies farm system arrived as one of the more touted minor league signings by the Phils this winter, bringing along a .325/.404/.436 line from 586 plate appearances with Triple-A Colorado Springs the year before. Expected to start in Lehigh Valley, he was quickly bumped down to Reading and hit just .236/.303/.283 between the two affiliates. Perhaps he was another example of PCL smoke and mirrors. [Link]

Lidge pitches in extended spring training game: On a scale of 1-10, my excitement is around 3.

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Postgame: Phillies emerge on winning end of slopfest

The Phillies and Mets committed five recorded errors, but the most damning miscues occured in the top of the ninth as the Phils staged a three-run rally off closer Francisco Rodriguez to steal away a 6-4 victory.

The Phils scratched their way through three blunders, including a rare miscommunication between Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley on a pop fly that led to an unearned run charged to Roy Oswalt, who allowed another run before exiting after six controlled innings. Offensively, the Phils received a coupe of key hits from Domonic Brown off the bench; Brown is suddenly hitting .250. Jimmy Rollins went 2-for-4 with three knocks; Rollins has been swinging the bat well lately, and generally, the Phils' offense is getting some better cuts at the ball on this three-game winning streak. Ryan Madson overcame a bumpy ninth for his 10th save. More tomorrow ..

Game chat: Phils seek more success vs. LH starters

The Phillies open a three-game series with the Mets tonight at 7:10 p.m. Roy Oswalt (3-2, 2.77) goes for the Phils, while Chris Capuano (3-5, 5.36) takes the mound for New York. The Phillies are 12-3 against left-handed starters this season and they will face a pair of southpaws in this series (Jonathon Niese starts Sunday).

Biggest surprise/disappointment: After 50 games, who is the Phillies’ biggest surprise (factoring in preseason expectations)? Is it Antonio Bastardo (1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .161 opponents BA)? What about Michael Stutes (12 of 13 appearances have been scoreless)? Or is it Ryan Madson or Jose Contreras, both of whom have excelled in late relief? Are any non-relievers even in the discussion? What about the Phillies’ biggest disappointment? Dom Brown and Joe Blanton, both of whom have battled injuries, could be part of the conversation. But it hasn’t to be Ben Francisco (.215/.325/.375), doesn’t it?

Identity crisis: After 50 games, what is the Phillies’ identity? Obviously, this is a pitching-heavy team that has an inconsistent offense and a consistent-but-not-spectacular defense. But as May winds down and trade season arrives, do the Phillies need to add a hitter or two? Or is their pitching/defense strong enough to carry a mediocre offense for the next five months? After approximately 150 hours of Phillies baseball, we should have a good feel for this team. How would you describe the 2011 Phillies in 10 words or less?

Postgame: Rise and shine! Lee lifts Phils by Reds

Less than 24 hours after Wilson Valdez took the hill for the Phils, it was only fitting that Cliff Lee was the hitting star in a 10-4 win over the Reds.

Lee delivered a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth and an RBI single in the seventh. Ironically, he likely would have been lifted for a pinch hitter with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth in a 4-4 game had the Phillies not used the entire organization in Wednesday’s 19-inning marathon. The multi-hit game was the third of Lee’s career. Among the players who couldn’t get two hits in more than six hours of baseball one night earlier: Placido Polanco, Raul Ibanez and Carlos Ruiz. And of the 41 players who got into Wednesday’s game, only one (Jay Bruce) had as many RBIs as Lee racked up with two swings of the bat on Thursday. Oh, and Lee also pitched eight innings for the second straight start.

Raul Ibanez contributed a three-run homer and Chase Utley hit his first home run of the season for the Phils, who went 10-10 in their 20-game stretch against teams with winning records. Even Michael Martinez (two hits, two RBIs) and Domonic Brown (two hits, walk) got into the act.

Contreras returns: Jose Contreras, back on a major league mound for the first time since April 21, worked the ninth. He retired the side in order, notching two foul outs and a strikeout.

Next up: The Phils open a weekend set against the Mets at Citi Field on Friday night. Roy Oswalt (3-2, 2.77) goes for the good guys against Chris Capuano (3-5, 5.36).

Game chat: It's a beautiful day. Let's play 20

With a win today, the Phillies can finish 10-10 over their stretch of 20 games against teams with winning records. Their series with the Reds concludes starting at 1:05.

Cliff Lee takes the mound for the Phillies, probably since Wilson Valdez wasn't available. Speaking of Valdez, he's the third baseman today. A quick look at some of the Phillies' position rotations over the last three innings (including the soon-to-come first inning today): Pitcher: Danys Baez, Wilson Valdez, Cliff Lee. Second base: Wilson Valdez, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley. Third base: Placido Polanco, Carlos Ruiz, Wilson Valdez.

Lineups: Martinez 6, Brown 9, Utley 4, Howard 3, Ibanez 7, Mayberry 8, Valdez 5, Sardinha 2, Lee 1. If you think that's bad, guess who's batting cleanup for the Reds? Yep, that would be noted masher Miguel Cairo. Worst cleanup hitter ever?

Contreras returns: Jose Contreras is back in the fold, and David Herndon is back in the minors. J.C. Romero is lucky to still have a job. And Baez might have saved his career last night. Oh, and Wilson Valdez is tied for the best ERA in MLB history.

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Beerleaguer for breakfast: An extra-special win

Wilson Valdez discusses earning the win for the Phillies in the 19th inning.

Danys Baez talks about his clutch five-inning performance in extra sets.

Link: Phillies outlast Reds for wild victory in 19 innings | By the numbers

A night of unlikely heroes in classic 19-inning victory

Beerleaguer: Wilson Valdez (shutout inning, retiring Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Carlos Fisher). Danys Baez (five shutout innings, one hit, 73 pitches). David Herndon (2 1-3 spotless innings). These were some of the unlikely pitching stars in the longest Phillies game since 1993, which ended after six hours and 12 minutes on a Raul Ibanez limp-off sacrifice fly. The Phillies received 12 courageous innings from their bullpen, including Baez's best performance as a Phillie. Even into his fifth frame, his bender locked knees. Not to be forgotten in the excitement: absolutely stunning defense in the extra sets by Jimmy Rollins at short and Ryan Howard scooping balls out of the dirt over at first. From the opposite side ... it's got to be one of the worst losses in Reds history. All those wasted opportunities, including an inning which included a HBP, BB, BB, BB and ended with no runs.

Call in the cavalry. They're back to work in less than 12 hours.

Game chat: Phillies, Halladay host Reds in Game 3

Preview: Roy Halladay and Travis Wood are scheduled in Game 3 between the Phillies and Reds tonight at Citizens Bank Park. The last time Wood started against the Phillies, he carried a perfect game into the ninth inning before Chooch broke it up with a double. The last time Halladay started against the Reds, he threw a no-hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS. Catching up on today's news, Jose Contreras was not activated from the disabled list, but is expected to join the Phillies tomorrow. Meanwhile, Ryan Lawrence of the Delco Times updates Ross Gload's status here.

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NL East wrap: Blue and orange circus in NY

It has been a wildly uncomfortable week in Flushing. On Monday, Mets owner Fred Wilpon channeled his inner Steinbrenner, calling out everyone from Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran to the batboys.

The comments, which Wilpon issued on Monday, were more than likely a direct result of the Mets’ back-to-back losses to the Yankees to close out a three-game interleague set with the Pinstripes. And if Wilpon’s intentions were to motivate the objects of his scorn, his tactics didn’t work. The Mets were thumped at Wrigley on Tuesday, committing three costly errors in an 11-1 loss to the Cubs.

As undone as the Mets might appear psychologically right now, they are in worse shape physically. The club’s three best players -- David Wright (back), Angel Pagan (ribs) and Ike Davis (ankle) -- are all on the DL. Jason Bay left Tuesday’s contest early with a stiff right calf. And Chris Young was lost for the season on May 16, when he underwent surgery to repair a torn anterior capsule in his right shoulder.

The very thin, nearly imperceptible silver lining to the Mets’ current dark cloud is Dillon Gee (3-0, 3.44), who takes the hill tonight against Chicago. The 25-year-old right-hander is unbeaten since being moved to the starting rotation and is coming off a 7 2-3-inning gem against the Nats.

Braves: Atlanta has lost four of its last six, but after Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over the Pirates, it has become abundantly clear that Jair Jurrjens (6-1, 1.56) is awesome. He has gone at least six innings and has allowed less than two earned in each of his eight starts this year.     

Marlins: The Fish have won three of their last four, but Florida’s biggest victory could come today as Josh Johnson resumes throwing to rehab his shoulder inflammation. Of Johnson’s nine starts this season, the Marlins have won nine.

Nationals: Both corners of the Nats’ opening-day infield -- Ryan Zimmerman (abdomen) and Adam LaRoche (shoulder) -- are on the DL and are not expected back until mid-June. Washington has dropped four straight ballgames and six of their last seven, falling to eight games back in the East.

Postgame: Madson implodes in loss to Reds

Well, it was only a matter of time. Ryan Madson, so stellar as both a setup man and a closer this season, was torched by the Reds in the ninth inning of a 6-3 loss to Cincinnati.

Madson's rocky ninth inning began with a throwing error by the right-hander and ended with a three-run double by Jay Bruce. In between, the key play was a hot shot by Scott Rolen that Placido Polanco fielded spectacularly. But by the time he considered the forceout at second base, it was too late to get Rolen at first.

Vance Worley had the worst start of his brief career, though he still gave the Phillies a chance to win. He battled through five innings, allowing three runs on six hits and four walks, including a costly one to Johnny Cueto.

Also: How good has Michael Stutes been? Another scoreless inning tonight. He has not been scored upon in 11 of his 12 outings. …Chase Utley got his first hit of the season - a third-inning single on which Jimmy Rollins was gunned down at the plate. ... Dom Brown was 0-for-2 with a walk and a sac fly.

Next up: Roy Halladay vs. Travis Wood on Wednesday night. The last time Wood started against the Phillies, he carried a perfect game into the ninth inning before Chooch broke it up with a double. The last time Halladay started against the Reds, well, you know what happened.

Game chat: Phillies pass the ball to rookie Worley

Recalled right-hander Vance Worley (2-0, 1.13) makes his fifth career start tonight when the Phillies and Reds meet in the second of four from Citizens Bank Park. Johnny Cueto (2-1, 1.45) counters for the Reds.

Notes: Lost in the all the talk about Chase Utley's return and Monday's rout was another solid performance by the Phillies' pitching staff, which has the second lowest ERA in the Majors (3.01) and holds the league lead in strikeouts (387) and complete games (6). Good pitching, combined with a reliable defense (.991 fielding percentage leads baseball), continues to make up for a less than optimal offense, which has been the big reason why the Phils are just 8-9 instead of 12-5 or something similar over their recent stretch against winning clubs. … The Phils go with the same lineup as last night against the right-hander Cueto. Ben Francisco's days as a starting player have essentially ended.

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Will Madson’s talents go to waste in the ninth inning?

The issue: It’s likely that Jose Contreras will be activated from the disabled list this week and the prevailing wisdom is that he will assume a set-up role ahead of Ryan Madson, who is believed to have secured the closer role with a perfect conversion rate in all nine of his save opportunities. Contreras hasn’t pitched since April 21, but has shown the ability to handle the pressure of pitching with the game on the line. In the interim, Madson and his devastating change-up have received rave reviews, securing the closer role for the first time in many tries. However, there’s some thought that keeping Madson away from a defined role would allow the Phillies to use him in higher-leverage innings, or even multiple innings, while preserving the alleged 39-year-old Contreras for strictly save duty.

Bats resurrected behind Utley’s magnanimousness

In front of the largest crowd in Citizens Bank Park history, Chase Utley whipped his teammates into a 10-run frenzy Monday night, sacrificing glory with an intentional 0-fer, and benevolently leaving all the hitting for a Phillies team to collect only their second three-homer game of the season. [Boxscore]

 

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Reds-Phillies pregame: Lineups, notes, transactions

Saint Utley hath returneth, and in honor of the occasion, the Phils field one of the more heavenly lineups of the season.

Notes: Charlie Manuel splits the lefties, kinda, and goes Rollins, Utley, Polanco, Howard, Ibanez, Ruiz, Brown, Mayberry. Utley hit second nine times last season. … You might remember the Reds from such exciting sweeps as the exhilarating four-game sweep in July of 2010 to complete a late surge into the All-Star break, then the Division Series sweep of October, when the Phillies' staff erased Joey Votto and the Reds offense from the equation. ... Cole Hamels (5-2, 2.92) starts tonight and has terrific career numbers against the Reds (6-0, 1.07 ERA). Hamels shutout the Reds in Game 3 of the NLDS to complete the quick sweep. … Elsewhere, Jose Contreras pitches a rehab in Lehigh Valley tonight … The Phillies signed former Rockies right-hander Juan Morillo to a minor league contract last week, per Baseball America's transaction page. The Dominican 27-year-old spent last season pitching with Rakuten of Japan. He appeared in nine games with the Rockies and Twins between 2006-09. He's primarily a Triple-A reliever.

Monday: Mayday for struggling Phillies offense

One of May's worst offenses has sent a distress call to Chase Utley.

It’s bad. It’s real bad. It’s not the worst offense of the month, but yesterday the Phils trotted out what has devolved into the weakest attack going at the present moment, measured out over nine-game period, in which they’ve scored a paltry 15 runs while banging out a whole nine extra-base hits. They’re also just 5-for-36 (.138) with RISP over that span. The RISP numbers suggest they aren’t as bad as they appear, just unlucky, but that’s baseball’s cruel equilibrium. It’s baseball’s way of leveling the lucky BABIP totals from earlier this year.

But the story here can only partially be told through stats. Nobody needs to pitch to Ryan Howard when he’s flanked by non-producers like Ben Francisco and Raul Ibanez, who should pose a constant power threat, but aren't. Pitchers are doing the same to Carlos Ruiz, who never sees a fastball anymore. Placido Polanco, for all his talent, is really just a complimentary piece, signed to bring out the best in his teammates through situational hitting and applying pressure. Pete Orr, Michael Martinez and Dane Sardinha wouldn’t start regularly in Triple-A. Meanwhile, Charlie Manuel waits for his annual hot-bat bailout, where someone unexpectedly catches fire. I was hoping that John Mayberry had caught that kind of spark, but his bat is now smoldering.

So here’s Utley, back from the dead. What are the expectations? Using PECOTA, Bill and Crashburn Alley predicts how many wins Utley will add over the Orr-Valdez-Martinez Trio, and it is significant. But obviously, there’s no way to account for knee tendonitis and all the other wear and tear. Still, it’s hard to temper expectations that better days are ahead, and better days for a 28-18 team is a nice place to live.

Report: Phillies sign OF Podsednik to minors deal

In a minor move that could pay dividends for the floundering offense, the Phillies have inked 35-year-old Scott Podsednik to a minor league deal. He was recently granted his release by the Blue Jays. [Signing first reported by Ken Rosenthal]

Beerleaguer: This is a good move. I'd like to see him in an IronPigs uniform by Monday and in Phillies road grays for the start of the Mets series. Clearly, it's time to get serious about this offense. It starts tomorrow with Chase Utley's official return, meaning the Wilson Valdez and Pete Orr party has ended. Orr was demoted today. Podsednik can be another small step forward as long as he's over his foot issues. The sad fact is that if he produces a line anywhere close to last season's .297/.342/.382 with 35 steals over 595 plate appearances between KC and the Dodgers, the former All-Star and stolen base king can be more productive than over half of the starting lineup at their current levels.

The Phils will need to see if his foot has finally healed, a setback that cost him an almost certain shot at cracking Toronto's roster this spring. He was hitting .254/.366/.356 in 71 plate appearances with Toronto's Triple-A affiliate before requesting and being granted his release. It certainly sounds like he has something to prove. He was pursued by a couple of teams this winter, including the Reds and Angels, but the market, perhaps scared off by foot problems that started at the end of last season, just didn't meet his expectations.

The timing of this couldn't be better as the Phils' offense, and outfield in general, has fallen into shambles. He won't walk or homer, but I like that he's a veteran with some life still in his legs. He stole 35 bags and appeared at the plate almost 600 times last season. He's passable in center field, but definitely better suited for the corners at this stage.

Quite frankly, there's a decent chance he can be just as useful as Raul Ibanez and his intollerable .657 OPS, even knowing that Ibanez has had a better May.

The Phils already know what Podsednik can do. Here's someone who hit .300/.349/.406 against lefties last season. If healthy, bring him up quickly in this stretch without Vic and get him there against righties to start.

Weekend wrap: While I was away, the Phils did this: They took two-of-three from the Rangers, but were shut out again today. They've scored three or fewer runs in nine-straight games. A sweep would have been sweet; it would have upped their record to 8-8 during this recent run against winning teams. Instead, they fell to 7-9 with the Reds in for four. On Friday, the Phils sent Victorino to the DL and demoted Scott Mathieson. Domonic Brown and David Herndon came up. Today, Joe Blanton was officially placed on the DL with elbow soreness. Vance Worley was recalled and will start Tuesday.

... and of course, Chase is back. What are your expectations?

Sunday chat: Oswalt scheduled in matinee finale

Roy Oswalt (3-1, 3.09) tries to take another healthy step forward for the Phillies when the hometown nine concludes their interleague tilt with lefty Matt Harrison (3-4, 4.27) and the Rangers beginning at 1:35 p.m. Discuss the game and result of Saturday's contest in the thread below. [Jump to the newest comments]

Postgame: Lee, Madson combine to shut out Rangers

Cliff Lee gave the Texas Rangers a little dose of "Remember me?" with eight scoreless innings Saturday night, and the Phillies' offense exploded for eight hits (including two by the previously comatose Ryan Howard) in a tidy 2-0 victory over the AL champs.

Lee gave up five hits - all singles - against the team he led to the AL pennant last season. He walked two batters after yielding a career-high six walks in his previous start. And he struck out 10 for his fifth double-digit K game this season.

Howard, who entered in an 0-for-23 slump, had a solo homer in the second inning and later singled in the fourth. The Phillies finished with eight hits, ending their run of seven straight games with six hits or fewer (the team's longest streak since 1908).

Elsewhere: Ryan Madson worked around a leadoff single in the ninth for his ninth save in as many chances. ... Dom Brown batted second and went 0-for-4 with two K's. ... And most importantly, happy birthday to Beerleaguer lead singer Jason Weitzel, who is older than Domonic Brown but not as old as Jamie Moyer.

Next up: Roy Oswalt vs. Matt Harrison on Sunday afternoon as the Phils go for the sweep.

Saturday chat: Lee faces former team in Game 2

Cliff Lee (2-4, 3.84) spurned the spurs in favor of the Phillies this winter. The left-hander meets his old mates tonight when the Phillies play Game 2 against right-hander Colby Lewis and the Rangers. First pitch is 7:10. Discuss the game, and the outcome of Game 1, in the comment thread below. [Jump to the newest comments]

Friday chat: AL champs visit in interleague opener

Roy Halladay (5-3, 2.21) hopes to receive some overdue run support tonight when the Phillies open their interleague schedule against C.J. Wilson (4-2, 3.37) and the Rangers. First pitch is 7:05.

Notes: Beerleaguer will be on autopilot through the weekend and return to live posting Monday, hence the earlier than normal gamer. ... In the meantime, everyone is waiting to see what moves the Phillies will make with Joe Blanton and Shane Victorino likely headed to the disabled list. The Phils may actually summon some bullpen reenforcements for now since Worley wouldn't be needed right away. One interesting idea the Phils won't do would be to recall J.C. Ramirez from Double-A Reading. Ramirez, 23, is already on the 40-man roster and pitched an eight-inning gem his last start on May 15. He's 5-2 with a 2.93 ERA on the season. Other R-Phils could also be in play, including right-handed reliever Justin De Fratus, who is also included on the 40-man roster and was a hot name headed into spring training. He has a 2.95 ERA and 20/10 K/BB in 18 1-3 innings. De Fratus makes more sense than Ramirez.

The Phils could actually bring up two relievers temporarily, considering that Kyle Kendrick was used up yesterday, and a couple of other guys, including Mike Stutes (mild side strain) pitched in yesterday's blowout. Grabbing a guy, or guys, off the 40-man makes sense, although I'd like them to get more creative than Mike Zagurski. I'm bored of Zagurski.

Update: Thanks to alert Beerleaguer, Nick, for reminding us of David Herndon's existence. Smart money says they reach for the middling sinkerballer as the short-term answer. He last pitched May 16 and has not allowed a run in five-straight appearances. He's been pitching multiple innings in many cases.

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Poll: Who should replace Victorino on the roster?

Joe Blanton and Shane Victorino are likely headed to the disabled list today. While Vance Worley is a lock to replace Blanton, the outfield decision is less certain. Here are some choices:

Domonic Brown: Ruben Amaro told reporters their top prospect needs more time, but promoting him makes sense. He's included on the 40-man roster and he continues to hit at Triple-A depute a couple of injury setbacks. In 11 games with the IronPigs this season, he's 14-for-41 (.341) with two homers. Considering he's played so little, the Phillies, however, may be reluctant to use him in anything but an everyday role , which may not be possible in Philadelphia.

Delwyn Young: The switch-hitting corner outfielder was among the last cuts of spring training. He's having a poor season at the dish, hitting .212/.255/.394 with 37 strikeouts in 137 at bats. He's still a power threat, however, hitting six longballs on the season. He's hit better lately. His versatility and past experience should be considered a non-factor at this point.

Cory Sullivan: Another Quad-A veteran who isn't hitting. The 31-year-old has posted just a .608 OPS in 32 games for the IronPigs. He's the most versatile of the veteran Lehigh Valley group and would be the best choice should the Phillies opt for the player with the most experience in center field.

Ronnie Belliard: The 36-year-old veteran signed on after he was cut by the Yankees in spring training. He has, by far, the most Major League service time, and although he's strictly infield utility, his presence could add depth and could enable Pete Orr, for example, to move into a 5th outfielder role. Still, he's hard to see how he'd give the offense much of a boost. His numbers at Triple-A have been OK, however (.278/.347/.368).

Brandon Moss: The one-time prospect never factored into the Phillies' plans this spring, but he's been arguably the IronPigs most consistent hitter, hitting .267/.363/.491 with five homers in 116 at-bats. Moss hits from the left side. Like all the others, with the exception of Brown, his contract would need to be purchased and added to the 40-man roster.

Chase Utley: His rehab expires at the end of the month and there was at least some though that he might be able to return during this homestand.

Giambi single-handedly dismantles comatose Phillies

Jason Giambi's three-run homer off replacement starter Kyle Kendrick in the first opened a three-homer, seven-RBI night for the slugging veteran as the floundering, weak-hitting Phils suffered one of their worst losses of the season. Readers weighed in on the 7-1 defeat.

"What a waste of three hours. Seems like losing Vic was the final nail in the coffin for this offense. He's the one and only guy in the lineup who can beat you multiple different ways -- with power, with speed, by getting on base -- and he was also one of the very few who was having a decent month. When he went down, our offense went from below average, but capable of scrapping out three runs, to spectacularly awful and completely incapable of winning any game where the starting pitcher throws anything less than a masterpiece." - bay_area_phan

"Man this offense stinks. Nothing positive from them in over a week. Power outage continues (39 consecutive innings without a HR since Mayberry's shot in the 6th on Sunday), not stringing together any kind of hits, and not walking and working counts. Just moribund. Literally, if there is a three-run jack like Giambi hit in the 1st tonight this team doesn't have a chance of coming back." - MG

Phillies fun facts: Giambi's three homers matches what the Phils have produced since last Wednesday, and his seven RBIs is more total runs than the Phils have scored in four games.

Tomorrow: Wilson Valdez leads the Phillies' potent offensive attack into an interleague showdown with C.J. Wilson and the Rangers.

Blanton, Victorino heading to DL: Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that Shane Victorino and Joe Blanton are likely going to the DL. Colleague Leslie Gudel tweets that Dom Brown will not be called up. Formal announcements are expected tomorrow.

Should Phils have traded Oswalt for offensive help?

This talk this winter was whether the pitching-strong Phillies should trade Joe Blanton to shore up other needs. But upon further review, would the Phils have been best served, in reality, trading Roy Oswalt for a bat? A quick look at the cases for each side:

Yes, they should have: Oswalt, even at 33 years old, would still be an ace for a handful of major league teams. He would have fetched more in a trade than Joe Blanton, who is signed for $8.5 million this year and next. ... Even without Oswalt, the Phillies’ rotation would still have set up nicely with Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Blanton and Kendrick/Worley. ... The Phillies were (and still are) desperate for some production from their corner outfielders. John Mayberry Jr. has played well in limited action, but Ben Francisco and Raul Ibanez have fluctuated between bad and awful. … The injuries to Chase Utley and Dom Brown served as further proof that a trade for a bat was critical to this team’s long-term success.

No, they should not have: Given the level of regret that many Phillies executives, players and fans had for the Cliff Lee trade in 2009, it would have been tough to, once again, acquire a top-flight pitcher (in this case, Lee) and immediately turn around and trade away another one (in this case, Oswalt). … Due to Oswalt’s age (33), salary ($16 million) and back issues, perhaps the three-time All-Star would not have fetched a middle-of-the-order bat in return. … In fairness, which right-handed bats were out there to acquire? Michael Young? Ryan Ludwick? Hunter Pence? Not exactly Hank Aaron and Willie Mays. ... And of course hindsight is 20/20, but Oswalt has been very reliable this season, while Blanton has struggled. Both pitchers have also spent time on the DL.

The debate: Do you think, in retrospect, that the Phillies should have entertained an Oswalt trade over the winter? Given their offensive struggles, is it something they should consider now?

Watch: Madson's evolution into elite Phillies closer

Madson's maturity on display as Phillies end skid

Ryan Madson came up huge in a tenuous spot in the ninth to earn his seventh save in as many chances and halt the Phillies’ season-high losing streak at four games.

Madson, pitching for the first time since Friday, surrendered a leadoff double to Seth Smith with the Phillies clutching to a 2-1 lead. However, in a spot where he might have imploded in previous years, Madson recovered to strike out Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki. Following a pitch-around walk to Todd Helton, Madson punched out Jason Giambi to end it. Make no mistake about it: Madson, essentially Plan C as the Phillies' closer, has been terrific.

Cole Hamels delivered eight strong innings for the Phillies, giving up a run and five hits. The lefty struck out eight against only one walk in lowering his ERA to 2.92 and tying Roy Halladay with a team-leading five wins.

The Phillies manufactured the go-ahead run in the eighth. Wilson Valdez singled to lead off the inning against Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa. Valdez advanced to second on Shane Victorino’s sacrifice and moved to third on a wild pitch before Jimmy Rollins’ sacrifice fly brought him home. Valdez also drove in the Phillies’ first run with a single in the fifth.

Next up: Joe Blanton (1-2, 5.50) faces Jhoulys Chacin (4-2, 2.89) in the finale of the two-game set.

Pregame: The world according to Leslie Gudel

Tonight's pregame report is presented by Leslie Gudel's Twitter.

Victorino still out as Phillies host Colorado tonight

Shane Victorino will be on the sidelines again and Michael Martinez will be in center field when the Phillies return home for a short set with the West-leading Rockies. [Lineup via Phillies Twitter]

Beerleaguer: The other issues is that John Mayberry starts in right instead of Ben Francisco, who is hitting .098 with no extra-base hits in 15 games. Mini-Mart, who was argueably the best player in yesterday's loss, starts for Victorino again; Vic could very well end up on the disabled list with this hamstring strain, it seems. On a positive note, Carlos Ruiz is back behind the plate. However, there could still be a move pending with Michael Stutes back/side in question. That's a problem because the Phillies are beginning to run out of fresh, capable arms to pull from in Lehigh Valley.

Standings: Phillies 25-16, 0.5 lead on Florida; Rockies 22-18, 0.5 lead on San Francisco

Terrified Baez can't run and hide in dismal loss

With Mike Stutes down and Vance Worley demoted, the Phillies were forced to use Danys Baez in a role he was originally signed to fill. True to form, he weakly folded.

Beerleaguer: Has Baez ever converted in a big spot for the Phillies? Not once? Blame the offense all you want, but at least they have an excuse. Over half of Tuesday’s batting order – Michael Martinez, John Mayberry, Dane Sardinha, Wilson Valdez, Ben Francisco – were minor league retreads, prospects who failed to live up to prior expectations or throw-ins on a trade. Baez was touted as a “proven closer” and signed a two-year contract to be a setup-type guy. And for two years, he’s been hiding in the weeds, while rookies or bullpen novices like Stutes, Kyle Kendrick, Vance Worley, Antonio Bastardo and even David Herndon assumed his responsibilities.

Everyone can see how soft he is, how petrified he is to be out there. He wanted no part of the ninth inning. It was written all over is face and anxious body language. He’d rather perform on the off-Broadway stages of Cleveland and Baltimore. The Phils must see it, too, which makes the Worley demotion even more puzzling. Even if Stutes didn’t go down with the back/side strain and carried two innings, they had to know they were going to burn through the bullpen Tuesday with Oswalt’s health still unknown. Now they’re in a situation where Ryan Madson and Scott Mathieson, who won’t be assigned anything but a mop-up inning, are the only fresh arms for Colorado, with another unknown, Joe Blanton, slated for Thursday.

Back to Baez and how much he sucks. Lob grenades at the offense all you want. Even Dane Sardinha knows he’s a bum. Pull the pin on Baez already and replace him with a soldier who's ready to fight.

Postgame: Late rally deals Phils 4th straight loss, 2-1

Danys Baez came on in a tie game in the ninth and promptly allowed three straight singles to load the bases. He then forced Matt Holiday into a fielder's choice at the plate before J.C. Romero came on and was greeted by Lance Berkman's game-winning single over the head of center fielder Michael Martinez.

Roy Oswalt, making his first major league start since April 26, allowed a run and seven hits over five innings. The lone run would not have scored if catcher Dane Sardinha had come up with a better effort on a play at the plate in the fourth inning. The throw from left fielder John Mayberry Jr. was slightly up the line, but Sardinha still got the ball in plenty of time. However, he was caught flat-footed after receiving the throw, allowing noted speedster Lance Berkman to slide to the inside corner of the plate.

The Phillies tied it up in the eighth on Placido Polanco’s sac fly. Polanco also made a couple of terrific defensive plays at third base after having Monday off due to a combination of a recent slump and a sore back.

Offensive ineptitude: The Phillies managed just five hits and have now scored seven runs during their four-game slide. Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 with three K's, while Ben Francisco went 0-for-4 to drop his average to .218.

Another injury: Michael Stutes left with an oblique strain after throwing just three pitches in the sixth inning.

Next up: Cole Hamels (4-2, 3.19) and Jorge De La Rosa (5-1, 3.70) square off in South Philly on Wednesday night in the opener of a two-game set between the Phils and Rockies.

Game chat: Phillies’ skeleton crew meets Garcia

Roy Oswalt (3-1, 3.33) makes his first start since Apr. 26 when the Phillies conclude their short set with St. Louis tonight at 8:10 p.m. Unbeaten left-hander Jaime Garcia (5-0, 1.89) goes for the Cards.

Preview: So here's tonight's lineup; St. Louis trembles: Rollins SS. Martinez CF. Polanco 3B. Howard 1B, Mayberry LF, Francisco RF, Valdez 2B, Sardinha C. It’s actually a considerably worse lineup than last night’s horror show. As you can see, the Phils are still badly understaffed, with Shane Victorino and Carlos Ruiz still on the mend. Meanwhile, whether Oswalt is up for this remains to be seen. His fastball was routinely hitting 89 on the gun in Clearwater last Thursday. … Garcia presents a challenge, but the Phils have performed surprisingly well against southpaw starters this season, running up a 9-1 record against them. … The Phils are also looking to break out of their funk with runners in scoring position. They have just seven hits in their last 37 at bats.

Word of advice: Do something else tonight.

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Cardinals follow roadmap on how to bypass Howard

Some readers called Monday's lineup the worst in recent memory. Tony LaRussa and the Cardinals didn't disagree, walking Ryan Howard three times and forcing the rest of the Phillies' lousy lineup to beat them.

Beerleaguer: Step back for a minute and see what the Phillies have resorted to on the last leg of this road trip. Wilson Valdez is your two-hole hitter. Raul Ibanez and his .223 is hitting third. John Mayberry Jr. is Howard's protection. There isn't a worse arrangement for a clean-up hitter in baseball. There can't be. The decision to bat Valdez second proved costly. He absolutely killed their momentum since Jimmy Rollins was able to work a pair of hits in the lead-off spot. Nevertheless, even if you disagree with Charlie Manuel's lineup structure, any alternative wouldn't be much better. Missing Placido Polanco hurts. Getting Shane Victorino back, even at less than 100 percent, would help, but until then, it's a loser's lineup, crippled by weak hitters galore. Pete Orr can't hit. Valdez can't hit. Ibanez went hitless again, this time against right-handed mediocrity Jake Westbrook. In Ibanez, I've completely lost patience. Even J-Roll isn't guiltless. His GIDP in the eighth essentially sealed it for the Cards.

Honestly, I couldn't care less that Cliff Lee, who labored through 6 1-3 innings, issued six walks to a stacked, righty-heavy Cardinals lineup. Lee was getting squeezed and was forced into nine three-ball counts. It's a small miracle the damage was limited to just the three runs. No, Lee hasn't pitched like a Cy Young candidate, or even an All-Star, or even the Phillies' No. 2, but you can't continue to ask your starters to pitch without any margin for error.

Through 40 games, the Phillies are 25-15, a testament to their pitching and occasional spurts of clutch hitting. Those opportunities have dwindled now that teams like the Cardinals take caution and no longer allow Howard to beat them.

It's going to take a healthy Chase Utley, perhaps batting fifth, to keep opponents honest.

Grilli to DL: Lehigh Valley veteran reliever Jason Grilli has been placed on the 7-day disabled list with a sore right lateral muscle. The move clears room for Vance Worley, who will likely start tonight for the Pigs in Scranton. Grilli has been Ryne Sandberg's best reliever, allowing just two earned runs in 18 innings with a 22/7 K/BB ratio. According to beat writer Jeff Schuler of the Morning Call, Sandberg has a tough decision on who to drop from the rotation to accommodate Worley. Brian Gordon, a reliever who stepped in for Worley when he was promoted to the Phils, was named International League Pitcher of the Week this week.

Postgame: Punchless Phils drop third straight

Cliff Lee was less than sharp and the Phillies’ offense continued to struggle in a series-opening 3-1 loss to the Cardinals.

Lee allowed three earned runs on six hits in 6 1-3 innings en route to his fourth loss of the season. He struck out four, while walking six (one-third of his walk total from the entire 2010 campaign). The six free passes are the most Lee has ever surrendered in a single game.

The Phils’ bats managed to produce just five hits, two of which came from Jimmy Rollins. Ben Francisco went 1-for-3, including an RBI single in the second inning. Ryan Howard finished 0-for-1 with three walks and John Mayberry stole his third bag of the season.

In their last three games, the Phils have just 12 total hits. They have scored three runs or fewer in 13 of their 15 losses this season.

Next up: The Phils attempt to get off the schneid as Roy Oswalt (3-1, 3.33) hits the hill against the undefeated Jaime Garcia (5-0, 1.89) on Tuesday.

Game chat: Sluggers take center stage in short set

Ryan Howard and the Phillies square off against Albert Pujols and the Cardinals tonight in the opener of a two-game set.

Howard has terrific career numbers in his home town, having batted .388/.520/.738 in 21 games at Busch Stadium. Those figures include eight homers and 31 RBIs in just 80 at-bats. Tonight, Howard will face Jake Westbrook (2-3, 6.92), against whom he only has two career at-bats - a single and a double play.

On the other side, Cliff Lee goes for the Phils against a Cards team against which he is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in two career starts. One of those outings - a three-hit shutout - came in 2009, shortly before Lee was dealt to the Phillies. In his career, Pujols is 1-for-5 with a pair of walks against Lee.

Hot corner happenings: Of particular note tonight is that Pujols will be playing third base for the first time since September 2002, as Tony La Russa inserts Lance Berkman at first base to improve the team's defense. ... As JW mentioned in an earlier post, Phils third baseman Placido Polanco has the night off.

First pitch is at 7 p.m.

Transaction: Oswalt off the DL, Worley to AAA

The Phillies have activated Roy Oswalt from the disabled list and sent Vance Worley to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Oswalt, who has been out with a lower back strain, is scheduled to pitch Tuesday against the Cardinals. The move comes despite an unimpressive rehab appearance Thursday in Clearwater. Worley was 2-0 with a 1.12 ERA in four appearances, including two starts. Beerleaguer: Hmm. Worley seems like he should be in the Majors, in some capacity, even if it's in relief. Don't you have to keep a guy like Worley around since you don't know what you're going to get from Oswalt tomorrow, rather than a one-inning guy like Scott Mathieson?

Polanco rests, Mayberry starts: Placido Polanco gets the day off due to some minor back stiffness, according to CSN's Jim Salisbury. So the lineup reads like so: J-Roll SS, Valdez 3B, Ibanez LF, Howard 1B, Mayberry CF, Francisco RF, Orr 2B, Ruiz C.

Beer nuts: Should the Phillies shop for a catcher?

Carlos Ruiz and his backup, Brian Schneider, have taken turns on the disabled list. With news that Schneider could reportedly miss close to a month with a left hamstring strain, should the Phillies seek outside help?

You might be surprised to know the Phillies are in no danger of having the least productive catchers in baseball. That dubious distinction goes to the Twins, who've been dealing with numerous inflictions to Joe Mauer. Combined, their backups are averaging an unfathomable .366 OPS. Meanwhile, the Phils are sixth from the MLB basement with a .585, which is still atrocious by today's atrocious standards for catchers; .239/.312/.384 is the average catcher's slash line across baseball. But knowing how the Phillies are bruised and battered behind the plate, it might be a good time to buy low on an insurance policy for Ruiz, who got his first hit since Apr. 17 on Sunday.

Ruiz's back is undoubtedly a source of some nervous tension for the Phils. Schneider has started in 13 games already and was hitting just .176, numbers that may not climb much higher. Dane Sardinha has already started five games and is 3-for-15 (.200), production that could actually get worse.

Looking around the league, it's tough to get a handle on who might be available since teams feel they're still in contention. A team like Washington, for example, would love to get Pudge Rodriguez and his remaining contract out of the way, although they may not be inclined to trade inside the division under any circumstance. The Dodgers, with Dioner Navarro and, yes, Rod Barajas, could also become sellers. Believe it or not, Barajas and his .233/.278/.440 and 7 homers is one of the more productive backstops in the league. Yeah, it's that bad out there.

When the going gets tough ... the tough get Tuffy? Reading catcher Tuffy Gosewisch is hitting a respectable 266/.310/.468 with four homers for the Phillies' Double-A affiliate. ... Doc stinks: At the plate, that is. So far this season, he's 1-for-22 (.045), although he does have four sacrifices. ... Poll: Do you think the Phillies' poor offensive numbers is due, in part, to the quality of opposing pitching they've faced this season?

Search for answers could spin Phillies in circles

Following Sunday's 3-2 loss to Atlanta, a game in which John Mayberry Jr. produced the only offensive highlight, skipper Charlie Manuel said he'll "keep experimenting until we get people" to help the struggling offense.

Beerleaguer: More Mayberry. And Cholly appears to be leaning that way. From Phillies.com: "I've always had him in mind, to try to give him some playing time," Manuel said of Mayberry. "The better he does, the more playing time he'll get. That's what happened to Jayson Werth, Howard and Victorino. That's how they became regulars for us. Play good enough and you can win a job, you can move anybody."

The problem is the Phils are playing "wait-and-see" at both corners, where Raul Ibanez has picked it up just enough lately to buy himself more time, and Ben Francisco, who was given the full-time opportunity out of spring training, probably deserves at least a little more time to sink or swim. He's presently sinking, to the tune of a 2-for-28 in his last 12 games. There's also Ross Gload, who's productive when he plays, but carries a lot of value on the bench. There are certainly a couple of looks to choose from. Michael Martinez should factor into none of them, however.

With power being at a premium, Mayberry may have done himself a huge favor by belting a two-out homer off the right-handed starter Tim Hudson Sunday. He also walked twice, tracked a tough ball in the gap in right and stole a base. He was, by far, the best player on the field for the Phils.

At some point, Manuel needs to stop spreading it around, especially to a guy like Martinez. More and more, I wish the Rule 5 pick wasn't in the picture. They need to inject the most power possible into the lineup, period. Ryan Howard and Shane Victorino are the only two qualifying regulars who rate above league average in isolated slugging; Mayberry would be there too if he had enough at bats to qualify.

Add in an above-average glove and speed. Perhaps the answer is right under their noses. He has flaws, to be sure, be the Phillies can't know whether those holes are gamebreakers unless he plays. It's up to Manuel to get the best out of this mix. Maybe this minor injury to Victorino will be the break Mayberry and the Phillies needed.

Sunday chat: Halladay vs. Hudson; info overload

More tough pitching is on tap this afternoon when the Phillies and Braves play the rubber game of their weekend set beginning at 1:35. Roy Halladay (5-3, 2.05) and Tim Hudson (4-3, 3.09) are slated.

Injury updates: The Phils suffered their first day-game loss Saturday in a 5-3, three-hit stifling at the hands of Jair Jurrjens. During the game, Shane Victorino became the latest Phillie to blow a gasket. The Phillies center fielder was taken out of the game with right hamstring soreness and is expected to miss today's finale. He's considered day-to-day. The Phils are fortunate that his injury doesn't appear serious. Domonic Brown would have been a logical roster replacement, but he's out with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament of his right thumb and he's expected to miss up to a week. Meanwhile, Carlos Ruiz, who is being eased back into the mix and sat out yesterday, is expected to start today. As for Joe Blanton, the Phils will see how his elbow responds after Saturday's five-inning start. The right-hander was pulled after 74 pitches and appears to be less than 100 percent. Elsewhere in Florida, Chase Utley took the day off and will be back in Clearwater's lineup Sunday in Bradenton.

Offensive update: Since April 8, the Phillies are averaging just 3.78 R/G including Saturday's three-run effort. However, their 4.32 R/G on the season rates fifth in the National League as run production continues to be at a premium across baseball. The Phils have a couple guys in RBI leader Ryan Howard and .347 hitter Placido Polanco who rate highly in old-school stats, but the Phils are generally MIA in many of the new-school metics like wOBA. Overall, I'd observe the Phils are still above average in run scoring because they've been more opportunistic than not in their scoring chances, making lesser opponents like the Nationals and Mets pay for mistakes. They've also had decent production off the bench. It's all part of the game.

Young bullpen: I wanted to chime in on Friday's win, which was another nice showing by the young bullpen in pressure situations. You've gotta love the ability of Antonio Bastardo, Mike Stutes and Vance Worley to pick up big strikeouts. It's going to be interesting to see what the Phillies do when Roy Oswalt and Jose Contreras are ready to return from the disabled list. Scott Mathieson will be the first to go, but after that, it gets tough. There will be no shortage of work should the Phils decide to keep Worley around and turn him into Chad Durbin, a role that Danys Baez has not been able to fill. The home-grown 'pen is one of the nicest surprises of the season.

Minor notes: In case you missed it, the Camden Riversharks signed Pedro Feliz, who was arguably the least-productive starting player in baseball last season. He hit just .218/.240/.293 over 429 plate appearances last season. I believe somewhere, in a comments thread maybe, Beerleaguer predicted he'd be relegated to the independent leagues this season. … In Allentown, right-hander Brian Bass pitched just the third complete game in IronPigs history Friday night. It followed a two-inning, eight-run drubbing in his previous start. … David Herndon earned the win with three shutout innings Saturday in the Pigs' 8-7 win over Norfolk. Catcher Erik Kratz hit his sixth homer. … Reading Eagle beat writer Mike Drago profiles right-hander Austin Hyatt today, who is 5-1 with a 3.18 ERA at 37/12 K/BB in 39 2-3 innings. The 24-year-old notched 181 strikeouts between Clearwater and Reading last season. He's not overpowering, but has good off-speed stuff. In other Reading news, Paco Figueroa, who was recently acquired in a trade with Baltimore for future considerations, is off to a slow start (5-for-27) as the club's new second baseman. Harold Garcia, who had been the starter, is out for the season with a torn ACL.

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Postgame: Phils manage just three hits in loss

Michael Martinez broke up Jair Jurrjens’ perfect game bid with a single in the sixth inning of the Phillies’ 5-3 loss to the Braves.

Jurrjens allowed three runs on three hits in 7 1-3 innings, striking out six and walking one. Jimmy Rollins doubled home Martinez in the sixth and Wilson Valdez added an RBI double of his own in the eighth inning.

Joe Blanton allowed back-to-back homers to Nate McLouth and Martin Prado in the first inning but was terrific after the rough opening frame. In five innings of work Blanton surrendered two runs on five hits with five Ks and a walk. The bullpen, however, was shaky immediately after Blanton’s exit. J.C. Romero and Kyle Kendrick combined to allow three runs on three hits in the sixth inning.  

Next up: Roy Halladay (5-2, 2.05) takes on Tim Hudson (4-3, 3.09) in Sunday's contest -- the series finale.

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Game chat: Ruiz hoping to reignite bottom of lineup

Catcher Carlos Ruiz returns from the disabled list tonight when the 24-12 Phillies open a weekend set with the 21-18 Atlanta Braves. Cole Hamels and Brandon Beachy have the honors.

Ruiz, who was finally placed on the DL on May 8 with a lower back strain, returns to the offensively-challenged 8-hole following a brief rehab in Clearwater. Chooch, unfortunately, has been part of the problem, however, hitting just .226/.310/.371 in the opening month of the season. His last action came Apr. 27. … At 4-2 with a 2.83 ERA, Hamels has worked himself into the early, early Cy Young discussions and has stumbled in only a handful of bad moments all season. Beachy, meanwhile, is looking to improve an already fine 1-1, 2.98 line tonight starting at 7:35.

Lineups are in: Rollins, Victorino, Polanco, Howard, Francisco, Ibanez, Orr, Ruiz.

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AWOL Oswalt lets lifeless fastball do the talking

Roy Oswalt keeps the media in the dark once again after Thursday’s rehab start failed to inspire confidence in the pitcher’s health.

Beerleaguer: The facts, as I see them, are these. The Phillies press corps, which includes newspaper groups struggling to make ends meet, among others, makes a special side trip to cover Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz and Oswalt in a minor league rehab in Clearwater, arranging travel accommodations and ratcheting up more expenses following the Phillies’ series against Florida. Thursday would have been an off-day for the media, too, a built-in break during a three-city road trip, which turned into four with the addition of Clearwater. They’re there for one reason: to get answers. After the game, Ruiz was available to reporters. Utley was available to reporters. Oswalt wasn’t. He reportedly showered and left by the time the clubhouse became available to reporters, who were teed up to ask why he holstered his flat, 89-mph fastball in favor of his secondary pitches and to comment on whether Oswalt feels as brittle as he looks.

No need to rush brittle Phillies: As I see it, the 24-12 Phillies are in great shape, thanks to a pitching mixture of superstar veterans and up-and-coming rookies. So for Oswalt, Jose Contreras, Brian Schneider (hamstring), Brad Lidge, Utley, and Domonic Brown (thumb, day-to-day), take the rest of the month off and focus on the final five.

Utley homers, Oswalt goes five in Clearwater win

Chase Utley smoked a home run down the right field line in the fifth inning of the Threshers’ 7-5 victory over the Palm Beach Cardinals.

In three plate appearances, Utley notched a K, a walk and a homer. He looked comfortable running the bases and avoided a takeout slide on a double play in the field. He also rocked the hell out of the high, red socks.

Oswalt looked alright, letting across three runs on seven hits in five innings of work. His fastball appeared to be as lackluster as it was in his final start before hitting the DL – a three-inning, five-run outing against the D-Backs on April 26. Despite his seemingly average stuff, Oswalt did manage to strike out five batters in Thursday’s rehab start, while walking one.

Carlos Ruiz went 1-for-3 at the plate with a single through the left side of the infield. He will likely return to the big club tomorrow.