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Game chat: Phils try to complete perfect homestand

Kyle Kendrick (6-4, 4.60) and the Phillies try to make it eight straight against newly acquired left-hander Joe Saunders (6-10, 4.60) and the Diamondbacks tonight at 7:05. After a scorching debut Wednesday, Domonic Brown sits for Ben Francisco against the left-hander. Actually, between last night’s excitement with Brown and tomorrow’s debut of Roy Oswalt, tonight sounds a lot like this.

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Amaro addresses media in beautiful high-definition

Oswalt to debut Friday; deal includes 3 players

Final details are still being worked out, according to Jim Salisbury, but the deal will include left-hander J.A. Happ, outfield prospect Anthony Gose and shortstop Jonathan Villar going to Houston. The Phils will also receive cash. According to Charlie Manuel, Oswalt will debut for the Phillies tomorrow night in Washington.

Anthony Gose, CF: Second round pick in the 2008 draft. One of the fastest players in the minor leagues (76 stolen bases in 96 attempts last season). Could become an elite defender in center field. Was also viewed as a left-handed pitching prospect. Still very raw, but at 19, has time to develop. Hitting .263/.325/.385 with 36 stolen bases, four homers and 103 strikeouts in 450 plate appearances at Clearwater. (Update: ESPN reports that Gose will be flipped to the Blue Jays, who coveted him during last season's talks with Toronto.)

Jonathan Villar, SS: Very fast, but very raw. Hitting .272/.332/.358 with 2 homers, 38 stolen bases and 103 strikeouts in 364 plate appearances. He's committed an eye-opening 42 errors at short. Only 19, he signed out of the Dominican Republic and made his US debut in 2009.

Beerleaguer: There is a common thread between Gose and Villar. Scouts will put way more stock in their tools and potential than their stat sheets. Reading a couple of reports, they were arguably among the Phillies' five or six-best position players in the system. The stats don't do them justice, and shortstop isn't exactly a position of strength for the Phillies.

Breaking news: Oswalt agrees to become a Phillie

A person closely involved with the negotiations has told CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury that Roy Oswalt has agreed to waive his no-trade clause and come to Philadelphia. [Link] 

Oswalt owns the best curveball in baseball according to a number of metrics. Stuff-wise, he’s better than he's been in years, according to many of the scouts cited over the course of the last two months. Oswalt finished with one of the worst seasons of his career in 2009 due to a degenerative disc in his back. He maintained very steady peripherals even during the one-year hiccup. He's allowing a few more homers this season than normal, but nothing major; groundball rate is also at a career-low 1.19. On the plus-side, strikeouts per nine is at a nine-year high. His lofty contract negatively skewed perceptions; he's still an elite performer. Phillies have reportedly danced around picking up the 2012 option and got $11 million from Houston. By frequency, he'll go fastball, curveball, slider, change. He's a little like a right-handed version of Cliff Lee, only without Lee’s freakish accuracy. Fast worker like Lee and a good fastball to set up the curve. “Jumps” at hitters, as you’ll hear from Chris Wheeler over the next two years (pending the outcome of the deal). (stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com; photo from Getty Images)

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Let's make a deal: Beerleaguer deadline thread

1:20: Person close to Oswalt confirms to CSNPhilly.com that he will go to the Phillies for Happ and two others.

1:00 p.m.: Oswalt plans on accepting deal, according to Jayson Stark. Happ is clearly the centerpiece of the deal, Stark says. Dollars believed to be $11 million range from Houston to help cover Oswalt's contract, he says. The deal is still pending.

12:58 p.m.: Trying to Photoshop Oswalt's head into Brad Lidge's uniform and cap. Oswalt's lightbulb-shaped head is presenting a problem. Unsuccessfully tried using the liquify tool to bubble out Lidge's cap to accommodate Oswalt's melon. "It's like an orange on a toothpick."

12:25 p.m.: Rosenthal hears that Singleton is not in the deal.

ESPN accidentally publishes Stark's notes: Here they are before they're taken down: "Confirmed that Houston would get three players back -- J.A. Happ and two prospects. Nobody is revealing names of the prospects, but Houston has pressed hard for Phillies' best hitting prospect now that Domonic Brown is in the big leagues, Class A first baseman Jonathan Singleton. Also heard from an excellent source that the Astros offered to pay $12 million of the $23+ million left on Oswalt's contract through next year. Can't confirm that's the final number agreed on, but again it's from an excellent source who would know, even though he wasn't directly involved." [Link]

11:00 a.m. "Oswalt has been asking questions about the lay of the land in Philadelphia, has received texts from Brad Lidge, people close to situation say," according to Salisbury.

Bautista report: The Philadelphia Phillies are interested in Toronto Blue Jays OF and home run leader Jose Bautista. According to respected baseball scribe Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, the Phillies have scouted eight of the Jays' last nine games. The 29-year-old journeyman came out of nowhere to hit .256/.366/.585 with 30 homers and 75 RBIs this season. He's a jack of all trades in the field, but a master of none....[+]

10:30 a.m. CSNPhilly's big gun, Jim Salisbury, says the signs point to the Phillies acquiring Oswalt. "Baseball officials with knowledge of the Phillies’ thinking said the club was carrying itself as if it had an agreement," Salisbury writes. Click here for trade details.

10:05 a.m. Ken Rosenthal tweets that his source says the deal is 3-for-1 with J.A. Happ as part of the package. Astros would reportedly pay a "very significant" part of Oswalt's remaining salary, which is over $23 million. Earlier, SI's Jon Heyman mentioned that as many as four pitchers, including Happ and Vance Worley, could be part of the package.

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Report: Phillies, Astros have Oswalt deal in place

An early morning report from a Houston television station reported that the Phillies and Astros have agreed on a deal in which right-hander Roy Oswalt would become a Phillie if he agrees to waive his no-trade clause.

Citing league sources, the Astros have approached Oswalt about the trade and are awaiting his response. Additionally, the report says the teams have agreed on how much of Oswalt's remaining contract will be paid by Houston. The report indicates that Phillies lefty pitcher J.A. Happ is a part of the deal, but no other prospects were mentioned. Oswalt is owed approximately $5 million this season and is signed for $16 million next season in the last year of his deal. Plus, there's a club option for 2012 that could pay Oswalt another $16 million or a $2 million buyout. Oswalt is 6-12 with a 3.42 ERA, but like Roy Halladay, hasn't benefited from much run support with the struggling Astros. - CSNPhilly.com

Beerleaguers weigh in: "The Phils lower farms level have taken a huge step forward this year. If Singleton/Cosart/Colvin and the rest of the low-A all-stars had developed a year earlier, would the Phils have traded Lee to reseed the farm? There's obviously a connection between the Lee deal and the Oswalt deal, and payroll, while a mystery to us, has to be an issue 2011-2012. But there is a difference between 1 year of Lee and 1.5-2.5 years of Oswalt. Oswalt's contract, while a risk, may already be below market value (look at Lackey's deal), and you simply won't find a pitcher of his quality willing to sign a 1 or 2 year contract for $16M/yr this offseason. It really is all about what the Phils give up to me with the caveat that I have no idea what future's payroll will be."  - Sophist

Game chat: Phillies usher forth Dom of a new era

Domonic Brown makes his ballyhooed debut tonight and bats sixth when Roy Halladay (11-8, 2.28) and the Phillies continue their series with Edwin Jackson (6-9, 5.01) and the Diamondbacks. First pitch is 7:05.

Preview: When the 2010 schedule was first released, a Wednesday night game with the D-Backs in late July ranked right at the bottom among desirable tickets, yet tonight has all the makings of a show-stopper. Coupled with a season-high six-game winning streak and the larger-than-life presence of their ace, the Phillies open the curtain on a central character tonight, one they're hoping will dance through the annals of team history. Domonic Brown, recently knighted as the best prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America, rolls off the showroom floor and into Citizens Bank Park with a Jaguar's glint. Engineered to hit .327 with 20 home runs, 68 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 93 games at the minors' highest levels, the 22-year-old is so refined, that he breaches the cold-storage bench buffer that entangles most young call-ups and will be served straightaway at the big league table. One can only hope that he'll improve with age and won't turn into vinegar.

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(From a Phillies news release) - Center fielder Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an abdominal strain on his left side. To take his spot on the 25-man roster, the Phillies selected the contract of outfielder Domonic Brown from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Brown, 22, has combined to hit .327 (112-for-343) with 46 extra-base hits, including 20 home runs and 68 RBI over 93 games for Reading and Lehigh Valley. Brown will wear No. 9 and will be available for tonight's game against the Diamondbacks.

Beerleaguer: Reports are he will be in the starting lineup tonight and possibly start every night in right field until Victorino returns healthy. Exciting news; most exciting call-up since Cole Hamels.

Salisbury's source: Victorino to DL, Brown to Phillies

Via Jim Salisbury's twitter: "I am hearing that the Phillies with place Shane Victorino on the DL and bring up top prospect Domonic Brown."

Streaking Phillies slug past D-Backs; Shane dinged

The Phillies dropped a vintage whooping on the Diamondbacks Tuesday night, using 13 hits including three, two-run homers to secure a 9-5 victory, making it six in a row and nine-consecutive wins at home.

Jayson Werth, Ryan Howard and Cody Ransom homered and the 1-through-5 hitters accounted for 10 hits. Cole Hamels struggled with his command, allowing six hits and four walks over five innings, although he struck out eight. The Phils trimmed their deficit to 3.5 games in the National League East as the Braves lost 3-0 to the Nationals.

Shane update: Meanwhile, Shane Victorino will receive an MRI today for what has been diagnosed as a strained left ribcage. Vic complained of feeling a "knot in his side" while tracking down a ball hit to right-center. Depending on the severity, it could open the door for top prospect Domonic Brown and could also force the Phillies to scrap any plans they were making to trade Jayson Werth. The Phils could also consider Triple-A staple John Mayberry Jr. who they've used in the past.

Beerleaguer: Brown would send a jolt through everyone's veins, but Mayberry  would follow the Phillies' pattern in terms of outfield depth and mindfulness of the 40-man roster. Quite honestly, losing Vic (.250/.311/.438) for a short period of time isn’t terribly critical as long as Jimmy Rollins can get back on the field in short order. Werth, Ben Francisco, Raul Ibanez, Ross Gload and Mayberry would do OK, but make no mistake: Brown is ready. He went 2-for-4 last night with a triple and 2 RBIs, raising his Triple-A slash line to .346/.390/.561 in 26 games.

Game chat: Cole hoping to continue dominant July

Cole Hamels (7-7, 3.40) has been lights out for over a month. Now it's time for his offense to reward the effort. The Phillies' left-hander has the ball opposite former hometown helper Rodrigo Lopez (5-9, 4.58) and the Diamondbacks. First pitch is 7:05.

Hamels' resurgence has become one of the great untold stories of the season, "untold" because his hitters keep spoiling a good story. Hamels started the last game by striking out the first five batters and didn't allow a base runner until Matt Holliday singled in the fifth. He would allow an additional walk, but that was it, pitching eight-shutout frames of one-hit, one-walk ball, the first time in his career that he's allowed a hit or less over eight innings. Unfortunately, it took 11 innings for his hitters to get on the board. They'd hold on for the victory 2-0, with the win going to Chad Durbin for 2-3 innings of work.

Let me just read you these numbers from the Phillies pregame notes just to paint the right picture: Hamels has allowed one earned run over his last 22.2 IP (0.40 ERA), including two scoreless starts. He's 2-5 over his last 11 starts despite allowing three earned runs or less in 10 of them (2.97 ERA). He has pitched seven or more innings in eight of his last nine starts. He has a 1.72 ERA (7 ER, 36.2 IP) in five July starts, his lowest ERA of any month this season. He's holding left-handed hitters to a .176 AVG (18-102) this season, fifth lowest in the league. And he ranks 9th in the NL in SO/9.0 IP (8.50). Behind Halladay, I'd call him the best Phillie this season.

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Injury update: Foot injury forces J-Roll to sidelines

And just when the Phillies were feeling the flow ...

CSNPhilly’s Jim Salisbury has received word that Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins will be out of the lineup tonight when the Phillies open a three-game set with the Diamondbacks. Charlie Manuel told Salisbury that his foot is "sore and bruised" but will not require a trip to the disabled list. J-Roll suffered a contusion when he fouled a ball off his foot yesterday. Although he was clearly hobbled, he played through the pain and finished the game. Afterward, X-Rays taken on J-Roll’s foot were negative. Wilson Valdez will reportedly start at short tonight. (Getty Images)

Castro: In other news, the Dodgers signed infielder Juan Castro to a minor league deal. Castro, 38, was released by the Phillies last Saturday when Placido Polanco came off the disabled list. The veteran infielder, who spent last season with the Dodgers, hit .198/.237/.238 and saw limited action at short, second and third.

Hot stove update: On the trade front and in case you haven’t read, a rumor that Jayson Werth had been traded to the San Diego Padres picked up momentum during yesterday’s game. According to Randy Miller of the Bucks County Courier Times, a tweet “originated from Bill Werdl, a veteran Philadelphia-area media member who is known for his NFL Draft expertise, had Phillies right fielder Jayson Werth traded to San Diego for prospects.” The report wasn’t completely out of the blue; Werth and the Padres have been linked in previous stories. But with the Phillies rattling off five-straight wins, conventional wisdom seems to have the Phillies keeping Werth for the stretch run. In addition, the $16 million club option and no-trade clause appear to be significant roadblocks in the Phillies’ pursuit of Roy Oswalt.

Tuesday: Timing is everything for improving Phillies

How did the Phillies arrive at a five-game winning streak, matching the longest mark of the season? Here are five reasons.

1. Research has shown that when an entire team is locked in a slump, they'll lose. Imagine that. Players rarely stay consistent through all 162 games and the Phillies house a bevy of streaky hitters. Unfortunately, the personal lulls were clumped together over exactly the same period. So now that they appear to be emerging from the doldrums, they've seen an uptick in production: more hits, more extra-base hits, more hard-hit balls, more runs and more wins. Although nobody in the lineup can be described as "red-hot," most of them have settled into a steady groove, including Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth, Jimmy Rollins and a number of bench players, including Greg Dobbs and Ross Gload. Plus, they’re finally getting their feet back. (X-rays negative on J-Roll’s toe, but he was clearly gimping around yesterday).

2. Did Milt Thompson's ouster light a fire? It's hard to argue against it. It certainly appears that the Phils have been taking better at bats since Thursday, the day Charlie Manuel replaced Thompson with Greg Gross. Perhaps “GG” has the golden touch, but more likely, it sent a message that the offense is being held accountable for the Phillies backslide. It looked like amateur hour at the plate during their last roadtrip. So the timing and severity was appropriate.

3. Credit Manuel for the Ibanez-three-hitter lineup, his pseudo-platoon with Ben Francisco and the decision to sit Wilson Valdez in favor of more offense. As a result, the bench is hitting for the first time all season, with Francisco, Dobbs, Ross Gload and Brian Schneider coming through with big hits and productive games over the last few days. It also helps that the Phillies finally took out the trash by handing Juan Castro his walking papers.

4. The Phillies caught the road-weary Rockies at the best-possible time. Roy Halladay set the tone with a shutout in Game 1. Ubaldo Jimenez picked Saturday to pitch the worst game of his career. And in the last two games, Colorado fell all over themselves with crucial mistakes. Plus, Troy Tulowitzki was out with a fractured wrist. So when we talk about the Phillies’ win streak, it’s really what they did against one, beleaguered team at the tail-end of an 11-game road trip.

5. Starting pitching and middle relief tossed quality frames, offering a thumbnail of this entire season: Sharp for eight innings, dicey at the end.

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Game chat: Phils try to complete four-game sweep

The ever-evolving lineup will be without Jayson Werth this afternoon as Joe Blanton (3-6, 6.03) and the Phillies reach for the brooms against Jason Hammel (7-5, 4.23) and the breathless Rockies. First pitch is 1:05.

Notes: There is reportedly no subtext with Werth sitting; it’s just a routine day off, according to reports. Ross Gload, part of an improving bench, starts in right and hits fifth. Placido Polanco mans second once again with Greg Dobbs starting at third, keeping with the recent trend of getting “heftier” lumber into the lineup. Wilson Valdez has not started in three games, suggesting that Charlie Manuel has concluded that the light-hitting utilityman has been overexposed. … On the trade front, ESPN’s Jayson Stark reports that the Astros seek "a young, front-line player off the big-league roster, two high-end prospects and one more prospect" for Roy Oswalt. Stark was a guest on yesterday’s Phillies postgame show and wondered if J.A. Happ, who is 27, controllable and has experienced proven success, was too great a sacrifice for Oswalt. Stark also reminded viewers of the Phillies’ possible pursuit of Ty Wigginton and Miguel Tejada, noting that the Orioles are typically very slow to make deals. Looking at Tejada's numbers (.272/.311/.368, 7 HR), one wonders if he could be acquired at a minimal cost.

Minor league signings: The Phillies recently acquired a couple of independent league All-Star relievers: right-hander Joe Esposito of the Long Island Ducks and left-hander Derrick Loop from across the river in Camden. Esposito, 25, spent three seasons in the Orioles system before he was released at the end of 2010 spring training. He has been assigned to Lakewood. Loop spent last season with Double-A Portland (Red Sox). He has been added to Clearwater. The Phils also signed right-hander Mike McGuire from the Can-Am league.

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Phillies outlast Rockies to pick up fourth straight win

Summary: After singling home the tying run in the sixth, Jimmy Rollins scored the go-ahead run when Rafael Betancourt bounced a pitch that eluded Miguel Olivo making it 4-3, which was enough to stick despite some dicey relief. J.A. Happ, making his first start since April 15, looked understandably rusty, flashing good velocity, but shaky control. Happ, with an Astros scout reportedly in attendance, allowed three runs on four hits and four walks over five innings, striking out four. Ben Francisco, starting for Raul Ibanez against left-hander Jeff Francis, launched a majestic two-run homer to deep left in the second. The Phils wasted several opportunities to add runs early, but struggled with their situational hitting. They also survived bases-loaded jams by Ryan Madson and Brad Lidge, but escaped unscathed. The game was delayed for 1 hour and 40 minutes by rain. (AP Photo)

Pitching rumors: The Angels made a surprise move by acquiring right-hander Dan Haren in a 4-for-1 that will send Joe Saunders, Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez and a player to be named later to Arizona. The additional player is believed to be a top prospect. Haren had been scouted by the Phillies, who will now fall back on Houston's Roy Oswalt.

Werth targeted: CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury reports that the Phillies continue to field offers for Jayson Werth. Two interested clubs – the Rays and Giants – had scouts in attendance today, Salisbury reports. Yesterday, ESPN reported that the Tigers have also scouted Werth this weekend. Werth singled and doubled today. In addition, Salisbury noted via Twitter than Pittsburgh also had scouts in attendance today. [More details]

Sunday chat: Happ ready to roll for the stretch run

Making only his third start of the season and first since April 15, left-hander J.A. Happ (1-0, 0.00) rejoins the Phillies for their Sunday matinee with Jeff Francis (3-3, 4.63) and the Rockies. First pitch is 1:35, with the Phils seeking their fourth-straight win and seventh-straight at home.

Phillies 10, Rockies 2: The story was written in a seven-run third inning with the Phillies making an unusually erratic Ubaldo Jimenez throw strikes. Jimenez walked six batters and uncorked a wild pitch before he was chased after just two-plus innings, marking the shortest outing of his career. It also marked the second-straight game of crisp production by the previously listless Phillies offense. Jimmy Rollins went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run triple to ice the seven-run rally. Raul Ibanez, who is hitting .328/.397/.474 in his last 16 games, blasted his eighth homer of the season off the facing of the second deck. Pitching-wise, Kyle Kendrick allowed a run on six hits over seven innings, the only run coming on an Ian Stewart solo shot. And with the game out of reach, recent call-up Vance Worley made his debut in the ninth and retired the Rockies in order. The 22-year-old right-hander was shipped back to the minors after the game to make room for Happ. The Braves and Giants, the division and Wild Card pace setters, also won, but the Phillies gained on the Mets and Marlins.

Trade rumor links: Here’s the latest collection of things heard around baseball, courtesy of the alert staff at MLBTradeRumors.com.

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Game chat: Phillies try to keep chipping away today

The Phillies gained ground on the division-leading Braves with a 6-0 win last night. They'll attempt to do the same this afternoon against Cy Young contender Ubaldo Jimenez (15-1, 2.38) and the Rockies. First pitch is 4:10 p.m. with the game airing regionally on Fox. For the Phillies, Kyle Kendrick (5-4, 4.82 ERA) goes back to work after a brief demotion to the minor leagues. Lineups are posted: Rollins SS, Polanco 2B, Ibanez LF, Howard 1B, Werth RF, Victorino CF, Dobbs 3B, Schneider C. CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury tweets that the Phillies will scout Roy Oswalt's start tonight. They trail the Braves by 6 games in the East and the Giants by 3.5 in the Wild Card. [Jump to the newest comments]

Saturday: Five-run fifth fuels second-straight shutout

Roy Halladay blanked the Rockies for eight innings, while the offense found the golden touch in its first game under the watchful eye of hitting coach Greg Gross, as the Phillies christened the homestand with a 6-0 victory.

Beerleaguer: Good win that yielded several encouraging performances as the Phillies try to get something going here at home. Raul Ibanez went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, and as Chris Wheeler mentioned in the broadcast, he stayed on the ball and took it the opposite way, something he hasn't done a whole lot this season and one of the reasons why he was so successful early in 2009. Don't look now, but just when you're about to stick a fork in a guy, Raul starts hitting again; he's up to .254/.335/.398 and is posting a .333/.404/.452 in his 10 games out of the three-hole. I was also relieved to see Shane Victorino, who has been puttering along without any real gain for the offense, get the night off in favor of Ross Gload, who rewarded Charlie Manuel with a 2-for-2 including a two-run bomb. Jimmy Rollins also hit the ball hard and looked sharp in other areas. It was a good night without even mentioning how Doc bounced back after Sunday's downer in Chicago. I think the Phils are running into a road-weary Rockies team at exactly the right time, too, so I look for a big series here.

Game chat: Phils gaze through the looking glass

Like Alice, the Phillies have experienced a reversal of reality since Mick Billmeyer peered through the lens in Colorado.

When the Phillies and Rockies last met, the series was marred by an alleged sign-stealing incident involving binocular-wielding bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer. It resulted in a warning by Major League Baseball. And as everyone knows, the issue turned out to be a big misunderstanding. Rockies skipper Jim Tracy has let bygones be bygones, while the Phillies, out to show that they'd never attempt to gain a competitive advantage through such backhanded measures, continued to produce as they always have, hitting .243/.311/.389 (.699 OPS) in the 62 games since, a mere .100-point drop in OPS since the first 33 games of the season. And down the rabbit hole they go ...

Pitching preview: Sinkerball specialist Aaron Cook (4-5 4.56) toes the slab for Colorado. Roy Halladay (10-8, 2.40) tries to rebound from one of his worst starts as a Phillie Sunday against the Cubs. Colorado is in the midst of an 11-game road trip and lost three of four to Florida in their last series. [Jump to the newest comments]

Milt Thompson takes the fall for underachieving O

Milt Thompson has been relieved of his duties as hitting coach, the Phillies announced late last night after the Phillies barely squeaked out a 2-0 win yesterday afternoon.

Thompson, 51, was part of the 1993 World Series team and has been the hitting coach since 2004. Greg Gross, who has been serving as a coach for Triple-A Lehigh Valley the past three seasons (2008-10), will assume hitting coach duties for the Phillies. Gross, 57, was the Phillies' Major League hitting coach from 2002-04 before being reassigned to the player development system in 2005.

Beerleaguer: Thompson, who oversaw the rise of a typically prolific offense and development of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins and others into MVPs or MVP-caliber players, takes the fall here for a badly underachieving group of hobbled veterans. What "message" does this send? I'm not exactly sure.