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

Phillies recall outfielder Pridie to fill Thome's spot

One final piece of news on this busy Saturday. Jim Salisbury tweets that the Phillies have recalled Triple-A outfielder and former Met Jason Pridie to fill the spot vacated by Jim Thome. Pridie, 28, was signed to a deal earlier in the month and has been hitting the ball well at Lehigh Valley, posting a .370/.442/.652 slash line in 52 plate appearances. Pridie was released earlier in the season by the Athletics after serving a 50-game suspension for a "drug of abuse." He's got some tools and should help the outfield in a Mike Fontenot sort of way. Now I know you're excited.

Phillies, Orioles address pain points with Thome deal

Beerleaguers observe that by moving Jim Thome for prospects, they gain a pair of intriguing young players, and some breathing room under the luxury tax threshold.

Orioles get their bat: "Good trade for Dan Duquette and the O's. They desperately needed an upgrade at designated hitter and Thome put on a nice display there a few weeks ago. The AL East is open, too, with the injury problems the Yanks have in their rotation. They still need to pick up a veteran corner outfielder and another veteran starter to legitimately make a stronger run. As for the Phils, don't underestimate the $600k or so they save with this trade. I have no doubt they will look to move other secondary pieces at the deadline to save a few bucks and make sure they stay below the luxury tax threshold." - MG

Phils get quality kids, cut payroll: "The prospects the Phils got aren't garbage. Gabriel Lino is a FA signing (by ex-Phillie Calvin Maduro!) out of the DR who had a pretty nice offensive year in the GCL in 2011. He's just 19, young for the Sally League, and struggling a bit with the bat at Delmarva this season (.218/.282/.340). The Phils don't have any catching prospects outside of Seb Valle (sorry Tuffy) so this is a nice addition. Lino's very toolsy and scouts think he'll develop some power as he gets older. His strike zone judgment plummeted with the move up to A ball, but he's shown a good eye in the past. Defensively, he's got a good arm but is very raw.

"As long as Sebastian Valle continues to show hideous plate judgment (and we are in year four of that) it's possible Lino could pass him by. Kyle Simon is a polished, pitch-to-contact guy out of the U of Arizona (2011 4th round). He is a Kyle Kendrick type: fastball around 90 mph, relies on sinker, which is very effective when he places it correctly. He projects as a middle reliever/spot starter. He's holding his own at age 21 in high A ball and needs to move to Double A either later this season or next.

"Lino has more upside and at a valuable position, but Simon is the safer bet, for now, to actually make the big leagues." - clout

Beerleaguer: I don't necessarily view this as a sign of more selling, since Thome wasn't going to fetch anything other than prospects, but if they were 10 up instead of 10 back, the deal doesn't go down the exact same way. This was really the Phils' one opportunity to secure value for Thome from a contending team in need of a DH, and the Orioles aren't going to weaken their club by trading big league talent. The Phils couldn't even work Thome into one final at bat in today's miserable loss, which, for all intents and purposes, sums up why the the Phils did the right thing by getting him off this sinking ship. It also creates a soft landing for Ryan Howard in a few weeks. If the Phils fall farther out of contention, Howard, who doesn't look ready for the field, might actually hold the same role as Thome anyway.

Prospect rankings: Baseball America ranked Lino as Baltimore's 21st best prospect before the season. Simon ranked 18th.

Breaking news: Phillies deal Thome to Orioles

CSNPhilly.com confirms the Phillies have traded Jim Thome to Baltimore. In return, the Phillies get two minor leaguers: catcher Gabriel Lino and RHP Kyle Simon, a fourth round pick of the Orioles in the 2011 draft. More later, with thoughts and reactions.

Saturday 'hope is fading' open thread

What can you say that hasn't already been said? Cliff Lee: 17-game winner a year ago; runaway pitcher of the month last June; a league-best six complete-game shutouts on the season. And here he stands, winless in 13 starts with a 4.13 ERA. And nobody can explain it. Does he lose focus, as he did in Game 2 of the NLDS? Is he tipping his hand? Hard to say, but clearly, something's changed. What's more certain is the fact that the Phils, at 7 games under .500 and 10 back in the division, are in a lot of trouble, and that's all anyone needs to say about it. Hamels and Buehrle today at 4:10. Sad and tired looking dog pictured right, representing the look on my face when Lee was pulled in the fifth inning Friday. [Jump to the newest comments]

Game chat: Phils, Fish engage in basement battle

A pair of struggling National League East rivals meet in the first of three from Marlins Park beginning at 7:10. Cliff Lee, seeking his first win, christens the Phillies' six-game road trip against right-hander Josh Johnson, who has improved since Laynce Nix and the boys roughed him up back home on April 11. While nobody appears in any rush to run away with the division, both the Phils and Marlins have noteably bungled their way through June and reside 9 and 8.5 games off the pace, respectively. For Phillies fans, it's an opportunity to gaze in awe of Giancarlo Stanton, who has recently decided to become the National League's premier power hitter. [Jump to the newest comments]

Report suggests Thome will be the odd man out

As Ryan Howard gets closer, a report from ESPN's Jayson Stark hints the Phils are seeking a soft American League landing for Jim Thome.

Stark reported Tuesday the Phils are floating Gentleman Jim to AL clubs in need of a designated hitter, but that Thome's reported preferences, the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians, are all set at the position. MLBTradeRumors.com lists Baltimore as the contending club with the biggest need at DH, with the Rangers as a darkhorse possibility. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told Stark that "if there's a situation out there that benefits both Jim and the Phillies, we'll try to put something together."

Beerleaguer: There are a couple of driving forces pushing the Phils to move quickly on Thome. The interleague "audition" verified his value. The Phils and Thome both know it will be difficult keep his bat fresh with one at bat every other day. Fielding is out. But now there's another force at work. How do the Phillies make room for Howard once he's ready?

Unfortunately, the answer appears to be to jettison a future Hall of Famer who was probably the best, true clean-up hitter this team has had all season. Right now, the Phils are hoping to get value back, but that will only get harder with every passing day. Contenders are also reluctant to trade ready help, for example, a capable middle reliever straight-up for Thome, who is hardly a guarantee to stay healthy through October. Prospects are more likely. Thome and Howard cannot coexist as an ex-first-baseman who can't take the field and one who will be eased back slowly.

From a gentlemen's standpoint, the Phils also recognize their reduced probability of a World Series and will do their part to help Thome reach that objective elsewhere.

Beerleaguer for breakfast: Watch Howard highlights

Ryan Howard, making his first rehab appearance as Lakewood's DH, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, wearing what may be the ugliest uniform in professional sports.

Game chat: Phils call in cavalry to survive series

Left-hander Jeremy Horst, who came to the Phillies from the Reds in the Wilson Valdez trade, joins fellow call-up Brian Sanches in a revamped bullpen when the Philies and Pirates conclude their four-game set. First pitch is 1:05.  Horst was 2-1 with two saves and a 2.11 ERA in 26 games with the IronPigs, and since April 28, he had a 1.61 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 27.1 innings for Lehigh Valley. This is his second big-league cup of coffee after appearing in 12 games last season with the Reds. [Jump to the newest comments]

Breaking news: Qualls designated for assignment

On the heels of Wednesday's bullpen beating, the Phillies have taken swift action, designating veteran right-hander Chad Qualls for assignment.

Beerleaguer: Not surprised in this respect: Qualls was a bad signing from the get-go with declining stuff and bad numbers away from Petco Park. I would have said a mid-season DFA was more than likely. But I am surprised in this respect: the Phils typically value experience and feel they're better off without him, right now, given the instability of the bullpen. The move doesn't necessarily a precursor to an outright release. The Phils needed to make a series of emergency moves just to survive today. Qualls wasn't helping and certainly wasn't going to help today. Qualls gives way to left-hander Jeremy Horst. Joe Savery, who was optioned back to Lehigh Valley earlier, clears room for Brian Sanches' latest stint.

The odds that Qualls clears waivers are better than 50/50. They'll have 10 days to decide his fate and see if these new guys work out. My opinion: he's probably cooked. Look at the gopherballs; seven already. The Pirates pounded him. No evidence of strikeout stuff. Just move on.

Nowhere to hide from pointless bullpen debate

The choice to turn Wednesday's start over to a bullpen committee backfired, but regardless of who started the game, the bullpen was still going to pitch, and the bullpen still stinks.

Beerleaguer: There's nothing like an old-fashioned bullpen implosion to bring out the worst in our comments section. Two reasons. First, the obvious frustration. Second, it's the one subject where everyone, truly, talks directly out of their ass. How do you build a bullpen? Why not ask the Phillies, who built one of the steadiest committees from 2008-11? Realize it's the same brain trust that gave us such hits as Jose Mesa Part II, Arthur Rhodes, who stunk here and has been solid elsewhere, Julio Santana, who nobody remembers, Danys Baez, who everyone remembers, and many others.

I've seen lots of "the Phillies need to bring in a veteran right-handed reliever ASAP!" Like ... uh ... Chad Qualls? Or Brian Sanches, who's reportedly on his way to Philadelphia to replace Joe Savery. How does Sanches grab you?

Then you have a fiefdom of eggheads who argue indignantly that spending big bucks on a bullpen arm is a waste of money. OK, please understand Jonathan Papelbon is the only reliever remotely close to a sure thing, year-over-year, which puts him in very elite company.

You also have this shortsighted group who claims Ruben Amaro Jr. trusted his young relievers too much. But did Amaro expect Michael Stutes, Jose Contreras and David Herndon would be lost to injury, and Kyle Kendrick shifted back to the rotation? When the season started, the Phils were expecting to use one young reliever, at most, to work low-leverage innings.

Circles.

Wednesday's loss boiled down to three things: Raul Valdes badly missing on an 88 mph fastball before the pitcher, Joe Savery being Joe Savery and Qualls, who hadn't allowed a run in nine appearances before Wednesday, leaving his sinkers up on a tee. The realistic alternatives would be no different. Fringe journeyman, unproven arm with limited upside, fading veteran. Guess what? That's 75 percent of every bullpen.

Round and round.

It's official: Michael Martinez optioned to Triple-A

Infielder Michael Martinez will be replaced by some guy named Chase Utley, who hit just .156 in 32 at-bats with in his rehab stint with Single-A Clearwater, but went 2-for-5 with a home run Tuesday night in Lehigh Valley. Martinez, 29, was hitting .133/.188/.200 with one home run.

Can Schwimer become 'pen's breakout performer?

The Phillies have been waiting all season for a reliever to emerge from their batch of rookies. Michael Schwimer, who held all of his inherited runners at bay in the seventh inning Tuesday, has raised his hand to volunteer.

Schwimer, who has allowed just one run in his last 7 2-3 innings, relieved Vance Worley and was handed runners at second and third with no outs and escaped unscathed, thanks in large to a perfect one-hop throw by John Mayberry Jr. to nail Michael McKenry at the plate (timely defense, Carlos Ruiz's full-out assault on baseball and the Spirit of St. Utley being the evening's other subplots).

A year ago, we were signing the praises of darkhorse right-hander Michael Stutes, who bulled his way to a late-inning assignment after missing the cut to head north out of spring training. At this time last year, Stutes was rocking a 2.81 ERA and .579 OPS against. (Ask Cliff Lee whether he's still be winless if the Phils had the Stutes of '11 this season).

Schwimer is a similar animal to Stutes, a fastball-slider guy with the occasional split who's a little harder and heavier with his pitches than Stutes. He altered his slider grip at the suggestion of Rich Dubee, this according to Jim Salisbury's postgame: "Since making a mechanical adjustment in his delivery and learning a new slider grip from pitching coach Dubee a couple of weeks ago, Schwimer has allowed just one run in his last 7 2/3 innings. 'Those are the kinds of situations I absolutely love,' Schwimer said of the seventh-inning jam. 'I’ve had problems getting too emotional with it in the past, but I feel like I’ve learned from past failures and been able to channel my emotion and make good pitches.' "

Valdes to start: Left-hander Raul Valdes, who has found a niche as the Phillies sponge man, gets the emergency assignment Wednesday as the Phils choose the preverbal "committee." I can still recall the time when Aaron Fultz got that start up in Toronto. Feels like a lifetime ago. Valdes started a game for the Mets in 2010 and got the win, pitching five innings of three-run ball at Washington, a night after taking the loss in relief. He also started seven games for Triple-A Memphis (St. Louis) a season ago.

Game chat: Focus split between Philly, Lehigh Valley

Second baseman Chase Utley takes the field for what may be his final day of, essentially, four months of spring training when the IronPigs get underway at sold out Coca-Cola park beginning at 7:05. Utley will reportedly bat third in Ryne Sandburg's lineup. Meanwhile on the big stage, Vance Worley (3-4, 2.78) and the Phillies look to take the second of four against left-hander Erik Bedard (4-7, 4.17) and the Pirates. First pitch is 7:05 from Citizens Bank Park. Charlie Manuel leads off with the red-hot Jimmy Rollins, who has been en fuego post-fatherhood. Then it's Polanco, Pence, Ruiz, Victorino, Wigginton, Mayberry, Fontenot, who starts for the second-straight game. [Jump to the newest comments]

Poll: Should the Phillies bring back Brad Lidge?

The Nationals gave former Phillies closer Brad Lidge his unconditional release Monday night and he is now a free agent. The 35-year-old right-hander reportedly believed the Phils would bring him back for a fifth season this winter, but they opted for a healthier late-inning alternative in Chad Qualls. Lidge signed with the Nats for $1 million as closer depth behind Drew Storen and it didn't work out. He was 0-1 with a pair of saves and a 9.64 ERA in 11 appearances with a 10/11 K/BB in 9 1-3 innings. So the strikeouts are still there, but the walks are out of control.

Game chat: Kratz recalled for Keystone showdown

Erik Kratz rides his horse and buggy dawhn from Lehigh Valley, not vunce, not twice, but for the fifth time this season, this time to replace Brian Schneider, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an ankle sprain, as the Phillies and Pirates begin a four-game set beginning Monday at 7:05 p.m. Kratz has more recalls than plate appearances. Should Schneider decide for some Northampton, Pa. rest and relaxation, you'd have two catchers passing each other in the night on the Northeast Kratz-tension, otherwise know as the Escalona Expressway, or to some, the Condrey Corridor. Big series for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, with the Bucs coming in, Kratz coming down and Chase Utley hopefully taking the Extension Wednesday, and hopefully Mini-Mart, too. [Jump to the newest comments]

Beer nuts: Victorino a very good bet to improve

Shane Victorino + contract year + low BABIP = imminent improvement.

Unless he's hiding an injury, which isn't outside the realm of possibility, the only person more baffled by Victorino's worst campaign in seven years is the man himself. Vic was the Phillies' most consistent hitter last season and best overall contributor on a 102-win team, earning his second All-Star nod and garnering MVP grumblings until his .577 OPS September silenced the discussion. Heading into 2012, and seeking his first real payday, he was supposed to anchor the offense as the Phillies "Mr. Everything."

So what's the deal? Four months of mediocrity, dating to last season, is a little unsettling for a 31-year-old "little guy" who needed to convince his team that he had the dexterity to be an everyday player as recently as 2008. So, is it the beginning of the end?

I doubt it. Much has been made about his cavernous left/right splits, but they're not "terribly" different from 2011, which was a career year. Instead of splits, the focal point should be his .259 BABIP (batting average on balls in play), which is frustratingly low for a player with his speed and ability to drive the ball. Considering the toolset and point in his career, that number should really be in the .295-.315 range. To put it another way, he's got two triples, compared to 16 a year ago. The speed is there. Something's gotta give.

Considering their lack of centerfield alternatives, his body of work on the whole, I'd advise caution on selling Vic for peanuts and speeding up the John Mayberry Jr. / Tyson Gillies era in center field.

I'm also eager to see whether Vic improves once another threat is added to the lineup, which could happen Wednesday ...

Readers: Two steps forward, three steps back

Another pedestrian Cliff Lee start, egregious tactical mistakes and a bullpen that can't be taken seriously were top of mind with Beerleaguers following the Phillies' miserable Sunday.

"Today was just really poor managing by Cholly. First game and the managing in the bottom of the 8th was just a series of poor moves compounded by pinch running with Pierre and letting Mini-Mart hit for himself. Second game was much less egregious but still don't understand why Mini-Mart started only to get pulled in the 4th for Fontenot and why he let a rookie like BJ Rosenberg dangle and fail in a spot like that. Two steps forward, three steps back. That has been this entire month. Been a month of generally ugly Phils' baseball with some really crummy pitching (starters/bullpen) and shoddy defense." - MG

"I cannot stand another season with the buffoon Manuel at the helm. I go way back to when he first got to Philly and well before the five-year run of success as one who believes that he knows next to nothing about both in-game strategy and how to handle pitchers. All he knows about is three-run homers going back to his days with the Indians and the hey-day of the Phillies' run. That takes no tactical acumen. Just get the right players and dial it up. He is an embarrassment who has had the good fortune to inherit a group of very good players. Now, with everything falling apart, he has become one of the team's biggest detriments." - mainerob

Beerleaguer: It's difficult to pinpoint the exact issue with Lee. He's rated among the league leaders in strikeouts the last couple of seasons, yet he's never been overpowering and isn't an especially tough assignment for a left-handed hitter. Unlike Roy Halladay, who throws a heavier ball, when Lee misses he tends to miss big. He's still missing bats, and his stuff looks okay: I guess he's been a little unlucky with balls and strikes and walks have come back to bite him; he's walking a batter more per nine than he did two seasons ago.

But I wouldn't use these as excuses. He's had leads and failed to keep them. Opponents are hitting .293 against him over his last seven starts, a span of a 5.10 ERA. That's pretty bad.

Turning to Manuel, I warned readers before the season the dangers of having a flexible roster with a lot of moving parts. Sunday proved that it was too much for Manuel to handle. Still, as much as these games were bungled - and I count the Thome/Pierre/Martinez decision among the most glaring in Manuel's career - the players are the ones who aren't executing, from Antonio Bastardo to Lee to Rosenberg to an offense that continues to squander opportunities on a nightly basis. This isn't a contending team as currently constructed, particularly in the 'pen.

Game chat: Lee hoping to soothe afternoon angst

Call it another loss attributable to the bullpen (Antonio Bastardo). Or call it one of the most egregious tactical botch jobs in Charlie Manuel's Phillies' career (pinch hitting Jim Thome, who was a lock to be intentionally walked, pinch running Juan Pierre for Thome, representing an inconsequential run, then allowing Michael Martinez, of .366 career OPS as a right-handed hitter, to bat for himself with the game on the line and defensive alternatives available). Whatever the case (and why not question lifting Cole Hamels with a depleted, ineffective 'pen to begin with), the Phils need to put it behind them when they play the second of two at Citizens Bank Park. Lee, seeking his first win, matches up with a bullpen starter for Tampa. [Jump to the newest comments]

Game chat: Top lefties duel in twin bill opener

Cole Hamels (10-3, 3.25) is handed the afternoon assignment as the Phillies host David Price (9-4, 3.08) and the Rays in the first of two from Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is 1:05.

Beerleaguer: Jim Thome sent an energized crowd home happy with a walk-off, opposite-field home run in the bottom of the ninth in giving the Phillies a 7-6 victory Saturday. That came moments after Jonathan Papelbon was given the business for squandering a 6-4 lead in the top of the inning, his first blown save in 18 chances. Tough crowd; Papelbon has been the Phils' most consistent pitcher this season. Nevertheless, terrific moment for Thome, who tied Sammy Sosa with his 609th career homer, good for seventh on the all-time list. It was also his 13th career walk-off home run, which is most in baseball history.

Rosenberg recalled: According to the IronPigs' Twitter, right-hander BJ Rosenberg was recalled from Triple-A and becomes the Phillies' 26th man. Of course, the Phils would rather see him seated on a bullpen folding chair and get another big start from Hamels, who threw eight innings in a win over the Rockies his last start. Rosenberg appeared in a pair of games earlier in the month. The Orioles walked off on him June 9.

Lineup: The Phils stack the right-handers while giving Placido Polanco and Juan Pierre the afternoon off. It's Rollins, Victorino, Pence, Ruiz, Wigginton, Mayberry, Luna, Martinez, Hamels against the left-hander Price.

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Saturday chat: Rays-Phils; a check on the Wild Card

The idle Phillies picked up a half game on the Nationals, but every team ahead of them in the Wild Card hunt, with the exception of Miami, won Friday night.

Beerleaguer: Realistically, the Wild Card race will be tracked more intently than in any point in the last five years or so, not only because of the extra team, but the sizable hole the Phils have dug in their division. Just as the National League East is shaping up to be a dogfight, the Wild Card is lining up to be a packed field with a number of improved teams in the early hunt. The Mets and Giants, who share the Wild Card lead, each won Friday night; the Mets, who knocked off the Yankees Friday, have won four straight. In between, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Arizona, Miami and Milwaukee are all positioned ahead of the Phils, who are six off the pace in the Wild Card and 8.5 games behind Washington (10 in the loss column) in the division.

Turning to Saturday's 4:05 start, Charlie Manuel reshuffled his rotation and will go with Kyle Kendrick against James Shields for the Rays. Kendrick (5.29 ERA) is in the midst of one of the worst stretches of his career, having allowed five or more runs in his last three starts.

Sunday's double-header pitching match-up will be announced sometime today. The Phils will be granted a 26th man on their roster for the twin bill.

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Phillies washed out, day-night doubleheader Sunday

Game times are 1:05 and 6:35 on Sunday. The Phils can bring up a 26th player for their roster, per the new rules.

Game chat: No time to dwell on missed opporunity

There's no time to sulk over missing out on the Rockies sweep as a tough Tampa Bay Ray team visits for the first of three interleague games beginning at 7:05. Cliff Lee (0-3, 3.48) tries for his elusive first win of the season opposite Big Game James Shields (7-4, 3.72).

Beerleaguer: First, apologies for the light posting this week as work has interfered heavily with the blogging thing, which is more and more the case these days. Last night became the latest in a long line of games where the Phils' offense left no margin for error and the game eventually slipped away. Cliff Lee, who is winless in his first 11 starts, knows it well. According to Elias (via the press notes), his ERA is the lowest for any Phillies' pitcher who was winless through his first 11 starts since the NL began keeping track of ERA in 1912. … Lineups are posted, and to readers' dismay, Michael Martinez, who has two hits in his last 27 at bats, remains in the starting lineup while John Mayberry Jr., perhaps the team's hottest hitter, sits. Ty Wigginton starts at first base. I will say this in Charlie Manuel's defense: just about every time he's chosen offense over defense this season, he's been burned. [Jump to the newest comments]

Game chat: Phillies ready to reach for the brooms

The recharged offense can complete its first three-game home sweep of the season tonight as the Rockies and Phillies conclude at Citizens Bank Park. First pitch is 7:05 with Jeff Francis and Vance Worley slated.

Beerleaguer: When Charlie Manuel says "hitting season," what he really means is "extra-base hitting season." The Phils are beginning to fly up the charts in a number of National League offensive categories, like doubles (4th), home runs (8th), on-base (7th) and total bases (3rd). Jim Thome's interleague tear and Carlos Ruiz's sustained success are two of the main drivers along with several emerging players, like John Mayberry Jr, who is hitting 375/.423/1.000 over his last six games (26 plate appearances). But give credit to Jimmy Rollins, who has been behind much of the Phillies' day-to-day success offensively. Since May 28, he's hitting .337/.372/.584 with three homers, nine doubles and a pair of triples. His numbers are beginning to fall more in line with those on the back of his baseball card. And after taking heat for his defensive blunder in Saturday's loss to the Blue Jays, it's worth nothing that he's the National League's second-best shortstop in terms of fielding percentage (.981).

Lineup: Rollins, Pierre, Pence, Ruiz, Victorino, Polanco, Mayberry, Martinez, Worley. The Phils are 22-4 against the Rockies in their last 26 meetings dating back to 2008. Vance Worley, who is coming off two-straight "quality starts" is looking for his first win since May 11. Jeff Francis, in his second stint with the Rockies, is 0-1 with a 12.46 in two starts.

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Phils find holy trinity - spirit, hustle, grit - in victory

We don't spend much time discussing intangibles on Beerleaguer. In fact, most readers poo-poo anything to which one cannot assign numeric value. But if there was ever a time to break from regulations, this is one of them.

Beerleaguer: The title of this header could be called "Intangibles open thread" because that's what it's bound to become. But just once, kindly shut off your brain and soak up the good vibes that emanated from the Phillies' energetic 7-6 win over the Rockies and ensuing celebration in which a group of alleged "over-the-hill" ballplayers partied like they had won the College World Series. It was one of the rare occasions in which the final boxscore explained almost nothing. Joe Blanton pitched great. Carlos Ruiz took a beating. Ty Wigginton ran like a gazelle. Michael Martinez led a parade of hard-hit balls. The entire team played genius baseball (great reads on the bases, etc.) The Phillies … wait for it … "wanted it more." “This is the energy we need to play with,” Shane Victorino told Comcast SportsNet. “We stayed focused. We played till the last out. Hopefully this will put us in the right direction."

Dare I say "momentum?"

Game chat: Joe hoping to feast on Rockies hot mess

Temperatures are expected to remain above 90 degrees when the Phillies and Rockies continue their series Wednesday night. Through the wonders of HD, Joe Blanton won't be easy on the eyes in this heat, but he'll try to make life as comfortable as possible for those in attendence as he tries to build off a complete-game win over the Twins his last start. He's opposed by right-hander Alex White (2-5, 5.56), part of a horrible Rockies rotation the Phils exposed yesterday in bouncing Josh Outman from the game early-ish. ... Transaction-wise, the Phils recalled left-hander Raul Valdes, who was somewhat unjustly demoted after spending an effective month with the club earlier this season. Catcher Erik Kratz was demoted again. Valdes continued to pitch well for the IronPigs and moves the Phillies back to 12 pitchers. [Jump to the newest comments]

Watch: Positive updates on Halladay, Utley, Howard

It wasn't all bad Tuesday. In addition to a crisp win over the Rockies, Ruben Amaro Jr. shared injury updates on the Phillies' most important walking wounded: Roy Halladay, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. For a full list of updates, including news of David Herndon's Tuesday Tommy John surgery, click here.

Game chat: Bad news sours start of homestand

The hits keep coming. Breaking tweet from Todd Zolecki: "Michael Stutes could be headed to exploratory surgery for his shoulder. David Herndon could be on his way toward Tommy John surgery." Zolecki then followed with news of a setback in Laynce Nix's recovery (calf strain). This came moments after news broke of Freddy Galvis' 50-game suspension, which tarnishes one of the few good stories of this season. [Jump to the newest comments]

What next? Galvis busted for performance enhancers

Second baseman Freddy Galvis has been suspended 50 games after testing positive for a metabolite of Clostebol, a performance-enhancing drug that violates the league's banned substance program, CSNPhilly has learned. The suspension begins immediately. More coming. On second thought, no comment ... The Phillies issued this statement: "The Phillies continue to believe in and endorse Major League Baseball's drug policy.  We also support Freddy Galvis in his determination to put this matter behind him and we look forward to his return as a productive member of the Phillies as soon as possible." ... Galvis, who is on the disabled list with a back fracture, was not expected back anytime soon, so the suspension is unlikely to cost the 22-year-old healthy playing time.

Notes: Names and reputations working against Ruiz

The catchers of the last two World Series champs - Yadier Molina and Buster Posey - lead Carlos Ruiz in All-Star voting by an insurmountable margin.

Chooch, who rates as the 10th best player in baseball based on Baseball-Reference's WAR stat, remains third in balloting among National League catcher, earning 1,756,018 votes, trailing Posey (2,445,005) and Molina (2,291,567). In their defense, they're having good seasons, particularly Molina who is the 17th best WAR player in the league and hitting .326/.380/.516. Other Phillies receiving votes at their positions are Jimmy Rollins (4th), Ryan Howard (5th), Placido Polanco (5th), Hunter Pence (7th) and Shane Victorino (13th). Go here to vote Chooch. He and Jonathan Papelbon are the only players I'd send from the Phils. You can vote for Chooch here.

Phillies making no noise in baseball's dumpsters: Anyone else a little surprised the Phils haven't made any noise in acquiring any of the pitchers who've shaken lose in recent days? The Phils appear to be staying the course with a number of under performers, including Joe Savery. Would the Phils get the point where they would consider alternatives for Kyle Kendrick? Down in Triple-A, right-hander Tyler Cloyd improved to 7-1 with six solid innings Monday and has held steady with a 2.37 ERA. Cloyd, 24, reminds many of Kendrick in that he relies on fastball movement, keeping the ball down and command of his pitches.

Tonight's lineup: Rollins, Polanco, Pence, Ruiz, Victorino, Wigginton, Mayberry, Martinez against the left-hander Josh Outman.

And if they can't beat the Rockies, then …

The Phillies entertain the Colorado Rockies for three games in Philly in a battle between struggling teams. The pitching match-ups are the most favorable the Phils will see all season.

Beerleaguer: Tonight begins a 10-game homestand ending next Thursday, June 28, at which point the Phils will spin themselves in one of three directions: within striking distance of the division lead, comfortably out of the picture, but not completely out of it, like they are now, or alongside cellar dwellers like the Padres, Cubs, Mariners and Rockies without a snowball's chance in hell. No doubt the Phils blew it in Toronto, missing a golden opportunity to gain ground against a marginal opponent as the rest of the division scuffled.

The Phils are at a point where they not only need to take each set, but to mix in another long winning streak, something they haven't done since their six-gamer back in mid-May in games against the Padres, Astros, Cubs and the first game of the Red Sox series. They have an opportunity to start one tonight as Cole Hamels matches up with Josh Outman, the first of three Rockies' pitchers (Alex White, Jeff Francis), who should be out-classed by the weakened post-Halladay staff (Joe Blanton, Vance Worley). And if that isn't the case, well, what more can you say?

A vintage start from Hamels, something we haven't seen since May, would set the pace for the entire series. The Rockies are a completely different offense on the road (.668 OPS, which rates 27th in the league away from home). The Phils need to take care of business here then try to push the rock up the hill against Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, who follow in this homestand.

Beer nuts: The Williamsport Crosscutters won their season opener against State College. Roman Quinn started at short legged out a hit. Larry Greene started in left and went 0-for-4. Mitch Walding started at third. Tyler Greene was at second.

Top draft picks Greene, Quinn set to debut tonight

The short-season Williamsport Crosscutters open their 2012 season at Bowman Field Monday at 7:05. Several top young talents, like outfielder Larry Greene, are expected to be in the lineup.

Greene, the power-hitting high school outfielder taken with the supplemental 39th pick in the 2011 draft, received a $1 million bonus from the Phils, over the commissioner's recommended $844K slot. The 6-2, 235-pound Georgian could be in first-year manager Andy Tracy's lineup alongside a couple of other notable talents, including high school shortstop Roman Quinn, whose speed was considered by many the best in the entire '11 draft. The 19-year-old set of draft picks signed for a combined $1.75 million just before last season's August signing deadline, a timetable that prevented them from seeing any action.

The Crosscutters also have a pair of touted shortstops in Tyler Greene, who played in 23 games with Lakewood earlier in the year, and Mitchell Walding, a former two-sport star with high upside. Time will tell which positions these players will actually fill, including Quinn, who could be a fit for center field.

Pitching-wise, keep your eye on older right-hander Steven Inch, a 6-4 talent from Edmonton, Canada, who pitched briefly in 2011 after missing all of 2010 with an injury. Right-hander Josh Warner, who started two games for Lakewood earlier this season, is on the mound tonight for the Crosscutters.

Poll: What should the Phillies do: buy, sell or wait?

Sunday chat: Defense no longer a Phillies stronghold

The Phillies could always seek refuge in reliable glovework, but like every other facet of their game, the Phils' defense has become indistinguishable from baseball's other mediocrities.

Beerleaguer: Saturday's eyesore of a loss becomes another sobering milemarker in this dismal season, one in which the standards of excellence we've come to expect have all been shattered, including reliable defense. Fittingly, it was an error by Jimmy Rollins, the symbol of great defense for more than a decade, that led to the runs that cost Cliff Lee his treasured first win. Rollins' declining glove is now reflected in tangible ways; it was already his fifth error of the season, and by most metrics, he's on track for his worst defensive season in 10 years. Just as Jimmy often sets the tone for the offense, the defense has also eroded alongside him, along with the pitching and offense; the offense may be getting their runs, but it's still missing those difference-making hits, particularly late in ballgames, when guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez would routinely flip the script with one swing. In previous seasons, the bats could bail out the Joe Saverys of the world. Today, the bullpen is often left totally exposed.

After the game, Charlie Manuel was fuming. With a worsened defense, there's nowhere he can seek refuge. The defense was the last stronghold of an age-old tradition, and now it appears to be gone, too.

The Phils and Blue Jays conclude at 1:07 Sunday. [Jump to the newest comments]

In progress: Phillies try to rebound in Toronto

The Phillies and Blue Jays engage in the always poorly attended road interleague Saturday matinee inconveniently beginning at 1:07. Cliff Lee tries for his first win. Discuss it here.

Game chat: Phillies visit the Great White North

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Phillies sign ex-Met Pridie, assign him to Triple-A

Outfielder Jason Pridie, 28, apppeared in 101 games for the decimated Mets last season, starting 32 games in center field, six in right and seven in left. He has been added to the IronPigs' roster, according to the Morning Call.

Beerleaguer: Phillies fans saw him a lot last season and he absolutely smoked us. In 26 plate appearances against the Phils, he was a .364/.462/.727 hitter with a homer, triple and three doubles to go with a pair of stolen bases.

A lefty bat with solid defensive and base-running skills, he was a .231/.309/.370 hitter overall with four homers and seven stolen bases in 236 plate appearances for the Mets in 2011. He signed a minor league deal with Oakland this winter, but failed to get on the field because of a 50-game suspension for violating the minor-league drug policy, reportedly testing positive for a "recreational" drug. Oakland granted him his release earlier in the month.

A second-round pick of the Rays back in 2002, he never blossomed into the hitter Tampa had hoped. He was exposed to the Rule 5 draft in 2005 and the Twins took him, then returned him to the Rays in March, only to work out a trade with the Rays to reacquire him in 2007 (similar to the back and forth Shane Victorino experienced early in his career). In 10 minor league seasons, he's a .741 OPS hitter with most of his action coming in center field, which is good news for an IronPigs outfield suddenly without Domonic Brown.

Watch: Beerleaguer talks Phillies with Rhea Hughes

Topics: Jim Thome, taking two-of-three from the Twins, Domonic Brown and a look ahead to the Blue Jays series.

Brown likely to miss time with another knee injury

Just as Domonic Brown had settled into a good groove, the 24-year-old outfielder has reportedly re-aggravated the knee injury that knocked him out of action earlier in the season. [Link]

Beerleaguer: Another unfortunate setback for Brown as the injuries are starting to mount. According to Jeff Schuler, who covers the IronPigs for the Morning Call, the outfielder was hitting .295 in his last 20 games, with four doubles, a triple and four homers. Brown has had a lot of problems staying on the field. He's missed time this season with a left hamstring strain and will likely be out for an extended period, for the second time, dealing with this knee issue. Brown reportedly pulled up lame running out a grounder in the fourth and was running gingerly in the outfield the next inning. He missed time last spring with surgery to repair his hamate bone. Add in the fact that he was yo-yo'ed in and out of the majors the previous two seasons. The acquisition of Hunter Pence and sinking status on the depth chart must have injured his confidence, if nothing else.

It's more bad news for the aging Phillies, who would like nothing more than to see an uninterrupted season for Brown to refine his game.

Game chat: Phillies face toughest test of series

I've never heard of Scott Diamond, but apparantly he's pretty decent (5-1, 1.61). On the other hand, I'm all too familar with Joe Blanton (5-6, 5.40), who has surrendered 29 earned runs in his last five starts. The Twins and Phillies settle up beginning at 8:10. Jim Thome remains in the lineup as the designated hitter. John Mayberry and Ty Wigginton start in left and first against the left-hander, this Diamond. [Jump to the newest comments]

Pundit believes Phils' pick too immature to succeed

From Keith Law's of ESPN.com's chat discussing the draft and other matters. Here's Law's response when asked about why Phillies' second-round pick, outfielder Dylan Cozens, was rated so poorly. [Link]

"He wasn't rated highly because he's not that good. Shoved his coach and told him to "f off" in the dugout during a game, so he was kicked off the team - the culmination of a series of incidents that turned many scouts off him, one even calling him a "bully." (Just what you want on your GCL team around a handful of 16-year-old Latin American kids.) And he's a big power-before-hit guy who put on 50-60 pounds in a single summer. Amaro is pumping up his draft pick, which is his job, but he's giving you half the story."

Meanwhile, Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies don't seem concerned about the perceived attitude issues and are excited about his power and athleticism, all of which are discussed in this story on the team Web site.

Beerleaguer: At the end of the day, you're talking about an 18-year-old kid who doesn't know his ass from his elbow. Spare me the armchair psychiatry. Clearly, baseball is no place for a foul-mouthed jock with an attitude problem, and the measure of a man is the way he behaved in high school. Please.

Report: Sheets auditions for Phillies, three others

MLBTradeRumors.com has learned that 33-year-old right-hander Ben Sheets threw for scouts in Louisiana Wednesday, and the Phillies were among four clubs in attendance. Sheets started 20 games for the Athletics in 2010 and was 4-9 with a 4.53 ERA before his elbow gave out again, requiring major surgery(s) and a long rehabilitation. In parts of nine seasons, he's 90-92 with a 3.79 ERA, his best season coming in 2004 with Milwaukee (264 Ks, 2.70 ERA). The Phils took a similar mid-season shine to free agent Pedro Martinez in 2009, who went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA for the Phils in nine starts down the stretch.

Game chat: Phils get a quiet boost from Polly's return

Placido Polanco, whose absence has been an underrated part of the Phillies' slide, returns to third base for the first time since the second game of the Dodgers series (June 5) when the Phillies and Twins play the second beginning at 8:10.

Notes: Polly bats seventh in Charlie Manuel's lineup, which goes Rollins SS, Pierre LF, Pence RF, Thome DH, Victorino CF, Ruiz C, Polanco 3B, Mayberry 1B, Martinez 2B. The Phillies are hoping Polly's defensive presence rubs off on Hunter Pence, who has been flat-out brutal in right field. Polanco's offensive contribution shouldn't be taken lightly, either. Before suffering his wrist injury, he had pulled his OPS all the way up to .703. I know! All the way to .703! It's not saying much, but it's better than Ty Wigginton lately. Wiggy, who has been a butcher at third base, is also a .209/.280/.355 hitter since May 2. Bottom line: It's good to have you back, Polly. [Jump to the newest comments]

Readers: For Phillies, it's three aces or bust

Beerleaguers extracted meaning from Tuesday's 11-7 loss to the Twins. Roy Halladay's name was mentioned often.

Halladay was the anchor: "Tonight is a night where Halladay showed you he was the bulwark of this team the past two years. Normally, he goes out there, even if he didn't have his best stuff, and still goes 7 innings and gives up 3-4 runs. The bullpen is largely preserved and the Phils win. Instead, Kyle Kendrick gets lit up, goes only 4 innings and forces Cholly to use a bunch of relievers in the series' opener." - MG

Worst bullpen in the bigs? "I think this one can be termed a 'loss attributable to not having Roy Halladay.' Team finally nuts up and really knocks the ball around and they can't even do enough to get a lead. It's not even that Kendrick sucked (he did). It's the fact that if the starter doesn't go really deep into the game, the bullpen is exposed, and this bullpen, as currently constituted, is the worst in the major leagues. I'm not selling, but if it still looks like this in a few weeks, I'll put up the yard sale signs at CBP myself." - Iceman

Amaro's offseason in question: "Let's play: How To Spend $11M (Jonathan Papelbon's 2012 salary) on Bullpen Help: $4M -- Jonathan Broxton -- 23 games, 14 saves, 2 blown saves, 1.59 ERA, 4.21 xFIP, 1.24 WHIP; $4M -- Darren Oliver -- 24 games, 1.71 ERA, 3.05 xFIP, 1.00 WHIP, 1.92 BAA, 9.4 K/9; $1.75M -- Fernando Rodney -- 30 games, 18 saves, 1 blown save, 0.94 ERA, 2.91 xFIP, 0.77 WHIP; $1.35M -- J.P. Howell -- 21 games, 4.08 ERA, 4.84 xFIP, 1.25 WHIP, .213 BAA, .179 BAA against left-handers. Total 2012 salary: $11.1M. Obviously, I am not claiming that RAJ should have been prescient enough to sign all, or even some, of the guys on my list -- all of whom, I will readily admit, have been carefully cherry-picked from a free agent list that includes far more flops than successes. There is no denying that it can be very difficult to put together a good bullpen. On the other hand, considering the way Papelbon has been used, and the awfulness of the rest of our 'pen, I think it is more than fair to criticize the off-season process." - bay_area_phan

The Phillies, now 11 back in the loss column, and with a pitching staff performing worse than their maligned offense for several weeks, haven't dug a hole this deep since the pre-divisional dynasty days of 2006. The Twins torched Kyle Kendrick and the young bullpen for 17 hits in an 11-7 beating at Target Field Tuesday night.

Game chat: Phillies visit Twins as 'Chase' begins

The Phillies, losers of eight of nine, try to stop their divisional free fall when they continue Interleague play Tuesday night in Minnesota beginning at 8:10 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Chase Utley's rehab assignment gets underway an hour earlier in Clearwater, Fla. Watch the live stream here. The Phils enter Tuesday trailing the first-place Nationals by 8.5 games in the National League East.

Beerleaguer: A couple of keys for the Phillies, who face a pair of nobody right-handers in Nick Blackburn and P.J. Walters to open the series, then a tricky lefty in Scott Diamond in the finale.  First, the Phils need their starters to pitch deeper in games, which means Kyle Kendrick (tonight) and Joe Blanton (Thursday) will need to pitch at a higher level. Kendrick pitched the game of his career May 26 and was unable to build off that. Phillies starters have only made it through the seventh inning once all month, and that was Cliff Lee's 2-1 loss to the Dodgers June 5. Next, you'd love to see the Phils ambush Blackburn early and use up Minnesota's bullpen to put them on the ropes the rest of the series. Finally, they've gotta play better defense, which might be a given if Placido Polanco is ready to return. You don't know what you have until it's gone.

But to me, deeper starts are the single biggest key to getting back on solid ground, short of dealing for outside help, which isn't happening.

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Phillies could go 100 directions with 100 to play

They could become sellers and tank it. They could become sellers and actually improve, like they did in 2006 when they dumped salary then scrambled after the non-waiver deadline to pick up Jamie Moyer and Jeff Conine. They could stay true to history and use their remaining prospects as currency to buy major upgrades the way they have the last several seasons. Or they could do the opposite and trade players like Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton or even Cliff Lee in an attempt to go young, or get immediate help in areas of need. The subject of selling has been broached as many times recently as the idea of a St. Louis Cardinals team that was 10.5 games out of a playoff spot on Aug. 25. Their strategy? Get healthy and sign relievers like Arthur Rhodes off the scrap heap.

Something tells me this weird season will get even weirder ...

Monday: Phillies make losing a team effort

The Phils fell in walk-off fashion for the second time in as many games after the offense couldn't smother the Orioles early, the defense gave away outs, Cliff Lee made another costly mistake and the bullpen couldn't outlast the opposition.

Beerleaguer: Borrowing from Chris Wheeler, who said on the postgame show there's nowhere to hide in baseball. The game has a cruel way of finding and exploiting weakness. That's the moral of the story this weekend in Baltimore where the Orioles lanced through all the chinks in the Phillies' armor. Ty Wigginton and Mike Fontenot were exposed as the replacements they are. The inexperience in the bullpen showed, although Michael Schwimer's three innings Sunday were a revelation, as were Chad Qualls' shutout innings on Saturday. The Phils also had ample opportunity to gash Jason Hammel for many more runs and let him off the hook.

Lee can only blame himself for missing out on his first win. Here's another guy, like Doc, who hasn't been quite the same, though the numbers, sans wins, may suggest otherwise. His breaking ball has less break and he's missing his spots more than we're accustomed to seeing. When he misses, he's out and over the plate and extremely beatable.

Getting burned by the longball is an old favorite of the Phils and it's returned in full force. The Phils rank among the league leaders in taters surrendered - 14 out of 16 National League teams to be exact - and as David Hale points out in his last day on the beat, they're on pace to eclipse last year's total by 43.

Losses attributable to the bullpen is another Beerleaguer returning favorite. And although rookies BJ Rosenberg and Joe Savery were put in sink or swim situations this week, they're still members of the 'pen and represent the best available options, at least for the short term.

Sunday chat: Better late than never as Lee seeks win

Hard-luck left-hander Cliff Lee (0-3, 2.92) is hoping June 10 will go in the books as his first win of the 2012 season when the Phillies and Orioles conclude their Mid-Altlantic showdown today at 1:35.

Notes: Surprising right-hander Jason Hammel (6-2, 2.97) toes the slab for the Orioles. It would be nice for Lee and the Phillies to finally get the monkey off their back, but it would be even nicer to put one in the win column and secure a series victory. Saturday, the Phils' bats made enough noise early, but handed over the game because of sloppy play, which has become a regular occurance the last few weeks. Meanwhile, hovering along at .500, or slightly below, is slowly beginning to cost the Phils in the standings as the Nationals, who are 13-3-4 in 20 series, have opened up a seven-game lead in the National League East. The Phils also trail the fourth-place Marlins by three games, so they've got some problems.

Mini-Mart makes 2012 starting debut: Here's your lineup: Rollins SS, Pierre LF, Pence RF, Thome DH, Victorino CF, Ruiz C, Wigginton 3B, Luna 1B, Martinez 2B. It's Michael Martinez's first start since Sept. 28, 2011.

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Saturday chat: Blame Phillies' woes on the bad juju

Just when it couldn't get more absurd, 22-year-old second baseman Freddy Galvis heads to the disabled list with a "serious"  fracture in his back and will be in a freakin' back brace for six weeks. Are you kidding me?

Beerleaguer: "Serious," from the words of assistant GM Scott Proefrock after Friday night's 9-6 cleansing against the Orioles. What goes around comes around, the Mets would say. The Phils enjoyed health and prosperity in their build-up to the World Series and have been slowly snake-bitten in the years since. They could easily lose Placido Polanco to the disabled list as well for a variety of ailments too difficult to track (technically, a small tear in the tendon of his wrist). Galvis is a real shame. Without him, and without Polanco, the defense is critically weakened. The Phils would have loved to see Galvis get a complete season under his belt as the future of Chase Utley is so uncertain. Utley hasn't even begun fielding yet. After all these months, what does that tell you?

Help is on the way from the minors: Twenty-four hours after Beerleaguer told you the minor league pool had been sucked dry, there are strong indications the Phillies will call up right-handed reliever BJ Rosenberg from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Rosenberg, 26, was on the fast track to the majors a few seasons ago before injuries derailed his career. In 28 2-3 innings between Lehigh Valley and Reading, he's 1-0 with a 1.57 ERA and a 36/8 K/BB ratio. He's a decent choice in that he can pitch multiple innings and balances out the bullpen a bit. The Phillies demoted Raul Valdes and outrighted Pete Orr to Triple-A in a move that suggests Rosenberg will be the guy. Phillippe Aumont is another possibility, but he recently spent time on the disabled list and has been less effective, overall, than Rosenberg.

The Phillies and Orioles continue their series at 4:05.

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